US08035154B2

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of memory cells, a plurality of bit lines, and a plurality of source lines. The memory cells are located in the semiconductor substrate. Each of the memory cells includes a trench provided in the semiconductor substrate, an oxide layer disposed on a sidewall of the trench, a tunnel oxide layer disposed at a bottom portion of the trench, a floating gate disposed in the trench so as to be surrounded by the oxide layer and the tunnel oxide layer, and an erasing electrode disposed on an opposing side of the tunnel oxide layer from the floating gate. The bit lines and the source lines are alternately arranged on the memory cells in parallel with each other.
US08035140B2

An semiconductor device is disclosed. The device includes a semiconductor body, a layer of insulating material disposed over the semiconductor body, and a region of gate electrode material disposed over the layer of insulating material. Also included are a source region adjacent to gate region and a drain region adjacent to the gate region. A gate connection is disposed over the semiconductor body, wherein the gate connection includes a region of gate electrode material electrically coupling a contact region to the gate electrode. An insulating region is disposed on the semiconductor body beneath the gate connection.
US08035137B2

A molecular electronic device, and a method of fabricating the same, includes a first electrode having a plurality of prominences and depressions on which a plurality of molecules are self-assembled. Capacitance of a molecular electronic device used as a capacitor is increased by forming prominences and depressions on the surface of the first electrode thereby enabling more molecules to be self-assembled on the surface of the lower electrode.
US08035122B2

The present invention relates to light diffusion type light emitting diodes, more particularly, to a light emitting device having a large divergence angle by widely spreading an emitted light from a single color to a white color and a method thereof. The light emitting diode including the encapsulating layer according to the present invention is characterized by including at least two materials with different characteristics. According to the present invention, an encapsulating material for light emitting diode is mixed with at least two materials with a different polarity or a refractive index to easily form a light emitting diode. In addition, the light emitting diode die is bonded on the bottom surface of a cup, and an encapsulating material and microspheres are dispersed in the vicinity and upper portion of the light emitting diode and the entire light emitting diode, therefore the light emitting diode has a large and uniform divergence angle due to a light uniformly scattered and refracted. Furthermore, the microsphere particles with similar density to the encapsulating layer exist, thereby solving a problem of precipitation of particles, which occurs when the existing inorganic particles are dispersed.
US08035112B1

An intermediate product in the fabrication of a MOSFET, including a silicon carbide wafer having a substrate and a drift layer on said substrate, said drift layer having a plurality of source regions formed adjacent an upper surface thereof; a first oxide layer on said upper surface of said drift layer; a plurality of polysilicon gates above said first oxide layer, said plurality of polysilicon gates including a first gate adjacent a first of said source regions; an oxide layer over said first source region of greater thickness than said first oxide layer; and, an oxide layer over said first gate of substantially greater thickness than said oxide layer over said first source region.
US08035100B2

A thin film transistor substrate includes an insulating plate; a gate electrode disposed on the insulating plate; a semiconductor layer comprising a metal oxide, wherein the metal oxide has oxygen defects of less than or equal to 3%, and wherein the metal oxide comprises about 0.01 mole/cm3 to about 0.3 mole/cm3 of a 3d transition metal; a gate insulating layer disposed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor layer; and a source electrode and a drain electrode disposed on the semiconductor layer. Also described is a display substrate. The metal oxide has oxygen defects of less than or equal to 3%, and is doped with about 0.01 mole/cm3 to about 0.3 mole/cm3 of 3d transition metal. The metal oxide comprises indium oxide or titanium oxide. The 3d transition metal includes at least one 3d transition metal selected from the group consisting of chromium, cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese, and mixtures thereof.
US08035099B2

In an electronic device, a diode and a resistive memory device are connected in series. The diode may take a variety of forms, including oxide or silicon layers, and one of the layers of the diode may make up a layer of the resistive memory device which is in series with that diode.
US08035095B2

Provided is a resistive random access memory device that includes a storage node connected to a switching device. The resistive random access memory device includes a first electrode, a resistance variable layer, and a second electrode which are sequentially stacked, wherein a diffusion blocking layer is formed between the first electrode and the resistance variable layer or between the resistance variable layer or/and the second electrode.
US08035092B2

A device is disclosed which may comprise a system generating a plasma at a plasma site, the plasma producing EUV radiation and ions exiting the plasma. The device may also include an optic, e.g., a multi-layer mirror, distanced from the site by a distance, d, and a flowing gas disposed between the plasma and optic, the gas establishing a gas pressure sufficient to operate over the distance, d, to reduce ion energy below a pre-selected value before the ions reach the optic. In one embodiment, the gas may comprise hydrogen and in a particular embodiment, the gas may comprise greater than 50 percent hydrogen by volume.
US08035074B2

Disclosed are various embodiments of pulse generation and automatic gain control (“AGC”) circuits and corresponding methods that are especially well suited for use in motion encoding systems. Analog output signals provided by a motion encoder serve as inputs to the pulse generation circuit, where peaks, valleys and/or crosspoints corresponding to such analog signals are first detected and then employed to generate output pulses corresponding thereto. These output pulses are next provided to an AGC circuit as self-generated clock signals which control the time windows over which the analog signals of the motion encoder are sampled and processed by the AGC circuit so as to adjust the gains applied to such analog signals.
US08035073B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and control method for an analog front end (AFE) amplifier for controlling DC restore operations. According to the exemplary method, a first input stage of the AFE is controlled to operate as a continuous time amplifier that has high input impedance and draws substantially no input leakage current for a first predetermined area of an imaging sensor image array. The first input stage is controlled to operate as a sample and hold amplifier with DC restore functionality for a second predetermined area of the imaging sensor image array. According to an embodiment, the AFE input stage operates as a continuous time amplifier when reading pixels from the sensor's active image array but operates as a sample and hold amplifier with DC restore when reading pixels from the image array that correspond to so-called ‘black-level’ pixels or pixels that otherwise fall outside the sensor's active image field.
US08035070B2

An imaging apparatus capable of suppressing deterioration of image qualities and output properties is provided having one or more output circuits in series and a buffer circuit 6, and processing luminance signals from photodetectors to output image information, the buffer circuit performing impedance conversion on signals outputted from a final output circuit of the one or more output circuits, the final output circuit being a source follower circuit that has an active element and a current source circuit 5 which is inserted between a source terminal of the active element and a reference voltage terminal, wherein the current source circuit and the buffer circuit 6 are external to a solid-state image sensor 1 having the photodetectors, and a main part of the current source circuit 5 and a main part of the buffer circuit 6 are in a single package.
US08035066B2

A solid-state imaging device includes pixels, arranged in a matrix, each of which converts light into a signal voltage. The solid-state imaging device also includes column signal lines, each of which is provided for corresponding one of columns, so that the signal voltage is provided to corresponding one of the column signal lines. Additionally, the solid-state imaging device includes AD converting units, each of which is provided for the corresponding one of the column signal lines, and is configured to convert the signal voltage into a digital signal. Each of the AD converting units includes a comparing unit generating an output signal indicating a greater voltage of the signal voltage and a reference voltage, and a counting unit counting a count value until logic of the output signal is inverted The solid-state imaging device further includes a suspending unit suspending power supply to the comparing units after the logic of the output signals is inverted.
US08035059B2

The invention relates to a method for controlling and/or adjusting a welding process, using a melting welding wire (13) wherein after ignition of an electric arc, a welding process is carried out, the welding process being adjusted on the basis of several different welding parameters and being controlled or adjusted by a control device and/or welding current source. In order to determine the position of distance between the end of the welding wire (13) and the workpiece (16), which is to be processed, in a manner which is as accurate as possible, at least one mechanical adjustment process (41) is carried out during the welding process, enabling the position of said welding wire (13) being used as a sensor.
US08035055B2

An electrode for a contact start plasma arc torch includes an elongated electrode body formed of an electrically conductive material that defines a longitudinal axis and a distal end for housing an emissive element. The electrode includes a second end positioned adjacent the electrode body. The second end defines an extensive portion having a first length along a first direction and a second length along a second direction. The second length is greater than the first length. A component for use with the electrode includes a hollow body element having an interior surface with one or more of a contour, step, or flange that defines a shaped opening capable of slideably receiving a complementary-shaped portion of an electrode body.
US08035054B2

A vacuum insulated switchgear having a vacuum container, a fixed contact disposed in the vacuum container, a movable contact disposed in the vacuum container capable of being in contact with or out of contact with the fixed contact, a driving mechanism for driving the movable contact in directions to contact with and out of contact with the fixed contact, a resin portion molded around the vacuum container, an insulative bushing for covering a pulled-out portion of a conductor connected to the fixed contact and for extending from the molded resin portion, and a cable head insulating member for covering a conductor of a cable head connected to the conductor at the pulled-out portion and an outer surface of the cable head insulating member being earthed, characterized in that: an earthed conductive member is embedded at least at a position opposite to an end of the cable head insulating member in the bushing.
US08035051B2

According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a housing in which an opening is made, a button fit inside the opening such as to be movable forward and backward, a printed wiring board housed inside the housing and provided with a switch which detects pushing operation of the button and a pair of supports. Each of the supports projects inside the housing such as to support both end portions of the printed wiring board and also serve as a stopper for the button.
US08035049B2

A slide operating device (e.g., fader device of a mixer) has a moving block 5 which is slidable along a moving guide 3 and a secondary moving guide 4. The moving guide 3 is composed of a non-magnetic stainless shank 31 and a scale portion 32 formed by magnetizing a permanent magnetic member to have magnetic poles (markings). The moving block 5 is provided with a magnetic sensor 7 opposed to the scale portion 32. The magnetic sensor 7 senses magnetic poles provided on the scale portion 32. Mounting hardware 11A, 11B are provided as stoppers which stop a lever 6a of an operating knob 6. Areas outside a range sandwiched between the stoppers where the magnetic sensor 7 is allowed to travel are dead zones 3A, 3B which do not have magnetic poles. Even if the magnetic sensor 7 travels beyond the points where the operating knob 6 is expected to stop due to an excessive force exerted on the operating knob, the slide operating device can prevent from keeping abnormal count which could be caused by sensing of magnetic poles by the magnetic sensor 7.
US08035048B2

An illuminated keypad is disclosed herein. And embodiment of the keypad comprises a first zone and a second zone; a substrate comprising a substrate surface; a first switch located on the substrate in the first zone; a first light guide having a first light guide first side and a first light guide second side, wherein the first light guide first side faces the first switch; a second light guide having a second light guide first side and a second light guide second side, wherein the second light guide first side faces the substrate surface; a masking layer having a masking layer first side and a masking layer second side, the masking layer first side facing the substrate surface; and at least one cut in the masking layer, wherein the masking layer blocks a light path between the light guides.
US08035047B2

A circuit breaker includes a stationary contact, a plug-on half jaw, and a jaw spring. The plug-on half jaw is electrically coupled to the stationary contact and has a single terminal end for receiving a bus bar. The jaw spring is operatively coupled to the half jaw and has a bridge portion connecting two symmetrical spring legs.
US08035044B2

An electrical switching device comprises a contact point having two double-break contacts, a contact link having a width, a contact pressure spring exerting a pressure on the contact link, a striker pin configured to act on the contact link counter to the pressure of the contact pressure spring during a switch-off operation so as to move the contact link into an open position, and a thruster actuatable by a switching mechanism and configured to guide the striker pin, the thruster having two limbs projecting in the same direction towards a free end of the thruster so as to form a slot there between, wherein a distance between the two limbs tapers towards the free end such that the distance at the free end is smaller than the width of the contact link, so that the contact link is clamped between the two limbs during the switch-off operation.
US08035043B2

A pressure-receiving member that can be moved along an urging axial center, and a compression coil spring for urging the pressure-receiving member in the direction of an engaging body, are provided between the engaging body in an inside end position of an operating rod and a bottom wall part of a casing. A plurality of protruding pieces for restricting tilting by making contact with the pressure-receiving member is provided to the internal surface of a cylindrical part of a rotor that engages and integrally rotates with engaging pieces of the external periphery of the engaging body.
US08035038B2

A method of fabricating a printed circuit board having a coaxial via is disclosed. The method includes assembling a plurality of layers configured in a stack so that the plurality of layers has a top signal layer and a bottom signal layer; forming a hollow via through the plurality of layers to connect GND layers in the printed circuit board, forming or inserting into the hollow via a conductor coated with non-conductive material, covering the top layer and bottom layer with dielectric and patterned signal layers, covering the top layer and bottom layer with a masking agent, plating the top layer and bottom layer with a conductive material that connects signal traces within via, and removing the masking agent from the top layer and bottom layer.
US08035032B2

A cable support system uses at least one connection element to hold together two cable support device elements at an overlapping connection section. Each cable support device element has at least one contact face within its connection section. The contact faces of the cable support device elements are in contact. The connection element includes a press-on section and latching arms on opposite sides of the press-on section. Each latching arm includes a connection limb and a hook element on the free end of the connection limb. At least one of the latching arms has spring-elastic material properties. In use, the connection limbs extend through the contact faces. The connection element is held under spring prestress with its press-on section on the surface of one cable support device element's connection section and its hook elements on the opposite surface of the second cable support device element's connection section.
US08035030B2

A method of manufacturing a hermetically sealed electrical connection is provided. The method includes providing an electrically conductive wire, surrounding the electrically conductive wire with a metal layer, providing an insulating layer between the metal layer and the electrically conductive wire, and applying a magnetically-induced compressive force to the metal layer such that the metal layer is compressed against the insulating layer and the insulating layer is compressed against the electrically conductive wire to form a hermetic seal between the metal layer and the conductive wire while maintaining the insulating layer therebetween.
US08035029B2

A double containment electrical junction box is interfaced with electrical equipment in an equipment enclosure containing harmful contaminants, such as noxious gases and odors generated in a wet well containing a submersible electrical pump that pumps waste water from the well. A lower container contains electrical wiring connected to the pump, and is in gaseous communication with the well for enabling the contaminants from the well to enter the lower container. An openable upper container contains electrical junctions for the electrical wiring from the lower container. Cable and integrity seals between the containers prevents the contaminants in the lower container from reaching the upper container, to prevent migration of the contaminants away from the lower container.
US08035022B2

In a method for delivering signaling tones to signaling devices or signaling systems, a signaling tone sequence is selected from a set of undelivered signaling tone sequences. The selected signaling tone sequence is removed from the set of undelivered signaling tone sequences, and the selected signaling tone sequence is delivered.
US08035017B1

A pick for a string instrument is manufactured by the use of a hot stamp press. A pick blank is mounted on a support surface of the press with a front side of the pick blank disposed upwardly. A heated die head is moved against the front side of the pick blank and maintained in that position a sufficient time to imprint a pattern configuration into the front side to thereby form a gripping surface on the front side. A film may be disposed between the front side and the die head. A pattern may also be imprinted into the rear side.
US08035005B1

A novel maize variety designated PHVAM and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PHVAM with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHVAM 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 PHVAM or a trait conversion of PHVAM with another maize variety. Inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHVAM, methods for producing other inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHVAM and the inbred maize varieties and their parts derived by the use of those methods.
US08035003B1

A soybean cultivar designated S090251 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S090251, to the plants of soybean S090251, to plant parts of soybean cultivar S090251, and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar S090251 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars, or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean variety S090251, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S090251, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar S090251 with another soybean cultivar.
US08034999B2

The present invention relates to a watermelon plant, seed, variety and hybrid. More specifically, the invention relates to a watermelon plant having an allele which results in a multibranching compact watermelon plant with small fruit. The invention also relates to crossing inbreds, varieties and hybrids containing the allele to produce novel types and varieties of watermelon plants.
US08034985B2

A process for the preparation of a fluoroiodoalkane compound represented by the formula: CF3(CF2)n—Y, wherein n is 0 or 1. The process includes contacting A, B and C. A is represented by the formula: CF3(CF2)n—Y, wherein n is 0 or 1, and Y is selected from the group consisting of: H, Cl, Br, and COOH. B is a source of iodine, and C is a catalyst containing elements with d1s1 configuration and lanthanide elements. The process occurs at a temperature, and for a contact time, sufficient to produce the fluoroiodoalkane compound.
US08034984B2

Dehydrohalogenation processes for the preparation of fluoropropenes from corresponding halopropanes, in which the fluoropropenes have the formula CF3CY═CXNHP, wherein X and Y are independently hydrogen or a halogen selected from fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine; and N and P are independently integers equal to 0, 1 or 2, provided that (N+P)=2.
US08034983B2

The invention describes the preparation and isolation of xanthophylls from plant sources, whereby a transesterification process is utilized without the necessity of an aqueous format.
US08034978B2

Process for preparing an amine by reacting an aldehyde and/or ketone with hydrogen and a nitrogen compound selected from the group consisting of primary and secondary amines in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst, wherein the reaction is carried out using a suspended catalyst as heterogeneous catalyst and is carried out in the semibatch mode in which the nitrogen compound as one reactant is placed in the reaction vessel and the aldehyde and/or the ketone as the other reactant is added during the course of the reaction and the aldehyde and/or the ketone is added in portions or continuously to the reaction mixture during the course of the reaction as a function of the achieved conversion of the nitrogen compound until a conversion of the nitrogen compound of at least 95% results, and all or part of the catalyst remains in the reaction vessel after the reaction batch and is reused for the next reaction batch.
US08034972B2

A method for producing toluene diisocyanate is disclosed which comprises forming a dispersion comprising phosgene gas bubbles dispersed in toluene diamine liquid phase, wherein said gas bubbles have a mean diameter less than 1 micron; and subjecting the dispersion to phosgenation reaction conditions, whereby at least a portion of the toluene diamine is phosgenated to form toluene diisocyanate. A system for carrying out the phosgenation of toluene diamine is also disclosed.
US08034957B2

The present invention relates to organic molecules capable of modulating tyrosine kinase signal transduction in order to regulate, modulate and/or inhibit abnormal cell proliferation.
US08034955B2

Compounds and methods useful for chemopreventative treatment of diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, and multiple sclerosis.
US08034948B2

The present invention relates to the resolution by preferential crystallization of potassium salts of racemic omeprazole which is a solvate of ethanol and/or of ethylene glycol, which consists in converting the omeprazole to the potassium salt in the form of a solvate or of a mixture of these solvates in the presence of an excess of inorganic base which is a source of potassium, the said potassium salts existing in the form of conglomerates, and in then resolving the said conglomerates, independently or simultaneously, by preferential crystallization in order to separate the two (S) and (R) enantiomers of these potassium salts of omeprazole.
US08034943B2

6-Aminoisoquinoline compounds are provided that influence, inhibit or reduce the action of a kinase. Pharmaceutical compositions including therapeutically effective amounts of the 6-aminoisoquinoline compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable carriers are also provided. Various methods using the compounds and/or compositions to affect disease states or conditions such as cancer, obesity and glaucoma are also provided.
US08034940B2

Novel non-steroidal compounds are provided which are useful in treating diseases associated with modulation of the glucocorticoid receptor, AP-1, and/or NF-κB activity, including inflammatory and immune diseases, having the structure of formula (I): an enantiomer, diastereomer, or tautomer thereof, or a prodrug ester thereof, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, in which: Z is heterocyclo or heteroaryl; A is a 5- to 8-membered carbocyclic ring or a 5- to 8-membered heterocyclic ring; B is a cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, heterocyclo, or heteroaryl ring, wherein each ring is fused to the A ring on adjacent atoms and optionally substituted by one to four groups which are the same or different and are independently selected from R5, R6, R7, and R8; J1, J2, and J3 are at each occurrence the same or different and are independently -A1QA2-; Q is a bond, O, S, S(O), or S(O)2; A1 and A2 are the same or different and are at each occurrence independently selected from a bond, C1-3alkylene, substituted C1-3alkylene, C2-4alkenylene, and substituted C2-4alkenylene, provided that A1 and A2 are chosen so that ring A is a 5- to 8-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring; R1 to R11 are as defined herein. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treating inflammatory- or immune-associated diseases and obesity and diabetes employing said compounds.
US08034937B2

The present invention is concerned with novel indol-3-yl-carbonyl-azaspiropiperidine derivatives as V1a receptor antagonists, their manufacture, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use for the treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders and other diseases. In particular, the present invention is concerned with compounds of the general formula (I) wherein R1 to R6, U, V, W, X, Y and Z are as defined in the specification.
US08034928B2

Latent fluorescent compounds, comprising a fluorescent molecule with one or more blocking groups attached and optionally one or more urea-containing groups are provided. The urea-containing group can be used to further attach one or more molecules of interest, such as proteins, peptides or nucleic acids. The blocking group(s) is released from the latent fluorescent compound by reaction with a trigger, forming the fluorescent molecule which can be detected. Also provided herein are methods of using latent fluorescent compounds to detect triggers.
US08034914B2

A nucleic acid construct that includes (i) a first nucleic acid sequence encoding TNF alpha; (ii) a second nucleic acid sequence encoding a Diphtheria toxin; and (iii) at least one additional nucleic acid sequence of a cancer specific promoter. The TNF alpha and Diphtheria toxin encoding sequences are under an expression control of the cancer specific promoter. Also provided are construct systems and methods and uses of same.
US08034909B2

The present invention relates to novel bicyclic and tricyclic nucleoside and nucleotide analogues as well as to oligonucleotides comprising such elements. The nucleotide analogues, LNAs (Locked Nucleoside Analogues), are able to provide valuable improvements to oligonucleotides with respect to affinity and specificity towards complementary RNA and DNA oligomers. The novel type of LNA modified oligonucleotides, as well as the LNAs as such, are useful in a wide range of diagnostic applications as well as therapeutic applications. Among these can be mentioned antisense applications, PCR applications, strand displacement oligomers, as substrates for nucleic acid polymerases, as nucleotide based drugs, etc. The present invention also relates to such applications.
US08034904B2

Antibodies, humanized antibodies, resurfaced antibodies, antibody fragments, derivatized antibodies, and conjugates of these molecules with cytotoxic agents, which specifically bind to and inhibit insulin-like growth factor-I receptor, antagonize the effects of IGF-I and are substantially devoid of agonist activity toward the insulin-like growth factor-I receptor. These molecules can be conjugated to cytotoxic agents for use in the treatment of tumors that express elevated levels of IGF-I receptor, such as breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, ovarian carcinoma, synovial sarcoma and pancreatic cancer. These molecules can also be labeled for in vitro and in vivo diagnostic uses, such as in the diagnosis and imaging of tumors that express elevated levels of IGF-I receptor.
US08034901B2

The invention provides Bcl-G polypeptides and encoding nucleic acids. Bcl-G polypeptides include Bcl-GL and Bcl-GS. The invention also provides mouse Bcl-G. The invention also provides vectors containing Bcl-G nucleic acids, host cells containing such vectors, Bcl-G anti-sense nucleic acids and related compositions. The invention additionally provides Bcl-G oligonucleotides that can be used to hybridize to or amplify a Bcl-G nucleic acid. Anti-Bcl-G specific antibodies are also provided. Further provided are kits containing Bcl-G nucleic acids or Bcl-G specific antibodies. Such kits and reagents can be used to diagnose cancer, monitor response to therapy, or predict the prognosis of a cancer patient. The invention additionally provides methods of modulating apoptosis using Bcl-G polypeptides, encoding nucleic acids, or compounds that modulate the activity or expression of Bcl-G polypeptides. The methods for modulating apoptosis can be used to treat diseases such as cancer.
US08034900B2

Water-soluble thioester and selenoester compounds, their generators, as well as methods for making and using the same, are provided. The subject thioester and selenoester compounds are characterized by including an amino acid synthon having a C-terminal group bonded to a water-soluble polymer through a thioester or selenoester linkage. Solid phase resins and protocols for generating the subject compounds are also provided. The subject water soluble thioester and selenoester compounds and generators find use in a variety of different applications, including thioester or selenoester mediated chemical ligation reactions.
US08034898B2

Diagnostic compositions and methods for imaging and/or assessing collagen are described. The diagnostic compositions can include collagen binding peptides.
US08034894B2

A terminal modified polycarbonate having a high content of biogenic matter, excellent heat resistance, heat stability, moldability and moist absorption resistance and high surface energy and a manufacturing process thereof are provided. The terminal modified polycarbonate has a main chain essentially composed of a recurring unit represented by the following formula (1): has a specific viscosity at 20° C. of a solution obtained by dissolving 0.7 g of the polycarbonate in 100 ml of methylene chloride of 0.2 to 0.5, and contains a terminal group represented by the following formula (2) or (3) in an amount of 0.3 to 9 wt % based on the main chain:
US08034893B2

A resin solution composition comprising (A) a polyamic acid resin, (B) an alkoxysilyl-containing polyamic acid resin, and (C) an organic solvent cures into a product that has good substrate adhesion and heat resistance and is effective in forming a protective film on a semiconductor device prior to encapsulation with epoxy resin molding material (molding compound) in that it overcomes the chip cracking and thermal deterioration problems of semiconductor packages by thermal stress.
US08034888B2

The present invention relates to amphoteric copolymers which comprise ethyl methacrylate, if appropriate a N-vinyllactam compound, at least one monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid and at least one compound with α,β-ethylenically unsaturated double bond and at least one cationogenic and/or cationic group in copolymerized form, to cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions which comprise such copolymers, to preparation methods, and to the use of these copolymers.
US08034882B2

A conjugated or partially conjugated polymer including a structural unit of Formula (I); where T is an aryl or heteroaryl group that may be substituted or unsubstituted, or a C1-C24 alkyl group; R1 is alkyl, alkoxy, aryl group, cyano, or F; and a and b are independently selected from 1, 2 or 3. In addition, a composition of Formula (IV); wherein X is a halogen or a boronate group.
US08034879B2

The invention relates to a process for preparing CABAC or ACBCA pentablock copolymers based on (meth)acrylate with an OH functionalization of the A blocks.
US08034877B2

The present invention provides an aqueous intermediate coating composition comprising: (A) a resin containing hydroxyl and carboxyl groups with a hydroxyl value of 100 to 200 mg KOH/g and an acid value of 20 to 50 mg KOH/g; (B) at least one curing agent selected from the group consisting of melamine resins and blocked polyisocyanate compounds; and (C) flat pigment particles; the molecular weight distribution of a curable resin component comprising component (A) and component (B) including from 30 to 50% by weight of a component with a molecular weight of less than 1,000, and 10% by weight or less of a component with a molecular weight exceeding 100,000; the proportion of component (C) being from 2 to 15 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the resin component; and when the intermediate coating composition is applied to an undercoating film, pre-dried at 100° C. for 30 minutes and then heat-cured at 145° C. for 30 minutes, the film thickness shrinkage percentage of the cured coating film being 20% or less based on the film thickness of the coating film after pre-drying. The invention also provides a method for forming a multilayer coating film using the aqueous intermediate coating composition.
US08034853B2

The invention provides a powder coating composition prepared from a combination, the combination comprising: A) at least one binder resin and, optionally at least one curing agent, B) at least one calibrated pigmented liquid, based on at least one pigment, and, C) optionally, at least one pigment and/or extenders and/or additive. The powder coating composition of the invention provides a precise color of the coatings having a desired color with high color stability. Therefore there is no need for additional adjustment tests or re-working procedures, and, therefore, it makes it possible to offer efficient, small-batch manufacture of custom colors, for example, to match a swatch of fabric supplied by a customer.
US08034840B2

The invention relates to pharmaceutically acceptable salts of guanylhydrazone-containing compounds, for example, Semapimod. The invention also relates to pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising the salts and methods for their use.
US08034838B2

The composition for treating neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease is provided. The composition includes a modified flavonoid compound having enhanced binding affinity to metabolic modulating enzymes. The composition is effective to down-regulate beta- and gamma-secretase and up-regulate alpha secretase, which results in a reduction in amyloid proteins.
US08034832B2

The present invention relates to compounds that inhibit bacterial gyrase and/or Topo IV and pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising said compounds. These compounds, and compositions thereof, are useful in treating bacterial infection. Accordingly, the present invention also relates to methods for treating bacterial infections in mammals.
US08034831B2

Methods of treating, preventing and/or managing a myeloproliferative disease are disclosed. Specific methods encompass the administration of 4-(amino)-2-(2,6-dioxo(3-piperidyl))-isoindoline-1,3-dione, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or stereoisomer thereof, in combination with a second active agent. Particular second active agents are is prednisone, JAK1 inhibitor, JAK2 inhibitor, FLT3 inhibitor, BCL2 inhibitor, and HDAC inhibitor.
US08034827B2

The present invention relates to new phenanthridine derivatives of formula (I), wherein the variables are as defined in the specification, to processes for producing the same, to pharmacological compositions containing the same and to their use in therapy or prevention of painful and inflammatory processes.
US08034809B2

Enantiomerically pure compounds of general formula 1 wherein the groups R1, R2, R3, R4, and X− may have the meanings given in the claims and in the specification, processes for preparing them and the use thereof as pharmaceutical compositions, particularly as pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of respiratory complaints.
US08034806B2

In one aspect, the invention relates to bicyclic MGluR5 positive allosteric modulators, for example 6-(phenylethynyl)-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-1(2H)-one, derivatives thereof, and related compounds, which are useful as positive allosteric modulators of the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGluR5); synthetic methods for making the compounds; pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds; and methods of treating neurological and psychiatric disorders associated with glutamate dysfunction using the compounds and compositions. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.
US08034804B2

The present invention relates to (pyrido/thieno)-[f]-oxazepine-5-one derivatives having the general Formula I wherein R1, R2 and R3 are independently H or (C1-4)alkyl; Ar represents a fused thiophene or pyridine ring optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from (C1-4)alkyl, (C1-4)alkyloxy, (C1-4)alkyloxy(C1-4)alkyl, CF3, halogen, nitro, cyano, NR4R5, NR4COR6, and CONR4R5; R4 and R5 are independently H or (C1-4)-alkyl; or R4 and R5 form together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bound a 5- or 6-membered saturated heterocyclic ring, optionally containing a further heteroatom selected from O, S or NR6; R6 is (C1-4)alkyl; A represents the residue of a 4-7 membered saturated heterocyclic ring, optionally containing an oxygen atom, the ring being optionally substituted with 1-3 substituents selected from (C1-4)alkyl, (C1-4)-alkyloxy, hydroxy, halogen and oxo; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising said derivatives, and to the use of these (pyrido/thieno)-[f]-oxazepine-5-one derivatives in the treatment of neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders which are responsive to enhancement of synaptic responses mediated by AMPA receptors in the central nervous system.
US08034794B2

The ACP1 *A allele provides a means for diagnosing susceptibility of a human subject to hyperlipidemia, especially hyperlipidemia associated with metabolic syndrome, a means for treating, or preventing the onset of, hyperlipidemia and metabolic syndrome, and a means for screening and identifying drugs suitable for use in treating or preventing hyperlipidemia, especially hyperlipidemia associated with metabolic syndrome. Diagnostic kits are also provided.
US08034790B2

Methods of suppressing or preventing an infection of a subject by a pathogen that involve administering to the subject a composition that includes a therapeutically effective amount of an MDA-7 polypeptide or a nucleic acid encoding the MDA-7 polypeptide, and a pharmaceutically acceptable preparation suitable for delivery to the subject, wherein the MDA-7 suppresses or prevents the infection, are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of suppressing or preventing a viral infection of a cell, including obtaining an MDA-7 polypeptide or a nucleic acid encoding the MDA-7 polypeptide, and contacting the cell with the MDA-7 polypeptide or the nucleic acid encoding the MDA-7 polypeptide, wherein the MDA-7 suppresses or prevents infection of the cell.
US08034788B2

Compositions useful in the treatment of skin atrophy and improvement of skin appearance and texture are disclosed. The methods include the topical administration of vitamin D3 or specific vitamin D3 analogs as an essential ingredient either on its own or in combination with cADPR and or nicotinamide. The compositions are particularly effective in preventing and treating signs of chronological and or photoaging including fine lines, wrinkles and discoloration.
US08034787B2

The prodrug of the invention is a modified form of a therapeutic agent and comprises a therapeutic agent, an oligopeptide, a stabilizing group and, optionally, a linker group. The prodrug is cleavable by the enzyme Thimet oligopeptidase, or TOP. Also disclosed are methods of designing prodrugs by utilizing TOP-cleavable sequences within the conjugate and methods of treating patients with prodrugs of the invention.
US08034778B2

The present invention relates to a neuroprotective compound consisting of the amino acid sequence DLHW.
US08034768B2

The present invention includes methods of treatment and compositions for treating diseases related to the activity of a histone deacetylase in a subject by administering to the subject an effective amount of a modified FK228 compound comprising an amino acid conjugate which constitutes an amino thiol, a hydroxy thiol, a dithiol, or a hydroxamic acid, instead of a hydroxy-mercapto-heptenoic acid moiety in FK228.
US08034757B2

The present invention provides a detergent composition for clothing containing components (a) and (b): (a) glyceryl or polyglyceryl monoether represented by formula (I); and (b) a sulfate selected from those represented by formulae (II), (III), and (IV). Component (a) contains compounds having different condensation degrees of glycerol n's, with the proviso that when component (b) is a sulfate represented by formula (II) or (III), component (a) has a condensation degree of glycerol n of 3 to 5. Formula (I) is R—O—(C3H6O2)n—H (I), wherein R represents a hydrocarbon group having 6 to 22 carbon atoms; and n represents a condensation degree of glycerol and is an integer. Formulas (II)-(IV) are: R1—O—SO3M (II); R1—O-(EO)m-(AO)1—SO3M (III); and R1—O-(A1O)p-(AO)q—SO3M (IV). In formulas (II-(IV), R1 represents a hydrocarbon group having 6 to 22 carbon atoms; EO represents an oxyethylene group; AO represents an oxyalkylene group, at least one of a plurality of AOs being an oxyethylene, oxypropylene, or oxybutylene group; m represents an integer of 1 to 10; l represents an integer of 0 to 10; A1O represents an oxypropylene group and/or an oxybutylene group; p represents an integer of 1 to 5; q represents an integer of 0 to 10; and M represents an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, NH4, or alkanolammonium group having 2 to 3 carbon atoms.
US08034756B2

A chelating composition suitable for low-temperature use or storage is disclosed. The chelating compositions include 20 to 70 wt. percent of a polar solvent and 30 to 80 wt. percent of a first component of the formula: (I) wherein R is a hydroxyalkyl group and each R′ is individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, unsubstituted or inertly substituted alkyl groups, carbonyl-containing alkyl groups, carboxylate-containing alkyl groups, hydroxyalkyl groups and alkoxy groups; R″ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, unsubstituted or inertly substituted alkyl groups; carbonyl-substituted alkyl groups, carboxylate-containing alkyl groups, hydroxyalkyl groups and alkoxy groups; M1 and M2 are alkali metal ions, wherein the M1 has a higher atomic weight than M2; wherein x+y=n and the mole fraction of M1 is greater than 0.70 to 1. Methods of suppressing crystallization and methods of cleaning surfaces employing the compositions described herein are also disclosed.
US08034752B2

There is disclosed a lubricating composition comprising a first base oil having a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. ranging from about 3.5 cSt to about 6 cSt; and a second high viscosity base oil having a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. ranging from about 6 cSt to about 17 cSt.
US08034729B2

A separation membrane support substrate characterized by being composed of a laminated nonwoven fabric comprising a front layer as the resin coating layer, a middle layer and a back layer which are integrally formed by heat bonding, and by satisfying the following conditions (1) to (5): (1) The front layer has at least one layer comprising thermoplastic resin filaments with a single filament diameter of 7-30 μm; (2) the middle layer has at least one layer comprising melt blown fibers with a single fiber diameter of no greater than 5 μm, and a fiber basis weight of at least 1 g/m2 and comprising no more than 30 wt % of the total fiber basis weight; (3) the back layer has at least one layer comprising thermoplastic resin filaments with a single filament diameter of 7-20 μm, and has a fiber basis weight of 3-40 g/m2; (4) the laminated nonwoven fabric has an apparent density of 0.67-0.91 g/cm3; and (5) the laminated nonwoven fabric has a thickness of 45-110 μm.
US08034728B2

A method of forming (and an apparatus for forming) a metal oxide layer on a substrate, particularly a semiconductor substrate or substrate assembly, using a vapor deposition process and one or more precursor compounds that include diketonate ligands and/or ketoimine ligands.
US08034727B2

A semiconductor device manufacturing method according to the present invention uses a first raw material gas containing Si, a second raw material gas containing a metal element M and an oxidation gas, in which a first step of supplying the oxidation gas onto a substrate to be treated, and a second step of supplying the first raw material gas are sequentially performed. The method further includes, after the first and second steps, a step of supplying the second raw material gas or gas mixture of the first raw material gas and the second raw material gas.
US08034725B1

This invention provides a high throughput PECVD process for depositing TEOS films in a multi-station sequential deposition chamber. The methods significantly reduce the number of particles in the TEOS films, thereby eliminating or minimizing small bin defects. The methods of the invention involve dedicating a first station for temperature soak while flowing purge gas. Stopping the flow of reactant gas and flowing the purge gas for station 1 eliminates TEOS condensation on a cold wafer surface and significantly reduces the number of defects in the film, particularly for short temperature soaks.
US08034724B2

It is an object to provide a method of manufacturing a crystalline silicon device and a semiconductor device in which formation of cracks in a substrate, a base protective film, and a crystalline silicon film can be suppressed. First, a layer including a semiconductor film is formed over a substrate, and is heated. A thermal expansion coefficient of the substrate is 6×10−7/° C. to 38×10−7/° C., preferably 6×10−7/° C. to 31.8×10−7/° C. Next, the layer including the semiconductor film is irradiated with a laser beam to crystallize the semiconductor film so as to form a crystalline semiconductor film. Total stress of the layer including the semiconductor film is −500 N/m to +50 N/m, preferably −150 N/m to 0 N/m after the heating step.
US08034718B2

Disclosed are embodiments of a method of removing patterned circuit structures from the surface of a semiconductor wafer. The method embodiments comprise blasting the surface of the semiconductor wafer with particles so as to remove substantially all of the patterned circuit structures. The blasting process is followed by one or more grinding, polishing and/or cleaning processes to remove any remaining circuit structures, to remove any lattice damage and/or to achieve a desired smoothness across the surface of the semiconductor wafer.
US08034710B2

The invention provides semiconductor interconnect structures that have improved reliability and technology extendibility. In the present invention, a second metallic capping layer is located on a surface of a first metallic cap layer which is, in turn, located on a surface of the conductive feature embedded within a first dielectric material. Both the first and second metallic capping layers are located beneath an opening, e.g., a via opening, the is present within an overlying second dielectric material. The second metallic capping layer protects the first dielectric capping layer from being removed (either completely or partially) during subsequent processing steps. Interconnect structures including via gouging features as well as non-via gouging features are disclosed. The present invention provides methods of fabricating such semiconductor interconnect structures.
US08034709B2

Provided is a method for forming a composite barrier layer with superior barrier qualities and superior adhesion properties to both dielectric materials and conductive materials as the composite barrier layer extends throughout the semiconductor device. The composite barrier layer may be formed in regions where it is disposed between two conductive layers and in regions where it is disposed between a conductive layer and a dielectric material. The composite barrier layer may consist of various pluralities of layers and the arrangement of layers that form the composite barrier layer may differ as the barrier layer extends throughout different sections of the device. Amorphous layers of the composite barrier layer generally form boundaries with dielectric materials and crystalline layers generally form boundaries with conductive materials such as interconnect materials.
US08034706B2

The present disclosure includes various method of contact embodiments. One such method embodiment includes creating a trench in an insulator stack material of a particular thickness and having a portion of the trench positioned between two of a number of gates. This method includes depositing a filler material in the trench and etching the filler material to a particular depth that is less than the particular thickness of the insulator stack material. This method also includes depositing a spacer material to at least one side surface of the trench to the particular depth of the filler material and depositing a conductive material into the trench over the filler material.
US08034692B2

A plurality of gate structures are formed on a substrate. Each of the gate structures includes a first gate electrode and source and drain regions. The first gate electrode is removed from each of the gate structures. A first photoresist is applied to block gate structures having source regions in a source-down direction. A first halo implantation is performed in gate structures having source regions in a source-up direction at a first angle. The first photoresist is removed. A second photoresist is applied to block gate structures having source regions in a source-up direction. A second halo implantation is performed in gate structures having source regions in a source-down direction at a second angle. The second photoresist is removed. Replacement gate electrodes are formed in each of the gate structures.
US08034686B2

An integrated configuration comprising trench MOSFET having trench contacts and trench Schottky rectifier having planar contacts is disclosed. The trench contacts for trench MOSFET provide a lower specific on-resistance. Besides, for trench gate connection, planar gate contact is employed in the present invention to avoid shortage issue between gate and drain in shallow trench gate. Besides, W plugs filled into both trench contacts and planar contacts enhance the metal step coverage capability.
US08034685B1

A semiconductor component that includes gate electrodes and shield electrodes and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor component. A semiconductor material has a device region, a gate contact region, a termination region, and a drain contact region. One or more device trenches is formed in the device region and one or more termination trenches is formed in the edge termination region. Shield electrodes are formed in portions of the device trenches that are adjacent their floors. A gate dielectric material is formed on the sidewalls of the trenches in the device region and gate electrodes are formed over and electrically isolated from the shield electrodes. A gate electrode in at least one of the trenches is connected to at least one shield electrode in the trenches.
US08034682B2

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes the following. Removing portions of a silicon layer such that a trench having sidewalls which fan out near the top of the trench to extend directly over a portion of the silicon layer is formed in the silicon layer; and forming source regions in the silicon layer adjacent the trench sidewall such that the source regions extend into the portions of the silicon layer directly over which the trench sidewalls extend.
US08034680B2

Provided are a memory device formed using one or more source materials not containing hydrogen as a constituent element and a method of manufacturing the memory device.
US08034678B2

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for fabricating a semiconductor device, the method including: forming a first region and a second region in a substrate; forming the high-permittivity insulating film on the substrate in the first region and in the second region; forming a nitride film on the high-permittivity insulating film in the second region; forming a cap film on the high-permittivity insulating film in the first region and on the nitride film in the second region; forming a metal film on the cap film; and performing a heating process.
US08034669B2

The drive current capability of a pull-down transistor and a pass transistor formed in a common active region may be adjusted on the basis of different strain levels obtained by providing at least one embedded semiconductor alloy in the active region, thereby providing a simplified overall geometric configuration of the active region. Hence, static RAM cells may be formed on the basis of a minimum channel length with a simplified configuration of the active region, thereby avoiding significant yield losses as may be observed in sophisticated devices, in which a pronounced variation of the transistor width is conventionally used to adjust the ratio of the drive currents for the pull-down and pass transistors.
US08034667B2

A semiconductor sealing resin sheet is composed of a supporting sheet and a sealing resin layer releasably laminated on the supporting sheet, wherein the sealing resin layer has a thermosetting property, the elastic modulus of the sealing resin layer before thermosetting is 1.0×103 to 1.0×104 Pa, the melt viscosity 120° C. of the sealing resin layer before thermosetting is 100 to 200 Pa·s, and the time required for the melt viscosity to reach its minimum value is 60 sec or less when the sealing resin layer before thermosetting is kept at a constant temperature of 120° C. A method for manufacturing semiconductor devices includes the steps of preparing a circuit substrate with a semiconductor chip mounted thereon, the circuit substrate is heated, the surface of the sealing resin layer in the semiconductor sealing resin sheet described above is embedded in concavo-convex parts and gaps on the semiconductor-chip-mounted surface of the circuit substrate, and the surface of the sealing resin layer is brought into contact with the surface of the circuit substrate and then the sealing resin layer is thermally cured.
US08034666B2

A method for producing a multi-layer thick-film RF package includes forming conductive layer(s) including one or more source portions, one or more gate portions, and/or one or more drain portions on a ceramic substrate. The conductive layer(s) and the ceramic substrate are fired or otherwise heated in a furnace until sintered. Thereafter, a dielectric pattern is formed on the conductive layer(s) and fired or otherwise heated in the furnace until sintered. Then, a conductive bridge is formed on the dielectric pattern, over the one or more drain portions and between the one or more source portions, which is then fired until sintered in the furnace. As a result, a monolithic, single-piece, sintered, high-frequency RF power transistor package having circuit features including a highly conductive and low capacitive bridge is produced.
US08034660B2

An electronic assembly adapted for forming package on package (PoP) devices includes a package substrate having a molded IC die thereon that defines a mold cap height and substrate contact pads lateral to the molded IC die. An interposer including an interposer substrate has bottom metal land pads and top metal land pads, interposer vias, and an open receptacle region formed through the interposer substrate. The substrate top surface is positioned relative to the interposer so that the molded IC die is within the open receptacle region to align the bottom metal land pads and substrate contact pads. An underfill layer is between the substrate top surface and the bottom side of the interposer substrate. A step height from the mold cap height minus a height of the top metal land pads is generally from 0 to 0.2 mm.
US08034640B2

An apparatus and method to inspect a defect of a semiconductor device. The amount of secondary electrons generated due to a scanning electron microscope (SEM) may depend on the topology of a pattern of a semiconductor substrate. The amount of secondary electrons emitted from a recess of an under layer is far smaller than that of secondary electrons emitted from a projection of a top layer. Since the recess is darker than the projection, a ratio of a value of a secondary electron signal of the under layer to a value of a secondary electron signal of the top layer may be increased in order to improve a pattern image used to inspect a defect in the under layer. To do this, a plurality of conditions under which electron beams (e-beams) are irradiated may be set, at least two may be selected out of the set conditions, and the pattern may be scanned under the selected conditions. Thus, secondary electron signals may be generated according to the respective conditions and converted into image data so that various pattern images may be displayed on a monitor. Scan information on the pattern images may be automatically stored in a computer storage along with positional information on a predetermined portion of the semiconductor substrate. When calculation conditions are input to a computer, each of scan information on the pattern images may be calculated to generate a new integrated pattern image.
US08034636B2

In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that introduction of hydrophilic sulfoalkyl substituents and/or hydrophilic linkers derived from homocysteic acid, cysteic acid, glycine peptides, tetraethylene oxide, and the like, offset the hydrophobicity of the acridinium ring system to produce a more soluble label which can be attached to an antibody at higher loading before precipitation and aggregation problems are encountered. Additional compounds described herein contain linkers derived from short peptides and tetraethylene oxide which increase aqueous solubility due to hydrogen bonding with water molecules. The present invention also embraces reagents for multiple acridinium labeling for signal amplification composed of a peptide bearing several acridinium esters with sulfonate groups at regularly spaced intervals for increased solubility. The invention also embraces assays employing the above-described compounds.
US08034631B2

A homogeneous immunoassay method and system for quantitative determination of total immunoglobulin E and specific antibody levels to a plurality of allergens, in which a relatively small sampling of blood is required. The method utilizes relatively small microparticles in aqueous suspension. The immunoassay procedure is an immunometric sandwich procedure preferably utilizing biotin-streptavidin signal amplification techniques and R-phycoerytherin fluorescent labels.
US08034621B2

The present technology provides a dual chemical sensor for zinc and nickel ions and a chemical sensor for copper ions. Also provided are methods of making and using the chemical sensors. The chemical sensors have the structure of formula I, wherein R1, and R2 are defined as set forth herein.
US08034620B2

Novel packaging cell lines which produce recombinant retrovirus, free of detectable helper-virus are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making the cell lines and methods of producing recombinant retroviruses from the cell lines. Retroviruses produced by the cell lines include lentiviruses, such as HIV, capable of transfering heterologous DNA to a wide range of non-dividing cells. The packaging cells contain at least three vectors which collectively encode retroviral gag, pol, and env proteins, wherein the gag and pol genes are separated, in part, onto two or more different vectors. This is made possible by fusing Vpr or Vpx to pol proteins separated from gag so that the proteins are targeted to assembling virions. Among other advantages, the packaging cells provide the benefit of increased safety when used in human gene therapy by virtually eliminating the possibility of molecular recombination leading to production of replication competent helper virus.
US08034618B2

Proteins are incorporated into protein or polysaccharide matrices for use in tissue repair, regeneration and/or remodeling and/or drug delivery. The proteins can be incorporated so that they are released by degradation of the matrix, by enzymatic action and/or diffusion. As demonstrated by the examples, one method is to bind heparin to the matrix by either covalent or non-covalent methods, to form a heparin-matrix. The heparin then non-covalently binds heparin-binding growth factors to the protein matrix. Alternatively, a fusion protein can be constructed which contains a crosslinking region such as a factor XIIIa substrate and the native protein sequence. Incorporation of degradable linkages between the matrix and the bioactive factors can be particularly useful when long-term drug delivery is desired, for example in the case of nerve regeneration, where it is desirable to vary the rate of drug release spatially as a function of regeneration, e.g. rapidly near the living tissue interface and more slowly farther into the injury zone. Additional benefits include the lower total drug dose within the delivery system, and spatial regulation of release which permits a greater percentage of the drug to be released at the time of greatest cellular activity.
US08034617B2

The present invention relates to a process for animal, preferably human, diploid anchorage-dependent cell culture, in the absence of exogenous components of primary animal origin, and to a cell culture medium substantially free of exogenous components of primary animal origin suitable for carrying out said process. In particular the invention concerns a cell culture medium which comprises at least one, more preferably several, exogenous animal-free growth factors. The present invention also relates to a process for cultivating animal, preferably human diploid anchorage-dependent cells in a medium according to the invention, involving the use of a trypsin substitute of non-animal origin for passaging cells. The invention further relates to a process for producing viruses, viral vaccines and the like.
US08034607B2

A method of enhancing heterologous protein secretion in a yeast cell is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprising the steps of engineering a yeast cell to overexpress at last one gene selected from the group consisting of CCW12, CWP2, SED1, RPP0, ERO1 and their homologs, supplying the yeast cell with a nucleic acid encoding a heterologous protein and obtaining increased expression of the heterologous protein, wherein the expression is increased relative to the protein expression in a yeast cell that does not overexpress a gene selected from the group consisting of CCW12, CWP2, SED1, RPP0, ERO1 and their homologs.
US08034599B2

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.
US08034595B2

The invention provides nitrilases and methods for making and using them, and in one aspect, provides methods for producing enantiomerically pure α-substituted carboxylic acids, such as, for example, α-amino acids and α-hydroxy acids. In one aspect, methods of the invention combine an aldehyde or ketone with a cyanide and ammonia or an ammonium salt or an amine, in the presence of a nitrilase or a polypeptide having nitrilase activity, to stereoselectively hydrolyze the amino nitrile or cyanohydrin intermediate under conditions sufficient to produce the carboxylic acid.
US08034591B2

The present invention relates to further genetic modifications in eukaryotic host cells that have been transformed to express a xylose isomerase that confers the host cell the ability of isomerizing xylose to xylulose. The further genetic modifications are aimed at improving the efficiency of xylose metabolism and include e.g. reduction of unspecific aldose reductase activity, increased xylulose kinase activity and increased flux of the pentose phosphate pathway. The modified host cells of the invention are suitable for the production of a wide variety of fermentation products, including ethanol, in fermentation processes in which a source of xylose or a source of xylose and glucose are used as carbon source.
US08034590B2

The present invention relates to filamentous fungal host cells and particularly Trichoderma host cells useful for the production of heterologous granular starch hydrolyzing enzymes having glucoamylase activity (GSHE). Further the invention relates to a method for producing a glucose syrup comprising contacting a granular starch slurry obtained from a granular starch substrate simultaneously with an alpha amylase and a GSHE at a temperature equal to or below the gelatinization temperature of the granular starch to obtain a composition of a glucose syrup.
US08034582B2

The present invention relates to a process for crosslinking proteins, according to which the crosslinking agent is a ketose containing 3 to 5 carbon atoms and said proteins are chosen from the group comprising proteins from animal tissues, from milk or from blood, such as in particular casein, gelatin or collagen; proteins from cereals, such as in particular maize, wheat or rice proteins; protein from high-protein plants, such as in particular pea, alfalfa, lupin, barley, millet or sorghum proteins; proteins from oleaginous plants, such as in particular soybean proteins, for instance soybean cakes, rapeseed or flax proteins, for instance rapeseed cakes, sunflower, groundnut or cotton proteins; and proteins from tubers, such as in particular from potato or manioc.
US08034577B2

Probe sets and methods of using probes and probe sets for selectively detecting high grade dysplasia and esophageal adenocarcinoma or low grade dysplasia from biologic samples are described. Methods of the invention include contacting a biological sample obtained from a subject with a set of chromosomal probes to selectively detect an esophageal carcinoma or precursor lesion in the sample, if any, under conditions for specifically hybridizing the probes to their nucleic targets present in the sample. The presence or absence of high grade dysplasia and esophageal adenocarcinoma or low grade dysplasia is thereafter specifically determined from the hybridization pattern detected for the set of chromosomal probes to the biological sample.
US08034575B2

RTP801 represents a unique gene target for hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1). Down-regulation of the mTOR pathway activity by hypoxia requires de novo mRNA synthesis and correlates with increased expression of RTP801.The present invention relates to screening systems utilizing RTP801 and/or RTP801 interactors to and/or RTP801 biological activity, to drug candidates identified by such screening systems, and to the use of such drug candidates in the treatment of various disorders.
US08034574B2

The present invention provides a screening tool and screening method for obtaining a substance useful as a prophylactic and/or therapeutic drug for diseases associated with 5-HT production/secretion abnormalities, including digestive organ diseases, and a prophylactic and/or therapeutic drug for diseases associated with 5-HT production/secretion abnormalities, including digestive organ diseases. Examples of digestive organ diseases in the present invention include constipation type irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, constipation, diarrhea type irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea and vomiting.
US08034565B2

The present invention provides gene sets the expression of which is important in the diagnosis and/or prognosis of breast cancer.
US08034562B2

The invention relates to a process for isolation of plasmid DNA from biomass by means of an aqueous 2-phase system having a polymer component and a salt component, characterized in that the resuspension of the biomass employed, the alkaline lysis of the biomass, the neutralization of the alkaline lysis batch and the separation of the plasmid DNA from the contaminants are carried out in a single reaction vessel (one-pot process) rendered possible in that the neutralization of the alkaline lysis batch is carried out in one and the same container by addition of potassium phosphate and one component of the aqueous 2-phase system is therefore already present. The second component of the aqueous 2-phase system is a PEG having a molecular weight of the mathematical average of about 600 g/mol to 1,000 g/mol.
US08034561B2

The invention encompasses isolated DNAs encoding HIN-1 polypeptides, vectors containing such DNAs, cells containing the vectors, and isolated HIN-1 polypeptides. The invention also features methods of making and using HIN-1 polypeptides.
US08034558B2

Disclosed are new acridone dye derivatives having characteristic fluorescence lifetimes. Also disclosed are methods for labelling target biological materials employing the acridone dyes and use of the labelled materials in biological assays. The acridone derivatives have the following structure: in which Z1 and Z2 represent the atoms necessary to complete one ring, two fused ring, or three fused ring aromatic or heteroaromatic systems, each ring having five or six atoms selected from carbon atoms and optionally no more than two atoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur; R2, R3, R4 and R5 are selected from hydrogen, halogen, amide, hydroxyl, cyano, nitro, mono- or di-nitro-substituted benzyl, amino, mono- or di-C1-C4 alkyl-substituted amino, sulphydryl, carbonyl, carboxyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, acrylate, vinyl, styryl, aryl, heteroaryl, C1-C20 alkyl, aralkyl, sulphonate, sulphonic acid, quaternary ammonium, the group -E-F and the group —(CH2—)nY; R1 is selected from hydrogen, mono- or di-nitro-substituted benzyl, C1-C20 alkyl, aralkyl, the group -E-F and the group —(CH2—)nY; where E is a spacer group, F is a target bonding group; Y is selected from sulphonate, sulphate, phosphonate, phosphate, quaternary ammonium and carboxyl; and n is an integer from 1 to 6. The invention also relates to a set of different fluorescent acridone dye derivatives, each dye having a different fluorescence lifetime, the set of dyes being particularly useful for multiparameter analysis.
US08034555B2

A method is provided for carrying out multi-step separations of objects bearing at least two binding sites. In the first step, a first binder/bead composition is bound to objects that bear the first binding site, and then unbound objects, i.e. objects not bearing the first binding site, are separated from bound objects. In the second step, a second binder/bead composition is bound to the remaining objects that bear the second binding site, and then the objects that are bound to both beads are removed from those objects that are bound to only one bead. The beads can differ in magnetic responsiveness, charge, size, color, and the like, and these differences can be used to carry out the separation steps.
US08034546B2

The use as a resist material of a methanofullerene derivative having a plurality of open-ended addends, and to a method for forming a patterned resist layer on a substrate using the methanofullerene derivatives. The methanofullerene derivatives can be represented by the formal C2x(CR1R2)m where x is at least 10, m is at least 2, each addend represented by CR1R2 is the same or different, and wherein each R1 and R2 is each a monovalent organic group, or a divalent organic group which forms a ring structure by being joined to the fullerene shell, or where both R1 and R2 of an addend are divalent groups, they may be mutually joined to form a ring structure, save that at least two of R1 or two of R2 are monovalent, or a mixture of such derivatives. The use of any methanofullerene derivative which has been chemically amplified for formation of a patterned resist layer. The essential step of the method is forming a coating layer comprising the methanofullerene derivative on the substrate surface, the methanofullerene derivative being chemically amplified by including in the coating layer at least one additional component which increases the sensitivity of the exposed layer to actinic radiation which is subsequently used to pattern the layer.
US08034542B2

An electromagnetic shielding film for plasma display which is excellent in electromagnetic shielding characteristics for effectively shielding electromagnetic waves, near infrared rays, stray light, external light, and the like and even when stored under a wet heat condition, is small in change of color tint and good in adhesion, with a blackening layer hardly peeled away, is provided by a transparent electromagnetic shielding film including a transparent support having thereon a conductive metal layer in a pattern-like state having an electromagnetic shielding ability and having a surface covered by a blackening layer, with the blackening layer made of an alloy of nickel and zinc in a nickel/zinc mass ratio of from 0.5 to 50.
US08034540B2

A method of making a relief image on a flexographic print plate including imagewise exposing a mask including an imageable material disposed on a mask substrate to form an imaged mask having a mask image in the imageable material disposed on the mask substrate, the mask image including mask image areas each having a highlight value. The method further includes laminating the imaged mask to a front surface of a flexographic printing plate precursor, and exposing selected areas of the flexographic printing plate precursor to an imagewise addressable curing radiation via a back surface of the flexographic printing plate precursor based on the highlight values of corresponding mask image areas of the mask image.
US08034532B2

A topcoat material for application on top of a photoresist material is disclosed. The topcoat material comprises an acid-inert compound. The topcoat material also comprises a polymer or an oligomer or a cage structure which shows negligible intermixing with the imaging layer and is soluble in aqueous base developer. A method of forming a patterned material layer on a substrate and a coated substrate comprising the topcoat material is also disclosed.
US08034531B2

The present invention relates to a photosensitive resin composition comprising a) as a component (A) a green colorant of the formula (I) in which the rings A, B, C and D are substituted by hydroxy or by moiety wherein R, is hydrogen or C1,-C4.-Alkyl, R2 is hydrogen or C1,-C4-Alkyl, n is 0, 1, 2 or 3 and the ring E is unsubstituted or substituted by C1,-C6alkyl, C1,-C6alkoxy, hydroxy, NHCOR3, NHSO2, R4 or SO2NHR5, wherein R3, is C1,-C4,-Alkyl or phenyl, R4, is C1,-C4-Alkyl or phenyl and R5 is C1,-C4-Alkyl or phenyl, b) as a component (B) an alkali soluble oligomer or polymer (reactive or unreactive), c) as a component (C) a polymerizable monomer, d) as a component (D) a photoinitiator, e) as a component (E) an epoxy compound, and also, if desired, f) as a component (F) further additives, used as solder resist, etching resist or plating resist in the manufacture of printed circuit boards.
US08034528B2

Provided according to some embodiments of the present invention are hybrid chemically-produced toners produced by a method including forming a resin component including a) at least one of a water reducible acrylic resin and a water dispersible polyester resin; and b) an epoxy; subjecting the resin component to conditions sufficient to form a hybrid resin component; and dispersing the hybrid resin component into water.
US08034519B2

Disclosed is an electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising on or over an electrically conductive support a photosensitive layer containing a pyranthrone compound represented by the following formula and the pyranthrone compound has a crystal structure exhibiting a CuKα X-ray diffraction spectrum having peaks at angles (2θ±0.2°) of 12.3°, 20.5°, 25.3° and 28.3°.
US08034507B2

According to one embodiment, a direct-methanol fuel cell includes an anode into which an aqueous methanol solution is introduced as fuel, a cathode into which an oxidizing agent is introduced, an electrolyte membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode, an anode separator which is disposed on the anode side and includes a fuel passage formed on a surface facing the anode, and a cathode separator which is disposed in the cathode side and includes an oxidizing gas passage formed on a surface facing the cathode. At least the cathode separator is provided with a coating film including a macromolecular polymer having a water-repellent functional group and an ionic functional group, the coating film being formed on at least an inside surface of the oxidizing gas passage.
US08034501B2

A passive cooling system for a fuel cell stack is provided. The passive cooling system includes a plurality of cooling plates, each installed between every few unit cells, each having flow channels for flowing a primary coolant on at least one surface, and each comprising an inlet hole through which the primary coolant enters and an outlet hole through which the primary coolant that has passed the flow channels leaves; and a heat exchanger installed on a primary coolant flow line connected from the outlet holes to the inlet holes of the cooling plates to change a vapor state primary coolant to a liquid state primary coolant by cooling the primary coolant, wherein a path through which the primary coolant passes is a closed circuit, and the flow of the primary coolant is achieved by natural convection caused by vaporization of the primary coolant.
US08034496B2

The present invention provides a highly efficient fuel cell having a fuel reformer which can efficiently recover the exhaust heat from fuel cell stacks and can realize high conversion. In a fuel cell (1), a large number of power generating cells (7) are laminated to constitute a fuel cell stack (3). At least four fuel cell stacks (3) are squarely-arranged in a plane direction in a housing (2). A fuel reformer (30) filled with a reforming catalyst (33) is arranged in a cross shape in between the mutually facing sides of the fuel cell stacks (3).
US08034488B2

A grid network for a battery plate is provided. The grid network includes a plurality of spaced apart grid wire elements, each grid wire element having opposed ends joined to one of a plurality of nodes. Each node includes the juncture of one of the opposed ends of a plurality of the grid wire elements to define a plurality of open spaces in the grid network. At least one of the grid wire elements has a first transverse cross-section intermediate its opposed ends that is a different shape than a second transverse cross-section at least one of the grid wire element's opposed ends.
US08034487B2

An electrode for a non-aqueous electrolyte battery includes a current collector formed of aluminum foil or aluminum alloy foil, and an active material-containing layer formed on a surface of the current collector and containing an active material, a conductive agent and a binder. The conductive agent comprises a carbon particle group containing first carbon particles each exhibiting an aspect ratio of more than one. A portion of each of the first carbon particles is embedded into the current collector to the depth corresponding to 20 to 50% of the thickness of the current collector. A major axis of each of the first carbon particles has a length of 1.05 to 1.50 times as large as the thickness of the active material-containing layer.
US08034483B2

An anode for lithium-ion secondary battery is provided as one capable of ensuring sufficient safety (suppression of dendrites) while achieving a higher capacity (higher density of the electrode), and permitting formation of a lithium-ion secondary battery with excellent high-rate discharge performance. An anode for lithium-ion secondary battery has a current collector, and an active material-containing layer formed on the current collector, the active material-containing layer is comprised of an outermost layer disposed on the farthest side from the current collector, and a lower layer composed of at least one layer disposed between the outermost layer and the current collector, and a degree of flexion of the outermost layer is smaller than that of the lower layer.
US08034480B2

A lithium ion secondary battery includes LiFePO4 as a major component of the positive electrode active material. In order to implement the high rate capability with 10 C/1 C rate larger than 80%, the invention designs a positive electrode on a current collector with a ratio (A/t) of coating area to coating thickness greater than 1.2×106 (mm) and uses more than one tab on the current collector. The design of the invention can be applied to other active materials with low conductivity as the positive electrode for lithium ion battery.
US08034468B2

A translucent ceramic having a high linear transmittance and a high refractive index, substantially not causing double refraction, and exhibiting a high anomalous dispersion has a pyrochlore compound represented by the general formula AxByOw (wherein 1.00≦x/y≦1.10 and w represents a positive number maintaining electroneutrality) as a main component. The main component has a cubic crystal system. Preferably, the A site comprises a trivalent metallic element, and the B site comprises a tetravalent metallic element. More preferably, A is at least one of La, Y, Gd, Yb, and Lu, and B is of at least one of Ti, Sn, Zr, and Hf. The translucent ceramic is useful as a material of, for example, an objective lens used in an optical pickup.
US08034464B2

A fluorene derivative represented by the following structural formula. An organic electroluminescence device including a pair of electrodes, and at least one layer containing an organic compound interposed between the pair of the electrodes. The at least one layer containing the organic compound contains the fluorene derivative. The layer containing the fluorene derivative serves as a light-emitting layer.
US08034462B2

Process for the chemical treatment of lignocellulose materials, in particular of at least one piece of wood, characterized in that said materials are subjected to impregnation by a chemical agent comprising hydrocarbonaceous chains, this agent being chosen from mixed anhydrides, except for the mixed anhydride of acetic/benzoic acid, said agent being suitable for providing covalent grafting of a plurality of hydrocarbonaceous chains to said materials.
US08034461B2

A method for making multilayer thin films is disclosed. The method of comprises orienting a thick multilayer film in the machine direction at a drawdown ratio effective to produce a multilayer thin film. The thick multilayer film has a thickness within the range of 1 mil to 5 mils and comprises at least one layer of a linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and at least one layer of a high density polyethylene (HDPE) or a medium density polyethylene (MDPE).
US08034455B2

Multilayer radiation curable liquid coating compositions are provided that include one or more UV oligomers including at least one aliphatic urethane acrylic oligomer; at least one acrylate diluent monomer selected from a mono-, bi-, and tri-functional reactive acrylate diluent monomers; at least one photo-initiator; at least one UV absorber; at least one hindered amine light stabilizer; and at least one antioxidant, where the liquid composition does not comprise a solvent and does not comprise an adhesion promoter. The UV oligomer in the base coat composition has elongation higher than 200% and tensile strength lower than 1000 psi. The UV oligomer in the top coat composition has tensile strength higher than 5000 psi. A coating system is provided that includes a liquid primer coat composition, a liquid base coat composition and a liquid top coat composition. The cured film has good electrical insulation and UV resistance, and passes thermal cycle, damp heat and humidity freezing tests that are part of UL certification processes. The coating compositions are useful for coating substrates including SiOx substrates.
US08034447B2

The invention intends to provide an electronic component mounting adhesive that can inhibit cracks and peelings in an electronic component mounting structure obtained by joining electronic components each other from occurring and an electronic component mounting structure obtained by joining electronic components with such an electronic component mounting adhesive. In an electronic component mounting structure, a first circuit board and a second circuit board are bonded with an electronic component mounting adhesive. Here, the electronic component mounting adhesive is obtained by dispersing metal particles having the melting temperature Mp lower than the glass transition temperature Tg of a cured material of a thermosetting resin in the thermosetting resin.
US08034438B2

The present invention relates to coated cemented carbide inserts, particularly useful in general turning of superalloys. The inserts are characterized by a cemented carbide of WC, about 5.0-7.0 wt-% Co, and about 0.22-0.43 wt-% Cr, where the substrate has a coercivity (Hc) of about 19-28 kA/m. The coating contains a single (TixAl1-x)N-layer, where x is about 0.25-0.50, with crystal structure of NaCl type, total thickness of about 3.0-5.0 μm, (200)-texture, and compressive residual strain of about 2.5×10−3-5.0×10−3, optionally containing an outermost TiN-layer.
US08034436B2

A fluorescent article includes an underlayer colored fluorescent film and an overlayer colored fluorescent film, which is provided over the underlayer colored fluorescent film. The underlayer colored fluorescent film includes a first fluorescent colorant in an underlayer polymer matrix. The overlayer colored fluorescent film includes a second fluorescent colorant in an overlayer polymer matrix. The second fluorescent colorant in the overlayer film at least partially blocks light in a first wavelength range while allowing transmission of an amount of light in a second wavelength range effective to make the first fluorescent colorant fluoresce.
US08034431B2

There is provided a laminate of a thermoplastic backing to a fibrous web. This laminate, for example, could be used as a loop laminate for use in a hook and loop fastening system or an intermittently bonded elastic fibrous laminate. The laminate comprises a thermoplastic backing layer, having a first face and a second face. The backing layer has a plurality of projections extending from at least the first face of the backing. A fibrous web is attached to the backing at the location of at least some of the projections. The thermoplastic material of the backing, at the location of the projections, penetrates into the fibrous web encapsulating at least in part fibers of the fibrous web. The fibrous web preferably penetrates into at least some of the projections. The fibrous web is generally not attached, or very lightly attached, to the backing layer over at least some portion of the distance between adjacent projections. This allows for a low cost fibrous web laminate that can be directly extrusion formed with a backing without compromising the fibrous web's performance between the attached projections.
US08034425B1

A form or printing product and method for fabricating same on label formation equipment. The form includes first and second layers of material adhesively secured together. The first layer includes a card or label and a surrounding region, wherein the top and bottom surfaces of the card or label are substantially co-planar with the top and bottom surfaces, respectively, of the surrounding region. The second layer is adhered over the card or label and the surrounding region. By compressing the leading edge or trailing edge of the elevated second layer in tandem with the first layer, and thereby creating a small indentation, allows a sheet exiting a printer to bypass, travel over, or not come into contact with the second layer of the previously printed form resting in an output tray.
US08034419B2

Disclosed is a method relating to graded-composition barrier coatings comprising first and second materials in first and second zones. The compositions of one or both zones vary substantially continuously across a thickness of the zone in order to achieve improved properties such as barrier, flexibility, adhesion, optics, thickness, and tact time. The graded-composition barrier coatings find utility in preventing exposure of devices such as organic electro-luminescent devices (OLEDs) to reactive species found in the environment.
US08034417B2

There can be provided a casting film for producing a ceramic green sheet which film comprises a substrate film, an undercoat layer and a cured layer, wherein the undercoat layer is composed of a condensation polymer from a metal alkoxide and/or a partially hydrolyzed product of a metal alkoxide, and the cured layer is formed by heat treating at 40 to 120° C., an addition reaction type silicone resin composition containing a photosensitizer in a coating amount of 0.01 to 0.3 g/m2 expressed in terms of solid content, and thereafter ultraviolet irradiating the composition to cure the same. The casting film, which is employed for the production of a ceramic green sheet to be used in a ceramic capacitor, a laminated inductor element and the like, can easily be produced, has favorable adhesiveness to a substrate film, is excellent in ceramic slurry coating property and releasability from a ceramic green sheet, and possesses high flatness that has never been realized by any of the prior arts together with high antistatic property.
US08034415B2

The present invention concerns a composition containing: an aqueous dispersion of at least one phenol-formaldehyde resin; at least one amine compound, wherein the molecular mass of the amine compound does not exceed approximately 20 000 g/mole, at least one activated silane, as well as at least one aromatic hydroxyl compound. The composition may be employed as a formaldehyde-free binder for the manufacture of mineral wool.
US08034408B2

Metal powder (such as tin, titanium, or tungsten powder) is heated in a flowing stream of an inert gas, such as argon, containing a small abundance of oxygen at a temperature to produce metal vapor. The metal reacts with the oxygen to form and deposit one-dimensional nanostructures of oxygen-containing metal on the metal powder (in the case of Ti and W) or on a suitable nearby substrate in the case of the lower melting tin. The metal oxides are not necessarily stoichiometric compounds. Water may be introduced into the flowing inert gas to increase or control the oxygen content. Sulfur vapor or a carbon source may be introduced to dope the nanostructures with sulfur or carbon. Reaction conditions may be modified to vary the shapes of the one-dimensional nanostructures.
US08034397B2

Hollow particles for use in various types of assay devices are provided. Due to their hollow or voided structure, the particles may exhibit a variety of beneficial properties. For instance, hollow particles are generally lightweight, and thus, relatively inexpensive in comparison to other types of particles. Hollow particles may also form a stable system without requiring refrigeration or rotation. In addition, hollow particles may possess enhanced light diffraction capabilities, which may be particularly beneficial in certain types of assay devices, e.g., diffraction-based assay devices.
US08034396B2

The present disclosure provides compositions which may be utilized as adhesives or sealants in medical and surgical applications. The compositions may, in embodiments, be formed from the cycloaddition reaction of a first component possessing at least one azide group with a second component possessing at least one alkyne group.
US08034393B1

A steam crushed whole grain for reducing the wetting time necessary prior to use of a whole grain baking ingredient in a baking application. A whole grain kernel is formed into a whole grain flake with a plurality of exterior fractures. As the flake is formed, the flake is exposed to steam such that an interior starch portion of the flake is heated by penetration of the steam through the fractures. As the interior starch portion is heated, the flake is partially gelatinized within a range of about 15% to about 35%. The partially gelatinized grain is then milled and crushed for use as a baking ingredient. Prior to use, the partially gelatinized whole grain baking ingredient is wetted for a time less than 4 hours as is typically recommended for traditionally processed whole grains.
US08034392B2

The present invention provides an oil-in-water type emulsion for light-exposing food having photodegradation-resistance, which has good taste and flavor with less deterioration such as off-taste and off-flavor even when irradiating light from a fluorescent lamp, etc. The first embodiment thereof is an oil-in-water type emulsion for light-exposing food containing fat and nonfat milk solids, wherein the fat is non-milk fat, or non-milk fat and milk fat, and the non-milk fat has such a constituent fatty acid composition that the total amount of lauric acid and palmitic acid is not less than 40%, the total amount of oleic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid is not more than 50% and the total amount of linoleic acid and linolenic acid is not more than 5%; and the ratio of milk fat/total fat is not more than 0.95. The second embodiment thereof is a nonfat milk solid-containing oil-in-water type emulsion for light-exposing food, which is the same as the emulsion of the first embodiment and the fat is non-milk fat having the above constituent fatty acid composition.
US08034391B2

The present invention includes a solid fat composition that includes an oil having saturated fat and a microbial oil having a long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid and an emulsifier. In particular, the solid fat composition can have high levels of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid and low amounts of emulsifiers. In preferred embodiments, the polyunsaturated oil is an unwinterized microbial oil. The invention also relates to methods for making such compositions and food, nutritional, and pharmaceutical products comprising said compositions. The present invention also includes a microbial oil product prepared by extracting an oil-containing fraction comprising at least one LC-PUFA from a microbial biomass, and treating the fraction by a process of vacuum evaporation, wherein the oil product has not been subject to one or more of a solvent winterization step, a caustic refining process, a chill filtration process, or a bleaching process.
US08034389B2

Isolated cranberry seed oil and components thereof, in a form suitable for use as a foodstuff, dietary supplement, or pharmaceutical composition, are disclosed. The isolated cranberry seed oil or compositions comprising one or a combination of components derived from the cranberry seed oil can be used as anticancer, hypocholesterolemic, antithrombotic, antioxidizing, antiatherogenic, antiinflammatory, and immunoregulatory agents. In addition, the invention features novel methods of extracting cranberry seed oil from cranberry seeds in a form suitable for adding to foodstuffs, dietary supplements, or pharmaceutical compositions.
US08034381B2

The invention concerns a method for producing ultrafine suspensions, characterized in that a substance in the form of a solid product at 20° C. is dissolved in a solvent, in that the solvent is very rapidly substantially drawn from said solution, in that the powder thus obtained, whereof the particles have an average particle-size distribution of the order of 1 to 50 μm (by laser diffractometry) is dispersed in a dispersing medium, and in that the resulting suspension is treated subsequently, using average to high forces, so as to obtain a suspension whereof the solid matter particles have a average particle-size distribution (by photon correlation spectroscopy) less than 3 μm, preferably less than 1 μm (1000 nm), and in particular less than 400 nm, more particularly still, less than 200 nm.
US08034374B2

An adhesive patch containing a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent, comprising a support and an adhesive layer laminated on this support, wherein the adhesive layer contains a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent having a carboxyl group or its salt, and polyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of 1000 or more.
US08034370B2

The invention provides biodegradable implants sized for implantation in an ocular region and methods for treating medical conditions of the eye. The implants are formed from a mixture of hydrophilic end and hydrophobic end PLGA, and deliver active agents into an ocular region without a high burst release.
US08034369B2

The invention provides a controlled release bioactive agent delivery device for treatment of an eye that includes a body member having a direction of extension, a longitudinal axis along the direction of extension, and a proximal end and a distal end, wherein at least a portion of the body member deviates from the direction of extension, and a polymeric coated composition in contact with a surface of the body member, the polymeric coated composition including a first polymer, a second polymer, and a bioactive agent. The first polymer and the second polymer are hydrophobic, and the body member has a length such that, upon placement of the device at an implantation site within a posterior segment of an eye, the device does not enter a central visual field of the eye. The invention also provides methods method of delivering bioactive agent to a posterior region of an eye.
US08034366B2

The invention provides biodegradable implants sized for implantation in an ocular region and methods for treating medical conditions of the eye. The implants are formed from a mixture of hydrophilic end and hydrophobic end PLGA, and deliver active agents into an ocular region without a high burst release.
US08034359B2

The invention provides in part methods of treating cancers of a specific organ or tissue by administering a composition that is antigenically specific for one or more microbes that are pathogenic in the specific organ or tissue in which the cancer is situated. The formulations of the invention thereby facilitate activation of a treatment response to a cancer in a particular tissue or organ. The compositions may for example include killed or attenuated microbial pathogens, and may be administered at sites distant from the cancer, for example the skin. In some embodiments, microbial species of endogenous flora that are known to cause infection in the relevant organ or tissue may be used in the formulation of the antigenic compositions. In alternative embodiments, exogenous microbial pathogens that are known to cause infection in the relevant organ or tissue may be used in the formulation of the antigenic compositions. The administration of the immunogenic compositions may be repeated relatively frequently over a relatively long period of time. In embodiments for intradermal or subcutaneous injection, dosages may be adjusted so that injections reproduce a consistent visible delayed inflammatory immune reaction at the successive site or sites of administration.
US08034358B2

The invention provides a novel surface polypeptide from Neisseria meningitidis as well as nucleic acid and nucleic acid sequence homologues encoding this protein. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the polypeptide and nucleic acids of the invention are also disclosed as well as methods useful in the treatment, prevention and diagnosis of N. meningitidis infection.
US08034353B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a peptide vaccine for preventing and/or treating diseases caused by amyloid β-peptide, such as Alzheimer's disease. The present invention solves the above object by providing a peptide vaccine constructed by inserting a peptide having an amino acid sequence of a cell attachment motif of a cell adhesive molecule to a peptide which consists of a peptide having an amino acid sequence of multiagretope type T-cell epitope, which has been generated immunological memory, or a peptide including the same; an linker peptide; and a peptide having an amino acid sequence of a B cell epitope which is a specific region of amyloid β-peptide or a peptide including the same.
US08034352B2

The present invention concerns methods and compositions for forming cytokine-antibody complexes using dock-and-lock technology. In preferred embodiments, the cytokine-MAb DNL complex comprises an IgG antibody attached to two AD (anchor domain) moieties and four cytokines, each attached to a DDD (docking and dimerization domain) moiety. The DDD moieties form dimers that bind to the AD moieties, resulting in a 2:1 ratio of DDD to AD. The cytokine-MAb complex exhibits improved pharmacokinetics, with a significantly longer serum half-life than either naked cytokine or PEGylated cytokine. The cytokine-MAb complex also exhibits significantly improved in vitro and in vivo efficacy compared to cytokine alone, antibody alone, unconjugated cytokine plus antibody or cytokine-MAb DNL complexes incorporating an irrelevant antibody. In more preferred embodiment the cytokine is G-CSF, erythropoietin or INF-α2b.
US08034348B2

The invention provides improved agents and methods for treatment of diseases associated with amyloid deposits of Aβ in the brain of a patient. Such methods entail administering agents that induce a beneficial immunogenic response against the amyloid deposit. The methods are useful for prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Preferred agents including N-terminal fragments of Aβ and antibodies binding to the same.
US08034346B2

The present invention features methods for treating or preventing pain comprising administering an amount of a nerve growth factor antagonist (such as an anti-NGF antibody) and an amount of an NSAID such that together they provide effective pain relief. The invention also features compositions comprising a nerve growth factor antagonist and an NSAID and kits containing the same.
US08034345B2

The present invention relates to uses of PCI, which inhibits HGFa activity, and to uses of anti-PCI antibodies, which neutralize HGFa inhibition; and to agents for regulating and controlling tissue regeneration and/or repair, with PCI as an active ingredient; and to agents for enhancing tissue regeneration and/or repair, with anti-PCI antibodies as active ingredients (particularly, anti-PCI antibodies with the action of neutralizing PCI (anti-PCI neutralizing antibodies)).
US08034343B2

2F1 polypeptides are provided, along with DNA sequences, expression vectors and transformed host cells useful in producing the polypeptides. Soluble 2F1 polypeptides find use in inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis and treating inflammation.
US08034342B2

The present invention is directed to novel polypeptides having sequence identity with IL-17, IL-17 receptors and to nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides. Also provided herein are vectors and host cells comprising those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising the polypeptides of the present invention fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides of the present invention and to methods for producing the polypeptides of the present invention. Further provided herein are methods for treating degenerative cartilaginous disorders and other inflammatory diseases.
US08034341B2

Provided are methods of treatment for tumors. In particular, methods are provided for modulating activity of a cytokine molecule and its receptor.
US08034332B2

This invention relates to a natural killer cell line termed NK-92 and to NK-92 cell lines that have been modified by transfection with a vector to confer advantageous properties. The invention provides a modified NK-92 cell line that is transfected with a vector encoding a cytokine that promotes the growth of NK-92 cells. In a significant embodiment, the cytokine is interleukin 2. The invention additionally provides a modified NK-92 cell line that is transfected with a vector that expresses a thymidine kinase gene. The invention further provides a modified NK-92 cell line that is transfected with a vector that expresses a β2 micrglobulin.
US08034331B2

The invention provides for methods for delivering a nucleic acid into a peripheral neuron by identifying a target neuron in a dorsal root ganglion and intrathecally delivering a vector comprising the nucleic acid to the dorsal root ganglion neuron. The nucleic acid may encode a neurotrophic factor that may be used to treat a peripheral neuropathy or, in conjunction with a nerve guide conduit, to treat a transected peripheral nerve.
US08034326B2

IL-21 variant are provided wherein amino acids have been deleted and/or substituted in the region consisting of amino acid No. 65-96.
US08034323B2

Compositions and methods for the in situ formation of cross-linked organosiloxane films are disclosed. The disclosed films are long-lasting, flexible, transfer-resistant, water-resistant and oil-resistant. The film-forming compositions generally comprise alkoxy-terminated organosiloxane polymers and a catalyst and are useful for formulating cosmetics and personal care products.
US08034322B2

The invention relates to a process for preparing an aqueous polyurethane dispersion suitable for use in personal care products, wherein the polyurethane is based on one or more polycarbonate polyols.
US08034320B2

A method and apparatus for producing iron ore pellets containing hematite is described. The pellets containing magnetite are exposed to microwave energy in a heat treatment furnace under oxidizing conditions to convert magnetite to hematite.
US08034318B1

An efficient batch or semi-continuous method of production of relative high concentration, low byproduct-containing, calcium thiosulfate (CaS2O3) from lime, sulfur or calcium polysulfide, and sulfur dioxide under elevated reaction temperature conditions is described. The product is an emulsion of liquid calcium thiosulfate and solid byproducts. Under the conditions of the art, including the mole ratios of lime to sulfur, the temperature of the reaction process and the sulfur dioxide reaction conditions, including rate and duration, the byproducts are reduced to about 2% by weight.
US08034312B2

The invention relates to a method for the purification or recovery of orthophosphoric acid rich streams by suspension-based melt crystallization. The orthophosphoric acid is crystallized as the hemi-hydrate form and subsequent separation of such crystals in a wash-column produce a high purity acid/water solution that has been depleted of most of the metals and impurities other than water, thereby separating an orthophosphoric acid rich feed liquor into an ultra-pure orthophosphoric acid hemi-hydrate and a mother liquor containing almost all impurities originally present in the feed. The orthophosphoric acid rich feed liquor typically contains no more than 15 wt % water and 1 wt % other impurities. Individual metal ion composition in the purified orthophosphoric acid product is in the range of 100 to 1000 ppb (parts per billion= 1/1000 ppm) of each metal ion. The metal ion composition of the resulting purified product is thus typically below the detection limit of typical analysis equipment.
US08034311B2

An oxidation catalyst that efficiently promotes oxidation of NO to NO2 even in a low temperature range, and an exhaust-gas purification system and method that efficiently removes exhaust-gas components even in a low temperature range are provided. This invention provides an oxidation catalyst comprising platinum and palladium as catalytically active components, which promotes oxidation of nitrogen monoxide to nitrogen dioxide, wherein the oxidation catalyst comprises 1 to 55 parts by weight of the palladium relative to 100 parts by weight of the platinum.
US08034305B2

A container segment assembly suitable for use with a carousel of an analytical instrument, including (a) a container rack having the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, the container rack capable of receiving containers in a substantially linear row and (b) a container segment having a frame. The frame has an arcuate shape, whereby the container segment can be mounted onto a corresponding arcuate portion of the carousel of the analytical instrument. The frame further defines a receptacle capable of receiving the container rack. The major dimension of the receptacle is substantially aligned as a chord of the arcuate-shaped frame of the container segment.
US08034302B1

Disclosed are chemically active surfaces for the detection of nitroaromatic, nitramine, and nitrate ester compounds, the primary constituents of explosive devices. Transparent conductive composites (TCCs) combine with gold nanoparticles in a conducting polymer matrix to create a conductive, flexible, and electrochromic material. Hybrid, nanostructured surfaces constructed from TCCs are decorated with conjugated conductive oligomer wires. Selective binding of the target to the oligomer alters the electron charge mobility in the TCC, affecting the redox state. The binding event is identified by measuring the conductivity of the TCC and/or through color changes of the TCC. Conjugated oligomers that are functionalized with thiol groups at one end and nitro-derivative receptors at the other provide the bases for selectivity and sensing. The thiol group anchors the oligomer to the metal sites on the TCC surface and the receptor starts the charge transfer mechanism when targeted with the appropriate molecule.
US08034292B2

An automated machine for handling and embedding tissue samples contained on microtome sectionable supports. The machine includes an input member configured to hold a plurality of the microtome sectionable supports prior to a tissue embedding operation. An output member is configured to hold a plurality of the microtome sectionable supports after the tissue embedding operation. A cooling unit is configured to hold at least one of the microtome sectionable supports during the tissue embedding operation. A motorized carrier assembly is mounted for movement and configured to hold at least one of the microtome sectionable supports. The carrier assembly moves the support from the input member to the cooling unit and, finally, to the output member. A dispensing device dispenses an embedding material onto the microtome sectionable support and at least one tissue sample carried by the microtome sectionable support during the embedding operation.
US08034289B2

A water treatment process whereby heat is used and recaptured to pasteurize water and or sewage effluent. Contaminated waters are partially treatable utilizing bacterial and chemical processes; however some bacteria (e.g. Cryptosporidium and Giardia) are resistant to chemicals. The present process raises the temperature of the water to a desired pasteurization temperature and for a corresponding required length of time to destroy pathogens and viruses. A heat exchanger is employed to use the waste heat from the pasteurization tank to pre-heat the fluid entering the tank. After the initial heating of the tank, the pre-heating reduces the required heat to maintain the temperature of the tank. Make-up heat increases the temperature within a small temperature range. The make-up heat may be waste heat from a separate process.
US08034286B2

Novel ultrasonic treatment systems for separating compounds in an aqueous effluent and processes for using the ultrasonic treatment systems are disclosed. More particularly, the ultrasonic treatment systems use ultrasonic energy to energize adsorbent to provide efficient and effective removal of compounds from aqueous effluents, such as textile effluents.
US08034283B2

A rotary hearth furnace includes an exhaust gas eductor. The exhaust gas eductor includes a compartment-defining portion and an exhaust duct. The compartment-defining portion is provided on part of a ceiling of the rotary hearth furnace in an exhaust gas discharge region, and an exhaust duct is connected to the compartment-defining portion. The lower surface of the compartment-defining portion lies higher than the lower surface of the other portion of the ceiling. The compartment-defining portion defines a compartment where the exhaust gas stays. The exhaust duct can include a cooling medium injection nozzle. The furnace increases fuel efficiency by completely burning combustible components remaining in exhaust gas generated in the rotary hearth furnace so as to use the combustible components efficiently for the heating and reduction reaction in the rotary hearth furnace, without problems in producing reduced iron.
US08034282B2

A thermal energy machining (“TEM”) machine is designed with interchangeable components for processing different sized parts within a single frame. The frame weldment includes a base, an upper mounting plate and intermediate mounting plates. In one embodiment, a TEM machine for processing short parts includes a ram cylinder directly secured to the base, a chamber spacer directly secured to the upper mounting plate and a thermal chamber directly secured to the chamber spacer. In another embodiment, a TEM machine for processing long parts includes a thermal chamber directly secured to the upper mounting plate, a ram spacer directly secured to the base, and a ram cylinder directly secured to the ram spacer.
US08034281B2

A container system is adapted to withstand impacts and features a first container having a first container body and a second container having a second container body. The second container defines a second body height and a second body wall thickness. A body recess is formed in the second container body for releasably engaging the first container body of the first container. A body recess defines at least one recess top and bottom corner and recess vertical edge having a recess top and bottom corner and vertical edge wall thickness, respectively, and which are intentionally thinned so as to have a thickness that is less than the second body wall thickness. The recess top and bottom corners and vertical edges are specifically configured to be deformable in response to an impact imposed thereagainst such that at least a portion of the impact shock is absorbed by the deformation in order to avoid rupture of the second container.
US08034279B2

A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by successively solidifying layers of a building material at positions in the respective layer corresponding to the cross-section of the object is provided, wherein at least a partial region of a layer is solidified such that a pattern is generated, which pattern contains a plurality of substantially parallel solidification lines (V, S), and at least a partial region of a subsequent layer is exposed such that a pattern is generated, which pattern contains a plurality of substantially parallel solidification lines (V, S) that are rotated with respect to the solidification lines of the pattern of the previous layer by an angle (α) that differs from 180°, 90° and 45°.
US08034277B2

An apparatus for transferring a pattern of minute surface structures, using a pair of press members which are located opposingly for movements toward and away from each other. One press member is adapted to support thereon a mold having on a transfer surface a master pattern of minute structures to be transferred, while the other press member is adapted to support thereon an annular substrate plate having a curable resin layer coated thereon and to press the resin layer against the transfer surface of the mold to transfer said minute structures to the resin layer. The mold is provided with a circular center hole defining at least three small-diameter segments and three large-diameter segments alternately and at uniform angular intervals along an inner periphery of the mold. The annular substrate plate has an inside diameter exactly matching with the small-diameter segments at the inner periphery of the mold.
US08034276B2

A domestic appliance includes a pump that establishes and directs a flow of washing fluid into a tub during a washing operation. The pump includes a pump housing having a rigid main body portion that defines an inlet section and an outlet section, as well as a plurality of resilient members that are over-molded onto the inlet and outlet sections. The rigid main body portion includes a mounting element for supporting the pump. An insulation grommet is positioned in the mounting element to minimize any transfer of vibration from the pump to the appliance. The inlet nipple, outlet nipple and insulation grommet are joined through a plurality of web members. The rigid main body also includes a secondary outlet section that is adapted to directly receive a hose or is connected to a hose through a secondary outlet nipple.
US08034274B1

A method is disclosed for fabricating an anti-fatigue mat that employs a layer of resilient gel material that exhibits a first durometer. The method employs a frame assembly that receives a flexible support sheet. The frame assembly includes an aperture that receives a layer of heated liquid gel which cools to form the layer of resilient gel material exhibiting the first durometer. In one embodiment, a barrier layer exhibiting a second durometer is situated on the gel layer that exhibits the first durometer. In one embodiment, the barrier layer prevents the flow of oils from the gel layer to a flexible base sheet disposed on the barrier layer. In another embodiment, the flexible base sheet may exhibit a second durometer. In either embodiment, the layers exhibiting the first and second durometer cooperate to influence the feel of the mat to the user.
US08034271B2

A process for making composite products from waste material comprises the steps of a) obtaining fibrous material produced by the thermal treatment of waste materials with pressurized steam; b) mixing the fibrous material with a binding material; c) forming the resulting mixture into a shape; d) pressing the shaped mixture under pressure; and e) hardening the mixture; wherein the process also comprises the steps of the separating out the fibrous material and deodorizing the fibrous material. The waste material may be domestic bin liner waste.
US08034269B2

A compounding process is disclosed. The process includes (i) melt blending in an extruder at least two polymeric resins to produce a mixture that includes at least one resin that dissociates to yield monomers and/or oligomers upon heating, said mixture containing less than 1 percent of volatile components, (ii) introducing into said extruder an inert entraining agent, and (iii) removing said entraining agent together with said volatile components from said extruder. The extruder includes at least one melting zone, at least two degassing zones and at least one mixing zone. The end product has a particularly low content of residual solvent and at the same time a low content of monomers or oligomers.
US08034268B2

A lightweight composite fairing bar (14) for use in fabricating a composite component (16) of an aircraft. The fairing bar (14) includes a core (18) and an elongated outer shell (20) surrounding the core (18). The outer shell (20) is comprised of a laminate material, and the core (18) is comprised of epoxy syntactic foam having a lower density than that of the laminate material. The outer shell (20) is configured for supporting the composite component (16) during the manufacture of the same.
US08034257B2

An inorganic powder uses a UV solid light source applied for the UV LEDs, in which an inorganic powder is based on the inorganic powder of n-silicate group II elements, and its ingredients have valence 2 ions, such as Eu+2, Sm+2, Yb+2 and Dy+2, valence 3 ions Ce+3, Tb+3 and/or Eu+3. The chemical formula of the components is Me+21-xLn+32-ySi2O8:TR+2x:TR+3y, and x=0.0-0.2, y=0.0-0.1. A main structure thereof is a hexagonal crystal structure. When the indium gallium nitride and gallium nitride based allomorphous semiconductor short wave UV light is used under conditions of excitement, the multiple band white light can be obtained.
US08034256B2

A naphthalene derivative represented by the following formula (1) is provided. In the formula (1), Ar1 and Ar2 each represent an aromatic hydrocarbon cyclic group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms forming a ring. The aromatic hydrocarbon cyclic group has none of anthracene skeleton, pyrene skeleton, aceanthrylene skeleton and naphthacene skeleton. Ar3 represents a benzene skeleton or a naphthalene skeleton. R1 and R2 each represent an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkoxy group, a cyano group, a silyl group or a halogen atom. a and b each represent an integer in a range of 0 to 4. m and n each represent an integer in a range of 1 to 4.
US08034251B2

Provided are ternary azeotropic and azeotrope-like compositions of 2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (HCFO-1233xf), 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane (HCFC-244bb), and hydrogen fluoride (HF). Such azeotropic and azeotrope-like compositions are useful as intermediates in the production of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234yf).
US08034247B2

A manufacturing method of a silicon nozzle plate, having; a film forming process to provide the film representing an etching mask for etching the silicon substrate on a surface of the silicon substrate; a pattern film forming to form a pattern film by partially removing the film based on a nozzle hole forming pattern and an outer shape forming pattern; a silicon substrate etching process to form nozzle holes based on the nozzle hole forming pattern representing the etching mask, and to form a half etching portion at least in a part of the silicon substrate based on the outer shape forming pattern; and a silicon substrate separating process to separate the silicon substrate by splitting along the half etching portion.
US08034245B1

The present invention provides a method of driving liquid flow at or near a free surface using self-assembled structures composed of magnetic particles subjected to an external AC magnetic field. A plurality of magnetic particles are supported at or near a free surface of liquid by surface tension or buoyancy force. An AC magnetic field traverses the free surface and dipole-dipole interaction between particles produces in self-assembled snake structures which oscillate at the frequency of the traverse AC magnetic field. The snake structures independently move across the free surface and may merge with other snake structures or break up and coalesce into additional snake structures experiencing independent movement across the liquid surface. During this process, the snake structures produce asymmetric flow vortices across substantially the entirety of the free surface, effectuating liquid flow across the free surface.
US08034243B2

The disclosed process and system are used for the denitrification of wastewater. The system comprises: an influent concentration analyzer for measuring an influent dissolved oxygen concentration, an influent nitrate concentration, and an influent nitrite concentration; and a feed chemical controller for providing a feed chemical at a controlled rate. The feed chemical controller is responsive to one or more output signals provided by an automated control loop that accepts input signals from the influent concentration analyzer, which input signals relate to at least two of the influent nitrate concentration, the influent nitrite concentration, and the influent dissolved oxygen concentration.
US08034240B2

A filter element includes a cylindrical housing enclosing a ring-shaped filter media assembly. The media assembly includes inner and outer media rings, moveably supported relative to one another, to remove particulate matter and water from a fluid stream. The outer ring surrounds the inner ring and is sealed by a first seal to the housing. An end cap assembly at the upper end of the element includes an annular end cap piece attached to an upper end of the inner ring, a flat plate, and a threaded flange portion bounding the periphery of the plate. A second seal is provided between the upper end cap of the inner ring, and an upper end cap of the outer ring. The housing is secured to the media assembly by forming an open end of the housing around the flange portion.
US08034234B2

The present invention is a storm water filter system for filtering floatable debris and non-floating pollutants from storm water passing through a storm water drain system. The storm water filtering system has a floatable skimmer therein for capturing floatable debris and trash from the storm water and a separate filtration system to filter non-floatable pollutants from water passing therethrough.
US08034230B2

A reconstituted non-asphaltenic oil Pa comprising at least 28% by weight of naphtha N, having a ratio R of 1.5 or more and a gasoline potential, POTg, in the range 47 to 70, in which: R=(0.9 N+0.5 VGO+)/(MD+0.1 VGO+), POTg=0.9N+0.5 VGO+, with in % by weight: N=naphtha: [30° C./170° C.]; MD=middle distillates: ]170° C./360° C.] and VGO+=fraction boiling above 360° C.R indicates the relative gasoline potential of a non residual oil over middle distillates during its subsequent refining.
US08034228B2

A method and device for the production of components having a three-dimensionally formed surface by a lowering operation with an electrochemical ablation process, namely a Precise Electro Chemical Machining (PECM) process, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: a) providing a specially pre-formed workpiece featuring a specific dimensional allowance; b) providing at least one working electrode, in which case the contour of the working electrode, or of each working electrode, is adapted to the contour of the three-dimensionally formed surface to be produced; and c) lowering the three-dimensionally formed surface by placing the pre-formed workpiece and the working electrode, or each working electrode, in an electrolyte and by applying an electrical voltage or an electrical current, in which case the working electrode, or each working electrode, is moved in the sense of a circular advance motion in the direction toward the workpiece.
US08034227B2

The invention relates to a process for the production of alkali metal chlorate comprising: providing an electrochemical cell comprising an anode and a cathode in separate anode and cathode compartments; contacting the cathode with an electrolyte comprising at least one organic mediator and one or more organic or mineral acids; reacting the organic mediator at the cathode to form at least one reduced form of the mediator; reacting the at least one reduced form of the mediator with oxygen to form hydrogen peroxide; contacting the anode with an anolyte comprising alkali metal chloride; reacting chloride at the anode to form chlorine that is hydrolyzed; and, reacting the hydrolyzed chlorine to form chlorate.
US08034226B2

A device for dielectrophoretic separation of particles contained in a fluid, includes two sets of electrodes, each of the two sets of electrodes being brought to a different potential, so as to generate an electric field inside said fluid. The two sets of electrodes are positioned inside a chamber, itself provided with a particle collecting surface. Each of the two sets of electrodes is immersed in the fluid inside the chamber and is located in a plane different from the plane of the particle collecting surface. The two sets of electrodes are supplied with electrical current in phase opposition. The potential of each of the two sets of electrodes have a gradient based on the distance along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the particle collecting surface.
US08034225B2

Methods of use, accessories and chambers, optimal for performing Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) of DNA molecules in ‘Contour Clamped Homogeneous Electric Field’ (CHEF) and ‘Transversal Alternating Field Electrophoresis’ (TAFE) systems, are provided herein. DNA molecules are rapidly separated in the minigels of these chambers. The sizes of chambers and accessories are determined by the separation between the opposite polarity electrodes; which is comprised between 6.2 and 15 cm. Reproducibility of molecule separation is achieved because the accessories warrant homogeneous electric resistance in the buffer and minigels. Chambers allow a high-throughput sample format using the reagents efficiently. It is attained excluding the non-useful electrophoresis zones. For a better optimization, TAFE chambers have several useful electrophoresis zones (UEZ), each carrying a minigel. One or more UEZ can be activated at will in the electrophoresis, to vary the number of minigels, the number of samples and the amount of buffer among the experiments. TAFE chambers having ‘inverted electrode configuration’ with the cathodes at their bottom are presented.
US08034222B2

Conducting polymer nanowires can be doped with analyte-binding species to create a nanowire that has a different conductivity depending on the presence or absence of the analyte.
US08034221B2

An electrode for hydrogen generation can maintain a low hydrogen overvoltage for a long period of time even when electrolysis is conducted there not only with a low current density but also with a high current density. The electrode for hydrogen generation has a coating layer formed on a conductive base member by applying a material not containing any chlorine atom prepared by dissolving lanthanum carboxylate in a nitric acid solution of ruthenium nitrate and thermally decomposing the material in an oxygen-containing atmosphere.
US08034219B2

Disclosed herein are a system and a method for the production of hydrogen. The system advantageously combines an independent high temperature heat source with a solid oxide electrolyzer cell and a heat exchanger located between the cathode inlet and the cathode outlet. The heat exchanger is used to extract heat from the molecular components such as hydrogen derived from the electrolysis. A portion of the hydrogen generated in the solid oxide electrolyzer cell is recombined with steam and recycled to the solid oxide electrolyzer cell. The oxygen generated on the anode side is swept with compressed air and used to drive a gas turbine that is in operative communication with a generator. Electricity generated by the generator is used to drive the electrolysis in the solid oxide electrolyzer cell.
US08034217B2

A liquid condensation system heats a liquid raw material under a decompressed circumstance and evaporates a volatile component from a liquid surface to condense the liquid raw material. Therefore, the liquid condensation system includes: liquid condensers, each of which condenses the liquid raw material; a vacuum pump that is in communication with the liquid condensers; and a warm water circulation system as a heating source that heats the liquid raw material in the liquid condensers. The volatile component evaporated in the liquid condensers is led to the outside of the liquid condensers through vapor lines. The condensed liquid that is not evaporated in the liquid condensers is led to the outside of the liquid condensers through condensed-liquid lines. Condensed-liquid-line adjusting valves are interposed on the condensed-liquid lines, and heaters are attached to the condensed-liquid lines. A control unit controls the heaters and the condensed-liquid-line adjusting valves.
US08034211B2

It is the object of the present invention a thermoplastic element for the protection against corrosion in the thermofused splicing of a thermoplastic tube to a thermoplastic connection, which element has the shape of a fully thermoplastic tubular sleeve, able to be introduced into a socket mouth formed by the expansion of the tube end, said splice element bearing only one internal diameter and two external diameters which define a cylindrical external portion of larger diameter and a tubular projection which diameter is smaller than the former, and which is introduced into the thermoplastic tube, a lateral wall of the external portion defining a front butt of said thermoplastic element against the end of the thermoplastic tube. Said splicing element also exhibits an auxiliary ring which operates as a reference point for the assembly thereof.
US08034204B2

Provided are a method and a device for efficiently separating and automatically removing a tire-building rigid core from the inside of the tire. After a core holding mechanism and upper and lower support plates are removed from a rigid core body that is disposed in the tire and composed of two types of segment groups, the tire is transferred onto a predetermined position on a support table, and positioned and fixed. Then, a first core separation/removal mechanism having been on standby below the center of the tire on the support table is raised to support the center of the inner wall surface of one type of the segment groups and horizontally pull the one type of the segment groups to the center side of the tire until it is separated from the inner surface of the tire. The separated segment group is lowered to the standby position below the center of the support table and is left on standby. Next, in the same way as above, the other type of the segment groups is separated from the inner surface of the tire and moved to a standby position by a second core separation/removal mechanism having been on standby at another standby position.
US08034190B2

A substrate processing apparatus comprises an indexer block, an anti-reflection film processing block, a resist film processing block, a development processing block, and an interface block. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The interface block comprises washing processing units and an interface transport mechanism. Before a substrate is subjected to exposure processing by the exposure device, the substrate is transported to a washing processing unit by the interface transport mechanism. The substrate is washed and dried by the washing processing unit.
US08034183B2

In a RLSA microwave plasma processing apparatus that radiates microwave from a microwave generator into a chamber by using a planer antenna (Radial Line Slot Antenna) having many slots formed according to a certain pattern, the chamber contaminated with Na or the like is cleaned by using a cleaning gas containing H2 and O2.
US08034180B2

A method of controlling the temperature of a workpiece on a workpiece support in a plasma reactor includes placing coolant in a flow channel thermally coupled to the workpiece support, supporting a thermally conductive gas between the workpiece and the workpiece support to establish a backside gas pressure, providing sensors to measure the temperature of the workpiece support and the workpiece, and determining whether the rate of change in workpiece temperature is less or more than a rate limited by a thermal mass of the workpiece support. If the rate is less or equal, the thermal conditions of the coolant in the flow channel are changed to reduce a difference between the measured workpiece support temperature and a target workpiece support temperature. If the rate is more, the pressure of the thermally conductive gas is changed to reduce a difference between the measured workpiece temperature and a target workpiece temperature.
US08034162B2

A method and apparatus are provided for substantially containing dust generated along a fiber tow path extending from a creel to a compression roller in an automated fiber placement machine, by enclosing substantially all of the path of the fiber tows between the creel and the compression roller within a barrier that is substantially impermeable to dust. A dust collection apparatus may have a porous media and/or utilize an electrostatic charge for entrapping the dust.
US08034159B2

A method for cleaning hydrocarbons from a gas-vapor medium ejected to the atmosphere, formed while storing oil or gasoline or filling a container therewith is provided. The medium is pumped out and compressed in a gas-liquid jet apparatus due to energy of oil or gasoline supplied by a pump. The formed mixture is separated in a separator, where a pressure of 0.7 to 2.5 MPa is maintained, and gas from the separator is compressed in a jet apparatus by oil or gasoline supplied by a pump. The gas medium cleaned from the hydrocarbons is outputted and the saturated absorbent is directed to a desorber where a pressure is generated to be lower than the pressure in the separator. The liquid medium is removed from the separators and to a container or to a storage tank from which oil or gasoline is simultaneously supplied to pump inlets or to the separators.
US08034153B2

A composition for coating sliding or rolling or fretting or impacting members is formed by preparing a composite powder of TiB2 and BN, with a TiB2 to BN ratio ranging from 1:7 to 20:1, and a metallic matrix selected from the group consisting of nickel, chromium, iron, cobalt, aluminum, tungsten, carbon and alloys thereof.
US08034130B2

The present invention relates to a process for the production of alkyl esters of carboxylic acids for use as biodiesel starting from the reaction of transesterification of triglycerides originating from oils and fats of vegetable or animal origin, which can be used individually or in mixtures with one another in any proportions, employing heterogeneous catalysis by means of protonated lamellar titanate catalysts in nanostructured form, and said forms can comprise, among in other forms, nanotubes, nanofibres or nanosheets.
US08034127B2

The present invention relates to hair coloring and hair bleaching compositions comprising at least one oxidizing agent, a specified gel network thickener system comprising a specified tertiary system, a cationic polymer and a mica and or titanium oxide. The compositions surprisingly provide improved hair colorant and bleaching compositions which deliver lift, lightening and color, whilst minimizing damage which are easy to manufacture and which improve adhesion of the composition to the hair roots.
US08034125B2

The present invention relates to the dyeing of keratin materials using two colorless dye precursors, at least one of which contains a disulfide/thiol unit, said precursors reacting together chemically to form the color in situ. The process according to the invention makes it possible in the context of certain variants to solve the problems caused by the color generated during the process, while at the same time not degrading the efficacy of the coloration, and especially of the lightening effect. The colorations obtained are moreover powerful, chromatic, sparingly selective, and fast with respect to external agents such as sunlight, perspiration and especially shampoo.
US08034124B2

The subject of the present invention is azo derivatives containing a pyrazolinone unit having the following formula (I), their mesomeric forms, their addition salts with an acid and their solvates and their use for dyeing keratin fibers. The subject of the invention is also a composition for dying keratin fibers comprising at least one azo derivative containing a pyrazolinone unit of formula (I) as direct dye, and the method for dyeing keratin fibers using this composition. The present invention makes it possible in particular to obtain chromatic colors that are resistant to the various attacks to which the hair may be subjected, in particular to shampoos and to light.
US08034121B2

A prosthetic foot includes a pair of elongated forefoot leaf springs with proximal ends coupled to an attachment member and extending in an arc to distal ends with the forefoot leaf springs being oriented with one over another. The pair of forefoot leaf springs has different lengths and is coupled to one another at the proximal and distal ends defining an open, uninterrupted gap between the forefoot leaf springs. A pair of hinge connections can be disposed each at a different one of the proximal and distal ends of the pair of elongated forefoot leaf springs. The pair of forefoot leaf springs together has a non-linear force deflection under loading during gait.
US08034107B2

An Accommodating Intraocular Lens (AIOL) is disclosed herein, that is comprised of a flexible optic and a flexible haptic rim that conforms to the human eye capsule. The spherical or custom shape of the optic is engineered to be maintained during accommodation through the mechanical/optic design of the implant and the interaction between the implant and the naturally occurring position and actuating forces applied through ciliary muscle/zonules/and capsule as the brain senses the need to increase the diopter change or magnification when an object of fixation approaches the eye. The axial relocation or position of the AIOL may also be further adjusted anatomically to further improve the affect needed to achieve improved accommodation. Optionally, the accommodating intraocular lens is foldable or injectable for delivery of the lens into the eye.
US08034100B2

A graft deployment system, comprises an elongate, flexible catheter body, having a proximal end and a distal end and comprising an outer sheath and an inner core that is axially moveable with respect to the outer sheath. A main vessel graft restraint comprising a first peelable cover for restrains a main vessel portion of a graft. In a bifurcated graft, a first branch vessel graft restraint restrains a first branch vessel portion of the graft. A second branch vessel graft restraint restrains a second branch vessel portion of the graft. The first peelable cover is coupled to a main branch release element and wherein each of the main vessel graft restraint, first branch vessel graft restraint, and the second branch vessel graft restraint are positioned within the catheter body in a graft loaded condition.
US08034099B2

A generally tubular, cylindrical stent prosthesis has an unexpanded delivery configuration and an expanded configuration for contacting the vessel wall. The stent prosthesis has a plurality of adjacent stent struts, each stent strut having a wavelike or sinusoidal pattern of straight segments and crowns. A Y-shaped member is attached to one or more crowns to cause the crowns to flare outwardly at an angle from the cylindrical stent body when the stent is expanded. Upon expansion of the stent, the crown(s) having Y-shaped members attached thereto are angled with respect to the longitudinal axis and radially flare from the cylindrical stent body. The flared crowns anchor the stent within the vessel by protruding into the vessel wall and/or seating the stent within an ostium.
US08034095B2

An intraluminal system for retrieving an implantable medical device from a body vessel includes, according to one embodiment, a grasping component including at least one deployable arm, where a proximal end of the arm is configured to extend away from a longitudinal axis of the system when deployed, and a first sheath disposed adjacent to the grasping component, where the first sheath includes a radially expandable portion at a distal end thereof. A second sheath overlies the first sheath and the grasping component. Relative motion between the second sheath and the grasping component allows the proximal end of the deployable arm to be deployed for grasping a distal portion of an implantable medical device, and relative motion between the second sheath and the first sheath allows the expandable portion of the first sheath to radially expand to receive a proximal portion of the implantable medical device.
US08034094B2

A stent delivery system includes a tubular stent which is retained in a body cavity of a living body; a pusher tube, whose distal end contacts with a proximal end of the stent, which pushes and moves the stent to a distal end side; a filament which connects the stent with the pusher tube by the proximal end side of the filament being engaged with the pusher tube and by the distal end side of the filament stretching to the stent side so as to penetrate the peripheral wall of the stent; an engaging member which is engaged with a distal end portion of the filament penetrating the peripheral wall of the stent, and which keeps the connecting condition between the stent and the pusher tube by the filament; and a pulling member which pulls a distal end side of the filament into a proximal end side of the pusher tube when the engagement between the engaging member and the filament is released and the connection between the stent and the pusher tube is released.
US08034090B2

A method for securing a graft to a bone includes forming a tunnel in the bone, positioning the graft in the tunnel, and securing the graft in the tunnel with an anchor. The method also includes attaching a distal end of an elongated anchor sleeve to a proximal end of the anchor and inserting a pre-compressed harvested bone material having a cruciate cross-section through the anchor sleeve into to a bore defined in the anchor. The bore has a mating cruciate cross-section. The method also includes removing the anchor sleeve after inserting the bone material into the anchor.
US08034089B2

A bone anchoring device has an anchoring element, a receiving portion, and a pressure element. The anchoring element includes a shank to be anchored in a bone or a vertebra and a head, the head having an exterior surface with a spherical segment-shaped portion. The shank and the head are separate parts. The receiving portion includes a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, a longitudinal axis passing through the two ends, a bore coaxial with the longitudinal axis, and a first region adjacent to the second end for receiving a spherical segment-shaped section of the head. The pressure element exerts pressure on the head to lock the head in the receiving portion. The head has a hollow inner portion to receive a free end portion of the shank and wherein the head and the end portion are formed such that the end portion can be elastically clamped by the head.
US08034077B2

A method for operating a surgical end effector, including providing a control shaft having a longitudinal axis with a distal end effector assembly at least partially actuated by a displacement of an actuating part along the longitudinal axis and providing the control shaft with a proximal handle connector having a rotating link operable to connect the control shaft to a control handle rotatably about the longitudinal axis. An end effector two-function control device is fixed rotationally to at least part of the control shaft to couple rotation of the two-function control device, the control shaft, and the end effector assembly about the longitudinal axis and is fixed longitudinally to the actuating part to couple longitudinal movement of the two-function control device and the actuating part with respect to the control shaft.
US08034076B2

A surgical fastener apparatus, for securing a surgical mesh material to body tissue including a pair of anchors each having a retaining structure formed on an outer surface thereof; and a suture tether interconnecting the pair of anchors to one another. The pair of anchors have a substantially cylindrical body having a conically tapered distal end and a planar proximal end. The retaining structure includes a series of semi-circular angled projections having a planar proximal surface and a tapered distal end, wherein a center of each of the angled projections is spaced a distance from a longitudinal central axis of the body portion. The surgical fastener is made from a bioabsorbable material which reabsorbs into said body tissue at an appropriate rate, such as for example, polyglycolic acid and polylactic acid.
US08034068B2

A multi-use micro-sampling or lancing device having an outer housing, a lancet holder that engages a lancet and constrains the lancet along a controlled and pre-defined path of travel during the lancing stroke, and a drive mechanism with a pair of opposed, off-axis torsion springs working in tandem to drive and return the lancet holder through its lancing stroke.
US08034066B2

The invention relates to multi-layer medical balloons. In one aspect, a medical device includes an inflatable balloon. The inflatable balloon includes a first layer including a material having a first modulus of elasticity, and a second layer adjacent the first layer, the second layer including a material having a second modulus of elasticity that differs from the first modulus of elasticity by at least about 2,000 psi. A cutting element is carried by the balloon.
US08034062B2

Natural orifice transenteric surgical methods and devices for placing a semi-circumferential appliance around a hollow bodily organ such as the stomach. In one alternative embodiment, such an appliance is placed in order to reduce the inner volume of the stomach.
US08034054B2

An intramedullary bone device comprises a distal outer member, a proximal outer member for positioning in substantial axial alignment with the distal outer member, the distal and proximal outer members each having at least one opening in a wall thereof. The distal outer member and the proximal outer member each have a passage therein. The device also has a distal inner member sized to be slideably received within the passage of the distal outer member and a proximal inner member sized to be slideably received within the passage of the proximal outer member. An extender/retractor is able to selectively extend or retract to selectively lengthen or shorten, respectively, the device. The device has pins movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the pins extend through the at least one opening in the distal and proximal outer members to fix the device to a bone during use.
US08034052B2

An instrument for tissue ablation includes an elongated tissue-penetrating electrode including a rigid tubular member having a closed distal end defining an interior cavity extending from the closed distal end to a proximal end of the rigid tubular member. The rigid tubular member defines an electrically conductive surface capable of receiving electrical energy from the source of electrical energy. The instrument includes one or more electrically conductive segments on the electrode and configured to receive electrosurgical energy from the rigid tubular member. An insulation layer is disposed upon the electrode and defines an exposed portion of the electrode at the distal end. The instrument also includes at least one sensor that detects a temperature during ablation and a semiconductive material coated on the rigid tubular member that forms one or more resistive layers that connects the rigid tubular member with a corresponding electrically conductive segment.
US08034049B2

An electrosurgical system and method are disclosed. The system includes an electrosurgical generator adapted to supply electrosurgical energy to tissue. The generator is further adapted to supply an electrical signal having at least one substantially constant value to tissue to determine initial tissue impedance response. The generator includes sensor circuitry adapted to continuously monitor initial tissue impedance response, wherein the initial tissue impedance response includes one of an initial impedance, an impedance drop, an impedance minimum and a first impedance rise. The generator also includes a microprocessor adapted to generate at least one tissue parameter based as a function of the initial impedance, the impedance drop, the impedance minimum and the first impedance rise. The system also includes an electrosurgical instrument including at least one active electrode adapted to apply electrosurgical energy to tissue for treatment.
US08034044B2

A method of combining a drug in a first container and a liquid in a second container includes placing the first container and the second container in fluid communication with a housing, combining the liquid and the drug in the first container, transferring the liquid and the drug from the first container to the housing, and transferring the liquid and the drug from the housing to a third container.
US08034033B2

A medical syringe apparatus includes a syringe unit, a hypodermic needle attached to the syringe unit and at least one interfacing member for mating a labeled medication container to the syringe unit. The medication label is visible. The container remains mated to the syringe when the syringe is in use. Risk of mislabeling the syringe may therefore be substantially reduced or eliminated and patient safety may accordingly be improved.
US08034028B2

An administration feeding set for use with a flow control apparatus to deliver fluid from at least one fluid source to a patient. The set includes tubing for flow of fluid along a fluid pathway and a mounting member on the tubing adapted to engage the flow control apparatus. The mounting member has at least two receiving portions co-axial with the fluid pathway. The set also includes one or more identification members selectively positioned on one or more of the at least two receiving portions of the mounting member to permit identification of the administration feeding set as having a particular functional configuration different from another functional configuration.
US08034027B2

An infusion pump comprising a substance and pushing fluid inlet, a substance outlet, a central chamber communicating with said inlet and said outlet, and injecting means for injecting a substance into a biological object, wherein the infusion pump further includes a pushing fluid outlet in communication with the central chamber in such a way as to allow a pushing fluid to exhaust the pump. The outlet of the infusion pump is advantageously connected to the proximal end of a catheter, the distal end being inserted into the biological object. A sensor, e.g., an optical device, is preferably placed at the outlet of the infusion pump and checks that the outlet is free of gas. The infusion pump is preferably remotely controlled so that it can be placed in limited access locations. It is also preferably computer controlled.
US08034012B2

The nail brace applicator serves for the application of a strip-shaped and leaf-spring-like nail brace onto a nail of a toe or finger. It comprises an elongated main body extending in a longitudinal direction, having a first end face extending approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and having a first application zone with a first application surface formed by the first end face. Additionally, the nail brace applicator comprises a mounting element for releasably mounting the nail brace to be applied on the first application surface.
US08034010B1

A progressive resistance knee pad coupled to the inner surfaces of a knee brace to prevent metal components of an orthotic support from contacting clothing, tissue or skin surface of the wearer of the orthotic support appliance. The knee pad has a cushion layer having a contoured contact surface and a support surface. A middle layer has a mating surface and a middle layer base surface. A base layer has a top surface and a mounting surface. An imbedded mounting plate has uniform thickness and is imbedded in the base layer. The middle layer support surface is formed to shape the cushion layer contact surface to conform with a contoured surface. The thickness of the middle layer is controlled and adjusted to provide a substantially planar middle layer base surface. The base layer imbedded mounting plate is characterized to receive fastening means for coupling the progressive resistance knee pad to the appliance.
US08034006B2

The present invention provides a CPR sensor that includes a thin and substantially flat flexible substrate having one or more sensor arrays, a power source, an output interface and a processor or analog circuit, all of which are disposed on the substantially flat flexible substrate. The substrate can be any shape (e.g., rectangular, circular, a polygon, an irregular shape that is decorative) and made from a polymer, metal film or other suitable material. Note that the substrate can be rigid or semi-flexible instead of flexible. A protective layer may cover the sensor array, the power source, and the processor or analog circuit. Alternatively, a protective covering can be used to encapsulate the device. The one or more sensor arrays measure one or more of the following compressions characteristics: compression depth, compression force, compression frequency and compression acceleration.
US08034004B2

Disclosed is a medical instrument for treating biological tissue, comprising a device generating extracorporeal pressure waves and a transmission element (2) coupling said pressure waves into the body of living beings. The pressure wave is generated by a stroking member (10) impacting on a transmission element (2) and is transmitted inside the transmission element. Said transmission element comprises a boundary surface at the outlet thereof, which is curved towards the inside and is configured such that the pressure waves can be coupled into the biological tissue and can be focused therein.
US08034003B2

Methods and device for extracting and collecting tissue, which can be used for example in tissue engineering and grafting applications, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a device can include an outer tube. A rotatable shaft can be disposed within the outer tube can have a tissue harvesting tip formed on its distal end, the tissue harvesting tip being effective to excise tissue upon rotation thereof. A tissue collection device can be included to receive and collected excised tissue, and the tissue collection device can indicate the amount of tissue collected therein. For example, the tissue collection device can include a straining element which collects excised tissue and an indicator by which to assess the amount of collected tissue. In some embodiments, the tissue collection device can translate to indicate the amount of collected tissue. In many cases, devices disclosed herein can include driving mechanisms that are adapted to drive a tissue harvesting tip such that the tip excises soft tissue, but stops when contacting bone (or soon after contacting bone). In some embodiments, the tissue harvesting tip can be effective to excise viable tissue samples, such that the samples can exhibit desirable proportions of viable cells. Further, in some embodiments, the tissue harvesting tips can excise a tissue sample with tissue particles falling in certain size ranges.
US08033990B2

An endoscope insertion portion of the invention includes a distal end portion, and a plurality of image pickup portions each including an image pickup device for obtaining an endoscope image, wherein the plurality of image pickup portions are disposed in the distal end portion such that agreement is made between first and second electric charge transfer directions in which electric charges are transferred from each photoelectric conversion device of the respective image pickup devices, thus avoiding a sense of incongruity (stress to a user) from being caused by endoscope images displayed on a monitor, which are obtained by a plurality of image pickup units.
US08033985B2

A sexual stimulation apparatus comprising a phallic shaped member having a handle disposed at its base. The handle has a convex surface substantially facing away from the phallic shaped member. The convex surface has at least one projection member extending therefrom. In use, the convex surface sits snugly against the palm and fingers of a user's hand, and the projection member interdigitally engages with the user's hand.
US08033982B2

The invention, in one embodiment, is directed to systems, devices and methods for supporting an anatomical location using a self-supporting implantable device without a need for an anchor.
US08033981B2

A radioactive member for use in brachytherapy comprising a molded elongate, bioabsorbable carrier material with spaced radioactive sources disposed therein, and methods for the manufacture thereof. The radioactive members may be used in the treatment of, for example, prostate cancer.
US08033976B2

The invention provides an apparatus for separating a multiphase mixture into discrete density phases, comprising a circular bowl rotatable about a central axis and having an opening through which the mixture is introduced into the bowl, whereby the rotation of the bowl separates the mixture to form annular columns of the discrete density phases; a delivery conduit inserted into the bowl through the opening for introducing the mixture into the bowl; and a collection assembly for removing the separated discrete density phases, comprising a collection conduit for collecting the annular columns, a waste collecting conduit, and a cleaning conduit. The collection assembly is movable as a single unit with respect to the bowl such that it can be positioned within the bowl to sequentially, selectively and individually remove the annular columns from the bowl while the bowl is rotating substantially without disturbing the remaining annular columns within the bowl.
US08033973B1

A pin wheel roller assembly for a bacon slicer. The roller assembly is formed with a number of individual spacer segments and an end cap. The pin wheel assembly is formed with a pin wheel sandwiched between adjacent cylindrical segments and the end cap.
US08033970B2

A method of using an adjustable user support platform with an inclinable exercise device includes providing an adjustable user support platform movably attached to an adjustable incline of the inclinable exercise device for movement of the adjustable user support platform along the adjustable incline, the adjustable user support platform including a support platform frame with a support platform and a support frame, the support platform frame operably coupled to the support frame for adjustably inclining the support platform frame with support platform relative to the support frame; inclining the support platform frame with the support platform relative to the support frame to a desired tilt angle; and securing the support platform frame with the support platform at the desired pivot angle relative to the support frame.
US08033959B2

Portable fitness monitoring systems, and applications thereof, are disclosed. In an embodiment, a portable fitness monitoring system includes: a portable fitness monitoring device; a sensor in wireless communication with the portable fitness monitoring device for sensing performance parameters during a physical activity conducted by the user and communicating performance parameter data to the dedicated portable fitness monitoring device; a music device directly coupled to the portable fitness monitoring device; and an audio output device directly coupled to the portable fitness monitoring device, wherein music is transmitted from the portable music device to the audio output device through the portable fitness monitoring device.
US08033957B2

Appropriate torque is transmitted via a clutch that does not spend too much time on its engaging operation. A clutch controller controls a degree of engagement of the clutch by actuating a clutch actuator based on a difference between actual transmission torque that is transmitted from a drive-side member of a clutch to a driven-side member of the clutch, and target transmission torque that is supposed to be transmitted from the drive-side member to the driven-side member. The clutch controller also determines whether or not a difference in rotational speed between the drive-side member and the driven-side member of the clutch is reduced at an appropriate rate, and depending on the determination result, corrects the target transmission torque.
US08033950B2

A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, three planetary 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. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes.
US08033948B2

A transmission of the present invention has an input member, an output member, four planetary 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. The torque transmitting devices may include clutches and brakes. The torque transmitting devices are selectively engageable in combinations of at least three to establish at least ten forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio.
US08033945B2

An enclosed bicycle drivetrain is provided that produces a range of drive ratios suitable for any riding purpose. The enclosure of substantially the entire drivetrain is made practical by the synergistic cooperation of a planetary drive system using a single chain ring and a streamlined rear derailleur system that separates the tensioning and chain guiding functions of a conventional rear derailleur, allowing the rear derailleur components to remain substantially within the shadow of the outer perimeter of the bicycle frame. The planetary drive system is provided with a unique compound pawl that may be easily disengaged from a planetary ratchet member under full riding loads by the application of a small force to destabilize the pawl. A unique shift buffer mechanism cooperates with the rear derailleur system to buffer and store up to the full range of available shift commands.
US08033939B2

In one embodiment, when a switching clutch or a switching brake is engaged and thus a differential of a differential unit is limited, the gear ratio of a continuously variable transmission unit is adjusted. On the other hand, when the switching clutch and the switching brake are both released and thus the differential of the differential unit is not limited, an overall gear ratio obtained from the gear ratio of the differential unit and the gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission unit is adjusted.
US08033934B1

A collapsible and portable baseball hitting apparatus including vertical members connected to an adjustable horizontal member having a tether and baseball suspended therefrom. In another configuration, the horizontal member can fold toward the vertical members, exposing a ball tee from which a user can place a ball for hitting.
US08033929B2

The present invention provides a golf club head that can hit a ball with a sufficiently large amount of backspin. The golf club head according to the present invention is an iron type golf club head made of a metal and including a flat face. A plurality of traces are formed by milling on the face. The pitch of the traces is between 0.1 mm and 1 mm.
US08033927B2

The present invention is directed to a number of customized sets of iron-type golf clubs selected from a relatively small number of clubs. The multiple custom-fitted iron sets can be achieved by pivoting these sets off a common 6-iron. In a preferred embodiment, a portfolio of clubs contains seventeen forged iron-type golf clubs, wherein the clubs are a blended collection of oversized cavity back-type clubs, mid-sized clubs, and standard-sized muscle back-type clubs, which can be configured to create at least four custom-fitted iron sets pivoted off a common 6-iron.
US08033916B2

Grip pressure is monitored by a collection of battery powered components embodied in an assembly analogous to an ordinary wrist watch, that is a watch housing or casement and a stretchable band. The system, which we shall refer to as a swing monitor, is worn on the wrist and deployed in such a way that the back of the housing or casement is cinched securely to the back or underside of the wrist. A pressure plate on the back of the watch makes contact with the pulse region of the wrist. The flexing and relaxing of the muscles and tendons of the wearer is read by an electronic pressure sensing device, a piezo sensor. A tighter grip will register greater pressure and a looser grip, less pressure. The device records grip pressure associated with the swing of a golf club, tennis racquest or baseball bat, among other articles of sports equipment meant to be swung. The grip pressure determined to be optimal, that is giving the desired result, can be SAVED in the memory of the swing monitor system. Subsequent swings and their associated grip pressures are compared with the SAVED value of the optimal or best swing. An audible signal alerts the wearer if the grip pressure departs from that registered on the optimal or best swing.
US08033913B2

Different mechanisms are provided to enable a gaming machine to download files/images, move/copy the files/images from one folder to another without breaking authentication, and resume interrupted file manipulation operations such as move/copy operations and/or download operations which have been interrupted by a power hit. In this way, the technique of the present invention is able to provide a self-diagnostic system for ensuring authenticated, atomic transactions, and for automatically handling detected error conditions. Additionally the technique of the present invention is able to provide a mechanism for seamlessly updating gaming machine components at runtime. This may include, for example, the automatic mounting and/or unmounting of selected games to/from the gaming machine memory during runtime.
US08033907B2

A slot machine of the present invention comprises: a symbol display device capable of variably displaying a plurality of symbols; and a controller, the controller programmed to execute the processing of: (A) executing a game in which the plurality of symbols are variably displayed and then stop-displayed to the symbol display device after game media are BET in number equal to or less than a previously set maximum number of BETs, and game media are paid out in number according to the stop-displayed symbols or a combination thereof; (B) shifting a mode from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode on condition that a predetermined number of game media is inserted; (C) counting the number of games played after shifting to the insurance mode, in the insurance mode; (D) conducting a payout of a predetermined number of game media which accompanies the number of games reaching a specific number, and also conducting payout of game media in number according to the stop-displayed symbols or a combination thereof, in a game in which the number of games counted in said processing (C) reaches said specific number.
US08033897B2

Useful portions in the fish heads W are collected from a number of fish heads W of the same kind of fish and of roughly same shape, pituitaries M. A useful portion line is preliminarily determined which passes pituitaries M as useful portions of the number of fish heads W having different sizes when the fish heads W are rested in a specific posture, and each of fish heads W to be processed is rested in the specific posture, and the rested fish head W is cut in the vicinity of the preliminarily determined useful portion line substantially along the useful portion line to expose an useful portion, and a brain as an untargeted portion which is present in a cut surface F is removed to expose the pituitary M, and the exposed pituitary M is collected.
US08033896B2

A protective cover of a hand-held cut-off machine has a bracket that is secured on the exterior side of the protective cover. The bracket is locked in at least one locked position with at least one locking projection in at least one receptacle of the protective cover. The bracket is releasable from the locked position by a movement of the bracket in the release direction. A simple release of the bracket can be achieved in that the protective cover has means that move the locking projection upon movement of the bracket in the release direction at least partially out of the receptacle.
US08033894B2

A device for sharpening razor blades, comprising, a housing having an upper casing and a lower casing defining an interior space, the upper casing having an opening, and a lid to cover the opening, a reciprocating carriage disposed in the lower case below the opening for receiving a razor blade unit containing a razor blade with a shaving edge facing downward, a sharpening wheel coated on its outer circumference with an abrasive material fixedly disposed in the lower case for rotation around an axis beneath and simultaneously with the reciprocating carriage, mechanism to reciprocate the carriage, mechanism to rotate the sharpening wheel, power supply to operate the reciprocating and rotating mechanisms, a switch to activate the device to reciprocate the carriage and rotate the sharpening wheel simultaneously, such that when the razor blade unit with the razor blade is inserted through the opening into the carriage and the power is turned on by the switch the sharpening wheel rotates and the carriage holding the razor blade reciprocates at the same time, with the shaving edge of the razor blade traversing the abrasive material on the outer circumference of the rotating sharpening wheel as the carriage moves in one direction thereby evenly sharpening the shaving edge of the razor blade, and when the carriage reciprocates in the other direction, the abrasive material on the rotating sharpening wheel re-contacts the razor blade to clean it of shaving residue.
US08033891B2

The present invention provides an improved hoop-type amusement device adapted with a counter for counting the number of revolutions achieved by the user. The counter is preferably adapted for attachment to any of a variety of hoop type devices, including the HULA HOOP, as well as specially configured hoop type devices, such as the type that may be formed from a plurality of variously sized and shaped connectable components that are selectively interconnected by the user to form a simple or complex hoop configuration of a particular desired size and shape. The counter functions to count the number of revolutions achieved by the user thereby allowing the user to monitor and gage performance.
US08033886B2

An airtight container manufacturing method includes the steps of exhausting an inside of a container through a through-hole provided in the container, and arranging a spacer member along a periphery of the through-hole on an outer surface of the container. Additional steps include arranging a plate member having, at its periphery, grooves penetrating the plate member in its plate thickness direction so that a sealant will flow from the grooves to a side surface of the spacer member, with the spacer member and the through-hole covered by the plate member, and a gap is formed along the side surface of the spacer member between the plate member and the outer surface of the container, and sealing the container by arranging a cover member to cover the plate member via a sealant. The sealing step includes hardening the sealant after deforming the sealant by pressing the plate member with the cover member so that the sealant flows between the cover member and the outer surface of the container via the grooves and the gap is infilled with the sealant.
US08033883B2

An organic electronic device includes a first electrode layer, an organic resistive layer coupled to the first electrode layer wherein the organic resistive layer defines at least three regions, an organic active layer coupled to the organic resistive layer, and a second electrode layer coupled to the organic active layer. Each of the at least three regions is characterized by one of the plurality of resistances and the plurality of resistances includes at least three discrete resistances that are different from one another. The regions can be fabricated by selectively exposing portions of the organic resistive layer to a chemical, selectively removing portions of the organic resistive layer, or depositing a plurality of blends.
US08033878B2

A speed control system for a small planing boat can comprise a speed sensor to detect a vessel speed of a boat body, a speed information storing unit on which data of a previously set maximum speed limit of the boat body is stored, and a speed control device for controlling the cruising speed of the boat body not to exceed the maximum speed limit based on a result of a correlation between the cruising speed and the maximum speed limit. The speed control device can comprise a revolution speed sensor, a revolution speed acquiring unit and a revolution speed control unit. The speed control device can also work in conjunction with an intake air mass amount control device which can include an electronically-controlled throttle valve, an air mass amount acquiring unit and a throttle opening degree control unit.
US08033873B2

A system for locating corresponding ends of a communications or data patch cable used to conduct a signal between computing or telecommunications devices. The invention provides a physical indication of the location of an opposite end of a given patch cable when a switching means on the first end of the same cable is activated. The invention utilizes an existing pair of wires in category-type cables to send a DC voltage when activated to illuminate a light emitting diode in the opposite end of a patch cable thereby providing an immediate indication of the location of the termination of the opposite end of a patch cable making it possible to visually identify a cable without removing the cable from service or from connection of the modular plugs on either end of the cable.
US08033872B2

An electrical connector contact comprises an upper and lower contact pins and a spring device disposed between the upper and lower contact pins. The upper contact pin includes a main portion, two pair of stopping portions respectively projecting from two sides of the main portion, and two guiding slots each formed between two stopping portions located at a same side of the main portion. The lower contact pin has a pair of elastic arms directly made from lacerating and bending a metallic plate and received in the guiding slots, a pair of clamping portions clamping the main portion, and two hooks abutting against the stopping portions to prevent the upper and lower contact pins separating from each other.
US08033866B2

A receptacle connector comprises an insulative housing having a base portion; a plurality of terminals retained in the insulative housing; a shielding shell assembled on the base portion of the insulative housing and defined a mating cavity. A reinforced bracket includes a main portion attached to a bottom of the shielding shell and a pair of mounting portions extending from two ends of the main portion. Therefore, overall rigidity of the receptacle connector may be increased.
US08033861B2

An electrical connector includes an insulative housing, a plurality of conductive terminals secured in the housing and a pair of board locks. The insulative housing includes an elongated main body having a horizontal mounting surface and a top surface opposite to the mounting surface. The main body defines a pair of boardlock-receiving cavities. Each board lock comprises a body portion received in respective cavity, a connection portion to be connected to a printed circuit board, and an elastic portion extending upwardly beyond the top surface of the body.
US08033858B1

A lamp holder includes a contact plate having an end in a curved shape, and the other end fixed onto a side of an insulating base by an end of a first fixing element, such that a predetermined distance is formed between the end of the contact plate and the insulating base. The first fixing element is passed through the insulating base, and the other end thereof is outside the other side of the insulating base for coupling an anode wiring element. A thread is formed inside a contact socket, and an extended portion is extended from the bottom side of the contact socket and fixed onto the insulating base by a second fixing element, and the second fixing element is passed through the insulating base, and the other end thereof is outside the other side of the insulating base for coupling a cathode wiring element.
US08033855B2

A socket connector (100) includes a base (1) defining a receiving room, an insulative housing (2) received in the receiving room, a number of contacts (6) retained in the insulative housing, a floating plate (3) secured to the base and attached to an upper face of the insulative housing, and a number of springs (7). The insulative housing includes a first block portion (22), a second block portion (21) located upon the first block portion, and a side shoulder (23). The floating plate includes a rectangular main portion (30) and a plurality of fixing legs (31) extending from corners of the main portion towards the base. The springs have a first group of springs sandwiched between the edges of the main portion and the base, and a second group of springs sandwiched between the fixing legs and the side shoulder of the insulative housing.
US08033839B2

A socket connector is configured with an insulative housing defining a mating interface surrounded with peripheral walls and a mounting surface. A plurality of passageways is defined between the mating interface and the mounting surface and having an opening at the mounting surface. The insulative housing includes an encampment associated with each of the passageway at the mounting surface, and includes an extension crossing over an inner wall of the passageway to substantially narrow the opening of the opening. The socket connector furthers includes a plurality of contact terminals each received in the passageway and further includes a curvilinear solder portion extending beyond the mounting surface. And the socket connector further is incorporated with a plurality of solder balls each disposed between the encampment and the curvilinear solder portion.
US08033837B2

An electrical connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1) having a base portion (11), and a pair of extending portions (114) extending backwardly from the base portion and spaced apart from each other along a transverse direction to form a receiving space (1143) therebetween, each extending portion defining a first slot (1142) communicating with the receiving space and a first block (1144) located at an inner side of the first slot; a plurality of electrical contacts (2) retained in the insulative housing and passing through the receiving space; and a spacer (6) attached to the insulative housing for retaining the electrical contacts, the spacer having a pair of second slots (65) for receiving the first blocks and a pair of second blocks (66) located at outer sides of the corresponding second slots (65) for being retained in the first slots (1142).
US08033832B1

The virtual surgery systems and methods that provide for the prediction, evaluation, and validation of certain cosmetic and reconstructive surgical procedures. The virtual surgery systems and methods allow a user to predict, evaluate, and validate various breast reduction surgical procedures.
US08033827B2

A novel dental implant for coupling an artificial tooth to a jawbone of a patient is provided and a method for using same. The implant comprises an elongated body having an apical end threaded bone-engaging portion for engaging the dental implant with said jawbone and preferably a coronal end that serves as a post or prothetic platform. The implant further comprises a skirt shaped semi-permeable membrane attached to the elongated body and is capable of being positioned in a first upwardly raised position and in a second downwardly spread position to provide a cover for a site surrounding the location at which said artificial tooth is to be implanted.
US08033825B2

A fluid conditioning system is adapted to condition the fluid used in medical and dental cutting, irrigating, evacuating, cleaning, and drilling operations. The fluid may be conditioned by adding flavors, antiseptics and/or tooth whitening agents such as peroxide, medications, and pigments. In addition to the direct benefits obtained from introduction of these agents, the laser cutting properties may be varied from the selective introduction of the various agents.
US08033817B2

A multi-rod mechanism includes at least one ternary link and a plurality of binary links. The ternary link and the binary links are connected between a first fixing pivot point and a second fixing pivot point to form a combination of the ternary link and the binary links. The combination of the ternary link and the binary links is designed to provide a first movable pivot point and a second movable pivot point between the first fixing pivot point and the second fixing pivot point. In operation, the ternary link and the binary links are rotated to move the first movable pivot point and the second movable pivot point toward or away from each other in opposite directions.
US08033803B2

A compressor may include a shell, a bearing housing assembly located within and secured to the shell, a compression mechanism supported on the bearing housing assembly, a partition extending over the compression mechanism, and an annular seal assembly. The partition may be fixed to the shell and may abut an axial end surface of the bearing housing assembly to control a maximum axial distance between the partition and the compression mechanism. The annular seal may be sealingly engaged with the compression mechanism and the bearing housing assembly and may have a generally L-shaped cross-section including a first leg extending generally laterally between the compression mechanism and the partition. The first leg may have an axial thickness that is greater than the maximum axial distance.
US08033797B2

An automatic deactivation mechanism is configured for an air bladder pump having a casing and a motor located therein to pump air into an air bladder from the atmosphere and through an air valve connected through the casing. The automatic deactivation mechanism includes a housing positioned within the casing and has defined therethrough a first aperture in fluid communication with the atmosphere through the casing and a second aperture in fluid communication with the air bladder through the casing. Included within the housing are at least two switches and a diaphragm positioned between the switches. The housing is sealed so that when a threshold pressure is reached therein, at least one switch is triggered by deflection of the diaphragm to automatically deactivate the pump by de-energizing the motor.
US08033795B2

A linear motor (10), a linear compressor (100), a method of controlling a linear compressor (100), a cooling system (20) and a system of controlling a linear compressor (100) to operate a linear compressor (100) in resonance in it's the greatest possible efficiency throughout its operation are described. One of the ways of achieving these objectives is by means of a linear compressor (100) applicable to a cooling system (20), the linear compressor (100) comprising a piston (1) driven by a linear motor (10), the piston (1) having displacement range controlled by means of a controlled voltage (VM), the controlled voltage (VM) having a voltage frequency (φP) applied to the linear motor (10) and adjusted by a processing unit (22), the range of piston (1) displacement being dynamically controlled in function of a variable demand of the cooling system (20), the linear compressor (100) having a resonance frequency, the processing unit (22) adjusting the range of piston (1) displacement, so that the linear compressor (100) will be dynamically kept on resonance throughout the variations in demand of the cooling system (20).
US08033785B2

Several physical features on an inlet guide vane (IGV) ensure proper orientation of the IGV within a compressor during assembly. A gear with several teeth removed results in a flat surface on the gear which inhibits the gear from rotating on the rack of the compressor inlet casing. An orientation pin is located in the internal bore of the gear. The cylindrical IGV spindle has a portion formed as a flat surface and the orientation pin engages this flat surface. These features are applicable to both a one-piece IGV where the jackshaft is integrated with the IGV stem and a two-piece IGV in which the jackshaft is separate from the IGV stem. A feature applicable to a two-piece IGV is a shaped boss on the IGV stem that allows the jackshaft to be located on the IGV stem in only one orientation.
US08033781B2

A transport device for transporting elongated substrates through a vacuum coating system comprises an essentially rectangular frame and two groups of holding elements, which are rotatably mounted on opposite sides of the frame in such a manner that any pair of opposite holding elements can be connected to both ends of a substrate. Furthermore, at least one retainer bar is provided that is operatively connected to a group of holding elements in such a manner that the holding elements of this group are moveable in order to increase or decrease by choice their distance from the holding elements of the other group. Also provided are a loading and unloading device for loading and unloading the transport device, and a method for loading and unloading the transport device.
US08033778B2

The present invention proposes an elevating conveyance device with improved versatility which can be utilized for transferring an automobile body in an automobile assembly line, etc., and according to a first aspect of the invention, the elevating conveyance device includes a multistage extensible column, a transfer means, and an extending and contracting drive mechanism, where the multistage extensible column includes a fixed column portion, one or more mid-stage elevating column portions, and a final-stage elevating portion, the transfer means is provided on the final-stage elevating portion, and the extending and contracting drive mechanism includes a counter weight supported on the fixed column portion movably vertically in a range of the height of the fixed column portion, a winding transmission tool which applies the gravity of the counter weight upward to the next mid-stage elevating column portion, an elevating drive means which drives and elevates the next mid-stage elevating column portion with respect to the fixed column portion, and winding transmission tools which convert an upward movement of the mid-stage elevating column portion into an upward movement of the next mid-stage elevating column portion or final-stage elevating portion.
US08033776B2

A slide which slides along a retainer attached to the bed of a pickup truck. The slide has a rearward end proximate the tail gate and a forward end proximate the cab of the truck. The rearward end preferably has gripping features allowing a user to easily grasp the slide and pull it rearward within the fixed retainer. The slide's forward end has an upstanding foot which engages cargo within the bed and propels it toward the tailgate. Two or more such devices can be installed in parallel and used simultaneously to unload cargo.
US08033767B2

An improved centrifugally-cast tube is provided, along with a related method and apparatus of making the tube. The tube includes a plurality of grooves and bosses that are mechanically machined into an interior surface of the tube, such as by a broaching process. The profile of grooves and bosses may be defined by a plurality of intersecting concave and convex radii. The tube is resistant to creep, carburization and metal dusting. The tube also has an enhanced heat transfer rate, and a desirable surface roughness. A method of making the tube is also provided. The method essentially consists of mechanically deforming the interior surface of the tube by passing a series of cutting inserts on support rings having incrementally-differing dimensions over the interior surface. An apparatus is also provided which includes a telescoping shaft upon which is mounted at least one cutting tool that has a plurality of cutting inserts and is adapted to form a plurality of grooves and bosses in the interior surface of the tube. The grooves and bosses may be straight or spiraled.
US08033766B2

A tool holder includes a body, a cutting head having a cutting end portion and a tapered end portion, a retention knob located at the tapered end portion of the cutting head, and a ball clamping mechanism received in an aperture of the body. The ball clamping mechanism includes an upper clamp, a lower clamp, and a double-ended clamp screw threaded onto the upper and lower clamps. Rotation of the clamp screw in a one direction causes the upper clamp and the lower clamp to move toward each other and engage the retention knob to place the tool holder in a locked position, and rotation of the clamp screw in an opposite direction causes the upper clamp and the lower clamp to move away from each other such that the upper and lower clamps no longer engage the retention knob to place the tool holder in a unlocked position.
US08033764B2

An indexable insert has one or more recesses formed in a frontside or backside surface which receives a surface of the head of a locking screw. When mounted, the insert is forced against respective support surfaces of an insert pocket. The locking screw is threaded into a counterbored tap hole to engage the insert and provide side locating forces and clamping forces to secure the indexable insert in the insert pocket. More particularly, the indexable insert has a shaped surface recess that mates to a complimentarily-shaped surface on the head of a locking screw and secures the indexable insert in multiple dimensions to a seating surface. A material removal tool and a method of mounting the indexable insert are also disclosed.
US08033759B2

A modular retaining wall is illustrated and described having open or closed polygonal modules with channels disposed therein. The wall is set at least partially below a surface, the surface either being land-based or aqueous-based, and interfaces therebetween, e.g., shoreline. The modules of the wall are fastened to each other by respective fastening means such that engaging connectivity is provided between the modules, yet retains the ability for fluid to pass through.
US08033751B2

A control system for controlling movement of individual hydraulically moveable ends of a screed head carried by a boom of a machine so as to maintain a selected elevation position between each end of the screed head and a reference in a concrete paving application as the screed head is moved toward the machine, includes elevation receivers mounted on the ends of the screed head, and a first sensor for sensing the orientation of the screed head along its length from the first end to the second end of the screed head. A second sensor senses rotational movement of the machine which will induce an error in the output of the first sensor, and providing an output indicating such rotational movement. A control circuit is responsive to the elevation receivers and to the first and second sensors for controlling the hydraulically moveable ends of the screed head using the signals from the elevation receivers when they are not blocked, and for controlling the hydraulically movable ends of the screed head using the signals from the first and second sensors, and one of the elevation receivers when the other of the elevation receivers is blocked.
US08033748B2

An arrangement for the articulated connection of wagons of a multiple-element vehicle with the aid of joint having spherical bearing faces, wherein comprising a radial pivoting bearing having an inner ring with a convexly curved spherical bearing face and an outer ring with a concavely curved spherical bearing face, the radial pivoting bearing being installed with a vertical bearing axis Z and the inner ring and the outer ring each being held by one connecting construction, the bearing of asymmetric configuration, the inner ring and the outer ring being arranged offset with respect to one another in the direction of the bearing axis Z, and, that in relation to a center point (M) of the inner ring, the bearing faces are larger in the direction of a negative Z axis extending downwards from the center point along the bearing axis, than the bearing faces in the direction of a positive Z axis extending upwards from the center point along the bearing axis.
US08033747B2

A binder including a first cover and a second cover pivotally coupled to the first cover, both of the covers being generally flat and planar and having a first and second opposite sides thereof. The binder further includes a pocket coupled to the first cover, wherein the pocket can be accessed from both the first and second sides of the first cover.
US08033746B2

An electrically driven powder cosmetics application device is controlled by high speed operation of a motor together with an eccentric weight block to induce vibration for facilitating uniform dispensing of powder cosmetics. The device includes a plastic container having an end forming a powder dispensing port containing therein a filter. Provided outside the dispensing port is a hollow collar fit over a dispensing device including a brush and a brush hair confiner tube with a powder outlet passage arranged therein. An opposite end of the container has a bottom receiving therein a vibration device including a rotation motor and an eccentric weight and a battery set for supplying electrical power and controlled by a switch to turn on/off vibration operation. With the vibration device turned on, the container is provided with assistance for dispensing cosmetics thereby ensuring uniform and smooth dispensing of the powder cosmetics contained in the container.
US08033743B2

A sliding mechanism of a lens barrier, a lens barrier, and a camera have a simplified structure and can be readily downsized. An imaging apparatus has an imaging lens which focuses light to form an image. The lens barrier serves to cover the imaging lens from outside and is mounted on a main body of the imaging apparatus. The sliding mechanism of the lens barrier includes plural cam grooves and plural engaging members. The plural cam grooves are formed on a surface, which faces the main body of the imaging apparatus, of the lens barrier. The plural cam grooves have substantially parallel trajectories. The plural engaging members are arranged in the main body of the imaging apparatus and contact with the bottom portions of the plural cam grooves at least at three positions. The plural engaging members guide the lens barrier along the sliding direction. The lens barrier further includes an inner barrier and an outer barrier. The inner barrier is attached to the main body of the imaging apparatus and is slidable along a predetermined direction. The outer barrier is detachably attached to a surface, which is different from the surface attached to the main body of the imaging apparatus, of the inner barrier. The outer barrier has a surface area at least larger than the imaging lens.
US08033734B2

To provide a vehicle-wheel rolling bearing capable of further improving the reliability of a sensor by preventing a temperature drift.A vehicle-wheel rolling bearing H includes a cylindrical fixed ring 1 which is fixed to a vehicle body; rotary rings 2 and 3 which are inserted through the fixed ring 1 so as to be rotatable therein; and plural rows of rolling elements 5 which are disposed between the fixed ring and the rotary ring so as to roll. A vehicle-outboard-side end of an annular sensor housing 16 having plural displacement sensors 24 disposed in a circumferential direction thereof so as to detect a gap with respect to the outer peripheral surface of each vehicle-inboard-side end of the rotary rings 2 and 3 is press-fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the vehicle-inboard-side end of the fixed ring 1. In addition, the displacement sensors 24 are coated by a synthetic resin or a rubber-based material so as to be integrally formed with the sensor housing 16.
US08033732B2

In a hydrodynamic bearing device with which the lubricant is prevented from leaking to the outside, and good seal performance can be maintained, and in a spindle motor equipped with this hydrodynamic bearing device, the hydrodynamic bearing device includes a shaft, a sleeve, a lubricant that fills a microscopic gap, a radial bearing portion, a thrust bearing portion, and a bearing seal portion. The value of a function P1/V1, where V1 is a fluctuation volume of the sleeve in the axial direction and P1 is a capillary pressure index at a vapor-liquid interface located near the opened end of the bearing seal portion, is at least a specific value.
US08033728B1

A method of closing a bag includes providing a band. A connector extends into the band and connects together opposite portions of the band and to divide the band into a first loop and a second loop. The flexible bag has a peripheral wall. The peripheral wall has a terminal end having an opening therein. The band is extended around the peripheral wall and the first loop extended into the second loop to tighten the band around the bag and close the bag.
US08033727B2

A collapsible rectilinear or cylindrical ice bucket for transporting, displaying and chilling a wine bottle or other beverage container is fabricated from a deformable, water-impermeable and polymeric material, and is dimensioned to receive the bottle and a sufficient quantity of crushed ice or ice cubes. The upper edges of the collapsible ice bucket have a double thickness of the material for retaining the opening in a substantially non-collapsed state during use, and is provided with a handle.
US08033725B2

A calibration device (140) for calibrating an X-ray image apparatus includes a receiving unit (200) for receiving an image captured by a detection unit (108) of the X-ray image apparatus (100) under reference conditions, an analyzing unit (201) for analyzing the captured image to derive gain correction information, and a calibration unit (202) for providing calibrating information for calibrating the X-ray image apparatus (100) based on the derived gain correction information disregarding gain correction of a heel effect.
US08033722B2

A thin-film thermocouple (12) is disclosed for use with a gas turbine component. The thermocouple may be formed on a non-planar substrate (22) having formed thereon an electrically insulating layer (34) capable of maintaining its insulating properties at gas turbine operating temperatures. A first thermocouple leg (26) made of pure platinum is then deposited on the dielectric layer (34). A second thermocouple leg (28) made of another pure metal or a transparent ceramic oxide is also formed on the dielectric layer (34) wherein the first and second thermocouple legs make ohmic contact at a first end of each leg to form a hot junction (30) for conversion of heat into an electrical signal. The thermocouple may be deposited on a surface of a thermal barrier coating or between a thermal barrier coating and an underlying metal substrate.
US08033716B1

The invention is a system for monitoring a plurality of cold cases located in a retail food establishment. The system employs a wireless mesh network, which uses monitoring computers in communication with the cold cases for sending temperature data to a master control computer located in a retail establishment, by the most efficient route, even if the most efficient route is first through a second monitoring computer and secondly to the main computer. The invention also employs an inventive microprocessor-controlled temperature monitoring and display device which mounts on each cold case and which emits various colored lights to serve as a visible indicator of the temperature condition of a cold case. The emitted, colored, light is visible from both the front and side of the display device, which allows untrained store personnel to readily determine the temperature condition of a cold case by referring to a color coding chart.
US08033709B2

A light guide plate for a liquid crystal display is disclosed. The light guide plate is adapted for use in a side-light emission type of backlight module. The light guide plate comprises a light incidence face that has at least one surface having at least one annular protrusion or recess, thereby enhancing the capability of light diffusion, uniformity of the light distribution, as well as promoting brightness.
US08033697B2

An automotive headlight system and an adaptive automotive headlight system with instant compensation control are provided. The automotive headlight system includes a light source, a total internal reflection prism, a digital reflecting element, a freeform lens, and a multi-curve-reflector. The total internal reflection prism is used for redirecting and reflecting light beams from the light source. The digital reflecting element is controlled to switch to a plurality of states with regard to reflected light beams from the total internal reflection prism then compensation patterns will be promptly given during different states. The freeform lens is used for controlling directions of the light beams from the digital reflecting element. The multi-curve-reflector has a plurality of radii of curvature for reflecting the light beams from the freeform lens. As the automotive headlight system merely uses optical refractive and reflecting elements so that the number of components and cost is greatly reduced as compared with the prior art. Furthermore, the most important is that this invention proposes a new design and instant and personalized compensation solution to reduce more driver's risks.
US08033692B2

A first lighting device comprises at least one plural cavity element and a plurality of solid state light emitters. A second lighting device comprises at least one plural cavity element, a plurality of solid state light emitters and at least one encapsulant region, at least a portion of the plural cavity element being surrounded by the encapsulant region. Each plural cavity element has at least two optical cavities. Each optical cavity comprises a concave region in the plural cavity element. At least one solid state light emitter is present in each of at least two of the optical cavities.
US08033689B2

One embodiment of the current invention seeks to increase heat dissipation in solid state lights used in track lighting systems, by utilizing a track with a fluid channel. Convective heat transfer within this fluid channel acts to dissipate more heat than can be typically dissipated by conventional solid state lights themselves, thus allowing for brighter, higher-powered lights. The track and fluid channel can take on various forms.
US08033687B2

A LED lamp cup includes a heat-conducting substrate, a LED unit, a casing and a light-transmitting lamp cover. The casing can be detachably assembled with the heat-conducting substrate or the light-transmitting lamp cover easily. Further, the casing or the light-transmitting lamp cover is configured that it can be retained from outside toward inside, so that the casing may not rotated reversely after being assembled with the heat-conducting substrate or the light-transmitting lamp cover. Thus, the biasing force exerted on the first and second waterproof gaskets may not be reduced to enlarge the gap. Thus, the penetration of moisture can be prevented to achieve a good waterproof effect.
US08033685B2

A luminaire includes a base, a lighting module disposed on the base, the lighting module including a mounting plate, and a plurality of light emitting diodes provided on the mounting plate, and a cover surrounding the lighting module and secured in the base, the cover optimally directing light emitted by the plurality of light emitting diodes.
US08033681B2

A light comprising an LED whose light intensity decreases as the angle from an axis of the LED increases, and a convex lens associated with the LED such that a beam width of the LED is concentrated by the lens into a narrower beam width, wherein the convex lens includes both a convex surface and a concave surface, and the concave surface is curved more sharply towards its edge than towards its center such that light is more evenly spread across the beam width of the lens.
US08033678B2

The present invention discloses a screw on lighted attachment for use with a fish wire, and which includes a conical body constructed of a durable and selectively transparent material, this further being adapted to being mounted to a remote end of the fish wire. A tip location of the body is configured with an eyelet portion formed there-through, and to which an end of a second retrieval wire is secured. An illuminating element, such as a light emitting diode, is housed within the body with a power source incorporated into the body and communicating with the LED element for activating the same to illuminate an area surrounding an inserted location associated within the body.
US08033676B2

The backlight unit may include a plurality of optical assemblies, which each include a light emitting module having a substrate, a plurality of light emitting devices on a top surface of the substrate, and a connector provided on a bottom surface of the substrate and electrically connected to a power supply unit. The optical assembly may also include a light guide plate including a first part through which the light is received and a second part to output the light, which is laterally received from the first part, through a top surface thereof. A first side cover may be provided over the light emitting module and the first part of the light guide plate. A second side cover may be formed under the light emitting module and the light guide plate, the second side cover having a plurality of connector holes. The connector may be provided in one of the connector holes.
US08033669B2

Not only abnormality of a light output to an exterior but also overturning, vibration, disassembly, deformation, or breakage of a display apparatus including a case and a screen are reliably and promptly detected. A projection display apparatus includes a light source (22) for generating illumination light, which is provided in a case (28) having a light-shielding function, a movable aperture (23) for adjusting the amount of illumination light from the light source (22), a light valve (9) for adjusting the amount of light based on an image signal to generate image light for forming an image from the illumination light, a projection optical system (10) for enlarging the image light from the light valve (9), and a transmission-type screen (29) for displaying the image, which is provided to a window of the case (28). The projection display apparatus further includes first to ninth detectors (41 to 49) for detecting the abnormality of the light output of the light source (22) to the exterior and the abnormality of the case (28) or the transmission-type screen (29), a warning and alarm unit (30) for notifying the abnormality by sound or light, and a control unit (32) for controlling an internal operation when the abnormality is detected.
US08033657B2

An image forming apparatus including a liquid discharge head unit which in turn includes (a) a liquid discharge head including multiple liquid chambers connected to multiple nozzles for discharging liquid droplets, and a common liquid chamber including a liquid supply opening and a liquid discharge opening, to supply a liquid to the multiple liquid chambers, (b) a sub tank including a liquid container, connected to the liquid supply opening to store the liquid to be supplied to the liquid discharge head, (c) a tank connected to the liquid discharge opening to store the liquid used for filling the liquid discharge head, and (d) a mechanism to return the liquid in the tank to the sub tank.
US08033656B2

A liquid feeding device includes: a flexible tube to be arranged so as to be curved at the midsection thereof for feeding liquid to a liquid ejecting head for ejecting the liquid toward a target; a resilient longitudinally extending member to be arranged so as to extend along the tube; and a binding member for binding the longitudinally extending member with the tube at a distance from each other. The binding member is fixed to the tube and slidably supports the longitudinally extending member.
US08033651B2

A reliable print head with improved reliability is less likely to be damaged by possible cavitation in ink inside a bubbling chamber. A plurality of ink supply paths through which the ink is supplied to the bubbling chamber are connected to the bubbling chamber. Communication positions where the plurality of ink supply paths communicate with the energy acting chamber are formed such that distances from a heater formation surface of the communication positions are different from each other along a direction orthogonal to the heater formation surface.
US08033650B2

A paired drop ejector includes a chamber having a first wall and a second wall opposite the first wall and a dividing wall disposed between the first and second wall; wherein the first and second wall include a first length and the dividing wall includes a second length less than the first length in which the dividing wall forms first and second portions of the chamber; a first heater disposed in the first portion of the chamber in fluid relation with a first nozzle in which the first heater provides thermal energy to eject a droplet of ink through the first nozzle; and a second heater disposed in the second portion of the chamber in fluid relation with a second nozzle in which the second heater provides thermal energy to eject a droplet of ink through the second nozzle.
US08033643B2

A recyclable continuous ink jet print head is provided that includes a manifold formed from a metal such as stainless steel, a die having ink jet nozzles formed from a ceramic material such as silicon, a control circuit connected to the die via microwiring, and an interposing member disposed between the manifold and the die. The interposing member is formed from a composite material such as Al—SiC having a coefficient of thermal conductivity that is higher than that of the silicon die, and a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is between that of the die and the manifold. During manufacture, the CTE value of the interposing member allows long-lasting, heat-cured epoxy compositions to be used to bond the die to the manifold and to encapsulate the microwiring between the die and a control circuit with while maintaining proper alignment of the die ink jet nozzles on the manifold. When the die wears out, the high thermal conductivity of the interposing member allows the die to be easily removed from the manifold, thereby facilitating re-cycling of the manifold.
US08033630B2

A liquid ejecting method includes detecting a faulty nozzle in which an ejection fault occurs when a liquid should be ejected, calculating corrected tone values by correcting tone values of pixels adjacent to pixels at which the liquid should be ejected from the faulty nozzle based on a correction amount, and a liquid ejecting apparatus ejecting the liquid to the adjacent pixels based on the corrected tone values.
US08033627B2

In printing of multi-level darkness/lightness of a certain color, which is performed with a dark ink and a light ink of the certain color, graininess is improved. A printing method includes generating a plurality of types of drive signals, and ejecting the dark ink and the light ink from a head, an amount of each ink varying for each dot tone value. In generation of a plurality of the types of the drive signals, a plurality of the types of drive signals are generated, where a waveform section that is for the dark ink of the certain color and that corresponds to a minimum dot tone value in ejection of ink is different from a waveform section that is for the light ink of the certain color and that corresponds to the minimum dot tone value, and where a waveform section that is for the dark ink of the certain color and that corresponds to a maximum dot tone value is different from a waveform section that is for the light ink of the certain color and that corresponds to the maximum dot tone value. In ejection of the dark ink and the light ink from the head, a drive signal that is generated based on a type of the dot tone value designated according to a size of a to-be-formed dot and based on a type of the ink is applied to an element that is provided on the head and that performs an operation for ejecting ink.
US08033620B2

A toolbox with drawers for holding tools and the like and a display rack for holding and displaying such tools. The display rack is movable vertically relative to the toolbox and may assume a first tool accessible and tool visible position and a second position where the tools are not accessible and are not visible. A locking mechanism maintains the inaccessible tool position of the display rack. Preloaded struts operate to extend the display rack to its tool accessible and tool visible condition when the retaining force on the display rack is released. A retaining mechanism is used to hold the display rack in its elevated position.
US08033617B2

A method for the manufacture of a wire wheel of the type comprising a rim and a hub secured to each other by a plurality of spokes. Each spoke includes a stem at the opposed axial ends of which are arranged respective anchorage members capable of being secured respectively to the hub and to the rim. The member for anchorage to the rim is received in a seat fixed on the rim with the capability of limited axial displacement in the seat. The seat is provided integrally on the rim in the form of a substantially tubular appendage thereof and the anchorage member is received in a sealed manner with coupling of the cylinder/piston type in the tubular appendage.
US08033614B2

Detection signals from lever sensor (29), sit-down sensor (30) and vehicle speed sensor (31) are read into a controller (32). A control signal is produced by the controller (32) to switch a directional control valve (20) of a control valve unit (16) instantly from a floating position (c) to a neutral position (a) and to switch another directional control valve (21) from a neutral position (a) to a lowering position (d) when a dump truck (1) is in travel with the directional control valve (20) of the control valve unit (16) is switched in the floating position (c). Whereupon, a hoist cylinder (10) is contracted by a hydraulic pressure force to hold a vessel (3) in a sit-down position on a vehicle body (2), thereby preventing the vessel (3) from shaking movements like floating up while the dump truck (1) is in travel.
US08033606B2

A gear assembly may include first and second gear wheels meshing with each other and having a meshing line. The meshing line is formed as a circular arc that is positioned between first and second curves to determine a meshing range of the meshing line, so as to extend from a point on the first curve positioned radially inside the second curve in a circumferential direction in which the second curve is radially outwardly spaced from the first curve and to reach a point on the second curve. The circular arc is centered on a center point that is offset from a reference straight line passing through a pitch point of first and second pitch circles of the first and second gear wheels and centers of the first and second pitch circles.
US08033603B2

A vehicle seat neck protection device (8) that protects and supports the nape of the neck (4) of a user wherein the device (8) has a body (27) of a predetermined size and shape and a convex surface (6) for positioning the device (8) behind the nape of a neck (4), a rear wall (10) located on the body (27) and at least one securing means (7) located on the rear wall (10) for securing the vehicle neck protection device (8) to at least one post (3) of a vehicle headrest (1). The body (27) may include a cushion area (12) that forms the convex surface (6) and a dense area (11) located between the cushion area (12) and the rear wall (10). In the alternative, an inflatable bladder (17) may form the convex surface (6) wherein a user may selectively adjust the degree of inflation of the bladder (17). The bladder (17) may also be automatically inflated upon strong impact against the vehicle itself. The device (8) may be retroactively fit onto an existing vehicle headrest (1) or may built-into a vehicle headrest (1).
US08033601B2

There is provided a head rest moving mechanism of moving a support portion of a head rest relative to a seat back when a vehicle is subjected to a back collision. The head rest moving mechanism moves the support portion from an initial position to a collision corresponding position in a front upper direction. The head rest moving mechanism includes a base installed at an upper portion of the seat back, link means for linking the support portion and the base, an engaging pin moved integrally with the support portion for operating an attitude of the support portion in accordance with a relative movement thereof, and a guide path slidably engaged with the engaging pin for guiding to slide the engaging pin in accordance with the relative movement of the support portion.
US08033600B2

A seat system has separate air bladders in the seat bottom and seat back. The seat bottom bladder is in fluid communication with the seat back bladder through a plurality of rigid interconnecting tubes, and valves in the tubes or orifice size can control flow rate of air exchange between the seat bottom bladder and the seat back bladder. A panel of resilient, compressible open cell foam extends in each of the seat bottom bladder and the seat back bladder. Through-holes in the foam panel permit accelerated air evacuation to the other bladder when the seat withstands a significant shock event. The vibration and shock attenuation characteristics of the seat are jointly provided by the panel spring force and the bladder air pressure.
US08033599B2

The invention of this application relates to an infant carrier with carry handle wherein the carry handle is adapted to facilitate easier, more comfortable carrying in the crook of one's elbow and wherein the carry handle is adapted to removably display a printed image or other indicia, such as safety or identification indicia.
US08033595B2

A reinforcement member 30 integratedly includes a top surface 31, a rear surface 32, a first side 33, and a second side 34. The top surface 31 has an air deflector attaching portion 35. An air deflector arranged on top of a roof panel 2 is attachable to the air deflector attaching portion 35. The second side 34 includes a base 40 and a seatbelt anchor attaching portion 41. The base 40 is formed in approximately the same plane as the first side 33. The seatbelt anchor attaching portion 41 extends inward from the base 40 along the vehicle width and is in contact with a rear pillar inner section. A seatbelt anchor arranged on the inner side of the rear pillar inner section is attachable to the air deflector attaching portion 41.
US08033578B2

A coupling between a first body with a hole and a cylindrical end zone of a second body to be inserted therein, in which hole extend elastically deformable tongues, the free end edges of which tongues lie on a circle, the diameter of which is smaller than the outer diameter of the end zone, which tongues bend in the insertion direction when the end zone is inserted and scrape over the surface thereof with their free edges such that after inserting the end zone over some distance the movement in a backward direction is blocked. The end edges of the tongues have an inclining position corresponding to a part of a helix, so that during a relative rotation of the two bodies, the form of the helix is followed whereby an axial relative movement also occurs and the end zone can be removed from the hole.
US08033576B2

A pipe guide is described for providing axial alignment to two pipes connected by an expansion joint. The pipe guide comprises a pipe guide sleeve that covers the expansion joint and is connected at its first end to the first pipe. It also comprises a guide ring that is connected to the second pipe and slidably engages the interior of the pipe guide sleeve. In one embodiment, the pipe guide also comprises restraint rods to limit the axial extension and compression of the pipe guide.
US08033575B2

A quick connector can surely prevent incomplete connection of a tube thereto and is provided with a retainer which can be easily returned to its releasing position without being subject to restrictive conditions including working space when the tube connected to the quick connector needs to be removed from the quick connector.A retainer 16 is provided with arms 31a and 31b extending so as to be in contact with diametrically opposite parts, respectively, of the outer surface of a housing 12. Locking hooks 34a and 34b are formed on free end parts of the arms 31a and 31b, respectively. First stoppers 35a and 35b are formed on the outer surface of the housing 12 so as to engage with the locking hooks 34a and 34b of the retainer 16 such that the retainer 16 can be moved from the releasing position only in a direction in which the retainer 16 is pressed into the housing 12.
US08033562B2

A trailer hitch guide device may include a guide ramp, a guide ramp release, a hitch guide base, and a bottom metal layer. The trailer hitch guide device may enable a person to couple a trailer and a towing vehicle with ease.
US08033559B2

There is disclosed a vehicle, for example, a self-propelled and/or pedal vehicle such as a tricycle, bicycle, scooter, micro-scooter, or collapsible scooter, for example, adapted for use by children or infants. Accordingly, a self-propelled vehicle comprising illuminatable direction indicator means comprising left turn and right turn indictor means, which selectably operate by turning of a steering means or column of the self-propelled vehicle to the left or to the right, respectively, the steering means or column comprising handlebars in one embodiment. The self-propelled vehicle may comprise a tricycle.
US08033557B2

A vehicle suspension mounting structure and method can include a control arm connected to a bushing via a fastener rod and the method of connecting the same. The bushing can be attached to a portion of the vehicle frame. The fastener rod can be inserted into a cavity in the control arm such that the fastener rod extends away from the control arm and is prevented from being removed from the cavity in the control arm by a lip provided at a proximal end (relative to the control arm) of the fastener rod. The mounting structure and method can provide a safer and stronger connection between the control arm and bushing. In addition, serviceability can be improved and cost savings can be realized in some cases.
US08033553B1

A transportation device consisting of an elongate central member with a handle at one end, and a pair of wheels rotatably mounted on the other end. A first cross member is oriented generally perpendicular to the central member between the first two ends thereof and has a connector attached thereto for removably retaining an object to the first cross member. A yoke is moveably attached to the elongate member near the pair of wheels and a second cross member also having a connector thereon for removably retaining an object thereto is attached to the second cross member.
US08033538B2

A method for producing a printed product that includes supplying a wire-stitched booklet to a spine processing device such that the booklet includes signatures and a spine. The method includes reshaping the spine in the spine processing device. Following the reshaping, the method further includes supplying a cover to the booklet, applying adhesive to the cover or to the reshaped spine, and combining the cover with the booklet to form the printed product. The method includes discharging the printed product from the spine processing device.
US08033535B2

A stair making apparatus is disclosed. The stair making apparatus comprising a bench adapted to support a plurality of members and a beam; a stop fixture connected to the bench, the stop fixture having a plurality of stops for individually engaging each of the plurality of members; and one or more fasteners connected with the bench, the one or more fasteners configured to cooperate with the plurality of stops to brace the beam and the plurality of members in a form of a stair stringer.
US08033531B2

An apparatus for mixing a liquid with a large gas stream flowing in a gas duct, especially for introducing reducing agent into flue gas containing nitrogen oxides. At least one metering lance having at least two atomizer nozzles supplies liquid to the gas stream, with the nozzles being inclined relative to the direction of flow of the gas stream and being inclined in opposite directions relative to one another. At least one disk-shaped mixer element is associated with and spaced from the nozzles, and is inclined relative to the direction of flow of the gas stream. Flow eddies form at the mixer element, and at least a portion of the liquid enters the flow eddies. Atomization is effected in such a way by the mixer element that volatilized gaseous portions in the nozzle streams exiting the nozzles enter the flow eddies, while non-volatized droplet portions, due to their inertia and an atomizer angle, do not enter the flow eddies in the vicinity of the mixer element.
US08033529B2

The present invention is related generally to hoists, and more particularly to a hoist system for safely raising, storing, and lowering loads.
US08033520B2

An upper rail constituting a slide mechanism has engagement surface portions and engagement surface portions each having a projected surface portion. The engagement surface portions are positioned at front and rear two portions of the upper rail. A lower rail has detent surface portions formed between the engagement surface portions and the engagement surface portions. The detent surface portions are covered with the upper rail. When the engagement surface portions or the engagement surface portions contact the detent surface portions due to sliding of the upper rail, a vehicle seat can be prevented from sliding.
US08033519B2

Improvements in a mount for attaching a television of projector to an overhead or ground structure is disclosed. The mount allows for spin, side to side and front to back angle adjustment. The adjustment components are formed from the present projector mount uses metal component having a rack comprising a plurality of formed teeth that are engageable in the recessed side of a crosshead screwdriver that is trademarked as a Phillips screwdriver. The recesses of the crosshead screwdriver act as a pinion gear in the rack to adjust the mounted angle of a projector on the projector mount. This configuration reduces parts count, size and cost without compromising functionality. The axis of rotation of both the side-to-side and front-to-back pass through the projector mount.
US08033513B2

A display device is disclosed. A display device includes a connecting block (40) rotatably fastened to an end of a stand assembly (20); a head mount (43) vertically movable with respect to the connecting block (40); and a locking unit that selectively locks the motion of the head mount (43) as the connecting block (40) rotates.
US08033512B2

A self-secure mount for a tubular object includes an outer holder and an inner holder. The outer holder includes two spaced apart holding panels and an arc-shaped cornering panel extended between the two holding panels for applying an elastic clipping force between the holding panels. The inner holder includes two spaced apart clipping panels overlapping with each other to define a clipping channel therebetween, wherein two inner edges of the clipping panels are extended towards a closed end of the clipping channel. The two inner edges of the clipping panels are adapted for pressing against an outer surface of the tubular object to retain the tubular object in position, such that when the holding panels are pressed to minimize a distance therebetween, the clipping force of the outer holder is substantially increased towards the inner edges of the clipping panels to hold the tubular object within the cornering panel.
US08033506B2

A method and apparatus for aiding pilots in aerial refueling comprises a primary auto-throttling system (ATS) disposed in a primary aircraft and a secondary ATS disposed in a secondary aircraft. The primary ATS includes logic which generates and transmits an anticipatory signal to the secondary ATS. Based upon the received anticipatory signal, the secondary ATS automatically controls a throttle of the secondary aircraft so as to maintain an airspeed of the primary aircraft. The anticipatory signals include rate of change information including at least one of rate of change of airspeed of the primary aircraft, rate of change of pitch of the primary aircraft, and rate of change of weight of the primary aircraft.
US08033505B2

An airplane door window of a passenger plane, includes an outer pane, an inner pane, an intermediate pane situated parallel between the outer pane and inner pane and designed as an optical lens body for the inspection of impact surfaces for emergency slides, portable staircases or boarding fingers. The outer pane and the inner pane are spaced apart from each other, arranged substantially parallel to each other in a continuous window gasket, and form an intermediate space. The intermediate pane is inserted into a continuous groove of the window gasket, and extends essentially parallel to the outer pane and the inner pane over a partial area of the intermediate space.
US08033496B2

A rolled body holder includes a center shaft member serving as a lead screw connected to a handle, a cam member screwed to the center shaft member, and a plurality of segments which form a cylindrical body covering the center shaft member and the cam member. The cam member includes a plurality of rails, and each of the rails includes a cam surface with a radially varying height. Each of the segments includes a follower part fitted to the rail and relatively slidable along the cam surface and an outer surface part on which multiple projections are formed. When the cylindrical body is inserted into a paper tube of a rolled body and the handle is rotated, the center shaft member is rotated to move the cam member in the longitudinal direction. Then, a portion of the cam surface, which is higher in the radial direction, is brought into contact with the follower part, and each of the segments extends in the radial direction so that the projections bite into an inner surface of the paper tube. As a result, the rolled body can be easily and securely held with a simple structure.
US08033494B2

The invention is concerned, inter alia, with a belt retractor (10) for a seat belt, with a belt reel (20) for winding up and unwinding the seat belt, and a lockable locking flange (40) which is connected to the belt reel and, prior to a locking action, is rotated together with the belt reel and, after a locking action, is blocked in its rotational movement.According to the invention, it is provided that the locking flange and the belt reel are secured against relative axial displacement.
US08033493B2

A leader block rotating mechanism for selectively rotating a leader block to a holding position of holding a film of a web, and to a release position of releasing the film of the web, includes an elastic member that biases the leader block to the holding position.
US08033489B2

An impact crusher includes a crushing chamber, a rotor mounted in the crushing chamber, and an apron having an impact surface, said apron being movably positioned within the chamber. The apron is pre-loaded to oppose forces generated within the crushing chamber. The apron is free to move away from the rotor in the event that the forces generated within the chamber exceed a predetermined threshold. During normal use, the apron is suspended within the chamber against a mechanical stop, and the apron is free to return to its initial suspended position after the removal of uncrushable material from the chamber.
US08033484B2

A dispensing assembly for an aerosol system for dispensing liquid material comprises an outlet member defining an outlet opening, a selector member, a collar member, an actuator member, and a base member. The collar member supports the selector member. The actuator member supports the outlet member and the collar member. The base member engages the selector member to allow movement of the selector member relative to the collar member. Movement of the selector member relative to the collar member causes movement of the collar member relative to the actuator member. Movement of the collar member relative to the actuator member alters a cross-sectional area of the outlet opening.
US08033478B2

The subject invention provides a means of automatically detecting and recording a person's use of magazines, i.e. printed media exposure, for the purpose of market research. The present invention comprises one or more electrically conductive marker regions applied to certain specific locations on one or more magazine pages. In one general embodiment, the presence and relative separation of the marker regions are detected by a capacitive sensors and electronic device that stores, processes and communicates the data wirelessly to an external device. In another embodiment, a passive chip less tag is used to indirectly measure the change in conductivity of the conductive regions caused by prolonged exposure to air or light. Exemplary methods are described for acquiring readership and exposure data using the present invention.
US08033474B2

The present invention relates to a process for producing an opaque, transparent or translucent transaction card having multiple features, such as a holographic foil, integrated circuit chip, silver magnetic stripe with text on the magnetic stripe, opacity gradient, an invisible optically recognizable compound, a translucent signature field such that the signature on back of the card is visible from the front of the card and an active thru date on the front of the card. The invisible optically recognizable compound is an infrared ink and/or film, which can be detected by a sensor found in an ATM or card assembly line.
US08033469B2

An apparatus for performing multimedia-based data transmission includes an image capturing device and a processing circuit. The image capturing device is a peripheral device for a user to capture images. In addition, in a situation where the apparatus is utilized as a target apparatus, the image capturing device is arranged to capture at least one multi-dimensional barcode image carrying data. Additionally, the processing circuit is arranged to control operations of the apparatus, wherein in the situation where the apparatus is utilized as the target apparatus, the processing circuit is arranged to extract the data carried by the multi-dimensional barcode image for further use. In particular, the aforementioned at least one multi-dimensional barcode image may represent a plurality of multi-dimensional barcode images. An associated method is also provided.
US08033466B2

An electronic device includes: a cabinet on whose end surface is formed a slot for insertion of a card; a card access unit that has a terminal that contacts an electrode of the card inserted from the slot. The card access unit is disposed in a position spaced from the slot, houses part, on a front end side of the insertion direction, of the card, and accesses the card via the terminal. The electronic further includes an electronic part disposed on a shield plate that is placed on the bottom surface, in a position overlapping with the card access unit. The shield plate serves also as a guide plate that guides the card inserted from the slot, to the card access unit in conjunction with the bottom surface of the cabinet.
US08033455B2

A banking system includes an automated banking machine controlled by data bearing records. The machine compares indicia from a bearer record with computer information regarding the bearer. The machine operates to reallocate credit among various accounts responsive to computer determined correspondence among stored user identification data, read card data, and read biometric data. The machine also includes a note presenter and a currency cassette. A gate of the presenter is located at a note dispensing outlet of the machine. The gate is opened by actuating a lever linked with an arm connected to the gate. The currency cassette includes a one-piece polymer body attached to a one-piece polymer lid. A one-piece tambour door is movable along guide tracks integrally formed with body side walls.
US08033448B2

A collapsible insert includes a series of adjacent cells. Each cell may include a support surface capable raised to an elevated position above the bottom of the tray by a pair of legs. Each leg may have a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion of each leg extends below the support surface and can rest on the bottom of the tray, and functions to raise the support surface to the elevated position. The upper portion of each leg extends above the support surface and is used to divide each cell and partially constrain food product within a cell while the insert is in the erected position and disposed within a tray.
US08033447B2

A container storage box containing and storing a deformable container includes a plurality of rigid sidewall faces that contain and store the deformable container while preventing random deformation of the deformable container and large and small end faces of both top and bottom ends of the plurality of rigid sidewall faces. The rigid sidewall faces regulate a configuration of the deformable container in a configuration accommodated in the container loading part while maintaining at least one of direction and/or position of content outlet of the deformable container when the deformable container is placed in the image forming apparatus. At least one of the sidewall faces includes at least two fold lines not parallel with one another and at least one end face of both top and bottom end faces except the plurality of sidewall faces has a closing mechanism that is openable, closable and capable of being assembled and disassembled.
US08033445B1

A simple technique to solder submicron sized, ohmic contacts to nanostructures has been disclosed. The technique has several advantages over standard electron beam lithography methods, which are complex, costly, and can contaminate samples. To demonstrate the soldering technique graphene, a single atomic layer of carbon, has been contacted, and low- and high-field electronic transport properties have been measured.
US08033444B2

A method for an explosion welding process to form composite pipes, such as for nuclear power equipment. The explosive welding process includes: (1) An explosives preparation method in which low detonation velocity explosives are produced by using powdery emulsion explosives as a base. The base is mixed completely and evenly with a certain amount of powdered pearl salt, wherein the size of the pearl salt particle is 100-200 mesh, and the ratio of emulsion explosives versus pearl salt is between about 3-5:1. (2) A method of inhibiting the negative influence on welding quality caused by the gap between a base tube and a mold, wherein: the roughness of the base tube outer surface is kept less than that of the mold's inner surface, with the difference in surface roughness being maintained within two-grades. In certain cases, a layer of 1.0.±.0.1 mm copper may be added between the outer wall of a base tube and the inner wall of the mold.
US08033438B2

A surgical stapling device is provided for sequentially applying a plurality of fasteners to body tissue and simultaneously incising tissue. The surgical stapling device includes an elongated body which is adapted to receive a single use loading unit (“SULU”) or a disposable loading unit (“DLU”) having staples in linear rows whose length can be between about 30 mm and 60 mm. Each DLU includes a proximal body portion, a mounting assembly and a tool assembly. The proximal body portion has a proximal end having one or more lugs which are dimensioned to be received within one or more channels formed in the distal end of the elongated body. The distal end of the walls defining the channels can be chamfered or angled such that if the DLU is not properly aligned with the elongated body when the proximal end of the DLU is inserted into the distal end of the elongated body, the chamfered or angled distal ends of the walls defining the channels will cam the lugs to properly align the DLU with the elongated body.
US08033436B2

An apparatus and method for separating a web material are disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a bedroll and a chop off roll. The bedroll includes a bedroll blade and a bedroll web pin. The chop off roll includes a pin pad and a plurality of chop off roll blades. The bedroll web pin and the bedroll blade mesh with the pin pad and the chop off roll blades. The chop off roll blades are moved relative to the bedroll blade, stretching and separating the web material. The web pin perforates the web material and may completely or partially separate a portion of the web material. The web pin and the separated portion perforate the pin pad. The separated portion is stripped from the web pin as the pin passes out of the pin pad.
US08033435B1

The invention is a mobile blueprint holder wherein a box mounts along an interior side of a pickup truck bed. The box opens to allow the blueprint table to fold out where the blueprint table rests at an angle. When not in use the blueprints and the blueprint table fold away for safe storage. The blueprint table folds along the middle and contains a plurality of clips for holding a blueprint in place.
US08033432B2

The invention relates to a distribution device for fluid product, comprising a reservoir (1), containing the fluid product and a propellant gas, a valve (10), with a valve body (11) and a throttle valve (12), sliding within said valve body (11), between a rest position and a distribution position. Said reservoir (1) is rigid and made from a high-performance synthetic material resistant to the pressure of the propellant gas, sad material having a low permeability to water and oxygen.
US08033431B2

A preservation and dispensing apparatus includes a pressurized gas supply assembly for pressurizing and dispensing fluid from a bottle in a manner that effectively creates a barrier protecting the fluid from harmful effects of oxygen. The pressurized gas supply assembly includes an inert gas output linked to the bottle via a dispensing nozzle secured within an opening of the bottle. The dispensing nozzle includes a connecting seal having a series of outwardly directed, flexible fins composed of a first material and an outwardly tapered seal member composed of a second material. The inert gas output includes a regulator assembly having a piercing pin that passes through an end cap of a gas capsule allowing gas from the gas capsule to pass through the regulator assembly. The regulator assembly reduces the gas pressure from approximately 2700 psi to approximately 5 psi in a single step.
US08033425B2

A container adapted for dispensing a product is provided, the container including a storage compartment configured to store a plurality of units of a product to be dispensed; a dispensing chamber for receiving at least one unit of the product, the dispensing chamber configured for movement between a closed and locked position and a dispensing position; a dispensing pathway between the storage compartment and the dispensing chamber, the dispensing pathway sized for passage of at least one unit of the product; a locking mechanism adapted for releasably locking the dispensing chamber in the closed and locked position; and a blocking member operatively positioned to block the dispensing pathway when the dispensing chamber is in the dispensing position.
US08033421B2

A dispenser configured to close and fold into a small, compact, refillable package for storing personal care products is disclosed. Specifically, the dispenser has significantly less surface area in the closed (i.e., folded) position as compared to the unfolded personal care product that is stored within the dispenser.
US08033419B1

A bottle closure includes the unitarily-molded combination of: an internally-threaded sidewall; a tamper indicator ring; and a hinge connecting the ring to the sidewall. The hinge permits the ring to be shifted from an initial position to an installation position. The installation position is essentially coaxially aligned with the sidewall.
US08033417B1

An apparatus for holding a stackable bucket in place when mixing materials therein which comprises the stackable bucket having a bottom wall joined to a continuous tapered side wall extending upwardly therefrom to form a rim larger than the bottom wall. The stackable bucket can be placed into another stackable bucket for storage when not in use. A pair of rectangular shaped footpads are provided. A mechanism is for pivotally securing each rectangular shaped footpad into the bottom wall of the stackable bucket at an opposite side of the stackable bucket. When the rectangular shaped footpads are pivoted outwardly away from opposite sides of the side wall of the stackable bucket and the bottom wall of the stackable bucket is placed upon a floor, a person will stand upon the pair of rectangular shaped footpads to prevent rotation of the stackable bucket when mixing the materials within the stackable bucket.
US08033406B2

An equipment enclosure for housing electronic components includes a front assembly having a front frame, the front assembly defining a front of the enclosure, and a rear assembly having a rear frame. The enclosure further includes at least two side brace members, each side brace member having a first end and a second, opposite end. A first connector is configured to releasably connect the first end of one of the side brace members to the front frame. A second connector is configured to releasably connect the second end of the one of the side brace members to the rear frame. Other embodiments and methods are further disclosed.
US08033405B2

A closet organizer includes a shelf that has horizontal partition panels fixedly connected between two vertical side panels thereof to divide the internal space of the shelf into multiple vertically spaced receiving spaces, and -shaped, -shaped and L-shaped partition members selectively mounted in the receiving spaces to divide each receiving space into multiple compartments, and hook and loop materials respectively provided at the top and bottom sides of the horizontal partition panels and the -shaped, -shaped and L-shaped partition members for enabling the -shaped, -shaped and L-shaped partition members to be detachably secured to the two vertical side panels horizontal partition panels of the shelf.
US08033391B1

A moisture-absorbent padding used in combination with and for lining a food product container, such as a pizza box, includes parallelepiped strips each having a cavity therein and a moisture-absorbent material within the cavity. The strips further have vertically oriented monolithic orifices disposed within a front wall of each strip. The orifices open into the cavity and absorb moisture released from a food product stored within the container. The apparatus may also include a laterally flanging parallelepiped reservoir downwardly and angularly disposed on each side of each orifice which collects moisture seeping away from the moisture-absorbent material. An adhesive material on the rear wall attaches each strip to an inside edge of an outer wall of the food container.
US08033387B2

A conveyor belt or treadmill belt comprises a cloth layer woven by at least one warp and woof and having an outer surface and an inner surface in response to each other, a clearance passing through the inner and the outer surfaces and being formed between the warp and the woof of the cloth layer; a pattern layer in response to the outer surface of the cloth layer including patterns formed thereon; a laminating layer melted to couple between the outer surface of the cloth layer and the pattern layer, such that the laminating layer merges into the clearance between the warp and the woof so that the laminating layer is integrally formed a rough connecting surface, the connecting surface engaging with the clearance of the cloth layer, hence another surface of the laminating layer is in connection with the pattern layer.
US08033384B2

An agricultural conveyor is supported on a pair of steerable wheels such that the steerable wheels are pivotal relative to the conveyor frame about respective upright axes. A hydraulically actuated steering mechanism is arranged to commonly pivot the steerable wheels together relative to the conveyor frame. A hydraulic connector is arranged to connect the hydraulically actuated steering mechanism to a controllable hydraulic output of the towing vehicle.
US08033378B2

Provided is a buffer system for adjusting first-in first-out, more particularly, a buffer system that temporarily stores a plurality of substrates and is capable of adjusting first-in first-out. The buffer system includes one or more buffer layers having shafts and rollers fitted and fixed to the shafts so as to temporarily store or transfer substrates, a vertically moving unit moving the buffer layers up or down such that a buffer layer having thereon a substrate to be transferred is connected to a driving unit, and the driving unit rotating the shafts of the buffer layer having thereon the substrate to be transferred to transfer the substrate.
US08033369B2

A luggage device having fully recessed legs that may be selectively engaged to translate and pivot about an axis to facilitate controlled movement from a fully recessed storage position to an operative position for conveniently transporting large heavy objects within the luggage. The fully recessed translation biased cantilever leg luggage device includes a dextral leg recess for receiving a dextral leg, and a sinistral leg recess for receiving a sinistral leg. Each leg recess has an engagement region, a storage region, and a pivot. Additionally, the engagement region includes a leg engagement region storage location, a leg engagement region operative location, and a leg engagement region transition region; through which a portion of the leg pivots about the axis and transitions from the fully recessed storage position to an operative position.
US08033365B2

A magnetic rail brake device includes a brake magnet with a solenoid former supporting a solenoid. A horseshoe-shaped magnet core is disposed adjacent to the solenoid former. The horseshoe-shaped magnet core includes a yoke having cheeks that project away from the yoke. Pole shoes are formed at ends of the cheeks. The solenoid includes an upper part, with an upper height and an upper width, and a lower part, with a lower height and a lower width. The solenoid is disposed between the cheeks and engages vertically around the yoke. The upper height is less than the lower height, and the upper width is greater than the lower width. The upper and lower heights are measured parallel to a vertical center axis of the brake magnet, and the upper and lower widths are measured transversely with respect to the vertical center axis.
US08033346B2

A bumper car for driving on a floor of a game arena including a chassis, first and second casters mounted to the chassis, first and second drive wheels mounted to the chassis, wherein the first caster is spring-loaded and the second caster is fixed, and a footwell for receiving feet of a driver of the bumper car, wherein a first distance is defined between a bottom surface of the footwell and the floor, wherein a second distance is defined between a mounting plate of the first caster, and wherein the first distance is less than the second distance.
US08033343B2

An impulsive unit for a jack hammer or rock drill is adapted to be powered by water, and comprises a piston slidable within a cylinder, and carrying a striker portion thereon. At least a portion of the piston and/or cylinder is coated with ceramic. The ceramic is most suitably an aluminum oxide-titanium dioxide composite, which enables the clearance between the internal diameter of the cylinder and the external diameter of the piston to be reduced to between 8 and 10 micro-meters.
US08033341B2

Disclosed herein is a lawn perforating tool and method of using same to prepare new lawn or garden areas or distressed regions of existing lawns or gardens for the planting of seed, example of which include, but are not limited to, grass seed, clover seed, wildflower seed, and the like. The lawn perforating tool of the present invention is particularly configured to provide in the soil and dead grass holes or indentations of a size, shape, and depth that is optimal for receiving and germinating new grass seed and of a density and distribution suitable to provide the resulting grass with a visually desirable pattern, rendering new growth indistinguishable from old growth.
US08033336B2

An apparatus and corresponding method of use extracts, cools, and transports effluents from subterranean, sub-sea oil formations to distant shore based processing facilities. The effluents, mostly crude oil, are conveyed rapidly to a cold flow generator near the oil wellhead on the sea bottom using the cold seawater to chill the effluents to a dispersed mixture including generated solids. The mixture is transported close to sea bottom temperatures, slowly, with small pressure drops, in low-cost submerged bare pipes over long distances to on or near shore processing facilities that can produce useful hydrocarbon products more cost effectively than at sea processing facilities. The apparatus eliminates or minimizes the need for heated or insulated pipe, the need for large floating processing structures, the need for sub-sea processing equipment, and/or the need for chemical additions to production flow.
US08033327B2

A device for extracting heat from gas, particularly combustion gas, containing dust and/or condensable substances, for recovering condensates, and including at least one heat exchanger including a shell having a symmetry of revolution surrounded by a cooling jacket. The device includes an opening for passage of a surfactant for treating the internal surface of the shell, the shell including at least one mechanism creating a substantially helicoid rotating gas stream in at least part of the shell.
US08033316B2

A flask unit for producing a cope and a drag that are stacked, comprising at least two uprightly disposed connecting rods (4), a cope flask slidably fitted on the connecting rods and formed with a molding sand blowing-in port in one of its sides, and a drag flask slidably fitted on the connecting rods so that it is located under the cope flask to mate it, the drag flask being formed with a molding sand blowing-in port in one of the sides thereof.
US08033314B2

A method for producing a sintered magnet comprising steps of; wet-pulverizing a magnetic powder under the presence of a surface active agent, drying said wet-pulverized magnetic powder 20 for obtaining magnetic powder to which said surface active agent is adhered, heating and kneading said dried magnetic powder 20 with binder resin to form pellet, melting said pellet and injecting said pellet in a mold to which magnetic field is applied, to form a preform body, and firing said preform body.
US08033302B2

A bend stiffener, and a method of producing the same, comprising an elongated cylinder of a polymer material, having a termination interface (4) on at least one end. An internal reinforcement matrix is provided comprising a first layer of a cylindrically arranged woven material (2). The material of the first layer is unwoven at the termination end, the unwoven fibers engage the termination member (3) and pass back over the first layer. The returning fibers of the second layer may be cut at a plurality of lengths to provide zones (10, 11, 12) of decreasing fiber density from the termination end.
US08033297B2

Attaching/detaching workability of a fitting block to/from an solenoid valve assembly is improved, and a fixing strength of the fitting block to the solenoid valve assembly is enhanced. The fitting block 41 is intended to be detachably mounted to the solenoid valve assembly 12, and the fitting block 41 is provided with port connecting tubes 42 and 43 detachably fitted in output ports A and B, and tube fittings 44 and 45 to which tubes 46 are connected. The fitting block 41 is further provided with an engagement projection 52 which is engaged with a concave portion 51 formed in the solenoid valve assembly 12, and the fitting block 41 is fixed to the solenoid valve assembly 12 via a portion of the engagement projection 52 by a clip 53 engaged with an engagement groove 57 formed in the engagement projection 52.
US08033294B2

Fluid valves having an integral safety shut-off are described. An example control valve having opposing seating surfaces includes a first bonnet removably coupled to the control valve. The first bonnet has a first bore receiving a portion of a first valve trim. The first valve trim comprises a first valve stem operatively coupled to a first valve plug or closure member to engage one of the seating surfaces to provide a fluid seal between the first bore and the portion of the first valve trim. Additionally, the control valve includes a second bonnet removably coupled to the control valve. The second bonnet has a second bore receiving a portion of a second valve trim. The second valve trim comprises a second valve stem operatively coupled to a second valve plug or closure member to engage the other one of the seating surfaces to provide a fluid seal between the second bore and the portion of the second valve trim. A surface of the second valve plug or closure member is to be substantially flush with an inner surface of the control valve when the second valve plug or closure member is not in use to enable fluid flow through the control valve to be substantially unaffected by the second valve plug or closure member.
US08033293B2

A fluid regulator includes a valve block having an inlet arranged for connection to a gas supply and an outlet arranged for connection to an item of gas equipment and defining a flow path. The valve block may include one or more of a pressure regulator, a metering valve, and an on-off switch disposed in the flow path. A rotatable pinion operatively is coupled to the metering valve, and a hand control is coupled to the valve block and rotatable about an axis and includes a toothed rack movable with the hand control. A spring biases the toothed rack toward pinion to provide improved precision and/or less play between internal components. The fluid regulator they also include a balanced gear assembly for rotating a control rod of the valve, and further may be adapted to provide various visual indicators of the on-off the state of the device.
US08033290B2

A standing pipe faucet is formed from a faucet body shaped out of a hollow pillar, a separate body with a corresponding hole connecting it to the faucet body, and a slantwise threaded hole connecting water mixing valve to the assembly. A tube connects an outlet pipe through the hole groove. The tube has an outer diameter equal to the inner diameter of hole groove, and a length shorter than that of the hole groove. The tube corresponding to the threaded hole has a slantwise blocking groove. After the tube is inserted into the hole groove, a bolt is screwed in the threaded hole, generating a backward push between the bolt and the threaded hole, which fixes the outlet pipe and faucet body together. After the chamber has a water outlet through the tube, the whole assembly is completely assembled.
US08033288B2

A substrate treatment apparatus includes a container holder which holds a container for containing multiple substrates vertically stacked in horizontal postures, a substrate treatment section which collectively applies treatment to multiple substrates horizontally stacked in vertical postures, a main conveyance mechanism which conveys multiple substrates horizontally stacked in vertical postures between a substrate delivery position and the substrate treatment section, a carrying in/out mechanism which carries in/out the multiple substrates with respect to the container and changes postures of the multiple substrates between the horizontal postures and the vertical postures, and a sub conveyance mechanism which receives and delivers multiple substrates in vertical postures from and to the carrying in/out mechanism at a transfer position, receives and delivers multiple substrates in vertical postures from and to the main conveyance mechanism at the substrate delivery position, and conveys multiple substrates in vertical postures between the transfer and substrate delivery positions.
US08033287B2

A multiple, disposable, biodegradable dental implement system in which a plurality of disposable, flat dental implements are formed from a large planar blank. Each dental implement includes a flat toothbrush head and a flat gum massager head formed on opposite ends of a flat elongated shank. Adjacent implements are formed in the blank by perforation lines that allow the implements to be individually detached from the blank just prior to use. In the preferred embodiment, each toothbrush head includes a plurality of concave ridges formed while the gum massaging head is made of a plurality of convex curved ridges complimentary with the concave ridges on the adjacent toothbrush. The planar blank is made of disposable paper and embedded with dry toothpaste or mouthwash which is activated by the user's saliva when used.
US08033281B2

There is provided a patient care and treatment platform that is connectable to a plurality of modules capable of providing medical functionality. The platform includes a housing and a patient support surface. The platform also includes a power receiver for receiving power. The platform further includes a module interface including power, data, and pneumatic spines having power data and pneumatic ports, respectively. The spines are operative to transfer data, power, and fluid within the platform. The ports are connectable to the modules to integrate the modules into the platform. The platform also includes a head fairing having a patient interface panel. The head fairing includes an inner surface that is substantially concave in shape and slopes away from the patient support surface to allow access to the head of a patient. The patient interface panel includes a plurality of ports connectable to electrical and pneumatic apparatus.
US08033278B2

A plurality of segmented chips are reinforced by applying an adhesive to the circumferentially opposite end portions thereof, and the adjoining segmented chips adjoining in the circumferential direction are adhered to the circumferential surface of a disc-like core with the adhesives at the circumferentially opposite end portions being not jointed with each other. Thus, the segmented chips can be prevented from being loaded with an unnatural force even when the disc-like core with the segmented chips adhered thereto expands and contracts radially due to thermal expansion and thermal contract. Thereby, expansion and contraction of the disc-like core do not impose a compression stress or the like on adhesives situated between adjoining segmented chips.
US08033277B2

An archery bow comprises an archery bow body defining opposing limb tips, a bowstring extending between the limb tips along a bowstring axis, and an elongate member extending from the bow body, the elongate member having a length and a proximal end arranged adjacent the bowstring. The archery bow further comprises a dampening element made of a vibration dampening material mounted to the proximal end of the elongate member between the proximal end and the bowstring. The elongate member extends from the bow body along a first axis non-perpendicular to the bowstring axis. Additionally, the elongate member may be curved along at least a portion of its length. In certain embodiments, the archery bow body defines a nested mounting area configured as an open channel to receive a distal end of the elongate member.
US08033276B1

A projectile launcher having a pneumatic assembly that reduces recoil. The launcher may include a gas storage chamber that is filled with compressed gas and then selectively vented to propel projectiles. In some cases, an electronic control circuit may be provided to selectively vent the gas storage chamber. In some embodiments, the launcher may include an anti jam feature that reduces breakage of projectiles during firing.
US08033274B2

A spear gun for scuba diving that comprises a frame with a body that is generally elongated along a longitudinal axis of the gun, and a grip at one end of and extending from the elongated body. The grip includes a stationary part attached to, and integrally with, the body and a movable part adjustably mounted to the stationary part. A device is also provided for securing or locking the movable part to the stationary part when a desired grip configuration has been achieved.
US08033271B2

A diagnostic device for a fuel vapor treatment system having: a canister that captures fuel vapor generated in a fuel tank; a purge passage for purging fuel vapor from the canister to an intake passage of an internal combustion engine; a purge valve provided in the purge passage to adjust a flow rate of fuel vapor; a processing device that depressurize an fuel vapor path extending from the fuel tank to the purge valve via the canister by a pump and performs a diagnostic processing for diagnosing a leak of fuel vapor from the fuel vapor path based on a change in pressure in the fuel vapor path during depressurization; and an angle detection device that detects an angle of inclination of the vehicle. The processing device determines, based on an inclination angle of the vehicle detected by the angle detection device, whether the diagnostic processing can be performed.
US08033270B2

A fuel distribution apparatus for a V-type engine wherein first and second throttle bodies connected to first and second banks disposed in a V shape, respectively, are disposed therebetween and a main fuel distribution pipe for distributing fuel from a common fuel supply system is connected to first and second fuel injection valves provided in the first and second throttle bodies, respectively, is configured such that the fuel distribution pipe is formed from first and second distribution pipes separate from each other and connected to the first and second fuel injection valves and besides fastened to the first and second throttle bodies, respectively, a joint pipe connects the fuel supply to the first or second distribution pipes. Communication conduit connects the first and second distribution pipes.
US08033268B2

An engine control system includes a starting module, a position module, and a deactivation module. The starting module determines when a crankshaft starts to rotate and activates a control valve of a fuel pump when the crankshaft starts to rotate. The position module determines a position of the crankshaft and determines a position of a camshaft based on the position of the crankshaft. The camshaft drives the fuel pump. The deactivation module deactivates the control valve when the position module determines the position of the camshaft.
US08033267B2

A control apparatus for an engine including a unit for retarding an ignition timing from an MBT by a predetermined value or more during cranking at engine starting or during a period from a first combustion up to an idling engine speed.
US08033266B2

A throttle valve controller for an internal combustion engine has a throttle valve driven by a motor. The target opening of the throttle valve is determined based on the operating state of the vehicle or internal combustion engine. A first lower limit is determined beforehand as the minimum target opening, and a second lower limit is set which is smaller than the first lower limit if the determined target opening is smaller than a predetermined opening and/or if the rotation speed of the internal combustion engine is lower than a predetermined speed.
US08033259B2

A rocker arm includes a roller brought into contact with a cam to be rotated and an arm body having a storage portion for the roller. The storage portion has an opening edge including a part receiving lubricant oil flowing along an upper surface of the arm body. The part is formed with a receiving opening edge jutting out so that both widthwise ends are located away from a circumferential surface of the roller and so that a widthwise central portion comes closer to the circumferential surface of the roller. The arm body has a lubricant guide path formed by recessing the upper surface thereof and guiding the lubricant oil into the storage portion. The lubricant guide path has a width that is gradually rendered larger as the lubricant guide path gets close to the widthwise central portion of the receiving opening edge.
US08033254B2

A submerged combustion vaporizer may include a premix burner with multiple integral mixers for forming premix and discharging the premix into the duct system that communicates the burner with the sparger tubes. The SCV may further include a NOx suppression system that injects a staged fuel stream into the exhaust in the duct system, and/or a NOx suppression system that mixes water with the premix.
US08033253B2

A game method and apparatus reduces the risk that a thrown toy will injure an animal. The apparatus consists of a buoyant toy with a sealed channel extending completely through the toy. A soft, flexible, water absorbent member extends through the sealed channel and is used to throw the toy and to facilitate retrieval of the toy.
US08033246B2

An arc suppression arrangement suppresses arcs in a gas discharge device that is operated with an alternating voltage from a power supply. The arc suppression arrangement includes an arc suppression device and an arc identification device that controls the arc suppression device. The arc suppression device includes at least one controllable resistor that is connected in series in an electrical line that extends from an alternating voltage source to an electrode of the gas discharge device. An arc can thereby be prevented from being provided with energy.
US08033244B2

Leakage of an atmosphere of a solvent vapor used by a smoothing process for smoothing the surface of a resist pattern outside from a smoothing unit is prevented to facilitate incorporating the smoothing unit into a coating and developing system. A substrate processing system has a coating and developing block 20, a smoothing block 50, an airflow producing unit 60 for producing down airflow that flows down from above the coating and developing block 20 and the smoothing block 50, and a main controller 100 for controlling the airflow producing unit 60. The main controller 100 controls a flow regulating valve 64a placed in an air passage 63a connecting the airflow producing unit 60 to the coating and developing block 20 and a flow regulating valve 64b placed in an air passage 63b connecting the airflow producing unit 60 to the smoothing block 50 on the basis of a signal provided by a pressure sensor 65a for measuring the pressure in the coating and developing block 20 and a signal provided by a pressure sensor 65b for measuring the pressure in the smoothing block 50 such that the pressure in the smoothing block 50 is lower than that in the coating and developing block 20.
US08033241B2

A supply or feed center for dry particulate material is modular in design with an application module and an exhaust module, along with optimal cabinet modules such as a pump cabinet module. The application module is partitioned into an application section and a utility section, both of which communicate with the exhaust module. An air diverter may be used to change relative air flow into the two sections, and in one embodiment is a swingable door. The exhaust module may include a self-contained exhaust system including after filters, motor, fan and final filters, or may share energy from a remote exhaust system. An inventive suction device is also provided to extract material from a hopper.
US08033232B2

An embroidery data processing apparatus which may be used to attach an IC tag to a work cloth without impairing a design of the work cloth. The embroidery data processing apparatus may determine an IC tag area based on a size and shape of the IC tag, and may determine whether the IC tag area can be included in an embroidery area that is determined on the basis of embroidery data. If the IC tag area can be included in the embroidery area, the positions of the embroidery area and the IC tag area may be set in an embroiderable area of a sewing machine in such a manner that the IC tag area is positioned in the embroidery area.
US08033230B2

The present invention provides a method and apparatus to improve seed distribution to a plurality of seed or row units of an agricultural planter. Each row unit is fitted with a seed box having an air/seed inlet and an air outlet through which air is allowed to escape. The present invention effectively closes off or substantially reduces the flow of air out of one or more of the seed boxes to reduce the amount of seed that is fed to the seed boxes. Through the use of restrictor plates, which may be vented to allow some air flow or solid to prevent air flow, the delivery of seed to the seed boxes can be equalized to provide more uniform seed distribution to the row units.
US08033228B2

A structure constructed from plastic may include may include one or more reinforcing portions that are sized and configured to prevent damage to the structure. For example, the structure may be a table top constructed from blow-molded plastic and the table top may include a body with one or more corners. The corners may include an interior portion and an exterior portion, and reinforcement portions may be sized and configured to help prevent damage to the corners of the table top. In addition, one or more depressions may be at least partially disposed within the reinforcement portions, if desired. The reinforcement portions, for example, may include one or more inwardly and/or outwardly extending portions.
US08033225B2

A dispenser system for a platform. The dispenser system is configured to be mounted to the platform and connected to power- and control-system of the platform. The dispenser system includes a dispenser for countermeasure boxes. The dispenser is configured for non-pyrotechnic dispensing and opening of the boxes. Each box is sealed by a detachable closure that includes a first opening member and at least one passive, second opening member stationarily fixed to the dispenser, which is provided with a motor gear. The first and second opening members are configured for detaching the closure by mutual interaction simultaneously as each box under the influence of the motor gear is launchable from the dispenser.
US08033217B2

A stencil printing apparatus for wrapping a master around an outer circumferential surface of a plate cylinder to perform printing, the stencil printing apparatus being capable of preventing the occurrence of abnormal images or afterimage phenomenon which causes confidential information leakage, without increasing cost or causing any problems. This stencil printing apparatus has time measuring means for measuring a leaving time during which the apparatus is left stand, and when a plate discharge command is output before the leaving time exceeds a first predetermined time while the master is wrapped around the outer circumferential surface, the stencil printing apparatus is shifted to a standby state after the master is discharged from the outer circumferential surface.
US08033214B2

The invention relates to a device for delivering thick matter. The device comprises: a delivery cylinder (20); a material feed space (16), which is connected to the delivery cylinder (20) on the entry side; a delivery line (18), which is connected to the delivery cylinder (20) on the exit side; a delivery plunger (12), which can be displaced to-and-fro through the material feed space (16) and the delivery cylinder (20), and; a closing element (22), which is placed at the exit location of the delivery cylinder (20) or inside the delivery line (18) and which can be displaced between an open position and a closing position. In order to be able to separate foreign substances, which are contained in the flow of thick matter, out of the flow of thick matter before the actual processing step for the useful substances, the invention provides that the delivery cylinder (20) is perforated at least over a portion of its cylinder jacket (24). These measures make it possible to obtain a device that combines the features of a thick matter pump, a sieve and a press.
US08033207B1

An electrically actuated weapon system is provided, which may be mounted in a robotic vehicle or device, and controlled remotely by a user. In particular, the electrically actuated weapon system is composed of an electrically actuated weapon, a weapon control means connected thereto, and a controller means remotely located therefrom. The controller means is in wireless communication with the weapon control means, which is operable to control three linear actuators which cycle the weapon. These linear actuator means are controlled electronically, based on communications received from the controller means. Accordingly, if the weapon is stolen, lost, or captured by an enemy combatant during combat, the weapon will cease to be functional. Further, the weapon can be reliably operated from remote locations, as the cycling of the weapon is not dependent upon recoil forces.
US08033206B2

A pair of saw blades includes a first blade, which is adapted to rotate in a first direction about an axis of rotation, and a second blade, which is adapted to rotate in a second direction opposite to said first direction about the same axis of rotation. Each blade has a blade body and cutting elements, which are provided along the periphery of the blade body and adapted to run close and in parallel to each other when the blades are rotating. A spacer, which extends into a space between the two blades, is attached to at least the blade body of one of the blades in order to support itself against and slide along a peripheral part of the other opposite blade.
US08033186B2

The invention provides a device for extraction of a defined sample volume from a larger sample volume. The device includes a body having a reference surface and a measuring cavity extending from a part of the reference surface into the body, thereby forming at least one opening plane substantially uniform with the reference surface, the body being adapted for reception of an excess sample volume at the cavity and elimination of sample above the reference surface to leave in the cavity a measured sample volume having the defined volume. An information carrier is applied to or arranged for distribution with the device, having direct or indirect volume information about the defined volume established for the cavity. The invention also relates to a method for determining the volume of such a cavity, to a set of at least two such devices, to a method for dilution of at least two liquid samples by the use of at least two such devices, to an analytic instrument, to a method for operating such an instrument, to a system including the device and the instrument, and to a method for operating the system.
US08033183B2

The invention relates to a compact magnetic inductive flowmeter device, comprising a measuring tube through which the medium for measuring flows, a housing within which the measuring tube is arranged, with an analysis device which analyses a flow measurement value for the medium recorded in the measuring tube and generates an analysed signal in a standardized form therefrom which contains information about the recorded measured values.
US08033176B2

A device that indicates an internal pressure of an inflatable medical cuff. The device includes a membrane movable in response to a difference between an internal pressure of the device and an external pressure. The device includes a movable internal pressure indicator. The movable internal pressure indicator is operably associated with at least a portion of the membrane.
US08033175B2

A multivariable process fluid pressure transmitter includes an electronics module and a sensor module. The sensor module is coupled to the electronics module. A process fluid temperature sensor is coupled to the process fluid pressure transmitter. A differential pressure sensor is disposed within the sensor module and is operably coupled to a plurality of process fluid pressure inlets. A static pressure sensor is also disposed within the sensor module and is operably coupled to at least one of the process fluid pressure inlets. A first temperature sensor is disposed within the sensor module and is configured to provide an indication of a temperature of the differential pressure sensor. A second temperature sensor is disposed within the sensor module and is configured to provide an indication of a temperature of the static pressure sensor. Measurement circuitry is operably coupled to the differential pressure sensor, the static pressure sensor, and the first and second temperature sensors. A processor is coupled to the measurement circuitry and is configured to provide a compensated differential pressure output based on a measurement of the differential pressure sensor and the first temperature sensor, and to provide a compensated static pressure output based on a measurement of the static pressure sensor and the second temperature sensor.
US08033162B2

Analyte sensors for determining the concentration of an analyte in a sample. The sensors have a sample chamber having an inlet with a projection extending from an edge of the sensor for facilitating flow of sample into the sample chamber.
US08033157B2

A medical fluid air detection apparatus includes an emitter, a receiver, a housing configured to hold at least a portion of a medical fluid conduit between the emitter and the receiver, where the medical fluid conduit includes a narrowed inner diameter at the medical fluid conduit portion that forces flow of medical fluid through the narrowed diameter, and where the narrowed diameter is configured to enhance operation of the emitter and the receiver.
US08033136B2

Various embodiments described herein comprise a gemstone or other piece of jewelry, which incorporates one or more diffractive optical elements to enhance the fire displayed by the gemstone. In certain embodiments, the diffractive optical element comprises a diffraction grating etched on one or more facets of the gemstone.
US08033135B2

A rotary-type fluid machine (10A) includes: a closed casing (1) having a bottom portion utilized as an oil reservoir, a rotary-type fluid mechanism (expansion mechanism) (15) that is provided in an upper portion of the closed casing (1) and in which working chambers (32, 33) in cylinders (22, 24) are partitioned into a suction side working chamber and a discharge side working chamber by vanes (28, 29), a shaft (5) having therein an oil supply passage (51) for supplying oil to the fluid mechanism (15), the shaft being connected to the fluid mechanism (15) and extending an oil reservoir (45), an oil pump (52) provided at a lower portion of the shaft (5), an oil retaining portion (65) for retaining oil, which is pumped up by the oil pump (52) and supplied through the oil supply passage (51), in a surrounding region around the fluid mechanism (15) to allow the partitioning members of the fluid mechanism (15) to be lubricated, the oil retaining portion formed so that the liquid level of the oil retained therein is positioned higher the lower face of the partitioning members (28, 29).
US08033125B2

A control device includes a microcomputer and a storage element. The microcomputer is configured to execute an inspection operation mode in which an air conditioner is operated in inspection process in a manufacturing site, and a normal operation mode in which the air conditioner is operated at an installation site. When the operation state of the air conditioner fails to satisfy predetermined conditions, the microcomputer is configured to confirm that there is an error, and abnormally stop the air conditioner. When the air conditioner is abnormally stopped, the microcomputer is configured to cause the storage element to store predetermined operation information obtained during a period until abnormal stoppage of the air conditioner and to store the operation mode being executed at the time of occurrence of the error in the air conditioner.
US08033123B2

An air conditioner includes a refrigerant circuit, a refrigerant quantity calculating section, and a refrigerant quantity judging section. The refrigerant circuit includes a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an indoor expansion valve, and an indoor heat exchanger interconnected together. The refrigerant quantity calculating section calculates the refrigerant quantity in the refrigerant circuit taking into account a dissolved refrigerant quantity that is the quantity of refrigerant dissolved in the refrigerating machine oil in the compressor, based on an operation state quantity of constituent equipment or refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit. The refrigerant quantity judging section judges the adequacy of the refrigerant quantity in the refrigerant circuit based on the refrigerant quantity calculated by the refrigerant quantity calculating section. In addition, the refrigerant quantity calculating section calculates the dissolved refrigerant quantity based on operation state quantities that include at least the ambient temperature outside the compressor.
US08033119B2

A transition member between a combustion section and a turbine section in a gas turbine engine. The transition member includes a casing inner wall and a plurality of spanning members. The spanning members extend radially outwardly from a radially outer surface of the casing inner wall. Each of the spanning members included a slot formed therein. Each slot is in communication with a first aperture formed in the radially inner surface of the casing inner wall and a plurality of second apertures formed in an aft side of the spanning member for effecting a passage of the cooling fluid from a first cooling fluid channel to an inner volume defined within the radially inner surface of the casing inner wall. The slots include a component in the radial direction and a component in the axial direction such that the first aperture is not radially aligned with the second apertures.
US08033116B2

A turbomachine includes a compressor portion that generates a cooling airflow. The compressor portion includes a plurality of compressor stages. The turbomachine further includes a turbine portion operatively connected to the compressor portion. The turbine portion includes a plurality of turbine stages. A conduit fluidly connects at least one of the plurality of compressor stages with at least one of the plurality of turbine stages and delivers a portion of the cooling airflow from the compressor portion to the turbine portion. An injector port is connected to the conduit and a secondary fluid generation system. The secondary fluid generation system delivers an amount of dry secondary fluid into the cooling airflow passing from the compressor portion to the turbine portion. The amount of dry secondary fluid replaces a portion of the cooling airflow passing to the turbine portion.
US08033115B2

A water injection system positioned about a combustor of a gas turbine engine. The water injection system may include a water manifold and a pressure relief system in communication with the water manifold. The pressure relief system may include a relief vent positioned on a pressure relief line.
US08033108B2

A sequential-type, two-stage supercharging system (1) having a high-pressure-stage turbocharger (6) and a low-pressure-stage turbocharger (5), in which high-pressure-stage exhaust gas bypass passages (6d, 6e) for bypassing a high-pressure-stage turbine (6t) is formed by both the first bypass passage (6d) having a small-diameter valve (6f) and the second bypass passage (6e) having a large-diameter valve (6g) with a diameter greater than that of the small-diameter valve (6f). The effective valve area of the small-diameter valve (6f) is set to 9.5%-26.5% of the passage cross-sectional area required when exhaust gas is at its maximum total flow rate. This allows, in medium speed/medium load operation, fine EGR rate control and air-fuel ratio control.
US08033100B2

An internal combustion engine wherein an SOX trap catalyst (11) able to trap SOX contained in exhaust gas is arranged in an engine exhaust passage upstream of an NOX storing catalyst (12). When the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the SOX trap catalyst (11) is switched from lean to rich to make the NOX storing catalyst (12) release the NOX, if the temperature of the SOX trap catalyst (11) is the SOX release lower limit temperature or more, rich processing making the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the SOX trap catalyst (11) rich for making the NOX storing catalyst (12) release NOX is prohibited.
US08033099B2

An additive agent injection valve and a catalyst unit are formed on an exhaust gas tube in an exhaust gas purifying system. The additive agent injection valve injects urea solution into exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust gas passage. The additive agent injection valve has a first spray part having a first traveling distance and a second spray part having a second traveling distance which is longer than the first traveling distance.
US08033095B2

In order to make a drive device available on the basis of a gel-type propellant, in particular, for a flying object, comprising at least one tank for gel-type propellant, a combustion chamber and a device for supplying propellant to the combustion chamber, which is of a simple construction it is suggested that at least one radiation impinging device be provided for acting on gel-type propellant with electromagnetic radiation and/or at least one heating device for heating gel-type propellant in order to improve the flow behavior.
US08033092B2

A tip turbine engine assembly includes an integral engine outer case located radially outward from a fan assembly. The integral outer case includes a rear portion and a forward portion with an arcuate portion that curves radially inwardly to form a compartment. An annular combustor is housed and mounted in the compartment. Fan inlet guide vanes are integrally formed with the arcuate portion to form the integral case portion. The rear portion, forward portion, and fan inlet guide vanes are integrally formed in a casting process.
US08033089B2

Method for operating a two-for-one twisting or cabling machine (1) with multiple workstations (2), each equipped with at least two feed bobbins (6, 13), one feed bobbin (6) being creeled on a spindle (3) of the workstation (2) and at least one further feed bobbin (13) being creeled on a creeling device (12) associated with the workstation (2). The yarns (7, 15) of the feed bobbins (6, 13) are guided together in a balloon yarn guide (5) and cabled, and the cabled yarn is wound to form a take-up bobbin (16). The feed bobbin (6) creeled on the spindle (3) has half the weight of the take-up bobbin (16) to be produced and the dimensions of the spindle (3) are adapted to the diameter of the reduced feed bobbin (6).
US08033083B2

An improved automated process and apparatus for making a gastro-retentive device (10). The method includes the steps of providing a pouch assembly (18) having an ingredient section within a membrane; rotating the membrane to form a folded pouch assembly; inserting the folded pouch assembly into a first capsule section (20a) to form a pouch/first capsule assembly, and inserting the pouch/first capsule assembly into a second capsule section (20b). The process can further include the steps of providing a continuous strip (32) of multiple pouch assemblies (18) and cutting a single pouch assembly (18) from the strip (32). Also provided is an apparatus (100) for carrying out the above method which includes three wheels (102, 104, 106) for processing and moving the capsule sections (20a, 20b), a pouch load subassembly (166) for delivering a strip (32) of pouch assemblies (18) to a pouch load tooling mechanism (168), a pouch wrapping subassembly which, after receiving the pouches (18) from the pouch load tooling mechanism (168) wraps the flaps of the pouches which are then, via a pouch insert subassembly 200, inserted into the first capsule section (20a) in one of the wheels (104). The second capsule section (20b) is then combined with the first capsule section (20a) in the wheel (104) to complete the finished gastro-retentive device (10).
US08033082B2

A packaging machine includes a grouper section having changeable lane sizes and a dual servo grouper that separates product into product sets and allow the product sets to accelerate to the lane chain speed in a controlled manner. The grouper section further includes disappearing lugs that pivot into the lanes via a cam surface provided in the lanes. The product rides upon a raised surface of the cam surface as the lug pushes the product set together down the lane, thus ensuring that no gaps are provided between product set members. A gripper/grid section of the packaging machine includes a bars that travel about a carousel with a gripper head assembly and a grid assembly pair moving up and down the bars as defined by cam surfaces within the gripper/grid section. The grid section is presented below the product set such that the product set is fed through the grid section in a one-way trip into a case. The gripper head assembly cam device and the case feed section both include height adjustment assemblies.
US08033079B2

A method of manufacturing terrazzo tiles and tiles manufactured in accordance with the method is described. A resin, curing agent, filler, and pigment are poured into a mold. Stone chips are then poured into the mold to settle with the majority at the bottom of the mold. Thereafter, curing occurs to result in rough tiles which are ground and then polished with the upper surface being the resulting tile surface at which the majority of the stones settle. The tiles are assembled onto a floor with grout lines resulting from spacing of the tiles, one from another. Grout is then poured in and skived, and the floor polished to result in a sealed monolithic surface.
US08033072B2

Systems for assembling and supporting roofing members on a roof structure are described. An exemplary system includes at least one batten extending along a portion of the roof structure. The batten includes receiving portions for removably securing hanger devices along the batten. Related methods for support and assembly are also described.
US08033065B2

Wall and floor structures of a building each comprise a base layer comprising prefabricated panels with grooved inner faces and a covering layer disposed over the panels to cooperate with walls of the grooves to define channels extending along the panels. Selected grooves contain in-floor heating elements and electrical wiring and routing components. A prefabricated corner panel is formed by notching out an oversized channel in the same type of panel, bending the panel along the channel and filling a remaining gap at the so-formed corner bend with a higher r-value insulation than the rest of the panel. Wall and floor panels are joined by a connector having a C-shaped portion that caps exterior floor panel edges and an integral projecting portion inserted into a slot formed in the wall panel's insulating layer at a bottom edge of the floor panel.
US08033061B2

A sales and presentation area has an essentially annular region rotatably mounted in the horizontal direction, divided into ring segments able to be moved individually in the vertical direction, and set into horizontal rotational movement via drives during use of the ring segments by customers. A changing section along the path of the moving annular region is kept inaccessible for customers from the exterior of the annular region. A lifting and lowering device is provided beneath the changing section. The ring segments slide over the lifting and lowering device in the course of the rotational movement of the annular region and rest on the lifting and lowering device during a standstill of the annular region for moving the ring segments in the vertical direction. The ring segments may be pushed in the radial direction into rooms below the sales and presentation area.
US08033052B2

The invention relates to an anti-jamming device in the field of motor vehicles, which is used for preventing an object from getting caught. Said anti-jamming device comprises an actuating means (1) which can be coupled to a body part (3) of a vehicle and can be moved relative to said body part (3) by resting the same against the object, and an apparatus for detecting a relative movement between the actuating means (1) and the body part (3).
US08033044B2

A fishing buoy for reducing injury or premature mortality in target fish species and endangered or protected bycatch includes: a multi-axis swivel having first and second attachment points arrayed along a central first axis and a third attachment point arrayed along a distinct second axis; an anchor or other underwater restraining device; a ballast, float and a transmitter having a transmission state; a leader and at least one baitable hook; a fish strike trigger connected to the transmitter and temporarily coupled to the leader, or connected to the leader and temporarily coupled to the transmitter. After a fish or bycatch strike the trigger changes the transmitter state to provide an indication that a strike has occurred, the leader and transmitter are decoupled, and the leader is free to rotate around the central axis without entangling the anchor or other underwater restraining device.
US08033042B2

A device for fastening labels to binders which exhibit slots arranged in pairs at a mutual distance from each other for receiving end sections of label holders, and for firmly locking the end sections in the slots. The label holder is pocket-shaped, is flexible, and exhibits rows of recesses along lateral edge sections opposing each other. Hook-shaped locking elements distributed in rows are received inside the slots. The row of recesses and locking forms formed are adapted to each other in terms of shape for lockable receiving, interacting in pairs, of the respective locking elements in a suitable recess after insertion of the respective label end sections in a suitable slot.
US08033039B2

In a high frequency flip chip package process of a polymer substrate and a structure thereof, the structure is a one-layer structure packaged by a high frequency flip chip package process to overcome the shortcomings of a conventional two-layer structure packaged by the high frequency flip chip package process. The conventional structure not only incurs additional insertion loss and return loss in its high frequency characteristic, but also brings out a reliability issue. Thus, the manufacturing process of a ceramic substrate in the conventional structure still has the disadvantages of a poor yield rate and a high cost.
US08033038B2

An ironing station having an ironing board stowably mounted in the cabinet for movement between a stowed position and a use position, with a docking station provided on the top wall of the cabinet and having an electrical outlet. An elevation mechanism may be provided for raising the ironing board to an elevated position, and a latch mechanism may be provided for fixing the ironing board in the elevated position.
US08033016B2

A protruding electrodes is formed on a lead electrode of an electronic component, and the protruding electrodes comprises a first conductor formed on the lead electrode of the electronic component, and a second conductor overlaid on the first conductor by using a transfer mold having a concavity. By virtue of this structure, protruding electrodes of any configuration can be formed in fine pitches.
US08033006B2

A mounting spindle with a thread that is formed adapted to the thread-protecting element, formed as a helical wire, serves as a mounting tool with the mounting method. The helical wire is fixed on the mounting spindle by frictional engagement, which is greater than the torque necessary for mounting the helical wire into the receiving threads. The mounting spindle with the helical wire fixed thereon is then threaded into the receiving threads. Then, the mounting spindle is removed from the helical wire by rotation opposite to the mounting direction. The frictional force is achieved by a reduced-diameter end section of the helical wire.
US08033005B1

A method for making a collated fastener assembly includes the steps of arranging a plurality of fasteners each having a head and a tip, in a row parallel to one another, the fasteners being arranged in a plane. The plurality of fasteners are preheated to elevate the temperature of the fasteners and a molten polymer material is applied onto the preheated plurality of fasteners. The fasteners, maintained in the plane, are conveyed with the molten polymer thereon between a pair of forming wheels. The molten polymer material is molded onto the preheated fasteners and between adjacent fasteners to form a plastic molding having a collar encircling a shank of each fastener and a connecting portion between adjacent fasteners. A cooling vapor is sprayed onto the fasteners and the plastic molding as the fasteners and the plastic molding exit from between the molding wheels. A gaseous cooling stream is forced over the fasteners and the plastic molding to cool the strip to form the fastener assembly.
US08032999B2

In combination with a crank assembly, the improvement comprising an apparatus for improving operation of the crank assembly. The apparatus includes an elongated extension member having each of a predetermined shape, a first predetermined length and formed of a first predetermined material, such predetermined shape includes a projection on one end thereof for engagement with one end of the crank assembly. A rotatable handle member is disposed around at least a portion of the elongated extension member, such rotatable handle member having a second predetermined length and formed of a second predetermined material. There is a means for securing the rotatable handle member to the elongated handle member.
US08032998B2

A manufacturing apparatus for a foil bearing comprises: a tubular positioning member having a substantially cylindrical wall provided with engagement portions each having a shape corresponding to at least part of a wave-shaped portion of associated one of foil members such that positioning of the foil members can be achieved by engaging the wave-shaped portion of each foil member to the associated engagement portion of the positioning member and inserting the positioning member into an inside of the stationary mount member; and a welding device for welding the foil members to the inner circumferential surface of the stationary mount member, wherein the positioning member is formed with openings in the substantially circumferential wall thereof to allow the welding device to access the foil members from inside the positioning member through the openings.
US08032995B2

The device is used for separating a partial quantity of threads from a thread layer by means of a movable separating means, wherein the thread layer is formed from a plurality of adjacently arranged threads. The device includes a movement device for moving the separating means relative to the thread layer, a control device for controlling the movement device and a detection device for detecting threads, wherein the detection device allows the detection of a reference position relative to the thread layer and the movement device can be controlled in such a manner that the separating means can be brought to a working position relative to the thread layer and can execute a separating movement in which the separating means is at least partially inserted between two adjacent threads. At least one relative coordinate of the working position in relation to the reference position is a variable parameter of the control device and at least one value for this relative coordinate can be made available to the control device.
US08032990B2

A handle for a tool includes a handle body, an operation device and a pair of clamp halves. The operation device has an operation member operable by an operator. At least one of the clamp halves can move relative to the handle body along an axis. As the operation member is operated, the one of the handle halves moves along the axis, so that the distance between the handle halves can be changed for clamping or releasing a portion of the tool.
US08032979B2

A heat exchanger for use with a carpet cleaning system having combined exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine and other hot exhaust gases expelled from a vacuum pump as a single input to a heat exchanger for heating the carpet cleaning fluid. A heat exchanger control system permits constant control of a stream of cleaning fluid both while the cleaning fluid is flowing through the heat exchanger and while the cleaning fluid is stagnant within the heat exchanger, without the potential overheat condition of the portion of cleaning fluid stagnant in the heat exchanger known in prior art devices that required a constant flow of the cleaning fluid.
US08032977B2

The invention is a device and a method for manufacturing the device, namely an air moving device, such as a vacuum cleaner, yard air blower, or other air moving machinery. The device and method involves using compressible foam, molded into appropriate configurations to secure the mechanical components, such as the motor and fan, inside a housing for operation. In most cases the method would involve enclosing an Air Moving Motor and its supporting components between two molded pieces of foam. The foam would conform to significant features on the motor or accompanying devices. The assembly will be placed into a molded housing, using the housing to encase the assembly.
US08032972B2

An apparatus is disclosed providing a portable, multi-purpose golf apparatus. The apparatus includes a casing, a cleaning device, and an opening. The cleaning device may be extendable through the opening an effective distance to clean a golf ball. A carrier may be mounted to the cleaning device within the casing. The carrier may slide within the casing to transition the cleaning device from a stored position to an extended position. The golf apparatus may further include a positioning mechanism coupled to the carrier. The apparatus may include a second opening through which a divot tool or other supplemental device may be extendable.
US08032959B2

The present invention provides a bed sheet attachment system that allows a user to quickly and easily change bed sheets. In one embodiment, the fitted sheet of a bed comprises an upper surface and at least one attachment member disposed on the upper surface. A quick-change sheet having upper and lower surfaces also is provided, wherein at least one attachment member is disposed on the lower surface of the quick-change sheet. In use, the attachment member of the quick-change sheet is configured to releasably mate with the attachment member of the fitted sheet, thereby facilitating the changing of the quick-change sheet. Further, at least one pocket member may be releasably coupled to the fitted sheet, thereby providing one or more storage locations in close proximity to the bed.
US08032953B2

A liquid dispensing device for use in the flush cistern of a water closet comprises a reservoir (13) for the liquid formulation which is fed from an inverted container (5) maintaining a constant liquid level (47) in the reservoir (13) at the mouth (37) of the container. A displacement body in the form of a piston (9), which may be magnetic, moves in a bore (56) to dispense liquid through opening (25). The piston (9) is moved by a float (11) which moves up and down as the level of water L in the cistern rises and falls on flushing. The float is coupled to the piston (9) magnetically. In another embodiment a direct mechanical coupling is used. Liquid seeps past piston (9) when in the lowered position, and is raised to overflow outlet (25) when the cistern fills. In another embodiment, liquid is dispensed on a downward stroke of the piston. The fit of piston (9) in the bore allows liquid to seep slowly past the piston to replenish the bore.
US08037543B2

An image processing apparatus includes an alteration unit and a control unit. The alteration unit alters a first image file stored in a removable storage medium in order to generate a second image file. The control unit controls to store the second image file in the storage medium without deleting the first image file from the storage medium, if the first image file includes authentication data that is used to authenticate whether the first image file has been altered.
US08037542B2

A team based row level security system and method are provided that permits items of data to be shared across a team.
US08037540B2

There is provided a method of protecting a virtual community visitor from unauthorized social interaction comprising receiving a request from the virtual community visitor seeking access to a virtual community content, determining whether the virtual community content includes at least one social interaction opportunity, prompting the virtual community visitor to provide a visitor identity if the virtual community content includes at least one social interaction opportunity, associating the visitor identity with a socialization level, and utilizing the socialization level in one or more permission database to regulate social interaction. In one embodiment, a system for protecting a virtual community visitor from unauthorized social interaction comprises a virtual community content server, and a processor configured to execute instructions included in a social interaction control software to associate a socialization level with the virtual community visitor and utilize the socialization level in one or more permission database.
US08037536B2

A method suitable for detecting malicious files includes several steps. A file that is received into a computer system is analyzed to determine a presence or absence of each of a plurality of predefined properties in the file. A score is calculated based on the presence or absence of the plurality of properties in the file. This score is reflective of the risk that the file is malicious. Once the score is calculated, the file can be further processed based on the score.
US08037532B2

A program, method and system for embedding a programmable packet filter into an application to protect the application against malicious network packets are disclosed. Traditional packet filtering techniques to protect against malicious packets designed to exploit defects in applications, based on external packet filtering devices create a bottleneck in network traffic and present a large overhead cost. In addition, when security vulnerabilities in applications are discovered, traditional application updating methods lack a fast enough turn-around time to protect the application and users data from attack. These problems can be overcome by embedding a programmable packet filter into the application itself. The application can use the filter to discard malicious network packets. Furthermore, the filter can be updated via configuration files downloaded from the application vendor to update the application's embedded programmable packet filter without having to update the entire program code of the application.
US08037520B2

Methods, apparatus, programs and signals for providing communications network security. The approach is based on using established “standard” protocols, but packets (or cells or frames) are deliberately malformed by the sender, optionally according to a predetermined rule (for example by inverting a packet check digit). A filter forwards only packets identified as being invalid, optionally in accordance with the rule; packets which are valid with respect to the “standard” protocol are dropped. The filter is preferably implemented in hardware to mitigate the risk of its being compromised by a malicious attack.
US08037519B2

An apparatus is provided that includes a processor configured to receive a captured traffic unit (CTU) intended for a network service, the CTU being one into which incoming traffic has been assembled based on a filter describing which incoming traffic to capture and how to assemble the respective incoming traffic into the CTU. The processor is also configured to determine whether to allow the CTU to pass to one or more applications configured to implement the respective network service based on a passlet including permissions to a particular user. The processor is further configured to instruct a firewall to allow the CTU to pass to the respective one or more applications or to reject the CTU based on the determination. In this regard, the processor is configured to perform the above functions under control of a security framework implemented in middleware between a user-level domain and a system-level domain.
US08037518B2

Methods and associated systems for processing data are disclosed. A hashing function sequentially processes a hash key to generate a hash value. A policy management system processes packets according to defined policies.
US08037517B2

Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing function-parallel firewalls are disclosed. According to one aspect, a function-parallel firewall includes a first firewall node for filtering received packets using a first portion of a rule set including a plurality of rules. The first portion includes less than all of the rules in the rule set. At least one second firewall node filters packets using a second portion of the rule set. The second portion includes at least one rule in the rule set that is not present in the first portion. The first and second portions together include all of the rules in the rule set.
US08037513B2

When a new MFP is connected in a state where a plurality of MFPs are connected to a network, each of a plurality of MFPs obtains an IP address of MPF from the new MFP, and if user data including the obtained IP address is stored, then transmits to the new MFP the registered user information associated with the obtained IP address by the user data. On the other hand, if user data including the obtained IP address is not stored in HDD, the new MFP is requested to transmit registered user information. Upon reception of the registered user information, the new MFP displays a confirmation window to ask the user for permission to write that registered user information into HDD. Upon reception of the request, the new MFP transmits registered user information. This facilitates the setting for newly connecting an apparatus to the network.
US08037503B2

The disclosure relates to a method of caching a part of digital content data from a content source (202), comprising the step of: acquiring the digital content data from the content source (202), wherein said part of the digital content data comprises interleaved segments (130; 131) of the acquired digital content data, and said interleaved segments (130; 131) of the acquired digital content data are stored on first storage means (203), thereby allowing for fast access to said digital content data. The disclosure moreover relates to a device for carrying out such a method. The content sources can be DVD, CD, CD-ROM, hard disk, RAM, Flash memory or remote sources accessible over a network, such as the Internet.
US08037499B2

Systems, methods and computer products for recording of repeated programs. Exemplary embodiments include a recording of a repeated program method, including receiving a recording request for a first program from a communications device, the recording request having a specified recording time, determining that the specified recording time is during a peak time, determining an alternate recording time for the recording request, sending a message to the communications device that there is the alternate recording time to record the first program, delivering the first program to the communications device for the specified recording time in response to receiving a rejection of the alternate recording time and delivering the first program to the communications device for the alternate recording time in response to receiving an acceptance of the alternate recording time.
US08037491B2

In a method and system for transmitting and receiving data, specified data can be transmitted only to a specific receiving terminal by assigning unique terminal information to the receiving terminal. When transmitted with data, the unique terminal information identifies the specific receiving terminal as the destination of transmission from among a plurality of receiving terminals. An update program for changing the processing of the receiving terminal may be transmitted to the specific receiving terminal along with the unique terminal information. The unique terminal information and the update program are stored in a prescribed storage location in the specific receiving terminal. Thus, a one-to-one broadcasting system is achieved.
US08037490B2

A spindle motor is provided. The spindle motor includes a rotation shaft rotatably installed, a stator around the rotation shaft, a rotor coupled to the rotation shaft, a turntable rotated with the rotation shaft, and a center guide member comprising a body coupled to the rotation shaft and a support rim extending from the body, the support rim can comprise a first sloped surface extending from an outer surface of the body and making an angle of about 47° to 53° with an imaginary vertical line parallel with the rotation shaft, and a second sloped surface extending from an end of the first sloped surface and making an angle of about 16° to 22° with an imaginary vertical line parallel with the rotation shaft.
US08037488B2

This invention aims at reducing a rolling moment generated in coils mounted to lens holder side face without losing drive forces in a focusing direction and tracking direction in an objective lens drive of an optical pickup device. By shifting a coil line portion near the objective lens of two coil line portions substantially parallel to the tracking direction of the first coil in a direction departing from a lens optical axis, increase and decrease in drive forces generated in right and left first coils when the lens holder is moved in the tracking direction cancel each other so as to eliminate imbalance between the right and left drive forces.
US08037485B1

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for abstracting data acquisition and management. One or more aspects of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in one or more methods including: providing a cross-platform application program interface for a software application that runs in an application execution environment running on a computing platform; receiving a request, through the cross-platform application program interface, from the software application for access to a real-time sensor device; and in response to the request, identifying which of multiple predetermined sensor devices is currently available, the identified sensor device being configured to provide real-time data, determining an interval based on information associated with the software application, and providing data derived from the identified sensor device to the software application in accordance with the interval.
US08037479B2

An improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for creating and running batch jobs in an object oriented environment, such as a J2EE environment. A request to execute a batch job is received. A deployment descriptor file is processed to identify a batch bean to be invoked. This batch job session bean processes the request, parses deployment descriptor file that comprises definitions of relationships between other helper classes, entity and session beans. The identified batch bean is invoked to execute the batch job step in the order described in the deployment descriptor applying checkpoints at intervals specified in the descriptor.
US08037476B1

A method of address-level log-based synchronization comprises a thread attempting to acquire a lock on an object. If its lock attempt fails, a thread logs, at a synchronization log, data access operations directed at the shared data object, and waits for a notification from the lock-owning thread indicating whether the logged operations succeeded. If its lock attempt succeeds, the lock-owning thread performs data access operations on the shared data object, and arbitrates among requests logged by other threads in the synchronization log, applying the modifications logged in the requests that do not conflict with other modification operations, and rejecting the requests that conflict. The master sends a success notification to the logging threads whose requests were accepted, and a failure notification to the logging threads whose requests were rejected.
US08037473B2

A computer implemented method and computer program product for sharing licensed applications between virtual machines. When an event is intercepted which comprises an attempted access of a file stored in a hard disk of a guest operating system, wherein the file type has no association with any application installed on the guest operating system, an application installed on a host operating system capable of opening the file is identified. An association of the file type with an application on the host operating system is established, and the file is copied from the hard disk of the guest operating system to a temporary location on the host operating system. The file is opened and accessed using the associated application on the host operating system. The file is then copied back to the hard disk of the guest operating system.
US08037463B2

The present invention provides for a system for computer program functional partitioning for heterogeneous multi-processing systems. At least one system parameter of a computer system comprising one or more disparate processing nodes is identified. Computer program code comprising a program to be run on the computer system is received. A whole program representation is generated based on received computer program code. At least one single-entry-single-exit (SESE) region is identified based on the whole program representation. At least one node-specific SESE region is identified based on identified SESE regions and the at least one system parameter. Each node-specific SESE region is grouped into a node-specific subroutine. Each node-specific subroutine is compiled based on a specified node characteristic. The computer program code is modified based on the node-specific subroutines and the modified computer program code is compiled.
US08037462B2

A method for providing parallel processing capabilities including: performing scalar and array privatization analysis via a compiler; checking whether an assignment statement is reducible; recognizing reduction patterns through a pattern matching algorithm; classifying a reduction type of each of the reduction patterns; and performing transformations and code generation for each reduction the reduction type of each of the reduction patterns.
US08037461B2

A method of dynamic real time translation of first program code written for a first programmable machine into second program code (target code) for running on a second programmable machine employing run time generation of an intermediate representation of the first program code. Upon first encountering a given portion of program code, only the target code necessary to execute that portion of program code under a prevailing set of entry conditions is initially generated and stored. When the same portion of program code is again encountered, a determination is made as to whether intermediate representation corresponding to a second subsequent set of conditions has been generated. If not, the target code necessary to execute the same portion of program code under that second set of conditions is generated.
US08037458B2

A method for providing a common structure for trace data is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes generating non-compatible trace data at a first provider, converting the non-compatible trace data into a first compatible trace data, generating a second compatible trace data at a second provider, and storing the first compatible trace data and the second compatible trace data as common trace data at a database.
US08037454B2

The present invention is generally directed towards providing a method, system and article of manufacture for generating and utilizing debug history to improve the debugging process. By providing facilities to store and retrieve debug history records for given events, the present invention allows developers to debug code more efficiently by allowing them to leverage information stored in a debug history repository. Further, the added functionality, related to the debug history, is available via modules that work in conjunction with existing debugger applications and is provided to users via a variety of interfaces including graphic interfaces and plug-in components.
US08037451B2

A method for tracking software code revisions with a checksum data value being automatically appended to source files. The method including assessing via a code management tool a source file containing source code. The method proceeds by appending a checksum data value via the code management tool to the source file. The method concludes by injecting the checksum data value into a binary module for display by a user.
US08037447B2

A method for identifying specification window violations for a system is described. The method includes generating a sample set of input parameters. The system is simulated using the sample set to generate an output set. A mathematical model is best-fit to the output set. A set of desirability functions is defined to an out-of-spec condition. The model is then searched using the desirability functions to identify a worst-case data point. The worst-case data point can then be determined as either being within specification or out of specification.
US08037446B2

Methods are disclosed for defining evaluation points for use in optical proximity correction of a rectangular target geometry. A method for defining evaluation points for use in optical proximity correction of a rectangular target geometry may comprise predicting a contour of an image to be produced in an optical proximity correction simulation of a target geometry. The target geometry may comprise a plurality of line segments, each line segment of the plurality having one evaluation point defined thereon. The method may further comprise shifting at least one evaluation point to an associated point on the predicted contour of the image.
US08037427B2

A method for manufacturing a photomask based on design data includes the steps of forming a figure element group including a figure element in a layout pattern on the photomask and a figure element affecting the figure element due to the optical proximity effect, adding identical identification data to a data group indicating an identical figure element group, estimating an influence of the optical proximity effect on the figure element group, generating correction data indicating a corrected figure element in which the influence of the optical proximity effect is compensated for at the time of exposure, creating figure data by associating data having the identical identification data with correction data having the identical identification data, and forming a mask pattern on the photomask using figure data. Thus, the computation time for correction of the layout can be reduced, thereby reducing the production time of the photomask.
US08037425B2

The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for controlling presentation and selection of objects that are digital images depicting subjects. According to one aspect, a plurality of objects arranged in a plurality of vectors is presented via a presentation device. Each object in a second vector is associated with an object in a first vector. Each of the objects is a digital image depicting a subject. A first object presented in a first vector is selected in response to a first selection event associated with the first object. A second object non-adjacent to the first object is determined based on a predefined relationship associating the first object with the second object. The second object in the second vector adjacent to the first object in the first vector is presented via the presentation device in response to the determination.
US08037412B2

An audiovisual reproduction system triggered by payment from a user is developed around a microprocessor device. The system includes memory containing, in compressed digital form, audio and visual information, and a display and digital audio reproduction unit, for creating a multimedia environment. The display includes a video monitor and an interactive user interface which reacts to external events and translates the external events for a multitasking operating system as events activating, via a graphical module of a library of integrated tools and services, a display of windows or frames providing control of physical operating parameters of the audiovisual reproduction system. The external events includes at least a down-event where the user contacts a representation displayed on the touch screen, selecting a parameter to modify, and an up-event where the use breaks contact with the screen, which triggers modification of the selected parameter saving these parameters in the memory.
US08037407B2

Computer-implemented methods, computer systems and computer program products are provided for creating and processing a browser compliant human interface description. A predefined application specific human interface description using application specific layout elements is transformed into a standardized human interface description using basic layout elements. The standardized human interface description is decomposed into a human interface layout template and a data description. A data instance is instantiated from the data description. The data instance is merged with the human interface layout template into an individual browser compliant human interface description, which is then rendered to prompt a user for data input. The received data from the user are stored in the data instance. The status of at least one layout element is either stored in the data instance or in a runtime-copy of the standardized human interface description.
US08037405B2

A method for improving functionality of a binary representation of an XML-based content description, wherein a structure of any instance of an XML-document corresponds to a tree-like data structure including a plurality of tree nodes, is provided. The method includes providing that each tree node represents an element of the content description and has a structure which is defined in a schema; providing the tree nodes in binary representation with tree branch codes; providing that the respective tree branch code has a schema branch code; extending an existing schema by utilizing unused schema branch codes in a tree node for extensions with new elements until the unused schema branch codes are all used up, and increasing a bit length of the schema branch code as necessary; and communicating a bit length change to a decoder for correctly decoding the content description in the binary representation.
US08037403B2

An apparatus for retrieving a structured document including a first specifying unit that specifies a plurality of object documents from a plurality of structured documents being accessible via a network, the object document being the structured document according to retrieval condition; a first extracting unit that extracts text included in the object document; a second extracting unit that extracts metadata appended to the object document, the metadata being first data concerning the text of the object document and second data indicating a link relation between the object document and the structured documents; and a first calculating unit that calculates importance of each of the object documents, based on the text and the metadata of each of the object documents.
US08037399B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for efficient generation of CRC values in a network environment. Specific embodiments of the present invention enable CRC processing circuits that can generate CRC values at high data throughput rates (e.g., 100 Gbps or greater), while being capable of being implemented on currently available FPGAs. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may be used in network devices such as routers, switches, hubs, host network interfaces and the like to support high speed data transmission standards such as 100G Ethernet and beyond.
US08037398B2

A system includes an encoder that manipulates postcoded data and produces parity bits, and a parity bit encoder that produces encoded parity bits by inserting into the parity bits one or more flags with polarities, or states, that are selected to produce, after precoding, precoded parity bits that meet predetermined modulation constraints.
US08037387B2

Provided are a conversion device and the like for converting a initial test pattern given in advance into a test pattern of a bit constitution of different logic values, without losing the fault coverage of transition delay fault which can be detected by the constitution element of the initial test pattern. The conversion device converts an initial test pattern 100a given in advance for a logic circuit into an intermediate test pattern 100b of a bit constitution of different logic values, where the constitution elements of the initial test pattern 100a are at least two test vectors applied in succession. The conversion device includes a decision means for deciding a combination of logic values in the initial test pattern 100a which meet a detection condition of faults of the logic circuit which can be detected by applying the constitution elements.
US08037386B2

A TAP linking module (21, 51) permits plural TAPs (TAPs 1-4) to be controlled and accessed from a test bus (13) via a single TAP interface (20).
US08037381B2

A memory device has an error documentation memory array that is separate from the primary memory array. The error documentation memory array stores data relating to over-programmed bits in the primary array. When the over-programmed bits in the primary array are erased, the error documentation memory array is erased as well, deleting the documentation data relating to the over-programmed bits.
US08037379B1

A method for predicting an impact on post-repair yield resulting from manufacturing process modification is described. The method includes receiving bit data representing locations of defective memory cells for a plurality of memory devices. The bit data is modified by removing a selected failure pattern type according to a modification scheme to generate modified bit data. Repairs are simulated on hypothetical memory devices corresponding to the modified bit data, generating a result indicating whether the hypothetical memory device is good or bad. A post-repair yield is then identified and a report is generated indicating the post-repair yield, the post-repair yield representing a number of the plurality of memory devices that would be functional after repair had the plurality of memory devices been manufactured without the selected failure pattern. A method to identify a process providing the best economic benefit is also described.
US08037369B2

System and method for error handling in a graphical program. An error handling structure is displayed in a graphical program. The error handling structure includes a first frame configured to contain graphical program code for which error handling is to be provided. At least a portion of the graphical program is included in the first frame in response to user input specifying the at least a portion of the graphical program. During execution of the graphical program, the error handling structure aborts execution of the at least a portion of the graphical program in the first frame in response to detection of an unhandled error in the at least a portion of the graphical program in the first frame and continues execution of the graphical program.
US08037367B1

A system and method for distributed fault detection. In an exemplary method, unplanned application exits and crashes may be detected at a node local level. Further, application hangs may be detected using at least one of a script and a binary at the node local level. Also, node crashes and operating system crashes may be detected using node to node heart-beating.
US08037359B2

A process analyzing apparatus includes processing-identifying-information acquiring, from setting history information in which an update date and time, update-result information, and management-target identifying information, processing identifying information that is associated with the same management-target identifying information indicating that the updating processing is unsuccessful and that is associated with processing identifying information associated with an update date and time within a specific period of time from the update date and time associated with the update-result information indicating that the updating processing is unsuccessful, and failure-cause-processing estimating, from execution history information in which an execution history of each processing contained in the process is associated with the processing identifying information, processing corresponding to the processing identifying information acquired as the processing that is the cause of the failure of the processing corresponding to the processing identifying information associated with the update-result information indicating that the updating processing is unsuccessful.
US08037358B2

A semiconductor device is designed to provide an access control for a memory that includes a plurality of storage regions storing the same boot programs comprised of a set of program data. The semiconductor device is provided with a memory controller for reading out the program data from the storage regions, and an error detection circuit performing error detection on the program data read out. When the error detection circuit detects an error in one of the program data read out from one of the storage regions, the memory controller reads out the corresponding one of the program data from another of the storage regions.
US08037348B2

An aspect of the present disclosure relates to implementing a temporary reassignment of data based on a vibration condition. An exemplary method includes implementing a data operation for a portion of data and detecting a data error during the data operation. The method further includes obtaining an indication of a vibration condition associated with a device with which the data operation is performed and implementing a temporary reassignment of the portion of data based on the vibration condition.
US08037340B2

An apparatus and method for micro-tuning an effective clock frequency of a core in a microprocessor. The apparatus includes a microprocessor having at least one core with logic configured to transition between states, a clock signal coupled to the microprocessor, the clock signal having a predetermined clock frequency based on a worst-case clock frequency and a predetermined clock period. The apparatus further including at least one voltage drop sensor coupled to the core, the sensor being configured to generate an output signal for detecting a voltage drop in the core and to determine whether or not the output signal is detected within the clock period and, if the output signal is not detected, the sensor dynamically adjusts the clock period of the clock signal provided to the core to allow more time to complete state transitions, such that, dynamically adjusting the clock period effectively changes an effective core clock frequency.
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