US08044295B2
A solar cell has an active semiconductor structure and a back electrical contact overlying and contacting an active semiconductor structure back side. A front electrical contact is applied overlying and contacting the active semiconductor structure front side. The front electrical contact has multiple layers including a titanium layer overlying and contacting the active semiconductor structure front side, a diffusion layer overlying and contacting the titanium layer, a barrier layer overlying and contacting the diffusion layer, and a joining layer overlying and contacting the barrier layer. The front electrical contact may be applied by sequentially vacuum depositing the titanium layer, the diffusion layer, the barrier layer, and the joining layer in a vacuum deposition apparatus in a single pumpdown from ambient pressure. A front electrical lead is affixed overlying and contacting an attachment pad region of the front electrical contact.
US08044291B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for selection of visually displayed audio data are provided. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided. Original audio data is displayed in a plurality of visual forms. A first input is received selecting a region within a first visual representation of the original audio data. A second input is received selecting a region within a second visual representation of the original audio data. Audio components from the selected regions are isolated to provide isolated audio data. The isolated audio data corresponds to audio data common to both user selected regions. The isolated audio data is edited and then missed into the original audio data.
US08044287B2
A pitch adjustment device for selectively adjusting the pitch of the string(s) of a stringed musical instrument. Each string of the instrument is attached to a respective pitch adjustment device. Each pitch adjustment device includes a pivotable string puller wherein pivoting of the string puller adjusts the pitch on the string. A pulley is rotatably mounted to the string puller such that movement of the pulley causes the string puller to pivot. A cable is wrapped around the pulley and has a first side extending from one side of the pulley and a second side extending form the other side of the pulley. A plurality of actuators are operably coupled to the first and second sides of the cable. The actuators move the cable, which moves the pulley, which in turn pivots the string puller, thereby adjusting the pitch of the string.
US08044286B2
A novel inbred maize line designated PHEHG and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing inbred maize line PHEHG with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHEHG 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 inbred line PHEHG or a trait conversion of PHEHG with another maize line. Inbred maize lines derived from inbred maize line PHEHG, methods for producing other inbred maize lines derived from inbred maize line PHEHG and the inbred maize lines and their parts derived by the use of those methods.
US08044281B1
A novel maize variety designated X7K483 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing maize variety X7K483 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X7K483 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X7K483, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X7K483. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X7K483.
US08044280B1
A novel maize variety designated PHVCK and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PHVCK with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHVCK 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 PHVCK or a locus conversion of PHVCK with another maize variety.
US08044279B1
A novel maize variety designated PHVCN and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PHVCN with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHVCN 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 PHVCN or a locus conversion of PHVCN with another maize variety.
US08044277B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV511443. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV511443, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV511443 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV511443.
US08044276B1
A novel maize variety designated PHGME and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PHGME with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHGME 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 PHGME or a trait conversion of PHGME with another maize variety. Inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHGME, methods for producing other inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHGME and the inbred maize varieties and their parts derived by the use of those methods.
US08044272B2
The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 06T201F. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 06T201F. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety 06T201F and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 06T201F with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08044267B2
The present invention discloses rucola plants, including an E. sativa plant, with cytoplasmic inherited male sterility (CMS) for hybrid breeding purposes. The present invention includes plants that comprise CMS-cytoplasm from cauliflower (B. oleracea var. botrytis) transferred to E. sativa by a wide interspecific cross.
US08044259B2
A small percentage of cells within an established solid tumor have the properties of stem cells. These solid tumor stem cells give rise both to more tumor stem cells and to the majority of cells in the tumor that have lost the capacity for extensive proliferation and the ability to give rise to new tumors. Thus, solid tumor heterogeneity reflects the presence of tumor cell progeny arising from a solid tumor stem cell. We have developed a xenograft model in which we have been able to establish tumors from primary tumors via injection of tumor cells in the mammary gland of severely immunodeficient mice. These xenograft assay have allowed us to do biological and molecular assays to characterize clonogenic solid tumor stem cells. We have also developed evidence that strongly implicates the Notch pathway, especially Notch 4, as playing a central pathway in carcinogenesis.
US08044257B2
An absorbent article that contains a lateral flow assay device for testing a bodily fluid, such as urine, blood, mucous, saliva, etc., is provided. The lateral flow assay device includes a chromatographic medium (e.g., porous membrane) that defines a detection zone that provides a signal indicative of the presence or absence of the analyte. The device may also include a control zone that provides a signal indicative of whether a sufficient amount of bodily fluid has been provided and tested. Regardless of its specific configuration, the lateral flow assay device is integrated into the absorbent article to provide a user or caregiver with rapid information about a health condition. For example, the device may be integrated into a diaper to provide information about the presence of enzymes or other compounds often encountered with a patient having a urinary tract infection. This information may provide an early warning system to allow the user or caregiver to seek additional testing and/or treatment. Alternatively, semi-quantitative or quantitative results may be derived from the test.
US08044253B2
A process for aromatic transalkylation and olefin reduction of a feed stream is disclosed. Transalkylation conditions provide a product having increased xylene concentration and reduced olefin concentration relative to the feed. The process may be used in a xylene production facility to minimize or avoid the necessity of feedstock pretreatment such as hydrotreating, hydrogenation, or treating with clay and/or molecular sieves.
US08044252B2
A process is disclosed to increase the Z/E ratio of 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene. The process involves contacting a starting material comprising 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene with a catalyst on AlF3 or carbon, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of SbClwF5-w, TiClxF4-x, SnClyF4-y and TaCl2F5-z wherein w is from 0 to 4, x is from 0 to 3, y is from 0 to 3, z is from 0 to 4, to obtain a product wherein the Z/E ratio of 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene is increased relative to the Z/E ratio of 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene in the starting material.A process is also disclosed to decrease the Z/E ratio of 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene. The process involves contacting a starting material comprising 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene with a catalyst on AlF3 or carbon, wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of SbClwF5-w, TiClxF4-x, SnClyF4-y and TaClzF5-z wherein w is from 0 to 4, x is from 0 to 3, y is from 0 to 3, z is from 0 to 4, to obtain a product wherein the Z/E ratio of 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene is decreased relative to the Z/E ratio of 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene in the starting material.
US08044243B2
Agents useful for the treatment of various metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance syndrome, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease, cachexia, obesity, atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis are disclosed. Formula (I) wherein n is 1 or 2; q is 0 or 1; t is 0 or 1; R1 is alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; R2 is hydrogen, halo, alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or alkoxy having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; A is unsubstituted or substituted phenyl; or cycloalkyl; or a 5 or 6 membered heteroaromatic ring. Alternatively, the agent can be a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the compound of Formula I.
US08044240B2
Disclosed herein, in certain embodiments, is a crystalline polymorph form A of N-(S)-(3,4-difluoro-2-(2-fluoro-4-iodophenylamino)-6-methoxyphenyl)-1-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)cyclopropane-1-sulfonamide. Further disclosed herein, in certain embodiments, are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the crystalline polymorph form A of N-(S)-(3,4-difluoro-2-(2-fluoro-4-iodophenylamino)-6-methoxyphenyl)-1-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)cyclopropane-1-sulfonamide.
US08044229B2
The present invention relates to the preparation of alicyclic polycarboxylic esters by ring-hydrogenation of the corresponding aromatic polycarboxylic esters on a catalyst which comprises at least one metal from the triad iron, cobalt, nickel, and at least one metal of the IInd, IIIrd, IVth, Vth, and/or VIth transition group of the Periodic Table.An alicyclic carboxylic ester mixture with a proportion above 10 mol % of the trans isomers.The use of the alicyclic polycarboxylic ester mixtures.Mixtures made from plastics and from alicyclic polycarboxylic ester mixtures.
US08044227B2
Materials and methods for preparing (S)-(+)-3-aminomethyl-5-methyl-hexanoic acid and structurally related compounds via enzymatic kinetic resolution are disclosed.
US08044223B2
The present invention are two crystalline salts, 17α-acetoxy-21-methoxy-11β-(4-,N,N-dimethylaminophenyl)-19 norpregna-4,9-diene-3,20-dione hydrochloride and 17α-acetoxy-21-methoxy-11β-(4-,N,N-dimethylaminophenyl)-19 norpregna-4,9-diene-3,20-dione hydrobromide, of the corresponding free base which is an amorphous solid.
US08044221B2
A fluorine-containing boronic acid ester represented by the general formula: (R1 is a linear or branched divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, R2 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms or phenyl group, n is an integer of 1 to 3, and m is an integer of 0 to 4) having an improved solubility in organic solvents is produced by reacting a fluorine-containing 3,5-dihalogenoanilide derivative represented by the general formula: (R2 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms or phenyl group, X is a halogen atom, n is an integer of 1 to 3, and m is an integer of 0 to 4) with a dialkoxyborane represented by the general formula: (R1 is a linear or branched divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms).
US08044212B2
Various embodiment of the present invention are directed to organic molecules that are reconfigurable under application of an external electric field. One organic molecule embodiment of the present invention has the structure: where L1X1 and L2X2 are optional connector groups, A represents an electron acceptor group, D represents an electron donor group, R and R′ represent spacer molecules, and R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, and R8 represent atoms and hydrocarbons.
US08044197B2
Radiation-curable 1,3,5-triazine carbamates and 1,3,5-triazine ureas, processes for preparing them and their use.
US08044194B2
A cyclic carbonyl monomer has the formula (7): wherein at least one W′ or Wa group comprises a protected glycoside; each Z independently represents O, S, NH or NW″; n is an integer from 0 to 6 wherein when n is 0, carbons labeled 4 and 6 are linked together by a single bond; each W′ and Wa group independently represents a hydrogen, a halide, an alkyl group comprising 1 to 20 carbons, an ester group comprising 1 to 20 carbons, an amide group, an aryl group comprising 1 to 20 carbons, an alkoxy group comprising 1 to 20 carbons, or a foregoing W′ or Wa group substituted with a protected glycoside; and each W″ group independently represents an alkyl group comprising 1 to 20 carbons, an aryl group comprising 1 to 20 carbons, or a foregoing W″ group substituted with a protected glycoside.
US08044185B2
Stabilized forms of gp120 polypeptide, nucleic acids encoding these stabilized forms, vectors comprising these nucleic acids, and methods of using these polypeptides, nucleic acids, vectors and host cells are disclosed. Crystal structures and computer systems including atomic coordinates for stabilized forms of gp120, and gp120 with an extended V3 loop, and methods of using these structures and computer systems are also disclosed.
US08044183B2
The present invention relates to a process for producing immunogenic polypeptides, comprising reducing disulfide bonds and blocking the resulting free thiol group with a blocking agent. The immunogenic peptides comprise a fragment of MAGE A3.
US08044181B2
The current invention provides high-affinity antibodies to the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PcrV protein that have reduced immunogenicity when administered to treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.
US08044180B2
The present invention relates to antibodies or fragments thereof that specifically bind FcγRIIB, particularly human FcγRIIB, with greater affinity than said antibodies or fragments thereof bind FcγRIIA, particularly human FcγRIIA. The invention provides methods of enhancing the therapeutic effect of therapeutic antibodies by administering the antibodies of the invention to enhance the effector function of the therapeutic antibodies. The invention also provides methods of enhancing efficacy of a vaccine composition by administering the antibodies of the invention.
US08044177B2
The present invention provides a novel water-soluble keratin derivative and applications thereof. Water-soluble keratin produced by the alkali treatment of feathers, and modified keratin, gives the following useful materials: (1) a high energy wave absorber, (2) a luminescent substrate, (3) a material weatherproofness improver, (4) a water repellant, and (5) a foaming agent.
US08044174B2
The invention relates to the field of compounds, especially peptides or polypeptides, that have thrombopoietic activity. The peptides and polypeptides of the invention may be used to increase platelets or platelet precursors (e.g., megakaryocytes) in a mammal.
US08044173B2
A process comprising substitution of an acceptor molecule comprising a group —XC(O)— wherein X is O, S, or NR8, where R8 is C1-6 alkyl, C6-12 aryl or hydrogen, with a nucleophile, wherein the acceptor molecule is cyclised such that said nucleophilic substitution at —XC(O)— occurs without racemisation, is provided. This process has particular application for the production of a peptide by extension from the activated carboxy-terminus of an acyl amino acid residue without epimerisation.
US08044168B2
Disclosed is an aqueous binder composition for mineral fibers that comprises a water-soluble binder component produced by reacting, in one or more steps, at least one alkanolamine, at least one carboxylic anhydride and at least one polyalkylene glycol component selected from polyalkylene glycols, copolymers and derivates thereof and, optionally, treating the reaction product with a base.
US08044159B2
A homopolymer having a monomer unit such as an isopropylidene diallylmalonate unit; a process for producing said homopolymer comprising the step of homopolymerising a monomer such as isopropylidene diallylmalonate; a copolymer containing said monomer unit and an ethylene unit and/or α-olefin unit; and a process for producing said copolymer comprising the step of copolymerizing a monomer such as isopropylidene diallylmalonate with at least ethylene and/or an α-olefin.
US08044154B2
Disclosed herein is a curing agent for epoxy resins that is comprised of the reaction product of an amine, an epoxy resin, and an elastomer-epoxy adduct. Additionally disclosed is a process comprising agitating a solution of an amine, an epoxy resin, and an elastomer-epoxy adduct as a dispersant at an elevated temperature in an organic medium.
US08044149B2
Provision of, in a process of producing a hydrogenated polymer, which comprises steps of sequentially performing, in the presence of a ruthenium carbene complex, a ring-opening metathesis polymerization reaction of a cyclic olefin and a hydrogenation reaction of a ring-opening metathesis polymer produced by the polymerization reaction to give a hydrogenated polymer, a simple and economic process of obtaining a hydrogenated polymer having an extremely small content of residual ruthenium derived from the ruthenium carbene complex.A process of producing a hydrogenated polymer, which comprises, in the presence of a ruthenium carbene complex, subjecting a cyclic monoolefin and/or a cyclic diolefin to a ring-opening metathesis polymerization, hydrogenating the resulting ring-opening metathesis polymer to give a hydrogenated polymer, and bringing the hydrogenated polymer in contact with a poor solvent of the hydrogenated polymer in the presence of dissolved hydrogen to allow precipitation. As the poor solvent of the hydrogenated polymer, alcohol having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, ketone having 3 to 6 carbon atoms and the like are preferable.
US08044138B2
A carboxylic acid-modified nitrile copolymer latex is provided. The copolymer latex comprises a carboxylic acid-modified nitrile copolymer of an unsaturated monomer having at least one crosslinkable functional group selected from vinyl and epoxy groups. The use of the copolymer latex enables the production of a molded article that does not undergo long stirring and maturation, causes no allergic reactions due to the absence of sulfur and a vulcanization accelerator, has good oil resistance and high mechanical strength, and produces a soft feeling. Further provided is a latex composition for dip forming comprising the copolymer latex, and an article produced from the latex composition by dip forming.
US08044133B2
The present invention provides a rubber composition for a tire which makes it possible to consider an effect on environment, prepare for decrease in supply quantity of petroleum in future and improve weather resistance and rubber strength in good balance, and a tire prepared by using the rubber composition. The rubber composition of the present invention comprises not less than 20 parts by weight of a silica, not more than 5 parts by weight of a carbon black and 2 to 20 parts by weight of a turpentine soot and/or lamp black having an average particle diameter of not more than 1,000 nm, based on 100 parts by weight of a rubber component comprising a natural rubber and/or an epoxidized natural rubber, and a tire prepared by using the rubber composition.
US08044124B2
The present invention relates to a novel agent for promoting adhesion to a heat-insulating surface and in particular to a polystyrene surface, especially when wet or under the effect of a large variation in temperature. The invention also relates to the use of the said agent in a water-insoluble film-forming polymer composition or in a mineral binder composition for applications in the construction field and more particularly in external heat-insulation systems.
US08044118B2
The present invention provides a process for preparing an oil extended rubber, in which an effect on environments can be taken into consideration, provision for the future decrease of petroleum supply can be satisfied, and further, strength is excellent without molecular breakage, an oil extended rubber obtained by the preparation process, and a tire using the oil extended rubber. A process for preparing an oil extended rubber, comprising (a) a step of preparing an oil-in-water type emulsion by emulsifying a vegetable oil having an iodine value of not less than 135 with a surfactant, (b) a step of mixing said emulsion and a modified natural rubber latex, and then aging the mixture, and (c) a step of coagulating the mixture obtained in the step (b) to obtain a lump of a rubber, an oil extended rubber obtained by the preparation process, and a rubber composition for a tire and a tire which use the oil extended rubber.
US08044116B2
A pigment dispersion of the present invention includes a bisacetoacetarylide pigment (a); a styrene-acrylic acid-based copolymer (b); a basic compound (c); and a wetting agent (d), wherein the wetting agent (d) includes at least one diol compound (e), the diol compound (e) is selected from the group consisting of dipropylene glycol, 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol, and 1,2-hexanediolthe mass ratio (e)/(a) of the diol compound (e) and the bisacetoacetarylide pigment (a) is within a range from 3/100 to 8/100.
US08044112B2
The invention provides a cost-effective method for making a silicone hydrogel contact lens having an LbL coating thereon that is not covalently attached to the lens and has good hydrophilicity, intactness and durability. The method comprises LbL coating at high temperature.
US08044105B2
A method of preparing a gelled ceramic-based foam comprising forming a slurry comprising at least water, a ceramic, albumin and an aldehyde, such that the ratio of the aldehyde to the albumin is from about 60:1 to about 200:1, and frothing the slurry, such that the albumin polymerizes to form a gelled ceramic-based foam. The foam shows improved capability to resist collapse during any subsequent handling, drying to greenware, or firing steps. This enables simplified and more economical production of highly porous ceramics.
US08044101B2
Biomacromolecules such as proteins are inactivated by hydrophobic ANSA derivatives of the formula: wherein R1 and R2 are hydrophobic or affinity groups and R3 is selected from the group consisting of aminoacyl groups and peptidyl groups upon nitrosation. ANSA derivatives can be designed to selectively kill tumor cells and various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
US08044100B2
Methods, compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and kits are described for treating or preventing amyloid-related disease.
US08044098B2
This invention provides hydroxybenzoic acids, their esters and analogues thereof that are useful for the prevention and/or treatment of virus infection such as HBV, papillomavirus and/or herpes virus infection.
US08044095B2
The formulation and modality of use of a pharmaceutical preparation having the properties described below is described. This preparation is a product comprising a mixture of catechins or polyphenols extracted from chinese green tea or other vegetables that has proven to be efficacious in the chemical prevention of prostate cancer in a clinical pilot study when administered in adequate systemic dosage without the aid of other conventional drugs or remedies and without adverse effects in a group of subjects at risk of development of the illness. The same reduction of the preparation proved efficacious in symptomatology of benign prostate hypertrophy and especially as concerns the difficulty of urination when administered in adequate dosage systemically without the aid of other drugs or conventional remedies and without adverse effects in the patients subject of the study.
US08044091B2
3-phosphoindole compounds for the treatment of retroviral infections, and particularly for HIV, are described. Also included are compositions comprising the 3-phosphoindole derivatives alone or in combination with one or more other anti-retroviral agents, processes for their preparation, and methods of manufacturing a medicament incorporating these compounds.
US08044084B2
The present invention relates to mixtures comprising a) a compound of the formula I in which X, m, Q and a are as defined in the description and b) one or more ethylene modulators (II) selected from the group consisting of: inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis which inhibit the conversion of S-adenosyl-L-methionine into 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis which block the conversion of ACC into ethylene, or inhibitors of ethylene action, and also to compositions comprising them and to their use for controlling harmful fungi.
US08044082B2
Novel N-phenylacetamide compounds of formula (I): and cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions containing same are useful for treating disorders of the sebaceous gland, e.g., acne, or have cosmetic applications.
US08044071B2
The present application describes a method of treating pain with a combination of a CB2 cannabinoid receptor agonist and rimonabast.
US08044070B2
Provided are compounds of a formula (I) and their pharmaceutically-acceptable salts: wherein X1, X2 and X3 each independently represent N or CH; W represents the following formula (II): or the following formula (III): Y represents a group of a formula (IV): The compounds have a histamine-H3 receptor antagonistic or inverse-agonistic activity and are useful for remedy and/or prevention of obesity, diabetes, hormone secretion disorders, sleep disorders, etc.
US08044059B2
The use of an N,N-dimethyl alkylamide or an N-alkanoyl morpholine provides a stable emulsifiable concentrate composition that hinders de-esterification and transesterification of mixtures of a carboxylic acid herbicide and an ester of a different carboxylic acid herbicide. The N,N-dimethyl alkylamide or N-alkanoyl morpholine additionally stabilizes emulsifiable concentrates containing a triazolopyrimidine herbicide having at least one methoxy group on the triazolopyrimidine ring.
US08044056B2
A novel adenine compound represented by the formula (1): [wherein R1 is substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, etc., X is oxygen, etc., A1 is 4- to 8-membered substituted or unsubstituted saturated nitrogen-containing heterocycle containing 1 to 2 hetero atom(s) selected from 1 to 2 nitrogen(s), 0 to 1 oxygen and 0 to 1 sulfur, etc., A2 is substituted or unsubstituted 6- to 10-membered aryl, etc., L1 and L2 are independently a straight chain or branched chain alkylene, etc.], or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, which is useful as a medicament.
US08044038B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing crystalline quetiapine hemifumarate, which comprises crystallizing or re-crystallizing quetiapine hemifumarate from a mixture of water and a water soluble alcohol.
US08044031B2
A method of increasing the survival of animals and aquatic species susceptible to birnavirus infection by treating them before, during and/or after birnavirus exposure, with a chemical compound capable of inhibiting viral replication. A method of treating aquatic species to increase their survival in the presence of a virus, particularly an aquatic birnavirus, and to increase the yield of farmed fish susceptible to viral infection. The present invention provides methods for increasing survival of virally-exposed aquatic animals by administering therapeutically effective amounts of aminoghycoside compounds to aquatic animals susceptible to birnavirus infection and/or IPNV infection, particularly in fish such as salmonoid species, which are easily exposed to IPNV. The present invention also provides methods for increasing survival of virally-exposed animals by administering therapeutically effective amounts of aminoghycoside compounds to farmed animals susceptible to birnavirus infection and/or IBDV infection, particularly in poultry such as chickens, which are exposed to IBDV.
US08044025B2
A human urocortin-related peptide with significant sequence homology to the CRF neuropeptide family was identified. A mouse cDNA was isolated from whole brain poly (A+) RNA that encodes a predicted 38 amino acid peptide protein designated herein as urocortin II. Both human URP and mouse Ucn II are structurally related to the other known mammalian family members, CRF and urocortin (Ucn). These peptides are involved in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis under basal and stress conditions, suggesting a similar role for URP and Ucn IL Synthesized Ucn-II and URP peptide binds with higher affinity to CRF-R2 than to CRF-R1 Ucn II and human URP appear to be involved in the regulation of body temperature and appetite and may play a role in other stress related phenomenon. These findings identify Ucn II and human URP as a new members of the CRF family of neuropeptides, which are expressed centrally and bind to CRF-R2.
US08044024B2
The present invention provides novel Fibroblast Growth Factor-like (FGF-like) polypeptides and nucleic acid molecules encoding the same. The invention also provides vectors, host cells, antibodies and methods for producing FGF-like polypeptides. Also provided for are methods for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases associated with FGF-like polypeptides.
US08044022B2
Several species of bacteria capable of invasive infections, such as S. pyogenes, S. equi and P. multocida, contain hyaluronic acid (HA) in their capsules. Bacterial species such as Staphylococcus aureus and related Staphylococci have capsules that contain acidic polysaccharides. Bacterial capsule or bacterial surface binding peptides were synthesized and tested in a culture model of invasive bacterial infections, specifically translocation through polarized keratinocyte cultures. The peptides reduced the translocation of a variety of bacterial species, with a concomitant increase in bacterial internalization by the keratinocytes. In vivo, subcutaneous inoculation of encapsulated GAS treated with peptides delayed bacterial dissemination. In a mouse surgical wound model infected with S. aureus, treatment with peptides reduced the numbers of bacteria and inflammation at the wound site.
US08044017B2
A method for purifying a polypeptide by ion exchange chromatography is described in which a gradient wash is used to resolve a polypeptide of interest from one or more contaminants.
US08044009B2
A front end of the line (FEOL) stripping and cleaning composition for cleaning unashed ion-implanted photoresist from a wafer substrate comprises: a) at least one organic stripping solvent, b) fluoride ions from at least one of ammonium fluoride, ammonium bifluoride or hydrogen fluoride, c) at least one acidifying agent selected from inorganic or organic acids, and d) water, with an oxidizing agent optionally also being present in the composition.
US08044003B2
A grease composition, which comprises (A) a perfluoropolyether base oil, (B) a thickener, and (C) barium sulfate and/or antimony oxide, where 0.1-50% by weight of the component (B) and 1-25% by weight of the component (C) are contained, has a distinguished effect on improvements of abrasion resistance, friction characteristics, load durability, high-temperature durability and corrosion resistance without any deterioration of heat resistance by adding at least one of barium sulfate and antimony oxide, each having an average primary particle size of 0.1-20 μm, as component (C).
US08044002B2
A solid zirconium cross-linking agent and use in a cross-linking composition in oil field applications such as hydraulic fracturing and plugging of permeable zones. The zirconium cross-linking agent is prepared by a process comprising contacting a zirconium complex with an alkanolamine and water at particular mole ratios of alkanolamine and water to zirconium.
US08043996B2
A process is disclosed for treating an underground formation, which process comprises: (a) introducing into the underground formation a micellar dispersion comprising water, one or more organic acid precursors, one or more surfactants and, optionally, one or more salts, co-surfactants and/or organic liquids that are not organic acid precursors; and (b) allowing (i) the micellar dispersion to solubilize hydrocarbons, emulsions or water blocks present in the underground formation, and (ii) at least a portion of the organic acid precursor to hydrolyze in-situ to produce sufficient organic acid to substantively dissolve acid soluble material present in or adjacent to filter cakes or other damage in the underground formation.
US08043995B2
Biodegradable anionic polymers are disclosed which include recurring polymeric subunits preferably made up of dicarboxylic monomers such as maleic anhydride, itaconic anhydride or citraconic anhydride. Free radical polymerization is used in the synthesis of the polymers. The polymers may be complexed with ions and/or mixed with fertilizers or seeds to yield agriculturally useful compositions. The preferred products of the invention may be applied foliarly or to the earth adjacent growing plants in order to enhance nutrient uptake by the plants.
US08043994B2
The present invention provides a thermal transfer receiving sheet obtained by sequentially forming a hollow particle-containing intermediate layer and an image receiving layer on one surface of a sheet-like support mainly comprising cellulose pulp, wherein the moisture content of the entire thermal transfer receiving sheet is from 2 to 8 mass % and the moisture permeability of the entire receiving sheet is 400 g/m2·day or less; and a production method thereof. The present invention further provides a thermal transfer receiving sheet obtained by sequentially forming a hollow particle-containing intermediate layer and an image receiving layer on one surface of a sheet-like support mainly comprising cellulose pulp and providing a backside layer on another surface of the support, wherein the backside layer mainly comprises an acryl-based resin having a glass transition point (Tg) of 45° C. or less and contains a resin filler having an average particle diameter of 5 to 22 μm and the Bekk smoothness according to JIS P 8119 on the backside layer surface is 100 seconds or less.
US08043987B2
A ceramic composition comprising a binary system solid solution represented by the formulae: (1-x)(Sr1-yBiy)TiO3+x(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 and (1-x)(Sr1-1.5yBiy)TiO3+x(Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3, wherein 0
US08043979B2
A plasma oxidizing method in which a plasma is produced in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus under a processing condition that the proportion of oxygen in the processing gas is 20% or more and the processing pressure is 400 to 1333 Pa, and silicon exposed from the surface of an object to be processed is oxidized by the plasma to form a silicon oxide film.
US08043976B2
The present invention relates to the improved adhesion between a patterned conductive metal layer, usually a copper layer, and a patterned barrier dielectric layer. The structure with the improved adhesion comprises an adhesion layer between a patterned barrier dielectric layer and a patterned conductive metal layer. The adhesion layer improves adhesion between the metal layer and the barrier layer without increasing the copper bulk electrical resistance. The method of making the structure with the improved adhesion comprises steps of thermal expositing the patterned conductive metal layer to an organometallic precursor to deposit an adhesion layer at least on the top of the patterned conductive metal layer.
US08043975B2
Embodiments disclosed herein pertain to silicon dioxide deposition methods using at least ozone and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as deposition precursors. In one embodiment, a silicon dioxide deposition method using at least ozone and TEOS as deposition precursors includes flowing precursors comprising ozone and TEOS to a substrate under subatmospheric pressure conditions effective to deposit silicon dioxide-comprising material having an outer surface onto the substrate. The outer surface is treated effective to one of add hydroxyl to or remove hydroxyl from the outer surface in comparison to any hydroxyl presence on the outer surface prior to said treating. After the treating, precursors comprising ozone and TEOS are flowed to the substrate under subatmospheric pressure conditions effective to deposit silicon dioxide-comprising material onto the treated outer surface of the substrate. Other embodiments are contemplated.
US08043955B1
Methods are generally provided for forming a conductive oxide layer on a substrate. In one particular embodiment, the method can include sputtering a transparent conductive oxide layer (e.g., including cadmium stannate) on a substrate from a target in a sputtering atmosphere comprising cadmium. The transparent conductive oxide layer can be sputtered at a sputtering temperature greater of about 100° C. to about 600° C. Methods are also generally provided for manufacturing a cadmium telluride based thin film photovoltaic device.
US08043951B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device on a substrate. The method may include forming a non-volatile memory in a memory area of the substrate. The forming non-volatile memory on a substrate may include formation in the memory area of a floating gate structure and of a control gate structure which is in a stacked configuration with the floating gate structure. One or more gate material layer may be formed in a logic area of the substrate. After forming the control gate structure and the gate material layer, a filling material layer may be deposited over the logic area and the memory area. The filling material layer may be partially removed by reducing the thickness of the filling material in the logic area and the memory area, at least until a top surface of the one or more gate material layer is exposed. Logic devices may be formed in the logic area, the formation may include forming a logic gate structure from the gate material layer.
US08043949B2
There is provided a method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device including the steps of: in a semiconductor stacked substrate including a first conductivity type silicon carbide crystal substrate, a first conductivity type silicon carbide crystal layer, a second conductivity type silicon carbide crystal layer, and a first conductivity type semiconductor region, forming a trench extending through the first conductivity type semiconductor region and the second conductivity type silicon carbide crystal layer into the first conductivity type silicon carbide crystal layer defined as a bottom surface; forming a silicon film on at least a part of the trench; heating the semiconductor stacked substrate having the silicon film formed to a temperature that is not less than the melting temperature of the silicon film; removing the heated silicon film; forming a gate insulating film on a surface exposed after the silicon film is removed; and forming a gate electrode layer on a surface of the gate insulating film.
US08043947B2
A method for semiconductor processing provides a DSB semiconductor body having a first crystal orientation, a second crystal orientation, and a border region disposed between the first and second crystal orientations. The border region further has a defect associated with an interface of the first crystal orientation and second the second crystal orientation, wherein the defect generally extends a distance into the semiconductor body from a surface of the body. A sacrificial portion of the semiconductor body is removed from the surface thereof, wherein removing the sacrificial portion at least partially removes the defect. The sacrificial portion can be defined by oxidizing the surface at low temperature, wherein the oxidation at least partially consumes the defect. The sacrificial portion can also be removed by CMP. An STI feature may be further formed over the defect after removal of the sacrificial portion, therein consuming any remaining defect.
US08043946B2
A doping mixture for coating semiconductor substrates which are then subjected to a high temperature treatment to form a doped layer includes at least one p- or n-dopant, water and a mixture of two or more surfactants. At least one of the surfactants is nonionic. Also, provided are a method for producing such a doping mixture and the use thereof.
US08043941B2
An object to be processed can be cut highly accurately along a line to cut.An object to be processed 1 is irradiated with laser light while locating a converging point within a silicon wafer 11, and the converging point is relatively moved along a line to cut 5, so as to form modified regions M1, M2 positioned within the object 1 along the line to cut 5, and then a modified region M3 positioned between the modified regions M1, M2 within the object 1.
US08043936B2
An object is to suppress discharge due to static electricity generated by peeling, when an element formation layer including a semiconductor element is peeled from a substrate. Over the substrate, the release layer and the element formation layer are formed. The support base material which can be peeled later is fixed to the upper surface of the element formation layer. The element formation layer is transformed through the support base material, and peeling is generated at an interface between the element formation layer and the release layer. Peeling is performed while the liquid is being supplied so that the element formation layer and the release layer which appear sequentially by peeling are wetted with the liquid such as pure water. Electric charge generated on the surfaces of the element formation layer and the release layer can be diffused by the liquid, and discharge by peeling electrification can be eliminated.
US08043931B1
The embodiments of the present invention are directed to the formation of multi-layer silicon structures by forming and attaching a plurality of individual layers or structures where each of the layers or the structures comprises at least silicon forming a desired pattern. In some embodiments or some applications of some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of individual layers or the structures comprises a plurality of discrete silicon features that are combined together with at least one sacrificial material. In some embodiments or some applications of some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of individual layers or the structures comprises a plurality of discrete silicon features that are supported by a temporary substrate. Still in some embodiments or some applications of some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of individual layers or the structures needs to be machined after it is attached to a receiver such as a substrate or an another layer or structure. The present invention also discloses various fabrication methods for making required silicon layers or structures and attaching methods for forming multi-layer silicon structures.
US08043928B2
A semiconductor wafer includes multi chip areas each including two or more device chip areas and arranged in an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction, a plurality of scribe lines formed parallel to the X axis and the Y axis such as to separate the device chip areas from each other, and one or more alignment marks formed in each of the multi chip areas on the scribe lines between adjacent ones of the device chip areas included in one multi chip area, the one or more alignment marks being fewer than the device chip areas in each of the multi chip areas and used for positioning of the semiconductor wafer.
US08043926B2
A nonvolatile memory device includes at least one switching device and at least one storage node electrically connected to the at least one switching device. The at least one storage node includes a lower electrode, one or more oxygen-deficient metal oxide layers, one or more data storage layers, and an upper electrode. At least one of the one or more metal oxide layers is electrically connected to the lower electrode. At least one of the one or more data storage layers is electrically connected to at least one of the one or more metal oxide layers. The upper electrode is electrically connected to at least one of the one or more data storage layers. A method of manufacturing the nonvolatile memory device includes preparing the at least one switching device and forming the lower electrode, one or more metal oxide layers, one or more data storage layers, and upper electrode.
US08043923B2
Methods of manufacturing a semiconductor device include forming a gate electrode on a semiconductor substrate, forming spacers on side walls of the gate electrode, and doping impurities into the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the spacers to form highly doped impurity regions. The spacers are selectively etched to expose portions of the semiconductor substrate, and more lightly doped impurity regions are formed in the semiconductor substrate between the highly doped impurity regions and the gate electrode.
US08043918B2
To manufacture in high productivity a semiconductor device capable of securely achieving element isolation by a trench-type element isolation and capable of effectively preventing potentials of adjacent elements from affecting other nodes, a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device includes: a step of forming a first layer on a substrate; a step of forming a trench by etching the first layer and the substrate; a step of thermally oxidizing an inner wall of the trench; a step of depositing a first conductive film having a film thickness equal to or larger than one half of the trench width of the trench on the substrate including the trench; a step of removing a first conductive film from the first layer by a CMP method and keeping the first conductive film left in only the trench; a step of anisotropically etching the first conductive film within the trench to adjust the height of the conductive film to become lower than the height of the surface of the substrate; a step of depositing an insulating film on the first conductive film by the CVD method to embed the upper part of the first conductive film within the trench; a step of flattening the insulating film by the CMP method; and a step of removing the first layer.
US08043908B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. First, a stacked structure is formed on a substrate. The stacked structure includes, from the substrate, a dielectric layer and a conductive gate in order. An ion implant process is performed to form doped regions in the substrate on the opposite sides of the stacked structure. Thereafter, source-side spacer is formed on a sidewall of the stacked structure. A thermal process is performed to activate the doped regions, thereby forming a source in the substrate under the sidewall of the stacked structure having the source-side spacer and a drain in the substrate on another side of the stacked structure.
US08043889B1
A chemical bath deposition (CBD) process is provided for forming a textured zinc oxide film pattern from a zinc oxide printed seed layer. The process provides a substrate and prints a zinc oxide seed layer in a pattern overlying the substrate. Using a CBD process, a textured zinc oxide film is grown overlying the zinc oxide seed layer pattern, where the textured zinc oxide film has a variation in film thickness of greater than 200 nanometers (nm). In one aspect, growing the textured zinc oxide film includes: preparing a ZnO precursor bath; maintaining a bath temperature of about 70 degrees C.; and, leaving the substrate in the bath for about an hour. In another aspect, growing the textured zinc oxide film includes forming a textured zinc oxide film with zinc oxide crystals having a pyramidal shape with a height of greater than 200 nm.
US08043887B2
A thin film transistor having a transformed region that provides the same result as patterning a semiconductor layer, a flat panel display having the thin film transistor and a method for manufacturing the thin film transistor and the flat panel display are disclosed. The thin film structure includes a gate electrode, a source and a drain electrode, each insulated from the gate electrode and an organic semiconductor layer coupled to the source electrode and the drain electrode. The organic semiconductor layer includes the transformed region having a crystal structure distinguished from crystal structures of regions around the channel region.
US08043876B2
Disclosed are a light emitting diode package and a manufacturing method thereof. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method includes: manufacturing a package main body having a plurality of cavities, the cavities being formed in a line on one surface, through molding by putting thermoplastic polymer into a previously produced mold; forming an electrode passing through the package main body; mounting a light emitting diode chip on a basal surface of the each cavity formed in the package main body; connecting electrically the light emitting diode chip and the electrode by using a bonding means; and sealing the light emitting diode chip and the bonding means by using a molding resin.
US08043866B2
A object of the present invention is to provide an immunochromatography method that makes it possible to rapidly detect an ultratrace amount of an analyte that has been impossible to analyze by conventional immunochromatography methods. The present invention provides an immunochromatography method, which comprises developing an analyte and a labeling substance which is modified with a first binding substance against the analyte in a mixed state on a porous carrier and capturing the analyte and the label at a reaction site on the porous carrier having a second binding substance against the analyte or a substance capable of binding to the first binding substance against the analyte, so as to detect the analyte, wherein the labeling substance having an average particle size of 1 μm or more and 20 μm or less is detected.
US08043863B2
The present disclosure provides, among other things, methods for the identification of sulfated glycans in a mixture of glycans.
US08043845B2
The disclosed technology relates to a sterilization indicator and a process to concentrate signal generated by constraining it to a minimal surface, in a minimal volume and minimal pH and growth buffering or mediating influences. The sterilization indicator may comprise a carrier 12, the carrier having a first surface 14 and a second surface 16; a support 20, the support having a first section 22 and a second section 24, the carrier 12 overlying the first section 12 of the support 20, the second surface 16 of the carrier being adhered to the first section 22 of the support 20; and a biological indicator 30 supported by the carrier 12. The second section 24 of the support 20 may be of sufficient dimension to permit handling the sterilization indicator 10 without contacting the biological indicator 30. A process for making the sterilization indicator is disclosed. Processes for using the sterilization indicator are disclosed.
US08043828B2
Described herein is a modified EGII cellulase having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1, compositions comprising the modified EGII and methods of use.
US08043827B2
The present invention provides an “in vivo and in vitro real-time bioluminescence imaging means,” which can transmit a detection signal promptly in response to an external signal, while taking advantage of a single-molecule-format luminescent probe as a bioluminescent means.The present invention is characterized by using, as a single-molecule-format luminescent probe utilizing the increase and decrease of a second messenger level as an index, a fusion protein including a single-chain protein containing a second messenger recognition protein and optionally a peptide which is capable of binding with the protein, and linked respectively to the N-terminus and the C-terminus thereto, an N-terminal fragment (N-LE) and a C-terminal fragment (C-LE) generated by dissecting a luminescent enzyme (LE). A single-molecule-format luminescent probe could be provided, which makes it possible to observe light emission (extinction) in vivo as well as in vitro, as a result of a conformational change of the second messenger recognition protein induced by the binding (unbinding) with a second messenger, and the subsequent association or dissociation between the N-LE and the C-LE flanked at both termini of the recognition protein.
US08043826B2
The invention provides a method of monitoring the response of platelets to a COX1 inhibitor such as aspirin. The method involves collecting platelet-containing mammalian blood treated with a COX 1 inhibitor; mixing the blood with a COX 1-dependent platelet agonist, such as arachidonic acid, monitoring extracellular ATP in the agonist-activated blood to generate a measurement, and comparing the measurement to a standard value. Devices, systems, and kits for carrying out the method are also provided.
US08043821B2
The invention provides methods for identifying antibody preparations that can form a pair of antibodies that optimally detect a target antigen, for example, in a sandwich immunoassay. These methods provide high affinity and epitope-specific antibodies.
US08043813B2
The present invention provides oligonucleotide primers specifically hybridizing to an arbitrary nucleotide sequence designed from the nucleotide sequence of hemagglutinin of an H5 or H7 avian influenza virus, a nucleic acid amplification method using the primers, a method for diagnosis of infection with an H5 or H7 avian influenza virus by detection of nucleic acid amplification, and a kit for influenza diagnosis.
US08043812B2
Method of detecting Streptococcus pneumoniae, primer set for the detection and kit for the detection
A method of detecting Streptococcus pneumoniae, which is characterized in that it comprises amplifying a lytA gene derived from S. pneumoniae using a LAMP primer set comprising at least one primer having a nucleotide sequence that is identical to or complementary to a partial sequence in the region ranging from bp 40 to 450 of the nucleotide sequence region of the above-described lytA gene, and then detecting the obtained amplified product.
US08043805B2
Methods of using probes and probe sets for the detection of high grade dysplasia and carcinoma in cervical cells are described. Methods of the invention include hybridizing one or more chromosomal probes to a biological sample obtained from a subject and detecting the hybridization pattern of the chromosomal probes to the sample to determine whether the subject has high grade dysplasia or carcinoma. Methods of the invention also include preliminary screening the cells for a marker associated with a risk for cancer, and preferably involves screening for HPV infected cells by in situ hybridization using an HPV probe mixture.
US08043803B2
The present invention relates to slitrk proteins as markers of stem and progenitor cells, including embryonic stem cells and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, and also as a marker of leukemia and lymphoma cells, and of endothelial cells. The invention provides, inter alia, methods for purifying slitrk-positive cells, methods for detecting slitrk-positive cells, purified preparations of slitrk-positive cells, therapeutic compositions containing purified slitrk-positive cells, methods for targeting therapeutic agents to slitrk-positive cells, and methods of treatment, including but not limited to, methods of administering slitrk-positive cells to subjects in need thereof.
US08043797B2
A method for transferring an image of a mask pattern through a pitch range onto a substrate is presented. In an embodiment, the method includes illuminating the mask pattern of an attenuated phase shift mask using a multipole illumination that includes an on-axis component and an off-axis component, the mask pattern including non-printing assist features configured for a pitch larger than twice a minimum pitch of the mask pattern, and projecting an image of the illuminated mask pattern onto the substrate.
US08043794B2
A method of double patterning is disclosed. The method includes forming a first photosensitive layer; exposing the first photosensitive layer using a first reticle; developing the first photosensitive layer thereby forming a first image pattern including first elements; forming a second photosensitive layer; exposing the second photosensitive layer using the first reticle; and developing the second photosensitive layer thereby forming a second image pattern.
US08043786B2
The invention provides novel acid generators which are unproblematic in combustibility and accumulation inside the human body and can generate acids having high acidities and high boiling points and exhibiting properly short diffusion lengths in resist coating films and which permit the formation of resist patterns excellent smoothness with little dependence on the denseness of a mask pattern; sulfonic acids generated from the acid generators; sulfonyl halides useful as raw material in the synthesis of the acid generators; and radiation-sensitive resin compositions containing the acid generators. The acid generators have structures represented by the general formula (I), wherein R1 is a monovalent substituent such as alkoxycarbonyl, alkylsulfonyl, or alkoxysulfonyl; R2 to R4 are each hydrogen or alkyl; k is an integer of 0 or above; and n is an integer of 0 to 5. Among the radiation-sensitive resin compositions, a positive one contains a resin having acid-dissociable groups in addition to the above acid generator, while a negative one contains an alkali-soluble resin and a crosslinking agent in addition to the acid generator.
US08043781B2
A toner comprising a small-particle diameter external additive having a number average particle diameter of 7 to 20 nm, a large-particle diameter external additive having a number average particle diameter of 40 to 80 nm and a toner particle having a volume average particle diameter of 4 to 7 μm, wherein the large-particle diameter external additive is stuck to the surface of the toner particles in a semi-embedded state and has a rate of liberation of 0.1% by weight or less from the surface of the toner particle.
US08043780B2
A toner that includes toner base particles including a binder resin and a colorant, wherein the toner base particles have a surface roughness (Ra) of 18 nm to 50 nm and a standard deviation (RMS) of the surface roughness of 0.5 nm to 9.9 nm. A developer, a developing apparatus, a process cartridge, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming method can all use a developer including the toner.
US08043778B2
A toner including toner particles including a binder resin, and a modified layered inorganic material in which at least part of interlayer ions is replaced with an organic ion, and a fatty acid metal compound located on a surface of the toner particles; and an external additive located on the fatty acid metal compound, wherein the external additive is a material different from the fatty acid metal compound. An image forming apparatus including an image bearing member; a developing device configured to develop the electrostatic latent image with a developer including the toner; a transfer device; and a fixing device. A method for preparing the toner including dispersing or emulsifying a toner composition including a modified layered inorganic material to prepare toner particles; mixing a fatty acid metal compound with the toner particles; and second mixing the toner particles with an external additive.
US08043771B2
Disclosed is a phase shift mask blank (11) that can prevent the occurrence of a loading effect. The phase shift mask blank (11) includes a phase shift film (5) containing silicon, a light-shielding film (2) made of a material resistant to etching of the phase shift film (5), and an etching mask film (3) made of an inorganic material resistant to etching of the light-shielding film (2), which are formed in this order on a substrate (1) transparent to exposure light. Assuming that the thickness of the phase shift film (5) is t1, the etching rate of the phase shift film (5) by dry etching with an etchant using the etching mask film (3) and the light-shielding film (2) as a mask is v1, the thickness of the etching mask film (3) is t2, and the etching rate of the etching mask film (3) by dry etching with the above etchant is v2, (t1/v1)≦(t2/v2) is satisfied.
US08043762B2
The present invention provides an electrode paste which comprises catalyst particles, a solvent and an varnish which comprises a solvent and an electrode electrolyte for a solid polymer fuel cell electrolyte, wherein the electrode electrolyte comprises a polymer with a structure having a main chain including a polyphenylene, a side chain including a sulfonic acid group and a repeating structural unit represented by formula (C) as a side chain including a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group; wherein the structural variables are defined herein.
US08043761B2
Fuel cell separation, fuel cell device, and electronic applied device technical field are provided. A fuel cell separator capable of making a fuel cell device compact and reducing variations in air supply amount to generating cells. Oscillating fans as fluid oxidant supplying means are respectively provided at openings of channels. The oscillating fans are individually driven to respectively supply air into the channels. The oscillating fans are included in a separator body of a separator. As compared with the case that the oscillating fans are provided separately from a fuel cell body having the separator as a component, the limitation to layout of the fuel cell body and various units for effecting stable electric power generation in the fuel cell body can be reduced, and the fuel cell device can be reduced in size.
US08043755B2
A power generation system has a fuel cell stack and at least one condensation point in the system at which water present after shutdown of the power generation system can condense or collect. Drying after shutdown is improved by maintaining a temperature gradient between the condensation point and at least one other component in the power generation system after shutdown. In one embodiment, the temperature gradient is maintained by housing the fuel cell stack in a thermally insulated container and arranging the condensation point outside of the insulating container. In another embodiment, drying after shutdown is accomplished with an adsorption unit having a water-adsorbing material arranged in a desired location within the power generation system.
US08043730B2
In a part for a rotary machine, a ceramic hard film is formed on a surface of a base material, the density of droplets which exist in a surface of the ceramic hard film is set to be within 1000 pieces/mm2, and the density of droplets whose mean particle diameter is 1 μm or less is set to be within 550 pieces/mm2. A method for manufacturing the part of a rotary machine is a method for forming the ceramic hard film by at least an ion plating method or a sputtering method.
US08043726B2
Provided are a silanylamine-based compound of Formula 1 and an organic light emitting diode including an organic layer having the same: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, Ar1, Ar2, X and X′ are described herein. Embodiments of the silanylamine-based compound of Formula 1 exhibit superior electrical properties and high charge-transport properties, and can be efficiently used as hole injecting materials, hole transporting materials, and/or emitting materials suitable for phosphorescent and fluorescent organic light emitting diodes emitting light of all colors, including red, green, blue, and white. Furthermore, an organic light emitting diode having the silanylamine-based compound of Formula 1 can have high efficiency, low driving voltage, and high brightness.
US08043725B2
The invention provides an organic electroluminescence element which comprises a hole transporting layer which comprises a tris(p-terphenyl-4-yl)amine represented by the general formula (I) wherein R1, R2 and R3 are each independently a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group which may have substituents or an aryl group which may have substituents as a hole transporting agent, and a hole injecting layer which comprises a hole injecting agent comprising an aromatic tertiary amine having an ionization potential in the range of 5.2-5.6 eV. This organic electroluminescence element can be driven at a low voltage with high efficiency and at high luminance.
US08043717B2
A combustion turbine component (10) includes a combustion turbine component substrate (16) and an alloy coating (14) on the combustion turbine component substrate. The alloy coating (14) includes a first amount, by weight percent, of cobalt (Co) and a second amount, by weight percent, of nickel (Ni), the first amount being greater than the second amount. The alloy coating further includes chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), at least one rare earth element, and an oxide of the at least one rare earth element.
US08043714B2
A method of producing a transparent thermoplastic film comprising transversely stretching a film by 1% to 200%, wherein a ratio (Lc/Wc) of a clutch length (Lc) of a chuck to a clutch depth (Wc) of the chuck in the transverse stretching zone is in the range of 3 to 50.
US08043706B2
An inorganic composition article used in disk substrate for information recording media, with a low melting point and a high productivity, combining superior surface characteristics capable of sufficiently dealing with a ramp load system for high density recording in both an in-plane magnetic recording system and a perpendicular magnetic recording system, having a high mechanical strength capable of enduring high speed rotation and impact, and combining both a heat expansion characteristic and heat resistance corresponding to each drive component. The inorganic composition articles contain a Li2O component and an Al2O3 component, with the percent by mass ratio of Li2O to Al2O3 (Li2O/Al2O3) being at least 0.3, include crystals, and have a compressive stress layer arranged on a surface.
US08043704B2
A layered material for use in transparent, flame resistant components couples a thin, fire resistant outer polymeric film to a thicker, transparent inner polymeric material. The resultant transparent layered material meets FAA flammability requirements for OSU heat release, has excellent solvent resistance and cleanability, is scratch resistant, and is transparent enough for use in interior applications in the aerospace industry. The layered material is formed via a co-extrusion or co-lamination process.
US08043701B2
The present invention provides a polymerizable organosilicon nanocapsule, which includes: a nanoscale core A, which includes: at least one particle comprising at least one oxide or mixed oxide, KA-O, of at least one metal or semimetal selected from the group including main groups 2 to 6 of the Periodic Table, transition groups 1 to 8 of the Periodic Table, lanthanides, and mixtures thereof; and an organosilicon shell B, which includes: at least one organosilicon compound having the formula (Ia): (Si′O—)xSi—R (Ia) wherein R is a vinyl or allyl group; wherein x is a number from 0 to 20; wherein remaining free valences of Si are each independently (KA-O)—, SiO— or —Z; wherein remaining free valences of Si′ are each independently (KA-O)—, SiO—, —R, or —Z; wherein the Z's are each independently hydroxyl or alkoxy radicals; and wherein each Si and Si′ in the shell B have not more than one R group attached thereto.
US08043698B2
A wafer-processing tape, having a removable adhesive layer (2), and an adhesive layer (3), formed on a substrate film (1), wherein the tape is used in a process involving the steps of: grinding a back face of a wafer circuit substrate (5) having convex-type metal electrodes (4), and dicing the wafer circuit substrate into chips, in a state that the tape is adhered to the wafer circuit substrate; and picking up the chips, in which the chips are picked up in a state that the adhesive layer (3) is peeled from the substrate film (1) but is bonded to the individual chip.
US08043689B2
A pyramidal geotextile fabric comprising two sets of multi-lobe filament yarns interwoven in substantially perpendicular direction to each other, each of the multi-lobe filament yarns having pre-determined, different heat shrinkage characteristics such that, upon heating, the fabric forms a three-dimensional, cuspated profile. A method of stabilizing soil and reinforcing vegetation comprises the steps of placing a three-dimensional, high-profile woven fabric into soil, wherein the fabric comprises two sets of multi-lobe filament yarns interwoven in substantially perpendicular direction to each other, each of the multi-lobe filament yarns having pre-determined, different heat shrinkage characteristics such that, upon heating, the fabric forms a three-dimensional, cuspated profile; securing the fabric to the ground; and, distributing soil and seed onto the fabric such that the section of ground is quickly revegetated and thereby protected from further erosion.
US08043680B2
Multiple layer structures comprising one or more poly(vinylidene chloride) layers and containers made from the multiple layer structures are provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a multiple layer structure comprising one or more PVDC layers comprising a component selected from the group consisting of a poly(vinylidene chloride), a poly(vinylidene chloride) copolymer, and combinations thereof. The multiple layer structure further comprises one or more tie layers attached to the PVDC layer. The tie layer comprises a component selected from the group consisting of (a) polyether polyester copolymers, (b) polyurethanes having a melting temperature above about 121° C., (c) a blend comprising a polyamide and an ethylene copolymer containing an amine reactive functional group, and combinations thereof.
US08043677B2
A fluoropolymer resin coated member in which the fluoropolymer resin layer has been improved in wear resistance and peeling resistance. When the coated member is used to form a mold for polyester container molding, part of a polyester resin or an oligomer ingredient or additive contained in the polyester resin is prevented from depositing on the mold surface. And a polyester container with excellent luster and transparency can be manufactured. The fluoropolymer resin coated member (1) comprise a foundation (10) and a fluoropolymer resin layer (20) formed thereon, the foundation (10) having a surface roughness of 2 to 10 degree in Root-mean-square slope of profile, the amount of the fluoropolymer resin of the fluoropolymer resin layer (20) being 0.5-8.5 g/m2, and the surface roughness of the fluoropolymer resin layer being 5 degree or less in Root-mean-square slope of profile Δq2. The metal mold for forming polyester resin container can be reproduced in such a manner that amorphous fluoropolymer resin layer 20 applied on the hard surface of foundation 10 of the metal mold for forming polyester resin container is removed by abrasive to obtain mirror finish, then a new amorphous fluoropolymer resin layer 20 is applied on the surface of foundation 10.
US08043665B2
A method of controlling gloss of an image includes applying an overcoat composition of at least one gellant, at least one curable monomer, at least one curable wax and optionally at least one photoinitiator over a substrate, wherein the overcoat composition is curable upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation; following the applying of the overcoat composition and prior to curing the overcoat composition by applying ultraviolet radiation, applying heat to heat the applied overcoat composition to a temperature of at least 35° C.; and subsequent to the applying heat, applying ultraviolet radiation to the overcoat composition to substantially cure the overcoat composition.
US08043654B2
Methods, treatment compositions and treatment systems are disclosed for forming a detachable and renewable coating on a receptive surface by a process of applying a treatment composition comprising a plurality of hydrophobically modified fumed silica particles colloidally dispersed in a volatile solvent; allowing the volatile solvent to evaporate; and thereby depositing a protective coating on the receptive surface consisting of a layer of the hydrophobically modified particles, which provide a substantially transparent coating with dirt- and water-repellency properties that effectively shed dry particulate soils as well as water from the treated surface or treated article bearing a receptive surface. The methods, treatment compositions and treatment systems employing the hydrophobically modified fumed silica particle are particularly useful in providing nearly invisible detachable coatings and treated articles featuring surface protective benefits including dirt- and water-repellency, self-cleaning with water, and easier cleaning benefits when applied to a variety of automotive and home surfaces, both interior and exterior, including articles and materials such as metals, painted materials, sealed materials, plastics and polymeric articles, wood, textiles and the like.
US08043653B2
In method of forming a dielectric film and a Plasma Display Panel (PDP) using the dielectric film, a paste is coated on a substrate and forms a dielectric film, and a lateral surface of a terminal portion of the dielectric film has a contact angle in a range of 30 to 80° with respect to a surface of the substrate. The PDP preferably includes: a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other and forming a discharge space; a plurality of pairs of sustain electrodes arranged on the first substrate; and a plurality of address electrodes arranged on the second substrate. At least one dielectric film is preferably arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a lateral surface of a terminal portion of the dielectric film preferably has a contact angle in a range of 30 to 80° with respect to a surface of the first substrate.
US08043649B2
[Purpose] To provide edible fat and oil that can further improve blooming resistance, and chocolate having further improved blooming resistance than that of conventional chocolate. [Constitution] Edible fat and oil obtained by transesterification reaction or esterification reaction and satisfying the following requirements (A) to (D): (A) iodine value: 15 to 29; B) amount of trans fatty acids in the constituent fatty acids: 16 to 29% by mass; (C) amount of lauric acid in the constituent fatty acids: 13 to 28% by mass; and (D) total amount of oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid in the constituent fatty acids: less than 10% by mass.
US08043640B2
A method and apparatus for preparing yeast raised doughnuts without frying is disclosed. A proven dough mixture is coated with a cooking fat, such as vegetable shortening, before baking and, subsequently coated with cooking fat again after baking so that the resultant product does not consist of a bread-like substance.
US08043629B2
A safe and effective hemostatic is provided. The invention relates to a bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric holding thrombin as an effective ingredient and a hemostatic comprising said bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric. The bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric holding thrombin in accordance with the present invention may be prepared by a process which comprises the steps of immersing a bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric into a solution containing thrombin and of lyophilizing the obtained nonwoven fabric. The bioabsorbable synthetic nonwoven fabric holding thrombin in accordance with the present invention allows for quicker and more effective hemostasis.
US08043624B2
The present invention relates to methods and compositions for treatment of microbial infections and for the enhancement of resistance to infection. The invention comprises administration of an effective amount of a protein isolated from bacterial lysate compositions for the treatment of pathological conditions of microbial infections. The present invention can also be used to enhance the immune system to prevent infections by the administration of an effective amount of the compositions.
US08043620B2
The present invention relates to binding agents for WISE, and includes for their manufacture and use.
US08043619B2
The present invention describes the use of leptin for the immune modulation of the Th1/Th2 response. One aspect of the invention provides for a shift in the Th1/Th2 cell balance towards pro-inflammatory cytokine producing cells. This shift results from an increase in the levels, expression and/or the activity of leptin. Another aspect of the invention provides for a shift in the Th1/Th2 cell balance towards anti-inflammatory cytokine producing cells. This shift results from a decrease in the levels, expression and/or the activity of leptin. The shifting of the Th1/Th2 balance provides a method for the treatment of a variety of diseases and disorders.
US08043617B2
A human antibody or an antigen-binding fragment which binds human IL-6 receptor (hIL-6R) with a KD of about 500 pM or less and blocks IL-6 activity with an IC50 of 200 pM or less. In preferred embodiments, the antibody the antibody or antigen-binding fragment binds hIL-6R with an affinity at least 2-fold higher relative to its binding monkey IL-6R.
US08043614B2
The present invention is drawn to a 3-dimensional cell-produced scaffold construct comprising fibroblasts and the extracellular matrix that has been produced and arranged by these cells. The constructs promote the differentiation, dedifferentiation and/or transdifferentiation of cells and/or formation of tissue in vitro and in vivo, while at the same time promoting cell growth, proliferation, migration, and acquisition of in vivo-like morphology.
US08043610B2
The objects of the present invention are to provide a freeze-dried composition of an inactivated virus envelop having membrane fusion activity which can be stored at higher temperatures without losing the ability to introduce foreign matters and to provide a method of introducing a foreign matter into a cell with high efficiency.The present invention provides a freeze-dried composition for introducing a foreign matter which comprises an inactivated virus envelope having membrane fusion activity, and at least one stabilizer selected from the group consisting of a protein hydrolysate, leucine, an L-arginine-acid and a polysaccharide, and a method of introducing a foreign matter using the freeze-dried composition containing an inactivated virus envelope.
US08043608B2
Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for enhancing the immunogenicity of a preselected protein or peptide antigen in a mammal. Immunogenicity is enhanced by fusing the preselected antigen to an immunoglobulin heavy chain constant region to produce an Fc-antigen fusion protein. The Fc-antigen fusion proteins bind Fc receptors on the surface of antigen presenting cells, thereby targeting the antigen to the antigen presenting cells in the mammal. In addition, disclosed is a family of adjuvants, for example, an Fc-adjuvant fusion protein, for use in combination with the Fc-antigen fusion proteins to enhance or modulate a particular immune response against the preselected antigen.
US08043601B2
The present application is directed to radiolabeled cyclic polyazapeptides, pharmaceutical compositions comprising radiolabeled cyclic polyazapeptides, and methods of using the radiolabeled cyclic polyazapeptides. Such polyazapeptides can be used in imaging studies, such as Positron Emitting Tomography (PET) or Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT).
US08043599B2
A method for fabricating a high specific surface area mesoporous alumina is disclosed, which includes the following steps: (a) providing a water solution containing an aluminum salt and a fluoro-surfactant; (b) adding concentrated hydrochloric acid to adjust the PH value of the solution to about 6.0 to 8.0; (c) aging the solution at 70° C. to 110° C. for 12 to 20 hours; (d) washing the precipitate with water; (e) washing the precipitate with an organic solvent; (f) drying the precipitate; and (g) sintering the precipitate in a furnace of 500° C. to 1000° C.
US08043583B2
Disclosed is a shell-and-tube reactor or heat exchanger, which alternately comprises a doughnut-type baffle plate and a first disc-type baffle plate in order to increase heat transfer efficiency. In the reactor or heat exchanger, a second disc-type baffle plate is placed in an empty space inside of the doughnut-type baffle plate, and some tubes, through the inside of which a first object for heat transfer with a heat transfer medium, are present in a region inside of the doughnut-type baffle plate and outside of the second disc-type baffle plate. Also disclosed is a method for producing an oxide, comprising: using said reactor or heat exchanger, and causing a catalytic vapor-phase oxidation reaction in the tubes, through the inside of which the first object for heat transfer with the heat transfer medium is passed.
US08043580B2
A testing device is provided which is able to distribute a liquid sample to a plurality of reaction sections by a simple operation without using a tip dispenser, and also achieves individually independent reaction systems without causing reaction sections to be in communication with each other due to a liquid sample. The testing device has a transparent molded body which includes: a storage chamber for injecting/holding a liquid sample; a reaction chamber for causing a reaction of the sample; a receiving chamber for sucking and receiving the sample, with the storage chamber and the reaction chamber being in communication with each other via a distributing flow path, and the reaction chamber and the receiving chamber being in communication with each other via a sucking flow path; and a liquid reservoir between the reaction chamber and the receiving chamber.
US08043571B2
Embodiments of a microchannel reactor comprise a microchannel housing comprising a plurality of channels and an upper microstructure disposed above the microchannel housing. The upper microstructure comprising a gas feed circuit, a liquid feed circuit, and at least one mixing cavity. The mixing cavity is in fluid communication with at least one reactive passage of the microchannel housing. The gas feed circuit comprises at least one gas feed inlet, and the liquid feed circuit comprises at least one liquid feed inlet and at least one liquid reservoir adjacent to the mixing cavity, wherein the liquid reservoir is operable to deliver a liquid feed into the mixing cavity.
US08043558B2
Organic materials being indirectly heated via hot air having the temperature required for their treatment, the process consists in the recycling of the vapours and gases evolving from the organic materials into a hot air circuit by forcing them into contact with the flame of a burner in order to burn the organic gases contained therein. The apparatus for executing the process comprises a double wall sealed tank; the outer wall being insulating and the inner wall being heat-conducting, the space, created by the walls, defines the hot air circuit.
US08043551B2
A method for producing an aortic or mitral heart valve prosthesis and the resulting aortic or mitral heart valve. The method is characterized in that it essentially consists in producing the prosthesis by shaping a textile material. The invention is more particularly applicable in the field of medicine, in particular repair surgery, and especially in heart surgery, more particularly heart prostheses.
US08043550B2
A method of manufacturing a display device in which a film deposited on a substrate through openings in a covering layer is easily removed from the covering layer, is described herein, includes forming a master layer having a predetermined pattern of openings on a base substrate; spraying a light shielding material on the master layer; fabricating a mold provided with the light shielding film by forming a moldable material layer on the base substrate and the master layer; the moldable material layer and the light shielding material; arranging, pressurizing, and exposing the mold on an insulation substrate having a photosensitive film formed thereon after separating the mold from the master layer; and developing the photosensitive film after separating the mold from the insulation substrate.
US08043549B2
An object is to reduce the axial dimension of an injection apparatus (31), facilitate the work of removing and inserting a screw (20), and improve the quality of molded products. The injection apparatus (31) comprises a heating cylinder (17), a screw (20), and a drive apparatus. The screw (20) includes a plasticizing portion which includes a body portion (45a) and a flight (53) projectingly formed on an outer circumferential surface of the body portion (45a). An index ε, which is obtained by dividing a value obtained by adding a screw stroke S and a screw effective length L together by the screw stroke S, satisfies the relation 2.0<ε<4.5. Even when the screw (20) is shortened, resin can be melted satisfactorily. Accordingly, the axial dimension of the injection apparatus (31) can be reduced.
US08043546B2
A method of forming a mesh by a moulding a link element around other link elements to form a mesh in which the interlinking link elements are formed as continuous unjoined loops by a moulding process. An apparatus for forming a mesh including a plurality of first cavities for accommodating first link elements and a plurality of second cavities for forming interlinking link elements. The method and apparatus allow the continuous production of mesh formed of a range of materials including plastics materials.
US08043543B2
A method is disclosed for high volume production of molded dimensionally accurate polymer composite articles comprising three-dimensional carbon fiber reinforcement in high volume. Carbon fiber cloth infiltrated with a liquid thermosetting polymer precursor is shaped by application of pressure to urge the cloth against the surface of a mold and then heated while under pressure to cure the polymer precursor into a solid polymeric matrix for the carbon fiber article. Mold tooling is formed of suitable iron-nickel alloys and provided with a hard electroless nickel coating on the mold cavity surface. The iron and nickel alloy provides thermal expansion properties generally matched to those of the articles for the molding of dimensionally accurate parts. The nickel alloy coating provides a durable surface to resist abrasion by the carbon fiber cloth without adversely affecting the expansion properties of the mold, and remains adherent to the base metal during the repeated thermal cycling encountered in high volume production.
US08043535B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a conductive ink which enables to form a circuit or the like having excellent adhesion to a substrate and to form a conductor having high film density and low electric resistance. In order to attain the object, a conductive ink comprising metal powder or metal oxide powder dispersed in a dispersion medium, which is characterized in that the dispersion medium contains a metal salt or a metal oxide as a film density improver for increasing film density of a conductor formed by using the conductive ink is adopted. A main solvent constituting the dispersion medium is selected from one or a combination of two or more selected from the group consisting of water, alcohols, glycols and saturated hydrocarbons having a boiling point of 300 deg. C. or less at normal pressure.
US08043525B2
A wet etching solution includes hydrogen fluoride in an amount of about 0.1% to about 3% by weight of the etching solution, an inorganic acid in an amount of about 10% to about 40% by weight of the etching solution, the inorganic acid being one or more of nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and/or hydrochloric acid, a surfactant in an amount of about 0.0001% to about 5% by weight of the etching solution, the nonionic surfactant including one or more of alkylphenol ethoxylate and/or ammonium lauryl sulfate, and water.
US08043522B2
The invention provides a ferrite material (ferrite sintered body, ferrite powders) having a composition formula of (1-x-y-z)(Li0.5Fe0.5)O.xZnO.y(Mn, Fe)2O3.zCuO, wherein x, y, z, and a satisfy 0.175≦x≦0.29; 0.475≦y≦0.51; 0.07≦z≦0.22; and 0.02≦a≦0.055 in a case of a=Mn/(Mn+Fe). At least one of Co oxide, Co hydroxide, and Co carbonate in an amount of 1 wt. % or less on the basis of CoO may be contained in 100 wt % of the ferrite material. The ferrite material has a normalized impedance ZN of 40000 Ω/m or more at 30 MHz and a normalized impedance ZN of 60000 Ω/m or more at 100 MHz as well as a specific resistance of 106 Ωm or more.
US08043506B2
The invention is directed to a process for the anaerobic purification of waste water using a sludge bed system, which process comprises feeding waste water, and optionally recycle water, to the lower part of an upflow reactor, containing mainly granular biomass thus producing biogas in the treatment passing the resulting gas/liquid/solid mixture upward and separating the gas and solid from the liquid in a three phase separator and thereby generating an anaerobic effluent that is withdrawn from the top of the separator, the improvement comprising separating the solids from the liquid in a separator, wherein, above the separation of the gas from the liquid phase, tilted plates, tubes or other tilted internals are installed in the three phase separator body to increase the effective settling surface, to an upflow reactor suitable for this process as well as to a three phase separator.
US08043485B2
An electrolysis system (100) and method of using same is provided. In addition to an electrolysis tank (101) and a membrane (105) separating the tank into two regions, the system includes at least one pair of low voltage electrodes (115/116) of a first type, at least one pair of low voltage electrodes (117/118) of a second type, and at least one pair of high voltage electrodes (121/122). The low voltage applied to the low voltage electrodes (115/116/117/118) and the high voltage applied to the high voltage electrodes (121/122) is pulsed with the pulses occurring simultaneously with the same pulse duration. Low voltage is also applied to the low voltage electrodes (115/116/117/118) during part, or all, of the period of each cycle occurring between pulses.
US08043479B2
A desalination system in the form of a submerged gas evaporator that includes a vessel, a gas delivery tube partially disposed within the vessel to deliver a gas into the vessel and a fluid inlet that provides a fluid to the vessel at a rate sufficient to maintain a controlled constant level of fluid within the vessel. A weir is disposed within the vessel adjacent the gas delivery tube to form a first fluid circulation path between a first weir end and a wall of the vessel and a second fluid circulation path between a second weir end and an upper end of the vessel. During operation, gas introduced through the tube mixes with the fluid and the combined gas and fluid flow at a high rate with a high degree of turbulence along the first and second circulation paths defined around the weir, thereby promoting vigorous mixing and intimate contact between the gas and the fluid. This turbulent flow develops a significant amount of interfacial surface area between the gas and the fluid resulting in a reduction of the required residence time of the gas within the fluid to achieve thermal equilibrium which leads to a more efficient and complete evaporation. Additionally, vapor exiting the submerged gas evaporator is condensed in a condensing unit thus precipitating vapor into a liquid for removal.
US08043469B2
At first, with a chamber being filled with a first gas, a process liquid is supplied onto a surface of a wafer in the chamber so as to process the surface of the wafer. At this time, the process liquid discharged from the chamber is returned to a process-liquid supplying part. Thereafter, with the chamber being filled with a second gas whose humidity is lower than that of the first gas, a fluid for forming a liquid film is supplied onto the surface of the wafer in the chamber to form a liquid film on the surface of the wafer and to dry the surface of the wafer.
US08043466B1
An etching apparatus is provided for etching a substrate. The etching apparatus includes a first tank including a first etchant, and an etch bath connected to the first tank and receiving the first etchant, the etch bath containing a residual etchant including a diluted etchant and residue material after the substrate is etched with the first etchant. The etching apparatus further includes a second tank receiving the residual etchant from the etch bath and separating the diluted etchant from the residue material, a connecting passage connecting the first and second tanks for transferring the separated diluted etchant from the second tank to the first tank, and an outlet pipe attached to the second tank for discharging the residue material.
US08043460B2
One embodiment of the invention includes product comprising an elastomeric epoxy dry adhesive with a pull-off strength of 1-200 N/cm2 from a substrate and reversibly detached with a peel-off force less than 1 N/cm.
US08043458B2
A composite panel and method of manufacture includes a support structure and a tape skin wound about the support structure. A mandrel assembly with extractable longitudinal mandrels facilitates winding of the tape skin onto the support structure. The composite panel is suitable for use in an aircraft floor system.
US08043457B2
A fiber placement tool comprising a plurality of tool segments, each tool segment having an outer surface defining a predetermined profile, each tool segment being removably mounted on at least one elongate shaft.
US08043454B1
The invention is a method of making a hermetic via in a ceramic substrate that is comprised of noble metal powder in a glass-free paste that contains an admixture of a particulate phase of niobium pentoxide. The electrically conductive platinum provides excellent electrical conductivity while the niobium pentoxide phase prevents shrinkage of the paste during thermal processing and binds to both the ceramic and the noble metal particulates in the via, thus maintaining a hermetic seal around the via.
US08043450B2
A method of cutting tissue for use as an implantable medical device employs a laser cutting system. The laser cutting system is computer controlled and includes a laser combined with a motion system. The laser precisely cuts segments out of source tissue according to predetermined pattern as designated by the computer. The cutting energy of the laser is selected so that the cut edges of the tissue segments are fused, melted or welded to discourage delamination or fraying, but communication of thermal energy into the segment beyond the edge is minimized to avoid damaging the tissue adjacent the edge.
US08043439B2
A dishwasher and a method for controlling the same are provided. The dishwasher includes a contamination level sensor that measures a contamination level of washing water in a washing tub of the dishwasher. The method includes supplying washing water to an inside of the dishwasher, washing dishes by spraying the washing water to the inside of the dishwasher, temporarily pausing the washing of the dishes for a preset time period, and resuming the washing of the dishes after the preset time period.
US08043427B2
Semiconductor wafers of silicon are produced by pulling a single crystal growing on a phase boundary from a melt contained in a crucible and cutting of semiconductor wafers therefrom, wherein during pulling of the single crystal, heat is delivered to a center of the phase boundary and a radial profile of a ratio V/G from the center to an edge of the phase boundary is controlled, G being the temperature gradient perpendicular to the phase boundary and V being the pull rate. The radial profile of the ratio V/G is controlled so that the effect of thermomechanical stress in the single crystal adjoining the phase boundary, is compensated with respect to creation of intrinsic point defects. The invention also relates to defect-free semiconductor wafers of silicon, which can be produced economically by this method.
US08043420B2
A fluid tank includes a tank main body that contains a fluid and a bubble removing device that is provided inside the main body and removes bubbles in the fluid. The main body includes a partition and a delivery port through which the fluid is fed to outside. The bubble removing device has an outflow port through which the fluid from which the bubbles have been removed flows to the inside of the main body and a bubble exhaust port through which the bubbles which have been removed are discharged to the inside of the main body. The delivery port is provided adjacent to the outflow port relative to the partition. The partition partitions the inside of the main body into a side in which the outflow port and the delivery port are provided and a side of the bubble exhaust port.
US08043418B2
An apparatus for separating at least one component from a mixture of a plurality of chemical species is provided. The apparatus comprises a membrane structure comprising a plurality of pores disposed within a matrix material to allow mass transport from a first surface of the membrane structure to a second surface of the membrane structure. The matrix material has a thermal conductivity of at least about 10 W/m/K; and a functional material disposed within at least a portion of the plurality of pores. The functional material has the property of promoting selective transport of at least one species through the membrane structure from the first surface to the second surface.
US08043408B2
A process and apparatus for producing lead and zinc from concentrates of zinc and lead sulfides or oxides includes the steps of: (a) mixing lead ore and/or zinc ore concentrates, iron bearing and carbon containing materials, metallic iron fines and iron oxide fines, carbonaceous reductant, fluxing agent, and a binder to form a mixture; (b) forming agglomerates from the mixture (c) introducing the agglomerates to a melting furnace; (d) maintaining a reducing atmosphere within the melting furnace; (e) vaporizing lead and zinc in the melting furnace at a temperature of 1000 to 1650 C, and removing the lead and zinc from the melting furnace in vaporized form; (f) cooling and condensing the metal vapors to liquid metal; and (g) separating the zinc and lead; and (h) recovering the lead and zinc metal separately.
US08043405B2
Densified molybdenum metal powder. Densified molybdenum metal powder has substantially generally spherical particles, surface-area-to-mass ratio of no more than about 0.5 m2/g as determined by BET analysis, and a flowability greater than about 32 s/50 g as determined by a Hall Flowmeter.
US08043398B2
A honeycomb structure including plural cells with holes arranged in a longitudinal direction, a peripheral wall, and a defective portion formed on the peripheral wall that is mended with a mending material that is in a color different from the color of the peripheral wall. Also, a method is provided for manufacturing a honeycomb structure including plural cells with holes arranged in a longitudinal direction and a peripheral wall which method involves mending a defective portion formed on the peripheral wall of the honeycomb structure with a mending material in a color different from the color of the peripheral wall.
US08043388B2
Grafted polymer drag-reducing agents, grafted polymer fuel additives and production methods therefor
The invention includes a method of reducing drag in a pipeline and/or improving the combustion efficiency of a fuel burning device by adding a grafted polymer to a hydrocarbon product. The invention also includes a method of improving the combustion efficiency of a gasoline engine by adding a grafted polymer to fuel and combusting the fuel within the gasoline engine, the grafted polymer having a viscoelastic effect in gasoline in the gasoline engine to generally correspond to a duration of the intake stroke/compression stroke/fuel burn sequence in a gasoline engine.
US08043387B2
A production method for a positive electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery that includes a positive electrode active material capable of intercalating and deintercalating a lithium ion, a conductive agent and a binder, in which the positive electrode active material is produced by coating cobalt-based lithium composite oxide represented by a general formula: LiaCO1-sM1sO2 with lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide of general formula: LibNitCOuMnvO2, ratio r1/r2 of the average particle diameter r1 of the cobalt-based lithium composite oxide and the average particle diameter r2 of the lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide being 2≦r1/r2≦50, and the average particle diameter r2 of the lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide is 0.5 μm≦r2≦20 μm. A positive electrode produced by such method results in a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery having enhanced energy density and capacity and retention characteristic when charging/discharging is repeated at a high potential of 4.5 V based on lithium.
US08043382B2
Medical implants having a ceramic body reinforced with a plurality of metal wires. Methods of making the implant and methods of implanting the medical implant are also provided.
US08043377B2
The present invention relates to an implantable intervertebral fusion device for use when surgical fusion of vertebral bodies is indicated. The implant is comprised of bone conforming in size and shape with the end plates of the adjacent vertebrae and has a wedge-shaped profile with a plurality of footings and grooves located on the top and bottom surfaces.
US08043372B2
A device includes a plurality of ringlets connected together to form a ring having a longitudinal axis. Each ringlet includes a first element and a second element. The first and second elements each extend from a first end through a central portion to a second end. The first and second ends are disposed at radially outer positions with respect to the ring than the central portion. The central portion is longitudinally displaced from the first and second ends. The first and second elements are separated and spaced apart from each other at the central portions thereof and are joined together at the first ends thereof and the second ends thereof. The ringlets are connected together such that the first ends of the elements of one ringlet are connected to the second ends of the elements of an adjacent ringlet.
US08043371B2
Intraocular lenses are provided having a visible-light selective transmissive zone defined therein. The visible light-selective transmissive zone can be located near the lens center and designed to reduce the transmission of any wave-length of visible light specifically light in the blue light region having wavelength between approximately 400λ to 550λ. In one embodiment he IOLs are made from acrylates and the light absorbing compound is a yellow dye.
US08043370B2
The invention relates to a device for restoring the accommodating ability of the eye, which comprises: a) at least one optical system (3) b) at least one data acquisition system (8) that does not touch the ciliary muscle and has either acoustic or optical means to detect the movement of the ciliary body, or it has means to detect the spatial orientation of the two eyeballs with respect to each other, or it has means for measuring the diameter of the pupil and the luminance in at least one eye as a physiological control signal for accommodation c) at least one data processing system to produce a regulating signal for the optical system from the physiological control signal received d) at least one power supply system (10), and e) at least one system for attachment (22).
US08043362B2
An apparatus includes an expandable member and an elongate assembly. The expandable member is configured to displace a first portion of a bone structure relative to a second portion of the bone structure when moved from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration. The elongate assembly includes a shaft and an elongated member disposed with a lumen defined by the shaft. A proximal end portion of the expandable member is coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft such that the proximal end portion of the expandable member does not rotate relative to the distal end portion of the shaft when at least a portion of the expandable member is twisted about the elongated member through at least four revolutions.
US08043360B2
Several unique intracardiac pressure vents, placement catheters, methods of placement and methods of treating heart failure are presented. The intracardiac pressure vents presented allow sufficient flow from the left atrium to the right atrium to relieve elevated left atrial pressure and resulting patient symptoms. In an aspect of the invention, the interatrial device comprises portions that are more flexible or less flexible than another portion of the device.
US08043357B2
A stent arrangement which has at least a first ring (3) and zig zag struts (5) extending axially from the periphery of the ring. There can be first and second rings (3, 4) axially spaced apart and defining substantially parallel planes and a plurality of zig zag portions (5) between the first and second ring portions around the periphery thereof. The stent can be formed from a single wire or laser cut from a cannula and can be covered or uncovered.
US08043350B2
A warming device includes a clinical garment having an inside surface supporting a convective apparatus with comb-shaped, interleaved, separately inflatable sections, each adapted to enable a particular mode of warming.
US08043349B2
Disclosed herein is a device which includes a first panel, a second panel, a center panel, an upright support (pillar), and a base. The first and second panels each include one or more ultraviolet lamps. The center panel may optionally include one or more ultraviolet lamps. The panels are mounted to a swivel plate, which is in turn mounted to the upright support. The swivel plate allows the panels to be rotated by approximately 90 degrees. The upright support has a track that allows the swivel plate to move up and down the upright support.
US08043344B2
An apparatus for use with a spinal implant includes a handle structure with a passage. A shaft with a screw thread is moveable within the passage in the handle structure. A pusher block is linked to the shaft, and has a forward surface configured to engage the spinal implant. A screw-threaded clutch member is supported on the handle structure for movement into and out of engagement with the screw thread on the shaft.
US08043342B2
A method for effecting reduction, stabilization and enhancement of fusion of the human cranio-cervical junction, which may be performed in order to relieve mechanical stresses imparted to the spinal cord and brainstem as a result of an abnormal clivo-axial angle, includes steps of achieving the correct craniocervical relationship, of effecting a fusion of a first portion of a bone forming material based structural member to a human cranium, and effecting fusion of a second portion of the bone forming material based structural member to a least one portion of a human cervical spine. Fusion of the bone forming material based structural member to the human cranium may be promoted through the use of plate member that is shaped to define a graft accommodation space between the plate member and the cranium.
US08043340B1
A dynamic spinal stabilization system that enables spinal movements throughout a range of motions from a neutral condition of the spine, to a flexion condition, and an extension condition. The system includes metal pedicle screws and at least one metal support rod, wherein the system includes elastomeric members operatively located to substantially eliminate metal-to-metal contact of metal components of the system that are movable relative to one another.
US08043339B2
The present invention relates to flexible members for stabilizing a spinal column and methods for making the flexible members. In one embodiment, a flexible member comprises an inner elastomeric member and an outer fabric layer situated securely around the inner elastomeric member. The inner elastomeric member has a first elasticity to provide the flexible member with a desired flexibility. In another embodiment, the flexible member includes an outer covering that defines an outer elastomeric member. The outer elastomeric member may be situated securely around the outer fabric layer with the inner elastomeric member, the outer fabric layer, and the outer elastomeric member having the common lengthwise axis and defining the body including the opposing first and second ends. The outer elastomeric member may have a second elasticity that is less than the first elasticity.
US08043331B2
An embodiment of the invention includes a method of fastening together two tissue portions. The method may include positioning a medical device adjacent a region of tissue having two tissue portions. The medical device may include a male member and a female member having a first bioabsorbable material overlying one of a non-bioabsorbable material and a second bioabsorbable material. The first bioabsorbable material may have a first degradation rate, and the second bioabsorbable material may have a second degradation rate slower than the first degradation rate. The method may also include inserting the male member inside the female member so as to inhibit withdrawal of the male member from the female member with the two tissue portions between the male member and the female member.
US08043327B1
An auto-release tourniquet apparatus has a strap, a housing having a first slot therein suitable for receiving a first end of the strap and a second slot suitable for receiving another portion of the strap therein, and a strap releasing mechanism positioned in the housing. The strap releasing mechanism serves to release at least one of the first and second ends of the strap from the housing after a predetermined period of time. A solenoid is positioned in the housing and acts upon the first end of the strap so as to allow for the ejection of the first end of the strap from the first slot after the predetermined period of time. A strap tensioning mechanism is associated with the second slot of the housing for allowing the strap to be suitably tensioned.
US08043318B2
Lancet device utilizing a body, a holding member configured to receive a lancet having the lancet needle, a first spring structured and arranged to move the holding member between at least a retracted position and an extended position, and a second spring structured and arranged to move the holding member between at least an intermediate position and the retracted position. The first spring is at least one of smaller in diameter than the second spring and compressible by expansion of the second spring. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
US08043317B2
The present invention includes a system for withdrawing body fluids. The system includes a drive unit having a plunger which is moved from a resting position into a lancing position in order to carry out a lancing process and a lancing unit containing a lancet with a needle. The plunger and lancet are coupled together by a form fit in order to carry out a lancing process. The invention additionally concerns a method for temporarily extending a needle from a device for withdrawing body fluid as well as a lancing unit that can be attached to the drive unit.
US08043313B2
An apparatus is provided that is operable in different modes to perform various functions for treating a body lumen. The apparatus includes a shaft including a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen extending therebetween, and a balloon on the distal end having an interior communicating with the lumen. The apparatus includes a valve on the distal end that selectively opens or closes an outlet communicating with the lumen. With the valve open, fluid introduced into the lumen exits the outlet into a body lumen. With the valve closed, fluid introduced into the lumen expands the balloon. The apparatus also includes an actuator for axially compressing the balloon, and a helical member extends between ends of the balloon interior that expands the balloon from a contracted condition to an expanded helical shape when the actuator is activated.
US08043301B2
A valve loading system is provided that uses a valve loader to transfer a valve or other medical device from a storage cartridge into a deployment catheter. The valve or other medical device can be implanted or positioned within a patient using the catheter after the valve or other medical device has been compressed and loaded into the catheter using the valve loader. The process then can be repeated by using the valve loading system to load or introduce another valve or other medical device into the catheter.
US08043299B2
An internal bone transport device and method for lengthen bone that, once surgically implanted will allow for a segment of bone to be transported along the length of the rod without changing the overall length of the rod. The segment from one bone end is transported to the other in a controlled fashion allowing for complete control of the rate of bone transport and adjusting this rate to the quality of the bone formation. The segment is moved either by the application of an externally applied magnetic force or by a fluid actuator in combination with a compression spring. It applies to patients in whom a segment of bone has been removed. This fully internal bone transport allows the bone transport to occur without any external fixation, thus eliminating the problems associated with pin tract infections and pain from the pins cutting through the soft tissue.
US08043296B2
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes an elongated member, an expandable member coupled to the elongated member, and an outer sheath. The outer sheath, which can be constructed from a different material than the expandable member, is disposed about the expandable member such that an outer surface of the expandable member is in discontinuous contact with an inner surface of the outer sheath. The expandable member and the outer sheath are configured to cooperatively displace a bone structure when moving between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration.
US08043291B2
A bone harvesting tool includes an elongate hollow collection cannula with a lumen for receiving harvested bone tissue. Holes are formed through the collection cannula to permit visual observation of the volume of bone tissue that has been collected. Cutting blades are mounted to the distal end of the collection cannula and are configured for cutting into bone tissue. The cutting blades are aligned so that the harvested bone tissue advances proximally into the lumen of the collection cannula. A guide pin is telescoped into the collection cannula and through the blades. The guide pin is employed for initial positioning of the tool on the bone. A plug near the distal end of the guide pin enables the guide pin to be used for expelling the collected bone tissue from the collection cannula.
US08043283B2
The present invention provides an enhanced method and device to inhibit or reduce the rate of restenosis following angioplasty or stent placement. The invention involves placing a balloon tipped catheter in the area treated or opened through balloon angioplasty immediately following angioplasty. The balloon, which can have a dual balloon structure, may be delivered through a guiding catheter and over a guidewire already in place from a balloon angioplasty. A fluid such as a perfluorocarbon may be flowed into the balloon to freeze the tissue adjacent the balloon, this cooling being associated with reduction of restenosis. The catheter may also be used to reduce atrial fibrillation by inserting and inflating the balloon such that an exterior surface of the balloon is in contact with at least a partial circumference of the portion of the pulmonary vein adjacent the left atrium.
US08043279B2
A catheter includes a proximal shaft having a relatively high rigidity, a distal shaft provided on a front portion of the proximal shaft so as to be in fluid communication with proximal shaft and having a rigidity lower than that of the proximal shaft, a hub mounted to the vicinity of a rear end of the proximal shaft and configured to allow a pressure applying apparatus to be mounted to the hub, and a balloon provided on a front portion of the distal shaft so as to be in fluid communication with the distal shaft and configured to receive pressure applied from the hub. The catheter also includes a guide wire lumen. In this catheter, at least a front portion of the distal shaft is configured as a grooved portion having a groove or grooves.
US08043278B2
Medical devices can be formed from medical device components that are bonded together with an adhesive that resists stresses caused by adhesive curing. In particular, a medical device can include a first component and a second component. The second component can be configured to fit at least partially over the first component. An aerated adhesive layer can be formed or disposed between the first and second components.
US08043275B2
An absorbent garment has a garment chassis, a pair of inner containment flaps and a pair of outer containment flaps. The inner and outer containment flaps are arranged on the garment chassis to inhibit leaking of body exudates from the garment during wear. In one embodiment, the inner containment flaps each have an elastic tension as determined by an elastic tension test which is substantially equal to an elastic tension of each outer containment flap as determined by the same test. In another embodiment, the inner containment flaps each have a height which is substantially equal to a height of each outer containment flap.
US08043270B2
An apparatus and method are provided for analyzing the release of active agent(s) from pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical-like products. The apparatus and method provide for more accurate simulation of the conditions in the GI tract including forces that are applied to the dosage form.
US08043260B2
An improved mechanism for attaching a feeding tube to a feeding delivery system is presented. The feeding delivery system is attached to an elongated connecting member that is pivotally attached to a bolster. After attachment, the elongated connecting member is rotated to engage another tube at the base of the pivot. Before pivoting, the passageway is blocked by the interference of the elongated connecting member. As the elongated connecting member is rotated, the conduit system aligns and becomes a passageway to and from the stomach. The device provides a three part rigid plastic fit that does not wear out over a number of uses. The device prevents splash events, which occur when a feeding adapter is opened or when the adapter or valve is forced open by a cough or gastric pressure build up.
US08043258B2
The present application includes devices, systems and methods for therapeutic agent delivery. A device in accord with the invention may include a first infusion lumen having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis and a therapeutic agent. This device may also include an inflatable balloon in fluid communication with the first infusion lumen, the inflatable balloon having an exit outlet wherein the device is configured to exert pressure at a target site with an external surface of the balloon, the exerted pressure greater than a target pressure prior to the therapeutic agent exiting the inflatable balloon. A method in accord with the invention may include positioning a delivery device near an intended treatment site, injecting therapeutic agent through an infusion lumen into an inflatable balloon, and determining a target pressure at a target site by monitoring the blood pressure of a patient.
US08043255B2
A chair powered breast pump apparatus has at least one breast shield adapted to fit over a nipple of a breast, a pump having a stationary portion and a reciprocating portion engaged for reciprocating movement, one or more suction lines connected in series between the stationary portion and the breast shield, a first connecting bracket configured to secure the reciprocating portion to a first portion of a chair movement mechanism, and a second connecting bracket configured to secure the stationary portion to a second portion of a chair movement mechanism, the first and second portions being relatively movable, whereby movement of the chair by a user seated in the chair reciprocates the reciprocating portion in and out of the stationary portion so as to apply suction to the breast shield.
US08043250B2
A method of usign a high-aspect ratio microdevice for treating, preventing or ameliorating a medical condition is provided.
US08043249B2
A device for connecting an injection needle to an injection apparatus, wherein the device provides a plurality of possible points of contact in at least two planes, and wherein the points of contact have associated spring forces for acting generally perpendicularly on the injection apparatus.
US08043247B1
Methods and devices are provided for shunting fluid to treat hydrocephalous, and in particular for treating normal pressure hydrocephalous, or Alzheimer's, Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH), or any other condition in which it is necessary to drain and/or cleanse CSF. The methods and devices utilize a shunt having an inlet port, and outlet port, and a flow control component for controlling fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port. The shunt can be implanted at a location along or within a patient's spinal column. In one exemplary embodiment, an inlet port of a shunt can be implanted within the subarachnoid space, and an outlet port of a shunt can be implanted at a drainage site. In certain exemplary embodiments, the cerebrospinal fluid is drained into the epidural space.
US08043246B2
A nitric oxide gas-releasing conduit configured for surgical implantation through a patient's tympanic membrane. The nitric oxide gas-releasing conduit comprises a gas-permeable cured resin material configured for releasably sequestering therein gas. The gas-permeable cured resin material is charged with nitric oxide gas. The nitric oxide gas-releasing conduit may be optionally coated with an antimicrobial gas-releasing composition. The gas-releasing coating composition may be configured to release nitric oxide.
US08043244B2
A wearable device includes a unitary first frame assembly which is integrally formed from first and second polymeric materials. The first frame assembly has a first frame portion formed by the first polymeric material and extends around part of a second frame portion formed by the second polymeric material. The first frame member includes a flexible first shell and a first connecting portion which depends from the first shell. The second frame portion forms part of the first shell and continuously extends to the first connecting portion without interruption. The second polymeric material has greater rigidity than the first polymeric material. The device also includes a second frame assembly having a second connecting portion which links to the first connecting portion.
US08043243B2
Disclosed is a knee brace that incorporates hinges that allow the brace to pivot simultaneously about a flexion-extension axis and a longitudinal rotation axis as the brace flexes and/or extends. The hinges include a medial hinge and a lateral hinge. The medial hinge defines a medial pivot axis and the lateral hinge defines a lateral pivot axis. The medial pivot axis does not coincide with the lateral pivot axis, and neither axis coincides with the flexion-extension axis. Calf portions of each hinge are pivotable with respect to their respective uprights about an axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal rotation axis. The pivotability of the calf portions with respect to the calf frame eliminates stresses that would otherwise develop in the hinges as the brace flexes and/or extends.
US08043240B2
A protective cover for a cast. Exemplary embodiments include a cover for a lower arm cast including an optional thumb cover. Exemplary embodiments may be constructed from resilient foam located within a protective shell, and the protective shell may include fasteners arranged to retain the cast cover around the cast. An exemplary thumb cover includes a plurality of pockets, each of which holds a thumb pad. The exemplary thumb cover may be installed on the cast prior to installing the cast cover, and the thumb cover may extend through an opening in the cast cover.
US08043237B1
A massaging device includes a support member, a massaging member movably mounted on the support member, two opposite connecting straps connected with the massaging member respectively, two massaging belts each connected with a respective one of the connecting straps, a drive member mounted on the support member and provided with a rotation shaft, and an eccentric member rotatable with the rotation shaft and provided with an eccentric shaft to drive the massaging member to move relative to the support member. Thus, the massaging member is movable to massage the user's back reciprocally, and the two massaging belts are movable to massage the user's body reciprocally, so that the massaging device can be used to massage the user's body exactly and completely.
US08043232B2
A high performance wire guide is disclosed, having a core wire and an outer member disposed about the core wire for enhanced torque transmission along a longitudinal length of the core wire. The outer member may be an outer coil wrapped around the core wire in an interference fit.
US08043229B2
A medical device is provided having reduced penetration force. The device includes a body having a central hollow channel and a piezoelectric transducer received within and secured to the body. The piezoelectric transducer has a hollow portion concentric with the central hollow channel. A tubular member is associated with and in communication with the piezoelectric transducer. The tubular member has at least one open end formed concentric with the central hollow channel and the hollow portion of the piezoelectric transducer, wherein the transducer is adapted for vibrating at a frequency to produce an oscillating displacement of the tubular member.
US08043226B2
An apparatus and method for simultaneously measuring at least two different bio signals without interference are provided. The apparatus includes a stimulus signal generating unit generating the stimulus signal to be applied to a human body, a sensing unit contacting the human body, including a plurality of electrodes to which the stimulus signal is applied and from which at least one intermediate signal containing the first and second bio signals is detected, configured to share at least one of the plurality of electrodes to apply the stimulus signal or to detect each intermediate signal, and a signal acquisition unit separating and acquiring the first and second bio signals from each intermediate signal detected from the sensing unit.
US08043222B2
A single transducer element that is capable of oscillation at a plurality of natural resonant frequencies may be used in an ultrasonic imaging catheter assembly including a catheter body configured to be inserted and guided through the vascular system of a living being, a lumen and a rotatable imaging core adapted to pass through the lumen, the imaging core including a flexible drive-shaft. Because the transducer element is capable of oscillation at a plurality of natural resonant frequencies, a user can switch from one frequency to another in order to improve the depth of field or resolution without having to switch out the catheter or imaging core.
US08043214B2
An improved neurological testing apparatus 10 for examining a person's neurological system has a body housing 12, one or more separate specific taste testing substances 20, one or more separate specific smell testing substances 30, one or more vision charts 40, 42 and a light source 50. The body housing 12 includes a front surface 12A, a rear surface 12B, an upper end 14, a bottom end 16 and an interior chamber 18 for holding a battery 100. The separate specific taste testing substances 20 are attached to the front or rear surfaces. The separate specific smell testing substances 30 are attached to either the front or rear surface. The vision charts 40, 42 lie on one of the front or rear surfaces opposite the smell or taste testing substances 20, 30. The light source assembly 50 is mounted in the body structure 12 and includes a light 50A connected to a battery 100 via an on/off switch 60 located in the body 12, wherein said light source 50 is used to analyze pupillary reflex as seen through an eye examination lens 4 located directly above the light 50A and for examining the fundus of the eye (retina).
US08043207B2
A proximal housing for a full-thickness resection device (FTRD) is provided with a plurality of chambers through which fasteners are introduced into a portion of tissue to be resected. The proximal housing has a noncircular cut-out opposite the plurality of chambers to receive a noncircular endoscope. The proximal housing also is provided with a resection cavity into which the tissue to be resected is to be received. In addition, shaft openings are provided through which mounting shafts may be inserted. A noncircular endoscope is also disclosed for insertion into the cut-out whereby the endoscope has passages to house the functions of remote viewing, illumination, insufflation and irrigation.
US08043200B2
Disclosed is a method for replacing a process instrument in a processing apparatus, in which a target object is loaded by transfer mechanism into a processing unit and is subjected to a process by use of the process instrument. The method includes confirming that a process on the target object is finished in a processing unit designated as a process instrument replacement target, and providing information that a process instrument replacing operation is permitted to start. The method further includes, when a shutter of the processing unit designated as the process instrument replacement target is closed to perform a process instrument replacing operation and an operation prohibition state is thereby applied to the transfer mechanism, canceling the operation prohibition state to allow the transfer mechanism to perform a load/unload operation relative to a processing unit not designated as a process instrument replacement target.
US08043191B2
A powertrain of an automatic transmission includes a first planetary gear set having first, second, and third operating members, a second planetary gear set having fourth, fifth, and sixth operating members, and a third planetary gear set having seventh, eighth, and ninth operating members, the first operating member being always stationary, the seventh and eighth operating members being selectively stopped, the second and sixth operating members being fixedly interconnected, the fifth and ninth operating members being fixedly interconnected, the fourth and seventh operating members being selectively interconnected, the sixth and seventh operating members being selectively interconnected, the third and eighth operating members being selectively interconnected, wherein an input shaft is fixedly connected to the third operating member and selectively connected to the seventh operating member, and an output shaft is fixedly connected to the ninth operating member.
US08043188B2
A ring gear has a plurality of spaced apart recess on an internal surface for receiving a plurality of side pinions within the recesses. The side pinions are driven directly by the ring gear without a differential spider or differential pin.
US08043185B2
A multiple gear transmission with magnetic control for vehicles or for use in drive technology includes an input shaft supported on a frame and an output shaft. The input shaft protrudes from the frame at least one end and the output shaft protrudes from the frame at one end. Transmission gear ratios with transmission wheels are embodied as gear trains or belt and chain drives and are located between the input shaft and the output shaft. Transmission wheels are supported in a rotatable manner on the input shaft or on the output shaft. The transmission wheels are connected to the input shaft or the output shaft in a torsionally fixed manner by a clutch mechanism. The transmission wheels are constantly in rotation during operation. A state of the clutch mechanism changes through the change of an additional magnetic field inside or in a direct vicinity of the clutch mechanism.
US08043181B2
A power unit capable of downsizing rotary motors and enhancing efficiency of the power unit. In first and second planetary gear units, a first ring gear, a first carrier, a second sun gear, a first sun gear, a second carrier, and a second ring gear, capable of transmitting power to each other, are configured such that they satisfy a collinear relationship and are in a line in a collinear chart. The first carrier and the second sun gear are connected to a prime mover, and the first sun gear and the second carrier are connected to drive wheels. The first and second ring gears are connected to the first and second rotary motors, respectively. The first and second rotary motors are connected to each other. A transmission is disposed at least between the first rotary motor and the first ring gear or between the second rotary motor and the second ring gear.
US08043164B2
A training apparatus for improving a golfer's golf swing is disclosed. The training apparatus can restrict movement of the golfer's hands, as well as the shaft of the golfer's golf club, during the swing. A set of rails supported by a support structure are oriented so as to restrict the golfer's hand movement, and golf club shaft movement. The set of rails include at least two rails for inducing the golfer to move the golfer's hands within the hand space, throughout at least a portion of the swing, and at least two rails for inducing the golfer to move the golfer's golf club shaft within the golf club shaft space. The rails can include various adjustability features, allowing for adjusting the height and angular orientation of the set of rails, as well as the spacing and orientation of individual rails relative to each other.
US08043162B2
A swing training device which positively prevents a player's wrists from uncocking until a desired point the swing is reached.
US08043161B2
A storage section stores a data belonging to a first group and data belonging to a second group, the first and second groups being distinguishable from each other. A communication section communicates with another game apparatus. A transmission control section transmits at least one piece of data of the data stored in the storage section to another game apparatus using the communication section. A reception control section receives the data transmitted from another game apparatus using the communication section. In this configuration, a game apparatus stores the data received using the reception control section, as data belonging to the second group, into the storage section.
US08043146B2
A method for mass-production butchering of a beef chuck roll includes locating an anterior side and a posterior side of the chuck roll, and making a first series of cuts into the chuck roll along lines not intersecting the anterior and posterior sides. The first series of cuts form a first set of separate beef portions with increasing weights from initial to final cuts in the first series. The method also includes making a second series of cuts into the chuck roll along lines not intersecting the anterior and posterior sides to form a second set of separate beef portions.
US08043145B2
CMP pad dressers with superabrasive particles oriented into an attitude that controls CMP pad performance, and methods associated therewith are disclosed and described. The controlled CMP pad performance may be selected to optimize CMP pad dressing rate and dresser wear.
US08043141B1
An abrasive throwing wheel assembly comprising a rotating wheel having a forward face including: a recess bounded circumferentially by an interior wall of a forward peripheral portion; a plurality of blade slots in the forward peripheral portion; and a groove, for receiving a retaining element, provided in the recess proximate the rearward base end of the interior wall. To prevent the retaining element groove from interfering with the attachment and removal of the blades, the assembly also includes: (a) the peripheral portion having a rearwardly sloped forward surface, (b) the interior wall diverging rearwardly toward the axis of rotation, and/or (c) the blade slots extending outwardly from the recess at a rearward angle.
US08043139B2
This invention relates to gravity-driven car racing, specifically an improved electrical timing start switch for race tracks such as used in the popular Pinewood Derby race. The present invention eliminates the imprecise coupling between the mechanical release of start posts and the subsequent generation of an electrical timer start signal by a separate micro switch-based contact. The micro switch is eliminated and the start post trigger release mechanism itself is insulated and wired as a normally closed contact that will essentially immediately start the race timer when activated. The difference in the time the start posts begin to move and the time the trigger “switch” activates the timer is then reduced to an extremely short and precise time. This time is that for mechanical movement propagation from the trigger release point to the start posts, only about 20 millionths of a second for a one lane track.
US08043128B2
A connector includes a housing including a first housing unit and a second housing unit. The first housing unit is fitted to the second housing unit to form a fitting opening for receiving a plug connector. The first housing unit includes a rotatable section, and the second housing unit includes a support section for supporting the rotatable section to be rotatable to freely open the fitting opening. The support section is arranged to release the rotatable section so that the first housing unit is separated from the second housing unit when a force is applied to the support section.
US08043127B2
Interlocking modular connectors or headers Have flexible tongue and groove structures for forming a variety of header assembly configurations. The interlocking modular headers can have locking structures in addition to the tongue and groove mating structures for permanently interlocking the modular headers together. The locking structures can include opposing ramps having locking surfaces that engage each other and prevent sliding disengagement of the modular headers in one direction and the grooves can include stop members to prevent sliding disengagement in the opposite direction. The tongues and grooves can have a dovetail shaped cross-section to allow some freedom of lateral movement between the interlocking modular headers in order for ramps to slide over each other and cause locking surfaces to engage and also to provide some independent flexibility to facilitate placement onto a mounting component and to withstand elevated temperatures.
US08043126B2
An improved medical lead assembly and method of use is provided. The lead assembly includes a lead body, and a spring member positioned adjacent to the lead body. The spring member may be deployed a selectable amount to maintain the lead body in a fixed location within a patient's body. The spring member may be an expandable coil, a mesh structure that is similar to a stent, or any other similar device that may be positioned in a low-profile state during a lead implant procedure. After the lead is positioned at a target destination, the spring member may be deployed an amount that is selected based on the characteristics of the surrounding tissue, including vessel size. According to one aspect of the invention, the lead assembly may provide means for facilitating chronic lead extraction.
US08043125B2
A wire containment cap includes a first side having a plurality of retainers for retaining wires, and a second side opposite the first side. Two sidewalls extend between the first side and the second side, and a support rib extends between the two sidewalls. The support rib includes two pair separators for separating wire pairs. In one embodiment, a plurality of sloped pair splitters is located between two of the retainers and includes a sharp point for cutting through insulation material on a pair of bonded wires. A communication jack assembly including a front portion and the wire containment cap is also described.
US08043122B1
A portable dock and power adapter system includes a dock member having a power adapter member coupling, a plurality of IHS component connectors, and a dock plug that is electrically coupled to the plurality of IHS component connectors and extends from the dock member. The portable dock and power adapter system also includes power adapter member including a dock member coupling and a power adapter plug that is electrically coupled to the dock plug and that extends from the power adapter member. A connecting member extends between the power adapter member and the dock member. The connecting member is operable to orient the power adapter member and the dock member such that the dock member coupling is spaced apart from the power adapter member coupling. The connecting member is also operable to orient the power adapter member and the dock member such that the dock member coupling engages the power adapter member coupling.
US08043121B2
To provide a connector which is capable of reducing the possibility that a cover is removed due to a cause other than an operation of removing a card when the cover is in a locked position, even if a height of the connector is reduced. A cover 7 which covers an upper surface of an IC card 21 accommodated in an accommodating section 33 of a housing 3 is pivotally mounted on the housing. The cover 7 is formed by a cover main body 71 which is opposed to the upper surface of the IC card 21 accommodated in the housing 3, arm portions 74 and 74 which are connected to the cover main body 71, shaft portions 75 and 75 which are connected to the arm portions 74 and 74, respectively, and are pivotally supported by respective slots 321a formed in respective side plates 312 of the housing 3. The arm portions 74 and 74 are capable of being elastically deformed, and being brought into contact with opposite sides of the IC card 21 accommodated in the housing 3. The shaft portions 75 and 75 are inserted through the respective slots 312a and 312a from the accommodating section 33 of the housing 3.
US08043119B2
Disclosed is type THHN cable having a reduced surface coefficient of friction, and the method of manufacture thereof, in which the central conductor core and insulating layer are surrounded by a nylon sheath. A high viscosity, high molecular weight silicone based pulling lubricant for THHN cable, or alternatively, erucamide or stearyl erucamide for small THHN gauge wire, is incorporated, by alternate methods, with the nylon material from which the outer sheath is extruded, and is effective to reduce the required pulling force on the cable during installation.
US08043117B2
A coaxial plug connector arranged on or at a distance from the plug-sided end of the dielectric of the channel for the inner conductor part. The radial diameter of the channel in the plug-sided end direction narrows from a first to a second predetermined radial diameter. The inner conductor part has a first diameter and a second diameter, which is smaller than the first diameter and smaller than the second predetermined radial diameter. The first diameter is selected such that the inner conductor part fits into the first predetermined radial diameter and simultaneously, is greater than the second predetermined radial diameter, such that a collar is formed. The collar is arranged such that the inner conductor part is located at a predetermined axial position if the collar of the inner conductor part strikes the narrowing radial diameter of the channel.
US08043115B2
Apparatus configured to be foldable from an unfolded configuration into an in-use folded configuration. The apparatus, when in the unfolded configuration, comprising: a flexible substrate having first and second opposing ends with respective first and second connectors located at respective first and second opposing ends; and a third connector located on the flexible substrate between the first and second opposing ends. The apparatus is configured to be folded from the unfolded configuration into the in-use folded configuration to bring the first and second connectors together.
US08043114B2
A reduced height wire to board connector assembly includes mating plug and receptacle connectors. The receptacle connector has an internal recess which opens vertically and receives a plug connector therein. Wires are terminated to terminals of the plug connector and they extend out through a wire insertion portion in one of the sidewalls of the receptacle connector. The receptacle connector has a conductive member supported thereby and this fixing member provides a ground connection and a retaining function to the receptacle connector. The plug connector has insulation displacement type terminals and two wire clamps to retain the wires terminated thereto in place.
US08043112B2
The invention relates two a jack connector assembly having a circuitry components integrated providing power over LAN, functionality, in particular for use with regard to Ethernet-networks. An object of the present invention is to provide a jack connector assembly providing integrated power over LAN-functionality and especially avoiding any undesirable and destructive heat accumulation. The object is achieved by a modular jack connector assembly having at least one connector housing (100) and at least one connector insert (200) insertable into the connector housing, each connector housing (100) having a front mating side with at least one port opening (301, 312) for receiving a plug having a plurality of electrical contacts and a rear side (112) for inserting at least one of said connector inserts (200), each connector insert (200) having a front end side and a rear end side and is supporting electrical contacts (240) with contact sections (245, 246) arranged at the front end for detachable connection with corresponding electrical contacts of at least one of said plugs, and is supporting at the rear end side components (260) of a circuitry providing a power over LAN-functionality, that components (260) are arranged outside the jack connector housing (100).
US08043110B2
A plug connector for printed circuit boards includes a number of contact elements positioned in a housing. The contact elements each have two connection ends and an intermediate contact positioned between the two ends, where one connection end is in the form of an insulation displacement contact for connecting wires. The insulation displacement contacts are supported on the housing, so that the contact elements are held captively in the housing when connection forces act on the insulation displacement contacts.
US08043103B2
An electronic component connecting apparatus includes an electronic component connecting section connected to an electronic component having terminals, a circuit board connecting section which is connected to a circuit board and which is electrically connects at least one of the terminals and the circuit board with each other, and a conduction section which electrically connects outside other than the circuit board and at least one of the terminals with each other. A current path between the electronic component and the external apparatus is shortened, and a heating value is suppressed. It is possible to prevent the apparatus from being damaged, and to increase the number of signal lines while preventing the circuit from becoming complicated.
US08043101B2
An electronic device with a USB connector is provided, which is designed for solving a problem in the conventional art that a USB cap on an electronic device may easily get lost. The electronic device with the USB connector includes an outer housing, an intermediate housing located inside the outer housing and moveable relative to the outer housing, and a circuit board located inside the intermediate housing. The USB connector is disposed on the intermediate housing, and electrically connected to the circuit board. A USB connector through hole is configured on the outer housing at a position corresponding to the USB connector. The electronic device further includes an elastic apparatus disposed in a moving direction of the intermediate housing, and an intermediate housing movement positioning apparatus. The technology is applicable to electronic devices with a USB connector such as a wireless USB Modem or a USB flash drive.
US08043097B2
A receptacle power connector is provided having first and second rows of electrical power contacts retained in a connector housing. The connector housing has a low profile, and the power contacts are arranged in rows that each achieves a current density of about 120 Amps/linear inch (2.54 cm).
US08043094B2
A portable model and methods for simulating water treatment processes are presented. Included are a body of untreated drinking water, simulated sources of wastewater, and simulated drinking and wastewater treatment plants. In the simulated drinking water treatment plant, water is treated and stored for distribution though a simulated pipeline system. In the simulated wastewater treatment plant, simulated wastewater is filtered, settled, clarified, disinfected and discharged. The simulated wastewater may be transferred to the simulated wastewater treatment plant through a simulated sewage pipeline network. Simulated biosolids as a result of the wastewater treatment process may be stored or applied to land. The model may also simulate a storm drain system that diverts storm water to a water source or to the wastewater treatment plant. The materials used to simulate the various aspects and components are preferably non-toxic, non-poisonous and biodegradable in order to facilitate use with children and clean up.
US08043082B2
An injection head (10) is described for a corrugator which is intended for the production of plastics pipes. The injection head (10) has a main head (12), a nozzle body (14) and a mouthpiece means (16) with at least one mouthpiece (32, 36). The main head (12) is embodied with first channels (50, 52) and the nozzle body (14) is embodied with second channels (58, 60) which are flow-connected to the first channels (50, 52). The/each mouthpiece (32, 36) has a central body (74, 76) and a sleeve body, (78, 80) surrounding said central body. On its lateral surface (82, 84) facing the sleeve body (78, 80), the central body (74, 76) is embodied with wound plastics distributor grooves (86, 88) which are flow-connected by means of connecting portions (114, 120) to a concentric annular groove (112, 116) which is formed on the reverse surface (90, 92) of the central body (74, 76) and into which the second channels (58, 60) of the nozzle body (14) discharge.
US08043081B2
The present invention provide a mold for forming a developer blade and a developer blade manufactured with such a mold which are able to give images of good quality even in the low-temperature low-humidity condition and to improve a mold releasability. A mold 10 for forming a developer blade has a plate accommodation space 14 in which the metal plate is accommodated and a belt-like cavity 15 for forming the elastic member adjacent to the plate accommodation space. At least a part 20a of a cavity surface 20 defining the cavity 15 in the cross section taken along the cavity width direction is finished to have a surface roughness Ry of not more than 10 μm.
US08043080B2
A vacuum raising apparatus for the production of an expanded foodstuff is disclosed, comprising a fluid permeable mould for constraining the foodstuff. The permeability of the mould is substantially uniform throughout so that during vacuum raising fluids from the foodstuff can escape uniformly through the entirety of the mould. The invention also provides a method of vacuum raising a foodstuff comprising constraining an unraised foodstuff within such a mould according to and subjecting the foodstuff within the mould to heat under vacuum.
US08043074B2
A blood pump device comprises a housing having a blood inflow port and a blood outflow port, an impeller having a magnetic body or bodies and rotated in a non-contact state in relation to the inside surface of the housing to feed blood, an impeller rotating torque generating section for attracting the impeller from the outside of the housing and rotating the impeller, and a non-contact type bearing mechanism enabling the rotation in the non-contact state of the impeller inside the housing. An impeller fixing member is detachably mounted to the housing and prevents the impeller from moving inside the housing, whereby the impeller can be prevented from moving inside the housing before use, and damage to the impeller or the housing inside surface can be avoided.
US08043070B2
A pumping system for moving water of a swimming pool includes a water pump, an infinitely variable speed motor, and an arrangement for operating the motor. In one example, the pumping system includes a memory configured to store a plurality of retained speed values, an arrangement for providing a plurality of retained speed values to the memory, and an arrangement for reading a selected one of the plurality of retained speed values from the memory. In addition or alternatively, the pumping system includes a storage medium for digitally storing a plurality of pre-established motor speed values and an arrangement for receiving input from a user to select one of the pre-established motor speeds. In addition or alternatively, the pumping system further includes an arrangement for restarting operation of the motor at a previously selected speed value when power supplied to the motor is interrupted during operation of the motor. A method for controlling the pumping system is also provided.
US08043066B2
A trailing edge bonding cap for use with a rotor blade of a wind turbine is disclosed. The trailing edge bonding cap may include a body projecting outwardly from a blade shell of the rotor blade. The body may have a first outer surface and a second outer surface. The first outer surface may intersect the second outer surface to define a trailing edge of the rotor blade. Additionally, the first and second outer surfaces may have a profile configured to correspond to an aerodynamic profile of the blade shell.
US08043065B2
A wind turbine rotor blade includes first and second shell components joined together at a trailing edge of the blade. Each shell component includes a forward edge. At least one leading edge segment is joined to the shell components and aligned along a longitudinal length of the blade. The leading edge segment has an open-ended cross-sectional profile defined by an arcuate skin having first and second longitudinal edges and first and second end faces. The longitudinal edges of the leading edge segment are joined to the forward edge of the first shell component at a first bond line, and joined to the forward edge of the second shell component at a second bond line. The leading edge of the blade between the first and second bond lines is a continuous unbroken surface between the bond lines.
US08043063B2
A frequency mistuned integrally bladed rotor (IBR) for a gas turbine engine comprises a hub and a circumferential row of blades of varying frequency projecting integrally from the hub. Each blade in the row alternate with another blade having a different pressure surface definition but similar suction surface, leading edge and trailing edge definitions.
US08043062B2
A turbine rotor is provided with a torque transfer mechanism equipped between a pair of adjacent rotor discs among a plurality of rotor discs so as to transfer a torque from one rotor disc to another rotor disc. The torque transfer mechanism is provided with a first groove having a semi-circle in cross section formed on a first contact face of one rotor disc, and a second groove having a semi-circle cross section formed on a second contact face of another rotor disc, and a torque pin inserted into cylindrical holes formed by combining the first grooves and the second grooves. The flange of the torque pin has long sides and short sides, and the length of the short sides is shorter than the width of an binary flange receiving plane formed by a pair of outer circumference planes of adjacent two rotor disc along the circumferential direction, and the long side of the flange has a longer length than the width of the binary flange receiving plane. A pair of flange receiving recessed portions is provided for receiving the end portions of the long sides of the flange on both side walls of the binary flange receiving plane.
US08043061B2
A turbine bucket includes a bucket airfoil having a tip shroud with a leading edge comprising two scalloped faces and a trailing edge comprising a third scalloped face defining leading and trailing edge profiles substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X and Y as points 1-41 set forth in Table I. The X and Y values are distances in inches which, when respective points are connected by smooth, continuing arcs define the leading and trailing edge tip shroud scalloped profiles. The tip shroud further has first and second, upper and lower, Z form edge profiles substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X and Y as points 42-59 and 60-77, respectively of Table II.
US08043059B1
A turbine blade with a blade tip having a plurality of vortex chambers formed below the blade tip surface, the vortex chambers flowing from the suction side to the pressure side of the airfoil. Each vortex chamber includes a metering inlet hole located on the side of the chamber at the suction side end such that the cooling air entering the chamber impinges onto the backside of the blade tip and then produces a vortex flow through the chamber. An exit slot is located at the end of each vortex chamber to produce impingement cooling on the backside of the pressure side wall prior to being discharged onto the outer surface of the blade near adjacent to the pressure side corner. Helical ribs extend along the vortex chambers to promote the formation of the vortex flow.
US08043056B2
A self-assembly micro fan includes a body, a plurality of blades and flexible joints, with any one of the blades being connected to the body by one of the flexible joints while each flexible joint is regarded as a pivot to move the blade connected therewith to have an angle relative to a radial direction of the body. Besides, each of the flexible joints has plural link members or at least one link member and extension member to provide variable types of shape of the micro fans, so that the air driving efficiency of the self-assembly micro fan is improved.
US08043053B2
A trim tab assembly includes first and second shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators and a trim tab substrate which provide elastic/plastic locking in response to an induced strain actuation.
US08043043B2
A container handling system and method for a wheeled transport vehicle is disclosed that is capable of loading and unloading large containers using both a hook lift and cable winch mechanisms.
US08043033B2
A laser-guided coordination hole tool for precisely drilling holes in large parts includes a positioning table, a bushing cavity for receiving drill bushings, a clamping device, and a laser target. A laser-guided coordination hole tool may include a software interlock to prevent drilling in an improper location on the part. A method of drilling coordination holes includes probing a part to determine its reference frame, rigidly affixing a laser-guided coordination hole tool to the part, probing a target on the laser-guided coordination hole tool to determine the reference frame for the laser-guided coordination hole tool, accurately positioning a drill bushing over the hole location, and drilling a hole. A system for drilling coordination holes includes a laser-guided coordination hole tool, a bushing, a tooling, a drill motor, a laser tracker, and a computer running a coordination-hole drilling program.
US08043032B2
An interchangeable tool part for a reamer includes a hard metal cutting plate. The cutting surface of the cutting plate is arranged at a distance of at least 0.02 mm from the cutting edge on one side in the region of the cut part and at least partially has a peak-to-valley height which increases by at least 0.01 mm in order to assure the production of cut fragments in the main cutting area and to prevent a build up of cuts in the region of auxiliary cutting section and/or to simplify the removal of cuts. Also high targets can be reached by virtue of the fact that the cutting plates define at least one cutting cavity in the cutting surface thereof at a distance of at least 0.02 mm from the main cutting edge on the end side in the region of the entry angle.
US08043028B2
A primary earth penetrating mandrel formed of a hollow shell steel plate octagonal in cross-section has an upper end and a blunt lower end joined by an upwardly and outwardly tapered wall. The mandrel is driven downwardly in the earth to simultaneously form a vertical tapered cavity while compacting the sidewall of the cavity to provide structural integrity. The mandrel is then moved upwardly from the bottom of the cavity and aggregate is deposited in the bottom of the cavity following which the mandrel is lowered so that its blunt lower end engages the deposited aggregate and densifies the aggregate by vertical vibratory action and static force with these steps being repeated until the pier top is near the surface of the earth at which time the upper aggregate portions are densified by either the primary mandrel or a secondary mandrel having a substantially larger lower end surface than the lower end surface of the primary mandrel. A second embodiment includes a conduit in the primary mandrel for injecting concrete or grout into aggregate previously deposited in the cavity.
US08043022B2
An elongated clamp for securing a flexible fabric like shroud to a scaffold support member including to opposed jaws movable between an open and closed position by a pin and wedge combination. The flexible shroud is held to the support member by the clamp gripping force. Multiple clamps securable at different points along the various standard support members provide positive securement of the shroud.
US08043020B2
A coupling structure of a telescopic rod includes an inner tube, an outer tuber, and a positioning device. The positioning device includes a rotatable lid, a resilient sleeve, a metallic ring, and a C-shaped sleeve. The C-shaped sleeve has a plurality of mini-ribs formed on an inner wall thereof. The mini-ribs are attached to the inner tube for providing a non-slip effect. The mini-ribs have less resistance with respect to the inner tube to provide a fine adjustment when the inner tube is extended or retracted with respect to the outer tube. An enlarged portion formed at a distal end of the inner tube is adapted to keep a proper gap between the inner tube and the outer tube for enhancing the steadiness of the telescopic rod. The rotatable lid is turned clockwise or counterclockwise for controlling the resilient sleeve, the metallic ring and the C-shaped sleeve to switch the inner tube in an adjustable state or in a fixed state.
US08043015B1
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for a handheld image translation device configured to detect an edge of a target print medium to prevent unintended deposition of a printing substance are described herein. The handheld image translation device, which may be a printing device, may include a print head, a position module, and a print module. The print head may be configured to deposit one or more printing substances onto a first surface such as a target print surface. The position module may be configured to receive data from navigation sensors indicating a first surface characteristic of the first surface, and to determine whether at least a portion of the print head is positioned over a second surface having a second surface characteristic different from the first characteristic, wherein the determination is made by detecting a characteristic other than the first surface characteristic as indicated by data received from the navigation sensors.
US08043009B2
A hub unit is configured such that nitrogen gas, which functions as inert gas, is filled in a rolling element arranging space which is defined by an inner circumferential surface of an outer ring and an outer circumferential surface of a hub body for arranging rolling elements therein in such a manner as to be sealed therein in a semi-hermetically closed state by a seal member and a cover, so as to prevent the nitrogen gas from flowing out to an exterior space. The seal member, which is provided at an end portion of the rolling element arranging space which end lies on a vehicle-outer side, is formed as an elastic seal element, and is fixed to the outer ring at one end whereas being secured to the hub body at the other end thereof while being elastically deformed, whereby the seal member has a function to prevent the intrusion of water from the exterior space into the rolling element arranging space. This seal member prevents the inert gas filled in the rolling element arranging space from flowing out to the outside.
US08043005B2
A system for sealably closing a reservoir is disclosed. The system can have a container and a slider. The container can have an orifice and catches and lips surrounding the orifice. The slider can be translatably attached to the container over the orifice. The slider can slidably engage the catch and lips to force the orifice closed. While attached to the catch and lips, the slider can create a pressurized seal of the orifice.
US08043004B2
A soft sided insulated container assembly has a first insulated container portion and a second insulated container portion. The second insulated container portion can be collapsed to a flat position, and secured in place. Either of the container portions may have a liner. The liner in the first container portion may be a substantially rigid liner. The assembly may have a lifting member. In one example the second portion may be hingedly mounted to the first portion, and the lifting member may be mounted such that when the assembly is lifted, the hinge is in an up-and-down orientation. In another embodiment, the lifting member may be eccentrically mounted, such that the assembly may possibly sit more comfortably against a carrier's hip. The first container portion may have an auxiliary opening or door, and that door may be more easily opened than the main access of the first insulated container portion.
US08043002B2
A body-temperature measuring device is provided. The device includes: a pad which is attachable to and detachable from a human body; a battery which is provided to the pad and includes a pair of battery terminals for supplying power; and a temperature sensing block which is attached to and detached from the pad and comprises units for contacting the human body to sense temperature and wirelessly transmitting a temperature sensing signal corresponding to the sensed temperature and a pair of connecting terminals which are electrically connected to the battery terminals only when attached to the pad, and a body-temperature measuring system including one or more of the body-temperature measuring devices and a receiver which receives the wirelessly transmitted temperature sensing signal, measures the temperature by using the received signal, and informs of a result of measuring the temperature.
US08043000B2
A temperature-history sensor includes a resonance circuit composed of at least a capacitor and a coil. The temperature-history sensor has a display for indicating a predetermined set temperature of the temperature-history sensor. The capacitor has at least a thermofusion material between electrodes of the capacitor, and the melting point of the thermofusion material is in the region of the set temperature.
US08042997B2
A radiation thermometer comprising a radiation detector and an optical input path arranged to direct radiation from an object of interest to the radiation detector is disclosed. The radiation detector is adapted to output a signal related to the radiation received from the object of interest, and a processor is adapted to generate temperature measurements from the signal. Filtering means are provided in the optical input path which are arranged to block radiation having a wavelength between approximately 0.92 and 0.98 microns.
US08042993B2
A method for determining the thermal efficiency of a heat sink for an electrical component includes determining an estimated temperature of the heat sink, determining an actual temperature of the heat sink, and determining a thermal efficiency of the heat sink based on a comparison of the estimated temperature of the heat sink to the actual temperature of the heat sink. A related diagnostic system is provided.
US08042992B2
Certain embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a sensor comprising a support member, a sample sensor coupled to the support member and comprising a sample support electrically coupled to a first set of interconnects, and a reference sensor coupled to the support member and comprising a ring coupled to a second set of interconnects, in which the ring is positioned adjacent to and surrounding at least a portion of the sample support of the sample sensor.
US08042988B2
A hole-jetting type mixer-reactor, comprises the following parts: a first feeding port, a second feeding port, an outer casing, an inner casing, jet holes and a mixing reaction zone. The inner casing is inside the outer casing, and the lower portion of the outer casing forms a buffer chamber with the inner casing. The first feeding port connects with the inner casing to constitute one flow channel, and the second feeding port connects with the buffer chamber to form the other flow channel. The jet holes are on the wall of the inner casing situated at lower portion of the buffer chamber. The mixing reaction zone is inside the inner casing below the jet holes. The cross section of the inner casing is rectangular or rectangle-like. The mixer-reactor can achieve a fast mixing of two reactant streams which reacts with instantaneous, complicated parallel or consecutive competing reactions. The time scale of the mixing process is several milliseconds.
US08042986B2
A backlight module including several light sources, a frame, a light guide plate and a flexible printed circuit board is provided. The flexible printed circuit board includes a body and a fixing structure. The body is bent, so that a first part and a second part of the body are respectively disposed on two sides of the frame. The light sources are disposed on the first part, and the light-emitting surfaces of the light sources face the light guide plate. The fixing structure including a structure body, several first connecting portions and two protrusions is disposed on the first part. The first connecting portions extend from the two opposite first sides and are fixed on the body, so that the structure body is positioned above the light sources. The protrusions respectively extend slantwise from the first sides toward the direction opposite to the structure body and insert into the frame.
US08042968B2
A reflector assembly for a lighting apparatus, the reflector assembly comprising two or more reflector modules configured for associating with one or more light sources, each reflector module comprising one or more reflectors for being located adjacent to a light source when the reflector module is associated with the one or more light sources, the one or more reflectors configured to reflect light from the adjacent light source. The reflector modules may further comprising a cover plate defining a plurality of light source apertures for allowing a light source to protrude through the cover plate, at least a first of the one or more light source apertures disposed adjacent to an overhead reflector and at least a second of the one or more light source apertures disposed adjacent to a lateral reflector. The reflector assembly can comprising any number of reflector modules and the reflector modules can be arranged in different configurations to create different light distributions with the same reflector modules.
US08042959B2
Disclosed herein are embodiments of vehicles having forward folding door mirror assemblies. One such embodiment of a vehicle comprises a mirror assembly mounted to a vehicle door and configured to rotate about a substantially vertical axis between at least a first position in which the mirror assembly is extended away from the vehicle door for use while driving and a second position in which the mirror assembly is folded forward toward a front end of the vehicle. The vehicle also comprises a mechanism coupled to the mirror assembly and to a vehicle body and responsive to an opening of the vehicle door to rotate the mirror assembly about the substantially vertical axis from the second position to the first position when the door is opened. Also disclosed herein are mirror assemblies and methods of protecting door-mounted mirrors on vehicles.
US08042950B2
A projection apparatus and image display apparatus. The apparatus includes a three-color light source that emits a plurality of color lights having different wavelengths, and a diffraction type optical element that performs diffusion forming of individual color lights. A field lens makes the diffusion-formed individual color lights into parallel lights, and a liquid crystal panel has a microlens array with a plurality of microlenses arranged in a matrix at the incident regions of the individual parallel color lights. A pixel section has three pixel openings arranged oppositely to the individual microlenses.
US08042946B1
Methods and apparatus are provided for measuring contrast sensitivity. In one method, a person is presented with a test pattern having several test areas. In a first test cycle, one of the test areas contrasts with (for example, is darker than) the other test areas. The person being tested indicates which test area the person perceives as contrasting with (darker than) the other test areas. This is repeated a number of times for the other test areas, with the level of contrast staying the same but with a different test area becoming the contrasting (darker) test area. In subsequent cycles, these steps are repeated, with decreasing levels of contrast. The contrasting test area may, for example, appear as a solid, as a pattern such as two contrasting vertical bars, or as an animation such as a sinusoidal frequency grating.
US08042941B2
The present invention is embodied in ophthalmic lenses having a first lens surface that is described by a continuous, gradual increase in optical power that proceeds without inflection points of discontinuities across substantially the entire useable optical area of this lens surface, and an opposite surface of the lens configured to cooperate with the power gradation of the first surface to provide a desired prescription, including at least one stabilized area of optical power. The power gradation of the first surface increases from one edge of the useable area to substantially the opposite edge, and may increase according to linear or non-linear relationships. In another preferred embodiment, the two lens surfaces cooperate to create two stabilized areas of optical power, for a prescription with near-viewing and distance-viewing values.
US08042940B2
The invention generally relates to a lens and the method of manufacturing progressive addition lenses (PAL) to remove unwanted base out prism and minimize excessive convergence, comprising determining basic configuration of two major lens surfaces to provide a distance portion and near portion, wherein diopter power increases from the distance portion of the lens to the near portion; selecting an amount of prism reduction; and reducing base out prism that inherently occurs as diopter power increases by altering the configuration of the lens as a function of the amount of prism reduction to minimize any disruption of optical properties a lens while decreasing base out prism.
US08042939B2
The present invention relates to an eyeglass frame having an earpiece each on the left and the right and having a frame comprising a receiving element each on the left and right for attaching the earpiece, wherein the receiving element has a recess opening in the direction toward the earpiece, a connecting element being located in said recess and comprising at least two individual components designed such that they captively hold the connecting element in the recess of the receiving element in the assembled state, forming the connecting element, by mutually tensioning the connecting element.
US08042934B2
An inkjet printer that includes a printhead configured to eject ink. The printhead is housed in a housing. A capping device is pivotally fastened with respect to the housing to be pivotal into and out of capping engagement with the printhead. The mechanism includes an arm pivotally mounted with respect to the housing and a capping leg extending transversely from the arm to cap the printhead.
US08042932B2
The present invention is concerned with a drum printer in which the loading and unloading of printing medium onto and off a drum of the printer is performed without interrupting or decelerating the drum rotation and the printing process.
US08042930B2
A method of servicing a customer replaceable unit of an imaging device includes providing a customer replaceable unit configured for insertion and removal from an imaging device. The customer replaceable unit includes at least an applicator configured to apply a release agent to a surface of an intermediate transfer drum of the imaging device, a reservoir including a supply of the release agent for the applicator, a delivery pump configured to pump release agent from the reservoir to the applicator, a recirculation pump configured to pump release agent from the applicator to the reservoir, and a memory including operational data for the customer replaceable unit. A maintenance procedure is then performed on the customer replaceable unit.
US08042929B2
Disclosed an ink jet recording apparatus for recording images in a recording medium having an ink absorbability, including: a recording head including a nozzle for jetting a photocurable ink onto the recording medium; and a light irradiation device to apply light to the photocurable ink landed on the recording medium, wherein: the light irradiation device includes a first light source to emit light having a first emission spectrum, and a second light source to emit light having a second emission spectrum whose peak wavelength is shorter than a peak wavelength of the first emission spectrum, and the first and second light sources are arranged so that the first light source irradiates the photocurable ink landed on the recording medium and thereafter the second light source irradiates the photocurable ink.
US08042928B2
A liquid container includes a hollow body; a tubular suction port coupled to the hollow body; a first porous member disposed in the hollow body; a second porous member disposed in the suction port and being in contact with the first porous member, the second porous member having a liquid suction capability higher than that of the first porous member, wherein at least one of the first and second porous members has a recess so as to establish an air bubble collector.
US08042919B2
A piezoelectric inkjet printhead includes a manifold, a chamber array including a plurality of chambers in connection with the manifold and arranged along at least one side of the manifold, a vibrating plate to cover the plurality of chambers, and a plurality of piezoelectric actuators formed on the vibrating plate to change pressures of corresponding ones of the plurality of chambers by vibrating the vibrating plate. The plurality of chambers includes a plurality of pressure chambers disposed in a center portion of the chamber array and having corresponding ink ejecting nozzles, and at least two dummy chambers, one disposed on each side of the chamber array and having corresponding dummy nozzles that do not eject ink. A plurality of trenches may be formed in the vibrating plate between each of the piezoelectric actuators.
US08042913B2
A fluid ejection device includes a substrate having a fluid channel, a flexible membrane supported by the substrate and extended a length of the fluid channel, an actuator provided on a first portion of the flexible membrane, and a reinforcement member provided on a second portion of the flexible membrane such that the actuator is adapted to deflect the first portion of the flexible membrane relative to the fluid channel, and the reinforcement member supports the second portion of the flexible membrane.
US08042911B2
A liquid dispenser head includes nozzles, pressure chambers, an energy generator, a shared chamber, a vibration member, and a specific wall portion. The nozzles discharge liquid. Each of the pressure chambers communicates with a corresponding one of the nozzles. The energy generator, provided for each of the pressure chambers, generates energy for pressurizing liquid in the pressure chamber. The shared chamber supplies liquid to the pressure chambers. The vibration member, forming a wall of each one of the pressure chambers, includes an energy-transmitting area configured to transmit the energy generated by the energy generator to each one of the pressure chambers. The specific wall portion, constituting at least a part of the same wall, or a different wall, of each of the pressure chambers, has a structural compliance set greater than a compression compliance of liquid in the pressure chamber.
US08042907B2
A liquid ejection device with a plurality of liquid ejection heads each having a liquid ejection surface that is elongated in a main scanning direction and is formed with a plurality of liquid ejection ports. Additionally, the device may have a maintenance unit, including a first maintenance tray, a second maintenance tray and a maintenance tray moving mechanism configured to move the first maintenance tray and the second maintenance tray in a predetermined direction. The device may also include a maintenance tray movement control portion configured to control the maintenance tray movement mechanism to move the first maintenance tray and the second maintenance tray wherein the first maintenance tray located at the first non-maintenance position and the second maintenance tray located at the second non-maintenance position at least partially overlap each other.
US08042904B2
A side wall surface of a carriage is disclosed with two first projection parts and a second projection part that define the inclination of a reflective optical sensor in its vertical direction. The two first projection parts are arranged at the same height position with a detection surface as a reference, and the second projection part is arranged at a position higher than the first projection parts with the detection surface as the reference. The second projection part has a first part higher in position from the side wall surface of the carriage than the first projection parts and has a second part lower in position than the first part. The second part has a screw hole into which a clamping member for fixing the reflective optical sensor to the second part is tightened.
US08042898B2
The inkjet recording apparatus includes: an inkjet recording head which includes a nozzle through which liquid is ejected; a pressure regulating unit which includes a liquid chamber that communicates with the nozzle and a gas chamber that is partitioned from the liquid chamber by a flexible film; and a liquid chamber pressure controlling device which controls a pressure of the liquid chamber to a predetermined negative pressure when carrying out back pressure control in which back pressure is applied to the liquid inside the nozzle, wherein: the flexible film causes change in the pressure of the liquid chamber when the liquid is supplied for at least a predetermined supply amount to the liquid chamber in a state where the gas chamber is open to air; and the liquid chamber pressure controlling device carries out the back pressure control after controlling the pressure of the liquid chamber to a predetermined value of positive pressure by supplying the liquid of at least the predetermined supply amount to the liquid chamber.
US08042893B2
A method of storing data on a photograph includes delimiting a plurality of data block regions on the photograph, the plurality of data block regions superposing a region of the photograph delimited for the printing of a photographic image; compressing data representing the image contained in the photograph with a compression technique; redundantly encoding the compressed data using Reed-Solomon encoding techniques; shuffling the redundantly encoded compressed data in a deterministic manner to reduce potential effects of localized encoded data caused by damage to the photograph; and printing the shuffled data as dots within the data block regions on the photograph. The printing of the shuffled data is performed simultaneously with a printing of the image of the photograph.
US08042884B2
The invention relates to a hydraulic vehicle brake system having a service brake which can be actuated by muscle force and having a device for regulating the wheel slip. It is proposed in such a vehicle brake system to use suction pumps in connection with specially-designed accumulators. The accumulators have separating elements which in each case separate a first accumulator chamber from a second accumulator chamber. An inflow opens out into the first accumulator chamber, and an outflow, which is separate from the inflow, outlets out of the first accumulator chamber. The separating element is arranged so as to be freely movable between two end positions, and in one of its end positions, blocks a pressure medium connection of the inflow to the outflow.
US08042880B2
An automobile wheel having a wheel di.sk with improved stiffness and increased strength and driving stability. An imaginary inward angled line is tangential to an inner circumferential surface of an inward recessed circumferential portion of a hat portion and tangential to an inner circumferential surface of a hub surface rounded portion of a hub mounting portion. An imaginary outward angled line is tangential to an inner circumferential surface of an outward recessed circumferential portion of the hat portion and runs through an intersection point of a disk flange and an imaginary bottom line. The imaginary bottom line extends along a back side surface of the hub mounting portion. The imaginary inward and outward angled lines satisfy a ratio of an imaginary outward angle to an imaginary inward angle of equal to or greater than 0.8 to equal to or smaller than 1.25 with respect to the imaginary bottom line.
US08042873B2
A driver's seat of a work vehicle comprising a seatback section, and a seating section including a receiving surface portion formed in an intermediate portion of the seating section for receiving buttocks of the operator, and a recessed groove formed along a side frame portion at a boundary between the side frame portion and the receiving surface portion to open at an extension distal end of the seating section. The recessed groove has a bottom surface inclined downwardly from a back end of the seatback section to the extension distal end of the seating section.
US08042872B2
The present invention provides a recliner for vehicle seats. The recliner includes a gear rim, a guide plate, a lever rotating shaft, a cam, elastic members, a main control disk, locking gears and locking gear support members. The gear rim has internal gear teeth. The guide plate is coupled to the gear rim and has guide blocks thereon. The lever rotating shaft is inserted through the gear rim and the guide plate. The cam has support protrusions on both ends thereof. The elastic members are provided on the inner surface of the guide plate, and each elastic member elastically supports a first end of the corresponding support protrusion. The main control disk is coupled to the cam. Inner and outer guide holes are formed through the main control disk. The locking gears are slidably provided between the facing guide blocks, and each locking gear has a support depression. The support depression has a concave curved surface and a convex curved surface. External gear teeth are formed in each locking gear. Each locking gear support member has a first contact surface which is in close contact with the concave curved surface of the support depression, a second contact surface which is in close contact with the corresponding guide block, and an inner surface which is supported on both ends thereof by the cam.
US08042866B2
A 4-point occupant restraint belt system for a vehicle seat having a seat bottom and a back rest. A one-piece belt is connected to the vehicle at upper and lower attachment points disposed adjacent a first side of the vehicle seat, and a buckle is disposed adjacent an opposite second side of the vehicle seat. A latch is slidingly mounted on the belt and engagable with the buckle to secure the belt around a seat occupant in a three-point configuration. A lifting arm has a lowered position wherein it is beneath the belt and adjacent the latch when the latch is engaged with the buckle, and the lifting arm is movable to a raised position wherein it raises a portion of the belt to a position adjacent the back rest above the buckle, thereby creating a 4th belt attachment point.
US08042862B2
A reinforcing brace is disclosed. The reinforcing brace supports a collar of a fastener. In addition, the reinforcing brace is configured to strengthen the connection between a frame rail and a cross member. By aligning side walls of the reinforcing brace with walls of the cross member, the reinforcing brace can continue the walls of the cross member through the frame rail to strengthen the connection between the frame rail and the cross member.
US08042860B2
There is provided a door structure for a vehicle. The door structure comprises an upper door hinge; a lower door hinge; a door main body having an upper hinge mounting portion at which the door main body is mounted with the upper door hinge and a lower hinge mounting portion at which the door main body is mounted with the lower door hinge; an outer impact bar disposed in the door main body and extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle; an inner impact bar disposed in the door main body and extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle; and a connecting bracket connecting the front end of the outer impact bar and the front end of the inner impact bar to the upper hinge mounting portion of the door main body.
US08042859B2
A car door is constituted by a main body which includes an outer panel and an inner panel combined together, a door lower half, and a rising part extending upward from the door lower half and facing with a side edge of a roof via an upper part thereof; and a bracket-shaped sash assembly constituted by a front vertical sash whose bottom edge is joined to a front upper end of the door lower half, and a roof-facing sash extending from an upper part of the front longitudinal sash and joined to an upper end of the rising part.
US08042855B2
An adjustable vehicle seat arrangement includes a plurality of strikers connected with a vehicle frame, an inboard vehicle seat, and an outboard vehicle seat. At least one outboard seat rear striker includes a latching section divider dividing the outboard seat rear striker into at least two laterally spaced apart latching sections. The outboard vehicle seat includes an outboard seat rear latch that cooperates with the outboard seat rear striker and an outboard seat front latch that cooperates with an outboard seat front striker. The outboard seat is generally laterally aligned with and laterally offset from the inboard seat. The outboard seat is laterally adjustable and the outboard seat rear latch is configured to engage the outboard seat rear striker at each of the at least two laterally spaced apart latching sections. A method for laterally adjusting a vehicle seat and a vehicle seat assembly are also disclosed.
US08042853B2
A slidable room assembly comprises a vehicle body having an opening formed in an exterior wall, and a reciprocable slideout unit or compartment disposed in the opening and slidable between a retracted position and an extended position. A cable support system supports the slidable room during movement of the slideout unit. Sliding movement of the slideout unit is controlled by a drive mechanism separate from the cable support system.
US08042847B2
The present invention provides for various embodiments of a tray energy absorber comprising a base, a first transverse wall that is arcuate and extends from the base, a second transverse wall spaced apart from the first transverse wall and which extends from the base. The tray energy absorber further comprises a plurality of ribs that extend from the base joining the first transverse wall to the second transverse wall. In one embodiment the density of the ribs varies along the transverse width of the tray energy absorber. In another embodiment at least one of the plurality of ribs is greater than 50% of the height of the first transverse wall or the second transverse wall where the rib joins the first and second transverse walls. The present invention also provides for a bumper system used in a vehicle that includes a tray energy absorber attached to a bumper beam. The bumper system optionally includes a fascia that substantially envelops the bumper beam and the tray energy absorber.
US08042845B2
A vehicle door handle includes a handle main body, a handle cover assembled to the handle main body by means of a first assembly portion and a second assembly portion, and the second assembly portion including: a first engagement portion having a recessed portion and a protruding portion; and a second engagement portion provided at the other of the handle main body and the handle cover and having a hook portion hooking over the first engagement portion, wherein, the handle cover engages the handle main body by rotating at least either one of the handle cover and the handle main body while the second engagement portion hooks over the first engagement portion in a manner where a top end of the hook portion of the second engagement portion is positioned within the recessed portion of the first engagement portion.
US08042843B2
A door lock includes a bracket fixed to a door. A linking rod is slideably mounted to the bracket and includes a slot. A draw member includes a first end pivotably connected to the bracket and a second end operably connected to a retractor. The draw member further includes a guide slot. A pin slideably extends through the slot and the guide slot such that the movement of the linking rod causes pivotal movement of the draw member, which in turn, urges the retractor to move a latch bolt from an extended position to a retracted position. A follower is coupled to the pin to move therewith. An adjusting member is in threading connection with the follower and rotatable to move the follower and the pin relative to the linking rod to adjust a position of the second end of the draw member relative to the retractor.
US08042838B2
Devices can use various features to prevent the disconnection of connectors used in medical treatments. For example, a disconnection prevention member can have ends which hold luer connectors such that a male luer connector is prevented from separating from a female luer connector. The member can thus prevent disconnection of luer connectors that are incompletely mated.
US08042834B2
Provided is a front structure of a vehicle 1, and the front structure includes a pair of side frames 2 and a first cross member 31. The pair of side frames 2 are disposed respectively on both sides of the vehicle in a vehicle-width direction and extend in a front-to-rear direction. The first cross member extends in the vehicle-width direction, and connects front-end portions 25 of the pair of side frames 2. Each of the front-end portions 25 of the side frames 2 includes a protruding portion 26 that extends frontwards integrally thereof beyond the first cross member 31. In the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle 1, the protruding portions 26 absorb the produced energy, so that the amount of deformation of portions respectively of the side frames 2 located at rear sides of the front-end portions 25 can be reduced.
US08042833B2
A tunable steering wheel release/stroking system adapted for use with a steering column, and to selectively absorb energy during a crash event, includes a steering column and an energy-absorbing element configured to receive a force from the column during the event, wherein the element is formed at least in part of an active material changeable between first and second phases when exposed to an activation signal, and configured so as to be caused to deform by and therefore absorb energy from the force at a first energy-absorbing magnitude in the first phase and at a second energy-absorbing magnitude in the second phase.
US08042831B2
Described is a gas bag for a motor vehicle with a gas bag envelope surrounding a gas space, wherein the gas bag envelope comprises a front section (12) having an impact area (12a) and a rear section (14) directly connected with the front section (12) via a circumferential edge (11) having a support area (14a). Here, the rear section (14) has a folding for the contouring of the gas bag. In order to achieve that the gas bag adapts to a convexly bent surface shape of a part of the vehicle interior structure against which it rests without external catching bands or the like the folding consists of at least one first fold (18) extending parallel to the rear section and at least a second fold (20), wherein the second fold (20) is arranged in the first fold (18) and substantially stands perpendicularly to the rear section (14).
US08042829B2
A cart that can support and transport loads includes a platform, a number of wheels, a handle, and a wheel assembly. The wheels are mounted to the platform and can move the cart from place-to-place. The handle extends from the platform. And the wheel assembly extends from the platform and can move the cart from place-to-place when the cart is at an inclined position with respect to the ground upon which the cart is moved.
US08042822B2
A bicycle frame comprising a first tubular member having a first interface portion, and a second tubular member having a second interface portion engaged with the first interface portion to create a joint. The joint includes a peripheral channel having a depth that is greater than a wall thickness of the first tubular member, and a weld is positioned in the peripheral channel. To enhance the transition from the first main portion to the second main portion, the second tubular member can include a fillet surface between the second main portion and the second interface portion. The fillet surface is contoured to provide a smooth transition between the top tube and the head tube. An outer surface of the first interface portion can be offset from an outer surface of the first main portion to thereby create a shoulder.
US08042811B1
An inflatable vehicle for simulating a driving experience while playing realistic computer-video driving games such as the WII games. The vehicle is life-like in construction and allows a player to sit therein while playing driving game. A steering wheel or handle bar is configured to receive a game controller—which controls the video game when the steering wheel or handle bar is manipulated like a real life equivalent thereof.
US08042808B2
The image forming system includes: a first transporting unit transporting paper sheets along a first transportation route; an image forming unit forming images on the paper sheets; a sheet supplying unit having a second transportation route, and transporting a sheet along the second transportation route to supply the sheet to a gap between the paper sheets sequentially transported along the first transportation route, the second transportation route joining the first transportation route at a position located on a downstream of the image forming unit in a transportation direction; and a controller outputting, to respective first and second output units, a paper sheet located on a downstream of the gap, and a paper sheet located on an upstream of the gap while causing the image forming unit to form an image on the paper sheet on the upstream of the image forming unit, when the sheet is not supplied.
US08042794B2
A workbench with a collapsible frame and a plurality of top members. The collapsible frame can include a first set of legs and a second set of legs can be coupled to one of the top members. The frame and top members can be positioned and supported by the first and second sets of legs to form a pair of free standing structures that can be employed as work benches and/or saw horses.
US08042788B2
A thin disk portion, which extends radially, and a rib provided in an outer circumference part of the disk portion are formed in a valve body. A ring-like seal projection to be pressure-contacted with the disk portion to seal a valve is formed in a case. Because the disk portion is thin, deformation occurs along an end surface of a seal projection when the valve is sealed. Even when the seal projection is deformed due to fuel swelling or the like, sealing is enabled along the entire circumference thereof. High sealability is achieved even when the resin components are pressure-contacted with each other.
US08042783B2
Among other things, a receptacle supports an electronic device; support legs connected to the receptacle are movable in a common plane between a first, retracted position and a second, extended position; and a coupling translates movement of one of the support legs between the positions to corresponding movement of at least another one of the support legs.
US08042780B2
A cup holder, especially for a motor vehicle, has a box-like pedestal (12) that has a placement surface (14) on its top, and a box-like cover (16) that is arranged over the pedestal. The side surfaces of the pedestal (12) serve as a guide for the cover (16), the cover having a recess (18) that is concentric with the placement surface (14).
US08042776B2
A mounting bracket for supporting an electrical box or other electrical device to a wall stud is adapted to contact an opposing wall to resist movement of the bracket. The bracket includes a front plate and a support plate extending perpendicular to the front plate and having a length to engage the opposing wall. The extension plate is integrally formed with the support plate and can be folded to an outward extended position to increase the effective length of the stabilizing plate to accommodate wall cavities of different depths. The extension plate includes fold lines so that an end portion can be bent to shorten the effective length of the extension plate.
US08042770B2
A multilayer structural element, such as a skin panel for an aircraft fuselage, comprises a plurality of metal webs and a plurality of fiber webs arranged as layers in a sandwich structure, where the metal webs of neighbouring layers form stepped connecting regions. A material strip is provided on an outer surface of the sandwich structure for at least partially covering an outlying connecting region, and the material strip enables the placement of rivets at uniform spacing for fastening a structure to the structural element.
US08042766B2
An aircraft wheel (14) comprises a metal support structure (30) having a first annular ring (31) and a second annular ring (32) connected via at least one connecting element (37); and a fiber-enforced, molded-composite body. The metal support structure (30) is at least partially embedded in the composite body to form a first aircraft wheel section (20, 22) having a rim flange (16a, 16b) for forming a seal with a tire.
US08042761B2
A winder for winding a web to produce a rolled product is provided. The winder includes a web transport apparatus that is used for conveying the web. Also included in one exemplary embodiment is a plurality of independent winding modules. The winding modules are independently positioned to independently engage the web as the web is conveyed by the web transport apparatus. The winding modules may be configured to wind the web to form a rolled product by center winding, surface winding, and combinations of center and surface winding. The winding modules are structurally and operationally independent of one another where if one module is disabled, another may still operate to produce the rolled product without shutting down the winder.
US08042760B2
A method and apparatus for transferring a web wound about a loaded core. The steps include providing a core shaft axially extending between a core shaft first end and a core shaft second end, providing a web wound about a loaded core, the loaded core coaxially related to the core shaft, axially supporting the core shaft by a first axial support operatively engaged with the core shaft first end and a second axial support operatively engaged with the core shaft second end, axially moving the loaded core from the core shaft to the second axial support, and removing the first axial support and the second axial support.
US08042756B2
A vertical shaft impact crusher includes a rotor that rotates about a substantially vertical axis for accelerating a flow of material to be crushed. The crusher further includes a housing, a feed tube, and a feeding chamber. The housing includes a circumferential impact wall section against which the accelerated flow of material may be crushed. The feed tube is for vertically feeding a flow of material into the rotor to be crushed. The feeding chamber includes a feeding chamber side wall and is for vertically feeding a flow of material into the feed tube. A first door is provided for opening and closing an aperture in the feeding chamber side wall. The feed tube is removable from the feeding chamber via the first aperture.
US08042752B2
A method repair for reducing fretting of a fuel nozzle of a gas turbine engine, including attaching at least one stiffening element to an outer surface of a portion of a stem member of the fuel nozzle, with a size and shape of the at least one stiffening element being selected such that a first natural frequency of the fuel nozzle with the at least one stiffening element attached thereto is outside the engine running frequency range.
US08042751B2
A nozzle system for an injector may include a casing that has an inlet through which liquid flows and an injector outlet through which liquid is outwardly injected, a swirler that is disposed inside the casing and includes at least one swirl groove formed in the exterior circumference thereof through which liquid passes and a swirl chamber formed between an end portion thereof and the injector outlet, and a needle for controlling liquid injection whereby swirl torque is generated when the liquid flows into the swirl chamber through the swirl groove and the liquid swirls in the swirl chamber.
US08042738B2
The present invention concerns a method and a system for tracking medical products in which the product (11, 12) and/or its packaging (16) is marked and identified with a first reference (18) that is stored in a first file (20) and the packaged product is shipped (7) to the client for storage for subsequent use for a patient listed in a second file (31). The references of the product are detected (27) automatically and remotely when it is shipped and stored in a third, or stock control, file (28) of the client at the time of an operation. Removal of the product from stock is detected (30) automatically, the references of the product are inserted in the second file (31) corresponding to the patient of the client for which it is used or is to be used, a fourth file is constructed (36) comprising partial references coming from the file of the patient and the references of the product that have been determined for tracking purposes, and this fourth file is transmitted (52) automatically or semi-automatically to the supplier (4) of the product.
US08042734B2
An automated banking machine operates responsive to data read from data bearing records, such as user cards, to cause machine user authorization and financial transfers. Account data read from a user card is associated in a data store with instructions for displaying a customer interface uniquely associated with the particular bank where the user holds the account. The customer interface includes user-selectable financial transaction options. The arrangement enables the customer interface of the user's home bank, with which the user is familiar, to also be automatically displayed when the user operates automated banking machines of other banks.
US08042733B2
An automated banking machine controlled responsive to data bearing records includes a card reader that can read identifying data from user cards. User operation of the automated banking machine is authorized responsive to the identifying data read by the card reader. The automated banking machine is allowed temporary usage of a machine application that enables the machine to perform an authorized banking transaction requiring operation of the card reader.
US08042728B2
A container such as a pizza box having one or more removable portions (46), which can be removed without substantially affecting the enclosing and/or strength properties of the container. The container blank has a central bottom panel (41) with at least one roll over side wall formed of an outer wall panel (48) with removable portions and an inner wall panel (49) that doubles over the outer wall portion to engage extension panels or tabs (8) of adjacent side walls, and has a hinged top panel lid (40). The removable portions (46) may be used for printing promotional material or as reward tokens offering special consideration for future purchases. The container also aims to provide a method of promoting products by way of a container having one or more removable portions and/or to provide a method of subsidizing the cost of the container.
US08042721B2
An ultrasonic device includes a coupler, a mounting sleeve and an exponential horn form by both the coupler and the mounting sleeve. A flange is located on the mounting sleeve for support at a node of minimum vibratory motion. The mounting sleeve and coupler are formed separately and then metallurgically attached so they vibrate together as a substantially unitary member. The formation of the horn by the two components in this manner allows the diameter at the start of the horn to be increased to the outer diameter of the mounting sleeve, thereby increasing cross-sectional area at the horn start and increasing amplitude at the horn tip. Preferably, the coupler and mounting sleeve are made from stainless steel alloy and attached using a silver braze alloy. The device may also include a support collar attached to the mounting sleeve flange to support the mounting sleeve and primary coupler.
US08042712B2
The subject invention is a system for dispensing a controlled amount of fluid product from a dispensing container which includes a pneumatically driven dispensing actuator. This actuator includes a dispensing cylinder and a movable dispensing piston. The dispensing piston is movable under pneumatic pressure within the cylinder, the cylinder including a volume of hydraulic fluid under the pneumatic pressure acting against the dispensing piston to selectively prevent movement of the dispensing piston. The invention further includes a means for selectively reducing the volume of the hydraulic fluid in the dispensing cylinder to allow the controlled movement of the dispensing piston. The controlled movement of the dispensing piston causes controlled displacement of the fluid product from the dispensing container. Advantageously, with the subject invention, a force may be generated and applied to a plunger, which can be accurately controlled. As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the force results in movement of the plunger, which, in turn, translates into an accurate amount of fluid product being dispensed from the dispensing container.
US08042709B2
A fluid dispenser device having an outlet valve (22, 36) including a seat (22) and a movable member (36) that is urged in leaktight manner against the seat (22), the dispenser device being switchable between a locked position and a working position in which the outlet valve (22, 36) is closed, the dispenser device not being actuatable in the locked position, but being actuatable in the working position, the movable member (36) being urged by at least one resilient element (42) against the seat (22) in the working position, the dispenser device being characterized in that, in the locked position, the movable member (36) is urged against the seat (22) by at least one bearing element (41) other than the at least one resilient element (42).
US08042707B1
A automated toothpick dispenser includes a chamber for carrying a plurality of toothpicks and a lift system for dispensing a single toothpick to a position outside the dispenser. A drive system is coupled to the lift system and is activated by a sensor that detects the presence of a user.
US08042702B2
Reconfigurable containers which may adopt two stable configurations are described. In the first configuration, the container is suitable for the storing and transport of goods. When in a second, collapsed configuration, the container occupies a lesser volume than the first configuration and thus requires less shipping space. This is accomplished through the use of at least one deformable active material member that is preferably a shape memory polymer and, optionally, releasable fasteners.
US08042701B2
An integrated bottle enclosure includes a top cap, bottom cap, rigid straw casing and telescoping straw assembly to provide efficient means to contain a straw within a sealed bottle. Opening the top cap presents a straw ready for immediate use, or the straw may be grasped and pulled, to reveal ample straw length for keeping a consumer's mouth away from the bottle. The top cap and bottom cap connect by means to create a secure straw vault which prevents fluid from leaking out of the straw.
US08042691B2
A method of heavy particle separation, including a primary separation stage which includes the steps of dropping, accumulating, concentrating and discharging of heavy particles and/or a secondary separation stage for concentrating heavy particles which includes the steps of infeeding, stilling and retaining such particles.
US08042688B2
The present invention provides a combination drape and carrying bag unit including a singular sheet or plurality of joined sheet of pliable materials, both permeable and impermeable, of size to define a mat to accommodate a working medical procedural area thereon, upon which may be placed in single or combination, medical equipment and patient. The sheet has a drawstring casing extending about its periphery. The casing has openings therein on opposite sides of the mat and a drawstring is received in the drawstring casing and is of size to extend continuously about the periphery of the sheet when it defines a mat. The drawstring is slidably received in the drawstring casing so that when portions of the drawstring are pulled out of the drawstring casing through the openings, the periphery of the sheet forms gathers adjacent the casing to permit the periphery to reduce in size whereby the unit forms a carrying bag. Those portions of the drawstring which are pulled out of the casing may be secured together adjacent the openings to form a handle for the carrying bag.
US08042685B2
A container comprises a box portion, a lid portion and a separate sliding device. The separate sliding device embraces at least part of the box portion. Moving the separate sliding device longitudinally along the box portion in a first direction pivots the lid portion to open the container and moving the separate sliding device longitudinally along the box portion in a second, opposite direction pivots the lid portion to close the container. The lid portion comprises a lid front wall.
US08042683B2
A contact lens safety apparatus FIG. 1, invented as one unit with at least an elevating and de-elevating bowl (90). The contact lens safety apparatus can be opened or closed by lids (20) and a contact lens safely placed in (90), which can be sub-merged into solution (150) contained in (60). The contact lens after being placed in the contact lens safety apparatus for a period of time can be replaced back into the eye.
US08042680B2
A releasable coupling, including a first and a second coupling part for transmitting torque, where the first coupling part has a projection which extends in the direction of the geometrical axis of rotation and in the circumferential surface of which a first peripheral groove is embedded, that the second coupling part has a recess which is matched in cross section to a receptacle on the projection and in the circumferential surface of which a second peripheral groove is embedded, that an annular securing element is provided, the securing element being elastically deformable with respect to the contour of its open or closed periphery and, in the separated state of the two coupling parts, being insertable into one or optionally into one of the peripheral grooves and the contour of which, in the separated state of the two coupling parts, projecting out of the peripheral groove.
US08042677B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for dynamic optimization of the gaps between objects transported serially on a conveyor, in particular the transport of pieces of luggage in luggage transport systems in airports. According to the invention, in order to achieve an optimal usage of the transport system, the separation between two adjacent objects for transporting is recorded by sensor and provided to an analytical unit as measured values for determination of a correction value for temporary alteration of the speed of a transporter supporting only one object, arranged between two adjacent transporters.
US08042656B2
The strength and rigidity of pad springs are increased with a simple structure to prevent deformation and so forth of the pad springs caused by external force. A mounting member is provided with pad springs for resiliently supporting friction pads. Each pad spring has guide plates, a connecting plate, an engagement plate, radially urging portions, circumferentially urging portions, reinforcement, etc. The reinforcement includes a rectilinear reinforcement formed on a flat plate portion of the connecting plate by embossing, for example, and oblique reinforcements formed on joint portions of the connecting plate. Thus, the joint portions and so forth of the pad springs can be prevented from being deformed by external force when the brake is activated or during assembling operation, for example, and hence it is possible to prevent positional displacement of the guide plates, etc. that would otherwise be caused by the deformation of the joint portions.
US08042651B1
A portable leveling device capable of supporting any types of ladders, scaffolds, and other objects requiring leveled support regardless of object size when a plurality of the devices is used. The device may be deployed by one hand automatically and instantly quick over a terrain of virtually any profile. The device is capable of projecting an extension ladder position eliminating human error and reducing deployment time when the ladder is actually positioned. The device is capable of indicating deployment faults before use and allows visual inspection of the parts at fault without disassembling. The device is lightweight, can be easily carried with one hand, and stored compactly.
US08042641B2
An all wheel drive motorcycle includes an internal combustion engine having an output shaft extending from the engine. A back wheel drive train is coupled to the output shaft with either a first chain or a first shaft. The first chain or the first shaft couples to a rear wheel drive sprocket or a rear wheel drive gear that couples to the first chain or first shaft, respectively. The motorcycle includes a front wheel drive train that extends from the output shaft to a universal joint that is positioned on the motorcycle within a range of about plus or minus ten degrees of perpendicular to the steering axis of rotation of the front fork where the front fork supports and retains the front wheel. The universal joint and the output shaft are coupled together with either a second drive chain or a second drive shaft. The universal joint includes a stub shaft having a front wheel drive sprocket engaging a front wheel drive chain where the front wheel drive chain also engages a front axle sprocket that supplies a drive force to the front wheel.
US08042633B2
The operation of a discharging apparatus for correcting variations in voltage and remaining capacity among battery blocks forming a battery pack is performed more reliably. When power supply from a battery pack to a motor/generator is not being performed and when a variation amount of remaining capacity among the battery blocks forming the battery pack is larger than a predetermined value, a discharge request section issues a command to start power supply from a battery block to a discharge control unit corresponding to at least a battery block having the largest remaining capacity among the battery blocks. The discharge control unit receives the start command for power supply from the battery block and issues a command to a discharging section to discharge the battery block in response to start of the power supply from the battery block.
US08042630B2
A serpentine robotic crawler capable of multiple movement moves is disclosed. The serpentine robotic crawler includes a plurality of frame units, coupled together by at least one actuated linkage. Each frame unit includes a continuous track, enabling forward movement of the serpentine robotic crawler. The at least one actuated linkage has at least 7 degrees of movement freedom, enabling the serpentine robotic crawler to adopt a variety of poses.
US08042628B2
A vehicle, having a main body is equipped to be fitted mechanically with devices to form a wheeled vehicle, or with devices to form a crawler vehicle.The main body having of the vehicle houses the common components utilized in both configurations such as the engine and the gear box of the vehicle.
US08042627B2
Disclosed is a walking robot having an improved driving structure for a pitch-direction femoral joint and a knee joint. The walking robot includes a pitch-direction actuator driving the pitch-direction femoral joint to rotate a femoral link relative to a body in a pitch direction, and a power transmission unit transferring driving force of the pitch-direction actuator to the knee joint to rotate the lower leg link relative to the femoral link in the pitch direction.
US08042622B2
An electric power tool having a housing, a motor, a jack for receiving a connection plug of an electric cable, and a swivel unit mounted on the housing and carrying the jack, wherein the swivel unit includes a first head mounted on the housing for rotation about a first axis, and a second head mounted on the first head for rotation about a second axis. The first and second axes form an angle between them, and provide for freedom of rotation of the jack, thereby providing for positioning of the jack and routing of a connected cable in desired directions relative to the housing.
US08042620B2
An implement includes a frame configured to couple to a tool bar, a linkage coupled to the frame, and a ground engaging tool extending from a shank, wherein the shank is coupled to the linkage. The implement also includes a packer wheel configured to control a position of the ground engaging tool, wherein the packer wheel is positioned behind the ground engaging tool when the ground engaging tool is engaging the soil. Further, the implement includes an adjustment mechanism configured to allow for adjustment of the distance between the packer wheel and the ground engaging tool.
US08042618B2
A method is provided for swelling water-swellable elements located in a portion of a well. The method comprises the steps of: (A) introducing an oil-in-water emulsion into the portion of the well, wherein the oil-in-water emulsion comprises: (i) an aqueous liquid, wherein the aqueous liquid is the external phase of the oil-in-water emulsion; (ii) a hydrocarbon liquid, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid is an internal phase of the oil-in-water emulsion, and wherein the hydrocarbon liquid is adjacent to the external phase of the oil-in-water emulsion; and (iii) a surfactant; and (B) allowing the oil-in-water emulsion to contact the water-swellable element for a sufficient length of time to cause the thickness of the water-swellable element to expand by a desired percentage, wherein the desired percentage is at least 5%.
US08042615B1
A Ball Baffle Blowout Preventer (BBBOP) (102) or shut-off valve generally comprises a housing (106) and a baffle (108) secured within the housing and containing a plurality of holes. The housing is mounted in the path of the well pipe but the holes in the baffle allow normal production fluid to pass. One or more ball dispensing mechanisms (BDM) (110, 112) are connected to the housing. Each BDM contains a plurality of balls (114) and one or more valves (196). When a blowout condition occurs, a plurality of balls (114) are released beneath baffle (108) and are carried upward by the upwardly gushing fluid to plug the holes. The balls (114) are held in place by the pressure differential below and above the baffle. The balls can be removed from the baffle by the forcing fluid down the well. All operations can be controlled undersea by remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). A plurality of BBBOPs can be stacked and each can be set to operate at a different pressure and flow rates. The BBBOP may also include a Threshold Pressure Detection Unit for actuating the BDM that requires no electro-mechanical components; it uses only the energy of pressurized fluids in a well bore. The manual and self-actuating BDMs are not disabled by slow leaks of ambient well pressures past the hydraulic seals used therein. In another embodiment an additional baffle (250) can be provided below the first baffle (108) to contain the balls after they are released from the first baffle.
US08042612B2
A method of operating an electrical submersible pumping system that includes realtime monitoring of the wellbore fluid and adjusting pump speed so the fluid entering the pump remains subcooled. The method can include adding sensors within the wellbore and digitally storing fluid data accessible by a pump controller. The pump speed can be increased or decreased by adjusting the frequency of the electrical power delivered to the pump motor.
US08042610B2
A heating system for a subsurface formation is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of substantially horizontally oriented or inclined heater sections located in a hydrocarbon containing layer in the formation. At least a portion of two of the heater sections are substantially parallel to each other. The ends of at least two of the heater sections in the layer are electrically coupled to a substantially horizontal, or inclined, electrical conductor oriented substantially perpendicular to the ends of the at least two heater sections.
US08042603B2
In a method of manufacturing an aluminum alloy plate for a lithographic printing plate by continuous casting which includes feeding an aluminum alloy melt through a melt feed nozzle between a pair of cooling rollers and rolling the aluminum alloy melt while solidifying between the pair of cooling rollers, a vessel for feeding the aluminum alloy melt to the melt feed nozzle contains the aluminum alloy melt which is adjusted in such a manner that a vertical amplitude at a level of the aluminum alloy melt existing within the vessel is 10 mm or less. This manufacturing method is capable of obtaining an aluminum alloy plate for a lithographic printing plate with a uniform surface composition and manufacturing a lithographic printing plate support having no surface defect.
US08042602B2
A method of making steel comprising assembling a steelmaking furnace, a thin strip caster, and a mold caster, inputting to a computer data on demand and customer requirements for production output, raw materials, furnace availability and capacity, ladle treatment for casting, sequence schedules and through-put, capacities and variability, forecasting by processing by computer from the inputted data a production schedule for the steelmaking furnace and ladle treatment, and sequence schedules for the thin strip and the mold casters as a function of molten metal availability, the thin strip and mold caster sequence schedules and through-put, and demand for production output, directing production of molten metal alternatively to the delivery systems of the thin strip caster and mold caster responsive to said forecasting, and varying during casting the rate of metal delivery through the delivery system of the thin strip caster responsive to molten metal availability and the mold caster through-put.
US08042600B2
A production apparatus is provided which can produce an alloy which can produce a rare-earth magnet having high coercive force. The apparatus for producing an alloy is a device that includes at least a casting device for casting a molten alloy by a strip casting method, a crushing device for crushing cast alloy after casting, a heat-retaining device for maintaining temperature of cast alloy flakes N supplied from the crushing device, and a storage container for storing the cast alloy flakes N after maintaining the temperature. The heat-retaining device includes a heat-retaining container for storing the cast alloy flakes N supplied from the crushing device, a temperature retaining heater for maintaining the temperature of the cast alloy flakes N in the heat-retaining container, an inclination device for sending the cast alloy flakes N in the heat-retaining container to the storage container by inclining the heat-retaining container.
US08042593B2
A semiconductor chip bonding apparatus maintains a semiconductor chip in a parallel state with respect to a lead frame when applying a bonding load.
US08042586B2
A self-inflating tire assembly includes an air tube mounted within a tire sidewall groove. The air tube is in contacting engagement with opposite angled groove surfaces surrounding the air tube. A segment of the air tube is flattened from an expanded diameter to a flat diameter by bending and compression of the groove in a rolling tire footprint to force air evacuated from the flattened segment along a tube air passageway. The sidewall groove extends into an annular, axially extending, sidewall surface such as an axially oriented surface of a tire chafer protrusion located in non-contacting relationship with the rim.
US08042575B2
A self-contained cartridge sealing plug that does not require any torque settings. The sealing plug includes a cylindrical-shaped plug body that carries an O-ring seal. The bottom of the plug body has a hole where a spring is inserted and retained by a spring retainer that locates the spring and/or functions as a backstop for the spring that preloads the plug body against a retaining member. The spring-loaded action allows the plug body to be inserted into a-non-threaded cavity and depressed past a groove in the cavity. Once the shoulder on the plug body passes the groove, a wire ring retainer including one or more arcuate segments can be inserted into the cavity. The spring energy is then released against the ring retainer, retaining the plug body in the cavity.
US08042572B2
A controllable pressure reducing valve has a housing which includes an inner chamber extending in the direction of a longitudinal axis and an inlet opening and an outlet opening. The inlet opening and the outlet opening open into the inner chamber at an axial relative distance. The inner chamber includes between the mouths of the inlet opening and the outlet opening at least one annular wall having a cylindrical valve bore. An axially movable valve body which is arranged in the inner chamber, extends through the valve bore and has a piston-type portion guided in the valve bore and adapted to close the valve bore. The piston-type portion includes at least one control recess bounded by a control step which extends in axial direction and in circumferential direction and combines with an edge of the valve bore to form a controllable valve opening.
US08042571B2
A fluid coupler for connecting two hydraulic appliances together without requiring flexible hoses is described. The fluid coupler enables fluid-tight connecting between fixed position components and allows for separating the hydraulic appliances without decoupling the coupler while maintaining fluid-tightness of both appliances after separation.
US08042570B2
A steam valve assembly has a main-steam stop valve, and a steam control valve connected downstream to the main-steam stop valve via an intermediate flow path. The two valves each has a casing having an inlet port directing horizontally, and an outlet port directing vertically. The valve bodies and the valve stems move up and down in the casings to open and close the flow paths in the valves. The intermediate flow path is configured to guide main steam from the outlet port of the main-steam stop valve in vertically downward direction to the inlet port of the steam control valve in horizontal direction.
US08042568B2
The invention provides a fluid controller for controlling a machine, e.g. for steering a vehicle. The controller comprises a housing defining an inlet port connected to the source and an outlet port connected to the pressure operated device. The flow rate is controlled by movement of a valve member within the housing, and a processor provides a reference which is indicative of a desired position of the valve member relative to the housing. The fluid controller comprises a fault detection system based on an observer. The observer calculates a theoretically correct position of the valve member relative to the housing for a given reference, and compares this position to an obtained position of the valve member relative to the housing. The difference between the positions is compared with a threshold value. In order to dynamically change the sensitivity of the system, the threshold value is scaled based on a gradient of the reference.
US08042553B2
A medical hair prosthesis for use by a wearer that has had a pronounced loss of hair, where the foundation of the medical hair prosthesis is made of lace that has gone through a cryogenic treatment process to increase durability and comfort. The medical hair prosthesis is formed by a process of harvesting the wearer's own hair to incorporate into the front hairline of the hair prosthesis.
US08042550B2
The invention is directed at the full simulation of a smoking process when a smoker uses the inventive pipe. Said smoking-simulating pipe comprises a shank (1) and a bowl (2) which are embodied in one piece, and a stem (4) which is detachable from the shank (1) and is provided with a bit, wherein a cavity (5), which is used for placing a sealed capsule (6) provided with a nicotine-containing or flavoring agent, is embodied in a smoking channel (14), and an electric heater (7) connected to a power supply (8), which is arranged in the walls of the bowl (2), is located before the capsule (6) in the smoking channel (14).
US08042548B2
A method for inducing Fallopian tube blockage as a means for female contraception comprises contacting the inner surface tissue of a Fallopian tube with a silver nitrate bearing substrate and delivering an amount of silver nitrate to the tissue sufficient to induce blockage of the Fallopian tube. At least one silver nitrate bearing bead is introduced through the uterine opening of the Fallopian tube by use of a catheter or other device suitable for manipulating the bead. Alternatively, a plurality of beads can be introduced into the Fallopian tube. In a preferred embodiment, one or more silver nitrate bearing beads are arranged on a string to facilitate later removal of the beads. The method of the present invention delivers an amount of silver nitrate to the tissue sufficient to cause tissue necrosis and blockage of the Fallopian tube.
US08042545B2
A device for facilitating fluid delivery to the trachea of a patient which comprises, a tubular housing adapted to be sealably mounted on an elongate element of an endoscope for examining the trachea of the patient and configured to mount an adapter for an endotracheal tube for intubating the patient over and around the elongate element, the housing having at least one inlet into a cavity inside the housing for supplying at least a first fluid and an outlet for delivering the first fluid between the elongate element and an inside wall of the endotracheal tube mounted on the adapter.
US08042543B2
A respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame and a headgear assembly removably attachable to the frame. The headgear assembly includes a pair of side portions and a rear portion that interconnects the pair of side portions. The pair of side portions includes at least one strap. The rear portion has at least one strap constructed of at least two layers of material. One of the layers of material has a more rigid construction than the other of the layers of material to resist compression of the at least one strap of the rear portion in a first direction which resists movement of the at least one strap of the pair of side straps in the first direction.
US08042536B1
A nebulizer apparatus for delivering medication in the form of an aerosol to a patient. The apparatus includes a medication reservoir for receiving liquid medication, a face mask for delivering aerosol to a patient, an attachment to a nebulizer machine or Bag resuscitator to generate carrier gas flow, a face mask or tubing to deliver the aerosol to the patient, and hosing to inter-connect the nebulizer components. The medication reservoir of the nebulizer apparatus includes rapid injection ports for the addition of medication to the medication reservoir, and is connected to the face mask via a dual sided ball and socket connection.
US08042534B2
A solar servo control tracking device is disclosed. The device includes: an integrated control device having a solar cell sensor unit detecting luminance at a solar azimuth, and an integrated control panel transmitting a control signal at a maximal solar azimuth, calculated by comparing a solar azimuth from the luminance at a solar azimuth; and solar tracking devices, respectively having a tracking device controller receiving the control signal via a wireless link, a high torque driving unit with an AC single phase inductor to generate driving torque by the control signal from the tracking device controller, solar module assemblies driven by the high torque driving unit to track the solar azimuth in accordance with the control signal, and an operating angle sensor unit installed to the high torque driving unit to detect operating angles of the solar module assemblies that track the sun by the control signal.
US08042533B2
A convection heating apparatus capable of providing effective, high speed cooking without the assistance of microwave energy. The oven apparatus includes an exterior cabinet, a door, and a cooking chamber having interior side walls, a back wall, and a lower jet plate. The oven further includes a blower for circulating gas through the lower jet plate into the cooking chamber. In addition, the oven includes a product support disposed within the cooking chamber above said lower jet plate. The product support is disposed on a rail that is positioned to hold the lower jet plate in place when air is circulated therethrough. Optionally, the oven further includes an upper jet plate disposed within the cooking chamber above the product support. Temperature controlled gas is circulated through the upper jet plate toward the product support and any food product disposed on the product support. The oven may also include means for imparting movement to the product support during cooking operations in order to provide a more even cooking of a food product. A catalytic converter material is disposed downstream from the blower and upstream from a return plate which controls the direction of gas flow from the cooking cavity and protects the catalytic converter material.
US08042523B2
A fuel supply system for a vehicle may include a fuel tank including a mounting portion protruding downwards from an upper inner surface of the fuel tank, a fuel limit vent valve and a rollover valve that is connected with the fuel limit vent valve within the fuel tank, and a mounting plate connecting the fuel limit vent valve and the rollover valve and configured to be mounted onto the mounting portion of the fuel tank.
US08042521B2
An engine unit with a decreased height dimension and longitudinal length comprises an engine and a throttle body assembly. The throttle body assembly includes front and rear throttle bodies formed with front and rear air cylinders and throttle valves. A fuel supply pipe is arranged between central axes of the air cylinders in a longitudinal direction to extend widthwise in a lower position than upper ends of the throttle bodies. A motor for driving throttle valves is arranged between the central axes of the air cylinders in the longitudinal direction. An axis of a rotating shaft of the motor is positioned forwardly or rearwardly of a central axis of the fuel supply pipe.
US08042516B2
In a diesel engine equipped with an injector 1 having a plurality of intersections between an axis line of the injector 1 and the axes of injection holes 10a bored in the injector 1, an air intake valve 25 is controlled so that it is closed at timing before a BDC (at timing when a piston comes to a bottom dead center) by an ECU 50, which controls the timing of closing the air intake valve 25 based on operating conditions of the engine.
US08042512B2
Proposed is a piston (1) for an internal combustion engine having a closed annular duct (4) which is arranged close to the piston head (5) and radially at the outside, which annular duct (4) has, at the piston head side, an annular opening (21) which, in section, has the shape of a trapezium with limbs which taper conically in the direction away from the piston head, and which is closed off by an annular closure element (3) which, in section, has the same trapezium shape as the opening (21), with the closure element (3) being fastened in the opening (21) by means of friction welding.
US08042503B2
In a variable valve timing apparatus having a VVT mechanism in each of a plurality of banks, start of a valve timing control is not permitted until reference position learning of valve timing is completed in the corresponding bank and in other banks. Accordingly, the plurality of banks come to have matching valve timing setting at the time of valve timing control, whereby variation in the amount of air introduced to cylinders can be suppressed, and satisfactory combustion characteristics can be maintained.
US08042497B2
A method and apparatus effectively bypasses flue gas through or around selected boiler convection heat transfer tube banks within a new or existing boiler flue. Heat transfer tubes are removed, or omitted in the design of a new boiler flue, forming one or more voids at one or more locations within the tube banks. A bypass flue or conduit is formed within each void, for example using steel plates, along with existing flue walls, or using an integral sleeve. A wall of the bypass flue may include water or steam-cooled tubes. Dampers may be installed at either end of or within the bypass flue to control the amount of flue gas directed through each bypass flue.
US08042494B2
A custom fittable collar for an animal, useful to prevent the animal from contacting injured areas on the body, thus promoting healing of wounds. The collar comprises opposing sheets of flexible material with a resilient material held between them. The resulting collar is rigid enough to resist deformation thus preventing licking or biting of a wound by the animal, but soft enough that the collar is both comfortable to wear, and less likely to catch on other objects, thus improving the safety and wearability of the collar. The collar further comprises a closure assembly adapted for easy placement or removal of the collar. The collar further comprises stitching that creates fold lines to allow the collar to be conveniently folded.
US08042490B2
The animal waste collection sheet is planar and is consisted of a top sheet which is liquid permeable, a back sheet which is liquid impermeable and an absorbent sheet disposed between the top sheet and the back sheet. The top sheet has a high fiber density region in a thickness direction thereof, with a fiber density higher than an average fiber density of the top sheet, at least in a part of a side facing the absorbent sheet. The average fiber density is preferably in the range of 0.005 to 0.20 g/cm3, and a fiber density of the high fiber density region is preferably in the range of 0.007 to 0.25 g/cm3.
US08042485B1
A stent mandrel support for supporting a stent during the application of a coating substance is provided.
US08042475B2
A table may include a table top, a frame and one or more legs that may be movable between extended and collapsed positions relative to the table top. Advantageously, the table top may include a generally planar upper surface and a generally planar lower surface. The lower surface of the table top, however, may include a first lip disposed proximate a first end of the table top and a second lip disposed proximate a second end of the table top. The lower surface may also include mounting members that are sized and configured to allow a frame to be connected to the table top. Desirably, the mounting members allow side rails of a frame to be attached to the table top and at least a portion of the side rails are disposed between the first and second lips. This may allow at least a portion of the frame to be exposed and visible when the table is being used.
US08042474B2
The present invention concerns a device for the suspension and displacement of an object or a person, this device including at least two unaligned cables, a profile borne by the cables and a trolley mobile over the length of this profile, characterized in that the profile links said cables together, in that the profile located between the two unaligned cables defines a curved zone, in that the profile includes at least one rectilinear zone in which the cable is kept in the profile and in that the cable is located outside of the profile in the curved zone and close to this curved zone. This device can be used as a Tyrolean traverse.
US08042468B2
A device for clamping and tensioning an edge of a printing plate on a plate cylinder of a printing press includes a single actuating shaft for releasing clamping and tensioning forces. The actuating shaft has a control cam for releasing the tensioning forces and a control roller for releasing the clamping forces. A printing unit having the device and a printing press having the printing unit are also provided.
US08042458B2
A heating cooker has a side wall of a heating chamber (20) formed with an outlet (22) for discharging a heating fluid and an engagement portion (3a). A tray (4) has an edge portion (4a), a side wall portion (4b) having a thorough hole (4f), a flat surface portion (4c), an inner wall portion (4d), and a bottom portion (4e). When the tray is engaged with the engagement portion with its front surface side facing up, the through hole faces the outlet. A part of the discharged heating fluid is fed to the rear surface side of the tray through the through hole, and the remaining fluid is fed to the front surface side. When the tray is engaged with the engagement portion with its rear surface side facing up, an opening in a groove portion (4i) defined between the side wall portion and the inner wall portion faces upward.
US08042447B2
The present invention enables the passive initiation of a deployment sequence for a countermeasure payload. The invention comprises an initiator coil that is positioned inside an electromagnetic countermeasure launcher. When the electromagnetic countermeasure launcher electromagnetically generates propulsive force to propel a payload to its deployment position, inductive coupling between one or more propulsion coils of the launcher and the initiator coil induces current to flow in the initiator coil, which thereby initiates the deployment sequence.
US08042444B2
A knife holder (1) for microtome blades (2) has a body (3) for reception of the blade (2) against an abutment edge (4) and a pressure plate (5) for retention of the blade, such that in the retained state, only the blade cutting edge (6) protrudes from the body (3), and an ejection apparatus (8), associated with one side edge (7) of the blade cutting edge (6), is connected to the body (3).
US08042435B2
This is a tool device called a Special Articulating Tool Holder for a Lathe. The device provides a new and unique device to permit deep hollowing of wood or other materials with a controlled, repeatable method. The preferred embodiment of the device is comprised of multiple (two or more) articulating joints—the first of the multiple articulating joints is secured to a tool holder with features to hold cutting tools—and the last of the multiple articulating joints is secured to an essentially vertical mounting post. The mounting post is held in place by a base means which mounts either horizontally or vertically to the machine base as determined by the machine configuration.
US08042431B2
A driving force transmitting apparatus is provided with a breather chamber. The breather chamber is defined by a first partition wall, a second partition wall, a third partition wall, an outer wall of a first division casing member and an outer wall of an second division casing. The first partition wall is integrally formed on the first division casing member and extending in a matching direction of the first and the second division casing members. The second partition wall is integrally formed on the second division casing member and extending in the matching direction. The third partition wall crosses the first partition wall and is apart from a common plane of first and second coupling surfaces in the matching direction.
US08042428B2
An operation cable has an operational structure in which an inner member inserted into a tubular outer member is pulled from a lower end side thereof. The operation cable having a double layer structure is axially connected to a double layer cable that is constructed from a stay of a headrest and a push rod inserted into the tubular stay. In particular, the stay is inserted into a support positioned on an upper portion of the seat back, a lower end of the stay and an upper end of the inner member are axially connected to each other, so that a lower end of the push rod in the tubular stay and a head portion of the outer member are positioned closer to each other. As a result, the push rod can be pushed by the head portion of the outer member when the operation cable is pulled.
US08042421B2
A multi-gear-speed transmission includes cam rods in sliding contact with an inner peripheral surface of an inner cavity of a gear shaft; pin members inserted in pin holes bored in the gear shaft in the radial directions and which are advanced or retreated by alternatedly making contact with the sliding contact surfaces of the cam rods and cam grooves. Swing claw members are rotatably supported on pivot pins provided in the gear shaft and which are advanced or retracted by the pin members to be engaged with or disengaged from gears (n). The swing claw members and the pivot pins are embedded in recessed parts formed in the outer periphery of the gear shaft, annular bearing collar members externally fitted over the gear shaft are arranged to press the pivot pins from the outer side, and the gears (n) are rotatably borne on the bearing collar members.
US08042410B2
An apparatus for measuring volume- or mass-flow of a medium flowing through a measuring tube in the direction of the measuring tube axis, and includes: a magnet system, which produces a magnetic field passing through the measuring tube essentially transversely to the measuring tube axis; at least one measuring electrode, which contacts the medium in a defined surface region; and a control/evaluation unit, which provides information concerning volume- or mass flow of the medium in the measuring tube on the basis of a measurement voltage induced in the at least one measuring electrode. At least the medium-contacting surface region of the at least one measuring electrode is manufactured of a chemically inert and electrochemically and mechanically resistant material.
US08042402B2
A modular sensor assembly for performing measurement or calibration is disclosed, comprising a sensing module comprising a threaded spigot, a first slip ring conductive track, and a second slip ring conductive track; a base module comprising a threaded receptacle, a first conductor, and a second conductor; wherein the sensing module is detachably mounted to the base module by rotating the threaded spigot into the threaded receptacle thereby forming a first electrical connection between the first slip ring conductive track and the first conductor, and a second electrical connection between the second slip ring conductive track and the second conductor.
US08042388B2
A fuel level measuring system for a liquid fuel tank may utilize a primary sender gage assembly employing at least a primary sender gage, a primary sender arm, and a primary sender float. The system may further utilize a secondary sender gage assembly employing at least a secondary sender gage, a secondary sender arm, and a secondary sender float. A dash indicator may display a fuel level of fuel within the fuel tank based upon resistances from the sender gages. The primary sender float and the secondary sender gage are contained within a single unit that is buoyant in liquid fuel. The fuel tank may have a top dome portion and a bottom dome portion that the secondary sender float is capable of occupying while the sender gages transmit a signal corresponding to fuel levels in the tank.
US08042379B2
A combination of a liquid chromatograph and a gas chromatograph was a possible measure for improving precision in analyzing organic chemical substances. However, because elutes from liquid chromatoghaphies contain water and a highly polar solvent, injection thereof into a gas chromatograph has been impossible. Consequently, to develop an analytical method which realizes that combination and an apparatus thereof has been a subject. The method of the quantitative analysis comprises subjecting a sample for analysis prepared beforehand by extracting organic chemical substances from an assay sample to fractionation by a liquid chromatograph, continuously adsorbing a fractionated elute containing a substance to be determined onto a solid-phase cartridge while conducting the fractionation, eluting this substance, which has been adsorbed on the solid-phase cartridge, with an eluent, and transferring the elute to a storage chamber of a gas chromatograph.
US08042376B2
A method of determining whether a measured fuel delivery rate determined by a fuel meter of a fuel dispenser corresponds to an actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being dispensed to a vehicle through a fuel flow path. The method includes measuring a fuel delivery rate at a given time during a fueling operation, measuring a fuel pressure of the fuel within the fuel flow path at the given time, comparing the measured fuel pressure to a plurality of fuel pressure values from a data set including a plurality of actual fuel delivery rate values that correspond to the plurality of fuel pressure values, retrieving one of the plurality of actual fuel delivery rate values from the data set that corresponds to the measured fuel pressure value; and comparing the measured fuel delivery rate from the fuel meter to the one actual fuel delivery rate value to determine if the measured fuel delivery rate corresponds to the actual fuel delivery rate at which fuel is being dispensed to the vehicle.
US08042370B2
A method of forming a ring gear from a ring blank includes providing a mandrel having a central axis and an outer annular forming surface. The outer annular forming surface defines a plurality of forming elements having a forming element axis offset from the central axis of the mandrel. The ring blank has a ring axis and is placed over the mandrel generally aligning the central axis of the mandrel with the ring axis of the ring blank. A roll is provided having a roll axis that is generally parallel with the element axis. The roll is forced radially inwardly while circumscribing the central axis. The roll pivots around the roll axis deforming the ring blank radially inwardly forming teeth on an inner surface of the ring blank that coaxial with the element axis and offset from the mandrel axis.
US08042363B2
The invention relates to producing continuous organic fibers by stretching from molten minerals. These fibers can be used for producing heat resistant threads, rovings, cut fibers, fabrics, composite materials and products based thereon. The inventive glass has the following chemical composition in mass percentage: 15.9-18.1 Al2O3, 0.75-1.2 TiO2, 7.51-9.53 Fe2O3+FeO, 6.41-8.95 CaO, 2.5-6.4 MgO, 1.6-2.72 K2O, 3.3-4.1 Na2O, 0.23-0.5 P2O5, 0.02-0.15 SO3, 0.12-0.21 MnO, 0.05-0.19 BaO, impurities up to 1.0, the rest being SiO2. The inventive method consists in loading a ground composition in a melting furnace, in melting said composition, in homogenizing a melt, in consequently stabilizing the melt in the melting furnace feeder, in drawing and oiling the fiber and in winding it on a spool. Prior to loading, the composition is held in an alkali solution for 15-20 minutes, and is then washed with flowing water for 20-30 minutes and dried. After having been washed with flowing water, the dried composition is loaded into the melting furnace.
US08042361B2
The present invention significantly modifies “The Overflow Process”. It includes a method and apparatus for measuring glass flow rate and maintaining a constant glass flow rate. It also embodies design features and methods that support and stress the forming apparatus in a manner such that the deformation that results from thermal creep is corrected, thus minimizing the effect of the thermal creep on the thickness variation of the glass sheet. The present invention also embodies design features that change the process from a single step (combined flow distribution and cooling) to a two step process; step one being flow distribution and step two being cooling.
US08042360B2
Systems, methods and apparatus relate to handling and processing glass, such as glass for use in liquid crystal displays, involving a measurement device, such as a distortion gauge, residing in an environmentally controlled measurement room, and a cassette loading device for storage and conveyance of glass between the measurement device and other components of a glass handling and processing system residing with the cassette loading device in a preparation room. A mail-slot opening may be present in a wall separating the measurement room from the preparation room. A gauge conveyor may convey glass between the cassette loading device and the measurement device. A distortion gauge may measure a reference value of the product glass with respect to reference marks on a glass reference plate of the distortion gauge. Other examples of a measurement device include a warp gauge, a stress gauge, a thickness gauge, and a compaction gauge.
US08042359B2
Methods for heat treating glass sheets (13) are disclosed in which the sheets (13) are held in a vertical orientation in a treatment container (15) during the heat treatment. The container (15) includes a support system for the glass sheets (13) that comprises a bottom support (17), two side supports (19a, 19b), and a top support (21). The sheets (13) are slid into the container (15) without contact between their side edges (23a, 23b) and the side supports (19a, 19b). The top support (21) is then slid onto the tops of the sheets (13) without contacting the sheets' top edges (25). In certain embodiments, flushing air which has been HEPA filtered and pre-heated is passed through the container (15) during the heat treatment. Apparatus for practicing the methods of the invention are also disclosed.
US08042355B2
A distributed refrigeration appliance system for use in a residential kitchen and other locations in a dwelling and includes multiple separate refrigeration appliance modules, a central cooling system and a cooling circuit. The system can also include one or more satellite stations having a heat exchanger and arranged for supplying chilled air to one or more refrigeration appliance modules. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can include a thermal cascade cooling device to cool the module to lower temperatures than the cooling circuit can attain. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can be refrigeration/storage modules that can provide refrigerated, unconditioned or heated storage space. The central cooling system can be a vapor compression system having a refrigerant circuit connecting the modules. Alternately, the central cooling system can cool a secondary cooling medium circuit. The refrigeration system can also have more than one refrigeration machine providing cooling to the secondary refrigeration loop.
US08042354B1
An air conditioning apparatus that includes a turbine and a compressor with rotors mounted on and fixed to a common rotatable shaft with a heat exchanger located between the turbine and the compressor. The air conditioning apparatus turbine has an inlet that is connected to a source of air such as aircraft ram air the outlet from the turbine and is positioned to direct outlet air from the turbine to the heat exchanger. The compressor which is located adjacent to and downstream from the heat exchanger has an inlet that is positioned to receive air exiting from the heat exchanger. In one embodiment, no external power is necessary to obtain cooling of liquid coolant located within the heat exchanger that is integral with the air conditioning apparatus and another embodiment includes test equipment.
US08042350B2
A cooling device controller for controlling a cooling device is provided. The cooling device controller includes: a capacitor for supplying an output voltage through a first terminal; a first switch between a first input terminal and the first terminal of the capacitor; a predetermined reference voltage applied to the first input terminal; a second switch between a second input terminal and the first terminal of the capacitor, wherein a temperature-sensing voltage is applied to the second input terminal, the temperature-sensing voltage varying according to a first sensed temperature; and a switch controller to receive a first voltage waveform having a duty ratio, the duty ratio dependent on a second sensed temperature, wherein the switch controller is operable to turn on and off the first switch and the second switch according to the duty ratio.
US08042333B2
An oil cooling and filtering circuit connecting a reciprocating fluid power hydraulic cylinder to a reversible hydraulic pump or hydraulic directional valve. The circuit consists preferably of a three-way, three-position valve and a purge relief valve, which functions to divert a percentage of the low pressure oil coming out of the cylinder work port to an oil cooler. Instead of the fluid simply moving back and forth in the line and become overheated due to fluid friction and repeated pressurization, the working fluid in the line to the cylinder work port is circulated out of the fluid line and gradually replaced with cooled oil. The circuit itself does not perform cooling, but it provides a means to send trapped oil to an oil cooler. A secondary advantage is to provide filtration to the oil that is removed for cooling.
US08042325B2
In a motor vehicle powertrain that includes a diesel engine, a particulate filter and a torque converter, a method for correcting an indicated engine output torque includes estimating a magnitude of torque being transmitted from the engine to the torque converter while regenerating the particulate filter, determining a reference magnitude of current engine torque being produced while regenerating the particulate filter, determining a torque error from a difference between the estimated magnitude and the reference magnitude, recording the torque error, determining a current torque error from the recorded torque error using a current engine speed and a current reference engine torque as indices to the recorded engine toque error, producing a corrected engine torque from the sum of the current torque error and the current reference engine torque, and using the corrected engine torque to control operation of the transmission.
US08042321B2
A rotating mechanical apparatus, such as would be used in a reel mower assembly, comprises a drive member rotatably mounted in a frame about a shaft axis. The drive member has a drive face oriented perpendicular to the shaft axis. A driven member has a driven shaft rotatably supported in the frame about the shaft axis, and a driven face oriented parallel to and bearing against the drive face. A bulb extends outward from one of the drive face and the driven face and into a corresponding recess in the other. Magnets force the drive face to bear against the driven face such that the driven shaft rotates with the drive member. One of the drive face and the driven face are movable along the shaft axis to disengage the bulb from the recess. A height adjustment mechanism moves ground rollers closer together or farther apart to vary cutting height.
US08042316B2
The present invention relates to a fireproof door, which comprises a fire-protection glass and a support means for supporting the fire-protection glass, and the support means comprising an elastic member in contact with both surfaces of an edge portion of the fire-protection glass, a reinforcing frame for supporting the elastic member, and a fixing plate fixed to a support and corresponding to both surfaces of the reinforcing frame. The fireproof door of the present invention has a grade A fireproof performance.
US08042314B2
In a construction with walls, ceilings, and/or floors as parts of the building, especially for buildings protected against radiation, the parts of the building are made of reinforced concrete. One part of the building may be a sandwich design wherein one layer is made of a material that protects against radiation, and at least one layer is made of concrete.
US08042313B2
A compression post for a shear wall includes a plate mounted to the bottom of an end post of a shear wall. The plate is sized to conform to the lower end of each end post. An extended portion (e.g., a cylinder) is positioned perpendicularly to the plate. The extended portion has a cross section sized to fit through a hole in a mudsill of the shear wall and has a length selected to conform with a thickness of the mudsill. When the shear wall is mounted on a structural support (e.g., a footing or foundation), forces applied to the end post pass through the plate and the extended portion to the structural support. The extended portion may be secured to the plate (e.g., by spot welding, press fitting, bolting, or threaded engagement) or the two portions may be independent. The two portions may also be a cast unitary body.
US08042303B2
A seal for a sliding glass window includes a sliding glass guide and an elastomeric channel member that is at least partially disposed within the sliding glass guide. Located between the elastomeric channel member and the sliding glass guide is an electroactive actuator that is operable to change its shape from a first shape to a second shape, or vice versa, when a voltage is applied thereto. The first shape of the electroactive actuator pushes the elastomeric channel member towards the sliding glass window and the second shape pulls the elastomeric channel member away from the sliding glass window.
US08042290B2
A system and process for controlling and actuating an excavation implement during excavation between an above-ground position and an operator specified below-ground position and for maintaining the specified below-ground position once achieved. The actuation of the excavation implement is regulated by use of an operator modifiable relationship between an engine operating speed and an actuator speed. The actuation of the excavation implement is further regulated by use of an operator modifiable relationship between an attachment drive speed and the actuator speed. A computer network controls the actuation of the excavation implement in response to inputs from the operator and feedback from the engine speed, the attachment drive speed, and an actuator position sensor as the excavation implement progresses through the earth. This results in the system maintaining the engine speed and the attachment drive speed at a desired output level when the excavation implement is subject to variations in loading while moving between the above-ground and below-ground positions.
US08042283B2
A blower 31 has a blower fan 35, a fan motor 36 for driving the blower fan 35 into rotation, and a shaft 52 having one end portion coupled to the blower fan 35 and the other end portion coupled to the fan motor 36. Washing liquid fed into the water tank during washing process or rinsing process is intruded inside the fan case 34, and the one end portion of the shaft 52 is immersed in the washing liquid.
US08042277B2
An analog electronic angle sensor circuit with a ground connection (GND) and with a supply voltage connection (+UB) and with an output (OUT), comprising an actual sensor (12) and a suitable wiring of said sensor (12), wherein the voltage at the output (OUT) relative to ground is proportional to the product of the supply voltage (+UB) and the measured angle (φ) and a method for electronic emulation of an optimum potentiometer wherein the input voltage (+UB) is reduced to a fixed fraction (1/k) and an analog angle sensor (12) is operated with this fraction of the input voltage (+UB) as an operating voltage (Uv), wherein the output voltage (OUT1) of said angle sensor is proportional to the operating voltage and to the rotation angle (φ) measured by said angle sensor (12).
US08042268B2
A method for making a gas turbine component (100). A central core (20) is positioned to occupy a space that will define a central channel (42), and an outer channel core (30) is positioned spaced apart from the central core (20). A mold (35) is formed around the central core (20) and the outer channel core (30), so that an exterior wall (32) contacts the mold (35). A substrate material, such as a metal alloy (247) in liquid form, is added to the mold (35) to form an internal volume (41) of the component (100). The central core (20) and the outer channel core (30) are removed, and interconnect channels (44) are formed between the thus-formed central channel (42) and the inner portion (49) of the outer channel (62) thus far formed. A preform (55) is placed into the inner portion (49) and may have a desired outer surface (57) shape. An overlay material is applied to form an outer layer (60), thus defining the remainder of the outer channel (62), which is obtained upon removal of the preform (55).
US08042262B2
A temporarily fixing device includes a frame-shaped structure member having a hole in its central part and a stepped portion around the hole; a board mounted on the stepped portion of the frame-shaped structure member; a simultaneously-pressing member into which a base pressing the board to the stepped portion and a pressing portion pressing at least one or more circuit components onto the board are unitized in its connection part; a shaft provided on the frame-shaped structure member so as to rotatably and vertically movably support the base of the simultaneously-pressing member; and a pressure member normally pressing the simultaneously-pressing member to the surface of the frame-shaped structure member.
US08042257B2
There is provided a method for manufacturing a stator core for an axial air-gap electronic motor, in which core sheets are laminatedly fixed while being shifted with predetermined intervals. The method includes a step in which first side surfaces in the circumferential direction (first slot surfaces 25) of the first to nth (n is a positive integer) core sheets are blanked out of a mother sheet 60 by moving first blanking punches 360 with predetermined intervals via a first control means 700; and a second blanking step in which second side surfaces in the circumferential direction (second slot surfaces 26) of the first to nth (n is a positive integer) core sheets are blanked in succession by moving a second blanking punch 460 with predetermined intervals via a second control means 700.
US08042255B1
The present invention provides methods for making an acoustic transducer. In one possible embodiment, a rigid inner shell is provided with a conductive exterior surface. Masking material is applied onto a first location on the conductive exterior surface of the rigid inner shell. Piezoelectric material is deposited over the conductive exterior surface of the rigid inner shell and the masking material. Conductive material is deposited onto the piezoelectric material. The masking material is removed. A first signal lead is attached to the first location on the conductive exterior surface of the rigid inner shell. A second signal lead is attached to the conductive material.
US08042242B2
The device is based on using a thrust bolt in a modified C-clamp design to push a pressure plate to pry apart two intersecting flanges of a profile. The device is primarily used for on-boat repairing of aluminum extrusion profile boat toe rails that have segments of their vertical flanges crushed inward. It has utility for bending any flanges apart that are greater than 20 and less than 160 degrees apart to start with. It has utility for bending flanges apart that are made from any material, such as metal, that has an elastic limit and enough plastic flow to permanently bend without rupture.
US08042240B2
A machine tool is provided with a machining unit, a base plate, an intermediate plate, a lower plate, and a pair of upper plates. The machining unit is fixed to a frame. The base plate is movable along a rail on the frame. The base plate moves a work piece toward and away from the machining unit. The intermediate plate is movable along the rail between the machining unit and the base plate. The intermediate plate pushes a reference plane of the work piece set on the base plate so that the work piece is positioned in a machining position. The lower plate is tiltably connected to the base plate and the upper plates are tiltably connected to the lower plate.
US08042237B2
A cable routing system comprising: a raceway having one or more cable supports; and a routing clip comprising a body portion; one or more cable supports; a clip arm extending from the body portion and configured to bend resiliently in a bending plane; and a pair of projections with opposed faces which are directed at an angle to the bending plane of the clip arm. The routing clip is secured to the cable raceway by its resilient clip arm with the projections positioned on opposite sides of part of the raceway so as to restrain movement of the clip.A method of installing cables in a cable routing system, the cable routing system including a raceway carrying one or more cables in a cable-receiving trough. The method comprises: securing a routing clip to the raceway with a resilient clip arm; and installing a cable in a cable support of the routing clip.
US08042233B2
A jewelry device, for attachment to a French cuff, convertible cuff or a casual shirt of a type comprising a cuff, a cuff button and a cuff button hole, having a U-shaped frame. A hook shaped arm may connect the U shaped frame around the sleeve cuff. A pair of bars may station the frame, so that it does not become dislodged, offset or pivots from awkward movements. An alternate embodiment uses a removable pin to connect the U shaped frame to the sleeve cuff.
US08042229B2
A fastener includes a body member including a receiving portion longitudinally formed therein, two clamping portions transversely extending from the receiving portion and two through-holes in the clamping portions, respectively. A joint member, coupled to the two clamping portions of the body member in a pivotal manner, includes a cam portion defined on the distal portion of a second end of the joint member and includes a fixed hole provided through the second end transversely and corresponding to the through-holes. The joint member is moveable between an unfolding position and a folding position. The cam portion restricts a pivot angle of the joint member in the unfolding position. A fixing member is installed onto the clamping portions opposite to the joint member, with the fixing member selectively inserted into the through-holes and the fixed hole for fixing the joint member with respect to a support.
US08042220B2
An implement comprising a first handle, on which are disposed control elements for the implement. A versatile use of an implement to which is secured a first handle can be provided if the first handle is secured to a tubular section of the implement via a clamp, whereby a handle is detachably mounted on the clamp and the clamp is mounted on the tubular section.
US08042218B2
A wiper assembly for use in connection with a wiper arm attachment member having a transversely extending pin and bent tab. The wiper assembly includes a wiping element and a superstructure having first and second longitudinal ends. The wiper assembly further includes first and second airfoils attached to the superstructure between an intermediate position and the longitudinal ends. The wiper assembly further includes a coupler attached to the superstructure and disposed between the first and second airfoils. The coupler includes first and second sidewalls, a deck that extends from the first sidewall and a rail that extends from the deck. The deck and rail of the wiper assembly cooperate to define a side-saddle that facilitates low-profile attachment to a wiper arm attachment member for reducing the likelihood of wind lift and lateral movement between the wiper arm attachment member and the wiper assembly.
US08042201B2
A bathtub cushion for configured to be disposed within a bathtub at least partially filled with a liquid for providing comfort and support to a user superposed thereon. The bathtub cushion includes a plurality of integrated sections with at least one of the sections being non-buoyant to substantially inhibit the section from floating. The sections further include three layers with one layer being comprised of a non-buoyant gel. The bathtub cushion further includes a plurality of suction cups for releasably securing the bathtub cushion within a bathtub. Additionally provided is a lumbar support pad for supporting the lumbar region of a user superposed on the bathtub cushion.
US08042195B1
A combination privacy enclosure and beach towel includes a hollow sleeve formed of a front panel and a rear panel each having two opposing side edges that are joined to the corresponding side edges of the other panel. The top end of the sleeve includes a small neck opening for receiving a wearer's head while the bottom end of the sleeve is completely open. The sleeve is flattened to form a dual-layer beach towel. To form a privacy enclosure for changing clothing, a user inserts his or her head through the neck opening and drapes the sleeve over the user's body. To convert the device to a tote bag, each end of the sleeve is bundled and an accompanying shoulder strap is secured thereto.
US08046841B2
An apparatus and method for encoding and decoding additional information into a stream of digitized samples in an integral manner. The information is encoded using special keys. The information is contained in the samples, not prepended or appended to the sample stream. The method makes it extremely difficult to find the information in the samples if the proper keys are not possessed by the decoder. The method does not cause a significant degradation to the sample stream. The method is used to establish ownership of copyrighted digital multimedia content and provide a disincentive to piracy of such material.
US08046838B1
A modified modulation transfer function of a device is determined. The modified modulation transfer function includes intentional deviations from a nominal modulation transfer function of the device. A digital content object is modified based on the modified modulated transfer function to optimize playback of the digital content object on the device, and the modified digital content object is distributed to the device.
US08046837B2
An information processing device, for executing content reproduction processing from an information recording medium, includes a security information processing unit for determining output messages based on security check information in a content reproduction sequence, and outputting a message output command accompanied by selection information of the output message to a user interface processing unit, and a user information processing unit for obtaining message information based on the selection information input from said security information processing unit and outputting to a display unit.
US08046836B2
A network quarantine management system eliminates registration or updating work of a quarantine-exempted device and prevents a fraudulent device from abusing authorized network information registered as a quarantine-exempted device and from impersonation.When a quarantine management system detects network connection of a new device, the system judges the type (printer, NAS, etc.) of the device by port scanning. The system enables the device to communicate with another device coupled to a business network without an inspection for connecting the device to the business network, if the newly coupled device is judged to be of an authorized type. The device type judgment is conducted whenever a connection is made and is repeatedly conducted after establishment of the connection to check that the type is of an authorized type and, if the type is found to be an unauthorized type, the device is isolated for inspection.
US08046828B2
A test method for Internet-Protocol packet networks that verifies the proper functioning of a dynamic pinhole filtering implementation as well as quantifying network vulnerability statistically, as pinholes are opened and closed is described. Specific potential security vulnerabilities that may be addressed through testing include: 1) excessive delay in opening pinholes, resulting in an unintentional denial of service; 2) excessive delay in closing pinholes, creating a closing delay window of vulnerability; 3) measurement of the length of various windows of vulnerability; 4) setting a threshold on a window of vulnerability such that it triggers an alert when a predetermined value is exceeded; 5) determination of incorrectly allocated pinholes, resulting in a denial of service; 6) determining the opening of extraneous pinhole/IP address combinations through a firewall which increase the network vulnerability through unrecognized backdoors; and 7) determining the inability to correlate call state information with dynamically established rules in the firewall.
US08046827B2
A method of controlling access to an interaction context of a multi-user application includes receiving and tracking over time login requests pertaining to one of a plurality of user accounts of a virtual application instance of the multi-user application, each login request including a login password and each user account including a user password. A login request for the user account is rejected when the login password fails to match the user password of the user account. Access to the user account is denied when a consecutive number of times a login request for the user account is rejected reaches a selected limit. The user is prompted to change the user password of the user account and given limited access to the user account to do so when the user password is a permanent password and a cumulative number of rejected login requests for the user account reaches a selected threshold.
US08046826B2
A resource request method and system. The method includes receiving by resource server software application, session key life data. The resource server software application receives from a requester, an authentication request, a session ID, and an address associated with the requestor. The resource server software application transmits the session ID and a request for groups associated with the request. The resource server software application receives group IDs. The resource server software application generates a session key associated with the requester. The resource server software application calculates a specified lifetime associated with the session key. The resource server software application stores the session key, the session ID, the address, the group IDs, and the specified lifetime. The resource server software application transmits to the requester, the session key.
US08046822B2
An electronic apparatus includes a first apparatus that carries out a plurality of functions, and a second apparatus that is coupled to the first apparatus. The second apparatus comprises a control unit that includes a processing unit for supplying commands to the first apparatus for carrying out the selected one of the plurality of functions: a display driver for displaying on a display a screen utilized to select one of the plurality of functions; and a memory slot operable to receive a memory stick that includes a key file for activating at least one other function. When the key file is uninstalled, the plurality of functions executable by the first apparatus include basic functions, and alternatively when the key file is installed, the plurality of executable functions include both the basic functions and at least one other function upon the processing unit validating authorization data stored on the key file.
US08046820B2
A method for providing network security comprising a step of configuring a remote network to engage network security negotiation with a local network. The method includes a step of configuring a first security policy of a security component within the local network to pass through a network security negotiating communication between the local network and the remote network, and a step of establishing a network security negotiation between the remote network and a security parameter generator via the security component. The security parameter generator can be located within the local network and configured to provide secure communication with the remote network.
US08046819B2
Systems and methods for determining security requirements for an information resource may comprise determining a sensitivity level and a criticality level associated with the information resource. In addition, the systems and methods may include determining the security requirements for the information resource based on at least one of the sensitivity level and the criticality level. Moreover, the systems and methods may include determining a recovery time objective for the information resource and insuring that information used in determining the security requirements adheres to privacy requirements. The sensitivity level may be derived from privacy requirements of information maintained by the information resource. For example, the sensitivity level and resulting security requirements may be based on a need to meet privacy requirements by protecting confidentiality or integrity of the information resource.
US08046815B2
A method for transmitting video data to the users via a network in a transcoder of an image processing system including a storage media having a predetermined amount of storage area is disclosed. The method includes the steps of storing in the storage media, the video data provided based on the corresponding services, monitoring a traffic condition of the network to determine if transcoding is necessary; transmitting the stored video data to the corresponding users, respectively, via the network, when the transcoding is not necessary; and transcoding the stored video data to transmit the video data to the corresponding users, respectively, when the transcoding is necessary. The video data provided is based on the corresponding services includes image information having the highest quality of service from a content provider.
US08046813B2
A media enhancement system and method, the system including a media player structured to deliver a media selection to a user and an enhancement registry associated with the media selection and including time data and/or other data associated with the media selection and a communicative link to additional materials. A user interface is further provided and operatively associated with the media player to receive a user input during delivery of the media selection by the media player, the media player further structured to identify a corresponding time marker of the media selection at a time that corresponds receipt of the user input. Finally, an activation assembly is provided to access the enhancement registry and to correspondingly activate the communicative link for delivery of the additional materials to the user.
US08046807B2
In an information-processing system shown in FIG. 1, a server (106) for delivering remote-operation control information in accordance with an audio/video instrument (110) and an information-processing apparatus (103) with a remote-operation screen display function for remote-controlling the audio/video instrument (110) based on control information acquired from this server (106) are connected to each other through the Internet (105) etc. The information-processing apparatus (103) makes a request to the server (106) to deliver the remote-operation control information in accordance with this audio/video instrument (110) and, based on the control information delivered from the server (106) owing to this delivery request, performs display processing of a remote-operation screen and, based on remote-operation information input by operations on the remote-operation screen, remote-controls the audio/video instrument (110).
US08046786B2
A spindle motor includes a base plate, a stator, and a rotor. The base plate has a plurality of air-guiding holes. The stator includes a bearing portion and a plurality of coil portions. The bearing portion is fixed on the base plate. The coil portions are connected to and surrounded the bearing portion, and are disposed above the air-guiding holes. The rotor is rotatably mounted to the bearing portion and disposed adjacent the coil portions.
US08046783B2
A disc drive device includes a disc conveyance mechanism, a slide cam and a trigger slider. The disc conveyance mechanism has a cam driven element protruded on a movement route of the slide cam and a conveyance roller energized in a direction coming into pressure-contact with a disc by an elastic member. The slide cam has a cam contour part moving the conveyance roller in a direction being spaced apart from the disc against an elastic force of the elastic member while pressing the cam driven element. The cam contour part has a flat surface part formed in parallel to a moving direction of the slide cam, in order to move only the trigger slider, while restraining the slide cam by contact pressure of the cam driven element to stop the slide cam temporary, when conveying the disc inside a cabinet toward an aperture side of the cabinet.
US08046779B2
The dynamic resolution of dependent components of a plug-in including, during a runtime of an application, dynamically accessing, for a plug-in invoked by the application, a manifest listing classes capable of providing an interface for the plug-in, and dependent components that provide functionality to the plug-in, and dynamically instantiating a class instance of at least one of the listed classes. Furthermore, the process includes dynamically resolving the listed dependent components, and dynamically loading the plug-in.
US08046778B1
A computer-implemented method includes identifying one or more application program interfaces from a group of application program interfaces for passing information between a scheduler, which is in communication with a virtual machine executed on a device, and a service provider of the device. The method also includes using the identified one or more application program interfaces to asynchronously pass information between the scheduler and the service provider of the device.
US08046777B2
The present invention is directed toward automatically integrating a late bound program language into an external environment. The external environment may be an early bound environment, a late bound environment or some combination thereof. Associated with the late bound program environment is a modular execution engine and an interface mechanism, wherein the interface mechanism is capable of expressing late bound semantics in a format compatible with the external environment.
US08046774B2
It is determined whether a job stored in an image forming apparatus is completed or not. When a result is YES, it is determined whether an uncompleted job of the same user as the completed job is present in a queue of the jobs. When a result is YES, it is determined not to perform notification. When the result is NO, it is determined to perform the notification. Thereby, completion notification is performed only when the last job is completed in the case where the queue contains the plurality of jobs of a certain user.
US08046772B2
An application view control can allow users of a software tool to interact with Enterprise applications using simple Java APIs. This can allow a user who is not an expert in the use of a given Enterprise system to utilize its capabilities in a manner a Java programmer can understand. A developer can invoke application view services both synchronously and asynchronously, and can subscribe to application view events. The developer can use simple Java objects in both the service and event cases. The developer need not understand XML, or the particular protocol or client API for the Enterprise application, such as an Enterprise Information System (EIS).
US08046771B2
A computer implemented method and apparatus is provided for generating and using constraints that are associated with software programs or other software entities intended for use in a specified data processing system or environment. One embodiment is directed to a method that includes the step of extracting metadata pertaining to the one or more software programs from at least one database. The extracted metadata is selectively processed to generate a set of constraints that affect the use of the one or more programs in a specified environment, wherein such processing includes transforming the extracted metadata to provide the set of constraints in a prespecified constraint language. The method further comprises detecting a proposed action of a user that is associated with the one or more software programs, and determining whether the proposed action would violate any constraint in the set.
US08046763B1
Controlling rate of resource consumptions improves manageability of resources in relation to the entities consuming the resource. A consumer's resource consumption behavior can be controlled with a mechanism that throttles its resource requests to conform to a threshold rate, such as a resource consumption rate. A set of one or more computations tracks a consumption measurement variable over a given time interval, such as number of resource requests for a given resource within the last 5 seconds. When a resource request is received, the set of computations determine whether servicing the resource request would exceed the threshold rate. If the threshold rate would be exceeded, then the computations sleep until servicing the resource request would not exceed the threshold rate.
US08046761B2
A method and apparatus are provided for processing multiple streams of data on a plurality of execution threads. Data is selected from a plurality of data sources. An address in the data storage device is allocated for the selected data which is loaded into the allocated address. An execution task including the selected data source, the data address and an execution address is constructed and the data task is queued with previously constructed tasks. A determination is made as to which processing resources are required for each task and tasks are selected for execution in dependence on the determination. Tasks selected for execution are distributed across a plurality of processing threads.
US08046759B2
A method of executing a bag of tasks application in a cluster over a distributed computing system, the cluster having a cluster resource manager. The method includes requesting that the cluster resource manager authorize access by a remote user of the distributed computing system to any idle nodes of the cluster, submitting a bag of tasks slave process to the cluster resource manager, loading the bag of tasks slave process in one of the idle nodes without an allocation operation, sequentially scheduling tasks from the bag of tasks to the bag of tasks slave process, and executing the bag of tasks slave process either until finished or until the node in which the bag of tasks slave process is loaded is required owing to a local allocation request.
US08046755B2
A computer-implemented method may include receiving first data that includes one or more configuration parameters that characterize an intended deployment of software and a target computer system on which the software is to be deployed. The computer-implemented method may further include calculating a deployment risk level based on the first data, determining whether the calculated deployment risk level is less than a threshold risk level, and transmitting second data to target computer system authorizing deployment of the software if the deployment risk level is less than the threshold risk level. In some implementations, the software is enterprise software. The one or more configuration parameters may include hardware specifications of the target computer system, and the calculated deployment risk level may be based on threshold recommended hardware specifications of the target computer for running the software to be deployed.
US08046754B2
Techniques for altering application user-interface controls are provided. More particularly the customization of a new or existing user-interface control in an application user-interface is provided. In one aspect of the invention, a method for customizing user-interface controls of an existing application comprises the recording of a procedure description performed by a user in the application user-interface. A new or modified application user-interface control relating to the procedure description is then installed in the existing application.
US08046753B1
An update system comprising a mobile handset with an update agent and an operating system, such as Symbian OS, that supports a file system, and a server, facilitates the download of update packages from the server and the subsequent update of firmware/software in the mobile handset. In an embodiment of the present invention, the update agent may be incorporated into the phases of the bootstrap process that an operating system, such as Symbian OS, may execute during startup.
US08046750B2
Core commands and aggregations of such commands are provided to programmers to enable them to generate programs that can be parallel-processed without requiring the programmer to be aware of parallel-processing techniques. The core commands and aggregations abstract mechanisms that can be executed in parallel, enabling the programmer to focus on higher-level concepts. The core commands provided include commands for applying a function in parallel and distributing and joining data in parallel. The output of each core command can implement an interface that can enable underlying mechanisms to stitch together multiple core commands in a cohesive manner to perform more complex actions.
US08046736B1
A method and graphical user interface (GUI) are provided. The method includes generating a file of executable code in a dynamically typed programming language that regenerates computations and results of a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI includes a data GUI for importing data, viewing data, generating data and generating exclusion sets for data, a fitting GUI for fitting models to data, a plotting GUI for controlling the plotting of data and fitted models, and a display window for previewing a plot.
US08046724B2
Provided is a method of optimizing statistical timing of an integration circuit, the method including applying subtle changes of mean arrival times with respect to each of nodes in a timing graph of an integrated circuit to ADD operations and MAX operations of a block-based statistical static timing analysis (SSTA) method and approximating the corresponding operations; generating Jacobian matrixes between each node by using matrix components including differential coefficients calculated during linear approximation of the operations; calculating changed arrival time values of the circuit by propagating the Jacobian matrixes from a virtual sink node to a virtual source node; and calculating timing yield criticalities, which are variances of timing yield of the circuit due to subtle changes of mean arrival times with respect to each node, based on values obtained by the propagation. Accordingly, timing yield criticality is calculated based on linear approximation of ADD operations and MAX operations of statistical static timing analysis (SSTA), and thus the calculation complexity is linear with respect to the total number of nodes, and critical nodes significantly affecting the timing yield of a circuit can be extracted more accurately.
US08046710B2
A rectangular area containing sections corresponding to same weather information is set. If sections at four corners of the set area are sections corresponding to the same weather information, a numerical value “1” is set as a weighting score to the sections. If not so, a numerical value “0” is set to the sections. Sections to which no weighting score is allocated and which are adjacent to sections to which weighting scores have been allocated are successively selected from the outer edge side, and the maximum value of the weighting scores of the four sections adjacent to each selected section is set as a weighting score of the selected section. If the previously selected section is a section corresponding to the weather information, the numerical value “1” is added to the weighting score of the section. The section having the highest weighting score is selected as a specific section, and an icon is displayed on the specific section.
US08046689B2
Improved techniques for providing supplementary media for media items are disclosed. The media items are typically fixed media items. The supplementary media is one or more of audio, video, image, or text that is provided by a user to supplement (e.g., personalize, customize, annotate, etc.) the fixed media items. In one embodiment, the supplementary media can be provided by user interaction with an on-line media store where media items can be browsed, searched, purchased and/or acquired via a computer network. In another embodiment, the supplementary media can be generated on a playback device.
US08046680B2
Generating reference structural patterns representing hierarchized data, by extracting primary structural patterns. Each primary structural pattern represents a set of pieces of structural information. The degree of use of extracted primary structural patterns is determined based on of the number of hierarchized pieces of data able to be represented by the primary structural patterns. Primary structural patterns are grouped based on the degree of use and a distance between primary structural patterns. One reference structural pattern per group is determined, the reference structural pattern representing the primary structural patterns of the associated group. The degree of use favors grouping of a primary structural pattern with other primary structural patterns even if it has numerous structural differences if the primary structural pattern has few occurrences, and favors creation of a separate group containing the primary structural pattern even if it has few structural differences if the primary structural pattern has many occurrences.
US08046679B2
From a markup language document (e.g. an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document expressed as a Document Object Model (DOM) tree) having a markup language element hierarchy containing a set of markup language elements and a plurality of references to the hierarchy, another markup language document (e.g. a textual XML document) is generated which contains one instance of the set of markup language elements for each of the plurality of references. The generated markup language document may otherwise have the same content as the original markup language document. Generation of a markup language document containing identical sets of markup language elements may thereby be simplified.
US08046677B2
A system and method of spatial/tabular data presentation. Display data is identified for display. Relations for the display data are identified. The display data is displayed in a data display having a tabular column and a spatial column. Data identifiers are displayed in the tabular column and spatial identifiers connected with spatial connectors according to the relations are displayed in the spatial column.
US08046670B1
A Viterbi decoder includes an early decision generator that generates an early decision output. An error detector detects errors in the early decision output and generates a signal when the early decision output errors are detected.
US08046651B2
The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for providing expected data, mask data, and control signals to scan test architectures within a device using the falling edge of a test/scan clock. The signals are provided on device leads that are also used to provide signals to scan test architectures using the rising edge of the test/scan clock. According to the disclosure, device test leads serve to input different test signals on the rising and falling edge of the test/scan clock which reduces the number of interconnects between a tester and the device under test.
US08046648B1
A method and apparatus allows controlling a plurality of test operations in an electronic device, and in particular a volatile or non-volatile memory device in which a test mode has already been established, without the need for additional device connections. One such operation may be switching device operation from test mode to functional mode, the normal operating mode of the device. Other test operations include support of continuity testing by external circuitry, support of externally accessing device identification with which the device has been previously programmed, support of built in self-test, support of self-repair and support of other operations determined as needs arise.
US08046646B2
During manufacture and testing of a memory device, a memory test is performed to determine which, if any, memory blocks are defective. A memory map of the defective blocks is stored in one of the defect-free memory blocks so that it can be read later by a controller during normal operation of the memory device. In one embodiment, the memory test is for a programmability test to determine if the memory block can be programmed. An indication of programmability is stored in each block in a predetermined location.
US08046644B2
A method for testing a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) includes copying a test program from the DRAM to a random access memory (RAM). Start and end physical addresses of the DRAM are respectively stored in first and second registers. First test data is written to the start physical address, and second test data is read from the start physical address. The method further includes determining whether the second test data is the same as the first test data. A fixed value is added to the start physical address to obtain a next start physical address if the second test data is the same as the first test data. The method further includes determining whether the next start physical address is less than the end physical address. A test success result is returned if the next start physical address is not less than the end physical address.
US08046630B2
A controller updates a partition arrangement table and a backup-disk management table. The controller also creates, in a first disk, a logical memory area for storing a backup directory that has been stored in the first disk and that corresponds to a primary directory stored in a second disk of a processing element in which a failure has occurred.
US08046622B2
A system for dynamically scaling a power voltage including a system on chip (SoC) and a power control circuit. The SoC includes a plurality of application circuits. The SoC is configured to generate internal clock signals in response to an externally supplied clock signal. The SoC also generates a target voltage that changes based on a change of an operating current. The internal clock signals are respectively provided to the application circuits. The operating current is a sum or total current of the application circuits. The power control circuit generates an internal power voltage based on the target voltage and provides the internal power voltage to the SoC. The system for dynamically scaling a power voltage including a SoC may decrease power consumed in the SoC because the system of dynamically scaling a power voltage decreases a required voltage margin by changing a target voltage before a transition of the SoC current.
US08046608B2
A method of managing power supply to at least one device in a data processing system, the method comprising determining when the at least one device has been associated with no resources for a predetermined period of time; turning off the power supply to the at least one device; determining that the at least one device is required for use by the data processing system; and restoring the power supply to the at least one device.
US08046562B2
A storage apparatus includes a storage unit and a controller, wherein control of inputting/outputting data from/to a device provided in said storage unit is executed in accordance with a request received by said storage apparatus. An actual device of the storage apparatus corresponds to a virtual device which is external to said storage apparatus. The controller operates to perform a process for mapping an actual device address corresponding to a virtual device address, in accordance with a specification of the actual device to be mounted or unmounted to correspond to the virtual device, and storing and retaining mapping information obtained from the mapping in a first table. The controller also performs data input/output process for receiving, an access request for data input/output in which said virtual device address is specified, obtaining the actual device address mapped to said specified virtual device address in said first table, and accessing the actual device by said obtained actual device address.
US08046555B2
Data of a global file system spread over multiple local NAS systems may be consolidated as a copy into a single remote NAS system. When remote copy is set up, the local NAS systems replace referrals within the global file system with directories and send these in place of the referrals to the remote NAS system. Then, other local NAS systems referred to by the referrals send files and directories under the directories replacing the referrals on the remote NAS system. Alternatively, to split copy data of a locally-stored global file system amongst multiple remote NAS systems, the local NAS system replaces specified directories with referrals, and sends the referrals with the data to one of the remote NAS systems. Then, the local NAS system sends files and directories under the directories replaced with referrals to one or more other remote NAS systems as referred to by the referrals.
US08046548B1
Techniques for maintaining mirrored storage cluster data consistency can employ write-intent logging. The techniques can be scaled to any number of mirror nodes. The techniques can keep track of any outstanding I/Os, data in caches, and data that has gone out of sync between mirrored nodes due to link failures. The techniques can ensure that a power failure on any of the storage nodes does not result in inconsistent data among the storage nodes. The techniques may keep track of outstanding I/Os using a minimal memory foot-print and having a negligible impact on the I/O performance. Properly choosing the granularity of the system for tracking outstanding I/Os can result in a minimal amount of data requiring transfer to synchronize the mirror nodes. The capability to vary the granularity based on physical and logical parameters of the storage volumes may provide performance benefits.
US08046544B2
A computer system includes a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, configured to provide the processor with a plurality of instructions including a set of garbage collection instructions configured to perform one or more garbage collection barrier operations and a subsequent instruction that immediately follows the garbage collection instruction; wherein the processor is configured to execute the set of garbage collection instructions, including by: evaluating a memory reference to determine a condition associated with the set of garbage collection instructions; and in the event that the condition is met, while maintaining the same privilege level, saving information that is based at least in part on the current value of a program counter, and setting the program counter to correspond to a target location that is other than the location of the subsequent instruction.
US08046542B2
Apparatus and methods are disclosed, such as those that store data in a plurality of non-volatile integrated circuit memory devices, such as NAND flash, with convolutional encoding. A relatively high code rate for the convolutional code consumes relatively little extra memory space. In one embodiment, the convolutional code is spread over portions of a plurality of memory devices, rather than being concentrated within a page of a particular memory device. In one embodiment, a code rate of m/n is used, and the convolutional code is stored across n memory devices.
US08046540B2
A method and apparatus for copying data from a virtual machine to a shared closure on demand. This process improves system efficiency by avoiding the copying of data in the large number of cases where the same virtual machine is the next to request access and use of the data. Load balancing and failure recovery are supported by copying the data to the shared closure when the data is requested by another virtual machine or recovering the data from the failed virtual machine and storing it in the shared closure before a terminated virtual machine is discarded.
US08046532B2
A method and system for detecting matching strings in a string of characters utilizing content addressable memory using primary and secondary matches is disclosed.
US08046530B2
An embodiment of the invention relates to a nonvolatile mass storage device such as a flash memory device formed with erase blocks partitioned into memory management blocks. An erase block is identified containing at least a minimum number of management blocks marked invalid, from which data is copied, merged, and stored in a new management block. The erase block is then erased. Erase blocks containing at least the minimum number of invalid management blocks may be erased until a minimum amount of management blocks is free. Alternatively, all erase blocks containing at least the minimum number of invalid management blocks may be erased. A management table listing the number of invalid management blocks in erase blocks may be included in the mass storage device. Preferably, the new management block for storage of the merged data is located in an erase block different from the identified erase block.
US08046523B2
Provided are a flash memory management apparatus and method which divide blocks of a memory into data blocks and i-node blocks and respectively specify storage paths of data, which is stored in the data blocks, in the i-node blocks in order to easily access pieces of the data by searching the i-node blocks. The flash memory management apparatus includes a map search module searching for a map block located at a preset position of a memory among blocks that form the memory and extracting storage paths of one or more i-node blocks; a path search module searching for storage paths of data specified in the i-node blocks based on the extraction result; and a data management module accessing the data through a storage path of the data and performs a transaction on the data.
US08046515B2
A storage router (56) and storage network (50) provide virtual local storage on remote SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) to Fiber Channel devices. A plurality of Fiber Channel devices, such as workstations (58), are connected to a Fiber Channel transport medium (52), and a plurality of SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) are connected to a SCSI bus transport medium (54) The storage router (56) interfaces between the Fiber Channel transport medium (52) and the SCSI bus transport medium (54). The storage router (56) maps between the workstations (58) and the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) and implements access controls for storage space on the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64). The storage router (56) then allows access from the workstations (58) to the SCSI storage devices (60, 62, 64) using native low level, block protocol in accordance with the mapping and the access controls.
US08046510B2
A physical layer device (PLD), comprising: a first serializer-deserializer (SERDES) device having a first parallel port; a second SERDES device having a second parallel port; a third SERDES device having a third parallel port; and a path selector being selectively configurable to provide either (i) a first signal path between the first and second parallel ports, or (ii) a second signal path between the first and third parallel ports.
US08046503B2
A system on chip comprises a CPU, a local memory a data processing module, and a DMA controller. The DMA controller comprises a first interface to handle data transmissions, to and from the local memory, associated with an indication to the local memory of an address in local memory, and is designed to perform data writes and reads in the local memory via this interface. The DMA controller also comprises a second interface, which in response to a command received from the central processing unit, operations for writing and reading data in the local memory via the first interface. The DMA controller also comprises a third interface with the processing module to transmit to it the data read, via the first interface, in the local memory, this transmission not being associated with an indication to the processing module, by the DMA controller, of an address.
US08046502B2
The present invention provides an integrated circuit chip which includes a processor; a contact pad unit connected to a host through a plurality of contact pads; a host interface detector including at least one pull-up resistor and one pull-down resistor, for selectively connecting the pull-up resistor and the pull-down resistor to the contact pad unit to detect a host interface status; and an interface unit including a plurality of interface protocols, for communicating with the host using a part or all of the plurality of contact pads, wherein the processor receives a status of the host from the host interface detector, identifies a protocol of the host based on the received status of the host, and controls the interface unit so as to enable an interface protocol that is used to communicate with the host.
US08046497B2
Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including a communication section connected to a data processing apparatus through a communication line, the apparatus including: a plurality of storage sections each of which has a different free storage capacity and a different access speed; and a control section to obtain data size information of a data-decompressed XPS file from the XPS file which includes the data size information in a head of a file data frame, the XPS file being received from the data processing apparatus through the communication section, to select a storage section to store the file data of the data-decompressed XPS file from the plurality of storage sections on the basis of the data size information, to perform data decompression of the XPS file, and to allow the selected storage section to store the file data of the data-decompressed XPS file.
US08046496B1
The present invention relates to a method of compressing data in a network, the data comprising a plurality of packets each having a header and a payload, the header comprising a plurality of header fields, the method comprising generating a classification tree based on at least a portion of the plurality of header fields, determining a inter-packet compression plan based on the classification tree, and performing inter-packet compression in real time for each payload of at least a first portion of the plurality of packets, the inter-packet compression being performed according to at least a portion of the inter-packet compression plan.
US08046495B2
The Content Transform Proxy (CTP) service is an advanced Web proxy service, the basic function of which is to modify incoming HTTP requests having a server-side destination and/or outgoing HTTP responses. The CTP service is implemented by the CTP program, which resides on a host in a data communications network between an end user (the Web client) and a content server that the client is attempting to access. The HTTP request and/or an HTTP response is modified by making an HTTP request on the client side using a client web browser, processing the HTTP request on the server side using outgoing proxy rules, passing on the processed HTTP transaction to the server-side destination, returning the results of the processed HTTP request from the server-side destination, processing the HTTP response on the server side using incoming proxy rules, and returning the processed HTTP response to the client web browser on the client side.
US08046470B2
A mobile station that is fully engaged such that it cannot be connected to an incoming call without being disconnected from an existing call receives an incoming call notification. The incoming call notification may, for example, take the form of a short message system (SMS) message or a packet protocol message, such as a session initiation protocol (SIP) message. The incoming call notification may identify the calling party and may explain how to take the incoming call. If the user accepts the incoming call, the mobile station is disconnected from existing calls and connected to the incoming call.
US08046465B2
A method and system for distributing flows between a multiple processors. The flows can be received from an external source such as a network, by a front-end processor that recognizes the flow and the associated request, and identifies at least one internal applications processor to process the request/flow. The front-end processor utilizes a flow scheduling vector related to the identified applications processor(s), and the flow scheduling vector can be based on intrinsic data from the applications processor(s) that can include CPU utilization, memory utilization, packet loss, and queue length or buffer occupation. In some embodiments, applications processors can be understood to belong to a group, wherein applications processors within a group can be configured identically. A flow schedule vector can be computed for the different applications processor groups. In some embodiments, a control processor can collect the intrinsic applications processor data, compute the flow scheduling vectors, and transfer the flow scheduling vectors to the front-end processor.
US08046456B1
Techniques are described for providing managed virtual computer networks that may have a configured logical network topology with one or more virtual networking devices, with corresponding networking functionality provided for communications between multiple computing nodes of the virtual computer network by emulating functionality that would be provided by the networking devices if they were physically present. In some situations, the emulating of networking device functionality includes receiving routing communications directed to the networking devices and using included routing information to update the configured network topology for the managed computer network. In addition, the techniques may further include supporting interactions with devices that are external to the virtual computer network, including remote physical networking devices that are part of a remote computer network configured to interoperate with the virtual computer network, and/or specialized network devices that are accessible via a substrate network on which the virtual computer network is overlaid.
US08046453B2
A system and method for Peer-to-Peer (P2P) media content streaming are provided. In one embodiment, prior to streaming desired original media content, a playback agent of a first peer playback device downloads illustration media content, which is a derivate light-weight version of the original media content. The playback agent then initiates streaming of the original media content from one or more other peer playback devices hosting the original media content or a segment thereof. The playback agent monitors a quality of the network connection to the other peer playback devices streaming the original media content to the playback agent. If the quality of the network connection falls below a defined threshold, the playback agent switches playback to the illustration media content. Once the quality of the network connection improves or a new connection is established, the playback agent switches playback back to the streaming original media content.
US08046432B2
A live caching system is described herein that reduces the burden on origin servers for serving live content. In response to receiving a first request that results in a cache miss, the system forwards the first request to the next tier while “holding” other requests for the same content. If the system receives a second request while the first request is pending, the system will recognize that a similar request is outstanding and hold the second request by not forwarding the request to the origin server. After the response to the first request arrives from the next tier, the system shares the response with other held requests. Thus, the live caching system allows a content provider to prepare for very large events by adding more cache hardware and building out a cache server network rather than by increasing the capacity of the origin server.
US08046429B2
A system and method for exchanging components between platforms is described. As a user terminal changes location or preferences, the user terminal may be provided with a new platform that supports desired services. A method and system that relates to migrating one or more components that provide composite services from one communication platform to another is described. A user terminal may receive one or more composite services provided by two or more components existing on platform. As the user terminal switches from one platform to another, the platforms attempt to provide the same services to the user with little to no interruption. Various aspects relate to shifting one or more components from the first platform to the second platform to provide local support for the services desired by the user terminal.
US08046428B2
A system, a method and computer-readable media for presenting video content within a web page. A client computer receives a web page over a network. The web page includes an item of script for use in presenting requested video content within the web page. Executing this item of script establishes a connection with a video player provider. Using this connection, video player code is loaded from the video player provider. This code is utilized to present the video player within the web page. The video player may present the requested video to the user.
US08046422B2
A cache is used in a network storage system that includes a plurality of data storage nodes in a storage cluster, to automatically spread read and write access load, by a plurality of storage clients, for file system data and metadata, across the plurality of data storage nodes.
US08046405B2
This invention is directed to a computer-implemented system and method for providing web-based features in a client-based digital imaging application. An area of the registry is provided for a number of possible, future web-based features. The registry has the capacity to accept a number of name-value pairs that define a web-based imaging feature. When a web-based feature is to be added, the name-value pairs that define the web-based imaging feature are added to the registry. After a feature has been added, it is displayed for selection by a user. Upon selection of the web-based imaging feature, image data about a selected one or more images is recorded in a known location. The web-based service that is providing the web-based imaging feature is granted access to the image data in the known location. The image data in the known location is then deleted when the web-based imaging feature is closed.
US08046404B1
An image pipeline (60) provides image data to a capture unit (61). The capture unit (61) generates a frame from the image data for compression by a compression unit (64). A frame spoiler (62) determines whether the frame is to be discarded prior to compression by the compression unit (64). An output buffer (66) to a network link provides an output indication to the frame spoiler (62) indicating that the output buffer (66) is congested. The frame spoiler (62) discards the frame in accordance with the output indication. Similarly, an input buffer (63) to the compression unit (64) provides an input indication to the frame spoiler (62) indicating that the input buffer (63) is congested. The frame spoiler (62) may discard the frame in accordance with the input indication or in accordance with a combination of the input indication and the output indication.
US08046388B2
An apparatus for producing program ancillary data pertinent to each scene of a picture program to be recorded includes a display control unit for demonstrating, on a display picture, an input form having, as an input item, the information pertinent to a scene as an object of preparation, and a program ancillary data generating unit for correlating the information specifying an associated scene with the information as input through the input form, and for outputting the resulting information.
US08046386B2
A method includes characterizing portions of a model as being either critical to a real-time execution of the model or non-critical to a real-time execution of the model, and generating code that is capable of real-time execution based on the critical portions of the model while maintaining the full functionality of the non-real-time critical sections, e.g., graphics, logging, other offline calculations, via a communication link and parallel host processing.
US08046379B1
A system for securely uploading and downloading data from a client to a remote data storage location under control of a remote application program. The data is stored in encrypted form so that the data server has no access to the data. The data is associated with a bill of material (BOM) and may be accessed by users without providing access to the data space of the client. Also disclosed is a method and computer program so automatically assign access privileges to one or more users of data in a bill of material stored in a shared database such that the step of refining a role for the user for a data item automatically assigns access privileges for the user for the data and other related data items. Also described is linking BOMs to provide peer-to-peer access and views to different users. Also described is a method and software program that provides of propagation of data through the supply chain via one or more bills of materials.
US08046378B1
An apparatus and a method for determining whether a quota has been violated by using a platform-identification value, instead of the platform-specific identification value. The method may include receiving a quota-sensitive data request from a user at a data storage system, which includes a platform-specific identification value. The method further includes performing a lookup operation on a first data store using the platform-specific identification value to determine a platform-independent identification value that corresponds to the user, and translating the platform-specific identification value into a platform-independent identification value. The first data store includes multiple entries that map multiple platform-specific identification values that correspond to the same user on different platforms to the same platform-independent identification value. Once the platform-specific identification value is translated, the quota-sensitive data request is determined whether a quota is violated using the platform-independent identification value.
US08046374B1
A database intrusion detection system (DIDS) automatically trains itself to account for changes to the database. The DIDS monitors upstream queries sent to the database and downstream data provided in response to the queries. The DIDS classifies an upstream query as legitimate or anomalous. If the query is anomalous, the DIDS determines whether the anomaly resulted from a change in the database by performing one or more tests. One test determines whether the query references new fields or tables. Another test determines the frequency at which the query is received, and/or whether the query is received from multiple sources. A third test determines whether the query accesses sensitive information. Together, the results of these tests describe whether the query should be classified as anomalous or legitimate.
US08046366B1
A method and system for providing data indexing as a customizable service within an information management system. One exemplary method collects information about data objects in a computer system and maps each of the data objects to a service level objective for defining a level of data indexing to be applied to the data objects. The level of data indexing may define whether or not a file will be indexed, and to what extent the file will be indexed. Then, the method orchestrates the data indexing according to the service level objective of each of the data objects. The present invention allows a user to customize data indexing on a file by file basis so that only those files in need of indexing are indexed.
US08046360B2
Document, such as web pages of a domain, are annotated to facilitate extracting structured information from the documents. The documents are clustered. Each cluster is such that the documents within that cluster are similar to each other at least with respect to a first threshold, such as according to a shingling metric, where the first threshold is an 8/8 shingling match. There is at least one overlap cluster, each overlap cluster including at least one of the plurality of clusters such that documents of the at least one cluster included in that overlap cluster are similar to each other at least with respect to a second threshold that is lower than the first threshold. A particular overlap cluster is designated, as is a particular cluster of the particular overlap cluster. For the particular designated cluster, an obtained annotation is transferred to other clusters included in the designated particular overlap cluster.
US08046357B2
Methods, systems and apparatus for improving Internet search results include monitoring network activity on a communications network, generating a near real-time map of the network activity, and integrating the near real-time map with a search engine.
US08046348B1
Searching computer-accessible content can be described as the utilization of an automated process to determine occurrences of where a sought-for concept is referred to in natural language discourse. Concept-based search refers to the reliable identification, within computer-accessible content that represents natural language discourse, of instances in which a particular pinnacle concept “C” is referenced. References to pinnacle concepts are not amenable to detection by the use of keywords. For each pinnacle concept “C,” whose reference is to be determined, a set of linguistic features can be compiled that is referred to herein as a “concept feature set.” In general, it is desirable for a concept feature set to be “complete.” A definition of completeness is presented. Concept-based search can be used in conjunction with keyword-based search. When using concept-based search with keyword-based search, it can be useful, from an efficiency perspective, to divide the process into two phases: an indexing phase and a search phase.
