US08071143B2
The invention relates to methods for treatment and prevention of a metabolic imbalance, including diabetes mellitus and other related diseases or disorders, using an extract from a fruit of genus Elaeis.
US08071142B2
An extract prepared from the root barks of Morus australis Poir. and its use as an anti-bacteria agent, and use of a compound Kuwanon H having the following formula (I) separated from the extract as an anti-bacteria agent:
US08071127B2
Methods for formulating immediate and sustained release anti-infectives and delivery of such for treatment of respiratory tract infections and other medical conditions, and devices and formulations used in connection with such are described.
US08071124B2
Liquid, injectable, aqueous solutions are transformed in situ to an expandable foam-like, space filling, and adherent biomaterial. Preferably, the foam-like biomaterial is the reaction product of a two-part liquid system to achieve the in situ formation thereof. The liquid system is generally comprised of a protein solution and a cross linker solution which may either be premixed and then applied to a site in need of the biomaterial, or simultaneously mixed and delivered through an in-line mixing/dispensing tip directly to the site. In especially preferred embodiments, an expandable foam-like biomaterial includes the reaction product of human or animal-derived protein material and a di- or polyaldehyde in the presence of a bicarbonate and an acidic titrant amounts sufficient to impart a cellular foam structure to the material.
US08071121B2
An ophthalmically bioactive agent delivery system comprising a contact lens having dispersed therein as an oil-in-water microemulsion, an ophthalmically bioactive agent encapsulated in the oil phase, the oil phase comprising a material from which the agent VAN diffuse into and migrate through the contact lens into the post-lens tear film when the contact lens is placed on the eye and wherein the microemulsion is stabilized by the presence of a surfactant with sufficient packing at the oil-water interface to attenuate the rate of diffusion into and migration of agent through the contact lens.
US08071120B2
Methods for reducing or preventing transplant rejection in the eye of an individual are described, comprising: a) performing an ocular transplant procedure; and b) implanting in the eye a bioerodible drug delivery system comprising an immunosuppressive agent and a bioerodible polymer.
US08071109B2
The present invention relates to DNA sequences encoding Vmp-like polypeptides of pathogenic Borreliae, the use of the DNA sequences in recombinant vectors to express polypeptides, the encoded amino acid sequences, application of the DNA and amino acid sequences to the production of polypeptides as antigens for immunoprophylaxis, immunotherapy, and immunodiagnosis. Also disclosed are the use of the nucleic acid sequences as probes or primers for the detection of organisms causing Lyme disease, relapsing fever, or related disorders, and kits designed to facilitate methods of using the described polypeptides, DNA segments and antibodies.
US08071108B2
The present invention comprises new pestivirus mutants, characterized in that the mutants are based on a cp strain of the virus wherein part of the gene sequence encoding the Npro region is deleted, except that the deleted part does not encompass the coding sequence for the N-terminal twelve amino acids of the Npro protein. Preferably the pestivirus is the Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV). It was found that a mutant according to the invention is a safe and efficient vaccine candidate.
US08071103B2
The present invention relates to at least one improved human GLP-1 mimetibody or specified portion or variant, including isolated nucleic acids that encode at least one GLP-1 mimetibody or specified portion or variant, GLP-1 mimetibody or specified portion or variants, vectors, host cells, transgenic animals or plants, and methods of making and using thereof, including therapeutic compositions, methods and devices.
US08071085B2
The present invention relates to primary cultured adipocytes for gene therapy, where the adipocytes stably maintain a foreign gene encoding a protein that is secreted outside of cells. This invention provides cells suitable for gene therapy, which can replace bone marrow cells and liver cells used for conventional ex vivo gene therapy. The present invention established methods for transferring foreign genes into primary cultured adipocytes, which are suitable for ex vivo gene therapy; can be easily collected and implanted; and can be removed after implantation. Specifically, the present invention established these methods that use retroviral vectors. The present invention also established primary cultured adipocytes for gene therapy, where the adipocytes stably maintain a foreign gene encoding a protein that is secreted outside of cells.
US08071080B2
The present invention relates to the use of, and a composition containing, at least one non-polymeric organic salt with a melting point of less than 60° C. These organic salts may be imidazolium, pyrazolium, pyridinium, pyrimidinium or tetraalkylphosphonium salts. The invention composition may be used for washing (cleaning) and/or conditioning keratin materials, and especially the hair.
US08071073B2
The present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising azelastine, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof including azelastine hydrochloride, and optionally one or more additional active agents. Preferred such compositions further comprise one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or excipients that reduce the amount of post-nasal drip, and/or that minimize or mask the unpleasant bitter taste associated with post-nasal drip, of the compositions into the oral cavity, upon intranasal or ocular administration of the compositions. Especially effective excipients used in the compositions of the present invention are hypromellose as a viscosity modifier and sucralose as a taste-masking agent. The invention also provides methods of treating or preventing certain disorders, or symptomatic relief therefrom, by administering the compositions of the invention to a patient, e.g., for the symptomatic relief of allergic rhinitis, non-allergic vasomotor rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, as well as other disorders. The compositions and methods of the present invention provide significant value in terms of patient acceptability, convenience, and compliance.
US08071069B2
The invention relates to a process for the purification of titania by treating the titania with an aqueous solution having one or more ammonium compounds at elevated temperatures, separating the titania from the aqueous solution, drying the titania and, optionally, calcining the dried titania. More especially the invention relates to the removal of sulphur (mainly present in the form of sulphate compounds) from the titania. The titania purified according to the above process is especially suitable for use as a catalyst carrier.
US08071065B2
Tools for the forming of composite parts from composite forming materials, having tool bodies that comprise, at least in part, high density carbon foam where a surface of the high density carbon foam may comprise a tool face or support tool face materials. The tools of the present invention may be lighter, more durable, and less costly to produce and/or use than conventional tools used for the production of composite parts, particularly those tools used for the production of carbon composites. Additionally, such tools may be reusable, repairable, and more readily modifiable.
US08071063B2
The present invention relates to the selective separation of hydrogen (“H2”) hydrocarbons in streams containing both hydrogen and hydrocarbons (e.g. methane, ethylene, ethane, propylene, propane, etc.) utilizing a zeolitic imidazolate framework (“ZIF”) material. Preferably, the stream to be separated is fed to the present process in a substantially gaseous phase. In preferred embodiments, the current invention is utilized in either a pressure swing adsorption process, a temperature swing adsorption process, or a membrane separations process to separate hydrogen from hydrocarbons present in hydrogen production streams or petrochemical/petroleum refining product streams and intermediate streams.
US08071058B2
A container assembly for storing, treating, transporting and stabilizing a biological sample includes a container, a cap and a sample holder removably received in the container. The sample holder can be a platform-like device dimensioned to be supported on a ledge formed in the side wall of the container. The sample holder includes a central cavity for receiving the sample and immersing the sample in the stabilizing agent in the container. In another embodiment, the sample holder has a closure member for closing the open top end of the cavity. The container includes a liquid reagent in an amount sufficient to treat the biological sample. The biological sample is retained in a predetermined containment area of the container to maintain the biological sample immersed in the reagent without regard to the orientation of the container.
US08071054B2
A microfluidic device may employ one or more sorting stations for separating target species from other species in a sample. The separation is driven by magnetophoresis. A sorting station generally includes separate buffer and sample streams. A magnetic field gradient applied to the sorting station deflects the flow path of magnetic particles (which selectively label the target species) from a sample stream into a buffer stream. The buffer stream leaving the sorting station is used to detect or further process purified target species labeled with the magnetic particles.
US08071049B2
Pipette tip, pipetting device, pipette tip actuating device and method for pipetting in the NL range
A changeable pipette tip includes a first end having a fluid opening and a second end having a pipe elastic in the radial direction having an orifice. The orifice and the fluid opening are in fluid connection. The first end is designed to be coupled to a matching coupling unit of a pipetting unit such that liquid may be sucked into the fluid area through the orifice by an actuating unit in the pipetting unit. In order to eject liquid as free-flying droplets or as a jet from the orifice of the pipe elastic in the radial direction, a volume change of a portion of the pipe elastic in the radial direction is effected.
US08071043B2
An electrode cap having a horseshoe-shaped conductor clip that has an opening at a closed end for receiving an electrode, the conductor clip fitted over a tube crimp; a cylindrical base cap having an elongated bump at one end of the base cap parallel to the axis of the base cap; and a cylindrical top cap closed on one end, having an inside diameter larger than the outside diameter of the base cap; and a spring for pressing a plate against the base cap.
US08071035B2
Methods and devices for a fully automated synthesis of radioactive compounds for imaging, such as by positron emission tomography (PET), in a fast, efficient and compact manner are disclosed. In particular, the various embodiments of the present invention provide an automated, stand-alone, hands-free operation of the entire radiosynthesis cycle on a microfluidic device with unrestricted gas flow through the reactor, starting with target water and yielding purified PET radiotracer within a period of time shorter than conventional chemistry systems. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is related to a microfluidic chip for radiosynthesis of a radiolabeled compound, comprising a reaction chamber, one or more flow channels connected to the reaction chamber, one or more vents connected to said reaction chamber, and one or more integrated valves to effect flow control in and out of said reaction chamber.
US08071034B2
The present invention relates to a device with a rotating fluidized bed in one or a succession of cylindrical chambers, in which injectors (12), distributed around the fixed circular wall (2) of said cylindrical chamber(s), inject along this wall, in successive layers, one or more fluids (13), which entrain the solid particles (17), passing through this/these chamber(s), in a movement of rapid rotation whereof the centrifugal force concentrates these particles along this wall, thereby forming a fluidized bed rotating around a central duct or a plurality of central ducts (3), through which the fluids are removed. The present invention further relates to a method of catalytic polymerization, drying or other treatments of solid particles in suspension in a rotating fluidized bed or of catalytic conversion of fluids passing through said rotating fluidized bed using a device according to the present invention.
US08071030B2
A test strip with a sample receiving chamber having a novel flared portion that terminates in a sample receiving opening. The flared portion provides a reservoir from which sample fluid can be drawn into the capillary or sample receiving chamber. The wider opening provided by the present invention is easier to “target” with a sample fluid. In preferred embodiments, the hydrophilic reagent layer extends to the dosing end or side of the test strip and further promotes wicking of the sample into the sample receiving chamber and thus reduces dose hesitation. In other preferred embodiments, a tapered dosing end is provided on the test strip in combination with the flared portion, and this combination create a test strip that will draw sample fluid into the sample receiving chamber regardless of where along the dosing edge of the test strip the fluid sample makes contact.
US08071017B2
A cobalt-free low cost high strength martensitic stainless steel, with concentration of Ni up to 3.0% and Mo up to 1.0% of weight, has HRC of 53, UTS of 297 ksi, YS of 220 ksi, Charpy V-notch impact energy of 17.8 ft-lb, corrosion resistance in salt spray test ASTM 117. The steel was melted in an open induction furnace and vacuum arc remelting (VAR) and/or electroslag remelting (ESR) were not used to refine the steel. Further processing included homogenized annealing, hot rolling, and recrystallization annealing. The steel was heat treated by oil quenching, refrigeration, and low tempering. The steel has a microstructure consisting essentially of small packets of fine martensite laths, retained austenite, and carbides as centers of growth of the martensite laths. The cost and energy in making the steel are substantially reduced.
US08071011B2
Method for introduction of filling materials into porous bodies in which the filling materials in liquid form are brought into contact with the porous bodies and are distributed from at least one site within the porous body in this porous body.
US08071002B2
A method of forming a panel is disclosed. The method comprises forming a flexible skin; coupling a compressible material to the skin; providing a stitching to the skin and compressible material combination; then positioning the skin and compressible material in a mold; and forming a rigid substrate around the skin and compressible material and a portion of the stitching for providing a first soft region wherein the compressible material is disposed between the skin and the substrate so that a first soft region is defined by the compressible material.
US08070994B2
A panel structure and a method of forming the panel structure are disclosed. The panel structure typically includes at least one panel associated with a material. The panel structure has been found particularly advantageous for use as an interior panel of an airplane.
US08070984B2
A luminescent material is disclosed. The luminescent material may include a first compound having a host lattice comprising first ions and oxygen. A first portion of the first ions may be substituted by copper ions. In one embodiment, the host lattice may include silicon, the copper ions may be divalent copper ions and the first compound may have an Olivin crystal structure, a β-K2SO4 crystal structure, a trigonal Glaserite (K3Na(SO4)2) or monoclinic Merwinite crystal structure, a tetragonal Ackermanite crystal structure, a tetragonal crystal structure or an orthorhombic crystal structure. In another embodiment, the copper ions do not act as luminescent ions upon excitation with the ultraviolet or visible light.
US08070972B2
The present invention relates to an etching method for etching a film to form a concave portion therein with the use of a photoresist mask provided with an opening. In this method, there is determined, in advance, a first correlation between a parameter value and an opening dimension of the concave portion, as a process parameter for the etching process, when the etching process is conducted with the use of the mask provided with the opening of a reference opening dimension. In addition, there is determined, in advance, a second correlation between a variation in opening dimension of the mask and a variation in opening dimension of the concave portion. When conducting the etching process, an actual opening dimension of the mask is measured. A target parameter value of the process parameter for achieving a target opening dimension of the concave portion is determined, based on a difference between the actual opening dimension of the mask and the reference opening dimension thereof, the target opening dimension of the concave portion to be formed, and the first and second correlations.
US08070951B2
Metal oxide particles heated while immersed in water in a closed container are combined with membrane filtration to remove contaminants from water. The use of the heated particles reduces fouling of the membrane typically encountered when membranes alone are used to remove contaminants from water.
US08070949B1
Methods, systems and apparatuses are disclosed for improving the treatment of wastewater in a dispersal drainage trench by facilitating the direct aeration of wastewater passing through a drainage unit.
US08070936B2
Contact of a crude feed with one or more catalysts containing a transition metal sulfide produces a total product that includes a crude product. The crude feed has a residue content of at least 0.2 grams of residue per gram of crude feed. The crude product is a liquid mixture at 25° C. and 0.101 MPa. One or more properties of the crude product may be changed by at least 10% relative to the respective properties of the crude feed. In some embodiments, gas is produced during contact with one or more catalysts and the crude feed.
US08070928B2
Embodiments of the invention provide devices and methods for extracting nucleic acid molecules from solution using electric fields. The structures and methods of embodiments of the invention are suited to incorporation into micro and nano fluidic devices, such as lab-on-a-chip devices and micro total analysis systems.
US08070926B2
A multi-chamber treatment/processing apparatus includes: a means for controlling/regulating operation of the apparatus providing the following operational sequence: performing a treatment/processing of at least one magnetic and/or magneto-optical disk in treatment/processing chambers, while each inlet gate and each outlet gate of each treatment/processing chamber is in a closed position and gas is exhausted from each buffer/isolation chamber; opening each of the inlet and outlet gates of each of the treatment/processing chambers and transporting the at least one magnetic and/or magneto-optical disk therein to the adjacent buffer/isolation chamber; closing the outlet gate of each of the treatment/processing chambers; transporting each of the magnetic and/or magneto-optical disk through a respective buffer/isolation chamber and initiating a flow of a respective gas to each treatment/processing chamber; and closing the inlet gate of each treatment/processing chamber immediately upon completion of entry of the at least one magnetic and/or magneto-optical disk into the respective treatment/processing chamber.
US08070925B2
In a PVD reactor having a sputter target at the ceiling, a conductive housing enclosing the rotating magnet assembly has a central port for the rotating magnet axle. A conductive hollow cylinder of the housing surrounds an external portion of the spindle. RF power is coupled to a radial RF connection rod extending radially from the hollow cylinder. DC power is coupled to another radial DC connection rod extending radially from the hollow cylinder.
US08070919B2
Provided is a method for preparing a one-dimensional spin photonic crystal device and a one-dimensional spin photonic crystal device prepared by the same. The method comprises forming magnetic and nonmagnetic regions by the interference of laser beams generated from a femtosecond laser light source. The method of the present invention enables production of one-dimensional spin photonic crystals having excellent properties by a rapid and simple process, and is therefore suitable for high integration and large-scale production of desired devices. Further, the prepared photonic crystals exhibit excellent magneto-optical effects and are therefore applicable to development of novel optical devices, and the like.
US08070916B2
Method and device for producing a web of tissue. In the method, the web of tissue is led over at least one drying cylinder, doctored off the latter with a creping doctor and then wound up by way of a winding device. The web of tissue is supported at least largely over the entire distance between creping doctor and winding device on one side by a transfer device, so that there is only a short free web draw, while its other side is free. The device includes at least one drying cylinder, a creping doctor arranged on the drying cylinder and a winding device that winds up the web of tissue. Between the creping doctor and the winding device, a transfer device at least largely bridges the entire distance which supports the web of tissue on one side. There is a short free web draw, but its other side is left free.
US08070911B2
A capacitive coupling plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber configured to have a vacuum atmosphere, and a process gas supply section configured to supply a process gas into the chamber. In the chamber, a first electrode and a second electrode are disposed opposite each other. The second electrode includes a plurality of conductive segments separated from each other and facing the first electrode. An RF power supply is configured to apply an RF power to the first electrode to form an RF electric field within a plasma generation region between the first and second electrodes, so as to turn the process gas into plasma by the RF electric field. A DC power supply is configured to apply a DC voltage to at least one of the segments of the second electrode.
US08070908B2
The present invention relates to (meth)acrylic adhesives with high impact resistance and no or low odor. The compositions comprise at least a (meth)acrylic ester E which may be obtained by esterification of an alcohol ALC and methacrylic or acrylic acid, said alcohol ALC contains at least 5 carbon atoms; and at least a rubber block co-polymer RS being solid at room temperature and which is a co-polymer of styrene and butadiene and/or isoprene and/or ethylene propylene diene monomer; and at least a polymer PL having pending (meth)acrylic groups and is a butadiene/acrylonitrile co-polymer with terminal (meth)acrylic groups or a polyurethane (meth)acrylate or an ester obtainable by esterification of an alcohol ALC-II and methacrylic or acrylic acid and which has a molecular weight between 200 and 9000 g/mol. Such combinations E-RS-PL have lower viscosity than PL and a combination E-RS.
US08070905B2
Perforated retroreflective fabric, trim or tape that comprises a substrate (30) having a first and second sides and a plurality of openings (39) extending between the sides, providing a backing (50) on the first side of the substrate, providing a retroreflective layer (40) on the second side of the substrate, adhering the retroreflective layer to the second side and to the backing through said openings and removing the backing from the first side to strip away the retroreflective layer adhered to the backing through the openings in the substrate.
US08070901B2
A method for manufacturing an elongate stiffening element and a rigid shell structure integrated with at least one elongate stiffening element. The method includes providing a preformed, form-stable reinforcement member, which has a hat profile with two inwardly directed, opposing flange portions, covering the reinforcement member with a curable composite material to form an external hat profile having outwardly directed flanges, and integrating this assembly with either a curable or preformed shell structure of composite material.
US08070897B2
The invention discloses a case clamp (20) for clamping of carcass parts into furniture carcasses, such as tall cupboards, top or bottom cupboards, having a base frame (1), at least one pair of compression beams (6, 7) provided on the base frame (1), whereby at least one compression beam is traversable along the base frame in relation to the other compression beam, and at least one feed device (5) for transporting in carcass parts to be clamped and/or for transporting out clamped carcasses. The case clamp according to the invention is characterized in that the case clamp (20) also has an ultrasonic welding device (15, 16, 17).
US08070892B2
A high Fe-containing zirconium composition having excellent corrosion resistance and a preparation method thereof. Specifically, disclosed are a high Fe-containing zirconium composition having excellent corrosion resistance and a preparation method thereof, the composition comprising: 0.5-1.0 wt % iron; 0.25-0.5 wt % chromium; 0.06-0.18 wt % oxygen; at least one element selected from the group consisting of 0.2-0.5 wt % tin, 0.1-0.3 wt % niobium and 0.05-0.3 wt % copper; and the balance of zirconium. The zirconium alloy has excellent corrosion resistance, and thus can be used as a material for nuclear fuel claddings, spacer grids and nuclear reactor core structures in light water reactor and heavy water reactor nuclear power plants.
US08070873B2
Embodiments of the present invention may provide a coating material having heat resistance, abrasion resistance and low friction characteristics, which is coated on an operating component such as a rotating shaft working at a high speed without oil supply in a medium temperature environment (400° C.˜500° C.). This is so that the operating body can sufficiently withstand friction, heat generation and abrasion caused by contact with a bearing. The coating material of the present invention comprises 15 to 25 wt % antimony trioxide (Sb2O3), 50 to 70 wt % binder, 10 to 20 wt % tungsten disulphide (WS2) and 5 to 15 wt % silver (Ag). The binder comprises 60 to 80 wt % nickel (Ni) and 20 to 40 wt % chromium (Cr).
US08070868B2
An ink includes at least one coloring matter represented by a formula (I): wherein R1 represents one of an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group, an acyl group, an alkyloxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, a carbamoyl group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group and a sulfamoyl group, which may have a substituent; X1 represents one of —CR2═ and a nitrogen atom, R2 represents one of a hydrogen atom and a substituent, and when R2 represents a substituent, R2 may have a substituent; X2 represents one of —CR3═ and a nitrogen atom, and R3 represents an electron-withdrawing group having a σp value of 0.20 or more; when X1 represents —CR2═, a pair of R1 and R2 and/or when X2 represents —CR3═, a pair of R2 and R3 each may combine to form a 5- to 7-membered ring; the coloring matter may form one of a dimer and a trimer through R1, R2, R3 or A; and A represents a prescribed aryl group or heterocyclic group etc.
US08070863B2
The present invention provides a gas conditioning system for processing an input gas from a low temperature gasification system to an output gas of desired characteristics. The system comprises a two-stage process, the first stage separating heavy metals and particulate matter in a dry phase, and the second stage including further processing steps of removing acid gases, and/or other contaminants. Optional processes include adjusting the humidity and temperature of the input gas as it passes through the gas conditioning system. The presence and sequence of processing steps is determined by the composition of the input gas, the desired composition of output gas for downstream applications, and by efficiency and waste minimization.
US08070859B2
A non-porous membrane suitable for use in removing dissolved oxygen in a fuel deoxygenator device in an aircraft is produced by solvent casting. A first membrane layer is deposited on a substrate. A second membrane layer is deposited on top of the first membrane layer. Subsequent membrane layers may be deposited on top of the second membrane layer as desired. The resulting non-porous membrane allows little or no leaking of fuel across the membrane.
US08070841B2
Combustion fuel stream supply systems for use with pressure swing adsorption (PSA) assemblies, and hydrogen-generation assemblies and/or fuel cell systems containing the same. The PSA assemblies are operated according to a PSA cycle to receive a mixed gas stream and, while producing a product hydrogen stream therefrom, intermittently discharge a byproduct stream. The byproduct stream, when available, may be delivered as a fuel stream to a heating assembly, which may heat the hydrogen-producing region that produces the mixed gas stream. A combustion fuel stream supply system selectively supplies an auxiliary fuel stream when a byproduct stream is not discharged or otherwise does not have a predetermined combustion fuel value sufficient, when combusted, to maintain the hydrogen-producing region within a desired temperature range. The one or more streams supplied to the heating assembly have a combined combustion fuel value at least as great as the predetermined threshold value.
US08070839B2
A process and system for briquetting particulate matter such as moisture-containing bituminous and sub-bituminous coal includes partially drying and feeding the particulate matter to a briquetting apparatus under conditions such that water vapor is released from the particulate matter during feeding. The released water vapor substantially displaces or prevents the ingress of a large proportion of other gaseous components from the atmosphere surrounding an/or intermixed with the particulate matter. The particulate matter is surrounded by and intermixed with a gaseous component containing 70% to 100% by volume of water vapor where it enters the briquetting apparatus, such that when the particulate matter is compressed, the water vapor liquefies and the pressure buildup in the thus-formed briquettes is minimized. This reduction in the pressure buildup reduces blow-back of gases as the coal fines are formed into briquettes.
US08070837B2
The use of alkoxylates and nitrogen containing detergents in a fuel additive composition to prevent intake valve sticking and reduce intake valve deposits.
US08070835B2
Techniques, systems, apparatus and material are disclosed for generating multi-purpose H2-dense fuel for isolating contaminants and storing energy. In one aspect, a method of producing a renewable multi-purpose biomaterial for isolating a hazardous contaminant from an environment and storing energy includes dissociating biomass waste using a thermochemical reaction to produce at least one of hydrocarbon and alcohol by applying waste heat recovered from an external heat source. The method includes dissociating the at least one of hydrocarbon and alcohol to generate carbon and hydrogen. Carbon dioxide emitted from an industrial process is harvested and reacted with the hydrogen to generate the hydrogen-dense fuel. A hazardous contaminant is dissolved in the hydrogen-dense fuel operating as a solvent to generate a liquid mixture that isolates the hazardous contaminant from the environment. The hazardous contaminant includes at least one of a carbon donor and a hydrogen donor.
US08070834B2
The present invention is a candle composition containing a vegetable lipid base component and a candle formed from the composition. The candle composition may contain up to 100 percent by weight of a vegetable lipid base component. The candle composition may further contain a plant derived crystal modifier.
US08070814B2
An intervertebral device includes a first plate having an outer face and an inner face, and a second plate juxtaposed with the first plate, the second plate having an outer face, an inner face that opposes the first plate and a concavity that opposes the first plate. The device includes an elongated member extending from the first plate toward the second plate, the elongated member having a distal end with a spherical surface that is engageable with the concavity of the second plate for providing an articulating joint between the first and second plates. The device also includes a resilient member in contact with the elongated member for counteracting compressive loads on the plates, the resilient member being surrounded by the concavity of the second plate.
US08070810B2
A method and a means for repair and reconstruction of ruptured ligaments and tendons by in vivo or ex vivo repair and reconstruction surgical procedures. The method comprises providing a biodegradable sleeve placed around the frayed edges of an injured ligament or tendon for protecting the ligament or tendon injury with a protective shield. A composition comprising a biodegradable tissue adhesive applied on top of, around and/or between the frayed edges of the injured ligament.
US08070802B2
Valve prostheses are disclosed that are adapted for secure and aligned placement relative to a heart annulus. The valve prostheses may be placed in a non-invasive manner, e.g., via transcatheter techniques. The valve prosthesis may include a resilient ring, a plurality of leaflet membranes mounted with respect to the resilient ring, and a plurality of positioning elements movably mounted with respect to the flexible ring. Each of the positioning elements defines respective proximal, intermediate, and distal tissue engaging regions cooperatively configured and dimensioned to simultaneously engage separate corresponding areas of the tissue of an anatomical structure, including respective first, second, and third elongate tissue-piercing elements. The proximal, distal, and intermediate tissue-engaging regions are cooperatively configured and dimensioned to simultaneously engage separate corresponding areas of the tissue of an anatomical structure so as to stabilize a position of the valve prosthesis with respect to the anatomical structure, including wherein for purposes of so simultaneously engaging the separate corresponding areas of tissue, at least one of the first, second, and third elongate tissue-piercing elements is pointed at least partially opposite the direction of blood flow, and at least another thereof is pointed at least partially along the direction of blood flow. The valve prosthesis may also include a skirt mounted with respect to the resilient ring for sealing a periphery of the valve prosthesis against a reverse flow of blood around the valve prosthesis.
US08070795B2
A stent is provided, which joins a plurality of stent components via a strut which, even when repeatedly bent over a long period of time, resists breaking. In particular, a stent is provided having a joining portion which integrally joins a stent main wire and a strut, the stent main wire and the strut being fitted into a restraining pipe in a non-joining portion of the stent main wire and the strut near the end of the joining portion. This construction restrains the relative movement of the stent main wire to the strut 4 is restrained and decreased, thus reducing fatigue.
US08070792B2
A stent comprises a plurality of circumferential bands. Circumferential bands which are adjacent one another are connected one to the other. The circumferential bands include peaks and troughs interconnected by bent struts. The bands may overlap or may be connected by connectors.
US08070786B2
A method of fusing a joint between two bones, comprising boring a hole through one of the bones across the joint therebetween and into the other bone, placing the leading end of a screw into the hole, where the screw has a threaded region having a pitch that is larger toward a leading end of the screw and smaller toward a trailing end of the screw, and driving the screw into the bone until the threaded region spans the joint.
US08070785B2
A prosthetic screw system that includes a prosthetic screw for at least partial insertion into a bone and/or cartilage. The prosthetic screw includes a head and a lower portion connected to the head. The prosthetic screw system also includes a set of head-pieces that can be connected to the head of the prosthetic screw. The head-pieces have differing configurations that are designed to be connected to different types of components of a prosthetic system. The universal connection arrangement between the prosthetic screw and the set of head-pieces enables the prosthetic screw to be customized for connection with a variety of components of a prosthetic system. The head-pieces can alternatively or additionally include a mechanical and/or electrical mechanism that provides one or more substances (e.g., medicine and/or other biological agent, etc.) and/or electrostimulation to a surgical site.
US08070773B2
A medical closure screen device for a separation of first and second tissue portions is provided, which includes a mesh screen comprising tubular vertical risers, vertical strands with barbed filaments, and horizontal spacers connecting the risers and strands in a grid-like configuration. An optional perimeter member partly surrounds the screen and can comprise a perimeter tube fluidically coupled with the vertical risers to form a tubing assembly. Various input/output devices can optionally be connected to the perimeter tube ends for irrigating and/or draining the separation according to methodologies of the present invention. Separation closure, irrigation and drainage methodologies are disclosed utilizing various combinations of closure screens, tubing, sutures, fluid transfer elements and gradient force sources. The use of mechanical forces associated with barbed strands for repositionably securing separated tissues together is disclosed. The use of same for eliminating or reducing the formation of subcutaneous voids or pockets, which can potentially form hematoma and seroma effects, is also disclosed.
US08070770B2
A laparoscopic surgical access device comprises a first frame and a second frame having relative axial positions. A flexible and resilient iris valve is connected to the first and second frames and has a closed position and an opened position based on the relative angular position of the first and second frames. A lock is connected to the first and second frames, the lock being selectively operative to prevent relative rotational movement in a first rotational direction. One embodiment uses a ratchet and pawl mechanism operable with a control ring. Another embodiment uses a ratchet and pawl mechanism operable with a button. Yet another embodiment uses a wedge track and ball mechanism.
US08070768B2
Implantable devices, instruments, kits and methods for treatment of obesity. One or more devices can be implanted adjacent to or in contact with the stomach to occupy a space to prevent the stomach from expanding into that space as food is taken into the stomach. Alternatively, one or more devices may be implanted and expanded to displace at least a portion of the wall of the stomach to decrease the internal volume of the stomach that is available to receive food. Devices may be anchored to one or more internal structures at one or more locations without piercing through the wall of the stomach. Devices can be implanted using minimally invasive methods, such as percutaneous or laparoscopic methods. Delivery instruments are also provided. An intra-gastric sizing device is provided to facilitate implantation of an extra-gastric device in some method embodiments.
US08070764B2
A microkeratome that includes a latch assembly that couples a head to a hand piece. The latch assembly allows the head to be readily detached from the hand piece and sterilized. There is no need to also sterilize the hand piece. The microkeratome also has a ring assembly that is coupled to the head and the hand piece. The ring assembly may include a fastener that can be unfastened to allow the hand piece and head to be detached from the ring, even while the ring assembly is fixed to a cornea. The hand piece includes a motor that moves the blade across the ring. The microkeratome may have an aspiration connector with a collar that limits the travel of the blade the and thickness of a resulting lamella flap. The aspiration connector can be replaced with a collar of a different diameter to produce a flap with a different thickness.
US08070761B2
Methods, devices, and systems for extracting vessel occluding material are provided. An embodiment of a vessel occluding material extractor includes a host structure, a plurality of expandable members, a slide mechanism, and a circumferential member. The host structure has an elongate axis. The expandable members are connected to the host structure arrayed radially around the elongate axis. The slide mechanism is connected to the expandable members and adjacent the host structure, and is slidable in the direction of the elongate axis. The circumferential member is connected to the expandable members between the connection of the slide mechanism and the host structure to the expandable members.
US08070753B2
The present invention relates in certain embodiments to medical devices for treating osteoplasty procedures such as vertebral compression fractures. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to instruments and methods for controllably restoring vertebral body height by controlling the geometry of fill material introduced into cancellous bone. An exemplary system utilizes Rf energy in combination a conductive bone fill material for polymerizing the surface of the inflow plume to control the geometry of the fill material and the application of force caused by inflows of fill material. In another embodiment, method of treating bone includes injecting a volume of fill material into a bone and selectively modifying a viscosity of a selected portion of the bone filler to control the direction of flow of the fill material within the bone. A system for treating bone using this method includes an introducer for delivering fill material into the bone and an energy source selectively coupleable to the fill material to alter the viscosity of the fill material as it flows out of the introducer.
US08070751B2
Systems for positioning a connecting element adjacent the spinal column in minimally invasive procedures include installation instruments that guide the connecting element from a location remote from one or more anchors to a location proximate to the one or more anchors. The installation instruments include extensions mountable to anchors engageable to the spinal column or other bony structure, and inserters mountable to the anchor extensions for positioning the connecting element adjacent the anchors.
US08070743B2
The present invention provides devices and methods for attachment of an endoluminal gastrointestinal device, such as an artificial stoma device, a gastrointestinal bypass sleeve device or an attachment cuff, within a patient's digestive tract for treatment of obesity.
US08070729B2
Systems and methods for treating a vessel include devices having a main elongated element with a balloon at its distal end, an auxiliary elongated element wherein a distal end of the auxiliary elongated element is proximal to the balloon, and a core wire having a internal core wire portion and an external core wire portion, wherein the external core wire portion is external to the balloon. In some embodiments, a distal connecting element is attached to the distal end of the balloon. In some embodiments, the distal connecting element is positioned at a rotational distance from the auxiliary elongated element. In some embodiments, the balloon is a fixed wire balloon. Inflation of the balloon causes guidewires positioned within the device and external core wires to be pushed up against the lesion, providing a focused force for cracking the lesion.
US08070726B2
Presently disclosed is a hydraulic pump device and its use thereof, especially in a fluid delivery system. In one embodiment, the fluid delivery system is an inexpensive, single-use device for slow dosing medicament applications. The fluid delivery system may employ a spring-compressed bellows crank or other combination of simple mechanisms operating according to the well-known peristaltic principle to force a volume of ultrapure bio-inert hydraulic fluid through an aperture, thereby expanding one chamber of a two chamber hydraulic cylinder. The second, fluid storage chamber, containing the medicament, is emptied through a conventional orifice in response to the expansion of the pump chamber. The medicament may thence flow through any suitable infusion set into a patient removeably attached thereto.
US08070724B2
An apparatus (1) for extracting milk from a breast, comprising means (2,3) for receiving at least a portion of a breast and its nipple; a container (5) for collecting the milk operatively connected to said means (2,3) for receiving at least partially a breast and its nipple; a pump unit (100) operatively connected to said means (2,3) for receiving at least partially a breast and its nipple, said pump unit (100) being operated manually to generate at least an aspiration able to cause a suction on the breast by imposing a predetermined degree of vacuum within said means for receiving the breast and the nipple. The manually operated pump unit (100) comprises means for regulating the degree of vacuum that is generated. Pump unit (100) operated manually and connectable to a kit for collecting milk from a breast.
US08070723B2
The fluid infusion system is disclosed that includes a pump housing that has a reservoir cavity and is designed to be pocketable. The reservoir cavity has a rim and helical coupling features formed on an interior face of the reservoir cavity. The fluid infusion system further has a reservoir that is removable from the reservoir cavity and the reservoir also has an open end. A removable cap coupled to the pump housing is also included in the fluid infusion system. The cap has corresponding coupling features, an exterior surface and a tab. The corresponding coupling features are defined to couple the cap to the pump housing while the tab is defined as a ridge that extends away from the exterior surface. The tab further has a port to accommodate fluid flow from the reservoir where the port defines an axis of rotation such that torque applied to the tab about the axis of rotation disengages the coupling between the cap and the pump housing. Further included in the infusion system is a guard that is removably coupled to the pump housing. The guard has a slot defined to immobilize rotation of the tab about the axis of rotation.
US08070721B2
An auto-disable device for use with a sterile single use hypodermic syringe has a barrel adapter configured to attach to the outlet end of the syringe barrel, external to the barrel. A needle hub holding a hypodermic needle is affixed to the barrel adapter, the barrel adapter and the needle hub forming an assembly having a cavity with a passage for the flow of liquid through the device. An elastically-deformable sealing ring and a moveable sealing member having a head and a shaft are positioned in the cavity. The sealing member is moveable within the cavity. The ring and moveable sealing member are configured to form a seal, after a single use of the syringe, against a flow of liquid into the syringe for refilling of the syringe.
US08070715B2
A breastpump, manual or motorized, that includes a mechanism to regulate pressure change, e.g., vacuum, within a breastshield chamber, including in some cases to a maintained minimum pressure that is less than ambient (atmosphere). The pressure regulator provides control for varying negative pressure between a minimum value and a maximum value (and values in between), or to achieve a specific actually measured negative pressure value within a breastshield.
US08070710B2
The present disclosure provides a lubricious polymeric composition that includes polymer and one or more lubricants. Articles formed from the lubricious polymeric composition possess enhanced softness, flexibility and lubricity. The present disclosure also provides a method for making an article formed from a lubricious polymeric composition having polymer and one or more lubricants.
US08070708B2
A differential pressure regulating device is provided for controlling in-vivo pressure in a body, and in particularly in a heart. The device may include a shunt being positioned between two or more lumens in a body, to enable fluids to flow between the lumens, and an adjustable flow regulation mechanism being configured to selectively cover an opening of the shunt, to regulate the flow of fluid through the shunt in relation to a pressure difference between the body lumens. In some embodiments a control mechanism coupled to the adjustable flow regulation mechanism may be provided, to remotely activate the adjustable flow regulation mechanism.
US08070706B2
Method for in-vivo plasmapheresis utilizing a plurality of elongated hollow microporous filter fibers periodically interrupt diffusion of blood plasma from a patient, and, for a selected time, directing backflush fluid into the fibers at a pressure and interval sufficient to cleanse the fiber pores, after which plasma diffusion is resumed. The backflush fluid, preferably a normal saline solution, may contain an anticoagulant such as heparin, citrate or NO donor in suitable concentration for systemic anti-coagulation or for treating the fiber for thromboresistance.
US08070705B2
A protective sleeve for a body extremity, such as an arm or a leg. The sleeve includes a spacer textile formed into a self-supporting tube for protecting the extremity from pressure, friction, shear, skin tears and bruising. The tube can have a wide end and a narrow end. The extremity slides through the wide end of the tube and the narrow tube end then slides over the foot or hand. Because these tubes are self-supporting, the sleeve can remain coextensive with the extremity while maintaining a loose fit, even during vigorous exercise. The spacer textile provides for both pressure relief and moisture transmission from the skin.
US08070702B2
A hand splint includes: a forearm component; a strut mounted on the forearm component; and a hand component mounted on the strut such that a spacing extends between the hand component and the forearm component, whereby the strut spans a wrist when the hand splint is worn. The hand component is configured to receive the volar surface of digits 2 through 5, the thumb, and the palm. The hand component includes a malleable section and may include a resilient section for generating a continuous restoring force in response to bending. Multiple hand pieces can be used with the same palm support platform and forearm component for progressive treatment of hand. An initial hand piece having a malleable section and a rigid bar-like portion; a second hand piece having only a malleable section; and a hand piece having both a malleable section and resilient section may be progressive used.
US08070699B2
In a method of forming a compression sleeve, flexible bladder layers are secured together to define first and second adjacent flexible sleeve sections. A rigid structural component, such as a tube for delivering air to a bladder of the sleeve or another structure, is secured between the first and second flexible sleeve sections to prevent buckling a movement of the sleeve sections downward when the sleeve is wrapped around a leg the wearer. An inner layer and an outer cover are secured to the bladder layers at a plurality of discrete weld spots to provide further structural support to the sleeve.
US08070695B2
A system for monitoring strain as an indicator of biological conditions, such as spinal fusion, glucose levels, spinal loading, and heart rate. The system includes an inter-digitated capacitor sensor, and RF transmitter, and an associated antenna, all of which are microminiature or microscopic in size and can be implanted in a biological host such as a human or animal. An inductively coupled power supply is also employed to avoid the need for implantation of chemical batteries. Power is provided to the sensor and transmitter, and data is transmitted from the sensor, when an external receiving device, such as a handheld RF ID type receiver, is placed proximate the location of the implanted sensor, transmitter and inductively coupled power supply. The implanted sensor, transmitter and inductively coupled power supply can be left in place permanently or removed when desired.
US08070693B2
A steerable wire guide comprises first and second members interconnected to form a unitary composite structure. The members slide relative to each other such that the leading portion of the composite structure bends in a first or second direction. The composite structure comprises a soft body portion at its distal end and a rigid body portion at its proximal end. Various cross-sections are disclosed. In an alternate embodiment, the wire guide comprises a first guiding wire section, a wire loop section and a second guiding wire section, the wire component being folded back on itself to form a generally central wire loop section; and a tubular sheath surrounding the first guiding wire section and the second guiding wire section. The first and second members or guiding wire sections can be connected to a removable handle to facilitate control and maneuverability of the wire guide.
US08070688B2
A device and method are presented for drug-free, non-invasive, modulation of a size of a patient's pupil. The invention utilizes application of an external electric and/or magnetic field of desired properties to the patient's iris to thereby effect stimulation or neutralization of synapses and thus temporarily inducing mydriasis or miosis effect.
US08070681B2
It is intended to provide an ultrasonic probe permitting a reduction of a number of switching components while transmitting and receiving signals with the picture quality level held capable of being maintained. An ultrasonic the probe comprises transducers, transducer side cables which number is equal to a number of said transducers and are connected to the transducers, apparatus body side cables which number is less than a number of the transducer side signal lines and are connected to an apparatus body, switching units for switching connections of a transducer side cables of groups A and C which is connected to the apparatus body side cables of group D, and resistors provided between the transducer side cables of group B and the apparatus body side cables of group E.
US08070679B2
A computer-implemented method for accurate determination of intraocular pressure (IOP) and characterization of mechanical properties of a cornea is provided that includes measuring a cornea with a probe tonometer to produce at least force versus displacement data over a range of applied forces; and forming a model of corneal constitutive parameters, with a computer having a processor, based on the data obtained by the probe tonometer to more accurately determine IOP and characterize mechanical properties of the cornea, wherein the computer is coupled with the probe tonometer.
US08070677B2
A patient physiological information monitoring system includes a plurality of patient monitoring devices (6) and a physiological information analyzer (2). The plurality of patient monitoring devices (6) monitor physiological information from a patient and generate corresponding physiological signals. The physiological information analyzer (2) processes the monitored physiological information and determines whether a physiological change is a clinically significant event or an artifact. The physiological information analyzer includes at least one receiver (4) that receives the physiological signals from the patient monitoring devices; a signal correlator (10) that generates morphograms from pairs of the received physiological signals; a signature generator (12) that applies a wavelet decomposition to each morphogram to compute a signature for each morphogram; and a decision component (14) that compares the morphogram signatures within and across sampling intervals and determines if a physiological change is a clinically significant change or an artifact.
US08070675B2
A cap configured to be attached to a cylinder of an implantable penile prosthesis includes a body section and a tip section. The body section defines a recess that is attachable to an end of the cylinder of the implantable penile prosthesis and the tip section terminates in a tip having a curved exterior surface. The tip section defines at least one slot formed therein that extends away from the body section and has a slot axis that intersects with a longitudinal axis of the cap.
US08070667B2
The invention relates to a centrifugation enclosure (1) made of rigid plastic that comprises a member (1b) adapted to engage with the driving organ of a centrifugation machine (M) and a communication member (5) between the enclosure (1) and the outside, made of rigid plastic and comprising un first duct (5a) extending therethrough for supplying said enclosure (1) as well as two ducts (5b, 5c) extending therethrough for discharging the separated components. A holder (3) made of rigid plastic and having a network of channels (4a, 4b, 4c) formed therein connects the ducts (5a, 5b, 5c), respectively, to supply (P1) and reception (P2, P3) tanks, with side sealing members (6) of said channel network (4a, 4b, 4c). The ends of the ducts (5a, 5b, 5c) are adjacent to the respective ends of the channels (4a, 4b, 4c), and the ends of the ducts (5a, 5b, 5c) have surfaces mating with the end surfaces of the respective channels (4a, 4b, 4c), said mating surfaces being connected to one another.
US08070666B2
A disposable device for centrifugation of blood is used for separating or also washing constituents of the blood includes a centrifugation chamber with a revolving shaft and an opening through which the shaft passes, a rotational guide, a rotational driver, and at least one static member for admission/evacuation engaged in the centrifugation chamber. This member includes at least one channel for intake of the blood and at least one outlet channel for one of its constituents, and at least one admission channel for a pressurized gaseous fluid which opens out inside the centrifugation chamber. A gap is formed in the opening between the centrifugation chamber and the static member and allows the gaseous fluid to escape from the centrifugation chamber.
US08070662B2
A tape 3, 4 with a zipper member and a bag film 5, 6 are continuously moved by rotation of a rotary drum 32 while being overlaid with each other such that the tape 3, 4 travels in a tape introducing groove 33 for a tape with a zipper member, the groove formed along a circumferential direction of the rotary drum 32. The tape 3, 4 with the zipper member is continuously welded to the bag film 5, 6 on a circumferential surface of the rotary drum 32 by a seal bar 35 that has a welding surface 34 in a curved shape corresponding to a circumferential surface shape of the rotary drum 32. The whole tape 3, 4 with the zipper member is accommodated in the tape introducing groove 33 for the tape with the zipper member and a seal surface of a tape body 31, 41 is adapted to be substantially flush with the circumferential surface of the rotary drum 32, so that heat applied from the seal bar 35 to the tape 3, 4 with the zipper member is restrained from transferring to the rotary drum 32.
US08070658B2
Exercise apparatus and method with selectively variable stabilization enabling a user to progressively increase his/her core body muscular strength. In various embodiments, the exercise apparatus includes a resistance cabling system providing a user defined line of motion, and a partial stabilizer pad being adjustably positionable offset from the line of motion, wherein the user's core body is positionable against the pad and required to resist the torque created by the offset. The user can progressively increase the distance between the line of motion and partial stabilizer pad, in order to progressively increase the force which the user's core body must resist to maintain an upright stature. In this way, the user can progressively, over time, increase his or her core body strength. A vertically and rotatably adjustable handle/arm assembly, resistance cabling and pulley assembly, and an overall exercise apparatus having a relatively small footprint but allowing multiple variable exercise routines, are also provided.
US08070657B2
An improved exercise apparatus is described. The apparatus comprises a cylindrical element and a flexible member associated with the cylindrical element. The flexible member is movable between a wound configuration, in which the member is wound around the cylindrical element, and an unwound configuration, in which the member is unwound from the cylindrical element. The apparatus further comprises a recoil means biased to move the flexible member to the wound configuration and a resistance means that resists movement of the flexible member from the wound to the unwound configurations. The resistance means comprises an energy storage device, which is in a geared relationship with the cylindrical element. In a preferred embodiment the energy storage device is a flywheel.
US08070655B1
A system and method of tracking physical activity of a person in order to help motivate that person to add more exercise to their lives. Each participant is provided a motion sensor that detects forces incurred by the participant. The motion sensor creates electronic data that corresponds to the forces detected. The data is analyzed to determine whether or not exercise has been performed. The analysis can also determine the type of exercise performed, when the exercise was performed, and the duration of the exercise performed.
US08070654B2
A universal athleticism rating system and related athletic performance measuring systems for accurately detecting and recording athletic performance are disclosed. The athleticism rating system evaluates individual athletes against a common, standardized, set of athletic performance tests. Each athlete performs the athletic tests and his or her scores in the individual tests are entered into a standardized calculation to produce a single athletic performance score. The related performance measuring system is preferably a timing system that ensures quick, easy, and accurate collection of athletic event timing related data without the need for the athlete to wear any special detection devices or the like. In a preferred embodiment, the performance measuring system integrates with the rating system to provide seamless athletic data collection and rating of athletes.
US08070638B2
The present invention provides a final drive assembly having a differential driven by a planetary gear set having two inputs. The ring gear of the planetary gear set is stationary. One of the inputs is coupled to and drives the planet gear carrier which, in turn, is coupled to and drives the cage of the differential. The other input is coupled to and drives the sun gear of the planetary gear set. Incorporated into a suitable powertrain, for example, one having a dual clutch transmission (DCT) with two outputs, one associated with higher ratio (lower speed) gears and another associated with lower ratio (higher speed) gears, the sun gear carries power in the lower speed gears and provides torque multiplication. In the higher speed gears, power is carried by the planet gear carrier directly to the differential cage, bypassing the speed reduction, torque multiplication and gear mesh losses of the planetary gear set.
US08070636B2
An electrohydraulic control device (1) of an 8-speed transmission having several electrically controllable pressure control valves (6-12) for hydraulically actuating five switching elements (A-E) and an electric gear control unit via which different operating states of the transmission may be adjusted. Three of the switching elements are connected in the force flow of the transmission for representing a gear ratio (“1” to “R”) of the transmission. When the gear control unit is de-activated and the power supply to the solenoid valve and pressure control valves is interrupted, and when the transmission is in the operating state, in which a gear ratio (“1”; “2”; “3”; “4”; “5”; “6”; “7”; “8”; “R”) is engaged, a predefined emergency transmission (“6”; “R”) is represented by three simultaneously hydraulically connected switching elements (C, D, E, A, B, D).
US08070628B2
A portable golf GPS device comprising a microprocessor operably coupled to a GPS unit, an input device such as a keypad (or touch screen) operably coupled to the microprocessor, a voice recognition unit operably coupled to the microprocessor, and a display such as a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) operably coupled to the microprocessor. A program memory system which contains at least some of the software and data to operate the device is also operably coupled to the microprocessor. The portable golf GPS device is preferably contained in a housing such that the entire device has a very compact and lightweight form factor, and is preferably handheld and/or pocket size. The golf GPS device is configured to display distances to course features, and to receive and process voice input in order to select functions or input data into the golf GPS device.
US08070618B2
A golf putting practice device/simulator and ball return with no moving parts, and method for a golfer to practice putting a golf ball in which the device is located in close proximity to the golfer and the intended target can be of any normal putting distance allowing one to practice golf putts indoors of greater length than indoor spaces normally allow. The device accomplishes this by detecting the speed and the position of the golf ball as it approaches the device. The device is programmed and configured in such a way to accurately approximate the distance and to display the direction the golf ball would have traveled had the path of the ball not be interrupted by device. The practice device can be configured to account for a coefficient of resistance commonly know as the Stimp of the green in its calculations. The device receives and returns the ball to the user then evaluates the putt data. The results are then displayed on the digital display.
US08070612B2
A boot for constant-velocity universal joint comprises a major-diameter cylindrical portion 2, a minor-diameter cylindrical portion 3 being separated away from and being put in place concentrically with the major-diameter cylinder portion 2, and having a smaller diameter than that of the major-diameter cylindrical portion 2, and an intermediate portion 10 connecting the major-diameter cylindrical portion 2 with the minor-diameter cylindrical portion 3. The intermediate portion 10 comprises a stretchable bellows portion 19 being connected with the minor-diameter cylindrical portion 3 integrally, and a rigidity-producing portion 11 being connected with the bellows portion 19 and the major-diameter cylindrical portion 2 integrally. The rigidity-producing portion 11 enlarges diametrically from the bellows portion 19 toward the major-diameter cylindrical portion 2, and additionally at least an outer peripheral surface 101 of the rigidity-producing portion 11 has a plurality of shoulders 61 in a stepwise manner. By means of the rigidity-producing portion 11, the rigidity at around the major-diameter cylindrical portion is enhanced, and thereby it is possible to suppress deformation at the time of assembling.
US08070601B2
This invention is directed to a system and method for the close coupling of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) with multiplayer network games. Game state dependent voice communications are used as another method of player interaction in the game environment. The system uses SIP enhanced game servers and conference servers with audio mixing capabilities, and the game server controls the creation, maintenance and changing of the voice conferences. Participation in a voice conference is determined by the game state features associated with each player including distance and direction to determine how the voices are mixed in a voice conference.
US08070598B1
An embodiment of the invention includes an RF fob with an embedded identifier. The fob transmits a signal that is received by one of a plurality of games which recognizes the identifier and thus identifies the player who holds the fob. Several discrete remote gaming locations are connected to a central location where player information is stored and maintained. When a player scans his fob at a game at any remote location connected to the central location, the identifier is transmitted to the central location and player information is transmitted to the game. The player can begin play, accumulating points on his/her account reflective of his or her gaming activity. The player can also redeem points for cash at the game itself without third-party assistance.
US08070596B2
This disclosure includes systems which generate a video game or other virtual environment, and player characters in the video game can form relationships of various natures. Certain relationships provide benefits and/or obligations. The video game facilitates the monitoring, forming and terminating of various kinds of relationships.
US08070593B2
A gaming system and method which provides a community group event to a plurality of players at a plurality of the gaming devices in the gaming system. Each gaming device participating in the group event is associated with an individual group event eligibility timer. Such individual group event eligibility timers regularly decrement based on time and may increment based on one or more aspects of the player's gaming experience, such as wagers placed. If the individual group event eligibility timer associated with a gaming device participating in the group event lapses before the conclusion of a group event timer or mode, that gaming device is eliminated from the group event. Upon the conclusion of the group event, a group event award is shared amongst the players at the remaining or non-eliminated gaming devices (i.e., the gaming devices associated with individual group event eligibility timers with any amount of remaining time).
US08070589B2
A skill-based redemption gaming machine in which a plurality of game symbols are arranged on a plurality of slot machine-type reels is configured to ensure that player awards comply with statutory guidelines. A player deposits consideration into the gaming machine and receives a corresponding number of plays and points, representing the number of available game plays and wager amounts, respectively. The player places a wager up to the number of available points which, upon commencement of play, are deducted from the total points value. Upon commencing play, the player is provided free replays or the opportunity to nudge one or more electronically displayed reels in an effort to obtain a certain alignment of game symbols. If such alignment is obtained, the player is presented with points and awards pursuant to a paytable, said rewards being redeemable for non-cash prizes.
US08070585B2
A game of chance is provided in which a predetermined fixed number of winning cell content drawn from a predetermined set of cell content. The drawn content is matched to the content on game cards and if the matched game card content covers a predetermined winning pattern then the game card is a winner. In one example, numerous winners may occur per game session because the game continues until the predetermined fixed number of winning cell content is drawn and not until a win occurs.
US08070584B2
In one embodiment, the invention is a secondary game played concurrently with a conventional Keno game. In Keno, a player selects a plurality of numbers (e.g., 4-20) within an M×N grid (e.g., 8×10) of different numbers. A random number generator randomly selects a plurality of numbers (e.g., 20) in the grid. The player is then granted a first award based on matches between numbers that the player selected and the randomly selected numbers. As a secondary game played over the Keno game, for each number randomly selected, all numbers in the same row and column in the grid as the selected number are highlighted on the grid display. The player is granted a second award (e.g., free games) for each number not being in a highlighted row or column at the end of the Keno game. Variations of the secondary game are described.
US08070582B2
In various embodiments a gaming device may play games automatically without input from a player.
US08070580B2
Upon a trigger event occurring during a main game on a video slot machine, a number of free games having a special feature are awarded to the player. For each trigger event that occurs during the free games, the lowest value symbol displayed for each free spin becomes a wild symbol or other high value symbol. The converted symbols remain converted during the entire free game session in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the converted symbols revert back to the original symbol if no further trigger event occurs in the free games. The accumulation of high value symbols over multiple spins increases the chances of the player winning an especially large award, such as a jackpot.
US08070566B2
A meat skinning device having a clamp and a shoe that holds a blade therebetween, the clamp having at least one groove that extends from one edge of the clamp to the other.
US08070565B2
The invention relates to a method for loosening the feathers of a fowl prior to killing and processing, by exposing the fowl to a radio frequency source producing a frequency from between approximately 5 GHz and approximately 40 GHz, with an average surface power density between approximately 10 mW per square centimeter and approximately 100 mW per square centimeter, for a predetermined period of time. The invention also relates to a method for killing bacteria on the fowl prior to killing and processing.
US08070561B2
A floor care machine such as a floor polisher includes a machine frame carrying a motor coupled through a drive arrangement to a rotationally driven head on which a floor care disc such as a polishing pad is mounted. The drive arrangement includes a drive element rotationally driven by the motor, and a driven element that is connected to the driven head and is automatically height adjustable. The drive element includes a bearing hub, an outer ring and four uniformly rotationally offset spokes that carry first rolling guides extending along helical paths about the rotation axis. The driven element includes upper and lower partial elements that receive the spokes therebetween and carry second rolling guides arranged facing the first rolling guides along the helical paths, and roller bodies are interposed therebetween. Relative rotation between the drive element and the driven element causes an axial height adjustment of the driven head.
US08070558B2
An epoxy porcelain tile surface including a plurality of spaced, substantially flat substantially smooth porcelain tiles and epoxy grouting substantially filling the spaces between the porcelain tiles. The plurality of spaced, substantially flat substantially smooth porcelain tiles are substantially flush with one another and substantially flush with the epoxy grouting.
US08070553B2
A doll arranged to depict a person realistically. A first image of a person such as a photograph is ultimately transferred to a flexible substrate such as a fabric sheet. The substrate is cut or trimmed generally to configuration of a human body. The substrate is joined to a corresponding rear substrate, thereby forming an outer shell having an open interior. The interior may be stuffed with soft material. The outer shell is then sealed to preclude escape of stuffing material. Optionally, the rear substrate may bear a second image such as that of the rear of the person furnishing the first image. The doll may range in size from very small to full body dimensions or may be even larger.
US08070551B1
A slotted rod for a construction toy is comprised of an elongated rod member having a body portion with a length that is substantially longer than the thickness. A conventional connector is located at each end of said rod member for connection to a hub member or to another rod member for constructing a structure utilizing the construction toy system. The rod includes a plurality of elongated slots arranged around the periphery with each slot extending axially along the length thereof. Each slot is capable of allowing a piece of sheet-like material to pass therethrough. The slots may be formed directly in the body portion of the rod member or in a sleeve that slides over and covers the body portion. In one embodiment, the slot has an opening at one end thereof whereby the sheet-like material can be inserted into the slot by moving it axially into position.
US08070549B2
A baby distraction item and more specifically a baby toy for storing baby care items such as baby clean-up items with the baby toy temporarily distracting a baby with the baby top comprising either a cover or a base with a chamber for holding baby care item so that when a caretaker cleans up a baby, the baby may grasp the handle and play with the base or cover as a toy to distract the baby while a diaper is changed.
US08070547B2
A spacer having bending portions in the vicinity of end portions is used, and grip portions provided between the end portions and the bending portions are held by holding units. Tension is applied to the spacer in a longitudinal direction, and the grip portions are rotated to release a rotational moment applied to a longitudinal portion of the spacer. In this state, the spacer is attached to a rear plate.
US08070546B2
A laser irradiation apparatus for bonding a first substrate to a second substrate using bonding members and a method of manufacturing a display device using the same, the laser irradiation apparatus including a stage on which the first substrate is mounted, bonding members disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a laser oscillating member configured to irradiate a laser beam onto the bonding members, and a temperature maintaining member co-operating with the first substrate to maintain a temperature of the first substrate at a predetermined temperature.
US08070540B2
A method and a conversion kit are provided for assembling marine propulsion systems such as those comprised of a Mercruiser Alpha One® type sterndrive unit, an OMC Cobra® type inboard engine and a transom assembly, and attaching the propulsion systems to marine vessels. The method and the kit use commercially available parts and minimal special hardware. The technique involves a modified transom assembly comprised of an inner transom plate, a gimbal housing, a gimbal ring equipped with machined custom-made hinge pins, two trim cylinders with corresponding trim pins, and a bell housing with specially designed bellows and adaptor nipple. The invention is also applicable to the assembling of other marine propulsion systems that are comprised of equivalent combinations of similar sterndrive units attached to other similar inboard engines by means of transom assemblies.
US08070538B2
A jet pump of a personal watercraft of the present invention includes a pump casing 10 provided with a fairing vane part including a plurality of fairing vanes 12, and the front portion of each of the fairing vanes 12 has two attack angles which are an attack angle α of the fairing vane and the front end attack angle β which is larger than the attack angle α. Thereby, the attack angle of the fairing vane is adapted to the water jet flow so that reduction of pump efficiency is suppressed.
US08070535B2
A printed circuit board terminal includes a rectangular metal wire rod having a substantially rectangle cross-section. One longitudinal end portion of the printed circuit board terminal includes an insertion portion that is configured to be inserted into a through hole provided in a printed circuit board and soldered. A conducting metal plated layer is provided on an entire surface of the rectangular metal wire rod. One marginal portion of the insertion portion, which faces a long side direction of the rectangle cross-section, is removed to reduce a dimension in the long side direction corresponding to a width direction.
US08070531B1
A keystone jack (10) includes a cover body (1), a lining body (2), a carrier body (3), a printed circuit board (4), a housing (5), and a flap (6). The cover body (1) includes a space (11). The space (11) includes a cruciform partition with an elongated partition plate (13) perpendicular interlaced a short partition plate (14). The lining body (2) has two edges (21). A connection part (22) is between the two edges (21). A stud (23) and a separation plate (24) are between the connection part (22) and the two edges (21). The stud (23) has a first channel (231). The separation plate (24) has a second channel. When the lining body (2) is installed in the space (11), the elongated partition plate (13) and the short partition plate (14) in the space (11) are through the first channel (231), the second channel (242), and the opening (25) to form a double-cross isolation structure. When the keystone jack (10) is used, the electricity is more stable, and the crosstalk interferences are decreasing, and the impedance is more stable, and the electronic signals are not decayed.
US08070530B1
A downsized modular jack with high surface-mounting performance. The modular jack has a housing and a terminal holder assembled thereto. The housing has a rear wall formed with a terminal insertion through-hole extending through a thickness of the rear wall, and a latch section insertion through-hole positioned beside the terminal insertion through-hole. The latch section insertion through-hole has an engaged portion positioned within the thickness of the rear wall. The terminal holder has a connector terminal extending through the terminal insertion through-hole and a latch section engaged with the engaged portion and positioned within the thickness of the rear wall upon assembly of the terminal holder into the housing.
US08070527B1
An electrical connector includes a limiting member having upper and lower sides and a piercer hole formed therethrough; two spaced-apart clamping structures formed on the upper side of the limiting member in parallel manner and sandwiching the piercer hole therebetween, each clamping structure including a protrusion projecting upward from the upper side and having a top portion, a cross-section width gradually larger toward the top portion and a recess adjacent to the protrusion; and a terminal disposed on the lower side of the limiting member, and having a piercing section extending into the piercer hole to pierce through a cable material so as to be exposed from the upper side of the limiting member. A gap defined by an adjacent pair of the protrusions is smaller than an adjacent pair of the recesses in order for clamping the cable material.
US08070525B2
An electrical connector assembly includes an insulative housing (1) with a plurality of terminal passages (12), a plurality of contacts (2) received in the corresponding terminal passages, and a shell (5) enclosing the insulative housing. The shell has a top shell (51) and a bottom shell (52) assembled with each other, the bottom shell comprises a frame-shaped base portion (520) and an extension portion (523) extending backwards and bent downwards from the base portion. The base portion defines a top wall (5201), a bottom wall (5202) and a pair of side walls (5203) connecting with the top wall and the bottom wall, the extension portion has a bottom surface lower than the bottom wall of the base portion and a pair of side portions bent upwards from lateral edges of the bottom surface, the side walls of the base portion and the side portions of the extension portion have a locking mechanism engaging the base portion with the extension portion.
US08070524B2
An electric plug device and a method for extending and replacing a malfunctioning female power outlet are provided. The electric plug device comprises a mains plug, an extension cable, and a power extender. The mains plug comprises a male power inlet and multiple first female power outlets. The male power inlet is electrically connected to the first female power outlets and provides an electrical input pathway. The first female power outlets provide electrical output pathways. The malfunctioning female power outlet may be one of the first female power outlets. The extension cable electrically connects the malfunctioning female power outlet to the power extender. The power extender comprises multiple second female power outlets. The malfunctioning female power outlet is connected to the second female power outlets by the extension cable. The extension cable and the power extender enable the extension and the replacement of the malfunctioning female power outlet respectively.
US08070522B2
An apparatus for connecting a router blade to a router chassis is provided. The apparatus includes an engagement portion; a first side portion coupled with the engagement portion; and a second side portion coupled with the engagement portion. The engagement portion includes a connector system that is operable to couple a router blade with a router chassis. The first side portion is operable to engage the router blade and the router chassis. The second side portion is operable to engage a router blade and the router chassis. The engagement portion, first side portion, and second side portion are sized to engage the router chassis and receive the router blade.
US08070520B2
An electrical card connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1), a set of first contacts (21), and a metal shell (4) covering the insulative housing. The insulative housing has a receiving space (15) for receiving a first card and a bottom wall (11) under the receiving space. The bottom wall has a set of slots (111) extending along the first card insertion direction. The slots include a special slot (110) having a protrusion (1101) extending thereinto. The contacts have first retaining portions (214) retained in the insulative housing, first contacting portions (212) received in the slots (111) and bending upwardly into the receiving space (15) for mating with the first card, and first tail portions (215) extending from the first retaining portions for being mounted to a PCB. The first contacts include a special contact (210) having a connecting portion (216) extending along the special slot (110) and located between the first contacting portion (212) and the first retaining portion (214). The connecting portion (216) is sustained upwardly by the protrusion (1101).
US08070515B2
A shield case of the invention includes a base of a generally U-shape in front view having widthwise end portions, the end portions each having a front surface and a back surface; a pair of folded-back portions, provided on the front the back surfaces of the end portions of the base and folded back backward, or alternatively provided on the back surfaces of the end portions of the base and folded back forward; a pair of side walls, extending from the folded-back portions along a length of the end portions of the base; a pair of first locking pieces, extending downward from the side walls; and a linking portion adapted to link between the side walls. The base, the side walls, and the linking portion define a body containing portion.
US08070514B2
A connector assembly includes a housing and substantially identical contacts. The housing is configured to mate with a mating connector. The contacts are arranged in a plurality of sets in the housing. The contacts are configured to electrically couple with the mating connector. Each set of contacts is arranged to communicate a different type of data signal with the mating connector. Optionally, the contacts are formed as substantially identical pins. The different sets of contacts may concurrently communicate the different types of data signals.
US08070507B1
A connector assembly includes a connector connected to a number of cables, and a cable management member pivotably attached to the connector. The cable management member includes a pressing plate for binding the cables.
US08070499B2
A card edge connector for mating with an electronic card includes an elongated housing, a number of contacts and a retainer retained to the housing. The housing has a pair of side walls, a central slot between the side walls and a fitting section upwardly extending at one end thereof. The fitting section defines a first U-shaped cavity downwardly extending from a top end thereof and a mounting slot upwardly extending from a lower end thereof and located at outside of the first cavity. The first cavity communicates with the central slot along a length direction of the housing to receive the electronic card. The retainer is retained in the mounting slot and has a locking projection protruding into the first cavity to lock with the electronic card. The mounting slot does not extend through the fitting section to make the retainer hidden in the fitting section.
US08070497B2
An electrical connector including an insulative housing and a number of terminals. The insulative housing includes an upper substrate and a lower substrate. The upper substrate defines an array of upper holes and the lower substrate defines an array of lower holes corresponding to the upper holes. The terminals are received in the upper and lower holes and each comprises an upper contact, a lower contact electrically connecting with the upper contact and a spring located between the upper contact and the lower contact. The upper contact protrudes a restricting portion for restricting the spring. A diameter of the lower hole is less than that of the upper hole and a distance of the restricting portion. So a top surface of the lower substrate supports the restricting portion.
US08070496B2
The present invention relates to a contact terminal unit and a socket connector incorporated with the same contact terminal units. A contact terminal unit comprises a plurality of conductive strings twisted into a single strand, and an insulative material encapsulating the strand. The socket connector is incorporated with a plurality of the same contact terminal units.
US08070495B2
An electrical connector assembly (1) mounted on a printed circuit board (4) includes at least two electrical connectors (2) located on one side of the printed circuit board (4) and a back plate arrangement (3) located on the other side of the printed circuit board (4) opposite to the electrical connectors (2). The back plate arrangement (3) secures the electrical connectors (2) onto the printed circuit board (4), and includes at least two back plates (30) and at least one connecting bridge (31) interconnecting the at lest two back plates (30).
US08070493B2
A measurement system apparatus is provided, which includes an elongated bar and a plurality of discrete measurement unit pieces received along the bar. The elongated bar is metered in accordance with a measurement system. Each measurement unit piece represents an incremental unit of the measurement system. A method is also provided for instructing a student as to a measurement system which generally includes the steps of providing an elongated bar, with the bar being metered along its length to reflect incremental units of a measurement system, providing a plurality of measurement unit pieces corresponding to the metered incremental units of the measurement system, and placing selected measurement unit pieces along the elongated bar.
US08070492B1
A device that assists students in reading by using an opaque sheet to cover an entire page. The sheet has a “window” slot in the center that highlights a single line on the page. The device also has a curved slider that is pivotably attached at the top of the sheet. The placement of the pivot point and the shape of the curved member are such that in the initial position, the entire slot is covered. The student moves the curved slider letter by letter until syllables and words are exposed. As letters, syllables and words are exposed, the student reads them. At no time is the student distracted by other text on the page or the remaining words on the line. Once the line has been mastered, the slider can be returned to the initial position and the sheet slid down to the next line to repeat the process.
US08070491B2
Holding element for a dental implant including: an engagement section adapted for engagement with a manipulating tool; a retention section joined to the engagement section and adapted for engagement with a package, in particular an ampule; and a clamping section joined to the retention section and adapted for connecting the holding element to the dental implant, the clamping section including a force transmission element, wherein the clamping section further includes a clamping element provided with an elastic means extending in a non-compressed position thereof at and beyond the outer perimeter defined by the force transmission element.
US08070490B1
An apparatus for separating teeth utilizing a base member having a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion. A first spring extends outwardly from the first end portion while a second spring extends outwardly from the second portion of the base member. A lingual shield spans the distal portions of the first and second springs extending from the base member. A pair of tines overlap one another, one tine extending from the base member, the other extending from the shield. The first and second springs urge the meeting or overlapping of the first and second tines in the vicinity of gap for meeting place between a pair of teeth.
US08070479B2
An injection mold device includes: a stationary mold plate including a stationary mold body, a protrusion, and a sprue having a sprue open end; a movable mold plate formed with a first forming part; and a stripper plate including a stripper mold body, a recess, a second forming part, and a plurality of runners. When the stationary mold plate, the movable mold plate, and the stripper plate are assembled, the protrusion is received within the recess such that the sprue open end is in fluid communication with the runners, and the first forming part and the second forming part form a mold cavity.
US08070474B2
A lamination shaping apparatus has a powder layer preparing means and an optical unit which irradiates a light beam to an intended portion of a powder layer so as to sinter or melt for solidifying the portion into a cured layer. Preparation of the powder layer and curing of the cured layer are repeated to fabricate a three-dimensional object in which a plurality of the cured layers are laminated and integrated. The apparatus includes a fixed base carrying thereon the powder layer and the cured layer, an elevator frame surrounding a periphery of the fixed base, and driving means for driving the elevator frame to move vertically. The powder layer is formed within a space above the base and surrounded by an interior surface of the elevator fame such that the powder layer (cured layer) can be stacked on the base with the base being kept at a fixed position, thereby facilitating to fabricate a precisely shaped object.
US08070470B2
A mold assembly has two mold half shells each having an outer and inner wall for defining the shape of a container to be formed. Two mold half carriers each have an inner wall overlaying and spaced from a corresponding mold shell outer wall for supporting the shells in the assembly. At least one insulating pad is sandwiched between the inner wall and the corresponding outer wall and is secured to one of the inner wall and the outer wall. The pad supports the outer wall in non-contacting and buffering relation relative the carrier inner wall. Each pad may be secured in a recessed seat in the respective wall. Pads may be secured in recessed seats having a depth less than the thickness of the pad. Pads absorb mold operational forces to reduce wear, reduce conduction from shell to carrier and facilitate the use of different-sized shells with one carrier.
US08070465B2
This refrigerating compressor comprises a sealed chamber delimiting a suction volume and a compression volume arranged respectively either side of a body contained in the chamber, and an oil injection circuit arranged to inject oil into the compression volume. The oil injection circuit comprises a moving blocking piece, operated by a centrifugal force, between a first position enabling oil injection into the compression volume and a second position preventing or limiting oil injection into the compression volume, the blocking piece being arranged to be displaced into its second position when the speed of the compressor exceeds a predetermined value.
US08070458B2
Pump apparatus and method. The pump can include a valve assembly and a diaphragm. In some embodiments, the diaphragm can include a convolute that can deform in order to increase a volume of a pumping chamber to provide an internal fluid bypass when a pressure in the pumping chamber exceeds a bypass pressure. In some embodiments, the pump can include a fluid reservoir at least partially defined by a wall with a flow-restrictive conduit in fluid communication with an outlet chamber. A shut-off switch can include an actuator in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir. The fluid reservoir and the flow-restrictive conduit can substantially isolate the shut-off switch from pressure pulses in the outlet chamber.
US08070456B2
A method for operation of a compressor supplied by a power converter having an operating condition (BV) for the compressor (12) supplied by a power converter, generated from a measured actual rotational speed (n) of the compressor and a given effective current component (iW) of a measured power converter output current (I) using a stored speed-dependent pump characteristic curve (SG) monitored for validity such that on determining invalidity, as per a stored speed-dependent instantaneous curve, a control signal (SSG) for reducing a torque (M) is generated. A method for operation of a compressor supplied by a power converter is then achieved with which the duration and the intensity of surge conditions is significantly reduced.
US08070455B2
A primary scotch yoke and a secondary scotch yoke are coupled in opposing arrangement and rigidly attached to a linearly reciprocating element. Each scotch yoke includes a rotary actuator with a cam follower and a yoke attached to the reciprocating element. Each yoke has a cam with an open gap through which the follower may be disengaged from the cam and stopped to an idle position. The follower of the secondary scotch yoke is kept idle in a position similarly disengaged from its cam. A controller detects a failure in the primary scotch yoke, disengages the cam follower of the primary yoke from its cam, and energizes the secondary scotch yoke, thereby causing its cam follower to engage its yoke and continue to provide uninterrupted motion to the reciprocating element, in particular the portable pneumatic pump driving an artificial heart.
US08070445B2
The present invention relates to a turbomachine rotor balancing system comprising a balancing flange (52) provided with through-passageways (78), the system further comprising balance weights (54) each mounted fixedly on the flange (52) by means of a first and a second screw/nut assembly (56a, 56b) having a first and a second screw (84, 84) passing through a first and a second passageway (78, 78). According to the invention, said first screw is pressing against a first tangential end side (116) of the first through-passageway, and at a distance from a second tangential end side, and the second screw is pressing against a second tangential end side (118) of the second through-passageway, and at a distance from the first tangential end side.
US08070444B2
A turbine (5) having at least two sets of co-axially mounted, rotatable blades (10, 15) arranged so that one set cannot eclipse another. Preferably, the sets of blades (10, 15) are contra-rotatable. Each set of blades (10, 15) may be operable to extract similar amounts of energy, thereby to minimise the net reactive torque.
US08070443B1
A turbine rotor blade with a leading edge region cooled by a series of impingement cooling cavities that repeats from near the platform to the blade tip to provide impingement cooling for the leading edge without a loss of cooling air flow volume. A cooling supply cavity delivers cooling air to a series of impingement cavities located on the pressure side, the leading edge and the suction side of the airfoil in a series flow. The spent cooling air from the series then flows up into the next series of impingement cavities to provide impingement cooling to the next section of the leading edge. The cooling air flows through multiple series of impingement cooling cavities until the blade tip, which then discharges the spent impingement cooling air through tip cooling holes.
US08070438B2
An injection-molded thermoplastic mini-platform is adhesively bonded, in use, to the aerofoil surfaces of a fan blade in a gas turbine engine. The mini-platform is divided into a number of leaves, to increase its flexibility, and ribs beneath the leaves provide additional stiffness in the radial direction. In the event that a fan blade is released in operation, the mini-platform is designed to detach from the blade and/or to break apart, so that damage to other components of the engine is minimized.
US08070435B1
A split ring wedge bearing friction damper for an aero engine that allows the engine to operate without an oil tank, a pump, and a lubricant cooler, the friction damper having a damper ring and a wedge ring that both have wedge surfaces in contact so that an axial load can be applied to the bearing outer race to provide damping to the bearing, and so that the damper ring can also have a radial displacement to produce a radial load on the damper ring against the stator bearing support surface in which the axial load provides the friction damping and the radial load eliminates lost motion for maximum damping.
US08070433B2
An enclosure includes a back plate and a heat dissipating device. The back plate includes a plurality of locking members extending from the back plate. The heat dissipating device attached to the back plate and includes a plurality of fixing members engaging with the locking members.
US08070432B2
A static gas turbine component includes an inner and an outer annular support member and a plurality of circumferentially spaced radial struts arranged between the support members for transmitting structural loads. Each of a plurality of the struts includes a load carrying core rigidly fixed to both the inner and the outer support member forming a unitary carcass with the support members, an impact resistant shell surrounding the core, and an energy absorbing material arranged between the core and the shell.
US08070419B2
A molecular spiral-type vacuum pumping stage comprises a smooth surfaces rotor disk cooperating with a stator body. The stator body comprises a plurality of spiral channels on at least one surface facing the rotor disk. The cross-section area (σ) of these channels are reduced from the center to the outer periphery of the stator body so that the condition is satisfied according to which the internal channel speed, i.e. the product of the channel cross-section area and half the rotor velocity normal to the aforesaid area, is constant throughout the channels. Due to this arrangement, it is possible to avoid the risk of internal compression or re-expansions, this limiting the power losses. The present invention also refers to a vacuum pump comprising at least one pumping stage as described above.
US08070414B2
A rear loading cargo carrying wheeled vehicle includes a pair of container lifts for moving shipping containers between a container support platform on the vehicle and an unloaded position behind the vehicle. Each lift typically includes a pivot arm pivotally mounted on the vehicle, a telescoping arm telescopically mounted on the pivot arm, and a container engaging support member mounted on the telescoping arm for engaging and supporting the containers. A platform lift is provided for lowering the platform during the loading operation to provide greater stability. The container support platform includes a forward section and tail section which is movable relative to the forward section to provide greater clearance for loading and unloading the container. Guide walls along either side of the platform guide misaligned containers onto the platform. The container lifts are configured for loading and unloading one or more containers onto and from the platform.
US08070405B2
An anchoring device having a tapered, at least partially threaded shank with a front end, a drilling head and at a rear end thereof, a torque applying head and an anchor coaxially enveloping a front portion of the shank. The arrangement is such that during drilling through the structure the anchor axially displaces towards the rear end of the shank, wherein the shank tightens against an inside surface of the anchor so as to expand the anchor within the bore being simultaneously drilled, for fixedly retaining thereof within the structure.
US08070398B2
A shank that has one end adapted to be connected to a chuck of a rotary tool. The opposite end of the shank supports a cutting head having a series of teeth formed on the edge thereof for cutting the periphery of the hole. A screw tip may be provided for feeding the bit into and through the wood. A plurality of cutting blades are provided for boring the interior of the hole. The cutting blades define a plurality of cutting edges that are disposed at different angles to a plan perpendicular to the axis of rotation.
US08070390B2
A method and apparatus for the repair of damaged piles and a repaired pile assembly, are included herein, wherein the method comprises providing a pile comprising a first pile side configured to define a first channel, and a second pile side configured to define a second channel. The pile has at least one damaged section. The method also includes providing at least two bent plates; attaching a first bent plate to the pile to fit within the first channel; and attaching a second bent plate to the pile to fit within the second channel. The bent plates overlap the damaged section. At least one cover plate is attached to at least one of: the pile, or the first and second bent plates, to form at least one compartment. Each compartment is then at least partially filled with a grout; and the grout is cured or allowed to cure.
US08070388B2
The invention relates to a structure for transporting, installing and dismantling a fixed oil platform provided with framework elements which are substantially formed by a bridge and at least one supporting pillar. The inventive structure comprises a floating U-shaped shell provided with at least three lifting legs adapted for resting upon the bottom of the sea and a shuttle movable along the lifting legs for displacing a platform element. Said shuttle consists of at least three elements each of which is associated with the lifting leg and is provided with mechanical means for driving on the corresponding lifting leg in a manner independent of the shell of the structure and with means for connecting to displaceable framework element. Methods for transporting, installing and dismantling the bridge or the supporting pillar of a fixed offshore oil platform are also disclosed.
US08070381B2
A base unit for a road stud is provided. In one embodiment, the base unit is made of plastic and has a recess with a plurality of projections. The projections extend over the floor of the recess for retaining a resilient insert within the recess. The base unit comprises a first portion representing the body of the base unit, and one or more additional portions fitted to said first portion, for example by adhesive bonding. Each of said projections may be formed from one or more planar elements. The base unit further has a front portion, a back portion, and opposing side walls, wherein the recess is located between the front and back portion and the opposing side walls. The underside of the front and back portions is provided with ribbing for transverse strengthening. A cavity is formed in the underside of each of the opposing side walls. A colorant may be added to the plastic of the base unit in order to color the base unit, for example to match the color of reflectors provided in the insert. The top surface of the base unit may be provided with an anti-skid pattern.
US08070380B2
A traffic channelizer is provided. In one implementation, the traffic channelizer may include upper and lower portions with a center region in between. The center region may include front and back surfaces joined together by multi-faceted end regions extending and tapered from the bottom of the traffic channelizer to the top of the traffic channelizer. A handle for carrying the traffic channelizer and a bracket for mounting a warning light or other signage may be provided at the top of the traffic channelizer. The front and back surfaces may include a recessed region for mounting a reflective material or other signage.
US08070368B1
A hermetically packaged integrated optical circuit includes an integrated optical circuit and a hermetically sealed container, which defines a volume. The integrated optical circuit is secured within the volume. The hermetically packaged integrated optical circuit further includes a fill gas comprising oxygen disposed within the volume of the hermetically sealed container.
US08070367B2
An LC format optical connector for terminating an optical fiber includes a housing configured to mate with an LC receptacle, the housing including a shell, a first resilient latch disposed on a surface of the shell, and a backbone. The LC format connector also includes a collar body disposed in the housing and retained between the outer shell and the backbone, wherein the collar body includes a fiber stub disposed in a first portion of the collar body. The collar body further includes a mechanical splice disposed in a second portion of the collar body, the mechanical splice configured to splice the second end of the fiber stub to a second optical fiber. The LC format connector further includes a trigger coupled to an outer surface of the housing backbone, the trigger including a second latch that engages the first latch when acted upon by a pressing force. An optical connector with a single piece latch structure is also provided.
US08070339B2
A vehicle lamp including a projector headlight using an LED light source for a low beam can include a shade, an LED light source, an ellipsoidal reflector and a projector lens. Both a focus of the projector lens and a top edge of the shade can be located near a second focus of the reflector. The LED light source can be located near a first focus located below the second focus of the reflector. Therefore, light emitted from the LED light source can be effectively gathered near the focus of the projector lens via the reflector and can be projected via the projector lens with high light use-efficiency. The projector lens can include light dispersing portions or structures on an upside and downside thereof for reducing chromatic aberration. Thus, the lamp can project a favorable light distribution that can conform to light distribution standards for vehicle headlights and the like.
US08070335B2
The invention relates to a fixture for a headlight unit, comprising fastening means (105) for attaching the fixture to a support part (102) of a front unit of a motor vehicle, a reception zone (106) for the headlight unit, and first and second spaced-apart elastic means (112, 114) between the fastening means and the reception zone. The reception zone extends between the first and second elastic means which are embodied such that the reception zone for the headlight unit can be translationally moved substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the motor vehicle in order to mount the fixture into a motor vehicle.
US08070331B2
A suspension has a holding element to which an arm is rotatably fastened, wherein a coupling element is provided which is rotatable around the holding element independently of the arm and which forms a security against rotation.
US08070327B1
Display lamp includes a base and a cover having a lower face. A side is provided between the cover and base, and the side, cover, and base define a display volume. A light source on the base directs light at a reflector on lower face of cover, and reflector reflects light from light source downwardly away in a diffuse manner within the display volume. There may be a light housing covering the light source and an oculus in an upper portion of light housing configured for directing light at the reflector. A light guide may be provided adjacent the light source for collimating light emitted from the light source into a column of light directed at the reflector. There may be a support between the cover and base for supporting an article to be displayed in the display volume, and illuminated by reflected light from the reflector.
US08070326B2
A lens that angularly redistributes light from an LED is disclosed. The desired illuminance (power per area) pattern for an LED/lens combination has a relatively flat center, a knee, and a gradual tail. By overlapping adjacent combinations' tails, the resulting illuminance pattern may be generally uniform, with relatively loose tolerances on LED/lens placement and performance. The lens has a proximal face with a concave spherical indentation with its center at the light source. The lens's distal face has a “center thickness” (CT) on-axis, a peak thickness away from a longitudinal axis of about 1.0 to 1.2 times the CT, a radius at which the peak thickness occurs of about 0.5 to 1.0 times the CT, a radius at which the thickness returns to the CT of about 1.1 to 1.5 times the CT, and a radius (maximum lateral extent) of the lens of about 1.6 to 1.9 times the CT.
US08070322B2
Disclosed herein are examination light embodiments. A light having a frame for holding the light has a frontal support member with first and second lateral sides. Disposed on each first and lateral sides are one or more actuators for controlling functionality of the light. A first and second handle are associated with the first and second lateral sides, respectively. The one or more actuators are located proximate to the first and second handles to enable movement and functionality control of the light that requires the use of only one hand.
US08070320B2
A laser illumination device including a body, a head secured to the body, a laser generator accommodated in the head, and a rotatable output adjustment member having a graduated disk and an adjustment disk. The graduated disk defines a circle of graduated sections, at least one of which is exposed out of the head. The adjustment disk includes a plurality of through holes with different sizes, arranged in a circle. The measuring member coupled with the graduated disk rotates relative to the body to align each one of the through holes with the laser generator, to adjust the amount of laser light passing through the one of the through holes.
US08070317B2
An LED assembly includes a plurality of LED modules, a plurality of individual lenses and a pressing plate. Each LED module has a printed circuit board and a plurality of LEDs attached to the printed circuit board. Each lens covers a corresponding LED. Each lens includes a supporting base and a light adjusting portion disposed on the supporting portion. The pressing plate defines a plurality of through holes corresponding to the light adjusting portions of the lenses. The lenses cooperates with the LEDs. The light adjusting portions of the lenses extend through the through holes of the pressing plate. The pressing plate presses peripheral portions of the supporting bases towards the printed circuit boards of the LED modules.
US08070314B2
A push fit waterproof interconnect hub for a sequence of lighting fixtures. Each interconnect hub is formed as part of a special end cap of the lighting fixture. The interconnect hubs include a waterproof interconnect system that allows pass-through of electrical dabbling.
US08070312B2
A fluorescent lamp tube catcher formed of bent wire can be detachably engaged with a light fixture, with the central portion of the lamp tube catcher positioned below fluorescent tubes in the light fixture during use. In the event that a fluorescent lamp tube inadvertently becomes loose in the light fixture, the fluorescent lamp tube catcher can stop the loose fluorescent lamp tube from falling. The fluorescent lamp tube catcher can be loosely retained on the light fixture, for example while replacing a fluorescent lamp tube that has failed.
US08070305B2
A refrigerated merchandiser including a case that defines a product display area adapted to support product. The case includes a frame that has at least one mullion assembly defining an opening into the product display area, and a door that is positioned over the opening. The mullion assembly includes a mullion, a light assembly that is coupled to the mullion and that has a light source for illuminating at least a portion of the product display area, and a reflective surface that is coupled to at least one side of the mullion assembly and that extends along a length of the mullion. The reflective surface is visible from outside the case to increase visibility of product within the product display area.
US08070303B2
Optical structures and sheeting that include polyurea and method for forming same are proposed in accordance with aspects of the present invention. One and two-component layers can be used to form the optical structures. The optical structures can include microstructures formed from polyurea. The sheeting can include at least one of cube-corner prisms, open-faced cube-corner prisms, linear prisms, lenticular lenses, moth-eye structures, lenses, Fresnel lens arrays, lenses, and fish-eye lens arrays.
US08070302B2
A laminate type light emitting diode device having excellent heat radiation performance and high output capability is provided. A plurality of reflection type light emitting diode units 10 each of which includes a light emitting diode 2 and a dichroic mirror 3 in a hollow metal holder case 5 having high thermal conductivity so as to face each other are joined to one another through joint members 4 formed of electrical insulating material, thereby constructing the laminate type light emitting diode device 100.
US08070301B2
A multi-lamp projection display apparatus is provided. The multi-lamp projection display apparatus includes a plurality of detachable lamp boxes each having a lamp used as a light source and a memory; and a control device configured to assign an address of the memory in each of the lamp boxes in accordance with an attaching position of the lamp box and write information into the memory.
US08070300B2
A projection enabling replacement of its lamp with minimum components. The light source lamp section includes a high-pressure discharge lamp and a metal reflector to which the high-pressure discharge lamp is attached. A plurality of engaging portions are provided on an opening rim of the metal reflector, while engaged portions are provided in a lamp housing section of the body of the projection display. The engaged portions are engaged with the engaging portions. By engaging the plurality of engaging portions of the opening rim with the engaged portions of the lamp housing section, the light source lamp section is secured to the lamp housing section of the body.
US08070299B2
A light source apparatus includes a light source unit that supplies light having a first wavelength, a wavelength conversion element that converts the light having the first wavelength into the light having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, and a wavelength separator that separates the first-wavelength light from the second-wavelength light. The wavelength separator directs the second-wavelength light from the wavelength conversion element in the exit direction and the first-wavelength light from the wavelength conversion element in a direction other than the exit direction.
US08070298B2
An imaging system (200) includes a plurality of laser sources (201) configured to produce a plurality of light beams (204). One or more optical alignment devices (220) orient the light beams (204) into a collimated light beam (205). A light modulator (203) modulates the collimated light beam (205) such that images (206) can be presented on a display surface (207). Speckle is reduced with an optical feedback device (221) that causes the laser sources (201) to operate in a coherence collapsed state. Examples of optical feedback devices (221) include partially reflective mirrors and beam splitter-mirror combinations.
US08070297B2
A projector that projects video light corresponding to an image signal onto a display surface includes: a light source device that emits light; a housing that houses at least the light source device; a projection lens, that is, an optical element that transmits the video light projected onto the display surface and emits the video light toward the outside of the housing; a detecting unit that detects detection light supplied to the optical element; and a control unit that adjusts a light amount of the video light on the basis of a result of the detection by the detecting unit. The projector is set such that, when the optical element is in a normal setting state, the light amount density of the video light is equal to or lower than a predetermined value on an emission surface for emitting the video light of the optical element.
US08070290B2
Various embodiments relate to opthalmoscopic devices, systems and methods for viewing the anterior chamber, trabecular meshwork, iris root, scleral spur, and/or related nearby structures in the eye. In some embodiments, devices, systems and/or methods may employ a plurality of gonioscopic optical elements that form a virtual image that can be imaged by a microscope directly in front of a patient (e.g., without tilting the patient's head). Various embodiments described herein may be useful for ophthalmologic diagnoses, treatments, monitoring and/or surgical procedures. Some embodiments include a gonioscopic attachment configured to attach to a conventional gonioscope and redirect light emitted by the gonioscope. Various embodiments described herein can be incorporated into disposable, single-use gonioscopes.
US08070289B2
A system for imaging of the central and peripheral retina, includes one of a concave mirror and an elliptical mirror having an axis and being configured to rotate around the axis and a scanner configured to using a spectral domain optical coherence tomography system to obtain a non-contact wide angle OCT-image of a large portion of the central and peripheral retina.
US08070286B2
In an image recording apparatus using an inkjet mode, printing paper fed from a paper feeder 2 is supplied onto tables 1 movable by an endless transport mechanism of a table moving mechanism 5. After each table 1 is transferred from the endless transport mechanism to linear motor mechanisms 61 of the table moving mechanism 5, an image is recorded by an image recorder 3. Subsequently, the table 1 is transferred from the linear motor mechanisms 61 to the endless transport mechanism, and then the printing paper on the table 1 is discharged by a paper discharger 4.
US08070285B2
A recording device includes: a recording head which performs a recording operation on a recording medium; a transport member which has a plurality of through holes arranged therein and transports the recording medium; and a suction unit which has a suction force generating section for generating a suction force for sucking air and a plurality of communication channels for communicating the suction force generating section with the respective through holes and generates a suction force in the through holes to suck the recording medium onto the transport member. On the upstream side of the recording area in a transport direction, a suction force at the center in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium is larger than a suction force at the opposite ends.
US08070280B2
In an ink-jet recording apparatus, insoluble materials originating from rubber members employed in an ink passage are prevented from precipitating into a preservation solution or a water-based ink filled into the ink passage. The ink-jet recording apparatus in which the preservation solution or a water-based ink is filled into the ink passage, is configured such that a rubber member employed in the ink passage is formed of a rubber not containing a lubricant.
US08070277B2
This invention provides an ink jet assembly that prevents and controls ink drips from upper print heads from contacting the lower print heads or paper in the system. A heated ink drip bib is provided below the ink jet releasing portion of a print head. This ink drip bib directs falling or dripping ink into a drip tray located below each ink bib during the purge cycle. The ink bibs and the drip trays are co-extensive so that any ink being deflected from the ink bib is caught by the ink tray. In one embodiment, the ink bib is angled away from the printing surface to ensure that any solidified ink is separated from an imaging surface.
US08070273B2
An ink storage container having a simply configured ink exchange function is provided, whereby the amount of stored ink is increased. An air flow control unit for controlling the flow of air between the inside and outside is disposed in an ink storage unit for storing ink. The air flow control unit includes: a valve element that is formed of an interconnected porous material and allows air to be exchanged between the inside and outside of the ink storage unit according to positive and negative changes in the internal pressure of the ink storage unit; and a liquid repellent membrane that has air permeability and liquid repellency and is disposed on an ink side of the valve element.
US08070272B2
An ink cartridge 500 according to the invention is mounted on a carriage to reciprocate together with a coating head and serves to supply an ink in an air side containing portion 270 and a supply side containing portion 290 to the coating head. The air side containing portion 270 and first and second ink containing portions 292 and 294 are formed by a liquid containing concave portion 122 of a cartridge body 120 having one open surface opposed to a direction of a reciprocation of the coating head and a film 140 for sealing the open surface of the liquid containing concave portion 122. A stirring and moving member 711 is accommodated in the air side containing portion 270 and the second ink containing portion 294 in a movable state, respectively.
US08070270B2
Provided is a liquid supply apparatus including: a liquid supply path which supplies a liquid from an upstream side, which is a liquid supply source, to a downstream side in which the liquid is consumed; a defoaming chamber which is provided in the liquid supply path and defoams air bubbles included in the liquid; and a depressurization chamber which is provided at a position adjacent to the defoaming chamber with a partition wall interposed therebetween and is depressurized such that the pressure thereof becomes lower than the pressure of the defoaming chamber, wherein the partition wall allows permeation of gas by the depressurization of the depressurization chamber and restricts permeation of the liquid, wherein the partition wall has rigidity, and wherein the defoaming chamber is arranged in plurality and at least two of the defoaming chambers overlap with one depressurization chamber in an upper and lower direction.
US08070267B2
An ink jet recording element substrate includes a substrate; an ejection outlet array for ejecting ink; a heat generating element array comprising a plurality of heat generating elements for generating ejection energy for ejecting the ink from the ejection outlet array; a protecting film, comprising protecting portions, for protecting the heat generating element array; a common line, disposed along a side of the heat generating element array, for supplying electric power for driving the heat generating elements, and being divided into at least two portions by a line perpendicular to the heat generating element array; a testing electrode for testing a function of the protecting film; and an externally connecting electrode, disposed at an end of the substrate, for externally supplying electric power to the common line; wherein the ink jet recording element substrate further includes, in an area between the portions of the common line, a connecting line for electrically connecting the protecting portions of the protecting film disposed to sandwich the common line and a lead line for electrically connecting the protective film and the testing electrode.
US08070263B2
There are provided a printing head substrate, an ink jet printing head and an ink jet printing apparatus, which accurately detect a temperature state in the central part of a heater array on the substrate and restrict an area of the substrate to a minimum. A printing head substrate has a plurality of heating elements, a plurality of ink supply openings, a logic circuit for driving the heating elements; a substrate temperature detecting element for detecting a temperature of the printing head substrate, and input and output pads for carrying out reception and supply of a signal between a printing apparatus, and the logic circuit and the substrate temperature detecting element, wherein a beam integral with the substrate is provided between the plurality of ink supply openings, and the substrate temperature detecting element is arranged on the beam.
US08070253B2
An inkjet printer and a head cleaning method for an inkjet printer reduce the time required for head cleaning while also reducing needless ink consumption. The control unit 30 of the printer 1 confirms if a timer AID flag, impact detection flag, startup process flag, AID hold flag, or cover closed flag is set before executing the cleaning process a first time. If any one of the flags is set, the possibility that there are numerous defective nozzles in the printer 1 is high, and a stronger or more intense cleaning process (CL1 or CL2) is executed. Whether cleaning process CL1 or CL2 executes is determined according to the number of defective nozzles detected in the first nozzle check. If no flag is set, the weakest cleaning process (CL0) is executed.
US08070241B2
A track chain joint for an endless track chain of a track-type vehicle is configured to engage first and second sprockets of a drive wheel of the track-type vehicle. Exemplarily, the joint has a pin, a bushing on the pin, first and second collars positioned respectively axially outboard of the bushing on the pin, and first and second drive caps positioned respectively axially outboard of the first and second collars and fixed to the pin, the first and second drive caps configured to engage respectively the first and second sprockets. Such components may be embodied in a cartridge.
US08070240B2
A sprocket assembly for a track-type machine comprises a plurality of teeth, radially-disposed about a center of the sprocket assembly, each of the plurality of teeth comprising opposing tooth flanks, wherein successive pairs of teeth defines a substantially concave channel for receiving therein a cylindrical pin member associated with a track link member of a continuous track chain, each tooth flank having a tooth angle less than about 17 degrees.
US08070237B2
To predictively determine the occurrence of rear wheel lifting before actual lifting of a rear wheel occurs and enable control of brake force.Vehicle body deceleration is computed on the basis of wheel velocities obtained by wheel velocity sensors 45 and 46 (S102), and when it is determined that that computed value exceeds a predetermined value K1 (S104), then the pressure of a front wheel cylinder 3 is reduced by a predetermined pressure and held at that reduced pressure (S106), and when it is determined that vehicle body deceleration has fallen below a value that is, for example, lower by a predetermined value α than the predetermined value K1 (S108), then the state of holding of the pressure of the front wheel cylinder 3 is released (S110) and brake control returns to normal brake control.
US08070236B2
A vehicular brake hydraulic pressure control device has a first operation unit T1 including a first brake operation element; a first brake system K1 for braking a first wheel brake R corresponding to the first operation unit T1; and a first control valve unit A and B for controlling brake hydraulic pressure in the first brake system. In the device, the first operation unit T1 and the first brake system K1 are separated so as not to flow a brake fluid, and the device further comprises a brake fluid tank 30 having a reservoir function for supplying the brake fluid to the separated first brake system K1.
US08070234B2
A rear loading cargo carrying wheeled vehicle includes a pair of container lifts for moving shipping containers between a container support platform on the vehicle and an unloaded position behind the vehicle. Each lift typically includes a pivot arm pivotally mounted on the vehicle, a telescoping arm telescopically mounted on the pivot arm, and a container engaging support member mounted on the telescoping arm for engaging and supporting the containers. A platform lift is provided for lowering the platform during the loading operation to provide greater stability. The container support platform includes a forward section and tail section which is movable relative to the forward section to provide greater clearance for loading and unloading the container. Guide walls along either side of the platform guide misaligned containers onto the platform. The container lifts are configured for loading and unloading one or more containers onto and from the platform.
US08070231B2
A locking and releasing mechanism for a seat having a first fitting part associated with one of a seat part and a backrest and a second fitting part associated with the other one of the seat part and the backrest that may be locked and released relative to one another by the mechanism is disclosed. The mechanism includes a detent pawl configured to selectively latch the first fitting part to lock a displacement of the first fitting part and the second fitting part relative to one another and a detent plate configured to be reversibly displaced between a detent position, wherein the detent plate locks the detent pawl so that the detent pawl remains latched with the first fitting part, and a release position, wherein the detent plate allows the detent pawl to be released from the first fitting part. The mechanism also includes driver configured to selectively move the detent plate between the detent position and the release position. The driver includes a securing segment for securing the detent plate against self opening.
US08070227B2
A car seat is configured to rest on a seat of a vehicle and to support a child, and the car seat has a shell with a front side and a rear side and a seating surface on the front side. A first contact surface is defined on a part of the car seat facing generally opposite the seating surface. The first contact surface is oriented to support the car seat with the seating surface at a first seat incline. One or more adapter bodies are carried on the car seat and movable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The one or more adapter bodies each define a second contact surface. With the adapter bodies in the stowed position, the first contact surface is exposed to rest on the vehicle seat. With the adapter bodies in the deployed position, the one or more second contact surfaces are exposed and oriented to support the car seat with the seating surface at a second seat incline different than the first seat incline.
US08070226B2
An infant car seat base assembly has a base section with a top side, a bottom side, an upright base panel on a first end, and first and second openings vertically spaced apart on the upright base panel. A foot is attached to the first end and is slidable along the upright base panel in a direction generally normal to a plane of the bottom side between a first position and a second position. The foot has a foot body and a resilient, flexible leg extending up from the foot body. The flexible leg is exposed on an exterior of the base section and has a back side facing the upright base panel. The foot has a guide leg extending up from the foot body adjacent the flexible leg and positioned behind the upright base panel. A tab protrudes from the back side of the flexible leg and is sized to selectively seat in each of the first and second openings. The flexible leg biases the tab toward the upright base panel to seat in a selected one of the first and second openings when aligned therewith. The flexible leg can be bent outward away from the upright base panel to permit sliding the foot to one of the first or second positions.
US08070220B2
An exemplary embodiment providing one or more improvements includes a frame which attaches to outdoor furniture, in particular to a chair, and a canopy. Embodiments can be moved from an overhead position to a behind the chair position. The frames can be moved from a collapsed to a fully extended position. In embodiments the canopy can be positioned to contain the collapsed frame and chair in the carrying position.
US08070219B2
The present invention is related to a chair leg rest assembly or kit. The assembly or kit may include, among other things, a leg rest and a frame for extension and retraction of the leg rest. In addition, the invention may include a roller assembly connected to the leg rest for covering the frame. The invention is also related to a combination of the chair leg rest assembly or kit with a chair. In such a combination, the invention also includes a back which hingedly rotates independently from a seat.
US08070218B2
To get out a roof (2) retracted in a storage space (7) therefrom, a link mechanism carries out pushing-out operation of push-pull cable (90) so that a grip member with the roof (2) gripped thereby is moved by an elastic force of a main spring (79) along a rail (74) from a retracted position to a gripping position, where the roof (2) is then released from gripped condition by the grip member.
US08070199B2
Disclosed is a semiconductor package pickup apparatus. The apparatus includes a picker base formed with first and second main feeding holes, which are connected to each pneumatic line providing a pneumatic pressure and aligned in a dual-layer structure, and an adsorption pad coupled to a lower portion of the picker base and formed with adsorption holes connected to the first and second main feeding holes. The pneumatic pressure supplied into the first and second main feeding holes is independently controlled, so that the apparatus easily loads or picks up semiconductor packages, even if the size of the semiconductor packages becomes reduced.
US08070197B2
The present invention relates to an energy absorption device (1) for a bumper arrangement of a vehicle, with a hollow longitudinal section (2) intended for deformation, a rolled-back region (3) adjoining the hollow longitudinal section, and an extension section (4) connected to the rolled-back region. In order to improve an energy absorption device of this type to the extent that obliquely acting accident forces can be absorbed with a high degree of efficiency in as simple a manner as possible, it is proposed, in an initial state prior to energy absorption, to orient the hollow longitudinal section (2) obliquely with respect to the axial direction of the extension section (4).
US08070192B2
A dogging device includes a base mounted in a housing of a latch assembly. The base includes a hole through which a shaft rotatably extends. A limiting keyway extends from the hole and receives and limits rotation of a shaft key on the shaft. A dogging member includes a through-hole receiving the shaft. A keyway extends from the through-hole and receives the shaft key of the shaft, allowing joint rotation of the shaft and the dogging member. By engaging a tool with a driving groove in an end of the shaft or by utilizing a lock core key to turn a lock core that directly pivots the dogging member, the dogging member is pivotable between a first position engaged with a latching/unlatching control rod of the latch assembly to lock a latch bolt in a retracted state and a second position disengaged from the latching/unlatching control rod.
US08070184B2
A Supplemental Automotive Restraint System for Pregnant Women has a protective shell structure with integral “Pelvic Yoke and Crotch Post”, “Breast Plate”, structural “Abdominal Bridge/Shell” over the abdomen between the “Pelvic Yoke” and the “Breast Plate”, “Shoulder Belt Retainer”, and appropriate padding and fill material, all of which work in conjunction with the standard automotive Type II lap and shoulder belt restraint system as required to be installed in all new passenger cars manufactured for sale in the United States by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208 (FMVSS 208). The purpose of the “Supplemental Automotive Restraint System for Pregnant Women” is to reduce the likelihood of injury to a pregnant mother and her unborn child during maneuvering, crash, or other non-impact event of a motor vehicle while the mother is driving or riding in the vehicle.
US08070176B1
A trailer hitch is disclosed having a spacer in the form of a fastener or stopper that limits the travel of a spring clip so as to allow complete removal of the safety pin from the associated weight distribution rod, but does not allow the clip to extend to a position where the pin's end passes the entrance of the hitch's outer surface. The fastener/stopper thus prevents the user or vibration/wear from allowing the clip to overextend to the point where the pin may become separated from the hitch.
US08070174B2
A multi-mode tandem bicycle includes a frame, a steering wheel, a directional wheel, a first pedaling member, a second pedaling member, a first seat, a second seat, a first transmission unit, and a second transmission unit. By pivoting at least one of the first seat and the second seat on the frame, direction of the first seat or the second seat can be changed and fixed on the aforementioned frame, and at least one of the first seat and the second seat is pointed toward and connected with the steering wheel, thereby resulting in a variety of riding modes.
US08070171B2
The present invention includes methods and apparatus for easily adjusting a shock and strut assembly to modify the ride height of a vehicle by providing one or more spacers to be placed between the lower spring seat mount and the spring seat plate that rests upon it in order to raise the ride height of a vehicle. Embodiments include a unique location for a lower spring seat mount. The position of the lower spring seat mount may be lowered to reduce the ride height of the vehicle, and one or more spacers may be inserted above the lower spring seat mount to raise the ride height of the vehicle.
US08070170B2
A machine (A) includes a frame (16) and a platform (58) on which a boom assembly (B) is mounted. Two arms (332) of a U-shaped pivotal member (330) are pivotably mounted to the frame (16) about a first pivot axis (380) perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the frame (16). A front end (302) of a mounting plate (310) is pivotably connected to an intermediate section (336) of the pivotal member (330) about a second pivot axis (382) perpendicular to and spaced from the first pivot axis (380). Two rams (400) are mounted on opposite sides of a rear end (304) of the mounting plate (310). Each ram (400) includes a lower end (404) pivotably connected to the frame (16) and an upper end (402) pivotably connected to one of the sides of the mounting plate (310). The boom assembly (B), the mounting plate (310), and the pivotal member (330) pivot about the first pivot axis (380) and/or the second pivot axis (382) relative to the frame (16) due to relative movement of the rams (400).
US08070169B2
An actuator for an active roll control system that connects a stabilizer bar with a lower arm may include a screw housing having a space, a power transmitter slidably mounted in an upper interior circumference of the screw housing, and having an upper end portion connected to one end of the stabilizer bar and a lower end portion slidably movable in the space wherein the lower end portion of the power transmitter includes a screw groove and a screw thread is formed at an interior circumference of an inlet portion, a lead screw being inserted in the screw groove of the power transmitter and threaded to the screw thread of the inlet portion and having a screw rotation shaft integrally connected to a lower end thereof, and a drive motor mounted at a lower portion of the screw housing and having a rotation shaft connected to the screw rotation shaft.
US08070164B1
A child's memory game utilizes a plurality of miniature chairs and smaller play pieces. The play pieces all depict characters related to a particular subject, e.g. breakfast food. The chairs are lined up with their backs facing the players. One character play piece is placed on each chair, out of sight of the players. The players alternate guessing the location of play pieces and are awarded the chairs and play pieces when they guess correctly. The player with the most chairs and play pieces is the winner.
US08070157B2
A recording apparatus includes: edge guides which move in a width direction of the recording target medium and align side edges of the recording target medium which is stacked; a motor which moves the edge guides; a determining section which determines whether an electric current value when the motor is driven reaches a predetermined threshold value; and a position detecting section which detects a position of the edge guides in the width direction. Here, when the side edges of the recording target medium are aligned, the edge guides move close to the recording target medium and it is determined whether a difference between a position of the edge guides at the time when the electric current value reaches the predetermined threshold value and a position of the edge guides corresponding to the size of the recording target medium is equal to or smaller than a predetermined allowable value.
US08070154B2
A paper holding device includes a paper tray, a sliding plate, and a driving mechanism. The paper tray is configured for receiving printed paper. A shaft is secured to the paper tray. The sliding plate is slidably attached to the paper tray. A main gear member is disposed on the sliding plate. The driving mechanism is secured to the sliding plate and capable of sliding the main gear member along the shaft to slide the sliding plate on the paper tray.
US08070153B2
An image forming apparatus and a printing medium feeding unit thereof are disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a main body, a cassette removably mounted in the main body to load a printing medium therein, and a sensing unit provided in the main body to sense whether the cassette is mounted in the main body and whether the printing medium is in the cassette. The sensing unit includes a first actuator mounted in the main body to sense whether the printing medium is in the cassette, a second actuator mounted in the main body to sense whether the cassette is mounted in the main body, and a sensor having a sensing part to sense operation of the first actuator and the second actuator. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus can sense whether the cassette is properly mounted in the main body and whether the printing medium is in the cassette, with a simple constitution while minimizing the number of sensors.
US08070147B2
A clamping device includes a securing seat, a driving member movably mounted on the securing seat, a first fixture, a second fixture, a first securing pole, a second securing pole, a first joining member and a second joining member. The first fixture includes a first clamping member and a first connecting member. The first connecting member comprises a first moving portion. The second fixture includes a second clamping member and a second connecting member. The second connecting member includes a second moving portion. The first and second securing poles are fixed on the securing seat. The first and second joining members are respectively matched with the first and second securing poles. Two ends of the first joining member are respectively connected to the driving member and the first moving portion. Two ends of the second joining member are respectively connected to the driving member and the second moving portion.
US08070145B2
Because an electromagnetic chuck supplies current to a specific microcoil among a plurality of microcoils and makes an object exert an electromagnetic force working together with a magnet of the object, the object can be held in a state where the object is set at a desired position (a position that corresponds to the microcoil to which current has been supplied) on a base surface. Further, by gas that blows out from a gas supply passage, a levitation force is given to the object, which can reduce effects of a friction force that acts between the object and an upper surface of the electromagnetic chuck when the position of the object is set.
US08070144B2
A vehicle spring guide assembly is shown for mounting a coil spring to a suspension component of a vehicle. The assembly can include a vehicle mounting member and a spring guide member. The vehicle mounting member includes a bumper portion and a mounting interface portion. The mounting interface portion can be configured to engage the bumper portion and fixedly mount the bumper portion to a suspension component of a vehicle. The spring guide member can include an annular portion configured to engage with one end of a coil spring and a flexible frustoconical portion configured to extend within the inside diameter of the coil spring. The flexible frustoconical portion can be detachably engaged with the mounting interface portion of the vehicle mounting member, and can be configured to guide and isolate the coil spring during assembly.
US08070143B2
A resilient mount including a first mounting member and a second mounting member is provided. The mount includes a first plurality of stiffening elements located between the first and second mounting members. At least a first stiffening element of the first plurality of stiffening elements is non-parallel to a second stiffening element of the first plurality of stiffening elements. Each of the first plurality of stiffening elements has a material thickness and an out-of-plane dimension that is greater than the material thickness. Each stiffening element of the first plurality of stiffening elements is substantially rigid so as to substantially limit the deformation of the stiffening element under load. The mount may also include a resilient material located between and coupled to adjacent stiffening elements of the first plurality of stiffening elements.
US08070142B2
A tray assembly is provided for improved gas/liquid contact when used in a large chemical process tower. Each tray has a downcomer wall of which the lower portion is a distributor. The distributor has discharge ports sized to control the rate of liquid flow at different positions across the distributor and flanges aligned individually to direct liquid flow from different discharge ports across different areas of the tray deck immediately below the downcomer. In combination, discharge ports and liquid flow directing flanges effect even liquid flow across the surface of the tray immediately below. Benefits of this invention are trays with better mass transfer efficiency and enhanced capacity compared with prior art trays.
US08070140B2
A misting apparatus that is more durable and leaks less than systems known in the art. The apparatus includes a durable, integral flow control assembly and handle, which are especially beneficial for portable misting systems. The apparatus further includes a pressure gauge for monitoring the pressure inside the tank.
US08070139B2
The present invention provides a system for dispensing an air treatment and audibly indicating the dispensing and/or a change in the dispensing intensity. An exemplary audible indicator may include a pattern of a plurality of audible indicators having the same or different durations, having the same or different intensities, separated by the same or different intervals, and having the same or different audible impressions. Different audible indicators are associated with different device states, such as not dispensing, dispensing to create ambiance, dispensing in response to a malodor, or dispensing to offset habituation. Different audible indicators may also be associated with different malodors, or different intensities of the same or different malodors.
US08070138B2
A sauna apparatus includes an air blower, a blow channel and a humidifier. The air blower suctions and blows air. The blow channel conveys the suctioned air and humidified air. The humidifier has a sprayer that sprays humidifying water into the air passing through the blow channel for humidification, and a spray-water droplet splitter installed in a direction to which the sprayer sprays the water for humidification. By letting the sprayed water droplets collide with the splitter, the water droplets are split into much finer water droplets.
US08070135B2
A winch which can operate with an external brake, or the external brake can be removed to operate with an internal brake. The winch has a cable drum that rotates to get cable on and off the drum. Two eccentric cams are rotated to always keep a soft plastic part pressed against the drum.
US08070132B2
A fluid control device with a non-circular flow passageway is disclosed. The fluid control device has an inlet port (318) formed on a first side (314) of a fluid control body. A valve cavity (320) is formed in the bottom of the fluid control body. The inlet port is coupled to the valve cavity with an inlet port opening. A valve seat (316) is formed in the valve cavity with a non-circular shaped valve seat passageway (310). An outlet port (306) is formed on a second side (312) of the fluid control body. The outlet port is coupled to the non-circular shaped valve seat passageway (310) by an outlet port passageway (308).
US08070121B2
A mount for attaching a flat screen display panel is disclosed in which a wall bracket is attached to a support surface, a panel bracket is secured to a display panel, and the two brackets then cooperate to securely affix the display panel to the support surface while allowing subsequent lateral and pivotal adjustment.
US08070115B2
An exemplary support stand (102) for a flat-panel display body includes an elevating support (30), a monitor bracket (50), and a support member (20). The elevating support includes a first chassis (321), a second chassis (322), a plurality of supporting blocks (3231) for connecting end portions of the first chassis and the second chassis, an elastic member (391), a first pivot subassembly (305), and a second pivot subassembly (306). The monitor bracket is rotatably connected to the first pivot subassembly. The support member is rotatably connected to the second pivot subassembly. The elastic member is capable of exerting a rebound force on two of the first chassis, the second chassis, and the supporting blocks. The first and second pivot subassemblies are fixed to the supporting blocks. The monitor bracket and the support member are rotatably connected to the first and second pivot subassembly correspondingly.
US08070111B1
The electrical cord cleat is a simple cleat that attaches to a surface immediately adjacent an electrical outlet and of which provides a means to secure at least one electrical cord thereon. The electrical cord cleat prevents unwanted disconnection from or damage to the electrical outlet by securing a portion of the electrical cord(s) to the near vicinity of the electrical outlet. An alternative embodiment includes a hinge to enable the cleat to fold flat against the adjacent surface when not in use.
US08070108B2
A model train and layout control system based on on-board sound and locomotive modules, new signaling methods, bi-directional communication, environmental sound, turnout control, train location methods, computer interaction and accessory control, by adding components to existing technology. AC power signal waveforms are variously altered to convey digital command words.
US08070106B2
An aircraft wing including: a main wing element; and a flap connected to the main wing element by a deployment system which can deploy the flap from a retracted position to an extended position, wherein the wing has a trailing edge which is swept, at least in the region of the flap, when the flap is in its retracted position, and wherein the deployment system is arranged such that the flap reduces the degree of sweep of the trailing edge of the wing in the region of the flap as it is deployed. The deployment system includes a first actuator configured to rotate the flap horizontally so as to change the sweep angle of the flap and a second actuator configured to rotate the flap vertically so as to increase the camber of the wing, and the first and second actuators are operable independently of each other.
US08070104B2
A releasable deployment line for a parachute system is provided. The releasable deployment line may include a first segment of material including an aircraft end configured to be operably connected to an aircraft, and a release end configured to be operably connected to a first section of a multi-ring release system. The replaceable deployment line may further include a second segment of material including a container end configured to be operably connected to a parachute container, and a ring end configured to be operably connected to a second section of the multi-ring release system and a third segment of material. The third segment of material may include a parachute end configured to be operably connected to a parachute within the parachute container, and a pin end configured to be operably connected to a retaining pin associated with the first section of the multi-ring release system.
US08070101B2
The present invention relates to a locking system (20) for a movable lateral cowl (8) of a turbine engine nacelle intended to be connected to a pylon (4) of an aircraft, comprising, on the one hand, a clevis (21) intended to be connected to the pylon, and, on the other hand, a rod (22) intended to be mounted on the movable cowl and capable of engaging with the clevis when the movable cowl is in the closed position, characterized in that the rod is mounted so that it can move translationally along a substantially longitudinal axis of the movable cowl so as to form a slider which can shift between a locked position, in which it is engaged with the clevis and provides a structural connection between the pylon and the movable cowl, and an unlocked position, in which it is disengaged from the clevis and allows the movable cowl to be opened.
US08070095B2
A shrinking shock strut system for an aircraft landing gear having a retract actuator that is moveable in length to deploy or retract the landing gear, that includes a shrink strut and a transfer device. The shrink strut may be compressed in length for stowage in the fuselage. The transfer device may be in closed fluid communication with the strut shrink for transferring and receiving hydraulic fluid to and from the strut shrink. When actuated by an aircraft hydraulic system independent of any motion of the retract actuator, the transfer device may drive hydraulic fluid to the strut shrink thereby compressing or shrinking the shrink strut to a partially compressed length.
US08070090B2
Systems and methods for transitioning an aircraft between helicopter and fixed wing flight modes are provided. In one embodiment, an aircraft comprises a plurality of wings each having a spar and a flap; a flap actuator configured to move the flap with respect to the spar; and a center section rotatably coupled to each spar. The center section includes at least one spar actuator configured to rotate at least one of the wings about a rotational axis of the spar when the aircraft transitions between helicopter and fixed wing flight modes.
US08070087B2
An apparatus and method for splicing tapes dispensed from a tape dispenser. According to one embodiment, a first, running or unwinding roll of tape is provided with a first splicing element secured to its trailing end portion. A second, stationary or standby roll of tape is provided with a second splicing element secured to its leading end portion. The second splicing element comprises a body made of a self-supporting material and formed with at least one aperture sized to receive the tape from the first roll. While tape is being dispensed from the first roll, the running tape is inserted into the aperture of the second splicing element. When the first roll of tape becomes depleted, the first splicing element engages the second splicing element, thereby splicing the leading end portion of the second tape roll to the trailing end portion of the first tape roll.
US08070086B2
A webbing winding device includes a clutch mechanism interposed between a spool and an output shaft of a motor and has a simple structure and high operability. In an interference piece that has an interference portion interfering with a connection pawl when an input gear of a clutch is rotated in the winding direction, a base portion is disposed between an outer retaining ring and an inner retaining ring formed at a gear box, and the base portion comes into press contact with an inner peripheral portion of the outer retaining ring and an outer peripheral portion of the inner retaining ring. The interference portion keeps interfering with the connection pawl until a pressing force more than a maximum static frictional force generated between the inner peripheral portion of the outer retaining ring and the outer peripheral portion of the inner retaining ring, and the base portion is applied to the interference portion, thereby rotating the connection pawl.
US08070082B2
A shredder having a pivoting top panel which may include a display which may reduce potential safety hazards. The shredder may include a top panel thereon that is moveable between a first position, in which the top panel covers the slot, and a second position, in which the top panel is positioned to allow access to the slot.
US08070081B2
Load cells are placed in the pre-compression systems of spring suspended rollers in coal/ore crusher/classifiers to produce electrical signals representing actual forces generated in the suspension system during crusher operation. This permits forces to be closely monitored during operation and/or automatically adjusted. Alternatively or in addition, alarm signals can be generated when pressures go out of tolerance.
US08070080B2
The method of converting nepheline syenite particulate feedstock with a grain size profile to an ultra-fine grain finish product for subsequent commercial use, the ultra-fine grain final product has a maximum grain size of less than about 6 microns. The method comprising: providing a dry feedstock with a controlled maximum particle size greater than about 20 microns; grinding the feedstock in a dry state by passing the feedstock vertically downward through a continuous, high-speed stirred ball mill whereby the feedstock is ground into an intermediate powder having a drastically reduced grain size profile than the grain size profile of the feedstock; and passing the intermediate powder from the mill through an air classifier using a rapidly moving high speed air stream moving along a given path to convey the ultra-fine grain product along the path and from the classifier and to allow coarse particulate material including particles larger than the ultra-fine product to be separated and then expelled from the classifier.
US08070078B2
A method and an apparatus for crushing material, particularly mined material, are disclosed. In one embodiment two or more pairs of crushing rolls successively crush mined material. The pairs of crushing rolls are arranged and operated so that an upstream pair of rolls produces a feed, preferably a pressurized feed, for a downstream pair of rolls. In another embodiment, at least an upstream pair of rolls is driven intermittently, for example, by means of a stepping motor to provide stepped rotational movement of the rolls.
US08070076B2
Articulating faucets have segments connected by a plurality of movable joints. Each joint includes a pair of ceramic mating disks arranged in face to face contact, but able to rotate relative to each other when sufficient force is applied. A wave spring helps keep the disks in constant contact, and rubber spheres press against opposing surfaces of the ceramic disks to produce shear forces to keep the joint stable. In the faucet water passes through the joint by means of a tube or a hollow banjo bolt sealed from the joint. The faucet can therefore direct water to a wide variety of positions, without the need for a side spray, and while reducing the risk of joint leakage.
US08070074B2
A bathing apparatus includes an in-line mixing unit and a hand operated injecting unit. The mixing unit is coupled between a water supply pipe and a water dispensing device, such as a showerhead and is in fluid communication with the hand operated injection unit. The injection unit, upon user demand, draws a controllable predetermined quantity of bathing fluid from a standard off the shelf purchased bottle of bathing fluid, such as a bottle of bath oil, and then ejects, upon user demand and in a hands free operation, the drawn bathing fluid, at a user selected flow rate. The ejected bathing fluid passes to the mixing unit which causes the ejected bathing fluid to be mixed within a stream of water being delivered to the water dispensing device.
US08070067B2
A receptacle device for an electrical interface device, the electrical interface device being capable of transferring data to and from a host and being adapted to operate in one of a universal serial bus (USB)-compatible mode, a Mu mode and a non-USB-compatible mode, the receptacle comprising a chamber defined by a first inner surface and a second inner surface, the first inner surface being opposed to the second inner surface, a first row of contacts arranged at the first inner surface, the first row of contacts being configured to electrically couple to a first row of pads of the electrical interface device when the electrical interface device is inserted into the chamber in a direction, a second row of contacts arranged at the first inner surface, the second row of contacts being configured to electrically couple to a row of pads of a USB-compatible plug when the USB-compatible plug is inserted into the chamber in the direction, and at least one protrusion on the second inner surface, the at least one protrusion extending against the direction to exceed the first row of contacts.
US08070057B2
The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for switching between internal and external antennas. In some implementations, a system includes an antenna, a connector, and a housing. The antenna is configured to communicate wirelessly transactions with transaction terminals. The connector is connected to the antenna and configured to connect a transaction card to the antenna in response to at least insertion in the housing. The housing enclosing at least a portion of the antenna and at least a portion of the connector and including one or more elements that form an opening for receiving the transaction card. In addition, the housing is substantially rectangular and includes a first portion with a first thickness and a second portion with a second thickness different from the first thickness and at least the thickness of the transaction card.
US08070054B2
A stored-value product includes a toy automobile and a panel. The toy automobile includes a body and wheels rotatably coupled to the body. The panel is coupled to the body and includes an account identifier signifying a financial account or record linked to the stored-value card assembly. Stored-value product assemblies, methods of promoting sales of stored-value products, methods of using a stored-value product and other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08070044B1
A polyamine flux composition is provided, comprising, as an initial component: a polyamine fluxing agent represented by formula I: wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are independently selected from a hydrogen, a substituted C1-80 alkyl group, an unsubstituted C1-80 alkyl group, a substituted C7-80 arylalkyl group and an unsubstituted C7-80 arylalkyl group; wherein R7 comprises at least two tertiary carbons and is selected from an unsubstituted C5-80 alkyl group, a substituted C5-80 alkyl group, an unsubstituted C12-80 arylalkyl group and a substituted C12-80 arylalkyl group; and, wherein the two nitrogens shown in formula I are each separately bound to one of the at least two tertiary carbons of R7; with the proviso that when the polyamine fluxing agent of formula I is represented by formula Ia: then zero to three of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is(are) hydrogen. Also provided is a method of soldering an electrical contact using the polyamine flux composition.
US08070043B1
A curable flux composition is provided, comprising, as initial components: a resin component having at least two oxirane groups per molecule; a fluxing agent represented by formula I: wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are independently selected from a hydrogen, a substituted C1-80 alkyl group, an unsubstituted C1-80 alkyl group, a substituted C7-80 arylalkyl group and an unsubstituted C7-80 arylalkyl group; and wherein zero to three of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is(are) hydrogen; and, optionally, a curing agent. Also provided is a method of soldering an electrical contact using the curable flux composition.
US08070034B1
An exemplary surgical stapler may include a staple holder including an upper surface, where the upper surface includes two substantially-planar angled surfaces positioned lateral to and angled relative to each other; staple bays within the staple holder, each opening to a corresponding angled surface; and staples, where at least one staple is held within at least one staple bay. Another exemplary surgical stapler may include a staple holder; a first group of staple bays defined within the staple holder, the first group of staple bays lying substantially in a first plane; and a second group of staple bays defined within the staple holder, the second plurality of staple bays lying substantially in a second plane; where the first plane intersects the second plane.
US08070030B2
The present disclosure is an altered backpack with more than one shoulder strap, which allows the wearer to reconfigure the shoulder straps while wearing, swing the backpack around to the wearer's front, and access the contents of the backpack, while still wearing the backpack.
US08070027B2
An adaptable-tool hook comprises a wire-frame buckle and hook with a strap. The strap can be positioned on the buckle-hook in two different orthogonal positions to allow the strap to wrap an object or tool laterally or longitudinally. The hook stays with the tool and can be hooked on any available belt, pocket, rail, or wire.
US08070025B1
A jewelry storage apparatus is disclosed that combine a traditional jewelry storage box with a hanger to utilize vertical space in a closet. One embodiment is an apparatus for storing jewelry that comprises a hanger and a storage structure affixed to the hanger where the storage structure comprises a ring structure with a base and compression slits for holding rings in a display mode, a bracelet structure for suspending bracelets, an earring structure for displaying earrings, and a necklace structure for hanging necklaces. The apparatus is suitable for storing in a display-mode a large amount of various types of jewelry including rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets in both a scratch-free mode and a tangle-free manner.
US08070024B2
A nozzle for dispensing a liquid contained in a receptacle, the nozzle including a rigid body provided with a dispensing channel including a dispensing orifice emerging in the front wall of the body, the nozzle also including an elastically deformable sleeve that is disposed in a non-adherent fashion and in clamping contact around at least part of the periphery of the rigid body, the sleeve being provided with at least one front lip that is disposed opposite the dispensing orifice, the lip being arranged so as, by application of the dispensing pressure of the liquid on it, to be reversibly movable between a stable closed state and stressed opening state of the orifice, in which the attachment of the sleeve on the rigid body is achieved in combination by a first attachment for retaining the axial movement of the rear part of the sleeve relative to the rigid body and by a second attachment for retaining the axial movement of another part of the sleeve relative to the rigid body.
US08070020B2
A new and improved remote, hot melt adhesive metering station (510), for supplying predetermined or precisely metered volumes of hot melt adhesive material toward applicator head or dispensing nozzle structures, comprises a plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps (518) which are arranged in a compact, longitudinally spaced manner upon an axially elongated drive gear manifold (512) such that the rotational axes of the plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps (518) are disposed parallel and adjacent to one side of the axially elongated drive gear manifold (512). Hot melt adhesive material is supplied from a remotely located adhesive supply unit (ASU), to the drive gear manifold (512), by an inlet supply port hose connection (542), and all of the pump driven gears (524) of the plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps (518) are respectively driven by manifold pump drive gears (514) which are all rotatably mounted upon a common, motor-driven drive shaft (516) rotatably disposed within the drive gear manifold (512). The drive gear manifold (512) is also provided with a plurality of outlet port hose connections (540) to which hot melt adhesive delivery hoses are to be connected.
US08070019B2
An apparatus, method and vending system mixes a dry product mix with liquid to produce a mixed beverage. The apparatus includes a product canister containing the dry product mix. The product canister includes a dispensing mechanism that dispensed a portion of the mix through an outlet. During dispensing, a plurality of agitators positioned within the product canister and in contact with the product mix displaces the product mix, thereby keeping the product mix loose and lifted and resulting in a more evenly distributed product mix feed for dispensing through the outlet.
US08070015B2
Disclosed herein is a small-sized hand-operated spray pump. The spray pump includes a spray nozzle (10) for spraying content, a housing (100) constructed in a narrow and long cylindrical structure to allow the content to be vertically moved therethrough, a cap (20) for controlling the operation of the spray nozzle, a container (130) for containing the content, a closure (80), constructed in a symmetrical wing structure, fixed to one side of housing, a shaft (30) vertically movable along the inner surface of the housing, a piston (92) mounted to the shaft while surrounding the lower end of the shaft, a compression spring (90) for providing a restoring force to the shaft at the time of pumping, a ball (120) for opening and closing an inlet port of the housing at the time of pumping, and a case member (70) constructed in a three-stage frame structure.
US08070014B2
A dispensing closure system is provided for a container that has an opening wherein a membrane is interposed between the container opening and the dispensing closure system. The system includes a base for extending from the container at the opening. The base has a receiving passage and an annular sealing flange extending radially inwardly around the passage. A movable spout is mounted in the base receiving passage and has a grippable discharge end that projects axially outwardly from the base receiving passage. The spout has a dispensing passage extending through the spout and has a peripheral sealing surface that is sealingly engaged with the base annular sealing flange. The spout also has a piercing element at an axially inward end of the spout. A cam track is located in either the base or the spout. A cam follower is located on the other one of the base and spout, and the cam follower is engaged in the cam track. The grippable discharge end of the spout can be grasped to rotate the spout for moving the spout axially to pierce the membrane.
US08070013B2
A cutlery utensil dispenser has a dispensing tray with a floor and a region housing a cutlery utensil. The cutlery utensil has first and second portions and is moved by an engagement portion of an actuator from a first orientation to a second orientation. In the first orientation, the cutlery utensil rests on the floor in the region and is within the cutlery utensil dispenser, inaccessible to a user. In the second orientation, the second portion of the cutlery utensil projects from the cutlery utensil dispenser and is accessible to the user. A wall of the region has a fulcrum end dimensioned to engage the cutlery utensil. The cutlery utensil rotates about the fulcrum end responsive to the engagement portion toward an exit of the dispenser.
US08070006B2
Collapsible containers and associated methods are disclosed herein. Certain aspects of the invention are directed toward a collapsible container assembly that includes a foldable support member that has a length and a width. The support member has a concave cross-section that causes the support member to resist bending until a threshold force is exceeded. The support member has a folded position and an extended position where the support member is unfolded. The assembly further includes at least one surface member carried by the support member. The assembly has a deployed position where the support member is in the extended position and the at least one surface member forms an enclosure with an interior. The assembly also has a collapsed position where the support member is in the folded position. The container assembly has less exterior volume in the collapsed position than in the deployed position.
US08070003B2
Formation of an “organically”-shaped feature on an otherwise abstract-shaped package. In particular, an organic or human anatomical feature is provided on an otherwise inanimate shape. More particularly, a package, such as a bottle, having a non-representational form (in other words, a package not shaped to resemble any particular form existing in nature) is provided with a feature specifically designed to resemble a form in nature or “organic” form. In an exemplary embodiment, the form in nature (or “organic” feature) is a “baby fat crease.” In particular, a crease is provided on the package to mimic the look of a baby fat crease. The geometry of the crease as well as the geometry of the package are optimized to achieve the desired organic look or effect.
US08070002B2
A housing for a railway car draft gear assembly for cushioning buff and draft shocks includes a rear portion engageable with the rear stops of such railway car and a front portion configured for attachment to a coupler arm. Opposed ends of the front and rear portions are provided with complimentary flanges for removable attachment of the front portion to the rear portion with threaded fasteners.
US08069998B2
In order to improve a surgical holder for surgical instruments and/or implants for a surgical container, in particular, a sterile container or perforated basket, comprising a storage device for holding and/or storing surgical instruments and/or implants and an attachment device for attaching the holder to the container, such that it can be attached to the container more easily it is suggested that the attachment device be transferable from an attaching position, in which it can be brought into engagement with and connected to the container, into a position of abutment, in which it can be brought out of engagement with the container, and that the attachment device comprise at least two attachment members, which are connected to one another via the storage device, for attaching the holding to the container. Furthermore, an improved surgical container is suggested.
US08069994B2
A pusher system for biasing retail merchandise forward is provided. The pusher system includes a front wall structure, a pair of walls, a pusher, and a spring. The pair of walls are operably coupled to the front wall structure. The pair of walls are in opposing spaced relation to each other. The pair of walls are also transverse to and extend rearwardly from the front wall structure to define a receptacle for the retail merchandise. The pusher is interposed between the pair of walls. The spring acts upon the pusher such that the pusher is movable toward the front wall structure between the pair of walls under the action of the spring. The pusher is movable laterally between and guided by the walls so that the pusher is free of a central track.
US08069990B2
The invention provides a sealing gasket for mounting in a passage (5) of a support plate (4) to surround the end of a tubular-shaped filter element (3) provided with at least one fluid flow channel (31), the channel lying within a flow section Sc, the gasket being constituted in the form of a sleeve: possessing a height h not less than the height hps of the passage (5) in the support plate (4); and presenting an overlap bore (15) for the filter element (3) defined between one end (16) of the sleeve and a shoulder (17) which co-operates with the other end of the sleeve to define a channel bore (19) for the fluid, the shoulder (17) possessing a surface for acting as an abutment for the terminal portion of the filter element and presenting dimensions that are adapted to extend outside the flow section Sc so as to avoid impeding fluid circulation, the overlap bore (15) being provided with a groove (28) adjacent to the shoulder (17) in order to allow the gasket to creep.
US08069972B2
Provided is a positioning fence for use in lumber sawmills that facilitates automated positioning of lumber for cutting and a method of positioning lumber for cutting. A continuous moving track loop has a plurality of paddles laterally positionable across the width of the track. Electromagnets are used to control the position of the paddles and, thus, the position of lumber being transported by the paddles. Also provided are uses of the positioning fence to position lumber for cutting.
US08069942B2
A device and a method for engaging and disengaging a longitudinal differential (10) disposed between a forward wheelshaft (4) and a rear wheelshaft (5) of an articulated vehicle (1) which has a front element (2) and a rear element (3) pivotable about a steering linkage (6) disposed between them and which comprises a distribution box (9) which supplies power from an engine (7) to the forward wheelshaft (4) in the front element (2) via a first shaft (11) and to the near wheelshaft (5) in the rear element (3) via a second shaft (12), wherein the longitudinal differential (10) is disposed between the first shaft (11) and the second shaft (12), whereby a steering angle v formed between the front element (2) and the rear element (3) is detected by a detection means (25a) so arranged that the detection means (25a) causes a differential brake (20) for the longitudinal differential (10) to be kept locked, or braked, when the detection means (25a) detects a steering angle v which is smaller than a predetermined steering angle V1.
US08069938B2
An energy efficient biped robotic system with passive-dynamic locomotion includes a body having a frame, an energy recapture mechanism, and a leg. The cyclical movement of the leg during passive-dynamic locomotion is transferred to a load through a mechanical energy storage mechanism, and the resulting oscillatory movement of the load is transferred by the mechanical energy input mechanism to an electric energy generating mechanism. The generated electric energy is transferred to the energy storage device for use by the robotic system.
US08069937B2
Embodiments relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) including a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) table that is substantially free of defects formed due to abnormal grain growth of tungsten carbide grains, and methods of fabricating such PDCs. In an embodiment, a PDC comprises a cemented tungsten carbide substrate including an interfacial surface that is substantially free of tungsten carbide grains exhibiting abnormal grain growth, and a PCD table bonded to the interfacial surface of the cemented tungsten carbide substrate. The PCD table includes a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions. At least a portion of the interstitial regions includes a metal-solvent catalyst disposed therein. The PCD table may be substantially free of chromium or the PCD table and the cemented tungsten carbide substrate may each include chromium.
US08069933B2
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to bearing assemblies configured to accommodate non-uniform loading and misalignment with an adjacent bearing assembly. In one embodiment of the present invention, a bearing assembly for use in a subterranean drilling system is disclosed. The bearing assembly includes a support ring and a retention ring attached to the support ring, with the retention ring including a plurality of through holes. The bearing assembly includes a plurality of bearing elements each of which includes a superhard bearing surface. Each of the bearing elements is positioned in and extends from a corresponding through hole of the plurality of through holes. At least a number of the bearing elements are configured to restrict displacement through the corresponding through hole and away from the support ring. Further embodiments of the present invention are directed to a thrust-bearing apparatus, a radial bearing apparatus, and a downhole motor that incorporates disclosed thrust-bearing and radial bearing assemblies.
US08069929B2
An impact tool includes: a spindle disposed in a housing; an anvil disposed in front of the spindle and rotatably supported by the housing through a metal bearing, a rear surface of the anvil having a bearing hole in which a front end of the spindle is received; an impact mechanism configured to transmit a rotation of the spindle to the anvil; an outer groove formed on an outer periphery of the anvil and opposed to the metal bearing; and a connecting opening radially extending in the anvil and connecting the bearing hole and the outer groove to provide a communication therebetween. The outer groove is formed to have a depth in the range of 3-10% of an outer diameter of the anvil, and the connecting opening opens at a rear end of the outer groove in an axial direction of the anvil.
US08069924B2
A well jet device for testing oil-gas wells comprises a body provided with bypass windows and an insert provided with a jet pump. The insert has channels and a mounting seat embodied therein, carrying a sealing unit with a channel for a cable and well instruments fixed thereto. An output channel communicates with an upstream cavity. A supporting sleeve, provided with bypass openings embodied in the wall of the sleeve and with a flange arranged in the lower part thereof, axially movable and spring-loaded with respect to the body, is arranged therein. A recess used for limiting the displacement of the sleeve flange and connected to the bypass windows is formed thereunder. In the lower position of the sleeve, channel for supplying active medium is linked with surrounding space through the bypass openings and windows, whereas in the top position thereof the windows are closed by the sleeve wall.
US08069921B2
A flow control device may include a body having at least two flow paths configured to convey the fluid. The flow paths may be hydraulically isolated from one another in the body and at least one of the flow paths may be selectively occludable. In certain arrangements, a filtration element may be positioned upstream of one or more of the plurality of in-flow control devices. The flow paths may utilize features such as chamber and openings in order to impose a specified pressure drop on the fluid flowing thereacross.
US08069916B2
Methods and apparatus enable expanding tubing in a borehole of a hydrocarbon well. According to some embodiments, an expander device includes a collapsible swage formed of collets, at least one slip arrangement and a hydraulic jack to stroke the swage through tubing to be expanded. In operation, expanding tubing may include securing an expansion tool to the tubing, lowering the tool and tubing into a borehole, actuating a collapsible expander of the expansion tool to an extended configuration, and supplying fluid pressure to a jack coupled to the expander thereby moving the expander through the tubing which is held by at least one of first and second tubing holding devices disposed respectively ahead of the expander and behind the expander.
US08069915B2
A whipstock that is totally to substantially non-metallic is made preferably from a composite material. The body can include one or more stiffeners that are also preferably non-metallic. The mounting lug for the window mill can also be non-metallic. A metallic base can be used to connect to an anchor. Optionally the ramp can include a plate that is optionally internally supported. Alternatively the ramp can include hardened inserts or other wear resistant material. Composite materials that can be molded are preferred.
US08069906B2
An exhaust heat recovery apparatus includes an evaporation unit, a condensation unit, an evaporation-side communication part and a condensation-side communication part. The evaporation unit is disposed in a duct member through which an exhaust gas generated from an engine flows, and evaporates an operation fluid by heat of the exhaust gas. The condensation unit is disposed in a coolant passage through which a coolant flows, and condenses the operation fluid by radiating the heat to the coolant. The evaporation-side communication part connects the evaporation unit and the condensation unit for introducing evaporated operation fluid to the condensation unit. The condensation-side communication part connects the condensation unit and the evaporation unit for introducing condensed operation fluid to the evaporation unit. The condensation-side communication part is in contact with an outer surface of the duct member at least at a part.
US08069902B2
An aluminum alloy vacuum casting equipment comprises a high pressure casting tank, in which a guard is equipped. The high-pressure casting tank is connected with a booster jar through a compressed air pipe. A first casting window and second casting window which are equipped with a first cylinder are set at top of the high-pressure casting tank. The high pressure casting tank is also equipped with a fixed guide and an unfixed guide at the bottom, an actuated exhaust ball valve at one side and a hatch door which is connected with a third cylinder. All operations except for putting in or taking out of the filler are completed automatically.
US08069901B2
In a cylinder block manufacturing method, first and second dies and a liner support are provided to form a liner overcast configuration. The first and second dies are positioned with respect to the liner support and a dummy cylinder liner made of an aluminum alloy such that the first die contacts a pressing section of a first axial end of the liner support and a first axially facing end of the dummy cylinder liner, and the second die contacts a second axial end of the liner support and a second axially facing end of the dummy cylinder liner. The first and second dies are preheated to a prescribed temperature with the dummy cylinder liner positioned on the liner support by injecting molten aluminum alloy into a cylinder block molding cavity to form a dummy cylinder block with the dummy cylinder liner casted in the dummy cylinder block.
US08069899B2
A vertically attachable golf cart canopy having a folding canopy which allows other accessories, such as coolers and sand bottles, to be mounted underneath. The golf cart canopy has three components: a securing frame (1), canopy support bars (2) and (3) and a canopy (4), (5) and (16). The securing frame (1) is shaped so as to have two vertical legs (21) and a horizontal top bar (23). Frame structure tabs (8) are located at the base of the legs (21) wherein the support bars (2) and (3) are pivotally attached to the securing frame (1). Each leg (21) has a leg extension (24) with at least one securing tab (6) to secure the securing frame (1) to the golf bag support bar (18). The horizontal top bar (23) has a canopy holder (11) which holds the removably attached canopy (4), (5) and (16), a canopy flap (13) and a canopy fastener (15) in order for the user to keep the vertically attachable golf cart canopy in an upright position.
US08069892B2
In a film bonding machine 1 including a laser oscillation means 2 for oscillating laser for processing a tape 7 bonded onto an end surface 8 of a columnar honeycomb structural body 6 by the laser oscillated from the laser oscillation means 2, the film bonding machine 1 further includes an image pick-up means 3 having a moving type or tilt type mirror 4 capable of reflecting the end surface 8 of the honeycomb structural body 6 onto the same axis as the laser oscillation means 2 by reflected light and an image pick-up unit 5 for picking up the image of the end surface 8 of the honeycomb structural body 6 reflected by the mirror 4. In the film bonding machine 1, the processing position of the tape 7 bonded onto the end surface 8 of the honeycomb structural body 6 can be recognized by the image-pick means 3 on the same axis as the laser oscillation means 2. As a result, the tape bonded onto the end surface of the honeycomb structural body can be accurately processed by the laser.
US08069891B2
A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of inextensible reinforcement elements, which are crossed from one ply to the other, forming angles of between 10° and 45° with the circumferential direction, which itself is topped radially by a tread, said tread being joined to two beads by means of two sidewalls and at least two working layers having different axial widths. At least one first profiled element P of rubber mix separates one working layer from at least one end of a second, axially narrower, layer, said profiled element P being radially separated at least in part from the liner C of said axially narrower working layer by a second profiled element of rubber mix G, said first and second profiled elements of rubber mix P and G and said liner C having secant moduli of elasticity under tension at 10% elongation MP, MG, MC respectively such that MC≧MG>MP, said tire additionally comprising in each shoulder at least one layer of reinforcement elements, which are parallel to each other in the additional layer and are oriented substantially perpendicular relative to the reinforcement elements of the working layer radially adjacent to said additional layer, and the axially inner end of said additional layer being radially adjacent to the edge of at least one working crown layer.
US08069866B2
Conduit can connect a beverage line in fluid communication with a supply of first fluid. A pump operates to allow a second fluid to enter the conduit in a predetermined proportion relative to the first fluid. A primary first fluid control means and a secondary first fluid control means are selectively and independently movable between respective open positions in which the first fluid can flow into the conduit and respective closed positions in which flow of the first fluid into the conduit is substantially prevented. In use, the primary first fluid control means is in the open position, and the secondary first fluid control means selectively alternates between the open position and the closed position so as to create a pulsed secondary flow of the first fluid into the conduit for enhanced cleaning.
US08069865B1
A multi-strand disposable dental flosser with an improved floss strand pair arrangement. The dental flosser is an integral unit having an elongate gripping handle with a toothpick at one end, and a flosser head with two spaced apart arms at the opposite end. The floss strand pair is tautly stretched across the span between the arms and anchored securely near the tips thereof. The floss strand arrangement includes an X-configured floss strand pair, and can have at least one additional X-configured floss strand pair or at least one added single floss strand disposed slightly above the lower floss strand pair. The X-configured floss strand pair has two individual strands that are spaced apart at the ends thereof and cross together at the mid-lengths thereof. The flosser can have a tongue-cleaning edge and a tongue-cleaning surface area to enhance overall oral hygiene.
US08069859B2
A wrapping paper inspection apparatus includes a nozzle arranged in a wrapping-paper discharge path, in which wrapping paper is wound and continuously discharged, for wetting one side of the wrapping paper with a liquid; an image pickup section for irradiating light to the wrapping paper wetted with the liquid by the nozzle, detecting light transmitted through or reflected from the wrapping paper, and generating an image signal; and a wrapping paper inspection section for determining defects in wrapping paper portions applied or affixed with a low flame spread material, from the image signal generated by the image pickup section, to thereby inspect such defects easily and reliably. This inspection apparatus can be mounted to a tobacco wrapping machine.
US08069853B2
A system for regulating the airflow to a closed environment using feedback control for the position of a control valve and blower speed. The system provides a control apparatus that regulates airflow to a closed environment, such as the mask of a breathing apparatus, to ensure sufficient breathing air for a wearer of such mask. In order to provide fast response to a change in condition in the breathable environment, the airflow regulator includes a valve control and a blower control.
US08069848B1
The axles of the eccentric pulley assemblies of a compound bow are journal mounted in pillow blocks carried by the limbs of the bow.
US08069846B2
An exhaust gas recirculation valve is fabricated by fitting a valve head 24 and a cover 32 enclosing a valve rod 25 into a supporting section 31 provided at the tip of the valve rod 25, and caulking the supporting section 31 to secure the valve rod 25 and the cover 32 to the supporting section 31.
US08069845B2
It has been found that direct-injection gasoline engines emit particulate matter during the first 500 seconds of operation due to fuel impacting combustion chamber surfaces. To largely overcome the fuel penetrating to surfaces in the combustion chamber, the fuel may be heated. In one embodiment, engine coolant that is heated in the water jacket portions nearest exhaust ducts is provided directly to a tube in physical contact with the fuel rail. In some embodiments, the tube is provided with an electric heating element. If the coolant pump is turned off at the initial portions of a cold start, the electric heater raises the temperature of the fuel in the fuel rail. After engine coolant temperature raises, water, warm coolant is provided to the tube proximate the fuel rail and the heater is turned off.
US08069842B2
An injector mounting arrangement includes a tolerance ring assembly that provides damping or absorption capabilities in addition to alignment and centering functionality. The tolerance ring assembly is designed to absorb axial excitation energy from the injector by converting it into strain energy through the radial deformation of the tolerance ring. The strain energy is absorbed in the form of bending stress within the tolerance ring more effectively than by simply absorbing the axial forces in compression alone. As a result, vibration and noise is reduced and/or isolated.
US08069839B2
Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency of the engine.
US08069820B2
The instant invention is directed to a pet shelter for domestic pets. More specifically, the instant invention is a pet shelter constructed from a plurality of plastic panels each having integral connectors. The panels are constructed and arranged to be shipped and/or stored in a nested or stacked arrangement to reduce space requirements and shipping costs. The integral fasteners formed onto the panels intermesh to allow the panels to be snapped together without the need for additional fasteners or tools.
US08069818B2
Drinking troughs for in particular poultry feature drinking valves arranged at regular intervals along a water supply line, with each drinking valve being assigned a water-collecting bowl (14). The water-collecting bowls (14) are usually made of plastic. The water-collecting bowls (14) are cleaned with agents that contain aggressive substances, which are capable of damaging the plastic of the water-collecting bowls (14). The invention is a water-collecting bowls (14) with a respective insert (17) made of a resistant material, thus making the water-collecting bowl (14) resistant to aggressive liquids, in particular cleansing agents.
US08069804B2
A disconnectable turret mooring system for a vessel is provided, comprising a turret positioned in a moonpool of the vessel and having an upper part cooperating with a first upper bearing assembly positioned between the turret and the vessel, and a lower disconnectable buoy part cooperating with a second lower bearing assembly positioned between the turret and the vessel, wherein the lower bearing assembly comprises a number of discrete circumferentially spaced bearing members which are attached to and extend radially inwards from the vessel for engaging the lower disconnectable buoy part of the turret, and which bearing members are displaceable radially between an inner operative position for engaging the lower disconnectable buoy part and an outer inoperative position for disengaging the lower disconnectable buoy part.
US08069794B2
A portable desk with a generator for providing electrical power to a computer or other electrical device that is collapsibly foldable to a compact form wherein successive sections comprise a back panel, a desk top panel hinged from the top edge of the back panel, two side panels hinged from the side edges of the back panel, two bottom panels hinged from the bottom edges of the side panels and two movable foot treadle panels hinged to the bottom edge of the back panel. The generator is removably attached to the top panel and is connected to the foot treadles so the generator is operated by actuating the foot treadles. The power generator comprises an electrical connection, such as a USB connector, for a computer or other electrical device.
US08069792B2
A method and system of using one or more railcar linear electric generators to decelerate a vehicle such as a train consist. In one embodiment, the one of more electric generators are configured to capture deceleration energy and supply the energy to one or more power grid connections. The one of more railcar electric generators may also operate as motors to assist propelling a train consist. Optional energy storage may also be included.
US08069791B1
A sabot system is defined by a tubular arrangement of curvilinear segments with the tubular arrangement being closed on a first end thereof and open on a second end thereof. The tubular arrangement defines a first outer diameter at its first end and a second and larger outer diameter at its second end. Each segment is made from an elastic material such that when the tubular arrangement is compressed radially at its second end, each of the segments stores a spring force.
US08069781B2
An agricultural baling machine that includes a rotating element, a plunger, a guiding channel and a linking element. The plunger has a pivoting point. The pivoting point travels in the guiding channel. The guiding channel defines the longitudinal axis. The linking element is connected between the rotating element and the plunger. The plunger has a face configured to have a line of loading. The line of loading is generally normal to the longitudinal axis. The line of loading shifts across the face as the linking element drives the plunger generally in a direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis.
US08069779B2
A device for cracking open an egg is shown, having egg-size sensing means for determining the size of an egg positioned in the device, thereby providing for automatic calibration of the device to the specific size of an egg to be cracked. The calibration determines how much would the distance between the piercing members and the imaginary longitudinal axis of the egg be reduced before the piercing members stop their advancing towards the egg and start moving apart for cracking its shell open. The device can thus open eggs of different sizes, e.g. having widths between 40 and 50 millimeters, accurately without requiring special preparation or manual calibration. A method for cracking open an egg based on said device is also shown.
US08069778B2
The invention relates to a milk foaming device with a mixing chamber, which is arranged downstream of a steam supply pipe and which is connected to a milk and/or milk/air supply pipe, and a discharge device for the mixture arranged downstream of the mixing chamber, which has a number of discharge channels. The emitted milk foam flow is to be improved. To achieve this the discharge openings of the discharge channels are sloped at an angle to the cross-sectional plane of the discharge channel and the slope angles of the discharge openings of the discharge channels have the same vertex.
US08069774B2
An automated apparatus that sterilizes and refills beverage containers with filtered water and any number of additives or ingredients such as nutrients, health supplements, caffeine, flavorings, vitamins, sweeteners, coloring agents, medicines, etc. The apparatus allows consumers, including home consumers, to produce, customize and “bottle” their own flavored and fortified filtered water.
US08069773B2
A piston is equipped with a skirt that has a sliding surface provided with an oil repellent resin layer. A solid lubricating resin layer and the oil repellent resin layer are exposed on the sliding surface. On the sliding surface, the oil repellent resin layer extends at an incline with respect to the centerline of the sliding surface in a circumferential direction of the piston.
US08069771B1
An improvement in an electric armor system designed to prevent, among other things, a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) from penetrating the hull of a fighting vehicle. The system includes a self-clearing electrode that will make the system less vulnerable to non-plasma objects that might otherwise short out the active armor electrodes. It optionally further allows for the early initiation of current flow at the point of penetration making it even easier to defeat incoming threats by allowing more time to break-up an incoming plasma jet.
US08069769B2
A portable protection system including a selectively collapsible truss for supporting a protection member. The truss is movable between a collapsed position and an expanded position. The protection member includes at least one layer of ballistic armor material for disrupting a projectile. The truss includes suitable connectors for releasably connecting the protection member to the truss, and also suitable connectors for releasably connecting the truss to an adjoining truss so as to form a protection wall.
US08069761B2
A saw with a base assembly, a table pivotably attached to the base assembly, a housing pivotably attached to the table, at least one rail slidably connected to the housing, and a saw assembly disposed on the at least one rail. The saw assembly includes a motor, and a blade driven by the motor. The saw also includes a dust collector attached to the saw assembly, the dust collector having a tube that extends through the housing.
US08069760B2
A method for installing a fiberglass cast on and removing the cast from an individual includes an openended pliable thin-walled polymer guide track and cutting tool designed to track along said guide track to cut the cast and to prevent, while a cast is being removed, injury to the individual.
US08069757B2
A cast-cutter for use in removing a cast from a patient comprises a body (20), cutting means (18, 148, 230) supported by the body (20), and a protection member (16, 204, 206, 236, 244) supported by the body (20) and adapted to be positioned between the cutting means (18, 148, 230) and the patient, to protect the skin of the patient. In one disclosed embodiment the cutting means cuts a cast by a shearing action. In another disclosed embodiment the cutting means cuts a cast by an abrading action.
US08069743B2
A shift operation device includes: a shift operation member including: a shaft portion; and an arm portion protruding in a radial direction with respect to a center axis of the shaft portion and being rotated around the center axis to perform shift operation of a gear; and a plurality of shift rail members, each of which includes: a rail portion; a shift fork portion; and a shift lug portion capable of being engaged with the arm portion. An engagement portion of the shift lug portion includes a pair of columnar projections arranged at positions mutually different in the shift direction and the select direction. When the shift lug portion is retained in a neutral position, pressure receiving surfaces of the columnar projections are approximately positioned on a reference orthogonal surface superimposed on the center axis and orthogonal to the rail portion.
US08069734B2
A multi-vortex flowmeter includes a vortex type detection device including a measurement tube provided in a flow channel to allow a fluid to be measured to pass, a vortex generator provided in the measurement tube to face a flow of the fluid to be measured, and a vortex detector for detecting a change based on a Karman vortex generated by the vortex generator. The flowmeter also includes a thermal type detection device including a temperature sensor and a heating temperature sensor, each protruding into the flow channel, and a flow rate converter, in which a pressure gauge for measuring a pressure in a pipe wired together with the vortex detector and the thermal detection device is provided integrally with the flow rate converter.
US08069726B2
An angular velocity sensor has two masses which are laterally disposed in an X-Y plane and indirectly connected to a frame. The two masses are linked together by a linkage such that they necessarily move in opposite directions along Z. Angular velocity of the sensor about the Y axis can be sensed by driving the two masses into Z-directed antiphase oscillation and measuring the angular oscillation amplitude thereby imparted to the frame. In a preferred embodiment, the angular velocity sensor is fabricated from a bulk MEMS gyroscope wafer, a cap wafer and a reference wafer. In a further preferred embodiment, this assembly of wafers provides a hermetic barrier between the masses and an ambient environment.
US08069725B2
A quadrupole responder for an OQR-type gravity gradiometer comprises a housing, and a mass quadrupole positioned within the housing. The mass quadrupole has a pair of sides, and also has a center of mass between the sides. The quadruple responder further comprises at least two torsion spring flexures. The torsion spring flexures are provided by pins connecting each side of the mass quadrupole to the housing. The torsion spring flexures provide an axis of rotation which passes through the center of mass of the mass quadrupole and through both torsion spring flexures.
US08069714B2
In a method to test a brake of a robot that has a number of axes, an actuator associated with one of the axes, a brake associated with this axis that is set up to at least reduce a movement of this axis, and a torque sensor associated with this axis, which determines the torque acting on this axis. The brake is activated, the torque acting on the axis is determined by the torque sensor given an activated brake, and the functional capability of the brake is assessed in a processor based on an evaluation of the torque determined by the torque sensor.
US08069707B2
A method of determining the moment weight of a rotating component for a rotary machine includes the steps of: (a) supporting the component on a platform at a pair of spaced locations along a length dimension of the component, one of the spaced locations corresponding to a known radial distance from a centerline of a rotor of the rotary machine to a predetermined location on the component when the component is installed on the rotary machine, and wherein a center of gravity of the component is located between the spaced locations; (b) determining partial weights of the rotary machine component by supporting the platform on a pair of weight scales vertically aligned with and substantially centered on the spaced locations, wherein a total weight TW of the component is equal to a sum of the partial weights; (c) utilizing information obtained in step (b), locating a center of gravity of the component relative to the one of the spaced locations and determining a radial distance D1 between the center of gravity and the centerline of the rotor; and (d) utilizing information obtained in steps (a)-(c), determining the moment weight of the component by an equation: MW=TW*D1.
US08069706B2
The invention relates to a waste water immersion probe (10) comprising a liquid-tight housing (11), a sensor (18) which is disposed in the housing (11) and a sensor window (20) formed on the housing (11). A wiper element (22) for cleaning the sensor window (20) is arranged on the outside of the sensor window (20), and the wiper element (22) is driven by a drive motor (24) which is arranged essentially in the housing (11). The housing is devoid of openings. A magnetic element (36, 37) is associated with the drive motor (24) and a magnetic element (34, 35) is associated with the wiper element (22) in such a manner that the magnetic drive motor element (36, 37) produces a magnetic field which transverses the housing wall and transmits a drive torque to the wiper element (22) without a shaft.
US08069696B2
A method is described for producing a gear wheel from a powdered metal blank (1) compressed and sintered having a machining allowance in the gearing area, the powdered metal blank (1) being compacted by the machining allowance with a plastic deformation by rolling of a compression tool (7) forming a counter gearing engaging in the gearing of the powdered metal blank (1). To provide advantageous compaction conditions, it is suggested that the powdered metal blank (1) be compacted simultaneously around the entire circumference by rolling of profile rolls (8) forming the compression tool (7) axially to the powdered metal blank (1).
US08069695B1
A system and method for cleaning the work rolls of a multi-roll leveler. The system includes a roll cleaning drive system for driving one or both of a set of upper and lower work rolls against a cleaning pad placed therebetween. The roll cleaning drive system is disengageable with the work rolls to be driven thereby. The upper and lower work rolls are driven in opposite rotational directions so as not to eject the cleaning pad from the leveler. The rotational direction of the upper and lower work rolls may be periodically reversed to produce a scrubbing action on the work rolls.
US08069687B2
A working medium for refrigeration processes comprising at least one sorbent material and at least one refrigerant, characterized in that the sorbent material contains at least one nonvolatile organic salt which is liquid under standard conditions, or a mixture of organic salts, with the proviso that this is liquid under standard conditions, wherein the salt or the mixture has a thermal stability above 150° C.
US08069679B2
The invention concerns an installation for cryogenic cooling comprising: a main reservoir (1) for a two-phase cryogenic fluid wherein is immersed a superconductor device (4) to be cooled; an auxiliary reservoir (9); and a hydrostatic duct between the bases of the main and auxiliary reservoirs; the auxiliary reservoir being arranged relative to the main reservoir and being dimensioned so as to be able to receive at least a large part of the cryogenic fluid present in liquid form (2) in the main reservoir; restricting means (11) being incorporated in an output manifold (7a) connected to the main reservoir; thus, when the superconductor gets rapidly heated, cryogenic liquid from the main reservoir is delivered, by the vaporized cryogenic fluid pressure, into the auxiliary reservoir wherefrom it flows again by gravity towards the main reservoir when the pressure of the vaporized fluid decreases.
US08069675B2
A novel thermal coupler apparatus and method to couple a cryocooler or another cooling device to a superconducting magnet or cooled object allows for replacement without a need to break the cryostat vacuum or to warm up the superconducting magnet or other cooled object. A method uses a pneumatic actuator for coupling, and a retractable mechanical actuator for uncoupling. Mechanical closing forces are balanced between the intermediate temperature and low temperature cooling surfaces and do not transfer to the cooled object. The pneumatic actuator provides permanent control under mechanical closing forces in the thermal coupling.
US08069673B2
Provided is a seal structure, according to the present invention, for sealing opposite surfaces of flanges between adjacent tail ducts, which can be prevented from being worn or aged deteriorated due to a thermal deformation in a high temperature atmosphere or vibration of a gas turbine combustor, and which can maintain a satisfactory sealing function for a long time. The seal structure is characterized in that recess grooves are formed in opposed surfaces of adjacent flanges at the outlet end of tail ducts, striding between the opposed surfaces, a seal assembly composed of a seal member and a leaf spring is inserted in the recess grooves, the seal member has a pair of continuous beads which are arranged facing the inner surfaces, on the combustion gas passage side, of the recess grooves, striding between the opposed surfaces of the flanges within the recess grooves, the leaf spring is arranged so as to be contact with the seal member within the recess grooves so that the beads are pressed against the surfaces on the combustion gas passage side by the resilient force of the leaf spring so as to create seal surfaces.
US08069672B2
An embodiment of the present invention may provide a variable speed booster, which receives air from a compressor of a gas turbine through an intercooler, to supply air at a relatively constant pressure to an air processing unit. An embodiment of the present invention may provide a speed adjustable booster turbine to energize a variable speed booster; which provides air at a relatively constant pressure to an air processing unit.
US08069671B2
A burner (1) for a combustion chamber of a turbogroup includes a swirl generator (2), a mixer (3), and a lance (4) for introducing pilot fuel into a combustion space (10). In order to stabilize combustion, the lance (4) is designed and/or arranged so that, at least in the pilot mode of the burner (1), it extends far enough into the burner interior (5) for a flame front (16) of a combustion reaction, which takes place in the combustion space (10), to extend at least partially into the burner interior (5).
US08069665B2
A method for providing air to a combustion chamber of an engine, the engine including a compressor and a boost tank selectably coupled to an intake manifold. The method includes varying a relative amount of engine exhaust in air pressurized in the boost tank based on engine operating conditions, and discharging the air pressurized in the boost tank to the intake manifold.
US08069660B1
One or more systems for silencing and extracting waste heat from exhaust of a combustion system for performing an operation and using the waste heat to perform an additional operation are provided herein. The system can include a heat recovery silencer. An inner housing of the heat recovery silencer can be in fluid communication with a combustion system. A heat recovery flow path of the heat recovery silencer can have an outlet port in fluid communication with an auxiliary device inlet, and the heat recovery flow path can have an inlet in fluid communication with an axially device outlet of the auxiliary device.
US08069658B2
A method for regenerating a particulate filter may comprise calculating a first estimated soot load of a particulate filter based on a pressure drop of an exhaust gas flowing through the particulate filter, and calculating a second estimated soot load of the particulate filter based on a mass balance of soot in the particulate filter. The method may further comprise calculating a hybrid estimated soot load based on the first estimated soot load and the second estimated soot load, wherein calculating the hybrid estimated soot load comprises applying at least one gate so as to weight a relative contribution of each of the first estimated soot load and the second estimated soot load to the hybrid estimated soot load, and causing regeneration of the particulate filter when the hybrid estimated soot load is greater than or equal to a threshold value.
US08069648B2
A cooling system for a turbine exhaust assembly comprises an annular case, a flowpath ring and a splash plate. The flowpath ring is coaxially disposed within the annular case. The splash plate extends axially between the annular case and the flowpath ring. A plurality of cooling fluid apertures is formed in the annular case, in order to provide cooling fluid flow onto the splash plate. A plurality of impingement holes is formed in the splash plate, in order to provide impingement flow onto the flowpath ring.
US08069643B2
A yarn, fabric, and garment suitable for use in arc and flame protection comprising aramid fiber and modacrylic fiber wherein the modacrylic fiber has less than 1.5 percent antimony and is preferably antimony-free. In one embodiment, the yarn, fabric, and/or garments consist essentially of (a) 50 to 80 weight percent meta-aramid fiber having a degree of crystallinity of at least 20%, (b) 10 to 40 weight percent modacrylic fiber that is antimony-free, (c) 5 to 20 weight percent para-aramid fiber, and (d) 1 to 3 weight percent antistatic fiber, based on the total weight of components (a), (b), (c) and (d). In some embodiments, garments made from the yarns provide thermal protection such that a wearer would experience less than a 65 percent predicted body burn when exposed to a flash fire exposure of 4 seconds per ASTM F1930, while maintaining a Category 2 arc rating per ASTM F1959 and NFPA 70E.
US08069641B2
A shaking system for a harvesting head used in picking fruit from orchards has a fruit separating assembly with a lower subassembly and an upper subassembly. The upper subassembly is positioned rearwardly of said lower subassembly at a higher level than the lower subassembly. First and second oscillating drive shafts are independently and drivingly connected to the respective first and second subassemblies.
US08069640B2
A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
US08069636B1
An improved adhesive-backed carrier tape system for packaging of components. Components or devices are held within the compartments of the carrier portion by a low tack adhesive level layer while a high tack adhesive layer is affixed to the carrier portion to provide means for high speed, low cost automated handling of the packaged components.
US08069631B2
A flooring includes rectangular floorboards with long sides and short sides, the floorboards being joined in a herringbone pattern, long side to long side and long side to short side, wherein the floorboards have a surface layer of laminate, and the long sides of the floorboards have pairs of opposing mechanical connectors which at least allow locking-together both horizontally and vertically by inward angling.
US08069614B2
The present invention relates to an improved retention sealing strip (10) that improves the ease of assembly, and reduces manufacturing costs. The sealing strip (10) includes a retention section (28) having an upper hub (50), a first retention leg (54) positioned forward of the upper hub (50), a second retention leg (62) rearward (e.g., positioned at an inner-side of a vehicle cabin) of the first retention leg (54), an upper recess (52) positioned rearward of the upper hub (50), and a lower recess (58) positioned between the first and second retention legs (54, 62 respectively). The sealing strip (10) also includes a sealing section (30) integrally formed with the retention section (28).
US08069613B2
A mullion assembly (10) includes a top mounting block (92) attached to a top beam (24) of a door frame (22). A bottom mounting block (108) is mounted on a floor (20) spaced from the top beam (24) in a vertical direction. A post (40) is detachably mounted between top and bottom mounting blocks (92, 108). A brace (50) is mounted to a lower end (44) of the post (40). A positioning rod (172) is mounted to the brace (50) and moveable between a locking position and an unlocking position to lock the post (40) between the top and bottom mounting blocks (92, 108). An anchoring rod (214) is mounted to the brace (50) and moveable between an anchoring position and a non-anchoring position, allowing further locking of the post (40) between the top and bottom mounting blocks (92, 108) when the mullion assembly (10) is exposed to a fire.
US08069603B2
Devices, systems and methods of canting firearms such as rifles relative to fore grip having extendable and expanded legs. One version allows for a rocking and canting of the firearm by pivotally attaching an upper portion of the expanded legs. Another version allows for a separate canting member to be clamped to both the upper portion of a vertical fore grip and to the lower mounting rail of the firearm. The canting member has portions that cant (move to the left or to the right) relative to one another. An operator can cant the firearm in a free-state or to fixed positions as desired.
US08069601B1
The present invention is an ammunition magazine, preferably made of a glass fiber reinforced polymer, utilizing a structurally enhancing ridge, angular guide rails and a follower made to interface with said guide rails to reduce wobble. The preferred embodiment also features a protective cover that distributes forces from the spring to more structurally sound areas of the magazine, thus reducing feed end splay, and an ammunition indication system comprised of at least one window and a noticeable marker on the follower spring. The follower and magazine casing are also designed to interface to prevent the follower from popping out of the feed end and the floor plate of the magazine utilizes a locking plate and sliding relationship between the floor plate, locking plate and magazine to secure the floor plate onto the magazine casing. The cover features built in tools for, among other things, unloading and disassembling the magazine.
US08069596B2
In the case of a stand for an information sign (2), the support (1) used for the information sign (2) is an L-shaped metal strip which is releasably connected to a base part, ensuring the stability of the stand, and, at its top end, has a pivot pin (14) and coupling discs (22, 23) which are provided with locking protrusions (20) and locking recesses (21), by means of which the information sign (2) can be arrested in different positions.
US08069579B2
A train rail alignment and distance system. The train rail alignment and distance system is a durable, highly accurate, portable electronic measurement system that is used for determining both rail inclination and distance between substantially parallel train rail sections during the processes of railway construction, maintenance, and monitoring. The system is designed to work accurately across a wide temperature range and in extreme weather conditions. It is designed to be easily manufactured, configured and maintained. The system also includes several optional integrated features and functions such as: field calibration, factory configuration, GPS and/or USB integration, PC and/or Internet-based communications, and data logging, data storage, and data analysis capabilities.
US08069578B1
A laser mounting assembly for mounting a laser tool to a mounting surface such as a wall to adjacent to an end of a mounted first molding segment and orienting the laser tool to project a beam of light from a point aligned with a longitudinal edge of the first molding segment along the mounting surface to locate and permit marking of the position of a second molding segment longitudinal edge includes a laser tool distal end for mounting to a support surface and having a laser tool proximal end. The laser mounting assembly includes a mounting plate for securing to a mounting surface; and includes a backing panel for fastening to the laser tool distal end, such as with adhesive, the backing panel having a direction indicator along the panel periphery which extends laterally to an extent that it is visible to an observer at the laser tool proximal end. A method of assembly use is also provided.
US08069576B2
A vehicle wheel alignment measuring method and apparatus capable of measuring wheel alignment of a vehicle body with high accuracy without wheels mounted in an assembly line. A dummy wheel (10) is mounted on a wheel mounting portion (6) on which a wheel is not mounted. Subsequently, with a vehicle body supported, a wheel mounting portion elevating means (8) elevates the wheel mounting portion (6) via the dummy wheel (10). Thereafter, an alignment measuring means (9) measures wheel alignment for the wheel mounting portion (6) on which the dummy wheel (10) is mounted.
US08069573B2
A pruning hook includes an extension shank (30), a blade unit (10) including a fixed blade (12) mounted on the extension shank and a movable blade (13) pivotally connected with the fixed blade, a driving cord (15) connected with the movable blade, a slide (16) connected with the driving cord, a pull cord (20) connected with the slide, a control member (40) movably mounted on the extension shank and connected with a first end (21) of the pull cord, and a pulling member (50) movable relative to the extension shank and connected with a second end (22) of the pull cord. Thus, the blade unit is driven by the control member or the pulling member so that the blade unit has two operation modes to facilitate a user operating the pruning hook to perform a cutting action.
US08069571B2
A cutter apparatus includes a housing shaped to be hand-held, a slider configured to support a front blade, the slider being mechanically coupled to the housing and configured to be moved longitudinally along the housing, and a blade guard mechanically coupled to the housing and configured to be extended and retracted adjacent to the front end of the housing, wherein the slider and the blade guard are configured to move in tandem.
US08069564B2
An alignment jig for a liquid-jet head, which is used when positioning and joining a nozzle plate and a fixing member, the nozzle plate having nozzle orifices for jetting a liquid of the liquid-jet head and an alignment mark for alignment, the fixing member being adapted to hold a plurality of the liquid-jet heads, the alignment jig comprising a mask which is a transparent member provided with a reference mark for alignment with the alignment mark, the reference mark being formed within the mask.
US08069563B2
A blade structure for a torque converter, produced by a process including the steps of: stamping a flat blank into a first annular plate that includes a first connecting ring portion, a second connecting ring portion, and a plurality of blades spaced from each other in a circumferential direction of the first and second connecting ring portions; bending the blades into a curved shape curved with respect to the first annular plate; bending the blades to be inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the first and second connecting ring portions; and expanding the first annular plate outwardly in a radial direction thereof to thereby form a predetermined annular shape that has a larger radial dimension than the first annular shape and a larger circumferential distance between respective adjacent two of the blades than that in the first annular plate.
US08069561B2
A method for manufacturing a metal-ceramic substrate with at least one metallization, patterned by etching, on at least one surface side of a laminar ceramic material. The metal-ceramic substrate includes a base substrate made of an aluminum-nitride or silicon-nitride ceramic. The metallization is applied by active soldering before patterning. An intermediate layer made of an oxidic ceramic is provided between the at least one metallization and the base substrate.
US08069555B2
A method of manufacturing a three-phase, four pole motor is provided utilizing a dual-layer winding insertion technique. The first and second winding layers are each comprised of the coil groups for six individual poles, two per phase. Within each layer, the two poles per phase are members of a pole pair. In one configuration, each winding layer is comprised of six concentric coil groups in which there is no coil overlap; alternately, each coil group may be comprised of five coils with either the first or second or both outermost coils of each group being double-turn coils; alternately, each coil group may be comprised of five coils with no coil doubling, although there are overlapping coils from different coil groups; alternately, each coil group may be comprised of five coils with no coil doubling and no overlap between different coil groups, although the coils within each coil group are completely lap wound.
US08069546B1
A cutter operative to pierce and cut a sheet of material includes a handle and a body portion coupled to the handle. The body portion includes two puncture fingers having tips for piercing the sheet of material and two blades for cutting two parallel cuts in the sheet of material. In a method of installing a zipper on a sheet of material, left and right portions of a zipper are applied to a sheet of material. A swath portion of the sheet of material is cut having two parallel, spaced-apart cuts between the left and right portions of the zipper. In this manner, zipper installation is established in a manner that avoids formation of flap of material that would otherwise remain between the left and right flanges of the zipper.
US08069534B2
A hinge assembly includes a shaft, a leaf, a rotatable joint, a positioning member, an elastic engaging member, and a fastening member. The leaf is non-rotatably mounted on the shaft, and the rotatable joint is rotatably mounted on the shaft. The positioning member includes an engaging surface, and is non-rotatable relative to the rotatable joint. The elastic engaging member includes an engaging surface, and is non-rotatably sleeved on the shaft. The fastening member is engaged on the shaft. One of the engaging surfaces of the positioning member and the engaging member forms an engaging protrusion, and the other one of the engaging surfaces of the positioning member and the engaging member defines an engaging slot engaging with the engaging protrusion.
US08069523B2
The site scrub brush is made of a block of foam material, such as a semi-closed hydrophilic polyurethane medical grade foam, with a thin layer of sealing material, such as any plastic polymer which is non-permeable in nature, about the periphery and bottom. The brush is compressible under finger pressure to enhance the scrubbing action of the brush on the outer surfaces of a luer received by the brush.
US08069521B2
A hand-held electrical conductor cleaning apparatus including a frame having a handle section and a tube section; an abrasive member movably mounted in the tube section; a motor adapted to move the abrasive member inside the tube section; a battery connected to the motor; and a user control for actuating the motor.
US08069515B1
An orthopedic pillow for supporting a user is disclosed. The user has a head and a torso. The pillow comprises a head rest for supporting the head of the user and a wedge-shaped portion having a tapered surface. The wedge-shaped portion is attached to and extends away from the head rest. The tapered surface of the wedge-shaped portion supports portions of the torso of the user. The wedge-shaped portion has a shoulder recess depressed from the tapered surface to receive a shoulder of the user.
US08069510B2
A spring system in particular for upholstery and/or mattresses of push-carriage seats, furniture for sitting on or lying on or the like, having a plurality of successively spaced-apart slats (20), in particular resilient slats, and having supporting bodies (21) for supporting the slats directly or indirectly on a carrying structure. The bearing points or bearing regions (27) of the slats (20), in which the slats (20) are supported by the supporting bodies (21), are arranged exclusively between the slat ends (31, 32).
US08069509B2
A sanitary device 210 is provided. The sanitary device 210 includes a body and mounting means on the body for mounting the body on a toiletry actuation device 312 of a toilet 310. A stack of leaves of material is provided on the body, the leaves of material being selectively removable so as to enable a user to actuate the toiletry actuation device 312 by removing an uppermost leaf of material from the stack, to reveal a lower leaf of material, and then pressing on the lower leaf of material to actuate the toiletry actuation device 312. In this way, a user can actuate the actuation device 312 without having to touch the toiletry actuation device 312 in a manner in which the user touches a surface which has been touched previously.
US08069506B2
Disclosed is a clip suitable to removably assemble a bathtub or shower stall base to a shower enclosure surround wall. The clip includes a toe, a leg connected to the toe, a web connected to the leg, and a flexible tang also connected to the web. The web is designed to mount the clip on the bathtub or stall base, while the toe catches under a ledge of the bathtub or stall base. The tang will then project at an angle inwardly. The tang permits the surround wall to pass vertically downward past it to assemble the enclosure. It resists upward movement until a specified force is applied, at which point the clip deforms or breaks to permit disassembly. The clip also has a portion of the web which facilitates keeping the clip on the bathtub or stall base even after the clip has been deformed or partially broken.
US08069503B2
A quantitative refill device is mounted on the top end of an overflow pipe in a water tank of a water saving toilet and comprises a first pipe, a second pipe and a float device. The second pipe defines a second chamber. Initially, water flows to the overflow pipe to create a water closing through a water flow passage between the second pipe and the float pipe, especially a conical passage defined between a conical surface of the second pipe and a conical portion of the float device. Meanwhile, the float device moves upward along with the rise of the water level of the second chamber to close the conical passage. By the time the conical passage is closed, the water closing is formed, and the refilled surplus water will overflow into the water tank, thus creating a quantitative water refilling effect.
US08069498B2
A protective arrangement has a rigid shell to cover a body part and at least one impact absorbing pad removably attached to the inner surface of the rigid shell. The pad has an outer part made of an outer curved sheet and an inner part made of an inner sheet that is parallel to and spaced inwardly from the outer sheet to define a space. The inner and outer sheets have a plurality of spaced apart projecting hollow protrusions extending to the other sheet, the protrusions of one sheet alternating with the protrusions of the other sheet to form an impact absorbing pattern of alternating protrusions in the space between the sheets.
US08074285B2
A method of protection against the copying of digital data stored on an information carrier envisages, on the basis of a first identification of an encryption of the digital data and of a second identification of a watermarking of digital data, the determination of a first mark if it has been possible to identify the encryption and the watermarking. A third identification of a type of the information carrier is followed by the determination of a second mark if it has been possible to determine the first mark and if has been possible to identify a determined type of information carrier. A fourth identification of cryptographic signature data accompanying the digital data is followed by the determination of a third mark if it has been possible to determine the second mark and if it has been possible to identify a cryptographic signature datum. A permission for digital copying of the digital data is delivered if it has been possible to determine the third mark.
US08074274B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving a request from a user-level agent for programming of a user-level privilege for at least one architectural resource of an application-managed sequencer (AMS) and programming the user-level privilege for the at least one architectural resource using an operating system-managed sequencer (OMS) coupled to the AMS. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08074259B1
An authentication mark-up data of multiple local area networks is disclosed. In one embodiment of a system, the system includes a wide area network, an update device coupled to the wide area network, and any number of gateway devices coupled to the wide area network. Each of the gateway devices is associated with a separate local area network. Each of the plurality of gateway devices automatically provide an authentication page stored in the update device based upon a data provided to the update device. In addition, the authentication page is the same for at least some of the plurality of gateway devices, according to the one embodiment.
US08074258B2
A federated identity provisioning system includes relying parties, identity providers, and clients that obtain tokens from identity providers for access to a relying party's services. When a client contacts a new relying party, the relying party provides information that the client can independently resolve and evaluate for trustworthiness. For example, the relying party provides a generic domain name address. The client can then resolve the domain name address over various, authenticated steps to identity an endpoint for a digital identity provisioning service. The client can further interact with and authenticate the provisioning service (e.g., requiring digital signatures) to establish a trust relationship. Once determining that the client/user trusts the provisioning service, the client/user can then provide information to obtain a digital identity representation. The client can then use the digital identity representation with the corresponding identity provider to obtain one or more tokens that the relying party can validate.
US08074256B2
A policy developer studio comprising: a meta-policy core of network objects, a policy developer graphical user interface (GUI) tool for providing a front end to a policy language, an output in XML, a compiled output for a policy engine, and an output in human readable form is provided.
US08074255B2
A video transmitting system may be configured to transmit, over extended length twisted-pair cables, video signals encoded in the Y/C video space. The system may comprise a source of RGB computer video signals. A video transmitter may be operable to convert the RGB video signals into a balanced luminance signal and a respective pair of balanced color difference signals. The video transmitting system may be further configured to transmit the balanced luminance signal and the pair of balanced color difference signals over respective extended length twisted-pair cables. The luminance signal may be transmitted over a non time-corrected cable in order to retain bandwidth, while the color difference signals may be transmitted over time-corrected cables, thereby reducing the visual degradation of the signals.
US08074252B2
This invention relates to a communication system, a data processing apparatus, a data processing method, a data providing apparatus, a data providing method, and a program for offering services to users in response to their requests. Executable buttons representing executable functions are displayed in a given display format, while optional buttons representing optional functions are displayed in a different format. When a download button is operated to request download of software for implementing the function represented by any one of the executable buttons, the software in question is downloaded. Executing the downloaded software changes the optional button representing the implemented function into an executable button on display.
US08074243B2
A method and system for generating electronic program guides is provided. The method comprises: sharing Electronic Program Guides (EPG) data among at least one terminal and at least two service providers (SPs) interconnected over network; searching the shared EPG data; and generating EPG for the terminal according to the searched EPG data and the customization information provided by the terminal. The system comprises at least two SPs and at least one terminal interconnected over network, where at least two SPs of the at least two SPs are provided with a middleware, and EPG data is shared among SPs or between SPs and terminals through the middleware, and at least one terminal of the at least one terminal is provided with a middleware. In embodiments of the present invention, an individualized EPG is generated according to requirements of a terminal by sharing EPG data and summarizing EPG data from a plurality of SPs.
US08074223B2
A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that, in an embodiment, determine whether an amount of usage of a resource, which is used under a temporary usage plan, exceeds a threshold. If that determination is true, a quantity of the resource is calculated and that quantity is converted from the temporary usage plan to a permanent usage plan, without further charge to the customer. In another embodiment, a different resource may be converted to the permanent usage plan than the resource that was temporarily used. In various embodiments, the calculation of the quantity is made based on an attribute of the computer that uses the resource or based on an activation code received from the provider of the resource. In various embodiments, the amount of the usage is either a time amount of use or a monetary amount charged for the resource under the temporary usage plan. In various embodiments, the quantity of the resource converted is based on a ratio of a number of permanent resources in use to a total number of resources, based on an attribute of the computer, based on the cost of the computer, based on the age of the computer, based on a speed of the resource, or based on the amount of resources in the computer.
US08074219B2
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for preserving input element ordering in data parallel operations. This ordering may be based on element ordinal position in the input or a programmer-specified key-selection routine that generates sortable keys for each input element. Complex data parallel operations are re-written to contain individual data parallel operations that introduce partitioning and merging. Each partition is then processed independently in parallel. The system ensures that downstream operations remember ordering information established by certain other operations, using techniques that vary depending upon which categories the consumer operations are in. Data is merged back into one output stream using a final merge process that is aware of the ordering established among data elements.
US08074214B2
A customized installation, e.g. of Linux software, is created by allowing a user to select packages that the user is interested in installing. During the process, the user is informed if two of the packages that were selected will not be interoperable at run-time. The user is then given an opportunity to resolve the conflict. The user is also informed if selected packages depend on other packages that were not selected in order to run properly, and given the opportunity to include those needed packages in the installation. Once the selected packages have been validated that they will interoperate and all dependencies are satisfied, the system can install the installation.
US08074208B2
System and method for generating safe and efficient component relationships in wireless applications
A method of detecting recursive instantiation loops in a wireless application. A data model digraph is constructed including a respective node for each data component in the wireless application, and a respective edge for each relationship between a pair of data components. The data model digraph is searched to identify any cycles. For each identified cycle, each data component that participates in the cycle is identified.
US08074199B2
A unified messaging (UM) application benefits from platform independence and human intelligibility of eXtended Markup Language (XML). A finite state machine (FSM) of the UM application is created utilizing an XML feature to create a valid menu state based upon a UM software component. For a UM software component that is a context or setting of the UM application, an XML conditional attribute conditions a prompt, transition or grammar node of the UM FSM. For a UM software component that is an XML snippet, an XML importation element replicates the XML snippet upon compilation, avoiding time-consuming and error prone requirements for manual code duplication. For a UM software component such as an external method, function, variable or action, a function wrapping XML tool validates the existence of such external UM software components at build time and captures version information to verify the availability of the same version upon execution.
US08074198B2
An apparatus, includes a search unit which searches a critical signal path from a plurality of candidate signal paths connecting a first terminal and a second terminal, the critical signal path including the most strict delay limit in the plurality of candidate signal paths, and a display control unit which controls a display device for displaying an information regarding to a circuit element, the circuit element including the critical signal path.
US08074190B1
A circuit design system, methodology, and software are disclosed for generating circuit capable of consuming less dynamic power. In particular, the circuit design methodology entails modifying an initial circuit design including a clock network coupled to a plurality of edge-triggered flip-flops to generate a modified circuit design that uses pulsed latches driven by pulse generators in place of at least some of the flip-flops. Since pulsed latches use less dynamic power than edge-triggered flip-flops, the modified circuit may consume less dynamic power. The circuit design methodology may further entail adding delay cells for balancing the clock network to compensate for timing effects caused by the insertion of pulse generators. Additionally, the methodology may further include cloning of forbidden clock paths to make more flip-flops eligible for pulsed latch replacement.
US08074186B2
A leakage current analyzing apparatus receives input of data used for analysis and indicating intra/inter-chip variation concerning the gate length of transistors constituting cells in a circuit to be designed, where the inter-chip variation is handled as a discrete probability density distribution R. Using the data input, the leakage current analyzing apparatus obtains a cumulative probability density for a leakage current value (of the circuit) that is equal to or less than each arbitrary leakage current value I1 to IJ. As a result, the leak rate of the circuit to be designed can be correctly obtained without limiting the shape of distribution.
US08074184B2
Systems and methods enhance editing capabilities associated with a wide variety of different types of electronic documents. Such systems and methods may include a processor that maintains an electronic document having a first portion (e.g., an individual word, character, character string, or the like) provided by a recognizer (e.g., by handwriting or speech recognition software), and they may provide access to potential alternative characters, words, or character strings generated by the recognizer during various user editing functions and operations. Other data associated with the first portion of the document also may be stored and made available to the user during various functions and operations. This invention further relates to computer-readable media including instructions for performing various methods and/or operating various systems for editing electronic documents, including systems and methods like those described above.
US08074180B2
When a print instruction is input, an information processing apparatus of the invention converts designated data to print data appropriate for print setting information of a designated printing device, inputs the print data to the printing device, and forms an image based on the designated data through the designated printing device. On the other hand, when an instruction to display a preview screen is input, the designated data is converted to print data appropriate for the print setting information of the designated printing device and a preview screen GP1 based on the print data is displayed.
US08074170B2
A method of routing print files in a computer system. The content of a print file is evaluated based on a routing policy. The print file is then selectively routed based on that evaluation.
US08074169B2
A method of creating a document comprises obtaining a plurality of content-elements that it is desired to print on the document; considering one or more perimeters into which the obtained content-elements are to be placed; attempting to arrange the or each considered perimeter on the document; adjusting the dimensions of one or more perimeters such that the perimeters can be placed on the document; re-arranging the content-elements within a perimeter according to pre-determined rules as the dimensions are adjusted; and generating the document created by the method.
US08074167B2
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that allow for repurposing content of a source web site for an external web site. The developer uses a programming feature to create a web page with a portion of content suitable for use in the form of a gadget control on an external web site. The developer sets up the portion of the web page for repurposing as the gadget control. When a request is received from the source web site to access the web page, the web page is displayed along with the displayable portion of content in the normal fashion. When a request is received from the external web site to access the portion of content in the form of the gadget control, the portion of content is provided to the external web site for use in the gadget control.
US08074153B2
An error correction device is provided. When an error of an incorrect data group stored in a memory is detected, a memory controller of the error correction device executes a burst read, burst write or burst read-modify-write (RMW) operations to the memory instead of the conventional single read-modify-write (RMW) operation, thereby reducing the occupied bandwidth of the memory.
US08074150B2
A wireless communication device includes a receiver configured to receive a transport block with a sequence of bits wherein A is the number of bits, a first cyclic redundancy check (CRC) coder configured to generate a first block of CRC parity bits on a transport block and to associates the first block of CRC parity bits with the transport block, wherein a number of CRC parity bits in the first block is L, a segmenting entity configured to segment the transport block into multiple code blocks after associating when A+L is larger than 6144, a second CRC coder configured to generate a second block of CRC parity bits on each code block and to associate a second block of CRC parity bits with each code block, and a channel encoder configured to encode each of the code blocks including the associated second block of CRC parity bits if A+L>6144.
US08074135B1
An integrated circuit includes an embedded processor. An embedded in-circuit emulator is located within the embedded processor. The embedded in-circuit emulator performs a test on the integrated circuit. The embedded in-circuit emulator generates a testing result based on the test on the integrated circuit. Trace logic to generate trace data based on the testing result, the trace data being in a parallel format. A serializer is located on the integrated circuit. The serializer converts the parallel format of the trace data into a serial format. The serializer serially outputs the trace data in the serial format from the integrated circuit.
US08074132B2
Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to one example embodiment, an integrated circuit may include a mode block, a plurality of data blocks, and a reset node. The mode block may be configured to output a test mode signal, a scan mode signal, and a trigger signal based on a received data input. The plurality of data blocks may each include registers configured to store data, each of the plurality of data blocks being configured to write over at least some of the data stored in their respective registers in response to receiving a write-over instruction. The reset node may be configured to reset the registers based on receiving either a first reset input or a second reset input. The integrated circuit may be configured to enter a test mode, enter a scan mode, and exit the test mode.
US08074125B2
Provided are an apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving data bits. The apparatus includes a transmitter configured to generate a transmission signal corresponding to the data bits and having a periodic transition, a data line configured to transmit the generated transmission signal, and a receiver configured to generate a reception clock signal from the periodic transition of the transmission signal (“reception signal”) transmitted through the data line, sample the reception signal according to the generated reception clock signal to recover the data bits. Accordingly, it is possible to transmit clock information without a clock line separate from the data line.
US08074121B2
An implementation verification policy for each of a set of change management tasks associated with one of a set of service requests within an information technology (IT) environment is created via a configuration management device. Each of the set of change management tasks is automatically implemented. An error associated with the automated implementation of one of the set of change management tasks is detected based on the implementation verification policy created for one of the set of change management tasks. The error is automatically correlated with a service request that caused the error.
US08074118B2
A method for influencing a control unit by means of a manipulation unit whereby the control unit has at least one microcontroller, at least one memory having a plurality of memory cells and at least one debug interface, and the debug interface has a monitoring functionality for observing the memory content, and by means of the debug interface a first point in time of the control unit for writing a first value to a first memory cell is detected, and a triggering point in time for a processing routine by the manipulation unit is obtained as the result based on the information transmitted to the manipulation unit by the debug interface at the first point in time, and at a second point in time, a second value is written to the first memory cell by the manipulation unit by means of the processing routine via the debug interface before the first memory cell is read by the control unit at a third point in time.
US08074115B2
Methods, media, and systems for detecting anomalous program executions are provided. In some embodiments, methods for detecting anomalous program executions are provided, comprising: executing at least a part of a program in an emulator; comparing a function call made in the emulator to a model of function calls for the at least a part of the program; and identifying the function call as anomalous based on the comparison. In some embodiments, methods for detecting anomalous program executions are provided, comprising: modifying a program to include indicators of program-level function calls being made during execution of the program; comparing at least one of the indicators of program-level function calls made in the emulator to a model of function calls for the at least a part of the program; and identifying a function call corresponding to the at least one of the indicators as anomalous based on the comparison.
US08074110B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for identifying available cores of a many-core processor, allocating a first subset of the cores to an enabled state and a second subset of the cores to a spare state, and storing information regarding the allocation in a storage. The allocation of cores to the enables state may be based on a temperature-aware algorithm, in certain embodiments. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08074105B2
A storage system includes two RAID controllers, each having two SAS initiators coupled to a zoning SAS expander. The expanders are linked by an inter-controller link and create a SAS ZPSDS. The expanders have PHY-to-zone mappings and zone permissions to create two distinct SAS domains such that one initiator of each RAID controller is in one domain and the other initiator is in the other domain. The disk drives are dual-ported, and each port of each drive is in a different domain. Each initiator can access every drive in the system, half directly through the local expander and half indirectly through the other RAID controller's expander via the inter-controller link. Thus, a RAID controller can continue to access a drive via the remote path in the remote domain if the drive becomes inaccessible via the local path in the local domain.
US08074100B2
A restore management apparatus comprising a restore performing unit which performs restoration of a data and stores the data in a restore disk which is distinct from a backed up disk, a management unit that manages progress of the restoration performed by the restore performing unit, and an access controlling unit that references the progress of the restoration managed by the management unit, makes the restore performing unit preferentially perform the restoration of data that includes a region where the restoration is not completed in response to a data access request to the region, and accesses the region of the restore disk after the restoration is completed.
US08074093B1
Computer software that manages the amount of power provided to a processing unit for a specific process task, optimizing the processing speed of that specific task without overheating the processing unit. In the optimization method, the software initially counts the number of operations completed during an initial subtask duration for the current process task, then recounts the number of operations completed during a repeat subtask duration when the voltage to the processing unit was increased incrementally based on its die size. The software then determines whether to (a) repeat such steps until the operations count stops increasing (and save the completed-operations count of that subtask duration), or (b) whenever the temperature of the processing unit exceeds a failsafe temperature, save the completed-operations count of the immediately preceding subtask duration. The task may be processed continuously at that optimized performance level and power level.
US08074087B2
Controlling processors and processor hardware components in a computing device based on execution load and a power saving preference. The power saving preference relates to responsiveness of the processors versus power consumption of the processors to manage battery life of the device. The processors and processor hardware components may be powered on and off based on a determined execution load for the processors and based on the power saving preference. For example, arithmetic logic units, caches, vectorization units, and units for graphics or multimedia support may be individually enabled or disabled based on the execution load and the power saving preference.
US08074070B2
A method wherein an access point authenticates itself with neighboring access points and establishes secure and mutually authenticated communication channels with its neighboring access points. When an access point learns of a neighboring access point, it initiates an authentication with an authentication server through the neighboring access point. Once access points have mutually authenticated each other, whenever a station authenticates itself with a first access point, the first access point communicates the station's authentication context information, for example session key and session identifier, to each neighboring access point. Thus, when the station roams to a neighboring access point, the neighboring access point presents the station with a reauthentication protocol, for example LEAP reauthentication, and if the reauthentication is successful, communication between the station and the neighboring access point takes place immediately and no new EAP authentication needs to occur.
US08074066B2
Electronic messages are sent from a sending system to an identified recipient and are encoded using information contained in a certificate. A key store is accessed by a messaging application to determine if a certificate associated with the recipient is present. If no certificate is present in the key store the messaging application accesses one or more certificate services to obtain a certificate. Where validation of the retrieved certificate is required, the messaging application invokes a certificate validation process. One or more further certificates are obtained by the messaging application where the retrieved certificate is invalid.
US08074063B2
Some embodiments of enhanced capabilities in provisioning on computing machines in a networked system have been presented. In one embodiment, a software vendor deploys a centralized server to an internal network of a customer. The provisioning capabilities of a centralized server are extended to support an additional type of platform by downloading a set of kickstart files associated with the additional type of platform from a software vendor. The centralized server may provision on a computing machine coupled to the centralized server within the internal network based on a type of a platform of the computing machine using one or more of the plurality of kickstart files.
US08074058B2
The present invention provides extended precision in SIMD arithmetic operations in a processor having a register file and an accumulator. A first set of data elements and a second set of data elements are loaded into first and second vector registers, respectively. Each data element comprises N bits. Next, an arithmetic instruction is fetched from memory. The arithmetic instruction is decoded. Then, the first vector register and the second vector register are read from the register file. The present invention executes the arithmetic instruction on corresponding data elements in the first and second vector registers. The resulting element of the execution is then written into the accumulator. Then, the resulting element is transformed into an N-bit width element and written into a third register for further operation or storage in memory. The transformation of the resulting element can include, for example, rounding, clamping, and/or shifting the element.
US08074037B2
A storage service device with a dual controller and a backup method thereof are applicable to provide the same view service to an event-login log and a configuration file of a server. The storage service device includes a first control module, a second control module, a battery unit, a basic input/output system (BIOS), and a backup procedure. Once a power failure occurs to the server, the following backup procedure is performed a hardware interrupt signal is sent to the battery unit, so as to provide an operation power to a first memory module and a second memory module; an index page of the first memory module is synchronized with that of the second memory module; and the updated index pages are recorded into a first flash memory and a second flash memory respectively.
US08074024B2
An electronic flash memory external storage method and device for data processing system includes firmware which directly controls the access of electronic storage media and implements standard interface functions, adopts particular reading and writing formats of the external storage media, receives power via USB, externally stores data by flash memory and access control circuit with the cooperation of the firmware and the driver with the operating system, and has write-protection so that the data can be safely transferred. The method according to present invention is highly efficient and all parts involved are assembled as a monolithic piece so that it has large-capacity with small size and high speed. The device operates in static state and is driven by software. It is plug-and-play and adapted to data processing system.
US08074021B1
A network storage system includes “raw” flash memory, and storage of data in that flash memory is controlled by an external, log structured, write out-of-place data layout engine of a storage server. By avoiding a separate, onboard data layout engine on the flash devices, the latency associated with operation of such a data layout engine is also avoided. The flash memory can be used as the main persistent storage of a storage server and/or as buffer cache of a storage server, or both. The flash memory can be accessible to multiple storage servers in a storage cluster. To reduce variability in read latency, each flash device provides its status (“busy” or not) to the data layout engine. The data layout engine uses RAID data reconstruction to avoid having to read from a busy flash device.
US08074019B2
Storage servers use a fast, non-volatile or persistent memory to store data until it can be written to slower mass storage devices such as disk drives. If the server crashes before a write can complete, the data remains safely stored in non-volatile memory. If the data cannot be committed to disk when the server reboots (e.g. because the destination mass storage device is unavailable), it is stored in a file. When the disk reappears, the data in the file may be used to restore a file or file system on the disk to a consistent state.
US08074007B2
A client-host detection device for detecting connecting a connected peripheral is disclosed herein. The device comprises a peripheral sensor connected to a terminal, a terminal sensor connected to or for connection to a peripheral and a terminal electrical connector connected to the terminal for electrical connection with a peripheral electrical connector connected to a peripheral. The peripheral sensor is positioned to sense the terminal sensor upon connection of the terminal electrical connector with the peripheral electrical connector. The device allows for an electrical connector to be maintained in an unpowered state unless a peripheral is connected thereby reducing or preventing de-plating of the contacts of the electrical connector caused by conductive solution across the contacts as a result of the voltage on the connections. The device also allows for the use of an unpowered peripheral.
US08073999B2
A system controller is presented that controls an output format of data according to a data congestion status of the data and then outputs the data over an output bus. Specifically, if there is data congestion, the system controller changes the format of the data to a format that matches a bus width of the output bus before outputting the data over the output bus. To give a specific example, the system controller changes the format of the data input over an input bus in an input format of 4 B to an output format of 5 B before outputting the data over the output bus. If there is no data congestion, the system controller outputs the data over the output bus without changing the input format.
US08073990B1
A method and apparatus for transferring data from a first to a second memory of a computer system. The method comprises (i) initializing a descriptor with a description of physical addressing of a first section of a first array of the first memory; (ii) updating a mask associated with the descriptor with an indication for transferring data from a first sub-section of the first section to the second memory, the mask and the data managed by an application on a first virtual machine of the computer system, the application isolated from the physical addressing of the first section; (iii) responsive to the updated mask, (a) determining physical addresses of the first sub-section based on the description, and (b), transferring the data from the first sub-section to the second memory; and (iv) clearing at least a portion of the updated mask to indicate completion of transferring the data.
US08073982B2
The invention relates to a method for setting an operating parameter in a peripheral IC. In this method, the operating parameter is transmitted from a central IC via a bus connection to the peripheral IC. The method is characterized in that the operating parameter is initially buffered in a preregister in the peripheral IC, and in that the buffered operating parameter is transferred into a working register only if a transfer signal is sent from the central IC via the bus connection. This method has the advantage that, for example in the case of rapidly changing receive conditions in a send/receive unit, adjustment of the send or receive gain setting is very flexible, and it is easy to avoid an incorrect setting due to a detected signal fluctuation. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out said method.
US08073980B2
Peripherals and data processing systems are disclosed which can be configured to interact based upon sensor data. In one embodiment, a peripheral, which is configured to be used with a data processing system, includes an interface to couple the peripheral to the data processing system, and at least one sensor, such as a proximity sensor, to sense a user of the peripheral, and a processor coupled to the interface and to the at least one sensor, wherein the processor configures the peripheral in response to data from the at least one sensor. The peripheral may communicate sensor data from its sensors to the data processing system, which may be a wireless PDA, and the data processing system analyzes the sensor data from its sensors and from the peripheral's sensors to decide how to configure the peripheral and/or the data processing system based on the sensor.
US08073978B2
Techniques are described for sharing content among peers. Locality domains are treated as first order network units. Content is located at the level of a locality domain using a hierarchical DHT in which nodes correspond to locality domains. A peer searches for a given piece of content in a proximity guided manner and terminates at the earliest locality domain (in the hierarchy) which has the content. Locality domains are organized into hierarchical clusters based on their proximity.
US08073974B2
A mission system includes a peer vector machine having a host processor and pipeline accelerator and including bridge objects that provide communication via signal objects, message objects, and mission objects.
US08073971B2
Systems and methodologies that facilitate hosting of a domain name and access of users to the Internet, by using a well defined protocol to interact with a plurality of Dynamic Domain Name Service (DDNS) providers, via employing; a purchasing component and a status verifying component. Once a user has selected a domain name, the purchasing component can automatically query the provider(s) for terms of the service plan to host such domain name associated with dynamic IP addresses. The status verifying component can verify the IP address of the end user machine and supply it to the DDNS, to manage in-bound traffic to the user's domain name.
US08073966B2
A virtual interface is disclosed. A method may include allowing upper layer software to transparently access the capabilities of a network device via a virtual interface as if the network device were in a computing device in which the upper layer software is resident. A communication channel may be established with a computing device. A virtual interface to a network device in the computing device is created. Incoming data units directed to the network device are received via the communication channel, and are made available via the virtual interface. Outgoing data units directed to the virtual interface may be forwarded to the network device via the communication channel. The methods may be implemented on computing devices that include network cards, including computers and/or network testing systems.
US08073955B1
A method for tuning used in a broadcast data system having a receiving station with a memory, wherein the receiver station files data and real-time data is disclosed. The method includes storing the memory in a table having tuning information corresponding to a plurality of IP addresses and ports, receiving a download request based on a user input, and using the download request to identify download information including an IP address and a port. The method further includes using the identified IP address and port to open a connection to a socket, using the table to determine tuning information corresponding to the identified IP address and port, and using the tuning information to tune the receiver station to the identified IP address and port.
US08073950B2
The invention provides a system and method for automated data analysis in which data agents are located and operate at each member site or data source (i.e., locally). These agents access stored data at the data source or member sites, process the data and also aggregate the results. The aggregated results from each of the member sites are then forwarded to and further aggregated at a central analytic hub. The central analytic hub contains a centralized application which can further aggregate each of the aggregated results and perform a final analysis. These results are then delivered to the requester without any ability to identify individual data sources, or records from those sources.
US08073946B1
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for finding application latency degradation causes in an application on a distributed computing system. Variables associated with the application and the computing system are identified, including variables that are candidates for being responsible for latency degradation. A total latency is divided into latency components, that each corresponds to an aspect of the total application latency. Each latency component is divided into study classes, that each includes a subset of the candidate variables. For each study class, combinations are generated for the subset of the variables; a latency distribution is determined for each variable combination; the determined latency distributions for the combinations are compared with corresponding latency benchmark values for the same combinations to determine whether a degradation in latency distributions has occurred for particular combinations among the one or more combinations, and a result is provided to a user.
US08073938B2
Using a service server list containing addresses of servers within a service system and an application list containing names of active applications within the service system, addresses of servers on which the active applications are running, and communication source addresses and communication destination addresses of the active applications, the following processes are carried out: specifying applications of a first layer in the service system from among applications lying within the service system; specifying applications of a second or subsequent layer in the service system from the application list and from addresses of servers on which the applications of the first layer are running; and judging applications having the same application name among applications belonging to the same layer as being of the same role for aggregation.
US08073937B2
Content data available in a server is downloaded to portable communicating objects via a radio communication network during a data downloading campaign initiated by a portable communicating object upon transmission of a request of content availability to the server when at least one request transmission triggering element fulfills a rule stored in the portable communicating object. Upon reception of the content availability request, one of the devices including the server and the portable communicating object determines whether the content data are available for the portable communicating object so as to transmit the same thereto.
US08073936B2
Various systems and methods are disclosed for providing support for responding to location protocol queries within a network node. One such method involves associating a location with a network identity by associating a network port with a network identity and also associating the network port with the location. The association between the network port and the network identity is created in response to a network identity, which can include an IP address, being assigned to a device coupled to the network port by an identity protocol such as DHCP. The packet is sent in response to detecting a request for the device's location. The method can be performed by various devices, including a first hop node coupled to the device, a location server, and an identity server.
US08073935B2
A pluggable semantic verification and syntactic validation mechanism for server configuration information. In one embodiment, the data verification and validation mechanism may be implemented as modules that may be plugged into a framework. In one embodiment, the mechanism may include a generic test case framework that may call test cases to verify and validate changes to configuration information. In one embodiment, each test case may implement an interface through which the framework calls a test case. The test case may return results, e.g. whether the test passed or failed, and may return additional information, e.g. why the test failed. If the change is valid, then the change may be made to the configuration information. If the change is not valid, the change is not made or alternatively is made with a warning. If the change is made, one or more other servers may be notified of the change.
US08073934B1
Systems and methods provide automated provisioning of load balancing. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method configures an access point. A request to create the access point may be received and data for the access point may be stored in a data store. The method may invoke a workflow engine. The workflow engine may assign the access point to a load balancer, configure the load balancer, assign a network address to the load balancer, and publish the network address for a plurality of clients.
US08073932B2
A business logic device and processing method is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes i) receiving a request message for performing a biz template from the open interface processing unit, ii) analyzing the received biz template performing request message and performing the biz template by cooperating with a legacy cooperation processing unit and iii) composing a message for a result of performing the stored biz template and transmitting the composed message to the open interface processing unit.
US08073929B2
A system manages communications between a provider and a requestor in a distributed network. A requester is implemented on a computing device and provides a stay online binding. The stay online binding identifies a binding that is desired by the requester. A provider is implemented on a computing device and provides a binding. The provider receives the stay online binding from the requestor and continues providing the binding because the provider became aware of the stay online binding.
US08073922B2
An asynchronous peer-to-peer data replication method implemented within a replication cluster comprising at least one master node and at least a first client node includes entering an update in a data volume of the master node and storing the update in a master node storage. Next, updating a first active session in a master log and then sending a first message from the master node to the first client node. The first message comprises a first message content and first “piggybacked” data indicating that the first active session in the master log was updated. Next, receiving the first message by the first client node, registering that the first active session in the master log was updated and signaling internally that the first active session in the master log was updated. Next, sending an update request from the first client node to the master node, processing the update request by the master node and sending the update to the first client node. Finally, receiving the update by the first client node and updating the first active session in a first client log.
US08073921B2
The remote monitoring and controlling of controllable devices is provided by sending control information to and receiving status information from information appliances over a network. A user is able to monitor the information appliances from a remote location, and control the information appliances from the remote location. The remote monitoring and control can be facilitated by graphical user interfaces. The information appliance can be a home lighting system, a home alarm system, a home entertainment system, a water gardening system, a home heating system, a home cooling system, and a television system having recording capabilities.
US08073914B2
An electronic mail communication device may be provided with a receiving device that receives an electronic mail, a sequence map creation device, and an output device. The sequence map creation device may create a sequence map in which correspondent objects corresponding to the correspondents of a series of electronic mails relating to the electronic mail received by the receiving device are arranged along an x direction, and transmission objects indicating from whom and to whom each of the series of electronic mails was transmitted are arranged along a y direction in order of the date and time of communication. The output device may output the sequence map created by the sequence map creation device.
US08073912B2
The portion of email traffic that cannot be definitively determined to be spam or definitively determined to be ham (non-spam) is processed by sending a bounceback email to the sender, requiring the sender to reply using a sub-address created by the bounceback generator. The type of bounceback email depends on whether the domain of the received email indicates that the sender is or is not likely to be a spammer. When the sender is not likely to be a spammer, the bounceback email includes a sub-address in computer readable form. When the sender is likely to be a spammer, the bounceback email includes a test that must be solved to yield the sub-address; preferably, the test is very difficult for a computer to solve but reasonably easy for a human to solve. When a reply email to the bounceback email (“reply bounceback”) is received, the presence of the sub-address indicates that the sender is not a spammer, so the reply bounceback is determined to be ham and delivered to the destination mailbox. The bounceback can have the sub-address encoded in such a way that a human must be involved in decoding, which is appropriate for situations where the envelope sender domain of the original email is considered suspicious. The bounceback can have the sub-address presented in a computer readable format when the envelope sender domain of the original email is more trustworthy, if authenticated. Authentication information can be retained in a local private Sender Policy Framework (SPF) database, or shared in a centralized private SPF database.
US08073902B2
The present invention relates generally to software functional modules and, in particular, to such modules used for delivering hybrid static and dynamic content. More particularly, there is described a computer-readable storage medium and corresponding method. The storage medium comprises: (a) a repository of static content; and (b) a program element for execution by a computing device to deliver hybrid content via a user interface. The program element comprises: (i) program code means for commanding instantiation of a functional module remote from the computing device; (ii) program code means for receiving dynamic content from the remote functional module; (iii) program code means for accessing the repository of static content; and (iv) program code means for delivering hybrid content on the basis of the static content in the repository and the dynamic content received from the remote functional module.
US08073898B2
The present invention provides a display device for retrieving and displaying the list information regarding the broadcast contents in which the list information corresponding to the program broadcast before or after can be displayed without making the complicate key operations. An information server 2 transmits a list of musical compositions broadcast in a designated time zone to a terminal unit 1, based on a retrieval key such as date and time zone from the terminal unit 1. The terminal unit 1 displays the received list of musical compositions on a display part 1a. At this time, the directive items for displaying the list of musical compositions broadcast before and after are displayed, together with the received list of musical compositions. The user is allowed to display the list of musical compositions broadcast in a preceding or succeeding time zone only by selecting a directive item by performing an operation in series with a selection operation for a musical composition within the list of musical compositions, without returning to other screen, or re-specifying the retrieval conditions.
US08073896B2
A messaging system may enable a server to assign unique identifiers to a plurality of clients. These identifiers enable a client to determine whether a message is specifically targeted to that client or, as an alternative, whether the client is a member of a group of targeted clients. In one embodiment, each client includes a client identifier that may include code portions that are common to other members of a particular addressable client group. In addition, the client may include agents devoted to particular functions that may be uniquely addressable by the server.
US08073894B1
A system is provided to perform non-recursive signal processing tasks using a sampled data technique and a network of switched-capacitor filters. The input analog signal is sampled in a time sequence manner at regular time intervals in order to obtain analog-valued samples. These samples are collected into data blocks and the data blocks are assembled into a set of data blocks. The successive data blocks belonging to a set of data blocks partially overlap with the first data block. The non-recursive signal processing is performed on all of the data blocks of the set substantially simultaneously, using a parallel network of switched capacitor filters, in order to produce a processed analog output signal. Each individual processing path of the parallel network of switched capacitor filters processes a specific data block of the set of data blocks. The number of parallel processing paths is the same as one plus the degree of the polynomial representing the desired or overall input/output equation characterizing the non-recursive signal processing. An implementing architecture can be simplified by factorizing the polynomial representing the input/output equation into smaller sized polynomial sub-tasks that can each be implemented by a sub-system of parallel network of switched capacitor filters of smaller complexity.
US08073890B2
A circuit and method for generating an active output signal in response to detecting N events, which are represented by an event signal. A counter circuit is configured to increment and decrement through a sequence of values in response to the event signal. Detection logic coupled to the counter circuit is configured to detect at least first and second values of the sequence. The detection logic is further configured to generate the active output signal and switch to detecting the second value in response to detecting the first value and generate the active output signal and switch to detecting the first value in response to detecting the second value. The first and second values are separated by N counts.
US08073889B2
A random number generating circuit comprises: the seed generating circuit which generates a seed; and a pseudo random number circuit which generates pseudo random numbers based on the seed generated by the seed generating circuit. The seed generating circuit has: an oscillating circuit which oscillates continuously or intermittently, and which outputs a digital data sequence; a smoothing circuit which outputs time series data by controlling appearance frequencies of “0” and “1” in the digital data sequence outputted from the oscillating circuit; and a postprocessing circuit which generates one-bit seed by a computation using a plurality of bits included in the time series data.
US08073882B2
A method and computer-readable media for managing software object handles in a dual threaded or multi-threaded environment are provided. In a first version a software driven computational process drives a first thread, while a garbage collector process drives a second active computational thread within a host computer. The software driven computational process generates persistent software objects that are temporarily stored in a memory of the host. Each handle may include an object identifier of the handle itself, an open/closed flag and a pointer to a unique persistent object. The open/closed flag indicates whether the persistent object associated with a handle shall remain open and accessible for processing or may be selected for closure by the garbage collector process. A plurality of handle wrappers are each associated in a one-to-one correspondence with a unique handle. Each handle wrapper is a software data structure that may include a in-use/not in-use flag and a specific handle or a pointer to a handle.
US08073881B1
Multiple computers in a cluster maintain respective sets of identifiers of neighbor computers in the cluster for each of multiple named resource. A combination of the respective sets of identifiers define a respective tree formed by the respective sets of identifiers for a respective named resource in the set of named resources. Upon origination and detection of a request at a given computer in the cluster, a given computer forwards the request from the given computer over a network to successive computers in the hierarchical tree leading to the computers relevant in handling the request based on use of identifiers of neighbor computers. Thus, a combination of identifiers of neighbor computers identify potential paths to related computers in the tree.
US08073868B2
This invention provides the data network user with an interactive search engine environment that helps him focus on the object of his search. Through a powerful graphical user interface (GUI), the user is provided with terms closely related to what he is looking for, even when he has no prior knowledge of the subject or its terminology. The user is also provided with suggested terms that should be excluded from the search because of the high probability of interfering with the search. The contribution of each term to the search progress is explained to the user. The invention then enables the user to build complex queries combining the related terms in a visual and simple way that facilitates the search process and saves time. This invention allows the user to create a detailed, precise, and longer search query then is customarily executed today.
US08073867B2
Providing category-specific electronic content includes receiving a request for electronic content. The request has an attribute. The attribute of the received request is compared to an attribute related to a query included in a log of search queries. An indication of a category that represents a search query from a log of search queries that is related to an attribute that matches the attribute of the received request is accessed, and electronic content that is representative of the identified category is accessed and provided.
US08073862B2
A method and system for optimizing the transmission of VOD metadata is disclosed. VOD metadata can be filtered, processed and/or organized prior to being packetized for transmission to client devices. The filtering, processing and/or organization can, for example, be based on a time duration associated with VOD media items and/or by groups of information elements available within the sets of metadata.
US08073855B2
The present invention provides a technique for enabling a high-speed communication control apparatus.A packet processing circuit of a communication control apparatus includes a user database, a virus list, a whitelist, a blacklist and a common category list. Upon acquisition of a request for access to a content, matching between information on a user who has sent the access request and the user database is performed by a search circuit, so as to authenticate the user. When the user is authenticated, the search circuit performs matching between the URL of the content to be accessed and the virus list, whitelist, blacklist and common category list. A process execution circuit controls the permission for the access based on the search result of the search circuit and determination conditions stored in a second database. The packet processing circuit is configured with a wired logic circuit.
US08073854B2
There is disclosed a method and storage media for determining the similarity between a first music collection and a second music collection. The similarity may be determined by comparing metadata associated with the first music collection and metadata associated with the second music collection. A plurality of comparison algorithms may be used including at least one of a comparison algorithm based on acoustic metadata and a comparison algorithm based on cultural metadata. The result of the plurality of comparison algorithms may be combined.
US08073847B2
A method of extending user profile. A user specific data related to an application is received and stored for integration with a user profile. A template for the application is received and stored. The template tailors the user specific data based on aesthetic preferences of the user to generate a tailored user specific data. The user profile is extended based on the user specific data for the application and the template for the application. The user profile including the tailored user specific data may be provided for rendering. Local information, e.g., geographical location, of the user may be determined to tailor the user profile based on the local information. The user specific data and/or the template may be in a markup language format. Update to the user specific data and/or template may be pushed when available.
US08073845B2
Provided is an information retrieval method including: retrieving, by a computer, a name including input characters from a database for storing the name, an attribute word associated with the name, and a degree of relevance between the name and the attribute word; outputting the retrieved name as a candidate name; and extracting an attribute word associated with the candidate name, the extracting including: calculating a degree of independency indicating a degree of difference between the extracted attribute words, a degree of coverage indicating an extent to which the combination of the extracted attribute words covers the candidate names, and a degree of equality of a number of corresponding candidate names for each attribute word; and calculating a score of the combination of the attribute words based on at least one of the independency, the coverage and the equality to output the combinations of the attribute words to an output unit.
US08073844B2
An interoperability assessment between two or more devices can be based on the devices' specifications and on empirical evidence of interoperability. Comparisons between the devices' capabilities can provide an initial assessment of interoperability, which can be further supported, or contradicted, by empirical evidence. Interoperability determinations can leverage existing data collection, such as error reporting and user identities to obtain estimates of empirical usage of devices, and to provide for a level of automation for requesting users. Interoperability determinations can also be offered, with identity protection limitations, for users other than the requesting user to facilitate gift-giving or agent purchasing.
US08073842B2
Alternative views for a selected distinguished name entry in current view are identified through subviews. Each subview corresponds to an attribute defined by a dynamic view object in a schema for a lightweight directory access protocol directory. The subviews are searched to find those that have entries that match the value of the selected distinguished name entry. In one aspect, the attribute is a virtual attribute.
US08073828B2
Rights clearances management for assets, such as media assets. A rights brokerage service enables potential licensees to clears rights to use assets within designated projects, such as advertising campaign projects. The potential licensee uses an interface to select or identify an asset without necessarily accessing the asset itself. The rights holders and the rights held by each rights holder are identified based on the asset identity. A request is automatically issued to the rights holders to approve use of the asset for the project. The potential licensee may use an interface to track progress of approvals from the rights holders. Unenforceable rights are detected and approval is automatically obtained. If all enforceable rights are cleared, the asset may be committed for approval by a project manager or other authority. When approved, a license to use the asset is automatically created between the potential licensee and each of the rights holders.
US08073826B2
A data stream management system (DSMS) is designed to support a new user-defined function, by creating and using at least two structures as follows. A first structure (“metadata entry”) is created in response to a command for creation of the new function, and maps a single instance of a class to the function's name. A second structure is created with creation of an operator on receipt of each new continuous query that uses the new function. The second structure (“operator specific data structure”) contains a path to the newly-created instance, which path is obtained by looking up the first structure. Additional second structures are created on receipt of additional continuous queries which use the new function, but all second structures contain the same path. All continuous queries use the same instance. Repeated use of a single instance to compile and execute multiple queries eliminates repeated instantiation of the same function.
US08073818B2
Described is a technology in which image near-duplicate retrieval is performed using similarities between patterns of query image words and patterns of database image words. In general, the image retrieval problems resulting from visual polysemy are reduced by using such visual patterns. Visual word vectors and visual pattern vectors are determined for the query image and a database image. These four vectors are used to determine similarity between the database image and the query image. The similarity scores may be used for ranking and/or re-ranking the database image similarity to the query image relative to other database images' similarity scores. Also described is expanding a query visual word of the query image to a set of visual words that are visual synonyms with the query visual word, to help reduce image retrieval problems resulting from visual synonymy.
US08073816B1
Data storage volumes, such as a file system on a storage system, may utilize a particular operating system format. Converting a volume to a different format may be desirable at times. However, this can be time consuming and resource intensive if data needs to be copied. Accordingly, substantially copying-free, in-place conversion of a data-storage volume from a first format to a second format is provided herein. In one embodiment, it is determined whether the volume can be converted, for example, by comparing compatibility of features between the first and second formats. A desired feature list is retrieved and respective features are checked for compatibility. Access to the volume is blocked during the conversion, and the volume is converted if the features are found to be compatible. If the conversion is successful, post conversion operations are performed, including unblocking the volume and notifying clients that the volume is available for access.
US08073807B1
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for estimating an actual age of a member of a website. A set of related members for the member is identified. The related members are members of the same website. Age information associated with one or more related members in the set of related members is examined. When a threshold of related members in the set of related members are of an estimated actual age within a certain age range, the member's actual age is estimated to be within the age range.
US08073806B2
A technique is disclosed that enables the run-time behavior of a data-processing system to be analyzed and, in many cases, to be predicted. In particular, the illustrative embodiment of the present invention comprises i) transforming the messages that constitute an unstructured log into a numerical series and ii) applying a time-series analysis on the resultant series for the purpose of pattern detection. Indeed, it is recognized in the illustrative embodiment that the problem really is to detect patterns that depict aspects of system behavior, regardless of the textual content of the individual log messages. In other words, by analyzing the totality of the messages in the log or logs—as opposed to looking for pre-defined patterns of the individual messages—system behavior can be mapped and understood. The mapping helps in characterizing the system for the purposes of predicting failure, determining the time required to reach stability during failure recovery, and so forth.
US08073803B2
A system for selecting electronic advertisements from an advertisement pool to match the surrounding content is disclosed. To select advertisements, the system takes an approach to content match that focuses on capturing subtler linguistic associations between the surrounding content and the content of the advertisement. The system of the present invention implements this goal by means of simple and efficient semantic association measures dealing with lexical collocations such as conventional multi-word expressions like “big brother” or “strong tea”. The semantic association measures are used as features for training a machine learning model. In one embodiment, a ranking SVM (Support Vector Machines) trained to identify advertisements relevant to a particular context. The trained machine learning model can then be used to rank advertisements for a particular context by supplying the machine learning model with the semantic association measures for the advertisements and the surrounding context.
US08073798B2
A modeled-based reasoning system and method including dynamic domain abstraction, includes the use of an abstraction determining module configured to identify an appropriate abstraction level for a system model of a real-world system to be analyzed, from a plurality of potential abstraction levels. A system reasoning module is configured to perform analysis on the system model of the real-world system at the abstraction level determined to be appropriate by the abstraction determining module.
US08073794B2
Systems and methods are provided for determining items or people of potential interest to recommend to users in a computer-based network. Implied social networks may be determined based at least in part on obtained social behavior information. Items or people of potential interest to users may be determined based at least in part on implied social network information. Vocabulary taxonomies may be associated with, or used in determining, implied social networks.
US08073792B2
This invention relates to a system and methods for developing content. In general, in one aspect, a method for developing content includes electronically distributing a specification for content to a distributed community of content developers, receiving submissions from each of a subset of the community of content developers in response to the distributed specification, holding a first vote in which a group of voters rank a first number of submissions and identify the order in which they predict the submissions will be ranked by others, selecting the highest scoring submissions in the first vote, holding a second vote to evaluate the submissions that receive the highest score in the first vote; and selecting a winner based on the second vote.
US08073781B2
A method and device for franking mailpieces. An operating unit, which is separated from a franking unit, transmits a transaction request to an authorization unit. The authorization unit ascertains an authorization of a user of the operating unit on the basis of an authorization profile. The transmitted transaction request is authenticated by the authorization unit according to the ascertained authorization. The authorization unit converts the authenticated transaction request into a transaction job. The transaction job is transmitted to the franking unit. The authorization unit is authenticated in the area of the franking unit. The transaction job is processed in the franking unit and the result of the execution of the transaction job is sent out by the franking unit.
US08073778B2
Transactions such as sales and exchanges of resources are managed in a virtual environment. A transaction manager receives a request for a transaction which involves multiple entities in the virtual environment. The request identifies the entities, as well as resources, such as objects and virtual currency, to be exchanged among the entities in the transaction. The request is first validated. Next, the resources which are to be contributed by the entities are gathered. An object is gathered from a first entity by updating a database record to render the object inaccessible. A new database record associates the object with a second entity, and renders the object inaccessible. A reserve can be imposed on a virtual currency account. The resources are then delivered to the entities, e.g., by updating the new database record to render the object accessible to the second entity. If the gathering fails, an undo phase is entered.
US08073770B2
Systems and methods are illustrated for performing a person-to-person funds transfer. A person-to-person funds transfer process may be divided into a funds transfer initiation process to receive the funds to be transferred and recipient information from a sender and a funds retrieval process to provide the funds to a recipient. The funds transfer initiation process may include a customizable authentication step that provides the sender an opportunity to determine the level of authentication. The funds transfer retrieval process may include determining whether the recipient is authenticated based on the authentication level chosen by the sender.
US08073767B1
A method and system is disclosed for enabling the accurate determination of price points (APRs), credit limits, and other discretionary levels for each cardholder that maximize Net Present Value (NPV) for the portfolio, given constraints on quantities such as risk of default. In accordance with one embodiment, the present invention uses a Markov Decision Process (MDP) methodology to generate a simplified transition matrix representative of the potential state transitions for account holders. This model applies account level historical information on purchases, payments, profitability and delinquency risk to make these decisions. In addition, a data structure is disclosed constructed to implement a transition matrix computationally in different sizes.
US08073761B2
The specification discloses a handheld computing device or portable electronic calculator that comprises a software application adapted to provide instructions to perform math operations to calculate trading and investment variables and display these variables resulting from the math operation(s) on the display screen simultaneously along with descriptive acronyms. The software application may be further adapted to provide instructions that allows a user to input trading and investment variables including trading price/or trading premium and then incrementing trading price/or premium by decimal or fraction with up and down arrow key(s) or “speed key(s)” on the input device concurrently while viewing the trading price/or premium and calculated order size/or number of contract(s) changes on the display screen. The handheld computing device or portable electronic calculator determines variables that are used during active trading and investment (e.g.'s calculate gain/loss (dollars & percent), gross/net profit (dollars & percent), return rate, yield, cash flow, income, costs/fees, dividends, dividend reinvested income, reinvestment percent, average quarterly dividends, taxes, before/after taxes, before/after costs and fees, share volume, term, margin, short & long-term capital gains/losses, cost per share, basis per share, adjusted basis, total basis, buy & sell price, cash amounts, breakeven price, total cost, order sizes by price, number of contracts by premium, leverage ratios, liquidity ratio, operations ratios, profitability ratios.)
US08073759B1
Financial data associated with one or more “contributing consumers” is obtained from one or more sources. The financial data obtained from the one or more contributing consumers is then aggregated, analyzed, and/or categorized, according to one or more events causing the changes and one or more criteria/parameters associated with the financial transaction data and/or the contributing consumer. The aggregated and/or categorized data representing the event related changes in the financial data is then stored. A “user consumer” then initiates a request for predictive event cost data associated with one or more specified events and the aggregated and/or categorized data representing the event related changes in the financial data is searched based. Results data representing the changes in the financial data for one or more similarly situated contributing consumers associated the specified event is then obtained and presented to the user consumer.
US08073757B2
An accounting system allows posting transactions to a general ledger of an Exchange Traded Fund. The accounting system includes a computer-assisted process that nets subscription and redemption orders that occurred over a particular time (e.g., one day) and records a transfer of securities into or out of the fund based on the net of the subscription and redemption orders.
US08073755B2
The present disclosure describes novel methods that can be utilized to choose, set up, open, and/or manage an online account at a financial institution. The present disclosure addresses prior art problems of online account opening by describing methods for automating key aspects of the account opening process for customers such as tailoring the presentation of information to the online customer based at least in part on the customer's input, performing suitability checks for the customer based on online products chosen by the customer, presenting cross-sell products to the customer based on information known by the financial institution or currently received from the customer, and allowing a pending customer to complete the online application procedure in the absence of a confirmed identification of the online customer.
US08073747B2
A service is disclosed for enabling web sites and other entities to provide item recommendations and other behavior-based content to end users. The service can be implemented as a web service that is remotely accessible over the Internet. Web sites use the web service's interface to report events descriptive of item-related actions performed by end users (e.g., item views, item purchases, searches for items, etc.). The web service analyzes the reported event data on an aggregated basis to detect various types of associations between particular items, and stores resulting datasets that map items to associated items. The web service's interface also provides various API calls for enabling the web sites to request item recommendations and other behavior-based content, including but not limited to personalized recommendations that are based on the event history of the target user.
US08073732B1
Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for providing a customer network in which customers are incentivized to “opt-in” to a marketing program. For example, the invention builds a network of customers, collects and stores customers' demographic information, compiles mailing lists based on list purchasers' requested demographic criteria, sells the compiled mailing lists to list purchasers, and compensates those customers included on the mailing lists.
US08073728B2
Embodiments herein include a method that begins by receiving a print job for a customer from an intermediary program such as a print driver. The print job comprises instructions to print a document for the customer and includes, for example, data and print characteristics. The method then evaluates the colorspace of each page of the print job to determine whether any multi-color items are included within the print job. The method ignores classifications of the print job as either a multi-color print job (e.g., color print job) or a single color print job (e.g., black and white) from the print driver and, instead, classifies the print job as either a multi-color print job or a single color print job based only on whether the multi-color items are included within the print job. Then, the method provides the billing information for the customer to an appropriate entity that bills the customer.
US08073722B2
A method for providing a planning framework for use in managing a project to be planned in a supply chain, comprising providing a first software layer for storing and manipulating planning data relative to the planning project; providing a second software layer for communicating with the first software layer, the second layer arranged for pre processing, preparing and post processing a predetermined planning method. By such a multilayered framework, the invention is able to execute a planning algorithms to solve multi-level planning problems, wherein generic modules can be executed as fast modules in an environment that is highly optimized in terms of load on time and system resources and specifically adapted modules are embodying a particular planning strategy that can operate on a different level that is highly flexible.
US08073712B2
Medical records, clinical observations, and medical imagery are organized and aggregated into a common database, enabling the data to be viewed and/or updated by medical practitioners world-wide. The information may also be viewed and monitored by patients or their relatives for accuracy, also regardless of their location. The invention further allows the records to be updated by manually controlled or automated instrumentation which measures medical parameters whether located in a doctors office, in a hospital setting, in the patient's home, or worn by the patient. Common access and point-to-point data transmission is via the global grid, or over public access common data networks supporting TCP/IP, most often referred to as the Internet. The same approach can be using insider an organization over an internal network or Intranet.
US08073708B1
A method of aggregating an individual's healthcare information under the individual's control in a personal information aggregator includes receiving a request from a healthcare-related entity to provide the individual's healthcare information. Authorization is received from the individual to receive and store the healthcare information. One or more data feeds containing the individual's healthcare information are received from the healthcare-related entity. At least a portion of the healthcare information contained in the data feeds is stored under the control of the individual.
US08073705B2
Notification systems and methods are provided for identifying utility theft for an entity associated with a premise under a Continuous Service Agreement with at least one utility service provider, where utility service is never turned off such that the entity may legally use utility services while a premise is vacant.
US08073703B2
To provide an acoustic signal processing apparatus which can reduce the amount of calculation in matrix arithmetic. An acoustic signal processing apparatus converts down-mixed acoustic signals of NI channels to acoustic signals of NO channels, where NO>NI. The acoustic signal processing apparatus includes: a first matrix arithmetic unit for performing arithmetic on a matrix with K rows and NI columns, where NO>K≧NI, for the down-mixed acoustic signals of the NI channels, and outputting K signals obtained after the matrix arithmetic; K decorrelation units for generating signals incoherent, in terms of time characteristics, with the signals obtained after the matrix arithmetic, while maintaining frequency characteristics of the signals obtained after the matrix arithmetic; and a second matrix arithmetic unit for performing arithmetic on a matrix with NO rows and (NI+K) columns for the down-mixed acoustic signals of the NI channels and for the K incoherent signals, and outputting the acoustic signals of the NO channels.
US08073702B2
A method and/or apparatus for encoding and/or decoding an audio signal is disclosed, in which a downmix gain is applied to a downmix signal in an encoding apparatus which, in turn, transmits, to a decoding apparatus, a bitstream containing information as to the applied downmix gain. The decoding apparatus recovers the downmix signal, using the downmix gain information. A method and/or apparatus for encoding and/or decoding an audio signal is also disclosed, in which the encoding apparatus can apply an arbitrary downmix gain (ADG) to the downmix signal, and can transmit a bitstream containing information as to the applied ADG to the decoding apparatus. The decoding apparatus recovers the downmix signal, using the ADG information. A method and/or apparatus for encoding and/or decoding an audio signal is also disclosed, in which the method and/or apparatus can also vary the energy level of a specific channel, and can recover the varied energy level.
US08073698B2
Methods, apparatus, and computer program products are described for enabling global grammars for a particular multimodal application according to the present invention by loading a multimodal web page; determining whether the loaded multimodal web page is one of a plurality of multimodal web pages of the particular multimodal application. If the loaded multimodal web page is one of the plurality of multimodal web pages of the particular multimodal application, enabling global grammars typically includes loading any currently unloaded global grammars of the particular multimodal application identified in the multimodal web page and maintaining any previously loaded global grammars. If the loaded multimodal web page is not one of the plurality of multimodal web pages of the particular multimodal application, enabling global grammars typically includes unloading any currently loaded global grammars.
US08073695B1
A method and system for providing text-to-audio conversion of an electronic book displayed on a viewer. A user selects a portion of displayed text and converts it into audio. The text-to-audio conversion may be performed via a header file and pre-recorded audio for each electronic book, via text-to-speech conversion, or other available means. The user may select manual or automatic text-to audio conversion. The automatic text-to-audio conversion may be performed by automatically turning the pages of the electronic book or by the user manually turning the pages. The user may also select to convert the entire electronic book, or portions of it, into audio. The user may also select an option to receive an audio definition of a particular word in the electronic book. The present invention allows a user to control the system by selecting options from a screen or by entering voice commands.
US08073691B2
In one embodiment, the invention provides a method, comprising: (a) maintaining a database of known fraudsters, wherein each fraudster has a voice signature and metadata associated therewith; (b) performing a screening operation to match a candidate with a fraudster in the database based on matching a voice signature and metadata for the candidate with a voice signature and metadata for the fraudster in the database.
US08073681B2
A cooperative conversational voice user interface is provided. The cooperative conversational voice user interface may build upon short-term and long-term shared knowledge to generate one or more explicit and/or implicit hypotheses about an intent of a user utterance. The hypotheses may be ranked based on varying degrees of certainty, and an adaptive response may be generated for the user. Responses may be worded based on the degrees of certainty and to frame an appropriate domain for a subsequent utterance. In one implementation, misrecognitions may be tolerated, and conversational course may be corrected based on subsequent utterances and/or responses.
US08073679B2
A set of candidate parallel pages is identified based on trigger words in one or more pages downloaded from a given network location (such as a website). A set of document trees representing each of the candidate pages are aligned to identify translationally parallel content and hyperlinks. The parallel content is further fed into conventional sentence aligner for parallel sentences. And the parallel hyperlinks usually refer to other parallel documents, and lead to a recursive mining of parallel documents.
US08073668B2
A test system tests a full system integrated circuit (IC) model that includes a device under test (DUT) IC model and a support IC model. A test manager information handling system (IHS) maps the full system IC model on a hardware accelerator simulator via an interface bus. The hardware accelerator simulator thus emulates the full system IC model. Of all possible fault injection points in the model, the test manager IHS selects a subset of those injection points for fault injection via a statistical sampling method in one embodiment. In response to commands from the test manager IHS, the simulator serially injects faults into the selected fault injection points. The test manager IHS stores results for respective fault injections at the selected injection points. If a machine checkstop or silent data corruption error occurs as a result of an injected fault, the DUT IC model may return to a stored checkpoint and resume operation from the stored checkpoint. The result information is useful in determining a soft error rate (SER) for the DUT IC.
US08073659B2
Multiple models for various stages of a non-linear process control are developed by clustering perturbation data obtained from the nonlinear process so as to permit multiple local data regions to be identified as a function of substantial similarity between the data, wherein the data of first data set represent the non-linear process. A discrete model corresponding to each of the local data regions is generated. The number of the discrete models may be reduced as a function of prediction error between actual outputs of the process and predicted outputs of the models and as a function of a gap metric based on closed loop similarity and frequency response similarity between the models.
US08073654B2
Process for controlling the energy performance of an industrial unit, in which process: the value of a set (V) of variables relating to the industrial unit and to the environment are measured, as is the value of a quantity representing the energy performance (W), an estimate (We) of the quantity representing the energy performance is calculated, the value of an energy performance indicator (TE, TE+) is determined and the value of this indicator is compared with at least one threshold value (S) determined so as to detect a drift in the energy performance.The invention proposes the learning of a model based on the best energy performance (W) observed for each value of a set (V) of input variables and in the proposing in real time to the operator of a best configuration and of best settings (CR) of the equipment based on those associated with this best energy performance (W) observed in the past for the current value of the set (V) of input variables.
US08073647B2
A High Definition Multi-Media Interface (HDMI) cable may exhibit frequency dependent signal attenuation, inter symbol interference, and inter-pair skew. A boost device integrated with the cable can compensate for such impairments of the cable. A self calibrating cable with a boost device of the embodiment of the invention is described, in which parameters that control the response of the boost device are set optimally in a self-calibrating process comprising looping the boosted cable on itself through a calibration fixture that contains a calibration control device. The boost device includes pattern generators and a sampling circuit. Each high speed channel of the cable is separately tested and calibrated with the help of one of the other channels serving as a sampling channel. Additional embodiments provide for a selected replica boost device and a distinct pattern generator device in the calibration fixture.
US08073644B2
An automatic voltage-identifying power supply device has a control module, a voltage regulation circuit, a current load measuring circuit electrically connected with an external post-stage power-receiving device, a power supply circuit and a pre-stage power supply device. After the post-stage power-receiving device is electrically connected with the current load measuring circuit, the control module can control the voltage regulation circuit to output a test voltage signal to the post-stage power-receiving device so that the test voltage signal is altered according to a preset sequence (e.g. progressively increasing) and the current load measuring circuit measures a response current signal of the post-stage power-receiving device corresponding to the test voltage signal. When a variation of the response current signal or a power variation is stable, the control module sets up the stable test voltage signal as an input voltage to the post-stage power-receiving device.
US08073634B2
A signal analysis method extracts transient target signals of known type from a raw data source signal that contains an unknown number of target signals. The method can enhance the analysis of data obtained from in-line oil-debris sensors. The method comprises steps of: defining signatures of the known target signal, and of at least one of the intrinsic noise and interfering signals; performing a mathematical transform that decomposes the raw data into distinct data sets; using the signal signatures to identify and nullify the data sets containing noise and interfering signal signatures; using the target signal signatures to identify the data sets containing target signal components, or may further use a thresholding rule to remove intrinsic noise from said data sets, and finally applying the inverse transform to the processed data sets in order to reconstruct an enhanced output signal.
US08073630B2
Pharmacogenetic methods for determining a predicting responsiveness to antifolate therapy for subjects that present with recent-onset undifferentiated arthritis. The methods are based on the determination of a set of clinical parameter values and determining a predicted responsiveness to antifolate therapy by correlating the parameter values with predefined responsiveness values associated with ranges of parameter values. Parameters values that are decisive for responsiveness to antifolate therapy may include polymorphisms in the methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (MTHFD1) gene as well as in three genes involved in the adenosine release pathway, the presence or absence of Rheumatoid factors, gender, pre- or postmenopausal status and/or smoking status.
US08073629B2
A simulation system for simulating a function of a biological organ using a biological model in which the function of the biological organ are represented by a mathematical model with a computer is provided. The present system receives input of time-series actual measurement data representing the biological response of a subject, estimates the biological response of the subject at a time point at which the measurement is not performed by using the input time-series actual measurement data, and generates time-series reference data representing the biological response of the subject. The present system further generates a virtual biological organ virtually constructed in a computer system using the times-series reference data. The virtual biological organ corresponds to the function of a biological organ of the subject.
US08073627B2
The present invention relates generally to the field of investigational bioinformatics and more particularly to secondary structure defining databases. The present invention further relates to methods for interrogating a database as a source of molecular masses of known bioagents for comparing against the molecular mass of an unknown or selected bioagent to determine either the identity of the selected bioagent, and/or to determine the origin of the selected bioagent. The identification of the bioagent is important for determining a proper course of treatment and/or irradication of the bioagent in such cases as biological warfare. Furthermore, the determination of the geographic origin of a selected bioagent will facilitate the identification of potential criminal identity.
US08073626B2
A method for processing biopolymer arrays and apparatus and computer program products for executing the method. The method may include reading a different array identifier for each biopolymer array from a tag associated with that array. At least some of the biopolymer arrays are read and results from each read array saved in a memory linked with the read identifier for that array. Different communication addresses and a selection of an array identifier for each, are received. For at least some of the arrays, the saved results for each are matched with one of the different communication addresses using the identifier, and the saved results transmitted for those arrays to the matched different communication addresses. A method of processing data from the reading of biopolymer arrays is also provided.
US08073621B2
The present invention relates to a navigation apparatus and a method for providing a user with a list of turn-by-turn positions (TBTs) located ahead on a route. The navigation apparatus of the present invention according to an embodiment comprises a GPS receiving module for receiving navigation satellite signals and calculating a position; a controller for receiving position information from the GPS receiving module, outputting the position information together with map information, and controlling operation of the GPS receiving module; and a storage unit for storing the map information, wherein the controller displays information on two or more TBTs on a proceeding route in the form of a list, the list having a size determined depending on distances to the TBTs included in the TBT information. According to the present invention, there are advantages in that a user can easily recognize information on TBTs ahead and drive a vehicle along a set route only with a TBT list.
US08073618B2
A driving support apparatus supports a driver in driving a vehicle on a road by giving instructions. The driving support apparatus includes a recognizing unit that recognizes a current driving lane that is a lane on the road in which the vehicle is currently running; a lane setting unit that sets a driving schedule lane that is a lane in which the vehicle is to be driven; and a guiding unit that determines content of lane guidance based on the driving schedule lane and the current driving lane, and guides the driver to a lane based on the lane guidance when the road is substantially straight.
US08073617B2
Systems, methods, and programs store map information including a road network. The systems, methods, and programs gather traveling information including a plurality of loci, each locus representing a vehicle traveling along a road that is not included in the stored road network. The systems, methods, and programs separate the loci within the gathered traveling information into groups, each group related to a same road and generate new road information relating to a single new road for each group of loci.
US08073616B2
Vehicle control data is stored in a database of a vehicle control information storage apparatus of the present invention by a unit of road segment. When the same vehicle travels the same road segment for plural times, vehicle speed is averaged for storage as the vehicle control information in the database. Further, learning data has a value that is smaller than a threshold for the segment next to a current segment with a fulfillment of other conditions, the data is combined before storage in the database, thereby achieving a smaller storage volume in the database for the same amount of control information.
US08073614B2
Techniques are described for providing a meeting notification and automatic modification service. A system may be configured to identify an appointment in a calendar application, identify a geographic location of the appointment, and identify, before the appointment time, a geographic location of a first participant of the appointment. Based on the geographic information, the system may identify a route extending from the geographic location of the first participant to the geographic location of the appointment, and may identify a travel time associated with the route. Based on the travel time and the appointment time, the system may determine whether the first participant is estimated to arrive at the appointment on time and, based on the determination, the system may send a message to participants of the appointment or dynamically reschedule the appointment.
US08073611B2
A method is described for controlling a compression-ignition internal combustion engine, including predefining a setpoint combustion point for a compression-ignition internal combustion engine, predefining a calculation model for calculating a probable deviation of a future cycle of the engine from the predefined setpoint combustion point while taking an ascertained actual combustion point of a completed cycle engine into consideration, predefining a mean deviation for the engine, operating the engine for a first cycle and ascertaining an actual combustion point of the first cycle, calculating a probable deviation of a second cycle, which occurs after the first cycle, of the engine from the predefined setpoint combustion point, comparing the calculated probable deviation of the second cycle to the predefined mean deviation, and ascertaining at least one operating variable for operating the engine at least during the second cycle as a function of the comparison. Also described is a related method.
US08073603B2
An automatic transmission control method in which at least one of a starting clutch, a clutch coupling and transmission elements, for selection as well as engagement and disengagement of a gear step, are determined as a function of respectively existing variables representing the driving situation as well as the driver's wishes can be activated by actuators which are controlled by a control and regulation device. The method comprising the steps of collecting and normalizing the input variable into standard input variables; weighting with weighting factors and summarizing; converting the weighted input variables into intermediate variables; selecting a specific range of values which represents a specific shifting sequence; and implementing the shifting operation.
US08073585B2
A collection of diagnostic and troubleshooting information associated with a power driven wheelchair is stored for access by a microcontroller to be displayed to a user to assist in troubleshooting the power driven wheelchair. A log of fault codes transmitted by various fault-detecting mechanisms is compiled. A user may request display of diagnostic information associated with a selected fault code. The operating instructions of a power driven wheelchair may be updated by using portable storage media onto which a latest version of operating instructions is loaded to transfer the updated operating instructions to wheelchair controller memory. The calibration of a power driven wheelchair can be simplified by providing functionality within the wheelchair controller to change calibration parameters or to transfer calibration parameters from portable storage media.
US08073584B2
The invention relates to a device for measuring dynamic parameters of an aircraft progressing over an airport zone. The aircraft is in the phase of rolling along a traffic lane. The traffic lane comprises ground markings and notably a center line. The device includes at least one means for acquiring images (101), and means (102) for measuring the deviation of the aircraft with respect to the center line on the basis of the acquired images.
US08073577B2
An electric control apparatus, mounted on a vehicle, has a height direction and comprises an electronic circuit board, a submersion sensor, and a controller. The electric circuit board has a mounting surface and is mounted in the vehicle so that the mounting surface is along the height direction of the vehicle. The submersion sensor, which is mounted on the mounting surface of the circuit board, senses a condition that the vehicle is about to be submerged in a flooded area and outputs an electric signal showing the condition. The controller, which is mounted on the mounting surface of the circuit board, performs control for securing safety of an occupant of the vehicle when the controller receives the electric signal from the submersion sensor. The submersion sensor is lower in a mounted position on the mounting surface of the circuit board than the controller along the height direction.
US08073568B2
A control method utilizing a PID controller includes detecting the position of an object and obtaining the position deviation by comparison with a predetermined position value, detecting the vibration of the object and obtaining a vibration value, adjusting the control parameters of the PID controller by analyzing the position deviation, the vibration value, and a predetermined performance of the PID controller, and the PID controller responding to the adjusted control parameters.
US08073566B2
An automated stringline installation system includes a vehicle, a 3D control system, at least partly carried by the vehicle, for determining location information, and an adjustable arm assembly, mounted on the vehicle, that identifies the location of a relative point in a stringline installation using the location information determined by the 3D control system. The adjustable arm assembly includes an operational arm having a proximal end and a distal end, a string, dispensed from the operational arm, for use in a stringline installation, and a sensor used to determine information pertaining to the location of the distal end of the operational arm assembly relative to the proximal end of the operational arm.
US08073563B2
Systems, methods, and devices are described related to the assignment and management of patient-specific bins. A dispensing device at a healthcare facility includes a number of bins for storage of medical supplies, with some of the bins designated as patient-specific bins allocated to be assigned to patients for storage of their medications or certain other supplies. A central server computer system, in communication with a computer of the dispensing device, may monitor and assign current and future patient-specific use of the bins for the dispensing device. The assignment and management of patient-specific bins may be performed by devices distributed through the system.
US08073556B2
A system for controlling a machine includes a first controller, a second controller, and a comparator. During a first cycle, the first controller generates a control signal to the machine while the second controller generates a predicted parameter signal. During the first cycle, the comparator transmits a feedback signal to the second controller if a predetermined threshold is not met. A method for controlling a machine includes transmitting a control signal from a first controller to the machine and generating a predicted parameter value in a second controller. The method further includes transmitting a feedback signal to the second controller if a predetermined threshold is not met.
US08073548B2
The present invention provides, among other things, a sensor system, having (1) a sensor implanted in a body part of the subject, wherein the sensor has a first antenna, and (2) a sensor reader worn on the subject's body part, wherein the sensor reader has a band housing a second antenna, which is inductively coupled with the first antenna, for enabling the sensor reader to communicate with the sensor.
US08073538B2
To control cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation post-operatively, various non-ablative agents include polymers, fibroblasts, neurotoxins, and growth factors are introduced into one or more cardiac fat pads into the atrioventricular nodal fat pad in proximity to the autonomic ganglia therein. Any desired technique may be used for introducing the agent, including injection. The sinoatrial nodal fat pad target site and the atrioventricular nodal fat pad target site are identified using a stimulator, which may have electrodes coupled thereto or which may coupled to electrodes built into a delivery system.
US08073534B2
Determining low power frequency range information from spectral data. Raw signal data can be adjusted to increase dynamic range for power within low power frequency ranges as compared to higher-power frequency ranges to determine adjusted source data valuable for acquiring low power frequency range information. Low power frequency range information can be used in the analysis of a variety of raw signal data. For example, low power frequency range information within electroencephalography data for a subject from a period of sleep can be used to determine sleep states. Similarly, automated full-frequency spectral electroencephalography signal analysis can be useful for customized analysis including assessing sleep quality, detecting pathological conditions, and determining the effect of medication on sleep states.
US08073531B2
The present invention is a Miniature Vein Enhancer that includes a Miniature Projection Head. The Miniature Projection Head may be operated in one of three modes, AFM, DBM, and RTM. The Miniature Projection Head of the present invention projects an image of the veins of a patient, which aids the practitioner in pinpointing a vein for an intravenous drip, blood test, and the like. The Miniature projection head may have a cavity for a power source or it may have a power source located in a body portion of the Miniature Vein Enhancer. The Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to one of several improved needle protectors, or the Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to a body similar to a flashlight for hand held use. The Miniature Vein Enhancer of the present invention may also be attached to a magnifying glass, a flat panel display, and the like.
US08073523B2
The present invention relates to a system for obtaining strain corresponding to an object's deformation by radially-tagged magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The system acquires at least a ring-shaped crown region of Fourier domain (k-space) data for at least two sequential images of a radially-tagged object at different phases of deformation of the radially-tagged object. A first image represents a primary state of the radially-tagged object and a second image represents a secondary state of the radially-tagged object. Additionally, the images include radial tag lines. The first and second images are reconstructed as a reconstructed primary-state image and a reconstructed secondary-state image. The images are reconstructed as weighted by circumferential density of the radial tag lines, such that they are “tag line density-weighted” reconstructed images. Circumferential strain of the radially-tagged object is determined by comparing the two images.
US08073515B2
An antenna configuration controller configures a programmable antenna via a configuration procedure. The configuration procedure includes evaluating first candidate antenna configurations, based on quality data corresponding to each configuration, wherein the quality data includes mode interference data. A selected antenna configuration is identified when the quality data corresponding to the selected antenna configuration compares favorably to a quality threshold. A first proper subset of the first candidate antenna configurations is selected when the quality data corresponding to the first candidate antenna configurations compares unfavorably to the quality threshold; and second candidate antenna configurations are generated, based on the first proper subset. The second candidate antenna configurations are evaluated, based on the quality data corresponding to each of the configurations; and a selected antenna configuration is identified from the second candidate antenna configurations, when the quality data corresponding to the selected antenna configuration compares favorably to the quality threshold.
US08073506B2
A mobile terminal includes: a first body including an operation part; a second body including a display; and a connector which rotatably connects the first body and the second body. The connector is connected to the first body, and rotates with respect to the first body about a first rotating shaft. The connector is connected to a lateral end of the second body, and rotates with respect to the second body about a second rotating shaft orthogonal to the first rotating shaft. A first fitting portion is formed on a connected surface of the connector to be connected with the second body. A second fitting portion which is fitted to the first fitting portion, is formed on the second body. When the second body relatively rotates about the second rotating shaft to overlap the connector on the connected surface, the first fitting portion fits to the second fitting portion.
US08073505B2
A portable electronic apparatus includes a first module, a second module, and a first hinge assembly. The first hinge assembly is connected to the first module and the second module. The first hinge assembly includes a first hinge, a second hinge and a first swing member. The first hinge is installed inside the first module and pivotally connected to the first module, and the second hinge is pivotally connected to the second module. The first swing member connected to the first hinge and the second hinge. When the first module and the second module are close, the first module and the second module cover the first hinge assembly together.
US08073504B2
A portable terminal, comprising a main body having a plurality of keys, a folder having a protrusion on the outer surface thereof, a first hinge part which connects the main body and the folder having a first hinge axis, and a second hinge part which connects to the first hinge part having a second hinge axis perpendicular to the first hinge axis, wherein the protrusion is formed to correspond to at least one of the keys when the main body and the folder are superposed with the inner surface of the folder exposed to the exterior, is convenient to use and carry, as the user may rotate the folder by a predetermined angle and use the keys attached to the main body.
US08073499B2
Automated software loading into a battery-less mobile phone is accomplished through attachment of a special non-standard USB On-The-Go cable to a serial connector of the mobile phone, thereby delivering power supply and unique signals for placing the phone in a special mode of operation used for production or distribution. In operation, when a unique non-standard voltage is asserted on the identification (ID) pin of the USB connector interface, it is detected by special circuitry in the serial connector. The circuitry then enables power supply to the battery-less phone and generates a turn-on signal directing the mobile phone to automatically power-on and enter into a particular state of operation, for example a test or software loading mode. Because this process is automatic, the efficiency of software loading or testing during production or distribution of the mobile device is improved.
US08073496B2
A helmet-type hands free system with a radio communication function is provided, in which a hands free function key input unit for executing a hands free function is mounted on a handle of a vehicle. Accordingly, it is possible to operate a hands free module without taking a hand off the handle and to establish radio communication between neighboring hands free modules without communicating with a base station. As a result, safer driving is possible and radio communication costs are reduced.
