US08093207B2

A finished pharmaceutical product adapted for oral delivery of a physiologically active peptide agent, wherein the product comprises a therapeutically effective amount of the active peptide agent; at least one pharmaceutically acceptable pH-lowering agent; and at least one absorption enhancer effective to promote bioavailability of the active agent, wherein the pH-lowering agent is present in the finished pharmaceutical product in a quantity which, if the product were added to 10 milliliters of 0.1M aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution, would be sufficient to lower the pH of the solution to no higher than 5.5, and wherein an outer surface of the product is substantially free of an acid-resistant protective vehicle. The product is adapted for use in a method for enhancing the bioavailability of a therapeutic peptide active agent delivered orally.
US08093203B2

The object of the invention relates to a development of a new musk-feeling fragrance material which is a highly scenting musk-feeling fragrance, and is to provide a fragrance composition which, when added to fragrances or cosmetics, can improve the fixative property and express a high performance and excellent musky aromatic quality.A fragrance composition is prepared using, as the active ingredient, a mixture of (R)-form of optically active muscone with (S)-form of optically active muscone with the mixing ratio thereof within the range of from 90:10 to 95:5 (weight ratio) in terms of weight ratio, or a mixture of (R)-form of optically active muscone with (S)-form of optically active muscone with the mixing ratio thereof within the range of from 75:25 to 80:20 (weight ratio) in terms of weight ratio.
US08093192B2

The present invention provides personal wash compositions where blends of triglyceride oils are specifically formulated to provide functional benefits. Specifically when formulated to have specific blend of saturated to unsaturated oils, perfect balance between, on the one hand, spreadability and deposition and, on the other hand, retention of excellent framing, is achieved.
US08093190B2

An antioxidant lubricant composition has at least 50 wt % of a lubricating base oil and an oil-soluble metal compound providing between 1 and 2,000 parts per million of metal to the lubricant composition, the metal compound being chosen from the group consisting of molybdenum, tungsten titanium and boron compounds, and an oil-soluble hindered amine providing between about 0.001 and about 2 wt % of oil-soluble hindered amine to the lubricant composition, and optionally, an oil-soluble diarylamine providing between 0.001 and about 2 wt % of oil-soluble diarylamine to the lubricant composition.
US08093181B2

A thermal transfer member includes a plurality of color material layers on one surface of a base material, wherein at least one of the color material layers contains a dicyanomethine based coloring agent represented by Structural formula 1 and at least one of the other color material layers contains an indoaniline based coloring agent represented by Structural formula 2.
US08093173B2

There is provided a honeycomb structure where a catalyst is loaded on surfaces of inner pores of the surface layer and on a surface of the surface layer; a relation between a catalyst area proportion A of the catalyst to a gap area proportion B of a gap in a cross-section of the surface layer on the inlet side is 1%1.5.
US08093168B2

A ZrO2—Al2O3 composite ceramic material having excellent wear resistance, hardness, strength and toughness is provided. This ceramic material comprises a ZrO2 phase composed of 90 vol % or more of tetragonal ZrO2, and containing 10 to 12 mol % of CeO2 as a stabilizer, and an Al2O3 phase. An amount of the Al2O3 phase in the ceramic material is in a range of 20 to 70 vol %, and preferably 40 to 70 vol %. In the composite ceramic material, Al2O3 grains each having a fine ZrO2 grain therein are dispersed. Some of the Al2O3 grains each having the fine ZrO2 grain therein are trapped within ZrO2 grains to form composite grains. A ratio of the number of the Al2O3 grains each having the fine ZrO2 grain therein relative to the number of the entire Al2O3 grains dispersed in the composite ceramic material is 10% or more, and preferably 50% or more.
US08093164B2

The present invention relates to a high-temperature resistant inorganic fiber which is based on silica and has improved mechanical properties, a process for producing it and also specific uses thereof and products derived therefrom. The fiber of the invention has the following composition: 81-94% by weight of SiO2, 6-19% by weight of Al2O3, 0-12% by weight of ZrO2, 0-12% by weight of TiO2, 0-3% by weight of Na2O and not more than 1.5% by weight of further components.
US08093151B2

A semiconductor wafer has a plurality of semiconductor die. A peripheral region is formed around the die. An insulating material is formed in the peripheral region. A portion of the insulating material is removed to form a through hole via (THV). A conductive material is deposited in the THV to form a conductive THV. A conductive layer is formed between the conductive THV and contact pads of the semiconductor die. A noise absorbing material is deposited in the peripheral region between the conductive THV to isolate the semiconductor die from intra-device interference. The noise absorbing material extends through the peripheral region from a first side of the semiconductor die to a second side of the semiconductor die. The noise absorbing material has an angular, semi-circular, or rectangular shape. The noise absorbing material can be dispersed in the peripheral region between the conductive THV.
US08093149B2

A semiconductor wafer and a manufacturing method for a semiconductor device are provided, which prevent peeling-off of films and pattern skipping in a wafer edge portion. A silicone substrate has formed thereon gate structures in active regions isolated by a trench isolation film; a contact interlayer film; and a multilayer interconnection structure formed by alternate laminations of low-k via interlayer films, i.e., V layers, and low-k interconnect interlayer films, i.e., M layers. In a Fine layer ranging from first to fifth interlayer films, the M layers are removed from the wafer edge portion, but the V layers are not removed therefrom. Further, the contact interlayer film is not removed from the wafer edge portion.
US08093144B2

A technique for forming nanostructures including a definition of a charge pattern on a substrate and introduction of charged molecular scale sized building blocks (MSSBBs) to a region proximate the charge pattern so that the MSSBBs adhere to the charge pattern to form the feature.
US08093141B2

According to one embodiment, a method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method can include forming an amorphous layer on a portion of a first silicon substrate having a first plane orientation, and irradiating with micro wave on the amorphous layer to transform from the amorphous layer into a crystalline layer having the first plane orientation.
US08093139B2

The present invention describes a method of fabrication of nanocomposite semiconductor materials comprising aligned arrays of metal or semiconductor nanowires incorporated into semiconductor material for application in various electronic, optoelectronic, photonic and plasmonic devices employing self-assembling of the nanowires under light illumination from charged interstitial defect atoms, which are either inherently present in the semiconductor material or artificially introduced in the matrix semiconductor material.
US08093131B2

In a semiconductor device of the present invention, a first base region 16 is extended to a part under a gate electrode 7 while having a vertical concentration profile of an impurity that increases from the surface of a semiconductor layer 3 and becomes maximum under an emitter region 5, and the length in the lateral direction from a point where the impurity concentration becomes maximum located under an end of the gate electrode 7 to the boundary with a second base region 15 is not smaller than the length in the vertical direction from the point where the impurity concentration becomes maximum to the boundary with the second base region 15.
US08093111B2

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprises forming a partial-insulated substrate comprising an insulating region located below both a channel region of a cell transistor and one of a storage node contact region and a bit line contact region, and forming a cell transistor comprising a fin region on the partial-insulated substrate.
US08093110B2

A method for manufacturing a thin film transistor (TFT) is disclosed. The method is achieved by forming and defining a source and a drain of a thin film transistor through two lithographic processes cycles so that the channel length (L) of the thin film transistor can be reduced to 1.5 to 4.0 μm. Besides, the Ion current of the thin film transistor is increased as the channel length (L) is decreased. Therefore, the component area of the thin film transistor is decreased as the channel width (W) is decreased. Thus, the aperture ratio of the TFT-LCD can be increased due to the decreased component area of the thin film transistor.
US08093106B2

This invention relates to a packaging structure and method for manufacturing the packaging structure. The packaging structure comprises a substrate film, a plurality of chips, a compound resin layer and a support layer. The substrate film is formed with circuits having a plurality of terminals exposed from a solder mask. The chips, each of which has a plurality of pads, under bump metals (UBMs) formed on the pads, and composite bumps disposed onto the UBMs, are bonded onto the substrate film to form the first tape. The second tape comprises the support layer and the compound resin layer formed on the support layer. The first tape and the second tape are both in reel-form and are expanded towards a pair of rollers to be heated and pressurized for encapsulating the chips.
US08093102B2

An electronic device can include a first die having a first terminal at a first front side, and a second die having a second terminal at a second front side and a through via. In one aspect, a process of forming the electronic device includes supplying a second substrate including a die location of the second die. The process can also include attaching the second substrate to a handling substrate and singulating the second die from the second substrate before removing the handling substrate. In another aspect, the handling substrate can include a rigid substrate. The process can include orienting the front side of the first die and a back side of the second substrate front-to-back with respect to each other. In yet another aspect, the first terminal is electrically connected to the through via and the second terminal. In one embodiment, the electronic device can include a third die.
US08093101B2

There is provided a method of fabricating an electronic device including flip-chip mounting a device chip on a substrate, and supplying solder between adjacent device chips by supplying the solder on the device chips and applying heat and pressure on the solder, and a contact angle of the device chip and the solder is greater than 90° with the solder melted.
US08093090B1

In the fabrication of an integrated circuit, a trench with a sidewall is formed along the periphery of the integrated circuit and the substrate is back-lapped to a thickness smaller than the trench depth to separate the integrated circuit from other integrated circuits on the same substrate. Increased protection against contaminant diffusion into the integrated circuit through the sidewall at the periphery is obtained with one or more protective layers. The substrate area useful for integrated circuit fabrication is also increased.
US08093087B2

Method for fabricating MEMS device has a first surface and a second surface and having a MEMS region and an IC region. A MEMS structure is formed over the first surface. A structural dielectric layer is formed over the first surface. The structural dielectric layer has a dielectric member and the spaces surrounding the MEMS structure is filled with the dielectric member. The substrate is patterned by etching process from the second surface of the substrate to expose a portion of the dielectric member filled in the space surrounding the MEMS structure. A wettable thin layer is formed to cover an exposed portion of the substrate at the second surface. An etching process is performed on the dielectric member filled in the spaces surrounding the MEMS structure. The MEMS structure is exposed and released by the etching process. The etching process comprises an isotropic etching process with a wet etchant.
US08093079B2

Methods of fabricating of a light-emitting device are provided, the methods include forming a plurality of light-emitting units on a substrate, measuring light characteristics of the plurality of light-emitting units, respectively, depositing a phosphor layer on the plurality of light-emitting units using a printing method, and cutting the substrate to separate the plurality of light-emitting units into unit by unit. The phosphor layer is adjustably deposited according to the measured light characteristics of the plurality of light-emitting units.
US08093078B2

A method for fabricating a photoelectric device initially provides a ceramic substrate comprising a thermal dissipation layer on a bottom layer of the ceramic substrate, an electrode layer on the top surface of the ceramic substrate, and a reflective structure in cavities of the ceramic substrate. Next, a plurality of photoelectric dies is disposed on the top surface of the ceramic substrate. Then, a first packaging layer is formed on the top surfaces of the photoelectric dies. Next, the ceramic substrate is placed between an upper mold and a lower mold. Finally, a plurality of lenses is formed on the top surface of the first packaging layer by using an injection molding technique or a transfer molding technique.
US08093073B2

The yield of semiconductor devices is to be enhanced. A tray is provided with a plurality of pockets each capable of accommodating a wafer level CSP, and each of the pockets is provided with a base for supporting a plurality of bumps of the wafer level CSP and side walls formed around the base. In the step-to-step carriage in the post-production process of the manufacture of wafer level CSPs and on like occasions, the base supports not the organic film but the plurality of solder bumps. For this reason, it is made possible to prevent the organic film from being flawed or coming off and adhering to the product as foreign matter, and as a result the quality and yield of the wafer level CSPs (semiconductor devices) can be improved.
US08093072B2

Provided are a substrate processing apparatus and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, in which shape variations of discharge electrodes can be early detected so as to prevent a film having a non-uniform thickness from being formed on a substrate. The substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber configured to stack a plurality of substrates therein, a gas supply unit configured to supply gas to an inside of the process chamber, at least one pair of electrodes installed in the process chamber and configured to receive high-frequency power to generate plasma that excites the gas supplied to the inside of the process chamber, and a monitoring system configured to monitor a shape variation of the electrodes.
US08093071B2

According to the present invention, a method of fabricating a semiconductor device is provided including forming a first interlayer insulating film 11, a crystalline conductive film 21, a first conductive film 23, a ferroelectric film 24 and a second conductive film 25 on a silicon substrate 1 in sequence, forming a conductive cover film 18 on the second conductive film 25, forming a hard mask 26a on the conductive cover film 18, forming a capacitor upon etching the conductive cover film 18, the second conductive film 25, the ferroelectric film 24 and the first conductive film 23 using the hard mask 26a as an etching mask in areas exposed from the hard mask 26a, and etching the hard mask 26a and the crystalline conductive film 21 exposed from the lower electrode 23a using an etching condition under which the hard mask 26a is etched.
US08093062B2

The invention is directed to droplet actuator devices and assay methods. The method may include, among other things, a method of conducting enzymatic assays using umbelliferone substrates with cyclodextrins in droplets in oil, the method including incubating a droplet in oil, the droplet preferably comprising an umbelliferone substrate, a sample, and a cyclodextrin compound. The methods may further include a method of substantially eliminating cross-contamination between droplets in enzymatic containing substrate-based bioassays. The method may include immobilization of the enzymatic substrate including forming an inclusion complex with the substrate for stabilizing the substrate within an aqueous environment, wherein the inclusion complex may be formed using cyclodextrins. In yet another embodiment, the invention may provide a method of enhancing hydrolysis of enzymatic substrates. The methods may further include a method of forming an inclusion complex with the substrate for stabilizing the substrate within an aqueous environment, wherein the substrate may be a 4-MU- or HMU containing substrate. The inclusion complex may be formed using cyclodextrin.
US08093058B2

The present invention is directed to a method for predicting the risk of a substance exhibiting phospholipidosis inducing properties, the method including adding the substance to an anionic surfactant to form a mixture of the substance and the surfactant, and determining the effect of the substance on the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the anionic surfactant by determining the CMC of the mixture, whereby a decrease in the CMC as compared to the CMC of the surfactant prior to the addition of the substance is indicative of a risk of the substance exhibiting phospholipidosis inducing properties.
US08093055B2

A calibration tool for use in combination with a photoluminescent oxygen-sensitive working probe and an analytical instrument capable of reading the working probe. The calibration tool is effective for achieving two-point calibration of the analytical instrument, and includes at least first and second solid state compositions having different sensitivities to oxygen. The first composition is an oxygen-sensitive photoluminescent dye that is the same as that in the working probe, embedded within an oxygen-permeable carrier matrix that is the same as that in the working probe. The second composition is an oxygen-sensitive photoluminescent dye that is the same as that in the first composition, embedded within a carrier matrix that is different from that in the first composition. The oxygen sensitivity of the second composition is less than the oxygen sensitivity of the first composition.
US08093042B2

The present invention provides nucleic acid, vectors, viruses, and recombinant cells comprising triple-stranded structures, such as those resulting from central initiation and termination of HIV-1 reverse transcription at the center of HIV-1 linear DNA genomes. These triplex structures can act as a cis-determinant of HIV-1 DNA nuclear import, allowing infection of non-dividing target cells. In one aspect, the presence of the DNA triplex sequence in an HIV vector strongly stimulates gene transfer in hematopoietic stem cells. The invention also provides methods of using these triplex structures for making recombinant cells, as well as methods of using the recombinant cells to express proteins of interest both in vitro and in vivo.
US08093034B2

This invention relates to the optimization of culture conditions to improve the production of bacterial capsular polysaccharides from Streptococcus strains in fed-batch culture.
US08093030B2

Thermostable viral polymerases exhibiting a combination of activities selected from, proofreading (3′-5′) exonuclease activity, nick translating (5′-3′) nuclease activity, synthetic primer-initiated polymerase activity, nick-initiated polymerase activity, reverse transcriptase activity, strand displacement activity, and/or decreased discrimination against incorporation of nucleotide analogs. Also provided are compositions including the polymerases, polynucleotides encoding the polymerases and methods of using the polymerases.
US08093024B2

This invention provides a novel endophytic fungus, Muscodor, that produces a mixture of volatile antibiotics with activity on specific plant pathogens, bacteria, nematodes and insects. Also provided is a method for treating or protecting plants, soil and seeds from microbial infections comprising applying an effective amount of a volatile antibiotic producing Muscodor sp. The invention also relates to fungicidal, bactericidal, insecticidal and nematicidal compositions comprising this novel Muscodor strain and the antibiotics and metabolites produced by this strain either alone, or in combination with other chemical and biological pesticides. Also provided is a method for identifying and isolating related gas producing fungi.
US08093022B2

Several novel PHA polymer compositions produced using biological systems include monomers such as 3-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxypropionate, 2-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxyvalerate, 4-hydroxybutyrate, 4-hydroxyvalerate and 5-hydroxyvalerate. These PHA compositions can readily be extended to incorporate additional monomers including, for example, 3-hydroxyhexanoate, 4-hydroxyhexanoate, 6-hydroxyhexanoate or other longer chain 3-hydroxyacids containing seven or more carbons. This can be accomplished by taking natural PHA producers and mutating through chemical or transposon mutagenesis to delete or inactivate genes encoding undesirable activities. Alternatively, the strains can be genetically engineered to express only those enzymes required for the production of the desired polymer composition. Methods for genetically engineering PHA producing microbes are widely known in the art (Huisman and Madison, 1998, Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, 63: 21-53). These polymers have a variety of uses in medical, industrial and other commercial areas.
US08093018B2

The present invention relates to an antibody that recognizes a first antibody, the antibody specifically recognizing one of a free first antibody and an antigen-binding first antibody. More specifically, the above antibody is a domino antibody that specifically recognizes and binds to an antigen-binding first antibody, or an antibody-unlocking antibody that specifically recognizes and binds to a free first antibody.
US08093014B2

Kits for the assay of enzymes involved in post-translational modifications are provided. The kits facilitate the execution of methods of assay that allow for convenient and accurate analysis using atomic mass spectrometry of post-translation modifications of substrates by enzymes involved in post-translational modifications, including kinase and phosphatase enzymes.
US08093011B2

The present invention provides diagnostic and prognostic methods for predicting the effectiveness of treatment of a cancer patient with an EGFR kinase inhibitor. Methods are provided for predicting the sensitivity of tumor cell growth to inhibition by an EGFR kinase inhibitor, comprising assessing whether the tumor cell has undergone an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), by determining the expression level of epithelial and/or mesenchymal biomarkers, wherein tumor cells that have undergone an EMT are substantially less sensitive to inhibition by EGFR kinase inhibitors. Improved methods for treating cancer patients with EGFR kinase inhibitors that incorporate the above methodology are also provided. Additionally, methods are provided for the identification of new biomarkers that are predictive of responsiveness of tumors to EGFR kinase inhibitors. Furthermore, methods for the identification of agents that restore the sensitivity of tumor cells that have undergone EMT to inhibition by EGFR kinase inhibitors are also provided.
US08093009B2

The invention involves assays, diagnostics, kits, and assay components for mass spectrometry and other methods to determine levels of glycated CD59 in subjects.
US08093003B2

A method is provided for detecting the presence of nucleotides or monitoring nucleotide amplification. It utilizes fluorescence energy transfer by competitive hybridization. Competitive hybridization is achieved by using unequal length complementary probes which have a fluorophore on one probe and a quencher on the other. The fluorophore and quencher are juxtaposed in a manner wherein the proximity of the quencher to the fluorophore produces quenching of the fluorescence of the fluorophore.
US08092998B2

The invention provides methods for predicting responsiveness to TNFα inhibitors in a subject suffering from an autoimmune disorder, such as rheumatoid arthritis. The methods involve assaying for expression of one or more biomarkers in the subject that are predictive of responsiveness to TNFα inhibitors. A preferred biomarker of the invention is CD11c. The methods can further comprise selecting a treatment regimen with a TNFα inhibitor in an autoimmune disorder subject based upon expression of the biomarker(s) in the subject. The methods can further comprise administering a TNFα inhibitor to the subject according to the selected treatment regimen. Kits that include means for measuring expression of one or more biomarkers that are predictive of responsiveness to TNFα inhibitors for an autoimmune disorder are also provided. Methods of preparing and using databases, and computer program products therefore, for selecting an autoimmune disorder subject for treatment with a TNFα inhibitor are also provided.
US08092988B1

A new strain of Bacillus anthracis derived from the Sterne vaccine strain of Bacillus anthracis by growth on a high-nitrate-concentration, 3-amino-L-tyrosine growth medium.
US08092982B2

Photosensitive paste compositions, barrier ribs of plasma display panels (PDPs) prepared using the same, and PDPs including the barrier ribs are provided. The photosensitive paste composition includes an organic-inorganic complex sol and an inorganic material, wherein the average refractive index (N1) of the organic-inorganic complex sol and the average refractive index (N2) of the inorganic material satisfy the equation −0.2≦N1−N2≦0.2. Using the photosensitive paste composition, patterned barrier ribs for PDPs having high resolution and high precision can be made by exposure to light only once. Barrier ribs having higher reflective indices than conventional barrier ribs can also be obtained.
US08092979B2

The resist polymer of the present invention comprises a specific constitutional unit having a cyano group, a constitutional unit having an acid-dissociable group, and a specific constitutional unit having a lactone skeleton. When the above polymer is used as a resist resin in DUV excimer laser lithography or electron beam lithography, it exhibits high sensitivity and high resolution, and provides a good resist pattern shape, having a small degree of occurrence of line edge roughness or generation of microgels.
US08092977B2

A positive resist composition, includes: (A) a resin having a repeating unit represented by formula (A) as defined in the specification, which decomposes under an action of an acid to increase a solubility of the resin (A) in an alkali developer; and a pattern forming method uses the composition.
US08092973B2

The present disclosure provides processes for reducing the particle size of latex resins and toners produced with such resins. In embodiments, a gel latex may be formed as a seed particle and then utilized to form latex resins and toner particles. In accordance with the present disclosure, one may be able to utilize materials for the production of latex resins and toners which may otherwise produce particles that are too large in the absence of the gel latex.
US08092972B2

Toner particles are provided which may, in embodiments, include a core and a shell formed in situ. The resins utilized to form the core, the shell, or both, may be contacted with a water soluble initiator. The resin, in embodiments present in the shell, cross-links at a temperature near the temperature for coalescence, and may prevent a crystalline resin in the core from migrating to the toner surface.
US08092967B2

The developing agent is selected to have a distribution of adhesive force to the surface of an image carrier, which is configured such that the ratio of the developing agent having an adhesive force which is not less than 2.5 times as high as an average value of a distribution of adhesive force is 3% by weight or less based on an entire weight of the developing agent.
US08092963B2

The present disclosure provides processes for producing images of excellent color fidelity when incorporating a magenta toner with a lower colorant loading in addition to a first magenta toner. In embodiments, the magenta pigmented particles may be magenta emulsion aggregation toners. In accordance with the present disclosure, a pair of magenta toners are matched in color, wherein the color of a first magenta toner printed at a predetermined halftone area coverage on a substrate substantially matches the color of the solid (100%) printed patch of the second magenta toner, which is lighter than the first magenta toner, thus avoiding a visible hue shift on the print that would otherwise be objectionable. In embodiments, the light magenta toner is color matched by adding a hue-adjusting colorant or combination of colorants which absorb wavelengths of light between 400 and 500 nanometers, and optionally adding a shade-adjusting colorant or combination of colorants which absorb wavelengths of light between 600 and 700 nanometers.
US08092962B2

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus 1 including a photosensitive member 2 on which an electrostatic latent image is formed according to an image signal, a development mechanism 5 for forming a toner image by developing the electrostatic latent images, and a transfer body 60 for transferring the toner image. The development mechanism 5 includes a plurality of developing units 51-54 holding different kinds of toners. A second work of adhesion between the photosensitive member 2 and a second toner to be transferred to the transfer body second is larger than a first and a third work of adhesions between the photosensitive member 2 and a first and a third toners to be transferred to the transfer body first and third.
US08092956B2

A fuel-cell connector for releasable connection to a fuel cartridge has a cartridge-side connection element with a cartridge-side valve that opens or closes a fuel-supply opening. A connector-side valve opens and closes a fuel-receiving opening and moves, during the first insertion stage, with the cartridge-side valve and a resilient element for resisting movement in the insertion direction of a connector body unit into which the cartridge-side connection element is telescopically inserted. The connector body unit has on its outer periphery engagement means for engaging a cartridge-side connection element and a stationary mechanism part for attachment to the fuel-cell-using device. In the second insertion step, the connector body unit moves as a single unit with the cartridge-side connection element, while the fuel-receiving and fuel-supply openings are maintained in close proximity so the engagement means engages the cartridge-side connection element, whereby the fuel cartridge connects and is fixed in the connected position.
US08092953B2

A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack, a combustor, a heat exchanger, and heat utilization equipment. Further, the fuel cell system includes a bypass channel and a control device. In the bypass channel, at least some of heat medium produced in the combustor is supplied to the heat utilization equipment, bypassing the heat exchanger. The control unit adjusts the supply of the heat energy supplied to the fuel cell stack through an oxygen-containing gas heated by the heat exchanger, and adjusts the heat energy of the heat medium which passes through the bypass channel, and which is supplied to the heat utilization equipment.
US08092945B2

A fuel cell system includes a stack body that is formed by stacking a membrane-electrode assembly and a separator. The membrane-electrode assembly includes electrolyte layer and electrode layers one of which is provided on one side of the electrolyte layer and the other of which is provided on the other side of the electrolyte layer. Ions having the ability to decompose hydrogen peroxide are supplied to the membrane-electrode assembly.
US08092943B2

A fuel cell system comprising a fuel cell stack, a fuel recirculation line provided with a jet pump and a valve controlled by a control unit based on the anode-cathode pressure differential such that the valve is closed to reduce or stop fuel supply when the anode-cathode pressure differential reaches a predetermined value, and opened again to circulate more fuel through the jet pump when the pressure differential is below a predetermined value, to create a pulsed fuel supply that improves the fuel recirculation at low loads and ensures adequate water removal from the anode flow field channels.
US08092942B1

Novel multifunctional sulfone/fluorinated ester compounds are described. These compounds may be useful as non-aqueous electrolyte solvents, specialty solvents, and starting materials and intermediates for synthesis of dyes, agricultural chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.
US08092938B2

A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly and a can having an opening at one end of the can. The electrode assembly is housed in the can. A cap plate seals the opening. The cap plate includes an electrolyte injection hole. An electrode terminal is coupled to the cap plate electrical connecting the electrode terminal and the electrode assembly. A gasket is located between the electrode terminal and the cap plate to insulate the electrode terminal from the cap plate. A plug seals the electrolyte injection hole, the plug being coated with an elastic film.
US08092937B2

A battery pack includes a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, a rigid covering member, and a protection circuit board. The secondary battery includes a battery element and a flexible covering member formed of a first laminated film composed of a first heat-bonding layer, a first metal layer, and a first outer covering layer laminated successively. The flexible covering member is sealed along around the battery element while leaving electrode terminals of the positive and negative electrodes extended outside the battery element. The rigid covering member is formed of a second laminated film composed of a second heat-bonding layer, a second metal layer, and a second outer covering layer laminated successively. The flexible covering member and the rigid covering member are bonded with an adhesive strength equal to or higher than atmospheric pressure and with a peel strength equal to or lower than a breaking strength of the flexible covering member.
US08092934B2

In one embodiment, an energy storage device comprises a container containing a first electrode generating a positive charge, a second electrode generating a negative charge, and an electrolyte in ionic contact with the electrodes. The container comprises a base and one or more walls defining an opening in the container, the base having a first terminal in electrical connection with the first electrode. A cap is shaped to close the opening and is electrically isolated from the container, while having a second terminal in electrical connection with the second electrode. A collector plate is interposed between the first electrode and the base and is electrically conductive, providing the electrical connection between the first electrode and the first electrical terminal and exhibiting an extension with a concave side oriented in the direction of the base, which is connected to the base by interference fitting against a mating protrusion on the base.
US08092931B2

A protection layer containing carbon as a major component is deposited by plasma CVD. The protection layer has film quality such that, when a spectrum is obtained by excluding photoluminescence from a Raman spectrum in a wavenumber band from 900 cm−1 to 1800 cm−1 obtained by exciting the protection layer with an argon ion laser beam having a wavelength of 514.5 nm and the spectrum is subjected to waveform separation by the Gaussian function to split a D peak appearing around 1350 cm−1 and a G peak appearing around 1520 cm−1, the ratio Dw/Gw between a half width Dw of the D peak and a half width Gw of the G peak exceeds 0 and is not greater than 2.7.
US08092929B2

An optical element is configured to have a base composed of a LuAg substrate having a refractive index of 2.14±0.01 for a wavelength of 193 nm and an antireflection film formed on the base, and the optical element being configured to contact a liquid having a refractive index of 1.64±0.01 for the wavelength of 193 nm. The antireflection film includes a high refractive index layer that is formed on the base, contains Al2O3 having a refractive index of 1.87 to 1.92 for the wavelength of 193 nm, and has an optical film thickness of 0.21λ to 0.34λ for a design center wavelength λ of 193 nm and a low refractive index layer that is closer to the liquid than the high refractive index layer, contains Al2O3 having a refractive index equal to or smaller than 1.78 but larger than the refractive index of the liquid for the wavelength of 193 nm, and has an optical film thickness of 0.29λ to 0.52λ at the design center wavelength λ.
US08092917B2

A gas-barrier laminate comprises a plastic substrate (A), an inorganic thin film (B) formed on at least one surface of the plastic substrate (A), and a polyester-based resin layer (C) formed by applying a coating material containing a polyester-based resin on a surface of the inorganic thin film (B), wherein the polyester-based resin has a glass transition temperature of 50 to 70° C., a molecular weight of 1500 to 15000 and a hydroxyl value of 10 to 60 mg KOH/g, and the gas-barrier laminate has an oxygen permeability of not more than 5 cc/m2/day/atm and a water vapor permeability of not more than 5 g/m2/day. The gas-barrier laminate of the present invention is excellent in printability (in particular, gradation printability), is free from deterioration in gas-barrier property, namely is excellent in gas-barrier property, even after providing a printed layer thereon, and further exhibits an excellent adhesion between the plastic substrate (A) and the inorganic thin film (B) even after being subjected to retort treatments.
US08092916B2

An FeO layer including fine crystal grains having random orientation is formed as inner layer scale on the surface of the steel wire rod containing C: 0.05-1.2 mass % (hereinafter referred to as “%”), Si: 0.01-0.50%, Mn: 0.1-1.5%, P: 0.02% or below, S: 0.02% or below, N: 0.005% or below, an Fe2SiO4 layer with the thickness: 0.01-1.0 μm is formed in the boundary face between the FeO layer of the inner layer scale and steel, and the thickness of the inner layer scale is 1-40% of the total scale thickness. In another aspect, the maximum grain size of the crystal grain of the inner layer scale is 5.0 μm or below and the average grain size is 2.0 μm or below.
US08092906B2

The invention provides an adhesive sheet for steel plate that can abate the emission of organic volatile components, while providing good reinforcing effect and vibration suppression effect. In an adhesive sheet for steel plate is provided that includes a restricting layer and a resin layer, the restricting layer having a resin-coated glass fiber cloth made by weaving glass fiber bundles, which are formed by bundling a plurality of glass filaments, into a glass fiber cloth and impregnating epoxy resin composition in the glass fiber cloth, the resin-coated glass fiber cloth having air permeability of not more than 0.5 cm3/cm2/sec. and a permeability rate of the epoxy resin composition to the glass fiber bundles in the range of 20-70%.
US08092904B2

Disclosed herein is an optical article having a first optical layer; a second optical layer; and an antistatic layer disposed between the first and second optical layers, the antistatic layer having conducting particles having an aspect ratio greater than about 10. The conducting particles may comprise vanadium oxide particles or carbon nanotubes. The optical article may be a brightness enhancement film, a retro-reflecting film, or a reflective polarizer, and be used in a display device, for example, a liquid crystal display device.
US08092893B2

A safety place mat designed to protect the user from injury due to inadvertent impact with the table or other rigid surface supporting the place mat. The place mat comprises a base panel upon which food and tableware may be placed. The base panel is surrounded by raised edges, which define a recessed base panel to contain spilled food and liquids. The proximal edge features an enhanced thickness for maximum protection against impact. A lip extends downwardly perpendicularly from the proximal edge to cushion the edge of the table. The proximal edge and lip can be curved to match the contour of a table or other support surface.
US08092887B2

The invention relates to the field of optical information recording. According to the invention, an optical storage structure is proposed comprising a substrate equipped with physical marks whose geometrical configuration defines the recorded information, a superposition of three layers on top of the substrate marks, and a transparent protective layer on top of this superposition, the superposition comprising a layer of indium or gallium antimonide inserted between two ZnS/SiO2 dielectric layers. The antimonide layer has a polycrystalline structure with an average crystal grain size between 5 and 50 nanometers. The non-linear behavior of the superposition of three layers under the read laser makes it possible to read information having a size below the theoretical resolution of the reading system.
US08092881B2

The invention describes a flexible tubular article for transport of volatile hydrocarbons comprising: (a) an inner layer of a polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) polymer or a polyvinylidene difluoride copolymer; (b) an intermediate thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) layer extruded in tubular form over the inner PVDF layer, and (c) a polyvinyl chloride polymer extruded in tubular form over the outside surface of the intermediate layer and being coextensive therewith. The tubular articles of the invention have a maximum permeation rating of 15 g/m2/day under SAE J1737 test conditions.
US08092880B2

A fuel hose includes a laminated structure of a tubular resin layer and an adjoining rubber layer, the rubber layer being formed by a rubber composition containing the following (A) to (F) as essential components, and the resin layer being formed by a material containing a tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene-vinylidene fluoride terpolymer or a tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene-vinylidene fluoride-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether quaterpolymer as a main component: (A) a blend of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber and polyvinyl chloride; (B) at least one selected from the group consisting of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undecene-7 salt, 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonene-5 salt, 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undecene-7 and 1,5-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonene-5; (C) zeolite; (D) magnesium oxide; (E) laminar mineral; and (F) basic silica.
US08092873B2

A print medium suitable for inkjet web press printing is disclosed herein. The print medium includes a paper substrate and an ink-receiving layer coated onto at least one surface of the paper substrate. The ink-receiving layer includes: two different inorganic pigments with different particle sizes; a binder; a water-soluble metallic salt; and a colorant durability enhancer selected from the group consisting of boric acid, borax, sodium tetraborate, phenyl boronic acid, butyl boronic acid and combinations thereof.
US08092864B2

Methods of coating a medical device are provided to improve coating uniformity and reduce coating irregularities while reducing direct coating of the luminal surface of the medical device. Preferably, methods of coating a tubular medical device include the steps of: positioning the tubular medical device around a mandrel coating assembly, mounting the tubular medical device on the mandrel coating assembly and spraying a coating solution including a therapeutic agent and a solvent onto the abluminal surface of the tubular medical device mounted on the mandrel coating assembly. The mandrel coating assembly may include an axial member of a diameter that is less than the diameter of the lumen of the tubular medical device and at least one annular projection extending from the axial member to an outer surface having a diameter greater than or substantially equal to the diameter of the lumen of the medical device. Improved coating uniformity may be achieved by providing an annular space between the luminal surface of the medical device and an axial member. Coating on the luminal surface may be minimized by providing an axial member having an outer diameter that is greater than the maximum width or length of the spray contacting the axial member after passing through the openings in the medical device.
US08092862B2

Provided is a method for forming a dielectric film in a semiconductor device, wherein the method can improve a dielectric characteristic and a leakage current characteristic. According to specific embodiments of the present invention, the method for forming a dielectric film includes: forming a zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) layer over a wafer in a predetermined thickness that does not allow continuous formation of the ZrO2 layer; and forming an aluminum oxide (Al2O3) layer over portions of the wafer where the ZrO2 layer is not formed, in a predetermined thickness that does not allow continuous formation of the Al2O3 layer.
US08092857B2

The present invention provides a thiophene derivative useful for a material for forming an organic positive hole transport layer of an organic EL element excellent in light emitting efficiency, water resistance or the like, a polymer having the thiophene derivative as a monomer unit, and an organic EL element. The object can be solved by a thiophene derivative represented by the following formula (1), a polymer comprising the thiophene derivative, and an organic EL element, an organic positive hole transporting layer of which comprises the polymer: wherein, each “X” is a halogen atom, which may be same or different from each other; and “R” is an alkyl group.
US08092851B2

A composition and process for improving the quality of raw food product such as seafood, meat and fowl including a treatment of a bath, rinse, ice blend, steam or spray for preparing the raw food product, such as fresh fish, meat or poultry or produce. Before the treatment is used, the raw product is cleaned in a conventional manner. The treatment composition is intended to clean, deodorize, and disinfect the raw food product. The present invention removes slime and odor from fresh fish in preparation for cooking, and further, disinfects the fish and other food product to be cooked in the event that harmful bacteria or other microbes reside on the raw fish, such as harmful microorganisms which may be a residue of polluted water from which the fish was taken, or may have originated from filthy food preparation facilities.
US08092850B2

An offset barbeque smoker grille has an openable cover shaped as the elongated back portion of a quadruped and the products of combustion are applied to meat on said grille with the cover closed and at least one restrictor is included in said fourth flow path to hold smoke in contact with said meat wherein a meat treatment apparatus is used as a smoker. The cooking and smoking uses counter flow from the firebox near the head of the quadruped under the cooking and smoking chambers toward the rump of the quadruped and back over the top of the cooking chambers to provide even cooking.
US08092845B2

The invention relates to the pharmaceutical industry, in particular to producing herbal remedy for integrally treating various inflammatory diseases. The inventive remedy comprises a dry Boswellia extract dissolved in the oil extract of Siberian stone pine seeds and Curcuma. The remedy can be used in the form of soft gelatine capsules for peroral administration, wherein lecithin, hydroxy-toluene butyl, alpha-tocopherol acetate, ascorbyl palmitate are added to the ready-for-use oil extract. The inventive method for producing said remedy consists in producing the oil extracts of Siberian stone pine seeds and Curcuma and in subsequently adding the dry Boswellia extract thereto.
US08092839B2

A medicament for treatment of cancer or other diseases by increasing cellular oxygenation is described wherein a composition of oils is used that provides a ratio of parent omega 6 to parent omega 3 that is greater than 1:1 and preferably within a range from about 1.1:1 to about 5:1. Most preferably, the ratio is about 2.6:1. The medicament may be administered via capsule or liquid form and preferably on a periodic basis, such as daily. In further embodiments, the medicament may be applied in topical ointment form.
US08092833B2

The invention provides a composition containing particulate composite of a polymer and a therapeutic agent. The composition also contains a complexing agent. The polymer interacts with the complexing agent in a host-guest or a guest-host interaction to form an inclusion complex. A therapeutic composition of the invention may be used to deliver the therapeutic agent and to treat various disorders. Both the polymer of the particulate composite and the complexing agent may be used to introduce functionality into the therapeutic composition. The invention also relates to a method of preparing a composition. The method combines a therapeutic agent, a polymer having host or guest functionality, and a complexing agent having guest or host functionality to form the therapeutic composition. The complexing agent forms an inclusion complex with the polymer. The invention also relates to a method of delivering a therapeutic agent. According to the method, a therapeutically effective amount of a therapeutic composition of the invention is administered to a mammal (e.g. person or animal) in recognized need of the therapeutic. Also disclosed are compounds having the formula:
US08092825B2

Disclosed are novel methods of treatment for retinal diseases and conditions including age-related macular degeneration, genetic-based retinal degenerations and retinal detachment. A novel glycan binding protein thought to be a cell surface receptor has been discovered in the retina. The retinal glycan binding receptor is shown to play an important role in promoting assembly of outer segment (OS) membranes by the photoreceptor cells of the eye, a process that is essential for vision. Based on the finding that certain sugars can bind with very high affinity to the retinal glycan receptor and stimulate its function, the invention provides novel therapeutic agents for treatment of retinal diseases that are multivalent N-linked glycans. Preferred pharmaceutical compositions in accordance with the present invention comprise active agents having the general formula: (Gal-GlcNAc)n-Man3-GlcNAc2, where n is 1-4. Particularly preferred multivalent glycans are galactosylated, biantennary (NA2), and asialo, galactosylated, triantennary (NA3) oligosaccharides.
US08092820B2

Dry cross-linked gelatin compositions are prepared that rapidly re-hydrate to produce gelatin hydrogels suitable as hemostatic sealants. Gelatin is cross-linked in the presence of certain re-hydration aids, such as polyethylene glycol, polyvinylprovidone, and dextran, in order to produce a dry cross-linked gelatin powder. The use of the re-hydration aids has been found to substantially increase the re-hydration rate in the presence of an aqueous re-hydration medium, typically thrombin-containing saline.
US08092815B2

Provided are articles containing a solid surface material with an antimicrobial agent in a thermoset and/or thermoplastic resin matrix, wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises a chitosan-metal complex.
US08092811B2

The present invention relates to surface proteins of Moraxella catarrhalis and their ability to interact with epithelial cells via cell-associated fibronectin and laminin, and also to their ability to inhibit the complement system. These surface proteins are useful in the preparation of vaccines. The present invention also provides peptides interacting with fibronectin, laminin and the complement system.
US08092806B2

The present invention relates to a chimeric protein comprising a cell-targeting agent and a Yersinia outer protein, connected by a translocating polypeptide. The invention further relates to the preparation and use of such chimeric protein.
US08092803B2

Ophthalmic formulations of a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-specific fusion protein antagonist are provided suitable for intravitreal administration to the eye. The ophthalmic formulations include a stable liquid formulation and a lyophilizable formulation. Preferably, the protein antagonist has the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:4.
US08092796B2

Monoclonal antibodies that specifically bind to ANGPTL4 are provided. Monoclonal antibodies that neutralize at least one activity of ANGPTL4 are provided. Methods of treating a disorder of lipid metabolism using neutralizing monoclonal antibodies are provided.
US08092783B2

Gadolinium+3 (Gd3+) containing (or incorporated) Prussian blue lattice contrast agents that can be used as an MRI contrast agent have unexpectedly improved r1 relaxivities of 1 or 2 magnitudes higher than the commercial Gd3+-chelates as well as exceedingly, non-toxic, low release of the Gd3+ ions into an aqueous environment at a pH of about 2 to about 7.5. The Prussian blue lattice containing Gd3+ ions therein can be used for clinical diagnosis intravenously to human beings for medical imaging. The particle sizes of the doped Prussian blue lattices are of a nanosize scale and are very stable against agglomeration.
US08092782B2

The invention relates generally to biotin-containing compounds that are useful as imaging agents and drug-delivery agents. Another aspect of the invention relates to the aforementioned compounds chelated to a metal atom. In a preferred embodiment, the metal atom is a gadolinium. Another aspect of the invention relates to a compound comprising three biotin moieties and a pharmaceutical agent covalently bound to a heterocyclic core. In certain embodiments, the pharmaceutical agent is an antibiotic, antiviral, or radionuclide. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of treating disease involving administering the compounds of the invention to a mammal. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of acquiring a magnetic resonance image using the compounds of the invention.
US08092781B2

A method is disclosed for blocking or reducing physiological reaction in a mammal to the interaction of IgE antibodies present in said mammal upon contact with the corresponding antigen, by the administration to said mammal of a therapeutically effective amount of a neurotoxin (CnT) derived from Clostridia sp.
US08092768B2

Apparatus and methods for collection and removal of particulate matter, including fine particulate matter, from a gas stream, comprising a unique combination of high collection efficiency and ultralow pressure drop across the filter. The apparatus and method utilize simultaneous electrostatic precipitation and membrane filtration of a particular pore size, wherein electrostatic collection and filtration occur on the same surface.
US08092764B2

Provided is a method of easily producing easily-filterable and stable scorodite that meets the leaching standard (conformance to Japanese Environmental Agency Notice 13) with excellent reproducibility and without using complex operations, when processing arsenic that is included in non-ferrous smelting intermediates, and particularly when processing arsenic in the form of a sulfide. Scorodite is produced by a leaching step of leaching arsenic from a non-ferrous melting intermediate containing arsenic in the weakly acid region, a solution adjusting step of oxidizing trivalent arsenic to pentavalent arsenic by adding an oxidizing agent to the leaching solution, and a crystallizing step of converting the arsenic in the adjusted solution to scorodite crystals.
US08092758B2

A sample acquiring device for volumetric enumeration of white blood cells in a blood sample comprises a measurement cavity for receiving a blood sample. The measurement cavity has a predetermined fixed thickness. The sample acquiring device further comprises a reagent, which is arranged in a dried form on a surface defining the measurement cavity. The reagent comprises a hemolysing agent for lysing red blood cells in the blood sample, and a staining agent for selectively staining white blood cells in the blood sample. A system comprises the sample acquiring device and a measurement apparatus. The measurement apparatus comprises a sample acquiring device holder, a light source, and an imaging system for acquiring a digital image of a magnification of the sample. The measurement apparatus further comprises an image analyser arranged to analyse the acquired digital image for determining the number of white blood cells in the blood sample.
US08092757B2

A sterilization method and an installation for producing sterile bottles by blow molding sterilized preforms includes, at the spraying station, the flow of sterilizing product atomized onto each preform whose temperature (T1) is less than the condensing temperature (Tc) of the sterilizing product so that a film of mist of the sterilizing product deposits by condensation at least onto the inner wall to be sterilized, and, at the activation station of the sterilizing product of the sterilizing unit, each preform treated in the aforementioned manner is heated by radiation to a temperature (T2) greater than or equal to the activation temperature (Ta) in order to sterilize at least the inner wall of the preform.
US08092751B2

The ultraviolet and/or ozone-generation disinfection cutlery tray allows to improve the hygiene of the different cutlery items placed in it, by use of at least one ultraviolet light and/or ozone-generating source that irradiates the cutlery through the material itself making up the cutlery tray, made of a light-conductive plastic material, obtaining an homogeneous radiation, allowing objects that had been previously washed in a conventional way to maintain and conserve asepsis until the moment of use. Versions are contemplated for holding cutlery in vertical position, simultaneously allowing their drainage after washing and hygienization; and others in which the emission of ultraviolet light is located on the surface of the material making up the cutlery tray. The disinfection device is suitable for use for the domestic sector, catering industry, as well as the clinical sector.
US08092743B2

A device for handling of laboratory samples includes at least one gripper movable from above over a sample. The gripper includes multiple fingers arranged around an axis, an elastic finger mount, and an actuator mechanism structured and arranged to move the fingers to selectively grip or release the sample. The multiple fingers are elastically held by the elastic finger mount in a radially displaceable manner.
US08092732B2

The present invention provides a processing method of the natural cellulose fiber with feature for enhancing the capability of antifungi, antibacteria and deodorization. The procedure is that firstly modify and reduce the properties of the natural chitosan of high polymer material to nanometer scale; secondly dunk the chitosan into the syrup-like mixture of wood pulp and NMMO solvent to yield quasi-dope; thirdly dehydrate the quasi-dope of paste mixture to form the mud-like dope; fourthly spin the dope by dryjet wet spinning method; fifthly regenerate the filament in coagulation bath, water rinse and dry; finally water rinse, dry, apply the lubricant to finish. The water soluble chitosan, which has been treated by property modification and reduced to nanometer scale, can effectively and completely solve in the cellulose of low DP to offer wider extent of selection in the DP and better flexibility of adding percentage in content of modified chitosan.
US08092717B2

Disclosed herein is a polymer composition comprising: a poly(arylene ether); a polyester; electrically conductive filler, and an impact modifier. The composition has a continuous phase comprising polyester and a disperse phase comprising poly(arylene ether). The amount of the disperse phase is less than 35 weight percent, based on the total weight of the composition.
US08092716B2

Process for the preparation of a catalytic specie consisting essentially of a metallic support, which is coated with a ceramic active phase layer, mainly compound of the general formula (I): [RhxNiyMglAlm(OH)2]z+(An−z/n)kH2O,  (I) wherein An− is mainly a silicate or a polysilicate anion; 0≦x≦0.3; 0≦y≦0.9; 0≦l≦0.9; 0≦m≦0.5; 0≦k≦10; x+y>0; 0.5≦y+l≦0.9; x+y+l+m=1; and z is the total electrical charge of the cationic element or a compound of the general formula (II): [AzA′1-z][B1-x-yNixRhy]O3-δ  (II) wherein A and A′ are different and are selected from the Lanthanide or the Actinide families or from the group IIa of the Mendeleev's periodical table of elements; B is selected from the transition metal groups of columns IIIb, IVb, Vb, VIb, VIIb, Ib and IIb and group VIIIb of the Mendeleev's periodical table of elements; 0≦x≦0.7, 0≦y≦0.5, 0≦x+y≦0.8, 0≦z≦1 and is the sub stoechiometric value of oxygen to obtain the electric neutrality of the Perovskite compound; said process essentially consisting in a step (a) of electro-deposition of said ceramic active phase on said metallic support. Use of said catalytic specie as a catalyst oxidation of gaseous hydrocarbons, to produce synthesis gas.
US08092701B2

A grating of the present invention has a groove cross section shaped, for example, like a sinusoidal wave or a sawtooth other than a laminar shape, and a groove bottom part shaped as a flat form. In a region wherein the groove cycle and the used wavelength are the same degree for wavelengths from near infrared to infrared, the grating of the present invention has the excellent spectrum performance (high efficiency in balance in a wide wavelength zone) more than a holographic grating and an echellette grating in related arts. When replicas for the grating of the present invention are manufactured, the engagement force of grooves with each other is small as the groove aspect ratio is small, and a release agent sufficiently reaches the groove bottom as the groove bottom is large.
US08092700B2

A method for manufacturing liquid discharge heads having a substrate where energy generation elements that generate energy used for discharging liquid are formed, a wiring electrically connected to the energy generation elements, and a flow path communicating with discharge ports for discharging liquid and corresponding to the energy generation elements. The method includes forming a resin layer on the substrate, a first pattern for forming the wiring on the resin layer, the wiring on the substrate using the first pattern, a second pattern for forming the flow path on the resin layer, a coating layer for coating the second pattern, and the flow path by removing the second pattern.
US08092687B2

The invention relates to a method and installation for treatment of an aqueous phase containing a used adsorbent powdery material, such as activated carbon powder, from a water purification or potabilization installation, wherein said method includes: a first step of desorbing the main part of the organic matter adsorbed on the used adsorbent powdery material consisting of placing said aqueous phase containing the used adsorbent powdery material in contact with a desorbent compound resulting in a first aqueous phase containing at least partially regenerated adsorbent powdery material and desorbed organic matter; a first step of separating by sedimentation the main part of the desorbed organic matter from the rest of the first aqueous phase containing the at least partially regenerated adsorbent powdery material leading to the production of a second aqueous phase containing the at least partially regenerated adsorbent powdery material; a first step of neutralizing said second aqueous phase containing the at least partially regenerated adsorbent powdery material; a second step of separating the at least partially regenerated adsorbent powdery material from said second aqueous phase leading to the production of a third aqueous phase containing the at least partially regenerated adsorbent powdery material.
US08092678B2

A method of wastewater treatment is described. The method includes: (i) receiving wastewater; (ii) performing a first type of treatment on wastewater to produce wastewater having a first property which is capable of changing; (iii) preventing the first property from changing; (iv) performing a second type of treatment on wastewater; and wherein the first property includes at least one property selected from a group consisting of biochemical oxygen demand (“BOD”) level, dissolved oxygen level, solid content and nutrient level.
US08092669B2

A method and a system of examining trace organic matter in urine are provided. The system includes a polarograph having a graphite electrode and a metal electrode; a data examining device having a memory device stored with a standard determination module, a comparison module and a display device for operating interface and displaying results. The examining method is to utilize a polarograph for examining living being's urine and store the polarogram produced by the polarograph in memory device. Then utilizing a comparison module to process comparison of the graph data of a polarogram with a standard determination module to examine the composition and quantity of an organic matter in urine, and displaying the result on a display device.
US08092666B2

A bumper molding is fabricated by disposing segmented anodes 31 and 32 on surfaces 22 and 24 of a base material 20, which are to be plated, and performing electroplating so as to form metal films on the surfaces 22 and 24, respectively. The curvature of a surface of a concave portion, which is formed in each part of the surfaces 22 and 24 so that the surface of the concave portion is away from the segmented anodes 31 and 32, respectively, is larger than those of other portions at a part serving as a border between the second plated surface 22 and the fourth plated surface 24. Accordingly, the distance from the part serving as the border between the second plated surface 22 and the fourth plated surface 24 to a metal case 50a corresponding to this part is set so as to be shorter than those from each of the other parts to the metal cases 50a and 50b respectively corresponding to the segmented anodes 31 and 32.
US08092657B2

A module to carry targets in a sputter deposition installation for coating two-sided substrates is described. The module is mountable to the installation through an interface flange that carries at least two targets with their associated magnet systems. When the module is mounted, the targets take positions at opposite sides of the two-sided substrate, while the magnet systems orient the sputter deposition towards the substrate. The module enables coating of both sides of the substrate in one single pass. Different configurations are described with gas distribution systems and additional substrate supports. An enclosure with adjustable blinds in order to reduce gas spreading is also included.
US08092641B1

A system and method for removing an organic residue from a charged particle beam system includes a conduit that is coupled to the column and is for adding oxygen to the column. A heater is coupled to the column and is for increasing the temperature in the column. A pump is coupled to the column and is for removing a gas from the chamber, wherein the gas is a byproduct of a chemical reaction of the organic residue and the oxygen.
US08092640B2

A plasma processing apparatus of this invention includes a sealable chamber, a gas supply source of reactive material gas, placed outside the chamber, a gas introduction pipe connected to the gas supply source, for introducing the material gas into the chamber, and a plurality of sets of cathode-anode bodies for forming a plurality of discharge spaces which perform plasma discharge of the material gas in the chamber. Herein, the gas introduction pipe includes a gas branch section arranged in the chamber, a main pipe for connecting the gas supply source to the gas branch section, and a plurality of branch pipes connected from the main pipe to each of the discharge spaces via the gas branch section. The branch pipes are configured so that conductances thereof are substantially equivalent to each other.
US08092635B2

A steering column assembly has an outer jacket extending, an inner jacket is slideably disposed in the outer jacket for telescoping movement relative to the outer jacket, and a sleeve disposed between the inner and outer jackets. The sleeve exerts a predetermined frictional force on the inner jacket opposing the telescoping movement. A filler formed from a liquid thermosetting composition is disposed between the sleeve and the outer jacket for securing the sleeve to the outer jacket. Furthermore, a method of forming the steering column assembly includes disposing the inner jacket into the outer jacket and disposing the sleeve between the inner and outer jackets. The method further includes inserting the liquid thermosetting composition into the outer jacket between the outer jacket and the sleeve and curing the liquid thermosetting composition to form the filler.
US08092620B2

An austenitic TRIP steel consisting essentially of, in weight %, 0.14 to 0.18% Al, 2.8 to 3.2% Ti, 23.5 to 23.8% Ni, 3.8 to 4.2% Cr, 1.1 to 1.3% Mo, 0.29 to 0.31% V, 0.01 to 0.015% B, 0.01 to 0.02% C, and balance Fe and incidental impurities exhibits combined high yield strength and high strain hardening leading to improved stretch ductility under both tension and shear dynamic loading conditions.
US08092616B2

A rapidly solidified Fe—Ga alloy containing 15 to 23 atomic percent of Ga having a particular rapidly solidified texture is formed into slices which are laminated to each other in a die, or is formed into a powder or chops which are filled in the die. Subsequently, spark plasma sintering is performed so that bonds between the slices, grains of the powder, or the chops are formed at a high density to form a bulk alloy and the rapidly solidified texture is not lost, followed by annealing whenever necessary, so that a magnetostriction of 170 to 230 ppm at room temperature is obtained.
US08092615B2

The invention concerns powder compositions consisting of electrically insulated particles of a soft magnetic material of an iron or iron-based powder and 0.1-2% by weight of a lubricant selected from the group consisting of fatty acid amides having 14-22 C atoms. Optionally a thermoplastic binder such as polyphenylene sulphide may be included in the composition. The invention also concerns a method for the preparation of soft magnetic composite components.
US08092612B2

A cooling device (70) for cooling a work piece (9) that has reached a high temperature due to the implementation of a closing operation in which a bottom portion (9c) is formed by closing an end portion of the tubular work piece (9) comprises a tilting mechanism (151) which tilts the work piece (9) such that the bottom portion (9c) faces downwards and a cooling water tank (155) storing cooling water. The bottom portion (9c) of the work piece (9) tilted by the tilting mechanism (151) is submerged in cooling water stored in the cooling water tank (155).
US08092606B2

A deposition apparatus configured to form a thin film on a substrate includes: a reactor wall; a substrate support positioned under the reactor wall; and a showerhead plate positioned above the substrate support. The showerhead plate defines a reaction space together with the substrate support. The apparatus also includes one or more gas conduits configured to open to a periphery of the reaction space at least while an inert gas is supplied therethrough. The one or more gas conduits are configured to supply the inert gas inwardly toward the periphery of the substrate support around the reaction space. This configuration prevents reactant gases from flowing between a substrate and the substrate support during a deposition process, thereby preventing deposition of an undesired thin film and impurity particles on the back side of the substrate.
US08092603B2

A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a substrate holding part that holds substrates of required numbers in the processing chamber, a gas supply/exhaust part that supplies or exhausts required gas into the processing chamber, a rotation part that rotates the substrate holding part, a first heating part provided in the substrate holding part so as to face at least an upper surface of each substrate held by the substrate holding part, and a power supply part that supplies power to the first heating part in a non-contact state by electromagnetic coupling.
US08092599B2

A system and method for uniform deposition of material layers on wafers in a rotating disk chemical vapor deposition reaction system is provided, wherein one or more substrates are rotated on a carrier about an axis while maintaining surfaces of the one or more substrates substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation and facing in an upstream direction along the axis of rotation. During rotating a first gas is discharged in the downstream direction towards the one or more substrates from a first set of gas inlets. A second gas is discharged in the downstream direction towards the one or more substrates from at least one movable gas injector, and the at least one movable gas inlet is moved with a component of motion in a radial direction towards or away from the axis of rotation.
US08092598B2

Disclosed herein is a thin film deposition apparatus having a reaction chamber for forming a thin film on a plurality of substrates rested on a susceptor. The apparatus comprises: a gas supply means for supplying a plurality of gases to the inside of the reaction chamber from the outside, the gases including a reaction gas; a gas distribution means for distributing and spraying the gases supplied from the gas supply means so as to conform to the purpose of a process; a gas retaining means having a plurality of reaction cells for partitionally accommodating and retaining the respective gases distributed from the gas distribution means; a rotation driving means for rotating the gas retaining means such that the gases retained in the respective reaction cells are exposed to the substrates in sequence; and a gas exhaust means for pumping the gases retained by the gas retaining means to the outside of the reaction chamber.
US08092597B2

Method for producing a III-N (AlN, GaN, AlxGa(1-x)N) crystal by Vapor Phase Epitaxy (VPE), the method comprising: providing a reactor having: a growth zone for growing a III-N crystal; a substrate holder located in the growth zone that supports at least one substrate on which to grow the III-N crystal; a gas supply system that delivers growth material for growing the III-N crystal to the growth zone from an outlet of the gas supply system; and a heating element that controls temperature in the reactor; determining three growth sub-zones in the growth zone for which a crystal grown in the growth sub-zones has respectively a concave, flat or convex curvature; growing the III-N crystal on a substrate in a growth region for which the crystal has a by desired curvature.
US08092596B2

Bulk GaN and AlGaN single crystal boules, preferably fabricated using a modified HVPE process, are provided. The single crystal boules typically have a volume in excess of 4 cubic centimeters with a minimum dimension of approximately 1 centimeter. If desired, the bulk material can be doped during growth, for example to achieve n-, i-, or p-type conductivity.
US08092593B2

Compositions for fabricating architectural works wherein the compositions utilize one or more cement materials, additives, fibers and recycled glass. Exemplary cement materials include Portland cement, calcium aluminate, fly ash and/or E glass. Exemplary additives include boric acid, citric acid, lithium, plasticizer and/or methylcellulose ethers. Exemplary fibers include polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and/or micro-fibers. Crushed recycled glass is used as an aggregate or non-reactive material. Other ingredients may be used including: sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and hydrated lime to alter the PH; ferrous sulfate, mono-potassium phosphate, or manganese carbonate and magnesium sulfate as color enhancements; and/or pozzolans (Vcas) to neutralize the ASR efflorescence.
US08092587B2

The invention relates to stabilized dispersions of precipitated silicon dioxide, to a process for production thereof and to the use thereof, especially for production of paper coatings for glossy photo paper for inkjet printing.
US08092586B2

Described herein is a photocatalytic composite comprising a titanium dioxide supported on metakaolin. In comparison to known embodiments of the sector, the composite of the present invention makes it possible to obtain binders and derived products with high photocatalytic efficiency, even when using photocatalyst quantities which are lesser than those present in products of prior technical art.
US08092580B2

A condenser and a containment vessel adapted to efficiently condense a gas out of a mixture of condensing and non-condensing gases. In condensers, the fraction of gas within a condenser made up of non-condensing gases can be significantly reduced by withdrawing gas from localized regions of relatively low temperature where the mass fraction of non-condensing gases will be relatively high. In containment vessels, pressures can be reduced by providing a large surface area of the liquid into which the condensing gas condenses in a relatively cool region of the containment vessel. Both these effects result from an appreciation of the manner in which non-condensing gases tend to accumulate in regions which are relatively cold.
US08092576B2

A mast electrode design for a wet electrostatic precipitator including a first and a second electrode section connected together via a connector assembly. The connector assembly includes an axial protrusion extending from an end of the first electrode section which is inserted into an axial bore formed in an end of the second electrode section.
US08092575B2

A control system and associated methods for an air treatment system. In one aspect, the present invention provides a control system and method for controlling blower speed as a function of separately determined smoke and dust concentrations. In one embodiment, the control system and method provides a variable delayed between changes in motor speed to address undesirable rapid changes between speeds. In another aspect, the present invention provides a system and method for calibrating a sensor to provide more uniform operation over time. In yet another aspect, the present invention provide a system and method for calibrating motor speed to provide more consistent and uniform motor speed over time. The present invention also provides a system and method for tracking filter life by as a function of time, motor speed and/or a sensed variable, such as particulate concentration in the environment.
US08092564B2

An aspect of embodiments of the invention is to lower fluid resistance applied to gas flow (A, S) flowing within a dust collection system (1) so as to enhance dust collection efficiency of the dust collection system (1) without depending on the number or the two dimensional arrangement of movable elements (40) within the system (1). Embodiments of the dust collection system (1) of the invention includes: a housing (10) defining a cavity (50) therewithin, the housing (10) having a plurality of inlets (53) and at least one outlet (57) for gas; a plurality of movable elements (40) for opening and closing the inlets (53), the movable elements (40) being respectively provided corresponding to each of the inlets (53); a gas flow generating device (20) for generating a gas flow (A, S) from each of the inlets (53) to the outlet (57) during the opening operation of the movable elements (40); and a flow path control device (13) for controlling the flow paths of the gas flow (A, S).
US08092558B2

There is disclosed a microchannel reactor module for the immediate catalytic release of hydrogen from hydrogenated organic molecules along with the recovery of hydrogen gas and the recovery of dehydrogenated organic molecules as a liquid. More specifically, the disclosure provides a polyimide-based microchannel plate that is particularly useful for a process of immediate catalytic release of hydrogen from a hydrogenated organic molecule or formulation of molecules.
US08092555B2

The present invention provides acidic compositions and methods that are adapted to impart color to cementitious or mineral substrate surfaces. Specifically, the present invention relates to acidic compositions and methods adapted to treat cementitious or mineral substrate surfaces that have the advantage of using a less corrosive acid-based solution. The acidic composition incorporates species including a weak base in equilibrium with a conjugate acid. The presence of such species moderates the corrosive behavior of the acid while still allowing excellent coloring action to occur.
US08092553B2

The present disclosure relates to a composition for the oxidation dyeing of keratin fibers, for example, human keratin fibers such as the hair, intended to be mixed at the time of use with an oxidizing agent, comprising: A) at least one oxidation base chosen from para-aminophenols and the addition salts thereof with an acid; B) at least one additional dye precursor different from the at least one oxidation base defined in A); and C) dipropylene glycol; wherein: the at least one oxidation base is present in an amount of greater than or equal to 1.5% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition; and the dipropylene glycol is present in an amount of greater than or equal to 3.5% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition.
US08092550B2

A foot prosthesis having improved rollover and stability. The prosthesis includes a first plate and a mounting block having a mounting portion configured to be coupled to a user of the prosthesis, an attachment portion and a gap portion, with the mounting block attached to the first plate at the attachment portion with a gap between the mounting block gap portion and the first plate. Also included is a resilient element positioned at least partially within the gap, the resilient element configured generally to dissipate stress in the first plate and control deflection between the first plate and the mounting block. The mounting block may be substantially rigid with the area of the first plate attached to the mounting block becoming substantially rigid while the remainder of the first plate is at least partially flexible. The resilient element may be interchangeable to adjust performance of the prosthesis.
US08092547B2

A subtalar implant device includes a rounded end cap region, a threaded region having threads, and a core having a first end, a second end, a core exterior and a longitudinal axis. The threads can have a shape that varies between the first end and the second end of the core. For example, the threads can include an outer edge having an edge width that varies. Further, the threads can include a thread depth that can vary between the first end and the second end of the core. A thread radius of curvature varies at a different rate than a core radius of curvature. The core can define one or more core apertures that extend through the core at various angles relative to the longitudinal axis. In one embodiment, two core apertures are positioned at an angle greater than zero degrees relative to each other.
US08092541B2

The present invention generally relates to a method of using a matrix as a barrier for unwanted cell attachment and bone formation in unwanted areas of the human body during implant procedures. More specifically, a growth-inhibiting matrix may be used to prevent migration of osteo-inductive agents or bone tissue from an intervertebral disc space through the outer bands of annulus fibrosis that abuts the spinal tissue, canal, and other surrounding areas.
US08092531B2

The present invention relates generally to compositions for wound closure. More specifically, the present invention provides human skin equivalents engineered to express exogenous polypeptides (e.g., antimicrobial polypeptides and keratinocyte growth factor 2) and compositions and methods for making human skin equivalents engineered to express exogenous polypeptides. In addition, the present invention provides methods for treatment of wounds with human skin equivalents engineered to express exogenous polypeptides.
US08092527B2

A system for cosmetic augmentation includes a plurality of microballoons. An injector can be provided for injecting microballoons into a subcutaneous pocket at a cosmetic site through an incision. A method for performing cosmetic augmentation surgery and microballoons for use in the method are also disclosed.
US08092524B2

A replacement heart valve apparatus. The heart valve apparatus includes a stent and a valve frame having a substantially cylindrical body defining a lumen. The valve frame includes a plurality of curved wire pairs attached to the substantially cylindrical body. Each curved wire pair includes an inner curved wire and an outer curved wire. The wire frame further having a plurality of leaflets. Each leaflet is attached to a respective inner curved wire and extends over a respective outer curved wire, so as to position the body of the leaflet within the lumen of the valve frame.
US08092523B2

A prosthetic heart valve of the type that includes a hollow annular stent and a plurality of flexible leaflets that are attached to the stent. One or more fixture structures are used to attach the leaflets to the stent so that sutures do not have to be used for that purpose. The fixture structures preferably extend annularly at least substantially all the way around the valve. Surfaces of the fixture structures that can come into contact with portions of the leaflets that move during use of the valve can be shaped to help beneficially shape those leaflet portions during their movements.
US08092521B2

A device for the transvascular implantation and fixation of prosthetic heart valves having a self-expanding heart valve stent (10) with a prosthetic heart valve (11) at its proximal end is introducible into a patient's main artery. With the objective of optimizing such a device to the extent that the prosthetic heart valve (11) can be implanted into a patient in a minimally-invasive procedure, to ensure optimal positioning accuracy of the prosthesis (11) in the patient's ventricle, the device includes a self-expanding positioning stent (20) introducible into an aortic valve positioned within a patient. The positioning stent is configured separately from the heart valve stent (10) so that the two stents respectively interact in their expanded states such that the heart valve stent (10) is held by the positioning stent (20) in a position in the patient's aorta relative the heart valve predefinable by the positioning stent (20).
US08092514B1

A stent includes a coiled-up sheet having overlapping inner and outer longitudinal sections extending parallel to a longitudinal axis thereof, and defining a periphery, the coiled-up sheet being unrollable between contracted and enlarged conditions. A plurality of stretchable elements are formed in the coiled-up sheet, the stretchable elements being expandable about the periphery between an unstretched condition to facilitate placement in a delivery device in the contracted condition and a stretched condition to facilitate expansion of the coiled-up sheet to the enlarged condition upon deployment from the delivery device. Preferably, the coiled-up sheet is biased to the enlarged condition, and the stretchable elements are biased to the stretched condition. More preferably, at least one of the biases is provided by a shape memory property of the coiled-up sheet, which is activated by exposing the stent to body temperature.
US08092513B2

A prosthesis is provided for treating aneurysms, occlusive disease of vessels and body organs, and arterio-venous fistulas, occurring in single and bifurcated lumens. The prosthesis comprises an expandable coiled sheet portion having a biocompatible graft, either a sheet or tube, affixed thereto along part or all of the circumference of the coiled sheet portion. The prosthesis has a small delivery profile, making it suitable for use in a variety of body vessels. Methods of making and deploying the prosthesis in single and bifurcated lumens are also provided.
US08092508B2

Implantable medical endoprosthesis delivery systems and articles are provided.
US08092505B2

System, includes devices, methods, and kits, for fixing bone and/or repairing connective tissue associated with bone using a fastener constructed as a bone nail that includes at least one helical ridge having a large pitch. The large pitch permits the nail to be driven into bone by application of axial force to the nail, to secure the nail in the bone. In some embodiments, the bone nail may have a variable pitch that decreases toward the trailing end of the nail.
US08092498B2

A surgical implant assembly and a method for securing a fixation rod, where the assembly is capable of being secured to a bone structure are disclosed. The assembly includes at least two rigid structures configured to be secured to the bone structure. The structures include a distal portion for receiving a portion of the fixation rod therebetween, a tab positioned at a distal point of the distal portion, a screw compression nut and a distal expansion member coupled to the screw compression nut that are driven down the rigid structures, and a rod compression nut and a proximal expansion member coupled to the rod compression nut that engage the rigid structures so that the fixation rod is disposed between the combination the screw compression nut and the distal expansion member and the combination of the rod compression nut and the proximal expansion member.
US08092496B2

Various methods and devices for replacing damaged, injured, diseased, or otherwise unhealthy posterior elements, such as the facet joints, the lamina, the posterior ligaments, and/or other features of a patient's spinal column, are provided. In certain exemplary embodiments, a four bar linkage mechanism can be used to construct spinal stabilization devices and methods for restoring function to adjacent vertebrae. In particular, spinal stabilization devices can be provided that kinematically form a four-bar linkage mechanism with adjacent vertebrae and a disc or other element disposed between the adjacent vertebrae.
US08092487B2

Apparatus for filtering and entrapping debris in the vascular system of a patient, the apparatus including a filter to allow blood to flow therethrough and to restrict passage of debris, wherein the filter captures debris carried in a first direction of blood flow. The apparatus further includes an entrapment mechanism which allows passage of debris and blood therethrough, in the first direction of blood flow and prevents debris passage in a second direction. The entrapment mechanism and filter allow blood and debris therethrough in the first direction of blood flow. The entrapment mechanism prevents debris flow in the second direction of blood flow. A method for filtering and entrapping debris in the vascular system includes inserting the apparatus into the vascular system, allowing blood and debris carried therein to flow through the entrapment mechanism, and removing the apparatus and accumulated debris from the vascular system.
US08092473B2

A surgical clamp includes opposing jaws and a covering enhancing traction between the jaws and a body conduit. A multiplicity of fibers oriented to extend longitudinally between the clamp and conduit may be composed of filaments and either woven or non-woven to form a fabric. A variety of weaves are contemplated to provide different textures, each having its own traction characteristics. The nature of the weave can control characteristics such as smoothness, absorption, and texture. The fibers or filaments may be formed from any solid or semi-solid material, adding its own characteristics to the resulting fabric insert or clamp.
US08092470B2

An apparatus includes a crushing part which rotates and crushes the calculus, wherein a radius of rotation of the crushing part with respect to a rotation axis thereof increases or decreases in accordance with a rotation speed of the crushing part.
US08092461B2

The present invention describes a targeting system suitable for guiding a biocompatible device to a target area within the body (in vivo) and method of using the same. The system includes a targeting member that is attached to the biocompatible device and may optionally include a steering material. The system includes a passer element located at the distal end of a wand. The wand includes a trigger like member adjacent a hand grip. Actuation of the trigger like member will result in a pivotal movement of the passer element that positions the targeting member such that the connected biocompatible device is positionable relative to the target area.
US08092457B2

A medical drilling device for drilling of human or animal tissue carries a drill (7) that is electrically contacted by a bore electrode (9) and a backing electrode (10). Both electrodes (9, 10) are charged by a resistance-measuring device (11) in a way, that electrical resistance of tissue (2, 3, 4), preferably impedance, as measured between the drill (7) and the backing electrode (10) becomes measurable. By means of a monitoring device (13), the surgeon is provides with information about the type of the respective tissue and the depth of drilling.
US08092456B2

A method of accessing target tissue adjacent to a spinal nerve of a patient includes the steps of accessing a spine location of the patient by entering the patient through the skin at an access location, inserting a flexible tissue modification device through the access location to the spine location, advancing a distal portion of the first flexible tissue modification device from the spine location to a first exit location, passing through the first exit location and out of the patient, advancing the first or a second flexible tissue modification device through the same access location to the spine location and to a second exit location, and passing through the second exit location and out of the patient.
US08092443B2

A therapeutic agent eluting element includes an elongate body member and one or more therapeutic agents elutable from the body member. The elongate body member is configured to be implanted subcutaneously along side of a therapy delivery element. The elongate body member may be formed from a polymeric material, and the agent eluting element may consist essentially of the body member and the one or more therapeutic agents. The therapeutic agent eluting element may be a part of a system or kit that includes a therapy delivery element and a tunneling tool, such as a dilator, sheath, catheter passer, or the like.
US08092430B2

A surgical access apparatus includes an access member defining a longitudinal axis and having a longitudinal passageway for reception and passage of a surgical object and an access housing mountable to the access member. The access housing includes a diaphragm mounted thereto. The diaphragm is adapted for rotational movement about the longitudinal axis relative to the access housing. The diaphragm defines at least one internal pocket and has a seal assembly disposed within the internal pocket. The seal assembly has an interface seal member adapted for establishing a fluid tight seal about the surgical object. The seal assembly is adapted for selective movement within the pocket about multiple axes in response to manipulation of the surgical object.
US08092421B2

The invention relates to a dual-chamber carpule having (1) a first partial cylinder comprising a sealing cap, a bypass, and an intermediate stopper, (2), an optional sealing element, and (3) a second partial cylinder comprising an end stopper and, optionally, a stop, an axial groove, and an additional intermediate stopper; the invention further relates to a method for producing and filling said dual-chamber carpule.
US08092412B2

An apparatus for transcutaneously transferring an amount of energy to an implantable orthopaedic device includes a primary coil. The primary coil has a resonant frequency matched to a resonant frequency of a secondary coil, which may form part of the implantable orthopaedic device. The primary coil may have an aperture configured to receive a portion of a patient's body or may include a substantially “C”-shaped core. A power circuit may be coupled with the primary coil to provide power to the coil. The apparatus may also include a wireless receiver, a measuring device, and/or a display.
US08092406B2

A therapeutic apparatus having an expanse of material that can be adjustably wrapped around a portion of a user's body and which is securable thereon. Various therapeutic components can be attached to the material expanse in numerous positions, such that when it is secured on the user, the components direct the therapy to the area of need. Therapeutic components may include for example, pressure-creating devices, hot and cold packs and rigid support pieces. One or more flexible straps, each having an attachment mechanism to allow direct attachment to the material expanse at a plurality of positions can also be provided.
US08092402B2

Power assist control capable of responding to feeling and sensibility when a man applies force to an object is performed. The power assist control outputs an assist force F or a speed F on the basis of an assist target force X detected by a force sensor 114 for detecting force applied to the object. The relationship between the assist target force X and the assist force F or the speed F to be outputted is F∝f(X) on the basis of a function f(X) having the assist target force X as a variable. The function f(X) is assumed to be a non-linear function which is an increasing function and whose derivative f′(X) is a decreasing function. The function f(X) is a (1/n)-th order function or a logarithmic function. Moreover, a function fup(X) when the assist target force X is increased is different from a function fdown(X) when the assist target force X is decreased.
US08092399B2

Even if a mattress or the like suffers long-term deterioration, a sleep state measuring apparatus is provided which can set a suitable amplification factor A of a biosignal. The sleep state measuring apparatus detects the biosignal which changes depending on the sleep state of a person who gets on the mattress filled with water, amplifies the biosignal, and estimates the sleep state based on the biosignal. A static component P of the mattress internal pressure detected by a biosignal sensor is first obtained (S 11). The mattress internal pressure is the pressure of water in the mattress. From the static component P of the mattress internal pressure, a fluctuation part ΔV of the mattress internal pressure depending on the value is specified (S 12). Each value of the fluctuation part ΔV of the mattress internal pressure is obtained beforehand by applying a predetermined load, and changing the static component P of the mattress internal pressure. The above-described amplification factor A is calculated by correcting predetermined standard amplification factor A0 with the specified fluctuation part ΔV (S 13).
US08092397B2

A robotic catheter manipulator includes a guide catheter including proximal and distal ends and lumen extending there through. A flexible bellows is secured at one end to the proximal end of the guide catheter and at the other end to a seal configured to receive a working catheter. In a loaded state, the working catheter is fixed relative to the seal. A ditherer is operatively connected to the seal for dithering the working catheter relative to the guide catheter when placed therein. The robotic catheter manipulator includes at least one force sensor for measuring the force applied to the working catheter by the ditherer. Force measurements may be translated into an estimated force that is experienced at the distal end of the working catheter which may then be displayed to the physician via a monitor or display.
US08092390B2

An embryo replacement catheter has a flexible extruded shaft of a transparent polyurethane with a bore extending along its length. Gas bubbles of a diameter in the range 5μ to 10μ are incorporated into the thickness of the wall of the shaft by adding gas during extrusion. The bubbles are selected to increase the visibility of the catheter under ultrasound imaging whilst still enabling material flowing along the catheter to be seen.
US08092388B2

A view represented by echocardiographic data is classified. A probabilistic boosting network is used to classify the view. The probabilistic boosting network may include multiple levels where each level has a multi-class local structure classifier and a plurality of local-structure detectors corresponding to the respective multiple classes. In each level, the local structure is classified as a particular view and then the local structure is detected to determine whether the currently selected local structure corresponds to the class. The view classification may be used to determine gate locations, such as a gate for spectral Doppler analysis.
US08092385B2

The present invention relates generally to systems, apparatuses, and methods for obtaining a fluid sample from a patient. In particular, the present invention relates to a various types of fluid access interfaces for enabling contact between a patient blood sample and blood parameter sensors for the measurement of physiological parameters and blood constituents.
US08092376B2

A light source device of an endoscope system comprises a light source and a light-source controller. The light source emits in a flash-emitting mode that the light source flashes in a flash interval longer than a field period of an imaging sensor for the endoscope system and for a flash period shorter than the field period. The light-source controller controls the light source so that the light source emits in the flash-emitting mode within an imaging period that is a period excluding a reading period within the field period. The flash interval is defined as a period from when the flash of the light source commences to when the next flash of the light source commences. The flash period is defined as a period from when the flash of the light source commences to when the flash of the light source is completed.
US08092375B2

An endoscope insertion portion of the invention includes a plurality of observation windows having different outer diameters for leading incident light to a plurality of image pickup portions, and disposed on a distal end surface of the distal end portion; and an air/water feeding portion for spouting out a gas or liquid toward the plurality of observation windows, and disposed to the distal end portion. One of the plurality of observation windows having the largest outer diameter is disposed on the distal end surface at a position closest to the air/water feeding portion than the other of the plurality of observation windows.
US08092374B2

A variably flexible insertion device includes a hollow body having a proximal end with an entrance for receiving an instrument and a distal end with a tip for protrusion of the instrument. A device transitions the hollow body between a relatively flexible condition and a relatively stiff condition. Tendons within the hollow body maintain the hollow body in the relatively flexible and relatively stiff conditions. A method for variably flexing an insertion device for receiving an instrument, includes providing a hollow body having inner and outer sleeves defining a space therebetween in which tendons are disposed. Suction is applied to create a vacuum in the space for frictionally locking the tendons in place between the sleeves in a relatively stiff condition of the hollow body. The vacuum is relieved to release the tendons in a relatively flexible condition of the hollow body.
US08092373B1

An ergonomic holding assist device for endoscopes comprises an attachment mechanism to removably secure the hand assist device to an endoscope. An ergonomic component comfortably fills a space made between a naturally extended palm and the grip portion of the endoscope. A center plate sandwiched between the attachment mechanism and the ergonomic component provides an approximate ½-inch clearance to a top of the device so that the ergonomic component reaches a thenar crease of the palm more comfortably. The flexor tendon of the thumb is comfortably supported by the ergonomic component so that endoscope-work-related injuries are avoided.
US08092365B2

A multilayered impedance pump is formed by an inner tube and an outer tube which have different mechanical characteristics. The outer tube is relatively stiff, and can be used for a structural material. The inner tube is excitable, and a gel is placed between the inner and outer tube. The actuator actuates the gel to cause pressure waves along the inner tube.
US08092361B2

High-throughput centrifugation of batches of samples is achieved by dividing a single centrifugation run of a batch of samples into two or more staggered, discrete spins with fewer samples and in which the availability of centrifuge slots for loading or unloading of samples and the subsequent delivery of experimental results can be enhanced. The methodology is particularly useful in situations where multiple samples need to be processed rapidly, for example, as part of a STAT blood typing program in urgent care facilities prior to blood transfusion.
US08092348B2

An exercise apparatus to simulate climbing is described that includes such features as arm handles that move in synchronism with the motion of foot pedals to provide a total body workout; side handrails; a mounting step; linear foot movement at a simulated climbing angle; a three point support structure using a vertical support column; pedal track covers; a mechanism to provide constant resistance to pedal motion; and pedal impact absorption.
US08092347B2

A device for training and/or analyzing a user's musculoskeletal system includes a stepping plate mounted on a base plate and periodically or aperiodically moveble by a driving mechanism encompassing a drive shaft on which a cam is disposed. On the bottom side of the stepping plate is a roll that rolls off an external surface of the cam. The stepping plate is connected to the base plate by vertical guides stationarily disposed on the base plate such that the mounted stepping plate follows a lifting movement caused by the driving mechanism. The cam has a first eccentric zone truncated such that the distance traveled by the roll rolling off the surface of the zone increases along the axial extension of the cam. A vertical adjusting mechanism allows the lift of the stepping plate to be modified by changing the position between the roll and the cam that cooperates therewith.
US08092345B2

We have disclosed a modular personal network (MPN) that includes multiple devices that may be worn, carried, or used in close proximity to a user. The devices communicate wirelessly. Functions of the MPN may be modified by adding or removing components. The MPN may communicate with a personal computer. General purpose devices may include a control unit, a display, a user input, and an audio output. The MPN may provide a variety of functions, including time, communication, entertainment, organization, guidance, athletic, medical, travel, outdoors, identity, security, and military.
US08092333B2

There is provided a compact and highly durable variable-speed traction drive transmission device. A traction drive transmission device which uses the traction of rolling bodies K arranged between an input shaft Si and an output shaft So to change the number of revolutions of the input shaft Si into a desired transmission ratio and output from the output shaft So, has a rotation axis of the rolling bodies K arranged at an incline so that it is not orthogonal to the axis of the input shaft Si and the output shaft So, and there is provided: a load regulation cam 50 which automatically changes a preload applied to the rolling bodies K corresponding to a torque of the input shaft Si; and a differential type transmission ratio variation mechanism using a worm gear 55, which is connected to a retainer 40 serving as a traction input-output member of the rolling bodies K, and performs number of revolutions control of the retainer 40 to change the transmission ratio.
US08092330B2

A system for controlling a transmission includes a gear selector, a manual valve for connecting a pressure source alternately to Drive and Reverse lines in response to movement of the gear selector between selected Drive and Reverse positions, first and second solenoid-actuated valves, the first valve connecting the pressure source to a first control element, the second valve connecting the Reverse line to a second control element when the Reverse position is selected, a third solenoid-actuated valve connecting the Drive line to a third control element when the Drive position is selected, and a control valve through which pressure in the first control element is vented when the Drive position is selected.
US08092315B2

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a substrate layer having a first and second sides, and at least one thermochromic compound layer to generate a set of temporary marks. The set of temporary marks is configured to include a first temporary mark at a first impact location associated with a first impact to a surface of a first object by a second object, and subsequent temporary marks at subsequent impact locations associated with subsequent impacts to the surface of the first object. The thermochromic compound layer can be in direct contact with the second object during the first impact, and is configured to enable the first temporary mark to fade throughout a fading period accommodative of the subsequent impacts, and to remain distinguishable throughout the fading period from the subsequent temporary marks. Other examples, embodiments and related methods are described and claimed herein.
US08092314B2

An open end of a sleeve (spline-fitted to a male yoke) remote from a connecting portion of the male yoke is closed by a first lid member. A through hole is formed axially through the male yoke, and includes a cylindrical first passage portion, and a cylindrical second passage portion which is disposed at that side of the first passage portion close to the first lid member and is smaller in inner diameter than the first passage portion. A second lid member is disposed to close that open end of the through hole remote from the first lid member. Air vent holes are formed through the second lid member to extend in an axial direction, and are disposed so as to partially overlap with a portion of an inner peripheral surface of the first passage portion in the axial direction.
US08092308B2

A networked gaining system wherein a game client application connects a player to at least one game server having at least one game table. The game server provides game operations and displays for transmission to the game client application and a display including at least one screen display designating a lobby from which a player can request to be seated at one or more of a plurality of virtual game positions in one of a plurality of multi-player games. The at least one lobby screen display is accessible without the user having to login to the game client application. Further, a player may configure the networked gaming system so that when the user logs-in, the player is immediately taken to a game and “bought-in”, if necessary. An embodiment of the present invention is disclosed as an overlay messaging program incorporating the above features.
US08092307B2

A gaming system is disclosed that provides an opportunity to win a prize in response to game play, each game being played in exchange for monetary input. The gaming system includes a game server and a plurality of game units connected via a network. The game server stores one or more games. The game units each include a web browser having a monetary input device, and a ticket dispenser having a printer. The game system enables a player to receive a prize at a game unit via the ticket dispenser in response to winning game play. The gaming system enables game units to request games from the game server over the network. The games may be downloaded over the network from the game server to the requesting game unit to be executed at the game unit and to be displayed in one or more web browsers.
US08092301B2

Games related to the aggregation of information are described. In some embodiments, a method includes determining a set of information about an outcome of an event. Each piece of information may identify a characteristic of the outcome. The method may further include providing a first piece of the information to a first player. The method may further include receiving a wager related to the event from the first player. The method may further include determining if the wager is consistent with the first piece of information. The method may further include requiring a payment for the wager based on the determination of whether the wager is consistent with the first piece of information.
US08092299B2

The gaming system disclosed herein accounts for game play over a gaming session in determining a bonus game attribute for a triggered bonus game. The gaming system maintains a plurality of different bonus game attributes. Each different bonus game attribute is associated with a different bonus game attribute modification event and an initial probability of that bonus game attribute being selected for a play of a bonus game. For each bonus game attribute modification event that occurs, the gaming system modifies the probability that the associated bonus game attribute will be selected for a play of a bonus game. Upon an occurrence of a bonus game triggering event, the gaming system randomly selects one of the maintained bonus game attributes. The gaming system then displays a bonus game and determines a bonus game award utilizing the selected bonus game attribute.
US08092290B2

An electronic card game adapted to be implemented on a non-reel type gaming machine. In one embodiment of the invention, the electronic game can be implemented as a poker game, enabling multiple games to be played simultaneously. The cards for each card game are displayed, for example, in a row or column. When multiple games are played simultaneously, the cards are displayed in a N×M matrix, where N is the number of games played and M is the number of cards per game. For five card poker, the cards are displayed in a N by 5 matrix, where N is the number of games being played simultaneously. In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the pay lines when multiple simultaneous games are played are not confined to the row or column defining each game. For example, the pay lines may include rows, columns, diagonals, the letters v, c, m and w and other configurations to provide an increased number of pay lines. By providing an increased number of pay lines, larger wagers and thus larger potential pay outs are possible to make the game more attractive to potential players.
US08092289B2

Techniques are described for determining card movement in a computerized game. A representation of one or more cards to be played in a simulated environment is provided. A movement of at least one of said cards is determined in accordance with one or more of an attribute of the card and a current condition in the simulated environment.
US08092288B2

A method of managing multi-player game input as single-player game input includes building a command queue, the command queue being a series of time-slices; extracting a most recent time-slice from the command queue, the most recent time-slice including at least one command from difference inputs of the multi-player input; building alternate command queues with information extracted from the most recent time-slice; analyzing the command queue and the alternate command queues to determine an optimum command queue, the optimum command queue including commands from at least one input of the multi-player input; and outputting the optimum command queue as the single-player game input.
US08092279B2

A device and method of sharpening hair cutting scissor blades passes a blade over the perimeter portion of a flexible sharpening pad to flex the perimeter portion out of the plane of the pad. The blade is held in an angled orientation over the pad and is moved horizontally and downward during the sharpening motion. Independent horizontal and vertical movements allow addressing irregularly shaped blades including blades with a radial shape and convex blades.
US08092276B2

The invention relates to a method of fabricating a part including at least one face in the form of a surface of revolution from a structure made up of a plurality of thin-walled hollow bodies. In order to ensure that cutting takes place without damaging the walls and/or the bonds between the walls of the hollow bodies, the part is machined in the structure by means of a water jet. More precisely, during machining, the structure is attacked with a jet of water under pressure that is directed tangentially relative to the outer envelope of said at least one face to be made in the form of a surface of revolution.
US08092275B2

An abrasive blaster system includes a storage tank for storing dry granular abrasive media, a source of pressurized air and a metering valve for mixing the granular abrasive media with the pressurized air for release through a blast nozzle. A cooling system is in line with the source of pressurized air for cooling the air received from the source before it is introduced to the metering valve, whereby cooled air is introduced into the metering valve. The system also includes a dryer system downstream of the cooling system and adapted for selectively receiving a portion of the cooled air for further drying it. The dryer system is in communication with the storage tank, whereby cooled, dry air is introduced into the storage tank.
US08092273B2

Lower underwear to be put on a body for intimate contact therewith for the purpose of correcting distortion of the pelvis. The lower underwear is provided with a tightening band passing a right pubis proximity portion, a right anterior superior iliac spine proximity portion, a sacrum proximity portion, a left anterior superior iliac spine proximity portion and a left pubis proximity portion in this order when the lower underwear is put on the body. The lower underwear provided with such a band is capable of gradually correcting distortion of the pelvis and the like by tightening the pelvis without applying pressure on the abdomen.
US08092272B2

A moveable electronic toy includes a base, a base cover, two wheels and two wheel covers. The base cover is fixedly mounted on the base. The two wheels are rotatably connected to the base and exposed from the base cover. The two wheel covers is detachably coupled to the base cover and is configured for covering the wheels.
US08092265B2

A jet propulsion device and method for controlling movement of the jet propulsion device, where liquid inlets are positioned at a distance from the surface of the device. Preferably, the inlets are positioned in the stabilizing fins of the device. When the device reaches a certain speed, a Riabouchinsky cavity forms around the device, and the radius of the Riabouchinsky cavity is substantially equal to the distance between the inlets and the longitudinal axis of the device.
US08092264B2

A marine vessel includes a hull, a propulsion device arranged to propel the hull by a driving force of an engine that has a throttle valve arranged to be electrically controlled so as to open and close, an operation lever arranged to be operated by a marine vessel operator to adjust a throttle opening degree of the throttle valve and arranged to hold an operation position, a fine adjustment switch arranged to be operated by the marine vessel operator to increase or decrease the throttle opening degree to finely adjust the throttle opening degree that has been adjusted by the operation lever, and a control unit arranged to adjust the throttle opening degree based on an operation amount of the operation lever and an operation state of the fine adjustment switch.
US08092259B2

a connector structure includes: a receptacle connector including (a) a receptacle terminal in which a receptacle contact portion is provided and (b) a housing into which a fiber material is impregnated, and in which a storage space is provided to store the receptacle contact portion; a plug connector engaged into the receptacle connector, the plug connector having a plug terminal in which a plug contact portion is provided, the plug contact portion being inserted between the receptacle contact portion and a partition wall in the storage space; and a contact inhibition member which is provided between the partition wall of the storage space and the receptacle terminal to suppress the plug contact portion from contacting the partition wall of the storage space.
US08092255B2

A bulb set structure comprises a plug having two guiding pieces to connect with a power source and to assemble with a LED bulb set and a fitter, an orifice to output alternating current, and a power converting unit having one end to electrically connect with the guiding pieces, and having another end to connect with wires of the LED bulb set and the fitter by using the joining segment to convert the alternating current into direct current, and a circuit board is used to rectify the alternating current to output direct current to emit LED bulb set and to transmit the alternating current to the fitter.
US08092254B2

A wire to board connector has improved contact reliability and includes a receptacle connector for mounting to a circuit board and a plug connector with a mating blade for insertion into an opening of the receptacle connector. Both connectors have shields that are formed around their exterior and the receptacle connector has an interior shield member that envelops the insertion opening of the receptacle connector. Individual connect legs are formed with this interior shield member and they are spaced apart from each other widthwise of the insertion opening. A contact spring is disposed within the interior of the receptacle connector to exert a contact force on the mating plug connector.
US08092252B2

An electrical connector includes an insulating body defining a receiving chamber of which a top inside is further concaved upward to form a buckling cavity, an inner cover and an outer shell mounted outside the insulating body. A top wall of the buckling cavity is provided with a window vertically penetrating therethrough to communicate with the buckling cavity. The inner cover has a covering board buckled in the buckling cavity and facing to the window. The outer shell has a base plate covered on the top wall. A portion of the base plate is punched downward to form a contact portion which stretches into the window to electrically contact the covering board of the inner cover so as to achieve a grounding function of the inner cover through the outer shell.
US08092234B2

A system and method is provided for sensing information (e.g., voltage, current, data, etc.) that is being transmitted through a connector. Preferred embodiments of the present invention operate in accordance with a connector and at least one sensor. In one embodiment of the present invention, the connector comprises a plug, a receptacle, and a sensor assembly for housing at least one circuit board, at least one sensor, and at least one sensor housing, wherein the sensor is configured to sense (or sample) information that is being communicated over a conductor. The sensor may be a torroidal coil that includes a core (e.g., ferrite, etc.) and at least one wire (e.g., copper, etc.) wound around the core. Alternatively, the sensor may be a MEMS sensor, a Hall Effect sensor, a capacitive sensor, a resistive sensor and/or a direct (or physical) connection between the at least one wire and either the at least one circuit board or an external circuit. In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least one circuit board may include circuitry for storing, processing and transmitting the sensed information.
US08092232B2

A board-to-board connector is disclosed. The connector has first and second connectors. The first connector has concave insertion portions in which first terminals are arranged. The second connector is configured to be engaged, by fitting, with the first connector. The second connector has convex insertion portions in which second terminals are arranged and which are inserted in the concave insertion portions.
US08092230B2

An alignment frame is provided. The frame includes a plurality of frame members coupled together to form a base. The base is configured to surround an electronic module to provide a protective cover for the electronic module. The base includes corners formed at intersections of the frame members. An alignment member is positioned on at least one corner of the base. The alignment member is configured to align an electronic module with respect to an electrical connector on a circuit board. A coupling member extends from at least one corner of the base. The coupling member is configured to be through-hole mounted to an aperture in the circuit board. The coupling member includes a retention feature configured to create a press-fit with an inner surface of the aperture.
US08092227B2

Method and system for assessing a student's understanding of a process that may unfold, e.g., overtime and space. The present invention provides a sophisticated approach of directing students to perform self-explanation, and enables instructors to enhance the value of this pedagogical process by providing meaningful and rapid feedback in a classroom setting.
US08092225B1

A device for helping a toddler learn to walk that employs a waist belt for a toddler, a waist belt for an adult and a strap assembly that connects the toddler belt and the adult belt. The strap assembly has an adjustable strap, a connecting strap and a strap loop. The adjustable strap has a plurality of buttonholes, a button fastener and hook and loop fastener material on the inner surfaces. The adjustable strap is attached to the toddler belt, doubles through a strap loop, and fixes a length by securing a button in a buttonhole and linking the hook and loop fastener material on the inside surfaces of the adjustable strap. The device allows the adult to support the toddler without engaging the adult's hands or the toddler's hands and allows the adult to remain in a full upright position to avoid strain on the lower back.
US08092220B2

A method for the reconstruction of missing, broken and/or abraded teeth by means of face analysis. In order to determine the shapes and sizes of the teeth, the face of a patient, for whom the teeth are intended, is measured by means of one or more image-type pictures. The respective tooth size and tooth shape is determined proportionally from the obtained values.
US08092211B2

A vertical type injection molding machine includes a fixed mold, a movable body, a lift mechanism, a plurality of weights, and a plurality of pulleys is provided. The fixed mold is supported by a support frame provided on a base. The movable body includes a movable mold. The movable mold is approached to and moved away from the fixed mold. The lift mechanism lifts and lowers the movable body, thereby causing the movable mold to approach and move away from the fixed mold. The weights function as a counterweight of the movable body. The total weight of the weights is the same as the weight of the movable body. Each weight is coupled to the movable body by a wire. The pulleys are provided in an upper portion of the support frame. One of the wires is placed over each pulley. Each wire connects the corresponding weight to the movable body.
US08092209B2

An optical imprinting device capable of simultaneously imprinting fine patterns to both surfaces of an opaque substrate is provided. The imprinting device includes a stamper having a fine pattern on its surface to imprint the fine pattern onto a surface of an object to be imprinted by pressing the stamper against the object composed of a substrate and a photo-curing resin layer formed on the substrate. The imprinting device further includes a light source for applying light to the photo-curing resin layer of the object when imprinting the fine pattern of the stamper onto the photo-curing resin layer of the object. The light source applies light to the stamper at a predetermined incident angle to the surface of the stamper.
US08092208B2

A gas-assisted mold surface heating system is disclosed, which comprise: an air supply, for providing air with a flow rate larger than 300 L/min; a heater, for heating air to a temperature higher than 400° C.; a mold, configured with a mold cavity, an inlet and an outlet; and an air storage tank; wherein, the inlet is connected to the heater through a pipeline for allowing the air from the air supply to flow into the cavity after being heated by the heater and thus to be for heating up the surface of the mold cavity while the heated air is being enabled to flow out of the cavity through the outlet and into the air storage tank. With the aforesaid system, surface temperature of the mold cavity can be raised to a point higher than a glass transmission point in a short period of time.
US08092206B2

The invention relates to an injection unit (1) of an injection molding machine which is arranged movable relatively to a machine base (2) of the injection molding machine in an axial direction (A), wherein the injection unit (1) comprises a base body (3) at which a screw cylinder (4) is arranged, wherein a screw (5) is arranged rotatable and axially movable in the screw cylinder (4), wherein the screw (5) is connected with a drive element (6) at one of its axial ends which can rotate the screw and can also move it in axial direction (A) and wherein the drive element (6) comprises a gear element (7) which is movable in axial direction (A) as well as an actuator (8) which is in engagement with the gear element (7) and with the base body (3) and which can perform a translational movement in axial direction (A). To obtain an elementary design which guarantees a high precision the invention is characterized in that the base body (3) is designed as a one-piece block which has a plate-shaped reception (9) for the screw cylinder (4) at one of its axial ends and has a plate-shaped reception (10) for the actuator (8) at its opposite axial end.
US08092204B2

The present invention provides an apparatus for inflation extrusion molding of pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet, the apparatus including: one or a plurality of extruders; a die into which one or a plurality of resin materials including at least a resin material for forming a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and extruded respectively from the extruders are respectively introduced and which extrudes from an ejection opening the resin materials into an inflated cylindrical shape having a predetermined diameter in accordance with an inflation method; and two stabilizers facing each other at a predetermined angle so as to upwardly approach each other, and defining a space therebetween through which the cylindrically-shaped resin materials extruded from the die are passed to be deformed into a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet in a flattened elliptical shape having a predetermined width, in which the stabilizers each have a plurality of air floating portions each of which blows air toward the resin materials; and the stabilizers rotate in one direction around the central axis of the cylindrically-shaped resin materials.
US08092203B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for repairing of abnormalities such as cracks and/or breaks in substrates such as glass and/or plastics.
US08092201B2

Provided is a vane pump. In the vane pump, a high-hardness main coating layer is provided on a distal end portion of each vane, and an intermediate coating layer having an intermediate hardness between a hardness of a base material of the vane and a hardness of the main coating layer is provided between the base material of the vane and the main coating layer.
US08092197B2

A hydraulic system that can implement effective practical use of energy is provided. A hydraulic system according to the present invention has a hydraulic pump driven by a hydraulic pump motor, a loading cylinder and a power steering cylinder which are driven by pressure oil supplied from the hydraulic pump, and power supply means for supplying power to the hydraulic pump motor. The power supply means comprises a stack of a fuel cell, a fuel supply passage for supplying hydrogen gas to the stack, fuel circulating passages in which a hydrogen pump for joining unreacted hydrogen gas discharged from the stack into the fuel supply passage to circulate hydrogen gas is disposed, and a regenerator which is driven by pressure oil to generate rotational force. The hydrogen pump is rotationally driven by the regenerator.
US08092196B2

A sleeve supporting structure for an automatic transmission, including a sleeve member disposed on a radial outside of an input shaft, a rotational shaft portion disposed in a motor, an oil pump housing, and a stationary member supporting an outer circumferential surface of the rotational shaft portion and including a projection that projects toward a side of the oil pump. The sleeve member has one axial end portion overlapped with the rotational shaft portion in the radial direction thereof and an opposite axial end portion meshing with an inner gear of the oil pump, and is supported by an inner circumferential surface of the oil pump housing and an inner circumferential surface of the rotational shaft portion. The projection of the stationary member is fitted onto an outer circumferential surface of the oil pump housing so as to form a faucet joint in cooperation therewith.
US08092189B2

Radial cross sections of front sides in rotational direction of impellers attached to a pump shaft obliquely to a circumferential direction from an upstream side toward a downstream side have concave shapes protruding toward the upstream side, and radial cross sections of rear sides in rotational direction of the impellers have concave shapes protruding toward the downstream side.
US08092184B2

A locking plate fast fastening ceiling fan blades includes a clamp plate. A first chute is on the clamp plate, where a pushing board is contained. A thru hole and a position limiting unit are provided in the first chute of clamp plate. A wedge unit is provided on the pushing board. When a set of blades is installed on a blade rack of a ceiling fan, only the blade is set around several pillars on the blade rack, the clamp plate of locking plate is set to locate on the pillar, and a pillar passes through the thru hole. The pushing board of locking plate is shifted toward the pillar to make the front end of pushing board stay close to the side of pillar and make the wedge unit wedge to the position limiting of clap plate for fast and exactly fixing the blade onto the blade rack.
US08092181B2

A resin cross flow fan and a method for manufacturing a resin cross flow fan are provided in which an annealing step can be omitted and the number of circular disks can be reduced, and which provides improved fan strength and air blowing performance. A resin cross flow fan is disposed with a plurality of blades and a plurality of plates. The plurality of blades are annually disposed about a rotation axis. Insertion portions each constituted by a hole or a groove into which each blade is inserted and projecting portions that projects from the periphery of the insertion portions in a direction of the rotation axis are formed on each of the plurality of plates disposed spaced apart in the direction of the rotation axis. Each blade is fixed to the projecting portions by laser welding.
US08092180B2

A blade assembly for a ceiling fan includes a mounting arm, a bearing, a cover, a spiral spring, a blade, and three screws. The mounting arm has a plate. The plate has a boss. The boss has a split. The bearing is sleeved on the boss. The cover has a stub. The stub has a receiving recess for receiving the bearing. The cover has a through hole for passing the boss. The cover has three bosses. The spiral spring has one end sleeved on the boss of the cover and the other end engaged with the split. The blade has three mounting holes and corresponding to the boss of the cover. The three screws pass through the mounting holes and fasten with the bosses of the cover.
US08092170B2

An axial fan forms an air inlet on one side and an air outlet on an opposite side along an axis of the axial fan. The axial fan includes a base, a bearing, a stator and a rotor. A central tube extends upwardly from the base. The stator is around the central tube. The bearing is received in the central tube of the base. The rotor is rotatably supported by the bearing. The rotor includes a hub, a plurality of rotary blades extending outwardly from the hub, and an annular wall surrounding the rotary blades. The annular wall connects to outer ends of the rotary blades to rotate with the rotary blades to guide airflow from the air inlet to the air outlet during rotation of the rotary blades.
US08092163B2

A reaction mount system that provides support for the stator vane for a gas turbine engine is described comprising a stator hanger located on an outer band at a first location and a stator stopper located at a second location that is located circumferentially apart from the first location. A stator assembly for a gas turbine engine is described, the stator assembly comprising a stator vane having an airfoil, an outer band located on a radially outer end of the airfoil, a shroud hanger located axially adjacent to the outer band, the shroud hanger comprising a post wherein at least a portion of the post extends in an axial direction over a portion of the outer band, and a reaction mount system located on the outer band wherein the reaction mount system engages with the post to provide support for the stator vane.
US08092162B2

A turbocharger for internal combustion engines, having a heat shield disposed between a turbine housing and center housing of the turbocharger for shielding the center housing from exhaust gases passing through the turbine. The heat shield in one embodiment is centered on a generally conical surface of the center housing, by engagement between the conical surface and a centering portion of the heat shield. In another embodiment, the heat shield has a generally conical portion that is non-axisymmetric, having a plurality of radially enlarged lobes that engage a radially inwardly facing surface of the turbine housing for centering the heat shield.
US08092161B2

A thermal shield for reducing thermal stress induced proximate to a first joint formed between adjacent engine casing components in a gas turbine engine. The thermal shield includes a cover structure for covering a radially inner portion of at least one of the engine casing components. The cover structure is disposed proximate to the first joint and attached to the respective engine casing component so as to limit exposure of a covered inner portion of the engine casing component to hot gases in an interior volume defined by the engine casing components. A thermally insulating layer is disposed between the cover structure and the engine casing component for effecting a reduced amount of heat transfer to the covered inner portion of the engine casing component from the hot gases in the interior volume defined by the engine casing components.
US08092153B2

A gas turbine engine has a plurality of radial struts in a bypass duct. At least one strut has a scoop incorporated with the fairing of the strut and in communication with an air passage of an engine secondary air system. The scoop faces a bypass air flow to scoop a portion of the bypass air flow using available dynamic pressure in the bypass duct. Scooped air may be provided, for example, to an active tip clearance control apparatus in a long duct turbofan engine.
US08092150B2

A method for axial thrust control of a gas turbine, and a gas turbine with a device for controlling axial thrust are provided. A gas turbine, with regard to aerodynamic forces and pressure forces, which exert an axial force upon the rotor, is configured such that at no-load and low partial load it has a negative thrust, and at high load it has a positive thrust. In order to ensure a resulting positive thrust upon the thrust bearing within the entire load range of the gas turbine, an additional thrust is applied in a controlled manner. The additional thrust for example can be controlled in dependence upon the gas turbine load. The resulting thrust force at full load is consequently less than in the case of a conventionally designed gas turbine without thrust balance.
US08092149B2

An impeller arrangement comprises an impeller 10 having at least one first vane surface 26 orientated such that the application of fluid under pressure thereto applies a torque to the impeller 10 in a first rotary direction, at least one second vane surface 28 orientated such that the application of fluid under pressure thereto applies a torque to the impeller 10 in a second, opposite rotary direction, and a valve 34 operable to control the supply of fluid to the first and second vane surfaces 26, 28.
US08092137B2

The present invention relates to an apparatus for transferring a substrate through a gate for loading and unloading is provided, and includes a transfer chamber having the gate for loading and unloading the substrate, a transfer system, which is able to move up and down in the transfer chamber and transfers the substrate by accessing each gate, an adjustment section for a gas down flow, which produces the gas down flow in the transfer chamber and is able to adjust a speed of the gas down flow, and a control section for controlling the speed of the gas down flow using the movement speed of the substrate.
US08092129B2

A bonding washer for making electrical connection between two metal pieces that are to be mechanically fastened together. The washer, to be interposed between the two metal pieces, is constructed so as to fasten to one of the pieces before the two pieces are joined. Teeth on the washer, positioned at right angles to the plane of the washer, are forced into each of the two metal pieces when the fastener is tightened, making electrical connection between the two metal pieces.
US08092123B2

A metal cutting system with a tool holder, a shim, an insert with a top depression, a top piece and a clamp. A rake face cooling channel for fluid delivery is formed between the top piece and the depression in the insert. A primary discharge slot at the end of the rake face cooling channel delivers fluid from below the cutting edge of the insert. A second cooling channel for delivery of fluid to the flank face is formed between the insert and the shim or is formed between the shim and the tool holder with a portion of the cooling channel passing through the shim.
US08092121B2

A load support includes an outer tube and a plunger at least partially slidably disposed within the outer tube. Gravity-set wedging members are disposed between an outer surface of the plunger and an inner surface of the outer tube for setting the plunger and outer tube in place with respect to each other, wherein the wedging members are substantially self-setting under gravity. The wedging members gouge the outer surface of the plunger and the inner surface of the outer tube upon inward axial movement of the plunger within the outer tube.
US08092120B2

Method for assembling a rack portion (1) of a self-raising oil rig, which rack portion (1) is constituted by at least one rectangular plate (3) which comprises teeth (51) at the longitudinal lateral faces (5) thereof, and at least one reinforcement (8) which is in the form of a half-shell and which is welded to a main face (6) of the at least one rectangular plate, along the longitudinal edges (11) of the at least one reinforcement, according to which an internal chamfer and an external chamfer which are separated by a projection of thickness T are produced at each of the longitudinal edges (11) of the at least one reinforcement (8), the at least one reinforcement (8) is provided at a main face (6) of the rectangular plate (3), at least one welding pass is carried out at the internal portion of each of the longitudinal edges (11) of the at least one reinforcement in order to produce an internal weld bead having a connection radius R greater than or equal to 4 mm, and the chamfers are filled at the external portion of each of the longitudinal edges of the at least one reinforcement by an external weld bead which is produced in at least one pass with addition of metal.
US08092119B2

A pipeline buoyancy control assembly is operable to simultaneously retain a plurality of pipelines against buoyancy forces. Respective ends of two retaining straps corresponding to two respective pipelines engage a tie-down member of a single control assembly. The retaining straps are placed over the respective pipelines and other ends of the retaining straps are attached to additional control assemblies. Further, stresses exerted on the retaining straps when the pipelines are subjected buoyancy forces are minimized by the unique structure of the tie-down member and the manner by which the retaining straps attached thereto.
US08092117B2

A hopper insert is provided for a road paver. The hopper insert includes a funnel-shaped base body formed by four side walls. The upper side of the base body is open and at least three of the side walls extend inwardly therefrom to a bottom opening. One of the side walls includes a side outlet which is open to the bottom opening. The base body or the side outlet is adjustable in a width direction extending along the side wall containing the side outlet. The hopper insert is removably disposed in an integrated hopper of a road paver. The integrated hopper includes a rear wall with a gate that is adjacent the side wall of the hopper insert containing the side outlet. The side outlet is adjustable in the width direction to correspond to the width of the gate.
US08092111B2

A folding mechanism for a joint includes a first pivot unit, a second pivot unit, a locking unit and an operation unit. The operation unit drives the locking unit to control the first pivot unit and the second pivot unit to be locked together or released to rotate.
US08092100B2

A portable optical fiber processing apparatus is disclosed. The portable optical fiber processing apparatus of the present invention includes a base (1), which provides a space in which components are installed, and a sheathing stripping unit (10), which is provided on the base and strips sheathing from an optical fiber (R). The apparatus further includes an optical fiber cutting unit (40), which is provided on the base and cuts a portion of the optical fiber, from which the sheathing has been stripped, using a sliding cutter (43) in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber, and a welding unit (50), which is provided on the base and welds junction portions of two optical fibers. The present invention is characterized in that a process of stripping sheathing from an optical fiber and cutting, cleaning and welding processes can be conducted using a single apparatus.
US08092097B2

A retained roller assembly, capable of facilitating the lubricating functionality, includes a cylindrical roller retainer having a plurality of pockets defined therein and arranged in a circumferential direction thereof, rollers accommodated within those pockets, respectively, and a roller retaining projection formed in opening edges of side faces, opposite to each other in the circumferential direction and situated on an inner diametric side and an outer diametric side, respectively. A roller guide face for guiding the corresponding roller is provided at an axial position on the side faces of each of the pockets that are different from the associated roller retaining projection. An annular recessed portion is provided in axially opposed ends of an inner diametric surface of the retainer so as to deploy over the entire periphery of the retainer.
US08092095B2

A wheel support bearing assembly includes an outer member having an inboard end formed with a knuckle mount defined in an outer periphery thereof for engagement with a knuckle of an automotive suspension system, and also having an inner periphery formed with a plurality of raceway surfaces, in which the raceway surfaces in the outer member on the inboard side are in their entirety or partly held in overlapping relation within an axial range in which the knuckle mount is defined; an inner member having an outer periphery formed with raceway surfaces cooperable and aligned with the raceway surfaces in the outer member and also having a wheel fitting flange provided in an outboard end of the outer periphery thereof; and rows of balls interposed between the raceway surfaces in the outer member and the raceway surfaces in the inner member, respectively.
US08092094B2

A rolling bearing slewing connection comprising two race rings arranged concentrically in each other, between which race rings rolling elements roll on associated raceways, one of the race rings having a flexible configuration wherein, as viewed in a longitudinal section, the flexible race ring has a weakened configuration, so that a radial, elastic deformation that is so large that the rolling elements are pre-stressed in the loaded state in the entire peripheral region is possible.
US08092092B2

A guide member has a ring for mounting a pin with friction and articulation and/or sliding capacity. The member is adapted for mounting in the bore of a support. The ring and/or the pin is subjected, at least at its friction surface, to a surface hardening treatment by diffusion or by structural transformation, followed by finishing surface treatment for reducing the tendency to jamming and to reduce the friction coefficient. The friction surface of the ring, comprising its bore, has arrangements acting as a lubricant reserve. The outer periphery of the ring is joined to an element made from a deformable flexible material suitable for being engaged in the bore of the support.
US08092083B2

A system comprises a temperature sensor generate multiple base-emitter voltage signals by sequentially providing various currents to a transistor, and a system controller to determine a differential voltage signal according to the multiple base-emitter voltage signals, the differential voltage signal proportional to an environmental temperature associated with the transistor.
US08092082B2

This present invention discloses a detachable probe cover for an ear thermometer and a manufacturing method thereof. The detachable probe cover for the ear thermometer is for being mounted onto a measuring probe of the ear thermometer, wherein a combining mechanism is provided at a bottom of the measuring probe and the detachable probe cover comprises a main body of a hollow structure and a base, in which the main body has an open end and a closed end opposite to the open end, and the hollow structure has a diameter gradually reducing from the open end toward the closed end.
US08092079B2

A stirring determination method uses an analyzer in which a liquid contained in a vessel is stirred by an acoustic wave generated by an acoustic wave generating unit attached to the vessel, optical characteristics of a reaction solution obtained by stirring the liquid are measured, and the reaction solution is analyzed based on the optical characteristics of the reaction solution. The method includes measuring a temperature of the liquid in a position where the temperature of the liquid is different before and after the liquid is stirred; and determining whether the liquid is properly stirred based on a rate of increase in the measured temperature of the liquid.
US08092078B2

In a method of measuring a temperature value associated with melting, softening or decomposition of sample substances, an array of samples is deposited onto a support tray. The support tray is placed onto a heating device provided with temperature sensing means, the support tray is illuminated, and the array of samples is observed by a imaging device. WNle varying the temperature of the heating device, the image data from the imaging device is fed to an image recording device and temperature values associated with each feed of image data are also recorded. The image data is reviewed to detect changes in the image, such as image intensity, at each or selected sample locations, and the temperature of the heating device at an image change associated with a change in state of a sample is logged. Image processing software may be used to detect changes in the image, for example in the intensity of the image, at each sample location. The method may be used as a means for rapidly obtaining a melting point value for comparison of the physical characteristics of the members of a library of samples, especially polymer samples.
US08092076B2

A device for extracting and fragmenting substances, especially infectious or malodorous substances, in a laboratory test vessel (3) is provided. The device includes a processing tool (11) and a stirrer element (33). An interior of the laboratory test vessel (3) is subdivided by a sieve (59) into a collection chamber and a processing chamber. The sieve (59) prevents parts of the substances having a defined rain size from reaching the collection chamber (73). A sample can be taken from the collection chamber using a pipette (45) which is passed through the stirrer element (33) and the sieve (59).
US08092072B2

The invention relates to a disposable cup with a rotating spoon comprising a container (1), a spoon (3), a lid (2) with a hole for the passage of the spoon and a sleeving (4) which can be coupled to one another. The spoon (3) consists of a rod having a paddle-shaped flare at one end and a series of bends near the other end which define a C-shaped layout, the central branch of which has a rib (12) with an intermediate groove and passes through the hole of the lid (2), the end part projecting with crank functions. A radial slit (7) with a length and width equal to or greater than the section of the paddle starts from the hole of the lid. The lid further has a mouth piece or drinking area (8) next to its periphery. The invention is applicable in café, hotel and restaurant establishments for drinking take-away hot beverages, such as coffee.
US08092071B1

A vibratory grout consolidator device for eliminating gaps and voids in grout by attaching to reinforcing bars extending within masonry block walls and encapsulated within the grout. The device includes a clamp including a bar sleeve having a first part attached to a first arm and a second part attached to a second arm. The bar sleeve has a pair of open ends that allow a reinforcing bar to extending fully through the bar sleeve. A vibration source is attached to the clamp so that when the bar sleeve is engaged with the reinforcing bar, vibration is transmitted to the reinforcing bar and encapsulating grout.
US08092070B2

A gravimetric blender has a frame, at least one material storage hopper at the top of the frame including a hopper cover, a weigh bin located within the frame, below the hopper, for receipt of material from the hopper to be weighed and being adapted for downward discharge of the material in the bio bin after the material received from the hopper has been weighed, at least one load cell connecting the weigh bin to the frame for sensing the weight of contents of the weigh bin, a mixer within the frame below the hopper, for mixing material weighed in the weigh bin after that material falls downwardly from the weigh bin to the mixer, and a guide adapted for vertical movement of the hopper cover therealong between positions which the cover contacts and thereby closes the hopper and at which the cover is spaced vertically above the hopper so that the hopper is open at the top.
US08092066B2

A surface light source device improves the quality of illumination without producing dark lines between neighboring light guide plates even when a plurality of light guide plates are used in combination. This surface light source device is formed by combining a plurality of LED/light guide plate units, and light guide plate (4) has: light emitting area (8) of a square shape from a plan view; extended area (10) which is positioned extending outward from a pair of neighboring sides (8a) and (8b) in four sides (8a) to (8d) defining the outer rim of this light emitting area (8); and incidence surface area (11) on which light from LED (6) is incident. Each light guide plate (4) has a symmetrical shape with respect to one of the diagonal lines of light emitting area (8), and is combined by making its orientation uniform in the same direction. At this time, sides (8c) and (8d) in which the extended area of light emitting area (8) of one light guide plate (4) are aligned with sides (8a) and (8b) in which extended areas (10) of other neighboring light guide plates (4) are formed, and extended areas (10) of other light guide plates (4) are placed in the back surface side of light emitting area (8) of one light guide plate (4).
US08092060B2

A cradle includes a housing, an indicator configured to display a status by emitting light, a light-emitting unit serving as a light source for causing the indicator to emit the light, and a reflection unit for guiding the light emitted from the light-emitting unit to the indicator by reflecting the emitted light to the indicator.
US08092059B2

A vehicular lighting fixture can include a shade wherein an end edge of an upper surface of the shade is positioned at or in a vicinity of a focus of a projection lens. A first reflection surface can be provided to condense light from a light source in a vicinity of the end edge and to form a basic light distribution pattern by the projection lens. A second reflection surface which can comprise one planar reflection surface and can reflect light from the first reflection surface to form a first additional light distribution pattern. A third reflection surface can be provided on a higher surface of a step section of the upper surface, and can reflect light from the first reflection surface to form a second additional light distribution pattern. A fourth reflection surface can connect the second and third reflection surface, and can reflect the light from the first reflection surface in a direction not incident on the projection lens.
US08092052B2

A light emitting diode (LED) package for a projection system is provided, which includes a package body having an inner space formed therein and having an open upper portion; and an LED chip mounted onto a bottom of the package body, wherein the package body includes a socket coupling portion formed around the upper portion of the package body to have a certain corresponding thickness and height allowing the socket coupling portion to be inserted into the socket of the optical engine.
US08092046B2

An LED lighting device includes a circuit board, a plurality of LED units, a waterproof layer and a middle layer. The LED units are disposed on the circuit board by surface mounted way. The light beam emitted from the LED units emits from the light-emitting surface. The waterproof layer wraps the circuit board and the LED units. The middle layer is located between the light-emitting surface and the water-proof layer. The middle layer extends from a direction of the LED units being disposed on the circuit board so that the middle layer fully covers the light-emitting surface. The light beams passing through the light-emitting surface enters into the waterproof layer via the middle layer. Thereby, the middle layer is located between the LED units and the waterproof layer to make the color of the light beam be more uniform.
US08092045B2

An LED illuminator includes a connecting member, a lamp cover, a hollow lamp cap, a plurality of LEDs received in the lamp cover, and a sealing member. The connecting member is a hollow cylinder. The lamp cover couples to and seals a first end of the connecting member. The lamp cap has a top end coupling to a second end of the connecting member opposite the first end and a bottom end defining an aperture. The sealing member defines an annular slot in an outer circumferential surface, with a diameter not smaller than that of the aperture. A portion of the bottom end of the lamp cap around the aperture engages into the slot of the sealing member. A channel extends through the sealing member with a diameter not larger than a conductive wire.
US08092043B2

A LED lamp tube which includes a hollow transparent tube, a LED lamp assembly disposed in the transparent tube, two conductive caps provided on both ends of the transparent tube respectively, and a circuit control unit. The circuit control unit includes a plurality of separated sub-portions. The respective sub-portions of the circuit control unit are distributed uniformly on the circuit board of the LED lamp assembly. Via the uniform arrangement of respective sub-portions of the circuit control unit, the heat within the LED lamp tube can be distributed uniformly, thereby lowering the temperature and facilitating the heat dissipation.
US08092041B2

A low profile linear high bay fluorescent luminaire with a downwardly facing and room side accessible ballast channel. The lighting fixture includes a housing assembly having a longitudinal axis with a first reflector located on a first side of the longitudinal axis. A second reflector is located on a second side of the longitudinal axis. The first and second reflectors are spaced apart with at least one ballast therebetween. At least one ballast is coupled to the housing assembly and extends downwardly from the housing assembly. A cover for the ballast is located below the ballast. The lighting fixture also includes a means for releasably coupling the cover to the housing assembly. The lighting fixture can be suspended from a ceiling or joist in a number of ways including mounting brackets, wire hangers, and ceiling assemblies, and can have an occupancy sensor attached thereto.
US08092033B2

An illumination assist device used for an electronic device having a flash lamp includes an optical plate and a cover. The optical plate is positioned between the flash lamp and the cover. The cover includes a light transmission board and a plurality of reflection sidewalls extending from a periphery of the light transmission board. The optical plate is surrounded by the plurality of reflection sidewalls. The invention also provides an electronic device using the illumination assist device.
US08092032B2

A lighting array assembly has a plurality of support members facing different directions and on which emitters are mounted. Each support member has an emitter circuit thereon in operative association with at least one emitter and has a lighting center point. The emitters on each support member are positioned together around the lighting center point. The number of emitters mounted on each of the outer surfaces is determined by the light specified in each direction to meet the desired lighting distribution configuration in each direction. A method of configuring an emitter lighting array assembly includes selecting the desired lighting distribution configuration to achieve a desired lighting distribution.
US08092029B2

Disclosed is a lens module, especially a projection lens for semiconductor lithography, comprising at least one replaceable optical element that is disposed in a lens housing. At least one gas exchange device is positioned in an area of the replaceable optical element in such a way that a receiving zone for the replaceable optical element can be flushed when the optical element is replaced.
US08092025B2

Provided herein are methods and systems to screen for subjects at risk for retinal-associated eye diseases or to monitor the progression/regression thereof. Generally, the method comprises simultaneously or sequentially displaying to a potentially at-risk individual targets of parallel and nonparallel lines, obtaining an orientation discrimination threshold based on the subject's selections and correlating an increase in the threshold compared to that of a normal control or to a previous threshold measured for the subject as indicative of risk for a retinal-associated eye disease or a progression of the eye disease. Also provided are program storage devices and computer program products effective to store instructions or source code to perform the methods.
US08092013B2

This present invention provides apparatus and methods for the activation of an energized ophthalmic lens. In some embodiments, the present invention provides for activation and deactivation of one or more components via wireless communication with an activation unit external to the ophthalmic lens. In some embodiments, an energized ophthalmic lens contains components which detect external signals, process the detected signal and activate components that change optical characteristics via the control of electrical energy.
US08092012B2

An improved single lens comprising: a continuous change in lens curvature going downwards; a front and a back surfaces; an upper part which front and back surfaces are top zones of front and back surfaces, covering at least the half of respectively front and back surfaces, and where the two top zones are aligned to each other such that the effective power of the upper part of the lens is constant; a lower part used for viewing near objects which front and back surfaces are lower zones of front and back surfaces, the front and back lower zones comprising each a surface zone where top to bottom increasing curvature of each surface zone is provided and where the two front and back lower zones are aligned to each other such that the maximum difference of the effective power of the lower part of the lens and the effective power of the upper part of the lens is comprised between 0 and 0.5 Diopter.
US08092009B2

An eyewear retention device with a cable having sufficient strength so that, when worn on eyeglasses over the ears, the cable is suspended in an arc above the wearer's neck, shoulders or garments.
US08092007B2

The present invention illustrates various methods of attaching a pair of eyeglass lenses or a lens shield to an eyeglass frame using magnets or magnetically attractive material. The magnetic attachment methods are beneficial because they allow the user to have interchangeable lenses or shields for indoor and outdoor use, enhancing their visual acuity during work or play. The lenses may be tinted, prescription, protective eyewear, or plano. The magnetic lenses are convenient and user friendly, allowing intuitive, tool-less interchangeability with no need to twist or stress the frame. These methods of attachment require no specific instructions or tools when the user replaces lenses.
US08092006B2

Methods and apparatus include a handheld printer manipulated by an operator to print an image on a media. An inkjet printhead and two position sensors front one another in a triangular configuration thereby providing a large printable area compared to the prior art. A frame commonly mounts the printhead and sensors and is biased to keep an acceptable paper to printer gap during use. A forward opening door accepts the printhead before printing.
US08092000B2

A heater for use in a phase change ink printhead reservoir is provided that includes a first insulating layer having at least one ink supply path opening, and a second insulating layer having at least one ink supply path opening that aligns with the at least one ink supply path opening in the first insulating layer. The heater includes a resistance heating trace arranged in a serpentine pattern between the first and the second insulating layers. The resistance heating trace is configured to receive electric current and to convert the electric current to heat. The resistance heating trace includes a trace ring for each ink supply path opening in the first and second insulating layers that forms a continuous perimeter around the corresponding ink supply path opening.
US08091999B2

A melt plate for use in a solid ink printer is formed with a drip plate to provide controlled flow of melted ink from the melt plate to a drip point. The melt plate includes a first portion having a perimeter, a second portion having a perimeter, the second planar portion angling from the first portion along a transition boundary at a first angle, a first rim extending around the perimeter of the first portion except along the transition boundary, the first rim angling from the first portion at a second angle, and a second rim extending around the perimeter of the second portion except along the transition boundary and a drip point, the second rim angling from the second portion at a third angle, the third angle being different than the second angle.
US08091997B2

An ink tank security system on a printer includes an ink tank connection station having a cavity with a passage for insertion of at least one ink tank through the passage into the cavity to supply ink for printing operations by the printer and for removal of the ink tank through the passage from the cavity for replenishing with ink. A door is mounted adjacent to the passage for undergoing movement between displaced positions enabling or blocking movement of the ink tank through the passage to or from the cavity. A sensor adjacent to the door is adapted to sense movement of the door between the displaced positions. A security device separate from the ink tank is insertable into and removable from a control slot on the printer under the door to control re-use of the ink tank for replenishing the supply of ink.
US08091994B2

A printer includes a first head in which first nozzles are formed, a second head in which second nozzles located at a higher position than the first nozzle are formed, and an ink cartridge positioned at a lower position than the first and second nozzles. Moreover, the first head is connected to the ink cartridge via a tube, and the second head is connected to the first head via a tube. Accordingly, the second head is connected to the ink cartridge via the first head. It is possible to shorten the tubes by connecting serially the ink cartridge and the two heads, and to prevent from breaking simultaneously a meniscus in the nozzles of both the heads located at different height positions.
US08091987B2

An ink jet print head is provided having an ink chamber and a nozzle plate closing the ink chamber at an end comprising a nozzle for ejecting a drop of ink through it. The nozzle plate further includes an ink path for flowing an ink through in a direction parallel with the nozzle plate and passing the inner end of the nozzle. This ink flow is in excess of that required for replenishing the ejected drops of ink in the ink chamber and may flow continuously passed the inner end of the nozzle and along the ink path to refresh the ink that is used for ejecting through the nozzle.
US08091980B2

A method of performing maintenance on a printhead of an imaging device includes the application of a purge pressure to ink in an on-board reservoir of the printhead to cause ink to be burped through a plurality of apertures in an aperture plate of the printhead. A wiper blade is then dabbed on the aperture plate at least once after the application of the purge pressure. After the dabbing, the wiper blade is drawn across the aperture plate. The wiper blade is then dabbed against the dabbing position at least once after wiping the aperture plate.
US08091968B2

A solenoid valve controller includes a control housing having a base provided with projections. Each of the projections has a recess provided therein. At least one elastomer element is arranged between at least two of the projections. A magnet coil yoke abuts the elastomer element and is fixed to at least one of the recesses. The elastomer element drives the magnet coil yoke away from the base and into engagement with an outer side of the hydraulic device when the magnet coil yoke is pressed toward the base by the outer side of the hydraulic device. The magnet coil yoke receives a solenoid valve unit of the hydraulic device therein.
US08091963B2

The present disclosure relates to cushioning medallions, methods of making and methods of using, particularly cushioning medallions comprising a relatively low durometer viscoelastic polymer gel, for use on a bicycle seat.
US08091959B2

A display system for a vehicle seat comprises a receiving surface including a recess. A cover plate is adapted to cover and/or fit into the recess. The recess has a support surface and a slot for receiving a tab located on the cover plate. An information carrier can be located between the cover plate and the support surface.
US08091958B2

A chair includes a seat body, a front leg, a rear leg, and a leg receiver. The seat body has a seating face for a person to sit on, and a backrest for a person to lean against. One end of the front leg is attached to an underside region which is underside of the seating face of the seat body, in such a manner that the one end of the front leg is capable of being rotated in relation to the seat body. One end of the rear leg is rotatably attached to the seat body at a position closer to a backrest side than a position at which the one end of the front leg is attached. The leg receiver is arranged on a floor surface. The respective other ends of the front leg and the rear leg are rotatably attached to the leg receiver.
US08091957B2

A seat comprising a component that is cushioned on one side and is disposed on a seat base. A pivot/rotation mechanism is operatively connected to the seat base and the component for displacing the component, in a positively guided manner, in a position into which the cushion side faces downwardly, and in which at least one further auxiliary utility is accessible.
US08091956B2

Sealing and attenuating device (1) with a fastening device 2 to attach the device (1) to a first component and a sealing mechanism 3 to seal off the first component from a second component, and an attenuating device (4) to attenuate the impact of a third component against the first component.
US08091951B1

A semi-trailer or other cargo vehicle enclosure includes a rearward end portion extending between opposite left and right sidewalls. The sidewalls include vertically extending rearward corner portions that define air passageways for directing rearwardly flowing air from alongside the sidewalls toward a region of low pressure behind the rearward end portion of the enclosure. Preferably, the rearward corner portions include vertically extending rearward corner posts and deflector components that are formed to cooperatively define circularly shaped passageways for gradual air-flow redirection, with the sidewall exterior surfaces and the deflector exterior surfaces being within prescribed maximum semi-trailer widths while the interior corner post spacing does not reduce the usual width of semi-trailer cargo space. Offset door hinges are included that enable rear doors to open fully to positions parallel to the exterior surfaces of the enclosure sidewalls despite the left and right air-deflecting structures that extend sideways beyond the left and right sidewalls.
US08091948B2

A multi-pane flush closing window assembly for a vehicle that has a body enclosing a passenger compartment is secured in an opening in the vehicle body by a clamp ring fastened to the interior wall of the vehicle body. The improved window assembly includes at least one fixed sub-assembly and at least one sliding sub-assembly supported by a frame. The fixed sub-assembly has a sash, and removable fasteners extend through the peripheral edge of the sash into the interior side of the frame so that the fixed sub-assembly can be independently disassembled from the interior of the vehicle without removing the frame or the clamp ring. The sliding sub-assembly is removably secured to the frame by an improved multi-piece guide track and slide pin assembly that allows removal of the sliding sub-assembly without removing the frame. The slide pins are removably secured to opposite sides of the sliding sub-assembly.
US08091947B1

A disposal automobile cover for preventing foreign substances, dust and water from contacting an automobile disclosed and claimed. A disposable automobile cover adapted to be expanded between first and second positions, the cover comprising a planar top wall having an ovate perimeter; a planar side wall connected to the ovate perimeter at a first edge; and an elastic strip operatively associated with the side wall at a second edge thereof, the side wall being parallel to the top wall when in the first position, the side wall being transverse to the top wall when in the second position.
US08091943B1

An apparatus for accessing the bed of a pickup truck having a frame, a rear bumper and a tailgate having a distal edge and being hingedly mounted to the frame includes a lower linkage assembly having proximal and distal ends and being pivotally mounted at its proximal end to the rear truck bumper at a first axis; an upper linkage assembly having proximal and distal ends and being pivotally mounted at its proximal end to and proximal the distal edge of the truck tailgate at a second axis, and being pivotally mounted at its distal end to the distal end of the lower linkage assembly at a third axis; a step connected to the lower linkage assembly; and, wherein the distance between the first and second axes is an effective length LB, the distance between the second and third axes is an effective length LT, and the distance between the first and third axes is an effective length LS, and wherein the ratio of LS to LT to LB to is approximately 2.9 to 1.8 to 4.5.
US08091935B2

A tubing connection release system. The system includes, a male connector having a profile at one end thereof and receptive to a tubular at the other end thereof, a female connector receptive to a tubular at one end thereof and receptive to the male connector at the other end thereof. The system further includes, a sleeve disposed radially inwardly of the female connector, and a collet having at least one deflectable collet finger disposed radially inwardly of the sleeve. The collet is biased to a position within the female connector whereat the at least one collet finger is supported against radially outward deflection. The collet is further movable by the push-in connector against the bias to a position where the at least one collet finger is radially outwardly unsupported such that the profiled end of the male connector is movable into engagement with the at least one collet finger.
US08091932B2

A coupling device for a tube comprising a coupling piece with an insert end for the tube and a sealing organ which is suitable for realizing a seal around the tube inserted in the coupling piece, whereby the sealing organ comprises a series of elements which together form a ring enclosing the tube, and whereby the elements have been provided with at least one grip ring, extending over at least a part of the circumference of the tube, which at least one grip ring is embodied with inwardly and/or outwardly pressed out first projections and second projections extending away from the surface of the grip ring, whereby the first projections and the second projections are provided with, in the plane of these projections extending first anchor teeth and second anchor teeth.
US08091930B2

A floating shoulder ring is arranged to occupy the J-space between pin ends of coupled pipe sections. The length of the ring is arranged to allow the pipe connection to approach the specified torque for shoulderless connections before the ring begins to function as an abutment between the approaching pipe ends. The torque accepted by the ring limits the radial force imposed by tapered threads on both pipe and coupling. The ring is provided with modified threads on the outer surface to engage the inner threads of the coupling, in the J-space, to retain the ring in the coupling during handling in preparation for assembly into a pipe string. The modified threads yield axially when substantially forced. Threads that slip axially, non-destructively, and threads that deform under sufficient axial force are provided.
US08091928B2

A coupling assembly includes a fitting having a wall presenting an inner surface, surrounding a lumen, and an outer surface, opposing the inner surface. A barb extends radially away from the outer surface of the wall to a peak. A seal circumferentially surrounds the outer surface of the wall and is spaced from the peak of the barb. A hose presents an initial outer diameter. The hose extends over each of the seal and the barb such that the hose is deformed at the barb to present a displaced outer diameter that is greater than the initial outer diameter of the hose. A cage is spaced at least a distance from the peak of the barb and radially compresses the exterior surface of the hose and the seal to form an interference fit between each of the hose, the barb, and the cage.
US08091923B2

Method and apparatus for limiting the load on a seat belt buckle, includes providing an adjustable energy absorbing device mounting the seat belt buckle on the vehicle, sensing vehicle and occupant conditions to determine the optimal adjustment of the adjustable energy absorbing device for restraint of the occupant under the sensed conditions, and adjusting the adjustable energy absorbing device in response to the sensed conditions to thereby adapt the restraint of the occupant to the sensed conditions. The adjustable energy absorbing device is an extendable strut having an end connected to the buckle and an end connected to the vehicle, said strut having metal deforming elements therein being deformed upon the load reaching a certain magnitude, and said strut having an adjusting mechanism adjusting the metal deforming elements to adjust the degree of metal deformation and thereby adjust the energy absorbing capacity of the strut.
US08091921B2

A gas generator has an outer housing with a gas outlet section having an outer wall. The gas outlet section has a first and a second outflow area. Each outflow area has a net thrust outflow direction. The net thrust outflow direction of the first outflow area has a first component in the lengthwise direction of the gas generator and the net thrust outflow direction of the second outflow area has a second component in the lengthwise direction of the gas generator. The first component is oriented opposite to the second component. The gas generator is arranged in an airbag module in a way that gas from the first and second outflow areas is guided into different inflatable sections of a gas bag.
US08091919B2

A cover for an airbag module includes at least a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The first layer includes a predefined tear line and the third layer is configured to face into a passenger compartment of a vehicle.
US08091917B2

An airbag device for protecting a vehicle occupant in case of a crash, including at least one region that can be inflated with gas, which in the inflated state forms a gas cushion for a vehicle occupant to be protected in the form of a side airbag, at least a first material layer of the inflatable region extending in front of a lateral vehicle structure of a motor vehicle in the inflated state of the airbag device, and at least a second material layer of the inflatable region of the inflatable region, that opposes the first material layer in the inflated state of the airbag device, wherein at least one fastening flap is provided at the airbag device via which the airbag device can be fastened to a motor vehicle structure.
US08091916B2

This application discloses a fold flat wheeled carrier/wagon/cart, adaptable for a wide array of carrying purposes, including but not limited to cargo, luggage, people, and supplies, featuring optional fold flat retaining walls, handle and wheels. The wagon/cart/carrier wheel assemblies may include simple manually manipulable grips, which the user simply moves to release the wheel assembly and tires, and upon release the wheel assembly and tire is pivoted by spring biasing preferably, and/or is movable to a fold flat profile within the wheeled carrier perimeter and side elevational profile. The application provides for simple internal mechanisms for the wheel assemblies as well as unique faceplates with finger grips. In the stowed, fold flat profile; the wheel assembly may serve to retain the optional retaining walls. Manufacturing construction methods are also disclosed.
US08091914B1

A trailer hitch guide including a guide having first and second halves interconnected through a cooperatively formed hinge having a releasable hinge pin, first and second neck surrounds cooperatively defining geometry for surrounding a tow-ball, a base including first and second arms, and a clamp cooperatively carried on the first and second arms for urging the first and second arms together around a hitch, wherein the first and second halves are connected to the first and second neck surrounds, respectively, and the first and second neck surrounds are pivotally connected to the base.
US08091911B2

A double wing bicycle fender is mounted on a frame pipe of a bicycle. When in use, a fender main body of the roll-up bicycle fender can be pulled out into an operative position at both sides of the shaft to increase the effective width of the fender for blocking the splashing of mud, water and road debris, and can also be rolled up on the shaft and collected in a holding body, thus it not only saves space but is aesthetically pleasing.
US08091904B1

A diver's station and umbilical cart neatly stores the umbilical cord and other various items used in hookah diving and has a frame made from various bars of aluminum stock. A set of wheels is pivotally attached to one end of the frame while a handle is attached to an opposing end. A seat is telescoping attached to the frame proximate the wheels. A first set of legs extends upwardly from the frame proximate the handle and has a first tray there atop, while a second set of legs extends upwardly from the frame between the first legs and the seat and has a second tray there atop. A telescoping post extends upwardly from the frame and passes through the second tray, the post having a T-brace there atop.
US08091896B2

A bullet trap is disclosed which is formed without intervening sidewalls to enable cross-shooting and the like with reduced risk or ricochet or damage to the bullet trap. Furthermore, the bullet trap can be configured in a variety of ways to eliminate the need for facing plates while providing a removable attachment mechanism, to enable repair on the trap, to reduce bullet adhesion to the trap and to provide improved containment of lead and improved access to the trap.
US08091895B2

Target positioning system with a rectangular flat table top member having downwardly disposed side walls and three primary legs to support the table top member. Two primary legs are hingedly attached to the left and right rear corners of the table top member. One primary leg is hingedly attached under the center front portion of the table top member. Each leg has a telescoping secondary leg member that is capable of being affixed to the to the primary leg member to adjust the height of the primary leg member. The table top member left and right side walls include slots for receiving a strap. The strap can be adjusted in length to hold a standard archery target cube. The flat table top member includes upwardly facing flange located at the rear edge of the table top to prevent the target block from being thrust backward during target practice.
US08091891B2

A device for treating sheet-like substrates with light is made for a suction table, which includes a circulating suction strip for transporting the sheet-like substrates, which suction strip forms a descending loop relative to its table-parallel transport level. The loop has a descending branch and, adjacent to the latter, an ascending branch. There is a gap for the passage of light between the descending branch and the ascending branch of the suction strip, which is bridged by a stationary bridging member which at least partially allows light to pass through it and whose surface is disposed at a level slightly recessed relative to the parallel transport level, so that a high degree of accuracy and trouble-free operation are ensured even at high transport speeds.
US08091885B2

A mail doubles detection and correction system for a mail processing system with a feeder includes a mail support configured to support at least two mail pieces in a detection space downstream of the feeder, a pair of vacuum belt assemblies disposed on opposite sides of the detection space, and one or more sensors positioned about the detection space to detect a position of one or more mail pieces in the detection space. Each vacuum belt assembly includes a vacuum port facing the detection space and a perforated belt movable across the vacuum port in a mail transport direction. The system detects a mail double when the sensors indicate that more than one mail piece is disposed in the detection space and corrects the situation by moving one of the belts and holding the other belt stationary to advance only one of the mail pieces, and subsequently moving both of the belts to advance the remaining mail piece. The system detects a normal feed when the sensors indicate only one mail piece in the detection space, in which case both of the belts are moved to advance the mail piece. The system can also be configured to automatically adjust a width of the detection space to accommodate mail pieces having a range of widths.
US08091870B2

A self-pumping hydropneumatic spring strut is provided to have internal level control. The spring strut has an outer tube having one end sealed by a piston rod guide, a working cylinder received inside the outer tube, and a hollow piston rod extending into the working cylinder through the piston rod guide. The piston rod carries a piston, which is operable to travel axially inside the working cylinder in a sealing manner and separates the working cylinder into first and second working spaces. The first working space is under a high-pressure from a high-pressure chamber and acting as a spring and the second working space is located on a piston rod-side. The spring strut also has a pump rod received inside the hollow piston rod. The pump rod and the hollow piston rod form a piston pump, which, in response to sprung movements acted thereonto, conveys a damping media from a low-pressure chamber into the first working space connected to the high-pressure chamber. The high-pressure chamber and the low-pressure chamber are each connected to the atmosphere by a filling connection formed in the piston rod guide and a check valve operable to selectively communicate the high-pressure or the low-pressure chamber to the atmosphere.
US08091865B2

An improved lever bar has an elongated shaft having two opposite distal ends. The first of the two opposite distal ends includes a crescent shaped portion having opposite end portions, both of the crescent opposite end portions respectively include flattened, clawed portions; and the second of the two opposite distal ends includes a flattened, pointed portion.
US08091864B2

A fluid flow connector and a method of manufacturing the same wherein the fluid flow connector utilizes a valve having a plunger which is made by overmolding a soft exterior to a hard core. The soft exterior being overmolded to the hard core by either insert or multi-shot methods. The method also including attaching the soft exterior to the hard core mechanically and/or by molecular bonding.
US08091858B2

The shut-off system according to the invention for large conduit cross-sections has a swing flap which can be swung to and fro between two end positions about a pivot axis by means of a drive device, wherein the drive device has a drive shaft which is connected to the swing flap via an elbow lever, and at least one lever arm rigidly connected to the drive shaft is provided which is in operative connection with at least one operating cylinder for rotation of the drive shaft. The drive device has a motion link which is fastened so as to be rotatable about a pivot bearing, wherein the operating cylinder is connected to the motion link to pivot the same, and a transmission element is provided between the lever arm and the motion link in order to transmit the pivoting motion of the motion link to the drive shaft.
US08091844B1

An air conditioner support device for supporting an air conditioner in a window unit in a building, said air conditioner support device comprising a platform having a first half and a second half slidably connected via a connecting rod; a lip disposed on the first side of the first and second half of the platform; a first adjustable pivot arm and second adjustable pivot arm for supporting the platform in the window unit; wherein the platform is for placing in the window unit over a window sill and below a window wherein the air conditioner can be placed atop the platform.
US08091839B2

A pipe clamp secures an elongate article such as a pipe to as structural channel. The pipe clamp includes a pair of elongate pipe straps each having one end for securement to the structural channel and an opposed end mutually interconnectable. The opposed end of one of the pipe straps is insertable into an aperture in the opposed end of the other pipe strap. A threaded fastener movably couples the ends to compressively secure the pipe strap to the structural channel about the article.
US08091833B2

Vibration isolation devices and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, for example, an unmanned aircraft can include a fuselage having a first fuselage section and a second fuselage section adjacent to and at least approximately longitudinally aligned with the first fuselage section. The aircraft can also include at least one vibration isolation device coupling the first fuselage section to the second fuselage section. The vibration isolation device is translationally stiffer along a longitudinal axis than it is along a lateral and a vertical axis, and rotationally stiffer about a pitch and a yaw axis than it is about a roll axis.
US08091825B2

An aircraft with a long body 1 which has a forward end 2 and an aft end 3, which is able to achieve vertical take-off by means of a tilt-able rotor and blade assembly 4 at the forward part of the aircraft and a tilt-able turbojet 19 at the rear of the aircraft. The rotor and blade assembly is rotated by an engine assembly 8, with the engine assembly, the rotor and blades all positioned on top a multi-directional tilt enabling joint 9. The turbojet is fitted to a multi-directional tilt enabling joint 27 to allow control of lateral movement of the aircraft as well as providing vertical lift and forward propulsion during forward flight. The turbojet is connected to the tilt enabling joint 27 by a rivet 30 such that the turbojet can be rotated relative to the tilt enabling joint.
US08091821B2

A method for controlling an electric belt retractor (16) which has an electric motor (20) which can drive a belt spool (18) in a belt band retraction direction and/or in a belt band withdrawal direction, and a blocking catch which is able to be guided into blocking teeth in order to block a rotation of the belt spool (18) in the belt band withdrawal direction, comprises the following steps: Operating the electric motor (20) in belt band retraction direction for tensioning the belt band (26); Detecting a possible belt band withdrawal; Determining a stable vehicle state; and Re-operating the electric motor (20) in belt band retraction direction only when a belt band withdrawal is detected.
US08091819B2

Thin shredder blade having blade points without steps, including blade body and cutting part located on periphery of blade body and includes a blade point. The cutting part includes a primary protrusion protruding from the cutting part. The primary protrusion includes a top, an inclined plane extending between the top and blade point, and an acute angle formed by inclined plane and blade body. The plane is an inverted triangle. The cutting part further includes first and second hemlines extending from the blade body and intersecting to the blade point. A first plane extends between the top and first hemline and intersects with the inclined plane. The blade body includes a large protrusion which protrudes in the same direction as the primary protrusion. The blade sets formed by the thin blades and the manufacturing method of the thin blades are provided.
US08091816B2

A round module opener for use with a round module of cotton including a first cradle movably mounted to a first frame, the first cradle including a first peeler belt that is configured for rotary motion, and a second cradle movably mounted to a second frame, the second cradle including a second peeler belt that it configured for rotary motion. The first cradle and the second cradle are disposed on opposing sides of a feeder bed such that the first cradle and the second cradle can be moved inwardly toward each other and toward a longitudinal centerline of the feeder bed to engage the round module of cotton.
US08091813B2

A grinder for grinding a material. The grinder may include a number of first rollers for grinding the material to a grind of substantially a first predetermined particle size and a number of adjustable second rollers for grinding a portion of the grind of the first predetermined particle size to a grind of substantially a second predetermined particle size.
US08091804B2

A spraying device includes a housing that has a spraying unit and a trigger assembly. The spraying unit is a removable insert within the housing. The spraying unit includes an air chamber that is coupled to a liquid tank. A front end portion of the air chamber has a nozzle. The air chamber receives a liquid tube that opens in the nozzle. The liquid tube receives a needle and the needle and the liquid tube are coaxial with each other. The trigger assembly controls the flow of liquid through the liquid tube by positioning a tapered front end of the needle. The trigger assembly includes a trigger that has a first position and a second position. In the first position, the opening of the liquid tube is closed by the needle. In a second position, the liquid tube is opened to discharge a liquid from an opening of the liquid tube.
US08091802B2

A spraying device includes a housing that has a spraying unit and a trigger assembly. The spraying unit is a removable insert within the housing. The spraying unit includes an air chamber that is coupled to a liquid tank. A front end portion of the air chamber has a nozzle. The air chamber receives a liquid tube that opens in the nozzle. The liquid tube receives a needle and the needle and the liquid tube are coaxial with each other. The trigger assembly controls the flow of liquid through the liquid tube by positioning a tapered front end of the needle. The trigger assembly includes a trigger that has a first position and a second position. In the first position, the opening of the liquid tube is closed by the needle. In a second position, the liquid tube is opened to discharge a liquid from an opening of the liquid tube.
US08091797B2

A trackway for guiding rail-bound vehicles is disclosed that includes a plurality of pre-fabricated concrete slabs firmly attached to one another, wherein each of the concrete slabs includes positioning and connecting elements. At least one groove is formed in each of the concrete slabs and at least one elastic sleeve is configured to fit within the groove(s) of several of the concrete slabs. A plurality of rails are configured to fit within the elastic sleeve(s), wherein the length of one of the rails is longer than the length of one of the concrete slabs.
US08091796B2

An HVAC controller is described that is configured to be more intuitive and user friendly to program and operate than convention HVAC controllers. In some instances, the HVAC controller may include a touch screen interface that provides greater flexibility in displaying information to the user and/or soliciting information from the user.
US08091790B2

Various RFID based blister pack embodiments are provided for improving the ability to detect and prevent tampering and counterfeiting of blister packs and/or facilitating the chain of custody tracking of blister packs during manufacture. Some embodiments employ an RFID chip network on the blister pack and some embodiments employ an RFID strap network on the blister pack, wherein the integrity of the network (or lack thereof) is used to indicate the possibility of tampering. Other embodiments determine the possibility of tampering based on the frequency of an RF signal that is received from a chip provided on the blister pack, which will vary depending on whether the associated antenna has been detuned as a result of some type of tampering.
US08091787B2

A processing system for digitizing a freehand graphic created by an optically imaging pen. The processing system is configured for: receiving digital ink representing interaction of the pen with a surface having a position-coding pattern printed thereon, the digital ink identifying one or more positions detected by the pen; determining if the detected position is in a first area or a second area of the surface; if the detected position is in the first area of the surface, then interpreting the position as a point in a freehand graphic; and if the detected position is in the second area of the surface, then interpreting the position as a selection of a property for the freehand graphic.
US08091776B2

A quality management system for products including a multiplicity of barcoded quality indicators, a barcode indicator reader and a product type responsive indication interpreter, each of the barcoded quality indicators including a first barcode including at least one first colorable area, the first barcode being machine-readable before exceedance of the at least one time and temperature threshold, at least a second barcode including at least one second colorable area, the second barcode not being machine-readable before exceedance of the at least one time and temperature threshold, a coloring agent located at a first location on the indicator and a coloring agent pathway operative to allow the coloring agent to move, from the first location to the first and second colorable areas simultaneously thereby causing the first barcode to become unreadable and at the same time causing the second barcode to become machine-readable.
US08091768B2

A bulk shipping and storage container in the form of a drum is made of corrugated fiberboard and includes a bin with a sidewall, a closed bottom and an open top. The sidewall has a plurality of interconnected sidewall panels, and a rim is on an upper outer surface of the sidewall for engagement by the tines of a forklift to carry the container. The locking structure on the lid and bin enable the lid to be locked in place. The bottom of the container has adhesively attached overlapping panels that provide smooth interior and exterior surfaces. A preferred embodiment has a tray inserted in the bottom and a liner inserted in the tray and extending upwardly inside the sidewall. In another embodiment, a shock-absorbing pad is between the liner and the lid.
US08091764B2

A practical bonding technique is provided for solid-phase room-temperature bonding which does not require a profile irregularity of the order of several nanometers, in which a high-vacuum energy wave treatment and continuous high-vacuum bonding are not required.Since an adhering substance layer is thin immediately after a surface activating treatment using an energy wave, a bonding interface is spread by crushing the adhering substance layer to perform bonding, so that a new surface appears on a bonding surface, and objects to be bonded are bonded together. In order to crush the adhering substance layer more easily, a bonding metal of a bonding portion of the object to be bonded needs to have a low hardness. According to the results of various experiments conducted by the present inventors, it was found that the hardness of the bonding portion which is a Vickers hardness of 200 Hv or less is particularly effective for room-temperature bonding.
US08091758B2

In a conventional wave soldering bath, molten solder spouted from a second discharge nozzle did not have a uniform height, oxides were spouted from the nozzle opening and adhered to printed circuit boards, and constituent parts of the wave soldering bath were eroded. In a wave soldering bath according to the present invention, a cylinder is disposed at one end of a duct, a spiral pump is installed in the cylinder, and the width of a nozzle opening is made narrower than the width of the duct.
US08091754B2

The present disclosure relates to surgical fastener applying apparatus for sequentially applying a plurality of surgical fasteners to body tissue. The surgical fastener applying apparatus includes a replaceable cartridge assembly receivable in a distal end portion of a cartridge receiving half-section, the cartridge assembly including a safety lockout pivotably disposed along the upper surface of the cartridge assembly and movable from an unlocked orientation permitting assembly of an anvil half-section to the cartridge receiving half-section, to a locked orientation preventing assembly of the anvil half-section to the cartridge receiving-half section.
US08091753B2

The present disclosure describes a surgical device with a body portion defining a longitudinal axis, a tool assembly including an anvil, a cartridge assembly housing a plurality of staples, a dynamic clamping member movable relative to the tool assembly to eject the staples, and an articulation and firing actuator extending at least partially through the body portion and the tool assembly. The tool assembly is pivotally attached to the body portion for movement from a position aligned with the longitudinal axis to a position oriented at an angle thereto. The articulation and firing actuator extends at least partially through the body portion and the tool assembly, is operably associated with the dynamic clamping member and the tool assembly, and is movable in relation thereto to selectively pivot the tool assembly relative to the body portion and move the dynamic clamping member relative to the tool assembly to eject the staples.
US08091752B2

A nail gun includes a body, a handle connected fixedly to and extending laterally from the body, a nail ejecting member disposed on the body and formed with a nail discharging passage having opposite inlet and outlet ends, a magazine member connected to the nail ejection member, and an elongated nail guiding plate disposed within the nail discharging passage, and a driving member. The nail guiding plate has a pivot end disposed pivotally within the inlet end of the nail discharging passage, a free end disposed within the outlet end of the nail discharging passage, and a driven portion disposed between the pivot end and the free end. The driving member is connected to the driven portion of the nail guiding plate for driving the free end of the nail guiding plate to pivot between first and second positions.
US08091749B2

The frame or device described herein was designed for use on a golf cart or all terrain vehicles. The frame or device would be used by golfers or hunters in times of cold weather as a secure mounting device for a propane heater device and propane bottle. The invention as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings indicate multiple parts of the frame or device. Although the main purpose of the frame is a secure location for the propane heater device and propane bottle, it also consists of a storage container, two cup holders and a golf ball receptacle. The device attaches to the windshield frame of a golf cart or all terrain vehicle and is adjustable to all makes and models as a mounting device for a propane heater device and propane bottle.
US08091744B2

The invention relates to an arrangement for pouring free-flowing media out of a container. The arrangement contains a pour-out valve (3, 50) which can be specifically opened and closed by the user via an easy to operate actuating device (9), and thus allows a controlled pouring-out action. A pour-out tube (2) arranged in a pivotable manner on the container (1) makes it possible, depending on the position of the pivoted pour-out tube (2), to lock or unlock the pour-out valve (3, 50) using a blocking device. Locking the pour-out valve in the closed position prevents accidental opening of the pour-out valve (3, 50). The arrangement according to the invention also contains a venting valve (8), which can likewise be locked in the closed state. A compression spring ensures that, in the rest state, that is to say when the actuating device (9) is not actuated, the pour-out valve (3, 50) seals off the spout and the venting valve (8) is likewise closed.
US08091743B2

A discharge device having a liquid outlet with a hollow interior. The valve system is located inside the hollow interior of the liquid inlet. The valve guide system has a valve guide and a first rib. The valve guide system has a valve guide having a valve guide width. The valve guide width is at less than about 1.15 mm. The first rib has a first rib width having a first rib width. The width of the first rib is less than about 2.5 mm wide.
US08091734B2

A power source is provided to a dispensing unit that includes a housing having an aerosol container disposed therein. A sleep period interval between spray operations is selected and a motion sensor is activated to detect motion within a sensory path of the sensor after completion of the sleep period interval. If no motion is detected by the motion sensor a fluid is automatically discharged from the aerosol container and the sleep interval is reset and if motion is detected by the motion sensor a delay time interval is initiated and fluid is not discharged from the aerosol container. The dispensing unit alternates between activating the sensor to detect motion and resetting the delay time interval until no motion is detected by the motion sensor at the expiration of the delay time interval, which results in the automatic discharge of fluid and a resetting of the sleep period interval.
US08091724B2

A container neck and closure assembly, wherein the container neck (10) comprises a first screw thread (14) on an internal surface thereof and the closure (12) comprises a cylindrical plug (32) for insertion into the container neck, said plug having a second screw thread (36, 37) on an outer surface thereof for engagement with the first screw thread to secure and resecure the closure on the neck.
US08091716B2

A structure is provided having a base and relatively vertical structural support element (such as a post, pole, platform, stairs, etc.) from which extend arms that support removable image holders. The removable image holders may contain images that can be readily replaced. The removable image holders can restrain the images in six directions (up, down, forward, backward, left and right), although restraint may be effected by only friction or gripping, rather than an immovable wall. The removable image holders may be relatively secured to the arms, although they may easily swing for ease of viewing. The structure may have ornamentation thereon that is indicative of a theme (birthday, wedding, graduation, holiday, memorial, season, sports event and the like).
US08091713B2

A display for a casket selection room comprises a base, a first display portion mounted to the base, a plurality of casket portions representing a plurality of casket choices from which a customer may select mounted to the first display portion, a second display portion mounted to the first display portion, and a plurality of casket ornaments representing a plurality of ornament choices from which the customer may select mounted to the second display portion.
US08091697B2

A driver module for clutches, in particular wet-running double clutch assemblies, including a clutch housing and a cover which are connected with each other, enclosing an interior space. The cover is rotationally fixed in relation to the clutch housing in the axial direction and in the circumferential direction by a connecting ring.
US08091696B2

A clutch assembly includes a first race and a second race that is selectively rotatable with respect to the first race about an axis of rotation. A plurality of rockers is operatively connected to the first race and spring biased into engagement with the second race to transmit torque between the first and second races. A member is selectively translatable between first and second positions to control the ability of the rockers to transmit torque between the first and second rockers, and thereby to control the ability of the races to rotate relative to one another.
US08091688B2

Presented is a method for actuating a parking brake for a vehicle wheel. The parking brake includes a drive, a force transmitting device, and a device for sensing an application force component of the parking brake. The method includes minimizing friction losses and ageing losses of the force transmitting device, and sensing the application force component of the parking brake by performing a force measurement directly on the drive. Also presented is a device for actuating a parking brake for a motor vehicle wheel. The device includes a drive, a force transmitting device, and a device for sensing an application force component of the parking brake. The device for sensing the application force component includes a device for minimizing the friction losses and ageing losses of the force transmitting device, and a device for measuring force directly on the drive.
US08091682B2

Disclosed herein is a sound absorbing system used for an electronic device that has enhanced noise reduction capabilities, while maintaining the cooling performance of the device and without increasing the size of the device. A disk array has multiple fans installed on each of the right and left sides of its front section. A frame that houses a sound absorbing system is placed in the middle of an airflow path through which air passes from the fans. Two sound absorbers are arranged inside the frame such that each of the sound absorbers faces the right-side or left-side fans. Airflow paths through which air passes from the fans are located in the space between the two sound absorbers. The airflow paths are partitioned by an acoustic board such that each of the airflow paths does not have parallel side faces. The frame, the sound absorbers, the acoustic board, and the airflow paths constitute the sound absorbing system. The sound absorbers and the acoustic board are made of sound absorbing materials such as glass wool, urethane foam, and the like. The sound absorbers and the acoustic board are arranged such that they prevent the fans from being seen from the outside of the sound absorbing system.
US08091680B2

An acoustic resistor or damper and method of manufacturing the same is disclosed. The damper has mesh material and mounting material attached to the mesh material. The mounting material defines an open region for transmission of sound through the mesh material, and has a mounting surface for mounting the damper on a surface surrounding an acoustic port or tube. The mounting surface is located on a plane different from the mesh material, thereby shielding the mesh material from adhesive applied between the mounting surface and the surface surrounding the acoustic port or tube. The method of manufacturing an acoustic damper comprises a sheet of double-sided tape having at least one perforation applied to a mesh material. The double-sided tape and mesh material is cut in the shape surrounding the at least one perforation.
US08091677B2

A powertrain for propelling a hybrid vehicle includes a front drivetrain, for driving a pair of front wheels, and a rear drivetrain, for driving a first and a second rear wheel, to propel the hybrid vehicle. First and second rear drive motors are operatively connected to the rear wheels to propel the hybrid vehicle. Energy is transmitted from an energy storage device to power and operate each of the first and second rear drive motors. Likewise, during regenerative braking, energy is transmitted from each of the rear drive motors to recharge the energy storage device. The first rear drive motor is operated independent of the second rear drive motor to transmit torque to vector torque between each of the rear wheels and control dynamics of the hybrid vehicle.
US08091676B2

An engine for a snow vehicle has a crank shaft supported by a crank case along the width direction of the snow vehicle. An oil pan is disposed below the crank case. A cylinder block is disposed above the crank case. The engine is mounted on the snow vehicle such that an axis of the cylinder block is inclined rearward. An oil pump is disposed behind and below the crank shaft. An oil filter is disposed in front of the crank shaft.
US08091663B2

In a charge mode (YES in S10), before charging of the electricity storage device by an external power source is started, electricity is supplied from an electricity storage device to an electrically-heated catalyzer (EHC) (S20) and an electrical resistance of the EHC is determined (S30). When it is determined based on the determined electrical resistance that there is no abnormality in the EHC (NO in S40), charging of the electricity storage device by the external power source is started (S50) and electricity is supplied from the external power source to the EHC (S60). When it is determined that there is an abnormality in the EHC (YES in S40), electricity is not supplied to the EHC (S70).
US08091661B2

A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, motors, and a power distribution and integration mechanism that are coaxially arranged with respect to each other. The hybrid vehicle also includes a transmission including a transmission differential rotation mechanism that has a sun gear as an input element connected to a sun gear which is a first element of the power distribution and integration mechanism, a ring gear as a fixing element, and a carrier as an output element, and that is configured such that these three elements can differentially rotate with each other; and a clutch as a coupling mechanism capable of selectively coupling the sun gear of the transmission differential rotation mechanism and the carrier which is the second element of the power distribution and integration mechanism with a drive shaft.
US08091660B2

A hybrid traction system for the traction of a vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine, at least a first electric machine and at least a second electric machine, first transmission means suitable for being connected mechanically to said internal combustion engine and to at least one of said electric machines, second transmission means suitable for being connected mechanically to at least one of said electric machines and to the wheels of the vehicle; the system comprises furthermore connecting or restraining means suitable for enabling mechanical power to be transmitted to the wheels of the vehicle only by the internal combustion engine through said first transmission means and said second transmission means. This allows to drive the vehicle using only the internal combustion engine.
US08091658B2

A wheel arrangement for a four-wheeled vehicle is comprised of a front wheel, two side wheels and a rear wheel, whereas the rear wheel is connected to the frame of the vehicle by a supporting base enabling the same to be steered freely while having a ground-touching point of the same to be biased from the axis of the supporting base by a distance, and the front wheel can be specified as a driving wheel, a free-rolling steering wheel or just a steering wheel with respect to actual requirement, and the two side wheels can be specified as a driving wheels or free-rolling wheels while enabling the axis of the two side wheels to be aligned to a straight line without sharing a same shaft. The wheel arrangement can be a rhombus configuration as the distances between the center of the front wheel and the centers of the two side wheels are the same as that of the center of the rear wheel and the centers of the two side wheels, or can be a diamond configuration as the distances between the center of the front wheel and the centers of the two side wheels are different from that of the center of the rear wheel and the centers of the two side wheels.
US08091657B2

An all-terrain vehicle including a frame having longitudinally-spaced ends defining a first longitudinal axis, and an engine supported by the frame. The engine includes a crankshaft defining a second longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis.
US08091655B2

A cutting element for a drill bit that includes an outer support element having at least a bottom portion and a side portion; and an inner rotatable cutting element, a portion of which is disposed in the outer support element, wherein the inner rotatable cutting element includes a substrate and a diamond cutting face having a thickness of at least 0.050 inches disposed on an upper surface of the substrate; and wherein a distance from an upper surface of the diamond cutting face to a bearing surface between the inner rotatable cutting element and the outer support element ranges from 0 to about 0.300 inches is disclosed.
US08091644B2

Nanoemulsion, macroemulsions, miniemulsions, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both (Winsor I, II or III phase behavior) or single phase microemulsions (Winsor IV) improve the removal of filter cakes formed during hydrocarbon reservoir wellbore drilling with OBM. Such filter cakes and their particles can contact, impact and affect the movement of the drill string undesirably resulting in a “stuck pipe” condition. The macroemulsion, nanoemulsion, miniemulsion, microemulsion systems with excess oil or water or both or single phase microemulsion removes oil and solids from the filter cake, thereby releasing the drill string from its stuck condition. In one non-limiting embodiment, the emulsion system may be formed in situ (downhole) rather than produced or prepared in advance and pumped downhole.
US08091642B2

A cement composition resistant to carbon dioxide includes a hollow element for trapping carbonation products. The hollow element can be hollow spherical or quasi spherical particles including cenospheres, sodium-calcium-borosilicate glass microspheres, silica-alumina microspheres, or a combination thereof. Or the hollow element may be a spherical or quasi spherical void made in the set cement, for example by foaming the cement composition with a gas such as air, nitrogen or a combination thereof. The composition may be used to cement a subterranean well in which carbon dioxide is injected, stored or produced.
US08091641B2

A method of and an apparatus for treating a near zone and/or a far zone of a well is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps. (1) A tube that is permeable to a material is placed inside a wellbore, forming an annulus inside the wellbore. (2) A setting section surrounded by a sleeve is placed inside the tube. The sleeve is expandable and impermeable to the material. (3) The sleeve is inflated so that the sleeve is in contact with the tube, ensuring that the first zone of the tube is impermeable to the material, but leaving a second zone permeable to the material. (4) A treatment fluid is pumped to the zones that passes through the second zone still permeable to the material. (5) The near zone in the annulus and/or the far zone in the surrounding formation is treated with the treatment fluid.
US08091638B2

Methods of controlling fluid loss in a subterranean formation comprising: providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous fluid and a fluid loss control additive comprising a water-soluble polymer having hydrophobic or hydrophilic modification; introducing the treatment fluid into an interval of a well bore, the well bore penetrating the subterranean formation; creating one or more perforations in the interval of the well bore, wherein the perforations extend from the well bore and into the subterranean formation; and allowing the treatment fluid to contact a portion of the subterranean formation through the one or more perforations. Methods of a reducing fluid loss from a perforated and/or gravel packed interval of a well bore using a fluid loss control additive comprising a water-soluble polymer having hydrophobic or hydrophilic modification.
US08091629B2

A stuffing box assembly for a wellhead intervention has a stuffing box and an adjustable sheave. The stuffing box has a body with a collar for connecting to a wellhead and with a passage for running wireline therethrough. A frame connected to the body has side plates and has a hub assembly with hubs rotatable about a first rotational axis. An axle interconnects the two hubs and supports them between the side plates. The sheave can rotate about the second rotational axis of the axel to run the wireline into and out of the stuffing box. The hub assembly can be rotated about its axis of rotation to adjust the location of the axle's axis of rotation. This can move the sheave away from a fixed guard, can change how the sheave lines up with the stuffing box, and can move the sheave away from the stuffing box.
US08091622B2

The present relates to a system for cooling a vehicle engine compartment having a blowing device provided on a dash panel of a vehicle and configured to be able to send external air to the engine compartment and a cabin of the vehicle; a control unit to control the blowing device such that the external air may flow into the engine compartment through the blowing device if the temperature of the engine compartment is higher than or equal to a limit temperature above which components in the engine compartment can be heat damaged; a door consisting of an engine compartment door rotatably installed between the opening and the cabin air supplier and a cabin door rotatably installed on the same line as the engine compartment door; and an actuator for opening and/or closing the engine compartment door and the cabin door, respectively.
US08091617B2

A heat exchanger, such as a condenser or a gas cooler for an air-conditioning system of a motor vehicle, has at least two fin/tube cores which have, on two opposite sides of the fin/tube cores, at least two collecting tubes which can have a flow connection to one another. The collecting tubes can have connecting or junction members which each co-operate with a closure plate or separating plate in order to make the heat exchanger easier to manufacture.
US08091613B2

The present invention relates to a thermal energy storage material (TESM) system (and associated methods) that reproducibly stores and recovers latent heat. The Thermal energy storage material system comprises i) at least one first metal containing material including at least one first metal compound that includes a nitrate ion, a nitrite ion, or both; and ii) at least one second metal containing material including at least one second metal compound. The thermal energy storage material system may water. If any water is present in the thermal energy storage material system, the water concentration should be less than about 10 wt. %. The thermal energy storage material has a liquidus temperature, TL, from about 100° C. to about 250° C. and exhibits a heat storage density from 300° C. to 80° C. of at least about 1 MJ/l, so that upon being used in a system that generates heat, at least a portion of the heat is captured and stored by the thermal energy storage material and subsequently released for use. The thermal energy storage material system is generally resistant to corrosion at temperatures of about 300° C. Exemplary metal compounds include one or more cations selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Be, Mg, Ca, Al, and Ga.
US08091612B2

A method for manufacturing a clad material composed of a core material and one or more skin materials which are superposed on either one or both faces of the core material, includes a clad material preparation process where an ingot for core material is manufactured by melting and casting a metal, and an ingot for skin material is manufactured by melting and casting a different metal for skin material, without hot rolling. The ingot for skin material is superposed as a skin material at a predetermined position of either one or both faces of the ingot for core material and the superposed material is hot-rolled to manufacture a clad material.
US08091609B2

A method of making a frictionally damped part including providing a frictional damping insert including downwardly extending support legs stamped out of a body portion of the insert.
US08091605B1

An acoustic panel assembly may have one or more panels adaptable for reflecting sound waves and a support member to which the one or more panels may be attached. The support member may be extendable and retractable. The one or more panels and the support member may be collapsible into a housing. The one or more panels may be configured in one or more substantially planar portions, one or more substantially curved portions, or a combination thereof.
US08091601B2

The invention relates to equipment for carrying out a process for bonding by molecular adhesion of two substrates to one another during which the surfaces of the substrates are placed in close contact and bonding occurs by propagation of a bonding front between the substrates. The invention includes, prior to bonding, a step of modifying the surface state of one or both of the surfaces of the substrates so as to regulate the propagation speed of the bonding front. The surface can be modified by locally or uniformly heating or roughening the surface(s) of the substrate(s).
US08091596B2

A non-pneumatic wheel assembly (10) which has an outer rim assembly (26), an inner vehicle hub connection member (11), a compartment located between the outer rim assembly (26) and the inner hub connection member (11) which has a plurality of spring elements (21, 22) wherein at least some of the spring elements (21, 22) are attached to the outer rim assembly (26) and/or the inner hub connection member (11) characterised in that the spring elements (21, 22) are oriented in opposed or counteracting orientations.
US08091594B2

The present invention relates to novel devices and methods of filling tanks designed for holding non-hazardous fluids, especially tanks on recreational vehicles. In a preferred embodiment, the tank to be filled is a water tank. The device of the present invention incorporates several novel and non-obvious features to create a device that permits the filling of tanks in a hands-free manner while keeping water waste to a minimum and preventing the damaging of tank, fill neck or other tank or fill components due to the over filling of the tank.
US08091593B2

Method for filling a tank with a pressurized gas, in particular a vehicle tank with hydrogen, including the step of compressing the gas from a first gas source in order to fill said tank directly or via at least one buffer vessel, wherein the compression step is carried out using the energy from a working fluid, said method being characterized in that it comprises a step of heat exchange between said compressed gas and said working fluid.
US08091582B2

A system for hydraulically managing fluid pressure between selected set points includes a pilot control system operably coupled to a main valve. The pilot control system includes at least one fluid conduit, a variable orifice assembly, and a control pilot valve apparatus. Fluid is passed through a fixed orifice and into a first chamber of the control pilot valve apparatus. Fluid is passed through the variable orifice of the variable orifice assembly and into a second chamber of the control pilot valve apparatus. The main valve is hydraulically opened or closed in response to a pressure differential between the first and second chambers of the control pilot valve apparatus so as to manage fluid pressure downstream of the main valve between the selected upper and lower set points.
US08091566B2

The applicator comprises a core presenting at least one helical furrow extending along at least one segment of the core from a first longitudinal end of the segment to a second longitudinal end of the segment. The core has a transverse dimension, measured away from the furrow, that varies on traveling along the segment in a longitudinal direction of the core. The core presents spines formed integrally therewith and situated on the segment outside the furrow.
US08091565B2

The invention concerns a makeup case. A primary tray as well as a tray form a drawer slidingly mounted in relation to the primary tray. A spring exerts a force tending to assist the opening of the tray forming the drawer or a force tending to assist its closing depending on whether or not the tray forming the drawer is open beyond an intermediate position which corresponds to an unstable position for the spring. The spring may be two torsion springs arranged symmetrically on either side of an axis extending along the direction of the opening or closing movement of the tray forming the drawer.
US08091560B2

An electric mascara for makeup of eyelash by using a mascara brush is provided, An electric mascara includes a cap including a rotary switch which is operated by a handle, a motor which is operated according to the ON/OFF operation of the rotary switch and a decelerator to which motive power of the motor is supplied; a brush stick which is connected to a revolving axis of the decelerator; and a mascara brush installed at the end of the brush stick. The mascara brush is formed by piling disk-type comb tooth in serial with a space enough to form a trough, where mascara solution can be charged, and in zigzag so that eccentricity is generated; and an eyelash curling portion and a mascara solution applying portion with shorter length then the eyelash curling portion are formed at the mascara brush.
US08091559B2

The present invention relates to an applicator (1) which allows for precise, non-messy and even application of a hair treatment composition to a hair strand. The applicator (1) comprises a plate (10) movably joined by a connection (30) to a well (20) and at least one metering layer selected from non-wovens, foams or combinations thereof. The metering layer has a caliper of from 0.15 mm to 39.5 mm and a compressibility as defined herein of from 59% to 93%. The metering layer may be a first metering layer (50) and be laid upon the rim (222) of the well (20) or may be a second metering layer (60) and be laid upon the internal surface (101) of the plate (10), preferably along the perimeter (103).
US08091550B2

A face mask is provided. The face mask includes a body portion that is configured to be placed over a mouth and at least part of a nose of a user such that the air of respiration is drawn through the body portion. The body portion includes a baffle layer which helps prevent penetration from a fluid striking the mask. The baffle layer has an outer and an inner surface with a plurality of projections extending from one of the outer or inner surfaces. The baffle layer aids in absorbing energy associated with fluid striking the body portion of the mask. The baffle layer distributes fluid away form the point of impact in the channels between the projections.
US08091544B1

A solar light collector assembly includes a mirror for concentratedly reflecting solar light; a frame for mounting the mirror; and a clamp arrangement for attaching the mirror to the frame. The clamp arrangement includes at least one base attached to one of the mirror and frame and at least one corresponding clamp attached to the other one of the mirror and frame. The at least one clamp is operative for clamping onto the at least one base to fasten the mirror to the frame.
US08091541B2

The invention relates to a device for feeding projectile balls into the ball chamber of a handgun, especially into the ball chamber of a paintball gun, having a ball container with an outlet port, a feeder tube between the outlet port and the ball chamber, and an essentially cylindrical feeder with an axis for feeding the balls from the ball container to the feeder tube. The device comprises a flexible element that is disposed inside the ball container adjacent to the outlet port. A first end of the flexible element is fixed to the ball container and the flexible element is essentially rigid in the direction of the axis. Balls that are not in the correct position when approaching the outlet port are deflected back into the ball container, instead of hitting the edge of the outlet port. This way, jamming of the balls and explosion by excessive pressure are prevented.
US08091540B2

A crossbow includes a trigger mechanism having a trigger housing for receiving a bowstring of a crossbow and a bowstring catch mounted with respect to the housing and adapted to releasably engage a crossbow bowstring brought within the trigger housing. The crossbow further includes a trigger adapted to releasably engage the bowstring catch, the trigger being further adapted to be selectively actuated by a user so as to cause the trigger to release the bowstring catch, thereby causing the bowstring catch to release a crossbow bowstring. Optionally, the crossbow may include a ball disposed between the bowstring catch and the trigger, the ball being adapted to bear and react to forces arising between the bowstring catch and the trigger during at least one of the trigger so engaging the bowstring catch and the trigger so releasing the bowstring catch.
US08091539B2

A dart gun having a plurality of darts removably connected about a circumferential area of a cylindrical barrel. A spring-biased gear assembly includes an engagement member that is rotatably aligned with the circumferential area of the cylindrical barrel. The spring-biased gear assembly further includes first and second rotary gears having offset teeth. A trigger bar is operable between a first position in abutting contact with the teeth of the first rotary gear and a second position in abutting contact with the teeth of the second rotary gear. A trigger is operably connected to the trigger bar. The trigger includes a forward position that locates the trigger bar in the first position and a rearward position that locates the trigger bar in the second position. Operation of the trigger causes the spring-biased gear assembly to intermittently rotate, thereby causing the lever to disconnect one of the plurality of darts from the circumferential area of the cylindrical barrel.
US08091537B2

An apparatus and method for improving performance in an internal combustion engine includes texturing on an inner surface of at least a portion of an engine head. The texturing may include elongated raised portions extending in one or more directions that may aid in controlling and directing pre-combustion and/or combustion gases in a combustion chamber for a more unified combustion. The result is improved power and/or efficiency.
US08091517B2

A thermostatic valve for a cooling system of an internal combustion engine, having a thermostatic operating element for arrangement in a distributing chamber as the drive element for a main valve element between an engine outlet and a connector to a coolant cooler, and for a bypass valve element designed as a valve slide arranged between the engine outlet and an engine inlet to serve as a pressure control valve. In addition to the valve slide (23, 23′) the bypass valve element (22, 22′) is provided with a valve disk (25, 25′ arranged upstream of the valve slide (23, 23′) in the extension direction of the thermostatic operating element (12, 12′), and a component (26) is assigned to the valve disk (25, 25′), as a valve seat for the valve slide (23, 23′) and a valve seat for the valve disk (25, 25′).
US08091507B2

A feeder assembly is used in a feed distribution system having a feed supply conduit. The feeder assembly includes an elongated pan member. The feeder assembly includes first and second fill ports for receiving feed from the feed supply conduit and for providing feed onto a base portion of the pan member. Each fill port provides feed to a separate portion of the base portion of the elongated pan member. The fill ports are defined through an outer grill member having an elongated rim member which is operatively associated with the pan member. First and second drop tube members are associated with the first and second fill ports to direct (feed flowing through the fill ports through first and second lower feed gates and onto the pan member. The drop tube members may have brood gates provided therethrough for providing a raised level of feed in the pan member.
US08091506B2

The invention relates to carbon deposition by decomposing gaseous compounds with the aid of the SHF discharge plasma. Said invention ensures a high speed deposition of the high quality diamond films (having a loss-tangent angle δ equal to or less than 3×10−5 on supports whose diameter is equal to or higher than 100 mm. For this purpose, a SHF discharge is initiated in a gas mixture which is arranged in a reaction chamber having a frequency f which is many times higher than a commonly used frequency of 2.45 GHz, for example 30 GHz. In order to localize the plasma, a standing wave is formed near the carrier and plasma layers are formed in the antinodes thereof in such a way that the sizes thereof are adjustable.
US08091498B2

The rudder arrangement for ships comprises a twisted and balanced rudder blade having a slender profile and a low profile thickness and comprising a propeller facing the rudder blade. A rudder pipe is located in the upper region of the rudder blade with rudder post located therein, wherein the rudder blade comprises two superposed rudder blade sections having different heights whose front nose strips facing the propeller are offset in such a manner that one nose strip is offset to port or starboard and the other nose strip is offset to starboard or port. The two side wall surfaces of the rudder blade converge into an end strip facing away from the propeller and have different arc profiles.
US08091496B2

Disclosed are luff extrusions that solve problems of batten chafing and friction locking. The inventive luff extrusions provide batten end receptacles with channels for headboard cars. The luff extrusions absorb the wind-generated compressive forces exerted by the battens on the batten pockets and eliminate the need for sail slides.
US08091459B2

A method for manufacturing a rotary tool for chip removing machining with at least one chip flute that extends in the longitudinal direction of the tool. The method involves preparing a mixture of a cemented carbide, cermet or ceramics powder and a carrier, such as a polymer, and placing the mixture in an extruding machine. The mixture is extruded in a feed direction by means of a die to form the diameter of the mixture body. The mixture body passes against a chisel which forms a chip flute in the outer periphery of the mixture body by chip-removing machining. When the chisel is displaced away from the mixture body, a non-fluted shaft portion is formed. By rotating the mixture body while contacted by the chisel, a helical chip flute can be formed. Alternatively, the body could be twisted after a straight flute has been formed, whereupon the flute becomes helical.
US08091454B1

A jewelry tool is disclosed for engaging a body jewelry. The jewelry tool comprises a tubular body having an interior chamber. A tubular core extends between a major end and a minor end. The tubular core is made of a deformable polymeric material. The tubular core is positioned within the tubular body. A bead bore defines a bore dimension and traverses into the tubular core from the major end. The bore dimension of the bead bore is less than a bead dimension of a bead for deforming the bead bore relative to the bead upon insertion of said bead into said bead bore for creating a friction couple. The friction couple secures the bead relative to the tubular body and transfers a rotational force from the tubular body to the bead for threadably engaging and disengaging the bead with a shaft.
US08091452B2

The present invention provides a method for reliable, easy, and low cost manufacturing of a drill head of such a kind that a cutting blade tip is brazed to a cutting blade mounting seat of a head body, with high dimensional accuracy and blade edge accuracy.In the manufacturing of a drill head 10 used with a screw shank 2 coupled in threading relation with a distal end portion of a tool shank 5 of a deep-hole cutting drill and with bounded circumferential face portions 22 and 23 at both sides which sandwich a male thread 21 portion adhered closely to a circumferential face of the tool shank 5, a screw shank cylindrical member 20A with a cutting stock 7 left at least on the bounded circumferential face portions 22 and 23 is welded and integrated with a rear end of a head body 1 for which cutting blade tips 30a to 30c have been brazed, thereafter cutting the cutting stock 7 of the screw shank cylindrical member 20A so as to be finished into the screw shank 2.
US08091443B2

The speed reduction type starter for engines comprises the engaging part 34 arranged in the perimeter of two internal gears 25 and 29 used for a set of speed reducers coaxially, the magnetic coil 35 that drives the engaging part 34 to the direction of the anti-motor side, and the return spring 37 that pushes the engaging part 34 to the direction of the motor sideWhen the magnetic coil 35 is in the OFF state, the engaging part 34 is pushed to the motor side by the return spring 37 to engage with the 1st internal gear 25 mechanically, so that the rotation of the 1st internal gear 25 is regulated and the 1st reduction ratio is selected.On the other hand, when the magnetic coil 35 is in the state of ON, the engaging part 34 is moved to the anti-motor side to engage with the 2nd internal gear 29, so that the rotation of the 2nd internal gear 29 is regulated and the 2nd reduction ratio is selected.
US08091438B1

A torsion tool includes a body having an operating head formed thereon for driving a workpiece and a power set disposed therein. A control assembly is installed into the body and includes a seat received therein. The seat includes a microcontroller disposed therein and a sensor electrically connected to the microcontroller, wherein the sensor is disposed in the body for sensing the change of the operating torsion. A transceiver and a switch are respectively electrically connected to the microcontroller. A first conducting set is disposed in the seat. A display module is detachably received in the seat for showing torsion value. The display module includes a second conducting set electrically connected to the microcontroller of the display module, wherein the second conducting set is selectively electrically connected to the first conducting set for directly receiving the signal from the microcontroller of the seat.
US08091434B2

The present invention discloses a feedback type, hydrodynamic oscillator flow meter for measuring the flow of fluids such as gas, air, water and oil, flowing through a conduit. This flow meter gives very accurate measurements over a long period of time since piezoelectric sensors are employed. The working principle of this flow meter is based on the Coanda Effect, which guides the flowing fluid to pass through two feedback paths (103, 129) alternatively and a linear relationship is obtained between the fluidic oscillation frequency and the flow rate.
US08091432B2

A system for tracking and monitoring data related to the manufacture, installation and/or life cycle of concrete structures, such as pilings, as well as related system components and methods for tracking, storing and accessing such data is provided. The system utilizes one or more embeddable antenna assemblies as well as sensor packages that are installed in the concrete structure form before casting. The antenna(s) provide wireless communication of the data from the structure. On board memory is also provided to store structure related data with the structure. A system for tracking a pile during driving is also provided.
US08091427B2

Disclosed herein are an apparatus and a technique for quickly detecting a defective portion including wastage, which has occurred in piping having a straight piping portion or a bending zone, in the nondestructive inspection using a guided wave. A guided wave sensor 3 included in a guided wave inspection device 4 is mounted to the outer surface of piping 1. A guided wave is propagated to an inspection area of the piping 1. If a defective portion exists, the guided wave sensor 3 receives the guided wave that has been reflected from the defective portion. As a result, the guided wave inspection device 4 can acquire receive information including receive information derived from the defect.
US08091424B2

A defect detection method of a turbine generator end ring includes a first ultrasonic testing step of conducting ultrasonic testing by an angle beam technique to the turbine generator end ring, a second ultrasonic testing step of conducting, when an indication echo is detected by the first ultrasonic testing step, ultrasonic testing by a focusing straight beam technique to a portion of the turbine generator end ring from which an indication echo is detected and an interpretation step of interpreting whether the indication echo is a defect echo or a false echo based on a testing result by the second ultrasonic testing step.
US08091404B2

An NOx catalyst of storage reduction type and an after-catalyst NOx sensor are provided in an exhaust passage in an internal combustion engine. The after-catalyst NOx sensor detects the NOx concentration on the downstream side of the NOx catalyst. The NOx concentration on the upstream side of the NOx catalyst is detected or estimated. The possible abnormality of the after-catalyst NOx sensor is determined by comparing the NOx concentration on the upstream side of the NOx catalyst detected or estimated and the NOx concentration detected by the after-catalyst NOx sensor, under the condition that the NOx catalyst does not substantially absorb NOx in exhaust gas. Abnormality diagnosis is performed with the possible impact of the NOx catalyst inhibited.
US08091396B2

A method for forming a part of deformed cross section with non-rotation symmetry on an end portion of a cylindrical workpiece. The method includes steps of performing a first relative motion of a roller against the workpiece toward its one open end, and performing a second relative motion of the roller against at least a part of outer peripheral surface of the end portion of the workpiece toward the inside thereof, while the roller is rotated relative to the workpiece by one rotation, in such a state as being held to be in contact with the end portion, in a plane which is perpendicular to the moving direction of the first relative motion, and which includes a position where the roller contacts the outer peripheral surface of the end portion, and performing a rotational motion of the roller relatively rotating around the workpiece, while performing the second relative motion, with the roller being held to be in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the end portion. The first relative motion is performed up to a position exceeding the one open end, while repeating the second relative motion and the rotational motion.
US08091385B2

A method for changing the width of particle thickness size distribution of flakes of material with the flakes being formed by a process that includes the steps of feeding a stream of molten material in a downwards direction into a rotating cup or disc and allowing the material to pass over the edge of the cup or disc in such a manner as to be forced into a gap between a pair of plates surrounding the cup or disc. The movement of material in the process used for forming the flakes is maintained in an angular direction and effected by a flow of air passing through the plates and either side of the material, so as to pull the stream of material in a manner for keeping it flat and, further, to pull the stream of material so that, as solidification of the material is effected, the sheet of material so formed is broken into flakes. The method for adjusting the width of particle thickness size distribution of the flakes of material so formed includes the step of varying the distance between the cup, or the disc, and the entrance to the gap between the plates until the desired particle size distribution is obtained.
US08091381B2

Aspects of the invention are found in a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a fluid inlet manifold, a fluid outlet manifold, a plurality of heat transfer channels configured to communicate with the fluid inlet manifold and the fluid outlet manifold, and packing located within the fluid inlet manifold. Further aspects of the invention are found in a refrigeration system. The refrigeration system includes a compressor and at least one heat exchanger coupled to the compressor. The at least one heat exchanger includes a header, packing located in the header, and a heat transfer channel. The heat transfer channel is configured to receive fluid passing through the header and the packing.
US08091379B2

Disclosed is a refrigerator having a sensor cover slidingly-coupled to inside of a cooling chamber and accommodating a sensor therein. Since the sensor cover is easily coupled to or separated from the cooling chamber, damage of components is prevented.
US08091374B2

A weighing type ice vending machine includes an ice cube formation device installed in a machine body for supplying a specific weight of ice cubes after coins are inputted, and a body composed of a storage bucket, an output device, a weight sensing module and a control loop. Pure water is put into an ice tray in the machine body and condensed into ice cubes which are gathered into a storage bucket for a cold storage. A user puts a user's container on a weighing scale of the weight sensing module at an outlet of the machine body outlet and inserts coins whose dollar amount information is displayed. The quantity of outputted ice cubes is calculated and outputted automatically, and then the ice supply is stopped. The quantity of remained ice cubes in the machine body is recorded automatically, such that the ice cube will be produced again timely and the supply of ice cubes will be stopped temporarily.
US08091373B2

Heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment units are provided with controllers which may be interconnected to a third or common controller, such as a communicating thermostat, and provide information in a process to determine if two or more of such air conditioning units may be operated as twinned units. Information is transmitted over a data bus between the controllers for the respective air conditioning units and the common controller to determine if the air conditioning units are the same type, of a same family and of essentially the same capacity before permitting twinned operation. If one of the air conditioning units is not twinnable, an alarm signal is generated to prevent operation of the air conditioning units in a multiple-unit configuration.
US08091362B2

A fuel nozzle is provided. The fuel nozzle includes a heat shield, a fuel tube and a plurality of support members. The support members are radially interposed between the heat shield and the fuel tube. The support members are preferably cylindrical tubes, thus creating voids or pockets between the heat shield and the fuel tube. The cylindrical tubes are connected to one another at a first end are free at an opposed end. As such, the tubes can move or slide relative to one another. Further, the tubes preferably only contact one another with at most line contacts. The fuel nozzle may also include a tip portion that includes a tip heat shield that extends radially outward from the primary heat shield. The tip heat shield defines a cavity that connects with the central cavity of the heat shield. The fuel tube extends through the tip heat shield.
US08091351B2

An article for treating a gas containing nitrogen oxides including: (a) a monolith substrate; and (b) a catalytic composition containing at least one catalytic component consisting of (i) at least one transition metal dispersed on a mixed oxide or composite oxide or a mixture thereof as support material consisting of cerium and zirconium; or (ii) cerium oxide and zirconium oxide as single oxides or a composite oxide thereof or a mixture of the single oxides and the composite oxide dispersed on an inert oxide support material, wherein at least one transition metal is dispersed thereon, provided that at least one selected transition metal is tungsten, wherein the catalytic composition is disposed on the monolith substrate.
US08091341B2

Exhaust gas purification method where a purification agent, consumed by an exhaust gas purifier arranged in the exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine, is supplied by an injector in an exhaust pipe into the exhaust passage on the upstream side of the exhaust gas purifier and mixed with exhaust gas. The exhaust passage is provided with a step beyond which the exhaust passage expands in order to generate swirls in the exhaust gas flow, and the purification agent is introduced at the step or in the vicinity thereof, thus accelerating atomization of the purification agent. Consequently, vaporization and diffusion of the purification agent can be accelerated efficiently within a short distance in the exhaust passage, and the purification agent can reach the exhaust gas purifier under a state where the purification agent is made uniform. Consequently, an exhaust gas purification system can be used even in small vehicles.
US08091335B2

A swept fan ramp for a pivot door thrust reverser includes a cylindrical unit with an elliptical flared portion, a side portion, and a rectangular flared portion. The elliptical flared portion is operable to reduce drag on airflow in a reverse direction and is coupled to the top center and bottom center of the circumference of the cylindrical unit. The side portion is operable to reduce side spillage airflow and is coupled to the central left side and central right side of the aft circumference of the cylindrical unit. The rectangular flared portion is operable to promote separation of airflow into an upper airflow path and a lower airflow path, is coupled with the aft circumference of the cylindrical unit, and is connected to the elliptical flared portion and the side portion.
US08091331B2

A windrow merger including three pickup and transfer units, a folding system, and a plurality of float mechanisms. The folding system employs simultaneous rearward, outward, and upward folding motion so as to ensure none of the units interfere with the other units while folding, and likewise while unfolding. The folding system can further fold and unfold each of the three pickup and transfer units at the same time. During merging operations, the plurality of float mechanisms of the windrow merger limits the range of motion of each pickup and transfer unit. The float mechanisms further transfer a portion of the weight of each pickup and transfer unit from the ground to the frame of the merger. The units of the windrow merger can also include a rub rail having a surface that reduces swirling or clumping of material as the material is conveyed toward an end of the windrow merger.
US08091324B2

The presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) relates to an erectable and/or collapsible floral easel for holding a floral object, and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to an erectable or collapsible floral easel for holding a floral object. In one aspect, the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) relates to a floral easel for holding and/or supporting a floral object. In yet another aspect, the presently disclosed and claimed inventive concept(s) relates to methods of shipping a floral easel, methods of using a floral easel, methods of storing a floral easel, and methods of placing a floral object on a floral easel.
US08091322B2

The invention relates to a packaging machine comprising at least one working station, in which a film is acted upon by means of underpressure or overpressure, characterized in that the pressure and/or the volume flow is regulated by means of a proportional controller.
US08091315B2

The present invention relates to a building block (2) comprising embedded light transmitting fibres (6) in a cast material (4), where the fibers are arranged in the cast material from a first lateral surface (8) of the building block to an opposite second lateral surface (10) of the same, whereby a fiber end, respectively, is arranged to end up at a respective position (12) on the first lateral surface (8), and the other end of the fiber is arranged to end up at a respective position (14) on the second lateral surface, whereby the fibers (6), respectively, permits transfer of light through the building block emitted from a light source arranged behind either of the lateral surfaces (8, 10), that the cast material (4) and the embedded fibers (6) therein constitute a building block (2) with a homogeneous structure that can receive load and further that a plurality of fibers (6) are evenly distributed over substantially the whole lateral surface (8, 10), respectively, whereby light can be emitted from the evenly distributed fiber ends in positions (12, 14) over substantially the whole lateral surface. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a building block comprising embedded light transmitting fibers.
US08091304B2

The invention relates to a construction panel, in particular for use in dry construction.
US08091293B2

A bearing is provided for use in connection with expansion joint systems. The bearing may be incorporated into expansion joint systems that are used in roadway constructions, bridge constructions, and architectural structures. The bearing can absorb increased loads that are applied to the expansion joint system. The structure of the bearing also permits improved motion of, and provides improved support for, the components of the expansion joint system that are supported on or engaged with the bearing.
US08091292B1

An apparatus for providing improved egress and greater safety for subterranean window wells. The apparatus has relatively low lifting force to allow people to escape fires and earthquake damaged buildings through egress windows. The apparatus can include mounts which are U-shaped and fit over opposing sides of the window well wall and are connected thereto. The mounts may have pivots which connect to an operator that applies upward force upon a grate assembly that covers the window well. The mounts and grate are hinged to pivot and allow the grate to be opened when needed. The operator has swivel and ball connections and an adjustable outboard connector.
US08091283B2

A retrofit conversion kit for facilitating the conversion of a door operating apparatus conventionally mounted above the door, to a position mounted and anchored underground for operating a swinging door therefrom. The conversion to an anchored underground position is facilitated by incorporating positional adjustment mechanisms covering any or all possible adjustment dimensions.
US08091279B2

A multi container system of at least one each of the first container, and at least one second and at least one third container, each of which has a chamber therein. The first container has a water retaining chamber with water input and water output as well as a water self leveling means. The second container has a water transfer chamber in which a wicking tray loaded with a wicking medium is placed, preferably on a drainage tray, said medium being used to transfer the water to the plants disposed in a third container's plant receiving chamber. The container #3 nests within the water transfer chamber of container #2, to receive water therefrom by capillary action. Container #1 is fluidly connected to a first container #2 for water transfer, and a series of containers #2 may be linked, as space limitations and grade permit, or as may be desired.
US08091271B2

The blood-simulating fishing lure is a fishing lure having a chain of lightweight spherical elements or ball chain threaded through or attached to an artificial lure body, such as a float or plug, to simulate a bleeding or wounded baitfish as it moves through the water. The spherical elements are preferably colored red and made from aluminum or other lightweight material. The chain is preferably attached to the lure so that a portion of the chain extends on both sides of the float or plug.
US08091268B2

According an embodiment, a projectile weapon aiming system includes a computer-controllable reticle with crosshairs or other aiming marks having a color and/or illumination that can be selectively changed to provide feedback to a shooter to indicate when the projectile weapon aiming system (and hence the projectile weapon itself) is accurately aimed to compensate for a particular range, inclination, crosswind, and/or other ballistic conditions.
US08091262B2

Display tag holders in one integral part of an injection molded plastic, such as polyurethane, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, including an essentially planar display portion, a connecting portion and a ring attachment portion, the ring attachment portion having at least one flexible resilient ring segment including a proximal end closest to the display portion and at least one distal end, the at least one flexible resilient ring segment defining a circumferential direction and a ring plane in which the at least one flexible resilient ring segment essentially extends, wherein the at least one flexible resilient ring segment is attached to the display portion by the connecting portion so that the ring plane is essentially perpendicular to the plane of the planar display portion.
US08091252B2

Disclosed herein is a method of controlling a gas valve of a dryer which controls the amount of gas supplied into a gas combustor. The method includes detecting the temperature of hot air supplied into a drum, detecting the temperature of the hot air discharged outside the drum, and controlling a gas valve of a gas combustor according to the temperature of the hot air supplied into the drum and the temperature of the hot air discharged outside the drum.
US08091251B1

A high-speed measuring electronic digital outside micrometer allowing a user to make measurements quickly and effectively compared to conventional electronic outside micrometers with rotary thread spindles, which have limited measuring speed. This high-speed measuring electronic digital outside micrometer features: a linear motion digital sensor, a linear scale digital sensor, a linear motion digital sensor base, a digital display unit, an electronic processing unit, a micrometer body, a linear spindle, a linear spindle movement unit, a spindle control unit, a micrometer anvil, and retractable springs. In a stationary position, the measuring surface of the micrometer anvil and the linear spindle are in contact to the other. By operating the spindle control unit, it will create distance between the micrometer anvil and the linear spindle measuring surface. This distance is a measurable distance of the micrometer. By set free of the spindle control unit, the retractable springs will re-set the micrometer to its stationary position.
US08091240B2

There is provided an assembling method of a bearing unit which has a bearing having an outer ring and a retainer plate having a retainer hole for holding the outer ring. The assembling method has pressing a plurality of portions in a circumferential direction of a circumferential edge of an inner circumferential portion of the retainer hole of the retainer plate in an axial direction so as to form engagement pawls and moving the engagement pawls of the retainer plate from one axial end of the outer ring to a engagement groove formed on an outer circumferential surface of the outer ring so as to engage the engagement pawls of the retainer plate with the engagement groove of outer ring.
US08091236B2

A method of manufacturing a toothed power transmission member having an oil reservoir according to the present invention includes steps of forming primitive concave portion, which form a basis for the oil reservoir, on a surface of a toothed power transmission member work, and forming a tooth surface by processing the toothed power transmission member work such that a trace of the primitive concave portion is left on the toothed power transmission member thereby to form a toothed power transmission member. The trace of the primitive concave portion, which is formed in the step of forming a tooth surface and left on the toothed power transmission member, serves as the oil reservoir.
US08091232B2

The invention relates to a device (10) for operating in a water chamber (7) of a heat exchanger (1) comprising a wall (6) of substantially hemispherical shape and, at its upper portion, a tube plate (5) traversed by a plurality of vertical holes (4). The device comprises at least one rail (11) furnished with members for attachment on the bottom face of the tube plate (5) and supporting at least one trolley (15) that can be moved along the said rail (11) and fitted with a pendular lifting means (19) and a robotic arm (20) comprising an attachment base (30) furnished with members for coupling on the bottom face of the tube plate (5) and a drive means interacting with the lifting means (19) to draw the attachment base (30) against the tube plate (5).The invention applies more particularly to the steam generator of a pressurized water nuclear reactor.
US08091231B2

The present invention provides a spinning method of a work piece in a non-circular cylindrical shape capable of eliminating a swollen part, without causing any creases or depressions on the formed face, by performing spinning to the swollen part produced in a region near the minor axis of the work piece in a non-circular cylindrical shape. A spinning method for spinning the end part of the work piece into a circular cylindrical shape comprises a spindle mechanism provided with a spinning roller at the tip of the spindle and a work piece holding mechanism for holding the work piece in a non-circular cylindrical shape disposed face to face with the spindle mechanism, and includes performing spinning for forming the end part of the work piece into an inclined face inclined so as to gradually reduce in diameter, and then performing spinning on the swollen part in a region near the minor axis of the work piece by displacing the work piece by a prescribed angle in the plane containing the minor axis plane of the work piece in a non-circular cylindrical shape.
US08091226B2

Connector assemblies for use with implantable medical devices having easy to assemble contacts is disclosed. The connector assemblies are generally formed by coupling a plurality of contact rings, sealing rings, and spring contact elements together with at least one holding ring to form a connector having a common bore fore receiving a medical lead cable. Contact grooves for positioning the spring contact elements are formed in part by assembling multiple components together.
US08091219B2

A reduced insertion force mezzanine connector is used to couple first and second circuit boards. In one embodiment a connector frame has a first end disposed against the first circuit board and defining a first wall, and an opposing second end disposed against the second circuit board and defining a second wall generally parallel with the first wall. A plurality of wafers are disposed. Each wafer has a first edge in sliding contact with the first wall and an opposing second edge in sliding contact with the second wall. A plurality of electrically conducting pathways extend along each wafer from the first edge to the second edge. A wafer guide structure defines a plurality of wafer-support aisles on the first and second walls for receiving the edges of the wafers to constrain the wafers with a fixed spacing and generally parallel alignment. A plurality of terminals are biased to protrude laterally into each wafer support aisle, and are spaced along the wafer support aisle such that each wafer is movable within the respective wafer support aisle between a first position, wherein each electrically conducting pathway is disposed between adjacent terminals, to a second position, wherein each electrically conducting pathway is in electrical contact with a terminal on the first wall and an associated terminal on the second wall.
US08091217B2

A contact element for producing an electric contact has a laser cut conducting plate, with the contour of the laser cut conducting plate including at least two tips, which are embodied as contact tips for a contact pad of a part, connected to each other by a separating area, such that a one-piece semi-finished part is embodied.
US08091216B2

An electric parts mounting apparatus includes rotary type multi-nozzle mounting heads. Each of the mounting heads has a plurality of suction nozzles disposed in a radial manner on a rotor mechanism, which rotates around a rotation shaft. A parts mount mechanism is configured such that the axial direction of the rotation shaft coincides with an arrangement direction of tape feeders. A shaft-to-shaft distance of the suction nozzles is set to be plural times as large as a pitch of the feeder arrangement. In a pick up process, a plurality of electronic parts can be simultaneously picked up from the tape feeders. In a parts mounting process, while one of the mounting heads mounts the part, the other mounting head can complete a nozzle changeover operation such that the suction nozzle holding an electronic part to be mounted next is moved to an operation position.
US08091209B1

A magnetic sensor includes a sensor stack having a first magnetic portion, a second magnetic portion, and a barrier layer between the first magnetic portion and the second magnetic portion. The first magnetic portion and/or the second magnetic portion comprises a multilayer structure including a first magnetic layer having a positive magnetostriction adjacent to the barrier layer, a second magnetic layer, and an intermediate layer between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer. The magnetic sensor exhibits a magnetoresistive ratio of at least about 62% with a resistance-area (RA) product of about 0.45 Ω·μm2.
US08091207B2

A method for laying a superconductor cable having a superconductive cable core and a cryostat enclosing the superconductive cable core, with the superconductive cable core being arranged freely mobile in the cryostat. The method includes cooling the superconductive cable core to the operating temperature after laying the superconductor cable, shortening the superconductive cable core relative to the cryostat, fixing the superconductive cable core at its ends; and mounting terminations on the ends of the cable core.
US08091203B2

One exemplary embodiment of a high pressure tank and a method thereof includes providing a liner of the high pressure tank. A liner having at least one open end with a first inner diameter and a first outer diameter. The method also including providing a cap having a second outer diameter which is greater than the first inner diameter. The method further includes providing a collar having a second inner diameter which is less than the first outer diameter. The liner is brought to a first temperature, the cap is brought to a second temperature which is less than the first temperature, and the collar is brought to a third temperature which is greater than the first temperature. At least a portion of the cap is placed inside the open end and at least a portion of the collar is placed over the open end.
US08091201B2

A unique tubular work piece is disclosed along with a novel method and apparatus for manufacturing tubular work pieces from sheet metal stock lighter and stronger structures with less waste and less cost than prior methods.
US08091194B2

The system according to the invention allows the separation of two equipment items of an installation in a confined environment, without interrupting the confinement inside this installation.It primarily comprises a confinement flange (10) placed tightly between the two parts of the installation, and comprising a slot (12) protected by a temporary cover (11). The assembly is completed by a guillotine made up of two closure plates (20A, 20B) pressed against each other before their insertion into the slot (12). Once this insertion of the guillotine is complete, the two closure plates (20A) and (20B) can be separated from each other so as to each constitute a tight covering of the two parts of the installation to be separated.Application to confinement installations for the implementation of vacuum intervention methods where one wishes to maintain a special confinement.
US08091182B2

Disclosed is a closure system used in combination in any of a variety of applications including clothing, for example as a footwear lacing system comprising a lace attached to a tightening mechanism. The lace extends through a series of guide members positioned along two opposing footwear closure portions. The lace and guides preferably have low friction surfaces to facilitate sliding of the lace along the guide members so that the lace evenly distributes tension across the footwear member. The tightening mechanism allows incremental adjustment of the tension of the lace. The closure system allows a user to quickly loosen the lace and inhibits unintentional and/or accidental loosing of the lace.
US08091178B2

A hinge has a pintle, a moving leaf, a resilient device and a stationary leaf. The pintle has a resilient device mount formed on a distal end and is mounted securely in the stationary leaf. The moving leaf is mounted rotatably around the pintle and has a barrel having a protruding limit formed on an outer end. Because the resilient device mount is formed on the pintle, it does not break easily and may slip to prevent terminal failure and be reset when closed. The protruding limit abuts the stationary leaf and ensures a gap is formed between the leaves for wires cabling or the like. Therefore the hinge has improved wear and longer lifespan.
US08091174B2

The present invention provides an upright vacuum cleaner (10) having an elongate body (12) and comprising a floorhead (14) on which the elongate body is mounted, the floorhead (14) having a first inlet (140) for dirty air, a wand having a second inlet for dirty air, a changeover valve (22) for selecting between a flow of dirty air from the first or second inlet, a dust collection chamber (18) also having a dirty air inlet (180), a duct (28) for conveying said flow of dirty air from the changeover valve (22) to the dust collection chamber inlet (180), and a source of suction power for drawing the dirty air from the first or second inlet through said changeover valve (22) and said duct (28) to the dust collection chamber inlet (180). The changeover valve (22) comprises a linear conduit (24) positionable in fluid flow between the first inlet (140) for dirty air of the floorhead (14) and said duct (28), the duct (28) having a sigmoid curve (30) from the changeover valve (22) to the dust collection chamber inlet (180). When the conduit (24) is positioned in fluid flow between the first inlet (140) and the duct (28), the flow of dirty air from the first inlet (140), through the changeover valve (22) and the duct (28) to the dust collection chamber inlet (180) all lies in a plane.
US08091165B2

A module bedding system comprises a universal base having removable mattress supporting panels, a headrest adjustable module and a footrest adjustable module. The universal base may be used with the removable panels in place to support a conventional non-adjustable mattress or the removable panels may be removed and the adjustable modules substituted to enable the base to support either a headrest adjustable mattress or a headrest and footrest adjustable mattress.
US08091162B2

A vehicle for use in hospitals, and the like, giving better mobility, steering, braking and passenger handling while providing comfort to the passengers from the time they lay down until they are standing on the side through the rotation and tilting ability of the frame.
US08091157B2

A modular portable cabana-type restroom includes a roof, base platform, foot portions, side wall panels, a back wall panel, four corner portions and a door. The side wall panels and back wall panel are provided with vertically-disposed hooks for interlocking with complementary slots along the edges of the corner portions. The roof is provided with clips for engaging the corner portions. This permits convenient interlocking removable assembly of the wall panels, corner portions and roof without the use of mechanical fasteners, such as rivets, screws or nuts and bolts. Recesses in the foot portions accept the insertion of the corner portions and corners of the base portion, which are then secured together through formed apertures using a minimum number of mechanical fasteners. This provides for easy assembly and disassembly of the restroom for transport, repair and storage.
US08091155B1

A seat lifting system includes a toilet and a seat and a lid, which are hingedly coupled together by a hinge and secured to the toilet so that each of the seat and lid are positionable in lifted position or lowered position relative to the toilet. A pivot bar is rotatably coupled to the seat and the lid adjacent to the hinge. A lifting arm is coupled to a first end of the pivot bar. The lifting arm extends outwardly from the pivot bar and engages a bottom face of the seat. The lifting arm lifts the seat when the pivot bar is rotated. A lifting assembly is coupled to the pivot bar and is actuated to rotate the pivot bar to lift the seat of the toilet. The lifting assembly is actuated again to rotate the pivot bar to lower the seat of the toilet.
US08091144B2

A flameproof, heat resistant, lightweight, one-piece escape suit which includes attached integral mitts or gloves, covered footing, and a hood. The fire and heat resistant one piece suit is designed to be worn over a commercial smoke hood, is formed from a metalized fabric, and meets the requirements of ASTM standard D6413. The suit is designed to be easily slipped onto a wearer's body over typical street clothing, and allows a wearer to wear his or her accustomed footwear for improved safety and comfort. The durable fabric provides protection to a wearer when crawling low to the ground on his or her knees and elbows as is often recommended as a preferred escape posture. The fire and heat resistant one piece suit may be provided in multiple sizes to fit adults and children. The fire and heat resistant one piece suit, as well as a smoke hood, may be packaged into compact, lightweight emergency escape kit bag with unique “glow in the dark” lettering; FIRE ESCAPE KIT suitable for carrying between home and work, etc.
US08095990B2

A gaming machine comprises a gaming board and a mother board. The gaming board comprises a boot ROM and a card slot. The boot ROM stores therein an authentication program for authenticating a gaming program and a gaming system program stored in a memory card. The card slot receives the memory card therein. The mother board comprises a main CPU and a RAM. The main CPU reads the authentication program from the boot ROM and the gaming program and gaming system program from the memory card received in the card slot. The main CPU executes an authentication process for the read gaming program and gaming system program according to the read authentication program. The main CPU writes the authenticated gaming program and gaming system program to the RAM. The main CPU controls a game proceeding according to the written gaming program and gaming system program.
US08095976B2

Systems, methods, and computer program products that can be used concurrently or alternatively to detect errors in data as well as to protect access to data are provided. Embodiments enable a coherent data set (CDS) which is a data set guaranteed to be genuine and error-free at run-time. Embodiments provide systems, methods, and computer program programs to create a CDS, identify a CDS, and verify the coherency of a data set purported to be a CDS. Embodiments further enable privileged functions which are functions that can only be accessed by a restricted set of other privileged functions. Embodiments provide systems, methods, and computer program products to create, identify, and protect access to privileged functions.
US08095971B2

In one embodiment of the present invention a Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive with locking swivel cap includes a USB device, a swivel cap having a top swivel cap face and a bottom swivel cap face. The swivel cap is connectably attached to the USB device, four locking pins, two of which disposed on the top swivel cap face and two of which disposed on the bottom swivel cap face, two top locking grooves disposed on a top surface of the USB device, and two bottom locking grooves disposed on a bottom surface of the USB device, wherein the locking pins disposed on top swivel cap face coupled with the two top locking grooves and the locking pins disposed on the bottom swivel cap face couple with the two bottom locking grooves allowing the swivel cap to lock in fully open (180 degrees) and fully closed (0 degree). A USB connector is connected to the USB device to couple the USB flash drive to a host device. A fingerprint sensor area is disposed on the top side of the USB device, the fingerprint sensor scans fingerprints of a user of the portable flash drive with swivel cap and optional fingerprint verification capability, and allowing access to data stored on the portable flash drive with swivel cap and optional fingerprint verification capability.
US08095964B1

A threat detection event indicating a detection of a malware entity is identified at a client. Threat information associated with the malware entity is identified responsive to the threat detection event, the threat information for detecting the malware entity, wherein at least some of the threat information is unaffected by variance associated with the malware entity. The threat information is reported to a peer client of the client. Peer threat information describing a peer malware entity detected at the peer client is received at the client from the peer client via a network and used to examine the client for the peer malware entity.
US08095963B2

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for securing resource stores with claims-based security. From policy information, a resource store populates a security table of permissions. The permissions authorize resource access based on received claims. Sessions submit claims to the resource store. The resource store accumulates claims for a session into a claims list. From the claims list and the security table, the resource store filters out a subset of metadata including resource IDs for resources the session is authorized to access. Since the metadata corresponds to the session, any application using the session is given similar access to resources at the resource store.
US08095962B2

Method and system of auditing databases for security compliance. The method and system relating to querying databases for security parameters and auditing the queried parameters against authorized security parameters to determine security compliance of the databases.
US08095960B2

Techniques are provided for secure synchronization and sharing of secrets. A first principal acquires an encrypted access key to a secret store of a second principal. The first principal contacts an identity manager and supplies a decrypted version of the access key. One or more secrets of the second principal may be acquired or modified by the first principal while accessing the secret store.
US08095959B2

The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method of applying policies. The method may include identifying a first entity and a first relationship, the first relationship defining an attribute related to the first entity. Additionally, the method may include identifying a policy associated with the first entity and the first relationship and applying semantics to determine a degree of relatedness between the first entity and a second entity. Further, the method may include applying the policy to a second relationship that defines an attribute related to the second entity if the degree of relatedness between the entity and the second entity is within a range of values.
US08095956B1

A method for providing interactive programming over a broadband network. A service provider provides a private data packet including the provider's address that is inserted between frames of a transmission that is broadcast over the broadband network. The interactive video/data system may include a broadcast source, a broadband digital terminal, and a set top box for a consumer's television receiver. A data path may be enabled by the set top box upon receipt of the private data packet included with the video transmission. The private data packet includes application interface information communicated in real-time between the set top box and broadcast source in addition to the destination address.
US08095954B2

A method includes associating a first channel identifier of an electronic programming guide with a first multimedia channel from a first content source and associating a second channel identifier of the electronic programming guide with a second multimedia channel from a second content source. The second content source is different from the first content source. A computer readable medium embodies a set of executable instructions that manipulate a processor to generate an electronic programming guide. The electronic programming guide includes a first set of one or more channel identifiers and a second set of one or more channel identifiers. Each channel identifier in the first set is associated with one or more multimedia channels of a cable television transmission and each channel identifier in the second set is associated with a multimedia channel of a packet-based network transmission.
US08095947B2

A motor and a disk driver having the motor are disclosed. The motor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: a shaft; a boss, which is coupled to one end of the shaft; a bearing, which supports the other end of the shaft such that the shaft can rotate; a holder, which supports the bearing; a stator, which is coupled to the holder; a rotor, which is coupled to the boss and covers the stator; and a ventilation hole, which is formed on a lower surface of the boss such that air flows toward the stator. The motor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can make the flow of air around a disk stable by forming an air circulation structure, allowing air to flow from the inside to the outside of the motor.
US08095934B2

In a first data delivery apparatus, a user-input receiving unit receives data and a request for executing a workflow, a first data processing unit processes the data based on the workflow, a destination obtaining unit obtains a destination from the workflow, and a transferring unit transfers the data, the workflow, and a progress of the workflow to the destination. In a second data delivery apparatus, a transfer receiving unit receives the data, the workflow, and the progress of the workflow, a workflow executing unit executes the workflow from a non-executed part based on the progress of the workflow, and a data delivery unit delivers data to other destination.
US08095926B2

A method for the installation of a program component on a processing unit, which is used to ensure the compatibility of software units and components in embedded systems in particular, which may be updated via a downloading procedure. For this purpose, it is checked before the installation whether the program component to be installed is compatible with a program component already provided on the processing unit. An installation is only performed in the event of a positive check of the compatibility.
US08095922B2

A method and computer program product for providing an optimization for a most derived object during compile time are provided. The optimization determines whether a most derived class object is present during a compile time. Also, the optimization utilizes the most derived class object to obtain a location of a virtual base for the most derived class object during the compile time, and provides the virtual base of the most derived class object during the compile time. The method is executed for a constructor and/or a destructor. The constructor or destructor contains arguments which require conversion to a base type, and the conversion is performed at compile-time instead of at runtime.
US08095921B2

A method of detecting portions of code of a computer program that protect resources of a computer system unnecessarily can include identifying threads and synchronization objects that are used by a computer program during execution, determining the number of threads that have accessed each resource while it has been consistently protected by a particular synchronization object, and indicating whether the resource is suited for protection according to the number of threads that have accessed the resource.
US08095917B2

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for testing intermediate language operations. A debugger harness is provided that instruments an intermediate language stream to replace intermediate language operations with equivalent virtual intermediate language operations. A particular intermediate language operation is intercepted from the intermediate language stream and the equivalent virtual intermediate language operation is determined. The virtual machine runs under a debugger harness so that one or more managed applications are executed using the equivalent virtual intermediate language operations. This allows a functionality of the debugger to be tested.
US08095916B2

A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that in an embodiment find all those breakpoints that meet a selection criteria and add the breakpoints to a breakpoint group. In various embodiments, the selection criteria may be a condition criteria, a hierarchy criteria, or a skipping criteria. In this way, the programmer is freed from needing to individually add breakpoints to the group and all the breakpoints in the group may be enabled, disabled, or removed as a group.
US08095912B2

Systems and methods for testing a context-free language compiler. Given a description of a context-free grammar including a set of production rules, a test component applies the grammar description to generate one or more valid test strings of terminal symbols. A value generation component may replace one or more terminal symbols in the set of test strings with values appropriate for the class of the terminal symbol. The resulting set of test strings may be individually applied to a compiler, which returns a response based upon the applied test string that may be used to determine if the compiler is operating as expected. The set of test strings may be generated using every production rule of the given context-free grammar description. In addition to valid test strings, a set of invalid test strings may be generated by making use of a set of invalid production rules while generating test strings.
US08095909B2

A method and system for model-driven transformation are provided. The method and system in one aspect allows selecting of one or more model elements in a model. Transformation definitions are evaluated to identify one or more transformations that may be applicable to the selected one or more model elements. In one aspect, transformations may be identified that are applicable in an entire model, those that take the selected one or more model elements as input parameters, those that affect one or more model element, or any combination thereof. In one aspect, a list of applicable transformations is presented. In another aspect, the method and system automatically apply the one or more applicable transformations to the model.
US08095905B2

Provided is a power supply wiring structure which comprises a first and a second power supply wirings, which are disposed on different planes to cross each other two-dimensionally. The first and second power supply wirings are interlayer-connected by a first via at a crossing area where those power supply wirings cross each other. An extension wiring which is formed by partially extending from the crossing area along a wiring extending direction of other power supply wiring is provided at least to either the first power supply wiring or the second power supply wiring. The extension wiring and either the first power supply wiring or the second power supply wiring, which are disposed on a different plane from the extension wiring to face the extension wiring, are interlayer-connected by a second via. Thereby, generation of electro migration can be suppressed.
US08095904B2

A method of producing a flexible timing-driven routing tree is provided. Two or more target nodes are sorted in accordance with data criticality. A source-sink grid is built from one or more source nodes and the two or more target nodes. An initial routing tree is built comprising the one or more source nodes. A routing tree generation algorithm is executed on the initial routing tree, utilizing the sorted two or more target nodes and the source-sink grid in accordance with a user-defined timing factor to construct a flexible timing-driven routing tree. The user-defined timing factor specifies an extent of isolation for a routing path from a given one of the one or more source nodes to a given one of the two or more target nodes.
US08095899B1

A verifiable duplex multiplier circuit is provided. In one mode, the circuitry of the duplex multiplier functions as an N-bit×N-bit multiplier. In another mode, the circuitry of the duplex multiplier operates as dual N/2-bit×N/2-bit multipliers. Because the same circuitry can be used to serve as both an N×N multiplier and as dual N/2×N/2 multipliers, integrated circuit resources are conserved. The duplex multiplier circuitry uses an architecture that can be automatically synthesized using a logic synthesis tool. Verification operations can be performed using logic-equivalency error checking tools. Exhaustive verification is possible using this approach, even when relatively large duplex multipliers (e.g., duplex multipliers with N values of 16 or more) are used.
US08095898B1

Disclosed are improved approaches for implementing design entry. An efficient, spread-sheet based representation is provided for both the instances and connections in a design. Visualization techniques provide the user with visual cues, to direct and identify compatible connection points, unconnected instances, and contention situations. Techniques are disclosed to automatically filter the spreadsheet in a variety of ways, to help the user to dynamically hide portions of the design space that are not interesting at a particular time, and thus to improve the efficiency with which they can work.
US08095895B2

A method for defect diagnosis and management, which is implemented in a process for fabricating an article, comprising the following steps: obtaining an inspection image of the article, wherein the inspection image shows at least one defect of the article; retrieving a design layout corresponding to the inspection image, wherein the design layout has a plurality of conductive regions; matching the inspection image and the design layout for correcting the coordinates of the defect on the design layout; and judging the overlaps of the conductive regions so as to obtain a short failure if the defect covers two conductive regions, obtain a open failure if the defect intercepts one of conductive region, or obtain no failure if the defect overlaps one of conductive region but not intercepts or covers another conductive region.
US08095893B2

A highly interactive directory tree can be provided through a client user interface. A user can access an organization's records through, for example, a web-based user interface on the client computer system. The user interface can be configured to display a directory tree of related member records in the organization, and can be further configured with a number of option controls. The option controls can be configured to allow a user to differentiate how some or all of the records in the directory tree are displayed at any given time, to define how many member records the directory tree displays, as well as how to view at-a-glance information for each member record. The option controls can further be configured to provide selective communications to specific members, or groups of filtered members in the directory tree.
US08095890B2

A home system for supporting a life behavior, in which a user can effectively select a function or content quickly according to attributes and states of display devices arranged in respective locations and the user behavior. A storage unit holds location attribute information on the devices, time band dependent use frequency for each user, and location dependence of each. A user identifier input unit identifies a user using a function or content. When displaying a menu for the user to select a content and a function, a calculation unit references each database of the storage unit in accordance with the menu display state and generates menu content information correlated to the content and the function. A display unit displays such a menu that the user can easily select a content and a function with higher priority rank according to the menu content information.
US08095889B2

The present invention advantageously provides a method for interfacing an access control system and an input device, comprising the steps of displaying, on the input device, a set of choices from a plurality of choices, receiving one choice, and modifying the displayed set of choices based on the one choice, wherein modifying is performed by a heuristic method and/or a usage-based method. The heuristic method determines if one choice is a request for additional information, and, if it is, modifies the choices to include the additional information, and to exclude advanced and typical choices; and, if not, modifies the choices to include the advanced and typical choices. The usage-based method comprises incrementing a choice counter, if the counter is greater than multiple choices, modifying the choices to extra emphasize the choice, and if not, modifying the to emphasize the choice.
US08095887B2

An apparatus for providing multiple screens and a method of dynamically configuring multiple screens are provided. The apparatus for providing multiple screens includes a service processing module which generates logical screens displaying services and a display screen and swaps the services between the logical screens, and an output module which maps the logical screens to arbitrary locations on the display screen.
US08095884B2

A processing device may include a WYSIWYG tool for designing two-dimensional visual layouts. The processing device may display a visual layout including a first object component and a second object component. The first object component, or an object subcomponent thereof, may be moved or resized, or an object subcomponent of the second object component may be moved or resized. When an edge of the first object component or an edge of the object subcomponent, thereof, is within a snapping distance of an edge of the object subcomponent of the second object component, the processing device may attempt to align the edges and may display an indicator indicating alignment of the edges. The first object component or the object subcomponent, thereof, may be drawn to an aligned position with the object subcomponent of the second object component while the aligned edges are within the snapping distance.
US08095880B2

A method provides, as part of a computer administration system, an administration interface that can operate on almost any computerized device that has a user interface. The computer administration system manages components of a computer system and the administration interface is operable to configure the components and to provide dynamic performance and configuration information of the components to the user as the components operate. The method provides a “commentary input” area on the administration interface while providing the performance and configuration information of a specific component or a set of components. Thus, the method can receive comment(s) about the specific component(s) of the computerized system in the commentary input area. When this occurs, the method stores the comment(s) in a data store in a manner that associates the comment(s) with the specific component(s) that was being monitored. The method also automatically stores contemporaneous component data with each comment in the data store. This contemporaneous component data comprises instantaneous performance and configuration information of the specific component(s) being monitored that is frozen at the time when the comment was received.
US08095879B2

The present invention relates to a user interface for a mobile handheld computer unit, which computer unit comprises a touch sensitive area (1), which is divided into a menu area (2) and a display area (3). The computer unit is adapted to run several applications simultaneously and to present an active application on top of any other application on the display area (3). The menu area (2) is adapted to present a representation of a first (21), a second (22) and a third predefined (23) function. The first function (21) is a general application dependent function, the second function (22) is a keyboard function, and the third function (23) is a task and file manager. Any one of these three functions can be activated when the touch sensitive area (1) detects a movement of an object with its starting point within the representation of the function on the menu area (2) and with a direction from the menu area (2) to the display area (3).
US08095878B2

The exemplary embodiment of the present invention relates to the dynamic activation and deactivation of a spell check feature option for instant message chat session features within a virtual environment. As such, the spell check feature can be activated and deactivated within the virtual environment based upon the identity of an engaged party to chat session or the identities of other parties that are in proximity to the chat session parties within the virtual environment.
US08095876B1

A system and method identifies a primary version out of different versions of the same document. The system selects a priority of authority for each document version based on a priority rule and information associated with the document version, and selects a primary version based on the priority of authority and information associated with the document version.
US08095875B2

A method and apparatus for consolidating network information, in some cases for use as a start/portal page. The invention provides means for “framing” Internet content, as well as creating links on the fly, to a single start/portal page that can be accessed by a single user, or by a set of users in a cooperative relationship with each other.
US08095873B2

Provided are a method, system, and program for promoting content from one content management system to another content management system. Content from a first content management system satisfying a content criteria is determined. The first content management system includes content objects added by users in a collaborative environment. A second content management system providing content objects associated with content categories is processed to determine one of the content categories relevant to the determined content from the first content management system. The determined content is added to the second content management system and the content added to the second content management system is associated with the determined content category.
US08095867B2

The present invention is related to displaying and/or hiding, in an electronic multi-dimensional spreadsheet on a user interface, elements of a range of cells, a range of cells including one or more contiguous elements aligned along a given spreadsheet dimension, an element of a range of cells including one or more cells along one or more of the spreadsheet dimensions.
US08095865B2

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for managing layout updates to user interface elements. A dirty state of user interface elements is tracked in a tree with multiple nodes of user interface elements. The dirty state allows dirty subtrees of the nodes to be identified. A root node is identified for each of the dirty subtrees. Affected portions of the tree are updated, starting with the root node that was identified for each of the dirty subtrees. As part of the update process, changes to ancestor nodes are detected and used to make a layout process more efficient. For example, any layout processes that are currently being performed on any descendant nodes of a changed ancestor are abandoned, and the layout process is resumed at the changed ancestor. After updating affected portions of the tree, the updated user interface elements are then rendered on an output device.
US08095862B2

A method, transceiver, and computer program storage product transfer data over fiber between a first transceiver and a second transceiver. The second transceiver is determined to support a high integrity cyclic redundancy check associated with substantially an entire data set in a Fiber Channel Protocol exchange between the first transceiver and the second transceiver. A last data frame in a plurality of data frames is formatted for communication to the second transceiver during the Fiber Channel Protocol exchange. The last data frame includes a plurality of data and at least one cyclic redundancy check field associated with the plurality data and at least one additional cyclic redundancy check field associated with the plurality of data frames.
US08095861B2

A method includes checking a first parameter that indicates whether parity generation and checking for a at least a sub-portion of a cache line is disabled, setting at least one parity bit, corresponding to the sub-portion, in the cache line with a second parameter that indicates an action to perform when the first parameter indicates that parity generation and checking is disabled, passing the at least one set parity bit with the sub-portion to a processor for processing, and performing the action when the sub-portion is processed by the processor, wherein the processor performs the action.
US08095856B2

A system and method corrects erroneous sections received in a memory by pre-filling at least a portion of memory with a pre-defined value. If a received data packet is valid, the valid received data packet is stored over the pre-defined values in the memory location associated with the valid data packet. Values associated with a data segment and an adjacent data segment in the memory are compared to the pre-defined value. When the values of each data segment match the pre-defined values, then each data segment is an erroneous data segment.
US08095851B2

A storage subsystem monitors one or more conditions related to the probability of a data error occurring. Based on the monitored condition or conditions, the storage subsystem adjusts an error correction setting, and thus the quantity of ECC data used to protect data received from a host system. To enable blocks of data to be properly checked when read from memory, the storage subsystem stores ECC metadata indicating the particular error correction setting used to store particular blocks of data. The storage subsystem may be in the form of a solid-state non-volatile memory card or drive that attaches to the host system.
US08095848B1

A multi-byte cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculation circuit and a method of calculating a multi-byte CRC. In one embodiment, the circuit includes: (1) a plurality of modules each configured to receive remainder bits in first inputs thereof and different numbers of portions of an input message in second inputs thereof and compute candidate CRC bits based thereon, (2) a storage element configured to receive output bits from one of the plurality of modules and provide the output bits to the first inputs as the remainder bits and (3) a multiplexer coupled to first outputs of the plurality of modules and configured to select from among the candidate CRC bits to yield a CRC for the input message.
US08095844B2

An optical disc using super-resolution effects that achieves higher-density recording exceeding the optical resolution suffers from the signal-quality degradation caused by the normal resolution component included in the reproduction signal. To address this problem, a data reproduction method is provided. In the method, characteristic error patterns are identified and parity check codes in conformity with run-length limited coding are used to carry out efficient and reliable error correction. Error patterns caused by the normal resolution crosstalk are localized in the leading edges of a mark following a long space and in the trailing edges of a long mark. Whether an error exists in the data is determined by use of the parity check codes. When an error occurs, a pattern in which an error is most likely to occur is selected from the above-mentioned patterns by taking account of the edge shift direction, and then the error therein is corrected.
US08095840B2

A method implemented to test a plurality of components coupled in a star configuration, each component having a test access port (TAP) controller. The method comprises performing a capture phase of a scan operation on all of the TAP controllers in the star configuration and sequentially selecting one of the TAP controllers at a time to perform a shift state. When all of the TAP controllers have been sequentially selected to perform the shift phase, the method further comprises selecting all of the TAP controllers to perform an update phase.
US08095837B2

A test method and apparatus for randomly testing logic structures. The method includes identifying and analyzing a functional behavior of a logic structure to be covered during the random testing, modifying the logic structure such that the logic structure behaves in a functional manner during random testing, and generating patterns to exercise the modified logic structure.
US08095821B2

A new method and apparatus have been taught for storing error information used for debugging as generated by the initial and subsequent error occurrences. In this invention, a register with several bit ranges is used to store error information. The first bit-range is allocated to the initial error information. If the total number of the errors exceeds the capacity of the register, the last error is kept in a last bit-range. This way, precious initial error information (as well as the last error information) will be available for debugging.
US08095818B2

An apparatus for on-demand power management including a system controller, a clock domain manager coupled to the system controller and a power distribution manager coupled to the system controller. The system controller monitors a processing demand in a processing system. The clock domain manager provides one or more clock frequencies and, in response to the processing demand, switches between a first set of clock frequencies and a second set of clock frequencies without halting the processing system. The power distribution manager provides one or more operating voltages and, in response to the processing demand, switches between a first set of voltages and a second set of voltages without halting the processing system.
US08095816B1

In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises a buffer, a plurality of processors, and a processor control module. The processor control module is to manage how many of the plurality of processors are used to process data from the buffer based at least in part on an amount of the data stored in the buffer.
US08095815B2

A system for reducing power consumption in an electronic device comprising at least one electronic chip comprises a plurality of local access network (LAN) ports, a transceiver coupled between the LAN ports and the electronic chip, a PLA device, and a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU is configured to power off the electronic chip in response to a period of inactivity on the LAN ports and power on the electronic chip in response to a signal from the PLA device.
US08095814B2

A system, method, and computer usable medium for computing device power management. The method includes identifying a correlation between active states of a computing device and active states of a connected device connected to the computing device through a network, the correlation indicating the desirability of the computing device being active; and providing an active state in the computing device based on the identified correlation. Providing an active state in the computing device based on the identified correlation may include preventing the computing device from entering a power-saving mode based on the identified correlation or waking the computing device.
US08095812B2

Provided is a low-power ZigBee device provided with a sleeping mode and an active mode including a power supplying unit for supplying a power; a Medium Access Control (MAC) processing unit for receiving a wake-up packet and for controlling a modem unit and an Radio Frequency (RF) unit; and a Central Processing Unit (CPU) for receiving and processing a data packet, wherein the MAC processing unit makes the power supplying unit apply a power to the CPU based on a result of checking an identification (ID) of the wake-up packet.
US08095810B2

In a storage system that includes two or more file servers each including an arbitrary number of operating virtual file servers, a management server: holds a load information table regarding a load on each virtual file server for each time period and redundancy information table for the storage system; judges, with reference to the load information table and redundancy information table, whether or not the loads on the virtual file servers can be handled by a smaller number of file servers than the number of currently-operating file servers; selects, if the judgment result is positive, a power-off target file server and makes another file server fail over a virtual file server in the power-off target file server; and turns off the power-off target file server.
US08095805B2

The present invention discloses a security flash memory which includes a flash memory chip with a plurality of data transmission terminals, and a data encryption device. The data encryption device includes a verifier module with default pass code, a secret key module and a switching module. The verifier module compares a pass code with the default pass code for outputting a control signal. The secret key module is used for data encryption and data decryption. The switching module is connected to the verifier module, the data transmission terminals of the flash memory chip and the secret key module, and may connect or disconnect the data transmission terminals of the flash chip and the secret key module in response to the control signal.
US08095789B2

According to an aspect of an embodiment, a method for controlling an apparatus for transferring data from a plurality of first devices to a second device via a network, the data being transferred by using a packet, the method comprises the steps of: extracting encryption information identifying method of encryption conveyed by a packet and destination information identifying destination of the packet transmitted from one of the first devices; counting the number of kinds of the destination information extracted from packets associated with the same encryption information, respectively; and determining an unauthorized communication when the number of kinds of the encryption information is less than a predetermined value.
US08095784B2

A computer system capable of executing a basic program for providing a program execution environment. The system has a storage device for storing data that is necessary to the basic program during startup, and, for each basic program, configuration data that indicates information relating to data necessary during startup. In the computer system, data relating to the basic program that is to be started is read from the storage device setting, data necessary during startup is acquired from the storage device on the basis of information written in the configuration data, the data necessary during startup is stored in memory space that is in the memory device and that can be accessed from the basic program that is to be started, and a process for starting the designated basic program is executed.
US08095759B2

A multiprocessor computer system comprises a plurality of processors and a plurality of nodes, each node comprising one or more processors. A local memory in each of the plurality of nodes is coupled to the processors in each node, and a hardware firewall comprising a part of one or more of the nodes is operable to prevent a write from an unauthorized processor from writing to the local memory.
US08095734B2

An apparatus having a cache configured as N-way associative and a controller circuit is disclosed. The controller circuit may be configured to (i) detect one of a cache hit and a cache miss in response to each of a plurality of access requests to the cache, (ii) detect a collision among the access requests, (iii) queue at least two first requests of the access requests that establish a speculative collision, the speculative collision occurring where the first requests access a given congruence class in the cache and (iv) delay a line allocation to the cache caused by a cache miss of a given one of the first requests while the given congruence class has at least N outstanding line fills in progress.
US08095733B2

A data processing system includes an interconnect fabric, a system memory coupled to the interconnect fabric and including a virtual barrier synchronization region allocated to storage of virtual barrier synchronization registers (VBSRs), and a plurality of processing units coupled to the interconnect fabric and operable to access the virtual barrier synchronization region. Each of the plurality of processing units includes a processor core and a cache memory including a cache controller and a cache array that caches VBSR lines from the virtual barrier synchronization region of the system memory. The cache controller of a first processing unit, responsive to a memory access request from its processor core that targets a first VBSR line, transfers responsibility for writing back to the virtual barrier synchronization region a second VBSR line contemporaneously held in the cache arrays of first, second and third processing units. The responsibility is transferred via an election held over the interconnect fabric.
US08095731B2

In one embodiment, a method for caching mutable objects comprises adding to a cache a first cache entry that includes a first object and a first key. Assigning a unique identification to the first object. Adding an entry to an instance map for the first object. The entry includes the unique identification and the first object. Creating a data structure that represents the first object. The data structure includes information relevant to the current state of the first object. A second cache entry is then added to the cache. The second cache entry includes the data structure and the unique identification. Updating the first cache entry to replace the first object with the unique identification.
US08095729B2

A plurality of disk drives in a disk drive array are synchronized. A synchronization signal is generated at a master disk drive. The synchronization signal is encoded as a radio frequency signal for transmission over a radio frequency network in communication with the plurality of disk drives. The transmitted radio frequency signal is received at a slave disk drive and decoded to recover the synchronization signal. Rotation of a disk in the slave disk drive is synchronized with rotation of a disk in the master disk drive based on the recovered synchronization signal.
US08095725B2

Device, system, and method of memory allocation. For example, an apparatus includes: a Dual In-line Memory Module (DIMM) including a plurality of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) units to store data, wherein each DRAM unit includes a plurality of banks and each bank is divided into a plurality of sub-banks; and a memory management unit to allocate a set of interleaved sub-banks of said DIMM to a memory page of an Operating System, wherein a combined memory size of the set of interleaved sub-banks is equal to a size of the memory page of the Operating System.
US08095720B2

The present invention provides for a system comprising a peripheral component interface (PCI) host bridge. The PCI host bridge is configured to be coupled to a PCI bus, and to receive a system reset signal, to generate a PCI bus reset signal based on the received system reset signal, to detect a PCI operational mode of the PCI bus, and to generate a voltage indicator signal based on the detected PCI operational mode. A voltage regulator is coupled to the PCI host bridge and configured to receive the voltage indicator signal and to regulate a signaling voltage for the PCI bus based on the voltage indicator signal.
US08095717B1

A system includes a data holding module that at least one of stores and receives data based on a first clock signal of a first clock domain. A data output module receives the data from the data holding module and selectively outputs the data based on a load signal and a second clock signal of a second clock domain which is asynchronous to the first clock domain. A synchronization process module generates the load signal based on a state of the data output module.
US08095706B2

The various embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the analysis of the mechanical properties of materials. More particularly, the various embodiments of the present invention relates to systems and methods of deriving the static and dynamic mechanical properties of deformative materials, for example, but not limited to, biological surfaces. The systems and methods of the present invention can be used to derive and evaluate the mechanical properties of many biological surfaces and subsurfaces, including but not limited to the skin.
US08095705B2

A wireless communicating function is provided for a printer, a digital camera, a computer, or another external apparatus can be connected without needing an operation, such as a connection exchange of a device or the like, and the burden on the power supply on the printer can be lightened. A wireless communicating apparatus has a first universal serial bus I/F for connecting to the printer, a communication control unit for allowing the printer to make wireless communication with another external wireless apparatus, and a second universal serial bus I/F for connecting an external universal serial bus apparatus. Either the communication control unit or the second universal serial bus I/F is connected to the first universal serial bus I/F in accordance with a connecting state of the external universal serial bus apparatus to the second universal serial bus I/F.
US08095700B2

A DMA controller and a method for statistical allocation of multichannel DMA bandwidth. In one embodiment, the DMA controller includes: (1) channel interfaces including respective counters and configured to provide request signals, priority signals and counter value signals representing current values of the counters at a given time and (2) a grant control unit coupled to the channel interfaces and configured to grant DMA access to one of the channel interfaces based on values of the priority signals and the counter value signals.
US08095692B2

A fluid infusion system as described herein includes a number of local “body network” devices, such as an infusion pump, a handheld monitor or controller, a physiological sensor, and a bedside or hospital monitor. The body network devices can be configured to support communication of status data, physiological information, alerts, control signals, and other information between one another. In addition, the body network devices can be configured to support networked communication of status data, physiological information, alerts, control signals, and other information between the body network devices and “external” devices, systems, or communication networks. The networked medical devices are configured to support a variety of wireless data communication protocols for efficient communication of data within the medical device network. In addition, the wireless medical devices may be configured to support a number of dynamically adjustable wireless data communication modes to react to current operating conditions, application-specific data content, or other criteria.
US08095681B2

When load balancing (LB) for SIP message communication is performed across multiple SIP servers, the number of messages that must be processed by an LB server is reduced. The SIP LB server includes an LB management means which, if the previous hop source of a received request message is a terminal in the local domain, determines which SIP server to serve the terminal, and a redirect function which notifies the message source terminal in the local domain of the address of the serving SIP server. The SIP LB server further includes an LB management table which, if the previous hop source of a received request message is other than a terminal in the local domain, is searched to find a SIP server serving communication with a destination terminal in the local domain, and a stateless forwarding function which statelessly forwards the received request message to the resolved SIP server address.
US08095672B1

Identities of owners of electronic communication aliases are collected from a plurality of client computers across a parental control system. Each collected identity corresponds to an electronic communication aliases used by at least one child associated with the originating client computer. The collected identities and the corresponding electronic communication aliases are stored. Response to receiving a collected identity, previously stored identities corresponding to the same electronic communication alias are retrieved, and compared to the received identity. The more previously stored identities match the received identity, the more likely the received identity is to be accurate. Therefore, based upon the comparison results, it can be determined whether the received identity is accurate or not. If it is determined that the received identity is false, the relevant parents are automatically notified.
US08095670B2

In a method and system for creating a federation of a plurality of enterprise service buses (ESBs), a plurality of ESB nodes provide connectivity to one or more services. According to a protocol, at least a portion of the ESB nodes transmit policy-based service advertisement messages to other ESB nodes, wherein the policy-based service advertisement messages include service state information. In response to receiving the policy-based service advertisement messages, each of the ESB nodes stores the service state information received from other ESB nodes in respective distributed registries to create a local view of routable service endpoints in the federation. Each of the ESB nodes then uses its respective distributed registry to make routing decisions when routing service requests.
US08095667B1

A method for waking up a computer. The method includes receiving a data unit via a first network link. The method further includes determining whether the received data unit includes data indicative of a wake-up event for the computer. The method further includes waking up the computer via a second network link if the data unit includes data indicative of a wake-up event for the computer.
US08095665B1

User-friendly features in Real-Time Communications are described. The description includes a process of determining capabilities and permissions of a remote client, and displaying an indicator for the discovered capabilities and permissions, the indicator indicating available capabilities and permissions for the remote client.
US08095664B2

A switcher, residing in a memory, detects a connectable network when a terminal is powered on. When a network is detected, a communication unit issues a message to a processor. The processor detects whether the terminal has ever been connected to the detected network and whether the profile of the network is registered. If the processor determines that the profile of the network is registered, a connection to the network is established in accordance with the profile. If the processor determines that no profile of the network is registered, a new profile of the network is produced, and then registered. The present invention is applicable to personal computers.
US08095650B1

A system provides a tag for a flash application. The tag identifies a flash event to record during execution of the flash application. The flash event is recorded to monitor performance of the flash application to generate performance metrics. The flash performance monitoring process generates the performance metrics of the flash application based on an occurrence of the flash event during the execution of the flash application, and provides a graphical user interface in which to render a graphical representation of the generated performance metrics.
US08095644B2

A method for analyzing web page paths associated with accesses to one or more web pages associated with one or more websites is disclosed. The method includes storing, for each instance of a web page access of the one or more web pages, time of access data, page access data, and entity data. The method further includes, for each entity reflected in the storage, determining one or more web page paths traversed by the entity based at least on the time of access data and the page access data, wherein each path includes accesses to at least two web pages. The method additionally includes analyzing at least one of the one or more websites or at least one of the one or more web pages, based on the determined one or more web page paths, and providing the analysis to one or more users or software processes.
US08095630B1

A system for providing a network booting (NB) of at least one client therein is provided. The system includes a torrent-based peer-to-peer (P2P) system imposed on the network system, wherein the at least one client is a peer in the P2P system; and at least one host operable as a source in the torrent-based P2P system to provide at least one NB application to the at least one client through the torrent-based P2P system for network booting of the at least one client.
US08095624B2

A method of providing services from a service provider to a plurality of independent entities, includes defining a predetermined one way trust relationship, separating first services wherein the relationship runs from the service provider to the serviced entity from second services wherein the relationship runs from the serviced entity to the service provider, thus preventing transitive trust. Preferably, the second services do not trust the first services.
US08095617B2

Managing operations in a first compute node of a multi-computer system. A remote write may be received to a first address of a remote compute node. A first data structure entry may be created in a data structure, which may include the first address and status information indicating that the remote write has been received. Upon determining that the local cache of the first compute node has been updated with the remote write, the remote write may be issued to the remote compute node. Accordingly, the first data structure entry may be released upon completion of the remote write.
US08095612B2

The present invention provides methods and systems to score messages exchanged over a network. The methods and systems may gather message interactions of a recipient. A message originating from a sender and destined for the recipient may be received at an email client. A sender score of the message may be determined based on one or more of sender information, the gathered message interactions, and one or more attributes associated with the message. The message may be marked with the determined score in a user interface associated with the email client.
US08095601B2

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for facilitating inter-proximity communication within a rendezvous federation. Nodes maintain collateral ring set entry tables that include collateral rings and corresponding entry nodes into the collateral rings. Nodes can exchange collateral ring set entry state to update one another on the configuration of rings within a tree of rings. Nodes can refer to collateral ring set entry tables, as well as to other nodes, to identify entry nodes into rings that are collateral rings of the node. Messages can be sent to entry nodes in collateral rings. A message can include an indication that an entry node in a target proximity ring is to resolve the message to the node in the target proximity ring which has a node ID closest to an indicated destination node.
US08095593B2

The present invention relates to a method for managing electronic information and related devices where electronic information is forwarded from at least one electronic information source of a plurality of electronic information sources towards at least one terminal of at least one corresponding user of a plurality of terminals of corresponding users through a communications network. The at least one electronic information source of the plurality of electronic information sources sends electronic information towards the at least one terminal of at least one corresponding user. The terminal of a first user and terminals of users related to this first user send their electronic information preferences towards a community interest management module. The community interest management module subsequently determines community information preferences based on the information preferences of the first user and based on the information preferences of the users related to the first user.
US08095590B1

Techniques are provided for distributing data over a network. One or more source nodes distribute data to an intermediate node. The intermediate node accumulates the data, dynamically selects a first path for distributing the data to a first destination node, and dynamically selects a second path for distributing the data to a second destination node. In an embodiment, the data is simultaneously distributed over the first and second paths from the intermediate node.
US08095572B1

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are disclosed for a computer system determining database containers that include references to one or more specified data items. The computer system may determine, from a plurality of containers in a database, a candidate set of containers, where the database includes a plurality of data items that includes the one or more data items. The computer system, for each of the containers in the candidate set, queries the database to determine whether the container includes a reference to any of the specified one or more data items. The computer system uses results of the querying to determine any containers in the candidate set of containers that include such references. These results may be used, for example, to set storage retention policies.
US08095561B2

A modular framework for data import/export in an application that allows modules/components to be independently developed for importing and exporting data related to specific entities, including the handling of dependencies between entities. The framework is metadata driven which allows new entities to be introduced in the application with new modules for importing/exporting data related to those entities, without updating modules for exporting existing entities. Each type of entity is defined with a schema that represents the logical entity such that the entity is agnostic as to how the entity data is stored in database tables. A master configuration file is created for the application that lists each entity that can be imported or exported by the application, and defines how the framework imports or exports the business entity. Additionally, dynamic batching is provided to divide large datasets into multiple batches for suitable consumption by consumers of the exported data.
US08095556B2

A content management system (CMS) includes a content modification mechanism that checks a modification contract corresponding to a component in the repository, and determines if all relevant criteria in the modification contract corresponding to the component are satisfied before making changes to or allowing reuse of a component in the repository. The modification contract may specify a profile of authors that are allowed to modify the corresponding component. The content management system includes an author profile update mechanism that monitors modifications by authors to components in the repository, and automatically adjusts a profile of each author according to modifications made by the author. In this manner the rank of authors is automatically adjusted and the modification of components is controlled in a way that allows modification by those who are authorized yet restricts modification by those who are not authorized.
US08095551B2

A method for annotating shared contacts within a social network with public tags, notes or other data. This allows users of a social network to gain useful information at a glance about others' contacts within that network, as well as providing a means for filtering contacts within that network by user-defined keywords. Such a system improves and simplifies the ability of a user to discover new potential friends and business contacts.
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