US08119972B2
The present invention refers, inter alia, to pixel circuits. The pixel circuit according to embodiments of the invention may include a photo-sensitive device having charge storage capability connected to a sense node. The pixel circuit may further include an inverting amplifier which is able to amplify a voltage from the sense node to a voltage on an output node of the amplifier, when being operated in open-loop configuration; and a reset switch being able to connect the input and output nodes of the inverting amplifier and thus to reset the inverting amplifier to an operating point providing high open loop gain by temporarily establishing negative feedback. Moreover, the pixel circuit may include a low-pass filter at the output node of the inverting amplifier for limiting the signal frequencies passing to the readout node to those frequencies that contain useful signal information. Additional and alternative embodiments are specified and claimed.
US08119961B2
A solar tracking device for solar panel includes a barrel body, a light transmitting unit, a projecting unit, a photosensor unit, and a lens. The light transmitting unit is disposed at a first end of the barrel body oriented toward the sun. The light transmitting unit has a light-transmittable crossing point provided at a center thereof. The projecting unit is an opaque member arranged between the first end and a second end of the barrel body. The photosensor unit is arranged to one side of the projecting unit, so that the projecting unit is located between the light transmitting unit and the photosensor unit. The photosensor unit has a locating center preset at a center of the projecting unit. The lens is arranged between the projecting unit and the photosensor unit. The barrel body is a telescopic barrel enabling the solar tracking device to switch between different operating angle modes.
US08119957B2
A submunition is formulated for destroying a target in a target area. Accommodated in a casing are a signal processing unit connected to a radar antenna and/or an infrared sensor and/or another target-detecting sensor. The submunition further has target recognition software and a charge provided with a covering. To increase the versatility of use and to simultaneously improve detection and decision certainty and reliability, the target recognition software has a software interface for the transfer of at least one parameter specific to the target area.
US08119938B2
A touch keypad assembly (100) includes a main board (10), a metal dome (40) disposed on a predetermined position of the main board, a touchpad layer (30) disposed on the metal dome, a keypad cover (20) disposed over the touchpad layer, and a light guide film (60) disposed between the metal dome and the keypad cover. The touchpad layer is a flexible printed circuit board.
US08119923B2
A circuit board has a low thermal expansion coefficient that suits the thermal expansion coefficient of an element to be mounted thereupon and can prevent the occurrence of delamination and cracking of a core layer when the circuit board is used in a low temperature environment. The circuit board is constructed by laminating a core layer and at least one wiring layer, where the at least one wiring layer has slightly smaller external dimensions in a planar direction than the core layer.
US08119910B1
Power and communication receptacle trough with receptacle attachment member having wave-like contour
A power and communication receptacle trough has a frame which has an upper, peripheral portion and a plurality of walls downwardly extending from the upper, peripheral portion. The frame defines an interior region. A receptacle attachment member is disposed within the interior region of the frame and is attached to the frame. The receptacle attachment member has a wave-like contour having a crest portion. At least one power or communication receptacle is connected to the receptacle attachment member. The receptacle attachment member has a central portion and the crest portion of the wave-like contour is at the central portion of the receptacle attachment member. Covers are movably attached to the upper, peripheral portion. Each cover corresponds to a respective half of the frame. A lighting device is attached to the receptacle attachment member to illuminate the interior region of the frame.
US08119903B2
There is disclosed a single crystal silicon solar cell includes the steps of: implanting hydrogen ions or rare gas ions to a single crystal silicon substrate; performing surface activation on at least one of an ion-implanted surface of the single crystal silicon substrate and a surface of a transparent insulator substrate; bonding the ion-implanted surface of the single crystal silicon substrate and the transparent insulator substrate with the surface-activated surface being set as a bonding surface; applying an impact onto the ion implanted layer to mechanically delaminate the single crystal silicon substrate to form a single crystal silicon layer; forming a plurality of diffusion regions having a second conductivity type on the delaminated plane side of the single crystal silicon layer; forming a plurality of first conductivity type regions and a plurality of second conductivity type regions on the delaminated plane of the single crystal silicon layer; and forming a light reflection film that covers the plurality of first conductivity type regions and the plurality of second conductivity type regions. There can be provided an optical confinement type single crystal silicon solar cell where a thin-film light conversion layer is made of high-crystallinity single crystal silicon.
US08119886B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV324581. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV324581, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV324581 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV324581 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV324581.
US08119884B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV596742. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV596742, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV596742 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV596742 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV596742.
US08119880B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV707970. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV707970, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV707970 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV707970 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV707970.
US08119868B2
A soybean cultivar designated 1972621658 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 1972621658, to the plants of soybean 1972621658, to plant parts of soybean cultivar 1972621658 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar 1972621658 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from soybean variety 1972621658, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 1972621658 and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar 1972621658 with another soybean cultivar.
US08119866B2
A soybean cultivar designated S080174 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S080174, to the plants of soybean S080174, to plant parts of soybean cultivar S080174, and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar S080174 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars, or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean variety S080174, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S080174, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar S080174 with another soybean cultivar.
US08119863B2
The invention provides seed and plants of the squash line designated ZGN 130-1041T. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of squash line ZGN 130-1041T, and to methods for producing a squash plant produced by crossing a plant of squash line ZGN 130-1041T with itself or with another squash plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of squash line ZGN 130-1041T, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US08119857B2
The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having endoglucanase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods for producing and using the polypeptides.
US08119855B2
The invention relates to a method for conferring tolerance to abiotic stress to plants or plant cells. This is done by introducing a gene coding for an RKS protein, especially a gene coding for an RKS subgroup II protein, more specifically RKS1, RKS4 or truncated RKS4, or a gene from RKS subgroup III, more preferably RKS12. The effect of overexpression of the RKS gene may be enhanced by additionally treating the plant with a brassinosteroid compound.
US08119848B2
A process for treating an alkylation feedstock comprising olefins, n-alkanes, iso-alkanes, and impurities including one or more of butadiene, oxygenates, nitrogen-containing compounds, and sulfur-containing compounds, the process including: contacting an alkylation feedstock containing at least one of oxygenates and nitrogen-containing compounds with water to produce a hydrocarbon fraction having a reduced concentration of the at least one of oxygenates and nitrogen-containing compounds and an aqueous fraction comprising at least a portion of the at least one of oxygenates and nitrogen-containing compounds; separating water from the hydrocarbon fraction having a reduced concentration to produce a hydrocarbon fraction having a reduced water content; contacting the hydrocarbon fraction having a reduced water content with an oligomerization catalyst in a first oligomerization reaction zone under oligomerization conditions to react at least a portion of the olefins to form a reactor effluent comprising olefin oligomers; and feeding at least a portion of the reactor effluent to an alkylation unit.
US08119839B2
The present invention provides a novel compound and antidepressant composition that can be effectively used for improving depressed mood and depressed state, particularly for depressed mood and depressed state in menopausal women. The compound of the present invention is represented by the following formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 are identical or different and represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group or an acetyloxy group, and n is an integer of 2 to 7, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof. This compound is used as an active ingredient in the antidepressant composition. Examples of the compound of the invention include (2E)-9,10-dihydroxy-2-decenoic acid, (2Z)-9,10-dihydroxy-2-decenoic acid, (2E)-9-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid, and (2E)-7-acetoxy-2-heptenoic acid.
US08119835B2
A method for preparation of 6-[3-(1-adamantyl)-4-methoxyphenyl]-2-naphthoic acid is disclosed based on “one pot” synthesis approach including a direct synthesis of boronic acid derivative from 2-(1-adamantyl)-4-bromoanisole and cycloboranes with a subsequent Suzuki-Miyaura coupling with 6-halonaphtenoates and basic hydrolysis of the reaction product in ethylene glycol or 1,2-propanediol.
US08119834B2
The invention provides an improved process for the preparation of a benzonaphthalene derivative including, in particular, the manufacture of high purity adapalene. The invention further includes a method for assessing the color of adapalene by means of a quantitative colorimetric measurement of the produced adapalene.
US08119827B2
The present invention concerns compounds and their use to treat cell proliferative diseases such as cancer. Compounds of the present invention display significant potency as kinase inhibitors, cause the downregulation of c-myc, and inhibit the growth and survival of cancerous cell lines.
US08119826B2
The present invention relates to a dienol compound of formula in the form of any one of its stereoisomers or mixture thereof, wherein R represents a methyl or ethyl group; R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl or ethyl group; R4 represents a C1-C3 alkyl, alkenyl or acyl group or a C3-C8 silyl group.
US08119818B2
This invention relates to compounds useful as ionic liquids that are based on an N-substituted pyrrolidinone and incorporate a pendant ammonium cation that is spaced from the pyrrolidone ring by a variable length linker.
US08119808B2
The invention provides for compounds of formula I wherein the substitutents are as described herein. Further provided are methods of using such compounds for the treatment of eating disorders, metabolic disorders, obesity, cognitive disorders, neurological disorders, pain disorders, inflammation disorders, in the promotion of smoking cessation and for the treatment of other psychiatric disordersAlso provided are pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and pharmaceutical combinations of the compounds of the invention with other therapeutic agents.
US08119799B2
The present invention relates to novel catalysts for preparing polyisocyanates having isocyanurate groups by a partial trimerization of (cyclo)aliphatic diisocyanates.
US08119797B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing compounds of general formula I wherein R1 and R2 are defined as in claim 1, the pharmaceutically acceptable salts and the solvates thereof, which may be prepared starting from compounds of general formula II wherein R1 is defined as in claim 1.
US08119794B2
Process for the synthesis of ivabradine of formula (I): and addition salts thereof with a pharmaceutically acceptable acid.
US08119785B2
A transgenic cat with a phenotype characterized by the substantial absence of the major cat allergen, Fel d I. The phenotype is conferred in the transgenic cat by disrupting the coding sequence of the target gene with a specialized construct. The phenotype of the transgenic cat is transmissible to its offspring.
US08119781B2
The present invention provides luminescent metal ion complexes for use in a wide range of biological and chemical studies. The luminescent metal ion complexes of the invention comprise a metal ion chelating component covalently bound to a carrier molecule. Also provided are methods of making and using the luminescent metal ion complexes.
US08119776B1
Mutants of human FGF-1 are disclosed having increased stability and mitogenic potency. In the FGF-1 polypeptide, primarily residue 12 is substituted with valine and residue 134 is substituted cysteine or threonine to render the polypeptide more stable and/or to increase its mitogenecity.
US08119773B2
The invention provides a high affinity heme-binding agent, which can be provided in the form of a pharmaceutical composition that includes, optionally, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The heme-binding agent can be used in a method of facilitating heme-iron export from a cell. The method comprises contacting a cell with a high affinity heme-binding agent. Also provided is a method of treating a disorder associated with excess iron in cells in a subject. The method comprises administering to the subject an effective amount of the composition of the invention. The subject is typically a mammal, most typically a human or veterinary subject.
US08119768B2
The present invention provides AMPAR excitotoxicity mediating polypeptides comprising the GluR2 NT1-3-2 (Y142-K172) amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:1) or the GAPDH(2-2-1-1) (I221-E250) amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:2). Also disclosed are nucleotide sequences encoding the polypeptides, methods of inhibiting GAPDH association with the GluR2 subunit or p53. Methods of inhibiting AMPA receptor mediated excitotoxicity using the polypeptides and nucleic acids are also disclosed.
US08119757B2
Urethane and siloxane modified water-reducible alkyd resins ABCDE, comprising moieties derived from polyhydric alcohols A, modified fatty acids B made by grafting olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acids B2 onto fatty acids B1, ungrafted fatty acids C, silanol or alkoxysilyl functional siloxane oligomers or polymers D, and polyfunctional isocyanates E, a process for their production, and a method of use thereof in coating binders.
US08119748B2
Group 4 metal complexes comprising a polyvalent, heteroaryl donor ligand and their use as components of olefin polymerization catalysts, especially suited for preparing propylene/ethylene copolymer products having high isotacticity and low molecular weight, are disclosed.
US08119745B2
Process for the manufacture of 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) starting from a stream of ethane which is subjected to a catalytic oxydehydrogenation (ODH) producing a gas mixture containing ethylene then dried and subjected to an absorption to be separated into a fraction enriched with the compounds that are lighter than ethylene containing some of the ethylene conveyed to a chlorination reactor R1 in which most of the ethylene is converted into DCE, and into a fraction F1 which is subjected to a desorption D1 to be separated into an ethylene fraction depleted of the compounds that are lighter than ethylene conveyed to a chlorination reactor R2, the stream of products derived from this reactor being added to the dry gas mixture, and into a fraction F2. Fraction F2 is then subjected to a desorption D2 to be separated into a fraction enriched with ethylene conveyed to an oxychlorination reactor in which most of the ethylene is converted into DCE, and into a fraction F3 which is recycled to the absorption.
US08119739B2
The invention provides a retardation film, composed primarily of an acrylic polymer, with transparency, heat resistance, and large retardation. The retardation film of the present invention is composed primarily of an acrylic polymer. The film has an in-plane retardation of from 130 nm to 500 nm, inclusive, per 100 μm thickness at a wavelength of 589 nm. The film has a total light transmittance of not less than 85%. The retardation film has a glass transition temperature of preferably from 110° C. to 200° C., inclusive. The acrylic polymer, which is the primary component, preferably has a lactone ring structure.
US08119736B2
Branched polymers including multi-branched polymers, functionalized branched polymers, star-branched polymers, and dendigraft polymers. Methods for the synthesis of branched polymers and method for the use of branched polymers in tire components are also included.
US08119725B2
A fiber reinforced polypropylene composite interior trim cover panel. The interior trim cover panel is molded from a composition comprising at least 30 wt % polypropylene based resin, from 10 to 60 wt % organic fiber, from 0 to 40 wt % inorganic filler, and optionally from 0 to 0.1 wt % lubricant, based on the total weight of the composition, the interior trim cover panel having an outer surface and an underside surface. A process for producing an interior trim cover panel for a vehicle is also provided. The process includes the step of injection molding a composition to form the interior trim cover panel for a vehicle, the interior trim cover panel having at least an outer surface and an underside surface, wherein the composition comprises at least 30 wt % polypropylene, from 10 to 60 wt % organic fiber, from 0 to 40 wt % inorganic filler, and optionally from 0 to 0.1 wt % lubricant, based on the total weight of the composition.
US08119723B2
A thermoplastic molding composition, comprising the following amounts of components A, B, C, and D: a) from 3 to 91.9% by weight of one or more styrene copolymers A, b) from 3 to 91% by weight of one or more polyamides B, c) from 5 to 50% by weight of one or more graft polymers C, d) from 0.1 to 25% by weight of one or more terpolymers D, whose oligomer content is smaller than 3% by weight, and also, if appropriate, comprising, as further components, a further rubber E, an at least monofunctional anhydride F, fibrous or particulate fillers G, and also further additives H, has markedly reduced anisotropy of impact resistance.
US08119721B2
The present invention provides a tread rubber composition for a studless tire having favorable performance on ice and snow and excellent abrasion resistance while reducing strain dependence of hardness of the tread rubber and maintaining rigidity on roads that are not covered with snow and relates to a tread rubber composition for a studless tire, which comprises a diene rubber containing, in a total amount of 80% by mass or more, natural rubber and polybutadiene rubber; silica in an amount of 10 to 150 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the diene rubber; and carbon black in an amount of 3 to 50 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the diene rubber, wherein the diene rubber contains 10% by mass or more of a polybutadiene rubber modified by a compound represented by the formula (I): R1, R2 and R3 being independently an alkyl group, analkoxy group, a silyloxy group, an acetal group, a carboxyl group, a mercapto group, or a derivative thereof; R4 and R5 being independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; and n being an integer.
US08119713B2
A polylactide-based polymer or copolymer (PLA) compositions with improved flame retardancy properties as obtained by conventional melt-blending of PLA polyester matrix (1) with both calcium sulfate (2) and organo-modified layered silicates (OMLS) (3). Combination of CaSO4 and OMLS exhibits synergistic effects on PLA flame retardancy by both significantly increasing the time to ignition and decreasing the heat release rate per unit area, and promoting non-dripping properties. Moreover, all other properties of PLA remain almost unchanged or are improved as regards to pristine PLA, especially thermal and mechanical properties.
US08119711B2
An oligomeric phosphate or mixture of oligomeric phosphates having the general formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 each independently is aryl or alkaryl and n has an average value of from about 1.0 to about 2.0 and resin compositions containing the same.
US08119706B2
The invention relates to a biodegradable resin composition containing a biodegradable resin, a plasticizer and a crystal nucleus agent, the plasticizer being a compound containing two or more ester groups in the molecule thereof, wherein at least one alcohol component constituting the ester contains an alkylene oxide having 2 to 3 carbon atoms, added in the average amount of 0.5 to 5 moles per one hydroxyl group, and the crystal nucleus agent is a mixture of the following crystal nucleus agent (1) and crystal nucleus agent (2); the crystal nucleus agent (1) being the following crystal nucleus agent (1-1) or crystal nucleus agent (1-2): crystal nucleus agent (1-1): at least one selected from compounds having a hydroxyl group and an amide group in the molecule thereof; and crystal nucleus agent (1-2): at least one selected from hydroxy fatty acid esters; crystal nucleus agent (2): at least one selected from a metal salt of phenylphosphonic acid, a metal salt of a phosphate, a metal salt of an aromatic dialkyl sulfonate, a metal salt of rosinic acids, an aromatic carboxylic acid amide, rosinic acid amide, carbohydrazides, N-substituted ureas, salts of melamine compounds and uracils.
US08119698B2
A cosmetic composition is provided which is a vanishing cream structured with 0.5 to 50% by weight of C12-C20 fatty acid, 0.1 to 20% by weight of C12-C20 fatty acid salt and hydrophilic composite particles with organic sunscreen agent. The hydrophilic composite particles are formed as a composite of sunscreen agent and a binder in a relative weight ratio of about 5:1 to about 1:10. The composition exhibits relatively high SPF photoprotection while maintaining excellent skinfeel aesthetics.
US08119694B2
A transdermal topical anesthetic formulation, which can be used to ameliorate or inhibit pain, has been developed. In the preferred embodiment, the topical anesthetic is a local anesthetic such as lidocaine, most preferably lidocaine free-base in a gel, and the dosage of the local anesthetic is effective in the painful area or immediately adjacent areas, to ameliorate or eliminate the pain. High concentration of local anesthetic in solution in the carrier is used to drive rapid release and uptake of the drug. Relief is typically obtained for a period of several hours.
US08119693B2
Disclosed herein are compounds that are tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase inhibitors. The disclosed compounds are used to treat, prevent, or abate vascular calcification, arterial calcification and other cardiovascular diseases.
US08119691B2
The use of lipoxin analogs for the treatment or prevention of asthma and asthma related diseases is described. In particular, acetylenic lipoxin analogs are effective for the treatment and prevention of eosinophil recruitment involved with the inflammation processes associated with asthma, asthma like conditions, and lung injuries associated from airway inflammation or infection as brought about by leukocyte-mediated injury from within.
US08119690B2
There are provided various polyunsaturated fatty acid monoglycerides and derivatives thereof. These compounds can be useful as cancer chemopreventive agents, cancer treating agent, inhibiting tumor growth or cell proliferation, reducing tumor growth or as radioenhencers for radiotherapy of cancer.
US08119677B2
The present invention relates to polyamide compositions and therapies for treating cells infected with papilloma virus.
US08119662B2
The present invention relates to a novel crystalline form of zofenopril calcium of formula (I), chemically known as (4S)-1-[(2S)-3-(benzoylthio)-2-methylpropionyl]-4-(phenylthio)-L-proline calcium salt. The present invention further relates to a process for the preparation of the new crystalline form of zofenopril calcium and its use in pharmaceutical preparations.
US08119659B2
The present invention relates to (2S,3R)-N-(2-((3-pyridinyl)methyl)-1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-3-yl)benzofuran-2-carboxamide, novel salt forms thereof, methods for its preparation, novel intermediates, and methods for treating a wide variety of conditions and disorders, including those associated with dysfunction of the central and autonomic nervous systems.
US08119657B2
Enantiomerically pure (S)-2-amino-1-(2-isopropylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-3-yl)propan-1-one, (S)-AV1013, is a candidate therapeutic for treating neuropathic pain, addiction behavior and drug withdrawal symptoms. Also described are methods for preparing and using (S)-AV1013, its pharmaceutically acceptable salts as well as pharmaceutically acceptable formulations of the same.
US08119655B2
Compounds, pharmaceutical compositions, kits and methods are provided for use with kinases that comprise a compound selected from the group consisting of: wherein the variables are as defined herein.
US08119654B2
The present invention relates to Indenoisoquinolinone Analogs, compositions comprising an effective amount of an Indenoisoquinolinone Analog and methods for treating or preventing an inflammatory disease, a reperfusion injury, diabetes mellitus, a diabetic complication, reoxygenation injury resulting from organ transplantation, an ischemic condition, a neurodegenerative disease, renal failure, a vascular disease, a cardiovascular disease, cancer, a complication of prematurity, cardiomyopathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, erectile dysfunction or urinary incontinence, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of an Indenoisoquinolinone Analog.
US08119652B2
The present invention relates to a novel class of aryl-fused spirocyclic compounds. These compounds can inhibit histone deacetylase and are suitable for use in selectively inducing terminal differentiation, and arresting cell growth and/or apoptosis of neoplastic cells, thereby inhibiting proliferation of such cells. Thus, the compounds of the present invention are useful in treating a patient having a tumor characterized by proliferation of neoplastic cells. The compounds of the invention may also be useful in the prevention and treatment of TRX-mediated diseases, such as autoimmune, allergic and inflammatory diseases, and in the prevention and/or treatment of diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), such as neurodegenerative diseases. The present invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of the instant invention and safe dosing regimens of these pharmaceutical compositions, which are easy to follow, and which result in a therapeutically effective amount of these compounds in vivo.
US08119642B2
A family of structurally rigid dopamine D3 receptor selective ligands is described. The family of structurally rigid dopamine D3 receptor selective ligands has the formula wherein A is cis or trans —CH═CH—, —C═C—, or cyclohexyl. B is cis or trans —CH═CH— or absent. R1 represents an optionally substituted phenyl group, wherein said substituents are selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, halogen, amino, nitro, hydroxyl, alkoxy, alkyl, acyl and pyridyl, and said substitution may occur at any of the ortho, meta, or para positions, or R1 represents a heteroaromatic ring. A preferred heteroaromatic ring is indole, quinoxoline, pyridyl, pyrimidyl, or imidazole. R2 and R3 may be independently hydrogen or a halogen, or R2 alone may be C1, C2, or C3 alkoxy, and m is 1 or 2, and n is 0, 1, or 2.
US08119640B2
The present disclosure provides for compounds, pharmaceutical preparations, kits and methods for the inhibition of the Hh pathway and the alleviation of cancer and developmental disorders associated with the Hh pathway.
US08119636B2
The present invention relates to the use of novel pyrrolopyrazine derivatives of Formula I, wherein the variables Q and R are defined as described herein, which inhibit JAK and SYK and are useful for the treatment of auto-immune and inflammatory diseases.
US08119624B2
The present invention relates to a compound of formula (I): or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, wherein:Ring A is (4-12)-membered heterocyclyl;Ring B is a fused benzene ring selected from the group consisting of: Ring A, ring B, ring C, R1, R1a, R2, R3, R4, L2, n, t, w, and z are as defined in the specification. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of formula (I) and methods of treating a condition that is mediated by the modulation of glucokinase, the method comprising administering to a mammal an effective amount of a compound of formula (I).
US08119621B2
This invention is directed to a tetrahydro-cyclopentyl pyrazole cannabinoid modulator compound of formula (I): and a method for use in treating, ameliorating or preventing a cannabinoid receptor mediated syndrome, disorder or disease.
US08119620B2
A dosage form for hormonal contraception containing a specific number of gestagen-containing daily units A and a specific number of gestagen-containing daily units B for uninterrupted, daily, oral administration of daily units A and then immediately subsequently of daily units B, wherein the daily units A in each case contain at most 200 μg of folic acid and the daily units B contain >200 μg up to the maximum permissible amount of folic acid for women.
US08119617B2
The present invention relates to compounds of formula wherein the residues have various meanings and their use as pharmaceuticals.
US08119616B2
The present invention relates to a composition comprising an inclusion complex of a cyclodextrin and quinazoline containing zinc-binding moiety based derivatives. The cyclodextrin is preferable a β-cyclodextrin or a derivative thereof. The quinazolines have enhanced and unexpected properties as inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (EGFR-TK) and their use in the treatment of EGFR-TK related diseases and disorders such as cancer. The said derivatives may further act as HDAC inhibitors.
US08119608B2
The present invention provides methods and compositions for inhibiting gene expression using double stranded RNA molecules that are between 15 and 24 nucleotides in length and are complementary to a target gene sequence.
US08119602B2
Methods of treating, preventing or ameliorating one or more symptoms of hepatitis C in a subject comprising the step of administering at least one HCV protease inhibitor in combination with food are provided. Also provided are methods of increasing bioavailability of an HCV protease inhibitor and methods of increasing serum levels of an HCV protease inhibitor in a subject. All methods comprise adminstering at least one HCV protease inhibitor in combination with food, the at least one HCV protease inhibitor selected from the group consisting of compounds of Formulae I-XXVI, described herein. Administration of compounds of the present invention in combination with food provides improved bioavailability and increased peak serum levels of the compounds as compared to administration without food.
US08119594B1
There is disclosed agents capable of inhibiting the binding of a MAP kinase to a binding domain of an integrin for the MAP kinase, and methods of modulating the activity of a cell utilising the agents. The methods are particularly suitable for inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.
US08119591B2
Methods and compositions are described to regenerate cartilage in a partial thickness defect or area of reduced volume of articular cartilage comprising an infiltration suppressor agent and a columnar growth promoting agent.
US08119589B2
Salp15, biologically functional equivalents and fragments thereof, and nucleic acid molecules encoding the same are disclosed. Recombinant host cells, recombinant nucleic acids and recombinant proteins are also disclosed. Salp15 gene products and Salp15 polypeptide fragments have biological activity in modulating CD4+ T cell activation through specific binding to CD4. Thus, therapeutic methods involving modulating T cell activation using Salp15 and biologically active polypeptide fragments thereof are also disclosed. The specific binding of Salp15 and fragment peptides thereof to CD4 can inhibit HIV infection of T cells, and thus methods of using Salp15 for inhibiting HIV infection are also disclosed. Screening methods for selecting substances having an ability to modulate activation of T cells are also disclosed.
US08119586B2
A detergent composition comprising an esterified substituted benzene sulfonate, a hydrogen peroxide source, a soil suspending polymer, and an organic catalyst.
US08119584B2
The present disclosure generally relates to a method for cleaning a shaving device using a cleaning solution and preparation of the cleaning solution. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method of cleaning a shaving device using an environmentally friendly cleaning solution.
US08119574B2
A slurry and method are disclosed for low damage gravel packing. The slurry comprises a solids mixture comprising a plurality of volume-averaged particle size distribution (PSD) modes such that a packed volume fraction (PVF) exceeds 0.75; a carrier fluid in an amount to provide a solids volume fraction (SVF) less than the PVF of the solids mixture; and a stability additive to inhibit settling of the solids mixture. The method comprises circulating the slurry into a wellbore to deposit the slurry downhole; terminating the slurry circulation for a period of time, wherein the stability additive inhibits settling of the solids mixture; and thereafter circulating the deposited slurry in contact with a surface of a screen. Stability additives disclosed include colloidal particles, hydratable polymer particles, and particles having an aspect ratio above 6.
US08119568B2
The invention provides 3-amino-1,2-benzisothiazole compounds of formula (I) wherein n, R1, R2, R3, R4 and A are defined as in the description. The invention provides further agricultural compositions comprising an amount of at least one compound of the formula (I) or an enantiomer, diastereomer or salt thereof; the use of a compound of formula (I) or an enantiomer, diastereomer or salt thereof for combating animal pests; a method of combating animal pests which comprises contacting the animal pests, their habit, breeding ground, food supply, plant, seed, soil, area, material or environment in which the animal pests are growing or may grow, or the materials, plants, seeds, soils, surfaces or spaces to be protected from animal attack or infestation with a pesticidally effective amount of at least one compound of the formula (I) or an enantiomer, diastereomer or salt thereof; a method for protecting crops from attack or infestation by animal pests, which comprises contacting a crop with a pesticidally effective amount of at least one compound of the formula (I) or an enantiomer, diastereomer or salt thereof; a method for the protection of seeds from soil insects and of the seedlings' roots and shoots from soil and foliar insects comprising contacting the seeds before sowing and/or after pregermination with at least one compound of the formula (I), or the enantiomers, diastereomers or salts thereof; and seeds comprising a compound of the formula I or an enantiomer, diastereomer or salt thereof.
US08119562B2
A heat-sensitive transfer sheet that is used in an image-forming method using a heat-sensitive transfer system, which method comprises the steps of superposing the heat-sensitive transfer sheet having at least one yellow heat transfer layer, at least one magenta heat transfer layer, and at least one cyan heat transfer layer on a support, and a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet having at least one dye receptor layer on a support, and then transferring at least three kinds of heat transferable dyes to the dye receptor layer sequentially, which heat-sensitive transfer sheet satisfies the following Formula (1): μ1>μ2>μ3m Formula (1) where μ1, μ2 and μ3 are coefficients of static friction as defined herein.
US08119558B2
A water gas shift catalyst for use at temperatures above about 450° C. up to about 900° C. or so comprising rhenium deposited on a support, preferably without a precious metal, wherein the support is prepared from a high surface area material, such as a mixed metal oxide, particularly a mixture of zirconia and ceria, to which may be added one or more of a high surface area transitional alumina, an alkali or alkaline earth metal dopant and/or an additional dopant selected from Ga, Nd, Pr, W, Ge, Fe, oxides thereof and mixtures thereof.
US08119554B2
Shaped bodies having catalytic properties which can be obtained by a process comprising the steps: a) production of a shaped body by means of a powder-based rapid prototyping process, b) if appropriate, a heat treatment of the shaped body, c) if appropriate, application of at least one catalytically active component to the shaped body, d) if appropriate, a further heat treatment, where steps b), c) and/or d) can be carried out a number of times, are used as reactor internals in heterogeneously catalyzed chemical reactions.
US08119552B2
The present invention relates to a catalyst composition for the reaction of hydrocarbons comprising a zeolite with has a faujasite structure and a fibrous zeolite which comprises essentially non-crossing one-dimensional channels. Further, the catalyst composition comprises in a preferred embodiment a metal component selected from metals of the group VIB and VIII of the periodic table of elements and their compounds. The invention relates further to a process for the synthesis of such a catalyst composition and to a process for hydrocracking hydrocarbon feedstocks by using said catalyst composition.
US08119550B2
The present invention relates to a process for treating a solid material containing at least one zeolite and being at least partly crystalline or treating a shaped body obtained from said solid material wherein said solid material or shaped body is brought in contact with a composition containing water after at least one of the following steps of an integrated process for producing a solid material or a shaped body containing at least one zeolite: (i) after step (II) of separating the at least partly crystalline solid material from its mother liquor or (ii) after step (S) of shaping said solid material into a shaped body or (iii) after a step (C) of calcining said solid material or said shaped body. The present invention furthermore relates to the solid material obtainable by the inventive process and the shaped body obtainable by the inventive process. The present invention also relates to the use of the solid material or the shaped body as mentioned above as a catalyst in chemical reactions, in particular in reactions of compounds containing at least one C-C double bond with at least one hydroperoxide.
US08119547B2
A sealed type container accommodating a semiconductor substrate is positioned to a load port of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The semiconductor substrate is taken out of the container. An ionizer is used for static-charge-eliminating the semiconductor substrates before and after process treatment in a transport area between the load port and a treatment section. The static-charge-eliminated semiconductor substrate is accommodated in the container positioned to the load port. Thus, it is possible to decrease foreign materials adhering to the semiconductor substrate and errors in handling the semiconductor substrate.
US08119545B2
Provided is a plasma CVD device. In the plasma CVD device, in producing a silicon nitride film while controlling the size of a band gap by CVD, microwaves are introduced into a treatment vessel by a flat antenna having a plurality of holes. The plasma CVD is carried out under a given treatment pressure selected from a pressure range of not less than 0.1 Pa and not more than 1333 Pa at a flow ratio between a silicon-containing compound gas and a nitrogen gas (silicon-containing compound gas flow rate/nitrogen gas flow rate) selected from a range of not less than 0.005 and not more than 0.2, whereby the Si/N ratio in the film is controlled to form a silicon nitride film having a band gap size of not less than 2.5 eV and not more than 7 eV.
US08119542B2
The present invention essentially relates to a method of preparing an electrically insulating film at the surface of an electrical conductor or semiconductor substrate, such as a silicon substrate.According to the invention, this method comprises: a) bringing said surface into contact with a liquid solution comprising: a protic solvent; at least one diazonium salt; at least one monomer that is chain-polymerizable and soluble in said protic solvent; at least one acid in a sufficient quantity to stabilize said diazonium salt by adjusting the pH of said solution to a value less than 7, preferably less than 2.5; b) the polarization of said surface according to a potentio- or galvano-pulsed mode for a duration sufficient to form a film having a thickness of at least 60 nanometers, and preferably between 80 and 500 nanometers. Application: Metallization of through-vias, especially of 3D integrated circuits.
US08119540B2
A method for forming a stressed passivation film. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing a silicon nitride film over an integrated circuit structure on a substrate and embedding oxygen into a surface of the silicon nitride film by exposing the silicon nitride film to a process gas containing an oxygen-containing or an oxygen- and nitrogen-containing gas excited by plasma induced dissociation based on microwave irradiation via a plane antenna member having a plurality of slots, wherein the plane antenna member faces the substrate surface containing the silicon nitride film. The method further includes heat-treating the oxygen-embedded silicon nitride film to form a stressed silicon oxynitride film.
US08119534B2
A substrate has at least one recess and/or protrusion formed in and/or on a surface thereof so as to scatter or diffract light generated in an active layer. The recess and/or protrusion is formed in such a shape that can reduce crystalline defects in semiconductor layers.
US08119531B1
A method of forming a trench is provided that includes providing a stack having a semiconductor layer or dielectric layer, a metal nitride layer, a leveling layer, and a first mask layer. First trenches are etched through the first mask layer and the leveling layer. The first mask layer is removed. A second mask layer is formed on the leveling layer. Second trenches are formed through the second mask layer, wherein the base of the second trenches do not extend through the metal nitride layer. The second mask layer is removed. Exposed portions of the metal nitride layer are etched selectively to the semiconductor layer and remaining portions of the leveling layer to extend the first trenches and the second trenches into contact with an upper surface of the semiconductor layer.
US08119529B2
A method for chemical mechanical polishing of a substrate, comprising: providing a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises silicon dioxide; providing a chemical mechanical polishing composition, wherein the chemical mechanical polishing composition comprises: water, an abrasive; a diquaternary cation according to formula (I); and optionally a quaternary alkylammonium compound; providing a chemical mechanical polishing pad; creating dynamic contact at an interface between the chemical mechanical polishing pad and the substrate; and dispensing the chemical mechanical polishing composition onto the chemical mechanical polishing pad at or near the interface between the chemical mechanical polishing pad and the substrate; wherein the chemical mechanical polishing composition has a pH of 2 to 6; wherein the chemical mechanical polishing composition exhibits a silicon dioxide removal rate of at least 1,500 Å/min.
US08119528B2
A process for preparing a phase change memory semiconductor device comprising a (plurality of) nanoscale electrode(s) for alternately switching a chalcogenide phase change material from its high resistance (amorphous) state to its low resistance (crystalline) state, whereby a reduced amount of current is employed, and wherein the plurality of nanoscale electrodes, when present, have substantially the same dimensions.
US08119527B1
Methods of filling high aspect ratio features provided on partially manufactured semiconductor substrates with tungsten-containing materials are provided. In certain embodiments, the methods include partial filling a high aspect ratio feature with a layer of tungsten-containing materials and selective removal of the partially filled materials from the feature cavity. Substrates processed using these methods have improved step coverage of the tungsten-containing materials filled into the high aspect ratio features and reduced seam sizes.
US08119506B2
A selenium/Group 3a ink, comprising (a) a selenium/Group 3a complex which comprises a combination of, as initial components: a selenium component comprising selenium; an organic chalcogenide component having a formula selected from RZ—Z′R′ and R2—SH; wherein Z and Z′ are each independently selected from sulfur, selenium and tellurium; wherein R is selected from H, C1-20 alkyl group, a C6-20 aryl group, a C1-20 hydroxyalkyl group, an arylether group and an alkylether group; wherein R′ and R2 are selected from a C1-20 alkyl group, a C6-20 aryl group, a C1-20 hydroxyalkyl group, an arylether group and an alkylether group; and, a Group 3a complex, comprising at least one Group 3a material selected from aluminum, indium, gallium and thallium complexed with a multidentate ligand; and, (b) a liquid carrier; wherein the selenium/Group 3a complex is stably dispersed in the liquid carrier.
US08119497B2
A flexible electronic circuit member formed of a plurality of dielectric layers includes a plurality of thinned semiconductor chips embedded within the circuit member for increased levels of integration and component density. The thinned semiconductor chips may include various integrated circuits thereon. They may be formed on various substrates and using various technologies and the embedded, thinned semiconductor chips are interconnected by a patterned interconnect that extends between and through the respective dielectric layers. A method for forming the flexible circuit member includes joining semiconductor chips to a mounting apparatus using a releasable bonding layer then forming thinned semiconductor chips that are joined to respective dielectric layers that combine to form the flexible electronic circuit member. The releasable bonding layer is removed after the thinned semiconductor chips are joined to the respective dielectric layers used in combination to form the electronic circuit member.
US08119496B2
A thin semiconductor wafer, on which a top surface structure and a bottom surface structure that form a semiconductor chip are formed, is affixed to a supporting substrate by a double-sided adhesive tape. Then, on the thin semiconductor wafer, a trench to become a scribing line is formed by wet anisotropic etching with a crystal face exposed so as to form a side wall of the trench. On the side wall of the trench with the crystal face thus exposed, an isolation layer for holding a reverse breakdown voltage is formed by ion implantation and low temperature annealing or laser annealing so as to be extended to the top surface side while being in contact with a p collector region as a bottom surface diffused layer. Then, laser dicing is carried out to neatly dice a collector electrode, formed on the p collector region, together with the p collector region, without presenting any excessive portions and any insufficient portions under the isolation layer. Thereafter, the double-sided adhesive tape is removed from the collector electrode to produce semiconductor chips. A highly reliable reverse-blocking semiconductor device can thus be formed at a low cost.
US08119495B2
There is provided a technique for improving the flatness at the surface of members embedded in a plurality of recesses without resulting in an increase in the time required for the manufacturing processes. According to this technique, the dummy patterns can be placed up to the area near the boundary BL between the element forming region DA and dummy region FA by placing the first dummy pattern DP1 of relatively wider area and the second dummy pattern DP2 of relatively small area in the dummy region FA. Thereby, the flatness of the surface of the silicon oxide film embedded within the isolation groove can be improved over the entire part of the dummy region FA. Moreover, an increase of the mask data can be controlled when the first dummy patterns DP1 occupy a relatively wide region among the dummy region FA.
US08119486B2
A method according to example embodiments includes forming isolation regions in a substrate, the isolation regions defining active regions. Desired regions of the active regions and the isolation regions are removed, thereby forming recess channel trenches to a desired depth. The recess channel trenches are fog to have a first region in contact with the active regions and a second region in contact with the isolation regions. A width of a bottom surface of the recess channel trenches is less than that of a top surface thereof. The active regions and the isolation regions are annealed to uplift the bottom surface of the recess channel trenches. An area of the bottom surface of the first region is increased. A depth of the bottom surface of the first region is reduced.
US08119484B2
One aspect of the present subject matter relates to a memory. A memory embodiment includes a nanofin transistor having a first source/drain region, a second source/drain region above the first source/drain region, and a vertically-oriented channel region between the first and second source/drain regions. The nanofin transistor also has a surrounding gate insulator around the nanofin structure and a surrounding gate surrounding the channel region and separated from the nanofin channel by the surrounding gate insulator. The memory includes a data-bit line connected to the first source/drain region, at least one word line connected to the surrounding gate of the nanofin transistor, and a stacked capacitor above the nanofin transistor and connected between the second source/drain region and a reference potential. Other aspects are provided herein.
US08119480B2
A semiconductor memory device performing an erase operation using an erase gate and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The memory device may include a charge trap layer storing a first charge transfer medium having a first polarity and at least one erase gate. The at least one erase gate may be formed below the charge trap layer. A second charge transfer medium, which has a second polarity opposite to the first polarity, may be stored in the at least one erase gate. During the erase operation, the second charge transfer medium migrates to the charge trap layer causing the first charge transfer medium to combine with the second charge transfer medium.
US08119471B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a vertical double-diffusedmetal-oxide-semiconductor (VDMOS) transistor includes preparing a semiconductor substrate and injecting a first impurity of a second conductivity type to a first region, injecting a second impurity to a second region that is located inside and is narrower than the first region, and forming an epitaxial layer on the semiconductor substrate and forming the semiconductor layer constituted by the semiconductor substrate and the epitaxial layer, and at a same time, diffusing the first and the second impurities injected in a first impurity injection and a second impurity injection to form a buried layer of the second conductivity type.
US08119467B2
Provided are a method of manufacturing a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate and a method of manufacturing an organic light emitting display apparatus, which increase the capacitance of a capacitor without increasing the probability of short circuits between wires. The method of manufacturing a TFT substrate includes (a) forming a capacitor electrode and a gate electrode on a substrate having a first region and a second region, so that the capacitor electrode is formed to correspond to the first region and the gate electrode is formed in a portion of the second region; (b) forming an interlayer insulating layer to cover the gate electrode and the capacitor electrode; and (c) etching a portion of the interlayer insulating layer in the first region by using a halftone mask to a thickness that is less than a thickness of a portion of the interlayer insulating layer in the second region.
US08119437B2
The method of manufacturing an image sensor includes providing a semiconductor substrate including a first pixel region, first forming a first pattern on the first pixel region, first performing a reflow of the first pattern to form a sub-micro lens on the first pixel region, second forming a second pattern on the sub-micro lens, and second performing a reflow of the second pattern to form a first micro lens covering the sub-micro lens.
US08119434B2
A lateral p-i-n photodetector is provided that includes an array of vertical semiconductor nanowires of a first conductivity type that are grown over a semiconductor substrate also of the first conductivity type. Each vertically grown semiconductor nanowires of the first conductivity type is surrounded by a thick epitaxial intrinsic semiconductor film. The gap between the now formed vertically grown semiconductor nanowires-intrinsic semiconductor film columns (comprised of the semiconductor nanowire core surrounded by intrinsic semiconductor film) is then filled by forming an epitaxial semiconductor material of a second conductivity type which is different from the first conductivity type. In a preferred embodiment, the vertically grown semiconductor nanowires of the first conductivity type are n+ silicon nanowires, the intrinsic epitaxial semiconductor layer is comprised of intrinsic epitaxial silicon, and the epitaxial semiconductor material of the second conductivity type is comprised of p+ silicon.
US08119433B2
An image sensor includes an insulating interlayer including a metal line on a semiconductor substrate, a photodiode pattern provided on the insulating interlayer to be connected to the metal line, the photodiode pattern separated per unit pixel by a gap area, a device isolation insulating layer provided on the insulating interlayer including the photodiode pattern and the gap area, a contact hole provided to the device isolation insulating layer to expose the photodiode pattern and a neighbor photodiode pattern, and a contact plug provided to the contact hole to be connected to a plurality of the photodiode patterns.
US08119429B2
A p-type GaN guiding layer, an n-type GaN layer, and an n-type AlGaN current blocking layer are sequentially formed over an active layer, and then part of the current blocking layer is etched by using an alkali solution and irradiating the part with light to form an opening. Thereafter, a second p-type GaN guiding layer is formed on the current blocking layer to cover the opening. In this structure, the GaN layer has a smaller energy gap than the AlGaN current blocking layer.
US08119425B2
There are provided a magnetic memory device and a method of forming the magnetic memory device. The method of forming the magnetic memory device includes sequentially forming a first magnetic conductor, a tunnel barrier layer, and a second magnetic conductor on a substrate, forming a mask pattern on the second magnetic conductor, performing a primary etching of the second magnetic conductor by using the mask pattern as an etching mask, forming at least one spacer on sidewalls of the second magnetic conductor formed by the primary etching, and performing a secondary etching of the first magnetic conductor by using the mask pattern and the at least one spacers as an etching mask.
US08119415B2
Process of placing a sample of known concentrations of known elements in a spectrometer; measuring the intensity II, I2 . . . In of the different elements included in the sample, by relating known concentrations C1, C2 . . . Cn for the elements included in the sample to the measured intensities II, I2 . . . In so as to calculate a fictive intensity for a 100%-pure element for each of the elements included; calculating calibration constants K1, K2 . . . Kn for each of the elements as the relationship between measured intensity II, I2 . . . In and the calculated intensity of respective 100%-pure elements; placing a sample of unknown concentrations of the elements in the spectrometer and reading-off the intensity of the different elements; and calculating the concentration of respective elements in the last mentioned sample as the measured intensity multiplied by respective calibration constants for the elements present in the sample.
US08119409B2
A mercury ionic gas standard generator for use in the continuous emissions monitoring of exhaust flue gas streams is disclosed. More specifically, the mercury ionic gas standard generator uses a reservoir being coated with an inert silicon-based coating for transporting a volume of an aqueous ionic mercury solution to a liquid mass flow controller and vaporizer.
US08119408B2
A method of tracking target molecules produced in a chemical reaction the method comprising providing a reaction region on a carrier, the carrier being arranged such that the target molecules react with the reaction region causing flexion of the carrier introducing the carrier to target molecules; illuminating the carrier with radiation such that radiation reflected from or transmitted through the flexed carrier forms a caustic optical feature; and measuring the position of the caustic to determine if the reaction region has reacted with the target molecules.
US08119404B2
The invention provides polypeptides comprising inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family members, such as BmIAP initially derived from Bombyx mori BmN cells, and nucleic acids encoding them, and methods for making and using these compositions, including their use for inhibiting apoptosis.
US08119403B2
The present invention relates to methods for preparing an artificial immune system. The artificial immune system comprises a cell culture comprising a three-dimensional matrix comprising lymphoid tissue, a three-dimensional matrix comprising epithelial and/or endothelial cells, and diseased cells. The artificial immune system of the present invention can be used for in vitro testing of vaccines, adjuvants, immunotherapy candidates, cosmetics, drugs, biologics and other chemicals.
US08119391B2
The present invention relates to a biochip readout device for analyzing and reading out biochips in a rotation manner such that a biochip having been adopted in a non-rotation manner is mounted on an optical disc, and a diagnostic system with a biochip readout device. The biochip readout device comprises biochip cartridge shaped as a rotatable disc, wherein a biochip is installed on or within the disc, a disc rotation drive unit being driven such that the biochip cartridge is rotated, a light reception means for receiving a beam reflected from the disc, the light reception means having a light source scanning the disc with the beam, a focusing/tracking controlling unit for controlling a focusing and tracking operation using the beam received by the light reception means, an optical pick-up unit having an objective lens drive unit for tracking a focus and track of the light source, an optical pick-up device having a bio analysis signal generation unit for receiving a light excited by the biochip and outputting a bio analysis signal and a system and output controlling unit for outputting monitoring bio analysis information, the system and output controlling unit having a signal processing unit for processing and analyzing the bio-analysis signal corresponding to bio analysis information to generate the monitoring bio analysis information.
US08119389B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing (2R,3S)-1-halo-2-hydroxy-3-(protected)amino-4-substituted butane comprising contacting a mutagenized Rhodococcus erythropolis having ATCC deposit no. PTA-6648 with (3S)-1-halo-2-oxo-3-(protected)amino-4-substituted butane substrate. The present invention also relates to a process comprising mixing (2R,3S)-1-halo-2-hydroxy-3-(protected)amino-4-substituted butane with at least one base in the presence of at least one solvent to produce a reaction mixture containing (2R,3S)-1,2-epoxy-3-(protected)amino-4-substituted butane. The present invention further relates to a process comprising crystallizing the (2R,3S)-1,2-epoxy-3-(protected)amino-4-substituted butane out of the reaction mixture by concurrently adding water and the reaction mixture together. The present invention is also directed to a mutagenized Rhodococcus erythropolis having ATCC deposit no. PTA-6648.
US08119377B2
Disclosed are recombinant microorganisms for producing organic acids. The recombinant microorganisms express a polypeptide that has the enzymatic activity of an enzyme that is utilized in the pentose phosphate cycle. The recombinant microorganism may include recombinant Actinobacillus succinogenes that has been transformed to express a Zwischenferment (Zwf) gene. The recombinant microorganisms may be useful in fermentation processes for producing organic acids such as succinic acid and lactic acid. Also disclosed are novel plasmids that are useful for transforming microorganisms to produce recombinant microorganisms that express enzymes such as Zwf.
US08119373B2
In the method for separating and purifying histidine from a culture containing the amino acid, the culture containing histidine and microbial cells is charged onto the top of a column filled with a carrier particle whose particle size is 420 μm or more and which has an ability to adsorb histidine and then an eluent is passed through the column whereby accomplishing the separation and purification of histidine, and preferably in the step mentioned above, a strong acid cation exchange resin is employed as a carrier particle whereby accomplishing the separation and purification of histidine.
US08119371B2
The invention is related to the process of fermentation with production strain Bacillus polymyxa for industrial production of antibiotic polymyxin B with yield from 1.8 to 2.8 g/l of filtrate of fermentation broth at temperature 28° C., pressure 40−70 kPa, aeration from 0.4 to 1 vvm, concentration of dissolved oxygen minimal 60%, maintenance of pH and optimal concentration of glucose and ammonium ions.
US08119362B2
The present invention relates to the use of a screening method for identifying candidate molecules that can be used for the treatment of respiratory conditions in a mammal, wherein the screening method comprises a step which comprises determining whether the functional activity of a TASK-2 polypeptide in the presence of a test molecule is decreased or eliminated compared with the functional activity of the TASK-2 polypeptide in the absence of the test molecule, the test molecule being considered to be a candidate molecule when it decreases or eliminates the functional activity.
US08119359B2
Newly identified mammalian taste-cell-specific G protein-coupled receptors which function as hetero-oligomeric complexes in the sweet taste transduction pathway, and the genes and cDNA encoding said receptors are described. Specifically, T1R G protein-coupled receptors active in sweet taste signaling as hetero-oligomeric complexes, and the genes and cDNA encoding the same, are described, along with methods for isolating such genes and for isolating and expressing such receptors. Methods for identifying putative taste modulating compounds using such hetero-oligomeric complexes also described, as is a novel surface expression facilitating peptide useful for targeting integral plasma membrane proteins to the surface of a cell.
US08119354B2
The present invention relates to cell free assays for measuring receptor activity, especially for measuring a constitutive or a non-constitutive activity of frizzled re-ceptors and uses thereof. The present invention further concerns a method for measuring a constitutive or non-constitutive activity of a frizzled receptor and a method for obtaining an active frizzled receptor ligand.
US08119350B2
The present invention discloses using SPR technology to detect MM related genomic imbalances in bone marrow samples. An efficient formula to make a mixed SAM that can greatly enhance the immobilization ability of the metal surface in SPR based techniques, which is good for the immobilization of DNA markers used for the identification of MM related genomic imbalances in bone marrow samples is also disclosed.
US08119349B2
The present invention is directed to a method for detecting the presence or absence of a mutation of interest in the nucleic acid of a pathogen, wherein the mutation of interest is located adjacent to a length polymorphism defining multiple quasispecies of the pathogen.
US08119345B2
A method for discriminating single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) offers improved sensitivity and specificity. A test kit is also provided. The method may be for genotyping in typing assays applied to a biological sample. The method may include steps of performing a real-time amplification of the target, generating multiple copies of amplicons, in presence of at least two different labeled probes, each probe allowing real-time detection at the SNP position of both the wildtype and at least one possible mutation, assessing the discriminatory variable value(s) based on the signals of each combination of two detection probes, and discriminating between the genotypes. The methods may be for diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic applications.
US08119340B2
Provided are isolated and purified preparations of a combination of a light chain antibody gene and a heavy chain antibody gene, where the light chain and heavy chain antibody genes are the same among more than one patient with B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). Vectors comprising those genes and cells comprising those vectors are also provided, as are isolated and purified antibodies encoded by the antibody genes. Anti-idiotype antibodies, peptides, and aptamers that bind to the antigen-binding region of an antibody encoded by the antibody genes are additionally provided, as are multimeric molecules comprising multiple binding sites that bind to the antigen-binding region of an antibody encoded by the antibody genes. Methods of determining whether a patient with B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) has a form of B-CLL that is susceptible to treatment directed to eliminating idiotype specific B cell receptor-bearing B-CLL cells are also provided, as are methods of following the progression of treatment of B-CLL in the patient. Additionally, methods of treating a patient having B-CLL are provided, as are methods of identifying a therapeutic agent for B-CLL.
US08119339B2
A change in viral tropism occurs in many HIV positive individuals over time and may be indicated by a shift in coreceptor use from CCR5 to CXCR4. The shift in coreceptor use to CXCR4 has been shown to correlate with increased disease progression. In patients undergoing HAART, the predominant populations of virus may be shifted back to CCR5-mediated entry soon after the CXCR4-specific strains have emerged. The present invention relates to a diagnostic method to monitor coreceptor use in the treatment and clinical management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The present invention further relates to a diagnostic method applied to HIV-positive individuals undergoing HAART to monitor the suppression of CCR5- or CXCR4-specific strains. The diagnostic methods may be used to assist in selecting antiretroviral therapy and to improve predictions of disease prognosis over time. The methods of the invention include cell-based methods, including cell fusion assays, and molecular-based methods, including heteroduplex tracking assay, to both quantitatively and qualitatively analyze patient-derived HIV for coreceptor usage.
US08119338B2
The invention provides methods and compositions for rapid, sensitive, and highly specific nucleic acid-based (e.g., DNA based) detection of human rhinovirus (HRV) in a sample. In general, the methods involve detecting a target nucleic acid having a target sequence of a conserved 5′ untranslated region of the HRV genome. The invention also features compositions, including primers, probes, and kits, for use in the methods of the invention.
US08119331B2
Radiation-sensitive element comprising a substrate and a radiation-sensitive coating comprising (a) at least one component selected from photoinitiators and sensitizer/coinitiator systems which absorbs radiation of a wavelength in the range of 250 to 1,200 nm; (b) at least one free-radical polymerizable oligomer A having an average molecular weight in the range of 3,500 to 9,000 determined by GPC, obtainable by reacting a triisocyanate with (i) at least one acrylic or methacrylic monomer with two free OH groups and at least one (meth)acrylic group and (ii) at least one compound comprising one OH group, at least one (meth)acrylic group and at least one poly(alkyleneoxide) chain in the molecule, wherein the (meth)acrylic monomer (i) is present in an amount of 2 to 20 mole-%, based on the total amount of (meth)acrylic compounds with OH functionality.
US08119326B2
To provide an infrared-sensitive or heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor which has high printing durability and wide development latitude, and also has good developing properties capable of preventing the formation of deposits during the development. In an infrared-sensitive or heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate precursor, comprising a substrate, a first image recording layer formed on the substrate, and a second image recording layer formed on the first image recording layer, the first image recording layer contains a resin which is soluble or dispersible in an aqueous alkali solution, and the second image recording layer contains a polyurethane which has a substituent having an acidic hydrogen atom.
US08119319B2
The present teaching provides a method for producing a positive charging toner that can exhibit stable charge characteristics. According to the present teaching, a positive charging toner is produced by preparing a base particle suspension having a conductivity not higher than 70 μS/cm and comprising base particles that are obtained by mixing and emulsifying an aqueous medium and a resin solution containing the polyester resin; producing toner base particles by mixing the base particle suspension with a charge control resin microparticle suspension containing charge control resin microparticles; causing the charge control resin microparticles to adhere to the surfaces of the base particles; and washing the toner base particles.
US08119318B2
To provide a wet developer which is capable of improving fixability, while ensuring a sufficient heat-resistant storage property. The wet developer contains toner particles composed of a colorant and a binder resin, which are dispersed in a non-volatile carrier solution by using a dispersant. As the binder resin, a polyester resin, which has an alcohol component containing a mixture of an ethylene oxide adduct of bisphenol A and a propylene oxide adduct of bisphenol A, with a ratio thereof being 1:19 to 10:10 (weight ratio), is used.
US08119312B2
In a manufacturing method for divisionally exposing a wafer, a focus correction processing is performed after a shot is moved to a position where the focus correction processing for all foci is enabled when the shot is at a wafer outer periphery, and a portion overlapped with an adjacent exposure area is shielded from light by a reticle blind to expose only an opening area unshielded by the reticle blind.
US08119309B2
A reflective photomask includes a phase shift object on a substrate, a reflective layer stacked on the substrate and the phase shift object, a capping layer on the reflective layer, the capping layer including at least one surface portion having a bent shape, and a light absorption pattern on the capping layer, the light absorption pattern including at least one slit exposing the surface portion of the capping layer having the bent shape.
US08119303B2
The number of assembling steps of a fuel cell module is reduced. Moreover, permeating of moisture from the outside is suppressed. To realize this, a fuel cell module of the present invention includes a fuel cell having a structure in which both ends of a cell laminate in a laminating direction of cells are held by end plates, a fuel cell case in which the fuel cell is received, and a plurality of holding portions which hold the fuel cell via the end plates. Each holding portion includes a first fastening member having a part thereof bonded to the end plate, a mount member interposed between the first fastening member and the fuel cell case, and a second fastening member which fastens the mount member and the fuel cell case, and the fuel cell case is provided with a protrusion part having such a shape as to cover the part of the first fastening member while avoiding interference with the part.
US08119300B2
An air conditioning control system having a cooling device for cooling a fuel cell by circulating a liquid coolant through the fuel cell using a main circulation pump while also providing an air conditioning control device for controlling air conditioning in a vehicle interior, wherein heat exchange between the cooling device and the air conditioning control device is possible. When the fuel cell is operated intermittently in the air conditioning control system, the main circulation pump is continuously operated.
US08119292B2
Disclosed is a lithium secondary battery comprising a cathode, an anode, an electrolyte and a separator, wherein the anode comprises an anode active material having a specific surface area of 3 m2/g or less, and the electrolyte comprises 0.1˜6 parts by weight of a propane sultone-based compound based on 100 parts by weight of the electrolyte. The lithium secondary battery solves the problem of performance degradation caused by the use of an increased amount of a propane sultone-based compound required to form a SEI film on the surface of an anode upon the first charge cycle. Also, the lithium secondary battery can provide improved cycle characteristics and high-temperature storage characteristics.
US08119291B2
A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including: a positive electrode; a negative electrode; a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; a non-aqueous electrolyte; and a porous insulating film adhered to a surface of at least one selected from the group consisting of the positive electrode and the negative electrode, the porous insulating film including an inorganic oxide filler and a film binder, wherein the ratio R of actual volume to apparent volume of the separator is not less than 0.4 and not greater than 0.7, and wherein the ratio R and a porosity P of the porous insulating film satisfy the relational formula: −0.10≦R−P≦0.30.
US08119285B2
A positive electrode material is disclosed which contains an iron lithium phosphate as a positive electrode active material and has a large charge/discharge capacity, high-rate adaptability, and good charge/discharge cycle characteristics at the same time. Also disclosed are a simple method for producing such a positive electrode material and a high-performance secondary battery employing such a positive electrode material. Specifically, disclosed is a positive electrode material for secondary battery characterized by mainly containing a positive electrode active material represented by the general formula: LinFePO4 (wherein n is a number of 0-1) and further containing at least one different metal element selected from the group consisting of vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), indium (In) and tin (Sn). This positive electrode material can be produced using a halide of such a metal element as the raw material.
US08119283B2
The present invention relates to negative active materials for rechargeable lithium batteries, manufacturing methods thereof, and rechargeable lithium batteries including the negative active materials. A negative active material for a rechargeable lithium battery includes a core including a material capable of carrying out reversible oxidation and reduction reactions and a coating layer formed on the core. The coating layer has a reticular structure.
US08119279B2
This invention provides a casing for storing MEA, which has satisfactory corrosion resistance to formic acid produced in an electrode reaction of MEA. There is also provided a casing formed of a material having the lowest possible specific gravity that can apply a suitable pushing pressure to MEA and a current collector without increasing the thickness dimension and is suitable for a power supply mounted, for example, in small portable electronic equipment. The casing is a casing for use in a fuel battery in which a hydrogen electrode, an oxygen electrode, and a film-electrode joint product formed of a proton conductive film held between the hydrogen electrode and the oxygen electrode are housed within the casing and, in removing water produced in an oxygen electrode reaction, the above water comes into contact with the casing. The casing for a fuel battery comprises a base material (2a) formed of a magnesium alloy and a film (2b) provided on the base material (2a). The film (2b) comprises a conversion treated film (2ba), an undercoating layer (2bb), and a top coating layer (2bd) provided in that order from the base material side.
US08119264B2
A perpendicular magnetic recording disk has a granular cobalt alloy recording layer (RL) containing an additive oxide or oxides, an intermediate layer (IL) as an exchange-break layer on the “soft” magnetic underlayer (SUL), and an ultrathin nucleation film (NF) between the IL and the RL. In the method of making the disk, the IL is deposited at a relatively low sputtering pressure, to thereby reduce the roughness of the RL and overcoat (OC), while the NF and RL are deposited at substantially higher sputtering pressures. The resulting disk has good recording properties and improved corrosion resistance over a comparable disk made with an IL deposited at high sputtering pressure and without the NF. The NF may be a discontinuous film with an average thickness of less than about 1 nm.
US08119262B2
The present invention relates to a coated cutting tool wherein a substrate is coated with a thin, adherent, hard and wear resistant coating comprising a laminar, multilayered structure of alternating layers of metalnitrides, metalcarbides or metalcarbonitrides. In the coating the sequence of individual layer thicknesses has no repeat period but is essentially aperiodic throughout the entire multilayered structure. The average chemical composition of the coating was AlaTibSicCrd(CeN1−e) where a is greater than zero and less than about 0.5, preferably a is greater than about 0.05 and less than about 0.4, where b is greater than about 0.1 and less than about 0.9, preferably b is greater than about 0.3 and less than about 0.9, where c is greater than about 0.01 and less than about 0.17, preferably c is greater than about 0.02 and less than about 0.1, where d is greater than or equal to zero and less than about 0.06, and a+b+c+d=1, where e is greater than or equal to zero and less than about 1, preferably e is greater than or equal to zero and than about 0.2.
US08119258B2
A white Organic Light Emitting Device (OLED) includes: an anode and cathode spaced apart from each other; first, second, and third light emitting layers sequentially stacked between the anode and the cathode; and an electron injection induction layer, arranged between the second light emitting layer and the third light emitting layer, to induce the electron to flow into the second light emitting layer from the third light emitting layer. A difference between a Lowest Occupied Molecular Orbital (LUMO) energy level of the electron injection induction layer and the LUMO energy level of a dopant existing in the second light emitting layer is 0.4 eV or below.
US08119257B2
Disclosed is an organic electroluminescent device (organic EL device) utilizing phosphorescence which is improved in luminous efficiency and sufficiently secured of driving stability. The organic EL device comprises an anode 2, organic layers containing a hole-transporting layer 4, a light-emitting layer 5, and an electron-transporting layer 6, and a cathode 7 piled one upon another on a substrate 1, the hole-transporting layer is disposed between the light-emitting layer and the anode, the electron-transporting layer is disposed between the light-emitting layer and the cathode, and the light-emitting layer comprises an organic Al complex represented by the following general formula (I) as a host material and an organic Ir complex represented by the following general formula (II) as a guest material. In formula (I), L is ArO—, ArCOO—, Ar3SiO—, Ar3GeO—, or Ar2AlO—.
US08119254B2
There are disclosed rare-earth metal containing electron-injecting electrodes which are particularly effective for use with organic LED devices used in electroluminescent structures and which may in particular be formed as transparent electrodes for use in transparent or surface emitting OLEDs.
US08119250B2
A flexible substrate for a TFT includes a metal substrate having a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion, and a buffer layer on the metal substrate, the buffer layer including a silicon oxide or a silicon nitride, wherein the predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal substrate satisfies an equation as follows, α f + 0.162 × ( 1 - v f ) E f ≤ α s ≤ α f + 0.889 × ( 1 - v f ) E f Ef representing Young's modulus of the buffer layer, vf representing Poisson's ratio of the buffer layer, αf representing a coefficient of thermal expansion of the buffer layer, and αs representing the predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal substrate.
US08119235B1
Decorative ionomeric surfaced film and sheet (e.g., multilayer co-extruded polymer) and articles made therefrom (e.g., automotive panels and parts) exhibiting good weatherability, mar resistance, and surface appearance of a high quality automotive finish (including color, haze, gloss, and DOI) and economical process for making (e.g., co-extrusion) and using (e.g., thermoforming and injection backfilling) the same.
US08119234B2
An aluminum titanate-based ceramic is provided having an anisotropic microstructure which includes the reaction products of a plurality of ceramic-forming precursors. The batch contains at least one precursor in fibrous form. The inorganic ceramic has low thermal expansion. Porous ceramic bodies and the method of manufacture are also provided.
US08119226B2
A cutting tool includes a substrate on which at least on the functioning parts of the surface thereof a thin, adherent, hard and wear resistant coating is applied, wherein the coating includes a laminated multilayer of alternating PVD or PECVD metal oxide layers, Me1X+Me2X+Me1X+Me2X . . . , where at least one of Me1X and Me2X is a metal oxide+metal oxide nano-composite layer composed of two components with different composition and different structure which components include a single phase oxide of one metal element or a solid solution of two or more metal oxides, wherein the layers Me1X and Me2X are different in composition or structure and have individual layer thicknesses larger than about 0.4 nm but smaller than about 50 nm and where said laminated multilayer layer has a total thickness of between about 0.2 and about 20 μm.
US08119224B2
A glazing element-bending process including first to fourth stages. The first stage bends the glazing element through gravitational depression on a first support providing it with a first central depression. The second stage continues the bending of the glazing element through gravitational depression on a second support, providing it with a second central depression more pronounced than the first and until such time as the whole periphery of the glazing element enters into contact with the second support, the glazing element being at a sufficiently high temperature to enable its central part to continue to sag following contact of the whole of the periphery. The third stage continues the bending of the glazing element through gravitational depression, providing it with a third central depression more pronounced than the second, the periphery being always in contact with the second support. The fourth stage halts the depression of the glazing element by cooling and gives it the desired final shape.
US08119214B2
Encapsulated cure systems are provided wherein a curative is incorporated into a solid or semi-solid carrier material whereby mere fracturing or failure of the capsule wall encapsulating such cure systems will not provide for or allow sufficient release of the curative. Also provided are adhesive systems incorporating said encapsulated cure systems.
US08119209B2
A method of forming a layer (12) of getter particles (11) on a glass part (10) includes contacting the getter particles with the glass part and irradiating the particles through the glass by a laser, thus heating the particles at a temperature greater than the softening temperature of the glass but lower than the melting temperature of the particles.
US08119203B2
A method of treating a substrate by applying a layer of at least one metal to the substrate to form an applied metal layer on the substrate and followed by curing of the applied metal layer at sub-atmospheric pressure to form a metal protective layer. A method of treating a substrate by applying a layer of at least one metal to a substrate of an unassembled component of a reactor system to form an applied metal layer on the substrate of the unassembled component and curing the applied metal layer on the substrate of the unassembled component to form a metal protective layer. A method of treating a substrate by applying a layer of at least one metal to the substrate to form an applied metal layer, curing the applied metal layer at a first temperature and pressure for a first period of time, and curing the applied metal layer at a second temperature and pressure for a second period of time, wherein the curing forms a metal protective layer.
US08119202B2
This application relates to a method of applying a thermally settable coating to a patterned substrate, such as an asphalt surface. The coating is applied in one or more preformed thermoplastic sheets and heated in situ to conform the thermoplastic material to the pattern formed in the underlying substrate. In one embodiment of the invention a pattern is formed in the asphalt surface using a removable template which is impressed into the asphalt when it is in a pliable state. The pre-formed sheets are then applied to the patterned surface and gradually heated. In an alternative embodiment of the invention the template is impressed into the pre-formed sheet and asphalt surface simultaneously after the sheet has been heated to a suitable temperature in situ. A bond reduction agent may be used to minimize adhesion between the template and the heated thermoplastic material.
US08119201B2
The invention relates to a painting tool and method of use for manipulating painting material on a painting surface. The method includes providing the tool, which includes a handle and blade. The blade is made of a resilient metal, has a matted surface, and includes handle, middle and distal sections. The handle section has a first end positioned within the middle third of the handle and a second end connected to the middle section. The middle section connects at a first end to the handle section and at a second end to the distal section. The distal section extends from the middle section and is in a distal section plane offset from the handle section. The distal section plane is at an angle to the handle section plane. The distal section is used to take a painting material and place and manipulate the painting material onto a painting surface.
US08119198B2
This invention relates to novel three-dimensional (3D) carbon fibers which are original (or primary) carbon fibers (OCF) with secondary carbon filaments (SCF) grown thereon, and, if desired, tertiary carbon filaments (TCF) are grown from the surface of SCF forming a filamentous carbon network with high surface area. The methods and apparatus are provided for growing SCF on the OCF by thermal decomposition of carbonaceous gases (CG) over the hot surface of the OCF without use of metal-based catalysts. The thickness and length of SCF can be controlled by varying operational conditions of the process, e.g., the nature of CG, temperature, residence time, etc. The optional activation step enables one to produce 3D activated carbon fibers with high surface area. The method and apparatus are provided for growing TCF on the SCF by thermal decomposition of carbonaceous gases over the hot surface of the SCF using metal catalyst particles.
US08119190B2
A method for applying an electrode mixture paste includes: a first step of unwinding a core material (2) wound in a coil shape; a second step of applying an electrode mixture paste (5) onto the core material; a third step of adjusting an application amount of the electrode mixture paste; a fourth step of drying a paste-coated sheet (6) with the electrode mixture paste applied to the both sides thereof; and a fifth step of winding the paste-coated sheet in a coil shape. In this method, in one of the second and third steps, a core material-exposed portion (9) to which the electrode mixture paste is not applied is provided in both edge portions in a width direction of the core material, and, in the fourth step, a holding unit is provided in at least one position, the holding unit continuously holding the core material-exposed portion between a wheel type roller (10) and a contact belt (11) and changing a traveling direction of the paste-coated sheet. A stable electrode mixture paste application method can be achieved by preventing the occurrence of wrinkles formed when the electrode mixture paste containing a high specific gravity material is applied and dried in order to avoid the reduction in application accuracy due to the flow of the electrode mixture paste.
US08119186B2
Droplets of a liquid are ejected through a plurality of nozzles to a plurality of coating regions on a substrate based on nozzle information including the ejection amount of a droplet of the liquid ejected through each nozzle. According to arrangement information for disposing the liquid, a plurality of droplet groups are disposed in each coating region while the plurality of nozzles and the substrate are scanned for relative movement. A calculation is performed according to the nozzle information and the arrangement information. Adjustment amount is calculated so that the assigned adjustment amounts vary from one droplet group to another. Driving signals, which drive selected nozzles, are set so that combinations of the driving signals give coating amounts that have taken the assigned adjustment amounts into account.
US08119184B2
A stent of variable surface area as determined by stent struts. The stent can have a variable surface area per unit length which accommodates a therapeutic agent. A patterned distribution of therapeutic agent can be provided throughout the stent. The stent can have an increased level of therapeutic agent near an end of the stent. A decreased level of therapeutic agent can be provided near an end of one embodiment of a stent. Indentations can be provided at the surface of the stent with therapeutic agent disposed therein. The stent can be cut with struts of variable thickness to provide the variable stent surface area.
US08119181B2
A method is disclosed for producing an intermediary product in the form of a nut-based pellet that is capable of being stored for up to about six months. To form the nut pellets, a nut dough is passed through an extruder. The extrudate produced is then cut into pellets and dried. Starch pellets can then optionally be mixed with the nut pellets or small nut pieces and cooked to form a snack chip. The snack chip is formed by compressing and cooking the pellet mixture, expanding the pellet mixture, and compressing the pellet mixture again.
US08119180B2
A process and a composition to extend the freshness of fruits and vegetables are disclosed. The method comprises treating fresh fruit or vegetable structures with a solution comprising organic acids including N-acetyl cysteine.
US08119171B2
The invention relates to a method for the prevention or reduction of haze in a beverage by the addition of an prolyl-specific endoprotease and to new beverages obtainable by the method according to the invention. It also relates to new endoproteases. Sequence information of a genomic DNA, cDNA as well as protein sequences.
US08119167B2
Use of a composition comprising cartilage or chondroitin sulphate and absorbable zinc for the preparation of a food supplement or a drug suitable for promoting iron absorption in patients suffering from lack of iron.
US08119161B2
The present invention relates to a blister pack for pharmaceutical use comprising blisters containing a solid dosage form of desmopressin, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and to said solid dosage form. In one embodiment it specifically relates to a blister pack for pharmaceutical use comprising blisters containing a solid dosage form of desmopressin, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in association with a pharmaceutically acceptable adjuvant, diluent and/or carrier, wherein said solid dosage form is adapted to prevent moisture related degradation of said desmopressin.
US08119159B2
The invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition and oral dosage forms comprising a bisphosphonate in combination with an enhancer to promote absorption of the bisphosphonate at the GIT cell lining. The enhancer is a medium chain fatty acid or a medium chain fatty acid derivative having a carbon chain length of from 6 to 20 carbon atoms. Preferably, the solid oral dosage form is a controlled release dosage form such as a delayed release dosage form.
US08119155B2
The invention relates to a liquid nutrition comprising short chain fatty acyl chains, polyunsaturated fatty acyl chains, vegetable oil and a non-digestible, fermentable saccharide. The composition is particular suitable for use as an infant nutrition. The composition is also suitable for treatment and/or prevention of gut barrier related disorders.
US08119148B2
This invention provides a pharmaceutical composition in the form of a suspension comprising oxcarbazepine.
US08119137B2
The present invention relates to the use of at least one antibody and/or one inhibitor for inhibiting factor XII and preventing the formation and/or the stabilization of three-dimensional thrombi. It also relates to a pharmaceutical formulation and the use of factor XII as an anti-thrombotic target.
US08119134B2
A composition is provided to prevent, limit the effects of, delay the onset of, or treat one or more of the causes, symptoms or complications of gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia and/or intrauterine growth restriction. The composition comprises a therapeutically effective amount of an antibody that reacts immunologically with or binds digoxin and has a high dose of digoxin binding capacity as the active ingredient. There is also provided a method of preventing, limiting the effects of, delaying the onset of, or treating a cause, symptom or complication of gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia or intrauterine growth restriction, comprising the step of administering to a mammal a composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an antibody that reacts immunologically with or binds digoxin and has a high dose of digoxin binding capacity.
US08119132B2
The present invention relates to humanized antibodies specific to a tumor-associated glycoprotein, TAG-72, and anticancer compositions comprising the humanized antibodies. In detail, the present invention relates to a humanized antibody which has enhanced antigen binding affinity by mutating a heavy chain of a humanized antibody PXA/HzK specific for TAG-72, an antibody which is prepared by replacing a light chain of the humanized antibody with a human light chain, and anticancer compositions including the antibodies.
US08119131B2
An IL-17 binding molecule, in particular an antibody to human IL-17, more preferably a human antibody to human IL-17 is provided, wherein the hypervariable regions of the heavy and light chains have amino acid sequences as defined, for use in the treatment of an IL-17 mediated disease or disorder, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis.
US08119129B2
Compositions and methods are disclosed which are useful of the treatment and prevention of proliferative disorders.
US08119125B2
Methods and compositions are provided for stabilizing polypeptides for oral administration, particularly where enteric delivery is desirable. By administering the polypeptides with a bile sequestering agent, the stability of the polypeptide can be increased. Pharmaceutical formulations for this purpose are provided.
US08119122B2
The invention relates to the use of gingival fibroblasts for obtaining a cellular composition for treating arterial-remodelling pathology, for example an aneurysm, post-cryoplasty stenosis and restenosis, an aortic dissection or atherosclerosis.
US08119117B2
Provided are adenoviral vectors for generating an immune response to antigen. The vectors comprise a transcription unit encoding a secretable polypeptide, the polypeptide comprising a secretory signal sequence upstream of a tumor antigen upstream of CD40 ligand, which is missing all or substantially all of the transmembrane domain rendering CD40L secretable. Also provided are methods of generating an immune response against cells expressing a tumor antigen by administering an effective amount of the invention vector. Further provided are methods of generating an immune response against cancer expressing a tumor antigen in an individual by administering an effective amount of the invention vector. Still further provided are methods of generating immunity to infection by human papilloma virus (HPV) by administering an effective amount of the invention vector which enocodes the E6 or E7 protein of HPV. The immunity generated is long term.
US08119113B2
There is provided a coenzyme Q10-containing composition having a high coenzyme Q10 content and excellent stability and bioavailability of coenzyme Q10, without using synthetic emulsifiers such as glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, organic acid monoglycerides or sucrose fatty acid esters.The coenzyme Q10-containing liquid composition is obtained by dispersing and emulsifying coenzyme Q10 in an aqueous liquid containing a water-soluble substance consisting of octenylsuccinate starch and dextrin, and glycerin. The liquid composition may be dried to prepare a coenzyme Q10-containing solid composition.
US08119111B2
A topical administration carrier composition including water, glycerin and polysorbate, suitable for use in formulations with active ingredient compositions containing active ingredients such as minoxidil that are susceptible to systemic penetration, and solvents that are susceptible to evaporative loss, when the active ingredient composition is topically applied to the body. The carrier formulation retards the evaporative losses of the solvent component(s) and systemic migration losses of the active ingredient composition, to provide sustained topical action, in relation to formulations lacking the carrier composition of the invention.
US08119108B2
The present invention provides a dispersion of microparticulate titanium oxide that can generate a natural finish feeling, which includes a feeling of transparency, and has good long-term stability and an excellent UV protective effect in both UVA and UVB regions. The present invention is a dispersion of microparticulate titanium oxide characterized in that the microparticulate titanium oxide with the average major axis of 30 to 100 nm and the average minor axis of 8 to 50 nm is dispersed, by maintaining the average size of dispersed particles to be 80 to 110 nm, in a hydrophobic dispersion medium. In the dispersion of microparticulate titanium oxide, the content of silicone oil relative to the total hydrophobic dispersion medium is preferably 10 to 100 weight %. Furthermore, it is preferable that the dispersion of microparticulate titanium oxide contains a biterminally-siliconized polyglycerin as a dispersant. The dispersion of microparticulate titanium oxide can be preferably contained in a cosmetic.
US08119104B2
A process for inhibiting symptoms of a subject with celiac disease is provided that includes administration of monoclonal-, or polyclonal-, monomeric, dimeric, or polymeric IgA. Joining secretory component to the IgA limits oral administration degradation. Formulating agents are mixed with the monomeric, dimeric, or polymeric IgA to yield a dosing form of a capsule, tablet, and a suppository. The therapeutic is amenable to enrobement directly through microencapsulation or the dosing form is coated with an enteric coating.
US08119101B2
Disclosed are compositions that include anti-CD74 immunoconjugates and optionally a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent. In preferred embodiments, the immunoconjugates comprise one or more anti-CD74 antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof, conjugated to a liposome or micelle. Also disclosed are methods for preparing the immunoconjugates and using the immunoconjugates in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. In certain preferred embodiments, the therapeutic methods comprise administering to a subject with a CD74-expressing disease an anti-CD74 immunoconjugate and thereby inducing apoptosis of CD74-expressing cells. In more preferred embodiments, the CD74 immunoconjugate is capable of inducing cell death in the absence of any other therapeutic agent, although such agents may be optionally administered prior to, together with or subsequent to administration of the anti-CD74 immunoconjugate. The compositions may be part of a kit for administering the anti-CD74 immunoconjugates or compositions.
US08119097B2
The invention relates to a process for producing nanoparticulate solids by means of a Péclet number-stabilized gas-phase reaction.
US08119095B2
The present invention relates to a composite sintering materials using a carbon nanotube (including carbide nano particles, hereinafter the same) and a manufacturing method thereof, the method comprises the steps of: combining or generating carbon nanotubes in metal powers, a compacted product, or a sintered product; growing and alloying the carbon nanotubes by compacting or sintering the metal powers, the compacted product, or the sintered product; and strengthening the mechanical characteristics by repeatedly performing the sintering process and the combining process or the generating process of the carbon nanotubes. The composite sintering materials using carbon nanotubes of the present invention have excellent mechanical, thermal, and electric and electronic characteristics as well as have effects of material cost reduction and manufacturing cost reduction due to reduced sintering temperature so that they are useful as materials for automotive parts, electric and electronic arts, space and aircraft parts, and molding and cutting tools, all of which include the composite sintering materials using carbon nanotubes.
US08119092B2
A pegylated and hydroxlated trimetallic nitride endohedral metallofullerene is provided comprising a plurality of hydroxyl groups and one or more polyethylene glycol (PEG) moieties covalently bonded to a fullerene encapsulating a trimetallic nitride. Methods of pegylation and hydroxylation of trimetallic nitride endohedral metallofullerene and methods of using pegylated and hydroxlated trimetallic nitride endohedral metallofullerene are described.
US08119088B2
Provided are selective catalytic reduction (SCR) filters that effectively provide simultaneous treatment of particulate matter and NOx. Provided also are methods for reducing NOx concentration and particulate matter in a diesel engine exhaust by using the SCR filters. The SCR filter can include a fiber matrix wall flow filter comprising a plurality of non-woven inorganic fibers and a chabazite molecular sieve SCR catalyst on the fiber matrix wall flow filter. By combining a fiber matrix wall flow filter with a chabazite molecular sieve SCR catalyst, high catalyst loading can be achieved without causing excessive back pressure across the filter when implemented in emission treatment systems.
US08119078B2
The present invention provides a system for stabilizing gas and particularly gas hydrates at low pressures and for safe storage and transportation of the gas. The invention also provides minimization of the decomposition of the gas in hydrate form.
US08119072B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a fragrance distribution device comprising an electrical resistor, a plug or other power source, and a fragrance in a polymer or thermoplastic carrier. The polymer or thermoplastic carrier may include, for example, metal inclusions, which may be powdered metal. These metal inclusions are believed to enhance heat distribution throughout the carrier, thus allowing a more uniform and reliable release of fragrance.
US08119067B2
An automatic physiological assay device analyzes light reflected by an assay device and prevents ambient light from interfering with the assay device. The automatic physiological assay device in accordance with the present invention comprises a chassis, an assay device connector assembly, an assay device and a light detecting device. The chassis comprises closed bottom, multiple sidewalls, an inner cavity, an open top and a removable top cover. The assay device connector assembly is mounted slidably through a sidewall and comprises an outer end, two sides and a cover. The cover is mounted on the outer end, seals the sidewall and keeps ambient light away from the assay device. The light detecting device is mounted in the inner cavity and on top edges of guides adjacent the assay device connector assembly.
US08119065B2
An active sampler for detecting contaminants in liquids comprises an inlet, an outlet and a sampling unit positioned such that the liquid flows along a path from the inlet, through the sampling unit, to the outlet. The sampling unit has a plurality of sampling chambers that are substantially fluidly sealed relative to one another, wherein one of the sampling chambers is selectively positioned in the flow path. The active sampler also comprises an actuator, which relatively moves the sampling unit and the inlet and outlet such that one sampling chamber is positioned out of the flow path while another of the sampling chambers is positioned in the flow path.
US08119063B2
High-alloy austenitic stainless steels that are extra resistant to pitting and crevice corrosion in aggressive, chloride-containing solutions have a tendency for macro-segregation of Mo, at solidification of the melt. This problem is solved by a super austenite stainless steel having the following composition, in % by weight: max 0.03 C, max 0.5 Si, max 6 Mn, 28-30 Cr, 21-24 Ni, 4-6% (Mo+W/2), the content of W being max 0.7, 0.5-1.1 N, max 1.0 Cu, balance iron and impurities at normal contents originating from the production of the steel.
US08119059B2
An apparatus for manufacturing molten iron includes i) at least one fluidized-bed reduction reactor that converts iron ore into reduced materials by reducing and plasticizing the iron ore, ii) a melter-gasifier into which the reduced materials are charged and oxygen is injected such that the melter-gasifier manufactures molten iron, and iii) a reducing gas supply line that supplies a reducing gas discharged from the melter-gasifier into the fluidized-bed reduction reactor. The fluidized-bed reduction reactor includes a gas injector that injects a gas into the fluidized-bed reduction reactor to remove stagnating layers.
US08119057B2
A method and product made by using a polymeric ceramic precursor to synthesize dense, crack-free bulk ceramics in a technique using a sacrificial mold provides a ceramic structure for many technical, medical and industrial applications. The novel process uses an open cell material as a sacrificial mold to shape a ceramic precursor during curing. The cured ceramic green body can be machined and shaped to form the desired ceramic structure prior to final pyrolysis. The open cell material forms gas release paths to release large amount of gases generated during the pyrolysis of the cured ceramic precursor. After pyrolysis, an intact, dense, crack-free ceramic structure with high purity, strength and durability is obtained. Uses of the present invention include, but are not limited to, bulk ceramic parts, ceramic crucibles, a replacement material in some applications involving glass, silicon carbides, silicon nitrides, hafnium carbide and the like.
US08119055B2
A method and an apparatus for corrugating and winding up rolls of a plastic film. The plastic film is corrugated as it is continuously wound onto a roll, by a film drawing drum conformed with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves to perform open-end corrugation or folds which extend crosswise the film; the plastic film is corrugated crosswise, causing the same film to penetrate into the grooves of the drawing drum by suction of air through a plurality of suction holes which open out into the grooves of the drum.
US08119049B1
Injection-molding processes and systems are described herein. An exemplary method involves: (a) holding one or more inserts in a desired position within a mold cavity by contacting a retractable core to at least a portion of each insert, wherein the retractable core is a feature of a mold plate; (b) while the one or more inserts are being held in the desired position by the retractable core, initiating an injection of molten plastic into the mold cavity; (c) retracting the retractable core from the one or more inserts while continuing the injection of molten plastic into the mold cavity, wherein retracting the retractable core creates additional cavity space within the mold cavity between the retractable core and the one or more inserts; and (d) continuing the injection of molten plastic into the mold cavity until the mold cavity, including the additional cavity space, is filled. The retractable core is preferably retracted at a point when molten plastic filling cavity space further from the retractable core has substantially cooled and hardened, while molten plastic filling cavity space in close proximity to the retractable core remains substantially heated.
US08119043B2
The method of the present invention includes: an exposing process in which an inorganic resist layer 101 formed on a substrate 100 is irradiated with recording laser light modulated by an information signal corresponding to an information signal of an information concave and convex pattern formed on an optical disc to form an exposed pattern corresponding to the information concave and convex pattern on the optical disc, and after the above process a development process in which development processing is performed on the inorganic resist layer to form a concave and convex pattern corresponding to the information concave and convex pattern of the inorganic resist layer; in the above exposing process, after a trial exposure is performed on a non-recording area of the above resist layer, the exposed portion is irradiated with evaluation laser light and a recording signal characteristic of the above resist layer is evaluated from the reflected light to determine based on the evaluation result an optimum focus position of recording laser light which is later performed; and accordingly the recording signal characteristic (jitter value) of the optical disc is predicted and evaluated in the exposing process from the recording characteristic of the exposed portion on the resist to appropriately adjust an exposure focusing position based on the evaluation result and thus, a master having an appropriate concave and convex pattern and consequently an optical disc having an excellent characteristic can be manufactured.
US08119038B2
An organic electrolytic solution includes a lithium salt; an organic solvent containing a high dielectric constant solvent and/or a low boiling point solvent; and a glycidyl ether compound represented by Formula 1: where, n, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and A are described in the detailed description. In conventional organic electrolytic solutions, irreversible capacity is increased due to decomposition of a polar solvent. A lithium battery employing the organic electrolytic solution has excellent charge/discharge characteristics by inhibiting cracks of a negative electrode active material which occur during charging and discharging of the battery. Therefore, the lithium battery can have high stability, reliability and charge/discharge efficiency.
US08119037B2
The present invention relates to square planar transition metal complexes and their use in organic semiconductive materials as well as in electronic or optoelectronic components.
US08119031B2
Preservative composition for lignocellulosic-based composites providing rapid and long-lasting protection against insect and fungal attack, in both low and high moisture environments, through the use of a combination of higher solubility and lower solubility borates. Pesticidal amounts of a lower solubility borate and a higher solubility borate are combined before or during their incorporation into a lignocellulosic-based composite. Useful low solubility borates include copper borate, zinc borate and barium metaborate. Useful high solubility borates include boric acid, boric oxide, ammonium borate and alkali metal borates such as sodium borate. Some alkaline earth metal borates, including calcium borates, calcium magnesium borates, magnesium borates and calcium sodium borates, are of intermediate solubility and may be used effectively as either a low soluble or high soluble borate depending on the combination used.
US08119025B2
An anti-icing composition is provided, which comprises methyl cellulose from about 5 to about 15% (v/v); propylene glycol from about 9 to about 11% (v/v); vegetable glycerin from about 9 to about 11% (v/v); isopropyl alcohol (90%) from about 42 to about 49% (v/v), and water from about 10% to about 35% (v/v). Methods of preparing and using the anti-icing composition are also described.
US08119024B1
A piezoelectric single crystal ingot is produced by the Bridgman method and contains a relaxor having a composition of Pb(Mg, Nb)O3 and lead titanate having a composition of PbTiO3. In the piezoelectric single crystal ingot, the compositional fraction of lead titanate does not vary monotonically in the growth direction of a single crystal and the variation of the compositional fraction thereof is within the range of ±2.0 mole percent over a length of 30 mm or more. A piezoelectric single crystal device is produced from the piezoelectric single crystal ingot.
US08119022B2
A piezoelectric single crystal and piezoelectric and dielectric application parts using the same are provided, which have all of high dielectric constant K3T, high piezoelectric constants (d33 and k33), high phase transition temperatures (Tc and TRT), high coercive electric field Ec and improved mechanical properties and thus can be used in high temperature ranges and high voltage conditions. Furthermore, the piezoelectric single crystals are produced by the solid-state single crystal growth adequate for mass production of single crystals and the single crystal composition is developed not to contain expensive raw materials so that the piezoelectric single crystals can be easily commercialized. With the piezoelectric single crystals and piezoelectric single crystal application parts, the piezoelectric and dielectric application parts using the piezoelectric single crystals of excellent properties can be produced and used in the wide temperature range.
US08119015B2
The device (1) serves for the generation of a discrete liquid phase in a continuous liquid phase with a first or a second liquid. The two liquids coexist as separate phases, have different densities and permit a desired exchange of material. Provision is made to arrange the device in a container (9) which contains the second liquid forming the continuous phase. The device includes a distribution member (2), in particular a cylindrical tube, and a collection passage (3) for the first liquid in a horizontal longitudinal extent. The collection passage has an outlet side (4), a collection side (5) and at least one side wall (6) connecting the outlet side and the collection side. The side wall establishes a connection between the outlet side and a horizontal drip edge (7). This side wall has a shape and an inclination which enables the formation of a liquid film of the discrete liquid phase. For enhancing the stability of the Film, the side wall (6) can have a good wettability for the first liquid. The drip edge or the side wall preferably have a profiling, in particular a toothed arrangement (70) for the generation of the discrete phase in the form of drops which are preferably of an equal size due to a uniform toothed arrangement.
US08119011B1
Substitution of a single Ga-atom or single Ge-atom (GaAl12 and GeAl12 respectively) into the center of an aluminum Keggin polycation (Al13) produces an optimal water-treatment product for neutralization and coagulation of anionic contaminants in water. GaAl12 consistently shows ˜1 order of magnitude increase in pathogen reduction, compared to Al13. At a concentration of 2 ppm, GaAl12 performs equivalently to 40 ppm alum, removing ˜90% of the dissolved organic material. The substituted GaAl12 product also offers extended shelf-life and consistent performance. We also synthesized a related polyaluminum chloride compound made of pre-hydrolyzed dissolved alumina clusters of [GaO4Al12(OH)24(H2O)12]7+.
US08119001B2
The invention relates to a device for filtering of oil circulating in an internal combustion engine, comprising an oil filter adapter for detachable fastening of an exchangeable oil filter to the engine block of the internal combustion engine. The invention is characterized in that the oil filter adapter has a receptacle with an inserted pin, the receptacle having an outflow for returning the oil flowing from the exchangeable oil filter, the receptacle having a channel which leads in particular to an oil pump, and the receptacle having a drain which leads in particular to the cylinder crankcase, the pin being inserted elastically pretensioned such that during operation the pin clears the outflow and closes the channel and the drain, and, when the exchangeable oil filter is loosened from the oil filter adapter, the pin is displaced by spring force and clears the outflow, the channel, and the drain. Furthermore the invention includes a pin which is designed for use in the device according to the invention.
US08118989B2
Methods are provided for bonding pure rhenium to a substrate comprising a material. Non-lubricated components configured to have friction contact with another component are also provided. In an embodiment, by way of example only, a method includes disposing a eutectic alloy over the substrate to form an inter layer, the eutectic alloy comprised essentially of a base alloy and one or more melting point depressants and having a melting temperature that is lower than a melting temperature of the substrate material and a melting temperature of rhenium, placing pure rhenium over the inter layer, and heating the inter layer to a temperature that is substantially equal to or greater than the melting temperature of the eutectic alloy, but that is below the melting temperature of the substrate material and the melting temperature of the pure rhenium to bond the pure rhenium to the substrate.
US08118985B2
A gas sensor (200) has a gas sensor element (10) including a first measurement chamber (16); a first pumping cell (11) having a first interior pump electrode (11c) and its counterpart electrode (11b); a second measurement chamber (18); a second pumping cell (13) that has a second interior pump electrode (13b); and a beater (50). The heater (50) has a lead section (50a); a first resistance portion (50bx) having a higher resistance than the lead portion (50a); and a main heating portion (50k) having a second resistance portion (50by) having a higher resistance than the first resistance portion (50bx) disposed at a leading end side in a longitudinal direction relative to a leading end of the first resistance portion (50bx). The second interior pump electrode (13b) is located within the first resistance portion (50bx) in the longitudinal direction.
US08118973B2
A system and method for applying de-dusting agents to fibrous mats, webs, and/or blankets requiring a lower usage of the de-dusting agents, and producing fibrous products having improved dust suppression are disclosed. The dedusting agent or agents are first reduced to very fine particles or droplets and then, in an air suspension, are passed through the fibrous mat, web and/or blanket to deposit the very fine particles or droplets onto the surfaces of the fibers.
US08118968B2
A bonding agent system is provided that contains at least components (A) and (B), where (A) is at least one compound with at least two cyclic carbonate groups and (B) is at least one compound with at least two primary and/or secondary amine groups. The bonding agent system is particularly suitable for use as a two-component adhesive or sealant and has very good adhesion to various substrates.
US08118952B2
Bone fracture fixation devices, systems and methods of use and manufacture are provided. One such bone fixation device includes an elongate element having a responsive zone. The element is adapted to be coupled to the bone so that the responsive zone is positioned adjacent a fracture or fusion site in the bone. The responsive zone is adapted to apply a desired pressure to the bone when coupled thereto. In some embodiments, the responsive zone comprises a shape memory material, which may be nickel titanium or Nitinol, to apply compressive pressure across the fracture or fusion site for longer periods of time than standard bone screws.
US08118946B2
A component from a substrate processing chamber which has plasma process residues on both its internal and external surfaces, is removed from the processing chamber, and transferred to a cleaning chamber. The component is exposed to an energized cleaning gas in the cleaning chamber, and the cleaning gas is exhausted from below the component so that the cleaning gas cleans off the residues on both the internal and external surfaces of the component. It has been determined that the cleaning gas can also repair surface defects in the component.
US08118943B2
A self-propelled robotic pool cleaner (100) has a first pair of driven brushes (12, 14) and second pair of free brushes co-axially mounted for rotation on axles (16) at the opposite ends of the pool cleaner that are transverse to the direction of movement. The first pair of brushes are mounted on one side and are driven by a drive motor (110); the second pair of brushes are mounted on the opposite side of the cleaner. A rotational delay clutch (30) is co-axially positioned between each pair of the first and second brushes so that reversing the drive motor causes the first pair of driven brushes to temporarily rotate at an angular rotational velocity that is greater than that of the second pair of brushes, thereby pivoting the pool cleaner through a predetermined angular change in direction before the synchronous rotation of the second pair of dual brushes is initiated by the engagement of the clutch. Following each reversal, the pool cleaner moves in a new direction along a generally straight path that is angularly displaced from its prior path. A highly efficient cleaning program permits the use of a battery to power the drive and water pump motors in pool cleaners that ascend the side walls as well as cleaning the bottom surface.
US08118939B2
A temperature control device for use in a process reactor system with a bubbler having a container provided with a side wall. The device includes a vessel having an internal chamber adapted to receive the container of the bubbler. An enclosure member is extendable between the container of the bubbler and the vessel for enclosing the side wall of the container within the internal chamber. A temperature-changing device is coupled to the vessel for providing heat or cold to the internal chamber.
US08118932B2
By locally heating specific scan positions within a region of interest and automatically obtaining respective measurement data in a time-resolved and spatially-resolved fashion, dynamic processes within a metallization layer of semiconductor devices may be efficiently monitored and/or modified. For instance, OBIRCH and SEI techniques may be used in combination with the automated data recording and manipulation, thereby providing an efficient means for in situ failure analysis, defect identification, for any dynamic degradation processes in interconnects and interlayer dielectrics.
US08118931B2
The present invention relates to building material mixtures which contain slag sand and zinc salts which have from 0 to 8 carbon atoms in their structure. The invention furthermore relates to the use of zinc salts for preventing discolorations during the hardening of the building material mixtures.
US08118928B1
A cast type ceiling tile comprising a mixture containing 30 to 70% mineral wool, 10 to 40% expanded glass beads, 8 to 20% starch, 0 to 15% stucco, and 0 to 1% boric acid.
US08118926B2
A self-foaming bone cement is described herein. In one variation, the bone cements include a self setting calcium phosphate cement formulation which when cured, forms macroscopic pores of varying sizes and densities with sufficient surface area to provide substantial regions for bone turnover.
US08118924B2
A method of modifying a pigment that includes reacting a reactive compound having an X—[Y]n reactive group with a secondary compound N—S—ZM to form a substituted reactive intermediate [Y]a—X—(N—S—ZM)b. A pigment is reacted with the substituted reactive intermediate [Y]a—X—(N—S—ZM)b to attach the substituted reactive intermediate to the surface of the pigment to form a surface modified pigment. X may be a sulfonyl, phosphoryl, or 1,3,5-triazinyl group, Y may be a halogen leaving group, N may be a basic nucleophilic group, S may be an organic group, and ZM may be an ionizable end group. Also, n is an integer between 1 and 3, b is an integer between 1 and 3, and a=n−b. When n is equal to or greater than b, and if b is 2 or 3, each. N—S—ZM can be the same or different.
US08118923B2
A method is described which enables antibacterial properties to be attributed to a titanium surface by applying titanium dioxide suspensions of nanometric dimensions.
US08118919B1
An air filter comprising natural and or man made organza wherein the organza allows air to pass but prevents undesirable air particulates to pass and wherein the organza may be disposed over a frame and may include other mesh material.
US08118918B2
In one form the present invention provides an apparatus in an airflow path before a particle detector, wherein the apparatus removes a substantially constant proportion of all sizes of airborne particles from the airflow over time. In an example the apparatus includes a flow splitting arrangement configured to divide a fluid flow into a plurality of sub-flows, the splitting arrangement 10 including means for defining a plurality of substantially identically dimensioned flow apertures configured to direct a portion of the fluid into a respective sub-flow.
US08118917B2
The invention relates to a device for recovering moisture present in the atmosphere. The device comprises a collection structure with a water recovery surface which during use at least partly makes an angle with respect to the orientation of gravity. Further, the collection structure is detachably couplable to a reservoir for storing the recovered moisture. In addition, the collection structure is nestable.
US08118903B2
A method for controlling a hybrid powertrain system selectively operative in one of a plurality of operating range states including an engine includes monitoring an operator torque request and a rotational speed of the output member, determining inertial effects of the transmissions, determining motor torque outputs from the electrical machines and an engine based upon the inertial effects, and selecting a preferred operating range state and a preferred input speed from the engine to the transmission based upon the operator torque request and the inertial effects.
US08118887B2
An improved charcoal briquet having combustion aiding surfaces is packaged in a compact boxed package. A charcoal briquet having improved burning characteristics and also improved shipping and retailing characteristics is thereby provided. An improved packaged charcoal product including a flat sided box adapted to hold randomly oriented briquets and be split open at its corners and at a lower portion for use in igniting the briquets and a grooved pillow shaped briquet are also disclosed.
US08118883B2
Disclosed are polymeric dyes obtained by the reaction of (a) a basic polycondensate with (b) an electrophilic dye of formula (2) P—X—Ya+ Ana+; wherein the basic polycondensate (a) is obtained by the reaction of (a1) an amine of formula (I) in the presence of an anhydrous solvent with an ammonium salt (a2) with a cyanamide: Wherein P, X, Y, a+, a, a1, a2, An, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and A are defined in the claims and in the disclosure. The present invention also relates to compositions comprising these polymeric dyes, to a process for their use for dyeing of organic materials, such as keratin fibers, wool, leather, silk, cellulose or polyamides.
US08118879B2
A keel for a prosthetic foot comprises a unitary keel body having a longitudinal axis and a length L. The keel body includes a forefoot portion, a heel portion, and an ankle portion extending therebetween. In addition, the keel comprises a first bumper disposed in a first capture cavity in the ankle portion. The first bumper has a central axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the keel body in top view.
US08118876B2
A wrist implant requires minimal resection of the distal radius and preserves the sigmoid notch and articulation with the head of the distal ulna. The wrist implant generally includes a radius portion, a carpal portion and a carpal ball. The wrist implant includes a primary articulation and a secondary rotational articulation. The primary articulation occurs between the radius portion and the carpal ball. The secondary articulation occurs between the carpal ball and the carpal portion.
US08118873B2
An artificial vertebral joint for interposition between a superior vertebra and an inferior vertebra comprises a pair of bilateral joint subcomponents. Each joint subcomponent includes a superior component including a superior vertebra engaging surface and an inferior component including an inferior vertebra engaging surface. Each joint subcomponent further includes a spacer extending between the superior component and the inferior component. The spacer includes a first modulus of elasticity and a second modulus of elasticity. The first modulus transitions to the second modulus with a gradient change.
US08118871B2
An articulating expandable intervertebral implant is described. The articulating expandable intervertebral implant includes an upper body that engages a first vertebra of the human spine, a lower body that engages a second vertebra of the human spine, an insert, and an advancing element. In some embodiments, the upper body includes an upper portion and a lower portion that are configured to articulate with respect to each other. The advancing element may be configured to engage the insert such that advancement of the advancing element causes the insert to at least partially rotate between the upper body and the lower body. Rotation of the insert may cause the insert to interact with at least a portion of the upper body or the lower body to increase a height of the intervertebral implant and/or to allow articulation of the intervertebral implant after insertion of the intervertebral implant between the vertebrae.
US08118870B2
An expandable articulating intervertebral implant is described for insertion between vertebrae of a human spine. The expandable intervertebral implant includes an upper body that engages a first vertebra of the human spine, a lower body that engages a second vertebra of the human spine, and an insert. The upper body may include an upper portion and a lower portion. The insert may be positioned between an inferior surface of the lower portion of the upper body and a superior surface of the lower body. The insert may be translated or rotated to increase a separation distance between the lower body and the upper body. A spacer may be inserted between the upper body and the lower body to maintain at least a portion of the increased separation distance between the upper body and the lower body after expansion of the intervertebral implant in the human spine.
US08118868B2
A system and method for attaching soft tissue to a prosthetic implant can include a prosthetic component that defines a soft tissue attachment region having an attachment surface thereon. A first construct can be formed of porous metal and be removably coupled to the attachment surface. A second construct can be positioned outboard of the soft tissue. A fastener can be engaged to the second construct capturing the soft tissue against the first construct. The fastener can be coupled on a distal end to the first prosthetic component.
US08118864B1
An endovascular graft of the present invention embodies a graft system utilizing the textile fabric of the prosthesis for drug storage and delivery. These drug-eluting devices involve treating the textile fabric with therapeutic agents to provide a method of delivery to both the outer surface of the graft and the inner surface of the graft. An endovascular graft system having a fuzz texturing on the outer periphery of the graft where the texturing includes a therapeutic agent coating applied to the texturing material is also contemplated. An expandable attachment frame further includes drug storage and delivery capabilities in the cavities formed in the V-hooks and apices. Therapeutic agents can also included in the radiopaque coating or loading to serve as a reservoir for controlled drug delivery.
US08118861B2
A bifurcated stent that is positionable adjacent to a branched body vessel. The stent includes a tapered middle portion with a side branch assembly for positioning within the deviating branch of a body vessel. The portion of the stent positioned within the first body vessel and the portion positioned within the main branch vessel have largely different sized diameters. The middle region tapers steeply to bridge this diameter differential. The tapered middle region also angles the side branch assembly which can easily be extended at an angle to the main body of the stent.
US08118856B2
Some embodiments are directed to a stent graft comprising a first stent graft having a first stent, a first inner graft supported by the first stent, a second inner graft supported by the first stent, and an outer graft. The second inner graft can be spaced apart from the first inner graft so that a portion of the first stent is not covered by the first inner graft or the second inner graft. A first and second portion of the outer graft can be attached to the first stent, the outer graft being unsupported by the stent between the first and second portions so as to form a fillable space between the outer graft, the first inner graft, and the second inner graft. Some embodiments further comprise a second stent graft deployable within the inside of the first stent graft to sealingly cover the uncovered portion of the first stent.
US08118853B2
A system for delivering and deploying an expandable endoluminal prosthesis comprises a delivery catheter and a sheath. The delivery catheter has a proximal end and a distal end and is slidably disposed within a lumen of the sheath. An operating mechanism comprises a contractible air vessel that couples the sheath and the delivery catheter so that contraction of the air vessel causes the sheath to retract proximally over the delivery catheter. Additional aspects of the invention include a method of deploying an expandable endoluminal prosthesis.
US08118851B1
A skin marking method includes positioning a panel on a person's skin. The panel has a top side, a bottom side and a peripheral edge. The panel has an artistic shape. The panel has a pressure sensitive adhesive thereon and is adhered to the skin with the adhesive. The panel is also a water resistant material. The panel and areas of the skin adjacent to the panel are exposed to light which may be natural or artificial sunlight until the areas of the skin adjacent to the panel have been tanned by the light. The panel is removed from the skin to expose an area of the skin not tanned by the light.
US08118850B2
A medical apparatus for intermaxillary fixation or stabilization has a bar with a first attachment loop, a second attachment loop, and a plurality of hooks, wherein the bar is an arch bar and the first attachment loop and the second attachment loop are located distally to one another. Another medical apparatus has a bar having a first attachment loop assembly, a second attachment loop assembly, and a plurality of hooks, wherein the bar is an arch bar and the first attachment loop assembly and the second attachment loop assembly are movably engaged to the bar. The bar may also have one or more additional attachment loop assemblies located between the first and second attachment loop assemblies. The attachment loop assemblies may each have a bracket, an attachment loop, a stem, and a set screw. The attachment loops are capable of receiving a screw to attach the arch bar to a mandible, a maxilla, and/or a prosthedontic device.
US08118840B2
A vertebral rod includes a first elongated section, a second elongated section and an intermediate section disposed between the first section and the second section. The intermediate section has an inner surface and opposing end portions that define an open portion. A removable element extends from one of the first, second or intermediate sections and is disposable adjacent the opposing end portions. The element is configured to prevent engagement of the opposing end portions. A resistance member is configured for disposal with the intermediate section and engaging at least a portion of the inner surface. A method of manufacture is also disclosed.
US08118826B2
A suprapubic transurethral cystotomy apparatus and method of forming a surgical opening therewith. The apparatus includes an elongate tubular body including a proximal portion and a distal portion inclined relative to one another. The distal portion extends along an axis to an end configured for receipt through a urethra. An elongate arm has a first end operably attached to the proximal portion of the tubular body and a second end providing an indicator establishing an axis aligned coaxially with the axis of the distal portion. A surgical opening is formed with a cutting member being extended along the axis of the indicator.
US08118823B2
An ultrasonic horn for use with an ultrasonic surgical hand piece including a resonator comprises a contacting annulus having a plurality of angled lands. The lands are alternated around the annulus such that adjacent lands have opposite angles. As a result of the adjacent angled lands, a shear stress field is developed in contacted tissue due to the promotion of refracted longitudinal ultrasonic waves propagating in different directions at the interface to the coupled tissue. The shear stress field enhances the fragmentation and removal rate of fibrous, elastic, and tenacious tissue. The horn is hollow permitting suction to be applied to the tissue for controlling tissue contact with the lands.
US08118822B2
A novel bridge clip tissue connector includes two clips separated by a bridge portion. The clips allow for the connecting of tissue at two positions that are maintained by the bridge portion. The connector can be used for performing a wide variety of surgical procedures, including anastomosis and a horizontal mattress suture-like connection.
US08118821B2
A magnet assembly for a magnetic anastamosis device is provide that is minimally invasive, easily and quickly delivered, and is accurately positioned to improve the delivery procedure. The magnet assembly includes an elongated hub and a plurality of magnetic members disposed over the elongated hub. The elongated hub is formed of a resilient or shape memory material, permitting the magnet assembly to be operable between a delivery configuration and a deployed configuration. In this manner, the package width of the magnet assembly is greatly reduced for delivery, thereby permitting delivery over a wire guide as well as through an access device such as a catheter. Associated delivery procedures and medical devices are also provided.
US08118820B2
A method for inserting an instrument through a natural orifice. The instrument has a low profile orientation and a deployed orientation which is larger than the size of the natural orifice through which it is to be inserted. The method is achieved by coupling the instrument to an endoscope and placing the instrument in its low profile orientation, inserting the endoscope and the instrument through a natural orifice to a target position within a body while the instrument is in its low profile orientation, actuating the instrument to it is deployed orientation, and returning the instrument to its low profile orientation and withdrawing the instrument from the body through the natural orifice.
US08118815B2
Systems and methods for joint replacement are provided. The systems and methods include a surgical orientation device, a reference sensor device, and at least one orthopedic fixture. The surgical orientation device, reference sensor device, and orthopedic fixtures can be used to locate the orientation of an axis in the body, to adjust an orientation of a cutting plane or planes along a bony surface, or otherwise to assist in an orthopedic procedure(s).
US08118808B2
Microwave antenna assemblies incorporating a resilient insulating coupler are described herein. The microwave antenna includes a radiating portion connected by a coaxial feedline to a power generating source, e.g., a generator. Distal and proximal radiating portions of the antenna, which correspond to inner and outer conductors provided by the coaxial feedline, are separated by the resilient insulating coupler. The described coupler includes a proximal threaded portion, and an overmolded insulating portion formed from an elastomeric material. The inner conductor of the coaxial feedline is joined to the threaded portion of the coupler, and is placed under tension to draw together the distal radiating portion, the coupler, and the proximal radiating portion into a single rigid assembly. In use, the resilient coupler provides increased strength and reliability by absorbing mechanical stresses typically encountered during microwave ablation procedures.
US08118807B2
A biomedical return electrode for electrosurgery or radiofrequency (RF), a biomedical electrode pad (100), a system (300), and a method of treating tissue using a biomedical return electrode are disclosed. The biomedical return electrode comprises an electrode conductor (114) for receiving electrical energy from tissue via a return path, and a thermochromic liquid crystal (TLC) layer (116) coupled to the conductor (114). The TLC layer (116) changes color at one or more sites dependent upon the conductor temperature at each site. The TLC layer (116) changes color in a predetermined range of temperatures from about 40° C. to about 50° C. to alert an operator about the risk of a burn occurring. The biomedical electrode pad (100) comprises at least one such biomedical return electrode and a conductive body (112) to form a contact with tissue. The system (300) comprises an apparatus for delivering electrical energy to tissue and such a biomedical electrode pad (100). The system (300) may optionally comprise a color sensor (340) for viewing the pad (100) and monitoring equipment for remotely observing the pad (100).
US08118804B2
A catheter assembly comprises an outer catheter including an outer catheter body and an outer catheter hub at a proximal portion of the outer catheter body; and an inner catheter including an inner catheter body insertable in the outer catheter body, a tip at the distal portion of the inner catheter body which is rich in flexibility, and an inner catheter hub at the proximal portion of the inner catheter body adapted to be coupled to the outer catheter hub. The inner catheter body includes a flexible section connected the tip, a physical property transition section on the proximal side of the flexible section, a first body section on the proximal side of the physical property transition section, a second body section on the proximal side of the first body section, greater than the first body section in flexural rigidity, and having a reinforcing material layer.
US08118802B2
The disclosure relates to a connector for packaging containing medical fluids, in particular infusion or transfusion bags, including a tubular connection part for receiving a spike for the withdrawal of fluid, and having a lower opening on the packaging side and an upper opening on the connection side. A self-sealing membrane, which is pierced by the spike, is located in the connection part. The membrane has an upper, annular section leading into a lower, plate-shaped section, said annular section of the membrane surrounding the spike in a sealing manner, when the latter pierces the plate-shaped section. The membrane acts as a guide for the spike and also reseals the connector, once the spike has been removed.
US08118799B2
A disposable garment for absorbing human exudate is disclosed having a first attachment member and a pair of second attachment members. The garment has a front panel, a back panel and a crotch region therebetween. The garment is folded to enable the pair of second attachment members to be secured to the first attachment member and form a waist opening and a pair of leg openings. A pair of frangible sections is formed in the first attachment member at locations outboard of the side edges of the front panel. Each of the second attachment members can bridge across one of the frangible sections and be removeably secured to the first attachment member to form an easy to open disposable garment.
US08118795B2
This patent application teaches methods and apparatus of an efficient disposal chain system which includes a process of receiving fluid enclosing containers, transforming said containers into collection containers by integrating said containers into vacuum canister collection systems. Such a collection system includes a remote vacuum source configured to draw a vacuum force away from said container and towards said container. Such a vacuum source is configured to draw room air. Such a force is configured to draw waste materials along a path towards said collection container. A transformation of said containers includes deriving said containers from supply chains and transforming said containers into said collection systems at least in part by supporting said containers inside said canisters from below utilizing various configurations of measurement stands, said stands configured to support and accommodate various sizes, types and shapes of said containers.
US08118791B2
A medical device for example a wound dressing having antibacterial and optionally, antifungal properties, are provided together with methods for making the device. An exemplary dressing includes a layer of silver-containing fabric, (optionally) a layer of absorbent material, and (optionally) a layer of flexible air-permeable and/or water-impermeable material. The dressing can be used for prophylactic and therapeutic care and treatment of skin infections and surface wounds (including surgical incisions), as a packing material, and as a swab for surface cleaning.
US08118782B2
Insulin delivery systems include a first insulin pump and a second insulin pump, wherein each pump includes a memory configured to store an infusion program, a control unit configured to control operation of the pump, and a communication interface for data exchange with the other pump, wherein the control unit of the first insulin pump is configured monitor, a status of the first insulin pump, activate a search for the presence of the second insulin pump when a predetermined status is assumed, and, upon detection of the presence of the second insulin pump, transmit, via the communication interface of the first insulin pump, the infusion program stored, and the control unit of the second insulin pump is configured to search for the presence of the first insulin pump, and, upon detection of the presence of the first insulin pump, receive and store, the infusion program.
US08118781B2
The present application relates to methods and devices for providing a reduced risk of free flow from medical devices such as an infusion pump. A medicament containing reservoir (100) is provided with a piston having a sealing portion (121) formed by a material of a first stiffness. The piston further comprises a core member (110) of a material having a stiffness larger than said first stiffness, the core member comprising one or more connective members (111) being adapted to cooperate with said one or more protrusions of the linear actuation member. The one or more connective members being adapted to be substantially rigid in the axial direction while being resilient in a radial direction, thereby forming a releasable snap or friction fit connection with the linear actuation member. Thereby a mechanism is provided which is engageable by a purely axial relative displacement and which is disengageable by retracting the linear actuation member axially relative to the piston by exerting a pulling force greater than a predetermined limit.
US08118779B2
A collagen delivery device is disclosed and can include a barrel having a syringe chamber. Further, a syringe can be disposed within the syringe chamber. The syringe can include a collagen material therein. Additionally, the collagen delivery device can include a plunger within the barrel. The plunger can be moved to expel the collagen material from the syringe.
US08118778B2
In a peristaltic medical infusion pump unit, comprising a peristaltic assembly and a counter surface or anvil facing said peristaltic assembly and provided by the inner surface of a door (30) pivotally mounted on a housing (12) of the unit, the door (30) is readily non-destructively removable and replaceable. In use of the peristaltic pump unit, a flexible resilient tube (36) forming part of a medical fluid delivery line is extended between the peristaltic assembly and the counter surface or anvil provided by the door. The medical is fluid delivery line has first and second colour coded fittings (38, 40) spaced therealong upstream and downstream of the peristaltic assembly (26) and the region of the housing of the pump unit across which the infusion line is extended is provided, correspondingly spaced above and below the peristaltic assembly (26) with correspondingly colour coded support means (22, 24) for these fittings.
US08118769B2
An apparatus for conditioning an insufflation gas has an inlet for the delivery of an insufflation gas to a conditioning chamber. The conditioning chamber is used to charge the insufflation gas with a medicament by blowing the insufflation gas through a humidifying liquid containing the medicament. The insufflation gas charged with the medicament flows from the charging device to an outlet and can be delivered to the abdominal cavity of a human or animal, where it ensures optimum distribution of the medicament.
US08118767B2
Methods and devices for modifying the location at which bodily fluids interact with nutrients in a gastrointestinal tract having a conduit having a first end and a second end, the first end configured to divert bodily fluids from an entrance within a gastrointestinal tract to a location downstream from the entrance, and means for attaching the second end to the entrance.
US08118758B2
A living body inspection apparatus includes: a first detecting unit detecting a displacement of two positions in a lateral direction of a subject's larynx; a second detecting unit detecting a swallowing sound of the subject; a displaying unit displaying a waveform regarding the displacement of the two positions formed using information from the first detecting unit and a waveform regarding the swallowing sound formed using information from the second detecting unit; a processor instructing the displaying unit; and a flexible holding member including a pair of sensor holding members having flexibility and provided with the first and second detecting units at one ends, and a mounting member integrally formed with the pair of sensor holding members at other ends to hold the sensor holding members, the other ends being made open so that the mounting member is mounted on and held by the subject's larynx.
US08118751B2
Systems according to the invention employ an acceleration sensor to characterize displacement and vibrational LV motion, and uses this motion data to characterize the different phases of the LV cycle for analyzing LV function. Systems may identify a target pacing region or regions in the LV or RV using the acceleration sensor by localizing regions of late onset of motion relative to the QRS, or isovolumic contraction, or mitral valve closure, or by pacing of target regions and measuring LV function in response to pacing. Systems further provide an implantable or non-implantable acceleration sensor device for measuring LV motion and characterizing LV function. An implantable myocardial acceleration sensing system (“IAD”) includes at least one acceleration sensor, a data acquisition and processing device, and an electromagnetic, e.g., RF, communication device. The IAD may be integrated into the pacing lead of a CRT device and can operate independently of the CRT IPG.
US08118741B2
The present invention includes a method and device for warning of hypoglycaemic attacks, which is a big problem for especially diabetics, who are in insulin treatment. It is estimated that about 1 million people have a decreased quality of life as a result of hypoglycaemic attacks. The invention collects EEG signals from people, who must be supervised and analyses these in order to detect characteristic changes in the EEG signals, which occurs in advance of a hypoglycaemic attack. In a preferred embodiment the EEG signals are collected with subcutaneously placed electrodes and the signals are lead via wires drawn under the person's skin to a similar subcutaneously placed signal processing unit. The signal processing analyses the EEG signals and when the pre-seizure characteristics signal changes are detected, a warning signal is given to the person from an alarm giver build into the signal processing unit, e.g. in form of a vibrator. When a person detects a warning signal, the person can prevent the hypoglycaemic attack by e.g. consuming a sugary food.
US08118739B2
A short (60-70 mm) endonasal speculum for performing operations within and around the sellar region of the human head includes two side members each of which is composed of a handle and an elongated blade. The handles are attached to each other by a hinge and one of the handles includes a variable dilation control that is used to open the speculum. The elongated blades are arcuate in cross section and have distal ends that are opposed to each other in a trapezoidal configuration, either up or down, which permits greater visualization and access into the regions above and below the sella and greater instrument maneuverability within the speculum.
US08118736B2
A bladder access apparatus and method of provided access into a bladder through a abdominal wall therewith is provided. The apparatus has an annular body extending between opposite ends with a through passage extending between the ends. A tubular sheath is attached to one end of the body in coaxial alignment with the through passage. The sheath is expandable from a first diameter to an enlarged second diameter. The apparatus has an elongate stylet with a rod sized for receipt in the sheath. The rod has a length greater than the tubular sheath and a diameter substantially the same as the first diameter of the sheath. The apparatus includes a rigid, tubular body having an outer diameter corresponding substantially to the second diameter of the sheath and a rigid, cylindrical member sized for sliding receipt in the tubular body.
US08118732B2
A video endoscope system includes a reusable control cabinet and an endoscope that is connectable thereto. The endoscope may be used with a single patient and then disposed. The endoscope includes an illumination mechanism, an image sensor, and an elongate shaft having one or more lumens located therein. An articulation joint at the distal end of the endoscope allows the distal end to be oriented by the actuators in the control cabinet or actuators in a control handle of the endoscope. Fluidics, electrical, navigation, image, display and data entry controls are integrated into the system along with other accessories.
US08118731B2
An arthroscopic inflow and outflow sheath providing an improved inflow and outflow system reducing the diameter of a continuous flow system while providing fluid management during arthroscopy. The improved arthroscopic inflow and outflow sheath comprises an elongated atraumatic sheath having an inner surface, outer surface, proximal end, and distal end. The atraumatic sheath further comprises plurality of ribs or webs extending from the inner surface of the sheath and designed to contact an outer surface of the arthroscope thereby creating outer lumens facilitating the inflow and outflow of fluid to a surgical site.
US08118720B2
An exercise apparatus designed to specifically target the abdominal muscles is described along with a method of using the apparatus. The apparatus generally comprises four parts: a base; a seat frame attached to the base; an upper portion having a back support and handles; and a lower portion to retain the legs of a user. The apparatus allows a user to complete a typical “crunching” motion and a twisting motion encompassing both the upper torso and the lower body simultaneously. In other words the lower portion and the upper portion of the device are capable of movement about at least two distinct axes simultaneously.
US08118716B2
A pogo stick or like device is provided and includes at least one illuminatable or illumination means. The pogo stick may have a frame including a tubular member. The tubular member may extend substantially longitudinally, may be located substantially co-axially with a central axis of the pogo stick, and may include a structural member. The pogo stick may have a pair of handles extending from the frame and may have platform means. The illuminatable or illumination means may include at least one vertically extending member, and beneficially a pair of illumination means, each including a vertically extending member located on either side of the tubular member.
US08118712B2
Methods and devices for executing a computerized talk test, comprising: following an exercise program; providing auditory signals from time to time; recording a user talking according to the auditory signals; analyzing the recordings to identify predefined properties; and providing an indication of the user's current heart rate training zone based on the analysis results. Other embodiments discuss a device configured to determine when a user approximately sustains a fixed level of physical effort and then execute a computerized talk test, and a device configured to identify a user's heart rate training zone based on identification of involuntary interruptions in the user's voice speech.
US08118704B2
In response to a starting instruction of an engine at a gearshift position of a gearshift lever set to a parking position, a motor is controlled to form a fixed magnetic field on a stator of the motor at the level that is capable of preventing rotation of a rotating shaft against a torque applied to the rotating shaft within magnitude less than or equal to magnitude of a rotation restriction control torque based on a temperature of the motor and a discharge power from the battery, a motor is controlled to perform the motoring of the engine while the motor outputs a torque that makes a torque applied to the rotating shaft less than or equal to magnitude of the rotation restriction control torque, and the engine is controlled to be started with the motoring.
US08118702B2
A power tool having a rotation motor coupled to an output shaft (11) via a reduction gearing (13,14), wherein the reduction gearing (13,14) comprises at least one planetary gearing (14) with a sun gear (30), a ring gear (22), a planet wheel carrier (32) supporting two or more planet wheel units (35) each comprising two axially spaced spur gears (36,37) both secured to a spindle (38) which is rotatively journalled relative to the planet wheel carrier (32) via a bearing located between the spur gears (36,37).
US08118701B2
In an outboard motor, a speed reduction mechanism includes an inner gear connected with an input shaft (i.e., second output shaft), a planetary gear that meshes with the inner gear and that rolls inside the inner gear, and a sun gear that meshes with the planetary gear and that is not rotatable. A shaft portion of a carrier that supports the planetary gear, and a shaft core portion of the sun gear, preferably have a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical shape. The shaft portion of the carrier is inserted and arranged to overlap with the shaft core portion of the sun gear in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the shaft. The output shaft (i.e., drive shaft) is inserted and coupled to the shaft portion of the carrier. Accordingly, this provides an outboard motor that makes it possible to prevent the size of a speed change device from increasing in size when a speed reduction mechanism is added.
US08118693B2
A practice bat including a free sliding region provides a means for training batters to improve swing quality.
US08118690B2
Golf ball 2 has a spherical center 10, a mid layer 12 covering this center 10, a reinforcing layer 6 covering this mid layer 12, and a cover 8 covering this reinforcing layer 6. Base polymer of the mid layer 12 is an ionomer resin. Base polymer of the cover 8 is a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer. The cover 8 has a thickness Tc of equal to or less than 1.2 mm, and particularly equal to or less than 0.8 mm. The difference (Ho−Hc) between the central hardness Ho of the center 10 and the hardness Hc of the cover 8 is 1 or greater and 30 or less. The cover 8 has a hardness Hc of 15 or greater and 40 or less. The product (Tc·Hc) of the thickness Tc (mm) of the cover 8 and the hardness Hc of the cover 8 is equal to or less than 25.
US08118683B2
A jointed shaft with two shaft sections which are connected together in a rotationally fixed manner via a central shaft which is constructed as a constant velocity fixed joint. A constant velocity fixed joint is also arranged on the end of each of the shaft sections which is oriented away from the central joint. At least one roller displacement unit, which enables both shaft sections to be displaced in an axial manner in relation to each other, is also provided.
US08118678B2
A user profile for an online gaming service is created. The user profile contains user gaming information received from a first location. The user profile is stored in a database, and the user is permitted to access the user profile from a second location.
US08118674B2
A gaming machine including a controller coupled to a 3D display that displays true 3D or virtual 3D imagery associated with a basic or a bonus wagering game. 3D displays can display true 3D imagery or virtual 3D imagery that is displayed in 2D but perceived by the viewer to be 3D. True 3D displays include a volumetric 3D display, a multi-layer display, and a holographic display. Virtual or stereoscopic displays include a lenticular display employing cylindrical or spherical lenslets, a parallax illumination display employing light lines to create a parallax effect, or non-autostereoscopic displays requiring a special viewing aid to complete the 3D effect.
US08118673B2
A massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) or, more specifically, a card-based MMORPG enables characters in a virtual world to collect cards representing specified actions or powers and presents three-dimensional (3D) elements to players representing one or more aspects associated with the characters and environment. This 3D display can, in some implementations, offer a real-time combat engine that processes the card-based events. The 3D display may also offer hanging effects that dynamically present state information associated with the respective character. Further, the MMORPG may offer a real-time responsive and flexible chat management system.
US08118669B2
A gaming system having a gaming table and including a progressive jackpot funded by a portion of the house rake of a card game played at the gaming table. The gaming system includes a tracking system capable of identifying and tracking cards dealt and wagers placed in order to identify frequent players and provide complimentary items accordingly. The gaming system is also capable of notifying a player at a remote gaming device that a seat at the gaming table is open.
US08118667B2
A system and method is provided for incentivizing players to visit a gambling location. In one aspect, a qualified person is invited to play in a multiplayer game which has a stated jackpot award. In one embodiment, the qualified person may be required to accept the invitation at a gambling location. According to one embodiment, a player may be required to maintain their qualified status through play of games at the gambling location. According to another embodiment, the multiplayer game is capable of accommodating an almost unlimited number of players. In one example, the multiplayer game is a bingo game with a large number of participants.
US08118658B2
A game of chance add-on raffle game, independent base game and a system for funding the raffle game prize payout is provided. For a premium wager, an add-on raffle game is offered to be added to a state on-line lottery game play at the time of the initial base game play purchase in one embodiment of the present invention. The add-on game play status is printed on the base game ticket. All players of the base game (who purchased the add-on game or not) who achieve a pre-determined outcome receive a raffle ticket containing a unique ticket number that will automatically be entered into the following add-on game raffle drawing at no additional cost. The raffle drawing is held, and the winning raffle numbers are identified. Winning raffle ticket recipients submit their tickets to the lottery authority for their prize. A determination is made if the add-on game was purchased with the base game play associated to the winning raffle ticket. If the add-on game was purchased with the base game play associated to the winning raffle ticket, the player receives the raffle prize. If the add-on game was not purchased with the base game play associated to the winning raffle ticket the player receives a free QP lottery ticket in lieu of receiving the raffle prize and the unpaid raffle prize or a percentage of the unpaid raffle prize will rollover to a subsequent raffle drawing.
US08118657B2
The Present Invention teaches methods to allow multiple players to simultaneously wager on the same gaming device. In one embodiment, two or more players place simultaneous wagers upon the results of the same gaming device and each player collects the maximum award, if issued. In another embodiment, two or more players simultaneously wager on the results of the same gaming device and each player collects the biggest award issued. In another embodiment, two or more players simultaneously wager on the results of the same gaming device and each player collects any award or sub-set of awards issued.
US08118656B2
A roulette-shaped big monopoly unit 12 is disposed at the center of a casing 10, and a triangular pointer 14 for pointing a partition of the annular board 13 is disposed at the summit of the big monopoly unit 12. The players playing in the satellites 20 satisfy prescribed conditions to thereby to play in a big monopoly game using the big monopoly unit 12. In the big monopoly game, the players sequentially revolve the annular board 12. The game is advanced in accordance with contents of a partition pointed by the pointer 14 which is common among all the players when the revolving annular board 13 stops. The game can be played closely related among the satellites.
US08118647B2
A device for efficiently and accurately punching out and collecting in a continuous and automatic manner an eyeball section of a fish. The device comprises a head part supporting table and a body part supporting table which can be opened and closed. The head part supporting table has an eyeball section discharge hole and a head part gripping device arranged on both sides of the head part supporting table to position an eyeball section of the fish on the eyeball section discharge hole. The device further comprises an eyeball section punching out blade body arranged above the eyeball section discharge hole in a manner of being movable up and down. The eyeball section of the fish is punched out by the punching out blade body and the punched out eyeball is collected through a suction hose connected to and communicating with a lower face of the eyeball section discharge hole.
US08118642B2
A method for machining a face (1) of an optical object (6), includes providing a machine tool which itself includes a bed (1) for locating an object to be machined. The bed (1) has a receiving surface (3) that is angularly adjustable about an axis perpendicular to the receiving surface (3). A spindle (8) is suitable for rotating a machining tool (9) about an axis essentially parallel to the receiving surface (3) of the bed (1) and is suitable for moving the machining tool (9) translationally in a plane essentially parallel or perpendicular to the receiving surface (3) of the bed (1).
US08118641B2
Chemical mechanical polishing pads having a window with an integral identification feature, wherein the window has a polishing face and a nonpolishing face, wherein the integral identification feature is observable through the window, and wherein the integral identification feature identifies the chemical mechanical polishing pad as a type of chemical mechanical polishing pad selected from a plurality of types of chemical mechanical polishing pads. Also provided is a method of making such chemical mechanical polishing pads and for using them to polish a substrate selected from a magnetic substrate, an optical substrate and a semiconductor substrate.
US08118638B2
The present invention provides a nursing bra having first and second breast cup members attached to a chest strap assembly. The strap assembly includes a primary band assembly for securing said nursing bra to a user's upper chest and a separate secondary band assembly coupled to each first and second breast cup. The separate secondary band assembly is configured and operable to provide slidable movement of each of the first and second breast cups relative to the primary band assembly for uncovering a breast during a nursing application.
US08118632B2
Tanker loading assembly includes a first on-board hose arrangement with first coupling portion and a second submerged buoyant hose arrangement provided with second coupling portion for cooperation with the first coupling portion for obtaining a fluid-tight connection between the first and second hose arrangements. The first coupling portion is positioned in an internal vertical passage of the tanker, wherein a lifting device is provided for engaging the second coupling portion and lifting it towards the position for engaging the first coupling portion.
US08118631B2
An outboard motor includes an engine, and a top cowling and a bottom cowling that are arranged to cover the engine. A flow-joining pipe is connected to each exhaust port of a plurality of cylinders of the engine. A first exhaust pipe, a second exhaust pipe, and a third exhaust pipe are connected to the flow-joining pipe in sequence. The flow-joining pipe and the first exhaust pipe are connected generally at the same height as a bottommost of the cylinders of the engine. The third exhaust pipe is disposed above a topmost of the cylinders of the engine. A catalyst is disposed in a connecting portion between the first exhaust pipe and the second exhaust pipe so as to be housed in an upper end portion of the first exhaust pipe and in a lower end portion of the second exhaust pipe. The outboard motor is thus able to prevent water from adhering to a catalyst while avoiding any increase in size.
US08118624B2
A lead plate for connecting a printed circuit board (PCB) of a secondary battery to an bare cell includes a mounting portion connected to the PCB, a joint portion connected to the bare cell, a surface area of the joint portion facing the bare cell being smaller than a surface area of the mounting portion facing the PCB, and a step portion connecting the mounting portion and the joint portion to each other.
US08118623B2
An electrical contact made from a metal sheet includes a contacting portion for mating with a mating contact, a terminal portion for connecting with a printed circuit board and a retaining portion connecting the contacting portion and the terminal portion. The contacting portion defines first and second contacting pieces made from the metal sheet and folded to abut against each other, and the terminal portion extends from one of the contacting pieces, which can reduced the cost of the electrical contact.
US08118613B2
With a connecting apparatus for connecting a shielded line with a housing the line can be electrically contacted in the housing interior. The connecting apparatus comprises at least one crimp sleeve through the sleeve hollow of which at least one conductor of the line is guidably arrangeable up into the housing interior. A conductor shielding of the line can be fixed at a free end section by means of crimping relative to the crimp sleeve and is in a shielded contact with the housing. According to the invention the corresponding conductor shielding is connected with the housing in an easy manner so as to achieve a corresponding shielded contact between the housing and the conductor shielding. The conductor shielding and the housing as a whole may hence be regarded as a shielding. A good electrical and electronic freedom from interference is obtained for corresponding devices inside the housing as well as for the corresponding connecting apparatus with respect to the environment, see EMC.
US08118611B2
A bridge connector made of PCB material has a first plurality of press-fit pins on one portion of the bridge connector and a second plurality of press-fit pins on another portion of the bridge connector. Within the connector is a set of signal conductors. Each conductor connects a press-fit pin of the first plurality of press-fit pins to a corresponding press-fit pin of the second plurality of press-fit pins. When the connector is attached to a printed circuit board (PCB), the press-fit pins extend into and engage corresponding plated through holes in the PCB. The press-fit pins exert enough retention force to mechanically couple two PCB frame sections. The PCB frame sections are electrically connected through the press-fit pins and corresponding signal conductors of the bridge connector. A bridge connector attached at each corner of an infrared touch sensor frame assembly allows the assembly to be solidly assembled from four sections of PCB: a top, bottom, left, and right PCB frame section.
US08118609B2
An electrical connector that can provide stable contact between a signal transmission terminal and a short-circuit terminal even if the connector is downsized. The connector includes a main body having a plurality of terminal receiving cavities provided with lances by which signal transmission terminals are secured and a plurality of short-circuit terminal receiving cavities adjacent to the terminal receiving cavities for receiving short-circuit terminals. Each short-circuit terminal includes a bent part at a forward position and a contact at a rearward position. The main body further includes a window that is formed at a position to the rear of the lances corresponding to the contacts of the short-circuit terminals and through which the terminal receiving cavities and the short-circuit terminal receiving cavities communicate with each other. The contacts of the short-circuit terminals are in contact with the female terminals through the window.
US08118595B2
A rolled compression cap having a central bore. The rolled compression cap has adjacent layers that slide or telescope to conform to the prepared tooth and to apply more direct mechanical pressure to the interface between the prepared tooth and the gingiva. The gingiva or gum retracts from the tooth forming or widening a gingival sulcus. This improves the preparation of the tooth for taking an impression and fitting a crown or cap. In one embodiment, a rolled compression cap is pre-dosed or soaked with an astringent material or retraction agent. In another embodiment, the central bore of the rolled compression cap is filled with a paste-like or gel material containing an astringent or hemostatic agent.
US08118592B2
An orthodontic appliance is provided for controlling positioning of a patient's teeth. The appliance includes at least one dental encasing component formed to overlay at least one of the patient's teeth and at least a portion of a palate of the patient. The at least one dental encasing component has a lingual surface and a labial surface. The appliance also includes at least one rigid component fused to an entire length of the lingual surface of the at least one dental encasing component and over a portion of the at least one dental encasing component overlaying a portion of the palate of the patient.
US08118586B2
A portable conduit bending frame assembly has a support member, a shoe and a heating device. The support member has a first alignment end, a second alignment end, and a first conduit measuring device that extends an approximate width of the support member. The support member also has a flat conduit support surface fixed thereto, and extending substantially perpendicular to a top surface of the support member. The top surface has at least a portion of a first attachment strip located thereon. The shoe has a first alignment surface extending substantially perpendicular to a second alignment surface, an arcuate conduit bending surface extending between the first and second alignment surfaces, and a complementary attachment strip extending at least partially on a major surface of the shoe. The conduit bending surface faces the conduit support surface and the shoe is removably attachable to the top surface such that either of its alignment surfaces can be aligned parallel with either alignment end of the support member. The heating device is arranged proximate the conduit support surface for heating a conduit prior to bending the conduit at least partially about the conduit bending surface.
US08118579B2
A pump comprises a driving rotor and a driven rotor that are positioned in a housing such that, as the driving rotor and the driven rotor rotate, the teeth of the driving rotor and the teeth of the driven rotor mesh to form a positive displacement seal. The teeth of the driving rotor and the driven rotor are configured such that seals between the inlet side and the discharge side of the pump are formed between only the leading surfaces of the teeth of the driving rotor and the trailing surfaces of the teeth of the driven rotor.
US08118573B2
A piston pump having a piston longitudinally movable in a housing. A first pressure chamber is delimited by the piston element and a component affixed to the housing. The first pressure chamber is connected to a suction region via an inlet valve and is operationally connected to a delivery side via an outlet valve. A compensation piston unit has a working piston chamber connected to the delivery side. A stroke volume of the first pressure chamber is twice the size of a stroke volume of the working piston chamber. The piston element and a component affixed to the housing delimit a second pressure chamber connected to the suction region which is operationally connected to the first pressure chamber during a suction stroke of the piston element whose volume varies by half the stroke volume of the first pressure chamber and expands with a delivery stroke of the piston element.
US08118569B2
A hydraulic power device is provided. The hydraulic power device includes: a first cylinder with a cylindrical chamber, a first fluid inlet, a first fluid outlet, and a weight unit having a first piston. The first piston hermetically fits into the first cylinder and moves upwards and downwards within the first cylinder. When the first piston moves downwards within the first cylinder, the fluid in the cylindrical chamber flows out through the first fluid outlet under the pressure from the first piston, and thereby generates hydraulic power. When the first piston moves upwards within the first cylinder, the fluid flows into the cylindrical chamber through the first fluid inlet, to get prepared for subsequent hydraulic power output. The hydraulic power device in the present invention is designed to lift a weight unit with a small initial power and then generate hydraulic power utilizing the gravity of the weight unit.
US08118561B2
Erosion- and impact-resistant ceramic coatings suitable for protecting surfaces subjected to collisions with particles, including nominally round particles that typically inflict impact damage and more aggressive irregular-shaped particles that typically inflict erosion damage. The ceramic coating is formed to have one of three compositions: at least one layer of titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN) having a thickness of about 25 to about 100 micrometers; multiple layers of chromium nitride (CrN) and TiAlN, each layer having a thickness of about 0.2 to about 1.0 micrometers to yield a total coating thickness of at least about 3 micrometers; and at least one layer of titanium silicon carbonitride (TiSiCN) having a thickness of about 15 to about 100 micrometers. The ceramic coating preferably has a total coating thickness of up to about 100 micrometers, and is deposited by a physical vapor deposition process to have a columnar and/or dense microstructure.
US08118553B2
A cooling system for a turbine airfoil of a turbine engine having dual serpentine cooling channels, an inward serpentine cooling channel and an outward serpentine cooling channel, positioned within the airfoil. The inward serpentine cooling channel may receive cooling fluids from a cooling supply system through the root and exhaust cooling fluids to the outward serpentine cooling channel at the leading edge. The outward serpentine cooling channel may pass the cooling fluids through the outward portion of the serpentine cooling channel and exhaust the cooling fluids through the trailing edge of the airfoil. Such configuration yields a better creep capability for the blade.
US08118546B2
A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component such as a ring seal segment (50, 50A, 50B, 50C, 50D) for a gas turbine engine (10), the component formed with a base plate (52) and a frame portion (54) that extends substantially normally from the base plate around its perimeter. A grid of intersecting CMC ribs (73) is formed on the base plate within the frame portion. The ribs have a height (H) that may be within 3 times the total thickness (B) of the base plate, including any rib base (39) bonded to the base plate, along at least most of the rib length. The grid of ribs may be assembled from an array of CMC cups (40) bonded to the base plate, to adjacent cups, and to the frame portion.
US08118544B2
An exemplary locating mechanism includes a bearing outer race (422) that has a central axis (z-axis) and that has a turbine end, a compressor end and a slot (421), of an axial length, disposed between the turbine end and the compressor end; and a deformable clip (430) shaped as a semi-cylindrical wall having an axial length less than the axial length of the slot, where in a tension state, the clip (430) has an inner circumference to position the clip (430) with respect to the slot (421) and where in a compression state, the clip (430) has an inner circumference that locates the clip (430) in the slot (421). Various other exemplary technologies are also disclosed.
US08118541B2
A multi-functional air circulation system includes a bottom base, a flow-splitting base, a filter and a main engine. The bottom base has a lower flow-guiding surface, a net, and a space used to contain diverse improving agents. The flow-splitting base is fixed on the bottom base, including an inner flow-guiding surface to rush air flow generated by a blade member down to the bottom base. The filter is laid at an exit of the inner flow-guiding surface, composed of two filter bases forming a room between them for containing aromatic powder, etc. The main engine includes a motor having its shaft fixed with a blade member, and a control system. The motor is installed in a rear shell combined with a front shell. Air is sucked in through the rear shell to run through an ornamental shell and the flow-splitting base to enter a room. The main engine and the bottom base can also be assembled to work independently.
US08118540B2
A split ring for mounting with elastic prestress in an annular groove of a rotary part of a turbomachine and having, in the free state, a diameter that is greater than the diameter of the groove, is remarkable in that, in the free state and without stress, the end portions of the ring are circular arcs having a radius of curvature that is substantially equal to the radius of curvature of the annular groove.
US08118529B2
The present invention is a tolerance adjusting attachment which is part of a bracket member used for providing proper alignment between more than one externally visible component. The tolerance adjusting attachment has a support aperture formed as a portion of the bracket member, and an adjuster core at least partially extending through the support aperture, the adjuster core operably associated with at least one structural member for providing proper positioning of the bracket member in relation to the structural member. The present invention also includes an adjuster clip at least partially extending through and movable through a portion of the bracket member such that the position of the adjuster core is secured relative to the bracket member.
US08118519B2
A grout and lifting tube for casting within a concrete segment. The tube provides enhanced sealing between the tube and the concrete to prevent moisture leakage into a structure formed by a plurality of the concrete segments. The tube includes a generally cylindrical body having an exterior with an anchoring rib structure, a threaded interior, a proximal end, a distal end. An annular gasket is disposed at the proximal end of the tube body, and may be secured to the proximal end of the tube body by a mechanical interlock and/or by unitary co-molding. After the concrete section is placed and grout is pumped through the tube, a plug is threadable into the proximal end of the tube to both compress the gasket between the plug and the tube at a first seal, and to compress the gasket between the plug and the concrete surrounding the proximal end of the tube at a second seal to provide robust, watertight sealing.
US08118516B2
An energy absorbing system having a stanchion, a linearly extendable energy absorber coupled to the stanchion, a net coupled to the energy absorber, wherein the net transfers force to the energy absorber, and a securing mechanism that maintains tension between the net and the energy absorber until acted upon by tensile forces of at least a minimum threshold force, wherein at least a portion of the system is retractable into the ground.
US08118514B2
A display system includes a binder, a header, a retaining bracket and an extension assembly. The binder includes a plate, a plurality of sheets and an attachment assembly. The plate has a front surface, a rear surface and an edge. The attachment assembly secure the sheets at the front surface of the plate and maintains and displays information. The header includes indicia and is adapted to be positioned in a retracted position where the header is substantially obscured from view by the plate and an extended position where the header extends substantially from the edge of the plate. The retaining bracket is attached to the rear surface of the plate. The extension assembly is adapted to engage the retaining bracket to maintain the header in the extended position.
US08118513B2
A binder lock mechanism includes a manually adjustable locking bar and co-operative locking-hook parts. Pair-wise mutually overlappable locking-hook parts are connected with and project from a respective binder end half, and are situated at mutual distances from each other. The binder end halves are connected by an intermediate pivot joint. The pair-wise mutually overlappable locking-hook parts present openings adapted to receive a respective lock lever connected with the locking bar and have a respective lock lever permanently received on a common binder end half in a mating opening in an assembled state. The lock levers are arranged at a tip portion and at a waved part, respectively, of the locking bar in such a way that they are situated on a common line through the bar, which is retained by a counter-directed resilient tongue situated on the locking bar and a stopper and co-operatable counter-stoppers situated on the binder end.
US08118509B2
This invention relates generally to assistive devices, and more particularly refers to an automatic substance applicator system for applying or administering a substance to a receiving surface.
US08118506B2
Disclosed is an idler roller assembly for a printing apparatus. The idler rolling assembly includes a shaft, at least one idler rolling element connected to the shaft, the at least one idler rolling element having an inner surface and an outer surface and being connected to the shaft at a substantially center portion of the idler rolling element, the at least one idler rolling element being cylindrically shaped and having an axis substantially parallel to an axis of the shaft, and at least one radial control movement element connected to the shaft, the at least one radial control movement element having a radius selected to leave a predetermined gap between an outer edge of the at least one radial control movement element and the inner surface of the idler rolling element.
US08118503B2
A base plate is elongate and an opening for a photographing optical path is configured close to one end in its longitudinal direction. A shutter blade is rotatably mounted to the blade-mounting shank of the base plate so that when the opening is fully opened, a part covering the opening is stored in the region of the base plate in the longitudinal direction. Another shutter blade is slidably mounted to the blade-mounting shank of the base plate so that when the opening is fully opened, a part covering the opening is stored in the region of the base plate in its lateral direction. Each of the shutter blades is constructed so that the reciprocating operation is performed by the driving pin of an electromagnetic actuator to open and to close the opening.
US08118502B2
A method includes a drive step of causing a light control member from a first position to a second position and from the second position to the first position by a drive source, a detection step of detecting the position and state of the light control member, and a drive signal application step of applying a desired drive signal to the drive source in accordance with the position or state of the light control member detected in the detection step.
US08118488B2
A mobile medical imaging device that allows for multiple support structures, such as a tabletop or a seat, to be attached, and in which the imaging gantry is indexed to the patient by translating up and down the patient axis. In one embodiment, the imaging gantry can translate, rotate and/or tilt with respect to a support base, enabling imaging in multiple orientations, and can also rotate in-line with the support base to facilitate easy transport and/or storage of the device. The imaging device can be used in, for example, x-ray computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications.
US08118480B2
The driving and transmitting element (10, 50) is in the form of a ring (20) having an outer face (32) from which a stud (40) extends radially. Application to a roller table (60, 70) of a lever escapement (80) for a timepiece (90) including such a driving and transmitting element (10, 50) for rotating the anchor (84) and for transmitting an impulse from the anchor (84) to the roller table (60, 70).
US08118478B2
A mounting and coupling assembly for a mixer for in a container having an impeller connected to a drive shaft, in an assembly, which extends through an opening into the container. The assembly includes a lip mount to stabilize and support the mixer on the lip of said container. A cover secures said lip mount with threaded fasteners engaging complementary fasteners on the container neck and clamping the plate to the container lip. A primary objective of the invention is to allow the stable mounting of a mixing unit to bulk containers and allow easy and safe coupling of a power module to the mixing assembly.
US08118470B2
A light guide plate includes a plurality of micro dots. The micro dots are provided uniformly on one side of the light guide plate and are integrated with the light guide plate. Each dot is coated by a fluorescent layer, and the fluorescent layer emits light when excited by an ultraviolet light.
US08118465B2
There is provided a spread illuminating apparatus including an LED, a light guide plate and a flexible printed circuit board on which the LED is mounted, wherein the light guide plate includes: a light entrance end surface at which the light source is disposed; a light emitting portion from which light emitted from the light source and introduced into the light guide plate exits out in a spread manner; a slope portion which is disposed between the light entrance end surface and the light emitting portion and which has a thickness decreasing toward the light emitting portion; and a seat block disposed at the slope portion and configured to fixedly receive the flexible printed circuit board. In the spread illuminating apparatus, the length of the slope portion is substantially 1.78 times as large as the largest thickness of the slope portion.
US08118464B2
A light guide plate (LGP) including a first surface, a second surface, a light incident surface and a plurality of optical micro-structures is provided. The first surface is opposite to the second surface. The light incident surface connects the first surface and the second surface. The optical micro-structures are disposed on the second surface and include a plurality of round protrusive points and a plurality of curved protrusions. The curved protrusions are disposed among the round protrusive points. Each of the curved protrusions has a first arc side and a second arc side opposite to the first arc side, and an indentation of the first arc side and an indentation of the second arc side are substantially towards a same direction. In addition, a backlight module employing the above-mentioned LGP is also provided.
US08118462B2
An automotive lamp includes an LED as a light source, a heatsink for radiating heat produced by the LED, the heatsink including a plurality of plate fins installed upright on base parts and a plurality of ventilation passages formed between the plate fins, a centrifugal fan for performing the forced air cooling of the plate fins by sending air through the ventilation passages of the heatsink, the centrifugal fan having air inlets in an axial direction for drawing air in, a left-side air outlet and a right-side air outlet for discharging air in left-right directions perpendicular to the axial direction, and a lamp housing for housing the LED, heatsink and centrifugal fan. The plate fins of the heatsink are formed such that the entrance of at least one of a plurality of ventilation passages faces the left-side air outlet and the right-side outlet of the centrifugal fan.
US08118460B2
A lens includes extended lens portions extending leftward and rightward beyond a high beam reflecting portion, respectively. The lens forms an X shape when viewed from the front, due to the extended lens portions. Paired left and right light guide members are disposed below a reference axis of a low beam bulb on lateral sides of a high beam bulb, respectively. Extension members are disposed along side edges of the lens in such a manner as to cover front sides of the light guide members, respectively. Opening portions are formed in the extension members so as to guide light from the light guide members to the extended lens portions respectively. Light from the low beam bulb is emitted to an outside through the light guide members, the opening portions, and the extended lens portions.
US08118456B2
A luminaire to illuminate surfaces comprises a housing, a mounting fixture and a light source. The housing includes a base having a bottom surface positionable on a surface to be illuminated, an interior, and at least one window providing access between the interior and an exterior of the housing. The mounting fixture extends at least approximately perpendicularly downward with respect to the bottom surface of the base to secure the housing into a peripheral portion of the surface to be illuminated. The light source has a principal axis of emission that is directed outwardly through the window of the housing at a downwardly oriented angle with respect to the bottom surface of the base such that, when in use with the luminaire mounted to the surface to be illuminated, the principal axis of emission of the light source is directed at a portion of the surface to be illuminated.
US08118454B2
The present teachings relate to semiconductor-based lighting systems and fixtures which process electromagnetic energy from light emitting diodes or the like. A disclosed exemplary system includes at least one occluded remote phosphor and produces substantially white light of desired characteristics. The remote phosphor extends over at least a portion of a surface of a macro optic at an occluded location such that none of the remote phosphor is directly visible through an optical aperture. The phosphor is responsive to electromagnetic energy from a semiconductor device to emit visible light for the emission through the optical aperture.
US08118453B2
The luminaire has concave side reflectors defining the width W of a light emission window. V-shaped lamellae are present between the side reflectors in the light emission window. Each outer edges of the lamellae has a central portion which is concavely curved and straight end portions which each have a length of 0.15 to 0.25 W. The lamellae louver is suitable for use in the luminaire.
US08118446B2
Discharge tubes, each of which includes a glass tube and a ferrule that has a substantially cylindrical shape and is fitted to each end portion of the glass tube, are supported by a plurality of pairs of relay connectors (or supporting members) provided on the front side of a chassis having substantially a plate-shaped configuration. When a discharge tube is supported by relay connectors, stoppers provided on the relay connectors lock the ferrules so that axial movement of the discharge tube relative to the relay connectors is restricted.
US08118441B2
The invention relates to an LED light, particularly a reading or seat lamp for vehicles such as travel coaches or airplanes, said light being equipped with a housing (36), a plurality of LEDs comprising first LEDs (16) that transmit electromagnetic radiation in a first wavelength range, and an activation unit (12) for activating the first LEDs (16). The LED light further comprises a conversion material (24) that, upon excitation by at least part of the electromagnetic radiation from the first LEDs (1.6), emits electromagnetic radiation in a conversion wavelength range that is in the visible spectrum range and is at least partially different from the first wavelength range. The LEDs further comprise second LEDs (18) that, in order to shift the color of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the conversion material (24) upon excitation by the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the first LEDs (16), emit electromagnetic radiation in a second wavelength range. The second LEDs (18) may be selectively activated by the activation unit (12) in addition to the first LEDs (16), wherein the electromagnetic radiation from the second LEDs (18) is at least partially in the visible spectrum range and is at least partially different from the wavelength range of the first LEDs (16) and passes the conversion material (24) substantially without exciting said conversion material and/or wherein the electromagnetic radiation of the second LEDs (18) additionally excites the conversion material (24) to emit electromagnetic radiation, the wavelength range of which is inside or outside of the conversion wavelength range.
US08118427B2
A method for determining an optimal eyeglass lenses design for a viewer (1) comprising the successive steps of: showing the viewer (1) a stereoscopic scene including optical effects of a first lens design;—introducing a relative movement between the viewer (1) and the shown stereoscopic scene, said scene being shown with optical effects of the first lens design; expressing the viewer's opinion; showing the viewer (1) a stereoscopic scene including optical effects of a modified lens design; introducing a relative movement between the viewer (1) and the shown stereoscopic scene, said scene being shown with the modified lens optical effects; expressing again the viewer's opinion; repeating the three last steps up to viewer's satisfaction. A system for customizing vision correction suitable to implement said method. Related computer program for dynamically calculating a stereoscopic image. Related computer program for actuating an electro-active component.
US08118424B2
An image recording method including: applying an aqueous pretreatment composition to a recording medium having a water absorption of 14 ml/m2 or less at a contact time of 900 msec in accordance with the Bristow method, the aqueous pretreatment composition containing 10 mass % or more of a water-soluble organic solvent having a solubility parameter value of 13 or less, 1.5 mass % or more of resin particles, and water; forming a blocking layer on the recording medium by drying the aqueous pretreatment composition so that 70 mass % or more of water contained in the aqueous pretreatment composition evaporates within 900 msec from the initiation of the application of the aqueous pretreatment composition; and recording an image by jetting an aqueous ink on the blocking layer, the aqueous ink containing a pigment, resin particles, a water-soluble organic solvent, and water.
US08118419B2
An ink-jet recording process which conducts recording by imparting ink onto the surface of a recording medium according to recording information, where the recording medium has a base material and a porous ink receiving layer thereon containing inorganic particles having a BET specific surface area of at least 150 m2/g, and the ink contains a polymer emulsion having a water-insoluble or hardly-soluble colorant contained in polymer fine particles and at least one wetting agent, 8-11 C polyol or glycol ether, anionic or nonionic surfactant, water-soluble organic solvent, and water; and has a surface tension of 40 mN/m or less at 25° C. This process can provide high-grade images excellent in ink absorbing and fixing properties and satisfactory in color tone, produce images excellent in image fastness such as water resistance and light resistance, and implement ink-jet recording excellent in storage stability and discharge stability and free from head clogging at printing.
US08118413B2
A liquid ejecting head includes multiple nozzles to eject liquid droplet, a vibration unit including a vibration plate, the vibration plate forming at least one wall face of multiple liquid paths that communicate with the respective nozzles, a driving member to move the vibration plate, and the vibration unit formed of laminated multi-layered member that includes a resin layer to form the vibration plate, a first metal layer located on one side of the resin layer, and a second metal layer located on the other side of the resin layer, and wherein the first and second metal layers are formed of different metals, that is, the first metal layer has an ionization tendency higher than that of hydrogen, the second metal layer has an ionization tendency lower than that of hydrogen.
US08118410B2
A piezoelectric printhead and related methods provide a first metallic electrode and a second metallic electrode deposited over a top surface and a bottom surface, respectively, of a piezoceramic plate. The second electrode is segmented into a plurality of electrode segments. A diaphragm is positioned over a plurality of pressure chambers, where the diaphragm includes a conductor positioned over each chamber. The piezoceramic plate is attached to the diaphragm such that each conductor on the diaphragm faces multiple electrode segments.
US08118408B2
A liquid dispenser includes a liquid supply channel including an exit having a cross sectional area, a liquid return channel, and a liquid dispensing channel including a cross sectional area and an outlet opening. The outlet opening includes an end that is adjacent to the liquid return channel. The cross sectional area of a portion of the liquid dispensing channel that is located at the end of the outlet opening is greater than the cross sectional area of the exit of the liquid supply channel. A liquid supply provides liquid under pressure from the liquid supply channel through the liquid dispensing channel to the liquid return channel. A diverter member is selectively actuatable to divert a portion of the liquid toward outlet opening of the liquid dispensing channel.
US08118401B2
Provided is a printing apparatus that superposedly forms an image layer representing an image and a specific glossy layer that is different from the image layer on a printing medium, including: a first connection unit, a second connection unit, a reception unit, a print head and at least one of specific color nozzle columns and a printing unit, wherein at least the connection unit that can supply the ink to the end-portion specific color nozzle column inside the second connection unit can be connected to a specific gloss agent container containing a specific gloss agent that is used to form the specific glossy layer instead of the specific color ink container, and wherein, when the specific gloss agent container is connected to the second connection unit and the reception unit receives the specific gloss agent as the available ink, the printing unit ejects the specific gloss agent from the end-portion specific color nozzle column to form the specific glossy layer.
US08118391B2
A method of operating a printhead of an imaging device includes actuating a plurality of ink jets of the printhead to emit drops of ink onto an image receiving surface in accordance with a test pattern. The test pattern includes full pixel density areas and half pixel density areas that alternate in a process direction. Distances in a process direction between drops of the full pixel density areas and drops of the half pixel density areas in transition regions of the test pattern are then measured. The measured process direction distances are then correlated to a graininess level for the printhead.
US08118390B2
A printing system includes a carriage that is movable along a carriage scan direction and an optoelectronic device mounted on the carriage. A media input location, for storing a recording medium, is included along with at least one unobstructed optical path between the optoelectronic device and a plurality of regions of the media input location as the carriage is moved along the carriage scan direction.
US08118388B2
Misalignments of dot forming positions are adjusted by selectively using a position adjustment value for a used bi-directional print mode out of a plurality of position adjustment values that are respectively suitable for a plurality of bi-directional print modes including a first bi-directional print mode and a second bi-directional print mode that are made available by changing ink types.
US08118384B2
A inkjet printer including a plurality of heads installed in a staggered arrangement, and a relay board for receiving image data, a control signal conforming to each head, and a timing signal for determining timed intervals to emit ink particles from the control unit of the inkjet printer, and for sending the received image data, control signal and timing signal to the aforementioned plurality of respective drive signal generating circuits.
US08118383B2
A pattern forming method includes the step of ejecting droplets of a liquid containing a functional component, from nozzles of an inkjet recording head onto a surface of a substrate in one direction in sequence so as to form a linear pattern on the surface of the substrate, wherein: the inkjet recording head is controlled in such a manner that p ≤ π d 6 ( θ sin 2 θ - cos θ sin θ ) { tan θ 2 ( 3 + tan 2 θ 2 ) } - 2 3 is satisfied where d denotes a diameter of the droplets of the liquid before depositing on the surface of the substrate, θ denotes a contact angle of the droplets of the liquid with respect to the substrate, and p denotes a dot pitch of the droplets of the liquid that are adjacently deposited on the surface of the substrate, and the droplets of the liquid contain a volatile solvent with volume ratio not less than [ 1 - 6 p ( θ sin 2 θ - cos θ sin θ ) { tan θ 2 ( 3 + tan 2 θ 2 ) } - 2 3 π d ] × 100 % .
US08118382B2
A method uses temperature measurements for a print head and an imaging member to identify a distance between a print head and an imaging member. The method determines whether the print head at the print position is too close to the imaging member to identify the gap distance without damage to the print head. Then, if the print head is not too close, the print head is heated to quantify the heat sink effect of the imaging member on the print head. This effect is related to a heat transfer function that identifies the gap distance between the imaging member and the print head.
US08118379B2
Disclosed is a support apparatus for a washing machine. The support apparatus includes a first adjustment unit coupled to a base, in which a coupling position of the first adjustment unit to the base is adjustable, and a second adjustment unit that is movable relative to the first adjustment unit.
US08118371B2
In one aspect of the invention, a pick assembly comprises a pick shank press fitted within a bore of a pick holder. The pick comprises a pick head opposite the shank. The shank also comprises at least one longitudinal slot extending towards the pick head along the shank from a distal end of the shank. The slot allows the shank to resiliently collapse upon insertion into the bore while still allowing the shank to maintain a press fit while within the bore.
US08118370B2
The milling head which serves for the machining of the head of a pile consisting of a pile core, a pile shaft and a metal reinforcement lying therebetween comprises a coupling device that can be connected to a drive shaft and a plurality of picks that are used to remove concrete. According to the invention a central milling cutter provided with a plurality of central picks and an annular milling cutter provided with a plurality of annular picks are fixedly coupled with each other and arranged coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft. The central picks are arranged within a central circular ring and the annular picks, separated by a middle circular ring, are arranged in an outer circular ring whereby the circular rings lie at least approximately perpendicular to and concentric with the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft. It is possible with the method according to the invention and the milling head to remove the pile core and the pile shaft simultaneously without the reinforcement of the pile lying in the middle circle being damaged.
US08118368B1
An improved saddle assembly for a side-dump trailer or truck wherein the saddle assemblies have saddle supports which are located directly above the frame members of the wheeled frame of the side-dump vehicle. The saddle supports receive the pivot pins of the side-dump body with the loads imposed thereon being transferred to the frame members of the wheeled frame of the side-dump body.
US08118365B2
In an example embodiment, a vehicle seating arrangement includes a fore-facing lower seat convertible between a sitting position and a lie flat sleeping position in a lower horizontal plane, an aft-facing lower seat convertible between a sitting position and a lie flat sleeping position in the lower horizontal plane, and a fore-facing upper seat positioned between the fore-facing lower seat and aft-facing lower seat, the fore-facing upper seat convertible between a sitting position and a lie flat sleeping position in an upper horizontal plane. The seats may be arranged so that portions of the fore-facing lower seat and aft-facing lower seat underlap the fore-facing upper seat when the seats are positioned in the lie-flat sleeping position.
US08118359B2
A vehicle seat can be configured to include a variety of types of cushions. The seat may include primary and secondary cushions that are joined together such that the secondary cushion has a stored position under the seating surface of the primary seat cushion and a deployed position where the secondary seat cushion is positioned adjacent the primary seat cushion. The effective width of the seat may be greater when it is in one position than when it is in the other position. The back cushion may include first and second portions and a third portion intermediate the first and second positions. A vehicle may include left, right, and middle seats, the middle seat being configured to have two positions, the effective width of the middle seat in one position being greater than in the other position.
US08118358B2
A folding chair includes a back frame including at least one rear leg, a seat frame pivotally connected to the back frame, at least one front leg pivotally connected to the seat frame, a link connected to the at least one front leg and the at least one rear leg to pull the front leg toward the back frame when the folding chair is folded, and a seat panel pivotally connected to the seat frame and configured to be separated from the seat frame when the folding chair is folded.
US08118357B2
A frame structure of a sunroof apparatus includes a pair of guide rails provided, respectively, on both sides in a width direction of an opening of a vehicle and guiding a movement of a sunroof panel; a frame including a drain extended across the direction and connecting ends of the rails; sliders sliding in the rails, respectively; a drive device installed at the frame and making the sliders slide; cables connecting the sliders and the device and routed so as to cross above the drain; guide pipes covering the cables; and guide pipe grooves depressingly provided at the frame and where the guide pipes are arranged, respectively, wherein protrusion portions protruding outside from outer peripheries of the pipes are provided, and wherein engagement portions where the protrusion portions are engaged are formed in the grooves.
US08118349B2
A vehicle body front part structure having a front side frame including a compressive load bearing frame member extending longitudinally of a vehicle body, and a bending load bearing frame member branched from a longitudinally central portion of the compressive load bearing frame member and curved inwardly toward a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle body as extending rearwardly of the vehicle body. The compressive load bearing frame member has a rear end portion curved inwardly toward the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle body, and reinforcement beads formed on a sidewall of the rear end portion of the compressive load bearing frame member.
US08118348B2
A glove box and knee bolster assembly for a vehicle panel, such as an instrument panel, can include a storage bin, an energy absorbing panel, and a lid. The energy absorbing panel can include a rib wall, a first plurality of ribs, a second plurality of ribs, and a plurality of openings formed in at least one of the first plurality of ribs. The lid can include a plurality of hooks. The rear surface of the lid can be secured to the plurality of ribs by a weld. The weld can cooperate with the plurality of ribs and the rear surface to define a first load path that extends from the lid to the energy absorbing panel. The plurality of hooks can extend from the rear surface and pass through respective ones of the plurality of openings. The plurality of hooks can engage the at least one rib via the respective openings and cooperate with the at least one rib to define a second load path from the lid to the energy absorbing panel that is separate from the first load path.
US08118345B1
The present invention is directed to an improved wooden flooring system for use with flatbed trailers used in the commercial trucking industry. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a plurality of reinforced, domestically grown, wooden floorboards that are affixed together in an end-to-end manner using top and bottom joiner plates and fasteners to create a plurality of integrated floor planks to replace costly and increasingly hard to find tropical hardwood flooring for flatbed trailers.
US08118337B2
A bumper is provided with to-be-engaged projections, a radiator grille is provided with engaging projections. The radiator grille is allowed to move and approach bumper rearward of a vehicle. According to this configuration, the engaging projections engage the to-be-engaged projections and they are engaged with and fixed to each other. At this time, a bumper-side seizing unit of the bumper is fitted into a grille-side seizing unit of the radiator grille, thereby limiting the vertical direction. In an engaged state between the engaging projections and the to-be-engaged projections, an inclining surface of one of the engaging projections comes into contact with a rearward inclining surface of the one of the to-be-engaged projections, and an inclining surface of the other engaging projection is separated from a rearward inclining surface of the other to-be-engaged projection.
US08118335B2
A cover latching mechanism (100) used in a portable electronic device is described including a latching base (20), a cover member (10), a latching member (40), and a releasing member (30). The cover member has a latching protrusion (14) arranged on it. The latching member is used to latch the cover member to the latching base and defines a latch space (464) and a release space (462). The cover member can be latched to the latching base by latching the latching protrusion into the latch space, and then be released from the latching base by the releasing member engaging into the release space.
US08118332B2
A latch device including a latch strike retention assembly adapted for press-fit insertion into a panel opening and retention within the panel opening upon melting of any plastic components. The latch strike retention assembly includes a generally “U” shaped spring member having spring legs operatively connected to bushings arranged in converging opposing relation to one another and adapted to engage and retain a strike member disposed in opposing relation to the strike retention assembly. The spring member is held within a bracket member of substantially “U” shaped cross section. The bracket member is disposed in transverse orientation to the spring member.
US08118331B2
A non-bolt joint structure comprising; a packing ring sealing between a receiving opening section and an insertion opening section; an engaging means provided with an inner circumference of the receiving opening section preventing a polyethylene pipe from disengaging from the receiving opening section by engaging with an outer circumferential surface of the polyethylene pipe; and a tubular metallic inner core fitting an inner circumference of the insertion opening section of the polyethylene pipe, wherein the inner core is plastically deformed to include a first bulge portion that its cross-sectional shape bulges toward an outward radial direction, a second bulge portion is formed so that the insertion opening section of the polyethylene pipe bulges toward the outward radial direction along the first bulge portion of the inner core, and the polyethylene pipe is prevented from disengaging by the engaging means engaging with the outer circumferential surface of the second bulge portion.
US08118325B2
An airbag assembly with a reduced-cost knee airbag cushion and internal tethers can be formed from a single rectangular panel of material so that there is very little material waste. A pleat can be formed in a rear face so that the combination of tethers and pleat help the cushion deploy with favorable characteristics and adopt an arced shape when inflated. The cushion can have apertures for inserting an inflator with mounting stems partially within the cushion so that the mounting stems can be used to couple the cushion to an airbag housing. The assembly can also have a bag strap formed from a single piece of fabric that can wrap around a rolled and/or folded cushion. The assembly can also have a stabilizer strap that can be coupled to the cushion and to the airbag housing so that during deployment, the cushion does not skew or twist.
US08118324B2
An inflatable airbag cushion (10, 110, 210, 310, 410, 510) is provided. The bag includes a face portion and a rear portion formed from first and second fabric layers (30, 32). The bag further includes a number of straight line woven in joints (16) defining flow barrier elements (14). The flow barrier elements (14) serve to contain the inflation gases and to restrict inflation of the cushion.
US08118319B2
A twisted structure for a skateboard includes a first board member having a first groove defined therein and extending therearound. A second board member is connected with the first board member. The second board member has a second groove defined therein and extending therearound. An elastic band is stretchably received in the first groove and the second groove. The elastic band encloses the first board member and the second board member for connecting the first board member with the second board member. Accordingly, the first board member is pivotally twisted related to the second board member by the elastic band.
US08118317B2
One embodiment of a carrier for carrying articles and luggage may include a case member. The case member may include a container and a lid pivotally attached to the container. The carrier may further include a railing arrangement, which may include a plurality of telescopic members and a plurality of rail members. The plurality of telescopic members may extend from the lid, and may be extended and retracted. The plurality of rail members may be disposed horizontally on the plurality of telescopic members for extending and retracting the plurality of telescopic members. The extension of the plurality of telescopic members may enable the railing arrangement to assume an open position for configuring and defining a confined space above the lid to receive the luggage therein. The carrier may further include a plurality of wheels, which may be coupled to the container for moving the case member and the luggage.
US08118314B2
The invention relates to a switchable stabilizer device for the axle of a motor vehicle. Herein, the actuating device comprises a roll stabilizer and an actuatorically switchable coupling device (6) with two clutch devices (7, 8) and a locking sleeve (9).According to the present invention, the stabilizer device is characterized by a shifting device for shifting the locking sleeve (9) by means of mechanical power transmission. Herein, the shifting device has a servo-electric transmission drive element (4).The present invention provides a robust and compact switchable roll stabilizer, which can be produced cost-efficiently. At the same time, the present invention allows for the actuatoric support of the opening movement as well as the locking movement of the stabilizer coupling with very short shifting times.The switchable stabilizer according to the present invention is suitable for motor vehicles, for example, which are employed off-road as well as on the road. Due to the extremely short shifting times of the stabilizer coupling, the stabilizer device according to the present invention may be used furthermore for an active running gear to support the vehicle dynamics in real time.
US08118309B1
A wager for casino craps which allows a player to win when a come out shooter makes a hard point (e.g. rolls 2/2 or 3/3 or 4/4 or 5/5), and then the shooter makes the point (before the shooter rolls a seven) with the same hard point (e.g. 2/2 or 3/3 or 4/4 or 5/5). If the shooter does not roll a hard point (1/1 and 6/6 are considered ‘craps’ and are not points) or the shooter rolls a hard point on the come out roll but does not make the same hard point before rolling a seven (or makes the point without rolling the hard point), then the player loses the wager.
US08118308B2
A board game and methods for playing the same are disclosed. The board game can include a playing surface having a plurality of playing spaces, and a plurality of playing pieces that comprise at least first and second player playing pieces, wherein each playing piece is assigned a numerical value, and wherein the numerical value corresponds to: a movement value, wherein the movement value corresponds to the number of playing spaces that each playing piece can move on the playing surface; and a challenge value, wherein the challenge value corresponds to a challenge between a first player playing piece and a second player playing piece, wherein the second player playing piece can be removed from the playing surface when the first player playing piece has an equal or greater challenge value then the second player playing piece and when the first player playing piece is moved into the second player playing piece's playing space.
US08118305B2
A distinct dealing shoe having no shuffling functionality receives a shuffled, randomized or ordered group of cards. The cards may be mechanically moved one at a time from a receiving area for the deck to a buffer area where more than one card is temporarily stored. The cards in the buffer area are then mechanically moved to a card delivery area where the cards may be manually removed, one at a time, by a dealer. The cards are read one at a time inside of the dealing shoe, either before the buffer area or after leaving the buffer area, but preferably before the cards are being manually removed from a card delivery area. Information from the card reading may be used for game tracking, hand tracking, player information, and other security issues at casino table card games.
US08118302B2
A passive linear encoder includes a loop and a sensor. The loop is configured to engage print media and to move in concert with, and under power of, the print media. The sensor is positioned to scan indicia defined on an inner surface of the loop.
US08118293B1
An apparatus and method for both rotating a cylinder about its center axis and translating the cylinder linearly along the same axis. The invention is suitable for X-raying rockets and other cylindrical objects. Multi-axis movement is accomplished by two sets of rollers: rotational and translational. The translational roller set is held in a retracted and unengaged position while the cylinder rests on the rotational roller set. Movement about the axis of the rotational roller set is allowed. When the translational roller set is engaged with the cylinder, the cylinder is disengaged from the rotational roller set, and movement about the axis is not allowed, but linear movement is allowed. The action may be reversed and repeated. The rollers or the cylinder may be powered by motor or manual device.
US08118290B2
Method for holding wafers and device for fixing two parallel arranged wafers relative to one another
The invention relates to a device having a first holding instrument (1) for a first wafer (5) and having a second holding instrument (7) for a second wafer (9) arrangeable parallel to the first wafer (5), the two holding instruments (1, 7) being fixable relative to one another. According to the invention, at least one of the holding instruments (1, 7), preferably both holding instruments (1, 7) respectively, comprises at least one gel film (2, 8) for holding the associated wafer (5, 9). The invention furthermore relates to the use of a gel film for holding integral wafers.
US08118287B2
A shock-mitigating damper apparatus for vertical shocks has a scissor linkage extending vertically between a base and an object. A damper is also connected between the base, the object, and is mounted to the base for substantially horizontal reciprocating damper motion. An articulated arm assembly connects one end of the damper to the object at a point substantially in vertical alignment with an intermediate pivot point for the scissors.
US08118286B2
An impact energy dissipation device for the prevention of high-speed vehicles and more specifically automotive vehicles, aircraft, helicopters, components and the like from receiving high-speed impact energy directly onto their structures in case of a collision. The device is to isolate high-speed impact energy from the crashworthy structures by breaking down the huge impact energy with many small manageable shear fragments. The device includes a slidable assembly with a series of resistive pins with predetermined shear strength, staggered in two tandem rows to shear in a controlled manner that only one pin is sheared at a time thereof bearing an approximate equivalent of one shear pin load transmission throughout a collision.
US08118285B2
An improved gas spring has a drive motor for driving a piston. A piston head has a thread at an outer periphery that is guided along a mating thread in an inner periphery of a cylinder. The piston is caused to rotate relative to the cylinder, and is guided for reciprocating movement. In this manner, a drive motor is incorporated into the gas spring such that the gas spring has both a driven and a manual mode. The inventive gas spring has particular application in attaching a vehicle closure to a vehicle frame.
US08118284B2
A collector-distributor combination in a column, which is filled with a random packed bed or with a structured packing, is disclosed. The liquid phase is guided over a collector with inclined planes to a central opening, which is connected to an ascending pipe, from which the liquid phase is distributed to the plane underneath via the distributor pipes. By guaranteeing a constant filling level of the liquid phase in the ascending pipe, the distributor functions as a pressure distributor. The liquid phase is distributed independent of the inclination of the column over the entire length of the distributor pipes. The gaseous phase passes through the collector via the chimney.
US08118281B1
A tire lifting assembly includes a support base with an upper section and a pair of legs attached to and extending downwardly from the upper section. A pole is elongated and has a first end and a second end. A bracket includes a central member and a pair of arms that are attached to opposite ends of the central member. The arms extend in a same direction with respect to each other. The first end of the pole is attached to the central member and is equally spaced from the arms. The pole extends away from the central member in an opposite direction with respect to the arms. A tire support is attached to and extends between the arms. A tire is positionable on the tire support and lifted when the pole is positioned on the base support and the second end of the pole is moved downward.
US08118271B2
A mounting apparatus includes a bracket defining at least one clamping hole, a receiving rack, and a latching unit pivotally mounted to the receiving rack. The latching unit includes a fitting member, a locking member pivotally mounted to the fitting member, a contact member slidably attached to the fitting member, and a first resilient member resisting the contact member and the locking member. A latching block extends from the locking member to latch with the receiving rack. The contact member includes at least one latching tab and a pushrod opposite to the latching tab. When the latching tab is moved to deform the first resilient member, the pushrod rotates the locking member, resulting in the latching block disengaging from the receiving rack. Elasticity of the first resilient member engages the latching tab in the clamping hole.
US08118267B2
A mounting mechanism is disclosed. The mounting mechanism includes a chassis with an anchor member, a slide rail defining a mounting slot to receive the anchor member, and a retaining member slidably attached to the slide rail. A first end of the retaining member is pivotable attached to the slide rail. The retaining member comprises a stop surface and an inclined surface opposite to the stop surface formed from a second end of the retaining member. The anchor member slides in the mounting slot to drive the inclined surface of the retaining member to rotate the retaining member, when the anchor member rides over the stop portion, the retaining member is restored to make the stop surface of the stop portion retain the anchor member in the mounting slot of the slide rail.
US08118266B2
An apparatus generates position signals to indicate the position of a rail-bound vehicle along a travel way throughout which travel way many markings are located. The apparatus includes at least one sensor located on the vehicle for scanning the markings and outputting signals and an evaluation unit that is connected to the sensor for generating the position signals by evaluating the signals generated by the sensor by scanning the markings. When the vehicle passes a marking, the sensor outputs a “marking present” signal and otherwise outputs a “marking absent” signal. The vehicle has a receiver of a navigation system that is connected to the evaluation unit and outputs current location signals. The evaluation unit is connected to a memory device (20) for storing position data associated with the markings, where, upon receiving each “marking present” signal, the evaluation unit outputs a position signal associated with the marking based on a comparison of the current location signal and the memory-stored position data.
US08118263B2
The flight of an aircraft is controlled by controlling the aircraft propulsion thrust and adjusting aerodynamic control elements so that the aircraft flies along a specified flight path. In order to reduce wake vortices generated by and trailing behind the aircraft, a wake vortex parameter is determined as a function of a spoiler deflection, and a spoiler element is adjusted to a spoiler deflection value in an optimum range in which the spoiler influence on the wake vortex parameter is maximized and the spoiler influence on the aircraft performance is at its lowest level for achieving that maximum spoiler influence on the wake vortex parameter.
US08118251B2
A mounting system for a gas turbine engine includes a thrust ring and a linkage assembly. The linkage assembly is at least partially received by the thrust ring. The linkage assembly reacts at least a side load and a thrust load communicated from the thrust ring.
US08118240B2
A pull-out wand is disclosed for use with a water delivery device. The pull-out wand may include one or more sensors, such as a touch sensor and/or a proximity sensor.
US08118239B2
A water heater for heating potable water used in a boat or vehicle. Exhaust heated by the burner of the water heater is discharged from the burner and is conveyed through an exhaust duct which extends through a water jacket surrounding the burner and which water jacket holds the potable water to be heated. The potable water is heated by the burner and also by the hot exhaust gases in the exhaust duct. Operating components are accessible from one end of the water heater.
US08118238B2
A user interface for a building appliance controller that may include a control panel and one or more option cards. The user interface may allow a user or technician to program, modify, and/or view one or more parameters of the control panel and/or the one or more option cards. In some cases, the control panel may be configured to send one or more messages to a selected option card that indicate an input at the user interface, and in response, the selected option card may send one or more messages to the control panel that indicate display information for display on the user interface of the control panel. In some embodiments, such as when the user interface includes a segmented display, the display information may include the on/off state of the various segments of the display.
US08118233B2
Disclosed is a printing device for printing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) labels. The printing device includes an input media drawer configured to receive a plurality of RFID labels including RFID tags and an RFID label processing mechanism operatively coupled to the input media drawer. The RFID label processing mechanism includes a radio system for providing a signal for processing of the at least one RFID tag received from the input media drawer, and an antenna module coupled to the radio system for processing the at least one RFID tag based on the signal received from the radio system. The antenna module includes a transmission line including serially connected, a first set of horizontal legs and a second set of vertical legs. Further, the printing device includes a printing mechanism operatively coupled to the RFID label processing mechanism for printing the RFID labels.
US08118225B2
The invention relates to a device for detecting and/or recognizing markings, in particular for manual handling, comprising a camera for recording a marking and at least one illumination device for illuminating a marking, characterized in that, for detecting and/or recognizing markings (3) on/at/in transparent marking carriers (4), in particular having reflectively polished surfaces, the at least one illumination device (2) is arranged at a distance from the optical axis (A) of the camera (1) in such a way that the light reflection (5) generated by the at least one illumination device (2) at the surface of the transparent marking carrier (4) is arranged at least alongside the marking represented in the camera image, preferably outside the detection region of the camera (1). The invention furthermore relates to a method in which, for detecting and/or recognizing markings (3) on/at/in transparent marking carriers (4), in particular having reflectively polished surfaces, a marking is illuminated by at least one illumination device (2) spaced apart from the optical axis (A) of the camera (1) in such a way that the marking appears in inverted fashion in the camera image, in particular as a bright marking on a dark background, and the light reflection (5) generated by the at least one illumination device (2) at the surface of the transparent marking carrier (4) is arranged at least alongside the marking represented in the camera image, preferably outside the detection region of the camera (1).
US08118223B2
A system and method for facilitating the payment and collection of transit system fares using a mobile device utilizes a smart sign including near field communication (NFC) devices that communicate with a contactless element embedded within a mobile wireless device. Each NFC device is associated with a different transit location. The NFC devices may be included on the same smart sign located at one transit location or on different smart signs located at different transit locations. Alternatively, one NFC device may be included on a smart sign at a departure location and another NFC device may be activated when or after the user enters the transit system to provide proof of fare purchase. The mobile device is positioned proximate the NFC devices to activate the NFC devices and access fare and/or schedule information or purchase a fare.
US08118216B2
A method (and system) of discovering a significant subset in a collection of documents, includes identifying a set of documents from a plurality of documents based on a likelihood that documents in the set of documents carries an instance of information that is characteristic to the documents in the set of documents.
US08118213B2
A method of operating a code clearing house is provided. The method comprises receiving an indirect mobile code from a mobile code client. The indirect mobile code comprises a length field, a routing prefix, and an identification code. The method further comprises determining the routing prefix in the indirect mobile code using the length field.
US08118212B2
A package includes an article group formed of cylindrical articles disposed on their sides in a side-by-side parallel fashion, and a carton disposed around the group. The carton includes a top wall, opposed side walls, end walls and an article dispenser. The side walls are disposed alongside the ends of the articles while one end wall is disposed adjacent to the side wall of an endmost article. The dispenser is formed from the end and top walls and includes at least one retaining panel to hold all the articles in the carton until removed by the user.
US08118210B2
An apparatus for applying a helical cladding bead to the interior surface of a pipe elbow has a rotor mounted to an elbow carriage so as to be rotatable about a primary axis. The elbow carriage is longitudinally movable parallel to the rotor's rotational axis. A radially-movable elbow collar is mounted to the rotor, and has means for mounting a first end of a pipe elbow. The second end of the elbow passes through a stationary frame with centering means for keeping the elbow's curved centerline tangential to the primary axis. A weld arm, extending from a weld arm carriage into the second end of the elbow, is sinuously configured so that it will not interfere with the elbow. The weld arm is rotatable about the primary axis in coordination with the rotor. A weld head is mounted at the extending end of the weld arm so as to remain spatially fixed regardless of rotation of the weld arm. An integrated drive mechanism rotates the rotor, moves the elbow carriage longitudinally, moves the elbow cradle radially, and rotates the weld arm in synchronization with the rotor, all in a coordinated fashion such that the elbow's center of rotation orbits around the primary axis in a plane perpendicular thereto. The elbow moves through the stationary frame at an average rate equal to one weld bead width per rotation, thus resulting in the deposition of a continuous helical weld bead cladding the interior surfaces of the elbow.
US08118205B2
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a fastening device such as, for example, a forward acting stapler, is provided that includes a manually operable latch in order to store the built up potential energy that results from depressing the handle of the fastening device. Upon actuation of the latch, the plunger within the fastening device is released, thereby converting the stored energy of an internal compression spring into kinetic energy and ejecting a fastener (such as, for example, staples, nails or other types of fasteners) from the staple chamber to fasten an object.
US08118203B2
A hammer-drive powder-actuated tool includes a hollow tool body extending along a front-to-rear direction, and a firing device disposed within a rear end portion of the tool body. The firing device includes a pin holder having a through hole extending along the front-to-rear direction, and a firing pin movable forwardly and rearwardly relative to the pin holder. The pin has a firing end portion that is disposed at a front end thereof and that extends into the through hole in the pin holder, and a central axis aligned with that of a rimfire cartridge along the front-to-rear direction. A front end of the firing end portion of the firing pin has a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the annular primer and smaller than the outer diameter of the annular primer.
US08118202B1
A cargo attachment bracket to be carried on an interior bed rail extending parallel to, and spaced down from, a top portion of a side of a pickup truck bed, comprising: a) a body having a front face, a rear face juxtaposed against the interior rail, and an opening extending between the front and rear face; b) a screw having a head portion, a shank portion extending through the opening between the front and rear face, and a lug for engagement within, and under an interior side portion of the rail for releasable attachment of the body to a chosen position along the length of the rail; c) an arm having a bracket end, and an opposite inwardly projecting end; d) an arm extension projecting from the unhinged end portion of the arm, configured together with the arm, and provided with selection and locking means for selection and lockably fixing the combined projection of the arm and the extension from the rail; and, e) a releasable cargo attachment end portion carried by the unattached end of the arm extension. The cargo is attached to the cargo end portion and is releasably held a selected projected length from the rail.
US08118196B2
A cartridge gun is provided. The cartridge gun comprises a cartridge holder, a plurality of resilient gripping elements, a displaceable piston rod for moving a piston in a cartridge, and an actuating device for displacing the piston rod. The cartridge holder comprises a cylindrical base for receiving the floor region of the cartridge in which the gripping elements project radially outwardly from the center of the cartridge holder in the direction towards the housing into an annular groove of the base up to the outside wall of the annular groove in the base and are held in the center of the base by means of a hub. Means are further arranged at the front end of the piston rod which are designated to press the ends of the resilient gripping elements in the direction towards the housing when the piston rod is fully retracted, allowing the removal of the cartridge from the cartridge gun.
US08118181B2
An assembly shelf includes a post that includes two main post sections and a connection section that connects the main post sections a plurality of through-holes being formed in the connection section along a longitudinal direction, a pair of connection members, each of the pair of connection members including a first engagement section that engages the post, and a second engagement section that engages a shelf board member, and a shelf board member that includes a third engagement section that is formed approximately at each corner and engages the second engagement section, the pair of connection members and the shelf board member being positioned within the range that corresponds to half of the post in the lateral direction.
US08118177B2
A product including a web and a method of manufacturing such a product. The product may be for use as an industrial absorbent or a thermal or acoustic insulator and includes a web including scrap and/or recycled cellulose, the cellulose being selected from a source of post-industrial cellulose and/or a source of post-consumer cellulose, the cellulose being treated with a fire-retardant, the cellulose being dry before web formation, and opened, individuated bicomponent fibers mixed with the cellulose, at least some of the bicomponent fibers being thermally bonded to at least some of the cellulose. The method may include shredding the cellulose, declumping and sizing the cellulose, metering the cellulose into a spray booth, applying a fire retardant to the cellulose in the spray booth, if the fire retardant is a liquid, drying the cellulose, adding bicomponent fibers to the cellulose, forming a web, and heating the web in an oven.
US08118169B2
When the position of a substrate is shifted, the substrate is made to return to an original position by enabling the position of the substrate to be controlled using an elastic piece which protrudes inside from a vertical direction part of a frame. Further, a coupling piece is provided extending in a vertical direction and having both ends thereof coupled to a horizontal direction part of the frame, and a protruding part protruding inside a substrate container is provided on the coupling piece. Then, this protruding part is configured to have an inclined face which is inclined in a direction intersecting the substrate and enabled to come into contact with the periphery of the substrate, and thereby this inclined face guides the substrate to reduce the friction of the substrate and to control the position of the substrate.
US08118168B2
A combination rolling cabinet and storage assembly for storing and transporting collectibles therein, having: a top and bottom compartment; top and bottom walls joined by opposed side walls all joined to an upright rear wall, the cabinet defining an interior compartment accessible through an open upright front side of the door between open and closed positions; a base cabinet including wheels and a retractable/extendible pulling handle for locomoting; at least one additional cabinet connectable on top of the base cabinet; upper storage apparatus connectable on top of the base cabinet; a plurality of removable tote tray drawers or containers, and light holder carried in trunklike housing between top compartment and bottom compartment; can be loaded or unloaded upright or laying on floor or flat surface; and components are made of any suitable materials, preferably plastic.
US08118158B2
A sealed storage bag of multiple compartment structure, wherein a separated condition of compartments is needed until just before the use, such as an infusion bag of a mixing type of two kinds of liquid or a bag for cooked storage food with flavoring materials. A sealed storage bag comprises a flexible outer bag; an inner bag as a rectangular small compartment having an inner storage space, which is separated, by a film member, from an outer storage space in the outer bag; a filling port for filling contents; and a discharge port for discharging the contents.
US08118144B2
A suspension damper includes a housing bounding a main chamber. A hydraulic fluid is disposed within the main chamber. A piston rod is selectively movable between an advanced position wherein a portion of the piston rod is advanced into the main chamber and a retracted position wherein the portion of the piston rod is retracted from the main chamber, wherein as the piston rod is moved a fluid pressure of the hydraulic fluid within the main chamber progressively increases and a portion of the hydraulic fluid passes through a passage within the housing. A control valve is at least partially disposed within the main chamber, the control valve being moved by the fluid pressure of the hydraulic fluid so as to progressively restrict the flow of the hydraulic fluid through the passage as the fluid pressure of the hydraulic fluid within the main chamber progressively increases.
US08118137B2
A portable multiple duty grease gun is permanently housed and operated out of a portable housing. Two grease tubes feeding through a common funnel to a retractable hose with a hand held grease gun on the end. A pressure regulator, a compressor or mechanical pump with an electric motor, a rechargeable battery pack, and a control panel in the housing operate the system.
US08118134B2
A front resonator for a speaker of a wireless device, comprising: an enclosure mounted over the speaker and forming with an upper surface of the speaker a front volume for the front resonator; and, a horizontal or approximately horizontal tube formed or mounted on a surface of the enclosure, the tube coupled to the front volume, and the tube having at least one end to emit sound generated by the speaker and passing through the front volume and tube from the wireless device.
US08118132B2
A hydraulic hybrid vehicle includes elements such as a hydraulic pump driven by an internal combustion engine and arranged to draw in low pressure fluid and pump the fluid at high pressure to an accumulator. A hydraulic motor is powered by the pressurized fluid. Safety processes are provided for detecting and addressing a number of conditions that may arise in the operation of the hydraulic hybrid vehicle, including an initialization procedure for start-up of the vehicle, a shut-down procedure, and procedures for detecting and responding to failure of the pump or motor, internal and external fluid leaks, and non-responsive actuation and mode control systems.
US08118127B2
A motorcycle includes a head pipe that supports a steering shaft which is arranged to rotate freely, a body frame connected to the head pipe, and an engine supported by the body frame in a suspended state. The body frame includes a main frame that extends obliquely downward to the rear from the head pipe and a pair of left and right subframes that extend obliquely downward to the rear from the main frame. The engine includes a crankcase and a cylinder that extends obliquely upward to the front from the crankcase. The cylinder is supported by a rear end of the main frame. The crankcase is supported by portions in two places separated to the front and the rear in the respective subframes.
US08118121B2
A rechargeable automobile electric power system and method modifying a front-wheel drive automobile through installation of the system is disclosed. The system is designed as a unit meant to replace the rear axle of a front-wheel drive vehicle. The system comprises: an axle assembly configured to replace the existing unpowered rear axle of a front-wheel drive automobile, an electric motor powered by rechargeable batteries which drives the axle assembly.
US08118117B2
A thrust bearing assembly comprising a bearing runner and a bearing carrier, the carrier defining thrust pad sites annularly around the carrier, with a thrust pad disposed at a site and with the carrier limiting movement of the thrust pad in a direction generally radial to the longitudinal axis of the runner while allowing the thrust pad to move in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. The pads can tilt under load to form a hydrodynamic wedge. A runner may have a wear resistant face. In one implementation, at each site, a deflection element (e.g., Belleville washer) is at least partially disposed within a cavity and a pad is disposed over the deflection element. The wear resistant face contacts the pad. Another embodiment rigidly connects pads disposed on opposite sides of a stationary bearing carrier. Another embodiment attaches pads to a bearing carrier using pad holder assemblies.
US08118110B2
A towable soil pulverizer having a longitudinal center section, and foldable wings mounted by hinges on opposite sides of the center section to fold upwardly or downwardly about substantially longitudinal hinge axes. The wings and center section have ground working rollers. Each hinge has a spaced ball joint and guide roller in roller slot. A wing float axis for each wing extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal hinge axis in a transverse direction, each wing also being pivotal about the float axis. The hinge design with the float axis prevents weight transfer between the center section and wing sections when the pulverizer operates over uneven soil, to provide uniform soil conditioning over the width of the pulverizer. The center section rollers are positioned ahead of (or behind or co-linear with) the wing rollers. Components of the ball joint and roller guide in slot are fixedly and non-rotationally attached to the center section.
US08118104B2
A downhole valve assembly is attached to a drillstring and includes an upper drillstring connection, a lower drillstring connection, and a tubular body comprising a through bore, and further includes a weight activated mechanism configured to close the through bore when the drillstring is lifted.
US08118103B2
An apparatus and method for drawing down a fluid level in a well bore. The apparatus and method includes a first tubular disposed within the well bore forming a well bore annulus therein, an annular nozzle connected to an end of the first tubular, and a second tubular concentrically disposed within the first tubular forming a micro annulus. The annular nozzle includes an annular adapter and a suction tube having an internal section and an external section with an outer diameter less than the outer diameter of the first tubular. The external section of the suction tube may be positioned within a restricted section of the well bore, for example, within a restricted well bore section containing a casing liner to drawn down the fluids and solids within the well bore to produce hydrocarbons.
US08118092B2
A swelling packer is covered with a material that is preferably in a tubular form and slipped over the swelling element to be shrink fit with applied heat. The material is formulated to break down at temperatures slightly below the expected downhole temperatures so that ideally the packer has about 48 hours of swelling delay which is normally a time period long enough to allow it to be properly located without it swelling so much as to cause it to be damaged by running in. Various polymers can be used to make an imperious covering for run in that on the way starts to break down. Ideally the material for the cover disappears about the time of sealing or shortly thereafter.
US08118087B2
A vehicle air conditioning device having first and second fans for forcing air through a heat exchanger, and a fan controller for controlling an operation of the first and second fans. On receiving a signal indicating that the shutter is closed, the fan controller controls the first and second fans such that the first fan is turned into an operating state and the second fan is turned into a stopped state.
US08118080B2
By pouring, by means of pressure, melted liquid of magnesium or magnesium alloy into a hollow portion which is formed using a casting mold, a valve body where a channel groove for hydraulic oil for use in a speed change operation of the automatic transmission is formed. In the above, the channel grove for the hydraulic oil is formed due to a convex portion which is formed on the mold so as to project into the hollow portion. As the magnesium has small heat capacity, variation of the temperature of the mold during the cooling and heating cycle can be suppressed. Moreover, as the magnesium melted liquid has no reactivity with respect to the casting mold, the convex portion is not deteriorated. This allows employment of a mold having a thinner convex portion formed thereon, and therefore formation of a valve body having a narrower channel groove.
US08118073B2
A tire having a section height, a maximum section width, an upper section above the maximum section width, and a lower section below the maximum section width is provided. The tire includes a circumferential tread, a pair of sidewalls, a pair of bead regions each having a bead core, and at least one carcass ply extending circumferentially about the tire from one bead region to the other. The at least one carcass ply is wound outwardly about at least one of the bead cores and extends toward the tread to form a turn-up portion that terminates at a turn-up end. The turn-up portion includes a concave segment that begins in the bead region and ends short of the turn-up end or at the turn-up end.
US08118070B2
A disconnect apparatus for a gravity fed hopper for a paint spray pump includes a valve that automatically opens when the hopper outlet is attached to an inlet of the pump and closes when the hopper outlet is detached from the pump inlet. A structure for wiping the interior of the outlet may be provided to remove material from the outlet as the hopper is separated from the pump.
US08118064B2
A fiber reinforced plastic pipe is provided to prevent it from being damaged and make full use of its practical performance when the fiber reinforced plastic pipe, reduced in thickness and increased in diameter by pultrusion process, is reduced in the circumferential direction and inserted into a metal pipe. The fiber reinforced plastic pipe, reduced in thickness and increased in diameter by pultrusion process, includes a fiber bundle spun and aligned in the longitudinal direction, and circumferential reinforced fiber sheet provided at least on one of the outer and inner surface layers. The circumferential reinforced fiber sheet is inserted into the metal pipe to form a power transmission shaft such as an intermediate shaft for use with a propeller shaft or a drive shaft.
US08118058B2
A method is disclosed that includes allowing both frequency and amplitude of a periodic waveform to be adjusted. The method also includes creating the periodic waveform having the frequency and the amplitude. The periodic waveform is coupled to at least one control signal. The at least one control signal is provided to an output suitable for coupling to an actuator of an electronically controlled device. An apparatus and computer program product are disclosed.
US08118053B2
A backflow prevention device is to be installed between various equipment drain lines and a drain cover or drain pipe. The backflow prevention device provides an air gap operable to prevent backflow of sewer waste into the drain lines. The device includes a drainage hub and a tubing mount attached to the drainage hub. The drainage hub defines a liquid flow conduit throw which liquid discharged from the drain lines can flow and can be connected to the drain. The tubing mount supports the drain lines in such a way that the drain line effluent is positioned to be in fluid connectivity with the upper opening of the liquid flow conduit at a vertically displaced position from the drainage hub.
US08118042B2
The present invention concerns an improved apparatus for cleaning the interior of a liquid handling probe to reduce the amount time and the volume of wash fluid required to clean the probe and minimize carryover of material between different samples. In addition to the probe, the apparatus includes one or more wash fluid reservoirs, a compressed gas supply, one or more pumps, two or more valve-controlled probe lines and a controller for opening and closing the valves and actuating the pump(s) at desired time intervals. The invention further concerns a method of cleaning a liquid handling probe using the claimed apparatus and comprising sequential steps of pumping wash fluid and compressed gas through the probe.
US08118037B2
A system of brushes for coloring hair with each brush including an ergonomically shaped handle, recessed valley areas for comfortable and effective finger pressure points, each brush color coded to specific base colors, and each brush provided with a color changing system to alert the user to recent use.
US08118029B2
A patient lateral positioning device for pelvic treatments suitable to support a patient in a defined lateral position includes a vacuum mattress. The vacuum mattress includes an upper body support attachable to an upper body portion of the patient, and a lower body support attachable to a lower body portion of the patient. A region between said upper and lower body support is formed such that when the vacuum mattress is attached to the patient, both a front pelvic side and an upper pelvic side of the patient are exposed.
US08118023B2
A system and method for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by means of a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) system in which is included an ultra-violet light source to remove bacteria and contaminants which may cause respiratory infection in a patient being treated. The ultraviolet light source is contained in a specially designed chamber comprising aluminum or equivalent suitable materials. The ultraviolet chamber is positioned directly downstream of a humidification unit and includes specially positioned baffles to protect connecting elements and other system components from any possible damage.
US08118014B2
An engine system and corresponding control method are described. As one example, the control method includes transferring one type of fuel from one fuel tank to a second fuel tank holding another type of fuel and adjusting an engine operating parameter based on the blended fuel mixture by selective operation of a first and second fuel pump.
US08118004B2
Provided are a rocker arm, a rocker shaft, a valve cap, an adjust screw, a pivot receiving member, and a valve of an arm type valve operating device that can suppress wear and pitching, and attain a long service life. A multiplicity of minute recesses are provided at random in contact portions with other members of those members. A surface provided with recesses has a surface roughness parameter Ryni that is in a range: 0.4 μm≦Ryni≦1.0 μm, and an Sk value of −1.6 or less. Accordingly, contact surfaces exhibit a high oil-film-forming capacity, so a long service life is attained even under a condition of low viscosity, thin lubrication and extremely thin oil film.
US08118001B2
A cooling system for a water-cooled internal combustion engine includes a coolant flow circuit and a coolant return passage. The coolant flow circuit includes a water pump, a water jacket having a plurality of serially connected flow passages, an oil cooler, a radiator, and a pressure-regulating valve for discharging coolant to a reservoir tank when pressure of the coolant in the coolant flow circuit reaches a predetermined target value. The coolant return passage supplies coolant from the reservoir tank to the coolant flow circuit via a check valve, which only allows coolant to flow in one direction from the reservoir tank to the coolant flow circuit.
US08117999B2
In a system for providing electrolyte to an electrolysis cell for producing hydrogen gas to inject into the intake of an internal combustion engine, a water store is in communication with a water supply line, for replenishing the level of electrolyte solution used by the electrolysis cell. A valve which may be disposed at a level below the level of the water supply line and is opened, for example upon deactivation of the engine, to drain the water out of the water supply line and prevent freezing in sub-freezing temperatures.
US08117997B2
Disclosed is a double pipe heat exchanger for a boiler supplying heating water and hot water, which can prevent water from being condensed even if cold heating water or cold water is introduced into an inlet of the heat exchanger in the boiler for supplying heating water and hot water The heat exchanger includes: a plurality of outer heating water pipes to which combustion heat is applied from a burner of a combustion chamber; a plurality of inner pipes, each of which is inserted in each outer pipe; a returned heating water pipe in which cold heating water is introduced; and a cold water pipe in which cold water is introduced, wherein the returned heating water pipe and the cold water pipe are connected to one of the inner pipes. The heat exchanger has a structure in that returned cold heating water or cold water is firstly introduced into the inner pipe of an heat exchanger, sufficiently preheated, and introduced into the outer pipe of the heat exchanger again, thereby preventing water from being condensed around an inlet of the heat exchanger through which returned cold heating water or cold water is introduced.
US08117990B2
An improved nipple for feeding liquids to newborn and young bovine calves and other mammals. A horizontal flat portion of an upper end of the nipple has a downward curving periphery that merges into a vertical portion of a barrel at an exterior radius of 9 to 10 mm and an interior radius of 6.5 to 7.5 mm. The thickness of a wall of the upper end of the nipple is between 5 and 10% less than the thickness of the wall of the barrel. The flat portion of the upper end of the nipple 1 has a diameter in the range of 5 to 7 mm, which is about 20 to 25% of the inner diameter of the barrel. A bump-out may be formed on a base of the nipple to aid in removing and replacing the nipple on a bottle.
US08117987B2
Methods and apparatus for hot wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) are provided herein. In some embodiments, an inline HWCVD tool may include a linear conveyor for moving a substrate through the linear process tool; and a multiplicity of HWCVD sources, the multiplicity of HWCVD sources being positioned parallel to and spaced apart from the linear conveyor and configured to deposit material on the surface of the substrate as the substrate moves along the linear conveyor; wherein the substrate is coated by the multiplicity of HWCVD sources without breaking vacuum. In some embodiments, methods of coating substrates may include depositing a first material from an HWCVD source on a substrate moving through a first deposition chamber; moving the substrate from the first deposition chamber to a second deposition chamber; and depositing a second material from a second HWCVD source on the substrate moving through the second deposition chamber.
US08117986B2
The present invention presents an improved deposition shield for surrounding a process space in a plasma processing system, wherein the design and fabrication of the deposition shield advantageously provides for a clean processing plasma in the process space with substantially minimal erosion of the deposition shield.
US08117978B2
A sailing ship comprises a hard sail assembly. The hard sail assembly comprises a plurality of hard sails of wing-shaped hollow cross section. The hard sails are vertically stacked so that each except the lowermost is received in the one immediately below. The sailing ship further comprises an apparatus for driving the hard sails to move each except the lowermost toward and away from the one immediately below, a post extending vertically to support the lowermost hard sail, and a second apparatus for rotating the post around its longitudinal axis. Overlapping lengths between vertically adjacent hard sails are variably controlled to make the hard sail assembly expand and contract vertically.
US08117966B1
A stun grenade that provides a flash and an associated loud report without use of pyro-ignition sources. The flash is generated by discharge of a conventional flash bulb. The loud, explosive noise comes from rupturing of an inflatable bag at a predetermined rupture pressure and inflation volume.
US08117956B2
The present invention relates to a magazine for a hand firearm, which is detachably mountable to the weapon, incorporating a drum-like, approximately cylindrical housing (10) which accommodates a greater number of cartridges in an orientation parallel to the axis of the housing, further incorporating an approximately spiral-shaped divider device (9), which is located inside the housing and accommodates the cartridges, a driver plate (14), which is adapted for indexed rotation about its axis and is driven by the force of a spring, said driver plate causing the cartridges to advance to the next position on a spiral path after each shot, and a follower (18) disposed in said magazine, which causes the cartridges to advance on their spiral path, to exit said divider device and to enter into a magazine head (21). In accordance with the invention, there is provided that the entire follower moves behind the last cartridge stored in the magazine on the spiral feeding path through the divider device, that said follower is not connected solidly to the driver plate but radially displaceably instead, and that said follower glides radially outward in a guide of the driver plate while being forwarded. In this way, the follower is prevented from jamming and trouble-free operation is ensured.
US08117952B2
A closed-loop cutting system comprises a cutting device for cutting a piece of material at a given dimension; a positioning device for positioning the cutting means to cut the piece of material at the given dimension; a position controller for controlling the positioning device; a feedback means comprising a dimension sensor for measuring the actual dimension of the cut piece of material, the feedback means for measuring a difference between the actual dimension and the given dimension and sending signal back to either one of the positioning device and the position controller to effect an adjustment of the position of the cutting device by reducing the difference.
US08117944B2
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a pedal apparatus is provided. The pedal apparatus comprises a pedal member including a seat and an axle configured to cooperate with the seat to support the pedal member. The pedal apparatus is configured such that a rotation of the pedal member with respect to the axle causes translation of the pedal member with respect to the axle.
US08117941B2
A parking-brake-operation indicator includes a lever having a pressing portion for pressing a brake disc of a parking brake to press contact the brake disc, a cable operable to draw the lever, a brake-operation tool connected to the cable, a switch for detecting a position of the lever and an indicating means for indicating operation of the parking brake.
US08117940B2
A steering wheel arrangement for a motor vehicle includes a steering column having a first end for cooperation with a steering wheel and a second end for cooperation with a vehicle steering mechanism. The steering wheel arrangement further includes a suspension arrangement for the steering column. The suspension arrangement includes two pivot joints and is pivotally connected to the steering column via a third pivot joint, the first, second and third pivot joints including first, second and third locking arrangements, respectively. The steering wheel arrangement has thus three adjustable pivot points where only one or two of the three pivot joints are adjustable in a first step depressing a foot pedal to a first position and only the remaining of the three pivot joints are adjustable in a second step depressing the foot pedal to a second position which implies that the adjustments can be made in a secure way by the driver during the ride.
US08117937B2
An electric motor 1 and a worm gear 11 were housed in a case, an output shaft 2 of the electric motor 1 and a fitting hole 11C of the worm gear 11 were fitted so as to be capable of freely transmitting torque and of freely moving relatively in a direction of an axis X, and a tip of the output shaft 2 and an inner end of the fitting hole 11C set a gap D of separation in the direction of the axis X. Furthermore, a support section 30 making contact with an end section of a shaft section 11A of the worm gear 11 at the side of the electric motor 1 thereof was provided inside the case, and a thrust force resulting from dynamic inertia of the wheel gear 11 upon stopping of the electric motor 1 and acting on the worm gear 11 was borne by the support section 30.
US08117934B2
A shift mechanism for a transmission having a first and a second combination of gears is disclosed. The shift mechanism has a rod member and a hydraulic actuator operatively connected to an end of the rod member. The hydraulic actuator is configured to move the rod member between a first position at which the first combination of gears is engaged to transmit power, a second position at which the second combination of gears is engaged to transmit power, and a third position at which neither the first nor the second combination of gears is engaged to transmit power. The hydraulic actuator has a first piston slidably connected to the rod member, a second piston fixedly connected to the rod member, and a housing. The housing forms three chambers and has only two fluid conduits in communication with the three chambers.
US08117927B2
A pipette is provided. The pipette includes a body, a piston, and a valve. The body includes a nozzle, a first chamber, a second chamber, and a channel formed in the nozzle. The first chamber is isolated from the second chamber, and the channel is isolated from the first chamber and the second chamber. The piston is mounted to slide within the first chamber and the second chamber so that movement of the piston simultaneously increases a first volume of the first chamber and decreases a second volume of the second chamber. The valve is in communication with the first chamber, the second chamber, the channel, and an exterior of the body to selectively provide a communication between the first chamber and the channel, between the second chamber and the channel, between the first chamber and the exterior of the body, and between the second chamber and the exterior of the body.
US08117924B2
The present invention relates to apparatus, systems and methods for performing in situ measurements, and, more particularly, to apparatus, systems and methods that can isolate a sample from a bulk fluid to measure characteristics of same without unwanted effects of perturbation in the bulk fluid.
US08117920B2
The invention provides a restriction element for a pressure sensor to protect the pressure element from flow related damage. The pressure sensor comprising a housing with a fluid inlet channel and a chamber with a pressure element. The pressure element comprises a housing part with a recess covered by a sealing diaphragm forming a cavity. In the oil-filled cavity a sensor element is placed. The restriction element is placed in front of the sealing diaphragm protecting the pressure element and especially the sealing diaphragm from a damaging pulse or other flow related damages caused by sudden changes in a flow system for example by closing a valve.
US08117918B2
A method for measuring the thickness of a pipe wall is provided. The method includes the steps of: 1) emitting ultrasonic signals into the pipe wall at one or more frequencies below 1 MHz and receiving reflected ultrasonic signals, and providing a sensor signal representative of the received reflected signals, including a first received reflected signal and a second received reflected signal; 2) providing a first model signal representative of the first received reflected signal and a second model signal representative of the second received reflected signal; 3) correlating the received reflected signals to the model signals, including varying a time delay between the model signals, until the model signals separated by the time delay substantially agree with the received reflected signals; and 4) determining the thickness of the pipe wall using the time delay.
US08117914B2
An inertia force sensor includes a detection element having an acceleration detection section (1). This detection element (1) has: two orthogonal arms obtained by connecting first arms (8) to second arms (10) so as to be orthogonal to each other, a support section (12) for supporting one ends of the two first arm (8), a fixation section (4) connected to the other ends of the two first arms (8), and weight sections (2) fixed to tip ends of the second arms (10). The first arm (8) has a thickness thinner than thicknesses of the second arm (10) and weight section (2) to thereby provide an increased detection sensitivity.
US08117903B2
An apparatus and method for determining the kinematic characteristics of a golf club head are disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one piezoelectric component selectively positioned within or upon a club head. The piezoelectric component is preferably positioned to the rear of the center of gravity, and near the midpoint of the face of the club head. During a golf club swing, the piezoelectric component determines the acceleration and deceleration of the golf club head. When the club head impacts an object such as a golf ball, the piezoelectric component is also operable to determine the velocity of the club head. It may also be desirable for the piezoelectric component to determine the magnitude of vibration during impact. In this manner, the piezoelectric component may function determine the efficiency of a golf club swing.
US08117900B2
A conduit is connected to the interstice between an outer and inner wall of a storage tank or the liner thereof and may be used to monitor the integrity of the interstice. The conduit comprises a coupling in fluid communication with the interstice, a tube connected at one end to the coupling and having a length sufficient to extend into a riser pipe of the tank. The conduit may also include a bushing holding the tube apart from the tank and providing for the variable positioning of the tube with respect to the tank. A method of monitoring the integrity of the interstice uses monitoring equipment connected to the conduit.
US08117897B2
An elliptical photo-acoustic spectrometer chamber design will result in a larger intensity signal at the pick-up microphone and allow high frequency light modulation. This makes the spectrometer have a lower limit of detection threshold, and will increase the signal to noise ratio in general for the instrument, resulting in a more sensitive instrument allowing more precise measurements.
US08117887B2
An operating device for testing torque wrenches is formed with a carrier for fixing a torque wrench to be tested. A transducer is coupled to the head portion of the torque wrench. A grip holder is provided for fixing the grip of the torque wrench and a deflecting mechanism is adapted for generating a torque to the head portion of the torque wrench to be tested. Further on a sliding mechanism is provided for sliding the grip in the grip holder without friction.
US08117886B2
A leak detector comprising a base appliance provided with a gas detector, a vacuum pump, and a control device. A sniffer probe is connected to the base appliance. A test leak device containing the supply of test gas is arranged in a separate sub-housing. The sub-housing also contains a temperature sensor, a processor, and a data memory. The processor corrects the measured temperature according to a sample, and modulates the light of a light barrier. The processor is connected to the control device in the base appliance by a data cable.
US08117882B2
A method for manufacture of a multi-layer pipe (5) by means of a bending roller with individual material layers (1, 2) to be combined into the multi-layer pipe (5) being placed one upon the other, and the multi-layer material thus formed being shaped into a multi-layer pipe (5) by means of the bending roller, and in the final stage of pipe shaping in the bending roller and/or a subsequently used bending machine a material layer (1) acting as an internal pipe being pressed non-positively into a material layer (2) acting as an external pipe.
US08117879B2
A building panel formed from sheet material extends in a longitudinal direction along its length and includes a curved center portion in cross section, a pair of side portions extending from the curved center portion, and a pair of connecting portions extending from the side portions. The curved center portion includes a plurality segments extending in the longitudinal direction. The panel is curved in the longitudinal direction without having transverse corrugations. A particular segment may have a depth greater than that of another segment to accommodate the longitudinal curve. A system for longitudinally curving the panel includes first and second curving assemblies, each of which includes multiple rollers arranged to contact the panel as it passes along, a positioning mechanism for changing a relative rotational orientation between the first and second curving assemblies, a drive system for moving the panel longitudinally, and a control system for controlling the positioning mechanism.
US08117869B2
A blank mold for an I. S. Machine is made up of a pair of opposed engaged blanks. When closed, these blanks have a top surface with an opening. The blanks have an inner surface defining the side wall of a parison which extends upwardly to a position a defined distance below the top surface of the blanks and a continuous, beveled surface connecting the top of the inner surface defining the side wall of the parison and the top opening of the blanks. A pair of funnels, each having a continuous beveled surface extending from a circular horizontally disposed top opening downwardly to smaller centrally located bottom opening, are interfit with the top of the blanks with the top opening of the blanks and the bottom opening of the funnel being coextensive.
US08117868B2
Apparatus and methods for making glass are provided. The apparatus comprise a first glass melt station and a standpipe. The standpipe includes a first end portion in fluid communication with the first glass melt station. The standpipe further includes a gravity trap that is configured to inhibit formed impurities from traveling from at least a portion of the standpipe through the first end portion of the standpipe. The methods comprise the steps of providing the first glass melt station with glass melt, sensing a condition of a quantity of glass melt within the standpipe, and inhibiting formed impurities from traveling from at least a portion of the standpipe through the first end portion of the standpipe.
US08117867B2
A process for producing spherical inorganic particles which have high flowability, can be incorporated in a high proportion, and are useful as a filler for composite substrates such as printed wiring boards and encapsulating materials. Also provided is a process for producing spherical inorganic particles which have high flowability and can be incorporated in a high proportion and which are useful as a filler for encapsulating materials and give an encapsulating material having high electrical insulating properties. One of the processes for producing spherical inorganic particles comprises: (a1) pulverizing a silicate-containing inorganic material to form a pulverization product; (b1) heating the pulverization product in an atomized state to form the pulverization product into spherical particles; (c1) spraying water over the spherical particles to cool them while maintaining the atomized state of the spherical particles; and (d1) collecting the spherical particles. The other process, which is for producing spherical glass particles, comprises: a pulverization step in which a silicate-containing vitreous material is pulverized to form a pulverization product; an acid treatment step in which the pulverization product is contacted with an acid; and a sphering step in which the pulverization product is heated in a suspended state and formed into spherical particles.
US08117862B2
HVAC apparatus is configured to include a control system with a controller which may be connected directly to a personality module for transferring information stored in the controller related to historic operating conditions of the apparatus to the module, or information may be transferred to the controller from the module to configure the controller for operation of the apparatus at selected operating conditions of temperature, pressure and blower motor speed, for example. The personality module includes a memory circuit and a connector for releasably connecting the module to the control system of the apparatus for transferring information between the module and the controller.
US08117845B2
A method for assembling a premixing injector is provided. The method includes providing a centerbody including a center axis and a radially outer surface, and providing an inlet flow conditioner. The inlet flow conditioner includes a radially outer wall, a radially inner wall, and an end wall coupled substantially perpendicularly between the outer wall and the inner wall. Each of the outer wall and the end wall include a plurality of openings defined therein. The outer wall, the inner wall, and the end wall define a first passage therebetween. The method also includes coupling the inlet flow conditioner to the centerbody such that the inlet flow conditioner substantially circumscribes the centerbody, such that the inner wall is substantially parallel to the centerbody outer surface, and such that a second passage is defined between the centerbody outer surface and the inner wall.
US08117835B2
A gasket resistant to vibration and noise generation is interposed between a cylinder head and an exhaust manifold of an engine. The gasket includes a gasket main body interposed between a cylinder head and an exhaust manifold of an engine, a base plate affixed to the gasket main body and having a heat shielding portion integral with a base portion and extending to a side of the exhaust manifold, and a reinforcement plate fixed to the heat shielding portion, in which the reinforcement plate is not present at a region of the base portion in contact with the gasket main body, and a reinforcement rib is formed at the region of the base portion in contact with the reinforcement plate and a region of the heat shielding portion in contact with the reinforcement. The base portion is provided with a projected portion projected into a path of introducing secondary air from a side wall of the cylinder head to an exhaust port.
US08117831B2
An exhaust system for a vehicle having a diesel engine and a method of operation are disclosed. The exhaust system may include a diesel particulate filter, a pipe located downstream of the diesel particulate filter and an exhaust gas cooling assembly. The exhaust gas cooling assembly may have an air pump and a connecting pipe connected to the pipe and configured to direct air from the air pump into the pipe. During particulate filter regeneration, the air pump may be activated to push air into the exhaust in order to reduce the temperature of exhaust gasses exiting the vehicle.
US08117821B2
Disclosed is an optimized approach of using bleed-off of compressed air flow from a gas turbine compressor in a combined-cycle power plant and performance heating to augment plant performance. In one embodiment, a diverted portion of a by-product off gas and the bleed-off of compressed air flow are fired heated to produce a high temperature flue gas that is used to performance heat a pressurized mixture of fuel prior to being supplied to the gas turbine combustor.
US08117819B2
A chain repairing tool, which includes a tool body and a PBR block, which is configured for pressing side plates of chain links, for breaking chain links and for riveting chain links as the PBR block is variously oriented within the tool body of the chain repairing tool. Also, a chain repairing tool, having a tool body, a body bolt, which is threadably received by the tool body, and a breaking pin where the body bolt includes a tapered passage, which guides the breaking pin. Also, the breaking pin includes a domed head. Also, a PBR block, which is configured for pressing side plates of chain links, for breaking chain links and for riveting chain links as said PBR block is variously oriented, in conjunction with a chain repairing tool.
US08117815B2
A method and apparatus for forming yarn provides a feeding component that feeds one or more ribbons of tow starting material, a drafting component that includes at least two pairs of rollers through which the feed materials pass and which stretch-breaks the starting material into a cohesive elongated network of fibers formed from the filaments of the tow material. The stretch-broken intermediate product may be a blended cohesive network formed form multiple feed materials. The intermediate product may be spun directly into yarn in one winding/twisting operation or it may be combined with other simultaneously produced intermediate products. Various yarns may be used as produced or otherwise combined to form various fabrics and other materials used in fire-retardant and heat resistant products. The starting materials may be PAN, para- and meta-aramid fibers, viscose rayon, and stainless steel and other suitable materials.
US08117813B2
A riding type grass mower includes a right wheel and a left wheel, a rear-discharge type mower unit disposed forwardly of the right/left wheels, a driver's seat disposed between and upwardly of the right/left wheels, an engine mounted rearwardly of the driver's seat, an engine hood for covering the engine, and a restricting unit disposed rearwardly of the driver's seat and at an area downwardly of the engine hood, the restricting unit having a restricting face (including a mesh face) configured to restrict upward rising of cut grass discharged from the mower unit.
US08117806B2
A vertical bagging machine including a spindle for receiving and supporting a roll of stock material, the spindle defining a spindle axis, wherein the stock material is unwindable as a sheet, a folding plate defining a folding plate plane that is substantially parallel with the spindle axis, the folding plate including a first edge and a second edge, wherein the first and second edges are generally equal in length and connect at a central peak, a spreader chute including a first guide plate and a second guide plate, the second guide plate being generally parallel with and spaced apart from the first guide plate, wherein the first and second guide plates are substantially perpendicular to the folding plate plane, and first and second folding rollers defining a nip therebetween, the first and second folding rollers being generally parallel with the folding plate plane and disposed between the folding plate and the spreader chute, wherein the sheet is moveable over the central peak, through the nip, and over the first and second guide plates to define a loading space between the first and second guide plates.
US08117805B2
A method and apparatus for manufacturing a non-rectilinear flexible package comprising an in-line process including application and selective sealing of a semi-rigid strip to an inner wall of the package and further including a dual-stage die-cutting technique to remove and cut a non-linear shape into a formed web of film. The semi-rigid strip is sealed to one interior wall of the package but not the other to provide a reinforced opening to the package through which a material can be dispensed. Additionally, the dual stage die-cutting method comprises first cutting and removing a portion of the web material prior to filling the package and again cutting and removing a portion of the web material after filling, resulting in a package having a narrowed neck adjacent the closed reinforced opening at an upper portion of the package and a body of the package that is tapered towards the reinforced opening.
US08117801B2
A building product is configured for attachment to a surface of a building. In one example, the building product includes a siding product including a first side and a second side. In one example, the siding product is a pultruded product. A first engagement feature is disposed on or near the first side. A second engagement feature is disposed on or near the second side. The second engagement feature is configured to selectively frictionally engage with the first engagement feature of another similar siding product such that any curvature in the siding product increases frictional engagement between the siding product and the other similar siding product. In one example, the building product includes a spacer clip for attachment of the building product to the surface of the building.
US08117800B2
A facade is formed on an upright supporting surface using a plurality of facade elements formed of plastic material having a flat rear side and a decorative front side protruding from the rear side. The flat rear side of the elements can be abutted directly against the upright supporting surface with the elements in spaced relation with one another and secured thereon using nails from an air driven nailer. Grouting in the form of mortar repair or caulking can be used to fill the gaps between adjacent elements on the supporting surface to complete the appearance of a natural stone facade on a building wall.
US08117799B2
The disclosure relates to a method of erecting a tower comprising; —providing a foundation (1); —providing at least one top section (20) of a tower; —providing a first lifting mechanism (10) adapted to carry the top section (20); —providing at least one lower most tower section (25) onto the foundation (1); —lifting said at least one top section (20) of the tower by lifting the first lifting mechanism (10) relative said at least one lower most tower section (25); —adding at least one second lower most section (24) above said at least one lower most tower section (25); —lifting said at least one top section (20) of the tower by lifting the first lifting mechanism (10) relative said at least one second lower most tower section (25). Preferably a second lifting mechanism is carried by a nacelle which is rotatably arranged on the top section, thereby allowing the second lifting mechanism to be orientated in different orientations relative the top section.
US08117794B2
A two part grille with interlocking connections molded from opaque plastic allows one or more screens or filters supported inside the grille and provides a configuration which allows its parts to be fitted on opposite sides of an opening in a wall or a door locked together by a mortise and tenon joint so that no screws are necessary, and the two part grille further has intermediate spacers used to accommodate differing thickness of a wall or the like.
US08117793B2
A seismic separation joint is provided for connecting end-to-end a first grid tee to a second grid tee. Each grid tee includes a central web, with a tongue or tab extending from the web. Preferably, an elongated slot extends from the web into the tongue/tab associated therewith, with the slots being aligned when the first grid tee is connected to the second grid tee. A fastener is received in a portion of the tongue/tab of at least one, and preferably both, of the grid tees distally of the slot in one grid tee and in the slot of the other grid tee.
US08117791B2
An abutment is provided for use as a start or end post of a plasterboard partition wall or as a join between two such walls which run in different directions. The abutment comprises an elongate plaster moulding designed to run between the ceiling and the floor and having an abutment surface for abutment against the end of the partition wall. In a preferred embodiment, the abutment includes a tapered edge at the abutment surface to provide a space at the join in which a skim of plaster can be applied to provide a seamless join between the partition wall and the abutment.
US08117788B1
Lateral motion devices are used in conjunction with relatively rigid shear assemblies to further dissipate shear forces on frame construction buildings. In one embodiment, the lateral motion device is interposed between the shear assembly and the upper portion of the wall to permit relative motion therebetween and to absorb and dissipate a portion of the energy associated with shear force through spring-like behavior and deformation. In one embodiment, the energy dissipation is achieved by a plurality of corrugation structures, where the top of the corrugation is attached to the upper portion of the wall and the bottom of the corrugation is attached to an interconnecting assembly that is securely attached to the foundation. Placing the energy dissipating device near the upper portion of the wall mounted on a comparatively rigid frame provides a relatively short moment arm with respect to the lateral forces imposed by the wall on the energy dissipating device to allow better control of the response to the shear force.
US08117778B2
Processes and systems are disclosed for recording data relating to a shot by a projectile weapon. Environment data occurring prior to data indicating the occurrence of a shot by the projectile weapon is retained for subsequent evaluation. Such environment data includes, but is not limited to, ambient audio data, video data produced by a video camera associated with the projectile weapon, GPS data representing locations of the projectile weapon, electronic compass data representing orientations of the projectile weapon and acceleration data representing accelerations of the projectile weapon.
US08117773B2
A loader coupler includes a body with spaced-apart inner rib mounts for mating respectively with ribs of a first type of attachment. The body also includes inner locking regions that are vertically aligned with the inner rib mounts. Spaced-apart outer rib mounts are also provided on the body and are adapted to mate respectively with a second type of attachment. Outer locking regions are vertically aligned with the outer rib mounts. A lock system is connected to the body and includes: (i) a first actuator operatively connected to left and right first lock plungers and adapted to move the left and right first lock plungers between locked and unlocked positions; and, (ii) a second actuator operatively connected to left and right second lock plungers and adapted to move the left and right second lock plungers between locked and unlocked positions.
US08117769B2
A shoe sole construction includes a sole member formed from a synthetic plastic material having a first durometer value of hardness and including toe, ball, arch, and heel portions. Relatively rigid toe and heel plates are secured to bottom surface of the sole member on opposite sides of a relatively soft flex bar member that extends transversely across the ball portion of the sole member. A plurality of toe cushion members are mounted for independent movement within openings contained in the toe plate, and a stabilizing arch cushion member is mounted in the recess defined in the heel plate. These cushion members have an intermediate durometer value that, during use, permits compression of these cushion members in a footprint pattern.
US08117731B2
A method of installing a door glass (15) on a vehicle door (16). The door glass is tilted relative to the front-rear direction of a vehicle to reduce the length in the front-rear direction of the door glass. The tilted door glass is lowered to position it between a pair of sashes (121, 122) provided at the front and rear of the vehicle door. The tilt of the door glass is corrected to a predetermined level to fit the door glass into the front and rear sashes and then the door glass is lowered.
US08117729B2
A method for rapidly deploying a floating hot tub is disclosed. The method includes providing a collapsible frame, having a collapsed configuration and a deployed configuration. The deployed frame defines an interior volume, at least one seat, and an upper periphery. An insulated liner sized is deployed and attached to the deployed collapsible frame. The insulted liner is filled with water. The water within the insulated liner is heated.
US08117728B2
A method of installing an open seal on a flange provided at a door installation opening of a vehicle, the installation being made by pressing the seal against the flange by a roller. A side face of the open seal temporarily installed on the flange is pressed by the tapered outer peripheral surface of a flange formed at one end of the roller body. Then, a back face of the open seal is pressed by the roller towards the flange. The roller is moved along the flange with constant pressing force.
US08117722B2
A container is realisable by folding a laminar element (10), and the laminar element comprises: mutually adjacent principal faces (20), connected to each other by principal folding lines (30), the principal faces extending along a principal axis (20a) and presenting respectively principal sides (20b) parallel to the principal axis and located respectively at a first (20c) and a second distance (20d) from the latter; auxiliary faces (40) emerging from each principal face along respective second axes of extension (40a) orthogonal to the principal axis and connected to the principal faces by auxiliary folding lines (50). For at least one pair of principal sides of at least one principal face, the first and the second distance are different in value, the principal sides of a principal face presenting a respective offset (60), transverse with respect to the principal axis and different, for each principal side, with respect to an ideal mid-line of the principal face to which they belong.
US08117717B2
The invention relates to a temporary device (1, 20) for spacing an opening element (6) with respect to a fixed element (3) of the vehicle body comprising a fixing plate for anchoring the device on the fixed element and a body which is connected to the fixing plate and forms an abutment (4) for supporting the opening element, wherein at least one part of the abutment is elastically deformable by forces produced by the opening element in the longitudinal direction thereof.
US08117716B2
A one-way valve having a conduit for allowing liquid to flow therein, a valve element provided in the conduit, a hole portion provided in the conduit on the upstream side of the valve element and configured to be brought into a closed state by being closed by the valve element, and a spring that urges the valve element in the direction to close the hole portion, in which the peripheral surface of the valve element is formed with a first surface and a second surface intersecting the direction of movement of the valve element and generating a component force in the direction to close the hole portion when an urging force of the spring is applied, the first surface and the second surface are formed so as to increase the component force in the direction to close the hole portion as the valve element approaches the hole.
US08117714B2
A vacuum cleaner comprises a hair collection assembly having a hair collection element adapted to collection hair from a surface. The hair collection assembly can be mounted to the cleaning head of the vacuum cleaner for movement between a use position in which the hair collection element is in contact with the surface and a second position in which the hair collection element in spaced from the surface. The hair collection element can further be configured to collect hair from the surface when the cleaning head is moved in a first direction and to not collect hair from the surface when the cleaning head is moved in a second direction. A method of removing hair from a surface is also described.
US08117710B2
The invention relates to a windshield wiper device (10), in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a support (12), on which a bearing (18) is arranged, which supports a wiper shaft (22). In this case, a retaining element (20) is provided, which detachably connects the bearing (18) to the support.
US08117709B2
A rotary buffing and finishing system includes a polymeric foam cushioning layer that has a graded compression load deflection which is interposed between a backing plate and a relatively thin performance layer that is removably attached to the foam cushioning layer. The backing plate is flexible but has a compression load deflection greater than the cushioning layer, and the cushioning layer includes two foam layers of graded compression load deflection that decreases from a rear face to a front face. The system provides improved performance over thicker and more expensive performance layers while reducing operator fatigue.
US08117702B2
The invention provides a demolition tool that can be used in many ways for the demolition of construction materials or other materials. The demolition tool includes a handle having a head at one end. The head has a longitudinal central plane that bisects the head, a strike contact face, and toothed, stepped grasping jaws that accommodate multiple sizes of lumber or other material. The head may also include a blunt blade edge below the strike contact face for striking and demolishing material. The demolition tool includes a bent end pry bar at a second end of the handle. The bent end pry bar being offset 90 degrees from the longitudinal central plane of the tool head enabling full range of motion without interfering with other tool functions. The demolition tool may comprise a single piece of material and may be softer than tools used to strike it, but harder than materials which it is used to strike.
US08117696B2
The present invention refers to an articulated bed arrangement having a patient support platform 2 comprising at least a head section 4, a seat section 6 and a foot section 8 connected to each other in an articulated manner so that the bed arrangement is convertible at least from a bed configuration to a chair configuration. The platform has a length and a width whereupon the platform is projecting an area onto the floor when said sections are horizontally arranged. The bed arrangement is further provided with a leg arrangement comprising four legs 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d that are pivotable in the vertical direction in relation to the longitudinal direction of the platform about their articulated connection points 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d to the platform in order to change the height from the floor to the surface of the platform. Each leg is provided so that said leg is positioned outside said projected area.
US08117692B1
A sheet system having a primary sheet adapted to fit around a mattress and a secondary sheet for attaching atop the primary sheet. The primary sheet has a protective layer disposed between the top and bottom surfaces for providing moisture protection, and the secondary sheet has a protective layer disposed between the top and bottom surfaces for providing moisture protection. A plurality of attachment means connect the sheets together temporarily.
US08117689B2
A wheeled cart is configured to removably carry a patient's personal wash basin. The cart includes a lid that covers the personal wash basin when the cart is moved from a bathroom to the patient so that liquid in the wash basin cannot splash out onto the floor if the cart strikes an obstruction. A flexible tube is provided for filling the basin from a sink. A drain pipe is provided to empty the wash basin without the need to lift the wash basin. A disposable thin personal wash basin having a funnel-shaped outlet may be used with the cart to minimize potential contamination.
US08117680B1
A swimming goggles buckle is latched to a head strap and swimming goggles. The head strap includes protruding strips. The swimming goggles buckle includes a fastener and a retaining component. The fastener includes connecting legs, a pivot portion and an elastic plate. The connecting legs latch the swimming goggles. The pivot portion is at the middle of the fastener. The elastic plate is installed on a side of the fastener. The retaining component includes a shaft, a latching portion and a press portion. The shaft is pivotally installed in the pivot portion. The latching portion is on a side of the shaft and corresponding to the protruding strips. The press portion is on another side of the shaft and corresponding to the elastic plate. The press portion is pressed to separate the latching portion or latch the protruding strips to adjust the length of the head strap by one hand.
US08117677B2
Systems and methods for providing an article associated with headgear that keeps the wearer's head cool and/or cushioned from the interior harness of the headgear. The article is a system, liner or pad that is inserted into the headgear or coupled to the headgear harness for cooling and/or comfort, and includes a liquid-absorbing material contained within non-impervious pocket partitions. One or more ventilation portions and/or devices may also be included to allow for the free flow of air, breathing of the wearer's scalp and to facilitate the natural evaporation of perspiration. In some implementations, the article may be used in a variety of different headgear. As the pocket partitions swell due to absorption of a liquid by the material, the pockets function as gel-like cushions or pads that protect the wearer's scalp. The article is held in place with small straps, Velcro® tabs, or other retention devices.
US08117676B1
A hardhat provides ventilation and controlled lighting. A crown of a modified semi-spherical shape terminates downwardly with a generally oval peripheral edge in a horizontal plane, the crown having a plurality of apertures therein arranged in spaced apart sequence, and a flexible venting strip fixed forwardly on the crown and extending over the apertures, the venting strip positionable in each of a plurality of arcs above the crown, wherein each one of the arcs provides a selectable ventilation conductance into the hardhat. A brim is joined integrally to the peripheral edge of the crown extending outwardly. An electrical circuit has components including: a head-lamp mounted forward on the hardhat, a series of individual lights mounted in spaced-apart positions circumventing the crown, and a manual control mounted on the brim, the manual control is enabled for setting the electrical circuit in a standard operating mode wherein the head-lamp and individual lights are activated, and in a distress operating mode wherein the individual lights are red in color and set to blinking, and in an emergency mode wherein a loudspeaker and radio distress beacon are activated.
US08117669B2
A bib-scarf system which is simple to manufacture and creates an adjustable, nonplanar bib. The system incorporates a piece of fabric, a horizontal opening in the fabric, and a horizontal strap. The fabric is cut to a predetermined rectangular size. Then a horizontal opening is created in the center of the fabric. The fabric at the top of the newly created horizontal opening is folded over and pulled through the opening. A strap is then run through the horizontal opening and fold in the top half of the fabric. This process creates an adjustable nonplanar bib which can be attached to the wearer with the strap either worn around the neck or secured to a garment which receives the strap.
US08122518B2
The present invention provides a secure input method based on a virtual machine, in which an application invokes directly a secure input interface provided by a virtual machine monitor and transfers the address and length of input buffer area of the application as input parameters when it requires a secure input, and the virtual machine monitor receives keyboard input information, converts it into a key value and saves the converted key value directly into the input buffer area for the application. This prevents another application from using different filtering drivers and keyboard hooks to acquire the user input and thus enhances the security for a user input.
US08122515B2
An access control method performed by a network server to which a plurality of users are connected is disclosed. In the access control method, upon access from each user to data stored in a network resource, the access control method searches a plurality of access control rules prepared in advance for controlling accesses from the users and each including an access control value which is one of a finite integer number of values, by using at least one of information on the user and information on the data. Then, on the basis of the retrieved access control rule, the access control value is determined. Thereafter, response information from the data or access request information to the data is changed by using the determined access control value.
US08122509B1
A method and system for accelerating malware emulator by using an accelerator. The accelerator allows for a potentially malicious component (i.e., process) containing dummy processes to be executed in a real CPU of a computer system using its operating memory. A special memory area is allocated for the process based on the memory requested by the process in the emulator. The state of the CPU and the memory is loaded in the emulator prior to executing the suspicious process. The system can be restored to its initial state in case of malicious actions performed by the process. The dummy instructions of the process are processed by the CPU at its own speed and as soon as the process performs a malicious instruction it is stopped by the emulator. The emulation process is accelerated to a speed of a regular CPU.
US08122507B1
Scanning is disclosed. A scan collection period is determined. A system is monitored to detect object events during the scan collection period, and differential and incremental scan lists may be updated with information regarding objects to be scanned, based on some of the object events. Objects are scanned based on the information in the incremental scan list. Objects are scanned based on the information in the differential scan list. The incremental scan may be performed more than once before the differential scan is performed. Information regarding objects associated with object events occurring outside the scan collection period may be removed from the scan list.
US08122503B2
Methods, systems and computer readable mediums storing computer executable programs for managing a potential security threat to a network are disclosed. Network data received at a network system within a network is monitored at a network management system. A determination is made at the network management system regarding whether the network data received at the network system poses a potential security threat to the network. A threat type associated with the potential security threat is identified at the network management system based on the determination. A threat assessment system operable to evaluate the identified threat type is identified at the network management system. A command is issued from the network management system to the network system to mirror network data received at the network system to the identified threat assessment system.
US08122492B2
A firewall functions normally to pass data on open ports to a respective service or endpoint associated with an open port. Invitations may sent to from an internal endpoint to an external peer-to-peer network endpoint inviting a connection back to the internal endpoint. Rather than leave ports open in a firewall for such connections, an invitation manager analyzes the invitation and in real time programs an exception in the firewall based on the invitation. The exceptions may be programmed for a limited duration, based on the nature of the internal endpoint. When an authenticated connection is required, a public key or handle to a public key for the external endpoint may be passed to the firewall for use in establishing the connection.
US08122483B2
A document file is configured to restrict, without a costly special-purpose terminal or the like, use of document data contained therein, if the document data is taken out of a predetermined location. A document file contains (i) electronic document data, (ii) usage location information indicating one or more usage locations in which use of the electronic document data is less restricted, and (ii) a data management program that causes, when a user requests use of the electronic document data, a computer to request for user location information indicating the current location of the user. Under control of the data management program, use of the electronic document data is permitted within a first usage pattern, if the user location is included in the usage locations. If not, use of the electronic document data is prohibited or permitted within a second usage pattern which is more restricted than the first usage pattern.
US08122481B2
The present invention discloses a system and a method for permission management, and a permission management server. The system includes: a privacy owner terminal, for providing a privacy owner's privacy; a privacy management system, for obtaining the privacy owner's privacy provided by the privacy owner terminal; a privacy inquiry terminal, for inquiring about the privacy owner's privacy from the privacy management system and further obtaining an privacy inquirer's privacy provided by the privacy management system; a permission management server, for determining whether to grant a privacy inquirer to obtain the privacy owner's privacy according to a predetermined privacy permission rule when the privacy inquirer inquires about the privacy owner's privacy via the privacy inquiry terminal.
US08122478B2
A high capacity interactive multimedia system is provided that can deliver large number of concurrent video on demand and high speed data streams in an integrated fashion to a plurality of subscribers located at one or more subscriber sites. A video server module in the system generates a plurality of video on demand streams, which are transported via a high capacity transport system to a plurality of clients located at a subscriber site. A web server in the system stores data, such as web pages, which are also transported via the high capacity transport system to the clients. By accessing the web pages, a plurality of subscribers interact with the system via the clients. The interactive multimedia system controls and monitors in a centralized fashion the hardware and software components of the system, thus assuring the quality of the video and data services provided to the subscribers.
US08122476B2
A system and method for reducing interlace artifacts during trick mode playback of pre-encoded content. The system and method operate a decoder to receive a video signal, configured as frames, with each frame having a plurality of interlaced fields, and to provide a video output in interlaced format or trick mode format. When operating in a normal mode, the decoder provides the video output in the interlaced format. When operating in trick mode, the decoder is instructed to use one of the fields of a frame as a reference field, and outputs a video output frame in the trick mode format where both fields of the video output frame are the same as the reference field. The video signal can be a streaming video or read from a medium.
US08122467B2
A video player unit, system and method, and a video hierarchy. Included are at least one memory device, a plurality of communication access points for receiving at least one program play, an open application programming interface associated with the at least one memory device, wherein a plurality of applications correspondent to the open application programming interface allow a user to manipulate metadata associated with ones of the programs plays, wherein the metadata relates to interframe interactivity with detailed aspects of the ones of the program plays, and at least one correlation engine in communication with the open application programming interface, wherein the at least one correlation engine provides for correlation among at least the interframes of the program play to ones of the interframes of other ones of the program plays.
US08122464B2
Example methods and apparatus to monitor media content on a consumer network as described herein. An example metering system includes a metering device to monitor the consumption of media content at a consumer location and a universal plug and play (UPnP) compatible metering helper to collect audience measurement data from UPnP devices in a consumer network.
US08122462B2
A panel attachment structure for a disk tray includes an attachment frame, a decoration panel, a spring body, a restricting mechanism and a positioning mechanism. The attachment frame is non-movably coupled to a front end portion of the disk tray. The disk tray is movable between an ejected position and a retracted position through a tray opening of a cabinet. The decoration panel is movably coupled to the attachment frame. The spring body includes a compression coil spring. The spring body elastically couples the decoration panel to the attachment frame and biases the decoration panel against the attachment frame. The restricting mechanism restricts displacement of the decoration panel relative to the attachment frame. The positioning mechanism selectively positions the decoration panel relative to the attachment frame in a predetermined position and releases the decoration panel from the predetermined position when the disk tray is retracted to the retracted position.
US08122459B2
A software architecture is provided that has an agnostic interface mechanism coupled between a simulator and a game engine. The agnostic interface mechanism has an extension interface to translate simulator specific data objects to/from interface objects, a reflector interface to translate interface data objects to/from game specific objects, a launcher interface to translate interface control objects for controlling the game engine into game specific control objects, and a core control coupled between the extension interface and the reflector and launcher interfaces for controlling the communication of objects between the simulator and the game engine. The core control through the reflector and launcher interfaces provides game specific objects to the game engine through direct application programming interface (API) calls.
US08122455B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, a scheduler balances the load on the microengines comprising one or more threads allocated to execute a corresponding microblock. The scheduler determines the load on each microengine at regular time intervals. The scheduler balances the load of a heavily loaded microengine by distributing the corresponding load among one or more lightly loaded microengines.
US08122444B2
A legacy application decommissioner provides developers a tool to decommission and migrate legacy application functionality in a phased approach. The decommissioner identifies core web services that invoke legacy applications through an accessibility layer that monitors operator interaction with the application. The decommissioner then defines, creates, and deploys a web service that provides control over the operation of the legacy application. As a result, the functionality of the legacy application may be migrated to a new platform and architecture and the legacy application decommissioned so that organizations may continue to realize a return on their significant investment in the creation of the legacy application.
US08122439B2
A method and computer product for dynamically and precisely discovering delinquent memory operations through integration of compilers, performance monitoring tools, and analysis tools are provided. The method includes compiling an application, and linking the application with a tracing library to generate executable, compiler annotated information and linker mapping information. The application is executed to obtain runtime trace information that includes hardware performance counters and tracing library instrumentation events. The trace information, the compiler annotated information, and the linker mapping information are analyzed to produce a delinquent memory operation file containing delinquent memory operation information. The delinquent memory operation information of the delinquent memory operation file is read by the compiler to perform memory reference mapping to guide static analysis and memory hierarchy optimization. The memory reference mapping maps delinquent memory operations precisely, both externally in a user source code and internally in a compiler intermediate representation.
US08122435B2
An operating status monitoring device detects execution of a machine instruction included in an execution module that is obtained by translating a source program into machine language, specifies a step in the source program corresponding to the detected machine instruction with reference to a definition list that stores correspondence between each step in the source program and a machine instruction in the execution module, updates a data table, which defines correspondence between a step position in the source program and the execution count of the step, by adding the execution count of the specified step in the data table, and outputs an operating status map in which execution count of each step can be visually recognized by arranging unit marks and by changing a displaying pattern of each unit mark in response to the execution count.
US08122432B2
A method is presented that enables custom applications to embed rule authoring capabilities. In one embodiment, the method includes: imbedding a rule picker into an existing software application; presenting a choice of rules to be implemented in the existing software application, wherein a business vocabulary context defines and limits the choice of rules that is presented; and integrating a selected rule, from the choice of rules, into the existing software application. The business vocabulary context may be determined by a business vocabulary of the existing software application, wherein the business vocabulary is composed of software objects that describe a current session of the existing software application. The business vocabulary context may be defined as a name of a category that is passed to a rule creation engine by a rule picker in an Integrated Development Environment (IDE), such that a rule picker tag may be rendered in the IDE.
US08122426B2
A reusable framework is utilized for creating a software architecture in a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). After a general framework is created, that general framework is divided into a governance domain and an architecture domain. The architecture domain is further divided into architecture sub-domains within the architecture domain. Activities that are required for the governance domain and each of the architecture sub-domains and identified and described in detail, and owners and progress status markers for these activities are identified. The detailed descriptors of the activities, identified owners and progress status markers are then mapped onto a client-specific System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) work product to create an SOA-based software architecture. Deployment timelines for the governance domain and the architecture domain are determined, and a project plan for deploying the SOA-based software architecture is created.
US08122424B2
Content is transferred from one computer resource to another by enabling automatic cutting-and-pasting in a destination first, source second sequence, a user selecting insertion points in the contents of a destination computer resource, followed by the user selecting information elements in a source computer resource, subsequently automatically intercepting transfer of the selected information elements to the destination, determining which intercepted information elements are expressed in a natural language not matching a user-specified natural language, invoking a rule management user interface to allow the user to define an action to be taken, performing the specified language handling actions on the intercepted information elements, and transferring translated information elements to the destination computer resource.
US08122422B2
Methods for establishing benchmarks and for analyzing benefits associated with voltage scaling are provided. In one embodiment, the method for establishing benchmarks includes: (1) synthesizing a netlist from a RTL of a functional IC design; (2) implementing a layout of an IC from the netlist, wherein the synthesizing and the implementing are performed at designated voltages and frequencies over a voltage and a frequency range, the voltage range including a voltage scaling range and a voltage associated with a designated implementation of the IC; (3) obtaining measurements of at least one voltage scaling metric associated with the IC at each of the designated voltages and frequencies; and (4) normalizing measurements associated with the voltage scaling range to measurements associated with the designated implementation employing a processor to obtain normalized benchmarks for analyzing optimization of the IC associated with voltage scaling. EDA tools may be used for synthesizing, implementing and obtaining.
US08122416B2
An arrangement verification apparatus that makes it possible to shorten a time it takes to complete a failure/no-failure test on the arrangement of control circuits that control block circuits is provided. The arrangement verification apparatus arranges block circuits to be controlled comprising a semiconductor device and control circuits that control the block circuits over a predetermined floor and conducts a failure/no-failure test on the arrangement of the control circuits. The arrangement verification apparatus includes: a floor plan generation unit that arranges block circuits over a floor based on circuit specifications; a grouping generation unit that hierarchically groups the block circuits arranged over the floor and control circuits described in the circuit specifications based on a predetermined requirement to generate a group tree; a control circuit arrangement unit that arranges the control circuits over the floor according to a predetermined condition and the group tree generated at the grouping generation unit; and a failure/no-failure test unit that conducts a failure/no-failure test on the arrangement of the control circuits by the control circuit arrangement unit.
US08122415B2
An integrated circuit (IC) and fabrication method thereof is provided that include the steps of specifying a plurality of required tile modules suitable for a particular end application, each of the modular tiles being configured to perform a predetermined function and constructed to have approximately the same length and width dimensions. The modular tiles are used to form the IC in a standard IC fabrication process. In many implementations, physical layout of the IC does not include the step of routing. Capabilities also include configuring the modular tiles to have programmable performance parameters and configuring the modular tiles to cooperate usefully with one another based on a programmable parameter.
US08122409B2
A method, system, and integrated circuit including selectively added timing margin. The method, for integrating statistical timing and automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) to selectively add timing margin in an integrated circuit, includes identifying, while a chip is in design, paths that are unable to be robustly tested “at speed” during manufacturing test, running statistical timing to calculate a margin to be applied to the paths, updating design specifications for margin to be applied to the paths, and optimizing chip logic based on updated design specifications.
US08122401B1
A system, method and computer program product are provided for determining equivalence of netlists utilizing at least one transformation. In use, a netlist including a plurality of infinite portions and a plurality of finite portions is identified. Additionally, at least some of the finite portions are transformed, utilizing at least one predetermined transformation. Further, an equivalence of the netlist and another netlist is determined, utilizing at least a subset of the finite portions and the infinite portions. Moreover, the transformation identifies a word-level functionality of the at least some of the finite portions by converting bit-level functionality into word-level functionality.
