US08138513B2

A light emitting device package comprises: a substrate; first and second conduction members on the substrate; a light emitting diode on the substrate, the light emitting diode being electrically connected with the first and second conduction members; and a phosphor layer on the light emitting diode.
US08138511B2

A radiation-emitting semiconductor component has an improved radiation efficiency. The semiconductor component has a multilayer structure with an active layer for generating radiation within the multilayer structure and also a window having a first and a second main surface. The multi-layer structure adjoins the first main surface of the window. At least one recess, such as a trench or a pit, is formed in the window from the second main surface for the purpose of increasing the radiation efficiency. The recess preferably has a trapezoidal cross section tapering toward the first main surface and can be produced for example by sawing into the window.
US08138500B2

In a pixel portion, a scan signal line and an auxiliary capacitor line are formed using a second conductive film, and a data signal line is formed using a first conductive film. In a TFT portion, a gate electrode is formed using the first conductive film and electrically connected to the scan signal line formed using the second conductive film through an opening in a gate insulating film. Further, a source electrode and a drain electrode are formed using the second conductive film. In the auxiliary capacitor portion, the auxiliary capacitor line formed using the second conductive film serves as a lower electrode, the pixel electrode serves as an upper electrode, and the passivation film used as a dielectric film is interposed between the capacitor electrodes.
US08138497B2

A test structure for detecting void formation in semiconductor device layers includes a plurality of active device areas formed in a substrate, a plurality of shallow trench isolation (STI) regions separating the active device areas, a plurality of gate electrode structures formed across the active device areas and the STI regions, and a matrix of vias formed over the active device areas and between the gate electrode structures. At least one edge of each of a pair of vias at opposite ends of a given one of the STI regions extends at least out to an edge of the associated active device area.
US08138479B2

Methods and systems for providing a light device that can emit light and sense light are disclosed. In one embodiment, a lighting device includes a light guide having a planar first surface, the light guide configured such that at least some ambient light enters the light guide through the first surface and propagates therein, and at least one light detector disposed along an edge of the light guide, the at least one detector optically coupled to the light guide to receive light propagating therein. The light detector can be configured to produce a control signal. In some embodiments, the lighting device also includes at least one light turning feature disposed on the first surface, the at least one light turning feature configured to direct light incident into the light guide through the first surface.
US08138473B2

A mass spectrometry unit of the present invention includes a mass spectrometry portion that detects ion current values of a gas to be measured according to mass-to-charge ratio, to thereby measure partial pressures of the gas to be measured. The mass spectrometry unit further includes: a control portion for preliminary storing a record of a mass-to-charge ratio of a specific gas that decreases a function of a specific portion of the mass spectrometry unit, in which if an ion current value with the mass-to-charge ratio of the specific gas detected by the mass spectrometry portion is not less than a predetermined value, the control portion outputs a warning signal denoting a functional decrease in the specific portion.
US08138472B2

A novel system and methods for accelerating analytes including, without limitation, molecular ions, biomolecules, polymers, nano- and microparticles, is provided. The invention can be useful for increasing detection sensitivity in applications such as mass spectrometry, performing collision-induced dissociation molecular structure analysis, and probing surfaces and samples using accelerated analyte.
US08138471B1

An apparatus for inspection in situ of a wellbore casing and a pipeline from inside the wellbore or pipeline. The apparatus includes a penetrating radiation source such as x-rays, a rotatable beam collimator adapted to collimate the penetrating radiation source and produce at least one pencil radiation beam rotatable about the radiation source, an arcuate radiation detector suitable for detecting radiation scattered off a target, and a housing containing the radiation source, the rotatable beam collimator, and the radiation detector. The housing is provided with at least one exit point for exiting of the at least one pencil radiation beam from the housing.
US08138470B2

A calibration standard structured to obtain both morphology and chemistry information with respect to particles analyzed simultaneously. The standard is structured to verify the accuracy of the data obtained in the particle analysis. Related methods of manufacture and use are provided.
US08138468B2

An eccentricity measurement method of measuring the eccentricity of a rotary disk of a rotary encoder includes forming, on the rotary disk, at least one first straight-line pattern group in a different radial direction including a plurality of straight-line patterns that are equally spaced in the radial direction and extend in a normal line direction from a base point a predetermined distance away from a center of a radial scale of the rotary disk; placing the rotary disk on a table including at least one second straight-line pattern group including straight-line patterns; and measuring the amount and the direction of the eccentricity of the rotary disk in accordance with the position of the straight-line pattern of the first straight-line pattern group that coincides with the position of the straight line pattern of the second straight-line pattern group in the radial direction.
US08138455B2

A novel method for introducing delays in self timed memories is disclosed. In the proposed method, delays are introduced by introducing a capacitance on the path of signal to be delayed. The capacitances are realized by using idle lying metal layers in the circuit. The signal to be delayed is connected to these idle lying capacitances via programmable switches. The amount of delay introduced depends on the capacitance introduced in the path of signal which in turn depends on state of the switches. The state of the switches is controlled by delay codes provided externally to the delay introducing circuitry. Since, in the proposed method, idle-lying metal capacitances are utilized, the circuit can be implemented using minimum amount of additional hardware. Also delay provided by the proposed circuitry is a function of memory cell spice characteristics and core parasitic capacitances.
US08138446B2

A monitoring device by laser shadowscopy, which comprises a light emitter (5) and receiver (6), mounted on an arm (8) oscillating at will around two joints (13, 14), in order to restore the image of the monitored profile more accurately.An important application relates to welding methods and especially in hollow beveled edges.
US08138442B2

Provided are a wire electric discharge machining method for poorly conductive materials, such as solar cell silicon, and a semiconductor wafer manufacturing method and a solar battery cell manufacturing method based on the wire electric discharge machining method. Electrical discharge machining of a high volume resistivity, hard and brittle materials, having a volume resistivity that is equal to or higher than 0.5 Ω·cm and equal to or lower than 5 Ω·cm is performed by applying a pulse voltage having a pulse width that is equal to or higher than 1 μsec and equal to or lower than 4 μsec and having a peak current at the time of machining a wire electrode that is equal to or higher than 10A and equal to or lower than 50A to a wire electrode and generating a discharge pulse between the wire electrode and a subject to be machined.
US08138440B2

A fast acting switching mechanism for a circuit breaker includes a drive rod articulated to a drive module and supporting at an end thereof a contact bridge having at opposite ends thereof respective moveable contacts for switchably engaging a pair of fixed contacts of the circuit breaker. A contact spring unit is operatively coupled to the drive module for applying closing pressure in the order of 200 Kg; and a latch latches the drive rod in an open or closed position after operation of the circuit breaker and prevents rebounds. The contact bridge includes a pair of side conductors supporting on upper edges thereof an armature having an exposed upper surface that supports the moveable contacts at opposite ends of the armature; and a reinforcing element inserted between the side conductors.
US08138439B2

A limiter includes a housing having a number of gas ports, a number of gas vents and a number of gas channels. Each of the number of gas channels is between a corresponding one of the number of gas ports and a corresponding one of the number of gas vents. The limiter also includes a number of first terminals, a number of second terminals, and a number of limiter devices. Each of the number of limiter devices is electrically connected between a corresponding one of the number of first terminals and a corresponding one of the number of second terminals. Each of the number of gas ports is structured to receive a corresponding ionized gas flow for passage through a corresponding one of the number of gas channels to the corresponding one of the number of gas vents.
US08138437B2

Recovering metallic materials, such as copper, from waste materials. The dynamic sensor measures the rate of change of current generated by metallic materials in the waste materials. Preprocessing and post processing of the waste materials may be completed to further concentrate the amount the metallic materials recovered from the waste.
US08138428B2

A metallized ceramics substrate including: a ceramics body; a wiring pattern formed on one surface of the ceramics body; and a lead electrically-connected to the wiring pattern. The ceramics body has a through-hole, the lead penetrates the through-hole and sticks out from another surface of the ceramics body, and the lead is fixed by filling an electroconductive filler between the lead and the through-hole for keeping airtightness. The metallized ceramics substrate does not cause a problem of interlayer peeling and is excellent in airtightness and electric conductivity.
US08138423B2

A printed wiring board and a method for manufacturing the printed wiring board in which widths of a first and a second circuit are close to each other and substantial miniaturization can be achieved. In order to achieve this object, a first circuit and a second circuit having different thicknesses are formed in the same reference plane by etching a metal-clad laminate including a conductive layer and an insulating layer. The thicker of the circuits has a clad-like configuration in which three layers, a first copper layer/a different kind of metal layer/a second copper layer, are sequentially stacked. The manufacture of the printed wiring board includes a clad composite material in which three layers of a first copper layer/a different kind of metal layer/a second copper layer are sequentially stacked as a start material, and selective etching characteristics between the layers are utilized.
US08138407B2

In order to establish an automatic player piano and a home theater system in synchronization for ensemble, a set of playback pattern data expresses a series of pitch names, and is stored in a memory system independent of an audio data file and a music data file; while an audio signal is being supplied from a playback system to a synchronizer of the automatic player piano, the synchronizer extracts samples from the audio signal, and determines a series of pitch names through an FFT and a quantization; the series of pitch names of the samples is compared with the playback pattern data what part of the playback pattern data expresses the series of pitch name; since the each sample appears over an extremely short time period, the synchronizer accurately determines a lapse of time, and selects a note event data code to be processed from the music data file.
US08138404B1

Decorative strip inlay products. Strip inlay products are used at the outer edges of stringed instruments, about the sound aperture and inwardly of the edges. Products of the invention are laser cut in the top surface of a workpiece. A bottom portion of the workpiece supports overlying cut portions. Where the strip must be flexed for insertion into curved channels, a substrate layer is resiliently flexible, and the overlying display layer is cut into segments, with spaces between the segments. The segments can move relative to each other, and/or flex, when the substrate flexes. Alternatively, the uncut bottom portion of the strip is rigid relative to an axis perpendicular to the top, and cavities in the display pattern are filled with filler and the resultant product, is sanded, resulting in display of both the filler material and the full pattern of the facing material as cut by the laser.
US08138400B2

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH848055. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH848055, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH848055 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH848055.
US08138398B2

The invention provides seed and plants of the pepper hybrid 9942815 and parents thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of such plants, and to methods for producing a pepper plant produced by crossing a plant provided with itself or with another pepper 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, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US08138391B1

The cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) Or gene is a semi-dominant, single-locus mutation. It induces the accumulation of high levels of beta-carotene in various tissues that are normally devoid of carotenoids, turning them orange. Using a map-based cloning strategy, we identified a single candidate gene representing Or and successfully verified its identity by phenotypic complementation in the wild type cauliflower. The Or gene encodes a plastid membrane protein containing the DnaJ zinc figure domain. A likely gain-of-function mutation from a 4.3-kb retrotransposon insertion in the Or allele confers the orange phenotype in the mutant. Southern blot analysis revealed that Or is a single-copy sequence in the cauliflower genome. High level of expression of the Or gene and the protein was found in very young leaves, curds, and flowers at comparable abundance between wild type and the Or mutant. Or likely functions in regulating the differentiation of some non-photosynthetic plastids into chromoplasts, which provide the deposition “sink” for carotenoid accumulation. Or orthologs with high degree of sequence homology were found in many other higher plants, including Arabidopsis, tomato, maize, and rice. Successful phenotypic complementation of Or in Arabidopsis provides strong evidence that Or can work across species to enhance carotenoid accumulation in other important crops.
US08138386B2

The invention provides methods for converting hydrocarbons as starting material by industrial fixed-bed reaction processes with a zeolite shaped catalyst which has a low content of inorganic binder and a high pore volume and which shows high catalytic activity, long catalyst life and high crushing strength. A zeolite shaped catalyst used in the methods of the invention includes zeolite and an inorganic binder and is obtained by kneading zeolite, a starting material of an inorganic binder, shaping auxiliary(ies), organic polymer particles having an average diameter of 0.1 to 6 μm and water into a kneaded product, and extruding, drying and calcining the kneaded product; and the zeolite shaped catalyst has a zeolite component content of not less than 60 wt % relative to the total weight, a pore volume of 0.4 to 1.0 ml/g, a half-volume pore diameter of 80 to 500 nm and a crushing strength of not less than 0.9 kg.
US08138384B2

In a process for converting methane to alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons, a feed containing methane is contacted with a dehydrocyclization catalyst under conditions effective to convert said methane to aromatic hydrocarbons and produce a first effluent stream comprising aromatic hydrocarbons and hydrogen. At least a portion of said aromatic hydrocarbon from said first effluent stream is then contacted with an alkylating agent under conditions effective to alkylate said aromatic hydrocarbon and produce an alkylated aromatic hydrocarbon having more alkyl side chains than said aromatic hydrocarbon prior to the alkylating.
US08138380B2

An environmentally beneficial method of producing methanol from varied sources of carbon dioxide including flue gases of fossil fuel burning power plants, industrial exhaust gases or the atmosphere itself. Converting carbon dioxide by an electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide in a divided electrochemical cell that includes an anode in one compartment and a metal cathode electrode in a compartment that also contains an aqueous solution comprising methanol and an electrolyte. An anion-conducting membrane can be provided between the anode and cathode to produce at the cathode therein a reaction mixture containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which can be subsequently used to produce methanol while also producing oxygen in the cell at the anode. The oxygen produced at the anode can be recycled for efficient combustion of fossil fuels in power plants to exclusively produce CO2 exhausts for capture and recycling as the source of CO2 for the cell.
US08138377B2

The invention provides novel arylbicyclo[3.1.0]hexylamines, and related processes and intermediates for preparing these compounds, as well as compositions and methods employing these compounds for the treatment and/or prevention of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including but not limited to depression and anxiety.
US08138376B2

The present invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of (2R,3R)-3-(3-methoxyphenyl)-N,N,2-trimethylpentanamine which is an intermediate for the preparation of the analgesic tapentadol.
US08138371B2

Processes for producing formic acid from a carbohydrate-containing material include hydrolyzing a carbohydrate-containing material (e.g., cellulose) in the presence of a mineral acid to form an intermediate hydrolysate comprising one or more sugars, and hydrolyzing the intermediate hydrolysate to form a hydrolysate product including formic acid.
US08138369B2

A process for producing an adsorbent where a metal oxide is reacted with an alkoxy silane to produce an epoxy-functionalized metal oxide. This product is reacted with an amino-substituted propionic acid and a nitro-substituted fluorenone, and this product is grafted to the epoxy-functionalized metal oxide. This grafted product is the adsorbent, which may be contacted with a hydrocarbon mixture having at least one sulfur containing compound in order to remove this sulfur containing compound. Also disclosed is a process for adding polymerization groups to an adsorbent.
US08138366B2

The present invention relates to the improved process for the preparation of highly pure form of S-[1,2-(dicarbethoxy)-ethyl]O,O-dimethyl phosphorodithioate having formula (I). The compound of formula (I) has adopted name “Malathion”. The present invention also relates to the novel process of preparing intermediate O,O-dimethyldithiophosphoric acid of formula (II), which is useful in the preparation of Malathion.
US08138358B2

The invention provides compounds that are A-type procyanidins. The compounds can be prepared by reacting flavylium salts with catechins or analogs thereof, for example, under anhydrous conditions in alcohol.
US08138357B2

Therefore the present invention relates specifically to the compounds of general formula (I), in which R1 and R2, which may be identical or different, are selected from the group comprising H, —CnH2n-1, a linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or together form an aromatic or aliphatic ring with 5 or 6 atoms; R3 is selected from —CO—CH3, —NHOH, —OH, —OR6 in which R6 is a linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R4 is selected from H, a linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, phenyl, benzyl, —CF3 or —CF2CF3, vinyl or allyl; R5, R7, R8 are hydrogen atoms; or R3 and R4, R4 and R5, or R7 and R8 together form a ring, fused to the benzene, aromatic or aliphatic ring with 5 or 6 atoms comprising from 1 to 2 heteroatoms selected independently from the group comprising N, O. and use thereof in the medical field.
US08138354B2

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, which compounds may be represented by the structure of the following Formula I: wherein: (a) Z is —(CH2)n—, wherein n is an integer from 2 to 12; (b) R2. R3 and R4 are each independently H or a C1 to C6 straight-chain or branched alkyl group; and (c) A− is levulinate, [CF3—O—CFHCF2SO3]−, [CF3CF2OCFHCF2SO3]−, or [CF3CF2CF2OCFHCF2SO3]−.
US08138352B2

The invention provides an industrial method for producing a spiroaminopyrrolidone derivative, which is an intermediate for producing a quinolone antibacterial agent. Specifically, the invention provides a method for producing a compound of formula (2): wherein n is an integer of 2 to 5; R1 is a (substituted) alkyl group or a (substituted) aryl group; and R2 represents a (substituted) alkoxycarbonyl group, a (substituted) aralkyloxycarbonyl group, a (substituted) aliphatic acyl group, or a (substituted) aromatic acyl group).
US08138351B2

Provided is a process for the preparation of 5-(ethylsulfonyl)-2-(naphthalen-2-yl) benzo[d] oxazole useful in the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
US08138349B2

The present invention is concerned with new polymorphic forms of flupirtine maleate, processes for preparing the new polymorphic forms, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, therapeutic uses thereof and methods of treatment employing them.
US08138344B2

Processes for the production of a 32-deoxorapamycin from a 32-iodo- or 32-hydroxyrapamycin, wherein the hydroxy group is substituted by the residue of an arylthionocarbonate or an arylthiocarbamate, in the presence of tris(trimethylsilyl)-silan and α,α′-azo-isobutyronitril in organic solvent; and 32-deoxorapamycin in the form of a crystalline solvate.
US08138343B2

A crystalline polymorph of 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin exhibiting an X-ray diffraction pattern having peaks at 10.9±0.2, 13.2±0.2, 23.9±0.2, and 26.1±0.2 2-theta degree.
US08138328B2

Compounds, compositions and methods are provided for modulating the expression of apolipoprotein(a). The compositions comprise oligonucleotides, targeted to nucleic acid encoding apolipoprotein(a). Methods of using these compounds for modulation of apolipoprotein(a) expression and for diagnosis and treatment of disease associated with expression of apolipoprotein(a) are provided.
US08138327B2

An inducible system and methods for controlling expression of siRNA are provided. An inducible system for producing siRNA only in the presence of HIV TAT, and methods for inhibiting HIV-1 gene expression in cells comprising such inducible system also are provided.
US08138320B2

The present invention provides nucleic acid molecules encoding novel red fluorescent proteins from Entacmaea quadricolor and mutants thereof. Also of interest are proteins that are substantially similar to the novel red fluorescent proteins. In addition, host cells, stable cell lines and transgenic organisms comprising the nucleic acid molecules encoding the novel red fluorescent proteins are provided. The subject proteins and nucleic acid compositions find use in a variety of different applications and methods, particularly for labeling of biomolecules, cells, or cell organelles. Finally, kits for use in such methods and applications are provided.
US08138316B2

Isolated nucleic acid molecules having a nucleotide sequence encoding feline pancreatic lipase polypeptides, splice variants, allelic variants, and fragments thereof. Isolated feline pancreatic lipase polypeptides, splice variants, allelic variants, and fragments thereof. Host cells comprising a vector containing the polynucleotide sequences and methods for expressing the polypeptides. The generation of monoclonal antibodies that specifically binds to the feline pancreatic lipase polypeptides, and cell lines secreting the monoclonal antibodies. Methods for determining the presence or amount of feline pancreatic lipase in a biological sample. The methods include using standards or calibrators of recombinant feline pancreatic lipase to quantify the lipase in a sample. Devices and kits for performing methods for detecting feline pancreatic lipase in biological samples.
US08138315B2

An immunoliposome composition targeted to the alphaV-integrin subunit of integrin receptors comprised of ligand-targeted liposomes bearing at least one targeting-ligand derived from an antibody and having binding specificity for at least one integrin receptor comprising an alpha V subunit including αvβ1, αvβ3 αvβ5, αvβ6, or αvβ8 integrin cell receptors is described. The antibody-derived targeting ligand may be a Fab′ fragment, a scFv, or the like. Binding of the immunoliposome to αv-integrin expressing cells, preferably results in internalization of the immunoliposome for cytoplasmic delivery of a liposome-entrapped agent.
US08138313B2

The present invention relates to the anti-L1 monoclonal antibody 9.3 as well as to related antibodies or binding molecules and well as to the uses thereof, especially in tumor treatment.
US08138301B2

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of preparing higher generation 1→3 C-branched polyamide dendrons. The combination of commercially available acryloyl chloride with 1→3 C-branched amines, e.g., di-tert-butyl 4-[2-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)ethyl]-4-aminoheptanedioate, resulted in generally high yields of acryl amides, which upon treatment with other reagents, generated the desired higher generation dendrons. These second and third generation dendrons were fully characterized and compared to the samples prepared from a convergent synthesis.
US08138293B2

The present invention relates to a copolymer which contains 3-methylbut-1-ene as a comonomer and which contains ethene or propene as a further monomer, the proportion of the incorporated 3-methylbut-1-ene being 0.1 to 40 mol %, and to a process for preparing such copolymers, the polymerization being performed in the presence of a catalyst which comprises at least one cyclopentadienyl group.
US08138284B2

A production process of a propylene block copolymer, comprising the steps of (I) contacting a solid catalyst component containing titanium atoms, magnesium atoms and halogen atoms with an organoaluminum compound and an external electron donor represented by the defined formula, thereby forming a polymerization catalyst, (II) polymerizing propylene in the presence of the polymerization catalyst, thereby forming a polymer component (1) having an intrinsic viscosity, [η]1, and (III) copolymerizing propylene with an olefin other than propylene in the presence of the polymer component (1), thereby forming a polymer component (2) having an intrinsic viscosity, [η]2, which is three times or more [η]1.
US08138282B2

The present invention relates to a loop reactor suitable for olefin polymerization process comprising: a plurality of interconnected pipes defining a flow path for a polymer slurry, said slurry consisting essentially of an olefin reactant, a polymerization catalyst, liquid diluent and solid olefin polymer particles, means for introducing olefin reactant, polymerization catalyst and diluent into said reactor, a pump suitable for maintaining the polymer slurry in circulation in said reactor, and single settling leg connected to said loop reactor through (a) a take off line extending from said reactor to said settling leg and configured to remove said polymer slurry from said reactor, and (b) a return line extending from said settling leg to said reactor, characterized in that said take off line is radially connected to said single settling leg.
US08138275B2

Provided is an anti-fingerprint coating material for a stainless steel outer case of a home appliance. The coating material includes: polysilicate having 27.6 parts by weight to 36.2 parts by weight; one of epoxy resin and vinyl resin having less than 10.6 parts by weight; colloidal silica having 21.2 parts by weight to 42.6 parts by weight; and an additive having less than 10.6 parts by weight and including at least one hydrophile material selected from the first group consisting of —OH, —NH2, and —COOH and at least one hydrophobic material selected from the second group consisting of —CnF2n+1 and —SiR3.
US08138267B2

The invention relates to a novel polyolefin composition which is suitable for producing drawn tapes, fibres and filaments which have improved mechanical properties. The composition comprises A) 2 30 wt % of a propylene copolymer which comprises a a) random propylene copolymer having a content of ethylene and/or C 4-C 8a-olefin of 0.5 to 12 wt % and optionally an b) ethylene-a-olefin rubber, B) 70 98 wt % of a high density polyethylene having a density of 930 to 965 kg/m3 and a MFR (190° C./2.16 kg) of 0.3 to 20 g/10 min.
US08138266B2

A semiconductor-encapsulating resin composition includes a curing agent and a compound (A) having a plurality of glycidyl ether groups. When ion viscosity of the resin composition is measured under conditions of a measurement temperature of about 175° C. and a measurement frequency of about 100 Hz, minimum ion viscosity appears at about 5 seconds or later and within about 40 seconds from a measurement starting point. The minimum ion viscosity is at least about 4.0 and at most about 7.0. A maximum slope of the ion viscosity appears at about 10 seconds or later and within about 60 seconds from the measurement starting point. The maximum slope is at least about 2.0 and at most about 6.0.
US08138250B2

Waxes prepared from hydrogenated plant oils, such as castor and soybean, are formulated into aqueous ink and paper coating compositions. Ink compositions comprising these waxes and evaluated for their resistance to mar and abrasion achieved rub resistance and slip performance comparable to compositions utilizing conventional wax additives, which are generally derived from petroleum. The waxes in the inventive compositions have a low iodine value (ranging from approximately 2 to approximately 5), and a melting point between approximately 120 degrees to approximately 190 degrees F. (Mettler Drop Point). These naturally derived waxes are used as an alternative to petroleum and synthetically derived waxes in the manufacture of inks and coatings for paper and cellulosic products.
US08138239B2

In some embodiments, polymer thermal interface materials are presented. In this regard, a thermal interface material is introduced comprising a polymer matrix, a matrix additive, wherein the matrix additive comprises a fluxing agent, and a spherical filler material, wherein the spherical filler material comprises a metallic core with an organic solderability preservative coating. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
US08138235B2

A polyurethane foam is obtained by reacting, foaming, and curing raw material that includes a polyol, a polyisocyanate, a blowing agent, a catalyst, and an inorganic compound hydrate. The raw material includes, as the polyol, a polymeric polyol obtained by graft polymerization of a vinyl monomer onto a polyether polyol and a polyether polyol obtained by addition polymerization of an alkylene oxide to a polyhydric alcohol and having a mass average molecular weight of 400 to 1,000. The blending quantity of the inorganic compound hydrate is 10 to 80 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the polyol. Preferably, the raw material further includes, as the polyol, a polyether polyol obtained by addition polymerization of an alkylene oxide to a polyhydric alcohol and has a molecular weight of 2,000 to 4,000.
US08138232B2

The invention relates to a method for recycling plastic materials which contain at least two polymers, copolymers or blends thereof based on polystyrene. The plastic material is thereby mixed with a solvent for the polymers, copolymers or blends. Subsequently a precipitation is effected by addition of a corresponding precipitant so that then the gelatinous precipitation product can be separated from the further components of the plastic material. The method is used for recycling of any plastic materials, in particular of plastic materials from electronic scrap processing and from shredder light fractions.
US08138230B2

A chi (χ)-alumina dispersion and coating slurry of digital printing medium containing the same is disclosed, which includes flaked porous χ-alumina nanoparticles with high specific surface area obtained by subjecting gibbsite to thermal treating, physical wet-milling and pH adjusting processes. Since the χ-alumina nanoparticles have high ink absorptivity and low cost, they can be applied to the coating layer of the digital printing medium instead of conventional silica material.
US08138229B2

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutical agent and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, which carrier comprises a protein, for example, human serum albumin and/or deferoxamine. He human serum albumin is present in an amount effective to reduce one or more side effects associated with administration of the pharmaceutical composition. The inventor also provides methods for reducing on or more side effects of administration of the pharmaceutical composition, and methods for enhancing transport and binding of a pharmaceutical agent to a cell.
US08138213B2

A 3,5-Bis (substituted aryl) substituted isoxazoline compound of formula (2) or a salt thereof: wherein A1 is a carbon atom or nitrogen atom; X1 is selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, —SF5, C1-C6haloalkyl, hydroxy C1-C6haloalkyl, C1-C6alkoxy C1-C6haloalkyl, C1-C6haloalkoxy C1-C6haloalkyl, C3-C8halocycloalkyl, C1-C6haloalkoxy, C1-C3haloalkoxy C1-C3haloalkoxy, C1-C6haloalkylthio, C1-C6haloalkylsulfinyl and C1-C6haloalkylsulfonyl; X2 is selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, cyano, nitro, C1-C6alkyl, C1-C6haloalkyl, —OR5, —OSO2R5 and —S(O)rR5; Y is selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, cyano, nitro, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4haloalkyl, C1-C4alkoxy, C1-C4haloalkoxy, C1-C6alkylthio, C1-C6haloalkylthio, C1-C6alkylsulfonyl, C1-C6haloalkylsulfonyl, —NHR7 and —N(R7)R6; R is selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, cyano, nitro, —NH2, halosulfonyloxy, C1-C6alkylsulfonyloxy, C1-C6haloalkylsulfonyloxy, phenylsulfonyloxy, phenylsulfonyloxy substituted with (Z)p1 and —C(O)Ra; m1 is an integer of 0 to 2; n is an integer of 0 or 1; p1 is an integer of 1 to 5; and r is an integer of 0 to 2.
US08138211B2

The present invention relates to isothiazolyloxyphenylamidines of the general formula (I), to a process for their preparation, to the use of the amidines according to the invention for controlling unwanted microorganisms, and also to a composition for this purpose which comprises the isothiazolyloxyphenylamidines according to the invention. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for controlling unwanted microorganisms by applying the compounds according to the invention to the microorganisms and/or in their habitat.
US08138202B2

Methods of preparing substantially pure SNS-595 substance are disclosed. Also provided are compositions comprising SNS-595 substance that are substantially pure and essentially free of visible particles.
US08138197B2

The invention relates to a compound of a general formula (I): wherein Ar1 represents a group formed from an aromatic ring selected from a group consisting of benzene, pyrazole, isoxazole, pyridine, indole, 1H-indazole, 1H-furo[2,3-c]pyrazole, 1H-thieno[2,3-c]pyrazole, benzimidazole, 1,2-benzisoxazole, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine, imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine and 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-a]pyridine, having Ar2, and optionally having one or two or more substituents selected from R3; R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a C2-C6 alkenyl group, a C1-C6 alkoxy group, a C2-C7 alkanoyl group, a C2-C7 alkoxycarbonyl group, an aralkyloxycarbonyl group, a carbamoyl-C1-C6 alkoxy group, a carboxy-C2-C6 alkenyl group, or a group of -Q1-N(Ra)-Q2-Rb; or a C1-C6 alkyl group optionally having a substituent; or an aryl or heterocyclic group optionally having a substituent; or a C1-C6 alkyl group or a C2-C6 alkenyl group having the aryl or heterocyclic group; T and U each independently represent a nitrogen atom or a methine group; and V represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom. The compound of the invention is useful as therapeutical agents for various ACC-related diseases.
US08138196B2

The present invention relates to, inter alia, methods for the treatment of wallboards and the treated wallboards. In particular, the invention relates to the treatment of wallboards with a fungicidally effective amount of a strobilurin or strobilurin-type fungicide. In a particular embodiment the fungicide is azoxystrobin. The invention also provides for the treatment of wallboards and building materials with combinations of fungicides present in synergistic amounts.
US08138195B2

Methods of inhibiting phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase delta isoform (PI3Kδ) activity, and methods of treating diseases, such as disorders of immunity and inflammation, in which PI3Kδ plays a role in leukocyte function are disclosed. Preferably, the methods employ active agents that selectively inhibit PI3Kδ, while not significantly inhibiting activity of other PI3K isoforms. Compounds are provided that inhibit PI3Kδ activity, including compounds that selectively inhibit PI3Kδ activity. Methods of using PI3Kδ inhibitory compounds to inhibit cancer cell growth or proliferation are also provided. Accordingly, the invention provides methods of using PI3Kδ inhibitory compounds to inhibit PI3Kδ-mediated processes in vitro and in vivo.
US08138194B2

Fused bicyclic pyrimidine compounds of formula (I): wherein R1, R3, R4, X1, X2, Y, Z, A, B, C, D, n, and the two bonds are defined herein. Also disclosed are a method for inhibiting Aurora kinase activity and a method for treating cancer with these compounds.
US08138193B2

Novel fused pyrazine compounds are disclosed that have a formula represented by the following: with Z, R1, R2, R8 and R9 as defined in the written description. The compounds may be prepared as pharmaceutical compositions, and may be used for the prevention and treatment of a variety of conditions in mammals including humans, including by way of non-limiting example, inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis and others.
US08138192B2

Methods of treating or preventing a vertigo, nausea, or vomiting condition comprising injecting a subject with a pharmaceutically acceptable formulation consisting essentially of an effective amount of meclizine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, a chemically modified cyclodextrin, and an aqueous carrier medium having a pH between about 2 and about 7 are disclosed. An injectable pharmaceutical formulation for treating or preventing a vertigo, nausea, or vomiting condition consisting essentially of an effective amount of meclizine, a chemically modified cyclodextrin, and an aqueous carrier medium having a pH between about 2 and about 7 is also disclosed.
US08138188B2

The present invention relates to a class of melanocortin MCR4 agonists of general formula (I) wherein the variables and substituents are as defined herein and especially to selective MCR4 agonist compounds, to their use in medicine, particularly in the treatment of sexual dysfunction and obesity, to intermediates useful in their synthesis and to compositions containing them.
US08138185B2

This application relates to novel urea glucokinase activators and use of the compounds of the invention for preparation of a medicament for the treatment of various diseases, e.g. for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Further encompassed is a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to the invention and a process for preparing such.
US08138164B2

The present invention relates to macrocyclic compounds of formula (I) that are useful as inhibitors of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protease, their synthesis, and their use for treating or preventing HCV infections.
US08138153B2

A novel 13-residue peptide Mo1659 is isolated from the venom of a the cone snail, Conus monile. HPLC fractions of the venom extract yielded an intense UV absorbing fraction with a mass of 1659 Da. De novo sequencing using matrix assisted laser desorption and ionization and electrospray MS/MS methods with analysis of proteolytic fragments yielded the amino acid sequence, FHGGSWYRFPWGY-NH2(SEQ ID NO: 1), confirmed by comparison with the chemically synthesized peptide and conventional Edman sequencing. Mo1659 has an unusual sequence with a preponderance of aromatic residues and absence of apolar, aliphatic residues like Ala, Val, Len, Ile. Mo1659 has no disulfide bridges, distinguishing it from the conotoxins and bears no sequence similarity with any of the acyclic peptides isolated thus far from cone snail venoms. Electrophysiological studies on the effect of Mo 1659 on measured currents in dorsal root ganglion neurons suggest that the peptide targets non-inactivating voltage dependent potassium channels.
US08138146B2

Disclosed is an antiviral agent comprising a non-naturally occurring, artificially synthesized peptide as the main ingredient. The antiviral agent comprises an antiviral peptide, wherein the antiviral peptide has at least one unit of an amino acid sequence constituted by at least five contiguous amino acid residues (which is known as a nuclear localization sequence (NLS)) or an amino acid sequence having a partial modification in the NLS and also having at least one unit of an amino acid sequence constituted by at least five contiguous amino acid residues (which is known as a nuclear export sequence (NES)) or an amino acid sequence having a partial modification in the NES.
US08138144B2

Compositions and methods for making and using therapeutic formulations of antimicrobial cationic peptides are provided. The antimicrobial cationic peptide formulations may be used, for example, in the treatment of microorganism-caused infections, which infections may be systemic, such as a septicemia, or may be localized, such as in acne or an implanted or indwelling medical device.
US08138143B2

The invention provides methods of treating a subject having a disease, disorder or condition of the central nervous system. The methods include administering TGF-α polypeptides, related polypeptides, fragments and mimetics thereof useful in stimulating progenitor cell or stem cell proliferation, migration and differentiation. The methods of the invention are useful to treat and prophylactically ameliorate neurological tissue injury in vivo.
US08138138B2

A solidification matrix includes a polycarboxylic acid polymer, sodium carbonate, and water. Exemplary polycarboxylic acid polymers include a polyacrylic acid polymer having a molecular weight of between about 1,000 and about 100,000, a modified polyacrylic acid polymer having a molecular weight of between about 1,000 and about 100,000, and a polymaleic acid polymer having a molecular weight of between about 500 and about 5,000. The polycarboxylic acid polymer, sodium carbonate, and water interact to form a hydrate solid. The solidification matrix may be used, for example, in a solid detergent composition.
US08138128B2

The present invention includes compositions relating to the setting of fluids or slurries in a wellbore. In one embodiment, a sealant composition having a fluid component and a polymeric additive component can be subjected to ionizing radiation. The ionizing radiation can cause bonding between polymeric additive components and create a polymer matrix within the sealant composition that increases the mechanical strength of the sealant composition.
US08138123B2

The present invention provides a tool for analysis of expression of Macaca fascicularis gene expression analysis tool containing a set of nucleic acids containing base sequences the same or substantially the same as two or more base sequences selected from the group consisting of the base sequences shown by SEQ ID NOs:1-14, or partial sequences thereof, and a method of analyzing the expression of Macaca fascicularis gene, including measuring a gene transcription product in a Macaca fascicularis sample using the tool.
US08138116B2

The application discloses a Titanium oxide composition and the application thereof. The mentioned Titanium oxide composition comprises Titanium co-precipitate(s), organic acid, diol, and water. According to this application, a catalyzed poly-esterification with said Titanium oxide composition is also disclosed. The mentioned polyesterification comprises a step of adding said Titanium oxide composition into at least one stage selected from slurry stage, esterification stage, and polycondensation stage.
US08138115B2

A method of producing an iron catalyst for catalyzing the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide is disclosed. The method comprises using a reduced amount of acid for iron dissolution compared to certain previous methods. The resulting acidic iron mixture is heated without boiling to obtain a nitrate solution having a Fe2+:Fe3+ ratio in the range of about 0.01%:99.99% to about 100%:0% (wt:wt). Iron phases are precipitated at a lower temperature compared to certain previous methods. The recovered catalyst precursor is dried and sized to form particles having a size distribution between 10 microns and 100 microns. In embodiments, the Fe2+:Fe3+ ratio in the nitric acid solution may be in the range of from about 3%:97% to about 30%:70% (wt:wt) and the calcined catalyst may comprise a maghemite:hematite ratio of about 1%:99% to about 70%:30%.
US08138094B2

Openings are formed in first and second mask layers. Next, diameter of the opening in the second mask layer is enlarged so that the diameter of the opening in the second mask layer becomes larger by a length X than diameter of the opening in the first mask layer. Thereafter, mask material is formed into the opening in the second mask layer, to form a cavity with a diameter X within the opening in the second mask layer. There is formed a mask which includes the second mask layer and the mask material having therein opening including the cavity.
US08138088B2

A manufacturing method of a structure by an imprint process includes a first imprint step of forming a first resin material layer by applying a first resin material onto a substrate and then transferring an imprint pattern of a mold onto the first resin material layer, a second imprint step of forming a second resin material layer by applying a second resin material onto the first resin material layer formed in the first imprint step and onto an area of the substrate adjacent to the first resin material layer and then transferring the imprint pattern of the mold onto the second resin material layer, and a step of forming a pattern by etching the first and second resin material layers.
US08138085B2

A laser annealing method for annealing a stacked semiconductor structure having at least two stacked layers is disclosed. A laser beam is focused on a lower layer of the stacked layers. The laser beam is then scanned to anneal features in the lower layer. The laser beam is then focused on an upper layer of the stacked layers, and the laser beam is scanned to anneal features in the upper layer. The laser has a wavelength of less than one micrometer. The beam size, depth of focus, energy dosage, and scan speed of the laser beam are programmable. Features in the lower layer are offset from features in the upper layer such that these features do not overlap along a plane parallel to a path of the laser beam. Each of the stacked layers includes active devices, such as transistors. Also, the first and second layers may be annealed simultaneously.
US08138080B2

An integrated circuit package system is provided forming an integrated circuit die having a first bond pad provided thereon, forming an interconnect stack on a first external interconnect, and connecting the interconnect stack to the first bond pad.
US08138078B2

A mechanically stable diffusion barrier stack structure and method of fabricating the same is disclosed. The diffusion barrier stack structure having a molybdenum nitride layer deposited on a molybdenum layer and operates to prevent diffusion between a semiconductor layer and a metal interconnect. The method for fabricating includes depositing a molybdenum layer outwardly from the semiconductor layer in a deposition chamber, and depositing a molybdenum nitride layer outwardly from the molybdenum layer in the deposition chamber.
US08138076B2

MOSFETs having stacked metal gate electrodes and methods of making the same are provided. The MOSFET gate electrode includes a gate metal layer formed atop a high-k gate dielectric layer. The metal gate electrode is formed through a low oxygen content deposition process without charged-ion bombardment to the wafer substrate. Metal gate layer thus formed has low oxygen content and may prevent interfacial oxide layer regrowth. The process of forming the gate metal layer generally avoids plasma damage to the wafer substrate.
US08138075B1

A backplane having a circuit array having at least one region comprising a substrate having a conductive plane under a dielectric surface, a first conductive layer on said dielectric surface, a selectively disposed insulator disposed over said first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer disposed on said insulator, wherein said first conductive layer is electrically insulated from said second conductive layer, said first conductive layer being formed electrographically, and said second conductive layer being formed by a process comprising selective deposition of liquid droplets, which are then solidified. The second conductive layer may be formed electrographically or by a raster deposition process. The backplane preferably forms an active matrix for a flat panel display using organic semiconductor active elements.
US08138073B2

A method for forming a metal-semiconductor Schottky contact in a well region is provided. The method includes forming a first insulating layer overlying a shallow trench isolation in the well region; and removing a portion of the first insulating layer such that only the well region and a portion of the shallow trench isolation is covered by a remaining portion of the first insulating layer. The method further includes forming a second insulating layer overlying the remaining portion of the first insulating layer and using a contact mask, forming a contact opening in the second insulating layer and the remaining portion of the first insulating layer to expose a portion of the well region. The method further includes forming the metal-semiconductor Schottky contact in the exposed portion of the well region by forming a metal layer in the contact opening and annealing the metal layer.
US08138065B2

A solid-state imaging device having a high sensitivity and a structure in which a miniaturized pixel is obtained, and a method for manufacturing the solid-state imaging device in which an interface is stable, a spectroscopic characteristic is excellent and which can be manufactured with a high yield ratio are provided. The solid-state imaging device includes at least a silicon layer formed with a photo sensor portion and a wiring layer formed on the front-surface side of the silicon layer, and in which light L is made to enter from the rear-surface side opposite to the front-surface side of the silicon layer and the thickness of the silicon layer 4 is 10 μm or less. Also, the method for manufacturing the solid-state imaging device at least includes the steps of: forming a semiconductor region of a photo sensor portion in a silicon layer of a layered substrate in which a silicon substrate, an intermediate layer and a silicon layer are laminated; bonding a first supporting substrate onto the silicon layer; removing the silicon substrate and the intermediate layer; forming thereafter a wiring portion above the silicon layer; bonding a second supporting substrate onto the wiring portion, and removing the first supporting substrate to make the silicon layer exposed.
US08138056B2

A memory cell structure and method for forming the same. The method includes forming a pore within a dielectric layer. The pore is formed over the center of an electrically conducting bottom electrode. The method includes depositing a thermally insulating layer along at least one sidewall of the pore. The thermally insulating layer isolates heat from phase change current to the volume of the pore. In one embodiment phase change material is deposited within the pore and the volume of the thermally insulating layer. In another embodiment a pore electrode is formed within the pore and the volume of the thermally insulating layer, with the phase change material being deposited above the pore electrode. The method also includes forming an electrically conducting top electrode above the phase change material.
US08138054B2

An enhanced FET capable of controlling current above and below a gate of the FET. The FET is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A source and drain are formed in the substrate (or in a well in the substrate). A first epitaxial layer of similar doping to the source and drain are grown on the source and drain, the first epitaxial layer is thicker than the gate, but not so thick as to cover the top of the gate. A second epitaxial layer of opposite doping is grown on the first epitaxial layer thick enough to cover the top of the gate. The portion of the second epitaxial layer above the gate serves as a body through which the gate controls current flow between portions of the first epitaxial layer over the drain and the source.
US08138047B2

In the specification and drawing a super junction semiconductor device is disclosed. The super junction semiconductor device comprises a P-type layer, a N+ substrate, a N-type layer, a silicon dioxide layer and a P+ layer. The N+ substrate is disposed under the P-type layer. The N-type layer is disposed on the N+ substrate. The silicon dioxide layer is disposed between the N-type layer and the P-type layer. The P+ layer is disposed on the P-type layer and the N-type layer.
US08138038B2

In a replacement gate approach, a top area of a gate opening may receive a superior cross-sectional shape after the deposition of a work function adjusting species on the basis of a polishing process, wherein a sacrificial material may protect the sensitive materials in the gate opening.
US08138031B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of Fins including a semiconductor material on an insulation layer; forming gate insulation films on sidewalls of the Fins; forming a gate electrode which extends in a direction of arrangement of the Fins and which is electrically insulated from the Fins, the gate electrode is common in the Fins on the gate insulation film; implanting an impurity into portions of the Fins by using the gate electrode as a mask to form a source-drain diffusion layer, the portions of the Fins extending on both sides of the gate electrodes; and depositing a conductive material on both sides of the Fins to connect the Fins to each other.
US08138026B2

A leadframe with a structure made of a base metal (105), wherein the structure has a plurality of surfaces. On each of these surfaces are metal layers in a stack adherent to the base metal. The stack comprises a nickel layer (201) in contact with the base metal, a palladium layer (202) in contact with the nickel layer, and an outermost tin layer (203) in contact with the palladium layer. In terms of preferred layer thicknesses, the nickel layer is between about 0.5 and 2.0 μm thick, the palladium layer between about 5 and 150 nm thick, and the tin layer less than about 5 nm thick, preferably about 3 nm. At this thinness, the tin has no capability of forming whiskers, but offers superb adhesion to polymeric encapsulation materials, improved characteristics for reliable stitch bonding as well as affinity to reflow metals (solders).
US08138025B2

A method of fabricating an apparatus including a sealed cavity and an apparatus embodying the method are disclosed. To fabricate the apparatus, a device chip including a substrate and at least one circuit element on the substrate is fabricated. Also, a cap is fabricated. Next, the device chip and the cap are bonded such that a sealed cavity is formed by the device chip and the cap. The bond is accomplished using thermo compression technique. Gold or other suitable metal can be used as a bonding agent. Then or at the same time, caulking agent is reflowed over the bonding agent, over portions of the cap, or both to further seal the cavity. In the resultant device, the sealed cavity is sealed by the bonding agent, the caulking agent, or both. The caulking agent increases hermeticity of the cavity and provides for even higher level of protection of the cavity against adverse environmental conditions.
US08138024B2

A method of manufacturing a package system includes: providing a semiconductor die with a contact pad and a ground pad, mounting the semiconductor die on a package substrate using and adhesive layer, forming a vertical conductive structure on top of the ground pad in the semiconductor die, encapsulating at least portions of the semiconductor die, the vertical conductive structure, and the package substrate using an encapsulant, covering at least portions of the encapsulant and the vertical conductive structure with a shielding layer to place the vertical conductive structure in electrical contact with the shielding layer, and connecting the shielding layer to the package substrate.
US08138022B2

A first conductive member made of metal is provided over a first wiring substrate, which is a mounting substrate in the lower tier, a through hole is provided in a second wiring substrate, which is a mounting substrate in the upper tier, at a position corresponding to the first conductive member in a plan view, and a wiring is exposed at the sidewall of the through hole. The first conductive member is inserted into the through hole on the corresponding first wiring substrate side and the first wiring substrate and the second wiring substrate are electrically coupled by filling the through hole with a second conductive member. an electrode pad that is electrically coupled to the second conductive member and over which a semiconductor member in the upper tier is mounted is formed on the main surface side of the second wiring substrate.
US08138019B2

A process of forming a semiconductor integrated circuit that includes the steps of: forming at least a first element having a first pattern of conductive material and including a polymer layer surrounding the conductive material, forming at least a second element having a second pattern of conductive material and including a polymer layer surrounding the conductive material, positioning the first element relative to the second element, and bonding the polymer layer of the first and second elements at a temperature below a melting temperature of the conductive materials of the first and second elements wherein the conductive material of the first element contacts the conductive material of the second element and is maintained in position by the bonded polymer layers.
US08138014B2

A semiconductor wafer has a plurality of first semiconductor die. A second semiconductor die is mounted to the first semiconductor die. The active surface of the first semiconductor die is oriented toward an active surface of the second semiconductor die. An encapsulant is deposited over the first and second semiconductor die. A portion of a back surface of the second semiconductor die opposite the active surface is removed. Conductive pillars are formed around the second semiconductor die. TSVs can be formed through the first semiconductor die. An interconnect structure is formed over the back surface of the second semiconductor die, encapsulant, and conductive pillars. The interconnect structure is electrically connected to the conductive pillars. A portion of a back surface of the first semiconductor die opposite the active surface is removed. A heat sink or shielding layer can be formed over the back surface of the first semiconductor die.
US08138011B2

A method of manufacturing a radiation-detecting device including spaced first columnar scintillators, second columnar scintillators which are located between the neighboring first columnar scintillators and which are spaced from the first columnar scintillators, and photodetecting elements overlapping with the first columnar scintillators includes a step of preparing the substrate such that the substrate has a surface having an uneven section having protruding portions and a plurality of spaced flat sections surrounded by the uneven section and also includes a step of forming the first columnar scintillators and the second columnar scintillators on the flat sections and the protruding portions, respectively, by depositing a scintillator material on the substrate having the uneven section and the flat sections. The uneven section has recessed portions and satisfies the following inequality: h/d≧1 where h is the depth of each recessed portion and d is the distance between the protruding portions.
US08138007B2

A MEMS device (20) with stress isolation includes elements (28, 30, 32) formed in a first structural layer (24) and elements (68, 70) formed in a second structural layer (26), with the layer (26) being spaced apart from the first structural layer (24). Fabrication methodology (80) entails forming (92, 94, 104) junctions (72, 74) between the layers (24, 26). The junctions (72, 74) connect corresponding elements (30, 32) of the first layer (24) with elements (68, 70) of the second layer (26). The fabrication methodology (80) further entails releasing the structural layers (24, 26) from an underlying substrate (22) so that all of the elements (30, 32, 68, 70) are suspended above the substrate (22) of the MEMS device (20), wherein attachment of the elements (30, 32, 68, 70) with the substrate (22) occurs only at a central area (46) of the substrate (22).
US08138005B2

Disclosed is a method for fabricating a high-performance field-effect transistor biosensor for diagnosing cancers using micro conductive polymer nanomaterials funtionalized with anti-VEGF aptamer. Disclosed is a high-sensitivity field-effect transistor biosensor for diagnosing cancers using a micro conductive polymer nanomaterial transistor array including a micro polymer nanomaterial transistor array including a channel region provided with a metal source electrode, a metal drain electrode, a gate and micro polymer nanomaterials, and an anti-VEGF aptamer covalently bound to the surface of the micro polymer nanomaterials constituting the channel region of the micro polymer nanomaterials transistor array, to target VEGF (Vascular endothelial growth factor).
US08138003B2

The present invention relates to a nitride semiconductor substrate such as gallium nitride substrate and a method for manufacturing the same. The present invention forms a plurality of trenches on a lower surface of a base substrate that are configured to absorb or reduce stresses applied larger when growing a nitride semiconductor film on the base substrate from a central portion of the base substrate towards a peripheral portion. That is, the present invention forms the trenches on the lower surface of the base substrate such that pitches get smaller or widths or depths get larger from the central portion of the base substrate towards the peripheral portion.
US08138000B2

A submount for a semiconductor light emitting device includes a semiconductor substrate having a cavity therein configured to receive the light emitting device. A first bond pad is positioned in the cavity to couple to a first node of a light emitting device received in the cavity. A second bond pad is positioned in the cavity to couple to a second node of a light emitting device positioned therein. Light emitting devices including a solid wavelength conversion member and methods for forming the same are also provided.
US08137992B2

The present invention is directed to a method of identifying patients to be treated by dopamine agonist therapy comprising the step of analyzing a plasma or urine sample from said patient for concentrations of norepinephrine (NE), norepinephrine metabolites (NE metabolites), dopamine, dopamine metabolites, serotonin, serotonin metabolites, or fasting triglycerides, wherein one or more of: (a) NE metabolites, (b) NE/NE metabolites:dopamine/dopamine metabolites, (c) NE and serotonin, (d) NE/NE metabolites and serotonin, (e) NE and serotonin metabolites, (f) NE/NE metabolites and serotonin metabolites, or (g) NE is/are greater than about 30% over normal level; or dopamine/dopamine metabolites are less than about 30% below normal; or fasting triglycerides are greater than about 150 mg/dl and/or said patient has blood pressure of greater than about 135/85 mm Hg. The present invention is also directed to treating identified patients with dopamine agonist therapy.
US08137983B2

The present invention describes a system and method for accurately measuring the concentration of a substance within a filter housing. A concentration sensor and a communications device are coupled so as to be able to measure and transmit the concentration of a particular substance within the filter housing while in use. This system can comprise a single component, integrating both the communication device and the concentration sensor. Alternatively, the system can comprise separate sensor and transmitter components, in communication with one another. In yet another embodiment, a storage element can be added to the system, thereby allowing the device to store a set of concentration values. The use of this device is beneficial to many applications. For example, the ability to read concentration values in situ allows integrity tests to be performed without additional equipment.
US08137968B2

The present invention is a method for preparing a substantially pure population of endothelial progenitor cells wherein said cells express Flk-1, CD34, α5β1 integrin fibronectin, and vWF and exhibit an adherent phenotype and methods for using the same to decrease the severity of lung injury, prevent pulmonary edema, restore endothelial barrier function, induce productive wound healing and angiogenesis, and increase survival rate in acute lung injury (ALI).
US08137967B2

An IVF system for successfully utilizing spermatozoa separated into X-chromosome bearing and into Y-chromosome bearing population for insemination. The IVF system includes fertilization medium that can shorten the time from insemination to cleavage and a portable incubator for the transportation of maturing oocytes and inseminated oocytes comprising a straw (19) and an incubation element (20) that can be sealed with a cap (22).
US08137964B2

The present invention provides a novel method of producing a three-dimensional tissue by which cell lamination can be carried out easily. According to the method, a three-dimensional tissue in which cell layers are laminated with an extracellular matrix intervening between each pair of the adjacent cell layers is produced by: (A) forming a cell layer on a substrate; (B) bringing the cell layer formed on the substrate into contact with a solution containing a first substance and a solution containing a second substance alternately, thus forming, on the cell layer, an extracellular matrix in which the first substance and the second substance are laminated alternately; and (C) culturing a cell on the extracellular matrix to form a further cell layer. In the present invention, a combination of the first substance and the second substance is (a) a combination of a protein or polymer having an RGD sequence and a protein or polymer that interacts with the protein or polymer having the RGD sequence or (b) a combination of a protein or polymer that is positively charged and a protein or polymer that is negatively charged.
US08137958B2

A system for collecting a biological sample includes a collection device comprising a cylindrical body having a bore extending there through and a filter membrane disposed at one end thereof; a filter plug having an insert configured for insertion into the bore; a collar concentrically mounted about the exterior surface of the insert and configured for insertion into the bore; and a gasket disposed about the exterior surface of the insert, wherein an outer dimension of the gasket is variable in response to relative movement between the collar and the insert, and wherein the gasket has a cross section with two end portions and a mid portion that is located radially further away from the insert than the two end portions.
US08137957B2

An odiferous organic compounds cover having an inner surface and an outer surface. The cover contains a thermoplastic non-woven layer containing thermoplastic fibers having a contact angle with water greater than about 70°. The cover contains a UV barrier layer contains containing a UV blocking polymer, having a thickness of between one to three times the diameter of the thermoplastic fibers of the non-woven layer, and containing discontinuities forming microchannels through the layer thickness. The cover also contains an odor mitigation layer containing a UV translucent polymer which transmits at least about 60% of UV(C) energy and anatase titanium dioxide. The odor mitigation layer comprises discontinuities forming microchannels through the layer thickness forms the outer surface of the cover.
US08137956B2

The present invention relates to a forensic test strip and method for the detection of semen. This strip is comprised of a paper element coated with reagents which react to the presence of acid phosphatase (AP), an enzyme found in semen, and is sandwiched between a clear plastic cover and an opaque plastic backing. This assembly is peeled apart, the paper element exposed to a source of semen, and the clear cover replaced. A positive test is characterized by a bright purple color, which easily can be seen through the clear cover. An adhesive backing is provided, which allows an investigator conveniently to affix the test strip directly to a notebook.
US08137953B2

Yeast cells having an exogenous lactate dehydrogenase gene ae modified by reducing L- or D-lactate:ferricytochrome c oxidoreductase activity in the cell. This leads to reduced consumption of lactate by the cell and can increase overall lactate yields in a fermentation process. Cells having the reduced L- or D-lactate:ferricytochrome c oxidoreductase activity can be screened for by resistance to organic acids such as lactic or glycolic acid.
US08137939B2

Provided are a method of recovering L-threonine from the fermentation broth of an L-threonine producing microorganism, comprising: separating microbial bodies from the L-threonine containing fermentation broth obtained by culturing an L-threonine producing microorganism and filtering the separated fermentation broth to obtain a filtrate; concentrating the filtrate; and reacting the concentrated filtrate with a nonsolvent to obtain crystalline L-threonine, crystalline L-threonine recovered by the method, and a feed additive containing the crystalline L-threonine recovered by the method.
US08137937B2

The present application is directed to a method for performing a bisulfite reaction to determine methylation positions in a nucleic acid via treatment of the solid phase-bound nucleic acid with bisulfite, desulfonation and elution of the nucleic acid from the solid phase.
US08137936B2

The invention provides methods and compositions for selectively amplifying one or more target polynucleotides in a sample. In one aspect, a plurality of selection oligonucleotides are provided that are capable of simultaneously annealing to separate regions of a target polynucleotide to form a complex that is enzymatically converted into a closed double stranded DNA circle that incorporates the sequence region between the two separate regions. Sequences that fail to form such complexes may be removed by nuclease digestion and the sequences of the remaining DNA circles may be amplified by a variety of techniques, such as rolling circle replication after nicking, PCR amplification after linearization, or the like.
US08137920B2

The present invention discloses methods for detecting the presence of a complex between a first reagent and a second reagent in solution. In particular, the invention provides methods for qualitative or quantitative detection of an analyte or its specific binding partner in complex biological samples. The invention further discloses algorithms using summary rate changes at selected wavelengths in the absorbance spectra of colloidal metal-labeled analytes or specific binding partners to identify intermolecular interactions between the analyte and its binding partner.
US08137918B2

Nucleic acid and protein sequences relating to a cation channel which is sperm-specific (CatSper4) are disclosed. The CatSper4 protein is shown to be specifically expressed in sperm. Nucleic acids, vectors, transformed cells, transgenic animals, polypeptides, and antibodies relating to the CatSper4 gene and protein are disclosed. Also provided are methods of in vitro fertilization and contraception, methods of identifying modulators of CatSper4 activity, methods of genotyping subjects with respect to CatSper4, and methods of diagnosing and treating CatSper4-mediated disorders, including infertility. Related business methods are also disclosed.
US08137911B2

The present invention provides methods, compositions and kits for using an RNA polymerase for making transcription products corresponding to a target sequence by obtaining single-stranded DNA transcription substrates that comprise a single-stranded promoter that is operably joined to a single-stranded target sequence. The invention has broad applicability for research, diagnostic and therapeutic applications, such as preparing cDNA corresponding to full-length mRNA, making sense or anti-sense probes, detecting gene- or organism-specific sequences, cloning, cell signaling or making RNA for use in RNAi.
US08137907B2

This invention provides a genetically tractable in situ non-human animal model for hepatocellular carcinoma. The model is useful, inter alia, in understanding the molecular mechanisms of liver cancer, in understanding the genetic alterations that lead to chemoresistance or poor prognosis, and in identifying and evaluating new therapies against hepatocellular carcinomas. The liver cancer model of this invention is made by altering hepatocytes to increase oncogene expression, to reduce tumor suppressor gene expression or both and by transplanting the resulting hepatocytes into a recipient non-human animal.This invention also relates to the use of RNA interference (RNAi) technology in vivo to efficiently identify genes associated with liver cancer, in particular those encoding tumor suppressors, by knocking out candidate genes using RNAi and observing whether tumors would develop.
US08137894B2

According to an embodiment, a storage medium includes a transparent resin substrate having a concentric or spiral groove and a recording film formed on the groove on the transparent resin substrate, a recording mark being formed by irradiation of a laser beam, wherein a reproduction durability count in a case where reproduction is continuously carried out by a laser beam is 1,000,000 or more.
US08137887B2

Photoconductor structure processing methods and imaging device photoconductor structures are described. According to one embodiment, a photoconductor structure processing method includes processing a photoconductor structure of an imaging device and wherein the photoconductor structure comprises charge transport material configured to conduct electrical charges generated responsive to reception of light to form a latent image during an electro-photographic imaging process, the processing comprising removing at least some of the charge transport material from at least a portion of the photoconductor structure. The photoconductor structure may also be further treated to reduce the migration of charge transport material. Additional embodiments are described in the disclosure.
US08137883B2

A toner is provided including a binder resin and a wax having primarily C—H and C—C bonds, and having a melting point of 50 to 90° C., wherein the wax is present in a surface portion of the toner in an amount of from 0.1 to 4.0% by weight, wherein the amount of the wax is determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR); and the use of the toner in an image forming method, image forming apparatus, developer and toner cartridge containing the toner.
US08137879B2

A toner including stabilized magnetic single-crystal nanoparticles, wherein the value of the magnetic anisotropy of the magnetic nanoparticles is greater than or equal to 2×104 J/m3. The magnetic nanoparticle may be a ferromagnetic nanoparticle, such as FePt. The toner includes a magnetic material that minimizes the size of the particle, resulting in excellent magnetic pigment dispersion and dispersion stability, particularly in emulsion/aggregation toner processes. The smaller sized magnetic particles of the toner also maintains excellent magnetic properties, thereby reducing the amount of magnetic particle loading required in the toner.
US08137877B2

An electrophotographic photoreceptor including an undercoat layer and a photosensitive layer that are sequentially formed on an electrically conductive substrate, wherein the undercoat layer has a structure in which metal oxide particles and dialkylcitrate-chelated zirconate represented by Formula 1, illustrated below, are dissolved or dispersed in a binder resin, and an electrophotographic imaging apparatus including the electrophotographic photoreceptor: wherein R1 and R2 are each independently a C1-20 linear or branched alkyl group. The electrophotographic photoreceptor has excellent stability of electrical properties and interlayer adhesion strength, by including the undercoat layer.
US08137874B2

An antireflective coating that contains at least two polymer components and comprises chromophore moieties and transparent moieties is provided. The antireflective coating is useful for providing a single-layer composite graded antireflective coating formed beneath a photoresist layer.
US08137872B2

To provide a reflective mask blank for EUV lithography having a low reflective layer having a low reflectance in the wavelength region of EUV light and an inspection light for a mask pattern, particularly having low reflection properties in the entire wavelength region (190 to 260 nm) of an inspection light for a mask pattern, and having a high etching rate in chlorine type gas etching. A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography, comprising a substrate, and a reflective layer to reflect EUV light, an absorber layer to absorb EUV light and a low reflective layer to an inspection light (wavelength:190 nm to 260 nm) for a mask pattern, formed in this order over the substrate, wherein the low reflective layer contains silicon (Si) and nitrogen (N) in a total content of at least 95 at %, has a Si content of from 5 to 80 at %, and a N content of from 15 to 90 at %.
US08137867B2

A photomask blank has a light-shielding film composed of at least two layers on a transparent substrate. The light-shielding film includes a light-shielding layer made of a material mainly containing tantalum nitride and further containing xenon and a front-surface antireflection layer formed on the light-shielding layer and made of a material mainly containing tantalum oxide and further containing argon.
US08137865B2

A plate member for a fuel cell is provided. The plate member for the fuel cell may be laminated together with a membrane-electrode assembly to constitute a fuel cell having cells and may be provided with a channel forming portion which forms a fluid channel to supply and discharge a fluid to/from the membrane-electrode assembly and/or the cells. The plate member for the fuel cell includes a first covering portion which covers the channel forming portion, and a second covering portion which covers an edge of the first covering portion together with a portion around the edge of the first covering portion.
US08137864B2

A fuel cell according to the present invention includes a power generation cell. The power generation cell is formed by sandwiching a membrane electrode assembly between a first metal separator and a second metal separator. An oxygen-containing gas flow field is formed on one surface of the first metal separator, and a coolant flow field is formed on the other surface of the first metal separator. The first metal separator includes a corrugated metal plate. A resin frame member is provided on one surface of the metal plate, and a rubber seal is provided on the other surface of the metal plate. An oxygen-containing gas supply passage, an oxygen-containing gas discharge passage, a coolant supply passage, a coolant discharge passage, a fuel gas supply passage, and a fuel gas discharge passage extend through the metal plate, the resin frame member, and the rubber seal.
US08137862B2

A fuel cell includes a joint portion A in which a first conductive separator, an electrolyte-strengthening substrate and a second conductive separator are jointed in order with a brazing material. The electrolyte-strengthening substrate is formed so as to be larger than a joint area of the first conductive separator and a joint area of the second conductive separator in the joint portion. The electrolyte-strengthening substrate has an insulating property at least at an area where the electrolyte-strengthening substrate contacts with the brazing material.
US08137861B2

The present invention discloses a membrane for direct-liquid fuel cell, comprised of a layered cation-exchange membrane whose one side is constituted by A) a cation-exchange membrane layer of low water content type having a water content of 1 to 15% by mass at a relative humidity of 50% RH (25° C.) and whose other side is constituted by B) a cation-exchange membrane layer of high water content type having, at a relative humidity of 100% RH (25° C.), a water content which is higher, by 3% by mass ore more, than the water content of the cation-exchange membrane layer of low water content type at a relative humidity of 100% RH (25° C.), the layered cation-exchange membrane having an electrical resistance of 0.5 to 0.01 Ω·cm2 in a 1 mol/L aqueous sulfuric acid solution at 25° C.
US08137860B2

This invention relates to a polymer electrolyte membrane for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, comprising a block copolymer which comprises, as its constituents, a polymer block (A) having as a main unit an aromatic vinyl compound unit whose α-carbon is quaternary carbon, and a flexible polymer block (B), and has ion-conducting groups on the polymer block (A).The electrolyte membrane of this invention is economical, mild to the environment and excellent in moldability and chemical stability and thus durability, and, therefore, can suitably be used in membrane electrode assemblies and polymer electrolyte fuel cells.
US08137857B2

A fuel cell (8a) having a matrix (11) for containing phosphoric acid (or other liquid) electrolyte with an anode catalyst (12) on one side and a cathode catalyst (13) on the other side includes an anode substrate (16a) in contact with the anode catalyst and a cathode substrate (17a) in contact with the cathode catalyst, the anode substrate being thicker than the cathode substrate by a ratio of between 1.75 to 1.0 and 3.0 to 1.0. Non-porous, hydrophobic separator plate assemblies (19) provide fuel flow channels (20) and oxidant flow channels (21) as well as demarcating the fuel cells.
US08137856B2

Excellent gas sealing properties were difficult to achieve with a structure that uses a meal material to control material cost and does not increase the number of components. A cell is configured by using a metal separator having at least one protruding structure between a manifold and an electrode channel, and having a communicating channel structure that forms a fluid circulating space by being folded back at the side containing a connection so that the tip of the protruding structure is in contact with a surface of the separator. Accordingly, a gas channel from the manifold to an electrode surface can be easily formed integrally. This can be applied to a metal material easily. Further, the present invention can provide excellent gas sealing properties.
US08137848B2

The present invention provides a simple method for producing a difluorophosphate from a source material, the difluorophosphate being useful as additives for nonaqueous electrolyte solutions for secondary batteries. In the method, a source material containing a carbonate and/or a borate is allowed to react with a source gas which contains P and F and which may further contain O as required. The source material may contain lithium carbonate. The source gas may be produced by decomposing LiPF6. The source gas may be produced in such a manner that LiPF6 and lithium carbonate are mixed and then subjected to reaction. The nonaqueous electrolyte solution contains the product obtained from the reaction.
US08137843B2

A negative electrode active material contains a metal-displaced lithium-titanium oxide of a ramsdellite structure expressed by the formula Li(16/7)-xTi(24/7)-yMyO8 (where M is at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Nb, Ta, Mo, and W, and x and y are respectively numbers in the range of 0
US08137842B2

Batteries and methods of making batteries are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of making a battery can include contacting a manganese oxide with lithium hydroxide and lithium bromide and/or lithium chloride, and incorporating the manganese oxide into a cathode of the battery.
US08137841B2

Compositions useful for cathodes in lithium-ion batteries are described. In some examples, an electrochemical cell includes an electrode, the electrode comprising a composition including the elements of Li, Fe, and F, where the composition includes a first phase including a disordered trirutile structure. Cathodes including such a composition may exhibit reversible reactivity with lithium. In some examples, this reaction takes place via an intercalation mechanism.
US08137836B2

The present invention relates to a lithium rechargeable battery having outer covers, each having a rib formed on the inner surface thereof, coupled to both sides of a core pack, which makes it possible to prevent resin from flowing into the outer covers when resin molding parting is performed on an upper part of the core pack and thus to reduce defects occurring in the outer covers due to the flow of resin.A lithium rechargeable battery according to an embodiment of the invention includes a core pack having a bare cell and a protective circuit module which is arranged on the top side of the bare cell so as to be electrically connected to the bare cell through lead plates; outer covers covering two short lateral sides of the core pack on which the lead plates are provided; and a resin molding part formed at an upper part of the core pack, the upper part of the core pack includes a portion of each of the outer covers and the protective circuit module. In the lithium rechargeable battery, ribs are formed on the inner surfaces of the outer covers to isolate gaps formed between the outer covers and the two short lateral sides of the core pack due to the lead plates from the resin molding part.
US08137815B2

The present invention provides a color interlayer film for laminated glass, comprised of a resin composition containing a polyvinyl acetal resin, a coloring agent, and an infrared ray shielding agent and characterized in that the resin composition further contains a phosphoric acid ester compound at a ratio of 5 parts by weight or less to 100 parts by weight of the polyvinyl acetal resin, and also provides laminated glass using said interlayer film. The interlayer film of the present invention has characteristics that the film is excellent in the infrared ray shielding property and resistant against whitening in the interlayer film part even in the case of absorbing moisture while keeping the basic properties as an interlayer film for laminated glass.
US08137808B2

A filling material for filling into articles of bedding is made by providing a plurality of discrete fiber clusters, applying a temperature stabilizing substance to the discrete fiber clusters, mixing the discrete fiber clusters with each other, and collecting the discrete fiber clusters thereby obtaining a filling material in which the distribution of the temperature stabilizing substance is substantially even. A device (1) for producing a filling material has an application station (22) for applying a temperature stabilizing substance to discrete fiber clusters, a curing station (24) for fixing the substance, a mixer (30) for mixing the discrete fiber clusters and a collecting station (32) for collecting the fiber clusters to form the filling material in which the distribution of the temperature stabilizing substance is substantially even.
US08137803B2

An acrylic resin film material comprising at least a multilayer structure polymer with a particular structure prevent a molded item from being whitened during insert- or in-mold molding and meet the requirement for surface hardness, heat resistance, and transparency or matting performance for vehicle applications. It is also possible to use an acrylic resin film material exhibiting a difference of 30% or less between haze values as determined in accordance with the testing method of JIS K7136 (haze measurement method) after and before a tensile test where a test piece with a width of 20 mm is pulled under the conditions of an initial inter-chuck distance of 25 mm, a rate of 50 mm/min and a temperature of 23° C. until an end-point inter-chuck distance becomes 33 mm as well as having a pencil hardness of 2 B or higher as determined in accordance with JIS K5400.
US08137801B2

Antireflective films are described having a surface layer comprising a the reaction product of a polymerizable low refractive index composition comprising at least one fluorinated free-radically polymerizable material and surface modified inorganic nanoparticles. A high refractive index layer is coupled to the low refractive index layer. In one embodiment, the high refractive index layer comprises surface modified inorganic nanoparticles dispersed in a crosslinked organic material. The antireflective film is preferably durable, exhibiting a haze of less than 1.0% after 25 wipes with steel wool using a 3.2 cm mandrel and a mass of 1000 grams.
US08137796B2

A particle-harvesting material includes a flexible, reusable, and thermally conductive material including a rough surface having dimples of a size within a first range of sizes, a microstructure including interstices of a second range of sizes, the second range of sizes including sizes smaller than the first range of sizes, and an etched portion on the rough surface configured to attract particles upon contact between the particles and the etched portion.
US08137792B2

The invention provides the art with an adhesive that may advantageously be used in the manufacture of water resistant paperboard products, such as laminated board and corrugated board. The adhesive has the required tack, water resistance and viscosity that allows its use at commercial speeds in a cold corrugating process.
US08137788B2

A laminated film including a thermoplastic resin film and an laminated layer that is formed on at least one side of the thermoplastic resin film and comprises (A) a composition, (B) an epoxy crosslinking agent and (C) an acrylic resin having an alkyl chain of 18 to 25 carbon atoms is characterized in that the composition (A) is a composition containing at least a polythiophene and a polyanion and/or a composition containing a polythiophene derivative and a polyanion, the laminated layer contains 15 to 100 parts by weight of the acrylic resin (C) having an alkyl chain of 18 to 25 carbon atoms based on 100 parts by weight of the sum of the composition (A) and the crosslinking agent (B) and/or its reaction product, at least one side of the laminated film has a three-dimensional average surface roughness (SRa) of 3 to 50 nm, and the laminated film contains less than 10 internal contaminant particles with an average particle size of at least 100 μm per 1 m2, so that it has high level of electrical conductivity, good releasability and water resistance, and also has oligomer precipitation-preventing properties during heating.
US08137787B1

The object of the present invention is to form a chromium-oxide film, excellent in corrosion resistance, without containing an oxide film of other metal onto the metallic material. The chromium-oxide passivation film, excellent in corrosion resistance, without containing the oxide film of other metal can be formed inexpensively and in a short time, and a fluid supplying system for safely supplying fluid with hard corrosivity is able to be provided. One step of forming the passivation film consisting of a chromium oxide layer by giving heat treatment, in an oxidizing atmosphere, after coating chromium on the metallic material having a surface roughness (Ra) not more than 1.5 μm.
US08137785B2

Provided is a honeycomb structure that is divided by a porous partition wall 3, as well as that is formed of a plurality of cells 5 acting as a through channel of a fluid. An insertion hole 9 in which a sensor can be inserted is formed in an end face of the honeycomb structure, and a breakage prevention means 17 is provided on an inner circumference or in the proximity of the insertion hole. According to this honeycomb structure, it is possible to provide a honeycomb structure or a honeycomb filter in which a temperature, an oxygen concentration and the like of the honeycomb structure can be directly measured; a temperature control of the honeycomb structure, being a base member can be easily made, and various sensors in accordance with applications of OBD measurement, measurement of an oxygen concentration, an NOx concentration and the like can be attached; and further, canning is easy to be conducted, and the durability of various attached sensors can be improved. Especially in the case of the use in a DPF, the present invention can be preferably used without soot leakage.
US08137778B2

A weight for a vibration motor, the weight including: a resin part including: a semi-cylindrical portion having a shaft hole in which a rotary shaft is fitted and expanding radially from the shaft hole at a given center angle so as to be eccentrically weighted with respect to the shaft hole; and a pair of locking projections respectively disposed at both axial end areas of an outer circumferential surface of the semi-cylindrical portion so as to extend radially outwardly therefrom; and a metal part attached to the resin part so as to sit on the outer circumferential surface of the semi-cylindrical portion, the metal part including: a pair of locking recesses positioned and configured to correspond respectively to the locking projections of the resin portion, wherein an elevated portion formed between the pair of locking recesses makes contact with the pair of locking projections of the resin portion.
US08137772B2

Multilayer tubular film based on polyamide comprising an outer polymer layer based on aliphatic or partially aromatic polyamides or copolyamides or blends thereof, up to 30% by weight of which, based on the outer layer, can be replaced by other polymers, a middle polyamide layer based on ethylene-C1-8-alkyl acrylate copolymers and ethylene-maleic anhydride copolymers and/or ethylene-C1-8-alkyl acrylate-maleic anhydride copolymers, up to 20% by weight of which, based on the middle layer, can be replaced by other polymers, an inner polymer layer based on 40 to 100% by weight, based on the inner layer, of aliphatic or partially aromatic polyamides or copolyamides or blends thereof, 0 to 60% by weight of carboxyl-containing ethylene copolymers or their salts and 0 to 20% by weight of other polymers, the total amount of which gives 100% by weight.
US08137770B2

A method of visualizing a latent image includes: preparing a latent image composed of a plurality of paramagnetic seeds immobilized on a base in the form of an image, and a dispersion liquid of paramagnetic colloidal particles; immersing the latent image in the dispersion liquid of paramagnetic colloidal particles; and applying a magnetic field to the latent image and the dispersion liquid of paramagnetic colloidal particles.
US08137769B1

A landscape concealment structure (200) includes a housing (150) formed by shell (100) and a cover panel member (140) coupled to the shell and overlaying an enclosed space (126) into which a utility structure or mechanical device (20) is received to obscure such from view. The shell includes at least a pair of side panel members (120 and 130) coupled to a front panel member (110). The housing is camouflaged by a plurality of artificial foliage members (160) coupled to the housing to take on the appearance of a shrub, tree or other flora. The landscape concealment structure may further include a coupling assembly (180) that has a pivotal coupling (182) for facilitating rotative displacement of at least the shell relative to a base surface (30, 34).
US08137765B2

Liquid aluminum is sprayed as a fine mist onto an alloyed iron article to produce a thin tenacious non-corrodible layer. In some embodiments, air is heated and delivered through insulated tubing to a container having solid aluminum therein. In some embodiments the air is heated by an electric induction coil. In some embodiments, the container is heated independently of the heated air. In some embodiments, the container is heated by an electric induction coil.
US08137764B2

A chemical vapor deposition process for preparing a low dielectric constant organosilicate (OSG) having enhanced mechanical properties by adjusting the amount of organic groups, such as methyl groups, within the mixture is disclosed herein. In one embodiment of the present invention, the OSG film is deposited from a mixture comprising a first silicon-containing precursor that comprises from 3 to 4 Si—O bonds per Si atom, from 0 to 1 of bonds selected from the group consisting of Si—H, Si—Br, and Si—Cl bonds per Si atom and no Si—C bonds and a second silicon-containing precursor that comprises at least one Si—C bond per Si atom. In another embodiment of the present invention, the OSG film is deposited from a mixture comprising an asymmetric silicon-containing precursor. In either embodiment, the mixture may further contain a porogen precursor to provide a porous OSG film.
US08137760B2

Disclosed are a nanocrater catalyst in metal nanoparticles with a nanocrater form of hole structure in center of the catalyst which is useful for manufacturing nano-sized materials and/or articles with desired structure and characteristics, a preparation method thereof including a plasma etching and chemical etching process (“PTCE process”), and nano-sized materials and/or articles manufactured by using the nanocrater catalyst in metal nanoparticles.
US08137749B2

A method of aluminization by deposit in the vapor phase for protection against oxidation at high temperature of a metal part of a turbomachine. The part includes a cavity with an opening that can be accessed from the outside. A halide is formed by reaction between a halogen and a metal donor containing aluminum, then the halide is transported by a carrier gas to come into contact with the metal part, the metal donor being placed at least partly in the cavity. The metal donor is in the form of a pellet obtained by hot sintering under pressure of a mixture of metal powder.
US08137742B2

A sub-stoichiometric oxide, nitride or oxynitride layer in an optical stack, alone or in direct contact with one or two stabilizing layers, stabilizes the optical properties of the stack. The stabilizing layer(s) can stabilize the chemistry and optical properties of the sub-stoichiometric layer during heating. The change in optical characteristics of the sub-stoichiometric layer upon heating can counter the change in optical characteristics of the rest of the optical stack.
US08137738B2

Disclosed is a method or device for recognizing a structure, preferably a bead or trace of adhesive material (20), which is to be applied to a substrate (30), with the aid of at least two cameras, more particularly three or more cameras (12, 13, 14). The structure, which is to be applied, is applied to the substrate using an applicator device (11), whereupon the structure, which is applied to the substrate by means of the applicator device, is monitored by the cameras in such a way that the cameras are oriented towards the applied structure with at least one overlapping area, wherein the applied structure, particularly the edges of the trace of adhesive, is determined on a revolving orbit around the applicator device and the revolving orbit is pre-defined in such a way that the applied structure intersects the revolving orbit after it has been applied to the substrate.
US08137736B2

A novel method suitable for commercially mass production of hollow microneedle with high quality for delivery of drugs across or into biological tissue is provided. It typically includes the following processes: (1) coating an elongated template of a first material with a second material to form a cover; (2) removing tips of the template and cover to form an opening in the cover; and (3) removing the template of the first material to obtain hollow microneedles of the second material. This simple, efficient and cost-effective fabrication method can mass produce hollow microneedle arrays involving no complicated and expensive equipments or techniques, which can be used in commercial fabrication of hollow needles for delivering drugs or genes across or into skin or other tissue barriers with advantages of minimal damage, painless, long-term and continuous usages.
US08137725B2

This invention is directed to an enhanced white chocolate to which has been added isovaleric acid in an amount effective to provide enhanced organoleptic attributes compared to a conventional white chocolate. The invention is also directed to the preparation of the enhanced white chocolate.
US08137722B2

A method and apparatus for separating lean meat and/or fat from lean meat-containing material. The material is introduced into a vessel and is separated into low density and high density fractions. The material from the low density fraction is removed via an outlet and has a higher percentage of fat than the material introduced into the vessel. The material from the high density fraction is removed via an outlet and has a higher percentage of lean meat than the material introduced into the vessel. The vessel can include a centrifuge bowl or an inclined vessel. Separation is achieved via gravity or the application of an artificial force field, such as centrifugal force, to separate particulates high in density from those low in density.
US08137719B2

A method is provided for producing animal feed pellets that are made entirely or predominantly of fat. Fats, oils, and waxes with complimentary physical properties also can be included, as can nutrients. Cohesive pellets of high flowability and durability are achieved. The superior handling quality of the pellets allows for their use in further formulation of animal feeds, where homogeneous distribution of nutrients throughout the final feed mix is desired.
US08137714B2

Disclosed are compositions that include Docynia delavajy extract, Elaeagnus lanceolatus extract, or a combination of such extracts.
US08137707B2

Method for obtaining of an active principle from Myrtus communis in order to increase the longevity of the cells and tissues of the skin.
US08137704B2

A method of manufacturing digestible powder that generates a hydride ion (H−) when dissolved in water is provided. A vacuum oven system that can reach 600° C. and 10−5 torr is used within this method. The method according to this current application comprises of ten to eleven steps of vacuuming, heating and hydrogen treatment of coral reef powder. By adding mixtures of magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, the maximum treating temperature and vacuum pressure is lowered. The coral reef powders treated via the ten steps emit hydrogen when dissolved in the water like powders that are treated with a mixture of natural form of magnesium, phosphorus and potassium complex. Those natural form of the magnesium, phosphorous and potassium includes (NH4)MgPO4.6H2O (struvite), MgSO4.KCl.H2O (Kainite), K2SO4.MgSO4.6H2O (Schönite), K2SO4.MgSO4.4H2O (Leonite), and K2SO4.2MgSO4 (Langbeinite).
US08137694B2

A method of administering non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory drugs, in particular propionic acid derivatives such as ibuprofen, is provided. The inventive dosage forms provide an initial release of the NSAID and a second sustained release of NSAID, preferably in a single dosing step.
US08137685B2

A hyaluronic acid compound which is a reaction product between hyaluronic acid and a phosphatidyl ethanolamine. This compound has biocompatibility and bio-safety, and can be formed into a hydrogel or molded form having a certain shape. Making use of these properties, it is used to treat a knee joint, prevent the accretion of a tissue after an operation and keep a skin wet.
US08137678B2

The present invention provides a vaccine for canine Lyme disease and methods of making and using the vaccine alone, or in combinations with other protective agents.
US08137670B2

The present invention relates to the discovery of antibodies that bind to novel epitopes present on membrane-anchored IgE and which bind to these novel epitopes on the surface of B cells and plasma cells. In addition, the antibodies of the present invention can mediate ADCC and can be useful to deplete those B cells and plasma cells expressing the novel epitopes of the invention. The antibodies of the present invention can be useful for the treatment of IgE-mediated diseases. Accordingly the present invention also provides compositions and methods for the prevention, management, treatment or amelioration of IgE-mediated diseases.
US08137667B2

Fully human antibodies and antigen-binding portions thereof that bind to human 4-1BB and that allow binding of human 4-1BB to a human 4-1BB ligand. In one aspect, the antibody is an IgG4 antibody. Also provided is a method for treating a disease in a subject comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the antibody to said subject.
US08137660B1

Quebracho tannins are effective for the treatment of animal wastes which contain feces or fecal waste-containing material to inhibit odor emissions therefrom. Application of an effective amount of Quebracho tannins to the animal wastes elicits one or both of reducing gas emissions (such as total gas, hydrogen sulfide, and/or methane) therefrom, and reducing the populations or metabolic activity of anaerobic sulfate reducing bacteria therein. Reduction of odor emissions from the animal waste may also be effected by combining the Quebracho tannins with animal litter which is applied in the locus or vicinity of the animal.
US08137658B2

A liquid, substantially anhydrous tooth whitener composition for delivery of a tooth-whitening amount of active whitening ingredient onto teeth, with effective bioadhesion and retention thereof, and, thereupon, sufficient penetration of the ingredient through the tooth enamel, providing efficacious bleaching of stained teeth.
US08137653B1

A method of producing carbon nanotubes, comprising, in a reaction chamber: evaporating at least a partially melted electrode comprising a catalyst by an electrical arc discharge; condensing the evaporated catalyst vapors to form nanoparticles comprising the catalyst; and decomposing gaseous hydrocarbons in the presence of the nanoparticles to form carbon nanotubes on the surface of the nanoparticles. Also a system for producing carbon nanotubes, comprising: a reactor comprising two electrodes, wherein at least one of the electrodes is at least a partially melted electrode comprising a catalyst, the reactor adapted for evaporating the at least partially melted electrode by an electrical arc discharge and for condensing its vapors to form nanoparticles comprising the catalyst, wherein the electrodes are disposed in a reaction chamber for decomposing gaseous hydrocarbons in the presence of the nanoparticles to form carbon nanotubes on the surface of the nanoparticles.
US08137652B2

The invention provides a method of functionalizing the sidewalls of a plurality of carbon nanotubes with oxygen moieties, the method comprising: exposing a carbon nanotube dispersion to an ozone/oxygen mixture to form a plurality of ozonized carbon nanotubes; and contacting the plurality of ozonized carbon nanotubes with a cleaving agent to form a plurality of sidewall-functionalized carbon nanotubes.
US08137648B2

A diesel engine exhaust treatment system and method is provided which includes a platinum group metal trapping device (16) comprising cerium oxide or a perovskite material positioned between a diesel oxidation catalyst and an SCR catalyst. The platinum group metal trapping device traps trace amounts of platinum group metals which may be released from the diesel oxidation catalyst during engine operation and prevents them from accumulating on the SCR catalyst, preventing potential contamination of the SCR catalyst as well as ensuring that the performance of the SCR catalyst is uninhibited.
US08137644B2

The invention relates to a method for the removal of uranium(VI) species from waters by means of weakly basic, polyacrylic-based anion exchangers, said uranium(VI) species being present in the form of uranyl complexes as dissolved uranyl.
US08137635B2

An exhaust gas purification device for an internal combustion engine, provided in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine, includes: a filter-shape carrier adapted to trap particulate matter in exhaust gas; and an oxidation catalyst supported on the filter-shape carrier and comprising: a particulate oxygen storage material; and an oxygen ion conductive material supported around the oxygen storage material in surface contact therewith.
US08137631B2

One exemplary embodiment can be a fluid catalytic cracking unit. The fluid catalytic cracking unit can include a first riser, a second riser, and a disengagement zone. The first riser can be adapted to receive a first feed terminating at a first reaction vessel having a first volume. The second riser may be adapted to receive a second feed terminating at a second reaction vessel having a second volume. Generally, the first volume is greater than the second volume. What is more, the disengagement zone can be for receiving a first mixture including at least one catalyst and one or more products from the first reaction vessel, and a second mixture including at least one catalyst and one or more products from the second reaction vessel. Typically, the first mixture is isolated from the second mixture.
US08137619B2

A reagent management system for an automated biological reaction apparatus including an automated biological reaction apparatus including at least one reagent dispenser for applying a reagent to a sample, a memory device containing data for a reagent device selected from the group consisting of a reagent dispenser or a reagent kit used in the automated biological reaction apparatus, a host device comprising a processor and a host device memory connected to the processor, the host memory device including a reagent table, and a scanner for transferring the memory device data to the host device memory.
US08137592B2

A method of incorporating an additive into a polymer composition includes the step of melt blending a polymer with a dispersion comprising a liquid carrier, an unmodified clay, and an additive. Using the dispersion rather than a polymer-based additive masterbatch saves energy. Like a polymer-based masterbatch, the dispersion provides the additive in a diluted form and therefore preserves the masterbatch's advantages of providing more uniform distribution additive in the plastic and avoiding direct handling of additives in the final compounding step. The dispersion is also described.
US08137588B2

Described herein are batches of nanoscale phosphor particles having an average particle size of less than about 200 nm and an average internal quantum efficiency of at least 40%. The batches of nanoscale phosphor particles can be substantially free of impurities. Also described herein are methods of manufacturing the nanoscale phosphor particles by passing phosphor particles through a reactive field to thereby dissociate them into elements and then synthesizing nanoscale phosphor particles by nucleating the elements and quenching the resulting particles.
US08137578B2

A deicer comprises a mixture of a deicing agent, a pre-wetting agent, and a leaching inhibitor. The leaching inhibitor results in decreased liquid migration within and out of a mass of pre-wetted deicer. The deicer can include a deicing salt such as sodium chloride, a pre-wetting agent comprised of magnesium chloride, and a leaching inhibitor such as xanthan gum. The deicer can also include a corrosion inhibitor and/or radiation absorber.
US08137573B2

A method for manufacturing a liquid ejection head including a substrate and a member, disposed above the substrate, having passages communicatively connected to discharge ports through which a liquid is ejected includes providing first solid layers made of a positive photosensitive resin above the substrate such that outer side surfaces of the first solid layers form an obtuse angle with the substrate; providing a second solid layer above the substrate such that the second solid layer abuts the outer side surfaces of the first solid layers, the second solid layer being processed into at least one portion of a mold for the passages; exposing portions of the outer side surfaces of the first solid layers through the second solid layer; removing the exposed portions from the first solid layers; and providing a cover layer over the second solid layer, the cover layer being processed into the member.
US08137572B2

A method of making a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) waveguide capable of being integrated with a surface-mounted component is presented. The method entails etching a silicon substrate to form a slanted wall, forming a nonreflective waveguide portion on the silicon substrate, and depositing a reflective layer on the slanted wall. Light travels through the nonreflective waveguide portion in substantially a first direction, and the light from the nonreflective waveguide portion strikes the reflective layer to be redirected in a second direction. The second direction may be the direction toward the surface-mounted component. A PLC waveguide device made with the above method is also presented.
US08137569B2

A method of fabricating a membrane having a tapered pore, a polymeric membrane having a tapered pore, and uses of such polymeric membrane are disclosed. The membrane includes apertures of increasing diameter which are aligned with each other to form the tapered pore.
US08137567B1

A method for fluid remediation and removing particulates from an aqueous stream is described herein. The method can use a separation component and a clarifier component. A slurry can flow to a scalping shaker which can separate the slurry, forming a first effluent. The first effluent can flow from the scalping shaker to a first section and can be agitated. The first effluent can be pumped to a mud cleaner and cleaned, forming a second effluent. The second effluent can flow into a second section and can be agitated. The second effluent can be pumped to a desilter and can be desilted, forming a third effluent. The third effluent can flow to a third section. The third effluent can be pumped to a second tank of the clarifier component. The third effluent can be decelerated within the second tank, forming a clean effluent.
US08137565B2

Methods and apparatus relate to handling of organic contaminants in aqueous streams. The methods and apparatus enable removing the contaminants, such as naphthenic acids, from the aqueous streams and then converting the contaminants into hydrocarbons. The removing and converting of the organic contaminates results in treated discharge and generation of the hydrocarbons, which add to amount of hydrocarbon recovery.
US08137563B2

The present invention relates a method of preparing agarose beads, which method results in a population of beads which are of relatively uniform particle size. In an advantageous embodiment, the beads are of a particle size less than 10 μm, and the coefficient of variation C.V. of the population is less than 15%. The beads according to the invention are advantageously used in biological separation methods, such as in the production of chromatographic packing materials; drug carriers; or in any method of biological engineering.
US08137560B2

The present invention relates to a process for separating a target radiolabelled compound from an impurity, apparatus for performing such a process and a removable cassette for use in such apparatus. Also provided are methods for using the target radiolabelled compound obtained by a method comprising the separating process of the invention.
US08137557B2

A liquid aeration apparatus includes a vessel having sidewalls, a closed bottom end and, a liquid outlet being provided at or near the upper end. The sidewalls define a cross-sectional interior open area with a vertical depth. An air diffuser is positioned within the interior open area of the vessel. A liquid intake conduit is positioned with an inlet end located at or near the upper end of the vessel and an outlet located near the bottom end of the vessel.
US08137554B2

The present disclosure describes devices useful for microscale fluid purification, separation, and synthesis devices. Generally, such devices comprise a fluid membrane that separates two or more fluids flowing through plural microchannels operatively associated with the membrane. The fluids can both be liquids, gases, or a liquid and a gas, such as may be used for gas absorption into a liquid. Often, the membrane is a semipermeable membrane, such as might be used with a filtration device, such as a dialyzer. Devices of the present invention can be combined with other microscale devices to make systems. For example, the devices may be coupled with one or more microchemical microfactories, one or more micromixers, one or more microheaters; etc. Examples of devices made according to the present invention included an oxygenator, a dialzyer, microheat exchangers, etc. Particular materials had to be developed for use with certain embodiments of the device disclosed herein. For example, a new composite material was made comprising nanocrystalline cellulose filler and a polysulfone polymeric material. A dialyzer comprising the composite membrane also is disclosed. In order to make the nanocrystalline cellulose-polymer composite, a new method was devised for making an organic dispersion of nanocrystalline cellulose. The method comprised first forming an aqueous dispersion of nanocrystalline cellulose. A mixture was then formed comprising the aqueous dispersion and an organic liquid having a boiling point higher than water. The water was then selectively removed to form a second mixture comprising the nanocrystalline cellulose and the organic liquid.
US08137552B2

The invention substantially relates to the distillery industry. Said invention makes it possible to increase the vodka purification efficiency by arranging a filter in the entire volume of a cartridge and by flowing a liquid product through the equal volume of filtering materials.
US08137540B2

Disclosed are improved methods and apparatus for radiolabeling, particularly methods and apparatus for large scale in-line radiolabeling of products, such as proteins and antibodies.
US08137533B2

A process is presented for the selective catalytic cracking of naphtha to light olefins. The process includes contacting a naphtha feedstream with a mixture of catalysts to reduce the amount of recycle, and especially the recycle of light paraffins. The mixture of catalysts includes a first molecular sieve made up from a small pore zeolite having a pore index between 13 and 26, and a second molecular sieve made up from an intermediate pore zeolite having a pore index between 26 and 30.
US08137526B2

A method of growing a crystalline nanowire is disclosed. The method includes providing a pair of electrodes, immersing the electrode pair in a salt solution, and selectively applying a voltage signal to the electrode pair to induce growth of the nanowire between the electrode pairs.
US08137520B1

A chloride ion-selective electrode comprises: a reference electrode in contact with a reference solution; and a chloride ion-selective membrane as the interface of a sample and the reference solution, wherein the chloride-ion selective membrane comprises a chloride ion ionophore, a chloride ion-exchange resin, a plasticizer, and a polymer matrix.
US08137518B2

A sputter target has a carrier body and a target material arranged on the carrier body, wherein the carrier body has a rear surface facing away from the target material and the target material has a front surface facing away from the carrier body. A ferromagnetic material is arranged between the front surface and the rear surface.
US08137514B2

The present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing sterilized water, spraying apparatus thereof and capsule containing salt using therein, more particularly, comprises a container having a water receiver for accommodating water; at least one negative electrode having at least one negative electrode projection formed thereon in the water receiver; at least one positive electrode having at least one positive electrode projection formed thereon arranged to face the negative electrode projection in the water receiver; and a power supply for supplying electric current to the negative electrode and the positive electrode, thereby promptly manufacturing a large amount of sterilized water within a short time, and thus, enabling users to use for disinfecting and sterilization the fresh sterilized water immediately after directly manufacturing the sterilized water without having aseptic to injured area or the inside of a nose for rhinitis' patients.
US08137512B2

A process for analyzing a sample by a capillary electrophoresis method is provided that allows the apparatus to be reduced in size, allows a high analytical precision to be obtained, and can be carried out easily. The analytical process of the present invention is a process for analyzing a sample by a capillary electrophoresis method. The analytical process includes preparing a capillary tube to be used for the capillary electrophoresis method, and performing electrophoretic separation of a complex of a sample and an anionic group-containing compound that are bonded together, in the capillary tube, wherein the capillary tube includes an anionic layer that is formed of the anionic group-containing compound and that is coated on the inner wall of the capillary tube, and the anionic layer is fixed to the inner wall of the capillary tube by a covalent bond.
US08137495B2

A method of producing a pneumatic tire in which, a cord material of a secondary belt layer has a larger thermal shrinkage rate than that of the primary belt layer to effectively suppress the radial expansion of a tire and advantageously improve cutting-resistance of a tread as in the conventional tire. In the method, a ribbon-shaped strip 22 is folded in a region R, in a developed plan view of a material 21 forming the secondary belt layer, between a side end e of the forming material 21 and a position distanced from the side end toward the tire equatorial side by ¼ of the overall width of the forming material, such that the thus bent ribbon-shaped strip 22 extends in a curved manner to build a green tire.
US08137492B2

An apparatus for laminating tape on an electrode for a rechargeable battery includes a supplying section for supplying an electrode having a current collector with surfaces on which active materials are coated at constant distances from each other. The electrode is wound a plurality of times on the supplying section. The apparatus also includes a first buffering section for carrying the electrode from the supplying section at a constant rate and a laminating section for receiving the electrode from the first buffering section and stopping movement of the electrode for a predetermined time. The laminating section laminates tape on end portions of the active materials after stopping the movement. A feeding section conveys the electrode from the laminating section at a desired pitch. A second buffering section carries the electrode from the feeding section at a predetermined rate and a winding section receives the electrode from the second buffering section.
US08137474B2

A cleaning compound is provided. The cleaning compound includes about 0.1 weight percent to about 10 weight percent of a fatty acid dispersed in water. The cleaning compound includes an amount of a base sufficient to bring a pH of the fatty acid water solution to about a level where above about 50% of the dispersed fatty acid is ionized. A method for cleaning a substrate, a system for cleaning a substrate, and a cleaning solution prepared by a process are also provided.
US08137472B2

A semiconductor process is provided. First, a metal layer, a dielectric layer and a patterned hard mask layer are sequentially formed on a substrate. Thereafter, a portion of the dielectric layer is removed to form an opening exposing the metal layer. Afterwards, a cleaning solution is used to clean the opening. The cleaning solution includes a triazole compound with a content of 0.00275 to 3 wt %, sulfuric acid with a content of 1 to 10 wt %, hydrofluoric acid with a content of 1 to 200 ppm and water. The semiconductor process can reduce the possibility of having an incomplete turning on, a leakage or a short, so that the yield of the product is increased.
US08137470B2

A crucible assembly for deposition and an inner plate used in the crucible assembly. The crucible assembly includes a main body having an inner space accommodating a deposition material and an opening arranged at an upper portion of the inner space, a cap having an aperture arranged at a top of the main body and combined with the main body and an inner plate arranged between the main body and the cap, the inner plate covering the opening of the main body, the crucible assembly including inner channels arranged to allow vapor of the deposition material from the inner space of the main body to be expelled to an outside of the aperture in the cap via a space arranged between an outer side surface of the inner plate and an inner side surface of the cap.
US08137465B1

The present invention relates to curing of semiconductor wafers. More particularly, the invention relates to cure chambers containing multiple cure stations, each featuring one or more UV light sources. The wafers are cured by sequential exposure to the light sources in each station. In some embodiments, the wafers remain stationary with respect to the light source during exposure. In other embodiments, there is relative movement between the light source and the wafer during exposure. The invention also provides chambers that may be used to independently modulate the cross-linking, density and increase in stress of a cured material by providing independent control of the wafer temperature and UV intensity.
US08137463B2

The present invention generally provides apparatus and method for processing a substrate. Particularly, the present invention provides apparatus and methods to obtain a desired distribution of a process gas. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising an injection nozzle having a first fluid path including a first inlet configured to receive a fluid input, and a plurality of first injection ports connected with the first inlet, wherein the plurality of first injection ports are configured to direct a fluid from the first inlet towards a first region of a process volume, and a second fluid path including a second inlet configured to receive a fluid input, and a plurality of second injection ports connected with the second inlet, wherein the second injection ports are configured to direct a fluid from the second inlet towards a second region of the process volume.
US08137462B2

A precursor source vessel comprises a vessel body, a passage within the vessel body, and a valve attached to a surface of the body. An internal chamber is adapted to contain a chemical reactant, and the passage extends from outside the body to the chamber. The valve regulates flow through the passage. The vessel has inlet and outlet valves, and optionally a vent valve for venting internal gas. An external gas panel can include at least one valve fluidly interposed between the outlet valve and a substrate reaction chamber. Gas panel valves can each be positioned along a plane that is generally parallel to, and no more than about 10.0 cm from, a flat surface of the vessel. Filters in a vessel lid or wall filter gas flow through the vessel's valves. A quick-connection assembly allows fast and easy connection of the vessel to a gas panel.
US08137458B2

A ZnO crystal growth method has the steps of (a) preparing a substrate having a surface capable of growing ZnO crystal exposing a Zn polarity plane; (b) supplying Zn and O above the surface of the substrate by alternately repeating a Zn-rich condition period and an O-rich condition period; and (c) supplying conductivity type determining impurities above the surface of the substrate while Zn and O are supplied at the step (b).
US08137455B1

Provided herein are compositions and methods including hydraulic cement, supplementary cementitious material, and/or self-cementing material. Methods for making the compositions and using the compositions are provided.
US08137454B2

A cementitious composition for high density, low porosity sheet-form building materials having solid surfaces is comprised of cement, pozzolans, and a high percentage of fine and/or coarse glass aggregate.
US08137442B2

Process for producing at least one nanoporous layer of nanoparticles chosen from nanoparticles of a metal oxide, nanoparticles of metal oxides, and mixtures of said nanoparticles, on a surface of a substrate, in which at least one colloidal sol, in which said nanoparticles are dispersed and stabilized, is injected into a thermal plasma jet which sprays said nanoparticles onto said surface.Nanoporous layer and device, especially a separation device, comprizing said layer.
US08137440B2

A dryer and a drying apparatus attachable to a dryer are disclosed. A wheel having desiccant material is located in line and in close proximity with a heating element. The wheel includes a first portion positioned in an inlet air path and a second portion positioned in an outlet air path. The desiccant material removes water molecules from air within the inlet air path, and lowers the vapor pressure of the incoming air. In the outlet air path, heated air flows through the second portion to transfer energy to the desiccant material. The wheel rotates to change the desiccant material within the portions.
US08137438B2

Embodiments of the invention provide an electronic device which may include an interior compartment housing at least one electronic component that may be reactive to target impurities. The electronic component may include at least a cathode and an anode. A purifier material may be interspersed within a conducting polymer layer between the cathode and the anode. The purifier material may decrease target impurities within the interior compartment of the electronic device from a first level to a second level.
US08137424B2

An air cleaner device that has a reduced size achieved by curving an air introduction path, that has a cleaner element with extended service life, and in which air flows uniformly in a clean chamber. The air introduction path (21) having an exit (21o) open to a dust chamber (12) of an air cleaner chamber (11) of an air cleaner (10) has a bent path partitioned by a flow regulation plate (22) into an inside branch path (23) inside the curve and an outside branch path (24) outside the curve. Airflows separately flowing into the dust chamber (12) from the exit (21o) after passing through the inside and outside branch paths (23, 24) are deflected upward and directed toward the cleaner element (F) by a first deflection section (33) and a second deflection section (34) arranged in the dust chamber (12). The second deflection section (34) is located at a position closer in the front-rear direction to the exit (21o) than the first deflection section (33).
US08137423B2

A method of making an abrasive article comprising an abrasive disc (1) of non-woven fibres having a central shaft (3) and a hub (2) securing the shaft (3) to the abrasive disc (1). The method comprising forming the hub (3) by injecting molten thermoplastic material into the abrasive disc (1), and allowing the thermoplastic material to cool and solidify such that the shaft (3) is secured to the abrasive disc (1). The invention provides a simple, economical and effective method of securing a shaft to a disc.
US08137418B2

The present invention is a candle composition containing a vegetable lipid base component and a candle formed from the composition. The candle composition may contain up to 100 percent by weight of a vegetable lipid base component. The candle composition may further contain a plant derived crystal modifier.
US08137415B2

The present invention is related to an aqueous composition comprising an alkalizing agent and an aqueous emulsion of a silicone copolymer. The inventors of the present invention have surprisingly found out that a composition comprising at least one alkalizing agent and an aqueous emulsion of divinyldimethicone/dimethicone copolymer with an internal phase viscosity of more than 1×108 mm2/s measured at 0.01 Hz and at about 25° C. colors and/or permanently shapes hair excellently and improves hair shine, combability and manageability and especially hair treated with such composition has less flyaway. Additionally it has been observed that hair colored and/or permanently shaped more homogeneously from root to tips. The subject of the present invention is an aqueous composition for human hair comprising at least one alkalizing agent and an aqueous emulsion of divinyldimethicone/dimethicone copolymer with an internal phase viscosity of more than 1×108 mm2/s measured at 0.01 Hz and at about 25° C.
US08137405B2

A spinal spacer for engagement between vertebrae includes a body extending between a substantially contoured first end surface and a second end surface to define side surfaces and opposing top and bottom vertebral engaging surfaces substantially symmetrical about a centerline axis. At least one opening defines a hollow inner body and includes first and second intersecting openings extending through the top and bottom vertebral engaging surfaces. The second intersecting opening extends through the side surfaces. The second end surface includes at least one aperture formed therethrough in communication with the hollow inner body. A screw opening is defined through at least one plate insert configured to be removably coupled to the second end surface to substantially align the screw opening with the at least one aperture. The bone screw is configured to be threadingly secured within the at least one plate insert.
US08137404B2

Methods and devices are provided for replacing a spinal disc. In an exemplary embodiment, artificial disc replacements and methods are provided wherein at least a portion of a disc replacement can be implanted using a posterolateral approach. With a posterolateral approach, the spine is accessed more from the side of the spinal canal through an incision formed in the patient's back. A pathway is created from the incision to the disc space between adjacent vertebrae. Portions of the posterolateral annulus, and posterior lip of the vertebral body may be removed to access the disc space, leaving the remaining annulus and the anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments in tact. The disc implant can be at least partially introduced using a posterolateral approach, yet it has a size that is sufficient to restore height to the adjacent vertebrae, and that is sufficient to maximize contact with the endplates of the adjacent vertebrae.
US08137402B2

A vertebral defect device for insertion into an intervertebral space between a pair of adjacent vertebrae and for assisting in fusion between the adjacent vertebrae includes a rigid body having an distal end, a proximal end, a top, a bottom and a pair of lateral sides. The distal end is tapered in a general direction that extends between the top and the bottom of the body in order to facilitate insertion of the body into the intervertebral space. At least a first arch is proximate the top of the body and extends from the proximal end of the body toward the distal end of the body. The first arch is spaced from both lateral sides of the body. At least a second arch is proximate the bottom of the body and extends from the proximal end toward the distal end. The second arch is spaced from both lateral sides and is generally laterally aligned with the first arch for providing a rigid, generally vertical support.
US08137395B2

The invention relates to a vessel prosthesis, particularly for the replacement of aorta segments near the heart, in the form of a pleated flexible tube with folds (3), the tube being configured as an arc, and the arc shape being fixed in an extension-resistant manner, in the non-implanted state, by means of extension limiters.
US08137393B2

A stent graft indwelling device (1) comprising a dilator (10) and a sheath (30) in which the dilator (10) and a stent graft (60) are to be loaded, the stent graft indwelling device (1) having a wire (40) or a fixed chip (20) as means for adjusting the insertion angle and/or indwelling site of the stent graft (60) when the stent graft (60) is released from the sheath (30) in a diseased part by this indwelling device, so that the insertion angle and indwelling site can be finely adjusted in a blood vessel in a semi-expansion state where the stent graft is not completely expanded.
US08137392B2

A chemically-activated conformable thermal device that generates heat upon activation is provided. The thermal device typically contains an oxidizable metal that is capable of undergoing an exothermic reaction in the presence of moisture and air to generate heat. Although such metals, as well as other components of the composition (e.g., carbon), are relatively inflexible and stiff, the present inventors have nevertheless discovered that one or more conformable segments may be employed to impart flexibility and conformability to the thermal device. The conformable segments are malleable so that they yield under shear stress and acquire the shape of a surface (e.g., body part) without rupturing. The conformable segments are likewise stiff or hard enough to substantially retain the desired shape during use.
US08137390B2

A system for treating meibomian gland dysfunction. A controller controls heat applied to the tissue proximate the patient's meibomian glands to provide conductive heat transfer to the meibomian glands. The application of heat assists in the expression of obstructions or occlusions in the meibomian glands to restore sufficient sebum flow to the lipid layer to treat dry eye. A force is also applied to tissue proximate the patient's meibomian glands during the application of heat to improve conductive heat transfer and reduce blood flow in tissue that causes convective heat loss. Thus, the application of force can further increase the temperature level and/or reduce the time to reach desired temperature levels for removing obstructions. Reaching increased temperature levels may improve the melting, loosening, or softening of obstructions or occlusions in the meibomian glands. Reducing the amount of time to reached desired temperature levels an aid in reducing discomfort to the patient during treatment.
US08137382B2

A method and apparatus for coupling a soft tissue implant into a locking cavity formed within a bone is disclosed. The apparatus includes a member to pull the soft tissue implant into a femoral tunnel. The member includes a suture having first and second ends which are passed through first and second openings associated with the longitudinal passage to form a pair of loops. Portions of the suture lay parallel to each other within the suture. Application of tension onto the suture construction causes retraction of the soft tissue implant into the femoral tunnel.
US08137381B2

A knotless bone anchor and method for securing soft tissue, such as tendons, to bone, includes a plurality of discrete components. In one variation of the invention, the bone anchor includes a proximal toggle component, an intermediate plug component, and a distal sleeve component. Suture is looped around the plug component and once the anchor is actuated, the suture is compressed between the plug and the sleeve components. Advantageously, one or more of the components may be made of a biocompatible polymer. The polymeric components may be detachably joined to a drive shaft using a plurality of sacrificial fills. The sacrificial fills are broken or severed during deployment of the anchor. Related instruments and methods are also described.
US08137380B2

The present invention relates generally to medical devices and methods for sealing and closing passages formed through tissue. More specifically, the present invention relates to devices for sealing or closing an opening formed through biological tissue comprising a distal or outside margin or surface, and a proximal or inside margin or surface (i.e., a wall thickness), and to apparatuses and methods for delivering such devices, to control (or prevent or stop) bleeding (or the flow of other biological fluid or tissue). The openings comprise percutaneously formed punctures, incisions, or other openings formed through biological tissue, such as in blood vessels, organs, and the like.
US08137376B2

The invention provides a device for filtering emboli from blood flowing through a lumen defined by the walls of a vessel in a patient's body including a filter element. The filter element is expandable from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration. When the filter element is in the expanded configuration, the average pore size is from 30 to 300 microns and the standard deviation of the pore size is less than 20 percent of the average pore size. The filter element has two or more filtering layers, each filtering layer having pores, and each filtering layer being adjacent to at least one other filtering layer.
US08137369B2

A rotational atherectomy device for removing a stenotic tissue from a vessel of a patient is disclosed. The device comprises a rotatable, flexible, hollow drive shaft having an open distal end. The drive shaft comprising a fluid impermeable wall, an abrasive element mounted to the drive shaft proximal to and spaced away from its distal end, the fluid impermeable wall being formed from a torque transmitting coil and at least one fluid impermeable membrane which define a lumen for the antegrade flow of pressurized fluid through the drive shaft and into a distal fluid inflatable support element to inflate said fluid inflatable support element. The distal fluid inflatable support element is located at the distal end of the drive shaft and has an outer wall comprising an outflow opening located such that said outflow opening faces an inner surface of a treated vessel during rotation of the drive shaft so that a flow of fluid out of said opening forms a layer of fluid between the outer wall of the fluid inflatable distal support element and a wall of the treated vessel. The layer of fluid forming a fluid bearing between the outer wall of the rotating fluid inflated distal support element and the wall of the treated vessel.
US08137355B2

A system for installing a vertebral stabilization system. The system includes an installation tool including a handle portion and a shaft extending distally from the handle portion. The shaft includes a conduit and a staple mechanism. The system also includes a flexible implant member extending along the conduit configured to be advanced out from a distal end of the shaft, and a staple housed in the staple mechanism. The staple is configured to secure the flexible implant member to a vertebra. The handle portion is configured to selectively advance the flexible implant member from the shaft and to selectively actuate the staple mechanism.
US08137351B2

A clamp has two arms with gripping jaws for supporting and positioning a superelastic osteosynthesis clip, The osteosynthesis clip comprising a web from which two flanges to be inserted into two portions of bone emerge. The clamp also has a component for preventing the jaws from being opened beyond a point at which the angle between the flanges of a clamp supported clip is greater than 90°; and a second component for preventing the jaws from being closed beyond a point at which the angle between the flanges and the web is substantially 90°.
US08137340B2

The present invention discloses a high power diode-pumped laser for laser ablation of soft tissue. The present invention contemplates to operate the high power diode-pumped solid-state laser at a continuous Q-switching mode and at a big number of transverse modes. The present invention also contemplates to reduce beam divergence and beam spot size and thus to increase power density of the laser on target tissue to improve the speed of tissue ablation. The present invention further contemplates to minimize power consumption such that external water-cooling or secondary cooling loop can be eliminated. The present invention even further contemplates to implement combined mechanisms to protect intracavity optics from power damage. Finally, the present invention contemplates hospitals and surgeon offices to use the high power diode-pumped laser for soft tissue ablation with standard electrical wall-plug outlet and elimination of inconvenient external water-cooling or secondary cooling loop.
US08137333B2

The delivery of biological compounds to ischemic and/or infarcted tissue are described herein where such a system may include a deployment catheter and an attached imaging hood deployable into an expanded configuration. In use, the imaging hood is placed against or adjacent to a region of tissue to be imaged in a body lumen that is normally filled with an opaque bodily fluid such as blood. A translucent or transparent fluid, such as saline, can be pumped into the imaging hood until the fluid displaces any blood, thereby leaving a clear region of tissue to be imaged via an imaging element in the deployment catheter. Additionally, any number of therapeutic tools can also be passed through the deployment catheter and into the imaging hood for performing any number of procedures on the tissue for identifying, locating, and/or accessing ischemic and/or infarcted tissue.
US08137331B2

A tampon showing improved leakage protection through improved expansion characteristics is disclosed. The tampons disclosed demonstrate these improved expansion characteristics particularly in the width dimension without introducing new drawbacks. Preferred tampons are described which are compressed to an initial size comparable to current tampons, but which expand to a width exceeding that achieved by current tampons. Such increased expansion is preferably accomplished without an increase in the total absorbency of the tampon. Tampons of various absorbencies are disclosed having increased total expansion in the width direction compared to current tampons. Additionally, tampons of various absorbencies which expand to a greater degree in the width direction under pressure are also disclosed. Tampons of various absorbencies which expand at a rate exceeding that achieved previously are also disclosed. Microwave conditioning of tampon pledgets following compression is disclosed as part of the tampon formation process.
US08137320B2

A method of securing a biopsy marker within a biopsy site includes depositing a marker element within a biopsy site and fixing the marker element within the biopsy site by injecting a securing agent within the biopsy site. Delivery devices for delivering the securing agent to the biopsy site are also disclosed.
US08137317B2

A vascular introducer assembly is disclosed that includes a dilator, a sheath having an axial lumen for accommodating the dilator, a locking collar for securing the dilator and the sheath to one another and an adjustable hemostatic seal for preventing fluid egress from the axial lumen and restricting insertion of instruments through the axial lumen before and after the dilator is separated from the vascular introducer.
US08137314B2

A delivery device includes a durable housing portion and a separable disposable portion that selectively engage and disengage from each other. The disposable housing portion secures to the patient-user and may be disposed of after it has been in use for a prescribed period. Components that normally come into contact with a patient-user or with infusion media are supported by the disposable housing portion for disposal after the prescribed use, while the durable housing portion supports other components such as electronics for controlling delivery of infusion media from the reservoir and a drive device and drive linkage.
US08137303B2

A vascular access device for communicating with the vascular system of a patient may include a status indicator. The status indicator may detect and signal whether and to what extent at least a portion of the vascular access device has been cleaned.
US08137299B2

An ultrafiltration device adapted to be worn on a portion of the body of a patient includes a blood inlet tube leading from a first blood vessel, a blood pump, an anticoagulant reservoir for infusing anticoagulants into the blood, a blood filter including a substrate through which the blood is circulated and filtered, a fluid bag for storing the excess fluid and a blood outlet tube leading to a second blood vessel.
US08137277B2

Apparatus and methods for assessing tissue characteristics such as the dimensions and volume of an osteolytic lesion are disclosed. The apparatus may utilize ultrasound to provide visual and volumetric feedback related to a lesion or other tissue. Further the apparatus may be utilized to determine whether the lesion has been completely removed and filled with the appropriate amount of graft material.
US08137264B2

An endoscope system includes a first endoscope that includes a first observation optical system with a first viewing angle; and a second endoscope that includes a second observation optical system with a second viewing angle wider than the first viewing angle. A second distance from a second distal end face of an insertion portion of the second endoscope to a minimum focal point of the second observation optical system is shorter than a first distance from a first distal end face of a distal end portion of the first endoscope to a minimum focal point of the first observation optical system.
US08137259B1

A magnetic method for therapeutic treatment of an animal with a tissue dysfunction using a pair of very low power electromagnetic coils connected to a pulse generator, a kit using the pulse generator connected to a pair of very low power electromagnetic coils, and a pet bed containing the pair of very low power electromagnetic coils and pulse generator. The pulse generator can include a power supply, a bi-directional communication and power port, a microcontroller, a processor, a data storage, computer instructions, transistors, a voltage multiplier, and power supply conduits.
US08137257B1

A magnetic therapeutic device useful for medical purposes wherein the head or body part of a user is exposed to a magnetic field created by magnetic elements having opposite polarities. One side of the treated volume, member or body cavity receives a magnetic flux having a north to south polarity while at the same time the opposite side of the treated volume or member is subject to a south to north polarity. The magnetic therapeutic device comprises two permanently mounted magnetic elements, means for mounting the said magnetic elements and means for holding the said magnetic elements at a particular location and substantially opposite sides to each other.
US08137252B2

A bag supply device receives large bags are retained in a stacked state on its mounting portions that are provided on chains. In addition, this bag supply device includes a horizontal support mechanism that supports the rear portion of the stacked large bags so that they can be raised and lowered in order to retain an uppermost surface of an uppermost large bag in a horizontal posture at a discharge position. The chains and the mounting portions are disposed such that the rear portion of the large bags hangs down. The horizontal support mechanism includes a roller that moves along the transport direction, and the uppermost large bag will be retained in a horizontal posture by moving the roller to support the rear portion of the large bags from below.
US08137251B2

An exercise assembly structured to facilitate the performance, by an individual, of a plurality of different exercises depending on the orientation or position in which the exercise assembly is disposed. A base includes an elongated configuration and has a track assembly mounted thereon. Hand grips are movably connected to the base a manner which allows there reciprocal movement in opposite directions along different lengths of the base while also being capable of disposition in any one of a plurality of fixed locations along the track assembly. A support assembly is movably connected to the base and disposable in a supporting orientation and a non-supporting orientation, wherein the base is cooperatively disposed in a first or a second operative position depending on the supporting or non-supporting orientation of the support assembly. One or more accessories are connectable to the base and/or track assembly and are structured to facilitate the performance of an additional plurality of exercises thereon.
US08137249B2

This description is not intended to limit the scope of the claims herein. An exercise device comprising a base that can be oriented at any angle and that defines a plurality of connection interfaces, each of which is designed to carry and restrain one end of a cantilevered resilient member. Said connection interfaces can be positioned at or adjusted to a widely varying range of locations and angular orientations with respect to the base. The resilient members can be affixed to any of the connection interfaces that the user desires, so that the resilient members can be positioned in a correspondingly wide range of locations and angular orientations relative to the base to enable the user to perform a wide range of exercises on the apparatus by gripping and exerting a force on the resilient members or other handles attached to the resilient members.
US08137242B2

A recreational structure, such as a trampoline frame, can be quickly and reliably assembled using a coupling member generally having a “T” configuration. A first arm member and a second arm member are disposed in an opposite relationship with each other. The first and second arm members each receive one end of a horizontal frame member of the recreational structure. The third arm member includes flange members that receive one end of a vertical frame member of the recreational structure and one end of a vertical pole member of, for example, a safety enclosure.
US08137238B2

A gearshift controller for an industrial vehicle, includes: a speed ratio detection unit that detects a speed ratio of speeds of an input axis and of an output axis of a torque converter; a gearshift control unit that shifts up a speed stage when the detected speed ratio is equal to or more than a first predetermined value and shifts down the speed stage when the detected speed ratio is equal to or less than a second predetermined value, which is smaller than the first predetermined value; and an operation member with which a downshift to the first speed is instructed by operation thereof by an operator. When the downshift is instructed by the operation member, the gearshift control unit controls the speed stage to be kept at the first speed for a predetermined time period regardless of the speed ratio detected by the speed ratio detection unit.
US08137231B2

An automatic transmission for an electric vehicle hub includes an external motor rotor fixedly connected with a motor shaft; a sun gear; at least three first planet gears; and at least three second planet gears coaxially fixed with the corresponding first planet gears and which are engaged with the sun gear. The first and the second planet gears are respectively engaged with first and second internal gears, and the second internal gear has a diameter greater than that of the first internal gear. The rotating disk is arranged between the first internal gear and the second internal gear, and a hub is fixed to exterior of the rotating disk. The automatic transmission further includes a clutch device, making the rotating disk and the first internal gear contact with each other for a transmission of slower rpm, and when the rpm reaches critical, at a high-speed rotation.
US08137228B2

A sun gear of a first planetary gear train is connected to an input shaft. A carrier 9 of the first planetary gear train is connected to a sun gear of a second planetary gear train and to a first pump/motor. A ring gear of the first planetary gear train is connected to a second pump/motor, and a ring gear of the second planetary gear train is connected to an output shaft. A first clutch is provided for engaging and disengaging a carrier of the second planetary gear train and the ring gear of the first planetary gear train with and from each other, and a second clutch is provided for engaging and disengaging the carrier of the second planetary gear train and a fixed end with and from each other.
US08137221B2

A racket frame 10 of the present invention includes fiber reinforced resinous layers. At least one of the fiber reinforced resinous layers is a layer (L1) in which a rubber component is blended. A matrix of the layer (L1) contains a rubber component. When a total weight of a matrix contained in the racket frame 10 is defined as Wm (g) and a total weight of the rubber component contained in the frame 10 is defined as Wg (g), a rate Rg (%) of the total weight Wg to the total weight Wm is 2.5(%) or greater and 17.5(%) or less. In this frame 10, a ratio [Rh/Rs] of plane rigidity Rh to throat rigidity Rs is 0.05 or greater and 0.2 or less. Preferably, the plane rigidity Rh is 30 (kgf/cm) or greater and 70 (kgf/cm) or less. Preferably, the throat rigidity Rs is 250 (kgf/cm) or greater and 800 (kgf/cm) or less.
US08137218B2

A device for practicing tennis strokes that enables a user to develop a correct reflex action and a proper stance while playing tennis, including at least: a supporting structure (1) having a base (1a); an arm (3) having a work trajectory; a torsion member (2) including a subunit (12) for adjusting a force acting on the arm (3) and dynamics of movement of the arm (3); a subunit (6) for adjusting the height of the arm; a subunit (8) for setting a deflection of the work trajectory of the arm; a subunit (9) for adjusting the angle of inclination of the torsion member to the vertical axis (B); and a clamping member (4) for non-invasively clamping a tennis ball (5).
US08137195B2

A gaming system comprises a handheld user input device, a processor for receiving input data from the handheld user input device and a gaming application for receiving data from the processor based on the received input data from the handheld user input device. The handheld user input device emulates one of a plurality of different devices associated with the gaming application. Each of the plurality of different devices have a set of input commands associated therewith. The set of input commands associated with the one of a plurality of different devices includes a command based on one of motion and orientation of the handheld device.
US08137194B1

Systems and methods that deliver supplies in interactive social games are described. In some embodiments, a method initializes an instance of an interactive social game for a first player and identifies a supply fulfillment invitation sent to the first player. The supply fulfillment invitation is associated with a request for in-game supplies from a second player and is presented to the first player using a graphical expression of a supply delivery vehicle. A response is received to the supply fulfillment invitation from the first player. The response indicates acceptance or rejection of the supply fulfillment invitation. An in-game benefit is provided to the first player in response to acceptance of the supply fulfillment invitation. The response is communicated from the first player to the second player using the graphical expression of the supply delivery vehicle.
US08137193B1

Systems and methods that deliver supplies in interactive social games are described. In some embodiments, a method receives a request for supplies from a first player in an interactive social game. A graphical expression of a supply delivery vehicle is presented to the first player. The supply delivery vehicle offers multiple supply options, each having an associated processing time. A supply option selection is received from the first player as well as an identity of additional players. The method distributes a supply fulfillment invitation to the additional players using the graphical expression of the supply delivery vehicle. An in-game benefit is provided to the additional players in response to acceptance of the supply fulfillment invitation. The first player is notified upon completion of the processing time for the selected supply option, which indicates availability of the requested supplies to the first player.
US08137191B2

A message acquiring unit (230) acquires a message from data received by a communication unit (210), i.e., acquires a message sent from another character. A decay rate calculating unit (260) senses the gap between the player character and another character and calculates the decay rate of the message sent from another character. A message display control unit (270) displays the message sent from another character by converting a part of the message to one or more masking characters based on the decay rate. That is, the message display control unit (270) determines the number of masking characters in accordance with the decay rate calculated by the decay rate calculating unit (260) and the number of letters in the message, and appropriately selects the determined number of letters from the message and substitutes masking characters for the selected letters.
US08137188B2

A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines. The central server includes a plurality of progressive modules. Each progressive module maintains one or more progressive awards and is associated with zero, one or more of the gaming machines in the gaming system. Upon a determination that a designated one of the progressive awards will be provided, one of the gaming machines associated with the progressive module which maintains the designated progressive award provides the designated progressive award to the player of such gaming machine.
US08137182B2

A system for providing animation on mechanical reels games is disclosed. A gaming machine includes a plurality of mechanical reels each having symbols provided on an outer surface of each of the reels. A lighting system is configured to illuminate a selected symbol on at least one spinning mechanical reels. A game controller generates a game outcome and determines a spin duration for each of the plurality of reels. One or more stepper motors is operatively coupled to the mechanical reels and independently spins each reel. A reel control unit determines the timing of illuminating of the selected symbol on the position of the symbol on the reel when it is illuminated.
US08137181B2

The present invention is a gaming machine having a player time-selectable bonus award scheme whereby the player may redeem, at a time of the player's choosing winning outcomes accrued during base game play. Redemption of each of the accrued winning outcomes is accomplished when a player selects an option to display a winning symbol combination associated with the winning outcome. Selection of the option to display the winning symbol combination associated with the winning outcome always yields an award and sometimes yields another winning outcome, again redeemable at a time of the player's choosing. A counter display on an intelligent button of the gaming machine increments a number as each winning outcome is accrued, and decrements the number as each winning outcome is redeemed. Thus, a second game may be initiated before a first game is complete.
US08137174B2

A gaming device includes a single player poker game that includes one or more opportunities for selecting or forming player hands. In one embodiment, wagers are placed on several player hands, and the gaming device matches these wagers for each of several dealer hands. A play of the game includes one or more opportunities for a player to fold or cancel one of the player hands and withdraw the wager associated with the withdrawn hand. The gaming device may also cause one or more of the dealer hands to be folded. In another embodiment, the game includes dealing several initial player hands and enabling a player to select one of the player hands to compete against one or more dealer hands. In another embodiment, a play of the game includes dealing a plurality of player cards and enabling a player to form multiple player hands from the dealt player cards. The game also includes dealing a plurality of dealer cards and forming multiple dealer hands from the dealt dealer cards. In the embodiments, a number of community cards are dealt and the highest ranking combined hand of the formed or selected player and dealer hands wins an award.
US08137157B2

Provided is a double-sided lapping carrier comprising a base carrier having a first major surface, a second major surface and at least one aperture for holding a workpiece, said aperture extending from the first major surface through the base carrier to the second major surface, wherein the base carrier comprises a first metal, the circumference of said aperture is defined by a third surface of the base carrier consisting of the first metal and, at least a portion of the first major surface or at least a portion of each of the first and the second major surfaces comprises a polymeric region, said polymeric region comprising a polymer having a work to failure of at least 10 Joules. Also provide are methods of lapping.
US08137150B2

An infant toy is disclosed generally comprising a core section and a plurality of tags interconnected about the core section substantially forming the toy. The tags may be different lengths, widths, and colors, and may have different designs printed thereon, in order to further stimulate the infant. In certain embodiments, the tags are fabric loops, and in some embodiments, the toy has a handle member or a connector for attaching the toy to an accessory, such as car keys or a zipper pull. In some embodiments, the tags are arranged in an annular fashion such that they can be worn on the wrist or in the hair.
US08137145B2

New wiring terminations and methods are disclosed. The terminations may be incorporated into any suitable device such as wiring device which comprises a housing having a plurality of wire terminations. At least one of the plurality of wire terminations comprises a conductive surface and an element. The conductive surface is at least partially disposed within the housing. The element is movably mounted at least partially within the housing and is tool-lessly movable between at least a first position and a second position. The first position of the element actuates the termination such that the termination receives a wire and the second position of the element actuates the termination to removably clamp the wire.
US08137141B2

A communication connector uses compensation circuitry to compensate for crosstalk in a network connection. Portions of the compensation circuitry are placed on a flexible circuit board that makes conductive contact with plug interface contacts of the connector. Additional compensation circuitry is provided on a rigid circuit board within the connector.
US08137136B1

An explosion-resistant connector has a receptacle having a female portion and a first outer portion. A plurality of leads extends through the receptacle into the female portion. An adapter has a hollow portion through which the leads also extend, the adapter attaching to the first outer portion. A potting compound is disposed in the hollow portion about the leads. If an explosion occurs, it occurs on an adapter side of the connector as opposed to a receptacle side of the connector.
US08137131B2

A connector assembly is provided including an HDMI connector having a housing and a plurality of electrical contacts extending through the housing. The contacts define a first terminal end extending out from the housing and configured to be connected to electrical traces of a printed circuit board, and a second terminal end disposed opposite the first terminal end. The second end of the contacts can extend from the housing, and thereby be exposed to the ambient environment. The assembly can include one or more support mounts capable of attaching to the housing and to the circuit board to stabilize the connector. A protective shell can surround the second end of the contacts, and can be connected to the housing and to the printed circuit board. A dust cover can cover the upper end of the protective shell.
US08137127B2

In one example an electronic device includes a housing that includes an A/C input or DC input, and at least one circuit substrate that includes electronic circuitry, such as graphics processing circuitry that receives power based on the A/C input or DC input. The electronic device also includes a divided multi-connector element differential bus connector that is coupled to the electronic circuitry. The divided multi-connector element differential bus connector includes a single housing that connects with the circuit substrate and the connector housing includes therein a divided electronic contact configuration comprised of a first group of electrical contacts divided from an adjacent second group of mirrored electrical contacts wherein each group of electrical connects includes a row of at least lower and upper contacts. In one example, the electronic device housing includes air flow passages, such as grills, adapted to provide air flow through the housing. The electronic device housing further includes a passive or active cooling mechanism such as a fan positioned to cool the circuitry during normal operation. In one example, the electronic device does not include a host processor and instead a host processor is in a separate electronic device that communicates with the graphics processing circuitry through the divided multi connector element differential bus connector. In another example, a CPU (or one or more CPUs) is also co-located on the circuit substrate with the circuitry to provide a type of parallel host processing capability with an external device.
US08137114B1

A board-to-board electrical connector includes a male plug having a first insulating body and a plurality of male terminals arranged in rows therein, each male terminal has a protrusion which includes a front guide section and a lower bottom supporting section protruding downwards out of a lower surface of the first insulating body; and a female receptacle correspondingly conducting the male plug, which has a second insulating body and a plurality of female terminals arranged in rows therein, each female terminal is opened with a slide hole, a first wide opening is formed therein for the protrusion to insert, so that the bottom supporting section is lower than the first wide opening, a narrow opening of the slide hole is formed for the front guide section to be pressed therein until the bottom supporting section moves under the narrow opening, so that the protrusion is limited in the slide hole.
US08137112B2

A computerized learning system is provided. The computerized learning system may include a learning application program executable on a computing device. The learning application program may have a user interface configured to present a challenge to a user and receive a user response to the challenge. The user interface may feature a support system configured to present support to aid the user in responding to the challenge. To adjust the support provided to the skill level of the user, a scaffolding engine may be provided to determine a scaffolding level of the user for a skill, and the support system may be configured to adjust the support in response to the scaffolding level. In this manner, support for the user may be more appropriately tailored to the user's ability and change dynamically in accordance with the user's progress.
US08137107B2

A method, system, and computer program for interacting with team members of a virtual team. Persistent storage is configured to store collective qualifications of the virtual team based on the individual qualifications of the team members, while a team broker is configured to present the collective qualifications to third parties. Thus, the broker provides a dynamic representation of the collective knowledge, skills and experience of a virtual team. The broker further enables an entity, such as a team employer or teacher, to interact with the virtual team as if that team were a single entity, rather than a collection of individual members.
US08137106B2

Methodologies for improving a student's phonemic awareness, decoding, spelling, oral and written comprehension are described herein. The method is embodied in a suite of twelve exercises operable on a computing device. The exercises are geared towards training of 1st and 2nd grade students but are not limited to that. The methods present an entertaining screen environment, with target stimulus, and foil or distracter stimulus presented visually, textually, and aurally. The student is required to identify the target stimulus from the distracter stimulus within the context of each exercise. Progress from easier trials to more difficult trials is made as the student successfully completes particular difficulty levels.
US08137101B2

To provide a detachable stopper fixed on a spindle part of a dental drill to regulate the depth of an implant fixture embedding hole in an implant treatment, the detachable stopper includes a stopper main body 1 being made of an elastically deformable metal material, having a cylindrical shape, having a slightly smaller inner diameter than an outer diameter of the spindle part, having a slit part 1a formed along an axial overall length from an outer peripheral face to an inner peripheral face to have an opening, and having a diameter expanding tool insertion part 1b bored at an axial center of the slit part 1a, and a diameter expanding tool 2 to be inserted into the diameter expanding tool insertion part 1b to expand the inner diameter of the stopper main body 1 to be larger than the outer diameter of the spindle part.
US08137096B2

A device for producing blowmolded container products (11) from plastic material, using single mold parts (7) movable along a production line (5) and in pairs toward one another and away from one another to close or open a production mold. The container products (11) are molded and exit after the demolding procedure in the form of a container chain (9) moved along the production line (5). A demolding unit (3) engages the exiting container chain (9) outside the production mold to support the demolding procedure. The demolding unit (3) has a force drive (17) deflecting the container chain (9) out of the production line (5) into back and forth movement.
US08137095B2

A device and a method for forming a ceramic ferrule blank are provided. A shaped wire (2) is disposed in a mold cavity (1) for form a blank, a knock pin mold (4) is disposed in a lower opening of the mold cavity (1), an axle hole (5) for the shaped wire (2) to pass through is opened in the knock pin mold (4), two punching half dies (6) and corresponding half die press heads (7) are disposed over the mold cavity (1), a wire groove (8) for receiving the shaped wire (2) is opened on a side of the half die press head (7), one end of the shaped wire (2) is fixed over the knock pin mold (4), and the other end is clipped by a wire clip unit (9).
US08137094B2

A process for manufacturing a composite yarn including continuous glass filaments intermingled with continuous organic thermoplastic filaments and an apparatus for implementing the process. The continuous glass filaments come from a bushing and are separated into plural sheets. The continuous organic thermoplastic filaments come from a spinning head and are separated into plural sheets. The thermoplastic filaments are thrown into the glass filaments so as to mingle them, in a ratio of at least one sheet of thermoplastic filaments in each sheet of glass filaments, the mingled filaments then being gathered into at least one composite yarn.
US08137092B2

A modular base is provided. A plurality of motor support members are secured to one another by a first linking member. Each motor support member has a mounting surface that is adapted to be secured to a motor, and the first linking member has a central axis and is dimensioned to support the motor. A plurality of extruder support members are secured to one another by a second linking member. Each extruder support member has a carriage that is adapted to be secured to an extruder, wherein the second linking member has a central axis and is dimensioned to support the extruder. An intermediate member having a mounting surface that is adapted to be secured to a transmission is provided. The intermediate member is secured to one of motor support members by the first linking member and secured to one of the extruder support members by the second linking member, wherein the central axes of the first and second linking members displaced from one another at a distance that enables the transmission to transfer mechanical work from motor to the extruder.
US08137090B2

Production device including a press, a conveyor (4) intended to transport pellets from the press to a sintering area, means (26) for transferring pellets from the press to the conveyor (4), and means for inspecting at least one nuclear fuel pellet at the exit of a press, said inspection means including means (20) for identifying each pellet according to its die of origin.
US08137068B2

The pattern has a pattern material and a casting core combination. The pattern material has an airfoil. The casting core combination is at least partially embedded in the pattern material. The casting core combination comprises a plurality of metallic casting cores. Each metallic casting core has opposite first and second faces and a respective portion along the trailing edge of the airfoil. At least two of the metallic cores have sections offset between the pressure side and the suction side.
US08137054B2

A novel supersonic compressor is provided by the present invention. In one embodiment, the novel supersonic compressor comprises a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and at least two counter rotary supersonic compressor rotors, said supersonic compressor rotors being configured in series such that an output from a first supersonic compressor rotor having a first direction of rotation is directed to a second supersonic compressor rotor configured to counter-rotate with respect to the first supersonic compressor rotor.
US08137047B2

A double-arm working machine has an upper swing structure, an operator cabin, left swing post and right swing post provided in front of the upper swing structure, and a left work front A and right work front B provided on the left swing post and the right swing post, respectively, such that the work fronts A, B each sway vertically. An interference prevention controller generates an output signal to swing the swing posts 7a, 7b pursuant to a differential angle between the left and right work fronts A, B and to a command signal from an operating device. A differential angle range in which the left and right work fronts A, B are likely to come into contact with each other is defined as an interference danger area (N), and an assigned differential-angle range contiguous to the interference danger area is defined as a semi-interference danger area.
US08137041B2

Herein is disclosed a fastening assembly that may be used for securing first and second workpieces to each other in such manner as to provide vibration isolation between the first and second workpieces. The fastening assembly comprises an elongated, rigid fastener, and an elastomeric bushing, that are integrally secured together.
US08137029B2

A system and method for remediation of contaminated soil are provided. The system comprises a soil remediation cell of contaminated soil and a plurality of multi-functional conduits located within the contaminated soil. Each multi-functional conduit defines a reaction housing. The multi-functional conduits includes heating elements for introducing heat into the contaminated soil for volatilizing the contaminants located within the contaminated soil, without utilizing mechanically driven forced air. This produces a contaminated vapor. The system and allows for re-circulation of vapors generated during breakdown of contaminants allowing for use of the re-circulated vapor for heat production and energy use. The system may be utilized for remote access and portability to disparate locations whereby the system does not require use of a container or receptacle. A substantial portion of the contaminants in the contaminated vapor are destroyed in the reaction housing. A substantially non-contaminated vapor is produced in which at least about 80% by weight of the contaminants have been destroyed.
US08137028B2

A small vessel dock racking system provides a three-sided cradle that is rotatably connected to two lateral supports extending outward from one side of the dock. A person in the water can float the canoe or kayak into the cradle and lift it into a secure vertical storage position on the side of the dock without having to get up on the dock. A pivot point extending out into the water has the advantages of both accommodating freeboard and minimizing the distance between the pivot and the boat's center of gravity, thereby allowing for much less effort in lifting. Depending on the depth of the vessel, the cradle can be dimensioned so that the position of the vessel's center of gravity tends to hold the cradle in a vertical alignment after it's been lifted. Where needed, a cradle latch that can be activated from the water side further secures the storage position.
US08137026B2

A rotating cylinder cement screeding system having a drive assembly and handle at one end for powering and controlling the screeding system. The rotating cylinder may be defined by one or more tubular screed roller sections of varying lengths, thereby allowing a user to customize the length of the system to match a specific cement pour. Further, each tubular screed roller section may be supplied with a male and female end for interlocking with each other and for receiving a variety of add-on attachments. At least one riser assembly may be interconnected to a drive assembly end and/or a non-driven end of the rotating cylinder cement screeding system. The riser assembly may elevate the rotating cylinder a distance above a finished slab to prevent the rotating cylinder from contacting the finished slab during a screeding operation.
US08137025B2

An asphalt-paved road surface is rejuvenated in a multi-stage recycling process. The first process stage involves grinding, to a selected depth and width, a first strip portion of the surface and transporting it away from the site. The second process stage involves heating and grinding, to a selected temperature and depth, the upper layer of a second strip portion and moving it to the first strip portion to expose a lower layer. The third process stage involves heating and grinding, to a selected temperature and depth, the exposed lower layer of the second strip portion and moving it to the first strip portion. New asphalt is then added to rejuvenate the recycled asphalt and to maintain the grade elevation. The mixture is then placed back on the road surface using conventional means.
US08137019B2

The ink composition for a writing instrument has an aqueous component containing water, a thixotropic agent, a polyhydric alcohol and a pigment, dispersed in an oil component having dyes and non-dye components, wherein the IOB value for all of the dyes in the oil component is no greater than 0.9.
US08137018B2

A bath sponge with integrated soap and a method of making the bath sponge. The method of making the bath sponge includes providing an assembly device formed with a base and two vertical posts. A polyethylene net is inserted over the top of the vertical posts and then the net is cut to a desired size. Folds are made in the net. Soap granules are poured into the net and are held within the folds, thereby remaining in the interior of the net. A rope is then tied around the net between the two posts, thereby stretching the rope so that the center of the net is joined thereby. The net is stretched making the folds alternate inside and outside of the net. The bath sponge is used for personal cleaning and bathing and allows the user to wash without the need for a separate soap.
US08137007B1

A lightweight camera mounting assembly allowing for tilt and pan of a camera through a significant portion of a spherical range of views with minimal parts, minimal weight, and a full 360 degree freedom of rotation. A combined retraction and extension assembly for the camera is provided with minimal weight and complexity. The assembly includes doors which open to allow the camera to extend beyond the surface of a vehicle and to close to protect the camera and allow for landing of the vehicle without external skids.
US08137001B2

A repeatable optical waveguide interconnection may include first and second optical waveguides having respective first and second end faces. Each of the first and second optical waveguides may include a core having a core index of refraction, and a cladding surrounding the core and having a cladding index of refraction different than the core index of refraction. The repeatable optical waveguide interconnection may further include a first index matching elastomeric solid layer having a proximal face chemically bound to the first end face and a low-tack distal face opposite the proximal face to be repeatably optically coupled to the second end face. Further, the first index matching elastomeric solid layer may have an index of refraction matching at least the index of refraction of the core.
US08136998B2

A bearing apparatus includes: two split outer ring halves which are mounted to the housing; a plurality of rolling elements which are provided so as to roll on the two split outer ring halves; and a cage which holds the rolling elements such that the rolling elements are disposed at substantially equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the cage and which is split at a position of the cage to form joint surfaces, an outside diameter of the cage being guided by inner circumferential surfaces of the split outer ring halves. An outside diametrical dimension in a normal direction to the joint surfaces is made larger than an outside diametrical dimension of the cage in a direction parallel to the joint surface, and vicinity of an outside diametrical position of the cage lying in the normal direction is made to be guided by the outer ring halves.
US08136992B2

A hydrostatic mounting of longitudinally displaceably arranged machine parts, which have pressure pockets for hydraulic fluid for building up a hydrostatic pressure between two machine parts, gaps for the hydraulic fluid which are adjacent to the pressure pockets and are delimited by gap faces of the two machine parts, drainage for the reception of hydraulic fluid, and at least one seal arranged between the machine parts and surrounding the drainage sealing against leakage of hydraulic fluid out of the hydrostatic mounting. At least one circumferential portion of the seal has an outer sealing lip and an inner sealing lip. The inner sealing lip is adjacent to the gaps, and a vacuum-loadable drainage portion of the drainage is arranged between the two sealing lips.
US08136990B2

The invention is an inflatable mailer having a liner that can be inflated at the point of use. The liner includes a series of inflatable chambers that are in fluid communication with a common channel. A controlled volume of gas is disposed in the liner. The gas is sufficient to inflate the common channel but is not sufficient to appreciably inflate the inflatable chambers. As a result, the inflatable mailer is in a relatively compact state. The invention includes an apparatus for inflating the mailer. The apparatus includes a nip for moving the controlled volume of gas into the common channel; an inflation nozzle adapted to pierce the inflated common channel and introduce a second portion of gas into the liner until the liner is inflated to a desired level; and a sealing device to seal the inflated liner.
US08136989B2

An X-ray detector is provided. The X-ray detector is a grid wall device, having a radiation detector that is movable vertically by way of a displacement mechanism. The displacement mechanism is a scissor-type arm or an articulated arm having at least two arms hinged to one another. At least one drive device is provided for the purpose of moving the scissor-type arm or an articulated arm.
US08136986B2

A tip element that is capable of being removably attached to an infrared thermometer and includes an axisymetric body having a distal end and an open proximal end. A membrane is located at the distal end of the body that is formed of an infrared transparent material. At least one engagement mechanism is mounted along the proximal edge of the body that has an engagement surface that passes circumferentially about a portion of the proximal edge and which contains an integral rib that extends axially toward said distal end of said body.
US08136976B2

A light guiding structure of a light guide plate is provided. The light guiding structure comprises a plurality of protrusion ridge portions extending along a longitudinal direction. The height or the vertex angle of each protrusion ridge portion periodically or randomly varies along the longitudinal direction.
US08136968B2

Apparatus to attach a shade or skirt to a hanging light fixture without the need to detach the fixture from the ceiling and/or to disassemble the body of the fixture, the apparatus having an upper retaining means, a height adjustment means and a plurality of support means having a first end connected to the shade or skirt, said shade or skirt having a covered peripheral frame defining an open interior and another end connected to the upper retaining means.
US08136967B2

An optical lens and method for designing the lens are disclosed. The lens includes a first surface and a second surface. Light emitted from multiple light emitting elements enters the lens through a central section of the first surface. The light can be reflected from a reflective central section of the second surface and/or undergo total internal reflection at an outer ring section of the second surface one or more times before exiting the lens through the outer ring section of the second surface. Upon exiting the lens, the light beam has a predetermined divergence angle and has a fairly uniform color in the far field even if the multiple light emitting elements have different peak wavelengths.
US08136963B2

A light module is provided and includes a main body and at least an LED. The main body comprises an outer surface and at least a bending portion protruding therefrom, wherein the LED is disposed on the bending portion. Specifically, the bending portion and the outer surface form an included angle θ therebetween, wherein 0°<θ<180°.
US08136960B2

An LED display with a reduced thickness is described. In one embodiment, the LED display includes a second support plate between a front support plate and a back support plate. The second support plate enables the front support plate to be thinner than if the second support plate was not included. The second support plate increases the distance between an LED chip and a light exit surface thereby allowing the front support plate thickness to be reduced by about the thickness of the second support plate. In one embodiment, the second support plate allows the thickness of an LED display to be thinner. The second support plate adds structural integrity to a back support plate. Therefore, the back support plate can be thinner, and thickness of the LED display can be reduced.
US08136958B2

A modular light fixture includes a fixture body having a frame with a top a bottom. The top defines a ballast channel and the bottom has a reflector formed from a sheet material. A lampholder is mounted to the frame and receives and electrically connects to a fluorescent tube positioned adjacent to the reflector. A detachable power pack is removable from the top of the frame and includes a ballast channel cover that detachably engages the ballast channel on the top of frame, and a ballast mounted to the ballast channel cover and having power input wiring, and ballast output wiring electrically connected to the lampholder. A power input connector has a socket portion mounted to the ballast channel cover and electrically connected to the power input wiring of the ballast, and a plug portion connected to a power supply line to provide electrical power from a power source.
US08136954B2

A small-size and light-weight backlight system and a planar display device has a structure such that luminance unevenness and chromaticity unevenness in the vicinity of the incident light portion of a light guide plate are not noticeable. The back light system includes a light guide plate arranged to guide the light from a light source and emit the light in a planar direction. The light source includes a linear light source body arranged in the vicinity of the side edge of the light guide plate. The linear light source body includes a linear body in which a plurality of light emitting elements are embedded in the longitudinal direction. A light direction change sheet is arranged on the light emission surface of the light guide plate. The light direction change sheet has a plurality of protruding stripes arranged substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the linear light source body formed on the surface opposing to the light guide plate.
US08136951B2

In a projection type display apparatus using plural light sources, an optical unit including plural light sources, a first collimator lens, an optical coupling lens, an image display element and a projection lens is formed, and in an optical path extending from the light sources to the projection lens, light is condensed only once on the image display element, thereby minimizing the number of optical parts used and shortening the length of the optical path from the plural light sources up to the projection lens to attain the reduction in size of the projection type display apparatus or the optical unit. In this way it is possible to provide a projection type display apparatus or an optical unit each capable of attaining the reduction of cost by minimizing the number of optical parts used and capable of attaining a high luminance by irradiating the image display element with the light emitted from the light sources without leakage of the light.
US08136950B2

An optical system unit of a projector of the invention includes an illumination side block, an image producing block and a projection side block, the image producing block, in which a DMD display device is fixed which reflects rays of “off” state light to the outside of an entrance opening of a projection side optical system, has a resin accommodation case and a metallic light absorbing portion which is disposed on an inner surface of the accommodation case, an inner surface of the light absorbing portion has heat resisting properties and light absorbing properties, and the accommodation case has in an upper surface thereof a cooling opening for preventing the overheating of the resin which forms the accommodation case.
US08136947B2

An image forming system is described that includes a light source that provides a light beam and an anamorphic refractive optical element. A first outer surface of the anamorphic element faces the light source and includes a toric surface. The light beam is incident upon the first outer face and then an incident surface of the anamorphic element. The anamorphic element directs the light beam to an image forming device. An illumination system is also described where an anamorphic element includes a toric surface and a facet surface.
US08136942B2

A non-round fluid lens assembly includes a non-round rigid lens and a flexible membrane attached to the non-round rigid lens, such that a cavity is formed between the non-round rigid lens and the flexible membrane. A reservoir in fluid communication with the cavity allows a fluid to be transferred into and out of the cavity so as to change the optical power of the fluid lens assembly. In an embodiment, a front surface of the non-round rigid lens is aspheric. Additionally or alternatively, a thickness of the flexible membrane may be contoured so that it changes shape in a spheric manner when fluid is transferred between the cavity and the reservoir.
US08136936B2

Apparatus and methods for controlling application of a substance to a substrate involve the use of a functional agent that blocks the substance from or attracts the principal substance to the substrate. The apparatus and methods may utilize ink jet technology to apply the functional agent directly to the substrate or to an intermediate surface. The principal substance may be an ink, a dye, a marking substance other than an ink, or a carrier for any other type of substance.
US08136932B2

A liquid storage container includes a liquid containing body that is formed of a flexible film and contains liquid therein; a liquid lead-out member connected to the liquid containing body; and a spacer member disposed in the liquid containing body. The liquid containing body deforms in a direction in which inner wall surfaces of the flexible film facing each other are brought into contact with each other at the time of reduction in the remaining amount of the liquid as the inside liquid is taken out through the liquid lead-out member, and the spacer member regulates contact between parts of the inner wall surfaces of the flexible film facing each other at the time of reduction in the remaining amount of the liquid to thereby form a remaining liquid space where liquid remains.
US08136927B2

A piezoelectric actuator includes a first active portion interposed by an individual electrodes and a first constant electric potential electrode and a second active portion interposed by the individual electrode and a second constant electric potential electrode, and a wiring structure is provided with a wiring board and driver IC. The wiring board is provided with individual lines, a power line, a ground line, a first and second constant electric potential lines, a first short circuit line for short-circuiting the power line and the first constant electric potential line, and a second short circuit line for short-circuiting the ground line and the second constant electric potential line. Accordingly, a liquid droplet discharge head, which is capable of suppressing the crosstalk, is provided. The liquid droplet discharge head has the wiring structure suitable for the head.
US08136922B2

Described herein are printheads for inkjet printing and, more specifically, printheads modified with a self-assembly monolayer (SAM). Also described are processes for making and using the printheads as well as processes for forming patterns and images on a substrate including jetting inkjet inks or jettable materials using a printhead for inkjet printing that has been modified with a self-assembly monolayer.
US08136918B2

A printhead maintenance station for maintaining a printhead in an operable condition. The maintenance station has an elastically deformable pad coextensive with the printhead. The pad is a one-piece elastomer pad having a uniform contact surface configured for sealing contact with all nozzles in an ink ejection face of the printhead. A mechanism is configured for reciprocally moving the pad between a first position in which the contact surface is sealingly contacted with all nozzles in the ink ejection face, and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the face. The pad and the mechanism cooperate such that the contact surface is progressively contacted with the face during sealing engagement and peeled away from the face during peeling disengagement.
US08136917B2

An image forming apparatus includes: a liquid jetting head jetting a liquid to form an image; a recovery mechanism discharging the liquid in the liquid jetting head to an external part to recover jetting performance of the liquid jetting head; a controller controlling an operation of the recovery mechanism; and an information obtaining section obtaining predetermined information, wherein the controller controls the recovery mechanism according to the predetermined information obtained by the information obtaining section.
US08136915B2

A liquid ejecting apparatus etc. creating no blank space on a medium is achieved. The liquid ejecting apparatus has: a movable ejection head for ejecting a liquid; a feed mechanism for feeding a medium; and detecting means for detecting a position of an edge of the medium; wherein the apparatus repeats an operation of detecting the position of the edge with the detecting means, an operation of feeding the medium with the feed mechanism, and an operation of ejecting the liquid onto the medium from the moving ejection head; in accordance with the position of the edge that has been detected, the apparatus changes at least either one of a start position and an end position for ejecting the liquid from the moving ejection head; and if the position of the edge was not detected, the apparatus sets the start position or the end position to a position that has been established in advance.
US08136914B2

An image recording method comprises the steps of: acquiring first recording characteristic information of recording elements of a recording head by reading a first test pattern formed with ejecting ink droplet from the recording elements; obtaining first density unevenness correction information based on the first recording characteristic information; acquiring second recording characteristic information of the recording element by reading a second test pattern different from the first test pattern formed with ejecting ink droplet from the recording elements; obtaining second density unevenness correction information based on the second recording characteristic information; correcting image data based on the first and second density unevenness correction information to calculate density unevenness-corrected image data; and calculating an ejection pattern of the recording element based on the unevenness-corrected image data.
US08136910B2

The invention relates to a calibration method for a printer having a mechanism for advancing a medium in a direction of media advance comprising the following steps: (a) providing a printhead, the printhead having a swath height in the direction of media advance; (b) providing an estimate of either the swath height or the characteristic of the mechanism; (c) printing a base pattern on a medium using the printhead; (d) printing an overlay pattern on the medium using the printhead to form an interference pattern; (e) advance the medium of a predetermined distance using the mechanism at a time between the printing of the base pattern and the printing of the overlay pattern; (f) analyze an optical evaluation of the interference pattern; (g) evaluate as either: (i) the swath height if the characteristic of the mechanism is known or estimated; or (ii) the characteristic of the mechanism if the swath height is known or estimated.
US08136908B2

The present invention provides an ink jet printing apparatus and a method for controlling temperature for the ink jet printing apparatus wherein the temperature of a print head, which may lower during printing, is controlled before printing without using any sub-heater to allow a favorable ejection condition to be established without reducing the head temperature below a predetermined value. Thus, scan width information and dot count information are acquired before a carriage starts scanning to determine the heating temperature of the print head on the basis of the information.
US08136906B2

An image forming apparatus calculates an ink temperature considering a thermal capacity near nozzles and an ink circulation flow quantity of a circulation pump in addition to an ink temperature when flowing into a recording head and an ink temperature when flowing out of the recording head, and accurately estimates a waste amount of the ink ejected from the nozzles in, e.g., maintenance processing other than image formation.
US08136904B2

An apparatus to control color registration and image density and a method of calculating a color registration error. The apparatus includes registration marks formed on a transfer belt such that each of the registration marks includes a scan direction component and a slanting direction component at an angle with respect to both the scan direction and the cross-scan direction. The apparatus further includes image density marks formed on the transfer belt, having predetermined image densities, and a registration and image density sensor provided above the registration marks and the image density marks to radiate beams onto the registration marks and the image density marks. The sensor receives beams reflected from the registration marks and the image density marks to produce detection signals, and obtains registration information and image density information from the detection signals. Accordingly, X-offset, Y-offset, printing width error, and skew can be simultaneously compensated for using a single apparatus.
US08136903B2

In an ink jet printing apparatus including a plurality of nozzle arrays, if a print position displacement between the nozzle arrays is adjusted, it is possible to perform high-speed printing at the time of performing a printing operation using only a single nozzle array. Specially at the time of changing a printing state of using a first nozzle array and a second nozzle array into a printing state of using the first nozzle array only, a conveying amount of the printing medium is changed in accordance with the displacement of the printing medium.
US08136900B2

An inkjet recording apparatus includes a nozzle, a charging electrode, a deflecting electrode, a storage device, and an authentication device. The nozzle atomizes a supplied ink into ink particles by exciting and ejecting the supplied ink. The charging electrode electrically charges the ink particles. The deflecting electrode forms an electric field that deflects the ink particles electrically charged. The storage device storing therein a program(s) that implements a predetermined printing function(s). The predetermined printing function(s) becomes executable upon connection of an authentication key to the authentication device.
US08136889B2

The present invention provides a needle-shaped bristle and a method of manufacturing the needle-shaped bristle. The manufacturing method of the present invention includes the steps of cutting and removing a packing sheet, which is wound around a bundle of bristles, by a length ranging from 30 mm to 50 mm from a first end thereof, and grinding first ends of the bristles using a rotating grinder. The manufacturing method further includes steps of packing the first end of the bundle of bristles, from which the packing sheet is removed, using a packing sheet, cutting the bundle of bristles to a length ranging from 22 mm to 32 mm, and immersing a second end of the cut bundle of bristles, thus tapering second ends of the bristles. The needle-shaped bristle has an advantage of realizing a reduction in the proportion of defective products.
US08136885B2

The present invention provides a new and unique method and apparatus for providing rest for the feet of special needs. More particularly, present invention provides a new and unique foot rest that is easily anchored to any standard elementary school-sized chair and that allows a student to sit with proper posture and alignment, as well as get sensory input from having his/her feet on a solid surface.
US08136884B2

A seating product comprising a seat deck assembly secured at opposite ends to a frame. The seat deck assembly comprises a seat deck. A textile border is disposed between at least one end of the seat deck assembly and the frame. The textile border is attached to the frame, thereby flexibly coupling the seat deck assembly thereto. Cushions, padding or an upholstered covering can complete embodiments of the seating product.
US08136879B1

A seat cover for an rowing machine seat has a top for overlying the top of the seat and a skirt extending downward from, and running lengthwise along the length of the perimeter of the seat cover top. A cord that is spaced below the top piece runs along the length of the skirt and has a first end that protrudes from one of confronting lengthwise ends of the skirt and a second end that protrudes from the other of the confronting lengthwise ends of the skirt. The cord allows that skirt to be drawn around the seat for holding the seat cover in place on the seat. An open-top pocket hangs from the seat cover at a location along the perimeter of the seat other than the location at which the opposite lengthwise ends of the skirt are in confrontation. An electrically powered personal device, such as a battery-operated entertainment device, can be placed in the pocket for use by a user of the rowing machine.
US08136878B2

A vehicle seat comprises a seat frame comprising a lower frame connected to side frames, and a seating frame connected to the lower frame. A connecting structure is formed at a position remote from a rotate center as a connecting portion of an end side of the side frame to the lower frame; the connecting structure comprises an elongated hole formed in the applicable side frame and extending in an up-and-down direction, a convex portion formed on the lower frame, an energy absorbing plate, and a guide member for guiding the energy absorbing plate; and the convex portion and the elongated hole are configured to be relatively movable, while plastically deforming the energy absorbing plate which is supported in an abutting manner by a seating frame side of the convex portion and which is disposed in a clamped manner between the convex portion and the guide member.
US08136875B2

Some embodiments relate to armrests equipped with cup holders, wherein the armrest is in pivotal communication with a seat frame member so that the armrest can be stowed and deployed. Some embodiments are also equipped with a locking mechanism that can maintain the armrest in a deployed and/or stowed configuration. Still further, some embodiments include structure for detecting whether the cup holder is occupied and either engaging or disengaging the locking mechanism accordingly. Thus, some embodiments are adapted to lock the armrest in a deployed configuration when a cup or other object is detected within the cup holder.
US08136874B2

A fluid-based or fluidic climate control system for a seat includes first and second portions positionable adjacent to first and second surfaces of the seat and a fluid control module (FCM) for circulating fluid in a closed-loop within the portions. The FCM delivers fluid to the portions at independently-controllable temperatures. An interface may be used to control the temperatures. The FCM may include a heat exchanger module (HEM) having a fan connected to an energy storage device (ESD). The FCM may include a miniature vapor compressor for circulating the fluid. A method of cooling a seat includes positioning first and second portions of the system adjacent to different surfaces of the seat, and using the FCM to circulate fluid within a closed-loop passage of the portions while independently controlling the temperature of the fluid, and thus the portions, using a user interface.
US08136871B2

A strength member for an automobile body such as a side member or a pillar which has a bent portion which is bent two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally and which has an ultrahigh strength with a tensile strength exceeding 1100 MPa is provided. The strength member for an automobile body has a tubular body which has a closed cross section which does not have an outwardly-extending flange and which has a bent portion which is bent two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally, a portion to be cut or punched, and a portion to be welded. The tubular body has an ultrahigh strength heat-treated portion which has been heat treated to have a tensile strength exceeding 1100 MPa, a high strength heat-treated portion which is the remainder other than the ultrahigh strength heat-treated portion and which has been heat treated to have a tensile strength of at least 600 MPa and at most 1100 MPa, and/or a low strength heat-treated portion which is the portion to be cut or punched or the portion to be welded and which has been heat treated to have a tensile strength of less than 600 MPa.
US08136857B2

A pick-up style utility vehicle includes a front seat, a rear seat, a cargo bed expandable in a front direction, and a screen shield arranged at a front end of the cargo bed. The cargo bed can be changed between an expanded state in which the cargo bed is expanded in a front direction into a riding space, and a non-expanded state not occupying the riding space. The screen shield is slidably supported by a vehicle body configuring portion, for example, a guide portion provided on an expandable side panel and extending in a front and rear direction, so as to be movable in a front and rear direction between an expanded position and a non-expanded position.
US08136854B2

This disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods for providing and using concealable license plate mounting systems. Specifically, the present invention is a license plate mounting system that provides an aesthetically pleasing and aerodynamically efficient bumper surface in states not requiring front license plates, while simultaneously allowing the simple and secure affixing of a license plate in states requiring the display of a front license plate.
US08136846B2

A thread form is shown which is used to make a threaded connection between two tubular members and which is capable of being screwed together and subsequently unscrewed. A pin member is provided having external threads with stab flanks and load flanks and flat crests and roots for mating with the mating internal threads of a box member to make up a pipe connection. The thread crests on the pin member are cylindrical with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the tubular member while the thread roots are cut on a taper so that the height of the threads vary over the length of the thread form. The threads on the pin and box members can also be cut oppositely so that respective members of the thread forms are mirror images of each other.
US08136844B1

A hose connection structure for an air mattress and includes a casing, a plurality of pipe fitting units, a retention board and a resilient buckle. The plurality of pipe fitting units is first jointed together to form an assembly, which is then combined with the retention board and the resilient buckle to then mount inside the casing. The pipe fitting units each comprise a plurality of pipe fittings each having a rear end coupled to an air hose extending to an air mattress. A projection formed on the retention board and a barb formed on the resilient buckle are then put into engagement with a connector of an air pump so as to realize connection of multiple hoses and loosening resistance.
US08136840B2

A height-adjustable support (10) for semi-trailers or the like, comprising a support outer tube (13) which can be fastened to a chassis of the semi-trailer, a slidable support inner tube (14) arranged in the support outer tube (13), at whose lower end region a foot (15) is fastened and which is connected with a nut (17) located on a spindle (16) which is drivable by means of a transmissionwherein the transmission has at least a bevel gear stage (20, 24) and a shiftable transmission area located upstream having gearwheels with spur toothing for a fast-gear operation and a low-gear operation, and wherein the at least present gearwheels and pinions, i.e. a fast-gear gearwheel (29) with a fast-gear pinion (23), a low-gear pinion (25b) with a low-gear intermediate gearwheel (30a) as well as a low-gear intermediate pinion (30c) with a low-gear gearwheel (22) of the transmission area located upstream are arranged in pairs in at least three different vertical planes distributed within and/or in front of the support outer tube (13).
US08136834B2

The invention relates to a motor vehicle seat (1) having an upholstered component (3) which is covered by flexible covering (4), and a safety device which is arranged in the upholstered component (3) and has an airbag (5) which is coupled to a gas generator (6). The gas generator (6) is activated when sensor data relating to an accident or an imminent accident are present to inflate the airbag (5) with gas and unfold the airbag. An activator (8) is provided by means of which the airbag (5) or separate gas cushion (7) can be additionally repeatedly inflated with gas in a reversible fashion. The covering (4) is of an inelastic design, at least in certain areas, and has an elastic section (9) which is arranged in the covering (4).
US08136833B2

An airbag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system is provided. The airbag arrangement comprising an inflatable airbag for protecting a vehicle occupant, a fastening element for fastening the airbag to a support structure, and means for counteracting a torquing of the fastening element pre-mounted at the airbag, wherein the means comprise an opening through which the pre-mounted fastening element reaches, said opening being designed to counteract a torquing of the pre-mounted fastening element. The opening comprises two sections that cross one another.
US08136824B2

A suspension assembly for an agricultural machine, adapted to reduce bump steering. The suspension assembly includes a strut shaft, a hollow tube, a cushioning mechanism, and a force control pad. The strut shaft can have an elongated body having a first end, a second end, and a middle portion, the middle portion defining a cutout. A wheel support can extend from the strut shaft and can be adapted to carry a wheel. The hollow tube can be at least partially disposed around the strut shaft and can be adapted to allow longitudinal motion of the strut shaft. The cushioning mechanism can cushion the longitudinal motion of the strut shaft. The force control pad, which can be connected to the hollow tube, can be engageable to the flat area of the strut shaft. The force control pad can impart or resist rotational force when engaged to the strut shaft.
US08136820B2

An electrostatic chuck with a heater includes: a base formed of a sintered body containing alumina; an ESC electrode provided in an upper portion side in the base; and a resistance heating body embedded in a lower portion side in the base. The base is composed of a dielectric layer from the ESC electrode to an upper surface of the base, and of a support member from the ESC electrode to a lower surface of the base. In the support member, a carbon content differs between an ESC electrode neighborhood in contact with the dielectric layer and a lower region below the ESC electrode neighborhood, a carbon content in the dielectric layer is 100 wt ppm or less, the carbon content in the ESC electrode neighborhood is 0.13 wt % or less, the carbon content in the lower region is 0.03 wt % or more and 0.5 wt % or less, and the carbon content in the ESC electrode neighborhood is smaller than the carbon content in the lower region. The resistance heating body contains niobium or platinum.
US08136819B2

There is provided a sealing structure and a gasket which can seal both of a portion where a groove for mounting the gasket is formed and a portion where a groove for mounting the gasket is not formed when the portions are connected.The gasket includes a first gasket portion 110 which has a first mounted portion 111 to be mounted in a first groove 211 to come in close contact with a bottom face 211a of the first groove 211 and which is formed in a shape along an end portion of an outer wall portion 210 and a second gasket portion 120 which has a second mounted portion 150 to be mounted in a second groove 221 near a portion connected to the first gasket portion 110 and which is formed in a shape along an end portion 220 of a partition wall 220, the second mounted portion 150 having an inclined face for coming in close contact with the inclined bottom face 221a of the second groove 221.
US08136815B2

An interactive brainteaser puzzle which includes a circular base having a central recess, a raised collar about the central recess, a raised rim about the periphery, a plurality equally spaced radial lines extending between the raised collar and the raised rim to form a plurality of wedge shaped spaces thereabout and a plurality of apertures, wherein each aperture is located in one wedge shaped space. A plurality of pegs is provided, wherein each peg is of a size to removably fit into the central recess and any of one of the apertures. A plurality of wedge shaped plates are also provided, wherein each wedge shaped plate is of a size to extend between the raised collar and the raised rim to manually slide within the circular base and stop on any one of the wedge shaped spaces.
US08136807B2

In a sheet aligning apparatus, a pair of sheet aligning members stops at three positions such that when a sheet aligning operation is not conducted, the pair of sheet aligning members is stopped at the first position of an upper level so as not to come in contact with sheets discharged from a discharging section, when the sorting section shifts for sorting, the pair of sheet aligning members is stopped at the second position of a middle level lower than the first position so as not to come in contact with sheets stacked on the tray, and when a sheet aligning operation is conducted, the pair of sheet aligning members is stopped at the third position of a lower level so as to come in contact with the top surface of the tray or the upper surface of the sheets stacked on the tray.
US08136796B2

A carburetor with a starter includes a carburetor body, a main fuel supply device with a swing frame, an idle speed fuel supply device with a main metering pin, a starter, a joint for a fuel input pipe and a main nozzle having a fuel nozzle. The carburetor further includes an operating mechanism having a linkage arm and an air strangler. The air strangler and the linkage arm are pivoted to two sides of the carburetor body, respectively. The linkage arm has an upper position and a lower position formed thereon. The upper position presses against the swing frame so as to move the main metering pin and cause the air strangler to shut down an air passage in the carburetor body.
US08136794B2

A winch with adjustable arms allowing the length to be adjusted. The winch can have a very thin drum to allow it to fit in confined spaces.
US08136792B2

A stemmed control valve having a housing containing a first packing assembly that is compressively loaded externally of the housing, and a second packing assembly that is independently compressively loaded in a fixed manner internally of the housing.
US08136787B2

A device mounting apparatus includes a mounting base portion having a plurality of opposing pairs of rails. The mounting base portion is adapted for mounting on a support structure. The apparatus further includes a mounting tab affixed to a device for snap in mounting between a pair of rails, whereby the device is captively retained on the mounting base portion, and can be disengaged therefrom by snapping the mounting tabs out of the associated pairs of rails.
US08136786B2

A collapsible easel with three legs is provided. First ends of the three legs are attached at an apex. The legs are moveable with respect to one another about the apex. The legs are moveable between collapsed and opened positions. The legs are disposed substantially adjacent one another in the collapsed position. The second ends of the legs are spaced a distance away from each other in the opened position. The legs form an upright pyramidal configuration when in the opened position. The easel is supported by a collapsible reinforcing member joining two of the legs. The reinforcing member has first and second arms joined by a pivoting mechanism. The easel is also reinforced by a collapsible bracing assembly comprising alpha, beta, and gamma support members attached to the set of three legs.
US08136767B2

A system and method for control of a fluid flow. The system includes an array of interdependent fluidic actuators, each including a chamber, a flow control port, and opposite side walls configured to expand apart and contract together to flow a control fluid through the flow control port in response to an input, wherein adjacent actuators in the array of interdependent fluidic actuators are integrally coupled together via a common side wall of the opposite side walls.
US08136760B2

The invention relates to an architecture for a hydraulic system for operating the landing gear of an aircraft including at least one pressure source and at least one hydraulic return, the system having a hydraulic circuit comprising a first hydraulic line that, when pressurized, causes the landing gear to be lowered, and a second hydraulic line that, when pressurized, causes the landing gear to be raised, said lines being selectively pressurized by means of a hydraulic distribution member comprising at least an isolation valve and a selector for putting one of the lines into communication with pressure and the other line into communication with return. According to the invention, the architecture includes passive bypass means for bypassing the selector, said means being disposed between the second line and an admission line that extends between the isolation valve and the selector, and forced return connection means for forcing the isolation valve to isolate the pressure circuit of the aircraft and connect the admission line to return.
US08136746B2

The present invention relates generally to the field of coal flow in the outlet portion of a coal pulverizer, and in particular to a new and useful system/apparatus, method and drive means for controlling the position of one or more coal flow vanes in the upper portion of a coal pulverizer. The system and/or apparatus in accordance with the present invention utilizes a “cartridge” which is insertable into a turret at the top portion of a coal pulverizer, the present invention permitting the control of one or more coal flow vanes via an internal control system/means. In certain embodiments, the “cartridge” in accordance with the present invention encircles the raw coal inlet pipe, and is insertable into a turret at the top portion of a coal pulverizer, the present invention again permitting the control of one or more coal flow vanes via an internal control system/means.
US08136744B2

An extendable sprinkler device comprises a base cylinder having a first end fluidly communicable with a second end via a through passageway. A primary extension assembly is coupled within the through passageway of the base cylinder and is positionable between collapsed and extended positions. The primary extension assembly comprises a primary extension cylinder having a first end fluidly communicable with a second end via a through passageway. A stop is coupled to the first end of the primary extension cylinder. An actuator cylinder is coupled within the primary extension cylinder. The actuator cylinder comprises a first end fluidly communicable with a second end via a through passageway. The second end of the actuator cylinder is coupled with the second end of the primary extension cylinder.
US08136743B2

A flow shut off or throttling valve is provided in a sprinkler nozzle housing to enable a nozzle to be changed without having to turn off a flow pressure source. The valve intersects a flow path through the nozzle housing and has an opening such that when the opening is aligned with the flow path, a flow stream can flow unobstructed through the flow path. The valve is movable between a fully open position in which the opening is aligned with the flow path and a closed position which blocks the flow stream from flowing to a nozzle disposed at an outlet passage of the flow path. The valve may be constructed to be either slidable or rotatable between the two positions, and is actuated by a gearing arrangement which is operable at the exterior of the nozzle housing. The external valve actuator may function as a physical barrier to retain the removable nozzle in the nozzle housing when the valve is open and to disengage the nozzle when the valve is closed.
US08136725B2

The present invention includes an IC card that can realize high function without increasing the size of an IC chip, and that can realize cost reduction. The IC card has a first single crystal integrated circuit, a second integrated circuit, and a display device. The second integrated circuit and the display device are each formed from a thin film semiconductor film, over a plastic substrate, and the first single crystal integrated circuit is mounted on the plastic substrate so as to be electrically connected to the second integrated circuit.
US08136705B2

A dispenser for dispensing a volume of viscous material on a substrate includes a frame, a gantry system coupled to the frame, and a dispenser unit coupled to the gantry system. The dispenser unit includes a housing having a chamber, and a piston disposed in the chamber. The piston has an elongate body and is configured to move between a pre-dispense position and a dispense position within the chamber. The dispenser unit further includes a motor to drive the movement of the piston within the chamber. The motor includes a rotating shaft, a wheel coupled to the rotating shaft, the wheel having at least one drive magnet, and a driven magnet disposed between wheel and the piston. The dispenser further includes a nozzle coupled to the housing. The nozzle has an orifice to dispense viscous material. Other embodiments of the dispenser and methods of dispensing are further disclosed.
US08136704B2

This device for applying a deodorant comprises a chamber (1) which is a transparent bottle, which contains a saturated alum solution (2) and alum crystals (3). The device is equipped with a conventional hand pump (4) provided with a push-button (5) to allow the solution to be extracted and sprayed onto the body. The bottom of the pump has an inlet (6) via which the solution is drawn up when the pump is operated. A cylindrical second chamber (8) is fixed around the bottom of the pump via its upper end (9). The lower end (12) of the second chamber extends down to the bottom (10) of the bottle, but leaving a gap to allow the solution drawn up by the pump to pass through the passage (11) left open. The interior volume (13) of the second chamber (8) is at least three times greater than the volume of the solution that the pump can extract in a single press of the push-button. Each time the push-button is pressed, the pump therefore extracts only the top portion contained in the second chamber, which means that the small crystals, which are not carried up as high as this, do not block the pump. The volume of solution contained in the second chamber allows several applications in the inverted position.
US08136698B1

A hand holdable applicator for delivering solutions and materials in a pressurized fluid system. Additives of solutions or materials are contained in replaceable, collapsible cartridges or liners, responsive and compressible to external fluid pressure regulated by the operator. Upon compression, additives combine with variably controlled fluid ingress and are mixed before dispersing through a nozzle having varying spraying configurations. The applicator may hold a plurality of cartridges, and additives may be administered separately or in combination.
US08136693B2

A closure for a beverage container that has a cap for overlapping a mouth of the beverage container. An arcuate member attached to the cap having a pair of extremity portions separated from one another and a springing member is connected to the arcuate member proximate to one of the extremity portions that is angularly pivotally moveable in response to a manually applied force, between a first position at which the springing member closes and completes a continuous periphery of the arcuate member and a second position at which the arcuate member periphery is open.
US08136688B2

A trash can assembly is provided having an outer shell and a lid pivotally coupled to the shell for movement between an open position and a closed position. A foot pedal is operatively coupled to the lid such that pressing down on the pedal caused the lid to open. A fluid damper is mounted to dampen the downward movement of a lid. The damper engages a support surface operatively coupled to the lid such that the support surface moves in conjunction with movement of the lid as the lid moves between the open position and the closed position, and yet the fluid damper is unsecured to the support surface.
US08136686B2

A dispensing container includes a selectively removable cap to which a variety of articles may be securely and selectively attached. The dispensing container includes a dispensing body in which material for dispensing is stored. The dispensing body includes a closed end, at least one side wall and an open end through which the material is dispensed. The dispensing container also includes a cap shaped and dimensioned for selectively covering the open end of the dispensing body. The cap includes a first end shaped and dimensioned for frictionally engaging the open end of the dispensing body for secure and selective attachment thereto and a closed second end including a clasp extending therefrom. The clasp includes a first arm and a second arm. The first arm includes a first arcuate member and a first upwardly extending connecting member linking the first arcuate member to the cap, and the second arm includes a second arcuate member and a second upwardly extending connecting member linking the second arcuate member to the cap. The first arm and the second arm are oriented upon the cap so as to overlap in a mating configuration with the first arm lying over the second arm, the first arcuate member and the second arcuate member overlapping through a substantial portion of their respective arcs.
US08136681B2

A stem may comprise a circular base, a plurality of outer ears, and a plurality of outer uprights. The circular base may have a circular outer perimeter centered on a center point of the circular base. The plurality of outer ears may protrude outwardly from the circular outer perimeter. The plurality of outer uprights may be respectively connected to each of the plurality of outer ears at a bottom end of each of the plurality of outer uprights. The plurality of outer uprights may be substantially parallel with each other and may be substantially perpendicular to the circular base. The stem may be configured to allow an additional stem to mateable stack inside the stem. The additional stem may be rotated (with respect to the stem) an incremental amount such that sides of outer ears of the additional stem may respectively contact sides of the outer uprights of the stem.
US08136677B2

An adjustable card pocket having a back panel for attachment to a shelf or a mating panel and two half card pockets that are operatively attached to the back panel for holding and displaying greeting cards of varying width dimensions. The back panel contains four pocket engagement slots to engage the two pocket engagement tabs on each half card pocket. The back panel further contains a six adjustment slots designed to receive the one adjustment tab located on each of the half card pockets. The adjustment tabs can be inserted into one of three adjustment slots located on each side of the back panel allowing the pocket to contain cards of different width dimensions. The width of the pocket can be adjusted by applying a slightly outward force to each half card pocket to disengage the adjustment tabs from the adjustment slots and then slidably moving the half card pockets in either an inward or outward direction and re-engaging the adjustment tabs with another set of adjustment slots. The adjustable card pocket may be connected to a mating panel or other greeting card display device by engagement means located at the top and bottom of the back panel.
US08136676B2

One object of the present invention is to provide polymers suitable for use as medical materials. The present invention provides a polymer useful as a medical material having the general formula -(A)1-(B)m—(C)n—  (I) in which A is derived from an alkoxyalkyl (alkyl)acrylate monomer; B is derived from a monomer containing a primary, secondary, tertiary or quaternary amine group; C is derived from a non-ionic monomer; and 1+m+n=100,0<1, m, n<100.
US08136675B2

The present invention relates to a permselective asymmetric hollow fibre membrane for the separation of toxic mediators from blood, comprised of at least one hydrophobic polymer and at least one hydrophilic polymer. Further, the present invention relates to a process for the preparation of such a membrane, and the use of said membrane in hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration, and hemofiltration for treatment of toxic mediator-related diseases.
US08136668B2

The present invention relates to articles of manufacture for the packaging of brittle, elongated, and/or asymmetrically-shaped retail items for retail display to consumers. In some embodiments, the article of manufacture serves to protect the retail items from breakage during display or transit while allowing ready visual inspection by the consumer. In a preferred embodiment, the retail items are candy canes.
US08136664B2

A package comprising an externally visible face. The externally visible face comprises indicia, the indicia having disposed thereon a relatively glossy or shiny coating. The externally visible face is embossed in a portion corresponding to the indicia. The externally visible face comprises an additional coating surrounding the indicia, the additional coating being relatively non-glossy. The indicia is non-alphanumeric.
US08136659B2

The invention provides a two-part package and method of use for a pre-attached medical implant and delivery tool system. The package includes a wet compartment and a dry compartment and allows a pre-attached implant and delivery tool system to be at least partially stored immersed in a fluid in the wet compartment and at least partially stored in the dry compartment. In one embodiment the implant comprises a replacement heart valve, and the heart valve is stored inside the wet compartment while the heart valve delivery tool remains dry in the dry compartment.
US08136646B2

A cylindrical dynamic damper including: a cylindrical fastening member of elastic body to be fitted onto a rod shaped vibrating member; a mass member of tubular shape disposed about the cylindrical fastening member in a concentric fashion; a plurality of elastic connecting members disposed between the cylindrical fastening member and the mass member to extend in an axis-perpendicular direction; and a plurality of thin elastic film members disposed between and integrally formed with circumferentially adjacent ones of the elastic connecting members. The cylindrical fastening member and the mass member is elastically connected together via the elastic connecting members and the elastic film members. Each of the elastic film members is inclined to one axial side, and at least one of the elastic film members is inclined to an opposite axial side in comparison with the other elastic film members.
US08136645B2

A rotary damper is provided and includes: a housing; an annular ring member that is provided in the housing, and is made of elastomer or flexible rubber; a shaft body that is accommodated in a rotatable manner in the housing; and a sliding portion that is provided in the housing and makes contact with the ring member so as to freely slide with respect to the ring member along the circumferential direction thereof, in which: the ring member has an abutting portion that abuts the sliding portion, and a hollow portion provided inside the ring member; the hollow portion has an opening portion on the side opposite to the abutting portion; in the state of having enclosed gas in the hollow portion, the opening portion is hermetically joined to the inner surface of the housing; a projected portion that engages with the opening portion of the hollow portion is provided on the inner surface of the housing; and a pressing member that presses the ring member toward the inner surface of the housing is provided on the inner side and/or outer side of the ring member in the radial direction.
US08136641B2

An actuating mechanism, particularly for a disc brake caliper, including a screw actuator having a screw 40 and a nut 18 threadably coupled together, an electric drive for driving one of the screw 40 and the nut 18 axially relative to the other and including a stator 20 and a rotor 22, a sleeve assembly including a generally cylindrical sleeve 25 interposed between the rotor 22 and the nut 18 and supporting the rotor 22 for rotation relative to the sleeve 25. The rotor 22 is connected to one of the screw 40 or the nut 18 for rotating the screw 40 or the nut 18. The screw actuator being at least partly mounted within the sleeve 25 and being arranged to bear against a portion of the sleeve assembly to transmit axial thrust to the sleeve assembly, and the sleeve assembly cooperating with an abutment to transmit the axial thrust to the abutment.
US08136633B2

A modified scaffold support post includes areas of reduced diameter, intermediate the length of the support post, having connecting rosettes secured to these reduced diameter areas. Preferably the areas of reduced diameter correspond to diameter of support tubes used as uprights in scaffold frames in North America (approximately 1.69 inches in outer diameter). Preferably the areas of reduced diameter are formed by swaging a tube of a larger diameter, typically approximately 1.90 inches. The modified support post is advantageously used with scaffold frames with connecting rosettes appropriately positioned on the uprights of the scaffold frames.
US08136629B2

In a muffler which includes an outer tube which configures an outer wall, an inner tube provided in the outer tube and having punching holes formed therein, and a sound absorbing material filled between the outer tube and the inner tube, and which is attached to an exhaust pipe for exhausting exhaust gas from an engine, the number of punching holes at portions of the inner tube which have a great length to the outer tube is set greater than the number of punching holes at portions of the inner tube which have a small length to the outer tube in comparison with the portions having the great length.
US08136628B2

An exhaust system for a motorcycle is configured to enhance output while maintaining a necessary noise level. The exhaust system includes an exhaust pipe connected to an engine, and a silencer connected to the exhaust pipe. The silencer includes a hermetically sealed outer cylinder and an inner cylinder disposed within the outer cylinder so as to extend along an axis of the outer cylinder. The outer cylinder has a front end portion connected to the exhaust pipe and a rear end portion opened toward the atmosphere. The inner cylinder includes a reduced diameter portion with a diameter which becomes smaller in the downstream direction, a throttle portion with a constant diameter, the throttle portion being connected to the reduced diameter portion, and an enlarged diameter portion connected to the throttle portion with a diameter which becomes larger in the downstream direction.
US08136615B2

A method for operating a hybrid drive in a vehicle with an internal combustion engine and at least one electric machine connected thereto which is in connection with at least one energy storage device including operating the internal combustion engine is operated in overload mode in at least one preferably exceptional operating situation of the hybrid drive in order to avoid power losses at low loading state of the energy storage device.
US08136614B2

A method of operating a hybrid vehicle propulsion system includes selectively operating the engine to consume fuel stored on-board the vehicle based on a residence time of the fuel stored on-board the vehicle and further based on a profile of ambient conditions over the residence time.
US08136612B2

Some embodiments of the invention concern HDD in an automatic drilling mode. Such embodiments can include maintaining a constant output parameter while performing a drilling operation using an HDD rig (20) having a thrust pump, generating hydraulic fluid pressure measurements from one or more pumps of the HDD rig, comparing the hydraulic fluid pressure measurements to a variable pressure limit, calculating a derivative value using the measured hydraulic fluid pressure measurements, comparing the derivative value to a derivative threshold, decreasing the variable pressure limit when the derivative value exceeds the derivative threshold, wherein the amount that the variable pressure limit is decreased is based on one or more of the hydraulic fluid pressure measurements, and reducing output of the thrust pump when the comparison of the hydraulic fluid pressure measurements to the variable pressure limit indicates that one or more of the hydraulic fluid pressure measurements exceed the variable pressure limit.
US08136606B2

A device for impacting a fastener in one embodiment includes a frame, a motor mounted to the frame and including a drive shaft defining a drive shaft axis, a lever arm including a pivot axis parallel with the drive shaft axis, a flywheel rotatably mounted on the lever arm and operably connected to the motor for storing energy received from the motor, a drive mechanism for impacting a fastener, and a solenoid configured to pivot the lever arm between a first position wherein the flywheel is spaced apart from the drive mechanism and a second position wherein the flywheel can contact the drive mechanism.
US08136579B2

The invention relates to a heat exchanger which is intended, for example, for a motor vehicle and which comprises a tube bundle (2) and spacers which are positioned between the tubes of the bundle in order to promote the exchange of heat. The bundle is defined by two end spacers (70, 71). The inventive exchanger also comprises two collector plates through which the ends of the bundle are intended to pass and at least one flange (50, 51) which is disposed on one or the end spacers. Advantageously, the flange comprises at least one expansion zone (80) in order to compensate for the longitudinal expansions thereof, while the transverse section of the flange in the expansion zone is essentially U shaped.
US08136575B2

A twin-roll continuous casting machine includes: a moving mechanism for moving, relative to one roll, another roll; a plurality of upper side support rolls for supporting the one-roll side of a cast slab separated from the one roll and withdrawn; and a plurality of lower side support rolls for supporting the other-roll side of the cast slab pulled out from the clearance between both rolls. The upper side support rolls are rotatably supported by first bearers, while the lower side support rolls are rotatably supported by second bearers having a force for urging the lower side support rolls toward the cast slab. The cast slab is transported, with an upper surface portion of the cast slab pulled out from the clearance between both rolls serving as a reference surface.
US08136572B2

A method of producing a precision centrifugal casting includes: a) providing a centrifugal casting device having a rotor rotatable around an axis, at least one crucible accommodated in the rotor, and at least one mold associated with the crucible and disposed at a first radial distance from the axis, b) creating a metal melt within the crucible, c) rotating the rotor thereby forcing the melt using centrifugal forces from the crucible into the mold, d) exerting a pressure on the melt forced into the mold until the temperature of the solidifying melt has reached a predetermined cooling-temperature in a range of 1300° to 800° C., wherein the pressure corresponds to the centrifugal force acting on the melt just when the mold is completely filled, times a factor of 1.0 to 5.0, and e) relieving the pressure when the temperature of the solidifying melt is lower than the predetermined cooling-temperature.
US08136571B2

A process is used for applying carbiding agents to the surface of ferrous metal castings, using the “lost foam” method. Carbiding agents are applied to the foam form at selected places so that the final product has the desired amount of carbidic content at the right locations to endure high stress applications on the casting.
US08136570B2

A tarpaulin mounting frame for tightening a tarpaulin includes a frame profile having at lease one groove. A anchor profile having a rounded-off foot on its edge facing the tarpaulin, wherein the rounded-off foot is insertable into the groove of the frame profile and is pivotable therein. The anchor profile has at least one receptacle for a weatherstrip, wherein the anchor profile reaches a position substantially parallel to the plane of the tarpaulin by pivoting around the foot and thereby tightens the tarpaulin, wherein the anchor profile between the foot and the receptacle for the weatherstrip is in contact with the frame profile.
US08136560B2

A tire noise reduction device includes at least one noise absorbing member made of a porous material. The noise absorbing member is attached to the inner surface of the tire tread portion. The noise absorbing member includes multiple continuous grooves arranged side by side in a tire circumferential direction in the outer peripheral surface of the noise absorbing member. Each of the continuous grooves has an areal groove bottom and forms see-through regions in the width direction of the noise absorbing member. A groove edge-to-edge distance between each adjacent two of the continuous grooves in the tire circumferential direction is 2 mm to 40 mm. A largest see-through cross-sectional area of each continuous groove is 20 mm2 to 100 mm2.
US08136556B2

A method of loading particulate matter into a transport container having at least one chamber with a peripheral region using an apparatus comprising a rotatable member configured to be positioned at least partially into an opening for the chamber. The method can include the acts of locating the apparatus adjacent the opening for the chamber by movement relative to the transport container, initiating a flow of particulate matter from the apparatus into the opening, rotating the rotatable member to facilitate the dispensing of particulate matter within the chamber, and engaging the rotatable member with particulate matter so that at least a portion of particulate matter that has been dispensed into the chamber is pushed into the peripheral region within the chamber.
US08136555B1

An abrasion resistant woven product includes a plurality of weft yarns interwoven with a plurality of warp yarns. The plurality of weft and warp yarns are interwoven perpendicular to each other to define a webbing with opposite top and bottom surfaces. Each of the top and bottom surfaces includes a plurality of rows of buttons spaced apart by at least one depression such that the plurality of buttons of each row are interleaved with a plurality of buttons of an adjacent row.
US08136553B2

A microfluidic circuit comprising microchannels (24, 26) containing different fluids (F1, F2), with a laser beam being focused at (32) on an interface (30) between the fluids so as to form a pump, a valve, or a mixer, for example.
US08136549B2

A sluice system for a vacuum coating facility for coating substrates that can be moved through the vacuum coating in a direction of conveyance comprises a prevacuum slice chamber and a transfer chamber adjoining a coating chamber, wherein a fine vacuum can be regulated before the transfer chamber on the input side in the direction of conveyance and after the transfer device on the output side in the direction of conveyance. The prevacuum sluice chamber is directly adjacent to the transfer chamber and the fine vacuum can be regulated in the prevacuum sluice chamber. A high-vacuum pump system can also alternatively and selectively be connected to the prevacuum sluice chamber.
US08136544B2

A sealing apparatus adapted for use in a pressure vessel such as a synthesis gas cooler. The sealing apparatus is of a segmented plate construction formed around an outer wall section of a conduit means of the pressure vessel that defines at least part of a passage for receiving effluent from a gasification process. Pressure responsive mechanisms are provided on the plate segments to maintain the pressure difference across the sealing apparatus within the acceptable operating limits as well as to permit instantaneous pressure release to prevent damage to the pressure part assembly or cage. The seal is also maintained continuously through the differential growth movement between the conduit means and the pressure vessel during heat up and cool down cycles.
US08136542B2

A hiking stick including a first section, which includes: a first shaft and a male joining piece attached to the shaft, and extending away from the shaft. The male joining piece has an uncut portion and a beveled portion. The bevel is formed by a plane cut at the end of the joining piece at an angle with a long the axis of the hiking stick. A second section includes a second shaft having a hollow end configured for receiving the male joining piece, such that an inner wall of the end of the second shaft has a radial cross section which is narrower than a radial cross section of the widest portion of the male joining piece. The male joining piece is configured for being inserted into the end of the second section, and for being radially compressed by the end of the second section.
US08136540B2

An improved portable cleaning system for use in cleaning heat exchanger tube bundles, fin-fans, towers and other elongated components. The cleaning system comprises a cleaning unit having a cleaning enclosure that receives and cleans the component and a control unit that controls the operation of the system. The cleaning unit has a cleaning enclosure defining a chamber sized and configured to receive the component through a sealable lid. A roller assembly rotates the component while a spray assembly sprays cleaning fluid over and into the rotating component. The cleaning fluid is heated in the chamber using surface heating elements attached to heat transfer plates along sections of the chamber walls. A vapor recovery system captures and treats toxic vapors. In use, the cleaning system is transported to a facility to clean the components on-site using cleaning fluid supplied by the facility and discharging waste to the facility.
US08136539B2

Devices, including a wash ring assembly, and methods are provided for the removal of excess fluid or solids from the exterior or interior of a probe used to transfer fluids, for instance, in an automated assay device. Typically, a probe is used to aspirate and dispense a sample fluid material such as whole blood or a reagent. The devices and methods provided herein are useful for removing excess fluid from the exterior or interior of the probe so as to prevent dripping and cross-contamination between samples or reagents. It is also contemplated that, utilizing the devices and methods provided herein, washing and/or drying can be performed simultaneously as the probe is in motion, aspirating a sample and/or dispensing a sample.
US08136529B2

A mandibular advancement device including upper and lower dental plates which operatively fit over at least part of the upper and lower teeth of a user, said upper and lower dental plates being made from a flexible material, the lower dental plate having two pairs of spaced apart pillars, each pair consisting of an anterior and posterior pillar, said pairs being on opposing sides of the lower dental plate, two removably attachable horizontal displacement inserts, mounted in the buccal region on opposite sides of the upper dental plate, two removably attachable vertical displacement inserts mounted in the lower dental plate, placed in a manner to provide correct vertical registration of the teeth, such that operatively each horizontal displacement insert is retained between the respective anterior and posterior pillars to maintain an advancement of the mandible. A method for production of the mandibular advancement device is also claimed.
US08136528B2

This invention relates to condoms, prophylactics and contraceptive devices made of silicone rubber having a body with an open end and a closed end, a first collar proximate to the open end, a second collar adjacent to the first collar, and a series of accordion pleats on the body, wherein the accordion pleats can independently expand or contract.
US08136520B2

An obturator for a bronchial tube or tubule of a human or animal lung includes a blocking element (92) and a securing element (90). The blocking element serves to seal the tube or tubule against the passage of fluid past the obturator when the obturator is disposed in a bronchial tube or tubule. The securing element serves to retain the blocking element in position. The blocking element comprises a substantially cylindrical plug of biocompatible, resiliently deformable closed-cell foamed plastics material, such as PVC. The securing element includes a stent having barbs (98) to engage and retain the blocking element. The stent also has anchors (100) to retain the stent in a bronchial tube or tubule. A method of treatment of emphysema or other lung conditions or diseases in human or animal patients comprises placing an obturator in a bronchial tube or tubule of the patient so as to seal the tube or tubule against the passage of fluid past the obturator.
US08136514B2

An archery or similar projectile launching device having a spring assembly to energize the device and a release mechanism to transmit energy stored within a torsion or alternative spring to the bowstring, so as to accelerate an arrow nocked to the bowstring once the trigger is released. In one embodiment, conjoined cranks wind a torsion spring within a spring motor affixed along the riser of the bow while the bowstring and arrow are concurrently brought into the discharge position. A mechanical advantage may be achieved with the cranking mechanism to reduce the effort exerted by the archer and thereby increase accuracy, velocity and ease of use.
US08136512B2

In an internal combustion engine, fresh air is compressed by a pressure-wave supercharger. At least one operating parameter of the pressure-wave supercharger is controlled or regulated as a function of at least one actual operating variable of the internal combustion engine.
US08136508B2

A pump for a combustion engine is disclosed. The pump may have at least one pumping member movable through a plurality of displacement strokes during a single engine cycle. The pump may also have a controller in communication with the pumping member. The controller may be configured to selectively reduce an amount of fluid displaced during at least one, but less than all of the plurality of displacement strokes. The reduction may be initiated in response to a demand for the displaced fluid.
US08136506B1

The invention includes a very fast voice coil actuator, in the range of 2-5 millisecond full stroke response with high force, a circuit board located in the enclosure, a pressure sensor sensing pressure internal to the system which in the preferred embodiment is located in the actuator cap assembly but could be located in other locations, a diaphragm, a link plate, a mating ring, and a mechanical pressure regulator. An electronic pressure regulator receives pressure commands from the engine control module in a manner similar to receiving pulse width from an engine control module to an injector and calculates the required new pressure command. A novel feature of the present invention includes the Delta P control and the control of the regulator based on direct feedback of pressure.
US08136486B2

The present invention provides apparatus for varying an engine's combustion spark timing for use of hybrid fuels, such as bio-fuel and gasoline. An operator selectable switch enables or disables an on-board computer selecting between gasoline and bio-fuel mixtures as the on-board fuel so that engine mounted sensors provide data used to determine optimum fuel-ignition spark discharge values from a computerized table.
US08136481B2

A device (1) for plasma treatment comprises an electrode (2) having a surface (14) covered by a dielectric barrier (3), and an AC high voltage source (6) for applying an AC high voltage to the electrode (2) to bring about a dielectric barrier discharge (9) in a gas (10) at atmospheric pressure present in front of the dielectric barrier (3) in order to generate a plasma. To the end of generating the plasma even without a counter-electrode for the electrode (2), pointed tips are distributed over the surface (14) of the electrode (2), these pointed tips pointing towards the gas (10) in front of the dielectric barrier (3), whereas the dielectric barrier (3) has a smooth outer surface (15) facing the gas (10).
US08136471B1

A marker for marking a ground surface is disclosed, and includes a shaft having a bottom end and a top end. The shaft includes an insertion portion for insertion into the ground. The insertion portion is located at the bottom end of the shaft. The shaft includes a mast portion for extending above the ground surface when the insertion portion is at least partially inserted into the ground. The shaft includes an engagement portion located between the insertion portion and the mast portion with the insertion portion being located between the engagement portion and the bottom end. The engagement portion is configured to be engaged and pushed to cause insertion of the shaft into the ground.
US08136469B2

A floating apparatus operable for towing at least one diver and providing compressed air thereto for underwater breathing includes a water impermeable and buoyant hollow housing that floats on a surface of a body of water. A power source is mounted on the housing and a compressor is provided and is operable by the power source for generating the compressed air. A propulsion generating assembly is operable by at least one of the power source and the compressor for generating a propulsion force capable of moving the apparatus and towing such at least one diver. A control device is operatively coupled to the propulsion generating assembly and is manually operable by the at least one diver for generating the propulsion force simultaneously with generation of the compressed air.
US08136466B2

A valve for use in combination with a self-bailing hole of a watercraft includes a flange, a skirt, a valve member, a retention member, and a base member. The flange has a central aperture opening into a hollow interior of the skirt. The hollow interior contains the valve member, which is movable between a sealed configuration preventing fluid flow through the valve and an unsealed configuration allowing fluid flow through the valve. One end of the skirt is secured to the flange, while the other end of the skirt has an opening larger than the central aperture of the flange. The retention member prevents the valve member from exiting the hollow interior of the skirt in the unsealed configuration, while the base member is used to secure the valve within the self-bailing hole of the watercraft.
US08136465B2

A vessel (2) comprises a first stabilizer assembly (14) and a second stabilizer assembly, each stabilizer assembly comprising at least one submergible at least partially hollow body; and suspending means (16) for suspending the or each body from the vessel, the first and second stabilizer assemblies being suspended from substantially opposite sides of the vessel. Fins (22) are provided on the stabilizer assembly.
US08136461B2

A table includes legs, each of which includes a tube and a long screw rod passing through the tube. The tube has a limit step at a first end. The long screw rod has a protruding step at the first end and a screw at a second end. The table also has a tabletop with screw holes. Each screw hole is for receiving the screw of the long screw rod. The screw is lock-connected with the screw hole when the legs are perpendicularly joined to the tabletop at the second end. The protruding step of the long screw rod engages the limit step of the tube.
US08136459B2

A desk including a book holder positioned at a predetermined angle relative to the surface of the desk. In one embodiment the book holder is deployable, and the desk surface includes a recess into which the deployable book holder fits when the deployable book holder is in the closed position. The recess optionally includes a rubber surface to avoid slipping of the bottom edge of a book (such as a text book) when the book is being held up with the deployable book holder. In another embodiment a deployable book holder includes an aperture, and a recess includes an island. In various embodiments, a proximal end of a desk surface, closest to where a user sits, may be wider than the distal end to provide adequate arm room for the user.
US08136439B2

A firing head embodiment of the invention confines a connected capacitance cartridge, explosive detonator, and wireline connection switch within an independent, cylindrical housing tube that is environmentally capped at both ends by threaded closures for secure transport to a well site.
US08136432B2

A closed-loop feedback system and method for performing a machining operation. A tool's operational properties are measured in real-time. The operating parameters of the machining process are adjusted in real-time based on the measured properties.
US08136430B2

A retractable screwdriver includes a handle, a positioning member, an operation ring, a shank, a sleeve and a drive socket. The positioning member includes a first opening and a second opening respectively defined through a wall thereof and communicating with the passage. The length of the first opening is shorter than that of the second opening. A first wall is formed at the first opening and a second wall is formed at the second opening. The first and second walls are located on different radial planes and have a distance defined therebetween in a radial direction. The opening ring is obliquely located in the passage and biased by the second spring to keep an inclination of the operation ring. The operation ring has its contact edge to contact the shank so as to achieve the purpose of adjustment of the shank.
US08136417B2

A sliding device 1 includes a swash plate 3 rotated in association with a rotating shaft 2 and semispherical shoes 4 sliding on the swash plate 3. The semispherical shoes 4 are formed of a ferrous material and the swash plate 3 is manufactured using high-strength brass as a material.On a sliding surface 4A of the shoe 4, a large number of minute annular expandingly projecting parts 7′ are formed by laser hardening and a lubricating oil passage 10′ consisting of a reticular concave part is also formed.Thereby, a sliding device 1 having excellent seizure resistance as compared with conventional sliding devices can be provided.
US08136389B2

A probe assembly for a scanning probe microscope (SPM), a cartridge for a probe assembly for an SPM, and a method of attaching a probe tip to an SPM are described.
US08136386B2

A method for determining pore structure characteristics of a filtration cartridge includes the steps of placing a porometry test location isolating device in sealing contact with the filtration cartridge at a desired test location, increasing the porometer test gas pressure until the test gas flows through the cartridge at the test location, measuring the flow rate of the test gas through the test location as a function of differential pressure, reducing the test gas pressure to atmospheric pressure, wetting the test location with a wetting liquid, increasing the test gas pressure again until the test gas flows through the cartridge at the test location, measuring differential gas pressure and gas flow rates through the test location, and converting the measured gas flow rates and differential pressures into through pore throat diameters, largest through pore throat diameter, mean flow through pore throat diameter, pore distribution, and gas permeability of the cartridge.
US08136382B2

The method and apparatus in one embodiment may have: operating one of two resonators of a class II coriolis vibratory gyro in a closed loop mode and another of the two resonators in an open loop whole angle mode; sensing an angular rate by each of the two resonators; calibrating the scale factor of the closed loop resonator to yield the same integrated whole angle as measured by the open loop resonator; reversing operation of the two resonators such that the one of two resonators is operated in an open loop mode and the another of the two resonators in a closed loop whole angle mode; and alternately proceeding between open and closed loop operation of the two resonators, thereby self-calibrating scale factors respectively of the two resonators.
US08136372B2

A method of making a fused silica article having a combined concentration of protium and deuterium in a range from about 1×1016 molecules/cm3 up to about 6×1019 molecules/cm3. In some embodiments, deuterium is present in an amount greater than its natural isotopic abundance. The method includes the steps of providing a fused silica boule, diffusing at least one of protium and deuterium into the boule, and annealing the boule to form the fused silica article. A method of diffusing hydrogen into fused silica and a fused silica article loaded with hydrogen formed by the method are also described.
US08136370B2

A silver-palladium alloy formulated to provide an alloy with a whiter color and superior casting and fabrication properties as compared to nickel-based white gold and also to impart to an article of jewelry or the like favorable properties afforded by white gold. The alloy generally includes silver and palladium, with silver being the predominant component. In some embodiments, the alloy contains about 75%-85% silver and about 5%-15% palladium by weight.
US08136369B2

A hybrid system which utilizes high purity oxygen from a local pipeline, which is blended with low purity oxygen from an on-site or local cryogenic distillation system, thus resulting in a blend of intermediate quality which satisfies the needs of the customer. In order to offset the operating and energy costs associated with this fairly low profit margin intermediate purity oxygen, high purity nitrogen at high pressure is simultaneously exported to the local pipeline, thereby acting as a credit to the overall system.
US08136352B2

A vehicle that sufficiently insulates heat between plural exhaust pipes connected to an engine. A cover member bridges over and covers the periphery of the exhaust pipes. A thermal insulation member fills in a space on a line connecting centers of the exhaust pipes, and a space in the vicinity of the line.
US08136351B2

A diesel particulate filtering system that includes a filter configured to capture exhaust particulates from a diesel engine, a regeneration device configured to heat exhaust gases from the diesel engine prior to the exhaust gases reaching the filter, and a controller configured to control operation of the regeneration device, wherein the controller is further configured to turn the regeneration device on when a weighted average of a plurality of normalized parameter values exceeds a threshold value.
US08136350B2

A catalytic muffler that treats the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. The catalytic muffler includes a catalyst chamber, a catalyst disposed in the catalyst chamber, an upstream chamber disposed upstream of the catalyst, an exhaust inlet configured to receive exhaust gases, an exhaust outlet configured to discharge converted gases converted by the catalyst to the atmosphere, and further configured to receive secondary air, and a passageway communicating between the exhaust outlet and the upstream chamber, and configured to provide the secondary air received by the exhaust outlet to the upstream chamber.
US08136342B2

In an air mixing arrangement wherein a primary fluid is introduced through an opening in a wall to be mixed with a secondary fluid flowing along the wall surface, the opening is airfoil shaped with its leading edge being orientated at an attack angle with respect to the secondary fluid flow stream so as to thereby enhance the penetration and dispersion of the primary fluid stream into the secondary fluid stream. The airfoil shaped opening is selectively positioned such that its angle of attack provides the desired lift to optimize the mixing of the two streams for the particular application. In one embodiment, a collar is provided around the opening to prevent the secondary fluid from contacting the surface of the wall during certain conditions of operation. Multiple openings maybe used such as the combination of a larger airfoil shaped opening with a smaller airfoil shaped opened positioned downstream thereof, or a round shaped opening placed upstream of an airfoil shaped opening. Pairs of openings and associated collars maybe placed in symmetric relationship so as to promote mixing in particular applications, and nozzles maybe placed on the inner side of wall to enhance the flow characteristics of the primary fluid.
US08136341B2

Track beams for the cowling of a jet engine for aircraft are formed of a base body with at least one slide for displaceably mounting a thrust reverser of the jet engine. A connection is provided for an inner engine cowling and fittings for detachably and pivotally attaching to a supporting structure or for connecting to another track beam. To provide such a track beam which has a particularly low weight yet, nevertheless, is sufficiently stiff, the base body is formed by a hollow profile section with a substantially closed cross-section. The hollow section is produced of a carbon-fiber-reinforced synthetic material by way of a resin-infusion process. Two flanges are provided on the hollow section of the base body of the track beam for providing a connection to the inner engine cowling.
US08136333B1

A cutting system for a lawnmower or the like includes multiple blade assemblies driven by a motor, each motor independently operable with respect to each other motor. The blade assemblies are arranged into a cutting system with a length less than that of the combined length of the blades of the blade assemblies. Blade assemblies include components that align so as to balance the blade upon rotation. These components allow for a single user to attach and disengage the blade from the motor, or portion rotated thereby, with hands alone, absent tools.
US08136328B2

A panel includes a core and a fastener receptacle extending into the core. The fastener receptacle has an internal hollow and an opening to the internal hollow. The opening is formed by a lip that can engage and structurally support a push-in fastener.
US08136326B2

The present invention relates to an improved structure for a steel door which comprises a steel door frame and a steel door panel which is hinged on one side of the steel door frame, wherein the steel door panel comprises a steel-made door panel frame and a door opening defined by the door panel frame, the door opening has an interior portion which is disposed with a plurality of steel guarding members forming graphics, portions other than the guarding members in the door opening form hollowed units; a rear side of the door panel frame is disposed with a glass door panel which corresponds with the door opening, the glass door panel comprises a steel-made glass door panel frame which surrounds a peripheral body of the door opening and is formed on the rear side of the door panel frame, and a glass which is embedded in the glass door panel frame, one side of the glass door panel frame is hinged on one side of the door panel frame, the glass door panel frame is completely hidden behind the rear side of the door panel frame. The structure enables the entire content of the graphics formed by the plurality of members viewable from either the front side or the rear side of the steel door, thereby bringing about better visual effect on the graphical presentation and enhancing the artistic and ornamental quality of the steel door.
US08136323B2

The present invention relates to a siding system for covering a support surface comprising a panel including a body presenting a plane and having a top edge and a bottom edge. The body has a first locking element presenting a nailing hem and a second locking element for spacing the bottom edge of the body from the support surface. The panel has a spacer interconnecting the first locking element and the body of the panel for spacing the top edge of the body from the support surface such that the plane is substantially parallel to the support surface. Additionally, the siding system includes a second panel substantially similar to the first panel such that the second panel interlocks with the first panel. The cooperation of the spacer and the second locking element results in the alignment of the plane of the first panel with the plane of the second panel such that both planes are substantially parallel to the support surface.
US08136317B1

An assembly for straightening a basement's wall, the basement having a floor and being covered by joists which are spaced from each other on center distances to define interstitial cavities and are arranged a perpendicular array or a parallel array, the assembly having mounting plate; joist mounting fasteners attaching the oblongated mounting plate to joists, the fasteners, upon the perpendicular joist array, positioning the mounting plate within an interstitial cavity, and the fasteners, upon the parallel array, bridging the mounting plate across an interstitial cavity; a rigid beam having upper and lower ends; a jack screw for driving the rigid beam's upper end toward the basement's wall; and an anchor bracket for resisting movement of the rigid beam's lower end away from the basement's wall.
US08136310B2

A system and method for mounting photovoltaic solar panels onto a roof. The system includes first and second strut rails spaced from the roof employing a series of standoffs, the strut rails having a length, cross section, a base and side walls, side walls terminating with first and second turned in edges. First and second mounting fixtures are attached to the photovoltaic solar panels which are of a type and geometry enabling the solar panels to be removably appended to the strut rails. The first and second mounting fixtures can be applied to the photovoltaic solar panels before being elevated to a roof.
US08136298B1

A Bahama awning-type shutter with functional louvers that is strong enough to withstand all tropical weather and test standards relating to and including hurricane force winds, while incorporating the user-friendly, easy opening mechanism of a jalousie. The opening mechanism is an L-angle structure which is capable of moving all of the louvers in unison, opening them by pulling out on the L-angle and closing them by pushing inward on the L-angle. When the shutter is locked against the structure to which it is attached a portion of the L-angle is positioned between the inner face of the shutter and the structure and cannot move outward, thus locking the louvers in a closed position. In this closed position the louvers have the strength to resist hurricane force winds.
US08136291B2

A method and device for securely anchoring a plant protection structure is provided wherein a support system includes an anchoring post and a support section. The anchoring post presents a post section and an anchor section, wherein each anchor section is configured to angle away from the longitudinal axis as the anchoring post receives a force that drives the anchor section into the ground. The anchoring post is topped by a support module that may include one or more arms that support and/or help protect at least a portion of a plant or object. The arms are configurable to enable the device to help secure or protect plants or objects in a variety of embodiments as best suited to the needs of the object. The anchoring post may include solid or hollow continuous elongate elements that form both the post section and the anchor section.
US08136286B2

Firearms and firearm components are constructed from bonded multi-metallic base materials comprising at least two dissimilar metallic materials having different properties, such as weight, density, wear resistance, durability, hardness, and the like, bonded to one another. The components are fabricated such that the metallic material having higher impact- and wear-resistance is positioned at areas that experience impact, or that include bearing points, wear points, and interfaces with other components, while a lighter weight metallic material is positioned at component locations that don't have rigorous material property requirements. The bonded multi-metallic materials may be explosively bonded multi-metallic materials.
US08136285B2

The firearm cartridge speed loader includes a shaft, a reload cylinder, and a rotation limit assembly at an interface between the shaft and cylinder. The reload cylinder has a plurality of pockets or chambers to hold bullet or ammunition cartridges, and the shaft includes an interference wheel configured to selectively clamp the cartridges in the pockets by simple rotation of the shaft within the limits defined by the rotation limit assembly. The rotation limit assembly includes a rotation-stop pin riding in an arcuate slot that defines the limits of shaft rotation, and a spring loaded spherical ball that selectively engages one of two detents to lock the shaft into the clamping or releasing positions, the disposition of the detents corresponding to the defined limits of the arcuate groove.
US08136283B1

A three segment vehicle identification card is provided with an upper hang tag segment, and intermediate claim ticket segment and a lower key tag segment. The lower segment has a removable key tag with a vehicle identification number together with a pair of removable labels, one of which has the vehicle identification number and the other of which has space for entry of the parking space location number for the vehicle receiving service. The removable key tag also has spaces on its foldable tail for entry of the vehicle owners name and the parking space number for the serviced vehicle.
US08136275B2

The invention relates to a display element for attaching advertising to the handle of a shopping cart or the like. The display element includes a base body having a recess for inserting advertising media in a flat manner and fastening elements for fastening the display element on the handle bar, or the handle bar mounts, of a shopping cart. The display element is made of half shell-shaped parts, which in the joined state surround the handle bar, or the handle bar mount, in the shape of an enclosed box profile. The half shell-shaped parts are non-positively or positively connected to the handle bar.
US08136268B2

Various exemplary embodiments are provided of wheeled shovels. In one exemplary embodiment, a wheeled shovel generally includes a wheel assembly having an axle and a wheel. The wheeled shovel also includes a frame having an upper portion and a lower portion. The frame may be disposed relative to the axle such that the axle is operable as a fulcrum about which the frame may pivot. A handle may be disposed at about the upper portion of the frame. A shovel blade may be disposed at about the lower portion of the frame. The wheel assembly, frame, handle, and shovel blade may be cooperatively configured so as to enable the wheeled shovel to throw a load of material generally upwardly and forwardly away from the shovel blade in response to a sufficient force applied to the handle for pivoting the frame relative to the axle with a recoil generated through the fulcrum at the axle.
US08136266B2

The present invention provides a footbed made of cotton fabric, polyurethane, ethyl vinyl acetate, polyester and thermoplastic gel rubber. The invention also provides footwear which includes a footbed as described herein.
US08136258B2

An absolute position sensor with serial reading, that includes at least one detector capable of detecting transitions in a target pattern present on a member mobile relative to the detector. The sensor includes a shift register capable of storing a predetermined number of consecutive data from the detector, and a mechanism comparing the value of the register to a set of predetermined values each corresponding to a position of the detector relative to the target pattern.
US08136253B2

A comb attachment for a hair trimmer includes a comb body having a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the trailing edge defines an attachment member for attaching the comb body to the hair trimmer. The comb attachment further includes a plurality of tines at the leading edge of the comb body, wherein adjacent tines define a hair guide slot and the hair guide slot includes first and second side walls. The comb attachment also includes a pair of fins associated with the hair guide slot wherein one fin is positioned proximate each side wall of the hair guide slot and each fin extends from the associated tine.
US08136252B2

A cutting tool includes a first handle, a second handle, a first cutting blade attached to the first handle at a first pivot point, and a second cutting blade attached to the second handle at a second pivot point. The first and the second cutting blades are engaged with one another at a pivot point for movement in a scissor-like manner between an open position and a closed position in response to rotational movement of the first and the second handles. The first handle includes a first toothed transmission part and the second handle includes a second toothed transmission part, the first and the second toothed transmission parts being arranged to be engaged with one another.
US08136247B2

A method of manufacturing a blowout preventer body includes the steps of: providing more than one billet; forming a first billet to form a first portion of the blowout preventer body; forming a second billet to form a second portion of the blowout preventer body; and welding the billets to form the blowout preventer body.
US08136242B2

A method of producing a land grid array (LGA) interposer structure, including an electrically insulating carrier plane, and at least one interposer mounted on a first surface of said carrier plane. The interposer possesses a hemi-toroidal configuration in transverse cross-section and is constituted of a dielectric elastomeric material. A plurality of electrically-conductive elements are arranged about the surface of the at least one hemi-toroidal interposer and extend radically inwardly and downwardly from an uppermost end thereof into electrical contact with at least one component located on an opposite side of the electrically insulating carrier plane.
US08136241B2

A method for attaching a ring electrode to the shaft of the tip section of a catheter comprises passing an electrode lead wire through a lumen in the catheter and out an exit hole in the tip section. The portion of the electrode lead wire extending out of the exit hole is stripped of non-conductive coating and wrapped around the shaft and secured in a clove hitch arrangement. The wrapped electrode lead wire is pulled tight while the material of the shaft is heated to embed the electrode lead wire in the shaft so that its outermost surface is generally flush with the surface of the shaft. The exit hole is sealed and a ring electrode, having a flared skirt is slipped over the shaft to a position over the wrapped electrode lead wire and exit hole. It is then swaged to reduce its outer diameter to about that of the outer diameter of the shaft of the tip section to thereby create a low ohmic connection with the electrode lead wire.
US08136238B2

A method is provided to control the height of bump electrodes and increase a clearance between edge sections of a semiconductor chip and lead terminals of a tape substrate. By pushing up on a tape substrate by a bonding stage, and applying suction to the tape substrate through a suction groove, boundary portions of a semiconductor chip mounting region are drawn into the suction groove, and curved sections are formed in the tape substrate at locations corresponding to edge sections of a semiconductor chip and inclined sections disposed in outer circumference sections of the curved sections are formed in the tape substrate.
US08136235B2

A self-diagnosing pierce nut installation apparatus including an installation head attached to an upper die member of a die press having a reciprocating plunger driving a pierce nut against a panel, piercing a slug from the panel upon closing of the press and a rod telescopically received in the plunger resiliently biased through the nut bore if a slug is pierced from the panel or against the panel if not pierced, and a sensor sensing axial movement of the rod, stopping the press if the rod engages the panel. A die located in the lower die member includes a slug sensor confirming receipt of the panel slug through the die member.
US08136234B2

A cable end preparation tool is for a coaxial cable having an inner conductor, an outer conductor, and a dielectric therebetween. The cable end preparation tool includes a body and a blade carried by the body for removing a portion of the dielectric between the inner conductor and the outer conductor when the body is rotated about the coaxial cable. A first projection is carried by the body and has a predetermined shape for flaring an end portion of the outer conductor when the body is rotated relative to the coaxial cable. A second projection is movable with respect to the body between an outer conductor engaging position and a disengaged position, the second projection for corrugating the flared end portion of the outer conductor when in the outer conductor engaging position and the body is rotated relative to the coaxial cable.
US08136233B2

The present invention relates to connector tools for seating connectors on a substrate such as a printed circuit board (PCB). The connector tool is a machined structure having a plurality of walls that define intersecting slots that mate with an array of male connector pins and include one or more ribs to reduce damage if the tool is dropped on the floor. The ribbed walls strengthen the connector tool, but do not interfere with the mating array of male connector pins. The connector tool also includes push shoulders to contact the connector apart from the array of male connector pins so as to seat the connector onto the PCB without connector tool and connector damage.
US08136232B1

An assembly fixture for fixing a part/component to a printed circuit board includes a platform, an elevating unit, and a carrying body. The platform has a receiving area and a plurality of positioning pillars. The elevating unit is disposed on the platform. The carrying body is coupled with the elevating unit, configured to correspond in position to the receiving area, configured to carry the printed circuit board, and provided therein with a plurality of through holes corresponding in position to the positioning pillars, respectively. The elevating unit is capable of descending to enable the positioning pillars to protrude from the printed circuit board and the through holes, respectively, for positioning the part/component on the printed circuit board. The assembly fixture is effective in positioning the part/component on the printed circuit board to render an assembly process of the printed circuit board easy, quick, safe, and precise.
US08136228B2

A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head that avoids the challenges associated with the formation of fence structures during write pole definition. A magnetic write pole material is deposited. A mask structure is deposited over the magnetic write pole material. The mask structure includes a first hard mask, a marker layer, a physically robust, inorganic RIEable image transfer layer, a second hard mask structure over the image transfer layer and a photoresist layer over the second hard mask. A reactive ion etching process can be used to transfer the image of the photoresist mask and second hard mask layer onto the image transfer layer. An ion milling is performed to define the write pole. A layer of non-magnetic material such as alumina is deposited. An ion milling is performed until the marker layer has been reached, and another reactive ion etching is performed to remove the remaining hard mask.
US08136223B2

A method for manufacturing wireless communication devices for use in tracking or identifying items comprises cutting techniques that allow the size of antenna elements for the wireless communication device to be adjusted. Rollers cut tabs that form the antenna elements. In one embodiment, a plurality of rollers are used, each one effecting a different cut whose position may be adjusted so as to shorten or lengthen the antenna element. In another embodiment, the rollers are independently positionable to shorten or lengthen the antenna element. A radiator may be configured to assess a capacitance of the antenna elements prior to cutting to determine an appropriate size for the antenna elements.
US08136222B2

A method of forming an encapsulated coupled coil arrangement. The method includes coupling a first lead of a first coil to a second lead of an electrical circuit device, by soldering or infusion, using a superconductive jointing alloy; and encapsulating the first coil, the electrical circuit device and the jointed leads of the first coil and the electrical circuit device in an encapsulation material. The jointing alloy has a melting point higher than a highest temperature experienced by the encapsulation material during the encapsulation process.
US08136213B2

The method comprises fabricating a layer stack on a substrate, the layer stack comprising at least two electrically conducting layers and at least one electrically insulating layer arranged between the two electrically conducting layers, and displacing a first portion of the layer stack away from its original position, the first portion comprising an edge portion of the layer stack, and bending the first portion back towards a second portion of the layer stack. The bending may comprise a rolling-up of the first portion of the layer stack.
US08136207B2

A swinging door hinge has a panel and a frame. The frame includes a horizontal portion, and the horizontal portion has an aperture therethrough. An elongated pivot pin is vertically disposed through the aperture. The pivot pin is coupled to the panel such that the pivot pin and the panel rotate about a longitudinal axis of the pivot pin relative to the horizontal portion of the frame. A gripper feature is located on a surface of the pivot pin. The gripper feature engages a corresponding surface on the panel such that when the panel is rotated, a resulting torsional force transferred to the pivot pin is spread over contact area between the gripper feature and the surface of the panel. Because the torque is transferred over a greater area, stress concentrations in the panel are reduced and the panel is not deformed.
US08136205B2

A biaxial hinge device includes: a first rotation axis mechanism configured to form a first rotation axis by using a substantially cylindrically shaped first shaft member; a first arm portion configured to include a fixing portion fixed to a first case, and provided to the first shaft member of the first rotation axis mechanism; a second rotation axis mechanism configured to include a fixing portion fixed to a second case, and to form a second rotation axis substantially perpendicular to the first rotation axis by using a substantially cylindrically shaped second shaft member; and a second arm portion configured to connect the first rotation axis mechanism to the second rotation axis mechanism such that the first rotation axis mechanism is rotatable around the second rotation axis of the second rotation axis mechanism.
US08136201B2

A leveling leg and wheel assembly for an appliance, including a first member having a first end attached to the appliance, and a second end opposite to the first end; a second member, one of the first member and the second member being slidably disposed in the other of the first member and the second member; a roller fixedly disposed relative to the first member and extending downward beyond the second end; a threaded sleeve fixedly disposed relative to the first member; and a leveling leg having an upper end, a lower end and a threaded portion therebetween, the threaded portion threadedly engaging the threaded sleeve so that rotation of the leveling leg causes the leveling leg to move, relative to the threaded sleeve, between a first position where the roller engages a ground surface and a second position where the leveling leg engages the ground surface.
US08136195B2

A handle for an implement for cleaning a surface, such as a floor, includes an elongated pole, an end cap and a hang cap. The elongated pole has a top end and a bottom end. The bottom end of the elongated pole is adapted to be coupled to a cleaning head on the implement. The end cap is fixedly mounted over the top end of the pole and the hang cap is movably mounted over the end cap. The end cap and hang cap are constructed so that when the hang cap is mounted in place on the end cap, the hang cap may rotate relative to the end cap but cannot move up or down relative to the end cap. The hang cap may define a hole for removably mounting the implement on a hook attached to a wall.
US08136192B2

A head for a denture brush that is detachably connected to a powered handle and a denture brush incorporating the same. The head includes a housing having a first set of bristles extending outwardly from a first side and a second set of bristles extending outwardly from a second side. The first and second sets of bristles are mounted such that they are movable in response to rotation of a camshaft in the head. Some of bristles on each side of the head may be linearly pulsed toward and away from the housing substantially orthogonally to a longitudinal axis of the head. Additionally, some of the bristles on each side of the head may be rotated about a horizontal axis that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.
US08136188B2

A combination pipe cutter and can lid opener comprising a means for cutting and a means for opening a can having a lid. The combination pipe cutter and can lid opener comprises two handles, one having a holder to hold a pipe and the other having a blade, wherein the blade is utilized to cut the pipe in the holder. The insides of the handles comprise semicircular openings having gripping teeth for opening the lid of a container. To open the lid of the container, the semicircular cutouts of the first handle and second handle are positioned around the perimeter of the lid, wherein the gripping teeth cooperatively engage the lid thereby opening the container by turning the combination pipe cutter and can lid opener.
US08136181B2

A retractable bed is disclosed which can be raised and lowered in a vertical fashion. The retractable bed includes a frame for holding a mattress; and a counterbalance system to raise and lower the bed through vertical displacement. When the bed is in the lowered configuration it will come into contact with the floor thereby permitting a person to sleep on the bed. When the bed is in the raised configuration it will be near the ceiling thereby permitting a person to pass under the bed. The counterbalance system provides a convenient way to take the bed down and to put it away.
US08136177B2

An assembled water reservoir includes plural boards. Each board is provided side by side on side walls of a tank unit. The water reservoir also includes plural connection members and each connection member is used to connect two neighboring boards, allowing an included angle to be formed between the two neighboring boards, so as to construct a water pool. Therefore, through providing the plural boards and the plural connection members in the closed tank unit to construct the water reservoir, the reservoir can be provided with an effect of isolating temperature, a power source, ambient moisture and water.
US08136174B2

An object is to provide a urinal which prevents offensive odors, reduces the consumption of urinal cleaning water and prevents clogging of the urinal drain pipe line. The urinal of the present invention includes a human body sensor (7), a control unit (11), a mechanism to generate a gas with high detergency (14), a gas flow line (La) in which generated gas with high detergency flows, and a cleaning water supply line (Lw) in which cleaning water flows, and the gas flow line (La) and the cleaning water supply line (Lw) converge to mix the gas with high detergency with the cleaning water, and a cleaning fluid line (Lc) formed by confluence of the gas flow line (La) and the cleaning water supply line (Lc) is communicated with a cleaning fluid ejection hole (5) on a urinal upper edge (1a).
US08136170B2

According to the invention, a helmet with a defogging visor is disclosed. The helmet may include a shell, a visor, a defogging element, and a power source. The shell may define at least a first opening. The visor may be coupled with the shell and may be at least partially disposed over the first opening. The defogging element may be configured to defog the visor. The power source may be directly coupled with the shell and may be operably coupled with the defogging element.
US08141167B2

A communication device for transmitting data to a communication partner device includes a transmitter for transmitting transmit data to the communication partner device, a determiner for determining a check value from the transmit data in accordance with a determination specification, a receiver for receiving a verification value from the communication partner device, and a checker configured to compare the check value with the verification value and to provide a fault indication signal as a function of the comparison.
US08141165B2

The present invention provides systems and methods for secure transaction management and electronic rights protection. Electronic appliances such as computers equipped in accordance with the present invention help to ensure that information is accessed and used only in authorized ways, and maintain the integrity, availability, and/or confidentiality of the information. Such electronic appliances provide a distributed virtual distribution environment (VDE) that may enforce a secure chain of handling and control, for example, to control and/or meter or otherwise monitor use of electronically stored or disseminated information. Such a virtual distribution environment may be used to protect rights of various participants in electronic commerce and other electronic or electronic-facilitated transactions. Distributed and other operating systems, environments and architectures, such as, for example, those using tamper-resistant hardware-based processors, may establish security at each node. These techniques may be used to support an all-electronic information distribution, for example, utilizing the “electronic highway.”
US08141163B2

In a system where an indirect control flow instruction requires a CPU to consult a first memory address, in addition to what is encoded in the instruction itself, for program execution, a method is provided to determine if the first memory address contains a valid or plausible value. The first memory address is compared to an expected or predicted memory address. A difference between the expected or predicted memory address and the first memory address causes an evaluation of any program code about to be executed. The evaluation of code determines whether or not a malicious attack is occurring, or being attempted, that might affect proper operation of the system or program.
US08141160B2

System and methods are provided for managing and mitigating privacy risks in a system having a network of processing elements. According to one method, there is receive a request for at least one output product from the system. The request includes a set of privacy parameters. At least one set of workflow generating strategies are created that results in the output product having a privacy risk value below a predefined threshold. At least one of the workflow generating strategies is deployed for automatically producing the at least one output product.
US08141159B2

A method for computer workstation based information protection is presented, the method comprises: a) monitoring user's actions on the computer workstation, b) analysis of the actions in respect to a pre-defined policy to determine whether the actions prejudice information to which the policy applies, and c) executing the policy in accordance with the results of the analysis to prevent or modify or restrict or monitor or log the actions.
US08141157B2

A security management system includes a fusion engine which “fuses” or assembles information from multiple data sources and analyzes this information in order to detect relationships between raw events that may indicate malicious behavior and to provide an organized presentation of information to consoles without slowing down the processing performed by the data sources. The multiple data sources can comprise sensors or detectors that monitor network traffic or individual computers or both. The sensors can comprise devices that may be used in intrusion detection systems (IDS). The data sources can also comprise firewalls, audit systems, and other like security or IDS devices that monitor data traffic in real-time. The present invention can identify relationships between one or more real-time, raw computer events as they are received in real-time. The fusion engine can also assess and rank the risk of real-time raw events as well as mature correlation events.
US08141143B2

Methods, computer products, and systems are described for providing remote access to resources in a secure data center protected by at least one firewall. One method includes sending by an internal server within the secure data center a request to an external server outside of the secure data center to establish a secure data transport channel between the internal server and the external server. The request travels through at least one firewall protecting the secure data center and over a public network, a private network, and/or a second firewall. The internal server receives a reply to the request from the external server granting the request and confirming the establishment of the secure data transport channel. When a first message from the external server instructing the internal server to create a first data access point associated with a first session is received via the established secure data transport channel, the internal server instantiates the first data access point for the first session and visual data corresponding to the resources in the secure data center is sent from the first data access point to the external server via the secure data transport channel. The visual data is received by the external server and then sent to a first client associated with the first session so that the first client is provided visual access to the resources in the secure data center while the resources remain protected within the secure data center.
US08141142B2

A pair of servers are employed to provide a secure low-overhead authentication of a user. A certificate server of the pair receives personal information of the user from a first client over a first network and provides an encrypted user certificate to the first client over the first network, wherein the encrypted user certificate includes an encryption of one or more personal attributes of the user corresponding to the set of personal information. A device control server receives the encrypted user certificate from a second client over a second network and provides remote access information to the second client over the second network, wherein the remote access information facilitates remote access to a device by the user over the second network based in response to a verification by the device control server of the encrypted user certificate.
US08141137B2

Authentication of a subscriber identity module issued by IMT-2000 network operator is performed with no decrease in the confidentiality of calculation processing, even in cases such as when a roaming network is a GSM network. An HLR of an IMT-2000 mobile communication network comprises an algorithm information attachment unit for attaching, to a RAND field of an authentication vector used to authenticate a USIM, information specifying an algorithm to be used in the authentication calculation. The USIM, which is mounted on a mobile equipment, comprises an algorithm storage unit storing in advance a plurality of algorithms for use in the authentication calculation, a specification unit for specifying the algorithm to be used in the calculation from among the plurality of algorithms stored in the algorithm storage unit by referring to the algorithm-specifying information included in received data, and a calculation unit for performing the calculation on the basis of the specified algorithm using the received data.
US08141136B2

The present invention disclosed a method and system of replacing smart cards. It uses a new identification device (a new SIM) to replace an old one (an old SIM) associated with a user account. The new identification device has an identification number (ICCID). The new identification device is activated in the following manner. The old identification device communicates with an identification-management center through a communication interface (mobile telephone). And the identification-management center recognizes the old identification device. The identification number of the new identification device is sent to the identification-management center through the communication interface. The identification-management center checks the identification number. If the identification number is correct, the user account will be assigned to the new identification device by the identification-management center.
US08141128B2

The present disclosure provides methods and apparatuses for building and executing natural language policies. Using the methods and apparatus herein, users can easily program policies in a natural language intuitive manner. The user can program the natural language policy without needing to have technical knowledge of the underlying systems and without the assistance of a technical specialist.
US08141124B2

Provided is a system which manages a user community provided in an information processing system, in which user community information provided by a user is made available to another user for reference. The system includes a storage section which stores an audit policy defining contents of information to be permitted to be registered in each of a plurality of communities, by associating the audit policy with each of the communities; a detection section which detects a community to which information is provided in response to provision of the information by a user; and a registration control section which inhibits registration of information, provided by a user, in a detected user community on condition that the information violates an audit policy corresponding to the user community.
US08141120B2

An adaptive scheduling process is disclosed which dynamically decides which frames need to be transmitted and which ones need to be dropped at any transmission opportunity based on current channel conditions and on characteristics of each video frame.
US08141114B2

Content ratings and recommendations is described. In an embodiment, a ratings service compiles ratings of programs for a rating system that is associated with a group of viewers, where a viewer of the group establishes the rating system, and where at least some of the viewers of the group rate the programs for the group of viewers. A recommendation service then provides program recommendations to the viewers of the group based on the rating system.
US08141113B2

An exemplary method includes switching, by a media content access subsystem, from a program stream to an advertisement stream in response to a switching instruction received by the media content access subsystem, detecting, by the media content access subsystem, a predetermined number of markers included within the advertisement stream, the predetermined number of markers indicative of an error associated with the advertisement stream, and switching, by the media content access subsystem, from the advertisement stream to another media content stream in response to the detecting of the predetermined number of markers. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
US08141109B2

A disc drive apparatus includes: an outer casing; a disc drive unit that includes a disc table on which a disc-like recording medium is mounted, a spindle motor, an optical pickup, and a pickup base; a slider that includes a main body and a rack gear, is movable in a first direction as an insertion direction and a second direction as an ejection direction, and moves in the second direction during loading and moved in the first direction during ejection; a drive motor functioning as a drive source of the slider; a deceleration gear group that intermeshes with the rack gear; an eject lever that is rotated to press the recording medium during the ejection; and a link member coupled with the eject lever, the slider including a lock plate and a slide plate.
US08141108B2

A disk device includes a disk moving mechanism for moving a disk between loading and unloading positions. There is a reader/writer for recording or playback of data with the disk in the loading position. In the disk device, a housing includes a main containing region, having a first base wall, for containing the reader/writer. An intermediate containing region is disposed to extend from one side of the main containing region, for partially containing the disk moving mechanism, the intermediate containing region having a second base wall positioned higher than the first base wall, for space saving below. A peripheral containing region is disposed to extend from one side of the intermediate containing region, for containing a portion of the disk protruded from the intermediate containing region, the peripheral containing region having a third base wall positioned higher than the second base wall, for space saving below.
US08141105B2

The invention discloses a subscription which is made to receive request messages on one or more topics from a first broker. A subscription is made to receive all messages published at either the first or the second broker to a replyto topic including a bridge identifier. A request message is received from the first broker, the request message specifying a temporary replyto topic on which responses to the request should be published. The temporary reply to topic is modified to specify a bridge identifier. The modified request message is forwarded to a second broker. A response to the request is received from the second broker, the response being published on the replyto topic including the bridge identifier. The bridge receives the response as a result of the subscription to receive all messages published to a topic including the bridge identifier. The response is forwarded to the first broker.
US08141104B2

The WMI architecture includes a framework, known as CIM Object Manager (or CIMOM), which exploits WMI providers of dynamic services for the managed objects; in the WMI architecture, the CIM providers must be implemented as Common Object Model (COM) objects and must comply with a specific WMI provider interface (named “IWbemServices”). The invention discloses integrating non-compliant providers, for example written in the Java language, into the WMI infrastructure. For this purpose, a bridge provider is associated with each managed object that is supported by the Java providers. The bridge provider identifies the Java provider that must be invoked to fulfill a particular request (based on a specific CIM qualifier); the parameters of the request are converted into Java types, and a corresponding method is called on an intermediate Java object. The intermediate Java object then routes the request to the appropriate Java provider.
US08141092B2

Mechanisms are provided for an I/O virtualization management partition (IMP) to control the shared functionality of an I/O virtualization (IOV) enabled I/O adapter (IDA) through a physical function (PF) of the IOA while the virtual functions (VFs) are assigned to client partitions for normal I/O operations directly. A hypervisor provides device-independent facilities to the code running in the IMP and client partitions. The IMP may include device specific code without the hypervisor needing to sacrifice its size, robustness, and upgradeability. The hypervisor provides the virtual intermediary functionally for the sharing and control of the IOA's control functions.
US08141081B2

The present invention provides for a method and system for the disposition of tasks which failed to run during their originally scheduled time. The determination of whether to run missed or delayed tasks is based on calculated ratios rather than on fixed window sizes. A Lateness Ratio is calculated to determine if the time elapsed between the missed task and the scheduled run time is small enough to still allow a late task to run. A Closeness Ratio is calculated to determine if the next available run time for the missed task is close enough to the next scheduled execution of the task that the missed task will be run in place of the upcoming scheduled task. Each ratio is compared to a user defined ratio limit, so if the calculated ratio does not exceed the limit, then the missed task is executed at the first available opportunity.
US08141078B2

A mechanism for sharing tasks is provided in which individuals in a share group may signal their intent to complete individual shared tasks and communicate that intent to other individuals in the share group. A required time for completion of the shared tasks may be associated with an individual's signaling of the intent to complete the shared task. The completion of the shared task by the individual signaling intent to complete may be monitored and, if not completed within the associated required time, the performance of the shared task may again he shared with the individuals of the share group. In this way, another individual may signal that individual's intent to perform the shared task and the process may be repeated until the shared task is completed.
US08141076B2

Methods and apparatus for cell processors are disclosed. A policy module is loaded from a main memory of a cell processor into the local memory of a selected synergistic processing unit (SPU) under control of an SPU policy module manager (SPMM) running on the SPU. The policy module loads a work queue from the main memory into the local memory of the SPU. The policy module interprets and process one or more tasks from the work queue on the SPU. The selected SPU performs the task(s) and after completion or upon a pre-emption, returns control of the SPU to the SPMM.
US08141075B1

A plurality of virtual machines (VMs) is established and maintained by virtualization software on one or more physical servers. Desktop management software operates to provide the VMs to remote users as virtualized desktops. The desktop management software includes a rule engine that can be used to automate the policies of the organization. The rule engine manages the data center by controlling virtual infrastructure operations, such as power-on, power-off, suspension, and migration operations. The rule engine uses an event-condition-action paradigm, wherein an event causes a virtual infrastructure operation, possibly contingent on a condition. The rule engine provides for time-based scheduling of events in addition to system-based operations, which are triggered by events such as user logon and user logoff. The rule engine may also include the ability to automate the process of changing the properties of the virtual machines in a timely fashion.
US08141070B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, data processing system and computer program product for bridging class loader name spaces. In one embodiment, a data processing system can be provided for bridging class loader name spaces. The data processing system can include multiple, different class loaders disposed within a single run-time environment. The data processing system further can include a class loader bridge programmed to moderate access to the different class loaders in response to a request to load an object from one of two programming models containing objects concurrently in the single run-time environment.
US08141069B2

A method for generating an executable workflow code from an unstructured cyclic process model comprises the following steps. First, the unstructured cyclic process model is transformed into a preliminary workflow code. Then, from the preliminary workflow code the executable workflow code is generated by eliminating unstructured cycles.
US08141065B2

The invention includes a method and apparatus for dynamically defining and instantiating an undefined portion of a graph, where the graph has a plurality of states and a plurality of state transitions. A method includes executing the graph where the graph comprises a defined portion and an undefined portion and a plurality of tokens traverse the graph executing functions, suspending the one of the tokens in response to the one of the tokens detecting the undefined portion of the graph, generating a new portion of the graph for the undefined portion of the graph, replacing the undefined portion of the graph with the new portion of the graph, and releasing the suspended token. The new portion of the graph is generated by generating at least one definition file for the undefined portion of the graph and executing the at least one definition file to form thereby the new portion of the graph. The at least one definition file is generated by obtaining information adapted for defining the undefined portion of the graph and generating the at least one definition file using the obtained information.
US08141061B2

A compiler utility assigns memory locations to alias-free variables within a computer program. The compiler utility allocates memory keys for the alias-free variables, such that access to the memory locations of the alias-free variables is granted to blocks of code that have knowledge of the memory keys. In response to a command by the user, the compiler generates code to detect violations of alias assumptions during execution of the computer program. During the compiling process, the compiler adds the generated code for detecting violations of alias assumptions to the compiled computer program.
US08141058B2

A system for, method of and computer program product captures performance-characteristic data from the execution of a program and models system performance based on that data. Performance-characterization data based on easily captured reuse distance metrics is targeted, defined as the total number of memory references between two accesses to the same piece of data. Methods for efficiently capturing this kind of metrics are described. These data can be refined into easily interpreted performance metrics, such as performance data related to caches with LRU replacement and random replacement strategies in combination with fully associative as well as limited associativity cache organizations.
US08141053B2

Call stack information is sampled. A flag associated with a target thread is set in a memory work area associated with a virtual machine in response to an interrupt. Monitoring for an event takes place during execution of a plurality of threads created by the virtual machine. A determination is made as to whether the flag is set in response to an occurrence of the event. If the flag is set, the virtual machine makes a call out to a profiler which initiates sampling of the call stack information in response to the flag being set.
US08141044B2

A method for tuning performance of an operating system, the method comprising identifying all sources of operating system jitter; measuring the impact of each of the operating system jitter source; and tuning performance of the operating system, preferably by use of different approaches/techniques, which could include removing the sources of operating system jitter and/or delaying their execution and/or smoothening their execution over a longer period of time. Computer program code and systems are also provided.
US08141040B2

A method, system, and computer-readable medium for assembling work packets within a software factory are presented. In a preferred embodiment, the computer-implemented method comprises the steps of: collecting a plurality of software artifacts that have been archived during an assembly of previous work packets; collecting a plurality of metrics that have been utilized during the assembly of previous work packets; defining a template for a new work packet, wherein the template for the new work packet is created by a packet definition process that defines attributes that are needed in the new work packet; selecting requisite software artifacts from the plurality of software artifacts; selecting requisite metrics from the plurality of metrics; and sending the template, requisite software artifacts and requisite metrics to a packet assembly process, wherein the packet assembly process assembles the requisite software artifacts to create the new work packet.
US08141035B2

A method provides an annotated language extension for the class of an object, the extension identifying an internal state that may be exposed via simple accessor methods. The extension could apply to an entire object type, or to a specific state within the object. Annotations that can be added to the extension include @Accessable, @Gettable and @Settable. In one embodiment, a method selectively accesses one or more object states. The method includes generating an annotated extension identifying each internal object state to be exposed for access, adding a usage annotation to the extension that defines an accessor method associated with each identified state, and operating a virtual machine to call the accessor method associated with a particular identified state. The particular state may then be accessed, as defined by the called accessor method.
US08141022B2

A hierarchical design apparatus 1 for a semiconductor integrated circuit includes a hierarchical block placing unit 1-02 which places sets of hierarchical blocks onto a chip; a hierarchical block terminal placing unit 1-03 which places terminals of the hierarchical blocks so that for sets of hierarchical blocks having the same function, the hierarchical blocks coincide with each other in a coordinate of the corresponding terminal; an intra-hierarchical block layout unit 1-06 which executes the individual types of intra-hierarchical-block layout designs, meanwhile executes only a single type of intra-hierarchical-block layout design for the sets of hierarchical blocks having the same function; and a chip layout finishing unit 1-07 which replicates thus-obtained layout patterns, and thereby completing a layout design over the entire chip.
US08141004B1

In an electronic design automation technique for optical proximity correction, an optimized mask function that has values other than those allowed for a particular mask type, such as 0 and 1 for a chrome-on-glass binary mask, evolves it to a solution restricted to these values or narrow intervals near them. The technique “regularizes” the solution by mixing in a new cost functional that encourages the mask to assume the desired values. The mixing in may be done over one or more steps or even “quasistatically,” in which the total cost functional and the mask is brought from pure goodness-of-fit to the printed layout for given conditions to pure manufacturability by keeping the total cost functional minimized step-by-step. A goal of this gradual mixing-in is to do thermodynamically optimal work on the mask function to bring it to manufacturable values.
US08141001B2

A method, system and computer-readable media for enabling a user of a computer to initiate a defragmentation process of a hard disc of a hard disc drive are provided. One version of the method includes (a.) presenting an icon identifying a defragmentation process, the presentation comprised within a desktop startup display of a computer; and (b.) in response to only a single action performed by a user, directing the computer to execute the defragmentation process. The single action may be a depression of, i.e., a clicking, a button of a computer mouse, a pointing device, or a television remote control, or of a key on a key pad of a computer. The computer may be a personal computer, a wireless telephone, a computer game console, a digital television, or a personal digital assistant.
US08141000B2

When an initial character is specified by striking a character input key, the first destination candidate, according to the alphabetical order, is displayed. After this, in response to each striking of the same character input key, the display screen is switched to displaying the next destination candidate. In particular, when there is no more next destination candidate having the character specified by the character input key as its initial character, the turn returns to the first destination candidate having the same character as its initial character and this destination candidate is displayed.
US08140996B2

A system includes a display that is controlled by a processor. Software code may be executed by the processor to link a plurality of images of an image set into an endless loop in virtual space. The images of the image set may be scrolled along the endless loop for display. The endless loop may include one or more portions to which the images of the image set that are not currently visible on the display are linked, and one or more further portions to which the images of the image set that are currently visible on the display are linked.
US08140994B2

An object is associated with one or more controls in a software application. An object associated with a control determines the operation of the data entry user interface when the data entry user interface is being employed to enter data into the control. More particularly, the object may communicate interface e characteristics to a component that is responsible for providing the user interface to the user. Such a component may be, for example, a shared software module that renders the user interface on a display, receives input data from the user through the user interface, and routes the entered data to a designated destination. Alternately, the object itself may create a user interface having the specified characteristics.
US08140993B2

A method, a computer program product, a computer system and a method for supporting an application. The method includes: starting one or more applications, each application of the one or more applications having multiple possible states; displaying a taskbar on a computer screen, the taskbar having an application state filter select button; creating a corresponding task button representing each application of the one or more applications; upon selection of the application state filter select button, displaying a list of state filters on the computer screen; and upon selection of a state filter from the list of state filters, displaying task buttons corresponding only to those applications presently in a state corresponding to the selected state filter.
US08140992B2

A dialogue device deactivation/activation unit for deactivating layers of an interactive window which are associated with systems of the aircraft that are not selected.
US08140971B2

A method, system and article of manufacture for hover help management in data processing systems and, more particularly, for providing dynamic and intelligent hover assistance in graphical user interfaces. One embodiment provides a method of displaying hover assistance on a display screen. The method comprises moving a pointer element to a position over a user interface element shown on the display screen in response to user manipulation of a pointing device, while the pointer element is positioned over the user interface element, invoking a first hover element for display on the display screen, and invoking a second hover element for display on the display screen after invoking the first hover element, and while the pointer element continues to be positioned over the user interface element.
US08140970B2

A method for displaying a virtual keyboard with a semi-transparent overlay of an end user's hands. The method begins by receiving a video signal comprising an image of a keyboard and at least one hand belonging to the end user. Next the method creates a virtual keyboard comprising an outline for each key residing in the image of the keyboard. After creating the virtual keyboard, the method sends to a computer screen the virtual keyboard overlaying on top of the image of the keyboard. The overlaying giving an appearance that keys residing in the image of the keyboard obscured by the end user's hand are now visible.