US08138269B2
Isotactic polypropylene ethylene-propylene copolymer blends and in-line processes for producing them. The blends may have between 1 and 50 wt % of isotactic polypropylene with a melt flow rate of between 0.5 and 20,000 g/10 min and a melting peak temperature of 145° C. or higher, and wherein the difference between the DSC peak melting and the peak crystallization temperatures is less than or equal to 0.5333 times the melting peak temperature minus 41.333° C., and between 50 and 99 wt % of ethylene-propylene copolymer including between 10 wt % and 20 wt % randomly distributed ethylene with a melt flow rate of between 0.5 and 20,000 g/10 min, wherein the copolymer is polymerized by a bulk homogeneous polymerization process, and wherein the total regio defects in the continuous propylene segments of the copolymer is between 40 and 150% greater than a copolymer of equivalent melt flow rate and wt % ethylene polymerized by a solution polymerization process.
US08138264B2
A bimodal polyethylene having a high density ranging from about 0.955 to about 0.959 g/cc, an improved environmental stress cracking resistance (ESCR) of from about 400 to about 2500 hours, and an improved 0.4% flexural modulus of from about 180,000 to about 260,000 psi (1,200 MPa to about 1,800 MPa) may be formed using a Ziegler-Natta polymerization catalyst using two reactors in series. The bimodal polyethylene may have a high load melt index (HLMI) of from about 2 and about 30 dg/min and may be optionally made with a small amount of alpha-olefinic comonomer in the second reactor. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US08138259B2
The invention relates to a housing from a polyamide molding compound containing 70 to 99.5% by weight of at least one thermoplastic polyamide and 0.5 to 30% by weight of at least one polyamide oligomer with linear or branched chain structure with a number average molar mass of 800 to 5000 g/mol with basic end groups which are at least partially NH2 end groups, and carboxyl end groups, one of these end groups being present in excess and the concentration of the end group present in excess being at most 300 mmol/kg.
US08138256B2
Disclosed is a flame-retardant resin composition which comprises inorganic particles, preferably a fly ash, containing a complex of silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide and having D50 of 1 to 10 μm.
US08138248B2
A method for preparing a polymeric composition, the method comprising providing a polymer cement including a polymer and a solvent, introducing an acetal or ketal of an alditol with the polymer cement, and isolating at least a portion of the polymer and the acetal or ketal of an alditol from the solvent to provide a polymeric composition including the polymer and the acetal or ketal of an alditol.
US08138247B2
Polyoxymethylene compositions comprising (a) 20 to 80 weight percent polyacetal homopolymer, copolymer, or mixtures of these; (b) 5 to 40 weight percent glass fiber; (c) 0.1 to 2 weight percent polymeric thermal stabilizer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide, polymethacrylamide, and mixtures of these; (d) 0.02 to 2 weight percent allantoin; and 0.1 to 5 weight percent of an ethylene copolymer of the formula E/X/Y; wherein Y includes a glycidyl group. Articles made from these compositions.
US08138245B2
The invention relates to a halogen free flame retardant polyester composition suitable for use as a molding composition for making lampholders, comprising (A) a polymeric material consisting for at least 50 wt. %, relative to the total weight of the polymeric material, of a thermoplastic polyester; (B) a flame retardant system in an amount of 11-35 wt. %, relative to the total weight of (A), (B) and (C), and consists of: melamine cyanurate, and optionally one or more of the following flame retardant components: another phosphorus-free nitrogen based organic flame retardant compound, a phosphorus containing flame retardant excluding elementary phosphorus, in an amount of less than 1 wt. %, relative to the total weight of (A), (B) and (C); an inorganic flame retardant synergist, and an organic flame retardant synergist (C) a fibrous reinforcing agent in an amount of 5-35 wt. %, relative to the total weight of (A), (B) and (C); and (D) a mould release agent in an amount of at least 0.01 wt. %, relative to the total weight of (A), (B) and (C).
US08138244B2
A composition comprises, based on the total weight of the composition: from 20 to 90 wt. % of a polyester component comprising a modified poly(butylene terephthalate) copolymer that is derived from a poly(ethylene terephthalate) component; from 5 to 35 wt. % of a flame retardant phosphinate and/or a flame retardant diphosphinate; from 1 to 25 wt. % of a melamine polyphosphate, melamine cyanurate, melamine pyrophosphate, and/or melamine phosphate; from greater than zero to 50 wt. % of a glass fiber having a non-circular cross-section; and from 0 to 5 wt. % of an additive.
US08138243B2
The invention relates to the use of a UV absorber in the production of transparent polyamide products or polyamide molded parts. The use according to the invention is characterized in that at least one UV absorber having at least one substituted benzoyl group is added to a polyamide molding compound, by which means melts of polyamide molding compounds comprising these UV absorbers leave no visible blooming on surfaces with which they come into contact during the production or processing of polyamide products. Particularly preferred polyamide molding compounds produced according to the use according to the invention comprise PA 6I/MXDI, PA MACM12, PA MACMI/MACMT/12 or PA 6I/6T/MACMI/MACMT/PACMI/PACMT/12 as well as one or more UV absorbers in the form of a dibenzoylmethane compound and/or an aminohydroxybenzoyl benzoic acid ester.
US08138241B2
The present invention provides processes for the extrusion of a shapable resin-containing composition as a foam, wherein said composition comprises at least one extrudable resin and at least one saccharide ester of Formula I: Also disclosed are foams produced by said processes.
US08138223B2
Compounds of formula (I): wherein R1, R2 and R3, which may be the same or different, each represent a hydrogen atom or the group of formula (A): Medicinal products containing the same which are useful in the prevention and/or treatment of venous diseases and other conditions.
US08138221B2
The present invention relates to pharmaceutically acceptable crystalline and amorphous salts of D-isoglutamyl-D-tryptophan as well as processes for their manufacture, pharmaceutical compositions comprising them, and their uses in the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of various conditions and/or diseases. In particular, the present invention relates to D-isoglutamyl-D-tryptophan potassium salt (1:1), D-isoglutamyl-D-tryptophan lithium salt (1:1), D-isoglutamyl-D-tryptophan calcium salt (2:1), D-isoglutamyl-D-tryptophan magnesium salt (2:1), and D-isoglutamyl-D-tryptophan organic ammonium salts (1:1).
US08138215B2
The present disclosure relates to compounds, compositions and methods for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and methods for using these compounds in the treatment of HCV infection.
US08138206B2
Disclosed is a substance having an antagonistic effect on the binding of histamine to a histamine H3 receptor or an inhibitory effect on the activity which a histamine H3 receptor constantly exhibits. A compound represented by the formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; (I) wherein R1 represents a phenyl group which may be substituted or the like and R2 represents a cyano group which may be substituted or the like, or R1 and R2 together form an aliphatic heterocylic ring which may be substituted; R3 represents a group represented by the formula (II-1) below; and all of X1 to X4 represent a carbon atom or the like: (II-1) where R4 and R5 represent a lower alkyl group or the like; and m1 represents an integer of 2 to 4.
US08138200B2
The invention includes compositions and methods useful for treatment of a virus infection in a mammal by double-targeting the virus (i.e. targeting the virus at more than one stage of the virus life cycle) and thereby inhibiting virus replication. The compositions of the invention include compounds which comprise a phosphocholine moiety covalently conjugated with one or more antiviral agents (e.g. nucleoside analogue, protease inhibitor, etc.) to a lipid backbone. The invention also includes pharmaceutical compositions and kits for use in treatment of a virus infection in mammals. The methods of the invention comprise administering a compound of the invention, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition of the invention, in an amount effective to treat the infection, to a mammal infected with a virus. Additionally, the invention includes compositions and methods useful for combating a cancer in a mammal and for facilitating delivery of a therapeutic agent to a mammalian cell. The compositions of the invention include compounds which comprise an alkyl lipid or phospholipid moiety covalently conjugated with an anticancer agent (e.g. a nucleoside analogue). The invention also includes pharmaceutical compositions and kits for combating a cancer and for facilitating delivery of a therapeutic agent to a mammalian cell. The methods of the invention comprise administering a compound of the invention, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition of the invention, in an amount effective to combat a cancer or to facilitate delivery of a therapeutic agent to a mammalian cell.
US08138198B2
This invention comprises the novel compounds of formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, X and Y have defined meanings, having histone deacetylase inhibiting enzymatic activity; their preparation, compositions containing them and their use as a medicine.
US08138186B2
The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I), methods for their preparation, medicaments comprising these compounds as well their use in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of humans and animals.
US08138184B2
An isoxazole derivative is provided. The isoxazole derivative has following formula: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5, independently, include hydrogen, hydroxy or C1-C12 alkoxy optionally substituted with oxirane, thiirane, aziridine, amino, cycloamino, aminohydroxy or cycloaminohydroxy. The invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition for treatment of osteoporosis and cancer including an isoxazole derivative or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
US08138179B2
Novel heterocyclic compounds of the general formula (I) and salts, preferably pharmaceutically acceptable salts, thereof, in which R, R1, R1′, Q, m and n have the meanings explained in detail in the description, a process for their preparation and the use of these compounds as medicaments, in particular as aldosterone synthase inhibitors.
US08138173B2
Pyrazolo[3,4-c]quinolines, pyrazolo[4,5-c]naphthyridines, and analogs thereof, eg., 6,7,8,9-tetrahydro pyrazolo[3,4-c]quinolines, and, pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds, intermediates, methods of making these compounds, and methods of use of these compounds as immunomodulators, for inhibiting cytokine biosynthesis in animals and in the therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of diseases by inhibiting cytokine biosynthesis are disclosed.
US08138168B1
The invention relates to compounds having the formulae: wherein the variables are as defined herein. The invention further relates to methods of making and using these compounds, and pharmaceutical compositions, kits and articles of manufacture comprise the compounds.
US08138163B2
There is provided a method of conjugating a polymer containing a free aldehyde group with a flavonoid in the presence of an acid catalyst, such that the polymer is conjugated to the C6 or C8 position of the flavonoid A ring. The resulting conjugates may be used to form delivery vehicles to deliver high doses of flavonoids, and may also be used as delivery vehicles to deliver an additional bioactive agent.
US08138158B2
Compositions and methods for therapy of cystic fibrosis, asthma, and other conditions characterized by defective chloride transport are provided. The compositions comprise one or more compounds such as flavones and/or isoflavones, ascorbate and/or derivatives thereof capable of stimulating chloride transport in epithelial tissues. Therapeutic methods involve the administration (e.g., orally or via inhalation) of such compositions to a patient afflicted with cystic fibrosis, asthma, and/or another condition responsive to stimulation of chloride transport.
US08138156B2
Ophthalmic composition comprising one or more polyglycines selected from the group consisting of diglycine, triglycine, tetraglycine and pentaglycine, or the salts of each thereof and one or more boron buffering compounds. The ophthalmic composition will have an osmolality of from 200 mOsmol/kg to 420 mOsmol/kg.
US08138141B2
There is disclosed a pharmaceutical composition and method for treating sepsis, including septic shock and ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome), comprising administering an effective amount of a HMG1 antagonist. There is further disclosed a diagnostic method for monitoring the severity or potential lethality of sepsis or septic shock, comprising measuring the serum concentration of HMG1 in a patient exhibiting or at risk of exhibiting sepsis or septic shock symptoms. Lastly, there is disclosed a pharmaceutical composition and method for effecting weight loss or treating obesity, comprising administering an effective amount of HMG1 or a therapeutically active HMG1 fragment.
US08138136B2
The present invention relates to a process for producing an alkyleneoxide adduct, including the steps of reacting an aliphatic alcohol containing a hydrocarbon group having 6 to 22 carbon atoms with an alkyleneoxide in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a reaction product containing an alkyleneoxide adduct; and subjecting the reaction product successively to acid treatment and reduction treatment, and an alkyleneoxide adduct having a carbonyl value of 5 μmol/g or less. The alkyleneoxide adduct is useful as a raw material of various anionic surfactants, and the anionic surfactants derived from the alkyleneoxide adduct are free from undesirable coloration.
US08138132B2
A lubricant composition is provided as follows: At least 90% of a base grease; (a) a thiadiazole poly(ether)glycol complex in an amount which provides about 1500 to 3500 ppm sulfur; (b) molybdenum dihydrocarbyldithiophosphate in amount which provides about 77 to 450 ppm molybdenum; and (c) zinc dihydrocarbyldithiophosphate in an amount which provides about 600 to 1000 ppm zinc. An additive composition for grease, consisting of components (a), (b) and (c), is also provided.
US08138131B2
A lubricating oil composition for diesel oil vehicle comprises lubricating base oil, in which the composition further comprises triazine compound. The wheel rim power of the diesel oil vehicle is increased by 8-10%, the carbon smoke particulate discharge in tail gas is reduced by 30-50%, oil saving rate is high up to more than 10% and the oil change-over period of machine oil is 2-3 times of that of a conventional one; the discharge fully meets the standard, at the same time eliminates the bad smell and taste of the raw oil, the tail gas discharge of currently used vehicle or new vehicle meet the national standards by using the lubricating oil composition provided by the present invention.
US08138130B2
A multifunctional product is prepared by the reaction of an alkyl or alkenyl succinic acid derivative with a Fused-Ring Aromatic diamine, with a charge mole ratio of the diamine moiety in stoichiometric excess, under reactive conditions to thereby yield a multifunctional lubricant additive.
US08138126B2
The present invention relates, in general, to subterranean fluids, and more particularly, to subterranean drilling fluids that may be useful for reducing the production of water from a portion of a subterranean formation and/or stabilizing an unconsolidated portion of a subterranean formation while drilling. In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods of reducing the flow of water from a portion of a subterranean formation that comprise contacting the portion of the subterranean formation with an organoaluminum compound, the organoaluminum compound being capable of forming a reaction product in the presence of water. The present invention also includes methods of drilling a well bore in a subterranean formation, methods of enhancing the stability of an unconsolidated portion of a subterranean formation, methods of stabilizing an unconsolidated portion of a subterranean formation, and drilling fluids.
US08138124B2
A drilling fluid includes a base fluid and a circulation loss reducing additive package having a polysaccharide, a cellulose derivative and a pH controlling component.
US08138121B2
The present invention is directed to the use of piperonyl butoxide, alone or with S-(+)-abscisic acid or its salts to minimize stress to plants.
US08138110B2
The invention relates to a refractory ceramic batch made of 30 to 95% by mass of a synthetically manufactured fine component selected from the group consisting of: fused forsterite, sintered forsterite, each in a grain size <1 mm, further 5 to 70% by mass of at least one coarse component selected from the group consisting of: sintered magnesia, fused magnesia, each in a grain size >1 mm, up to 5% by mass of a sintering aid and not more than 5% by mass of at least one other component, wherein the components sum up to 100% by mass. The invention further comprises a workpieces made of this batch and the use of said workpiece as a checker brick.
US08138108B2
The present disclosure relates to aluminum titanate-containing ceramic-forming batch materials and methods using the same.
US08138105B2
A method that is performed for heat treating a semiconductor wafer in a process chamber, as an intermediate part of an overall multi-step technique for processing the wafer, includes applying an energy transfer layer to at least a portion of the wafer, and exposing the wafer to an energy source in the process chamber in a way which subjects the wafer to a thermal profile such that the energy transfer layer influences at least one part of the thermal profile. The thermal profile has at least a first elevated temperature event. The method further includes, in time relation to the thermal profile, removing the energy transfer layer in the process chamber at least sufficiently for subjecting the wafer to a subsequent step. An associated intermediate condition of the wafer is described.
US08138100B2
A finFET structure includes a semiconductor fin located over a substrate. A gate electrode is located traversing the semiconductor fin. The gate electrode has a spacer layer located adjoining a sidewall thereof. The spacer layer does not cover completely a sidewall of the semiconductor fin. The gate electrode and the spacer layer may be formed using a vapor deposition method that provides for selective deposition upon a sidewall of a mandrel layer but not upon an adjoining surface of the substrate so that the spacer layer does not cover completely the sidewall of the semiconductor fin. Other microelectronic structures may be fabricated using the lateral growth methodology.
US08138099B1
Disclosed herein is a solder self-assembly structure, an IC chip including a solder self-assembly structure, and a method of making the same. The structure includes a release layer disposed on a portion of an upper surface of the substrate, laterally spaced from a via in the substrate. A barrier layer metallization (BLM) is disposed in a first part over a portion of the substrate including a via, and in a second part over the release layer, leaving a surface of the substrate exposed between the first portion and the second portion of the BLM. A solder structure is disposed over the first and second portions of the BLM and the exposed surface of the substrate disposed there between. When the solder structure is reflowed and annealed, surface tension in the solder causes self-assembly of a three-dimensional, compliant solder structure.
US08138095B2
Substrate processing apparatus 100 includes supporting table 103 for not only supporting a target substrate W but also heating the target substrate W; processing chamber 101 having the supporting table disposed therein; and gas supply unit 102 for supplying a processing gas into the processing chamber 101. The processing gas includes organic acid metal complex or organic acid metal salt.
US08138093B2
A lithographic material stack including a photo-resist and an organic planarizing layer is combined with an etch process that generates etch residues over a wide region from sidewalls of etched regions. By selecting the etch chemistry that produces deposition of etch residues from the organic planarizing layer over a wide region, the etch residue generated at the sidewalls of the wide trench is deposited over the entire bottom surface of the wide trench. An etch residue portion remains at the bottom surface of the wide trench when the organic planarizing layer is etched through in the first trench region. The etch residue portion is employed in the next step of the etch process to retard the etch rate in the wide trench, thereby producing the same depth for all trenches in the material layer into which the pattern of the lithographic material stack is transferred.
US08138092B2
A method for forming an array area with a surrounding periphery area, wherein a substrate is disposed under an etch layer, which is disposed under a patterned organic mask defining the array area and covers the entire periphery area is provided. The patterned organic mask is trimmed. An inorganic layer is deposited over the patterned organic mask where a thickness of the inorganic layer over the covered periphery area of the organic mask is greater than a thickness of the inorganic layer over the array area of the organic mask. The inorganic layer is etched back to expose the organic mask and form inorganic spacers in the array area, while leaving the organic mask in the periphery area unexposed. The organic mask exposed in the array area is stripped, while leaving the inorganic spacers in place and protecting the organic mask in the periphery area.
US08138086B2
A method of manufacturing a flash memory device and devices thereof, which may be capable of preventing damage to a gate. A method of manufacturing a flash memory device may include preparing a semiconductor substrate having an active region defined by a device separator. A method of manufacturing a flash memory device may include forming a floating gate, a oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer and/or a control gate layer on and/or over a substrate. A method of manufacturing a flash memory device may include forming a low temperature oxide (LTO) film on and/or over a control gate, etching a LTO film to expose a desired part of a control gate, using a LTO film as a mask to etch a desired part of each of a floating gate layer, a ONO layer and/or a control gate to form a gate pattern, and/or substantially removing a LTO film by wet etching.
US08138074B1
A method of forming an IC includes forming a first and a second gate portion using a poly mask. The first portion includes a first active poly gate having a line width W1 over an end of a first active area framed by a first active area edge and a first adjacent active field poly feature having a line width 0.8W1 to 1.3W1 in a first field region. The first field poly feature has a horizontal portion and a first extension portion along a gate width direction extending over the first active area edge having a first minimum spacing (S1). The second gate portion includes a second active poly gate over an end of a second active area framed by a second active area edge electrically connected to a second field poly feature in a second field region having a horizontal portion and a second extension portion along a gate width direction extending over the second active area edge having a second minimum spacing (S2). A dummy field poly feature is between the second active poly gate and the second field poly feature. S1≧1.25S2.
US08138069B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to apparatus and method for pretreatment of substrates for manufacturing devices such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodes (LDs). One embodiment of the present invention comprises pre-treating the aluminum oxide containing substrate by exposing a surface of the aluminum oxide containing substrate to a pretreatment gas mixture, wherein the pretreatment gas mixture comprises ammonia (NH3) and a halogen gas.
US08138064B2
A method for producing a silicon film-transferred insulator wafer is disclosed. The method includes a surface activation step of performing a surface activation treatment on at least one of a surface of an insulator wafer and a hydrogen ion-implanted surface of a single crystal silicon wafer into which a hydrogen ion has been implanted to form a hydrogen ion-implanted layer; a bonding step that bonds the hydrogen ion-implanted surface to the surface of the insulator wafer to obtain bonded wafers; a first heating step that heats the bonded wafers; a grinding and/or etching step of grinding and/or etching a surface of a single crystal silicon wafer side of the bonded wafers; a second heating step that heats the bonded wafers; and a detachment step to detach the hydrogen ion-implanted layer by applying a mechanical impact to the hydrogen ion-implanted layer of the bonded wafers thus heated at the second temperature.
US08138061B2
The present invention provides a method for removing or reducing the thickness of ultrathin interfacial oxides remaining at Si—Si interfaces after silicon wafer bonding. In particular, the invention provides a method for removing ultrathin interfacial oxides remaining after hydrophilic Si—Si wafer bonding to create bonded Si—Si interfaces having properties comparable to those achieved with hydrophobic bonding. Interfacial oxide layers of order of about 2 to about 3 nm are dissolved away by high temperature annealing, for example, an anneal at 1300°-1330° C. for 1-5 hours. The inventive method is used to best advantage when the Si surfaces at the bonded interface have different surface orientations, for example, when a Si surface having a (100) orientation is bonded to a Si surface having a (110) orientation. In a more general aspect of the invention, the similar annealing processes may be used to remove undesired material disposed at a bonded interface of two silicon-containing semiconductor materials. The two silicon-containing semiconductor materials may be the same or different in surface crystal orientation, microstructure (single-crystal, polycrystalline, or amorphous), and composition.
US08138060B2
A wafer has a rare earth oxide layer disposed, typically sprayed, on a substrate. It is useful as a dummy wafer in a plasma etching or deposition system.
US08138059B2
A semiconductor device manufacturing method includes: forming a core pattern on a foundation film, the core pattern containing a material generating acid by light exposure; selectively exposing part of the core pattern except an longitudinal end portion; supplying a mask material onto the foundation film so as to cover the core pattern, the mask material being crosslinkable upon supply acid from the core pattern; etching back the mask material to expose an upper surface of the core pattern and remove a portion of the mask material formed on the end portion of the core pattern, thereby leaving a mask material side wall portion formed on a side wall of the core pattern; and removing the core pattern and processing the foundation film by using the mask material sidewall portion left on the foundation film as a mask.
US08138048B2
It is intended to provide a semiconductor device having a reduced thickness of a silicon nitride film on an outer periphery of a gate electrode of an SGT. A semiconductor device of the present invention is constructed using a MOS transistor which has a structure where a drain, a gate and a source are arranged in a vertical direction with respect to a substrate, and the gate is formed to surround a pillar-shaped semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device comprises: a silicide layer formed in an upper surface of each of upper and lower diffusion layers formed in upper and underneath portions of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, in a self-alignment manner, wherein the silicide layer is formed after forming a first dielectric film on a sidewall of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer to protect the sidewall of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer during formation of the silicide layer; and a second dielectric film formed, after forming the silicide layer and then removing the first dielectric film, in such a manner as to cover a source/drain region formed in the underneath portion of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, the gate electrode formed on the sidewall of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, and a source/drain region formed on the upper portion of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layer.
US08138044B2
A semiconductor flash memory includes a tunnel oxide film formed over a semiconductor substrate, a first spacer composed of polysilicon formed over the semiconductor substrate including the tunnel oxide film, a second spacer composed of an insulating material formed at sidewalls of the first spacer, a dielectric film formed at the uppermost surface of the first spacer and the second spacer, a control gate formed at the uppermost surface of the dielectric film, and a third spacer composed of an insulating material formed at and contacting sidewalls of the second spacer, the dielectric film and the control gate. A first source/drain region formed may be formed in the semiconductor substrate and self-aligned with the first spacer and a second source/drain region may be formed in the semiconductor substrate and self-aligned with the second spacer.
US08138041B2
Structure and method of improving the performance of metal gate devices by depositing an in-situ silicon (Si) cap are disclosed. A wafer including a substrate and a dielectric layer is heated through a degas process, and then cooled to approximately room temperature. A metal layer is then deposited, and then an in-situ Si cap is deposited thereon. The Si cap is deposited without vacuum break, i.e., in the same mainframe or in the same chamber, as the heating, cooling and metal deposition processes. As such, the amount of oxygen available for interlayer oxide regrowth during subsequent processing is reduced as well as the amount oxygen trapped in the metal gate.
US08138040B2
The invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a MOS transistor, a resistor element, etc on one semiconductor substrate, in which the number of masks and the number of manufacturing steps are decreased. In an NMOS formation region, a channel stopper layer is formed in a P type well by a first ion implantation process. Then a punch-through prevention layer is formed in the P type well by a second ion implantation process. On the other hand, in a first high resistor element formation region and a second high resistor element formation region, utilizing the first and second ion implantation processes, a resistor layer is formed in an N type well.
US08138039B2
A vertical transistor having a wrap-around-gate and a method of fabricating such a transistor. The wrap-around-gate (WAG) vertical transistors are fabricated by a process in which source, drain and channel regions of the transistor are automatically defined and aligned by the fabrication process, without photolithographic patterning.
US08138035B2
A method of forming an integrated circuit device that includes a plurality of multiple gate FinFETs (MuGFETs) is disclosed. Fins of different crystal orientations for PMOS and NMOS MuGFETs are formed through amorphization and crystal regrowth on a direct silicon bonded (DSB) hybrid orientation technology (HOT) substrate. PMOS MuGFET fins are formed with channels defined by fin sidewall surfaces having (110) crystal orientations. NMOS MuGFET fins are formed with channels defined by fin sidewall surfaces having (100) crystal orientations in a Manhattan layout with the sidewall channels of the different PMOS and NMOS MuGFETs aligned at 0° or 90° rotations.
US08138034B2
A flexible electret transducer assembly including an electrical backplate and a membrane made of an electret material is disclosed. A plurality of spacers is formed on a surface of the electrical backplate in a longitudinal or latitudinal direction, and the spacers are used for supporting a vibrating room of the membrane. A working area of the membrane is formed between adjacent spacers, and in each of the working area, the space between the electrical backplate and the membrane is smaller than that in a conventional electrostatic speaker. The spacers between the electrical backplate and the membrane are mass produced through a stamping process. Thereby, an accurate space between the electrical backplate and the membrane can be maintained and accordingly the audio quality can be improved. In addition, a speaker including the flexible electret transducer assembly and a method for fabricating the flexible electret transducer assembly are also disclosed.
US08138033B2
A semiconductor component that includes a Schottky device, an edge termination structure, a non-Schottky semiconductor device, combinations thereof and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor component. A semiconductor material includes a first epitaxial layer disposed on a semiconductor substrate and a second epitaxial layer disposed on the first epitaxial layer. The second epitaxial layer has a higher resistivity than the semiconductor substrate. A Schottky device and a non-Schottky semiconductor device are manufactured from the second epitaxial layer. In accordance with another embodiment, a semiconductor material includes an epitaxial layer disposed over a semiconductor substrate. The epitaxial layer has a higher resistivity than the semiconductor substrate. A doped region is formed in the epitaxial layer. A Schottky device and a non-Schottky semiconductor device are manufactured from the epitaxial layer.
US08138020B2
A wafer level integrated interconnect decal manufacturing method and wafer level integrated interconnect decal arrangement. In accordance with the technology concerning the soldering of integrated circuits and substrates, and particularly providing for solder decal methods forming and utilization, in the present instance there are employed underfills which consist of a solid film material and which are applied between a semiconductor chip and the substrate in order to enhance the reliability of a flip chip package. In particular, the underfill material increases the resistance to fatigue of controlled collapse chip connect (C4) bumps.
US08138017B2
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit package system includes: providing a package substrate; mounting a first integrated circuit die, having through silicon vias, on the package substrate; coupling cylindrical studs to the package substrate adjacent to the first integrated circuit die; and mounting a second integrated circuit die, having through silicon vias, on the first integrated circuit die and the cylindrical studs for forming an electrical connection among the second integrated circuit die, the first integrated circuit die, the package substrate, or a combination thereof.
US08138015B2
A structure formation method. The method may include: attaching a substrate, a first interposer, a second interposer, and a first bridge together such that the first interposer is on and electrically connected to the substrate, the second interposer is on and electrically connected to the substrate, the first interposer comprises at least a first transistor, and the second interposer comprises at least a second transistor. The method may alternatively include: disposing both a first and second interposer on a substrate, wherein the first and second interposer are each electrically connected to the substrate; and electrically connecting a first bridge to the first and second interposers, wherein (i) the first bridge is in direct physical contact with the substrate or (ii) a bottom surface of the first bridge is within the substrate and below a top surface of the substrate.
US08138008B1
Solutions for forming a semiconductor including an oxide MEMS beam are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of forming a beam within a sealed cavity includes: depositing a lower insulator layer comprising one or more layers; depositing an upper insulator layer over the first insulator layer, the upper insulator layer comprising one or more layers, wherein a composite stress of the upper insulator layer is different than a composite stress of the lower insulator layer.
US08137994B2
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 said patient has hypertriglyceridemai and/or hypertension . The present invention is also directed to treating identified patients with dopamine agonist therapy.
US08137990B2
Methods and compound useful for detecting a source of hydrogen peroxide are disclosed wherein a signalling compound of the formula: is reacted with peroxide. Sig is a non-polymeric organic group, B is a boron atom, and each R is independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl and aryl groups and can be joined together as a straight or branched alkylene chain forming a ring or as an aromatic ring. A detectable product compound of the formula Sig-OH or Sig-O−is produced and detected by measuring color, absorbance, fluorescence, chemiluminescence, or bioluminescence. The signalling compound itself does not possess the detectable property or does so only to a very weak degree. The methods can be used as a detectable signal in assays for peroxide or peroxide-producing enzymes and in assays employing enzyme-labeled specific binding pairs.
US08137988B2
This invention describes a method of using controlled fluidic forces to improve the performance of a biochemical binding assay where a target molecule is captured by specific molecular recognition onto a substrate surface with an affinity coating, and then labeled with a detectable micrometer-scale particle using a second specific molecular recognition reaction with the target. By using specific ranges of label sizes and laminar flow conditions, controlled fluidic forces can be applied to the label particles in order to selectively remove molecules bound to a surface according to their binding strength, and thereby increase the ratio of specifically bound labels to more weakly attached non-specifically bound labels. This method can be used with a wide variety of label types and associated detection methods, improving the sensitivity and selectivity of a broad range of binding assays.
US08137981B2
An apparatus comprising a nanowire waveguide with first and second ends, the second end comprising a nanoparticle, the nanowire waveguide configured to transmit radiation from the first end to the second end to illuminate the nanoparticle, the apparatus configured such that the nanoparticle is capable of being in close proximity to an analyte to allow for detection of said analyte.
US08137970B2
The present invention relates to a method for inducing the differentiation of CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells into megakaryocytes and platelets, more particularly, a method for inducing the differentiation of CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells into megakaryocytes and platelets comprising the steps of coculturing CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells with stromal cells and adding the compound of Formula 1. Further, the present invention relates to a composition for detecting the differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells into megakaryocytes and platelets, comprising an agent measuring expression level of a gene that is selected from the group consisting of KLF2 (Kiruppel-like factor2), LOC138255 (OTTHUMP00000021439), GDF15 (growth differentiation factor 15) and INHBE (inhibin, betaE), a kit comprising the composition, a method for detecting the differentiation into megakaryocytes and platelets by using the marker genes, a method for regulating the differentiation into megakaryocytes and platelets, and a method for screening a candidate compound that regulates the differentiation into megakaryocytes and platelets.
US08137966B2
The present invention provides a rat embryonic stem cell characterized by having the following properties of (a) expressing Oct3/4 gene and Nanog gene, (b) positive for alkaline phosphatase activity, (c) having an embryoid body forming ability, (d) expressing SSEA (Stage-Specific Embryonic Antigen)-1 and SSEA-4, (e) having the same number of chromosomes as does a normal rat cell, (f) capable of being subcultured and holding the undifferentiated state, (g) having in vitro pluripotency, (h) having a potential to differentiate for cells of three embryonic germ lineages, (i) having teratoma formation ability, and (j) having an ability to produce a chimeric rat, a method of establishing the aforementioned rat embryonic stem cell and the like.
US08137965B2
A kit is disclosed that includes a first component comprising alginate, wherein the first component is comprised in a first sterile vial, and a second component comprising cells comprising keratinocytes or fibroblasts, or mixtures thereof, that secrete one or more biologically active molecules selected from the group consisting of GM-CSF, VEGF, KGF, bFGF, TGFβ, angiopoietin, EGF, IL-Iβ, IL-6, IL-8, TGFα, and TNFα, wherein the cells are allogeneic and mitotically inactive, a buffered solution, and human serum albumin or a cryoprotectant, wherein the second component is comprised in a second sterile vial.
US08137959B2
The invention generally provides a cell culture vessel having at least one first zone and at least one second zone, wherein the first zone is a transfer zone for a culture medium which essentially contains no cells and the second zone is a cell culture zone. The invention further includes methods utilizing the cell culture vessel.
US08137946B2
The present invention relates to a recombinant GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) strains expressing thermophilic arabinose isomerase as an active form and method of food grade tagatose by using the same, and more precisely, a gene encoding arabinose isomerase originating from the thermophilic Geobacillus stearothermophilus DSM22 and Geobacillus thermodenitrificans, a recombinant expression vector containing the gene, a recombinant GRAS strains expressing the thermophilic arabinose isomerase as an active form by transformed with the expression vector, and a method of preparing food grade tagatose from galactose by using the same.
US08137942B2
Reactive surfaces, substrates and methods of producing and using such substrates and surfaces are provided. The substrates and surfaces provide low density reactive groups preferably on an otherwise non-reactive surface for use in different applications including single molecule analyses.
US08137940B2
The present invention relates to microorganisms genetically engineered to increase yield and/or efficiency of biomass production from a carbon source, such as e.g. glucose. Processes for generating such microorganisms are also provided by the present invention. The invention also relates to polynucleotide sequences comprising genes that encode proteins that are involved in the bioconversion of a carbon source such as e.g. glucose into biomass. The invention also features polynucleotides comprising the full-length polynucleotide sequences of the novel genes and fragments thereof, the novel polypeptides encoded by the polynucleotides and fragments thereof, as well as their functional equivalents. Also included are processes of using the polynucleotides and modified polynucleotide sequences to transform host microorganisms leading to a microorganism with reduced carbon source diversion, i.e. higher yield and/or efficiency of biomass production from a carbon source such as e.g. glucose.
US08137931B2
The invention relates to fusion proteins comprising the amino acid sequence of at least three HIV proteins selected from Vif, Vpr, Vpu, Rev, and Tat or derivatives of the amino acid sequence of one or more of said proteins, wherein the fusion protein is not processed to individual HIV proteins having the natural N and C termini. The invention further concerns nucleic acids encoding said proteins, vectors comprising said nucleic acids, and methods for producing said proteins. The fusion protein, nucleic acids and vectors are usable as vaccines for the at least partial prophylaxis against HIV infections.
US08137927B2
A method for formulating and immobilizing a protein and a protein matrix formed by the method. The protein matrix preparation method results in a physically and chemically stable protein matrix that has low swelling, non-leaching, high activity, and high mechanical strength properties. The method includes cross-linking and hardening the protein mixture and using a mold to form a protein into a desired shape and size.
US08137926B2
The present invention provides a kit for assaying the processing of EphA4 by γ-secretase.
US08137924B2
A molecular construct capable of fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET), comprising a linker peptide, a donor fluorophore moiety and an acceptor fluorophore moiety, wherein the linker peptide is a substrate of a botulinum neurotoxin selected from the group consisting of synaptobrevin, syntaxin and SNAP-25, or a fragment thereof capable being cleaved by the botulinum neurotoxin, and separates the donor and acceptor fluorophores by a distance of not more than 10 nm, and wherein emission spectrum of the donor fluorophore moiety overlaps with the excitation spectrum of the acceptor fluorophore moiety; or wherein the emission spectra of the fluorophores are detectably different. Also provided are isolated nucleic acid expressing the construct, kits comprising said construct and cell lines comprising said nucleic acid. Further provided are methods of detecting a BoNT using the above described construct via FRET, and methods for detecting a BoNT using surface plasmon resonance imaging.
US08137906B2
The invention relates to a method that can be carried out in parallel and automated for the production of any nucleic acid, comprising the following steps: a) coupling an oligonucleotide to a solid matrix b) adding an additional oligonucleotide c) ligating the oligonucleotides from steps a) and b) in one orientation d) removing excess reactants and enzymes from the reaction preparation e) cleaving the ligation product from step c) with a restriction enzyme that cleaves outside the recognition sequence, whereby cleavage occurs in the oligonucleotide from step a) or in the oligonucleotide from step b) f) separating the reaction mixture from the lengthened or shortened oligonucleotide from step a) that is obtained in step e) g) repeating steps b) to f) at least once h) successive sequence-independent linkage of the fragments obtained after performing steps a) to g) until the desired product is obtained.
US08137901B2
A method for fabricating an image sensor is disclosed. First, a semiconductor substrate is provided, in which a photosensitive region is defined on the semiconductor substrate. At least one photosensitive material is then formed on the semiconductor substrate, and a first exposure process is performed to form a tapered pattern in the photosensitive material. A second exposure process is performed to form a straight foot pattern in the photosensitive material, and a developing process is performed to remove the tapered pattern and straight foot pattern to form the photosensitive material into a plurality of photosensitive blocks. A reflow process is conducted thereafter to form the photosensitive blocks into a plurality of microlenses.
US08137896B2
A negative-working lithographic printing plate precursor can be imaged with infrared radiation and processed in a single step using a single processing solution having a pH of from about 3 to 11. The precursor has a primary polymeric binder that comprises recurring units derived from one or more N-alkoxymethyl(meth)acrylamides, provided that such recurring units are present in the primary polymeric binder in an amount of at least 10% based on the total dry primary polymeric binder weight. In addition, the primary polymeric binder is present in an amount of from about 12 to about 70% based on total imageable layer dry weight. The imaged precursor can be processed off-press or on-press.
US08137893B2
A new lithographic process comprises reducing the linewidth of an image while maintaining the lithographic process window, and using this process to fabricate pitch split structures comprising nm order (e.g., about 22 nm) node semiconductor devices. The process comprises applying a lithographic resist layer on a surface of a substrate and patterning and developing the lithographic resist layer to form a nm order node image having an initial line width. Overcoating the nm order node image with an acidic polymer produces an acidic polymer coated image. Heating the acidic polymer coated image gives a heat treated coating on the image, the heating being conducted at a temperature and for a time sufficient to reduce the initial linewidth to a subsequent narrowed linewidth. Developing the heated treated coating removes it from the image resulting in a free-standing trimmed lithographic feature on the substrate. Optionally repeating the foregoing steps further reduces the linewidth of the narrowed line. The invention also comprises a product produced by this process.
US08137890B2
The invention provides a colored photosensitive composition including: a coloring agent with a content of from 50% by weight to 80% by weight with respect to the total solid content of the composition; an oxime-based initiator with a content of from 5% by weight to 20% by weight with respect to the total solid content of the composition; and a resin containing at least one first structural unit represented by any one of the following formulae (1) to (3) containing an unsaturated double bond, and at least one second structural unit represented by the following formula (4) containing an acid group, wherein a ratio of the first structural unit to the second structural unit is 1.5 or more (molar ratio).
US08137881B2
The disclosure provides an electrophotographic toner including a binder resin; and a light absorber, wherein the light absorber includes a metal nanorod and a surfactant covering a surface of the metal nanorod.
US08137871B2
In the field of semiconductor production using charged particle beam lithography, a method and system for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction is disclosed, in which the union of shots from one of a plurality of exposure passes is different than the union of shots from a different exposure pass. Methods for manufacturing a reticle and for manufacturing an integrated circuit are also disclosed, in which the union of shots from one of a plurality of charged particle beam exposure passes is different than the union of shots from a different exposure pass.
US08137854B2
Apart from electrical energy, nowadays the main engines also supply pneumatic and hydraulic energy to the aircraft, using corresponding media. Apart from mechanical disadvantages this results in reduced engine efficiency in relation to thrust, fuel consumption and weight. According to an embodiment of the present invention an energy supply system for aircraft is provided, comprising a fuel cell arrangement and an electrical energy distribution device. In this way it is possible to replace all the energy generating systems of the engines, which provide energy for the aircraft systems, except for the starter generator, as a result of which the efficiency of the individual engines is improved. Furthermore, the efficiency of onboard energy generation is improved, which in the final analysis results in reduced fuel consumption.
US08137850B2
Disclosed is a gas-liquid separator capable of allowing carbon dioxide to be exhausted to the atmosphere so as to recover and recycle only unreacted fuel discharged from an electric generator, and a fuel cell system having the same. The fuel cell system includes an electric generator to generate electricity by electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, a fuel feeder to supply hydrogen containing fuel to the electric generator, an oxidant feeder to supply oxygen to the electric generator, and a recovering unit to recover unreacted fuel generated during the electrochemical reaction in the electric generator and supply the unreacted fuel to the fuel feeder. The recovering unit comprises a frame structure, and a gas-liquid separation film partially surrounding the frame structure. The gas-liquid separator forms a flow space inside the frame structure. Accordingly, the unreacted fuel, which is not participated in the oxidation-reduction reaction between the hydrogen containing fuel and the oxidant, is recovered and recycled while excluding carbon dioxide, so that power generation efficiency of the fuel cell system is enhanced.
US08137846B2
A subject for the invention is to improve the cycle characteristics of a high-capacity secondary battery containing an active material packed at a high density, by using a particulate active material having a low aspect ratio. The invention relates to a nonaqueous-electrolyte secondary battery comprising a negative electrode and a positive electrode each capable of occluding/releasing lithium, a separator, and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution comprising a nonaqueous solvent and a lithium salt, characterized in that the separator comprises a porous film made of a thermoplastic resin containing an inorganic filler, and at least either of the following is satisfied: the active material contained in the negative electrode is a particulate active material having an aspect ratio of from 1.02 to 3; and the active material contained in the positive electrode is a particulate active material having an aspect ratio of from 1.02 to 2.2.
US08137838B2
A battery electrode paste composition containing modified maleimide(s) is provided, which has an electrode active material, a conductive additive, a binder and modified maleimide(s) as dispersant. The modified maleimide as the dispersant in the battery electrode paste composition has dendrimer-like hyperbranched structures, which can form a stable complex with the electrode active material. Therefore, owing to the excellent compatibility of the modified maleimide with the solvent in the electrode paste, the storage stability of the paste is increased. Furthermore, through formation of stable bonding between the modified maleimide and the current-collecting metal substrate, the adhesive force between the electrode film and the current-collecting metal substrate is enhanced and the cycling life of the battery product is extended.
US08137830B2
An electrochemical storage device including a plurality of electrochemical cells connected electrically in series. Each cell includes an anode electrode, a cathode electrode and an aqueous electrolyte. The charge storage capacity of the anode electrode is less than the charge storage capacity of the cathode.
US08137821B2
A substituted ethynyl gold-nitrogen containing heterocyclic carbene complex of formula (1): wherein L represents a nitrogen containing heterocyclic carbene ligand; X represents an alkyl, a cycloalkyl, an aryl, an aralkyl or a heterocyclic group; in which one or more hydrogen atoms on the carbon atom(s) of X may be replaced by a halogen atom, an alkyl, a cycloalkyl, an alkenyl, an aryl, an aralkyl, an alkoxy, an aryloxy, a dialkylamino, an acyl or an arylcarbonyl group; and, when more than one hydrogen atom on the carbon atom(s) of X is replaced by the alkyl, the alkenyl, the aryl, the aralkyl, the alkoxy, the aryloxy, the dialkylamino, the acyl or the arylcarbonyl group, the adjacent groups may be bonded together to form a ring, a method for preparing the same, and an organic electroluminescent device containing the same in at least one organic compound thin layer.
US08137819B2
Disclosed is a multilayered steel composite which compatibly achieves properties such as strength and ductility that are incompatible in conventional steels and is excellent in strength, ductility, weldability, toughness and fatigue strength. Also, disclosed is a method for producing the multilayered steel which is produced by rolling with least two kinds of steels having different chemical compositions and microstructure or different mechanical properties, in combination.
US08137817B2
A polyamide based resin film roll is provided. The polyamide based resin film roll comprising: a first sample cutout portion within 2 m from the winding end of film; and a final cutout portion within 2 m from the winding start of film, wherein when a sample cutout portion is set up in approximately every 100 m from the first sample cutout portion, in all samples cut out from each of the cutout portions, mechanical properties such as boiling water shrinkage percentage and refraction index in the thickness direction are adjusted within a given range of variation width.
US08137809B2
The invention relates to a gel spun, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) multifilament yarn characterized in that said yarn comprises individual monofilaments having a coefficient of variation of their linear density, hereafter CVintra, of less than 30%, wherein the CVintra of a monofilament was determined from linear density values corresponding to a number of 20 representative lengths randomly extracted by cutting from said monofilament and using Formula 1 wherein χi is the linear density of any one of the representative lengths extracted from the monofilament under investigation and Formula 1A is the averaged linear density over the n=20 measured linear densities of said n=20 representative lengths. The invention also relates to a gel spun UHMWPE multifilament yarn characterized in that the yarn has a coefficient of variation in linear density between the monofilaments comprising said yarn, hereafter CVinter, of less than 50%. The invention also relates to a gel spinning process of producing thereof characterized in that a chamber is present before the spinning plate such that no further partitioning of the UHMWPE solution takes place before said solution being finally partitioned into individual monofilaments by the spinning plate and in which chamber the solution has a residence time τ at a constant throughput of UHMWPE solution of at least 5 sec. The invention also relates to a rope, net, medical cable or a composite comprising the yarns of the invention.
US08137797B2
Hydroxyl polymer-containing compositions, especially hydroxyl polymer-containing compositions that can be processed into polymeric structures, especially polymeric structures in the form of fibers are provided.
US08137790B2
A method of manufacturing a nonwoven fabric including at least one nonwoven web material layer having thermoplastic polymer filaments and an initial thickness Ts, wherein the method includes embossing the nonwoven web material layer to form in the layer an embossed portion having a compressed thickness Tc that is less than Ts and an expanded portion of the layer having a thickness Te that is greater than Ts.
US08137789B2
There are provided a composition for matte layer formation suitable for the production of a matte synthetic leather having a matte surface with a high level of jet-blackness even without the practice of embossing, raising, etc., and a release sheet for the production of a matte synthetic leather by using the composition. The composition for matte layer formation suitable for the production of a matte synthetic leather comprises a thermosetting resin and a matting agent as indispensable components. The matting agent comprises one or at least two types of organic or/and inorganic porous fine particles. The porous fine particles have a mean particle diameter in the range of 0.5 to 20 μm and a specific surface area in the range of 1 to 1000 m2/g. The release sheet is produced by using the composition.
US08137780B2
A plastic hollow body, in particular plastic pipe, the wall of which is constructed from cylindrical layers bonded to one another, wherein at least one layer is a layer made of a thermosetting material produced in the centrifugal process and the plastic hollow body includes multiple layers of thermosetting material and multiple layers of thermoplastic material.
US08137773B2
The present invention provides a polyolefin series heat-shrinkable film comprising a mixed resin mainly containing a polyolefin series resin (A), polylactic acid series resin (B), and a resin (C) facilitating compatibility with the resin (A) and the resin (B), or comprising at least one layer made of the mixed resin, wherein mass ratio of the resin (A) to the resin (B) is (A)/(B)=99/1 to 70/30; heat shrinkage ratio of the film at least in one direction when dipped in hot water at 80° C. for 10 seconds is 20% or more; and natural shrinkage ratio of the film when stored at 40° C. under 50% RH environment for 7 days is less than 10%. This polyolefin series heat-shrinkable film exhibits excellent heat-shrinkable property and shrink finishing quality, and inhibits natural shrinkage. This invention also provides a polyolefin series heat-shrinkable label and container on which the heat-shrinkable label is fitted.
US08137771B2
A gas generating composition that can suppress the generation of mist is provided. The above gas generating composition comprises (a) a fuel, (b) an oxidizer, and (c) a compound selected from a group comprising a phosphoric acid compound or a salt thereof. The content ratio of (c) in the above composition is preferably 0.1 to 5 mass %.
US08137767B2
An antireflective film is provided and includes: a transparent substrate; at least one conductive layer formed from a composition including at least one transparent conductive polymeric material and a compound forming a cross-liking site, the compound having a plurality of cross-linking reactive groups, at least one of which cross-links with the transparent conductive polymeric material; and at least one low refractive index layer.
US08137758B2
A coating apparatus and method of using for use in dip coating an article may have a container with opposing sides and a volume capable of holding a liquid coating material and at least one article to be coated by the material, and a stepped apron adjacent at least one of the opposing sides of the container, the stepped apron capable of holding the liquid coating material to a depth sufficient to maintain the material in the liquid state and receiving the liquid coating material dripping from at least one coated article positioned above the stepped apron; and at least one support member above the container capable of holding at least one article to be coated by dipping in the container. The apparatus may include localized heating of the article, such as by spot welding, and air cooling of the article using a cooling system having at least one fan and a conveyor before the article is dipped in the container containing the liquid coating material and subsequently dried.
US08137753B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a painted golf ball which is excellent in the gloss and the evenness of the paint thickness as well as the adhesion of the paint film to the golf ball body. The method for producing the golf ball of the present invention comprises applying a two-component curing type urethane-based aqueous paint including an aqueous polyol composition (A) and an aqueous polyisocyanate (B) to a golf ball body in a specific method, wherein (A) the aqueous polyol composition contains (a-1) an aqueous acrylic polyol, (a-2) an aqueous urethane polyol and (a-3) an aqueous urethane resin.
US08137744B2
An identification label changes color in an irreversible manner once put into contact with water/humidity. The label has a water-absorbable paper-based substrate having a surface on which an ink zone formed by printing of water-repellent or hydrophobic ink thereon and an opposite second surface on which a coating layer is formed. The ink zone has a color substantially identical to color of the substrate. The coating layer contains water soluble substance, which dissolves into water to form a solution that, once being absorbed by the substrate, changes the color of the substrate, the color of the solution being different from that of the substrate. A layer of adhesive is formed below the coating layer. Alternatively, the coating layer is formed on a surface of a double-sided adhesive layer and is bonded to a surface of the substrate opposite to the surface on which the ink zone is formed.
US08137743B2
[Object] To provide a method for forming a zirconia film, which is capable of obtaining favorable film quality by an aerosol gas deposition method.[Solving Means] The method for forming a zirconia film by an aerosol gas deposition method, the method including: placing zirconia fine particles P having a mean particle diameter of 0.7 μm or more and 11 μm or less and a specific surface area of 1 m2/g or more and 7 m2/g or less in a closed container 2; generating aerosol A of the zirconia fine particles P by introduction of a gas into the closed container 2; conveying the aerosol A through a transfer pipe 6 connected to the closed container 2 into a deposition chamber 3 kept at a pressure lower than that of the closed container 2; and depositing the zirconia fine particles P on a substrate S placed in the deposition chamber 3. It is possible to form a zirconia thin film that is dense and highly adhesive to the substrate by zirconia fine particles satisfying the above-mentioned conditions.
US08137730B2
Raisins that have been formed by field drying of grapes and that have been exposed to rain during the drying process that has caused solids, particularly sand, to become embedded in the surface folds of the raisins, are cleaned of such embedded solids by spraying with a mixture of pressurized air and water applied through an atomizing nozzle, which achieves both washing and drying of the raisins. The same process is applicable to other agricultural products with wrinkled skins, and produces unusually effective results.
US08137728B2
An emulsion system and method for controlling the digestion of a fat or an oil component is provided including a substantially hydrophobic food-grade component, and at least one of an emulsifier component, and one or more of polymeric components, wherein at least one of the emulsifier component and the polymeric component comprises a substantially indigestible food-grade material, such as an indigestible dietary fiber. The emulsifier component and/or the polymeric component can be selected so that the overall interfacial membrane is indigestible to humans and/or animals.
US08137727B2
Disclosed is bread suited for heating in a microwave oven, containing: 1 to 67 parts by weight of (A) fat and oil, 0.001 to 2 parts by weight of (B) a humectant, and 0.1 to 7 parts by weight of (C) an emulsifier, incorporated into 100 parts by weight of cereal flour containing primarily wheat flour containing crude protein in an amount of 9% by weight or more and less than 11.5% by weight.
US08137726B2
A dulce-flavored fat-based confection possessing a smooth and creamy mouthfeel and a thermally generated flavor and suitable for use in candy-shelling is provided. A method of making such a dulce-flavored fat-based confection is also disclosed.
US08137712B2
The present invention relates to a composition for the relief of hangover symptoms and methods of treating hangover symptoms.
US08137709B1
The fast-help nausea relief medicinal composition provides a fast-acting formula that is composed of all natural ingredients, which treat nausea associated with hangovers and motion sickness. The fast-help nausea relief is comprised of ginger root, gelatin, a fruit flavoring, and mint. The fast-help nausea relief composition, once cooked, can be applied to varying consuming mediums comprising a chewing gum, a pop-sickle, a freezer pop, a gummy chew, a gelatin cup, a gel strip, or as a drink.
US08137708B2
A herbal composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the extract of Piper betle leaves as an active ingredient either alone, or with a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. A process for the preparation of the herbal composition is provided. The herbal composition is adapted for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML; chronic myelogenous leukemia) showing resistance to treatment with imatinib (Gleevec® or Glivec®).
US08137701B2
Provided is a method of producing a dry earthworm powder without deterioration in useful pharmacological action, by removing dirt on the skin of earthworms while allowing the earthworms to excrete the digest remaining in the digestive tracts efficiently without weakening the earthworms, which comprises the steps of: standing living earthworms under light for 10 to 50 hours, removing the dirt formed on the skin thereof, adding an organic acid to the living earthworms, diluting the acid rapidly with addition of water, adjusting the pH of the aqueous acidic solution to 2 to 5, standing the earthworm mixture for 3 to 180 minutes under the pH condition, washing the earthworms with water, grinding the earthworms into a homogenate, freezing the homogenate at −18° C. to −35° C., keeping the frozen homogenate for 20 to 240 hours, and freeze-drying and degassing the frozen homogenate under vacuum simultaneously.
US08137700B2
Novel main chain acid degradable polymer backbones and drug delivery systems comprised of materials capable of delivering bioactive materials to cells for use as vaccines or other therapeutic agents are described. The polymers are synthesized using monomers that contain acid-degradable linkages cleavable under mild acidic conditions. The main chain of the resulting polymers readily degrade into many small molecules at low pH, but remain relatively stable and intact at physiological pH. The new materials have the common characteristic of being able to degrade by acid hydrolysis under conditions commonly found within the endosomal or lysosomal compartments of cells thereby releasing their payload within the cell. The materials can also be used for the delivery of therapeutics to the acidic regions of tumors and other sites of inflammation.
US08137698B2
A method and composition for hyperthermally diagnosing and monitoring treatment of cells in an animal with photoacoustic sound and nanoparticles. The heat (temperature) and photoacoustic sound wave production inside the target tissue is measured. The desired temperature is achieved using a laser and photoacoustic imaging technique. Hyperthermia treatment of tissue in a target site applies a heat source to kill cells without protein denaturation. The method introduces an encapsulated dye that is released at a selected temperature in the target site to indicate that a threshold temperature has been reached to hyperthermally treat the tissue. In one embodiment, the composition releases the dye at a temperature of 42° C. to 56° C., and preferably about 45° C. to 49° C. The composition which can be a liposome composition encapsulating the dye can be introduced to the bloodstream of the patient to flow through the target site.
US08137697B1
The invention discloses the biodegradable nanoparticle for use in nanoparticle projectile bombardment as a carrier for administering nucleic acid, DNA, RNA or siRNAs transdermally to an animal subject. The nanoparticles are composed of positively charged chitosan substrate and the nucleic acid encapsulated within the nanoparticles or electrostatically loaded on the exterior surface of the nanoparticles.
US08137696B2
The present invention relates to a three dimensional, malleable cell culture composition and method of forming the same comprising hyaluronic acid, chitosan and a polyelectrolytic complex of hyaluronic acid and chitosan. These three components in combination constitute an initial microenvironment for support of stromal cells, and their undifferentiated mesenchymal cell progeny. The tissue engineering device and method of forming the same comprising hyaluronic acid and chitosan and the use of said device with compositions of pluripotent cells and various formulations of cell culture media for repair of tissues is disclosed.
US08137688B2
A synthetic nucleus pulposus is provided that is useful in treatment of degenerative disc disease, augmentation of a degenerate disc, and alleviation of back pain. In an embodiment the synthetic nucleus pulposus comprises hyaluronan macromolecules that have been cross-linked via dihydroxyphenyl linkages. The synthetic nucleus pulposus restores or improves the water-retention capability of the disc. A method of treating an intervertebral disc with the cross-linked hyaluronan macromolecules is also provided. A method of regenerative therapy to address loss of cells of nucleus pulposus of an intervertebral disc based on treatment with the cross-linked hyaluronan macromolecules and mesenchymal stem cells is also provided.
US08137676B2
The present invention relates, in general, to attenuated equine influenza viruses having an impaired ability to antagonize the cellular interferon (IFN) response, and the use of such attenuated viruses in vaccine and pharmaceutical formulations. In particular, the invention relates to attenuated equine influenza viruses having modifications to an equine NS1 gene that diminish or eliminate the ability of the NS1 gene product to antagonize the cellular IFN response. These viruses replicate in vivo, but demonstrate decreased replication, virulence and increased attenuation, and therefore are well suited for use in live virus vaccines, and pharmaceutical formulations.
US08137669B2
Methods of killing or inhibiting tumors comprising of heterogeneous or mixed cell populations is described. The killing or inhibition of tumors is achieved by selectively targeting a unique ligand suspected of being expressed on a particular cell population to also kill a cell population lacking the unique ligand. These conjugates have therapeutic use as they are delivered to a specific cell population to kill these cells and the cytotoxic drug is released to kill non-targeted cells, thereby eliminating the tumor.
US08137661B2
The invention relates to controlled release formulations comprising a microparticle comprising a biodegradable polymer and one or more interferon compounds and methods of using the formulations.
US08137657B2
In a method of producing particles suitable for use as carrier particles in dry powder inhalers, particles (1) of a size suitable for use as carrier particles in dry powder inhalers are treated so as to dislodge small grains from the surface of the particles, without substantially changing the size of the particles during the treatment. The treatment gives improved efficiency of redispersion of active particles from the surfaces of carrier particles.
US08137655B2
A method of producing and treating synthesis gas in which a biomass-rich material is gasified in a gasifier containing a fluidized bed at a temperature that does not exceed 750° C. to produce a crude synthesis gas product. The crude synthesis gas then is quenched, scrubbed, and then subjected to at least one adsorption step to provide a clean synthesis gas. The clean synthesis gas then may be reformed catalytically to provide a synthesis gas with a desired H2:CO ratio, and/or may be employed in the synthesis of desired chemicals.
US08137650B2
The present invention provides a method for producing a nanoporous carbide-derived carbon composition with a tunable pore structure and a narrow pore size. Also provided are compositions prepared by the method.
US08137646B2
A mixture of zirconium hydroxides or zirconium basic carbonate with vanadium oxide (V205) co-reacts in high temperature aqueous slurry to form respectively an amorphous material, believed to be based on a zirconium analog of a zeolite structure, and a solid solution of zirconium oxide with vanadium oxide. The subject compositions, free of hexavalent chromium, are highly effective in providing blister-free corrosion prevention in typical coil and aerospace grade epoxy primer and color coat combinations.
US08137638B2
Object: To provide a hydrogen generation apparatus, a laser reduction apparatus, an energy conversion apparatus, a hydrogen generation method and an electric power generation system.Means for Solving the Problems: A hydrogen generation apparatus 10 according to the present invention includes: a reaction vessel 12 for retaining a metal element; a water reservoir 16 for supplying water into the reaction vessel 12; and a hydrogen recovery tube for recovering hydrogen gas and reaction energy generated by reaction of the metal element with the water. The present invention may further include a hydrogen storage device 26 for storing recovered hydrogen gas. Further, in the present invention, an oxide or a hydroxide of the metal element generated by reducing the hydrogen gas may be subjected to laser reduction to regenerate the metal element. A solar light pumped laser may be used for laser reduction. Further, according to the present invention, there may be provided an energy conversion apparatus for generating an electric current by using charged particles formed due to the laser reduction, and an electric power generation system using the above hydrogen generation system.
US08137634B2
The invention relates to a fission reactor (1) for a Claus plant, comprising a fireproof lined boiler (9), which contains a combustion chamber (2) with an influx opening for a mixture of fuel gas, air and acid gas containing H2S, a catalyst chamber (10) with a catalyst bed and a chamber on the outflow side (11) comprising a gas outlet for a hot process gas that contains elemental sulphur. According to the invention, the boiler is configured as a horizontal cylindrical boiler, in which the combustion chamber (2), the catalyst chamber and the chamber on the outflow side (11) are located next to one another. The catalyst chamber is delimited on both sides in the flow direction by gas-permeable chequer bricks (14) and has a fill opening (15) on the shell side for introducing the catalyst bed.
US08137632B2
A process is described including: contacting solid biomass with a first catalyst stream in a first reaction zone operated at a temperature T1 (from about 250 to about 400° C.), for conversion of a portion of the solid biomass and forming a first gaseous product stream; downwardly passing unconverted biomass to a second reaction zone for contact with a second catalyst stream charged to the second reaction zone operated at a temperature T2, for conversion to form a second gaseous product stream and a spent catalyst; burning coke off the spent catalyst in a regenerator to form a regenerated catalyst; charging a portion of the regenerated catalyst to each of the first and second reaction zones, as the first and second catalyst streams, respectively; upwardly passing the second gaseous product stream to the first reaction zone; and removing both first and second gaseous product streams from the first reaction zone.
US08137611B2
A method of processing solid core ceramic matrix composite articles. The method improves the physical characteristics of the article by forming the airfoil using a co-processing method wherein a refractory ceramic is cast against a preformed ceramic matrix composite (CMC) shell. In one aspect, the shell is continuous to help prevent delaminations. In another aspect, the shell is open. In one embodiment, the article includes a split line. The split line helps the article to be less susceptible to damage caused from internal strain.
US08137605B2
A method for making an encapsulated stent includes providing a first seamless unsintered ePTFE tube, providing a second seamless sintered ePTFE tube, positioning a self-expanding stent between the first and second ePTFE tubes to form an assembly, disposing an ePTFE interlayer member between the first and second ePTFE tubes, and joining the first ePTFE tube to the second ePTFE tube through openings in a wall of the stent by applying first pressure, and then heat, to the assembly.
US08137602B2
A method of fabricating a composite component comprising the steps of: loading a preform into a component forming environment, filling the environment with a solvent carrying a catalyst material in solution or suspension, draining this liquid from the mould thereby leaving a residue of the catalyst material on the perform and/or the interior surface of the forming environment, heating the forming environment and subsequently or concurrently introducing a carbonaceous gas under such conditions as to grow a carbon nanotube structure on the preform and/or the forming environment surfaces, removing the carbonaceous gas, and introducing a liquid resin material into the forming environment whereby the resin disperses through the preform and carbon nanotube structure thereby forming the finished composite component once the resin is cured or set.
US08137594B2
A zinc oxide thin film having desired crystallinity is fabricated. The present invention provides a zinc oxide thin film which laminated on a substrate, and which is a crystalline thin film of a wurtzite form. The c-axis of the crystalline thin film is oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate. A zinc surface of being one polar surface of the crystalline thin film in the c-axis direction is formed in the uppermost layer. In addition, the invention also provides a zinc oxide thin film which is laminated on a substrate, and which is a crystalline thin film of a wurtzite form. The zinc oxide thin film is formed on a metal thin film layer by a thin film fabricating technique.
US08137593B2
The present invention relates to new compositions of matter, particularly metals and alloys, and methods of making such compositions. The new compositions of matter exhibit long-range ordering and unique electronic character.
US08137591B2
The present invention relates to a catalyst composition for preparing carbon nanotube containing multi-component support materials of amorphous Si, Mg and Al as well as a bulk scale preparation process for preparing carbon nanotube using said catalyst composition. More specifically, this invention relates to a process for preparing carbon nanotube using the catalyst composition comprising a transition metal catalyst and support materials of amorphous Si, Mg and Al.
US08137587B2
Disclosed herein is a method of increasing the luminescence efficiency of a translucent phosphor ceramic. Other embodiments are methods of manufacturing a phosphor translucent ceramic having increased luminescence. Another embodiment is a light emitting device comprising a phosphor translucent ceramic made by one of these methods.
US08137585B2
The phosphor composition including a first phosphor represented by Formula 1: Y3−x−kCekM′xAla−yM″yO(1.5a+4.5) (1). In Formula 1, M′ includes at least one of Sc, In, and La, M″ includes at least one of Ga, Sc, and In, and x, y, k, and a satisfy the relations: 0.0≦x<3.0, 0.0
US08137584B2
Disclosed is a luminescent composition containing a fluorescent body having Eu2+ as a luminescent center. The luminescent composition is obtained by a process including the steps of mixing a raw material of the fluorescent body with an organic compound having elements other than oxygen, and sintering the mixture to form the fluorescent body from the raw material.
US08137571B2
Embodiments of the present invention help to provide a method for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording head including a main magnetic pole having a width that does not generally vary. According to one embodiment, a magnetic film, a first inorganic mask film, an organic film, a second inorganic mask film, and a resist pattern are formed in this order. Reactive ion etching (RIE) is performed using the resist pattern as a mask to etch the second inorganic mask film and the organic film and form a mask for the subsequent step. A flow rate of an Ar gas is then controlled, and ion milling is performed, to correct a difference between the width of the mask located at the central portion of the wafer and the width of the mask located at the outer peripheral portion of the wafer. The magnetic film is processed to have a uniform track width. Ion milling is then performed to form the main magnetic pole having an inverted trapezoidal shape.
US08137570B2
A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head having a wrap around magnetic trailing shield and a very narrow track width. A magnetic write pole is formed by forming a mask over a magnetic write pole material and performing a first ion milling to define the write pole. The mask includes a hard mask layer such as diamond like carbon (DLC) and further mask layers formed over the hard mask layer. In order to facilitate manufacture at very narrow track widths processes are employed to remove re-deposited material and the remaining portions of the mask structure (except the hard mask). Further processing can then be employed without the risk of a very narrow mask structure and redep bending or breaking during later manufacturing steps.
US08137564B2
An apparatus for and method of filtering hydrocarbon contaminated water is disclosed herein. The present invention may be used in drainage openings, particularly in parking lots and containment areas for large sources of hydrocarbons such as oil tanks or electrical transformers, to remove hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon contaminated water. The apparatus has a filtration compartment which filters out debris and sediment which may clog the treatment compartment. A pre-filter attachable to the apparatus may be used to further aid in filtering out sediment. A means for melting snow and ice may be incorporated within the filtration compartment such that liquid flow is not hindered during extreme weather conditions. The treatment compartment contains a hydrocarbon absorption media which absorbs any hydrocarbons present in the water rendering such water substantially hydrocarbon-free for discharge directly into a stream or groundwater. In the event of a hydrocarbon spill, the hydrocarbon absorption media forms a plug which seals off the flow of contaminated water. A hydrocarbon solubilizing material capable of effectively removing sheen in a first pass may be disposed as a top layer over the hydrocarbon absorption media. Preferably, each compartment is manufactured as a cartridge which may be dropped into a housing inserted into a drain opening.
US08137562B2
The invention concerns a composite support comprising a base support for the treatment of a biological fluid, in which: “the base support is essentially-constituted by a first polymer carrying anionic or anionizable groups;” at least a part of the surface of the base support is coated with a second polymer ionically bonded to the first polymer, the second polymer carrying the cationic or cationizable groups which are capable of forming an ionic bond with the anionic or anionizable groups of the first polymer; in which the second polymer is in the colloidal form and in mixture with a polyacid during application to the support, allowing the composite membrane to adsorb at least one entity containing anionic or anionizable groups by bonding with cationic or cationizable groups of the second polymer.
US08137553B2
The application is directed to an extracorporeal blood processing system capable of using dialysate to prime the system. A plastic molded compact manifold supports molded blood and dialysate fluidic pathways along with relevant sensors, valves and pumps. The compact manifold is also disposable in one embodiment and can be detachably installed in the dialysis machine. A two-way valve in the manifold is used to direct the dialysate flow through the blood circuit to prime the circuit for use in treatment.
US08137550B1
A fluid remediation system for removing particulates from an aqueous stream having a separation component and a clarifier component is described herein. The separation component can include a frame, a scalping shaker for receiving a primary slurry and forming a first effluent, a mud cleaner for receiving the first effluent and forming a second effluent, a desilter for receiving the second effluent and forming a third effluent, a tank for containing the effluents, agitators in the tank, and pumps for pumping the effluents. The clarifier component can include a second frame and a second tank for receiving the third effluent from the separation component, which forms a sludge and a clean effluent. The system can include a controller for controlling the system.
US08137549B2
A column packing system comprises a control unit provided with software for calculating the breakpoint where a movable adapter comes into contact with a settled bed of bed media. The calculated breakpoint is used by the control unit to determine how much further the movable adapter has to move into the column in order to achieve a desired amount of bed compression.
US08137548B2
The present invention is directed to inorganic oxide particles that have been modified with a chelator group. In an embodiment, the chelator group is covalently bonded to a polymer. In an embodiment, the chelator group is covalently bonded to a chiral selector ligand. The present invention is also directed to methods of modifying inorganic oxide particles with a chelator group.
US08137547B2
A fluid treatment tank for use in a well fluid processing system. The tank is divided into at least three compartments, including an oil treatment compartment for receiving oil from a separator vessel of the well fluid processing system so as to allow stabilization and/or final separation and treatment of the oil, a reject treatment compartment for receiving reject fluid from one or more water treatment units of the well fluid processing system so as to allow gravitational separation of heavier and lighter components of the reject fluid, and a water treatment compartment for receiving de-oiled water from one or more water treatment units of the well fluid processing system so as to allow degassing and/or final separation of the water. Also, a well fluid processing system including such a fluid treatment tank.
US08137546B2
A filter device includes a bag-shape filter body. The filter device is attached in a manner such that an internal space of the filter body connects through to a fuel intake port in a fuel tank. The filter body includes two or more filter materials overlaying each other. At least one of the filter materials is configured so that a cross sectional area of its fuel passage is different between a primary side and a secondary side of the filter material so as to be a multifunctional filter material having a function of gradually capturing dust having different particle sizes.
US08137539B2
The invention provides a process for purifying water containing soluble species capable of forming one or more sparingly soluble salts or minerals, said process comprising feeding a pressurized water stream into a treatment zone having one or more membranes disposed therein, passing said stream along said membrane(s) to recover a permeate and to withdraw a concentrate therefrom while periodically reversing the direction of the flow of said stream in said treatment zone, wherein the periodicity of the flow reversal is such that said one or more membranes are exposed to supersaturation conditions evolving in said water stream for a period of time which is less then the time required for said supersaturated water stream to precipitate one or more of said sparingly soluble salts and/or minerals therefrom.
US08137537B2
The present invention provides a filtered water monitoring device used for detecting damages in a filtration medium installed inside a membrane filtration water clarification device, thereby monitoring degradation of a performance thereof, in order to secure safety of filtered water flowing out from the membrane filtration water clarification device, comprising a branch filtered water pipeline system which is branched from a filtered water pipeline system connected to an outlet of the membrane filtration water clarification device, a filtered water observation plate which is installed in a certain position of the branch filtered water pipeline system, imaging means which takes an image of the filtered water in an observation tank of the filtered water observation plate and outputs image information thereon, and image analyzing means which receives the image information output from the imaging means, and compares the image information with a stored image pattern to identify impurities contained in the filtered water.
US08137532B2
The invention concerns a process for producing middle distillates from a paraffinic feed produced by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, using a hydrocracking/hydroisomerization catalyst which comprises 0.2% to 2.5% by weight of an oxide of a doping element selected from boron, phosphorus, silicon, at least one hydrodehydrogenating element selected from the group formed by noble elements from group VIII of the periodic table, a non-zeolitic support based on silica-alumina containing more than 5% by weight and 95% by weight or less of silica (SiO2), specifically defined pore characteristics, a BET specific surface area in the range 100 to 550 m2/g, and with an X ray diffraction diagram which contains at least the characteristic principal peaks of at least one of the transition aluminas included in the group composed of alpha, rho, khi, eta, gamma, kappa, theta and delta aluminas.
US08137528B2
This invention relates to protection of a metal component exposed to a corroding medium. One or more of the following are provided: cathodic protection, measuring of a condition of the component, retarding or avoiding of fouling. A sacrificial anode is used as the energy source such that the electric circuit can provide a pulsating current, voltage, automatically adapted current, or protecting potential. Germanium solid state elements are used.
US08137527B1
Methods and apparatus for collecting/concentrating carbon dioxide are disclosed. In addition, methods and apparatus for utilizing collected carbon dioxide in biofuel production and biomass cultivation are disclosed.
US08137523B2
An apparatus separating a polarizable analyte using dielectrophoresis includes a vessel including a membrane having a plurality of nano- to micro-sized pores, the membrane disposed inside the vessel, electrodes generating spatially non-uniform electric fields in the nano- to micro-sized pores of the membrane when an AC voltage is applied to the electrodes, and a power source applying the AC voltage to the electrodes, wherein a sectional area of the pores varies along a depth of the pores. A method of separating a polarizable material uses the apparatus.
US08137502B2
The present invention relates to a striping apparatus and a striping method. The apparatus for stripping a film from a product comprising a transfer device for transferring the product; a film stripping device disposed above a stripping operation area of the transfer device for stripping the film from the product; and a plurality of guiding devices disposed on both sides of the transfer device in the stripping operation area for guiding the transfer direction of the product.
US08137501B2
An apparatus for removing material on a bevel of a wafer is provided. A wafer support with a diameter that is less than the diameter of the wafer, wherein the wafer support is on a first side of the wafer, and wherein an outer edge of the wafer extends beyond the wafer support around the wafer is provided. An RF power source is electrically connected to the wafer. A central cover is spaced apart from the wafer support. A first electrically conductive ring is on the first side of and spaced apart from the wafer. A second electrically conductive ring is spaced apart from the wafer. An electrically conductive liner surrounds the outer edge of the wafer. A switch is between the liner and ground, allowing the liner to be switched from being grounded to floating.
US08137493B2
A container provides sealed storage for contents. The container includes a composite top member formed of a panel and a frame. The panel includes an opening for providing access to the contents of the package. The frame includes a closure member that is molded in an open position, and which can be moved to a closed position for closing the opening in the panel. The container is formed of a container body in the form of a tubular member formed to a desired shape. The container body is closed using the top member that closes a top opening of the container body, and a bottom member that closes a bottom opening of the container body.
US08137490B2
A process for making a fiber reinforced cementitious product such as a panel which hardens to an ultra-high compressive strength composite for use in making panels with ballistic and blast resistant properties. The panel has a continuous phase resulting from curing an aqueous mixture, in the absence of silica flour, of inorganic cement binder, inorganic mineral filler having a particle size of about 150-450 microns, pozzolanic mineral filler, and polycarboxylate based superplasticizer self-leveling agent, and water. The mixture may also include alkanolamine and acid or acid salt. The continuous phase may be reinforced with fiber distributed in the continuous phase before curing to form a panel. The panel may be reinforced with a fiber reinforced skin attached to at least one surface of the core, e.g., by lamination with an adhesive, e.g., epoxy, to form a ballistic and blast resistant cementitious armor panel.
US08137484B2
The present invention provides steel superior in machinability comprised of, by wt %, C: 0.005 to 0.2%, Si: 0.001 to 0.5%, Mn: 0.2 to 3.0%, P: 0.001 to 0.2%, S: 0.03 to 1.0%, T.N: 0.002 to 0.02%, T.O: 0.0005 to 0.035%, and the balance of Fe and unavoidable impurities, said steel satisfying one or both of Mn/S in the steel being 1.2 to 2.8 or an area ratio of pearlite over a grain size of 1 μm in a microstructure of the steel being not more than 5%.
US08137482B2
Disclosed is a carburization heat treatment method including carburizing a workpiece at a relatively low temperature within a temperature range of A1˜A3 using a vacuum carburizing furnace and then performing quenching using a high-pressure gas, in which the workpiece is made of typical carburizing alloy steel having a carbon content of about 0.10˜0.35 wt %. This method can be applied to carburization heat treatment of a steel workpiece sensitive to heat deformation, such as an annulus gear, in lieu of a conventional gas carburization method using plug quenching.
US08137435B2
A system and method of purifying gaseous carbon dioxide from a gaseous mixture obtained at low pressure from a flue gas by passing the gaseous mixture through a vacuum swing adsorption unit and then a gas purification unit to produce carbon dioxide having a purity of approximately 97% by volume or more.
US08137429B2
Agricultural compositions which comprise: (i) a secondary nutrient or micronutrient; (ii) benzoic acid or a biologically acceptable derivative thereof; and (iii) a water soluble salt of Formula (I) wherein R1 is a C1-10alkenyl group, or a C2-10alkenyl group and M is a cation of valency n for administering a secondary nutrient or micronutrient to plants. Also formulations containing the compositions and methods of their use are included.
US08137425B2
An intake system (10, 20) for a vehicle internal combustion engine is provided in which a first air intake duct (16), having an air intake inlet (16a) to inhale external air, is connected to an air cleaner box (14). A second air intake duct (17, 27) is also connected to the air cleaner box. The air intake inlet is closer to the air cleaner box than the second air intake duct is. The cross section area of a second air intake duct is greater than the cross section area of the first air intake duct. The center axis of the second air intake duct at an end on the side of a second air intake opening (12, 22) intersects with the center axis of the first air intake duct at an end on the side of a first air intake opening (11).
US08137421B2
A hydrogen generation device includes a container; a hydrogen generation unit configured to generate a hydrogen-containing gas; a combustion unit configured to combust a part of the hydrogen-containing gas; a sensor unit including a thermal deformation member, configured to sense a concentration of a combustible gas in an exhaust gas by further combusting the exhaust gas and sensing a physical deformation of the thermal deformation member caused in a temperature change by the combustion of the exhaust gas; and a shutoff valve configured to shut off a discharge of the exhaust gas in conjunction with the physical deformation.
US08137417B2
An object is to eliminate electric discharge due to static electricity generated by peeling when an element formation layer including a semiconductor element is peeled from a substrate used for manufacturing the semiconductor element. A substrate over which an element formation layer and a peeling layer are formed and a film are made to go through a gap between pressurization rollers. The film is attached to the element formation layer between the pressurization rollers. The film is bent along a curved surface of the pressurization roller on a side of the pressurization rollers, where the film is collected, and accordingly, peeling is generated between the element formation layer and the peeling layer and the element formation layer is transferred to the film. Liquid such as pure water is sequentially supplied by a nozzle to a gap between the element formation layer and the peeling layer, which is generated by peeling, so that electric charge generated on surfaces of the element formation layer and the peeling layer is diffused by the liquid.
US08137416B2
Compounds of the general formula (I) a process for their preparation and their use for dyeing and/or printing organic substrates are described.
US08137412B2
Bleaching method for keratin fibers, using an agent comprising a bleach activator system comprising at least one cationic acylpyridinium derivative of formula (I), and hydrogen peroxide and use of agents for bleaching keratin fibers, in particular human hair, comprising at least one cationic acylpyridinium derivative, for reinforcing the bleaching capacity with concomitant improvement in the condition of the fibers.
US08137410B2
A method for tracking, locating and disabling an electronic device. A method includes checking if an application component operated correctly during last power-up of the device; and placing the device under control of power on self test to proceed with powering-up the device if the application component operated correctly during last device power-up.
US08137406B2
An osteotomy plate for maintaining the spacing of a wedge-like opening in bone, the osteotomy plate comprising: a body having a front side and a back side; a protrusion extending out of the back side of the body for disposition in the wedge-like opening; and a plurality of mounting holes for receiving fixation screws therein, the mounting holes being formed in the body such that when the protrusion is disposed in the wedge-like opening, the mounting holes direct the fixation screws into bone on either side of the wedge-like opening.
US08137396B2
Disclosed is a self-expanding medical implant for placement within a lumen of a patient. The implant comprises a woven or non-woven structure having a substantially tubular configuration, and is designed to be low-profile such that it is deliverable with a small diameter catheter. The implant has a high recoverability and desired mechanical properties.
US08137394B2
A valve for use in a body lumen, where the valve includes a valve leaflet with delayed leaflet deployment relative an in vivo implant time. The valve includes a valve frame, a valve leaflet coupled to the valve frame. The valve leaflet includes a commissure that can reversibly seal for unidirectional flow of a liquid through the valve, and a biodegradable adhesive between the valve leaflet and the valve frame to hold at least the commissure of the valve leaflet in a static relationship relative the valve frame for a predetermined time once implanted in vivo.
US08137387B2
A bone stabilizer assembly includes a fixation element, a coupling element, and a compression nut. The fixation element is adapted to engage a bone and having a head portion and shank portion. The coupling element has an internal bore sized to receive the shank portion of the fixation element and a pyramid-shaped seat for supporting the head portion of the fixation element. The coupling element is adapted to receive a stabilizer rod. The compression nut is engagable with the coupling element and is adapted to rotatingly move distally into the coupling element to translate a force to the head portion through the rod and the saddle such that the head portion is forced against the seat of the coupling element to prevent relative movement between the fixation element and the coupling element.
US08137386B2
A polyaxial bone screw includes a head member and a shank member. The shank has a capture end and an opposite threaded end for threaded insertion into a vertebra. The head has a U-shaped cradle for receiving a spinal fixation rod and a central bore for receiving the capture end of the shank. An expandible retainer ring with a radial split is snapped onto the capture end of the shank to retain it within the head. The retainer ring has a spherical outer surface which forms a ball joint with a spherical socket cavity within the head to enable the head to be angled relative to the shank. A threaded closure plug is tightened within the cradle to clamp the rod into engagement with a knurled dome on the capture end of the shank to secure the rod relative to the vertebra.
US08137378B2
Low-cost tourniquet cuff apparatus includes: an inflatable bladder formed of flexible material having a bladder width dimension when the bladder is uninflated and a having a bladder length dimension sufficient for encircling a limb of a surgical patient at a desired location on the limb and for overlapping upon itself, wherein the bladder includes a bladder first inner surface facing a bladder second inner surface along the bladder length dimension and across the bladder width dimension when the bladder is uninflated; securing means for securing the overlapping bladder around the limb at the desired location; port means communicating pneumatically with the inflatable bladder and releasably connectable to a tourniquet instrument for supplying the bladder with pressurized gas; and stiffener means having a predetermined stiffness and having a stiffener width dimension less than the bladder width dimension, wherein the stiffener means is non-releasably attached to the bladder first inner surface within the inflatable bladder. The stiffener means may have a stiffener length dimension that is at least equal to the limb circumference. A method of making the low-cost tourniquet cuff allows the cuff elements to be simply assembled and then sealed in one operation using radio-frequency welding or a similar process.
US08137375B2
A kit for packing and supporting the nasal cavities after surgical procedures performed on the nose having two inflatable non-elastomeric balloons (6′, 6″) and inflation port arrangement (27) arranged so that, in use, each balloon (6′, 6″) can be located in a nasal cavity and inflated.
US08137372B2
A tissue shredding device is provided which includes a shredding pipe which is inserted into a patient body in which a plurality of opening portions is formed in a longitudinal direction; and a plurality of wires which is withdrawn from the opening portion, bent back outside the shredding pipe, and drawn into the shredding pipe. Here, the tissue shredding device may be changed to one of a first arrangement in which the wires are withdrawn from the shredding pipe so that a tissue can be introduced toward top portions corresponding to bent-back parts of the plurality of wires, a second arrangement in which the top portions are arranged opposite to the shredding pipe, and a third arrangement in which the wires are drawn into the opening portion.
US08137370B2
A powered surgical handpiece includes a chuck assembly with a chuck having apertures. The chuck assembly is surrounded by a collar having slots on an inner face. The apertures and slots receive balls. In use, the collar is moved axially toward the handpiece against a spring force so that the chuck is viewable. A base tab of a cutting accessory is inserted into the chuck. When the collar is released, detents of the base tab are radially aligned with at least two balls and apertures. When a biasing spring moves the collar outwardly, the respective balls move radially inwardly into the detents to fixedly lock the cutting accessory. The handpiece includes a single eccentric gear shaft that receives a rotary force at one end and moves about an orbital path at a second end. An oscillator receiver of an oscillator receives the barrel. Movement of the barrel about the orbital path results in oscillation of the oscillator about its axis. The oscillator is fixedly secured to the chuck and thus oscillates a cutting accessory mounted therein.
US08137367B2
Various obesity treatment tools and methods are described herein, as well as treatments for other gastric-related diseases, e.g., GERD. Treatment includes reducing the size of the stomach pouch to limit the caloric intake as well as to provide an earlier feeling of satiety. This may be done by creating a smaller gastric pouch within the stomach directly from the interior of the stomach itself. The smaller pouches may be made through the use of individual anchoring devices, rotating probes, or volume reduction devices. A pyloroplasty procedure may also be performed to render the pyloric sphincter incompetent. A gastric bypass procedure may additionally be performed using atraumatic magnetic anastomoses devices so that sugars and fats are passed directly to the bowel while bypassing the stomach. Many of these procedures may be done in a variety of combinations. Treatment may create enforced behavioral modifications by discouraging the ingestion of high-caloric foods.
US08137361B2
A tensor/ligament balancer for use in measuring a gap existing between an anatomy is provided. The tensor/ligament balancer can include a first paddle. The tensor/ligament balancer can also include a second paddle movable relative to the first paddle. The tensor/ligament balancer can further include a biasing member operable to apply a substantially constant force on the second paddle to move the second paddle relative to the first paddle. At a first position, the second paddle can be substantially adjacent to the first paddle. The second paddle can be automatically movable away from the first paddle to a second position by applying the substantially constant force to the second paddle.
US08137359B2
An instrument kit for reaming a cavity within a resected head of a bone is provided. The kit includes a reaming guide, at least two adaptor sleeves and a reamer. The reaming guide includes an elongate stem portion insertable into a cavity extending into the bone from a resection surface at the head of the bone and a neck portion. The at least two adapter sleeves are mountable upon the reaming guide. Each adapter sleeve has a longitudinal axis, being generally cylindrical and a bore configured to receive part of the neck portion of the reaming guide. When the adapter sleeve is mounted upon the neck portion of a reaming guide inserted into a cavity in a bone the reamer is arranged to ream a cavity into the resection surface of the bone around the neck portion.
US08137358B2
A method for using a jig to position an implant at an implantation site of a bone. The method includes the following: tapping the implantation site using a tapping device; axially threading the jig into the implantation site using an insertion tool; adjusting the position of the jig at the implantation site as necessary by axially rotating the jig relative to the bone; axially and substantially non-rotationally inserting the implant through the jig whereby the implant contacts a substantially smooth interior surface of the jig to support the implant at the implantation site such that the implant does not substantially contact an interior surface of the bone canal at the implantation site; and securing the implant at the implantation site using bone cement.
US08137357B2
A rod coercer for use in spinal fixation procedures is provided. The rod coercer can be pivoted in a first direction to fixedly grip an implant, and pivoted in a second direction to reduce a rod into the implant. In one embodiment, the rod coercer includes first and second articulating handle branches, first and second rod contacting arms extending from the first and second handle branches, first and second implant gripping arms pivotally interconnected with the first and second handle branches, and means for releasably locking the handle branches and the implant gripping arms in a closed and locked position. In another embodiment, the rod coercer includes a single handle having first and second implant gripping arms connected by a bridge and pivotally attached to the handle, and spring-loaded implant gripping arms for gripping sides of an implant. In another embodiment, the rod coercer includes an adjustable rod contacting arm which can be adjusted to a desired angle with respect to the handles of the coercer. In another embodiment, the rod coercer includes pivotally interconnected handle branches, each of which is divided into upper and lower branch portions which are pivotally interconnected with each other, an implant gripping assembly extending from the lower branch portions of the handle branches, and a rod contacting arm slidably and pivotally coupled to the upper and lower branch portions. In another embodiment, the implant gripping arms of the rod coercer of the present invention are secured to each other by a flexible retainer.
US08137349B2
An intra-corporal expandable device incorporating a screw operating under traction. A first elongated part (1) receives a second telescopic part (2). Each of these parts comprises links (61), (62) to the organism at a first end (11), (21) and is linked to a rod (3) comprising at least one thread at a second end (12) and (22). The rotation of the rod (3) controlled by means (4) causes a relative displacement of the two parts (1) and (2). The rod (3) is thus assembled between two ends (12) and (22) which come closer when the device is elongated, the length of the loaded rod (7) is reduced when the device is elongated and the length of loaded rod (7) operates only under traction. The device according to the invention is intended in particular for the production of osseous lengthening nails and growth prostheses.
US08137342B2
Device and method significantly that improves the safety and procedural success of the existing art by being able to be less traumatic to vascular tissue, improving atrial contact with the ablation surface, improving positioning and geometrical precision of the ablation pattern, improving steerability and deliverability of the ablation device and by improving localization and geometric precision of the ablation device. The risk of pulmonary vein fibrosis/stenosis will also be substantially lowered. Finally, expansion of the eligible atrial fibrillation population will inherently increase due to the improved components and methods of the present invention.
US08137334B2
Devices, systems and methods for delivering one or more drugs to one or more internal body locations (such as the cerebrospinal fluid) are disclosed. In various aspects, the systems and methods may involve catheters having infusion sections with permeable membranes that develop significant back pressure to enhance uniform delivery of the drug over an infusion section; catheters that have two or more infusion sections spaced apart along the length of the same catheter, catheters that include two or more infusion sections serviced by independent lumens (such that, e.g., different drug solutions can be delivered to the different infusion sections); implantable drug delivery systems with pumps and multiple reservoirs from which drugs can be delivered; systems that are capable of delivering drug solutions with selected densities; etc. Methods for treating diseases, including pain and spasticity are also discussed, as well as methods for screening patients and optimizing therapies. In addition, methods for delivering a drug to a brain through a spinal canal are described.
US08137329B2
This application teaches practical and cost effective methods and apparatus to enhance supply chain efficiency by transforming fluid enclosing supply delivery containers in to collection and disposal containers, and in particular, providing inter alia, a canister system having a lid which would couple to either a thread able supply container or a spike able supply container. This enables the user to select from a plurality of supply containers for the collection and removal of waste such as a threaded pour bottle type of supply container, or a spike able type of intravenous solution supply container.
US08137328B2
The invention teaches devices and methods for chemically tanning human skin. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).
US08137324B2
A syringe includes a syringe cylinder, a sealing plug movably disposed within the syringe cylinder, and with a plunger cooperating with the sealing plug. A safety device prevents a sliding back of the sealing plug within the syringe cylinder in any position the sealing plug assumes within the syringe cylinder. The safety device has a locking element which engages at the plunger in any position the plunger assumes within the syringe cylinder. The locking element is attached to a retaining fixture and protrudes from the retaining fixture same such that an attachment point of the locking element is closer to the sealing plug at the retaining fixture than the free end of the locking element opposite of the attachment point.
US08137322B2
A stabilizer is provided to secure and fix the position of a cannula assembly relative to tissue. The stabilizer is a liquid swellable member which expands within an incision in tissue in response to the absorption of a liquid. The stabilizer includes an inner adhesive layer to secure the stabilizer relative to a cannula assembly. The stabilizer is formed of a polymeric gel or foam. In one embodiment, the stabilizer is fixedly secured to an elongate tubular member of a cannula assembly. In an alternative embodiment, the stabilizer is mounted for longitudinal movement along an elongate tubular member of a cannula assembly.
US08137318B2
In order to improve a surgical protection device for a surgical sealing element of a surgical sealing system comprising a trocar, the sealing element having an insertion opening which can be widened, the protection device comprising a base member which can be arranged on the trocar or on a part thereof, is closed in a ring shape and has an opening and several protection elements which are arranged in circumferential direction and point parallel or towards a longitudinal axis of the protection device, the protection elements having free ends pointing essentially in a distal direction, such that protection of the sealing element can be as complete as possible irrespective of the degree of expansion thereof, it is suggested that at least some of the protection elements have retaining elements on an outer side at their free ends or in the area of their free ends for engagement with the sealing element.Furthermore, an improved surgical sealing system is suggested.
US08137313B2
A medical device for the injection of a product. The device includes a body receiving an injection needle and a container containing the product to be injected; an arrangement for holding the needle in an injection position; an arrangement for holding the container in a position permitting injection; and, a piston engaged in the container. The device also includes first and second actuators which make it possible, at the end of the injection, to respectively release the arrangement for holding the needle before, or simultaneously to, the release of the arrangement for holding the container. A container support is mounted slidably on the body and is displaceable relative to the latter in order to perform the injection. The container support is held in a standby position before injection with the needle being held in the injection position.
US08137304B2
The medication delivery device is designed to receive a replaceable medication container and to determine an adjusted medication dose AD before each delivery of the medication contained in the medication container if the current content of the medication container is not a multiple of a prescribed dose D and is greater than the prescribed dose D. The adjusted medication dose AD is the dose to be delivered instead of the prescribed dose D during said medication delivery. The adjusted medication dose AD is determined by selecting one of a first dose, to that is higher than the prescribed dose D, and of a second dose, that is lower than the prescribed dose D, as a function of a variable B that cumulates the values (AD−D).
US08137301B2
Method and apparatus for limiting absorption of food products in specific parts of the digestive system is presented. A gastrointestinal implant device is anchored in the stomach and extends beyond the ligament of Treitz. All food exiting the stomach is funneled through the device. The gastrointestinal device includes an anchor for anchoring the device to the stomach and a flexible sleeve. When implanted within the intestine, the sleeve can limit the absorption of nutrients, delay the mixing of chyme with digestive enzymes, altering hormonal triggers, providing negative feedback, and combinations thereof. The anchor is collapsible for endoscopic delivery and removal.
US08137297B2
An elastic metal strip aligning a longitudinal direction with a rolling direction of a cold-rolled plate is collected and processed to a shape including a correction plate with the longitudinal direction of the elastic metal as a width direction of a nail and a plurality of tongue strips protruded from the edge of the correction plate near the nail tip. Each tongue strip is folded and bent to form a hooked claw with a double structure of a folding part and a bending part. A nail tip of a deformed nail is inserted between the hooked claw and the correction plate to apply a restoring force of elasticity in the correction plate to the deformed nail as correction ability for deformed nails. A wrought wire rod can be used instead of a cold-rolled plate and a Cu—Al—Mn type shape-memory alloy may further be used as a raw material.
US08137296B2
A wrist guard has a glove body and two adjustable support parts. The glove body has a palm-holding part and two connection parts. The palm-holding part is mounted in an upper half portion of the glove body. The two connection parts are mounted to a lower half portion of the glove body and have a through hole respectively. The adjustable support parts are adjustably mounted to the corresponding connection part. Each of them has a support piece and a locking module. The support piece having an interconnection part is movably mounted to the corresponding connection part, and a locating slot is formed through the interconnection part to overlap with the through hole of the corresponding connection part. The locking module passes through the through hole of the corresponding connection part and locating slot to position the support piece on the corresponding connection part.
US08137288B2
Medical instruments and methods of using the instruments are described. In some embodiments, a medical instrument includes a housing, a stylet having a portion in the housing, a movable first member in the housing, the movable member being connected to the stylet, and a second member located in the housing to reduce movement of the first member. The second member is configured to change movement of the first member from a first direction to a second direction different than the first direction.
US08137286B2
A novel monitoring electrode for monitoring dorsal cochlear nucleus action potentials is provided, which has a superior performance in accuracy, adherent property, comprehensiveness, recording sensitivity, and recording specificity. The monitoring electrode is easily inserted through a foramen of Luschka, stably held on a region of the dorsal cochlear nucleus, and clearly records the dorsal cochlear nucleus action potentials. Additionally, a novel monitoring device for monitoring the dorsal cochlear nucleus action potentials using the monitoring electrode thereof is provided.
US08137285B1
A probe system for use with a neuro-monitoring device includes a wire probe, a cable and a handle. The cable has an adaptor at one end that is pressed from the side of the handle into an adaptor-shaped portion of a channel formed in the handle. The channel runs the length of the handle. The wire probe has a probe tip on one end and is in electrical connection with the adaptor on the other end when that adaptor end is inserted into the channel of the handle and seated in the adaptor held by the handle. The sensor tip on the end of the wire probe is a conducting, smooth, hemisphere just beyond the end of the insulation covering wire probe and conducts signals between the tissue through which the probe passes and the cable. The handle has ribs formed thereon for giving the user better purchase on the probe for applying the requisite force and control, and windows formed along the sides of the handle to allow the user to confirm that the wire probe is fully seated in the adaptor.
US08137284B2
A system for accessing a surgical target site and related methods, involving an initial distraction system for creating an initial distraction corridor, and an assembly capable of distracting from the initial distraction corridor to a secondary distraction corridor and thereafter sequentially receiving a plurality of retractor blades for retracting from the secondary distraction corridor to thereby create an operative corridor to the surgical target site, both of which may be equipped with one or more electrodes for use in detecting the existence of (and optionally the distance and/or direction to) neural structures before, during, and after the establishment of an operative corridor to a surgical target site.
US08137283B2
The present invention exploits a visual rendering of heart sounds and models the morphological variations of audio envelopes through a constrained non-rigid translation transform. Similar heart sounds are then retrieved by recovering the corresponding alignment transform using a variant of shape-based dynamic time warping.
US08137279B2
An ultrasound cavital probe suitable for transrectal or other usage, includes an ultrasound probe, having an outer housing, a pair of motors within one end of the housing, a first shaft operatively associated with one of the motors to provide longitudinal movement to the ultrasound transducer, while a second shaft operatively associated with the second motor, and which extends through the hollow interior of the first said shaft, provides for pivotal or rotary movement to the ultrasound transducer and probe, to furnish a 2-dimensional view of the surrounding anatomy, and which in combination with the movement from the first shaft, furnishes a 3-dimensional volumetric scan of the surrounding anatomy, along with facilitating the image plane movements normally obtained by a standard probe while used in a stepping device, and integrated electronics package operatively provided within the ultrasonic probe for use for processing scanned signals, their digitization, and their transmission by a controller to a personal computer for further processing and display.
US08137266B2
A surgical portal apparatus includes a portal housing, an elongated portal member connected to the portal housing and an armature assembly. The portal housing and the portal member have an axial bore for reception and passage of a surgical object. The armature assembly includes at least two arms disposed within the portal housing and an outer mount. The at least two arms extend at least radially inwardly and are adapted to move relative to the longitudinal axis from a rest position to an activated position during passage of the surgical object. The at least two arms are operatively connected whereby movement of a first arm causes corresponding movement of a second arm. The outer mount comprises a resilient material and is mounted to the at least two arms, and imparts a biasing force thereto toward the rest position.
US08137263B2
An endoscopic surgical instrument is provided that includes a handle portion, an elongated middle portion, an articulating portion and a tool portion. The tool portion is steerable by control mechanisms disposed on the handle portion which are accessible to a single hand of a user of the endoscopic surgical instrument. The endoscopic surgical instrument is advantageously employed in a variety of endoscopic surgical techniques, including transgastric or transluminal surgery.
US08137256B2
The present disclosure provides a brachytherapy apparatus that delivers a low dose, partial breast irradiation treatment for post-lumpectomy patients via introduction of a catheter-like device through a cannula. The apparatus may be introduced post-surgically with local anesthesia under image guidance into the previous excision site and into a cavity by a surgeon. The brachytherapy apparatus includes a seed containment device configured to contain a plurality of low-dose radioactive seeds therein. The seed containment device may be one or more thin-walled tubes. The apparatus is further configured to expand so that at least a portion of the seed containment device is positioned against the remaining tissue and the plurality of radioactive seeds are disposed at the perimeter of the seed containment device. Also described are various clamps for the apparatus, and sleeves for adjusting the size of the device to fit a cavity when the apparatus is in use.
US08137253B2
An automatic handle attaching system and method for precisely securing a plastic handle on an edge of a preformed plastic bag is described. The system comprises a delivery conveyor for conveying spaced-apart groups of flat plastic bags with each group having two or more bags disposed one on top of the other and offset along a leading straight edge thereof which is oriented approximately transverse to a conveying direction of a conveyor. Two or more automated bag handling mechanisms are disposed spaced-apart adjacent the conveyor at respective bag transfer stations. Each of the bag handling mechanisms are independently operated and have an orientable bag engaging hand secured to an articulated arm. The bag handling mechanisms are independently controlled by a controller whereby to orient the bag engaging hand in alignment with a top one of the groups of bags at its transfer station and to transfer the bag to a handle securing station where the bag is precisely positioned with respect to a handle which is then welded thereto. After the handle is welded its relationship with respect to other parts of the bag is verified and the bag with the handle is then transferred to a magazine for accumulation to form bag bundles which are then automatically transferred for bundle securement and shipping.
US08137250B1
An abdominal exercising apparatus includes a frame with a first lateral member, a second lateral member, a first end member and a second end member attached together in a rectangular configuration. A pair of slides is provided. Each of the first and second lateral members has one of the slides attached thereto. The slides are slidable toward or away from the second end members and are engageable with a person's foot. A connecting assembly is coupled to each of the slides. The connecting assembly couples together the slides to cause a first one of the slides to move away from the second end member when a second one of the slides is moved toward the second end member. A person's feet are positionable on the slides while the person faces the upper surface of the frame. The person moves the slides back and forth to exercise the person's abdominal muscles.
US08137246B2
The invention relates to assembly of an accessory and a shoe for providing support to a foot-drop affected foot relative to a lower leg belonging to the foot such that the loot is prevented from dropping downwards relative to the lower leg when the foot is raised by the lower from a supporting surface, the accessory being provided with a first attachment member for attachment of the accessory to the lower leg, a second attachment member for attachment of the accessory to an upper side of the shoe and a connecting body joining together the first attachment member and the second attachment member, wherein the second attachment member is provided with an attachment plate which, in use, is positioned under an upper part of the shoe. The invention also relates to the accessory of the assembly.
US08137229B2
A modular transmission assembly includes a transmission housing that defines a hollow interior. The transmission housing extends along a central axis between a front end and a rear end. A rear motor module is disposed in, and is operatively connected to, the transmission housing. An inner module is disposed in, and is operatively connected to, the transmission housing. A main shaft is disposed along the central axis such that each of the rear and inner modules radially surround the main shaft. A front motor is disposed in the transmission housing and radially surrounds the main shaft. The inner module is axially disposed between the rear motor module and the front motor. An input module is connected to the front end of the transmission housing. The front motor is axially disposed between the inner module and the input module.
US08137220B2
A marker stake for locating a boundary reference point on a sports field can be buried and out of sight when not in use, and then quickly located using an electronic receiver which detects a signal emitted by an electronic marker in the marker stake. Various field boundary indicators can be removably attached to the marker stake. The stake may be embodied in a cylindrical body constructed of a moldable polymer with a socket at one end for receiving a pin or post of the field boundary indicator, and the electronic marker embedded inside the body. The electronic marker may be a passive LC marker tuned to a frequency associated with a known field sport. Different sets of such marker stakes tuned to different frequencies may be used to mark and relocate reference points for multiple sports played on the same field.
US08137219B2
A training baseball bat has an internal movable magnet that accelerates to the end of the bat when swung at a fast enough speed. As the magnet moves it passes through a coil that is connected to one or more LEDs so that the LEDs momentarily flash as the magnet moves through the coil. An axially positionable stationary magnet can be used to hold the movable magnet until sufficient centrifugal force is imparted by the swing to overcome the magnetic holding force.
US08137211B2
A multilayer golf ball including a solid center having a center hardness, a plurality of laminates cut into a plurality of shapes formed around the center to create an inner ball, and a cover formed around the inner ball, wherein the plurality of layers can include at least a first layer having a hardness greater than the center hardness and a second layer having a hardness greater than the first layer hardness, and optionally a third layer disposed between the first and the second layers having a hardness greater than the first layer hardness.
US08137203B2
A virtual-space hazard assessment system, for use in a virtual space, having target identifying information that identifies a target that appears in the virtual space. The system includes: a hazard-rating-request receiver for receiving a hazard rating request to rate the degree of hazard of the target; hazard storage for storing a table in which the degree of hazard of the target and the target identifying information are associated with each other; a hazard-degree increasing mechanism for increasing the degree of hazard of the target stored in the table in the hazard storage according to the degree of hazard received by the hazard-rating-request receiver; a hazard-degree decreasing mechanism for decreasing the degree of hazard stored in the table in the hazard storage with the elapse of time; and hazard-information-output instructing mechanism for issuing an instruction to output hazard information stored in the hazard storage.
US08137192B2
A gaming system comprises a handheld gaming device having a first display for displaying a wagering game. The system further comprises a wager input device in communication with the handheld gaming device. The system includes a detector for detecting at least one external input device connected to the handheld gaming device. The system further comprises a controller operative to cause the first display to display a first format of the wagering game if connection with the at least one external input device is not detected by the detector, and cause the first display to display a second format of the wagering game if connection with the at least one external input device is detected by the detector.
US08137185B2
Gaming machines having video depictions of one or more mechanical reels projected onto a curved display are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the gaming machine includes a curved transparent material having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a radius of curvature similar to a mechanical reel. The curved transparent material further includes a glossy finish on the outer surface of the curved transparent material to provide a reflective surface. The gaming machine also includes a light emitting diode projector for projecting video images of one or more reels onto the inner surface of the curved transparent material. The gaming machine also has a liquid crystal display having an opening in which the curved transparent material extends through the opening of the opening of the liquid crystal display.
US08137184B2
A gaming system of the present invention comprises a plurality of gaming machines and a control device including a processor, wherein the processor is programmed to execute processing of (A) cumulatively counting a part of a number of betted game media as a cumulative value based on number-of-game-media information received from the gaming machine, and (E) paying out a fixed number of game media to the gaming machine determined based on a extracted random number, when a number of the gaming machines joining the game is less than a specific number.
US08137176B2
Configurable rotatable displays may allow display of visual effects and/or information, and may simulate a non-configurable mechanical reel, for example those found in conventional slot machines. Rotatable displays may be used in a variety of locations on a gaming machine, providing a primary game display and/or box top displays such as a pole. A single rotatable display may be logically segmented to create an appearance of multiple sections or reels. One or more rotatable displays, or one or more mechanical reels, may be positioned within an outer rotatable display. A configurable fixed translucent or transparent display may be positioned between a configurable rotatable display and a user or player.
US08137175B2
For a race or contest in which a predetermined number of entries compete for winning position wherein for each of the entries respective predetermined odds of winning are given, a method is provided for determining a plurality of wagers wherein each of the wagers is to be placed on a respective one in a subset of the entries. In accordance with such method, initial criteria that all of the wagers must satisfy is established. Next, a maximum wager total being a sum of all of the wagers is determined. Finally, each of the wagers is calculated in accordance with the criteria and the maximum wager total.
US08137173B2
Example methods and devices are set forth for playing a game. In some embodiments, an inventory of game indicia is arranged in a random but established, serial order. In some embodiments, for each hand of play the player makes a wager and game indicia are displayed in order from the inventory to define a winning or losing outcome. In some embodiments, a display, as hands are played, displays the remaining constituency of the inventory and the player, before any game, can order re-shuffling and re-constitute of the inventory. Other embodiments are described.
US08137172B2
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a coding competition. In one embodiment, a method for providing a coding competition includes transmitting a coding problem to contestants, receiving computer code created by a contestant, determining a response of the computer code to test data, and evaluating the response of the computer code to the test data. In another embodiment, a method for evaluating a skill level of a contestant includes electronically communicating a coding problem to contestants, electronically receiving a software program in response to the coding problem from one of the contestants, evaluating the received software program, awarding points to the contestant based on the received software program, and determining a rating for the contestant for the competition based on the number of points awarded to the contestant.
US08137170B2
A baffle system that can be used to provide ventilation to attics and roofs at the time of new roof construction or retrofit and further provides for solar thermal energy control and harvesting systems in conjunction or combination with the baffle systems. According to one embodiment, the baffle vents are made from a resilient material and are designed and configured to be flexed into a deformed shape, positioned between adjacent roof rafters and released whereupon the baffle vents become wedged between adjacent roof rafters. According to another embodiment the baffle vents have side edge portions that are configured to extend over the upper portions of roof rafters and thereby support the baffle vents between adjacent roof rafters. The baffle vents can function as radiant barriers by providing the baffle vents with a reflecting coating(s) or reflective surface(s). The baffle vents can function as radiant collectors by positioning solar thermal collectors in the air flow channels defined by the baffle vents and darkening the lower surface of the roof sheeting plane. Stock baffle vents are configured to provide for insulation dams that can be cut from the ends of the baffle vents.
US08137167B2
A device for filling casings, having a twist-off head which comprises circumferentially offset filling tubes and which is arranged on a support panel to be displaceable in axially parallel fashion and to be rotatable, and a rotatingly drivable casing brake which is axially aligned with a filling tube located in the filling position, the casing brake and the support panel being connected via a rigid shaft which comprises a support section extending towards the casing brake and a guide section extending centrally through the twist-off head, with a drive train being arranged in said shaft.
US08137164B2
A guard device (10) for handheld power tools with a disklike and rotating tool (12) includes a base body (14) formed by a platelike element (30) having a semicircular embodiment formed as a peripheral region (32). A guard rim is disposed on the peripheral region (32) and has a portion (36) oriented perpendicular to the platelike element (30) and a further portion (38) oriented parallel to the platelike element (30). An energy absorption element (16) is coupled to the base body (14) via a coupling and located between the portion (38) and the platelike element (30). The coupling is embodied fixedly in normal operation and enables in an emergency mode enables a rotary motion of the energy absorption element (16) relative to the base body (14).
US08137162B2
Embodiments of the invention comprise a machine adapted for polishing work pieces such as large silicon wafers. A wafer polishing machine in accord with the invention comprises a rotatable platen in a table base, above which is mounted a lid having a head moving assembly with four synchronously rotatable head assemblies. A motor and linkage connected to the head moving assembly imparts reciprocating linear motion to the head assemblies in a selected direction in a plane parallel to an upper surface of the platen. Embodiments of the invention produce a complex relative motion between a surface of a wafer to be polished and the platen. The complex relative motion, resulting from a combination of motions including rotation of the platen, rotation of the head assemblies, and translation of the head moving assembly, improves a uniformity of polish and a rate of polishing compared to wafer polishing machines known in the art.
US08137161B2
The disk-shaped substrate manufacturing method is provided with: generating an air stream downward from an upper area during grinding a disk-shaped substrate in a grinding apparatus; arranging the grinding apparatus on an upper floor face of a floor and arranging water on a lower floor face of the floor, the upper floor face being made of a board having penetration holes or a mesh member, and the lower floor face supporting the upper floor face so as to be located above the lower floor face with a distance; and guiding dust made by the grinding apparatus to the water by use of the air stream.
US08137158B2
An electrical contact method. An axle having an axis of rotation is provided. Cantilever arms are provided. Each cantilever arm has a first end and a second opposing end. The first end is connected to the axle. Each cantilever arm extends radially outward from the axle about perpendicular to the axis of rotation. At least two electrically conductive contacts is provided. At least one electrically conductive contact of the at least two electrically conductive contacts is disposed on the second end of each cantilever arm. A sample is supported on a support member. The electrically conductive contacts are pressed against a first surface of the sample. After the electrically conductive contacts are pressed, the electrically conductive contacts are revolved about the axis of rotation, wherein the at least one electrically conductive contact remains in electrical contact with the first surface.
US08137154B2
A brassiere wire molded in one-piece from a plastic material and including a U-shaped body with first and second arms connected by a central body region. The first and second arms include respective terminal ends of the U-shaped body and lie in a common plane with the central body region. The resiliency and rigidity characteristics of the plastic material permit the U-shaped body to distort out of the common plane and cause the central region to torsionally twist about its longitudinal axis when the terminal ends of the arms are flexed toward one another in opposed directions within the common plane. One arm includes a longitudinally extending flexure region spaced in-board from the terminal end of that arm and maintaining axial rigidity along the length of the U-shaped body while enabling an end of that arm to more readily flex in a direction perpendicular to the common plane.
US08137142B1
A connector assembly can include a first housing, a second housing and a connector position assurance insert. The second housing can be configured to mate with the first housing in a mated configuration such that a first electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal are coupled. The connector position assurance insert can be coupled to the first and second housing in the mated configuration and can include a first flexible lock member at a first end and a second flexible lock member at a second end opposite the first end. In the mated configuration, the first flexible lock member mates with the first locking feature and the second flexible lock member mates with the second locking feature such that the first housing, the second housing and the connector position assurance insert are fixedly secured at an appropriate locked position.
US08137137B1
A connector with a detachable module includes a main body and a detachable module. The main body has an insulation base and a plurality of pin header slots. The rear surface of the insulation base is provided with a plurality of troughs. The pin header slots are provided in the troughs. Each pin header slot extends toward the top surface of the insulation base. One side of the top surface of the insulation base is provided with a plurality of supporting grooves in communication with the troughs. The pin header slots are bent vertically and provided in the supporting grooves. The detachable module includes a circuit board, an integrated circuit and a plurality of pin headers both electrically connected to the circuit board. When the detachable module is assembled with the main body in such a manner that the pin headers are electrically connected to the pin header slots, a mother board connected to the main body can perform the functions of the integrated circuit of the detachable module.
US08137134B1
Coaxial cable connector with an insulating member with a bendable section with a pair of projections
A coaxial cable connector includes: a connection terminal having a base section and a pair of resilient clamping plates upward extending from two sides of the base section; an insulating member having an insulating main body for supporting the base section of the connection terminal, an insulating bendable section upward extending from one side of the insulating main body, and a pair of projections formed on two sides of the insulating bendable section corresponding to the resilient clamping plates; and a metal case for supporting the insulating main body of the insulating member. When the insulating bendable section is bent downward, the projections compress the resilient clamping plates to move inward so as to securely clamp an internal conductor of the coaxial cable. Accordingly, the resilient clamping plates of the connection terminal are electrically connected with the internal conductor of the coaxial cable.
US08137123B2
Terminal insert holes 61 are provided in a spacer 60 inserted into an inner housing. In each of the terminal insert holes 61, a lance 62 is provided. The lance is arranged in an obliquely upper position relative to the vertical direction and the transverse direction seen from, a central part of the terminal insert hole 61. A bending direction of each lance is set to a direction substantially corresponding to the oblique direction. Further, in the spacer 60, an engaging protrusion part 63 is provided as a mainly terminal engaging part. Thus, the spacer is pushed in to a mainly engaged position from a temporarily engaged position to shift a temporary engagement by the lance to a main engagement by the engaging protrusion part. In an end part of an engaging edge part 63a of the engaging protrusion part 63, an inclined surface 63c is provided. The inclined surface is allowed to abut on a rotating direction position control part 84 of a terminal 80 to easily rotate the terminal by pushing the spacer.
US08137122B2
The present invention discloses a mini power supply module comprising a circuit board and a power connector. Said power connector is abutted and electrically connected with said power connector through coupling parts. Said power connector is provided with an orientating mechanism to change the angle between said power connector and said circuit board. Said power connector is further included with an input port for receiving the input of an external power source, a contact terminal for matching with the connector on motherboard, and at least one output port for outputting power to peripheral devices.
US08137121B2
A fastener for securing a chip module onto a circuit board includes a fixing bracket mounted on the circuit board; a pressing frame covering the chip module; a lever having a driving portion and a shaft portion, wherein the shaft portion is formed by extending and bending from the driving portion, with the shaft portion running through the fixing bracket and the pressing frame for controlling the forward and backward rotation of the pressing frame; a protective cover mounted on the pressing frame, wherein a projection portion is formed on a bottom surface of the protective cover and located at the rear end of the chip module, and the projection portion has a slant surface adjacent to the chip module; and thereby, when the pressing frame moves forward, the slant surface presses against the chip module.
US08137120B2
An adapter device (1; 201; 401; 501) for housing a multi-phase low voltage type switch (2) inside a switchboard (100), comprising, for each phase: first and second electric connection means (31, 32) with the switch (2); third and fourth electric connection means (33, 34) with an electric distribution network (4); the adapter device (1; 201; 401; 501) is structured so as to define a connection area (10) housing the first and second electric connection means (31, 32), and also comprising heat removal means (5; 205; 405; 505) which remove heat from the connection area (10).
US08137118B2
An electrical connector which facilitates electrical interconnection of adjacent lighting fixtures and includes a female connector half and male connector half, each having first and second horizontally disposed passageways formed therein. The male connector half further has a male ground pin positioned to mate with a female ground slot formed in the female connector half. A female insert is positioned in each of the passageways of the female connector half and has an interior shaped and dimensioned to receive and retain a male electrical connector pin while a male insert is positioned in each passageway of the male connector half and has an interior shaped and dimensioned to receive and retain a female electrical connector pin. The connector and ground pins are so positioned that a ground connection is established prior to the establishment of electrical continuity between the connector pins when the male connector half is “plugged into” the female connector half.
US08137117B2
An electrical supply device for a discharge lamp of a motor vehicle headlight that comprises: an electronic module for converting source electric current into supply electric current for the discharge lamp; a housing that encloses the electronic module and is produced from an electrically conductive material so as to form electromagnetic shielding; an electrical connection harness that is intended to electrically connect the electronic conversion module with the discharge lamp; an envelope produced from an electrically conductive material that surrounds the connection harness so as to form electromagnetic shielding; the housing and envelope being electrically connected to a common reference electrical potential (−); wherein the housing and the envelope are connected in parallel to the common reference electrical potential (−).
US08137110B2
Disclosed herein are dielectric properties models that are designed to enable simulated use testing by medical device companies, medical device designers, individual inventors, or any other entity interested in the performance of medical devices. These models are unique in possessing a level of correlation to dielectric properties of human or nonhuman animal tissues that allows them to be substituted for either a live animal, an animal cadaver, or a human cadaver in the testing of these devices. These models are further characterized by a similarity of geometry, individual component physical properties, and component-to-component interfacial properties with the appropriate target tissue and anatomy.
US08137109B2
An oral care implement has a user-interactive display that displays images representing oral care regions of the mouth. The user can interact with the display by playing a game, which can relate to oral care. An oral care implement has a plurality of lighted segments that can be sequentially illuminated to indicate a recommended brushing sequence. The lighted segments can be shaped and/or labeled to indicate particular oral care regions of the mouth. In accordance with another aspect, an oral care implement can be equipped with features to encourage social interaction between two or more individuals.
US08137105B2
The present invention is a methodology for helping a student to learn vocabulary in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, and Pin Yin. The present invention comprises a Selection Program (SP), a Testing Program (TP), and a Character Sizing Program (CSP). The SP allows the user to select a Chinese-English textbook chapter, a question language, and an answer language. The SP then displays the chapter vocabulary for review and runs the TP. The TP calculates the probability factors for the vocabulary terms and determines a question to ask. The TP uses two Unicode tables to check to see if the answer is correct. The TP decrements the probability factor for wrong answers and increments the probability factor for right answers. The TP ends when all of the probability factors are equal to one. The CSP changes the font size of the Chinese characters.
US08137099B2
The invention relates to a method for calcination of a material in which said material is heated by contact with a heat source essentially generated by means of a flame produced with at least one flow of fuel and primary air and a flow of secondary air, the flame comprising a first combustion zone with a temperature below 1500° C. and a second combustion zone with a temperature above 1500° C., where at least one flow of at least one inert gas is injected into the flame at the beginning of the second combustion zone and/or at least one flow of oxygen or a gas enriched in oxygen is injected into the second combustion zone.
US08137093B2
A clamp includes (a) a first engager that engages with engagement parts formed at ends of the tiebars at the moving platen side after moving the moving platen in the fixed platen direction to close a die or mold, in the tiebar insertion holes of the moving platen, (b) a second engager that engages with engagement parts formed at ends of the tiebars at the fixed platen sides detachably at ends of clamping pistons using a detachable engager, (c) a pushing device that cooperates with the tiebars and pushes the moving platen after die or mold closing against the fixed platen in the tiebar insertion holes of the fixed platen, and (d) a tiebar inserting and extracting device coupled with ends of the tiebars at the fixed platen sides at a side of the fixed platen opposite to the die or mold mounting surface.
US08137087B2
A method of preparing a toner, including periodically dripping and discharging a droplet of a toner constituent liquid including a resin and a colorant; and solidifying and granulating the droplet, wherein the dripper includes a thin film including plural nozzles; and an oscillator including an oscillation generator generating an oscillation; and an oscillation amplifier, including an oscillation surface facing the thin film in parallel therewith, amplifying the oscillation, and wherein the toner constituent liquid is fed between the thin film and the oscillation surface.
US08137084B2
An interlocking device for rigidly holding together the body and flange of a hydraulic machine includes a body, flange, gears, sealing elements acting as a body seal and lobe seal adapted to effectively seal pressurized oil pockets within the hydraulic machine with a back-up ring that prevents squeezing of the lobe seal and to retain it in its original position, appropriately dimensioned bush bearings adapted to act as load bearing journals. The interlocking device includes a plurality of bean-shaped dowels located at both inlet and outlet sides that hold the body and flange together with minimum relative displacement to ensure high volumetric efficiency of the hydraulic machine even at high operating pressures in excess of 275 bar or higher.
US08137083B2
An infusion pump includes an actuator having an output shaft; a pump actuator having a length (lactuator) moved by the output shaft and in contact with tubing, such that the pump actuator at an output shaft actuated distance (x) creates flat contact areas with the tubing, and wherein remaining non-contact areas of the tubing are at least substantially circular in shape; and a logic implementer configured to use at least two relationships to solve for a same number of variables to calculate a cross-sectional area of the tubing at an output shaft actuated distance (x).
US08137082B2
An exemplary embodiment of an air blower includes an electrically powered motor including a motor housing. A blower housing has first and second housing structures, each having inwardly facing, spaced ribs, and configured to surround the motor assembly in an assembled configuration. The ribs on the first and second housing structures register the radial and axial position of the motor housing inside the housing.
US08137080B2
An air compressor assembly includes a compressor housing, an intake port defined by the compressor housing for intake of the air, and a plurality of guide contours disposed adjacent to the intake port. The guide contours include between three and six strips. A valve unit is disposed adjacent to the intake port, the valve unit comprising a closing element that assumes an opened position during operation and a closed position when in a switched-off state. The closing element is plate-shaped, is axially movable, and is guided by the plurality of guide contours between the opened position and the closed position. A stroke limitation element is provided to limit axial movement of the closing element in the opened position. A spring is disposed between the closing element and the stroke limitation element. The spring provides a return force to the closing element to bias the closing element into the closed position.
US08137079B2
A motor according to the present invention preferably includes a boss portion preferably includes an inner ring portion including a substantially ring shaped convex portion at an axially lower end surface thereof. The boss portion preferably includes a through hole at which a shaft is press fitted at a central portion thereof. A rotor holder including a substantially cylindrical shape includes a through hole centered about a rotary axis. The through hole and the inner ring portion of the boss portion are fitted to one another. The convex portion includes a portion plastically deformed outwardly in the radial direction to sandwich an inner circumferential surface of the rotor holder. The inner circumferential surface of the impeller cup portion includes a plurality of convex portions near an upper portion thereof. The rotor holder is press fitted into the inner circumferential surface of the impeller cup portion via the convex portions.
US08137077B2
An air compressor assembly includes a base assembly including a first air cylinder and a second air cylinder each to store compressed air therein. The assembly further includes a first rearward handle and a second rearward handle each being attached to a rearward end portion of the base assembly. The assembly also includes a wheel attached to a forward end portion of the base assembly. In addition, the assembly includes a forward handle attached to the forward end portion of the base assembly. The assembly further includes an engine supported by the base assembly. Also, the assembly includes a pump powered by the engine and configured to generate compressed air which is advanced into the at least one air container.
US08137076B2
A method and a device for extracting a liquid from a liquid pond, wherein in a first phase air is removed from an airtight reservoir, a venting and a rising pipe in order to create depression therein and a suck-up of the liquid in the liquid pond. In a second phase, a distribution device is brought from a first to a second operating position in order to supply pressurized gas to said venting pipe which has an outlet connected to the rising pipe. In a third phase the liquid is pushed from the venting pipe to the rising pipe and thereafter to the reservoir by means of pressurized air and an interface member. In a fourth phase the distribution device is brought back to its first operation position.
US08137074B2
A glass-reinforced fiber or carbon-reinforced wind turbine blade having a suction side and a pressure side includes a tip portion adapted with an electric field control region disposed solely on or within the tip portion. The electric field control region is in electrical communication with or galvanically connected to an electric discharge conduction mechanism, wherein the electric field control region and the electric discharge conduction mechanism together operate to protect a wind turbine and its associated blade(s) from damage due to a lightning strike at the tip of the wind turbine blade(s) by controlling an electric field at the tip portion(s) caused by the lightning strike.
US08137066B2
A system and method for a pressure based load measurement system are provided. The system includes two pressure orifices arranged on a top surface and a bottom surface of an airfoil. The pressure differential between these two points is determined and an estimate of the aerodynamic load generated by the airfoil is determined from a linear correlation between pressure differential and load. The location of the orifices may be optimized using analytical or experimental techniques and a least squares empirical curve fit may be used to fit the data collected.
US08137060B2
The invention relates to a turbine engine that includes a spool supporting at least one of a compressor and a turbine. A turbofan is coupled to the spool The spool is arranged in a core nacelle, and the turbofan is arranged upstream from the core nacelle. A fan nacelle surrounds the turbofan and the core nacelle and provides a bypass flow path. A structure extends radially between the core and fan nacelles to support the core nacelle relative to the fan nacelle. Surfaces are supported relative to the fixed structure and are moveable between closed and open positions to selectively obstruct bypass flow through the bypass flow path, thereby changing the effective area of the exit nozzle. A change in the effective area of the nozzle exit can be used to improve the efficiency and operation of the turbine engine.
US08137059B2
An outdoor unit for an air conditioner is disclosed. The outdoor unit according to the present invention comprises a housing which has an air inlet and an air outlet, a ventilation fan rotatably mounted in the housing, and a fan guard connected to the housing to cover the air outlet. Here, the fan guard comprises a plurality of closed ribs arranged sequentially and concentrically between a center and an outline thereof, and a plurality of radial ribs arranged in radial directions to interconnect the plurality of closed ribs, in such a manner that some of the closed ribs, which are disposed at intermediate positions near tips of the ventilation fan, are at a further distance from the ventilation fan than the other closed ribs, which are disposed near the center and the outline. Accordingly, since the fan guard is convexly raised at a position corresponding to the tips of the ventilation fan, thereby guaranteeing a predetermined space between the fan guard and the tips where the airflow is fastest, the flow resistance and the flow-induced noise can be reduced.
US08137058B2
A machine includes a static member and a moving member. The moving member includes a central hub and a moving component. The moving component includes a first end portion fixedly connected to the central hub, a second end portion and an intermediate portion. The second end portion of the moving member is spaced from the static member so as to form a gap. A transmitting element is mounted to one of the static member and the moving member. The transmitting element emits an acoustic wave having a predetermined frequency across the gap. A receiving element is mounted to the other of the static member and the moving member. The receiving element receives the acoustic wave from the transmitting element. The machine further includes a controller that determines a clearance distance extending between the moving member and the static member based on the acoustic wave passing across the gap.
US08137057B2
A compressor assembly (304) includes a compressor housing (312) having a main air inlet (324) and an annular wall (328) defining an inducer bore (325). A secondary inlet passage (322) is disposed around the inducer bore (325). The secondary inlet passage (322) has an inlet slot (320) operatively intersecting the inducer bore (325) to permit the entry of a fluid thereinto through an inlet port (327). The inlet slot (320) advantageously defines an augmented inducer diameter region (331). Preferably the secondary inlet passage (322) may be selectively partially or completely isolated from the main air inlet (324). A compressor wheel (318) is located in the compressor housing (312) and has a stepped portion (330) formed by at least one plurality of vanes (238) operatively associated with the augmented inducer diameter region (331) adjacent to the inlet slot (320) of the housing (312) to receive fluid therefrom.
US08137053B2
An assembly includes a first member and a second member, the first member including a first material composition and the second member including a second material composition. The first and second material compositions each include one or more isotopes of the same element, which are arranged to permit distinguishing between the first and second members or 0 parts thereof.
US08137049B2
A rebar separator having a crossbar situated atop one or, preferably, two vibrational insulators which are preferably inflatable cushions. Preferably, there are two or more such crossbars on one or two inflatable cushions. At least one vibrational motor is in contact with at least one crossbar. And preferably each crossbar slopes from a first end to a second end. A source of fluid is in communication with each inflatable cushion. Preferably, the vibrational insulators are placed on top of first and second longitudinal channels of a horizontal rack.
US08137048B2
A robot assembly for transferring substrates includes a central tube assembly oriented along a central axis, perpendicular to a substrate transfer plane, and having an inner surface that forms part of a first enclosure at a first pressure, and an outer surface that forms part of a second enclosure at a second, different pressure. The robot assembly further includes a transfer robot which itself includes multiple rotor assemblies, each configured to rotate parallel to the substrate transfer plane. The various rotor assemblies are organized in pairs, each pair having one rotor fitted with a telescoping support arm/end effector arrangement to support substrates thereon, and the other rotor fitted with inner and outer actuator arms that cooperate to effect radial movement of the corresponding end effector of the paired rotor assembly. Each rotor is controlled to effect the transfer of substrates within a wafer processing system asynchronously and at differing heights.
US08137045B2
A bin tunnel having collapsible sides is used with a truck box of a truck to load content into the truck box from a bin that is sized to fit within the bin tunnel when the bin tunnel is in an open position. When the bin tunnel is in a closed position a footprint of the bin tunnel is very small compared to the open position because the sides are retracted. The footprints can be less when the bin tunnel is in the closed position from thirty (30) percent of the footprint of the bin tunnel in the open position. When the bin tunnel is closed, the contents of the truck box are secure as the space inside of the closed bin tunnel is too small to allow access to the interior.
US08137042B2
First and second components are connected together by a fastener that includes a head and a shank having a bolt portion and a drill portion. The fastener is initially rotated relative to the first and second components such that the drill portion drills a hole through the first and second components. Then, the drive portion of the fastener is removed from the bolt portion of the shank of the fastener, such as by using a removal tool. Lastly, a nut is installed on the bolt portion of the shank of the fastener.
US08137040B2
A lock nut capable of improving a fastening force of a fastening nut and the lock nut is provided. The lock nut includes a body having a threaded throughhole and a groove formed at a circumferential edge thereof. A plurality of projections are formed in the groove and each includes an outer side face directed toward a center of the body from a border between a seat surface and the groove. An inner side face serves as an extension of an inner face of the threaded throughhole. A depth of the groove is such that if the projections are crushed when the lock nut is fastened against a bolt, they do not enter a space between a seat surface on the side of the body of the fastening nut and the seat surface of the lock nut body.
US08137035B2
A cutting insert includes a rake face region located on an upper surface, a flank located on a front surface, and a cutting edge located at an intersection between the rake face region and the flank. At least three types of projections having different distances from the cutting edge are on the rake face region. When these three types of projections are arranged in the order of increasing distance from the cutting edge, namely, a first projection, a second projection and a third projection, the top of the second projection is lower than an imaginary straight line connecting the top of the first projection and the top of the third projection in the side view.
US08137031B2
A standoff system for keeping a containment boom or other floating barrier device spaced at a desired standoff distance away from a structure. The system includes an inner side member, an outer side member, and a plurality of compression members disposed between the side members. The system has a collapsed configuration in which the distance between the inner and outer side members is less than the desired standoff distance, and a deployed configuration in which the distance between the side members is greater than or substantially equal to the desired standoff distance. Alternatively, the system can be collapsed longitudinally by moving the adjacent compression members into abutting relationship with each other. The system is towed into place in the collapsed configuration, and once in place, is transformed into the deployed configuration by applying tension to the side members. The system also may include one or more tension members attached diagonally between adjacent compression members to keep the system in the deployed configuration. The standoff system can be a separate, free-standing structure placed between a ship and a boom or it can be integrated with a containment boom.
US08137030B2
The current invention provides processes and apparatuses for introducing slurry into underground geological formations thereby disposing of the slurry, while also sequestering carbon dioxide and collecting methane from the slurry.
US08137024B2
A water-pervious pavement structure comprising wearing course comprising a water-pervious combination of recycled glass and aggregate bound together with a flexible adhesive binder and held within a plurality of connected, open grid pockets; and a layer of unbound recycled glass disposed under the wearing course capable of adsorbing contacting hydrocarbons carried with water through the wearing course. In a preferred embodiment, the wearing course comprises about 30 wt. % to about 80 wt. % recycled glass and about 20 wt. % to about 70 wt. % aggregate bound together by a cured resin binder within the grid pockets.
US08137023B2
A coupling assembly for connection between a drive shaft and an impeller in a molten metal pump. The coupling assembly includes an upper portion to receive an end of the motor drive shaft and a lower portion to receive an end of the impeller shaft. The impeller shaft is pinned to the lower portion with a pin member which extends through first and second apertures in the lower portion of the coupling body. The pin member includes a handle portion, a driver member, and a stop. The driver member has an elongated configuration sized and shaped to pass through the first aperture of the coupling member. In application, once the impeller shaft is positioned in the coupling body, the pin member is passed through the apertures such that the driver member passes through the second aperture until the stop is in abutting relationship with the coupling member outer surface. Once the pin member and therefore driver member is inserted, the driver member is a contact point between the interior of the coupling member and impeller shaft.
US08137022B2
A coupling pin (10) comprising a carriage member (12) and a riding member (14) longitudinally slidable over the carriage member. The carriage member and riding member being mutually inclined longitudinally, and together complementing each other to form a uniform pin. The pin may be inserted into an aperture such that the carriage member is first disposed therein, and a force subsequently applied to the riding member causing it to move longitudinally with respect to the carriage member, into a load-bearing position.
US08137002B2
An interface converter is provided for mechanically and optically coupling a non-ruggedized fiber optic connector with a ruggedized adapter port. In a preferred embodiment, the interface converter attaches to an SC fiber optic connector and together form a converted fiber optic connector compatible with the ruggedized adapter port. In certain embodiments, a retractable release sleeve may be removed from the SC fiber optic connector prior to attaching the interface converter. In certain embodiments, the interface converter may be inserted into the ruggedized adapter port prior to being attached to the SC fiber optic connector.
US08136994B2
An annular member is mounted on an outer ring, and a sensor is fixed to the annular member. The annular member includes a fixing portion, and a cover portion. The sensor is fixed to the fixing portion by a bolt and a nut. The fixing portion is fixed to the cover portion by bolts. The cover portion is separate from the fixing portion, and therefore does not have an opening extending in a circumferential direction, and covers a magnet rotor fitted on an inner ring in the circumferential direction.
US08136983B2
A system is disclosed that essentially eliminates the delay in measurement of temperature by a sensor due to exponential response of the sensor. The system finds the rate of change of the sensor signal, multiplies it by the time constant of the sensor signal and adds the result to the instantaneous value of the sensor signal to predict the final value of the sensor signal or the actual value of the temperature. When the sensor is permanently attached to an object, the final temperature of the object is predicted in a similar manner using the combined time constant value of the sensor and the object. The system can be software, analog hardware or digital hardware. The system also allows more accurate temperature control without undershoot or overshoot by providing a control signal proportional to the difference between a desired value and the predicted final value of the sensor signal. The system similarly eliminates the time delay in measurement and control of flow in thermal flow meters.
US08136970B2
Disclosed is an apparatus for controlling a head lamp. The apparatus comprises: a lamp electronic control unit for generating a lamp steering signal according to a received steering angle and speed information; first and second head lamp control sections for generating motor driving signals corresponding to the lamp steering signal; and first and second step actuators for rotating first and second head lamp modules at predetermined angles by converting a rotational movement of a motor into a linear movement according to the motor driving signals of the first and second head lamp control modules.
US08136961B2
An electro-luminescent area illumination device that includes two or more area emitters formed on a substrate. Each of the two or more area emitters emit light having different area illumination profiles.
US08136957B1
A holding apparatus for television remotes, pens/pencils, paper and other personal items intended for bedside use by hospital patients, is herein disclosed, comprising a plurality of pockets or pouches to hold said personal items. According to a preferred embodiment, a center pocket would hold larger items and a pair of outer pockets would hold narrow objects. The apparatus is secured by a pair of straps that originate from the top rear portion of the outer pouches and secures about the railing of the hospital bed.
US08136955B2
An illumination system comprises at least one light source (2) and a light-guide (1). A first part of the light-guide (1) is defined by a surface (12) for light emission and a back surface (13), and a second part of the light-guide is defined by a light receiving surface (14) and a light reflecting surface (15). The light source (2) is disposed adjacent or substantially adjacent to the light receiving surface (14), and light from the light source enters the light-guide through the light receiving surface (14), and is reflected by the light reflecting surface (15) into the first part of the light-guide. Light is emitted from the waveguide through the surface (12) for light emission, and may be used to illuminate, for example, a display device placed over the surface (12) for light emission. The light source and the light receiving surface are on the same side of the waveguide as the surface for light emission.
US08136944B2
A reading meter system and method is provided for identifying the existence and position of text in visual media content and determining if a subject has interacted with the text and/or the level of the subject's interaction with the text. The determination may, for example, be based on data generated from an eye tracking device. The reading meter system may be used alone and/or in connection with an emotional response tool (e.g., a software-based tool for determining the subject's emotional response to the text and/or other elements of the visual media content on which the text appears). If used together, the reading meter system and emotional response tool may both receive, and perform processing on, eye date generated from a common eye tracking device.
US08136934B2
A printhead for use in an imaging device includes a reservoir configured to receive ink from an ink source. An aperture plate includes a plurality of ink jet apertures at a first location in the aperture plate and a plurality of recycling apertures at a second location in the aperture plate. The printhead includes a plurality of ink jets, each ink jet being configured to receive ink from the reservoir and to reject ink through one of the ink jet apertures in the aperture plate, and a plurality of channels, each channel being configured to fluidly couple one of the recycling apertures in the aperture plate to the reservoir. A pressure source is coupled to the reservoir that is configured to generate a pressure in the reservoir.
US08136933B2
A phase change ink melting assembly includes a tub having an open top, a bottom surface, and a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom surface. The bottom surface has a solid ink melt region and a melted ink outlet offset from the solid ink melt region. The solid ink melt tub includes a three dimensional area extending from the bottom surface in the solid ink melt region. At least one constraining surface is positioned proximate the open top of the melt tub above the solid ink melt region tub and thermally isolated from the melt tub. The at least one constraining surface is configured to prevent lateral movement of an ink stick as it is being fed downwardly into contact with the solid ink melt region.
US08136926B2
Disclosed are an ink-jet head and a method of manufacturing the ink-jet head including a plurality of chambers, a membrane covering the plurality of chambers, and a plurality of actuators separated from one another by a virtual dividing line on the membrane such that pressure is applied to each of the plurality of chambers. The method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: forming a groove at a position on one surface of the membrane, the position corresponding to the position of the dividing line; bonding a piezoelectric member to the one surface of the membrane having the groove formed therein by using adhesive resin; and dividing the piezoelectric member such that the groove is exposed.
US08136921B2
A liquid droplet ejection apparatus includes: a flow path unit including first and second pressure chambers for first and second liquids, respectively, and first and second nozzles communicating with the first and second pressure chambers, respectively, each of the first and second nozzles including a tip opening; and a pressure generating unit which generates a pressure for the liquids in the first and second pressure chambers to eject the liquids through the tip openings of the first and second nozzles. A diameter of the tip opening of the first nozzle is larger than that of the tip opening of the second nozzle and a length of the first nozzle is shorter than that of the second nozzle.
US08136920B2
A nozzle plate includes: a first silicon layer; a glass layer; a second silicon layer provided between the first silicon layer and the glass layer, the second silicon layer being bonded to the glass layer; and a silicon oxide layer provided between the first silicon layer and the second silicon layer. A nozzle hole passing through the first silicon layer and discharging a droplet is formed. A channel passing through the silicon oxide layer and the second silicon layer and communicating with the nozzle hole is formed. A liquid chamber formed in the glass layer and communicating with the channel is formed.
US08136916B2
An image-forming apparatus includes a head unit configured to include line-type recording heads for ejecting ink droplets, a transport mechanism disposed facing the recording head and configured to transport a sheet, a maintain-recovery mechanism disposed downstream from the transport mechanism in a direction in which the sheet is transported and configured to maintain and recover the line type recording heads, and a head drive mechanism configured to move the head unit between a position facing the transport mechanism and a position facing the maintain-recovery mechanism in the direction in which the sheet is transported.
US08136912B2
An inspective ejection method using inspective injection data, including unit ejection data and non-ejection data, for causing fluid to be ejected from nozzle orifices of a fluid ejection apparatus. The unit ejection data is used for individually inspecting each of a group of continuous nozzle orifices of a predetermined number M, less than total number Q. The non-ejection data having a length of at least Q−M is continuously added to a leading or trailing side in a unit ejection data reading direction. A transfer start address is selected in the area of the inspective ejection data at an interval of M, while avoiding duplication of the transfer start address. The inspective ejection data is transferred to an ejection driving unit, starting from the selected transfer start address. The selecting transferring steps are repeated a whole number of times that is Q/M or greater, while changing the transfer start address.
US08136907B2
A method compensates for thermal expansion of rollers in a web print zone. The method includes receiving an angular velocity signal from a first encoder for a roller in a print zone of a moving web printing system, receiving a signal from a first temperature sensor corresponding to a temperature of the roller, modifying a first diameter for the first roller with a first predetermined distance in response to the temperature of the first roller being different than a first predetermined temperature, identifying a velocity of a moving web in the print zone of the moving web printing system with reference to the modified first diameter, and delivering a firing signal to a first printhead proximate the first roller to energize the inkjet nozzles in the first printhead and eject ink onto the web at a position corresponding to the identified moving web velocity.
US08136901B2
In the case of printing at high addressability, where the cell size is smaller than the spot size, an image can be decimated in a manner that will limit the large accumulation of printed material. The proper decimation of the image will depend on the spot size, the physics of drop coalescence and the addressability during printing. A simple method of using concentric decimation is disclosed herein to enable this process.
US08136898B2
A closing and retaining device for an extension guide includes a rail of an extension guide, a housing slidably disposed on the rail, and a driver disposed on the housing. The closing and retaining device also includes a damper housing retained in the housing, a displaceable piston coupled between the damper housing and the driver, wherein the damper housing is displaceable in a direction of movement of the piston, and a latch disposed on the driver to connect the piston to the driver. After the piston is connected to the driver, the damper housing is pushed into position by the driver.
US08136893B2
A pneumatic brake system that includes at least one pneumatic latching valve; a single device, such as a solenoid, for providing momentary pilot signals to pneumatic latching valve; a source of pressurized supply air in communication with the pneumatic latching valve; a spring brake or other pneumatic device in communication with the pneumatic latching valve; and, optionally, an indicator device for monitoring and displaying the state of the pneumatic latching valve. Upon receiving a first momentary pilot signal the pneumatic latching valve changes from closed to open and delivers pressurized air to the spring brake. Upon receiving a second momentary pilot signal, the pneumatic latching valve changes from open to closed and exhausts pressurized air from the spring brake to the external environment. The valve remains “latched” in its current state until the signaling device is energized and the next momentary pilot signal is received.
US08136888B2
A lifting method for a lesion area of the present invention includes: a step of introducing an anchoring tool having a magnetic body and an anchor into a hollow organ having a lesion area, by using a working channel inserted from a natural opening into the hollow organ; a step of anchoring the anchoring tool, by sequentially placing the anchor in a predetermined position around the lesion area, so as to arrange a plurality of the magnetic bodies around the lesion area; and a step of lifting a tissue including the lesion area, by attracting the magnetic bodies using the magnetic field generation tool arranged on the outside of the hollow organ.
US08136881B2
The present invention relates to a child restraint system (1) with a base (2) having a lower surface resting on a sitting portion of a vehicle, where the base (2) through ISOFIX latching means is engaged with anchorage means (12) in the vehicle seat (13), thereby providing a pivot connection between the base (2) and the anchorage means (12). Through an energy absorbing mechanism (7) impact energy can be absorbed, thus reducing the degree of rotation of the child restraint (1).
US08136866B2
A door assembly is provided that includes integral impact regions that obviate the need for a separate impact beam. The door assembly includes an outer panel and an inner panel, operably connected to the outer panel so that a compartment is formed therebetween. At least one hardware-mounting surface is integrally formed from the inner panel and extends towards the outer panel. Each of the hardware mounting surfaces is operable to mount a hardware component between the inner and outer panels. At least one integrally-formed impact region is provided on the inner panel that is operable to strengthen the door assembly and increase its intrusion resistance of the vehicle door during a collision. The inner panel has substantially no large access openings that would be deleterious to impact resistance and substantially seals the vehicle passenger compartment from the external environment. The at least one impact region is also displaced at least as far away from the outer panel as the at least one hardware mounting surface.
US08136858B2
A flatbed trailer comprising front and rear flatbed trailer sections and a method of operation is provided. In one embodiment, a first support assembly is configured to lift the front flatbed trailer section relative to the rear flatbed trailer section, and second support assembly is configured to lift the rear flatbed trailer section relative to the front flatbed trailer section. Roller wheels may provide rolling engagement between the front and rear flatbed trailer sections, and slide members may provide sliding engagement between the front and rear flatbed trailer sections.
US08136853B2
Vehicle door handle unit includes: a handle shaft rotatably mounted on a vehicle door; a handle section pivotably mounted on the handle shaft; and a detection section for detecting locking/unlocking operation of the vehicle door or opening/closing-related operation including opening/closing operation of the vehicle door. The handle shaft includes first and second handle shaft members axially spaced apart from each other, and the detection section is provided between the first and second handle shaft members. Not only the vehicle door handle unit can be suitably applied to small vehicles etc. of which the vehicle door can only have a limited thickness, but also it can have a good usability.
US08136845B2
A coupling apparatus for coupling free ends of a pair of tubular ducts in flow communication with one another, and where the free ends of the ducts are separated by an axial gap. The apparatus may have a sleeve having a length sufficient to span the gap and to overlap portions of the free ends of the ducts when the sleeve is secured to the free ends of the ducts. The sleeve may include a first stretchable ply of material, a non-stretchable ply of material, and a second stretchable ply of material sandwiched together. The non-stretchable ply of material may be disposed between the first and second stretchable plies of material to form a unitary assembly. The non-stretchable ply of material may have an axial length of no more than approximately a length of the axial gap to overlay the axial gap.
US08136843B2
In a gas-engine-mounted working machine, a gas engine is mounted on a machine body and supplied with fuel gas from a cassette gas canister. The cassette gas canister is detachably attached to a gas canister retainer assembly. Handle column extends rearwardly and upwardly from the machine body and having left and right handle posts fixed to the machine body for supporting an operating handle of the machine. The cassette gas canister is mounted, via the gas canister retainer assembly, between the left and right handle posts.
US08136826B2
A running board assembly for a motor vehicle includes an arm adapted to be fixedly coupled to the motor vehicle. A pivot shaft extends through the arm and is rotatable relative thereto. A step is fixedly secured to the pivot shaft and is movable between a stowed position and a deployed position. A motor is operably coupled to the pivot shaft such that actuation of the motor rotates the pivot shaft relative to the arm to move the step between the stowed position and the deployed position.
US08136822B2
Accessories to provide extra lifting leverage to two wheel hand truck used to move heavy objects. One accessory is a pair of extension rails are removable attached to the frame structure. Another accessory is a secondary foot assembly removable attached to the lower end of the frame structure.
US08136817B2
A tool holder plate (51) is fixed to a shaft end part (413) of a hollow motor shaft (41) of a brushless DC servo motor (1), and a cutting tool is mounted in a tool mounting hole (51a) formed in the tool holder plate (51) and a work is cut-processed by this cutting tool. In order to prevent intrusion of a cutting processing oil containing cutting powder into the inside of the motor from between the shaft end part (411) of the hollow motor shaft (41) and an end plate portion (22) of a motor housing (2), a labyrinth seal (55) including a double circular groove (553, 555) having a fine width extended in the axis direction (1a) is formed between a metal plate (53), the tool holder plate (51), and the shaft end part (411). The other shaft end part (414) is also formed with a labyrinth seal (56) of the same structure. Due to this structure, intrusion of the cutting processing oil into the inside of the motor can be prevented, which can prevent trouble such as early destruction of oil seals (48, 49) by attachment of the cutting powder contained in the cutting processing oil to the oil seals (48, 49).
US08136816B1
A multiple layering means of a protective laminated multiple-layered split boot layer assembly, providing both very important qualities of easy installation and reliable boot sealing performance. Easy installation is easy to achieve but the reliable boot sealing performance of substantially high degree of reliable boot sealing performance is very much needed but has eluded many investors until now. Many different solutions and approaches are used, such as multiple layering, reinforcement with fastener such as glue sealant adhesive, reinforcement encircling rings, and appropriately positioning each split boot layer's cut (53) split line, in relationship to the cut (53) of preceding and adjacent split boot layer, with alternating slit (or seam) facing feature, for maximized sealing performance.
US08136809B2
A trailing end of a sheet stored in a cassette body is regulated by a first trailing end regulating member and a second trailing end regulating member. the member is provided to be slid in a cassette case where the sheet is stored, and the member is provided in the member to be slid. In addition, at positions according to a size of the sheet that is stored in the cassette case, the member is held by a first holding portion and the member is held by a second holding portion. In addition, holding of the member by the first holding portion and holding of the member by the second holding portion are released by the operation of a trailing end regulating lever.
US08136805B1
A row bar holder to hold a plurality of row bars containing reader heads for scanning operations is disclosed. The row bar holder includes: a base fixture having a length defining a y-axis and a width defining an x-axis, a plurality of separator walls formed on a top surface of the base fixture spaced from one another to separate the plurality of row bars containing reader heads, a plurality of grooves defined between the adjacent separator walls to receive the row bars, respectively, and a draw bar mountable within the base fixture, the draw bar having a plurality of draw bar walls that approximately align with the plurality of separator walls of the base fixture along the y-axis.
US08136804B2
An automated assembly system for assembling a truss from a plurality of truss members and connection plates includes a plurality of rail assemblies, a plurality of trolleys, a plurality of press assemblies, and a control system. The rail assemblies include stationary rail assemblies and moveable rail assemblies. The trolleys are supported by the rail assemblies. The press assemblies are supported by the trolleys. The press assemblies are configured to embed the connection plates into the truss members. The control system is programmed to control the operation of the automated assembly system. An ejector system is configured to remove assembled trusses from the automated assembly system.
US08136795B2
An assembly (20) for controlling movement of an elevator car (12), which includes a sheave (18), a first mass (32a, 48a), a second mass (32b, 48b), and a coupler (54) that provides a releasable non-elastic connection between the masses. The sheave (18) is configured to rotate about an axis of rotation (30) at a velocity related to a velocity of the elevator car (12). The first (32a, 48a) and second (32b, 48b) masses are attached to the sheave (18) at first and second pivot points (42a, 42b) radially spaced from the sheave axis of rotation (30). The coupler (54) that provides the releasable non-elastic connection between the first (32a, 48a) and second (32b, 48b) masses is configured to prevent pivotal movement of the masses at sheave angular velocities less than a first velocity and to permit pivotal movement of the masses at velocities greater than the first velocity.
US08136793B2
A valve arrangement has an annular housing with valve seat and a two-part valve plate that is rotatable about an axis. The seat is in the form of a disk including two adjacent openings with a web between and the axis is parallel to the web. The two parts of the valve plate are next to each other with their planes parallel and offset in a perpendicular direction. They are connected to each other through one of the openings by a connection piece extending through the one opening. In a closed position for the valve, the valve plate part are respectively positioned on opposite sides of the valve seat and cover and seal the respective openings due to a seal that is between the valve plate parts and the valve seat.
US08136788B2
A coupling element has a first interface, which is adapted to mechanically connect the coupling element to an actuator, a second interface, which is adapted to mechanically connect the coupling element to a valve, and a deformable portion, which is shaped in such a manner, that, as a result of a compression along an axial direction of the coupling element, the deformable portion irreversibly bends such that a projection is formed. Thereby, the projection is adapted to permanently engage with an annular groove formed at the actuator, such that the coupling element and the actuator are connected with each other in a non-detachable but rotatable manner.
US08136785B1
In accordance with the aspects of the present invention, an improved book holder for reading in bed is disclosed. The present invention includes a base panel, back panel, central slotted unit and moveable plexiglass plate rectangular in shape. The plexiglass includes a windowed region such that when using the invention with an e-book reader, the controls of the e-book reader can be accessed through the windowed region.
US08136776B2
A tilting device is disclosed. A tilting device for tiltably supporting a mass may include: a bracket, which is attachable to and detachable from the mass, and which is configured to tilt about a rotation shaft; a nut, which is hinge-coupled to one side of the bracket about a hinge shaft; a leadscrew, which engages the nut; and a housing, which supports either side of the rotation shaft, and in which a guide indentation is formed that guides a movement of the hinge shaft. The tilting device utilizes a simple link structure to tilt a mass using a small-capacity driving unit.
US08136775B2
A rack assembly comprises: an elongated main frame, a front surface of which is formed with a first display area, an inclined second display area, and a concave space defined therebetween, the first display area is defined with plural first limiting grooves and a longitudinally-extending first rail, the second display area is provided with at least one second limiting groove and an inclined second rail. At least one base plate is mounted in the concave space and includes a horizontal top portion for pivotally fixing a positioning sleeve and a longitudinal portion formed with at least one hanging hole for fixing to an object. Plural suspension members are detachably engaged in the first and second limiting grooves and each provided with an abutting portion to be abutted against the first and second rails, and a retaining portion to be engaged in the first and second limiting grooves.
US08136772B2
The device for receiving oblong objects comprises a bottom wall (2) and a receiving element (1) having two bordering walls (3, 4) facing each other. A cover element (16) is mounted on the receiving element (1) so as to be pivoted by means of a border hinge (15) and can be linked with the receiving element (1) by means of a closure system (23, 24, 25, 26) facing the border hinge (15). The cover element (16) has at least three cover sections (17, 19, 21). Between adjacent cover sections (17, 19, 21), a center hinge (18, 20) is configured. The closure system (23, 24, 25, 26) allows for a number of closure positions that corresponds to the number of center hinges (18, 20) and in which the cover sections (17, 19, 21) are spaced apart from the bottom wall at different distances. The same design of the inventive device can therefore be used in different environments of assembly.
US08136769B2
A reinforcing structure is provided for supporting a joint of two cable tray sections, wherein each of the two cable tray sections includes a side rail having a planar body member, a bottom edge and a top edge, and wherein the joint is positioned over a structural support member. The reinforcing structure may include a top member; a body member extending substantially perpendicularly from the top member; and a bottom member extending substantially perpendicularly from the body member. The bottom member may be configured for mounting on the structural support member. The bottom member may be configured to receive the bottom edge of the side rail. The top member may include an inside edge configured to support the planar body member of the side rail when the bottom edge of the side rail is received into the bottom member.
US08136763B2
A front portion of a fuselage of an aircraft including a cockpit, a washroom, an access corridor to the cockpit alongside the washroom, and a rest compartment with at least one berth for at least one pilot. The corridor alongside the washroom includes a mechanism separating the corridor from the cockpit and a door for blocking access to the passenger cabin. The rest compartment can be accessed from the access corridor to the cockpit, between the separation mechanism between the corridor and the cockpit and the corridor door. The washroom includes two access doors, a first access door for accessing the washroom from the access corridor to the cockpit in the area located between the separation mechanism between the corridor and the cockpit and the corridor door, and a second access door for accessing the washroom from the passenger cabin.
US08136761B2
In a self-propelled wheel apparatus of an aircraft, a drive mechanism composed of a wave gear drive and a motor is coaxially linked to an axle of a wheel via a one-way clutch, and rotational force in the reverse direction of the aircraft is transmitted to the wheel axle via the one-way clutch. When the aircraft moves forward, the link between the wheel axle and an output shaft of the wave gear drive is cut off by the one-way clutch, and motor rotational force is transmitted to the wheel axle, causing the wheel to rotate, only when the aircraft moves backward.
US08136758B2
A strut (18, 50) includes a fiber-reinforced, elongate composite body (36, 54) and has first and second ends and a metal and/or tubular support (20, 52) at least partially embedded in the composite body (36, 54), where the composite body (36, 54) has first (40, 60) and second ends (42, 62) forming first and second load-bearing end portions of the strut (18, 50). Also a method forms such a strut using a mold (70).
US08136757B2
A wing for an aircraft includes a non-balanced lift gradient because as a result of at least one propeller slipstream flowing onto the wing the induced drag of the wing is increased. To reduce the increased induced drag, the wing comprises a first region with a reduced local wing camber and/or reduced local twist, and a second region with an increased local wing camber and/or increased local twist. The first region is defined as a wing surface situated downstream of the propeller slipstream, upstream of which wing surface the blades of the propeller move upwards. The second region is defined as a wing surface situated downstream of the propeller slipstream, upstream of which wing surface the blades of the propeller move downwards.
US08136753B2
Apparatus for manually transporting cartons or reels of goods include a support structure that includes a horizontal support member having first and second components, first and second vertical support members, and first and second bushings attached to the vertical support members for insertion into arbor holes in a reel or carton. Additionally, the apparatus includes a handle affixed to the support structure. In an alternate embodiment, one or more stabilization members prevent the carton from rotating as the contents of the carton are removed.
US08136751B2
A single free-end wire reel includes a leveled area disposed on a rotary member to level arc tracks and a gap formed at the intersection of the arc tracks to change the motion track of a limit block. The present invention not only keeps the limit block to have a dual-positioning function when doing a circular motion but also controls the length of a wire exactly, providing a smooth operation when extending or extracting the wire.
US08136750B2
A powder processing apparatus includes a main body portion having a cylindrical rotor rotating at a high speed, and a cylindrical stator arranged coaxially with the rotor, outside the rotor with a gap therebetween; a supply port provided at one end of the main body portion, and supplying a processing raw material into the gap together with an airflow; and a discharge port provided at the other end of the main body portion, and discharging, from the gap, a processed product obtained by spheroidizing the processing raw material between the rotor and the stator. In the inner peripheral surface of the stator, there are provided circumferential grooves orthogonally intersecting the axis line of the stator, or a spiral groove forming an angle of not less than 60 degrees and less than 90 degrees with respect to the axis line.
US08136747B2
An apparatus to separate components of a solid feedstock is described. The apparatus may include a threaded shaft that has a plurality of reaction zone segments along the length of the shaft that are separated from each other by dynamic plug segments. The threads of the shaft have a first thread pitch in the reaction zone segments, and a second thread pitch in the dynamic plug segments. The apparatus may also include a motor to rotate the shaft, and an outlet coupled to a second end of the shaft, where one or more solid components of the solid feedstock exit the apparatus through the outlet. The apparatus may additionally include a feeder to supply the solid feedstock to the threaded shaft, and a pump to provide a rinse fluid to the threaded shaft, where the rinse fluid flows in the opposite direction of the solid feedstock along the shaft.
US08136745B2
The object of the invention is to provide a fuel injection nozzle with which occurrence of cavitation erosion due to occurrence of separation of fuel flow near the needle valve and injection holes is suppressed and variation in fuel injection characteristic is reduced, a method of machining injection holes, and an apparatus therefore to attain the object. An insert tool shaped like the needle valve or an insert tool having a conical surface similar to the needle valve and a groove or grooves are on the conical surface to introduce abrasive fluid to the injection holes, is inserted in the central hollow of the nozzle body when performing abrasive fluid flowing processing to round entrance corners of the injection holes, and the processing of each of the injection holes is stopped when flow rate of abrasive fluid flowing out through relevant injection hole reaches a predetermined value.
US08136740B2
A thermodynamic system that produces mechanical, electrical power, and/or fluid streams for heating or cooling. The cycle contains a combustion system that produces an energetic fluid by combustion of a fuel with an oxidant. A thermal diluent may be used in the cycle to improve performance, including but not limited to power, efficiency, economics, emissions, dynamic and off-peak load performance, and/or turbine inlet temperature (TIT) regulation and cooling heated components. The cycle preferably includes a heat recovery system and a condenser or other means to recover and recycle heat and the thermal diluent from the energetic fluid to improve the cycle thermodynamic efficiency and reduce energy conversion costs. The cycle may also include controls for temperatures, pressures, and flow rates throughout the cycle, and controls power output, efficiency, and energetic fluid composition.
US08136738B1
A control system for electrical appliances associated with an enclosure comprising a wireless occupancy sensor for monitoring the presence of a human occupant within the enclosure, a wireless receiver for receiving information from the sensor, electricity flow means capable of establishing or interrupting the flow of electricity to an electrical appliance associated with the enclosure in response to a signal from a controller, and a controller in communication with said receiver and said electricity flow means, the controller capable of monitoring environmental conditions in the enclosure and being programmable to drive the operation of the flow means in response to the information obtained by the receiver from the sensor according to a set of pre-established instructions.
US08136736B2
The device of the present invention, having at least one activation button, is further equipped with a sensor adapted to detect conditions under which unintentional triggering of the activation button is likely. The sensor is operatively coupled with the activation button to suspend its effect when the target conditions are being detected. The undesired side-effects of false button activations, including battery drain and activation counter drift, are thus avoided, increasing the device's lifespan and user convenience. In a particular embodiment, the sensor is a decoy button located near the activation button, which serves to de-activate the activation button.
US08136734B2
A card reader using the push-push system (20) comprising an integral push module (23, 24) movable in the direction of insertion of a card, said push-push module being pivotable in the direction of card insertion and in elevational direction.
US08136727B2
A produce weighing scale is provided for a retail grocery store. The produce weighing scale comprises a base, a weighing platform disposed on the base, and a touchscreen arranged to enable a retail customer to enter produce data associated with a produce item and to view display screens which contains instructions to operate the produce weighing scale. An actuatable camera is positioned over the weighing platform and is provided for, when actuated, capturing at least a partial image of a produce item which has been placed on the weighing platform. Electronic control circuitry is arranged to (i) provide an actuation signal to actuate the camera in response to a retail customer placing a produce item on the weighing platform, and (ii) display a barcode chit on the touchscreen to allow a retail customer to self-scan the displayed barcode chit without having to print the barcode chit.
US08136723B2
Cash handling in a cash handling system is described in terms of methods and arrangements that interact by exchanging cash as well as information signals. A cash transport unit is configured to receive, store and provide cash, preferably in the form of notes. The transport units connect with ATM's, shops, vehicles as well as cash docking stations. Information flows among the entities of the system, between the transport units, the shops, the vehicles, the docking stations, a transport service control center, cash centers as well as banks.
US08136721B2
A method for enhancing a check code line image of a captured document such as a bank check. The method includes capturing an electronic image of a document; locating a code line region within the electronic image of the document; and performing a localized video gain on the code line region.
US08136720B2
A method of recording an interaction with a mail item. The mail item comprises a product contained in a mailing package. The mailing package comprises an interface surface containing mailing information. The interface surface has coded data indicative of a mail item identity and of coordinates of a plurality of locations of the interface surface. The method includes the steps of: receiving, in a computer system, indicating data from a sensing device regarding the mail item identity and positions of the sensing device relative to the interface surface; and identifying and recording, with reference to the indicating data, the interaction with the mail item.
US08136719B2
The present invention is intended to provide the fisherman with a current score on a predetermined number of largest fish caught by culling the smaller fish and keeping the larger fish. The invention provides a device body that floats in water as well as a series of fish measurement recording devices that are not affected by inclement weather.
US08136714B2
A portion of compliant material includes four walls defining a slot. The slot has a relatively large cross-section end in fluid communication with a solder reservoir, and also has a relatively small cross-section end opposed to the relatively large cross-section end. The slot has a generally elongate rectangular shape when viewed in plan, with a length perpendicular to a scan direction, a width, parallel to the scan direction, associated with the relatively large cross section end, and a width, parallel to the scan direction, associated with the relatively small cross section end. The slot is configured in the portion of compliant material such that the relatively small cross-section end of the slot normally remains substantially closed, but locally opens sufficiently to dispense solder from the reservoir when under fluid pressure and locally unsupported by a workpiece. Methods of operation and fabrication are also disclosed.
US08136685B2
A sealing device for a barrel or the like, the barrel including an opening (22) arranged especially at the level of at least one bottom (14), characterized in that it includes, on the one hand, an attachment ring (24) located on the periphery of the opening (22) at the level of the outer surface of the bottom (24), connected to the bottom by any suitable manner, and, on the other hand, a sealing device having a first part (30) that can be wedged at the level of the opening (22) and a second part (32) that can be screwed onto the ring (24), the second part (32) as it is being screwed tending to increase the force of the pressure between the first part (30) and the opening (22).
US08136683B2
A draft gear assembly which is mountable within a yoke of the railway vehicle for cushioning buff and draft dynamic impact forces encountered during make-up and operation of a railway vehicle includes a compressible spring positioned intermediate the front coupler follower and the rear follower in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the yoke. A pair of axially aligned compressible springs may be also provided being either separated by a center plate or by a wall of the yoke.
US08136680B2
The mounting system may be used to support a display on a support surface. The mounting system may include a top rail secured to the support surface. The mounting, system may also include a mounting arm hung from the top rail and a support rail attached to the mounting arm that supports the whiteboard. The mounting system may provide permanent or removable attachment to the support surface that may interchangeably accommodate a variety of displays.
US08136679B2
Disclosed herein is a tube loading system suitable for rapidly loading, handing, manipulation and storing large numbers of tubes.
US08136674B2
A filter device includes a filtering member having a rough part, which is comparatively low in a density of flow pores for flowing fluid, and a dense part, which is comparatively high in the density of the flow pores. The filter device further includes a support member that supports the filtering member and has an inflow passage and a discharge passage. The dense part supports the rough part, and is located between the rough part and the discharge passage, and is supported by a mechanical pressure applied by the support members. The filter device is capable of supporting the filtering member easily in a case member and securing a filtering area to enhance the performance of removing a foreign matter.
US08136673B2
A grit elevator (30) including a plurality of solid screens (104) in the form of a rotatable endless belt, one or more grit collectors (116) on the interior of the endless belt, and a grit inlet (172) leading to the interior of the endless belt.
US08136670B2
A mobile collapsible screen and cone crusher combination where the screen is pivoted forward and downward for transport and a rubber hopper is coupled to the fines conveyor so as to permit a hinged connection and a sliding connection between the flexible hopper and the fines conveyor. A plurality of flexible matter edge plates are used at the rear of the flexible hopper to facilitate proper compression and expansion of the flexible hopper. A selectable maintenance catch is used to allow the screen to be elevated to an intermediate height for maintenance.
US08136669B2
A method for conducting froth flotation using a collector which is primarily hydrocarbon in nature or is a mixture of hydrocarbons with certain oxygenates, the collectors being substantially free of polynuclear aromatics, sulfur and nitrogen.
US08136655B2
The heat resistant conveyer belt with side walls according to the invention aims at solving such a prior technical problem that cleats and skirt-boards easily get loose from a base belt. The conveyer belt of the invention comprises a base belt and cleats positioned on the base belt, wherein the conveyer belt is provided with metal frameworks embedded in the cleats and the cleats are fixed on the base belt through fasteners. The cleats and the skirt-boards are respectively embedded with metal frameworks within, so that they can be fixed on the base belt through fasteners, thereby preventing from getting loose from the base belt and increasing the life time of the conveyer belt and reducing its cost.
US08136653B2
Under a state in which a long material (structural steel (A)) is sandwiched by pinch rollers (drive roller (21) and idle rollers (22)) of a pinch roller apparatus (20), the drive roller (21) is driven to rotate, and the structural steel (A) is conveyed forward. When a rear end portion of the structural steel (A) reaches a vicinity of the pinch roller apparatus (20), the rear end portion of the structural steel (A) is held by a holding portion (32) provided at a front end portion of a feed bar (36) of a feed bar device (30), and the feed bar (36) is caused to slide toward a working machine. Consequently, the structural steel (A) is conveyed forward through the pinch roller apparatus (20) and is positioned.
US08136638B2
A safety braking system mounted to a bike, motorcycle or any other two-wheel linear type of vehicle adapted with a right and a left brake lever to respectively control applying a brake to a front wheel and a rear wheel of the vehicle to control a rear wheel brake to brake a rear wheel first before applying a brake to a front wheel when either brake lever is pulled on any side or simultaneously on both sides of the vehicle to prevent it from easily turning over.
US08136636B2
Elevator hall call devices have a programmable touch screen which can be programmed to display (a) ten-key destination call buttons, (b) up hall call and down hall call buttons, or (c) N-key destination buttons, as well as buttons which identify utilization of major floors of the building, including functions such as cafeteria, sky lobby, parking, public transport, and lobby, as well as tenants. A controller programs the touch screen in dependence on (d) traffic volume, (e) time of day, (f) floor of the building where the touch screen is disposed or (g) identity of a particular passenger (VIP) in the vicinity of a touch screen.
US08136635B2
Controlling the movement of elevator cars (22, 24) within a single hoistway (26) prevents the cars from becoming too close while servicing assigned stops. Example control techniques include controlling door operation of at least one of the elevator cars (22, 24) to effectively slow down a follower car or speed up a leader car for increasing a distance between the cars in an area within the hoistway (26) where the cars would otherwise be too close to each other.
US08136634B2
A piston arrangement is disclosed for metering valves, flow-rate sensors or hydraulic motors. The piston arrangement comprises a housing, at least one recess in the housing, and a first piston sealed and movable in the at least one recess of the housing. A recess is provided in the first piston, and a flow passage extends through the first piston. A second piston is movable in the recess of the first piston. A sealing surface is provided on the second piston, and a valve seat is provided on the first piston against which the sealing surface on the second piston can be pressed in such a way that the second piston can be moved in the first piston between a position which opens the flow passage through the first piston and a position which shuts off the flow passage through the first piston.
US08136625B2
A method for attenuating out of band energy emitted from a seismic source used in a marine seismic survey. The method includes disposing the seismic source in a body of water and releasing a gas into a volume of water surrounding the seismic source. The released gas may be configured such that it displaces the volume of water surrounding the seismic source at a rate less than 2.9×106 cubic-meters per cubic-second.
US08136605B2
A downhole apparatus, such as a wellbore packer, is provided with a swellable member and a fluid supply assembly. The fluid supply assembly is to receive fluid and expose the swellable member to the fluid to cause expansion of the swellable member, and comprises a support structure for supporting the swellable member on the body. In a preferred embodiment, the support structure defines a chamber and is configured to allow fluid to flow and access the swellable member. A method of use and method of sealing a wellbore is described.
US08136604B2
An isolation sleeve and plug assembly that may be used to protect a wellhead assembly from being damaged by high-pressure wellbore fracturing operations. Both the isolation sleeve and plug may be installed by the same running tool, and may be installed by lowering the running tool through an isolation valve on the wellbore.
US08136600B2
A Vertical Annular Separation and Pumping System (VASPS) utilizing an isolation baffle to replace a standard pump shroud associated with an electrical submersible pump. The isolation baffle may be a one piece plate positioned so as to direct produced wellbore liquids around the electrical submersible pump motor to provide a cooling medium to prevent overheating and early failure of the electrical submersible pump.
US08136598B2
A subsea connection apparatus to allow connecting a surface blowout preventer stack and riser to a subsea wellhead is disclosed. The subsea connection apparatus uses a single cavity blowout preventer with a set of shearing blind rams. Hydraulically actuated wellhead connectors are secured to the top and bottom of the blowout preventer to allow connection to a subsea wellhead below the subsea connection apparatus and a well head hub profile on the lower end of a riser above the apparatus. A control system can operate both of the hydraulically actuated connectors and the blowout preventer independently. A frangible bore protector is disposed in the bore of the blowout preventer to protect the shearing blind rams from pipe, tools, and fluids being passed through the blowout preventer and can be sheared by the shearing blind rams along with any drill pipe in the bore.
US08136596B2
A thermal insulating packer fluid contains at least one water superabsorbent polymer and optionally water and/or brine, and a viscosifying polymer. The composition is capable of inhibiting unwanted heat loss from production tubing or uncontrolled heat transfer to outer annuli. The viscosity of the composition is sufficient to reduce the convection flow velocity within the annulus.
US08136594B2
Methods and apparatuses for releasing a chemical in a well bore are disclosed. One apparatus includes a curved member configured for coupling to a casing, and a hollow member is connected to the curved member. A chemical container is disposed, at least in part, within the hollow space, and the hollow member extends at least partially around a hollow space.
US08136593B2
Methods suitable for use in a subterranean formation utilizing particulates coated with both a tackifier and a resin.
US08136590B2
A system for producing oil and/or gas from an underground formation comprising a first array of wells dispersed above the formation; a second array of wells dispersed above the formation; wherein the first array of wells comprises a mechanism to inject a miscible enhanced oil recovery formulation into the formation while the second array of wells comprises a mechanism to produce oil and/or gas from the formation for a first time period; and wherein the second array of wells comprises a mechanism to inject a miscible enhanced oil recovery formulation into the formation while the first array of wells comprises a mechanism to produce oil and/or gas from the formation for a second time period.
US08136586B2
Various methods and devices are provided for securing a walking beam compressor to a walking beam. In general, the walking beam compressor is a gas compressor unit that can be disposed around a piston rod extending from a walking beam of an oil well. The piston rod can be coupled to the walking beam by a securing mechanism that engages both the piston rod and the walking beam to prevent the piston rod from disengaging from the walking beam during rocking movement of the walking beam.
US08136578B2
A heat exchanger for a first and a second medium flow includes flat tubes which have internal fins formed from zigzag-shaped sheet metal plate. The tubes have a thermally conductive connection to at least one duct for the one medium flow. Each fin is fixed only to the one longitudinal side of each tube. Furthermore, there is a gap between the fins fixed to the one longitudinal side and the opposite longitudinal side of the tube.
US08136574B2
A multi-piece piston (1) is disclosed, for fixing to the high pressure side end (3) of a piston rod (5) running axially in a casting cylinder (7) of a cold chamber casting machine. The piston comprises a piston crown (9) forming a piston front face (13) on the high pressure side and a piston body (15) in the form of a bush connected to the piston crown (9) on the low pressure side. The piston body (15) can be connected to the piston crown (9) by means of fixing screws (23) to form a module. Complementary bayonet looking means (25, 27) are provided, for axial fixing of the piston (1) to the end (3) of the piston rod (5), on the piston crown (9) and the end (3).
US08136568B2
A shade for an arched window including an arched track with a movable carriage and a shade member attached to the carriage. A cord actuates the carriage to move along the track and pull the shade member between collapsed and extended positions. A central hub permits the shade member to move laterally as the shade member is moved between the collapsed and extended positions.
US08136563B2
A film transfer unit is provided on an inking unit of a printing unit. If such a film transfer unit includes an intermittent drive device having dancers then, as a result, access to an ink fountain or an inking unit is generally rather restricted. Adjustable guide elements of the intermittent drive device are provided in a frame of an intermittent drive module which can be pushed, in the form of a cassette, out of an opening of the film transfer unit when the film transfer unit is not to be used to transfer a transfer layer from a transfer film to a printing material, so that an installation space which has thus become free can be used to operate an ink fountain of the inking unit. A cassette for a film transfer apparatus and a method for operating a film transfer apparatus, are also provided.
US08136559B2
A hand held electrically powered planer including a housing; an electric motor mounted within the housing; a work piece engaging shoe mounted on the underside of the housing having an aperture formed therethrough; and a cutting drum rotatably mounted within the housing, which is capable of being rotatably driven by the electric motor when the electric motor is activated. A part of the cutting drum protrudes through the aperture to engage a work piece. A cutting blade is mounted on the cutting drum. A rear handle is mounted on the housing and includes an elongate shaft attached at one end only to the rear of the housing and extends forward in a lengthwise direction over a portion of the housing toward the front end of the housing. A grip is mounted or formed on the elongate shaft and there is a front handle which is mounted on the free end of the shaft forward of the grip.
US08136548B2
An air admittance valve configured when subjected to a negative pressure condition to vent a pipe system to an ambient environment. In general, the air admittance valve includes a main body, inner and outer valve seats, a flexible sealing element, and a lid. The inner and outer valve seats define at least one vent opening between valve seats that is configured, when open, to communicate with the ambient environment. The flexible sealing element is devoid of a rigidifying structure, is configured to move to and from a closed position and an open position, and defines an outer perimeter surface, an inner perimeter surface, and opposite top and bottom surfaces extending between the outer and inner perimeter surfaces. At least one of the lid or the main body further comprises one or more guiding elements that define one or more guiding surfaces configured to guide the sealing element to and from the closed position and the open position.
US08136536B2
A mascara brush includes bristles made from shape memory polymer (SMP) filaments. The SMP filaments are selected to exhibit a first shape during assembly of the brush, and a second shape after exposure to an external stimulus in the form of heat or other energy. During assembly, the SMP filaments are clamped between wire segments twisted to form a core. The first shape can be straight to facilitate assembly of the fibers in the wire core. The second shape, after assembly in the core and after being subjected to the external stimulus, can be any bristle shape suitable for enhancing the function of the brush, e.g., kinked, wavy or coiled. The brush head may be made solely of SMP filaments, or may be a blend of SMP filaments and any other suitable filament (e.g., nylon, natural plant or animal fibers, etc.).
US08136534B2
A method and device for enclosing a portion of hair such that it is not mussed or damaged, yet is aesthetically pleasing. A flexible and elastic elongated material having a cavity therein receives the hair, and the device is unfurled to a desired length.
US08136532B2
Systems and methods of positioning interface elements for interfacing with laryngeal structures of a subject such as for diagnosis or treatment of a laryngeal impairment. Illustratively, a needle is positioned in geographical relation to the lateral wing of a vocal cord cartilage and at least one interface element positioned via the needle.
US08136519B2
A fluid dispenser device comprising: a reservoir (1) of fluid to be dispensed; a dispenser member (2), such as a pump or a valve, mounted on said reservoir (1); and a body (3) that is suitable for receiving said reservoir (1), said body (3) being provided with a dispenser orifice and an opening (310) through which said reservoir (1) can be inserted into the body (3), said reservoir (1) being displaceable in said body (3) between a rest position and a dispensing position, said reservoir (1) being removable from said body (3); said reservoir (1) and said body (3) including respective ID means (10, 11) that make it possible to associate said reservoir (1) with said body (3).
US08136491B2
In a stroke-transmitting device for a variable transmission of an operating stroke to a member to be actuated, specifically a gas exchange valve for an internal combustion engine, including a control unit with first and second control structures, a control cam is provided for coupling the first and second control structures and having different control regions which are displaceable for an adjustment of the stroke of the member to be actuated with at least first and second degrees of freedom for controlling the stroke transmitted to the member to be actuated.
US08136490B2
An engine is disclosed. In one implementation, the engine includes a camwheel mounted to an output shaft. Eighteen cylinder-enclosed pistons are positioned in a circular plane about the camwheel such that the radius of the circular plane and the camwheel are coplanar. Lobes integrally formed on the camwheel define a guiderail including a continuously, substantially sinusoidal surface biased for rotation in the direction of the rotary motion of the output shaft. Drive bearings associated with each piston engage and maintain contact with the guiderail. The rotary motion is obtained by transferring the displacement of the plurality of pistons from respective top dead center positions and bottom dead center positions to the guiderail, thereby rotating the camwheel and output shaft.
US08136489B2
In a variable compression ratio internal combustion engine that controls the compression of an internal combustion engine by changing the volume of the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine in an axial direction of the cylinder, when a target compression ratio (εt) based on an operating condition of the internal combustion engine is at a reference compression ratio (ε0) or greater (S102), the compression ratio is changed to the target compression ratio (S103). When the target compression ratio (εt) is lower than the reference compression ratio (ε0) (S102), a control is executed to change the compression ratio and also to strength the tumble flow in the combustion chamber (S104).
US08136488B2
An invention relates to a cooling system for a vehicle comprising an engine, an engine radiator, and an engine cooling circuit. A second cooling circuit encompassing at least one cooling component can be coupled to the engine radiator and is connected to a coolant recirculation pipe of the engine cooling circuit by means of a branch of a coolant supply pipe of the engine cooling circuit and a recirculation pipe of the cooling component. The second cooling circuit can be alternatively coupled to the coolant recirculation pipe or a coolant supply pipe at the output end in accordance with operating conditions of the engine.
US08136487B2
A device is provided for the emergency operation of at least one closure element of a cooling air supply apparatus and a correspondingly implemented cooling air supply apparatus for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, a closure element being mechanically operationally linked to an actuator. The closure element is situated so it is movable between a closed position, in which it essentially closes a ventilation opening, and an open position, in which it releases the ventilation opening for cooling air to flow through. The actuator automatically transfers the closure element into the open position if a predetermined temperature is exceeded.
US08136484B2
An irrigation system has a water distribution system, a controller, and a pet monitoring system. The controller may modify an irrigation setting of the water distribution system based on a pet elimination signal from the pet monitoring system. The pet elimination signal may correspond to an event such as a pet urination event.
US08136478B2
A device for applying an even, thin fluid layer, in particular a phosphoric acid layer, onto substrates, in particular silicon cells for photovoltaic application, is provided with a process chamber, which is provided with a fluid pan and a high-frequency ultrasound device that converts the fluid into fluid mist, and with a transport device that is arranged beneath a fluid-mist dropping shaft of the process chamber for the substrates. To create a device of this type, which permits an application of the fluid onto the silicon cells in question that is substantially more homogeneous regarding both surface area and volume, the fluid-mist dropping shaft of the process chamber tapers in its interior cross-section towards the transport device and discharges into a passage shaft arrangement for the substrates that covers the transport device, and the interior cross-section of the orifice end of the fluid-mist dropping shaft and of the passage shaft arrangement are coordinated with each other, preferably being essentially identical.
US08136468B2
In particular embodiments, a connection assembly for interconnecting two adjacent floats includes first and second hinge mounting members that are secured to respective floats, such as floating concrete dock sections, and a flexible hinge that is releasably connected at each end to the hinge mounting members so as to interconnect the two floats. The hinge mounting members can be, for example, rigid housings that are disposed in respective recesses formed in the concrete dock sections. The flexible hinge includes at least one layer of a flexible material, such as elastomeric belting material, and desirably includes several layers of flexible material, which can be placed in tension across the two floats. In certain embodiments, the hinge mounting members can be easily accessed from the side of the floats adjacent the joint in order to disconnect and remove the hinge for repair or replacement, without having to physically separate the floats.
US08136463B2
Method and device for continuous production of three dimensional fabrics (50) made up of two or more external layers (51,52) of fabric connected to each other using thread strands (53) starting from separate pieces of fabric, overlapping and joining them and proceeding to sewing using strands (53), said sewing using strands (53) being performed using two pieces of fabric lying and sliding on the opposite faces of a spacer comb-like structure (6), that determines the length of the thread strands (53).
US08136460B2
A portable support system having a portable support having a first end and a second end. The first end includes a tapered portion, and the second end includes a footing structure. The system also includes a receiving member having a support cone configured to receive the tapered portion. The support cone has a tapered inner surface and a tapered outer surface. The inner surface and outer surface are engagable with mating tapered surfaces. The receiving member is capable of attachment to one or both of a frame and a panel for use as a platform.
US08136458B1
A clothesline apparatus for holding a laundry basket and clothes pins comprising a bench component, a basket for placing atop the bench component, and a set of containers disposed near the front of the bench component, wherein the set of containers is for storing clothes pins and/or the like. A first wing and a second wing are disposed on the bench component, wherein the clothesline apparatus can be attached to a pole or a wall via clamps wrapping round the first wing and the second wing.
US08136448B2
A networked electronic ordnance system and method for controlling a variety of pyrotechnic devices at different energy levels include a bus controller controlling at least one pyrotechnic device operating at a first energy level and a smart connector adapting at least one pyrotechnic device operating at a second energy level to control by the bus controller. The smart connector may also include a plurality of capacitors for firing the pyrotechnic device(s). In an embodiment, at least one pyrotechnic device operating at a first energy level and at least one pyrotechnic device operating at a second level include a logic device have a unique identifier. The smart connector may also include an energy reserve capacitor and an emitter follower circuit electrically connected to a logic device. Additionally, the smart connector may be connected to an initiator for firing at least one pyrotechnic device at the second energy level.
US08136441B2
Hydraulic machine, in particular hydraulic motor, comprising a casing, a differential piston (4) having a region of large cross section and a region of smaller cross section, which can slide with a reciprocating movement respectively in the casing and in a housing coaxial to, and of smaller diameter than, the casing, the piston separating two chambers of the casing and being provided at the location of its large cross section and its small cross section with sealing lips (48, 49) which are oriented in opposite directions and which face one another. The sealing lips (48, 49) are provided on detachable circular rings (50, 51), and the piston (4) is molded in one piece.
US08136440B1
An ammunition feed adapter and method of use is provided that converts a semi-automatic or fully automatic firearm from a magazine-fed firearm into a belt-fed firearm enabling the firearm to be used as a sustainable source of firepower. Modification of a soldier's standard issue automatic or semi-automatic rifle into a belt-fed firearm increases the options for strategic maneuvering of a combat unit on the field of battle by overcoming the limitations of traditional sources of sustained firepower, such as a Squad Automatic Firearm.
US08136433B2
An apparatus for cutting fruit. The apparatus includes a frame, at least first and second cutting stations, at least one receptacle in which the fruit is received that includes a plurality of extensions protruding outwardly from an outer circumference thereof, and a conveyor that conveys the receptacle from the first cutting station to the second cutting station. The frame includes a kicker. In use, the object is cut along its vertical axis at the first station, the receptacle is then rotated about its vertical axis as a result of one of the extensions contacting the kicker, and the object is cut at the second station.
US08136427B2
The invention relates to hand tools that can be used in a variety of projects. Specifically, the invention relates to wrenches having two heads that are useful for repairing many different types of objects. The projects include motorcycle repair, automotive repair, small engine repair, general home repair, and appliance repair.
US08136426B2
A rotary table mounting and drive device (1), including a rotary table (3) which is rotatably mounted on a frame (2) and for the mounting of which an axial/radial rolling bearing arrangement (4) and an active magnetic bearing arrangement (5) are provided, has an electric direct drive (19) which is preferably a torque motor having a rotor (20) rigidly connected to the rotary table (3) and a stator (21) rigidly connected to the frame (2).
US08136420B2
Provided are a gear in which oil film formation between the tooth surfaces of gears rotating at high speed can be effected to a sufficient degree, in which generation of pitting, abrasion, and scoring is prevented, and which helps to prevent an increase in temperature and wear to achieve an improvement in durability, and a gear drive unit. A multitude of minute concave recesses are provided at random on a tooth surface, and an average area of the recesses is set to a range of 160 to 740 μm2. Accordingly, the tooth surface can obtain a high oil film forming capacity. Thus, even under a low-viscosity/thin-lubrication condition in which the thickness of the oil film is extremely small, it is possible to achieve a long service life.
US08136406B2
A pressure transducer comprising a housing and a piezoelectric resonator in the housing, wherein the resonator is made of a piezoelectric crystal having Curie temperature greater than 1000° C. or having no Curie temperature up to its melting point greater than 1000° C., and the piezoelectric crystal has a piezoelectric constant more than two times greater than that of quartz.
US08136404B2
An obstacle detection apparatus for detecting an obstacle in its surroundings is disclosed. The system includes: an ultrasonic sensor for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic wave; an obstacle detection section for performing an obstacle detection operation to determine whether the obstacle actually exists, wherein the obstacle detection section determines that the obstacle actually exists when a first voltage level associated with the ultrasonic wave received in the obstacle detection operation exceeds a determination threshold; a noise monitoring section configured to perform a noise monitoring operation to determine a noise level, wherein, the noise monitoring section recognizes a second voltage level associated with the ultrasonic wave received in the noise monitoring operation as the noise level; and a determination threshold setting section configured to set the determination threshold based on the second voltage level.
US08136384B2
A hardband wear testing system with a first rotatable member connected to a tool joint to rotate the tool joint in a first direction. A second rotatable member connectable to the casing sample to rotate the casing sample in the first direction or in a second direction opposite to the first direction. One or more actuators may be utilized to raise and lower the second rotatable member and the casing sample with respect to the tool joint.
US08136381B2
A hog ring fastening device is disclosed. The hog ring fastening device includes a body, a magazine attached to the body, jaws pivotally supported on the body, a main pneumatic cylinder for turning the jaws, a teed pneumatic cylinder fixed to the body and adapted to be retracted when the jaws are turned away from each other, a moving plate attached to a piston rod of the feed pneumatic cylinder, a push spring for pushing the moving plate in a feed direction with respect to a body of the feed pneumatic cylinder, a feed member provided at the moving plate, and a stopper attached to the body of the hog ring fastening device for preventing a hog ring assembly loaded on the magazine from moving in a direction opposite to the feed direction.
US08136376B2
An electric lock device including a movable member, a cam plate (5) rotated in an unlocking direction and a locking direction by the driving of a drive source, and a lock member (8) including a cam contact surface (10) in contact with a sliding surface (6) of the cam plate (5). The lock member (8) follows the sliding surface (6) to be displaced between a locking position for inhibiting the movement of the movable member and an unlocking position for allowing the movement of the movable member. The cam profile of the sliding surface (6) is set so that the rotary torque of the cam plate (5) necessary for moving the lock member (8) from the locking position to the unlocking position can be maintained at approximately a constant value.
US08136371B2
Provided are a process for producing a glass substrate usable for low-temperature p-SiTFT substrates directly in accordance with a down draw method, and the glass substrate obtained by the process. The process for producing a glass substrate includes a forming step of forming a molten glass into a ribbon shape in accordance with a down draw method, an annealing step of annealing the glass ribbon, and a cutting step of cutting the glass ribbon to give a glass substrate, in which, in the annealing step, an average cooling rate from the annealing point to the (annealing point −50° C.) is lower than an average cooling rate from the (annealing point +100° C.) to the annealing point.
US08136366B2
The invention provides a temperature control method, system and hardware device, wherein, the method comprising: after the system logs in operation system, a temperature control function module obtains a temperature-control control right, and controls the system temperature based on predefined first temperature control strategy; if it is determined that the temperature control function module is at fault and stops working, a temperature control hardware device obtains the temperature-control control right, and controls the system temperature based on predefined second temperature control strategy. The system comprises a temperature control hardware device and a temperature control function module. The temperature control hardware device comprises: a temperature detecting unit, a fan detecting unit, a temperature control logic unit and a timing unit, wherein the timing unit periodically determines if the temperature control function module based on operation system works normally, and if fault occurs in the temperature control function module, activates the temperature control logic unit. The above technical solution can achieve better temperature control effect and improve the system reliability as a whole.
US08136365B2
A cooling apparatus such as a refrigerator includes a refrigeration cycle including a compressor driven by an electric motor, a condenser, a throttle valve and an evaporator, a first physical amount detector capable of detecting a physical quantity representing a temperature of an object to be cooled by the cooling operation of the evaporator, a temperature control device capable of controlling a rotating speed of the motor based on the physical quantity detected by the first physical quantity detector so that the object is cooled approximately to a target temperature, a second physical quantity detector capable of detecting a physical quantity corresponding to a performance margin of the refrigeration cycle, and a rotating speed limiter capable of limiting the rotating speed of the motor to or below a predetermined speed based on a physical quantity detected by the second physical quantity detector.
US08136362B2
A turbomachine fan duct is disclosed. The fan duct includes two coaxial cylindrical walls, these being an internal wall and an external wall, respectively. The internal wall includes a framework to which panels are removably attached, and the external wall includes a single support structure with openings closed by removable panels. The openings in the external wall have dimensions that allow the panels of the internal wall to pass and allow these panels to be fitted onto and removed from the framework of the internal wall.
US08136361B2
A method of assembling an ejector is provided, wherein the method includes providing a motive nozzle tip having a centerline axis and including a nozzle tip edge having at least one protrusion extending through a plane substantially normal to the centerline axis. The method also includes coupling the motive nozzle tip to the ejector.
US08136355B2
A pump control apparatus for a hydraulic work machine includes: a rotation speed setting device that sets a target rotation speed for an engine; a rotation speed control device that controls an engine rotation speed so as to adjust the engine rotation speed to the target rotation speed; a first variable hydraulic pump used to drive a work hydraulic actuator, driven by the engine; a second variable hydraulic pump used to drive a cooling fan, driven by the engine; and a pump control device that controls an output flow rate of the first variable hydraulic pump and an output flow rate of the second variable hydraulic pump so as to ensure that a sum of an intake torque of the first variable hydraulic pump and an intake torque of the second variable hydraulic pump does not exceed an engine output torque determined in advance based upon the target rotation speed. The pump control device a) controls the output flow rate of the second variable hydraulic pump based upon the target rotation speed and a target output flow rate of the second variable hydraulic pump assuring a required cooling air volume at the cooling fan; and b) regulates the intake torque of the first variable hydraulic pump by calculating the intake torque of the second variable hydraulic pump and subtracting the intake torque of the second variable hydraulic pump from the engine output torque determined in advance based upon the target rotation speed.
US08136354B2
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, an energy storage device is presented. The energy storage device includes a porous material that adsorbs air and a compressor. The compressor converts mechanical energy into pressurized air and heat, and the pressurized air is cooled and adsorbed by the porous material. The energy storage device also includes a tank used to store the pressurized and adsorbed air and a motor. The motor is driven to recover the energy stored as compressed and adsorbed air by allowing the air to desorb and expand while driving the motor.
US08136353B2
A method of detecting a fluid leak in a hydraulic fluid circuit includes preventing fluid from entering the circuit when an actual outlet flow rate from a pump is positive while a requested outlet flow rate to a hydraulic machine is zero. An outlet port of a variable displacement port can be selectively blocked, while in a fixed displacement pump (FDP) fluid can be diverted from the outlet port to a secondary fluid circuit. The actual outlet flow rate can be measured using a flow sensor or a swash plate angle depending on the pump design. A hydraulic fluid circuit includes a hydraulic machine, a pump, a valve at an outlet port of the pump, and a controller. The controller determines the requested flow rate, and actuates the valve to prevent fluid from entering the circuit whenever the actual outlet flow rate is positive during zero requested flow rate.
US08136345B2
A single valve (23, 50) directs engine exhaust (11, 12) toward alternative NOx traps (19, 20) which are adjacent to either diesel particulate filters (40, 41) or low temperature water gas shift catalysts (63, 64). Syngas is either provided from a source (54) or by in-line catalytic partial oxidizers (23, 24) which may have diesel oxidation catalysts ahead of them in the flow and which receive fuel from the engine fuel source (26) through nozzles (27, 28).
US08136339B2
The oil-free chain is obtained by connecting a pair of inner link plates which are connected by oil-impregnated bushings and a pair of outer link plates, which are connected by pins inserted into adjacent oil-impregnated bushings of adjacent inner link plates alternately. The oil-impregnated bushing is obtained by impregnating a bushing made of a metal sintered body with perfluoropolyether having a kinematic viscosity at 40° C. equal to or higher than 350 mm2/s. The bushing is impregnated with perfluoropolyether having a kinematic viscosity corresponding to the operating temperature of the oil-free chain.
US08136338B2
A device for assembling and disassembling a bicycle chain comprises a main body, an actuating member, a rod member, a pulling member, and an elastic plate. The rod member, the pulling member and the elastic plate are connected to one another to guide a positioning member to be assembled into the assembling holes in a balance manner, so that the device for assembling and disassembling a bicycle chain makes the assembly of the chain more convenient and simple.
US08136325B1
In an embodiment of the present invention, the foregoing is addressed by providing a combination retaining wall structure and masonry form apparatus comprising a first block having a depending lip with non-linear edge, a second block having an upper surface with a recess presenting an inwardly facing edge, the second block being positioned with respect to a rotational axis through the first block. A zone of contact is located at the intersection of the inwardly facing edge and the outwardly facing edge, providing an area for rotation of the first block about the rotational axis of the second block. The first and second blocks forming a non-linear masonry wall structure having an upright axis, about which plural blocks may be rotated. The depending lip and recess being provided by a masonry form having a first, second, third and fourth sides, the first and second sides being removable for interchangeably configuring the first and second block.
US08136322B2
A composite shingle having unitary construction is presented that includes a body shell, a plurality of longitudinal ribs, and a plurality of rib stiffeners. The present composite shingle may also include transverse ribs, a depressed nailing zone, nailing zone ribs, and/or at least one alignment aid. The plurality of rib stiffeners may include a material saving profile. Further, the dimensions of the composite shingle more closely resemble true slate and shake shingles and at least a portion of the outside face of composite shingle may be textured to resemble slate or wood shake shingles.A plurality of assembled composite shingles of the present invention is also claimed as part of this invention. Finally, a method of applying multiple courses of shingles on a roof including the composite shingle of the present invention is presented.
US08136308B2
A wedge set for use in fastening floor joists consists of two interslidable wedge members (1, 2) adapted to abut each other along cooperating first abutment surfaces (3, 10), each wedge member (1, 2) having a second abutment surface (4, 11) forming an acute angle with the corresponding first abutment surface. The second abutment surfaces (4, 11) on the two wedge members (1, 2) of the wedge set extend substantially parallel to each other. The wedge members (1, 2) have cooperating locking means (6, 7, 13, 14), which are adapted for retaining them from a mutual displacement so that the distance between their second abutment surfaces (4, 11) is reduced, and retaining means (9, 15), which are adapted for retaining the first abutment surfaces (3, 10) in abutment with each other. The first abutment surfaces (3, 10) are plane and the locking means (6) consist of ratchets.
US08136302B2
A safety gate for efficiently controlling ingress or egress for children, pets, and the like into and out of a designated area. The safety gate generally includes a support adapted to be secured to a sliding door structure, a gate including a first end and a second end, wherein the gate is movably attached to the support and a latching mechanism extending from the second end of the gate to selectively secure the gate in a closed position. The gate is adapted to extend across an opening formed between a sliding door and a door frame of the sliding door structure. The first end is movably connected to the support on a first side of the opening and the second end moves about an opposing side of the opening to adjust the gate to an open position or a closed position with respect to the opening.
US08136300B2
A frame includes a seat attached to a lower beam, and an anchor attached to an upper beam and having a pivotal catch tongue, a tubular member has a lower portion detachably engaged with the seat and having an upper latch shaft for engaging with the catch tongue and for detachably locking the latch shaft and the tubular member to the anchor, a follower is slidably attached to the tubular member for disengaging the catch tongue from the latch shaft, a lock device is secured to the tubular member and includes an actuating shank having a rocker arm for moving the follower to disengage the catch tongue from the latch shaft, and for preventing the tubular member from being disengaged from the anchor by unauthorized persons.
US08136297B2
An access control apparatus for an access gate. The access gate typically has a rotator that is configured to rotate around a rotator axis at a first variable speed in a forward direction. The access control apparatus may include a transmission that typically has an input element that is operatively connected to the rotator. The input element is generally configured to rotate at an input speed that is proportional to the first variable speed. The transmission typically also has an output element that has an output speed that is higher than the input speed. The input element and the output element may rotate around a common transmission axis. A retardation mechanism may be employed. The retardation mechanism is typically configured to rotate around a retardation mechanism axis. Generally the retardation mechanism is operatively connected to the output element of the transmission and is configured to retard motion of the access gate in the forward direction when the first variable speed is above a control-limit speed. In many embodiments the transmission axis and the retardation mechanism axis are substantially co-axial. Some embodiments include a freewheel/catch mechanism that has an input connection that is operatively connected to the rotator. The input connection may be configured to engage an output connection when the rotator is rotated at the first variable speed in a forward direction and configured for substantially unrestricted rotation when the rotator is rotated in a reverse direction opposite the forward direction. The input element of the transmission is typically operatively connected to the output connection of the freewheel/catch mechanism.
US08136294B2
A method of producing a horticultural display containing more than one variety of the same or different species of plant is disclosed. The plants are produced from unrooted cuttings that are rooted in a single growth cell and cultivated in a single container so that the final product includes more than one plant species or more than one plant variety, or both. A plant growth cell having rooting media and more than one plant cutting from more than one plant species or plant variety, or both, rooted therein is also disclosed. Further, a horticultural display having more than one plant of more than one plant species or plant variety, or both, initially rooted together from unrooted plant cuttings in a single growth cell is disclosed.
US08136293B2
A method and device for supporting a string and/or a sheet of material, such as a rope, a length of twine, a trellis netting or a barrier material is provided. A ground anchored device includes a rigid post and two or more flexible arms. The arms may be configured to support two or more sheets of material, wherein the sheets of material may further support plant growth. Alternately or additionally, one or more arms may be positioned to maintain string optionally bearing flags and/or barrier material to further discourage intrusion by animals. Horizontal lines may be extended from a plurality of devices to even further discourage intrusion by animals and/or to support the barrier material.
US08136289B2
An automatic jigging device (10) used to support to a fishing pole (12) and impart action to a fishing lure secured to the pole (12) broadly comprises a frame (22), an arm (24) rotatably secured to the frame (22), a fishing pole holder receiver (26) rigidly secured to the arm (24) and designed to accept a fishing pole holder (28) to support the pole (12), and an actuator (30) for selectively rotating the arm (24) with respect to the frame (22), thereby imparting action to the pole (12) and the lure. The frame (22) is designed to be rigidly secured to a support (32), such as a rail of a boat or a pier. The device (10) may also include a spring (50) to dampen the arm's (24) movement and a housing (46) to enclose and protect the arm (24), the actuator (30), and the spring (50).
US08136273B2
A fabric refreshing apparatus is provided. The refreshing apparatus may include a case, and a receiving compartment, provided in the case to receive fabric articles. The apparatus may also include a steam generator, a fluid supply tank, and a drain tank. The steam generator supplies steam to receiving compartment to steam the fabric articles. The fluid supply tank supplies fluid the steam generator. The drain tank collects residual fluid from the steam generator.
US08136265B2
Disclosed herein is a footwear sole. The footwear sole includes a coupling seat, a connector and a locking pin. The coupling seat protrudes from the lower surface of a rear midsole, and includes a through hole in a central portion thereof, a locking recess formed around the through hole, and at least four pin slits formed at regular intervals. The connector is coupled to the top of the coil spring, and includes a locking protrusion corresponding to the locking recess, an internal threaded part, and a spring seat provided along an edge of an upper surface of the connector. The locking pin is provided at an end of the top of the spring, and protrudes to be fitted into an associated pin slit.
US08136259B2
Alignment device adapted to measure characteristic angles of the wheels and of the steering of motor vehicles, particularly camber, toe-in, caster, by way of arms provided with sensors to be fastened to the wheels. In particular, in the step for determining the mounting error of the grip elements (runout), the level sensor is used to measure the wheel rotation angle and methods for compensating the measurements performed when the arms are at a nonzero level are then applied.
US08136251B2
A hand tool includes a holder and a movable head portion to which a blade body is secured. The movable head portion is supported by the holder in a manner movable relative to the holder between an accommodated state Q, in which the movable head portion is accommodated in the holder together with the blade body, and a projected state, in which the blade body is projected from the holder. The orientation N of the blade body in the accommodated state Q and the orientation N of the blade body in the projected state are different from each other. This improves operation of the blade body both in the accommodated state Q and the projected state and reduces the size of a front opening of the holder to provide a compact holder of the hand tool such as a medical edged tool.
US08136249B2
A locking device for securing an attachment member to a main body including first engagement pawls provided in the attachment member so that the first engagement pawls extend in the direction of attachment-detachment of the attachment member and along the inner surface of the main body and a push button assembly secured to the inner surface of the main body. The push button assembly includes a back panel for being secured to an inner surface of the main body, a push button for protruding through an opening in the main body, second engagement pawls formed on the push button and a compression spring provided between the push button and the back panel.
US08136243B2
The invention relates to a method for producing an internal combustion engine piston which is provided with at least one cooling channel (12) and at least one reinforced piston ring groove (14) consisting in producing a piston blank (1), in forming a groove (10) provided with a cooling channel (12) and an external ring (11) in said piston blank (1), in filling the cooling channel (12) with are movable material (2), in filling the external ring with a reinforcing material (3) in removing the removable material (2) and in finish-machining the piston. A piston made of aluminum alloy and produced according to the inventive method is also disclosed.
US08136218B2
A mold assembly for forming a prosthetic valve having at least one leaflet, which includes a first plate having a first side from which at least one leaflet mold extends and a planar portion adjacent the at least one leaflet mold, wherein the planar portion has multiple access holes through its thickness, and a second plate having at least one mold opening and a planar portion adjacent the at least one mold opening, wherein each mold opening is sized and shaped to correspond with one of the leaflet molds of the first plate, and wherein the planar portion has multiple access holes through its thickness. The second plate is positionable relative to the first plate so that each of the leaflet molds of the first plate extend at least partially through one of the mold openings of the second plate.
US08136210B2
A seat belt (2) for motor vehicles, has a restraining element (4) for a seat belt tongue (3). The restraining element protrudes from the seat belt (2), from only on one side thereof and the seat belt (2) may be configured as a multi-layer seat belt (2) forming a hollow space (5) between the seat belt layers (21, 22).
US08136208B2
A handle which provides a shaft coaxially rotatably engaged to a first bearing element and a second bearing element which attaches to a corresponding one of the opposed ends of a cable means.
US08136206B2
A biaxial hinge device includes: a first-shaft member; a second-shaft member orthogonal to the first-shaft member; a thrust-cam member provided to the second-shaft member so as to move in the extending direction of the second-shaft member; a rotational-arm member provided to the second-shaft member so as to move rotationally; a protrusion provided to the thrust-cam member so as to protrude to the rotational-arm member side; a groove provided to the rotational-arm member, into which the protrusion is fitted; and an fitting/fitting-release control portion provided to the first-shaft member which releases fitting of the protrusion into the groove when the rotational angle of the second-shaft member as to the first-shaft member is a first-rotational angle, and moves the thrust-cam member to the rotational-arm member side to fit the protrusion into the groove when the rotational angle of the second-shaft member as to the first-shaft member is a second-rotational angle.
US08136203B2
A hinge arrangement of a door for closing off an opening, such as a housing opening, a partition opening, a wall opening, or the like, having at least one pivot pin connected to the door and oriented vertically in the direction of the housing, wherein the pin can be engaged in a pivot pin receptacle on the housing. The pivot pin can be moved from a retracted position, in which the pivot pin is not engaged in the pivot pin receptacle, by vertical displacement into an extended position in which the pivot pin is engaged in the pivot pin receptacle and is rotatably supported therein. A releasable, spring-loaded locking device acts on the pivot pin and holds the pivot pin in the retracted position.
US08136198B2
A motor bracket to which a wiper motor is fixed, and a DR side pivot holder are coupled together by means of a DR side pipe frame inclined to a plane perpendicular in the axial direction of an output shaft of a wiper motor, and the motor bracket and an AS side pivot holder are coupled together by means of an AS side pipe frame inclined to the plane perpendicular in the axial direction of the output shaft. An output arm is fixed to the output shaft of the wiper motor, and the output arm is disposed between the DR side pipe frame and the AS side pipe frame, and between the connecting rod for coupling a DR side lever and an AS side lever, and the motor bracket.
US08136193B2
The present disclosure relates generally to debris collection devices. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a debris collection vehicle utilizing a side broom having memory recall functionality.
US08136189B2
A method for controlling operation of a washing machine is provided. The method may include performing heated washing courses at different temperatures while also selectively controlling an operating rate of a driving motor to enhance sterilizing effects on items being washed while protecting against damage to the items being washed. Performing these heated washing courses may include selecting an infant clothes oriented washing program from a plurality of washing programs, and performing a washing operation in accordance with one of a plurality of operating modes associated with the selected infant clothes oriented washing program, including controlling at least one of a washing course temperature or an operating rate of a driving motor of the washing machine.
US08136183B1
A modular multiple bed unit having first and second beds connected together at right angles using mating rail brackets each defining a quick-release coupler. A bracket with quick-release coupler is provided at each of the two spaced locations on the side of one rail of the first bed, and a bracket with a mating quick-release coupler is provided on the end of each rail of the second bed for perpendicular connection of the rails of the second bed to the one rail of the first bed. In one embodiment, a stud is formed on each bracket on the rail of the first bed to engage a hook on an L-shaped bracket on the end of a corresponding rail of the second bed.
US08136178B2
A spa speaker apparatus having a housing with a speaker mounted therein, wherein the speaker can be extended and retracted with respect to the housing and the speaker is also rotatable within the housing. A system for providing audio to a spa is also disclosed. The system comprises a spa having walls and at least one speaker unit mounted to a spa wall. Each of the speaker units is capable of receiving an audio signal, and generating sound towards the occupants of the spa. Each of the speaker units comprises a speaker that is individually retractable to be hidden behind the spa wall and extendible from the spa wall. Each of the speakers is also rotatable within the spa wall to direct the speaker sound.
US08136176B2
The present invention involves a pool system including ventilation for offending gases from the pool.
US08136175B1
A device for the collection of feces samples for laboratory diagnostic tests includes an upper layer and a lower layer, both with a semicircular or rectangular front end, and a rectilinear extension that extends toward the rear end. The upper layer has a round opening close to the front end. The lower layer has a plurality of small holes concentric to the round opening in the upper layer.
US08136173B2
A kit for use in treating a sink drain so that drain remains both open and clean includes an unclogging device and a strainer, which though packagable or stackable together would normally be used separately. The unclogging device can be used to concentrate the spray from a nozzle to assist in unclogging a drain. The strainer would normally reside in a sink drain to prevent debris from clogging or restricting the drain. One version of the strainer provides space for an air freshener that can be replaced. These kits also include a sealing stopper and a gasket.
US08136171B2
The present invention discloses an automatic toilet cleaning device. A toilet seat is provided above a bowl and includes a toilet lid and a seat plate. By a means of infrared induction, the toilet lid can be opened automatically when a user is approaching and can be closed automatically after using the toilet. Furthermore, a seat plate cleaning unit provided on the toilet lid can be used to automatically clean the seat plate and an inner rim of the toilet. Therefore, in addition to preventing the user from manually touching the toilet, the present invention can also keep the seat plate and the toilet at the cleanest state at any time.
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.
US08140964B2
Embodiments of the present invention generally provide a system, method and article of manufacture for validating annotations describing one or more portions of a data object. In general, prior to displaying a requested annotation, a current change detection value may be calculated from current data extracted from portions of the data object described by the annotation. The current change detection value may be compared to a previously saved change detection value calculated from data extracted from the portions of the data object at the time the annotation was generated. A mismatch in the current change detection value and the previously saved change detection value indicates a change in the annotated portions of the data object, which may render the annotation invalid. The annotated portions of the data object may be continuous or discontinuous.
US08140958B2
A system, method and program product for synchronizing spreadsheet data. A system is provided having: a scheduling system for scheduling a first import time, a second import time, a first export time and a second export time; an import system for obtaining a first spreadsheet from a first entity at the first import time, and for obtaining a second spreadsheet from a second entity at the second import time; a synchronization system for synchronizing the first spreadsheet and the second spreadsheet to obtain a first revised spreadsheet and a second revised spreadsheet; and an export system for providing the first revised spreadsheet to the first entity at the first export time, and for providing the second revised spreadsheet to the second entity at the second export time.
US08140955B2
Image communication portable terminal and method for carrying out image communication using the same
Disclosed are an image communication portable terminal and a method for carrying out an image communication using an image communication portable terminal. The image communication portable terminal includes a memory for storing a large amount of image and sound data which are combined with video and audio data to be input during image communication; and a controller for combining current video or audio data with specific image or sound data among the image or sound data stored in advance depending on data combination requirement during the image communication, and encoding and transmitting the combined data into an image communication data format. Accordingly, it is possible to dynamically express video data and audio data during the image communication, thereby increasing the user's satisfaction with the image communication.
US08140953B1
Methods and apparatus provide for a media tagger that obtains a media project defined according to a native representation. The media project is made up of project objects and the native representation describes each project object's context within the media project. The media tagger receives an exportable media object, encoded according to an output format, which can include logical contributions from the project object(s). The media tagger tags the exportable media object and stores the exportable media object in a media catalogue. The media tagger acknowledges the selection of a desired output format to create a formatted media project based on the native representation of the media project. Upon validating that the exportable media object in the media catalogue can be used to build the formatted media project, the media tagger exports the exportable media object from the media catalogue.
US08140946B2
An approach is provided for encoding information bits to output a coded signal using turbo code encoding with a low code rate.
US08140945B2
In one embodiment, a memory controller comprises a check bit encoder circuit coupled to receive a data block to be written to memory, a check/correct circuit coupled to receive an encoded data block read from the memory, and a hard failure detection circuit coupled to the check/correct circuit. The check bit encoder circuit is configured to generate a corresponding encoded data block comprising the data block, a first plurality of check bits, and a second plurality of check bits. The check/correct circuit is configured to detect an error in the encoded data block responsive to the first check bits, the second check bits, and the data block within the encoded data block, which is logically arranged as an array of R rows and N columns, wherein R and N are positive integers. Each of the first check bits covers a respective row of the array, and the check/correct circuit is configured to generate a first syndrome corresponding to the first plurality of check bits. A presence of more than one binary one in the first syndrome indicates a multi-bit error. Responsive to detecting the multi-bit error, the hard failure detection circuit is configured to perform a plurality of memory read/write operations to the memory locations in which the encoded data block is stored to identify a hard error failure in the memory.
US08140944B2
For transmission of a block of control information within a wireless network, the control information is interleaved to form an ordered set of control bits, wherein more important information bits of the control information are placed into a first portion of the ordered set of control bits, with less important information bits of the control information placed into a second portion of the ordered set of controls bits. The ordered set of control bits is encoded to form an encoded block of data. The encoded block of data is transmitted to a serving base station, wherein bits from the first portion of the ordered set of control bits will statistically have a lower bit error rate (BER) than bits from the second portion of the ordered set of control bits during transmission.
US08140917B2
Stream data is structured including data tuples as a query process target and a recovery point tuple for indicating a position of the data tuples in the stream data. Upon detection of a failure at a computer, another computer reads position information in the stream data indicating a position of data tuples already subjected to the query process by a stream processing apparatus from a recovery points, uses the recovery point positioned lastly among the read recovery points as a reenter point of the input stream, and instructs a stream distribution apparatus to reenter the input stream starting from the reenter position into the other computer.
US08140914B2
A predictive failure model is used to generate a failure prediction associated with a node. A repair or backup action may also be determined to perform on the node based on the failure prediction.
US08140909B2
A write error detection mechanism for a computer data disk drive or storage controller writes and then verifies data to detect disk write errors. It allows the heads to be moved to other tracks to do other jobs in the time it takes the disk to rotate from the point the data was written and to return there again so it can be read to verify the write. The data written is temporarily stored in feature table memory outside the disk, so it can be used as in the comparison later when the written data can be read for the verify. In the interim, other write-and-verify and read operations can be pipelined, or multitasked using the same head, even on different tracks.
US08140896B2
A system and method thereof are provided. The example method may include downloading first information, from a host device, associated with an operation of a non-volatile memory and downloading second information associated with an operation of the system including the non-volatile memory, the second information downloaded based on the operation of the non-volatile memory in accordance with the downloaded first information. The example system may include a host device configured to provide first information associated with an operation of a non-volatile memory and second information associated with an operation of the system, the system including the non-volatile memory, the second information downloaded based on the operation of the non-volatile memory in accordance with the downloaded first information.
US08140895B2
A method and system for recovering a SIP transaction. The method including monitoring an event related to transaction change; recording information related to the event; and regenerating a transaction by use of the recorded information upon failover. A system is also provided to carry out the steps of the method. Through the present invention, a transaction may be regenerated upon occurrence of failure during the transaction period, thereby enabling transaction-level failover and noticeably reducing the information load needed to recorded compared with the prior art. The present invention not only improves reliability of a SIP-based service but also requires less overhead for transaction recovery.
US08140893B2
In a lockstep fault-tolerant system (10), each subsystem (1, 2) includes bridges (71 to 75) positioned between a CPU (21) and memory (11), between a CPU (22) and memory (12), between the CPU (21) and a northbridge (31), between the CPU (22) and the northbridge (31) and between the CPU (21) and the CPU (22) and creates checksums from relayed data, and an FT bus (81) for sending the created checksums to an FT controller (41). Furthermore, the FT controller (41) detects discrepancies by comparing checksums sent from the bridges (71 to 75) and checksums sent from the other subsystem received via a crosslink, and by this detects process discrepancies between the subsystems (1, 2).
US08140882B2
A serial bus clock frequency calibration system and a method thereof are disclosed herein. The system utilizes a first frequency calibration device and a second frequency calibration device both to share an oscillator as so to perform two-stage clock frequency resolution calibrations for generating different frequency-tuning ranges. This can bring an optimal frequency resolution and greatly reduce system complexity and save element cost.
US08140878B2
A blade computer system includes a plurality of client devices, a blade enclosure having a plurality of blades therein, and an allocation server configured to allocate and deallocate the blades to and from the client devices. The blade enclosure is configured to place individual ones of the blades into or out of a sleeping state responsive to network messages received from the allocation server.
US08140874B2
An integrated device includes at least one data processing device and at least one memory macro accessible by the data processing device. The data processing device and the memory macro are laid out so that a memory address and a power consumption have a correlation.
US08140870B2
A forward converter circuit includes a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding. A first transistor is coupled in series with the primary winding and a second transistor is coupled in series with the secondary winding. A control circuit generating control signals for controlling operation of the first and second transistors. The control signals are generated responsive to the values in certain triggered counting circuits satisfying programmable thresholds.
US08140868B2
A method for managing power in a data processing system having multiple components includes determining a power budget for the system. Activity levels during a forthcoming time interval are then predicted for each of the components. Using the predicted activity levels, the power budget is allocated among the system components. An activity limit is then established for each component based on its corresponding portion of the power budget. The activity of a component is then monitored and, if the component's activity exceeds the component's corresponding activity limit, constrained. Determining the predicted level of activity may include determining a predicted number of instructions dispatched by a processor component or a predicted number of memory requests serviced for a system memory component. Allocating the power budget includes allocating each component its corresponding standby power and a share of the system power available for dynamic powering based on the expected levels of activity.
US08140866B2
A node may contain a secure store agent. A process executing on the node may request connection information from the secure store agent. An encryption key phrase may be accessed, responsive to the request for connection information, to decrypt the requested connection information. The requested connection information may be obtained from a secure storage file in a file system.
US08140864B2
A computer system encrypts write-data to be written to the volume in response to a write command. The system transmits a rekey command from host computer system to the storage system when the key data stored in the host key data memory is changed to second key data. The storage system receives the rekey command transmitted from host computer system and stores the first and second key data contained in the received rekey command to a volume key data memory of the storage system. The storage system reads out data encrypted with the first key data from an original block address in the volume. The storage system decrypts the data read out from the volume using the first key data. The storage system encrypts the data decrypted by the first key data using the second key data, and writs the data encrypted with the second key data to the original block address.
US08140863B2
A mobile communications device, server, and method for providing security on a mobile communications device are described. In accordance with one example embodiment, the mobile communications device comprises: a processor; a communications subsystem connected to the processor operable to exchange signals with a wireless network and with the processor; a storage element connected to the processor and having a plurality of application modules and data stored thereon, the data comprising at least user application data associated with the application modules and service data including data for establishing communications with the wireless network; and a security module operable to detect policy messages received by the mobile communications device, wherein the security module is further operable to perform a security action if a first policy message to enforce a first data protection policy is received and a subsequent policy message to enforce a second data protection policy is not received within a predetermined duration from the time at which the first policy message is received; and wherein the security action comprises erasing or encrypting at least some of the data on the storage element.
US08140849B2
A content distribution mechanism that relies on cooperative desktop PCs to distribute content is disclosed. The mechanism distributes content in a robust manner by allowing at least one intermediate network node (i.e., between a source and client) to generate and send packets that contain a linear combination of the portions of content available at the node. Such linear combinations may be created by the source and client using at least a portion of the original content file in either encoded or unencoded form. After the client has received enough linearly independent combinations of packets, the original content may be reconstructed. Further, security for network coding file distribution may be employed to maintain the efficiency and security of the content distribution mechanism. A security server may generate security information using a hashing algorithm including the property of producing security information for each block which survives the process of creating encoded blocks. The security server may generate a unique set of security information for each node participating in the content distribution which each node may then use to verify that the blocks being examined are valid and were created from a linear combination of the original blocks of the file.
US08140848B2
The present invention relates to message encoding. In a first implementation, a message is provided. The message is transformed by a secret key. The secret key is generated by providing a plural-bit seed. The seed is randomized and then error correction encoded. We prefer tail-biting convolutional encoding for our error correction encoding. The encoded seed forms a secure key, which is used to transform the message prior to embedding.
US08140846B2
Management server 16 may obtain application programs from content server 20 in response to requests of mobile terminal 11. Management server 16 may transmit the obtained application programs to mobile terminal 11 with information concerning reliabilities of the application programs. After mobile terminal 11 receives the application programs from management server 16, mobile terminal 11 manages operations of the application programs. Operations of the application programs are coordinated with operations of other programs using the information concerning the reliabilities corresponding to the application programs. Management of the coordinated operations of the application programs avoids problems concerning information security, where valuable information may be distributed unexpectedly because of operations of low reliable application programs. As a result, convenience of users of mobile terminals 11 can be improved without deteriorating the information security of mobile terminals 11.
US08140844B2
A presence table stores therein presence information. A storage unit stores therein in associated manner a terminal identifier unique each of a plurality of terminals and an encryption key to be used for multicast communication within a multicast group. A receiving unit receives a subscription request message from a first terminal from among the terminals. The subscription message includes the terminal identifier of the first terminal, and a request requesting subscription to the presence information present in the storage unit. An acquiring unit acquires the encryption key from the storage unit by using the terminal identifier of the first terminal. A transmitting unit transmits acquired encryption key to the first terminal.
US08140843B2
Continuous strings of certificates in a certificate chain received by a memory device sequentially in the same order that the strings are verified. Each string except for the last may be overwritten by the next one in the sequence.
US08140838B2
A computer system includes a device which transmits data through a predetermined interface and outputs first recognition information in response to a predetermined power on self test (POST) control signal, a device controller which has second recognition information about whether the device is mounted, and a system controller which outputs the POST control signal to the device when powering on, and recognizes the device on the basis of the first recognition information and the second recognition information.
US08140836B2
If a defect flag stored in a CF 19 while a BIOS is being booted, an information processing device 10 boots a second program stored in an external device 31 connected to a connection section 21, and if the defect flag is not detected, the information processing device 10 confirms whether or not the first program is bootable. If the first program is confirmed to be bootable, the first program is booted and if not, the defect flag is set in the CF 19 and the power of the information processing apparatus 10 is turned off.
US08140832B2
A hardware thread is selectively forced to single step the execution of software instructions from a work packet granule. A “single step” packet is associated with a work packet granule. The work packet granule, with the associated “single step” packet, is dispatched as an appended work packet granule to a preselected hardware thread in a processor core, which, in one embodiment, is located at a node in a Network On a Chip (NOC). The work packet granule then executes in a single step mode until completion.
US08140829B2
A processor includes primary threads of execution that may simultaneously issue instructions, and one or more backup threads. When a primary thread stalls, the contents of its instruction buffer may be switched with the instruction buffer for a backup thread, thereby allowing the backup thread to begin execution. This design allows two primary threads to issue simultaneously, which allows for overlap of instruction pipeline latencies. This design further allows a fast switch to a backup thread when a primary thread stalls, thereby providing significantly improved throughput in executing instructions by the processor.
US08140827B2
A system and method which provides for efficient data transmission between multiple microprocessors in a computer system is disclosed. A physical data path is divided into one or more data queues which may be virtual connection queues. The virtual connection queues are configured to adaptively split or merge based on traffic conditions therein.
US08140822B2
Maintaining data integrity for a logical partition by enabling nonintrusive switching of page tables used during a migration of the logical partition from a source computer system to a target computer system. A first page table stores a plurality of page entries made within a logically partitioned environment. A second page table stores one or more page entries generated during the migration. After migration, the processor page table pointer is switched to point to the first page table. A page entry in the second page table corresponding to a page entry made to the first page table by the logical partition may be invalidated in response to a page table hypervisor call made by the logical partition. In parallel, a plurality of entries generated during the migration of the logical partition in the second page table may be read through and invalidated.
US08140820B2
A data processing apparatus has address translation circuitry which is responsive to an access request specifying a virtual address, to perform a multi-stage address translation process to produce, via at least one intermediate address, a physical address in memory corresponding to the virtual address. The address translation circuitry references a storage unit, with each entry of the storage unit storing address translation information for one or more virtual addresses. Each entry has a field indicating whether the address translation information is consolidated address translation information or partial address translation information. If when processing an access request, it is determined that the relevant entry in the storage unit provides consolidated address translation information, the address translation circuitry produces a physical address directly from the consolidated address translation information. If on the other hand the relevant entry stores partial address translation information, the address translation circuitry produces an intermediate address from the partial address translation information and then performs the remainder of the multi-stage address translation process. Such an approach provides the performance benefits associated with a consolidated entry mechanism within the storage unit, while also allowing certain problem cases to be handled correctly and in an efficient manner.
US08140818B2
Processing data samples may comprise partitioning the data samples in a first set of data bits and a second set of data bits and utilizing at least some of the first and second set of data bits while operating under a first condition. Only at least some of the first set of data bits may be utilized while operating under a second condition. The first condition may be a normal operating condition, while the second condition may be a performance restricted condition. The first set of data bits may be more significant bits and the second set of bits may be less significant bits. At least some of the first and second set of data bits may be utilized while bandwidth is available. Under the second condition, other values may be substituted for the data values from the second set that were not read in a read operation.
US08140815B2
This Sampling Object Cache System (“SOCS”) estimates the size of an in-memory heap-based object cache without the need to serialize every object within the cache. SOCS samples objects at a user-determined rate and then computes a “sample size average” for each type of class—whether a top class, type of top class or non top class. Using these sample size averages, a statistically accurate measure of the overall size of the cache is calculated by adding together the total size of the objects in the cache for each class type.
US08140809B2
In the computer software field, method and apparatus to obfuscate (mask or hide) computer data which is part of or accessed by a computer program. The method protects (hides) accesses to tables of data in terms of the place or position of each element in the table. It does this by providing an intermediate table which describes the positions of the elements of the first table or tables, but in a transformed (modified) fashion.
US08140808B2
A method of managing power in a data processing system includes monitoring a system parameter indicative of power consumption. Responsive to determining that the parameter differs from a specified threshold, a system guest, such as an operating system, is forced to release a portion of its allocated system memory. The portion of system memory released by the guest is then reclaimed by the system. The reclaimed system memory and the resulting decrease in allocated memory may enable the system to reduce system memory power consumption. The operating system may de-allocate a portion of system memory when a balloon code device driver executing under the operating system requests the operating system to allocate memory to it. The system memory allocated to the balloon device driver is then reclaimed by supervisory code such as a hypervisor.
US08140802B2
This storage system modifies the migration plan in accordance with the state of the migration destination when a plurality of volumes are migrated all at once. Migration-source volumes are migrated collectively to volumes inside the migration-destination storage apparatus. The user can make settings related to migration-source volumes and migration-destination volumes in a migration plan, and can establish a mid-process control plan for modifying the migration plan in the middle of processing. If a failure occurs in the migration-destination storage apparatus subsequent to the commencement of data migration processing, a processing method controller either cancels or temporarily halts the data migration processing, or changes the migration destination, on the basis of the mid-process control plan. When changing the migration destination, a previously selected alternate storage apparatus is selected as the new migration-destination storage apparatus. When a failure occurs in the alternate storage apparatus, yet another alternate storage apparatus is selected.
US08140801B2
A system, method, and computer program product for semi-synchronously copying data from a first portion of memory to a second portion of memory are disclosed. The method comprises receiving, in a processor, a call for a semi-synchronous memory copy operation. The semi-synchronous memory copy operation preserves temporal persistence of validity for a virtual source address corresponding to a source location in a memory and a virtual target address corresponding to a target location in the memory by setting a flag bit. The call includes at least the virtual source address, the virtual target address, and an indicator identifying a number of bytes to be copied. The memory copy operation is placed in a queue for execution by a memory controller. The queue is coupled to the memory controller. At least one subsequent instruction is continued to be executed as the subsequent instruction becomes available from an instruction pipeline.
