US08228083B2
The invention discloses a testing system and a testing method, suitable for testing a DUT with double-sided signal pins. The testing system includes a testing platform and a pick-and-place device. The testing platform includes an electromagnetic shielding chamber and a test-bench module. The electromagnetic shielding chamber has an opening. The test-bench module is disposed in-between the electromagnetic shielding chamber. The pick-and-place device is movably disposed above the testing platform. The pick-and-place device includes an electromagnetic shielding cap and a signal transmission structure. When the pick-and-place device places the DUT on the test-bench module, the electromagnetic shielding cap cooperates with the electromagnetic shielding chamber of the testing platform to form an isolated space for isolating the DUT, and furthermore, the signal pin disposed on an upper surface of the DUT can be electrically connected to the test-bench module through the signal transmission structure.
US08228080B2
A device and a method for estimating a current; the method includes: setting an impedance of a power gating circuit to a measurement value; wherein the power gating circuit selectively provides power to a circuit of an integrated circuit; measuring, during a measurement period, an electrical parameter indicative of a current that flows through the power gating circuit; and reducing an impedance of the power gating circuit to a power provision value to reduce a voltage developed on the power gating circuit during a power provision period.
US08228077B2
An Anti-pinch sensor, in particular for detecting an obstacle in the path of an actuator of a motor vehicle is provided. The anti-pinch sensor includes a first measurement electrode and a second electrically isolated measurement electrode spaced a distance from the first measurement electrode, wherein the first measurement electrode is designed to generate an external electric field with respect to the second measurement electrode, and wherein the first and second measurement electrodes are elastically supported relative to an electrically isolated ground electrode. In addition, a sensor device having such an anti-pinch sensor is disclosed. The anti-pinch sensor is suitable as both a contactless and a tactile sensor. Detection of surface deposits of contaminants or water is easily possible.
US08228076B2
A capacitance measuring system includes analog-digital circuitry (15) coupled to row conductors (2i) and column conductors (3i) of a touch screen panel (13A) for producing a first digital signal (DATA) representative of cross-coupling capacitances (CSENij). Row drive circuitry (45) superimposes charge transfers from cross-coupling capacitances of the row conductors to a first column conductor to cause the first digital signal to be a convoluted signal. Calibration circuitry (39,40) subtracts base line data from the first digital signal to produce a second digital signal (ΔDATA) representing touch-induced capacitance change values (ΔCSENIJ). A deconvolution circuit (44) deconvolutes the second digital signal to produce a digital output (58) representing a magnitude map of the touch-induced capacitance change values.
US08228075B2
A test system for a radio frequency IC device includes a radio frequency IC chip and a radiation strip. The characteristics of the radio frequency IC device are measured by bringing the tip of a probe of a test apparatus in direct contact with a portion of the radiation strip and thereby providing a radio frequency signal. The tip of the probe is made to be a flat plate so as to obtain closer and more stable contact with the radiation strip.
US08228072B2
A test and measurement instrument including a plurality of channels, each channel configured to receive a corresponding input signal. Each channel includes a comparator configured to compare the input signal to a threshold for the channel; an edge detector configured to detect an edge of an output signal of the comparator; and a threshold controller configured to adjust the threshold for the channel in response to the edge detector.
US08228070B2
The present invention enables connections of electronic components of an electronic apparatus to be inspected easily and reliably. To accomplish this, an electronic apparatus including a plurality of electronic components, includes a control circuit which controls input and output of an electric signal to and from the plurality of electronic components and a plurality of inspection circuits which inspect connections of the plurality of electronic components. The plurality of inspection circuits are connected in series, the control circuit is connected to an end of the series, inspection signals output from the plurality of inspection circuits are superimposed on one another in sequence into an signal and the signal is input into the control circuit, and determination is made at the control circuit as to whether each of the plurality of electronic components is connected properly or not.
US08228068B2
A circuit is provided that includes a power source and a sensor circuit electrically coupled by a switch to the power source. The circuit further includes an A/D converter electrically coupled to the sensor circuit and adapted to read a voltage difference across a resistive element to determine an impedance of the sensor circuit. A method is provided that includes closing a switch electrically coupling a power source to a sensor circuit and measuring a voltage difference across a resistive element at an A/D converter electrically coupled to the sensor circuit. The method further includes determining an impedance of the sensor circuit based on the voltage difference.
US08228053B2
Systems and methods to achieve a startup circuit of bandgap voltage reference generator circuits monitoring a current flow in the bandgap voltage reference generator circuit have been achieved. The startup circuit can operate at supply voltages of about one threshold voltage and is therefore appropriate for low voltage applications. The monitoring of a current through an electrical component inside the bandgap voltage reference generator circuit by replication the component branch in a scaled version saves power and does not disturb the normal operation of the current-mode bandgap voltage reference generator. The startup circuit invented can be applied for current-mode bandgap voltage reference generator circuits as well as for voltage-mode bandgap voltage reference generator circuits.
US08228041B2
A charging control device (D) is installed in a piece of electronic equipment (EE) comprising a rechargeable battery (B) and at least an internal application (A) requiring an application current for its operation. This device (D) comprises a charging control module (CCM) arranged to be coupled to a charger (CH), to be fed with a charge current when it is connected to mains, and coupled i) to the battery (B) to control its charge and provide it with a chosen battery current when so required and when its temperature is within a chosen interval, and ii) to the application (A) to provide it with the application current when the electronic equipment (EE) is connected to the charger (CH). The device (D) also comprises a current sensor means (SM) arranged to determine the current consumed by the application (A) and to deliver a first signal representative of this current consumption. The charging control module (CCM) is further arranged i) either to provide the application (A) with an application current equal to the current represented by the first signal while forcing the battery (B) to keep its charge when its temperature is outside the chosen interval, ii) or to provide the application (A) with an application current equal to the current represented by the first signal while providing the battery (B) with a chosen battery current in order that it may be simultaneously charged when its temperature is within the chosen interval.
US08228040B2
There are provided a battery control system and a battery control method which can eliminate a management device controlling voltages of individual cells in a battery pack, resist the influence of noise, prevent an increase in size, and reduce the load on a management device. A cell for a battery pack will be interconnected with another cell to be used as a battery pack, the cell comprises unit cell 5 and control circuit 1, unit cell 5 is one electrochemical cell, and control circuit 1 includes: measurement means 1a for acquiring cell-state information including at least a voltage of unit cell 5; transmission means 1f for transmitting the cell-state information to the outside; reception means 1f for receiving external information; and means 1d for discharging unit cell 5 based upon the cell-state information on unit cell 5 and the external information, to bring the voltages of interconnected cells closer.
US08228033B2
A protective circuit board and a battery pack using the same, which includes a groove formed at one side and receives an external connection terminal in the groove, is provided. The protective circuit board for a battery, which is formed by mounting a number of electrical devices on a board on which a wiring pattern is formed and which is connected to a bare cell so as to protect a battery, comprises a groove formed on a surface of the protective circuit board, and an external connection terminal formed inside the groove.
US08228029B2
An electrical combination includes a power tool having a body, a motor supported by the body, a support portion, and a drive mechanism driven by the motor such that the drive mechanism is operable to drive a tool element. The electrical combination also includes a battery operable for coupling to the power tool via the support portion. The battery is electrically connectable with the motor to selectively supply power to the motor. A single latch is positioned on the support portion of the power tool. The single latch is moveable between a locked position to secure the battery to the power tool and an unlocked position to allow removal of the battery from the support portion of the power tool.
US08228024B1
A battery container is presented which provides multiple configurations that allow the storage of cylindrical or rectangular batteries in a magazine and ensures the maintenance of a consistent orientation, easy access, and physical protection of the batteries. The battery container is further adaptable to provide easy recharging of the batteries. The battery container is additionally configurable to be connectable with other battery containers, allowing the easy storage and distinguishability of charged and discharged batteries. The convenient storage for discharged batteries increases the likelihood that more batteries will be retained for proper disposal, rather than being discarded on the ground or in an improper location.
US08228023B2
A method and apparatus for a unitary battery and charging circuit. Also, having a power conversion system includes a variable charging source and an energy storage device. The power conversion circuit also includes a charging circuit coupled to the variable charging source and the energy storage device, the energy storage device being charged by the variable charging source. Further, the circuit includes an energy storage device isolation circuit configured to isolate the energy storage device from discharging when power from the variable charging source is below a predetermined threshold. Further still, the conversion circuit includes a restart circuit configured to restart the charging circuit by utilizing power from the energy storage device when charging power has dropped below a predetermined level.
US08228013B2
A method and apparatus for determining electrical parameters for commissioning a sensor-less permanent magnet synchronous machine uses knowledge of the rotor position to apply balanced pulses along the rotor magnet axis and perpendicular to the rotor magnet axis allowing measurement of q- and d-inductance at multiple current levels without substantial rotor movement.
US08228006B2
A high pressure discharge lamp lighting device comprising an inverter, an igniter, a controller, a pulse voltage detection circuit, and the starting pulse voltage regulation circuit. The inverter applies a lighting voltage to a high pressure discharge lamp. The controller applies the starting pulse voltage generated by the igniter to the high pressure discharge lamp. The pulse voltage detection circuit is configured to detect a voltage indicative of the starting pulse voltage to output a detection signal. The starting pulse voltage regulation circuit is configured to regulate the starting pulse voltage to a desired value of the starting pulse voltage on the basis of the detection signal. The pulse voltage detection circuit is configured to detect either one of the voltage developed in the specified circuit component of the igniter and the starting pulse voltage as the voltage indicative of the voltage indicative of the starting pulse voltage.
US08228005B2
A light-emitting-element driving circuit is provided which comprises a voltage boosting circuit unit which supplies a boosted voltage to a light-emitting element, a current circuit unit which drives the light-emitting element with a current, a normal feedback loop path through which a voltage of the light-emitting element is input as a feedback voltage to the voltage boosting circuit unit, a backup feedback loop path through which a voltage of the light-emitting element is input as the feedback voltage to the voltage boosting circuit unit, an abnormality detection circuit unit which compares the feedback voltage which is input through the normal feedback loop path to the voltage boosting circuit unit and a predetermined determination voltage, to detect abnormality, and a switching circuit which switches from the normal feedback loop path to the backup feedback loop path when the abnormality detection circuit unit has detected the abnormality.
US08228004B2
A circuit for driving a light source includes a voltage converter, a switch and a controller. The voltage converter converts an AC input voltage signal to a first rectified AC voltage signal. The voltage converter further generates an average signal proportional to an average voltage level of the first rectified AC voltage signal. The switch is coupled to the light source in series. The controller coupled to the voltage converter and the switch compares the first rectified AC voltage signal with the average signal to generate a pulse signal. The controller further generates a dimming control signal based on the pulse signal to control the switch thereby controlling dimming of the light source.
US08228003B2
An electronic ballast for a high intensity discharge lamp includes a control circuit for switching between a first operation period to operate a starting voltage generating circuit to start the lamp and a second operation period to maintain a steady arc discharge after the lamp has started, based on a detection result from a lighting detector circuit. The control circuit further includes a measurement circuit to measure operation information of the first operation period, circuits to control operation during the first operation period based on a result of measurement from the measurement circuit, and a reset circuit to initialize the operation information of the first operation period measured by the measurement circuit upon continuation of the second operation period for a reference time or longer.
US08227994B2
The disclosure facilitates determining the presence of an abnormality of a light source in a vehicular lamp using, as a determination condition, a number of disconnected semiconductor light-emitting elements among multiple semiconductor light-emitting elements. The vehicular lamp includes a first light source block that has light-emitting diodes LED1 to LED6 connected in parallel; a second light source block that has light-emitting diodes LED7 to LED12 connected in parallel; and an abnormality determination circuit that controls a supply of current from an on-board battery to the light source blocks and determines whether an abnormality is presence in the light source blocks. The abnormality determination circuit determines the presence of an abnormality if the disconnected light-emitting diodes in one of the light source blocks exceed a predetermined number and current cannot flow to the light source block. In such case, the supply of current to the light source blocks is stopped.
US08227989B2
The present invention relates to a new discharge element having a discharge-control electrode for inducing a discharge even at low voltage by improving a characteristic in which a discharge element may not be discharged against a fast transient voltage when it is at low voltage, and more specifically, the discharge element having a discharge-control electrode according to the present invention comprises an airtight cylinder formed with a ceramic insulation material, a pair of discharge electrodes arranged for facing an end opening of the airtight cylinder, a discharge gap formed between the pair of discharge electrodes, a discharge-assisting material filled inside the airtight cylinder, and a discharge-control electrode in contact with the airtight cylinder and physically separated from the discharge-assisting material, wherein a discharge between the pair of discharge electrodes is induced by a control voltage applied through the discharge-control electrode.
US08227983B2
An OLED display device and a method of fabricating the same is disclosed, to realize the simplified process, wherein the OLED display device comprises a sub-pixel driving array disposed on a first substrate; an OLED array disposed on a second substrate; a sealant to bond the first and second substrates to each other; a plurality of lower pads disposed on the first substrate; a plurality of upper pads disposed on the second substrate; and a plurality of conductive balls included in the sealant, wherein the upper pads are respectively connected with the lower pads through the conductive balls.
US08227981B2
A light-emitting device including: an organic layer which is interposed between a first electrode and a second electrode and in which a first light-emitting layer and a second light-emitting layer emitting light of single colors or two or more different colors in a visible wavelength region are sequentially included at mutually separated positions in that order in a direction from the first electrode to the second electrode; a first reflective interface which is provided on the side of the first electrode so as to reflect light emitted from the first light-emitting layer and the second light-emitting layer to be emitted from the side of the second electrode; and a second reflective interface and a third reflective interface which are sequentially provided on the side of the second electrode at mutually separated positions in that order in a direction from the first electrode to the second electrode.
US08227974B2
The light emitting apparatus includes a transparent substrate made of glass material, for example, a first electrode layer (that is, a transparent electrode made of ITO and the like) formed on the substrate, a light emitting functional layer including organic material formed on the first electrode layer, a back surface electrode made of metallic material, for example, as a second electrode layer formed on the light emitting functional layer, and dot-shaped conductors arranged on the first electrode layer in which the dot-shaped conductors are arranged so that a plurality of dot-shaped conductors are respectively arranged to the individual first electrode layer in a state that the dot-shaped conductors are separated from one another and further the dot-shaped conductors made of low electric resistivity material are arranged at the first electrode layer, the combined resistance value of the transparent electrode and the plurality of dot-shaped conductors becomes lower than the resistance value of the transparent electrode alone.
US08227973B2
A conductive member is provided, surrounding a terminal, on a substrate so that a portion of the conductive member is positioned between wiring and the terminal. The conductive member includes, at an inner edge thereof, multiple portions whose distances from the terminal are different. The multiple portions include a portion whose distance from the terminal is shorter than that of a portion among the plurality of portions that is closest to the wiring.
US08227970B2
A thermionic emission device, in particular for use in an x-ray tube, has an indirectly heated primary emitter that is fashioned as a flat emitter with an unstructured primary emission surface, and a heating emitter that is fashioned as a flat emitter with a structured heat emission surface. The primary emitter and the heating emitter each has at least two terminal lugs, and the primary emission surface and the heat emission surface are aligned essentially parallel to one another. The emission device provides an optimally high quality of the focal spot with a simple design and, given high thermal load, an unwanted widening or defocusing of the electron beam is avoided by the terminal lugs of the primary emitter being aligned essentially perpendicular to the primary emission surface and not protruding beyond the primary emission surface in the lateral direction.
US08227966B2
A sheet of the present invention is a sheet which is to be used such that light from a light emitting body impinges on one of surfaces of the sheet and outgoes from the other surface. The other surface of the sheet includes a plurality of minute regions 13, a largest inscribed circle of the minute regions 13 having a diameter from 0.2 μm to 2 μm. Each of the plurality of minute regions 13 is adjoined by and surrounded by some other ones of the plurality of minute regions 13. The plurality of minute regions 13 include a plurality of minute regions 13a which are randomly selected from the plurality of minute regions 13 so as to constitute 20% to 80% of the minute regions 13 and a plurality of minute regions 13b which constitute the remaining portion of the minute regions 13. Light transmitted through the plurality of minute regions 13a and light transmitted through the plurality of minute regions 13b have a phase difference of π.
US08227964B2
A lighting device includes a light emitting module, a member disposed on the light emitting module, a cover surrounding the light emitting module and the member, and a heat sink. The light emitting module includes a substrate and a light emitting diode disposed on the substrate. The member includes a base having a hole configured to receive the light emitting diode and a projection configured to reflect light from the light emitting diode. A diameter of the base is greater than a maximum diameter of the projection. The heat sink includes an upper portion having a flat surface on which the substrate is disposed and a lower portion having a plurality of grooves formed on a side surface of the heat sink.
US08227962B1
The present invention relates to an LED light bulb utilizing LED light sheets with illuminated curved surfaces and can be used as a replacement bulb. The LED light bulb comprises an LED light engine having first and second LED modules with first and second illuminated curved surfaces facing toward different illumination zones I1, I2 respectively and attached to a thermally conducive support block with an increased curved surface area for heat dissipation. Said first and second illuminated curved surfaces are curved about first and second axes A, B respectively and are arranged to be offset from each other with said axes A and B substantially perpendicular to each other such that an improved illumination with direct lights shone to at least six different sides of the light bulb and subsequently a substantially spherical illumination of dispersed lights may be obtained along with an enhanced cooling of the light bulb.
US08227959B2
A metal vapor discharge lamp comprising an arc tube, an airtight tube housing the arc tube, and a base bonded to one end of the airtight tube with use of an adhesive, wherein the airtight tube is covered by a protective tube to improve safety as compared to a case where the protective tube is simply bonded to the base with an adhesive. The protective tube is fixed to the base with a double fall-off prevention structure, and latched to the base when a force including gravity and inertia acts on the protective tube toward the closed end of the protective tube in the axial direction thereof. The above-described structure eliminates the need of arranging the protective wall for securing the safety on the side of a lighting device on which the metal vapor discharge lamp is to be fixed, thereby preventing the lighting device from becoming large in size.
US08227952B2
A synchronous machine comprises a stator and a rotor that faces the stator and rotates on a shaft thereof in a circumferential direction. The rotor has magnetic salient poles that generate reluctance torque and magnet-originating magnetic poles that generate magnet torque by using permanent magnets embedded in the rotor. The machine comprises means for shifting a magnetically substantial central position of magnetic flux emanating from the permanent magnets in the circumferential direction, by an electrical angle π/2 plus a predetermined angle Δθ, from a reference position taken as a central position between paired magnetic salient poles composing each magnetic pole of the machine among the magnetic salient poles. Hence a maximum amplitude of a sum between a harmonic component of the magnet torque and the reluctance torque is changed from that obtained at the reference position without the shift.
US08227948B1
An electric motor includes an upper housing, a lower housing including a flange for mounting the upper housing thereon and a cone-shaped portion extending away from the flange and the upper housing. The electric motor further includes a stator assembly formed of a first core having a first height and fitted into the upper housing, a rotor assembly rigidly joined to a shaft to rotate therewith in the stator assembly and formed of a second core having a second height, and a hub connected to a lower end of the shaft to rotate therewith in relation to the cone-shaped portion. The hub is configured to secure an operable implement to the electric motor. The second height is greater than the first height.
US08227942B2
A system and apparatus for interconnecting an array of power generating assemblies includes a cable assembly having a plurality of continuous conductors and a plurality of cable connectors electrically coupled to the continuous conductors. The continuous conductors are configured to receive inverter AC power generated by inverters and deliver the combined AC power to an AC grid or other power sink. The cable connectors are configured to mate with corresponding connectors of the inventers to deliver the AC power to the continuous conductors.
US08227941B2
A vehicle electrical system comprises a generator and a control device coupled with the generator and operable to protect the generator from catastrophic failure while providing the electrical load in the electrical system with sufficient electrical power. The control device determines a loss of symmetry between two alternating phase signals generated by a first and second phase windings of a single or multiple stator generator. In particular, the control device determines a first and second average values of two of the two or more alternating phase signals and either limits or ceases the total electrical output current of the generator, via a generator output power controller, when the first average value differs from the second average value by a predetermined value. The control device may alternatively be configured to generate an error signal without varying the generator's total electrical output current even in the event of a malfunction.
US08227938B2
Uninterruptible Power Supply system comprising motor generator means for conditioning electric power; backup generator means including an internal combustion engine having electrically driven starter, providing backup electric power; electrical switch means, said switch means being electrically connected to power mains and to the backup generator means' electrical output and the motor generator means' electrical input for selectively switching power from the electric means and the backup generator to the motor generator means; starter switch means electrically connected to the motor generator means' output and electrically connected to the input of the starter system of the backup generator means, for switchably connecting the motor generator means' electrical output to the starter system means' input.
US08227933B2
Power distribution architecture for distributing power to electromechanical actuators of an aircraft
The invention relates to a power distribution architecture for an aircraft for powering aircraft electromechanical actuators, the architecture comprising at least one power distribution member for distributing power to such and such an electromechanical actuator connected to the architecture, the architecture receiving power from at least one power supply bus of the aircraft. According to the invention, a DC network of voltage that is variable in controlled manner is interposed between the power supply bus of the aircraft and the power distribution members.
US08227924B2
Substrate stand-offs for use with semiconductor devices are provided. Active pillars and dummy pillars are formed on a first substrate such that the dummy pillars may have a height greater than a height of the active pillars. The dummy pillars act as stand-offs when joining the first substrate to a second substrate, thereby creating greater uniformity. In an embodiment, the dummy pillars may be formed simultaneously as the active pillars by forming a patterned mask having openings with a smaller width for the dummy pillars than for the active pillars. When an electro-plating process of the like is used to form the dummy and active pillars, the smaller width of the dummy pillar openings in the patterned mask causes the dummy pillars to have a greater height than the active pillars.
US08227923B2
An interconnect structure that may reduce or eliminate stress induced voids is provided. In an embodiment, a via is formed below a conductive line to provide an electrical connection to an underlying conductive region. The conductive line includes a widened region above the via. The widened region serves to reduce or eliminate stress induced voids between the via and the underlying conductive region. In another embodiment, one or more redundant lines are formed extending from a conductive region, such as a contact pad, such that the redundant line does not electrically couple the conductive region to an underlying conductive region. In a preferred embodiment, the redundant lines extend from a conductive region on a side adjacent to a side having a conductive line coupled to a via.
US08227912B2
As a substrate for a semiconductor device, a metal substrate is used, and the metal substrate is composed of a metal base body made of a first metal and a connecting metal layer made of a second metal for covering the metal base body. The substrate has a structure wherein a diffusion preventing layer for preventing diffusion of the first metal is provided on the connecting metal layer.
US08227909B2
There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package. The method includes: (a) providing a silicon wafer comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; (b) forming vias through the silicon wafer in its thickness direction; (c) forming wiring patterns on the first surface of the silicon wafer such that the wiring patterns are electrically connected to the vias; (d) bonding a MEMS element wafer comprising MEMS elements onto the second surface of the silicon wafer such that the MEMS elements are electrically connected to the vias; (e) dividing the MEMS element wafer into the respective MEMS elements; (f) bonding a lid having concave portions therein onto the second surface of the silicon wafer such that the respective MEMS elements face a corresponding one of the concave portions; and (g) dicing the lid and the silicon wafer.
US08227906B2
An image processor by way of a transistor array in which a plurality of transistors are formed on a substrate comprising a plurality of polysilicon thin-film transistors using a first semiconductor layer composed of polysilicon formed on the substrate and functional devices having a plurality of amorphous silicon thin-film transistors using a second semiconductor layer composed of amorphous silicon which are formed in an upper layer more superior than the first semiconductor layer. The polysilicon thin-film transistors and functional devices include a plurality of electrode layers composed of a conductor layer, for instance, the functional devices at least of any one of the electrode layers are formed in the same layer as any one the electrode layers of the polysilicon thin-film transistors.
US08227904B2
A multi-chip package includes a substrate (110) having a first side (111), an opposing second side (112), and a third side (213) that extends from the first side to the second side, a first die (120) attached to the first side of the substrate and a second die (130) attached to the first side of the substrate, and a bridge (140) adjacent to the third side of the substrate and attached to the first die and to the second die. No portion of the substrate is underneath the bridge. The bridge creates a connection between the first die and the second die. Alternatively, the bridge may be disposed in a cavity (615, 915) in the substrate or between the substrate and a die layer (750). The bridge may constitute an active die and may be attached to the substrate using wirebonds (241, 841, 1141, 1541).
US08227903B2
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a substrate; forming layers having non-horizontal strip patterns and non-vertical strip patterns over the substrate; mounting an integrated circuit device on the substrate adjacent the non-horizontal strip patterns and the non-vertical strip patterns; and applying an encapsulation over the integrated circuit device, the encapsulation restricted by the layers to prevent the encapsulation from reaching an edge of the substrate.
US08227898B2
A semiconductor device has a satisfactory ohmic contact on a p-type principal surface tilting from a c-plane. The principal surface 13a of a p-type semiconductor region 13 extends along a plane tilting from a c-axis (axis <0001>) of hexagonal group-III nitride. A metal layer 15 is deposited on the principal surface 13a of the p-type semiconductor region 13. The metal layer 15 and the p-type semiconductor region 13 are separated by an interface 17 such that the metal layer functions as a non-alloy electrode. Since the hexagonal group-III nitride contains gallium as a group-III element, the principal surface 13a comprising the hexagonal group-III nitride is more susceptible to oxidation compared to the c-plane of the hexagonal group-III nitride. The interface 17 avoids an increase in amount of oxide after the formation of the metal layer 15 for the electrode.
US08227894B2
A stepwise capacitor structure includes at least one stepwise conductive layer. The stepwise capacitor represents a feature of multiple capacitors. When currents flow through the stepwise capacitor, different current paths are presented in between an upper conductor and a bottom conductor of the stepwise capacitor in response to different current frequency; different inductor is induced in each path and decoupled by a stepwise capacitor structure as disclosed herein.
US08227889B2
A semiconductor device with a TSV and a shelter is provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a circuit area, at least a TSV and a shelter. The circuit area and the TSV are disposed on the substrate, and the TSV penetrates through the substrate. The shelter is disposed on the substrate and at least one part thereof is between the circuit area and the TSV in order to shelter EMI between the TSV and the circuit area. The novel structure prevents the circuits in the circuit area being affected by noise caused by TSV when TSV acts as a power pin.
US08227883B2
A solid-state imaging device having a color filter with high color reproducibility even in the case of using lighting of low color temperatures. The solid-state imaging device has a plurality of pixels arranged two-dimensionally, and comprises a color separation filter which allows transmission of light of a predetermined wavelength in incident light for each of the plurality of pixels, wherein the color separation filter includes: a visible-light and near-infrared filter having transmission bands in regions of a visible wavelength band and a near-infrared wavelength band; and a near-infrared normalization filter laminated with the visible-light and near-infrared filter, wherein the near-infrared normalization filter is substantially transparent in the visible wavelength band and a first near-infrared wavelength band, and is substantially not transparent in a second near-infrared wavelength band between the visible wavelength band and the first near-infrared wavelength band.
US08227882B2
A light-sensitive component which has a semiconductor junction between a thin relatively highly doped epitaxial layer and a relatively lightly doped semiconductor substrate. Outside a light incidence window, an insulating layer is arranged between epitaxial layer and semiconductor substrate. In this case, the thickness of the epitaxial layer is less than 50 nm, with the result that a large proportion of the light quanta incident in the light incidence window can be absorbed in the lightly doped semiconductor substrate.
US08227877B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor bio-sensor comprises providing a substrate, forming a first dielectric layer on the substrate, forming a patterned first conductive layer on the first dielectric layer, the patterned first conductive layer including a first portion and a pair of second portions, forming a second dielectric layer, a third dielectric layer and a fourth dielectric layer in sequence over the patterned first conductive layer, forming cavities into the fourth dielectric layer, forming vias through the cavities, exposing the second portions of the patterned first conductive layer, forming a patterned second conductive layer on the fourth dielectric layer, forming a passivation layer on the patterned second conductive layer, forming an opening to expose a portion of the third dielectric layer over the first portion of the patterned first conductive layer, and forming a chamber through the opening.
US08227861B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a source region formed over the substrate, a drain region formed over the substrate, a first gate electrode over the substrate adjacent to the source region and between the source and drain regions, and a second gate electrode over the substrate adjacent to the drain region and between the source and drain regions.
US08227855B2
Disclosed are semiconductor devices with breakdown voltages that are more controlled and stable after repeated exposure to breakdown conditions than prior art devices. The disclosed devices can be used to provide secondary circuit functions not previously contemplated by the prior art.
US08227851B2
It is an object of the invention to provide semiconductor devices which can protect privacy of consumers or holders of commercial products and control the communication range according to use, even when the semiconductor device which can exchange data without contact is mounted on the commercial products. A semiconductor device of the invention includes an element group including a plurality of transistors over a substrate; a first conductive film functioning as an antenna over the element group; a second conductive film surrounding the first conductive film; an insulating film covering the first and second end portions; and a third conductive film over the insulating film. The first conductive film is provided in the shape of a coil, and each end portion of the first conductive film is connected to the element group. First and second end portions of the second conductive film are not connected to each other.
US08227849B2
The invention is directed to an improved capacitor that reduces edge defects and prevents yield failures. A first embodiment of the invention comprises a protective layer adjacent an interface of a conductive layer with the insulator, while the second embodiment of the invention comprises a protective layer on an insulator which is on a conductive layer.
US08227848B2
A substrate is provided with a first wiring layer 111, an interlayer insulating film 132 on the first wiring layer 111, a hole 112A formed in the interlayer insulating film, a first metal layer 112 covering the hole 112A, a second metal layer 113 formed in the hole 112A, a dielectric insulating film 135 on the first metal layer 112, and second wiring layers 114-116 on the dielectric insulating film 135, wherein the first metal layer 112 constitutes at least part of the lower electrode, an area, facing the lower electrode, of the second wiring layers 114-116 constitutes the upper electrode, and a capacitor 160 is constructed of the lower electrode, the dielectric insulating film 135 and the upper electrode P1.
US08227847B2
The present invention describes an ultra High-Density Capacitor design, integrated in a semiconductor substrate, preferably a Si substrate, by using both wafer sides. The capacitors are pillar-shaped and comprise electrodes (930,950) separated by a dielectric layer (940). Via connections (920) are provided in trenches that go through the whole thickness of the wafer.
US08227842B2
An electronic device employing a graphene layer as a charge carrier layer. The graphene layer is sandwiched between layers that are constructed of a material having a highly ordered crystalline structure and a high dielectric constant. The highly ordered crystalline structure of the layers surrounding the graphene layer has low density of charged defects that can lead to scattering of charge carriers in the graphene layer. The high dielectric constant of the layers surrounding the graphene layer also prevents charge carrier scattering by minimizing interaction between the charge carriers and the charged defects in the surrounding layers. An interracial layer constructed of a thin, non-polar, dielectric material can also be provided between the graphene layer and each of the highly ordered crystalline high dielectric constant layers to minimize charge carrier scattering in the graphene layer through remote interfacial phonons.
US08227841B2
An impact ionization MOSFET is formed with the offset from the gate to one of the source/drain regions disposed vertically within the device structure rather than horizontally. The semiconductor device comprises a first source/drain region having a first doping level; a second source/drain region having a second doping level and of opposite dopant type to the first source/drain region, the first and second source/drain regions being laterally separated by a silicon-germanium intermediate region having a doping level less than either of the first and second doping levels; a gate electrode electrically insulated from, and disposed over, the intermediate region, the first and second source/drain regions being laterally aligned with the gate electrode; where the entire portion of the first source/drain region that forms a boundary with the intermediate region is separated vertically from the top of the intermediate region.
US08227836B2
A technology which allows a reduction in the thermal resistance of a semiconductor device and the miniaturization thereof is provided. The semiconductor device has a plurality of unit transistors Q, transistor formation regions 3a, 3b, and 3e each having a first number (e.g., seven) of the unit transistors Q, and transistor formation regions 3c and 3d each having a second number (e.g., four) of the unit transistors Q. The transistor formation regions 3c and 3d are located between the transistor formation regions 3a, 3b, 3e, and 3f, and the first number is larger than the second number.
US08227829B2
A semiconductor light emitting device (A) includes a semiconductor light emitting element (2) including a light emitting layer (22), a lead (1) formed with a reflector (11) that surrounds the semiconductor light emitting element (2), a light transmitting resin (4) covering the semiconductor light emitting element (2). The reflector (11) of the lead (1) includes a recess (12) at the bottom surface. The semiconductor light emitting element (2) is mounted to a bottom surface of the recess (12), with the light emitting layer (22) positioned outside the recess (12). A highly heat conductive material (3) having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the light transmitting resin (4) is loaded between the semiconductor light emitting element (2) and the recess (12).
US08227825B2
A high efficiency light emitting diode (LED) comprised of a substrate, a buffer layer grown on the substrate (if such a layer is needed), a first active region comprising primary emitting species (PES) that are electrically-injected, a second active region comprising secondary emitting species (SES) that are optically-pumped by the light emitted from the PES, and photonic crystals, wherein the photonic crystals act as diffraction gratings to provide high light extraction efficiency, to provide efficient excitation of the SES, and/or to modulate the far-field emission pattern.
US08227820B2
A semiconductor light-emitting diode, and method of fabricating same, wherein an indium (In)-containing light-emitting layer, as well as subsequent device layers, is deposited on a textured surface. The resulting device is a phosphor-free white light source.
US08227805B2
The present invention provides a method for forming by plasma CVD a silicon nitride film that can be formed over heat-sensitive elements as well as an electroluminescent element and that has favorable barrier characteristics. Further, the present invention also provides a semiconductor device, a display device and a light-emitting display device formed by using the silicon nitride film. In the method for forming a silicon nitride film by plasma CVD, silane (SiH4), nitrogen (N2) and a rare gas are introduced into a deposition chamber in depositing, and the reaction pressure is within the range from 0.01 Torr to 0.1 Torr.
US08227804B2
An organic light-emitting display device including: a gate electrode formed on a substrate; a first insulating layer formed on the gate electrode; an active layer formed on the first insulating layer, facing the gate electrode; a second insulating layer formed on the first insulating layer, having first openings to expose the active layer; source/drain electrodes formed on the second insulating layer, so as to be connected to exposed portions of the active layer through the first openings; and a metal layer formed on the active layer and contacting the second insulating layer.
US08227803B2
An organic electroluminescent display device includes at least one switching transistor and driving transistor formed on an array substrate, wherein the array substrate includes a gate pad and a date pad formed thereon; a contact electrode, a gate pad top electrode of the gate pad and a data pad top electrode of the data pad formed on a passivation layer, a contact electrode, a top gate pad electrode and a top data pad electrode electrically connected to the exposed portion of a drain electrode of the driving transistor, a gate pad bottom electrode and a data pad bottom electrode respectively; a light-emitting cell including a cathode electrode, an anode electrode and an organic layer interposed therebetween formed on the planarization layer; wherein the cathode electrode is electrically connected to the contact electrode via one of the contact hole; wherein the contact electrode has acid-resistance with respect to an etchant used in patterning the cathode electrode.
US08227802B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device in which data can be written except when manufacturing the semiconductor device and that counterfeits can be prevented. Moreover, it is another object of the invention to provide an inexpensive semiconductor device including a memory having a simple structure. The semiconductor device includes a field effect transistor formed over a single crystal semiconductor substrate, a first conductive layer formed over the field effect transistor, an organic compound layer formed over the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer formed over the organic compound layer, and a memory element includes the first conductive layer, the organic compound, and the second conductive layer. According to the above structure, a semiconductor device which can conduct non-contact transmission/reception of data can be provided by possessing an antenna.
US08227800B2
The device includes at least one optoelectronic component positioned on a substrate and at least one transparent face. The component is covered by a packaging layer which includes at least one barrier layer and a moisture-reactive layer. The reactive layer includes a moisture-reactive material chosen from alkaline-earth metals, alkali metals and organo-metallic derivatives. The material can be positioned in the moisture-reactive layer in the form of a continuous layer or in the form of a plurality of nodules dispersed in an organic matrix.
US08227794B2
Provided is a complementary logical gate device represented by a silicon CMOS logical circuit among semiconductor integrated logical circuits which can effectively solve the problem of the speed performance limit of an ultra-large scale integration and an ultra-low power consumption type logical circuit. The complementary logical gate includes an electron running layer formed by grapheme without using an n-channel FET or a p-channel FET, has the ambipolar characteristic, and uses only two FET having different threshold values, i.e., a first FET and a second FET. The first FET has a gate electrode short-circuited to a gate electrode of the second FET so as to constitute an input terminal. The first FET has a source electrode set to a low potential. The first FET has a drain electrode connected to a source electrode of the second FET so as to constitute an output terminal. The second FET has a drain electrode set to a high potential.
US08227793B2
Apparatuses capable of and techniques for detecting the visible light spectrum are provided.
US08227783B2
A resistive sense memory cell includes a layer of crystalline praseodymium calcium manganese oxide and a layer of amorphous praseodymium calcium manganese oxide disposed on the layer of crystalline praseodymium calcium manganese oxide forming a resistive sense memory stack. A first and second electrode are separated by the resistive sense memory stack. The resistive sense memory cell can further include an oxygen diffusion barrier layer separating the layer of crystalline praseodymium calcium manganese oxide from the layer of amorphous praseodymium calcium manganese oxide a layer. Methods include depositing an amorphous praseodymium calcium manganese oxide disposed on the layer of crystalline praseodymium calcium manganese oxide forming a resistive sense memory stack.
US08227781B2
Variable-tilt specimen holder and method and for monitoring milling in a charged-particle instrument
An apparatus for monitoring sample milling in a charged-particle instrument has a variable-tilt specimen holder attached to the instrument tilt stage. The variable-tilt specimen holder includes a first pivoting plate having a slot for holding a specimen rotatably supported in the specimen holder. The first pivoting plate has a range of rotation sufficient to move the axis of thinning of the specimen from a first position where the tilt stage is placed at its maximum range of tilt and the angle between the preferred axis of thinning of the specimen and the axis of the ion beam column of the instrument is greater than zero, to a second position where the axis for thinning of the specimen is substantially parallel to the axis of the ion-beam column. A light detector intercepts light passing through the specimen as it is thinned to determine an endpoint for milling of the specimen.
US08227777B2
The present invention relates to a method of operating an electrical discharge device (12) comprising at least one first electrode (14) and at least one second electrode (16) at a distance therefrom, which electrodes are electrically connected to a power supply (18) and, upon ignition of a first gas discharge (22) between the electrodes (14, 16), transmit an electrical current (I), as a result of which a plasma (24) is produced in a working gas (26), which plasma emits radiation (28), in particular extreme ultraviolet and/or soft X-ray radiation, which is passed via a solid angle (30) into a chamber (32) outside the electrodes (14, 16). In order to prevent erosion at the electrodes (14, 16), it is proposed that the formation of a secondary plasma (34) in the chamber (32) is suppressed by a device (42).
US08227774B2
A method and system for photomask pattern generation is provided, and more specifically, a method and system for feature function aware priority printing is provided. The method of printing a photolithographic mask includes fracturing mask design data into write shapes that are multiples of a spot size and passing fractured mask design data to a write tool. Additionally, the method includes writing one or more non-critical shapes according to one or more time-saving rules.
US08227772B2
An apparatus that forms a source bushing, while comprehending the possible formation of electrically conductive films thereon, is disclosed. Such an apparatus may advantageously be used to isolate an ion source from other components within the ion implanter, as these components may be at different electrical potentials. In one embodiment, the source bushing is constructed from a material having a lower electrical resistance than is currently used. By constructing the bushing in this manner, the effects of the applied lower resistance films is reduced, as the change in effective resistance is reduced. In other embodiments, the source bushing is purposely lined with an electrically semiconducting material, so that the effects of the later applied lining are minimized. In either case, the electrical potential between the two devices that are being isolated by the bushing is more evenly applied across the bushing.
US08227760B2
A method of operating a device for the handling of containers, wherein the containers are conveyed at least locally through the device and are handled by the device in at least one pre-set manner, and wherein at least one flowable medium is used to operate the device. According to various aspects, pre-set areas of the device are irradiated by means of a radiation device in order to make at least one medium detectable in an area of the device in which the medium is present in a non-functional manner.
US08227757B2
An imaging apparatus includes a detector, having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, for performing first and second radiography operations, a bias light source, and a control unit that controls the operation of the detector and the bias light source. In the first radiography operation, image data corresponding to radiation in a first radiation field corresponding to some of the pixels is output. In the second radiography operation, image data corresponding to radiation in a second radiation field larger than the first radiation field is output. In accordance with a change from the first radiation field to the second radiation field, the operation of the bias light source is controlled so that the irradiation with the bias light is performed during a period between the first and second radiography operations at a bias-light integral dose determined based on radiation integral dose information in the first radiography operation.
US08227743B2
The present invention relates to an arrangement for a selection of a wavelength including a wavelength source for providing a plurality of wavelengths, a wavelength selector for allowing a selection of a desired wavelength from the wavelength source, and a wavelength detector to detect a selected wavelength for subsequent use.
US08227737B2
An imaging device including: an electronic shutter and a pixel array part. The pixel array part has a plurality of pixels with different characteristics of spectral sensitivity arranged in an array and which converts light transmitted through the pixel into an electric signal. The pixel array part has a plurality of color pixels and at least one clear pixel, the plurality of color pixels including (i) a first color filter pixel having a peak of spectral sensitivity characteristics in red, (ii) a second color filter pixel having a peak in blue, and (iii) a third color filter pixel having a peak in green. At least a portion of the plurality of color filter pixels is arranged in an oblique pixel array system and at least one clear pixel having a high transmittance is arranged in the oblique pixel array system at a given position of a given row and a given column with respect to the first color filter pixel, the second color filter pixel, and the third color filter pixel; and the electronic shutter is separately driven for the at least one clear pixel and for the plurality of color filter pixels.
US08227727B2
The trolley (10) for dispensing meal trays (11) comprises a parallelepipedic enclosure (12) equipped with two doors (15, 16) and two side panels (17, 18), hot plates (35) superposed in the central zone of the enclosure (12), plate supports (39, 40), and first and second slides (43, 44, 45, 46) arranged along the side panels (17, 18). The trolley (10) comprises: openings made in the side panels (17, 18) of the enclosure (12) to house add-on elements added from the outside of the side panels (17, 18) and salient inside the side panels (17, 18) by insertion in said openings, support means arranged near the open faces (13, 14), rigid panels (25, 26, 27) forming the bodywork, fixed onto the support means.
US08227726B2
Disclosed is a ceramic heater capable of preventing failures due to the thermal stress, such as cracks, and corrosion by a calcium component. The ceramic heater has a heating element including at least one substance selected from silicides, nitrides and carbides of molybdenum and silicides, nitrides and carbides of tungsten as a main component, and a base mainly containing silicon nitride in which the heating element is embedded, wherein the base includes: a rare earth element component in an amount from 4 to 25% by mass in terms of an oxide thereof; a silicide of chromium in an amount from 1 to 8% by mass in terms of chromium silicide; and an aluminum component in an amount from 0.02 to 1.0% by mass in terms of aluminum nitride.
US08227714B2
A switch assembly is provided to actuate a pair of switches using a single push key. e.g. for a camera that utilizes a first switch to activate an image focusing function and a second switch to activate a camera shutter. The switch assembly comprises a contact pad switch and a dome switch that are located laterally to one another. When the push key receives a first downward force, only the contact pad switch becomes activated and a first electric circuit is completed. When the push key receives a second downward force that is greater than the first force, the dome switch collapses and a second electric circuit is completed.
US08227707B2
A circuit board has a multilayer substrate having a surface earth pattern and a signal line on a surface of the multilayer substrate and an inner earth pattern in the multilayer substrate. A connecting conductor pattern is arranged at an end of the inner earth pattern and on a side face of the multilayer substrate. The connecting conductor pattern electrically connects the surface earth pattern with the inner earth pattern. A connector has an inner conductor and an outer conductor, with the inner conductor electrically connected with the signal line, and the outer conductor electrically connected with the connecting conductor pattern.
US08227704B2
Disclosed is a printed circuit board including an electromagnetic bandgap structure. The electromagnetic bandgap structure, which includes a first dielectric material for interlayer insulation and is for blocking a noise, is inserted into the printed circuit board. The electromagnetic bandgap structure can include a first conductive plate, a second conductive plate arranged on a planar surface that is different from that of the first conductive plate, a third conductive plate arranged on a same planar surface as the first conductive plate, and a stitching via unit configured to connect the first conductive plate and the third conductive plate through the planar surface on which the second conductive plate is arranged. A second dielectric material having a permittivity that is different from that of the first dielectric material is interposed between any two of the first conductive plate, the second conductive plate, and the third conductive plate.
US08227703B2
A multilayered circuit board of the present invention has a single-side laminated structure and does not include a core substrate having via-holes formed therethrough and vias for providing electrical connection through the via-holes. The multilayered circuit board includes a plurality of pairs of layers, each pair including a conductor circuit layer and an insulator layer, wherein a glass transition temperature of each insulator layer is 170° C. or higher, a coefficient of thermal expansion at the glass transition temperature or lower of each insulator layer is 35 ppm or less, and a modulus of elasticity of each insulator layer is 5 GPa or more.
US08227692B2
A system for enclosing an instrument, module or other assembly in an explosion-proof housing. The system includes an upper housing portion that includes a first threaded portion and, optionally, a transparent window portion; a lower housing portion that has a second threaded portion that is structured and arranged to cooperate with the first threaded portion to provide a tight, air- and water-tight fit; and an inner mounting assembly for supporting an instrument, module, electrical circuit, electrical device, display device, or other assembly. In pertinent part, the lower housing portion includes integrated bosses that provide horizontal surfaces for supporting the inner mounting assembly and for releasably attaching the inner mounting assembly to the lower housing portion. The number of positioning of the bosses and the number and positioning of mounting studs on the inner mounting assembly are designed to mount the inner mounting assembly within the lower housing portion in a manner that is independent of the mounting orientation of the lower housing portion.
US08227686B2
A solar cell is disclosed that may include a quantum dot, an electron conductor, and a bifunctional ligand disposed between the quantum dot and the electron conductor. The bifunctional ligand may include a first anchor group that bonds to the quantum dot and a second anchor group that bonds to the electron conductor. The solar cell may include a hole conductor that is configured to reduce the quantum dot once the quantum dot absorbs a photon and ejects an electron through the bifunctional ligand and into the electron conductor. The hole conductor may be a p-type polymer.
US08227683B2
System, method, and apparatus are provided for harvesting electrical energy from a photovoltaic source of electrical energy. The photovoltaic source has power-generating characteristics defined by a family of voltage-current curves comprising points of maximum electrical power over a respective range of at least one of the following for the photovoltaic source: distinct illumination intensities and distinct temperatures. The apparatus is made up of a switching converter coupled to the photovoltaic source. The converter has an input voltage-current curve having a predefined functional relationship between the input voltage and the input current. The predefined functional relationship of the input voltage-current curve of the converter is configured to provide during operation of the converter an approximation with respect to at least some of the points of maximum electrical power for the photovoltaic source without having to perform current and voltage calculations corresponding to a maximum power from the photovoltaic source.
US08227678B2
In general, the present invention provides a tailpiece for a musical instrument. Among other things, the tailpiece includes a treble side, a bass side, and a surface topography (i.e., along its bottom surface) causes the tailpiece to twist/rock when the bass side is brought under tension. Among other features, the topography includes a protrusion positioned proximate the treble side, and that comes in contact with the actual musical instrument. The twisting or rocking action causes a lower set of strings attached to the tailpiece to be lengthened, thus, creating difference musical sounds and/or tones.
US08227677B2
The present invention provides a valve assembly designed to regulate air flow through a musical instrument and is designed to avoid bumps typically associated with valve construction that result in distortion and other harmful effects on vibrating columns of air that pass there-through. The valve assembly comprises: a cylindrical-shaped valve casing having openings formed therein that define at least one ingress and at least one egress through which vibrating columns of air pass; and a valve piston received within the valve casing and linearly displaceable therein, the valve piston comprising at least one passageway having a cross-section that is open and u-shaped, whereby other passageways formed in the valve piston are bump-free. The present invention also provides a valve assembly comprising: a cylindrical-shaped valve casing having openings formed therein that define at least one ingress and at least one egress through which vibrating columns of air pass; and a rotary valve received within the valve casing and rotatably displaceable therein. The rotary valve comprises a pair of passageways formed asymmetrically in the body of the rotary valve and at least one of the pair of passageways having a substantially circular cross-section. The rotary valve being further characterized with a land between opening of one of the pair of passageways and the absence of a land for the other of the pair of passageways so as to minimize distortion.
US08227672B1
Basically, this invention provides for an inbred corn line designated NPID3594, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line NPID3594 with plants of another corn plant. The invention relates to the various parts of inbred NPID3594 including culturable cells. This invention also relates to methods for introducing transgenic transgenes into inbred corn line NPID3594 and plants produced by said methods.
US08227669B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XBP30003 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XBP30003, cells from soybean variety XBP30003, plants of soybean XBP30003, and plant parts of soybean variety XBP30003. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XBP30003 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic, mutant trait, and/or native trait into soybean variety XBP30003, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XBP30003. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XBP30003 are further provided.
US08227667B2
The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having cellobiohydrolase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.
US08227657B2
A preformed wound shield includes a frame formed of one or more layers of suitable material and any suitable covering. Exudate absorbing or transporting material may also be one of two or more layers of material forming the frame.
US08227650B2
A process for the selective hydrogenation of dienes and acetylenes in a mixed hydrocarbon stream from a pyrolysis steam cracker in which a front end a one step acetylene hydrogenation is carried out using catalyst comprising (A) 1 to 30 wt. % based on the total weight of the catalyst of a catalytic component of nickel only or nickel and one or more elements selected from the group consisting of copper, rhenium, palladium, zinc, gold, silver, magnesium, molybdenum, calcium and bismuth deposited on (B) a support having the a BET surface area of from 1 to about 100 m2/gram, total nitrogen pore volume of from 0.2 to about 0.9 cc/gram and an average pore diameter of from about 110 to 450 Å under conditions of temperature and pressure to selectively hydrogenate acetylenes and dienes. The process hydrogenates the dienes and acetylenes to olefins without loss of ethylene and propylene in the light and heavy products which eliminates the need for further processing of the heavier stream. In addition the amount of polymerization in the lower part of the distillation column reactor is reduced.
US08227641B2
Process for the preparation of polyfunctional amines of the formulae by hydrogenation of the associated nitriles of the formulae with hydrogen, where A is an aromatic or aliphatic compound from the group of unsubstituted or substituted phenylene or naphthylene, methylene, unsubstituted or substituted ethylene, propylene, unsubstituted or substituted straight-chain or branched butylene, pentylene, hexylene, heptylene, octylene, nonylene, decylene and B is a straight-chain or branched aliphatic carbon chain having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and X can be missing or is a straight-chain or branched aliphatic carbon chain having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein a melt, solution or suspension of the nitrile of formula (III) or (IV) is added over the course of the reaction time to a suspension or solution of a catalyst in a solvent which comprises ammonia and is stirred at a temperature range from 60 to 150° C. under hydrogen pressure.
US08227631B2
The present invention provides certain improvements in methods for processing vegetable oils and apparatus for carrying out such methods. One embodiment provides a method for processing a partially processed oil including glycerides and a volatilizable impurity fraction. The partially processed oil may processed by driving off a first volatiles stream comprising a portion of the glycerides and at least a portion of the volatilizable impurity fraction, leaving a deodorized oil. The first volatiles stream may be introduced into a first condensing chamber and a glyceride-rich, impurity-poor first condensate may be condensed from the first volatiles stream, leaving a glyceride-poor, impurity-rich second volatiles stream. The second volatiles stream may be passed into a second condensing chamber and a glyceride-poor, impurity-rich second condensate may be condensed from the second volatiles stream.
US08227628B2
The inventors disclose here a novel, facile approach to the synthesis of acetonide-protected catechol-containing compounds having at least one amine group. In specific embodiments, the invention provides novel methods of synthesizing 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (H-DOPA(acetonide)-OH (6)), Fmoc-protected H-DOPA(acetonide)-OH (Fmoc-DOPA(acetonide)-OH (7)), Fmoc-protected dopamine (Fmoc-dopamine(acetonide) (10)), TFA-protected dopamine (TFA-dopamine(acetonide) (13)) and acetonide-protected 4-(2-aminoethyl)benzene-1,2-diol (acetonide-protected dopamine (14)).
US08227621B2
The present invention provides for cyanine dyes as near IR quenchers. The cyanine dyes have absorption wavelengths in the near-infrared region of about 650-900 nm and are essentially non-fluorescent. The dyes of the invention have at least one linking group. The present invention also provides substantially non-fluorescent, NIR probes. Biological assays based on these novel, substantially non-fluorescent, NIR probes are also provided.
US08227605B2
The present invention relates to novel Anilinopiperazine Derivatives of formula (I), compositions comprising the Anilinopiperazine Derivatives, and methods for using the Anilinopiperazine Derivatives for treating or preventing a proliferative disorder, an anti-proliferative disorder, inflammation, arthritis, a central nervous system disorder, a cardiovascular disease, alopecia, a neuronal disease, an ischemic injury, a viral disease, a fungal infection, or a disorder related to the activity of a protein kinase.
US08227602B2
The invention relates to new proteins called alkylcytosine transferases (ACTs) derived from O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase, and to substrates for ACTs specifically transferring a label to these ACTs and to fusion proteins comprising these. The substrates according of the invention are substituted cytosines of formula (I) wherein R1 is an aromatic or a heteroaromatic group, or an optionally substituted unsaturated alkyl, cycloalkyl or heterocyclyl group with the double bond connected to OCH2—; R2 is a linker; and L is a label or a plurality of same or different labels. The invention further relates to methods of transferring label L from these substrates of formula (I) to ACTs and ACT fusion proteins. The system of ACT-compound of formula (I) is particularly suitable for double labelling studies together with the known system O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT)-benzylguanines.
US08227597B2
A process of preparing a quinolone carboxylic acid or its derivatives having Formula I, Ia, or IV, as shown herein, comprises using a starting quinolone that already has one or more desired substituents at one or more particular positions on the quinolone ring and preserving the orientation of such substituents throughout the synthesis. The present process comprises fewer steps than prior-art processes. The present process also can include a simple separation of a desired enantiomer of the quinolone carboxylic acid or its derivatives from the enantiomeric mixture. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising fluoroquinolones prepared by the present process can be used effectively against a variety of microbial pathogens.
US08227589B2
The present invention provides compositions and their use in diagnosing and/or distinguishing inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome.
US08227587B2
The invention relates to Dengue chimeric viruses which are less prone to accumulate point mutations and genetic variations. In these Dengue chimeric viruses, the NS5 gene, which encodes polymerase, has been replaced by the corresponding NS5 sequence of a Yellow Fever virus.
US08227585B2
The invention refers to a fully human miniantibody (scFv), called Erbicin, specific for the receptor ErbB2, with a pharmacological, in particular antitumour, activity. It has been obtained from a larger fagmidic library (Griffin 1.) (19) of human synthetic scFv by panning (affinity selection on antigen) carried out on live cells that express various levels of ErbB2. The invention relates also to the DNA and amino acid sequences of said antibody, to the procedure for isolating it, to its use in therapy.
US08227580B2
In accordance with the present invention, there are provided fully human monoclonal antibodies against human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-r). Nucleotide sequences encoding and amino acid sequences comprising heavy and light chain immunoglobulin molecules, particularly sequences corresponding to contiguous heavy and light chain sequences from CDR1 through CDR3, are provided. Hybridomas expressing such immunoglobulin molecules and monoclonal antibodies are also provided. Also provided in accordance with the invention are antibodies that possess one or more of the following functional characteristics: (i) inhibit tyrosine phosphorylation of EGF-r, (ii) do not inhibit EGF-r internalization, (ii) inhibit EGF-r degradation, (iii) inhibition of EGF induced EGF-r degradation, (iv) protect threonine phosphorylation of EGF-r, (v) protect threonine phosphorylation of other molecules, particularly a 62 KD molecule identified by immunoprecipitation, and (vi) inhibit vascular endothelial cell growth factor signal by tumor cells by greater than 50% and endothelial cells by greater than 40% relative to control.
US08227575B2
Antibodies that bind to polypeptides and peptides comprising the sequence of zalpha11 Ligand as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 are described. The antibodies may bind the full length sequence of 162 amino acid residues or a fragment thereof, including a mature polypeptide of 131 amino acid residues and smaller polypeptide and peptide sequences. The antibodies may include antibodies that are polyclonal, monoclonal, murine, humanized or neutralizing. Methods for producing the antibodies are also described.
US08227570B2
The present invention provides a peptide-type compound which induces secretion of growth hormone and which has the activity of increasing the intracellular calcium ion concentration, wherein at least one amino acid is replaced by a modified amino acid and/or a non-amino acid compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US08227564B2
The invention provides for ethylene copolymers having a polymodal CD, wherein under temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF) analysis the ethylene copolymers evidence at least two peaks.
US08227562B2
A polymer includes at a terminus a cyclic amine radical bonded to the polymer through a ring nitrogen atom. The polymer can be provided by using a lithiated version of the cyclic amine to initiate polymerization of one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers. The polymer can be used in the production in a variety of vulcanizates.
US08227558B2
Methods for preparing polymeric reagents bearing a maleimide are provided. Also provided are related compositions.
US08227548B2
A fluoropolymer coating composition that may be applied over a primer and/or at least one midcoat in a non-stick coating system. The coating composition may be prepared and applied in the form of a liquid dispersion, and includes at least one fluoropolymer base component, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and, in particular, at least one high molecular weight PTFE (HPTFE). The coating composition additionally includes a blended fluoropolymer composition. The blended fluoropolymer composition is a blend of at least one low molecular weight PTFE (LPTFE) and at least one melt-processible fluoropolymer. After application directly to a substrate or over an underlying coating, the coating demonstrates improved abrasion and scratch resistance, as well as improved release characteristics, as compared to known coatings that include only HPTFE or HPTFE with a small amount of melt processible fluoropolymer.
US08227547B2
This invention relates to a foamable blend comprising an in-reactor polymer blend comprising: (a) a first propylene polymer component comprising 90 to 100 wt % propylene and from 0 to less than 10 wt % comonomer, said first propylene component having a Tm of 120° C. or more; and (b) a second propylene polymer component comprising from 30 to 90 wt % propylene and 70 to 10 wt % comonomer, said second propylene polymer having an Mw of 30,000 g/mol or more, and said second propylene-containing polymer having a crystallinity different by at least 5% from the first polymer, wherein the polymer blend, prior to combination with a foaming agent, has: (i) a Tm of at least 120° C.; (ii) a MFR of 10 dg/min or more; (iii) a tensile strength of at least 8 MPa; (iv) an elongation at break of at least 200%, and (v) a ratio of elongational viscosity at break to linear viscosity of 5 or more when the elongational viscosity is measured at a strain rate of 1 sec−1 and temperature of 180° C.; and where when the blend is foamed with a foaming agent, the foamed article has a density of 800 kg/m3 or less.
US08227542B2
An aqueous dispersion of polymeric particles and process for forming thereof is provided. The particles comprise a first polymer comprising, when dry, at least one void; and, substantially encapsulating the first polymer, at least one second polymer comprising, as polymerized units, at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer.
US08227540B2
The present invention is a composition for making a three-dimensional object. The composition comprises a plasticizer and a base polymer, where the base polymer comprises a carboxylic acid, where the composition is soluble in an alkaline solution.
US08227539B2
A photocurable ink composition includes: a polymerizable compound; a radical photopolymerization initiator; a hindered amine compound; and a metallic pigment, the polymerizable compound including an active hydrogen-containing functional group.
US08227538B2
A rubber mixture with improved abrasion with improved abrasion performance, in particular for pneumatic tires, has the following composition: from 30 to 100 phr of at least one diene rubber; from 0.1 to 10 phr of at least one vulcanization accelerator selected from the group consisting of: thiazole accelerators, mercapto accelerators, sulfenamide accelerators, guanidine accelerators, thiuram accelerators, dithiocarbamate accelerators, amine accelerators, thioureas, and/or other accelerators; and a vulcanization system of sulfur comprising elemental sulfur, sulfur donor and silane between 0.25 and 0.08 moles per 100 parts by weight of the rubber elastometer, whereby the free sulfur contributes in the range of 0 to 70%, the sulfur donor contributes in the range of 5 to 30%, and the silane contributes in the range of 20 to 95%.
US08227536B2
A solder paste comprising a solder alloy powder and a flux. The volumetric expansion at the time of melting of the solder alloy is at most 0.5%. The flux contains a bisphenol A epoxy resin and a curing agent selected from a carboxylic anhydride and a dicarboxylic acid. The solder paste can be used in applications suitable for high-temperature solders. The solder alloy has an alloy composition comprising, in mass percent, 70-98% of Bi, a total of 0-0.5% of at least one substance selected from Ag, Cu, Sb, In, Zn, Ni, Cr, Fe, Mo, P, Ge, and Ga, and a remainder of Sn.
US08227515B2
Method of treating a tumor in a patient in need thereof by administering to the patient an effective amount of 4-[6-(diethylaminomethyl)naphth-2-ylmethyloxycarbamoyl]benzohydrozamic acid.
US08227513B2
The object of the invention comprises food compositions, to which one or more acetaldehyde-binding compounds are added. The purpose of the compositions is to reduce the amount of detrimental acetaldehyde in the area of the mouth, the pharynx, the oesophagus, the stomach, and the small and large intestines, and through this, to reduce the risk of developing cancers in these areas.
US08227512B2
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention and treatment of cancer comprising daurinol as an active ingredient, more precisely a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention and treatment of cancer comprising daurinol isolated from the medicinal plant of Mongolia, Haplophyllum dauricum or Haplophyllum cappadocicum, as an active ingredient. Daurinol can selectively block the S phase of cancer cell cycle to disturb the cycle and induce apoptosis stepwise, resulting in anticancer effect. Therefore, daurinol of the present invention can be used as a positive control chemical in the research and development field of cancer biology especially for cancer therapy and prevention. Daurinol also can be a promising candidate for a novel cell cycle blocker and a novel apoptosis inducer which could be effectively used for the prevention and treatment of cancer in the end.
US08227494B2
Novel 1,2,4-oxadiazole benzoic acid compounds, methods of using and pharmaceutical compositions comprising an 1,2,4-oxadiazole benzoic acid derivative are disclosed. The methods include methods of treating or preventing a disease ameliorated by modulation of premature translation termination or nonsense-mediated mRNA decay, or ameliorating one or more symptoms associated therewith.
US08227491B2
The present invention relates to a compound of formula I, in all its isomeric forms and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, their manufacture, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as medicaments for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases which can be treated with HDL-cholesterol raising agents, such as dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.
US08227490B2
Compounds of the formula (I) are disclosed and are suitable for the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis.
US08227487B2
Behavioral pharmacological data with the compound of formula (I), a novel and selective 5HT2A/2C receptor inverse agonist, demonstrate in vivo efficacy in models of psychosis and dyskinesias. This includes activity in reversing MK-801 induced locomotor behaviors, suggesting that this compound may be an efficacious anti-psychotic, and activity in an MPTP primate model of dyskinesias, suggesting efficacy as an anti-dyskinesia agent. These data support the hypothesis that 5HT2A/2C receptor inverse agonism may confer antipsychotic and anti-dyskinetic efficacy in humans, and indicate a use of the compound of formula (I) and related agents as novel therapeutics for Parkinson's Disease, related human neurodegenerative diseases, and psychosis.
US08227485B2
The invention relates to novel benzimidazole and imidazopyridine derivatives having general formula (I), which have a good affinity with certain sub-types of melanocortin receptors, particularly MC4 receptors. Said derivatives are particularly suitable for the treatment of pathological states and diseases involving one or more melanocortin receptors. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing said products.
US08227484B2
Pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating neurological disorders by administering same are provided. The compositions comprise dextromethorphan in combination with quinidine.
US08227481B2
Substituted piperidine spiro pyrrolidinone and piperidinone, preparation and therapeutic use thereof
The present disclosure relates to a series of substituted N-phenyl-bipyrrolidine carboxamides of formula (I). wherein R1, R2, R3, m, n and p are as described herein. More specifically, the compounds of this invention are modulators of H3 receptors and are, therefore, useful as pharmaceutical agents, especially in the treatment and/or prevention of a variety of diseases modulated by H3 receptors including diseases associated with the central nervous system. Additionally, methods of preparation of substituted N-phenyl-bipyrrolidine carboxamides and intermediates therefor are disclosed.
US08227476B2
The invention relates to a method for the treatment of obesity and related diseases comprising the administration of a therapeutically effective amount of Flibanserin.
US08227475B2
The invention comprises (1) anhydrous crystalline forms of N-[1-(2-ethoxyethyl)-5-(N-ethyl-N-methylamino)-7-(4-methylpyridin-2-yl-amino)-1H-pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidine-3-carbonyl]methanesulfonamide, (2) pharmaceutical compositions comprising at least one such form, (3) methods for the treatment of a phosphodiesterase-5-mediated condition using at least one such form, and (4) methods for preparing such forms. The compound N-[1-(2-ethoxyethyl)-5-(N-ethyl-N-methylamino)-7-(4-methylpyridin-2-yl-amino)-1H-pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidine-3-carbonyl]methanesulfonamide has the following structure (I).
US08227474B2
The present invention relates to pyrazinoylguanidine sodium channel blocker compounds represented by formula (I): as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds and their use in promoting hydration of mucosal surfaces, restoring mucosal defense, and promoting mucus clearance, as well as methods of treatment for chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, rhinosinusitis, nasal dehydration, asthma, ciliary dyskinesia, otitis media, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, and Sjögren's disease.
US08227472B2
Substituted pyrrolo-pyrazole derivatives of formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, as defined in the specification, process for their preparation and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them are disclosed; the compounds of the invention may be useful in therapy in the treatment of diseases associated with dysregulated protein kinase activity, like cancer.
US08227456B2
The present invention relates to a use of a specific alpha-arylmethoxyacrylate derivative, or its pharmacologically acceptable salt or solvate for preventing and treating metabolic bone diseases.
US08227449B2
Glycosaminoglycans derived from K5 polysaccharide having high anticoagulant and antithrombotic activity and useful for the control of coagulation and as antithrombotic agents are obtained starting from an optionally purified K5 polysaccharide by a process comprising the steps of N-deacetylation/N-sulfation, C5 epimerization, O-oversulfation, selective O-desulfation, 6-O-sulfation, N-sulfation, and optional depolymerization, in which said epimerization is performed with the use of the enzyme glucoronosyl C5 epimerase in solution or in immobilized form in the presence of divalent cations. New, particularly interesting antithrombin compounds are obtained by controlling the reaction time in the selective O-desulfation step and submitting the product obtained at the end of the final N-sulfation step to depolymerization.
US08227448B2
A nutritional composition having beneficial effect in the gastrointestinal tract, especially an anti-adhesion effect on pathogenic micro-organisms and a bifidogenic effect, contains non-digestible oligosaccharides, said oligosaccharides comprising, per daily dosage, 0.3-10 g of oligosaccharides containing at least one terminal arabinose unit. The nutritional composition may furthermore comprise 0.5-10 g of other non-digestible oligosaccharides selected from fructo-oligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides, xylo-oligosaccharides and manno-oligosaccharides. The arabino-oligosaccharides can be obtained conveniently by controlled hydrolysis of arabinose-containing polysaccharides from natural (vegetable) origin.
US08227445B2
The invention encompasses a composition for regulating smooth muscle cells. In particular, the invention encompasses a vector comprising a smooth muscle promoter operably-linked to a nucleic acid encoding a calcium-activated potassium channel.
US08227442B2
The HIV regulatory proteins Tat and Rev accumulate in nucleoli of human cells. No functional role has been attributed to this localization. Recently it was demonstrated that expression of Rev induces nucleolar re-localization of some nuclear factors involved in Rev export. Thus, it is likely that the nucleolus plays a critical role in Rev-mediated export of singly spliced and unspliced HIV-1 RNAs. As a test for trafficking of HIV-1 RNAs into the nucleolus, a hammerhead ribozyme which specifically cleaves HIV-1 RNA was joined to the U16 snoRNA resulting in accumulation of the ribozyme within nucleoli of human cells. Stably transduced human T-cells expressing this nucleolar localized ribozyme dramatically suppressed HIV-1 replication, confirming a possible trafficking of the HIV RNA through the nucleoli of human cells. In addition, a TAR element which binds Tat was joined to the U16 snoRNA, also resulting in localization in the nucleoli and inhibiting HIV replication.
US08227440B2
The present invention relates to therapeutic use of Myxoma virus. Myxomas virus can selectively infect cells that have a deficient innate anti-viral response, including cells that are not responsive to interferon and can be used to treat diseases characterized by the presence of such cells, including cancer.
US08227439B2
The present invention is directed to methods and methods for the treatment, inhibition and/or reduction, and detection of metastatic tumors. In some embodiments, the inventive methods include systemic (e.g., intravenous) administration of a chlorotoxin agent that may or may not be labeled. In some embodiments, the inventive methods allow treatment, inhibition and/or reduction, and detection of metastases in the brain. In some embodiments, neovascularization is inhibited and/or newly formed vessels are caused to regress.
US08227434B1
The subject invention pertains to materials and methods for treating oncological disorders. The subject invention also pertains to materials and methods for preventing or reducing the development by cancer cells of resistance to an anticancer therapy, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and/or immunotherapy. In one embodiment, a patient is treated with an agent that inhibits cholesterol synthesis or that prevents or reduces the increase in cholesterol synthesis observed in therapy-resistant cancer cells. In another embodiment, a patient is treated with an agent that increases the expression, activity, or amount of a Bim protein in a cell. In another embodiment, a patient is treated with an agent to inhibit or reduce cancer cell adhesion to extracellular matrices or stromal cells. In another embodiment, a patient is treated with an agent to inhibit expression of a gene of function of a protein of the FANC/BRCA pathway. In a further embodiment, a patient is treated with an agent to prevent or reduce the DNA crosslink repair function of a cell.
US08227429B2
This invention relates to a method for making macrolides, and, in particular, a method for making optionally substituted 20,23-dipiperidinyl-5-O-mycaminosyl-tylonolide and derivatives thereof, as well as uses of macrolides to make medicaments, methods of treatment using macrolides, and methods for making intermediates that, inter alia, may be used to make macrolides. This invention also relates to solvated and non-solvated crystalline forms of 20,23-dipiperidinyl-5-O-mycaminosyl-tylonolide, as well as methods for making such crystalline forms, medicaments comprising (or derived from) such crystalline forms, methods for making medicaments comprising (or derived from) such crystalline forms, methods of treatment using such crystalline forms, and kits comprising such crystalline forms.
US08227420B2
The present invention relates to compositions and methods for treating immune system diseases such as rheumatic disease, by administering to a subject soluble CTLA4 molecules that block endogenous B7 molecules from binding their ligands, alone, or in conjunction with other agents including Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs).
US08227419B2
The invention provides a method for improving airway conductance in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of one or more of tumstatin; a derivative, variant or homologue thereof, a polynucleotide encoding tumstatin or a derivative, variant or homologue thereof; or an agent capable of increasing the expression or production of tumstatin.
US08227414B2
Peptide analogs of nociceptin/orphanin FQ, compositions thereof, and their use in treatment of disorders and dysfunctions related to activation or blocking of NOP receptors are described.
US08227412B2
Bioactive peptides that have a molecular weight of approximately 4.5 kDa and correspond to amino-terminal fragments of protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1), which are cleaved and released upon the proteolytic activation of PAR-1 by proteases including, but not limited to, thrombin in humans and animals are disclosed. Such synthetic or recombinantly expressed or endogenously produced or chimeric synthetic peptides that are active in vitro and in vivo and modulate endothelial cell functions and physiological and pathological processes are named herein as parstatin. Parstatin peptides, fragments, analogs, derivatives have the ability to inhibit endothelial cell growth, migration and differentiation, to induce endothelial cell apoptosis, to block angiogenesis and have cardioprotective effects in ischemia/reperfusion injury. Methods for treating angiogenesis-related diseases and endothelium dysfunction-related cardiovascular diseases are disclosed.
US08227403B2
The present invention is directed to methods of producing conjugates of Aβ peptide immunogens with protein/polypeptide carrier molecules, which are useful as immunogens, wherein peptide immunogens are conjugated to protein carriers via activated functional groups on amino acid residues of the carrier or of the optionally attached linker molecule, and wherein any unconjugated reactive functional groups on amino acid residues are inactivated via capping, thus retaining the immunological functionality of the carrier molecule, but reducing the propensity for undesirable reactions that could render the conjugate less safe or effective. Furthermore, the invention also relates to such immunogenic products and immunogenic compositions containing such immunogenic products made by such methods.
US08227399B2
The present invention relates to polyglycerol partial esters of linear, unsubstituted carboxylic acids with the provisos that the polyglycerol obtained by hydrolysis or alcoholysis of the polyglycerol partial ester comprises an average degree of polymerization of from 2 to 8 and the polydispersity index of said polyglycerol is greater than 0.75.
US08227389B2
A lubricant additive produced by various processes, including mixing an organophosphate and an organofluorine compound, reacting an organophosphate and an organofluorine compound, reacting a fluorinated organophosphate and an organofluorine compound (with or without molybendum disulfide), or reacting an organophosphate, a metal halide and an organofluorine compound (with or without molybendum disulfide), to produce a reaction mixture comprising the lubricant additive. Also, a lubricant produced by various processes, including mixing an organophosphate and an organofluorine compound, reacting an organophosphate and an organofluorine compound, reacting a fluorinated organophosphate and an organofluorine compound (with or without molybendum disulfide), or reacting an organophosphate, a metal halide and an organofluorine compound (with or without molybendum disulfide), and adding at least a portion of the reaction mixture to a lubricant base.
US08227379B2
The present invention provides a thermosensitive recording medium including a white plastic support, a thermosensitive recording layer containing a binder resin as a binding agent, a colorless or pale color leuco dye and a color developer for heat-developing the leuco dye, a protective layer, and a back layer containing an electron-conductive needle filler and an ion-conductive polymer, wherein the thermosensitive recording layer is disposed on the white plastic support, the protective layer is disposed on the thermosensitive recording layer, and the back layer is disposed on a side of the white plastic support opposite to the side where the thermosensitive recording layer is disposed.
US08227368B2
A honeycomb structure includes honeycomb units. Each of the honeycomb units has a longitudinal direction and includes inorganic particles, an inorganic binder, and cell walls defining cells extending along the longitudinal direction from one end face to another end face. The honeycomb units are bonded together via an adhesive such that each longitudinal direction is substantially in parallel. An amount of ammonia desorbed per unit mass of the honeycomb units is about 5 to about 100 times greater than an amount of ammonia desorbed per unit mass of the adhesive. The amount of ammonia desorbed per unit mass of the honeycomb units and the amount of ammonia desorbed per unit mass of the adhesive are measured by an NH3-TPD method.
US08227352B2
Embodiments described herein relate to materials and processes for patterning and etching features in a semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, a method of forming a composite amorphous carbon layer for improved stack defectivity on a substrate is provided. The method comprises positioning a substrate in a process chamber, introducing a hydrocarbon source gas into the process chamber, introducing a diluent source gas into the process chamber, introducing a plasma-initiating gas into the process chamber, generating a plasma in the process chamber, forming an amorphous carbon initiation layer on the substrate, wherein the hydrocarbon source gas has a volumetric flow rate to diluent source gas flow rate ratio of 1:12 or less; and forming a bulk amorphous carbon layer on the amorphous carbon initiation layer, wherein a hydrocarbon source gas used to form the bulk amorphous carbon layer has a volumetric flow rate to a diluent source gas flow rate of 1:6 or greater to form the composite amorphous carbon layer.
US08227334B2
A method of forming a device includes providing a substrate, and forming a solder bump over the substrate. A minor element is introduced to a region adjacent a top surface of the solder bump. A re-flow process is then performed to the solder bump to drive the minor element into the solder bump.
US08227330B2
A Schottky diode includes a Schottky barrier and a plurality of dopant regions disposed near the Schottky barrier as floating islands to function as PN junctions for preventing a leakage current generated from a reverse voltage. At least a trench opened in a semiconductor substrate with a Schottky barrier material disposed therein constitutes the Schottky barrier. The Schottky barrier material may also be disposed on sidewalls of the trench for constituting the Schottky barrier. The trench may be filled with the Schottky barrier material composed of Ti/TiN or a tungsten metal disposed therein for constituting the Schottky barrier. The trench is opened in a N-type semiconductor substrate and the dopant regions includes P-doped regions disposed under the trench constitute the floating islands. The P-doped floating islands may be formed as vertical arrays under the bottom of the trench.
US08227327B2
There is provided a method for epitaxial growth, wherein a quantum dot is formed on an epitaxial layer using a quantum-dot forming material with an excellent lattice matching property, and the formed quantum dot is positioned on a defect in the epitaxial layer, thereby minimizing transfer of the defect into an epitaxial layer formed through a subsequent process. The method includes preparing a first epitaxial layer having a defect formed therein; coating an anti-surfactant on the first epitaxial layer; supplying a quantum-dot forming material lattice-matched with respect to the first epitaxial layer, thereby forming a quantum dot obtained by allowing the anti-surfactant to react with the quantum-dot forming material on the first epitaxial layer; allowing the quantum dot to be moved onto a step of the first epitaxial layer due to a difference of surface energies between the quantum dot and the first epitaxial layer; and growing a second epitaxial layer on the first epitaxial layer.
US08227325B2
An article includes a polycrystalline semiconductor layer having a plurality of single crystal crystallites of semiconductor material and a substrate having a melting or softening point of <200° C. supporting the semiconductor layer. An average grain size of the plurality of single crystal crystallites is less at an interface proximate to the substrate as compared to an average grain size in the semiconductor layer remote from the interface. The semiconductor layer is fused exclusive of any bonding agent or intermediate layer to the surface of the substrate.
US08227322B2
Nitride-based film is grown using multiple precursor fluxes. Each precursor flux is pulsed one or more times to add a desired element to the nitride-based film at a desired time. The quantity, duration, timing, and/or shape of the pulses is customized for each element to assist in generating a high quality nitride-based film.
US08227319B2
A method for forming a germanium-enriched region in a heterojunction bipolar transistor and a heterojunction bipolar transistor comprising a germanium-enriched region. A base having a silicon-germanium portion is formed over a collector. Thermal oxidation of the base causes a germanium-enriched region to form on a surface of the silicon-germanium portion subjected to the thermal oxidation. An emitter is formed overlying the germanium-enriched portion region. The germanium-enriched region imparts advantageous operating properties to the heterojunction bipolar transistor, including improved high-frequency/high-speed operation.
US08227318B2
A method of forming an isolation region is provided that in one embodiment substantially reduces divot formation. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a first pad dielectric layer on an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and forming a trench through the first pad dielectric layer into the semiconductor substrate. In a following process sequence, the first pad dielectric layer is laterally etched to expose an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate that is adjacent the trench, and the trench is filled with a trench dielectric material, wherein the trench dielectric material extends atop the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate adjacent the trench and abuts the pad dielectric layer.
US08227300B2
A semiconductor circuit includes a plurality of semiconductor devices, each including a semiconductor islands having at least one electrical dopant atom and located on an insulator layer. Each semiconductor island is encapsulated by dielectric materials including at least one dielectric material portion. Conductive material portions, at least one of which abut two dielectric material portions that abut two distinct semiconductor islands, are located directly on the at least one dielectric material layer. At least one gate conductor is provided which overlies at least two semiconductor islands. Conduction across a dielectric material portion between a semiconductor island and a conductive material portion is effected by quantum tunneling. The conductive material portions and the at least one gate conductor are employed to form a semiconductor circuit having a low leakage current. A design structure for the semiconductor circuit is also provided.
US08227277B2
A method of fabricating a group-III nitride semiconductor laser device includes: preparing a substrate of a hexagonal group-III nitride semiconductor, where the substrate has a semipolar primary surface; forming a substrate product having a laser structure, an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, where the laser structure includes the substrate and a semiconductor region, and where the semiconductor region is formed on the semipolar primary surface; scribing a first surface of the substrate product in part in a direction of the a-axis of the hexagonal group-III nitride semiconductor; and carrying out breakup of the substrate product by press against a second surface of the substrate product, to form another substrate product and a laser bar.
US08227266B2
By providing a test structure for evaluating the patterning process and/or the epitaxial growth process for forming embedded semiconductor alloys in sophisticated semiconductor devices, enhanced statistical relevance in combination with reduced test time may be accomplished.
US08227261B2
Methods and apparatuses for performing assays involving binding material elements with a plurality of bonds over a substantial area of a surface of a resonant device establishing a normalized exposure. The methods and apparatuses also involve controlling an external influence applied to the material elements over a first period of time and measuring a signal during a second period of time that is indicative of the change in the amount of material elements bound to the surface relative to the normalized exposure. In some cases, the measured signals are integrated with respect to time to determine the time averaged amount of material elements bound to the surface.
US08227255B2
A biosensor capable of analyzing an object, such as antigen, antibody, DNA or RNA, through detection of magnetic field to thereby allow washout of unbound label molecules to be unnecessary, which biosensor is compact and available at low price, excelling in detection precision. Coils are arranged at an upper part and a lower part of a magnetic sensor using a hall element as a magnetic field detection element. An object and magnetic particles having an antibody capable of specific bonding with the object bound to the surface thereof are introduced in the magnetic sensor having a molecular receptor capable of specific bonding with the object attached to the surface thereof. Therefore, a change in magnetic field by magnetic particles bonded through the molecular receptor to the surface of the magnetic sensor is detected by means of the hall element. At that time, one applied magnetic field is set so that the magnetization intensity of magnetic particles falls within the range from initial magnetic permeability to maximum magnetic permeability while another applied magnetic field is set so that the magnetization intensity of some or all of the magnetic particles becomes saturated, and output signals are compared with each other. Thus, the amount of bonded magnetic particles can be identified.
US08227253B2
Methods of performing confocal laser microscopy on a polymer array disposed on a silicon wafer substrate, the method comprising the steps of providing a silicon wafer substrate having a top side and a bottom side, coating the top side of the silicon wafer with an oxide coating to provide an oxide coated wafer, covalently coupling a plurality of probes to the top side of the coated wafer to provide a fixed polymer array, hybridizing the fixed polymer array with a plurality of labeled ligands, and assaying for one or more hybridized ligands using confocal laser fluorescence microscopy to detect hybridization are provided.
US08227250B2
The present invention relates to a lysing reagent for use in the simultaneous automatic electronic enumeration and volumetric discrimination of different types of blood cells, such as leukocytes, thrombocytes, etc, in blood. Further, the present invention relates to a Coulter (impedance) counting apparatus containing the lysing reagent, for example a Coulter counting apparatus with a disposable cartridge for characterizing cells suspended in a liquid, especially a self-contained disposable cartridge for single-use analysis, such as for single-use analysis of a small quantity of whole blood.
US08227246B2
This invention provides an isolated disc stem cell population, compositions, and methods of obtaining and growing the same. Moreover, this invention provides an isolated discosphere, compositions, and methods of obtaining and growing the same. An artificial disc containing the cells of the present invention is provided together with methods of making the same. This invention also provides a method of treating a subject having a herniated disc utilizing the cells and methods of the invention.
US08227243B2
Described are new uses of recombinant adenoviral vectors in vaccination regimens, such as prime/boost set-ups and subsequent vaccinations and applications for gene therapy. Moreover, also described are new assays to determine the best regimen for applying the most suitable recombinant viral vector in a vaccination or gene therapy setting.
US08227242B2
The invention relates to a novel phagemid display system for packaging phagemid DNA into phagemid particles which completely avoids the use of helper phage. The system of the invention incorporates the use of bacterial packaging cell lines which have been transformed with helper plasmids containing all required phage proteins but not the packaging signals. The absence of packaging signals in these helper plasmids prevents their DNA from being packaged in the bacterial cell, which provides a number of significant advantages over the use of both standard and modified helper phage. Packaged phagemids expressing a protein or peptide of interest, in fusion with a phage coat protein such as g3p, are generated simply by transfecting phagemid into the packaging cell line.
US08227236B2
Provided herein are genetically modified microorganisms that have enhanced fermentation activity, and methods for making and using such microorganisms.
US08227233B2
A method of making a molded part, including forming a liquid aggregate from a mixture of finely ground aggregate and a fluid. A mixture of a fungal inoculum and the liquid aggregate is formed. Nanoparticles are homogenously distributed throughout the mixture. The mixture is inserted into a mold cavity. Live mycelium is grown to fill the mold cavity. The live mycelium is heated to terminate further growth and develop a formed part.
US08227228B2
The present invention relates to novel D-amino acid oxidase isolated and purified from Candida intermedia, a gene encoding the D-amino acid oxidase, a recombinant plasmid containing the gene, and a transformant into which the D-amino acid oxidase gene has been introduced, as well as a production method of D-amino acid oxidase including culturing the transformant. Moreover, the present invention relates to a production method of L-amino acids, 2-oxo acids or cyclic imines, which include reacting racemic amino acids with the D-amino acid oxidase, more preferably, a production method of L-amino acids, which includes reacting racemic amino acid with the D-amino acid oxidase, amino acid dehydrogenase and an enzyme having a coenzyme-regenerating activity. According to the present invention, L-amino acids, 2-oxo acids or cyclic imines can be produced with good efficiency in an industrial scale.
US08227225B2
A method of making a plasticized mycelium structure, including dissolving a soluble polymer in a liquid thereby forming a polymer solution of polymer particles. The polymer solution is combined with a fungal inoculum capable of growing hyphae in the presence of an aggregate. The resulting mixture is allowed to grow into a mycelium network. The mycelium network is made up of hyphae which bond with the polymer particles found in the polymer solution forming a structure substantially made up of mycelium that has a plasticizer homogenously distributed throughout the structure. The structure is cured to terminate mycelium growth.
US08227223B2
Method and apparatus for processing a cell culture are provided. The method includes establishing a cell culture within a holding device having one or more wells, each well holding a cell culture, and including a well substrate with at least one electrode in contact with the cell culture; periodically applying at least one electrical pulse to the at least one electrode to prevent cells from attaching to and achieving confluence over the at least one electrode while allowing cells to attach to and achieve confluence over other portions of the well substrate; and discontinuing the periodically applying of the at least one electrical pulse to the at least one electrode after cells have achieved confluence over the other portions of the well substrate, and thereafter, monitoring the cell culture to monitor migration of cells over the electrode(s) from the other portions of the well substrate.
US08227216B2
The present invention provides methods and compositions for production of algal-based medium chain fatty acids and hydrocarbons. More specifically, the invention relates to a Nannochloropsis algal strain and mutants that produces high amounts of C16 fatty acids and hydrocarbons. The present invention provides methods and compositions for production of algal-based medium chain fatty acids and hydrocarbons. More specifically, the invention relates to a Nannochloropsis algal strain and mutants that produces high amounts of C16 fatty acids and hydrocarbons.
US08227214B2
The present invention provides a method for producing an L-amino acid using a bacterium of the Enterobacteriaceae family, particularly a bacterium belonging to genus Escherichia or Pantoea, which has been modified to attenuate expression of a gene coding for sRNA.
US08227212B2
This invention relates to methods and compositions for the diagnosis and treatment of Multiple Sulfatase Deficiency (MSD) as well as other sulfatase deficiencies. More specifically, the invention relates to isolated molecules that modulate post-translational modifications on sulfatases. Such modifications are essential for proper sulfatase function.
US08227208B2
A process for the enantioselective reduction of compounds having a steroid structure (ABCD) including one or several heteroatoms, one or several double bonds and/or aromatic components in the ring structure and having at least one oxo group at positions 3, 7, 11, 12 or 17 in the steroid ring system or in the a-position of any carbon moiety of the steroid structure: comprising providing the oxosteroid compound in the reaction at a concentration of ≧50 g/L, a reduced cofactor NADH or NADPH, a hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and a secondary alcohol or cycloalknaol to effect the enantioselective reduction.
US08227207B2
The invention relates to the production of ovoproducts containing bioactive peptides from the egg white subjected to enzymatic treatment. Said peptides have an inhibiting activity of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE inhibiting activity) in vitro and/or anti-hypertensive activity in rats and/or antioxidant activity. Said ovoproducts, complete hydrolyzates, the fractions thereof with low molecular weight or their constituent peptides could be used as therapeutic substances with ACE inhibiting activity and/or anti-hypertensive activity and/or anti-oxidant activity, either as functional food products, food additives or ingredients or pharmaceutical products for the treatment and/or prevention of hypertension in all its forms in humans or animals and for the treatment and/or prevention of any disorder associated with hypertension in humans or animals.
US08227204B2
A method, composition and system respond to ionizing radiation to adjust biological activity. In some approaches the ionizing radiation is X-ray or extreme ultraviolet radiation that produces luminescent responses that induce biologically active responses.
US08227197B2
Methods for detecting invasive trophoblast antigen (ITA) in biological samples comprise screening the samples for ITA using antibodies that bind to the ITA. The methods are useful to detect pregnancy, trophoblastic diseases, and Down's syndrome in fetuses of pregnant women. Some methods include screening the samples with a plurality of capture antibodies that specifically bind ITA. Chemiluminescent immunoassays are disclosed. The methods may be practiced with the diagnostic kits of the invention.
US08227192B2
The present invention relates to peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes, PNA probe sets and methods for the analysis of certain Staphylococcus species optionally present in a sample. The invention further relates to diagnostic kits comprising such PNA probes or PNA probe sets.
US08227189B2
The present invention is based on the discovery of genetic polymorphisms that are associated with coronary heart disease and in particular VT and response to drug treatment. In particular, the present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules containing the polymorphisms, variant proteins encoded by such nucleic acid molecules, reagents for detecting the polymorphic nucleic acid molecules and proteins, and methods of using the nucleic acid and proteins as well as methods of using reagents for their detection.
US08227188B2
The invention relates to compositions and methods for modulating the expression of influenza viral genes, and more particularly to the downregulation of influenza viral genes by chemically modified oligonucleotides.
US08227179B2
Techniques for manufacturing cross-structures of nanostructures, such as nanowires and carbon nanotubes are provided. In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing cross-structures of nanostructures include providing a substrate, patterning a first mask layer on the substrate, adsorbing first nanostructures onto surface regions of the substrate where the first mask layer does not exist, removing the first mask layer from the substrate, patterning a second mask layer on the substrate to which the first nanostructures are adsorbed, and adsorbing second nanostructures onto the surface regions of the substrate where the second mask layer does not exist, under conditions effective to manufacture cross-structures of nanostructures on the substrate.
US08227176B2
A method is used in forming a fine pattern in a semiconductor device. The method includes forming an etch target layer; forming a photoresist pattern over the etch target layer; forming a polymer pattern including silicon-oxygen (Si—O) bonds on sidewalls of the photoresist pattern; removing the photoresist pattern; and etching the etch target layer using the polymer pattern as an etch mask.
US08227174B2
Masks for patterning material layers of semiconductor devices, methods of patterning and methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices, and lithography systems are disclosed. A lithography mask includes a pattern of alternating lines and spaces, wherein the lines and spaces comprise different widths. When the lithography mask is used to pattern a material layer of a semiconductor device, the pattern of the material layer comprises alternating lines and spaces having substantially the same width.
US08227164B2
A toner, including a colorant; a binder resin; a release agent; and a fixing supplemental component, wherein the toner has a storage elastic modulus G′ (Pa) satisfying the following conditions: 5.0×104
US08227162B2
To provide a toner excellent in low-temperature fixability, releasing performance, and development stability in long-term use under a high-temperature and high-humidity environment, provided is a magnetic toner including: magnetic toner particles each containing at least a binder resin and a magnetic particles; and an inorganic fine powder, in which: the magnetic particles is a treated magnetic particles treated with a silane compound; the treated magnetic particles has a water adsorption per unit area based on a BET specific surface area of 0.300 mg/m2 or less; portion of styrene extractables constitutes 25 mass % or less among the silane compound in the treated magnetic particles; and the silane compound with which the treated magnetic particles is treated contains a compound having a hydrocarbon group having 2 or more and 4 or less carbon atoms as a main component.
US08227160B2
A toner for electrophotography comprising a charge control agent comprising a specified iron-azo complex or a specified metal compound of a benzilic acid derivative, a colorant, and a resin binder comprising a polyester, the polyester being a polyester obtained by polycondensing an alcohol component containing a propylene oxide adduct of bisphenol A and a carboxylic acid component, wherein the propylene oxide adduct of bisphenol A has an average mole of propylene oxide added of from 2.4 to 4.0, and wherein an adduct with 2 mol of propylene oxide is contained in an amount of 60% by mol or less, and an adduct with 4 mol of propylene oxide is contained in an amount of 10% by mol or more, of the propylene oxide adduct of bisphenol A, and wherein the propylene oxide adduct of bisphenol A has a content ratio of primary hydroxyl groups of 10% by mol or less of the entire hydroxyl groups. The toner for electrophotography of the present invention is suitably used in developing latent images and the like formed in electrophotography, electrostatic recording method, electrostatic printing method or the like.
US08227157B2
The present invention provides a single-layer electrophotographic photoreceptor provided with a single-layer photosensitive layer that adapts to an exposing source emitting a laser beam with wavelengths of from 400 nm to 450 nm inclusive and is laminated on a conductive substrate, the single-layer photosensitive layer comprising: an enamine-type compound that functions as both a charge generation material and a charge transport material and is represented by the following general formula (1); and a perylene-type compound that functions as both an electron-transport material and a sensitizer and is represented by the following general formula (2):
US08227152B2
A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography having a low-reflective layer which has a low reflectivity with respect to wavelengths of EUV light and a mask pattern inspection light and which satisfies a predetermined reflectivity (405 nm: <40%, 600 to 650 nm: 30 to 50%, 800 to 900 nm: >50%, 1,000 to 1,200 nm: <90%) in a wavelength region (400 to 1,200 nm) required for the mask production process and the pattern transcription process. A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography having a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light, an absorbing layer for absorbing EUV light and a low-reflective layer with respect to a mask pattern inspection light (wavelength: 190 to 260 nm), which are formed in this order on a substrate, wherein the low-reflective layer contains at least tantalum (Ta), oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H), and the low-reflective layer has a Ta+O total content that is between 85 and 99.9 at % and an H content that is between 0.1 and 15 at %.
US08227142B2
The invention concerns a plate for fuel cell, in particular of the ion-exchange membrane type, comprising supply channels (2 to 5) connected to an intake orifice (2a) arranged in the center of one of the surfaces of the plate, and discharge channels (6 to 9) wherein circulate respectively a reactive fluid stream with relatively high concentration and a reactive fluid stream with relatively low concentration. The supply and/or discharge channels are symmetrically arranged on the plate, the supply and discharge channels having similar fractal configurations arranged complementarily to obtain a network of interweaving channels.
US08227140B2
Materials are provided that may be useful as ionomers or polymer ionomers, including compounds including bis sulfonyl imide groups which may be highly fluorinated and may be polymers.
US08227122B1
In a fuel cell system a specific connection and a valve arrangement make it possible for a compressor to supply precompressed air to a fuel cell stack via a waste gas line, said air then leaving the fuel cell stack via a line which is otherwise an air feed line. In this way, a humidifier may be bypassed. This is sensible in particular during a start phase at low ambient temperatures, during which the fuel cell system is intended to warm up without moisture in the fuel cell stack having a negative effect, for instance by freezing. The compressor may be operated both in the start phase or stop phase and during conventional operation by the same mode of operation.
US08227120B2
Absorbent material in a regenerable volatile organic compound (VOC) apparatus (15) is regenerated by a flow (92) of desorption gas heated (90) by exhaust (87) of a burner (58) of a reformer (57), which reforms hydrocarbon fuel (55) to generate hydrogen-rich reformate gas that is provided (46, 48, 61) to anodes of a fuel cell (64), steam (83) from fuel cell coolant (73, 79) being provided (62, 56) to said reformer. The fuel may be desulfurized (53) using the reformate gas (44, 45). The reformate may be enriched by a shift reactor (48).
US08227114B2
The method of preparing a negative active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte rechargeable battery includes mixing a vanadium compound and a lithium compound and then subjecting the mixture to first firing to obtain Li1.0(VxMy)1.0O2 having a layered halite type structure (where 0.5≦x≦1.0, 0≦y≦0.5, x+y=1, and M is selected from the group consisting of group 2 to 15 elements of the periodic table and combinations thereof); and adding a lithium compound to the Li1.0(VxMy)1.0O2 and then subjecting the resultant to second firing. The negative active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte rechargeable battery prepared according to the preparing method has high crystallinity, and excellent charge and discharge characteristics at a high rate.
US08227111B2
A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly including: a winding having a positive electrode plate, a negative electrodes plate, and stacked together with a separator interposed between the positive and negative electrode plate; a can having an opening portion to receive the electrode assembly; a cap assembly including a cap plate to close the opening portion of the can, the cap plate having an electrolyte injection hole arranged therein; and a first extension groove having a greater diameter than that of the electrolyte injection hole, the first extension groove being arranged in an entering portion of the electrolyte injection hole and having at least one hollow portion arranged on the surface of the first extension groove.
US08227110B2
A secondary battery includes: a bare cell having an electrode assembly including two electrodes and a separator arranged between the two electrodes, a cell container having an opening and adapted to contain the electrode assembly, and a cap assembly adapted to cover the opening; and an accessory unit having a protective circuit module and adapted to be electrically connected to the bare cell via at least one electrode from outside of the bare cell. The accessory unit is adapted to be affixed to the bare cell with an adhesive member arranged in at least a portion of facing surfaces of both the bare cell and the accessory unit.
US08227105B1
The invention relates to a unique battery having a physicochemically active membrane separator/electrolyte-electrode monolith and method of making the same. The Applicant's invented battery employs a physicochemically active membrane separator/electrolyte-electrode that acts as a separator, electrolyte, and electrode, within the same monolithic structure. The chemical composition, physical arrangement of molecules, and physical geometry of the pores play a role in the sequestration and conduction of ions. In one preferred embodiment, ions are transported via the ion-hoping mechanism where the oxygens of the Al2O3 wall are available for positive ion coordination (i.e. Li+). This active membrane-electrode composite can be adjusted to a desired level of ion conductivity by manipulating the chemical composition and structure of the pore wall to either increase or decrease ion conduction.
US08227102B2
A battery tray in which two batteries each having a thin and long shape are accommodated includes two thin and long shaped battery accommodation spaces in which the two batteries are accommodated in a state where the batteries are arranged such that the longitudinal direction of the batteries extends on the same straight line.
US08227091B2
Disclosed is an aluminum alloy brazing sheet for heat exchangers, which has high strength after brazing, high corrosion resistance and excellent brazability. Specifically disclosed is an aluminum alloy brazing sheet (1a) for heat exchangers comprising a core member (2), a sacrificial member (3) formed on one side of the core member (2), and a brazing filler metal (4) formed on the other side of the core member (2) and composed of an Al—Si alloy. The sacrificial member (3) contains 0.03-0.30% by mass of Fe, 0.01-0.40% by mass of Mn, 0.4-1.4% by mass of Si, 2.0-5.5% by mass of Zn, not more than 0.05% by mass of Mg and the balance of Al and unavoidable impurities. In addition, the sacrificial member (3) has a crystal grain size of 100-400 & mgr;m after 5-minute heat treatment at 600 & ring;C during the brazing.
US08227090B2
A bonding material that has a melting temperature of 270° C. or higher and that does not contain lead is inexpensively provided. An electronic element and an electrode of an electronic component are bonded using a bonding material containing an alloy that contains Bi as the main component and that contains 0.2 to 0.8 wt % Cu and 0.02 to 0.2 wt % Ge.
US08227084B2
This invention concerns a thermosetting resin system that is useful in the manufacture of high performance prepreg, laminate and composite materials as well as, prepregs, laminates and composites made from the thermosetting resin composition.
US08227075B2
A foamed product that generates no smoke when incinerated, has a low calorific value, and achieves a desired dimension and thermal insulation performance is provided. A foamed product 1 is formed by heat-mixing, in an extruder 11, a paper pellet 7 that is a mixture of a fine paper powder having a particle diameter of 30 to 200 μm and starch, a container recycle pellet 8 that is a mixture of polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene, foamable polypropylene 9, and water 10. A weight distribution is set so that the paper pellet 7 is 50 to 65% by weight, the container recycle pellet 8 is 15 to 25% by weight, the foamable polypropylene 9 is 10 to 30% by weight, and the water 10 is 10 to 20% by weight to these resins and other materials.
US08227067B2
An optical recording medium containing a substrate and a recording layer over the substrate, wherein the recording layer primarily contains Bi and O, and further contains B and at least one element X selected from Ge, Li, Sn, Cu, Fe, Pd, Zn, Mg, Nd, Mn and Ni, and a sputtering target containing Bi, B and at least one element X selected from Ge, Li, Sn, Cu, Fe, Pd, Zn, Mg, Nd, Mn and Ni.
US08227058B2
The present invention provides a heat-shrinkable laminated film including at least two layers, in which the first layer is composed of at least one kind of a polylactic acid series resin as the main component and the second layer is composed of at least one kind of a polyolefin series resin as the main component. Heat shrinkage ratio of this film in the film main shrinking direction is 30% or more when dipped in warm water of 80° C. for 10 seconds. Since this heat-shrinkable laminated film is made from a plant-derived resin, it promotes a use of biomass. Also, as this film exhibits excellent shrinkage property in low temperature, film rigidity, shrink finishing quality, and small natural shrinkage ratio, the film is suitably used for a molded product which requires heat shrinkage property, specifically, it is suitably used for shrinkable label.
US08227052B2
The invention relates to a method for plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition for coating or material removal on the inner wall of a hollow body (42). The method involves introducing a gas lance (44) into the hollow body (42) and forming a cavity plasma (45) to form a plasma cloud arranged at the tip of the gas lance by applying an electric radio-frequency field to an RF electrode (41).
US08227042B2
Provided is a method for producing a wooden board in which a functional component such as a green tea polyphenol can be efficiently and stably incorporated into a wooden board, and a wooden board produced using the method. The method is a method for producing a wooden board, including a moisture conditioning step after drying a wood mat obtained by forming a wood raw material, wherein the moisture conditioning is carried out by adding an aqueous solution containing the functional component to the wood mat after drying.
US08227035B2
A self-replicating monolayer system employing polymerization of monomers or nanoparticle ensembles on a defined template provides a method for synthesis of two-dimensional single molecule polymers. Systems of self-replicating monolayers are used as templates for growth of inorganic colloids. A preferred embodiment employs SAM-based replication, wherein an initial monolayer is patterned and used as a template for self-assembly of a second monolayer by molecular recognition. The second monolayer is polymerized in place and the monolayers are separated to form a replicate. Both may then function as templates for monolayer assemblies. A generic self-replicating monomer unit comprises a polymerizable moiety attached by methylene repeats to a recognition element and an ending unit that will not interfere with the chosen recognition chemistry. The recognition element is self-complementary, unless a set of two replicating monomers with compatible cross-linking chemistry is employed. In a two-component replication system utilizing two different kinds of recognition chemistries, the initial template undergoes replication cycles, while maintaining two-dimensional segregation of the two types of monomers. During subsequent replications, the component domains experience little or no mixing, allowing the two-component, patterned assembly to be exponentially replicated. After replication, selective mineralization and/or electroless plating may produce a two-dimensional inorganic sheet having patterned domains within it.
US08227031B2
In a method of producing a layered composite, wherein at least one layer including cubic boron nitride is deposited on a substrate and, during the deposition, 3 to 15 at % oxygen is added for assuming the nitrogen locations of the cubic boron-nitride grating or intermediate grating locations, thereby providing for cubic boron nitride layers with a thickness of at least 2 μm without the formation of cracks.
US08227026B2
Disclosed herein is a method for making a coated proppant particle including an inorganic material and a cold set thermosetting resin coating disposed upon the substrate. The proppants are suitable for treating a subterranean formation including injecting a fracturing fluid into the subterranean formation; wherein the fracturing fluid includes the coated particle. Methods for making and using gravel pack particles are also disclosed.
US08227020B1
Techniques to form dislocation cores along an interface of a multilayer thin film structure are described. The loading and/or deloading of isotopes of hydrogen are also described in association with core formation. The described techniques can provide be applied to superconductive structure formation, x-ray and charged particle generation, nuclear reaction processes, and/or inertial confinement fusion targets.
US08227013B2
Disclosed are dietary nutritional supplements providing health benefits. Supplements provide various formulations of fermented soybean in combinations with sweetener(s), curcumin, and various other herbs and spices. Compositions are preferably in liquid or solid forms. In preferred embodiments of the invention, supplements have HAELAN 951® or dehydrated fermented soy made from HAELAN 951®, Curcumin C3 Complex®, sucralose, stevia, soy lecithin, barley malt, natural chocolate flavor, cocoa, BIOPERINE®, Piper longum, ginger, cardamom long, and cinnamon.
US08227012B2
Specifically, a dry corn fractionation system which operates to produce an endosperm fraction which can be concurrently of greater purity at greater yield than obtainable from corn milling or dry corn milling processes.
US08227011B2
Fat compositions that contain a vegetable oil and a plant-derived wax component are described. Food and cosmetic products containing such fat compositions also are described.
US08227001B2
A meat trussing system is provided which incorporates the use of an elastomeric net to receive and restrain meats and other food components, both unitary and combinations including independent meat and/or food elements. At least one flexible wrapper is provided into which the meat and/or food products are encased forming a cylindrical circumferential wrap having a low coefficient of friction with respect to the elastomeric net. The wrapper permits a relatively easy insertion of the wrapped food products into the elastomeric net. The wrapper is preferably provided with at least one perforation adapted to be circumferentially disposed near the midpoint of the food products within the elastomeric net. A method of use includes the deformation of the meat and/or food product. In order to sever the perforation which permits the relatively easy removal of the now separated wrapper portions from between the meat and/or food products and the elastomeric net.
US08226996B2
The present invention includes bioactive coated raw vegetables that include bioactive compositions coated onto the raw vegetables, such that the bioactive compositions are effective to degrade raffinose, stachyose and verbascose in the raw vegetables when the raw vegetables are placed in optimal pH and temperature conditions. The present invention also includes methods of forming bioactive coated raw vegetables.
US08226989B2
Herbal compositions having anti-adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (aP2), anti-5-lipoxygenase-activating protein (FLAP) and anti-Cysteinyl Leukotriene (CysLT)-1 receptor expression activity contain an extract of Boswellia serrata. More particularly, these herbal compositions comprise an effective amount of an enriched Boswellia extract containing from 10% to 99% by weight of 3-0-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid; and an effective amount of a second extract selected from the group consisting of an extract of Aegle marmelos, an extract of Zingiber officinale, an extract of Garcinia mangostana, and mixtures thereof. These may be used in dietary supplements or pharmaceutical formulations for controlling diseases associated with or related to inflammation. These diseases in particular include respiratory disorders such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, hay fever, type-1 hypersensitivity and mild allergies. The compositions can also be useful for skin care.
US08226985B2
A composition comprises a surface modified nanoparticle comprising a core comprising a material selected from the group consisting of organic materials, organometallic materials, inorganic materials, metals, metal oxides, and combinations thereof; and a surface branch covalently linked to the core having the general formula (3):
US08226976B2
A method is provided for producing a membrane protein folded to its native structure or active structure in a lipid disc or a liposome. The method comprises: (a) preparing a reaction solution for cell-free protein synthesis containing a polynucleotide encoding a membrane protein, a steroidal detergent, and a phospholipid, wherein the steroidal detergent is contained at a concentration higher than its critical micelle concentration; (b) decreasing the concentration of said steroidal detergent in the reaction solution; and (c) synthesizing the membrane protein simultaneously with formation of a lipid disk or liposome into which the synthesized membrane protein is integrated.
US08226975B2
A system for treating or providing prophylaxis against a pulmonary infection is disclosed comprising: a) a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a mixture of free antiinfective and antiinfective encapsulated in a lipid-based composition, and b) an inhalation delivery device. A method for providing prophylaxis against a pulmonary infection in a patient and a method of reducing the loss of antiinfective encapsulated in a lipid-based composition upon nebulization comprising administering an aerosolized pharmaceutical formulation comprising a mixture of free antiinfective and antiinfective encapsulated in a lipid-based composition is also disclosed.
US08226973B2
Edible compositions useful for weight management in male animals are disclosed. The compositions comprise one or more isoflavones or isoflavone metabolites and are particularly useful for reducing or preventing the accumulation of body fat. Also disclosed are methods useful for weight management in an animal utilizing compositions comprising one or more isoflavones. The compositions and methods are particularly useful for the reduction or prevention of body fat accumulation during periods of excess caloric intake, and preferably have a sparing effect on lean body mass.
US08226967B2
The invention relates to a use of surface active hydrophobins for applications in pharmaceutical technology, in particular as excipients for galenic use. Provided is a method for either admixture of hydrophobins to galenic compositions or for treating the surface of pharmaceutical forms with a hydrophobin-containing solution to modify the pharmaceutical properties of the galenic form. In a preferred embodiment of the invention hydrophobins are used to improve the properties of a pharmaceutical composition, e.g. to act as a surfactant or to increase resistance to disintegration of the galenic forms to achieve a retarded drug release. The galenic form to be modified by the use of surface active proteins as excipients can be capsules, tablets, pills, microparticles, vesicles, and suppositories, although further galenic forms are envisioned. The surface active proteins used for the purpose of present invention can either be isolated from their respective natural source or prepared by recombinant techniques and expression in a suitable host.
US08226962B2
The present invention describes a novel antibacterial treatment on textile materials using polymeric core-shell particles dispersing in water. These particles are prepared from a surfactant-free emulsion polymerization according to the method of U.S. Pat. No. 6,573,313 and have average particle sizes in the range of 100 to 1000 nm in diameter. When applied to a textile article, the particles form a uniform coating, which prevents the growth of bacteria and microbes. The treatment does not affect the fabric mechanical properties, hand feeling and appearance. Antibacterial activity on cotton is maintained even after 50 times of home laundering.
US08226960B2
NMB1870 is a protein in Neisseria meningitidis. Three families of NMB1870 are known. To increase the ability of a NMB1870 protein to elicit antibodies that are cross-reactive between the families, NMB1870 is engineered. Sequences can be substituted from one NMB1870 family into the corresponding position in another family. Proteins of NMB1870 sequences from different families can be joined to each other.
US08226958B2
A novel prophylactic/remedy for immunopathy is provided which is not neutralized by a neutralizing antibody to Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), known as one of superantigens, and may effectively act as a superantigen. A modified SEB having a reduced reactivity with a neutralizing antibody to SEB (anti-SEB antibody) and a prophylactic/remedy for immunopathy comprising as an active ingredient said modified SEB. The modified SEB of the present invention may be prepared with the evolutionary molecular engineering technique by introducing amino acid substitution in the amino acid sequence of SEB, especially at an epitope recognition site of the anti-SEB antibody in the amino acid sequence of SEB.
US08226956B2
Topical compositions comprising extracts of Rhizomucor miehei that are substantially devoid of acid-protease activity and their use in treating dermatologic conditions, including reducing the appearance of signs of skin aging.
US08226953B2
Group B streptococcus (GBS) proteins and polynucleotides encoding them are disclosed. Said proteins are antigenic and therefore useful vaccine components for the prophylaxis or therapy of streptococcus infection in animals. Also disclosed are recombinant methods of producing the protein antigens as well as diagnostic assays for detecting streptococcus bacterial infection.
US08226945B2
Anti-CD22 antibodies and immunoconjugates thereof are provided. Methods of using anti-CD22 antibodies and immunoconjugates thereof are provided.
US08226939B2
The present invention relates to specially selected catalase enzymes and their use in reducing hydrogen peroxide in applications, and particularly in aseptic packaging applications.
US08226936B2
Many probiotic Bifidobacteriacea contains an active tetW that renders the cells resistant to tetracycline. This presents a theoretical risk of a horizontal transfer of functional antibiotic genes. The present invention relates to novel tetracycline-sensitive strains of the well-known probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis strain BB-12® and the use of such novel strains for the preparation of a food or feed product or a dosage form comprising viable organisms.
US08226928B1
The invention discloses nanoparticles composed of chitosan, poly-glutamic acid, and at least one bioactive agent, wherein the bioactive agent may include mitofusin 1, mitofusin 2, and/or anti-diabetic compounds.
US08226925B2
Described herein are zeolite microporous crystalline materials comprising, in the heated state and in the absence of defects in its crystalline framework manifested by the presence of silanols, the empirical formula: x(M1/nXO2):yYO2:SiO2, wherein M is selected from H+, an inorganic cation of charge +n, and mixtures thereof, X is at least one chemical element having an oxidation state of +3, Y is at least one second chemical element other than Si having an oxidation state +4, x has a value between 0 and about 0.3, y has a value between 0 and about 0.1, and wherein the synthesized material has an X-ray diffraction pattern having at least values of angle 2θ (degrees) and relative intensities (I/I0) described. Process of making the microporous crystalline materials are also disclosed.
US08226908B2
The present invention is directed generally to devices and methods for controlling fluid flow in meso-scale fluidic components in a programmable manner. Specifically, the present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for placing two microfluidic components in fluid communication at an arbitrary position and time, both of which are externally defined. The inventive apparatus uses electromagnetic radiation to perforate a material layer having selected adsorptive properties. The perforation of the material layer allows the fluid communication between microfluidic components allowing volumetric quantitation of fluids. Using the perforation of the material functionality such as metering and multiplexing are achieved on a microscale. This functionality is achieved through basic operations, like dosimeters filling, dosimeters purging, dosimeters extraction, dosimeters ventilation and channels routing. Accordingly, these operations are performed in microfluidic platforms and are characterized extensively, allowing the realization of complex assays in a miniaturized format, where dilutions of proteins and assay readout can be performed in an extremely small footprint.
US08226888B2
The present invention provides novel viscous and adherent food-safe antimicrobial compositions, and methods for using same in the immediate and residual decontamination of microbial-contaminated substrate surfaces, in reducing or precluding cutting implement-mediated transfer of surface contamination during cutting operations in the food industry, and for reducing or preventing transfer of contamination from contaminated surfaces in the food and pharmaceutical. Adherent antimicrobial protective layers are formed on substrate surfaces (e.g., processing equipment and utensils), providing a barrier (e.g., chemical and/or physical) to the passage or transport of microbial contamination between and among surfaces. The adherent formulations confer residual de-contaminating activity, providing for prolonged killing of associated microbial contamination. The inventive solutions, are preferably formulated and applied as a gel, syrup or foam, and are preferably prepared using materials which are ‘generally-regarded-as-safe’ (GRAS) in food products, obviating post-treatment removal prior to consumption. Preferably, the inventive formulations are heated to a temperature equal to or greater than about 80° C. prior to application.
US08226882B2
An apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional netted structure, the three-dimensional netted structure including a plurality of filaments of resin, the filaments being helically and randomly entangled and thermally bonded together, the apparatus including: an extrusion molding machine including a plurality of dies each having a mouthpiece with a plurality of holes; a pair of endless conveyors provided with endless members; a motor adapted to drive the endless members; and a tank adapted to partly submerge the endless conveyors therein. A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional netted structure using the apparatus by extruding molten filaments of a thermoplastic resin downward from the dies via the mouthpiece, helically entangling the molten filaments by entangling actions of the endless members, and cooling the entangled filaments in a liquid in the tank.
US08226876B1
Disclosed herein is a method to produce a semi-crystalline fluoro-polymer film. A semi-crystalline fluoro-polymer material is used. The material is compressed to produce the film. During compression, the material is maintained at a temperature below the melting point of the material. The compression step can be cycled to allow cooling of the material between compression stages. Alternative methods are provided for compressing the material with a co-extrusion substrate, extruding the material and utilizing mandrel expansion for the material.
US08226873B1
The present invention's stratified composite system of armor, as typically embodied, comprises a backing stratum and a strike stratum that includes elastomeric matrix material and low-density ceramic elements embedded therein and arranged (e.g., in one or more rows and one or more columns) along a geometric plane (or plural parallel geometric planes) corresponding to the front surface of the strike stratum. Some inventive embodiments also comprise a spall-containment stratum fronting the strike stratum. The density of the low-density ceramic material is in the approximate range 2.0-3.0 g/cm3. In the strike stratum, the volume ratio of the low-density ceramic material to the elastomeric matrix material is in the approximate range 4-20. The present invention's emulative method for designing an inventive armor system typically involves configurative change of the inventive armor system's low-density ceramic material vis-à-vis another armor system's high-density ceramic material so that the respective ceramic material areal densities are equal.
US08226871B2
A heat staking method and apparatus is provided for use in deforming a heat-stake so that it becomes mechanically coupled to an encapsulate. The deformed portion of the heat-stake contacts a retention component that provides additional composition strength and fastening surface to the encapsulate.
US08226869B2
To provide a method and a device for replicating structure which was capable of accurately replicating structure, even if a composition which was an object to be molded, has a relatively high viscosity. [Means for Solving] A method for replicating structure comprising the steps of: providing a film-form production tool having a front surface and a back surface, with a reversed shape of structure which is an object to be replicated, on the front surface; applying decompression to the front surface of the film-form production tool; sealing the reversed shape to keep decompression degree applied; filling a composition which is an object to be molded, with applying sufficient fluid pressure, in the reversed shape; and solidifying the object composition and transferring it on a substrate.
US08226855B2
A solid body of a metal alloy comprising less than 99% by weight of noble metal and more than 1% by weight of dispersion-strengthening metals is converted for production of a dispersion-strengthened platinum material by at least 90% oxidation of the dispersion-strengthening metals into a dispersion-strengthened platinum material. The dispersion-strengthened platinum material contains a noble metal component of platinum or a platinum alloy amounting to between 95 and 99% by weight and a dispersion-strengthening agent. The noble metal component includes at least 55% by weight Pt, 0 to 30% by weight Rh, 0 to 30% by weight Au, and 0 to 40% by weight Pd. The remaining proportion by mass of more than 1% by weight is a dispersion-strengthening agent, which contains at least one metal oxidized at least 90% by weight with oxygen, the metal being selected from the group of Ce, Zr, Sc, and Y.
US08226848B2
The present invention relates to a method for inhibiting the formation or accumulation of ice on a solid surface and for reducing the salt out temperatures.
US08226839B1
A method for producing a pattern in an aerogel disposed as a coating on a substrate comprises exposing the aerogel coating to the vapors of a hydrophobic silane compound, masking the aerogel coating with a shadow photomask and irradiating the aerogel coating with ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The exposure to UV through the shadow mask creates a pattern of hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions in the aerogel coating. Etching away the hydrophilic regions of the aerogel coating, preferably with a 1 molar solution of sodium hydroxide, leaves the unwetted and unetched hydrophobic regions of the aerogel layer on the substrate, replicating the pattern of the photomask. The hydrophobic aerogel pattern can be further exposed to UV irradiation if desired, to create a hydrophilic aerogel pattern.
US08226832B2
A method that can be used in a portable system and apparatus to effectively and efficiently treat aqueous fluids by quickly and reliably adjusting and controlling the free residual level of disinfectants, contaminants or additives through the addition of one or more treating agents such as oxidizing chemicals and/or other special-purpose additives, and that can continuously store, log, retrieve and report the related fluid composition data and other operating parameters on a real-time basis at either the use site or a remote location. A preferred use for the subject method is managing the chemistry of disinfectant, contaminant and/or additive levels in aqueous fluids used in hydraulic fracturing operations, and controlling the free residual levels of the disinfectant or contaminants within the fluids, including fluids maintained in frac tanks during temporary cessation of a hydraulic fracturing operation.
US08226826B2
Compact disk based system for separating immunomagnetic bead labeled particulates and method thereof
Disclosed is a disk based system for separating at least two types of particulates contained in a sample fluid. The system includes a disk-like carrier board and a magnetic attraction unit. The disk-like carrier board forms at least one flow channel structure, which includes an inner reservoir, at least one separation chamber, and at least one outer reservoir arranged in sequence from a geometric center of the disk-like carrier board to an outer circumferential rim of the disk-like carrier board. A method of separation carried out with the system includes introducing the sample fluid into the inner reservoir and then rotating the disk-like carrier board to induce a centrifugal force. The sample fluid contains particulates that are labeled with immunomagnetic beads and the labeled particulates are attracted by the magnetic force generated by the magnetic attraction unit to retain in the inner reservoir or the separation chamber. Particulates not labeled with the immunomagnetic beads and contained in the sample fluid move with the sample fluid to the outer reservoir.
US08226825B2
Systems and methods for performing chromatography separations or analyses are disclosed. The methods are based upon an equilibrium gradient focusing mode in contrast to conventional transient migration-based modes. By matching the migration speed of one or more analyte(s) of interest to the wave speed of a thermal gradient induced to travel along a region in which chromatographic partitioning occurs, significant improvements in detection limits are achieved. In particular, a temperature gradient focusing strategy is described in which analyte(s) of interest are circulated around a continuous chromatography system in order to focus the analyte(s). Also described are various devices and systems that can be used in the methods described herein.
US08226818B2
Disclosed is an FCC apparatus and process in which coked catalyst is recycled to the base of the riser to contact fresh feed through a passage disposed within the riser.
US08226817B2
Crude oil is reacted with a methane-containing gas in a process wherein the gas is fed to a reaction vessel to contact both the crude oil and a metallic catalyst grid that is formed from windings of a transition metal supported on an iron frame immersed in a liquid petroleum fraction, at a moderate temperature to produce a gaseous reaction product which is condensed to form an upgraded mixture of hydrocarbons with a variety of uses, including serving as an additive to crude oil for transport purposes.
US08226813B2
A method of purifying cooling water which requires the lowest maintenance and management cost without the need for a cumbersome cleaning operation for removing scale in an electrolytic purifying vessel by taking out the electrodes from the electrolytic purifying vessel, and an apparatus therefor are provided. In the method of purifying circulating cooling water by applying a DC voltage across opposing electrodes while flowing water to be treated therebetween, so that ions in the water are electrolytically precipitated on the surfaces of electrodes on the negative pole side, thereby purifying the water to be treated, the electrodes comprise titanium and have an oxide film preformed by heating having a thickness of 5 nm to 130 nm thereon, and electric current is flown between the electrodes in an amount large enough to apply a voltage capable of dielectrically breaking down the oxide film on the surfaces of electrodes on the positive pole side.
US08226811B2
Disclosed is a system and method for generating time variant and invariant electric fields (E-fields) for various applications. Generating the E-field utilizes high impedance dielectric materials having a collection of three imperative material properties: high permittivity (ε), high volume resistivity (ρ) and high maximum allowable E-field stress (φ) and physical geometries that take advantage of the manner in which E-fields are divided or distributed in series capacitance networks. The generated E-field can act upon a subject material, including a gas, liquid or solid, wherein the material is stationary or in motion. The method allows an E-field of given intensity to be set up in the subject material with a significantly lower applied voltage φa, or conversely, a significantly higher E-field intensity with a given applied voltage φa. The method forestalls electric conduction current through the subject material, thus significantly reducing electric conduction current, energy consumption, ohmic heating, and preempting electrochemical reactions at the electrode/fluid interfaces. Acoustic energy may also be applied.
US08226807B2
There is provided a method and composition for applying a wear resistant composite coating onto a metal surface of an electrical component. The method comprises contacting the metal surface with an electrolytic plating composition comprising (a) a source of tin ions and (b) non-metallic particles, and applying an external source of electrons to the electrolytic plating composition to thereby electrolytically deposit the composite coating onto the metal surface, wherein the composite coating comprises tin metal and the non-metallic particles.
US08226799B1
An embodiment of a distillation system is disclosed having an influent column with an influent column first end and an influent column second end and having therein, a gas deflector. The influent column may contain at least an influent liquid and vapor from the influent liquid. The influent column first end may be in fluid communication with an influent liquid source. A distillation system is disclosed as having at least one effluent column having an effluent column first end and an effluent column second end and further comprising a condensation chamber adjacent the effluent second end. The effluent column may be positioned within the influent column and may contain at least an effluent liquid and vapor. A primary vacuum source may be in fluid communication with an influent column and positioned at an influent second end. A blower may be provided and connected to the condensation chamber. The influent column may have at least one vertically positioned influent conduit. The effluent column may have one or more vertically positioned effluent conduits. A method of distillation is also disclosed.
US08226789B1
A protective cover for a golf club, such as a driver or wood, is disclosed that remains in place during play to prevent scuffing, scratching, and the like of the surface finish. The golf club includes a head having a striking face portion and a non-planar body portion, and a shaft extending from the head. The protective cover includes a one-piece continuous polymeric film that closely conforms to the shape of at least a portion of the non-planar body portion of the golf club head, such as the entire crown, and a layer of adhesive adhering the polymeric film to the club head. The polymeric film preferably does not cover the face portion of the golf club head so that it has minimal impact on the performance of the golf club. A method of applying the protective cover to the club head is also disclosed.
US08226788B1
A method of molding an inexpensive door skin with stylized panels using machined wooden strips which extend around the panel areas to simulate the appearance of a solid wood door. Wood veneer sections are placed on the mold around the wood strips and in between the panel areas and the laid up assembly is compressed by molding to form a door skin having the appearance of a solid wood door surface with raised panels. A backing of fiberboard such as MDF or similar material is placed against the back of the laid up assembly prior to compression. In another embodiment a door blank is shaped and veneer and strips are laid up on a mold. The door blank and mold are compressed to form a door with a finished surface. The shaped door blank serves as a mold component and as the interior of the finished door.
US08226786B2
Approaches to providing z-filter media constructions are provided. Preferred corrugated media, filter constructions having such corrugated media, and filter systems using such filter constructions are provided. Also, preferred methods of forming filter constructions are provided.
US08226783B2
In a pneumatic tire (20) on which a transponder (1) is mounted, a securing member (3) for securing the transponder (1) is fixed to an inner surface of the tire in an area (S) between a tire maximum-width position (A) and a bead toe (B). Thereby, a large centrifugal force and a large impact force do not act on the transponder (1) storing various pieces of information, and the transponder can be mounted quickly and securely. Also, the weight of the transponder is remarkably reduced, and thus uniformity of the tire (20) is enhanced. Additionally, dynamic balance correction is made easier. Even in a large tire, reduction in durability is minimized through suppressing heat generation and heat accumulation of the tire (20) due to the transponder (1) and the securing member (3).
US08226782B2
A downhole device having an explosive component includes a high temperature stable explosive having thermal stability greater than 200° C., wherein the explosives having a compound of formula (I) or (II):
US08226780B2
This ferrite-austenite stainless steel sheet includes: in terms of mass %, C: 0.1% or less; Cr: 17 to 25%; Si: 1% or less; Mn: 3.7% or less; Ni: 0.6 to 3%; Cu: 0.1 to 3%; and N: 0.06% or more and less than 0.15%, with the remainder being Fe and inevitable impurities, wherein the steel sheet has a two-phase structure consisting of a ferrite phase and an austenite phase, a volume fraction of the austenite phase is in a range of 15 to 70%, and in a sheet plane (ND) of a center of a sheet thickness, grains of the ferrite phase having a crystal orientation satisfying ND//{111}±10° and grains of the ferrite phase having a crystal orientation satisfying ND//{101}±10° are present in a total content of 10% by area or more.
US08226776B1
Abnormal infective prion proteins are removed from liquids containing biologically active substances, particularly blood products, by filtration using a depth filter formed of a matrix comprising solid particles of porous material and having a pore size less than 6 microns. Preferably the filter is free of cationic or anionic charged material.
US08226769B2
An electrostatic chuck for receiving a substrate in a substrate processing chamber comprises a ceramic puck having a substrate receiving surface and an opposing backside surface with a plurality of spaced apart mesas. An electrode is embedded in the ceramic puck to generate an electrostatic force to hold a substrate. Heater coils located at peripheral and central portions of the ceramic puck allow independent control of temperatures of the central and peripheral portions of the ceramic puck. The chuck is supported by a base having a groove with retained air. The chuck and base can also have an overlying edge ring and clamp ring.
US08226758B2
The present invention relates to a disperse dye mixture containing (a) two or more disperse dyestuffs of the formula (I) or (b) one or more disperse dyestuffs of the formula (I) and one or more other disperse dyestuffs. The invention also relates to their process of preparation and their use.
US08226755B2
The present invention relates to a silver complex obtained by reacting at least one silver compound represented by the formula 2 below with at least one ammonium carbamate compound or ammonium carbonate compound represented by the formula 3, 4 or 5 below:
US08226748B2
A CO2 reducing system (10A) is constituted by a low-temperature CO2 reducing apparatus (11-1) that includes a low-temperature absorber (1006-1) that reduces at least one of CO2 and H2S by bringing flue gas (1002) including at least one of CO2 and H2S into contact with a low-temperature absorbing solution (1005-1), a low-temperature regenerator (1008-1) that regenerates a low-temperature rich solution (1007-1), a low-temperature rich-solution supply line (12-1) that feeds the low-temperature rich solution (1007-1) to the low-temperature regenerator (1008-1), and a low-temperature lean-solution supply line (13-1) that feeds a low-temperature lean solution (1009-1) to the low-temperature absorber (1006-1) from the low-temperature regenerator (1008-1); and a high-temperature CO2 reducing apparatus (11-2) that is arranged on a side at which the flue gas (1002) is discharged, and that has the same configuration as the low-temperature CO2 reducing apparatus (11-1).
US08226737B2
An abrasive particle includes a substantially spheroid metal containing matrix having a circumference and a super abrasive material having an average diameter of less than about 8 micrometer at least partially embedded the circumference of the metal containing matrix. The abrasive particle having an average diameter of less than about 200 micrometer.
US08226736B2
A fuel processor and a fuel cell system which have a desulfurizer with multiple sensors, and a method of measuring an adsorbent state in of an adsorbent the desulfurizer. The desulfurizer determines the saturation state of the adsorbent using a signal difference between at least two sensors installed adjacent to an inlet and an outlet of the desulfurizer. The desulfurizer provides an accurate determination of the saturation of the adsorbent, and can be used to determine when the adsorbent should be changed. Two desulfurizers can be alternatively used to allow for a consistent fuel flow.
US08226735B2
A process comprising receiving production saltwater comprising water, salt, and hydrocarbons, separating substantially all of the hydrocarbons from the production saltwater, evaporating at least some of the water in the production saltwater to obtain the salt, and collecting the salt. Also disclosed is a facility comprising a settling pit, an evaporator in fluid communication with the settling pit and comprising a nozzle configured to emit a stream along a path, and a collection pit positioned under the path.
US08226730B2
An implant is disclosed including a bio-compatible implant body that can be provided with a tip, or interconnected by one or more filaments. The implant body can be formed of a variety of biocompatible materials, including bio-remodelable materials such as small intestine submucosa. Methods are disclosed for assembly of the implant. Additionally, a method is disclosed for delivering the implant to a desired location in a patient.
US08226723B2
A self-retaining artificial spinal disc is formed of a flexible material and has a peripheral lip or meniscus extending from its top and/or bottom surface. The meniscus/menisci encircle portions of vertebrae adjacent the implant site, to enhance retention of the artificial spinal disc when seated in the spinal column. The meniscus/menisci for example snugly overlie the vertebral portions, and foster a suction seal between the disc and the adjacent vertebrae. The disc may be formed as an integral whole, or as two half-discs joinable by gluing, melting or like methods. In a related method, a self-retaining artificial spinal disc is formed in layers, by pouring and drying measures of liquid disc solution in a mold. A meniscal extension is formed from the disc body. Drugs or salts may be added to the disc layers, for example to provide an artificial spinal disc with time-release antibiotics or a desired porosity.
US08226707B2
An endoluminal support structure includes strut members interconnected by swivel joints to form a series of linked scissor mechanisms. The structure can be remotely actuated to compress or expand its shape by adjusting the scissor joints within a range of motion. In particular, the support structure can be repositioned within the body lumen or retrieved from the lumen. The support structure can be employed to introduce and support a prosthetic valve within a body lumen.
US08226706B2
A fenestrated stent graft with a tubular side arm extending there from in which the side arm can be turned inside out to extend into the stent graft during deployment of the stent graft and extended out during deployment. Also disclosed is a deployment device for such a side arm stent graft which has a deployment catheter and a side arm guide, the side arm guide is releasably fastened at a proximal end to the branch tube and is able to be moved independently of the deployment catheter such that the branch tube can be extended from the tubular body of the stent graft while it is fastened onto the side arm guide. The side arm guide can be formed from a side arm catheter and a side arm guide wire carried in the side arm catheter.
US08226705B2
A method of manufacturing a stent includes forming a wave form having a plurality of struts and a plurality of crowns. Each crown connects two adjacent struts. The wave form has a center and two portions extending from opposite sides of the center. The method includes wrapping a first portion of the wave form about a longitudinal axis in a first direction at a first pitch angle, starting at the center of the wave form, to define at least one turn oriented at the first pitch angle, and wrapping a second portion of the wave form about the longitudinal axis in a second direction that is opposite the first direction at a second pitch angle, starting at the center of the wave form, to define at least one turn oriented at the second pitch angle. The first pitch angle is opposite the second pitch angle.
US08226697B2
A device is described that may be positioned at a location in an intervertebral disc for diagnosis or treatment of the disc. Treatment may include, for example, applying energy or removing material, and may decrease intradiscal pressure. Radiofrequency energy may be applied. A percutaneous method of repairing a fissure in the annulus pulposus comprises placing an energy source adjacent to the fissure and providing sufficient energy to the fissure to raise the temperature to at least about 45-70° C. and for a sufficient time to cause the collagen to weld. An intervertebral fissure also can be treated by placing a catheter with a lumen adjacent to the fissure and injecting sealant into the fissure via the catheter, thereby sealing the fissure. An intervertebral fissure additionally can be treated by providing a catheter having a distal end, a proximal end, a longitudinal axis, and an intradiscal section at the catheter's distal end on which there is at least one functional element. The next step is applying a force longitudinally to the proximal of the catheter which is sufficient to advance the intradiscal section through the nucleus pulposus and around an inner wall of an annulus fibrosus, but which force is insufficient to puncture the annulus fibrosus. Next the functional element is positioned at a selected location of the disc by advancing or retracting the catheter and optionally twisting the proximal end of the catheter. Then the functional unit treats the annular fissure. Optionally, there is an additional step of adding a substance to seal the fissure. An externally guidable intervertebral disc apparatus also is disclosed.
US08226696B1
Apparatus for therapeutic or cosmetic photo-treatment comprises a flash lamp and a lamp operating circuit. The lamp is cooled by water in contact with the lamp which acts as an infra-red filter to reduce skin burning. Light from the lamp reaches the skin through a light guide which has a convex curved end to focus the light and to press away haemoglobin in the target area or has a concave end to reduce pressure on the skin depending on the desired treatment. Relatively long and low power square shaped power pulses drive the lamp to produce light output pulses adapted to the relaxation time of the target structure to maximize the heating of the target while minimizing heating of the skin surface. Target structures may be blood vessels or hair follicles. Automatic detection of a glass filter may be provided.
US08226690B2
Methods, systems, devices and tools for placing bone stabilization components in a patient are provided. The systems and devices have a reduced number of discrete components that allow placement through small incisions and tubes. More particularly, the present invention is directed to systems and methods of treating the spine, which eliminate pain and enable spinal motion, which effectively mimics that of a normally functioning spine. Methods are also provided for stabilizing the spine and for implanting the subject systems.
US08226681B2
Devices and methods for managing access through tissue is disclosed. The device includes a body. The body is movable from a pre-deployed configuration towards a deployed configuration. The device includes a plurality of tissue engaging portions that extend from the body. At least a portion of the tissue engaging portions are obtuse. At least two of the tissue engaging portions are separated by a first distance in the deployed configuration and a second distance in the pre-deployed configuration. The first distance is smaller than the second distance. The method includes deploying a closure element to tissue adjacent a tissue opening to substantially close the opening following a first procedure. The method also includes selectively opening the opening in the tissue by advancing a distal end of a medical device through the deployed closure element as a part of or before a second procedure.
US08226680B2
A vaso-occlusive device is introduced in a cavity of a patient's vasculature, such as an aneurysm, after which an external energy source, such as a MRI machine is activated to heat the vaso-occlusive device to assist in forming a thrombus or embolism within the treatment site, to release and/or activate a diagnostic or therapeutic agent carried by the vaso-occlusive device, and/or to fuse together portions of the vaso-occlusive device to help stabilize the device in a three-dimensional shape.
US08226676B2
First and second actuators where positive electrodes and negative electrodes are disposed on cylindrical electrostrictive polymers are disposed so as to face each other via a fixing member, a blade inserted into the first actuator is provided on the fixing member, and the blade is ultrasonically vibrated via the fixing member by driving one of the first and second actuators in a stretching and shrinking manner and driving the other in a stretching manner in synchronization with each other.
US08226674B2
A method of removing material from a blood flow lumen includes providing a device having a cutting element and an opening, the cutting element being movable relative to the opening. The method then includes advancing the device through a patient's vascular system to the blood flow lumen. Finally, the method involves moving the cutting element and the opening relative to the blood flow lumen so that a continuous piece of material is severed by the cutting element and directed into the opening as the cutting element and opening move through the blood flow lumen, the continuous piece of severed material being directed into the device for removal from the patient. The method may include providing a device having a rotatable cutter that, in some embodiments, is not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device, is movable, has retracted and deployed positions, or any combination thereof. The method may further include forcing the opening toward the wall of the vascular site after the advancing step and before the moving step.
US08226664B2
Tools and methods of use for removing biological units from a body surface utilizing a removal tool are disclosed. The tool incorporates a retention member configured to impede movement of the biological unit in the direction of a distal end of the tool and to improve retention of the biological unit in the tool. The retention member is radially movable within the lumen of the biological unit removal tool. The distal tips of the tools are desirably configured to reduce the chance of transection of a biological unit.
US08226658B2
An instrument for use in resecting a portion of a greater tubercle of a humerus in shoulder arthroplasty is provided. The instrument includes a guide support that has a first end coupled to a long bone. The guide support extends laterally and over the greater tubercle. The instrument also includes a cutting guide movably coupled to the guide support. The cutting guide including curved frame for abutting the humerus.
US08226655B1
A distraction assembly for automatically facilitating bone growth which may be required for the application of a dental implant is presented. A drive assembly is dimensioned and configured to be anchored within the mouth of a patient and includes a drive component and a timing assembly collectively disposed and structured to drive at least one displacement member along a predetermined path of travel, wherein the displacement member is connected to a bone segment associated with the implant site. The drive component and timing assembly are further cooperatively structured and disposed to cause incremental advancement of said displacement member along the predetermined path of travel and concurrent displacement of the bone segment relative to the implant site at a constant or otherwise predetermined rate.
US08226654B2
A drill bit comprising a trocar tip on an end of a fluted portion is disclosed. The trocar tip may configured to cut through relatively hard bone. The drill bit may also have a fluted portion for cutting through softer bone.
US08226653B2
Devices and methods for supporting adjacent spinous processes include opposing plates movable toward one another along a cross post to contact opposite sides of each of the spinous processes, and a spacer member about the cross post contacting the adjacent surfaces of the spinous processes to resist movement of the spinous processes toward one another under spinal extension motion.
US08226651B2
The present invention relates to a frame for attaching to a patient. The present invention also relates to a stereoguide and a member for attaching to a patient. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the frame, member and stereoguide of the present invention. The frame, member and stereoguide are constructed from a composite material comprising a matrix material and electromagnetically inert fibers.
US08226650B2
A bipolar forceps includes an end effector assembly having a flexible jaw member and a fixed jaw member. The flexible jaw member has a flange operably coupled to the fixed jaw member about a pivot. A drive assembly is configured to pivot the flexible jaw member relative to the fixed jaw member from a first position and a second position. A handle is movable between an open position when the jaw members are disposed in the first position and a closed position to cause the drive assembly to rotate the flange about the pivot in a second direction to move the jaw members to the second position. A distal end of the flexible jaw member is configured to engage the fixed jaw member prior to a proximal portion of the flexible jaw member upon movement of the jaw members to the second position.
US08226646B2
A high-frequency treatment instrument is provided with an electrode for treatment for performing a high-frequency treatment at a treatment portion. The treatment portion protrudes from an insertion portion having an electrical insulation. The treatment portion protruding from the insertion portion is provided with the electrode for treatment provided with a plurality of electrode portions. The treatment performances of the plurality of electrode portions are different.
US08226636B2
A device 1a for bonding adherends T1 and T2, as a device for bonding biological tissue to biological tissue or a biological tissue bonding material, comprises: a clamping part 2a for clamping the adherends T1 and T2 between members 21a and 22a; a pressing part 3a for pressing the member 22a towards the member 21a; a pressure control part 4a for controlling the pressure by the pressing part 3a; a heating element 5a built into the member 21a; a heating control part 6a for controlling the heating by the heating element 5a; a vibration generating part 7a for generating microvibration; and a vibration control part 8a for controlling the microvibration generated by the vibration generating part 7a.
US08226635B2
A system for ablating tissue includes a reusable control unit including a processor monitoring and controlling ablation and a control interface receiving input to and output from the processor in combination with a disposable procedure set releasably connectable to the control unit to couple to the control interface for communication with the processor.
US08226629B1
A method of treating an occlusion at a treatment site within a patient's vasculature comprises providing an ultrasonic catheter. The ultrasonic catheter has a distal region, a proximal region opposite the distal region, a fluid delivery lumen having at least one opening in the distal region, and an ultrasound radiating member positioned within the distal region. The method further comprises positioning the ultrasonic catheter at the treatment site, such that at least a portion of the distal region is within the occlusion. The ultrasonic catheter further comprises passing a therapeutic compound through the fluid delivery lumen such that the therapeutic compound is delivered to the treatment site. The ultrasonic catheter further comprises emitting ultrasonic energy from the ultrasound radiating member. The emitted ultrasonic energy has an amplitude that is periodically varied between a low amplitude and a high amplitude.
US08226627B2
A reconstitution assembly includes: a flexible bag containing a diluent; a drug vial containing a drug; a reconstitution device further comprising: a first sleeve connected to the first container; a second sleeve connected to the second container, the second sleeve being associated with the first sleeve and movable axially with respect thereto from an inactivated position to an activated position; a piercing member positioned in the sleeves, the piercing member providing a fluid pathway between the bag and vial when the sleeves are in the activated position.
US08226623B2
A comfortably wearable development type paper diaper comprises a back sheet, a first absorbent, a second absorbent and a liquid-permeable top sheet in the recited order. The first absorbent extends, when worn, from the back side through the crotch to the abdomen side of the user. The second absorbent extends, when worn, from the back side to the crotch of the user. A leakage preventing sheet allowing no liquid permeation is interposed between the first absorbent and the second absorbent. The second absorbent leaves the first absorbent from the crotch to the back side thereby to form a pocket PO for holding the excrement between the first absorbent and the second absorbent. The leakage preventing sheet is arranged to contact in the pocket PO with the second absorbent. The top sheet is so conformed to the shape of the pocket PO as to cover the leakage preventing sheet.
US08226619B2
A catheter with a balloon anchor may be sized to fit through an inner needle and introduced into the patient through the needle. The inner needle may comprise an atraumatic needle with a side port and/or a blunt tip. The catheter may include a radiopaque coil disposed over the distal portion of the catheter body to assist with catheter placement when viewed with fluoroscopy and/or x-ray. The distal portion of the catheter can be very flexible. A balloon inflation tube may terminate proximal to a proximal end of the expandable balloon anchor such that the distal portion of catheter can be flexible. This termination of the inflation tube may also position the inflation tube away from the annulus and nerve roots, so as to avoid irritation of the annulus and rubbing of the nerve roots that may potentially obscure FAD test results.
US08226618B2
An injection device comprising: a base member (102); a plunger (104) for driving a piston in a distal direction; a driving member (106); and a gear mechanism (108) providing a gearing between the driving member (106) and the plunger (104) such that then the driving member (106) is moved at a first speed relative to the base member (102), the plunger (104) is moved at a second speed relative to the base member (102); wherein at least two of the base member (102), the plunger (104) and the driving member (106) are pivotally connected to the gear mechanism (108).
US08226617B2
A safety shield apparatus including a safety shield and mounting structure for mounting the safety shield to a medical needle. The safety shield includes a distal segment, a proximal segment and a retention member. The distal segment is pivotally secured to the proximal segment and the proximal segment is pivotally secured to the retention member. The retention member includes an opening for receiving a nose of a medical needle device, e.g., a blood collection device. In one embodiment, a retaining collar is provided which is dimensioned to be press-fit about the nose of the medical needle device to secure the safety shield to the medical needle device. Alternatively, mounting structure is formed directly on the retention member to secure the safety shield to the medical needle device.
US08226606B2
A wearable infusion device comprises a reservoir that holds a liquid medicament, an outlet port that delivers the liquid medicament to a patient, a pump that delivers a volume of the liquid medicament from the reservoir to the outlet when actuated, and a tactile indicator representing the volume of the liquid medicament delivered to the outlet with each actuation of the pump.
US08226598B2
The present invention relates generally to medical devices for mixing, preparing and administering therapeutic compositions, and more particularly to a system comprising two syringes and a locking ring wherein two compositions are mixed between the two syringes immediately prior to administration.
US08226596B2
A blood flow control system, tension adjustable instrument and a method are disclosed. The blood flow control system comprises a detecting unit, a computing and a tension adjustable instrument. The detecting unit real-time monitors the biomolecular response condition of a living organ, and the computing unit dynamically controls the tension adjustable instrument to adjust the tension of the blood vessel based on the detecting result. Therefore the blood flow control system can maintain the biomolecular response condition over a predetermined range to reduce the risk of the liver organ being damaged and augment the curability.
US08226595B2
A peritoneal dialysis machine includes: (i) a supply bag; (ii) an apparatus configured to support the supply bag, the supply bag located above the peritoneal cavity of a patient; (iii) a vacuum source; (iv) a patient line configured to be connected to the patient; (v) a drain line configured to be connected to a drain; and (vi) a logic implementor configured to enable (a) fresh dialysate to be gravity fed from the supply bag through the patient line to the peritoneal cavity during a fill cycle and (b) the vacuum source to cause spent dialysate to be pulled from the peritoneal cavity through the drain line to the drain during a drain cycle.
US08226578B2
Sensor guide wire for intravascular measurements of a physiological variable in a living body, comprising a core wire running along at least a part of the sensor guide wire and a sensor element arranged in a jacket in a sensor region of the sensor guide wire. The jacket is tubular and is provided with a jacket wall and a portion of the core wire that extends longitudinally along the sensor region forms part of the wall of the jacket, in order to provide more space in the jacket.
US08226575B2
This document provides needle biopsy systems and methods for obtaining tissue biopsies. In various embodiments, the systems and methods provided can inhibit needle contamination by unwanted tissue or cells and/or regulate a negative pressure to assist sampling of target tissue or cells.
US08226574B2
A system for detecting abnormal eye movement in a subject to indicate possible impairment of the subject. The subject may be presented with a visual pattern to observe. The visual pattern may cause the subject's eyes to move. Images of the eye movements may be captured. An eye motion pattern may be computed from the images. The eye motion pattern may be classified relative to other eye motion patterns or a guide. The classification may indicate whether there appears to be an abnormal movement of the eye and thus an impairment of the subject. An identification of the subject may be obtained according to a biometric from the images and used to retrieve the subject's baseline eye motion pattern. A comparison of the computed eye motion pattern and the baseline eye motion pattern may indicate whether there is abnormal movement of the eye and thus an impairment of the subject.
US08226569B2
The present invention provides a method for managing a patient having a sleep disorder, e.g. sleep apnea, snoring, sleep bruxism, upper airway resistance syndrome, etc. The method comprises monitoring physiological information from the patient, converting the physiological information to digital data, storing the digital data in a digital memory, identifying and characterizing epochs based on the digital data, and storing the identifying and characterizing information of the epochs in a digital memory. The method further comprises organizing the epochs according to an organization function that considers at least characterization information of the epochs, selecting an epoch based on the organizing of the epochs, and generating sound derived from the stored digital data associated with the selected epoch such that the patient hears the sound. In a specific embodiment, the physiological information monitored may include sound, e.g. respiratory sound emanating from the trachea, and/or tooth-grinding sounds.
US08226562B2
A sterile enclosure is provided for enclosing a hand-held ultrasound device to prevent any material on the ultrasound device from contaminating a sterile environment in which the ultrasound device is used. The enclosure has an opening for insertion of the ultrasound device into the enclosure, a closure for closing the opening, an acoustically-transparent transducer portion for covering an active face of a transducer of the ultrasound device, and a transparent display portion overlaying a display of the ultrasound device. In some embodiments a detachable or integrally formed needle guide is provided with the enclosure, for holding and guiding a needle so that the needle is projected into a field of view of the transducer of the ultrasound device.
US08226558B2
An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor has, for example, a substrate, a recessed channel formed in the substrate, and conductive material disposed in the recessed channel to form a working electrode. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted for placement on skin and is adapted to receive a portion of an electrochemical sensor. The sensor control unit also includes two or more conductive contacts disposed on the housing and configured for coupling to two or more contact pads on the sensor. A transmitter is disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of conductive contacts for transmitting data obtained using the sensor. The display unit has a receiver for receiving data transmitted by the transmitter of the sensor control unit and a display coupled to the receiver for displaying an indication of a level of an analyte. The analyte monitor may also be part of a drug delivery system to alter the level of the analyte based on the data obtained using the sensor.
US08226555B2
An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor has, for example, a substrate, a recessed channel formed in the substrate, and conductive material disposed in the recessed channel to form a working electrode. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted for placement on skin and is adapted to receive a portion of an electrochemical sensor. The sensor control unit also includes two or more conductive contacts disposed on the housing and configured for coupling to two or more contact pads on the sensor. A transmitter is disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of conductive contacts for transmitting data obtained using the sensor. The display unit has a receiver for receiving data transmitted by the transmitter of the sensor control unit and a display coupled to the receiver for displaying an indication of a level of an analyte. The analyte monitor may also be part of a drug delivery system to alter the level of the analyte based on the data obtained using the sensor.
US08226548B2
A reinforced arthroscope comprising external ribs to provide for a number of separate fluid channels, such as inflow, outflow and interstitial tissue drainage, when the arthroscope is slipped into a disposable external sheath. The arthroscope is constructed to be sufficiently rigid so as to penetrate and move within a joint without damaging the rod optics inside. The externality of the arthroscope channels allow for cleaning and sterilizing the scope between uses.
US08226543B2
A method of automatically determining which type of treatment is most appropriate for a cardiac arrest victim, the method comprising transforming one or more time domain electrocardiogram (ECG) signals into a frequency domain representation comprising a plurality of discrete frequency bands, combining the discrete frequency bands into a plurality of analysis bands, wherein there are fewer analysis bands than discrete frequency bands,determining the content of the analysis bands, and determining the type of treatment based on the content of the analysis bands.
US08226539B2
The present disclosure provides a brachytherapy apparatus, system and method that delivers partial breast irradiation treatment for post-lumpectomy patients via introduction of a catheter-like device through a trocar. 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 one or more thin-walled tubes, each of said thin-walled tubes being configured to contain one or more radioactive sources, at least one radiation source configured to deliver a prescribed dose of radiation, a whisk adjuster configured to permit adjustment of each of the one or more thin-walled tubes so that the tubes substantially conform to a size of the body cavity; and an expansion element configured to expand outwardly said one or more thin-walled tubes within the cavity so that the thin-walled tubes substantially conform to a shape and/or size of the body cavity.
US08226537B2
A disposable blood separation set of a centrifugal blood processing system comprising a blood processing chamber adapted to be mounted on a rotor of a centrifuge; a frustro-conical cell separation chamber in fluid communication with the processing chamber, the cell separation chamber a baffle within a separation area. The baffle may have a plurality of vanes with openings therein. A protruding inlet may have a frustro-conical inner surface that slants radially outwardly from an inlet to a mouth of the protruding inlet. A circumferential well may surround the protruding inlet.
US08226533B2
A multipurpose exercise device has a portable construction, and is geometrically optimized with arcuate and planar surfaces to allow a safe and effective workout of the abdominal muscles when attached to the feet of a user. Furthermore, the device enables a user to efficiently transition from an oblique abdominal exercise to a core abdominal exercise in a highly efficient, hassle-free manner.
US08226532B2
A control apparatus for an automatic transmission having a rotation transmission mechanism for transmitting rotation of a prime mover mounted on a vehicle to a speed change mechanism, and an input clutch for controlling connection/disconnection of the transmitted rotation. The control apparatus includes a control portion that performs a neutral control including a release control that reduces rotation transmission efficiency, and an in-neutral control so as to maintain rotation efficiency. During the in-neutral control, a check control is performed that makes the fluid pressure relative to the input clutch fluctuate, and when determining as a result of the check control that the rotation transmission efficiency is in a predetermined low efficiency state, then reducing the fluid pressure relative to the input clutch by a set pressure, and thereafter maintaining the fluid pressure constant.
US08226527B2
A straddle type vehicle with a control unit that improves riding comfort and controls the speed change of a continuously variable transmission electronically. Engine output is controlled by an accelerator operating part. The control unit shifts to a kick down mode where a speed change ratio is shifted to be lower than in a normal mode according to operation of a kick down switch separate from the accelerator operating part. A kick down release command is issued according to a state of the vehicle, and kick down mode is released and returned to normal mode.
US08226518B2
Continuously variable transmission is discloses as comprising a continuously variable speed device such that the speed of the final outlet shaft (8) may be varied in any rotation direction and to zero using a combination of different diameters of a first pulley.
US08226515B2
A hybrid electromechanical transmission connectable with multiple power sources for launching and propelling a vehicle includes an output member and a stationary member. The transmission also includes a first planetary gear set and a second planetary gear set. The power sources include an engine, a first motor/generator and a second motor/generator. The engine, the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator are each operatively connected with the first planetary gear set, and the output member and the second motor/generator are each operatively connected with the second planetary gear set. Thus configured, the transmission provides both a forward under-drive gear for launching the vehicle and a forward direct drive gear for propelling the vehicle at higher speeds.
US08226512B2
The hybrid transmission has a plurality of members that can be utilized in powertrains to provide eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio. The hybrid transmission includes a motor/generator, three planetary gear sets, five torque-transmitting devices, three external gear sets and a final drive gear set. The powertrain includes an engine and torque converter that is continuously connected to one of the planetary gear members and an output member that is continuously connected with one of the external gear sets. The five torque-transmitting devices provide interconnections between various planetary and external gear members, the input shaft, and the transmission housing, and are operated in combinations of three to establish eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio.
US08226505B2
The present invention relates to a ball bat with improved shock and vibration dampening. More particularly, the present invention relates to a ball bat with a handle, a barrel, and a socket assembly interposed between the handle and barrel. The socket assembly allows the barrel and handle to move relative to each other, which dampens shock and vibration.
US08226504B1
Disclosed herein are various inventive methods and apparatus related to an apparatus and method for teaching bunting techniques to baseball or softball players. A bunting mat may be provided that contains a plurality of lines that aide a player in better understanding bunting techniques, including aiding a player with appropriately positioning their feet for a bunt.
US08226503B2
According to the present invention, there is provided a sports training apparatus for accurately simulating the football maneuver known as the ‘cut-block.’ The present invention comprises a track, a rolling cart fitted to the track, an upright blocking pillar connected to the cart, and a triggering system for lowering and raising the blocking pillar at specified intervals in order to simulate the cut-block maneuver. The present invention additionally includes a stopping mechanism for stopping the movement of the cart.
US08226502B2
A golf ball having a plurality of dimples formed on its outer surface, the outer surface of the golf ball being divided into plural areas, a first group of areas containing a plurality of first dimples and a second group of areas containing a plurality of second dimples, each area of the second group abutting one or more areas of the first group, the first and second groups of areas and dimple shapes and dimensions being configured such that the golf ball is spherically symmetrical as defined by the United States Golf Association (USGA) Symmetry Rules, and such that the golf ball exhibits a lift coefficient (CL) of less than about 0.195 over a range of Reynolds Number (Re) from about 135,000 to about 180,000 and at a spin rate of about 3,000 rpm.
US08226501B2
Aspects of this disclosure relate to a golf club head which includes a wood type golf club head body including a ball striking face portion at a front side thereof, a rear side opposite the front side, a crown portion, and a sole portion. Further, the sole or crown or rear portion of the golf club head body may be configured so that the golf club head body includes a bump portion which protrudes from the sole or crown or rear portion and an indented portion which recedes into the sole or crown or rear portion and creates a recess in the sole or crown or rear portion of the golf club head body. Further, the bump portion and the indented portion may be configured so that a center of gravity of the club head body is nearer to one of the heel edge of the club head body and the toe edge of the club head body.
US08226499B2
A hollow golf club head with a concave portion is disclosed and claimed. The club head includes a metallic portion and a light weight portion, which may be formed of plastic, composite, or the like. The concave portion allows the club designer to make a club head having very thin portions while still maintaining the requisite structural integrity. Convex bulges may optionally be provided to house weight inserts to enhance the playing characteristics of the golf club.
US08226488B2
A modular gaming machine system has a first gaming box with a main processor configured to control a game of chance played on the gaming machine by executing game code that uses gaming instructions received from a PCI-e controller. At least one interface is coupled to the first gaming box to receive a PCI Express (PCI-e) bus to communicatively link the PCI-e controller and the main processor. A second gaming box contains the PCI-e controller for communicating with at least one peripheral device on the gaming machine and at least one critical gaming device in communication with the PCI-e controller. There is at least one access port coupled to the second gaming box to receive a free end of the PCI-e bus, wherein the PCI-e bus extends outside the first and second gaming box and is secured by one or more doors, locks, sensors, evidence tape, and/or combinations thereof.
US08226485B1
An online multiuser game includes friend-playing characters that can be taken into account when determining outcomes of game events. The outcome of a game event can depend on player inputs, player character state, game state and the state of characters of friends of the player, independent of whether the friends are current players. Friends of a player can be determined by a game social network system that maintains records on game players and relationships between various players. A game server can attribute one or more in-game benefits to a current player based on the in-game profile associated with other players who are identified in a game social network as friends of the current player. The friend network can be single-layered or multiple-layered.
US08226480B2
A game apparatus includes a main apparatus, an image display apparatus including a display screen, a controller including an acceleration sensor, and a game executing section. The game executing section determines whether or not an acceleration signal generated is normal, based on a first half wave signal of the acceleration signal occurring in an axial direction when the controller is moved. The game executing section moves an image object based on a second half wave signal occurring subsequent to the first half wave signal and having a reversed polarity. The game executing section executes display control to move the image object back to a home position upon detecting that the second half wave signal reaches a peak. Thus, displaying the image object may be controlled according to the movement of the controller. The display control may be executed based on a normal acceleration signal without performing complicated steps.
US08226479B2
Systems and methods are provided that may be adapted for use with a plurality of user interface devices having haptic feedback interface mechanisms. A group controller may be adapted to determine a group decision input based, at least in part, on sensed outputs the user interface devices. At least a portion of the group decision input may be used to provide haptic feedback to a user via the user interface device.
US08226475B2
Systems and methods for operating a gaming machine having with a facsimile graphical user interface are disclosed. The systems and methods include displaying on a graphical object on the gaming machine that represents a physical component of the gaming machine. One aspect of the systems and methods includes selecting the graphical object and initiating an action for the physical component represented by the graphical object. A further aspect includes sensing a status for a physical component on the gaming machine and displaying a graphical object representing the status.
US08226466B2
A method of gaming comprising: (a) selecting a plurality of symbols from a source symbol set to form a selected symbol set for display at a plurality of display positions, the source symbol set comprising at least one removable symbol and at least one designated symbol different to each removable symbol; and if a removal condition is met, the removal condition including at least that the selected symbol set includes at least one designated symbol within the display positions; (b) removing at least one removable symbol from the source symbol set from which it was selected to form a modified source symbol set; (c) selecting at least one symbol from the modified source symbol set to form a modified selected symbol set; and (d) determining whether to make an award based on the modified selected symbol set.
US08226463B2
It is possible to select plural types of drawing games in accordance with a condition and to provide a game player with the selected drawing games. A game device (1) for performing a bingo game for drawing either a first prize or a second prize with a ball B1 and a ball B2 includes an outer bingo stage (1100) for drawing either the first prize or the second prize with the ball B1, an inner bingo stage (1200) for drawing either the first prize or the second prize with the ball B2, supply means for supplying the drawing medium, which is either the ball B1 or the ball B2, to a predetermined transporting path, medium type specifying means for specifying if the drawing medium is the ball B1 or the ball B2, first feeding means for feeding the ball B1 to the outer bingo stage (1100) when the game medium supplied to the predetermined transporting path is the ball B1, and second feeding means for feeding the ball B2 to the inner bingo stage (1200) when the drawing medium supplied to the predetermined transporting path is the ball B2.
US08226462B2
A method of awarding a prize in a network of electronic gaming machines in which the probability of a machine winning the prize is dependent upon a change in a win meter of the electronic gaming machine within a polling cycle.
US08226457B2
The invention relates to a process for producing a composite casing shirred to a caterpillar, said process comprising steps of pulling an outer casing over the inner casing, and optionally a net between the inner and outer casings, or over the outer casing, and finally shirring the composite casing thus obtained to give a compact tube, which is cut to yield caterpillars.
US08226451B2
Collapsible structures are provided with enhancements and other features that impart additional utility or amusement value to the basic underlying structure. The collapsible structure has at least one foldable frame member having a folded and an unfolded orientation, and with a fabric material covering portions of the frame member to form a panel when the frame member is in the unfolded orientation. An electrical component can attached to the fabric material, and an electrical coupling connected to the electrical component. Alternatively, a two-dimensional or three-dimensional object can be attached to the fabric material.
US08226450B2
A method of manufacturing a display device includes forming a thin film transistor on an insulating substrate, forming an electrode which is electrically connected with the thin film transistor, forming a wall which surrounds the electrode, supplying a first solvent to the electrode that is surrounded by the wall, and supplying ink which comprises an organic material and a second solvent to the electrode which has previously received the first solvent. Thus, the manufacturing method produces a display device which has a uniform organic layer.
US08226446B2
A terminal connector for a regulator and a method for connecting an external terminal to the terminal connector are provided, whereby the regulator is configured to control an output of a generator provided to a motorcycle. The terminal connector is configured to connect the regulator and external terminals using bolts and nuts, and includes a plurality of terminal units. Each terminal unit is individually connected to an external terminal, and is configured in a width direction of the terminal connector. Each terminal unit is configured as a support base for screw-tightening, to which one of the external terminals is connected by screwing, and includes an identification mark. At least two of the terminal units have different widths.
US08226441B2
An I/O connector has a housing that contains a plurality of individual terminal wafers containing terminal dedicated to either ground signals or differential signals. The terminals are arranged in widthwise order to define broadside coupled differential signal terminal pairs. The ground terminals are wider than the signal terminals to provide shielding to the differential signal pairs. The body portions of the ground terminals include pairs of opposed notches that provide for increased retention of the ground terminals in the wafer and provide increased flow for molding material during the formation of the wafers.
US08226437B2
A connector system with a connector and a complementary connector, wherein the connector includes a housing element with a locking device and an electrical contact element, wherein the electrical contact element is arranged in the area of a front end of the housing element, and includes a closing element arranged on the housing element, which closing element surrounds both at least the rear end of the housing element and an area of the electrical cable arranged outside the housing element, and is closely connected with the housing element and the electrical cable such that at the rear end, the interior of the housing element is sealed from the surrounding in a substantially fully moisture-tight manner. The closing element may, optionally, be applied in a substantially liquid form.
US08226427B2
In an electrical contactor a first terminal (5) is connected to a pair of contacts (3, 4) on opposite faces of a fixed conductive member (2). A second terminal (6) is connected to a pair of movable arms (7, 8) of electrically conductive material carrying moveable contacts (9, 10) at an end remote from the connection to the second terminal (6). The movable arms (7, 8) are arranged in aligned opposition to each other and such that their remote ends are on either side of the fixed member (2) with the movable contacts (9, 10) aligned with the fixed contacts (3, 4). The arrangement of the fixed member (2) and movable arms (7, 8) is such that when the contacts are closed current flowing through the moveable arms produces a force that urges the movable arms towards each other thereby increasing the force between the fixed and movable contacts. In such a contactor overload currents cause the contact force to increase due to the attractive electromagnetic force produced between the arms (7, 8) by currents flowing in the same direction in the arms (7, 8).
US08226425B2
Methods and apparatuses supporting an electrical connection in a manner that eliminates or reduces a danger of electrical sparking are disclosed. A sparkless electrical connector has a conductor, configured to provide flow of electricity between an electrical source and a load, and a resistive element, operatively coupled to the conductor, to resist flow of electricity during a state of partial connection with the electrical source or the load. The resistive element may be not in contact with a terminal of the source or load during a state of full connection. The resistive element may be a coating of an anodized material on a pin of the conductor. The coating provides a resistance sufficient to prevent sparking during connection of the conductor and at least one of the electrical source and the load. Techniques disclosed herein benefit users and manufacturers in the areas of safety, cost, simplicity, and reliability.
US08226423B1
An electric connector includes a connector body having conducting blades (or blade-insertion slots) located on the front side for the connection of a mating female (or male) electric connector and a plurality of tubular posts embedded in the back side, and a deplugging assistant device having a finger plate and shanks extended from the finger plate and respectively slidably coupled to the tubular posts of the connector body and movable relative to the tubular posts between a received position and an extended position. When the deplugging assistant device is in the extended position, the user can pull the finger plate to disconnect the electric connector from the mating female (or male) electric connector safely with less effort, avoiding an electric shock accident.
US08226422B2
An improved plug connector (100) is disclosed. It includes: a generally U-shaped contact (102) including a first vertical leg (104), a second vertical leg (106) and a horizontal leg (108) connecting the first vertical leg (104)and the second vertical leg (106), the first vertical leg (104) being longer than the second vertical leg (106); and a retention block 110 connected to both sides (112) and (114) of the horizontal leg (108) configured to support the U-shaped contact (102).This design can stand up to the harsh environment that it will be exposed to and will provide improved resistance to failure.
US08226420B2
A wrist worn electronic device includes a main body having a processor and a receiving member electrically connected to the processor. A belt includes an electronic component and a connection member electrically connected to the electronic component. The connection member is used to engage the receiving member, to connect the belt to the main body and electrically connect the electronic component to the processor.
US08226417B2
The present invention provides a will-expression modeling device simulating human will-expression responding to an direction input given from the outside, which includes an interest interpretation section, an emotion creating section and a will-expression section. The interest interpretation section collates the direction input with a predetermined hedonic interest relationship table and outputs a mood factor representing pleasure, displeasure or the like. The emotion creating section prepares a plurality of emotional states obtained by modeling human emotions as data and causes state transitions to occur in the emotional states according to the mood factor to simulate a change in human emotion responding to the direction input. The will-expression section prepares in advance a plurality of mental-will states obtained by modeling human will as data and selects a new mental-will state from the emotional states or a “combination of a mental-will state and an emotional state”.
US08226411B2
Elements (5) such as dental fillings, inlays, dental veneers, root pins, implants to be implanted in bone tissue, or endoprostheses are affixed to surfaces (3) of dentine, tooth enamel, bone tissue, or a corresponding substitute material, by providing the element with element surfaces (6) including a first thermoplastic material, by equipping the surfaces (3) of dentine, tooth enamel, bone tissue, or a corresponding substitute material in a preparatory step in such a way that they become weldable with the first thermoplastic material, and by welding the element surfaces (6) to the pre-treated surfaces (3) by e.g. exciting the appropriately positioned element (5) with mechanical vibrations. The pre-treatment of the surfaces (3) in the preparatory step is achieved by attaching solid bodies (2) including a second thermoplastic material to the surfaces (3), with the aid of a curable compound (generally known for preparatory treatment of dentine or enamel surfaces) or with the aid of a cement.
US08226405B2
The present invention relates to a full time regenerative type single radiant tube burner. The full time regenerative type single radiant tube burner includes a radiant tube type burner; a regenerating unit that regenerates exhaust gas heat generated from the burner and is used for preheating the intake combustion air; and an intake and exhaust switching device that passes the intake air and the exhaust gas to the regenerating unit and heat-exchanges them and simultaneously progresses the intake and exhaust processes of the burner to perform the full time combustion.The present invention according to the above configuration operation can perform the full time combustion using the single radiant tube burner to maximize the combustion efficiency, thereby improve the energy efficiency, while the present invention makes the structure of the intake and exhaust switching device 300 simple, can compactly design the burner by mounting the regenerating unit 200, which is integrated with the intake and exhaust switching device, to surround the circumference of the burner body 110 and can manufacture the burner at a small size, such that it can be applied to various environments without limiting the installation space.
US08226402B2
A mold for fabricating containers made of thermoplastic material by blow-molding or stretch-blow molding a blank, which mold has a seat situated at the opening in the molding cavity for the purpose of receiving the rim of said blank, and cooling means for cooling said rim and, between said cooling means and the impression of the shoulder of the cavity of the mold, said mold has thermal insulation means for breaking a thermal bridge. The cooling circuit for cooling the rim is etched in a lid that is mounted around the opening of the cavity of the mold, and this etched portion rests in leaktight manner on a piece that acts as a thermal insulator.
US08226401B2
Gum manufacturing machinery and method of manufacturing gum is illustrated in which a gum loafing machine generates loaves of finished gum that are then subsequently run through a gum conditioner to more uniformly set the temperature and viscosity of the gum material prior to further processing. Upon achieving the appropriate conditioning level, a further forming extruder may be used to generate a continuous gum ribbon for subsequent rolling and scoring operations. The gum conditioner may include vertically stacked conveyors that have different operational modes including a first mode that provides a serpentine path for a long residence time and a second mode that provides a cascading path that avoids or bypasses much of the length of some of the conveyors to provide a shorter residence time. The gum manufacturing machinery may be used in an adjustable manner so as to accommodate difference gum recipes for different batches of gum product.
US08226397B2
Apparatus and method for making a molded plastic article having a stretched and crystallized neck finish. In one embodiment, a series of platforms are carried by a conveying apparatus for transporting a series of molded plastic articles along a predetermined path of travel through one or more treatment stations. At a finish widening station, the molded article, having a relatively wide and thin-walled blow-molded body portion, and a relatively narrow and thick-walled unexpanded neck finish portion, is positioned to enable insertion of a mandrel into an open top aperture of the finish portion to widen the finish.
US08226396B2
The invention relates to a device for the production of granulate grains from a plastic melt, having a nozzle plate with at least one nozzle opening from which a strand of the plastic melt is discharged into a processing chamber, and a cutting tool having at least one cutting blade that may be moved against the nozzle plate by means of a feed device, wherein the plastic strand discharged from the nozzle opening of the nozzle plate can be fragmented into granulate grains by the cutting blade moving relative to the nozzle opening. The nozzle plate has a diamond coating at least on the surface thereof facing the cutting tool, with the hardness of the diamond coating being greater than the hardness of the cutting blade, and with the average roughness of the diamond coating being greater than the average roughness of the cutting blade by at least a factor of two.
US08226394B2
An optical molding apparatus molds a three-dimensional model by stacking cured layers. Each cured layer is formed by emitting light according to cross-sectional-shape data of the three-dimensional model onto a surface of photo-curable resin. The optical molding apparatus includes a container that contains the photo-curable resin, a movable stage that is movable in a direction orthogonal to the surface of the photo-curable resin, an optical system that emits the light onto the surface of the photo-curable resin contained in the container so as to form each cured layer on the movable stage, and a discharging mechanism that performs a discharging operation for discharging new photo-curable resin onto a surface of each cured layer formed on the movable stage before stacking a subsequent cured layer.
US08226392B2
A transfer apparatus, for molding a resin on a substrate using a mold on which a pattern is formed and releasing the mold from the resin to transfer the pattern onto the substrate, includes a charge removing device configured to remove a charge of the mold, and a detector configured to detect an electric potential of the mold. The charge removing device is configured to remove the charge of the mold if the electric potential of the mold detected by the detector is not less than a predetermined value.
US08226378B2
Device to prevent the formation of condensate in compressed gas coming from an oil-injected compressor element which is connected to an oil separator which is connected to the compressor element by an injection pipe, and wherein a cooler is provided in the injection pipe which can be bridged by means of a bypass. A controlled mixing valve is connected to the injection pipe and to the bypass, and a control device controls the mixing valve to adjust the compressed air temperature by adjusting the flow distribution through the mixing valve.
US08226374B2
A motor drive for an electric motor of a variable fluid circulating system includes a processing module and a power module. The processing module receives a signal profile and generates a control signal based on the signal profile. A power module generates a carrier signal based on the control signal and a direct current (DC) voltage. The power module pulse width modulates the carrier signal to generate a drive signal in the electric motor that matches the signal profile. The power module powers the electric motor based on the drive signal to adjust injection of a fluid into a reservoir.
US08226369B2
The present invention discloses an article of manufacture comprising a conical helicoid wind turbine. The conical helicoid is configured such that its apex faces toward the on-coming wind which allows airflow to transverse through the curved sail from the front center to the outer rear extremity. This dynamic shape produces the optimum amount of force by distributing the wind load to the outer edges of the wind turbine's rotation. In addition, by channeling the flow of air through the conical helix to convert to motive force, the turbine forces the wind into a vortexual formation which entrains wind flow in tandem with the turbine's rotational force, thus reducing backflow turbulences.
US08226363B2
A turbine wheel for a gas operated medical handpiece includes a plurality of blades which extend in radial direction from a hub and extend in axial direction from a side ring web of the turbine wheel, and the front side of which is substantially concavely curved about an approximately radially running first axis of curvature. In order to increase the drive power or to better exploit the drive power at least one blade has at least in an axial end region an inclination surface which is inclined in the axial direction towards the front side.
US08226358B2
A turbine reduces variations in mass flow at throats even when the flow rate of fluid is low or high. The turbine includes a turbine rotor having turbine blades; a turbine housing accommodating the turbine rotor 80 and whose cross-sectional area of a scroll portion formed between the turbine housing and the turbine rotor gradually decreases; a plurality of fixed vanes fixed along a curved line dividing the scroll portion into an inner scroll part and an outer scroll part; throats formed between the adjacent fixed vanes and communicate between the inner scroll part and the outer scroll part; and a switch valve which switches a flow path in the turbine housing either to the inner scroll part or to both the inner scroll part and the outer scroll part, in which flow path areas of the throats are reduced in a downstream direction of the scroll portion.
US08226354B2
A foundation for supporting a structure is provided. The foundation includes a foundation body, at least one anchor bolt connecting a lower anchor plate and the structure, a magnetostrictive load measuring sensor for measuring loads on the at least one anchor bolt, the magnetostrictive load measuring sensor being positioned within the foundation body.
US08226353B2
A system for ventilating a downstream cavity of an impeller of a centrifugal compressor in a turbomachine, this cavity being delimited by the downstream face of the impeller and by an annular end-piece of a diffuser and being ventilated by taking air from the outlet of the compressor, the system comprising at least one annular deflector mounted in this cavity in order to oppose the rise of hot air along the downstream face of the impeller and in order to cause the diverted hot air to be driven by the air taken from the outlet of the compressor.
US08226344B2
An angle formed on a side of a bucket by a first line segment that connects a first pivot region of a bell crank relative to a boom and a second pivot region of the bell crank relative of a connecting link and a second line segment that connects the first pivot region and third a pivot region of the bell crank relative to a tilt cylinder is no more than 206.5°. An angle formed by the second line segment and a line segment that connects the third pivot region and fourth a pivot region of the tilt cylinder relative to a structural body is, in a fork-attached state, no more than 72.3°. When a pivot region of the fork relative to the boom is substantially 1.5 m from the ground, a lower end of the bell crank is located higher than a lower end of the fork.
US08226342B2
The transport device for an elongate object, e.g. for a rotor blade for a wind turbine, comprises a support surface for the elongate object, comprising a front end and a rear end, means for pivoting the elongate object from a substantially horizontal orientation into at least one inclined orientation arranged obliquely relative to the substantially horizontal orientation, and means for changing the distance between the ends of the support surface as viewed in the vertical projection of the support surface, wherein, if the elongate object is arranged in the substantially horizontal orientation, the ends of the support surface are spaced apart a first distance value, and, if the elongate object is arranged in the at least one inclined orientation, the ends of the support surface are spaced apart a second distance value which is smaller than the first distance value.
US08226341B2
A fastener for driving into a substrate has a head having an upper surface and a lower surface, a penetrating tip and a shank extending from the lower surface of the head to the penetrating tip. At least one deformable feature is formed on the head. The deformable feature is configured to absorb energy and to deform. When a driving element is driven onto the head to drive the fastener into the substrate, the deformable feature absorbs energy and is deformed as the head contacts the substrate.
US08226334B2
A cutting tool includes a tool body having proximal and distal ends and defining a central axis. The tool body includes a shank portion and a fluted portion. The shank portion may be configured to be rotatably engageable to a milling machine. The fluted portion may include a plurality of teeth disposed about a circumference thereof and being formed at a radius relative to the central axis. In one embodiment, the teeth may be divided into first and second tooth sections with the teeth in the second tooth section being formed at a reduced radius relative to the teeth in the first tooth section.
US08226330B2
A method for landscaping an area using an earth-reinforcing revetment includes the steps of providing a first structure of at least one landscaping apparatus having a measure of openings and a base region, providing a second structure of the at least one landscaping apparatus having a measure of openings greater than the measure of openings of the second structure, arranging the second structure at an angle relative to the first structure such that the angle defines a landscaping feature, arranging at least a portion of the first structure on a landscaping region of the area such that the landscaping region at least partially supports base region of the first structure, and disposing landscaping material on the first structure of the landscaping apparatus so as to define a feature for the area. Also, a landscaping apparatus of an earth-reinforcing revetment includes the above described structures.
US08226326B2
The instant disclosure relates to a system and method of constructing drilling and production platforms that are particularly useful in remote, inaccessible and/or environmentally sensitive operating environments. According to one aspect of the invention, an arctic drilling platform is provided wherein various methods and means of interlocking neighboring platform modules are provided. Methods and means for sealing the intersections formed between a plurality of interlocked platform modules are also disclosed. According to further aspects of the invention, improved platform floor plans are provided, and various wellhead cellar layouts and sealing means are also described. Methods and to means of enhancing the usefulness of modular storage platforms are disclosed, and a number of support post installation and removal techniques are also provided. Also taught are a variety of methods of adjusting the height and level of an assembled drilling platform, and methods and means of adding extension members useful for extending the length of a support post are also described.
US08226321B2
A parking bumper shell that can be easily filled with a heavy form-filling material (such as concrete) to form a parking bumper is provided. The parking bumper shell may be injection molded from durable, brightly-colored, UV- and weather-resistant plastic. Undercuts, such as in the form of a plurality of undercut wings or z-puller pins, may be disposed on the interior of the parking bumper shell's top and side walls to aid in holding the parking bumper shell and the heavy filling material together. The parking bumper shell may also include internally projecting hollow extensions that are adapted to receive anchoring posts. While the parking bumper shell is being filled, it may be placed in a rigid frame which helps the shell to keep its shape during filling. The parking bumper shells are light-weight, nestable, and do not require internal steel rebar reinforcement, thereby greatly reducing transportation costs.
US08226317B2
Personal gel soap dispensers include a container, for example, having a size similar to a bar of hand soap or body soap, a quantity of gel soap in the container in an interior hollow space of the container, and at least one through opening, for example, a plurality of through openings extending from an interior hollow space of the container through the container.
US08226309B2
A printing apparatus according to this invention contains a moving unit for moving a feed unit or a recording medium stacked on a stacking unit in a direction to separate them from one another or in a direction to render one in contact with the other based on a result of comparison between information, relating to the recording medium, included in image information and information, relating to the recording medium, input with an information input unit. With such the printing apparatus, a user can replace the recording medium stacked on the stacking unit in a short time without waiting for a feed unit or a recording medium to be moved, even where the information input with the information input unit differs from the information included in the image information.
US08226308B1
The keyboard of the present invention provides an ergonomic layout having a configuration divided into two halves, with half the standard keys normally associated with a user's left hand positioned on the left side of the board while the other keys normally associated with a user's right hand are positioned on the right side of the board, the centers being shoulder width apart. The spacing enables users to type comfortably with keystrokes that feel natural and correct. For example, the left parenthesis button may be positioned on the left side while the right parenthesis may be positioned on the right side.
US08226306B2
An image capturing device includes a housing, a camera module, polarizer, and a cover. The housing defines a through hole. The camera module is received in the housing and aligned with the through hole. The cover defines an opening. The polarizer is connected to the cover. The cover is detachably engaged with the housing. The camera module, the through hole, the polarizer, the opening aligned with each other.
US08226305B2
A fiber optic connector release mechanism for releasing a transceiver module in a cage permanently mounted on a PCB is disclosed. The release mechanism includes a bail rotating a U-shaped flange through a two stage travel path to urge the bail forward in a slide path on the transceiver module. The release mechanism includes a boss disposed on one of the bail and the arm assembly and a dimple disposed on another of the bail and the arm assembly to secure the bail in a locked position. As the bail moves forward from the locked position, wedge elements at the end of arms extending rearward may contact locking tabs on the cage, forcing the locking tabs outward. As the locking tabs are forced outward, the shoulders of the transceiver module are released, and the transceiver module is free to slide out of the cage.
US08226304B2
An SFP transceiver with two subassemblies each having an optical coupling member with a polygonal cross section is disclosed. The polygonal cross section has a flat surface facing the flat surface of the other subassembly. Between flat surfaces is put with a metal partition plate that comes in contact with a metal frame and a metal cover of the transceiver. Two sub-assemblies are electrically shielded by the partition plate, and the polygonal cross section of the subassembly makes the total width of the two assemblies added with the thickness of the partition plate minimum.
US08226302B2
An optical connector (10) of the present invention includes housing position correction means for correcting displacement of relative positions between plug and jack housings (13, 16); housing connection means (20, 22) which engage with each other to connect the plug and jack housings (13, 16) to each other so that a coupling state between first and second optical fibers (11, 14) can be maintained; connection release means (26, 27) capable of releasing the connected state by the housing connection means (20, 22); and frame position correction means for correcting displacement of relative positions between a frame (21) of an optical plug (12) and a connection block (34) of an optical jack (15).
US08226292B1
A submersible, circulation system for small and shallow bodies of water such as a small pond. The system includes a driving unit with a tubular shell member and a base member and has a submersed motor and pump supported therein. The shell member extends along and about a vertical axis and has upper and lower openings with the base member spaced below and extending across the lower opening to create inlets therebetween. The pump draws water horizontally through the inlets into the unit where a relatively small first portion of the incoming water enters the pump and is driven downwardly and out upwardly directed discharge nozzles. The discharged flow passes through the remaining portion of the incoming flow to induce the larger, remaining portion to move upwardly with it toward the pond surface in a non-turbulent manner to raise the pond surface into a slightly convex mound. Gravity subsequently collapses the mound in a repeating process to create a pattern of substantially laminar, surface waves outwardly to the pond edges, down the pond sides, and back into the driving unit.
US08226274B2
An LED bulb includes at least one LED mount disposed within a shell. At least one LED is attached to the at least one LED mount. A thermally conductive liquid is held within the shell. The LED and LED mount are immersed in the thermally conductive liquid. A liquid displacer is immersed in the thermally conductive liquid. The liquid displacer is configured to displace a predetermined amount of the thermally conductive liquid to reduce the amount of thermally conductive liquid held within the shell. The liquid displacer is also configured to facilitate a flow of the thermally conductive liquid from the LED mount to an inner surface of the shell.
US08226273B2
A lamp includes a shell and an LED bulb including a heat sink enclosed by the shell. The shell defines at least a hole at a lower portion of the shell and at least an aperture at an upper portion of the shell. The LED bulb includes a heat sink enclosed by the shell. At least an LED is mounted at a bottom of the heat sink. The heat sink includes a plurality of fins extending from top to bottom. The fins define a plurality of channels therebtween. The channels are in flow communication with at least hole and the at least aperture of the shell.
US08226270B2
The lighting device includes: a heat radiating part provided with a cavity that accommodates a part of a plurality of drive circuit components driving a light source module; and a base part provided with a cavity that accommodates another part (e.g., a transistor) of the drive circuit components. Then, the drive circuit components are accommodated in the cavity of the heat radiating part and the cavity of the base part.
US08226263B2
The invention provides an illumination system comprising a light-emitting device which excites a first luminescent element, which forms part of the light-emitting device. The light emitted from the first luminescent element and/or the light emitted by the light-emitting device excite a second luminescent element, physically separated from the light-emitting device. By employing two luminescent elements, the first element in the light-emitting device, and the second element physically separated from the light-emitting device, such as on a cover plate, the conversion of light produced by the light-emitting device is performed at both a “local” and a “remote” location, respectively, and the amount of luminescent material required at the remote location may be reduced compared to the situation of the prior art where the light conversion was only performed at a remote location.
US08226254B2
A high efficiency lighting system (100) is described that has a small etendue. This can be used, for example, for backlighting a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), projection displays, as well as for general lighting purposes. A portion of the light from a light emitting device die (101) falls onto a fluorescent material (105,106), such as phosphor. Dichroic mirrors (107,109) prevent the light generated by the fluorescent material to return to the light-emitting device. The mirrors may also provide collimation of the generated light and the remainder of the light from the light-emitting device. In this way a high efficiency system is realized because little or no generated light is absorbed and the generated light does not have to travel through a fluorescent material layer and thus has a high chance to go in the desired direction.
US08226252B2
An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle including an extendable mirror for improved rearward viewing is disclosed. Several embodiments of the rearview mirror assembly each comprise a mirror housing, a mirror disposed in the mirror housing, and some structure to allow extension of the mirror between an inboard position and an outboard position. In one embodiment, the mirror assembly includes structure to allow rotation of the mirror between inboard and outboard positions. The mirror may comprise a post disposed in a mirror shell and extending along a longitudinal horizontal axis which extends through a plane defined by the mirror, offset from a central vertical axis of the mirror. In another embodiment, the means for rotating the mirror comprises a pivot part having a shaft disposed in an aperture in the mirror shell, which is disposed along the longitudinal horizontal axis. In yet another embodiment, the mean for extending the mirror for an inboard position to an outboard position comprises a groove in the mirror housing, in which a mirror frame is slidably disposed. The frame may be slid, relative to the mirror housing, from an inboard position to an outboard position.
US08226234B2
A fundus camera includes an illumination optical system that projects a ring-shaped illumination light on a pupil of a subject's eye, an imaging optical system that forms a fundus image of the illumination light on an imaging plane, and an index projection unit that projects an operation distance index on a cornea of the subject's eye. An imaging unit captures a reflection image from the fundus and a reflection image of the operation distance index, a driving unit moves the operation distance index in an optical axis direction, an index shape recognition unit recognizes an index shape projected on the cornea according to a movement of a light emitting surface of the index projection unit by the driving unit, and a detection unit detects operation distances of the illumination optical system and the imaging optical system with respect to the subject's eye.
US08226225B2
The inkjet recording apparatus has: an ink droplet ejection device which ejects a droplet of an ink containing a coloring material; a treatment liquid deposition device which deposits a treatment liquid that causes the coloring material contained in the ink to aggregate so as to create a coloring material aggregate; and an absorbing body which absorbs a solvent of a mixed liquid including the ink ejected as the droplet by the ink droplet ejection device and the treatment liquid deposited by the treatment liquid deposition device, wherein solvent absorption holes having an opening diameter larger than a spreading width of the coloring material aggregate in the mixed liquid on a surface of a recording body are formed in a surface of the absorbing body.
US08226224B2
In one embodiment, an inkjet printer includes: a first series of print bars arranged along an arc on a first side of an arched printing unit and a second series of print bars arranged along an arc on a second side of the arched printing unit and a dryer positioned within a footprint of the arched printing unit. A plurality of web guides are arranged to guide the web along a duplex printing path past the first print bars for printing on a first side of the web, then through the dryer for drying the first side of the web, then past the second print bars for printing on a second side of the web, and then through the dryer for drying the second side of the web.
US08226223B2
An ink set for ink-jet recording having a main ink and a sub ink. The main ink includes at least one of a polysaccharide and a polysaccharide derivative. The sub ink includes enzyme degrading at least one of the polysaccharide and the said polysaccharide derivative in the main ink.
US08226221B2
An ink cartridge includes a cartridge main body and a pivoting member. The cartridge main body has an ink accommodating chamber accommodating ink therein and an ink outlet outputting ink in the ink accommodating chamber toward the inkjet recording device. The pivoting member is pivotably supported by the cartridge main body and that has a lid member configured of closing the ink outlet. The pivoting member pivots to move the lid member between a closing position and an opening position. The lid member closes the ink outlet at the closing position. The lid member opens the ink outlet at the opening position.
US08226216B2
A method for operating a continuous inkjet printer, the method includes forming drops with a drop formation period being the time between consecutive drop formations; creating a portion of the drops that strike the print media for forming print drops; creating a portion of the created drops that do not strike the print media for forming catch drops; creating the print drops to print on a series of consecutive pixel locations; wherein a time between the creation of consecutive print drops is inconsistent which causes an additional catch drop so that a gap is created; wherein when a gap is created, adjusting a velocity of the print drop adjacent to the gap to cause the print drop to shift slightly toward the gap.
US08226214B2
An inkjet printhead includes an ink supply channel extending through a substrate; an ink chamber arranged on the substrate, into which chamber ink from the ink supply channel is supplied, the ink chamber defining an ink ejection port on one surface thereof; an internal rim provided within the ink chamber, the rim interposed between the ink supply channel and the ink ejection port; and a thermal bend actuator extending into the chamber from outside the chamber, the thermal bend actuator terminating in the chamber with a paddle. The periphery of the paddle and the internal rim are shaped with complementary edges turned towards the ink ejection port.
US08226208B2
A fluid ejector having an inner surface, an outer surface, and an orifice that allows fluid in contact with the inner surface to be ejected. The fluid ejector has a non-wetting monolayer covering at least a portion of the outer surface of the fluid ejector and surrounding an orifice in the fluid ejector. Fabrication of the non-wetting monolayer can include removing a non-wetting monolayer from a second region of a fluid ejector while leaving the non-wetting monolayer on a first region surrounding an orifice in the fluid ejector, or protecting a second region of a fluid ejector from having a non-wetting monolayer formed thereon, wherein the second region does not include a first region surrounding the orifice in the fluid ejector.
US08226198B2
An imaging device includes a quiet mode management system in which a control system of an imaging device selectively reduces print speed based on print job attributes such as job size, repetitions and media in use.
US08226188B2
An ink discharge unit includes a plurality of nozzles and corresponding ink propelling mechanisms for the nozzles, and configured to discharge ink through the nozzles in accordance with drive signals to drive the ink propelling mechanisms, an ink temperature sensor is adapted to measure a temperature of ink at the ink discharge unit, and a negative-pressure controller is configured to control negative pressures acting on menisci formed in vicinities of the nozzles by surface tension of ink at the ink discharge unit, wherein the negative-pressure controller is configured to work with a discharge of ink by the ink discharge unit, operating for a measured temperature of ink by the ink temperature sensor equal to or higher than a first reference, to control the negative pressures to a first value, and for a measured temperature of ink by the ink temperature sensor lower than the first reference, to control the negative pressures to a second value which is lower than the first value.
US08226184B2
A height adjusting apparatus of a shelf for a refrigerator in a refrigerator having the shelf on which objects to be stored are placed and which is movable up or down to a certain height, the apparatus comprising: fixing guides formed in parallel with the movement path of the shelf; and operation levers movable along the fixing guides when the shelf is moved upwardly or downwardly, and restricted in the fixing guides to maintain the shelf at a height that the shelf is moved upwardly or downwardly when the shelf is completely moved upwardly or downwardly.
US08226180B2
An apparatus including a frame forming an internal cavity, the frame having an opening for accessing the internal cavity, a first door and a second door mounted to the frame and a door coupling mechanism for effecting a substantially simultaneous movement of the first door and second door relative to the frame, the door coupling mechanism including a first door link, a second door link and at least one ternary link, the first door link being rotatably coupled to the first door and the at least one ternary link, the second door being rotatably coupled to the second door and the at least one ternary link.
US08226174B2
A rail vehicle brake system includes an electric controlled pneumatic brake valve having a controller and includes an empty-load device connecting the brake valve to a brake device. An electro-pneumatic lock-out valve is controlled by the controller and has a first position which allows the proportioning of the inlet pressure to the outlet by the empty-load device and a lock-out position which pneumatically prevents the proportioning of the inlet pressure to the outlet by the empty-load device. Also, the system may include a sensor for sensing the vehicle load; and the controller controls the brake valve in response to the sensed load taking into account the operation of the change over valve of the empty-load device. Also, an empty-load device including a load sensor is disclosed.
US08226171B2
An armrest includes an armrest base having a guiding groove. A support is mounted below the armrest base. The support includes a top end having a restraining plate. An engaging member includes a body having an upper portion. A slider is formed on the upper portion of the body. The slider includes two arms slideably abutting two lateral walls of the guiding groove, allowing relative sliding movement between the slider and the armrest base along the guiding groove. The engaging plate further includes an insertion plate located below the restraining plate. The engaging member can be rotatably received in the compartment of the support. The top end of the support can include an annular portion having a plurality of annularly spaced teeth in the compartment. A groove is formed between two adjacent teeth. A positioning member projects downwardly from the engaging member and is selectively engaged in one of the grooves.
US08226165B2
A vehicle seat comprises a synthetic resin cushion plate (31) attached to a back frame (3) by way of seat springs (32) so as to be movable forward or backward, a single elastic auxiliary plate (40) attached to the cushion plate (31) so as to be movable forward or backward relative to the cushion plate (31), a specific section of the auxiliary plate (40) formed as a push-out section (70) protruding forward when a distance between an upper edge and a lower edge of the auxiliary plate (40) is shortened by moving the lower edge upward. Elasticity of the auxiliary plate (40) supporting the body of the seated passenger is adjusted by moving the auxiliary plate (40) near the push-out section (70) forward or backward. The push-out section (70) has a corrugated part (71) formed from a sideways projection that projects forward or/and backward as viewed from a side.
US08226164B2
A child safety seat includes a base, a seat body and an engaging mechanism. The seat body has a rib structure. The rib structure is movably disposed in a guide-slot structure of the base so that the seat body is capable of sliding relative to the base. The engaging mechanism includes a first engaging part and a driving device. The first engaging part is movably disposed on the seat body for engaging with a tooth-shaped structure of the base. The driving device is movably connected to the first engaging part and is movably installed on the seat body so that the driving device is capable of moving between a releasing position and a locking position relative to the seat body. Thus, when the driving device moves relative to the seat body, the driving device can drive the first engaging part to alternatively engage with or separate from the tooth-shaped structure.
US08226158B1
The invention is essentially an apparatus and method for reducing the wheel-spray and the aerodynamic drag of a wheel-set of a vehicle having a framework with preexisting holes, the apparatus comprising a three-dimensionally adjustable support infrastructure anchored to the framework without the need for drilling or welding the support infrastructure to the framework; a three-dimensionally adjustable housing superstructure having a housing having an obtuse-angled forward side and an obtuse-angled rearward side for screening the wheel-set, with the housing affixed between a box-sleeve and a stand-on plate with a plurality of U-bolt fasteners, wherein the box-sleeve defines an interior chamber for receiving a girder; and two attenuation rings inserted along both external ends of the girder to dilute vibration from the vehicle to the housing; and a fastening means comprising a locking cap having domed arches and a transplanar bore, a counter-threaded locking bolt, and a locking pin. A tightening wrench may be used for tightening, and/or loosening the locking cap over a girder lateral terminus. A protective replaceable shield and connectors are also provided to protect and renew the housing side wall exterior surface.
US08226152B2
A retractable wind deflector for a vehicle is configured to deploy a deflector body from a stowed position to a deployed position extending outside the vehicle compartment when a window is opened, and to return the deflector body from the deployed position to the stowed position when the window is closed.
US08226151B2
A rear door structure in which a rear door is openably and closably provided on a rear portion of a vehicle body, including a door panel, wherein: the door panel includes an upper door panel and a lower door panel provided on the lower portion of the upper door panel; and a lower edge portion of the upper door panel and an upper edge portion of the lower door panel mutually overlap so as to form a lateral beam having a closed cross section and extending in a vehicle width direction.
US08226140B1
An article holding assembly for rotatably securing and hoisting various types of articles is provided. The article holding assembly is a clamp type article holding assembly having interchangeable end effectors rotatably secured to bottom ends of clamp arms. The end effectors act to secure the article and to allow the operator to rotate the article once secured and hoisted. For each article that the article holding assembly is to rotatably secure and lift, a specific pair of end effectors is provided. The end effectors are readily secured to and removed from the clamp arms.
US08226134B2
A tool head including a metal, generally U-shaped body with two tines and a curved area, and a metal rod integral to and extending from the curved area of the U-shaped head. Each of the two tines has a tip, a tine body, and an end that joins with the curved area. One tip is straight and one tip is angled so that the angled tip is not coplanar with the plane defined by the tine bodies of the two tines. A tool including the tool head, a handle with a ferrule end and a non-ferrule end, where the handle is integral to the metal rod of the tool head at the ferrule end, and a metal ferrule integral to the handle at the ferrule end of the handle.
US08226131B1
A computer casing may have an opening that requires sealing against water ingress. A system for preventing ingress of liquid into the opening may include a door rotatably connected to the computer casing, a layer of material adhered to the door and having a chamfered edge, a bar movably connected to the door and operable for travel in a first direction or a second direction opposite the first direction and a spring having a first end connected to the bar and a second end connected to the door for biasing the bar in the first direction of travel. Closing the door causes the layer of material to contact a recessed surface of the opening and deflect the chamfered edge to form a seal in the recessed opening. Moving the bar in the first direction retains the door relative to the computer to maintain the seal formed by the layer of material.
US08226125B2
A security document has a first region and an adjacent second region, the regions defining a security device. Opposite sides of the first region are provided with first and second, complementary indicia registered with respect to one another, the first region being sufficiently transparent that both the first and second indicia are viewable from either side of the document under reflected light. Third indicia are provided on the second region on the same side of the document, registered with, and complementary to, the first indicia, and fourth indicia are provided on the second region on the same side of the document, registered with, and complementary to, the second indicia, the third and fourth indicia also being complementary to and registered with respect to one another. The second region is sufficiently opaque such that when the document is viewed under reflected light only the third and fourth indicia facing the observer are visible, but is sufficiently transparent when the document is viewed from either side under transmitted light, both the third and fourth indicia are visible.
US08226121B2
A steering column arrangement for motor vehicles with a vehicle-side console, on which an outer tube of a steering column carrying a steering shaft is attached in a releasable manner by means of a clamping device. The clamping device comprises at least one clamping wedge arrangement by which an increased holding force of the clamping device can be achieved during an axial displacement of the outer tube caused by an accident.
US08226117B2
A gas flow distributor for an airbag module distributing a gas flow generated by a gas generator to inflate an airbag, including fastening structures for fastening the gas flow distributor to a gas generator, the gas flow distributor being formed in the shape of a sleeve from a flexible material, wherein the fastening structures include at least one fastening tab that is formed at one end of the gas flow distributor and via which the gas flow distributor can be fastened to the gas generator.
US08226112B2
A foldable device of golf bag cart comprises: an upper cart stand, a bottom cart stand and a linkage set. The upper cart stand, having an adapter that is provided with a slider on its top, is provided with a slider mount at each of the two distant ends above and below the slider. The bottom cart stand is in pinned connection with the adapter at its top. The linkage set, made up of a plurality of linkages, forms links between the slider and the bottom cart stand, between the adapter and the rear wheel frame and between the bottom cart stand and the front wheel frame. By means of the setup of such links, the simultaneous unfolding or folding of the upper cart stand, the bottom cart stand, the front wheel and the rear wheels can thus be accomplished, which facilitates the handiness in use.
US08226106B2
A trailer hitch having an adjustable hitch bar for coupling with a tow vehicle and a front member coupled with the adjustable hitch bar. A rear member couples with a trailer frame and a yoke couples between the rear member and the trailer frame. Converging links connect between the front member and the rear member, whereby the angular position between the front member and the rear member can be varied. The converging links effectively move the pivot point between the tow vehicle and trailer forward of the hitch assembly.
US08226097B2
An integrated steering gear, frame structure and engine mount base for a vehicle includes an elongate, generally hollow housing having at least one mounting portion at each of opposing ends. A steering gear including a steering gear input and a pair of opposingly-oriented tie rods is assembled within the hollow housing such that the steering gear input and the tie rods extend from the interior of the housing. An engine mount base is integrated into the housing. The integrated steering gear, frame structure and engine mount base is mountable to a vehicle support frame to function as a subframe member of the support frame.
US08226090B2
A device for active wheel alignment of wheels arranged on a wheel axle of a motor vehicle includes two hydraulic body dampers arranged between a vehicle body and the wheel axle. Each body damper is configured as a differential cylinder having a cylinder and a dividing piston which is guided in the cylinder. A throttle is arranged outside the cylinder of the body damper. Operably connected with the body dampers via hydraulic lines is a hydraulic servo unit, wherein hydraulic fluid is transferable via the throttle from one side of the dividing piston to the servo unit and from the servo unit via a returning one of the hydraulic lines back to another side of the dividing piston.
US08226080B2
To provide a sheet post-processing apparatus enabling a sheet to be aligned in a predetermined collection position irrespective of the basis weight of the sheet and image formation surface in dropping and collecting the sheet onto a tray from a sheet discharge outlet, the apparatus has a tray for collecting a sheet from the sheet discharge outlet, and a sheet discharge rotating body for transferring the sheet that is carried out to the tray toward a sheet end regulation member, and is configured to be able to adjust the timing of shifting the sheet discharge rotating body to an operation position engaging in the sheet from a withdrawal position above the tray corresponding to image formation conditions of the sheet.
US08226072B2
If the rotation angle in a rotation direction allowed by a joint portion detected by the angle sensor is no more than a predetermined lower limit or no less than a predetermined upper limit, the controller maintains the released state of the brake mechanism so that the rotation of the workpiece in the direction is not restricted.
US08226060B2
A connection device for adjustably connecting a surgical apparatus connected to a first end of the connection device to an attachment part on a stationary device, such as an operating table, which can be connected to a second end of the connection device. The connection device has a first holding arm and a second holding arm, connected to the first holding arm in a hinged fashion via a ball and socket joint. A clamping apparatus is provided for detachably clamping the ball of the ball and socket joint in the ball and socket joint receptacle. A hydraulic apparatus is also provided which, when operated, loads the clamping apparatus with a force opposing the clamping force. Further, a clamping force transformation apparatus transforms the force applied by the clamping apparatus into a larger clamping force.
US08226055B2
The leg device includes a base portion, extendable legs rotatable with respect to the base portion, and leg support members for rotatably supporting the extendable legs, wherein the extendable leg includes the first tubular member having a fitting hole portion formed in the vicinity of the upper end thereof. The second tubular member that is adjustable with respect to its protruding length from the lower end of the first tubular member is inserted into the first tubular member. The leg support member includes a pivot portion rotatably fitted in the fitting hole portion. In a state where the extendable leg is contracted, the upper end of the second tubular member is positioned upward of the pivot portion.
US08226053B2
A musical instrument stand includes an upright rod, a support assembly, and a transverse rod. The support assembly includes a base unit mounted on the upright rod, a holding unit mounted on the base unit, a locking unit connected with the base unit and pressing the holding unit, and a damping member located between the base unit and the holding unit. Thus, the damping member provides a damping effect to the holding unit so that the holding unit is rotated relative to the base unit stably. In addition, the holding unit can be rotated relative to the base unit to adjust the angle of the transverse rod relative to the upright rod and can be moved in the holding unit to adjust the horizontal position of the transverse rod.
US08226051B2
An plumbing pipe locator and support is provided for fixing plumbing pipes in position relative to studs in a building. The pipe locator and support comprises an elongated supporting strap having upper and lower sides extending along opposing sides of a longitudinal axis. A first plurality of longitudinally aligned, larger pipe openings are interspersed with a second plurality of smaller, aligned fastener openings that extend into ends of the strap. The upper and lower sides undulate to provide a substantially uniform width between first holes and the adjacent sides and the second holes and the adjacent sides. This undulating surface can provide a strap using less material, with reduced manufacturing time, and a strap that can bend without forming creases or stress fractures.
US08226048B2
Link mechanisms, including Stephenson II link mechanisms for multi-position flaps and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes an airfoil having an external flow surface with an upper portion and a lower portion, and with the airfoil forming a base link. The system further includes a six-bar linkage coupled to the airfoil and having a Stephenson II configuration, including a binary second link pivotably connected to the airfoil, a ternary third link pivotably connected to the second link, a binary fourth link pivotably connected to the third link, a ternary fifth link pivotably connected to the airfoil and the fourth link, and a binary sixth link pivotably connected to the third link and the fifth link. The system can further include a deployable leading edge panel carried by the linkage, with the leading edge panel being movable via the linkage between a stowed position and at least one deployed position.
US08226045B2
The bundle comprises two pairs of same-volume cylindrical tanks, each pair comprising two tanks containing a same-density propellant suitable for flowing at the same volume flow rate, the four tanks being fastened directly to one another via reinforcing hoops in such a manner that the center of gravity of each of said pairs remains continuously on the axis of said bundle while the propellants are flowing.
US08226044B2
A device for reducing the aerodynamic drag of a vehicle includes at least one masking element for at least one part of a nozzle of the vehicle's engine, the masking element having a resorbable material designed to be eliminated in the nozzle's flow once the engine is ignited. A space craft includes the nozzle attached to the fuselage of the space craft.
US08226022B2
A mixer for mixing and/or blending product, such as granular material, includes a chopper disposed above an agitator assembly. The chopper preferably includes two sets of intersecting chopper blades that rotate in opposing synchronized motion in a zone of fluidized flow of product caused by the agitator assembly. A shroud above the chopper can be used to redirect product sprayed upwardly from the chopper blades back laterally into the zone of fluidized flow of product.
US08226021B2
A food blender subassembly; said subassembly comprising a blade assembly securing element for securing a blade assembly in the base of a blender jug; said blade assembly securing element including an internally threaded cylindrical upper portion and a downwardly extending rim; at least portions of an underside of said downwardly extending rim provided with resilient high-friction material.
US08226012B2
A technique for operating an ad-hoc wireless communication network includes providing 400 a plurality of price checking stations 102 having wireless communication capabilities, designating 402 one of the price checking stations 102 as a master station in the ad-hoc network, and designating the remaining stations as slave stations 100, and communicating with devices 104-110 deployed in the network using the wireless communications capabilities of the price checking stations 100, 102.
US08226007B2
A method for reading and using partial data from a portable data carrier includes reading data from a portable data carrier, determining if any data is missing, and if any data is missing, restructuring the data for use, such as for running an audio decoder and expander. A method for writing data to a portable data carrier having limited capacity includes receiving a data file and optimizing at least one encoding parameter to fit at least a portion of the data file into the portable data carrier.
US08225981B2
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for forming an anastomosis between adjacent sections of tissue is provided. The apparatus includes a body portion; an actuation assembly operatively supported at a proximal end of the body portion; an anvil assembly movably mounted at the distal end of the body portion for movement toward and away from the body portion; an approximation assembly extending between the body portion and the anvil assembly for moving the anvil toward and away from the tubular body portion; a dispersion assembly operatively associated with the approximation assembly, the dispersion assembly including at least one angled surface defining at least one channel interposed between the anvil assembly and the body portion and being configured to dispense a fluid therefrom; and at least one conduit for conducting wound treatment material to the dispersion assembly.
US08225979B2
A locking shipping wedge is provided and generally includes a body portion having an elongate transverse member projecting from the body portion which is engageable with a drive assembly of a loading unit. A locking mechanism is provided on the body portion of the shipping wedge which is engageable with locking structure movably mounted within the loading unit.
US08225969B2
A mounting apparatus is provided for securing a component to a base on a vehicle. The component has a first longitudinal lip extending along a first side thereof and a second longitudinal lip extending along a second side substantially opposite the first side. The mounting apparatus comprises an elongate track assembly configured to be fixedly coupled to the base and having first and second edge sections. The first edge section is configured to secure the first lip, and the second edge section is configured to form a wall. A wedge assembly is coupled to the track assembly for engaging the wall and the second lip to secure the component on the track assembly.
US08225961B2
An apparatus, system and method for dispensing water at a variety of temperatures and volumes. The apparatus includes at least two tanks having different temperatures, controlled by a controller. A calculated volume of water from tanks having different water temperatures, is dispensed to provide a desired temperature and volume of water. Flow from the tanks is controlled by valves receiving signals from the controller.
US08225960B2
An ice dispense system for an ice dispenser is characterized by a chute having an ice receiving upper end in communication with an ice bin outlet passage and an ice dispensing lower end. Beginning with the chute filled with ice and its lower end closed, to dispense a selected quantity of ice, the chute lower end is opened for one of a plurality of different time periods, where each individual time period of the plurality is of a duration to dispense from the chute an associated predetermined quantity of ice. In response to dispensing ice from the chute, an agitator in the bin is operated for one of a plurality of different time periods, where each individual time period of the plurality is of a duration to move through the bin outlet passage and into the upper end of the chute an amount of ice substantially equal to that dispensed. The ice dispensing system is provided with an improved user interface and user programmable features.
US08225956B1
A precision pour drink shaker is disclosed herein. The precision pour drink shaker includes a first means for containing one or more liquids, and a second means for measuring an amount of matter placed into the first means. In one aspect, the first means may include a shaker and the second means may include a post extending from the first means, for example, from an interior surface of a base of the first means.
US08225955B2
A container for a direct-application personal care product comprises a first compartment having a first opening, the first compartment being configured to contain therein a multiple-use amount of a personal care product for direct application of the product through the first opening to a personal body part; a second compartment having a second opening, the second compartment being configured to contain a limited-use amount of the product for direct application of the product through the second opening to a personal body part; and a removable cover for each compartment that covers the opening of the compartment to seal the product in the compartment.
US08225953B2
A resin-made fuel tank structure of a vehicle is provided to suppress the formation of a notch in a mounting portion of an insert portion on a tank body. The fuel tank structure includes a tank body. The tank body includes a resin material having fuel permeation resistance. The fuel tank structure includes an insert portion separate from the tank body. The insert portion includes a resin material. The insert portion also includes a mounting portion to mount the insert portion on the tank body and a fuel fill opening. The insert portion is configured to be mounted to an outer layer of the tank body. The outer layer of the tank body is configured to be in close contact with an end portion of the mounting portion of the insert portion. The outer layer is configured to bulge more outward and upward than the mounting portion.
US08225947B2
A mobile crane includes an undercarriage with a middle section and two parallel crawler carriages; a superstructure on which a boom is mounted, the superstructure being connected to the undercarriage by a rotary joint; two longitudinal outriggers connected to the undercarriage and extending in the longitudinal direction between the crawler carriages; and two transverse outriggers connected to the undercarriage and extending outside the crawler carriages. One of the longitudinal outriggers has an end with a transverse beam supported by spaced apart outrigger cylinders which provide an extended tipping edge to further stabilize the crane.
US08225938B2
An adapter system for fixing different screening media to a vibrating screen. By way of the adapter system, different side hold downs used for different screening media may be fixed to a wall of the vibrating screen without any modifications of the wall. The adapter system includes an insert to be placed in an opening of the wall. An adapter is attached to the insert at a desired height in relation to the insert. The insert has a number of parallel grooves co-operating with parallel ribs on the adapter in order to attach the adapter to the insert.
US08225936B2
A method for dividing a stream of solids includes discharging the stream of solids via a first downer. The stream of solids are fluidized at a bottom of the first downer by supplying a first conveying gas. By the first conveying gas, a part of the stream of solids are conveyed to a top of a first riser branching off from the first downer. A remaining part of the stream of solids are discharged via a second downer adjoining the first downer. The remaining stream of solids are fluidized at a bottom of the second downer by supplying a second conveying gas. By the second conveying gas, a part of the remaining part of the stream of solids are conveyed to a top of a second riser branching off from the second downer.
US08225935B2
A method and a device for recovering clay derived from a contaminated raw material containing clay. The method includes eliminating from the contaminated material contaminating materials not bound to the clay, mixing the contaminated raw material, free of unbound contaminating materials, with water, separating from the mixture clay suspended in water and residues of raw material depleted in clay, and separately recovering clay and water.
US08225932B2
A break-open single-dose sealed package having: a first sheet of semi-rigid plastic material; a second sheet of flexible plastic material set on top of and welded to the first sheet of semi-rigid plastic material to define a sealed pocket that contains a dose of a product; and an incision made in the first sheet of semi-rigid plastic material for guiding controlled breaking of the first sheet along the incision so as to bring about formation, through the first sheet, of an opening for exit of the product; the incision has along its own length a variable depth in order to determine a progressive breaking of the first sheet along the incision.
US08225929B1
A substrate made of a material such as cardboard has characteristics sufficient to visually indicate an occurrence of damage when scraped or punctured to identify damage. The substrate has a flat shape with top and bottom elongated edges and a plurality of breaks along at least the top elongated edge to facilitate bending at a substantially ninety degree angle and be wrapped around a payload carried on a reel at an inner corner where an outside surface of the payload and an inside surface of a flange of the reel meet. The substrate can have a perforated fold parallel to the elongated direction substantially perpendicular to the breaks. The substrate is secured to a reel by stapling, taping or plastic shrink wrapping. A visual warning message can be placed on the substrate to aid forklift drivers.
US08225921B2
A transmission parking lock with a ramp (10) for pressing against an actuating element. The ramp (10) defines an actuation direction (11) in which the actuating element can be moved and the ramp (10) has a ramp gradient in the actuation direction (11). The ramp gradient varies transversely with respect to the actuation direction (11) such that the load between a pawl (1) and of the actuating element can be reduced.
US08225918B2
The present invention provides a one-way clutch of roller type comprising an outer race having at least one pocket provided at its inner periphery with a cam surface, an inner race spaced apart from the outer race radially inside of the outer race and coaxially arranged for a relative rotational movement, a roller disposed in the pocket and adapted to transmit torque between the outer race and the inner race when engaged by the cam surface, a cage having a cylindrical portion with a window for holding the roller and a flange portion extending outwardly from the cylindrical portion in the outer diameter direction and rotatable relative to the outer race, the window having a circumferential window width smaller than a diameter of the roller, and a spring disposed in the pocket and adapted to bias the roller toward an engagement direction with respect to the cam surface, and wherein an inclined surface portion inclined in the axial direction is provided on the inner periphery of the pocket.
US08225915B2
A system for controlling a dual clutch torque converter that allows for independent control of the dual clutches includes a first valve assembly, a second valve assembly, a first solenoid, and a second solenoid. The first valve assembly is operable to control whether the dual clutches are released, trimmed, or engaged. The second valve assembly is operable to control which of the dual clutches are released, trimmed, or engaged. The first solenoid is operable to control the position of the first valve assembly and the second solenoid is operable to control the position of the second valve assembly.
US08225909B2
An elevator may include an elevator car, a set of hoisting ropes, a traction sheave, and a compensating device. The set of hoisting ropes may include first and second rope portions. The elevator car may include one or more first diverting pulleys from which the first rope portions extend upward. The elevator car may include one or more second diverting pulleys from which the second rope portions extend downward. The first rope portions may be under a first rope tension. The second rope portions may be under a second rope tension that is different from the first rope tension. The compensating device may act in substantially opposite directions on the first and second rope portions. The compensating device may produce an auxiliary force acting substantially in a same direction as the first rope tension.
US08225907B2
The system includes a grease pump assembly connected to a conduit having a grease outlet adjacent an endless chain of the chainsaw. The method includes pushing the grease toward the grease pump, pumping the grease, and feeding the grease between the endless chain and the guide bar. The pumping of the grease can be done automatically upon detecting an activation of the chain saw.
US08225900B2
An mechanical power system is provided for providing torque without using a heat engine in virtually any non-aviation application where fossil-fuel engines have conventionally been used, by simply replacing the fossil-fuel burning engine with a rotary pneumatic motor of appropriate size for the application and feeding pressure-regulated compressed gas to the rotary pneumatic motor. The rotary pneumatic motor can be used virtually anywhere, and requires merely a supply of compressed gas to run it, preferably compressed nitrogen. Automotive, marine and electrical generating applications are easily adaptable, and auxiliary fossil-fuel engines can be added for emergencies where a supply of compressed gas has been exhausted. A screw-type compressor can be electrically powered to supply compressed gas to the pneumatic motor where tanks of compressed gas have been exhausted. Tanks of compressed gas are to be conveniently user replaceable.
US08225890B2
Control of the carbide volume in the matrix in an impregnated bit is accomplished by coating the hard particles in the matrix to space them further apart to increase the soft binder percentage in a controllable manner. The softer binder due to lower volume content of hard particles allows more rapid matrix wear in the softer formations to allow more diamond grit to cut better before getting flat spots and to be replaced faster with additional diamond grit further into the matrix as the higher content of the softer binder and the softer coating on the hard particles in the matrix promotes more effective cutting with more frequent emergence of diamond grit on the bit face as cutting progresses.
US08225867B2
Acoustic monitoring is carried out using a fiber optic cable. Coherent Rayleigh noise generated by the transmission of a coherent beam of radiation through the fiber optic cable is detected, a phase of the coherent Rayleigh noise is measured and the measured phase is processed to identify an acoustic occurrence along the fiber optic cable. In certain aspects an optical fiber serves as a distributed interferometer that may be used to monitor a conduit, wellbore or reservoir. The distributed interferometric monitoring provides for accurate detection of acoustic occurrences along the fiber optic cable and these acoustic occurrences may include fluid flow in a pipeline or wellbore, processes taking place in a wellbore or pipeline, fracturing, gravel packing, or production logging.
US08225865B2
An apparatus for aligning a component includes: a downhole sub including a plurality of first axially extending tapered members, the plurality of first axially extending tapered members configured to engage a plurality of second axially extending tapered members of a downhole carrier in an interlocking engagement and prevent rotation of the downhole carrier relative to the downhole sub.
US08225859B1
A debris cleanup tool uses a movable eductor to reconfigure the flow scheme through the tool. During the debris pickup mode, pressurized fluid is delivered to through the tubing to the eductor inlet. The outlet of the eductor is into the surrounding annulus where the flow splits with most going to the surface and the rest down and into a mill making cuttings. The flow into the mill takes the cuttings to a collection volume and then screens the internal flow stream before directing it into the eductor inlet. The eductor body can be repositioned to close the eductor outlet to the annulus and open the outlet into the housing to allow reverse flow. In one embodiment a ball is dropped and pressure is built to break a shear pin to shift the eductor body and to open a bypass around the ball.
US08225855B2
An embodiment of a clamping, cutting, and wiping assembly assembly may comprise a frame defining a pathway for a cable to pass therethrough, a clamp mechanism, a cutter device, and a wiper mounted to the frame adjacent the pathway for engaging with a cable, wherein the clamp device, the cutter, and the wiper may each be actuatable.
US08225854B2
A heat sink including a compact cooling system, superior uniformity of heating, provides a compact cooling unit superior in uniformity of cooling. A heat sink includes a header for distribution connected to a cooling fluid inlet, a header for confluence connected to a cooling fluid outlet and parallel to and adjacent to the header for distribution and a heat transfer vessel including a heating element mounting surface as well as channels inside. The channels are connected to the header for distribution and the header for confluence.
US08225852B2
A heat exchanger suitable for a vehicle includes a plurality of tubular first members arranged in a row and forming elongate gaps. These members form passageways for flow of a first fluid for heat exchange with cooling air flowing through the gaps. The first members and gaps form a primary heat exchange area. Inlet and outlet manifolds are connected to the first members for directing the first fluid through the first members. An associated cooling device circulates liquid coolant and comprises flat tube-like second members, each extending into a respective gap in a secondary area which is part of the primary area but smaller. The second members each have a thickness at least the width of their respective gaps. At least some of the first members can be formed with cut-outs in opposite flat sides, these cut-outs being sealingly closed by the second members.
US08225837B2
The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for manufacturing absorbent articles, and more particularly, apparatuses and methods utilizing multiple processing stations for processing absorbent articles and being configurable to move along various predetermined travel paths defined by radii that may be constant or variable. Particular embodiments of apparatuses and methods of manufacture include a processing wheel having a plurality of processing stations which orbit around a rotation axis. The processing stations may be configured to perform various types of operations associated with the manufacture of absorbent articles while the processing stations orbit around the rotation axis. The processing wheel can be configured to adjust the path along which the processing stations orbit as the processing wheel rotates around the rotation axis. As such, the orbit path can be adjusted to accommodate the manufacture of different sized blanks without the need to physically move or relocate and realign other process apparatuses, such as for example, sealing stations.
US08225830B2
Disclosed herein is a head cover for golf clubs. The head cover includes an open-and-shut frame, a head cover body, and a locking unit. The open-and-shut frame includes wings which are opened by elastic force of elastic means. The head cover body accommodates the open-and-shut frame therein, and includes an entrance and a receiving space for receiving the golf club. The locking unit is secured to the outer surface of the middle portion of the head cover body, thus closing the entrance of the head cover body opened by the open-and-shut frame.
US08225825B1
A fire extinguisher filling aid system includes a fire extinguisher and a fill nozzle that is positioned on and fluidly coupled to the fire extinguisher to fill the fire extinguisher. A bottom plate has a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter edge. A bottom end of the extinguisher is positioned on the bottom plate. An upper plate has an upper side, a lower side and a peripheral edge. The peripheral edge has a notch therein. The notch has a width smaller than the fill nozzle and larger than a fill line fluidly coupled to the nozzle to allow the fill line to be positioned within the notch while the upper plate rests upon the fill nozzle. A plurality of tethers is attached to and extends between the upper and bottom plates to retain the fill nozzle on the fire extinguisher.
US08225819B2
A includes a main body portion defining a waste holding chamber, a vent path extending from the waste holding chamber to atmosphere, and a float member. The float member is coupled to the tank for movement between a first position and a second position. The float member is movable from the first position to the second position in response to an increase in fluid level within the storage chamber. The vent passage remains open for venting the storage chamber when the float member is in the first position and is blocks the vent passage in the second position.
US08225812B2
A safety device for a gas distribution system includes a valve body, an upper casing attached to the valve body, the upper casing housing two springs. The two springs are co-axially located and separated by a casting tube. Further, the two springs are attached to a movable diaphragm that is exposed to gas system pressure. A snap ring flange is also attached to the valve body, the snap ring flange being used to secure the safety device to a main regulator in the gas distribution system. The valve body also includes a cam mounted within the valve body. A limit switch is directly connected to the cam such that the limit switch moves directly in response to movement of the diaphragm. Additionally, a reset pin extends from the valve body and interacts with the cam such that the cam may be reset from a closed position to an open position by moving the reset pin.
US08225810B2
Described herein are various embodiments of an apparatus, system, and method for controlling the irrigation of an area. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes at least one sensor module that is configured to detect the soil moisture content of soil in an irrigation area. The sensor module is further configured to determine a rate of change of the soil moisture content based on the detected soil moisture content. A rate at which the sensor module detects the soil moisture content of the soil is based on the determined rate of change of the soil moisture content. The apparatus also includes a central control module that is configured to execute an irrigation event for an irrigation area if the detected soil moisture content reaches a moisture content lower threshold. The central control module also is configured to terminate the irrigation event for the irrigation area if the detected soil moisture content reaches a moisture content upper threshold.
US08225808B2
A collapsible truss assembly is described herein. One component includes a layered u-bracket including a first u-bracket connected to the collapsible truss assembly, having a first channel, a first surface opposing the channel, and a first aperture that spans from the first surface to the first channel and is of a particular diameter. The layered u-bracket also includes a second u-bracket having a second channel, a second surface opposing the second channel, and a second aperture that spans from the second surface to the second channel and is of the particular diameter. For the layered u-bracket, the second channel is flush with the first surface, and the first and second apertures are aligned.
US08225792B2
In a mask device with blower, a sensor for warning is disposed, which detects a movement position of an exhaust valve corresponding to the case where an internal pressure of a face body is lower than an outer atmospheric pressure at the time of inhaling air in a non-contact state and outputs a signal. A warning device operates in accordance with a signal that is output from the sensor for warning.
US08225781B2
In order to control the amount of evaporation of discharged agent droplets and so that a user can inhale agent droplets having a constant diameter regardless of use environment, an inhalation apparatus includes an airflow path communicating with a suction port through which the user inhales an agent, an agent discharging portion configured to discharge an agent supplied to the airflow path, and a humidifier located outside the airflow path and configured to humidify an airflow in the airflow path generated by an inhalation of the user.
US08225779B2
A cable guard eliminator for a compound bow comprising a first limb and a second limb and having a bowstring and at least one cable strung between first and second connecting elements respectively mounted near outer ends of the first and second limbs. The cable guard eliminator comprises a first portion from which the cable extends to the first connecting element, a second portion from which the cable extends to the second connecting element, and, an intermediate portion defining a deflection area between the first end and the second end. The deflection area has a length in a direction generally parallel to the cable at least as long as a range of motion of the cable, such that at least some portion of the deflection area remains aligned with an arrow path throughout drawing and release of the bowstring.
US08225776B2
A power unit for portable chain saws wherein an ignition coil is placed at a position so as to increase both the compactness and the cooling efficiency of the power unit.A coil support on which the ignition coil is supported is formed integratedly with a crank case; adjacent to an open port; and on a part of an external periphery of the flywheel, said second part being not enclosed by the air-guiding passage.The coil support extends from the crank case along a side of a muffler and forms an insulating gap from the muffler.
US08225770B2
A fuel injector assembly includes a modular fuel injector unit and a cylinder head side member. The modular fuel injector unit includes a first fuel injector with a first seal, a second fuel injector with a second seal and a fuel distribution pipe coupled together as a single installable unit. The cylinder head side member includes a first insertion hole with a first fitting section and a second insertion hole with a second fitting section. The first and second insertion holes and the first and second seals of the first and second fuel injectors are arranged such that as the modular fuel injector unit is being mounted to the cylinder head side member, the first seal undergoes a maximum compressive deformation in the first fitting section at a time that does not coincide with a time that the second seal undergoes a maximum compressive deformation in the second fitting section.
US08225765B2
The invention relates to a two-piece piston (1) for an internal combustion engine, comprising a piston base body (2) and a ring element (3), which is soldered to the piston base body (2) by an upper solder connection (23) having the length b, which is disposed on the radial inside of a piston crown (4) formed at least partially by the ring element (3), and by a lower solder connection (24) having the length c, which is disposed radially outside on the top of a center part (9). In order to improve the strength of the solder connections (23) and (24) due to pressure and temperature-related deformations of the upper piston part, the ring element (3) has a peripheral, upper, thinner wall region (49) in the region of the piston crown (4) radially outside the upper solder connection (23) and further a peripheral, lower, thinner wall region (50) between the ring section (5) and the lower solder connection (24), wherein the thickness a and b of the thinner wall regions (49) and (50) has a lower value than the length b and c of the solder connections (23) and (24).
US08225752B2
A cylinder head and a head gasket that is mounted on the cylinder head may include a reinforcing boss formed in outer edge of a valve boss portion adjacent to a coolant inlet portion of a water jacket, a bridge configured to divide the coolant inlet portion to form at least two coolant inlet holes, and/or a bolt boss portion integrally formed with edge circumference portion of the water jacket, a head bolt being mounted through the bolt boss portion, wherein the cylinder head gasket is attached to a gasket attachment surface of the cylinder head.
US08225745B2
System and method for operating a material deposition system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method can include periodically injecting a precursor into a vaporizer through an injector at the vaporizer, vaporizing the precursor in the vaporizer and supplying the vaporized precursor to a reaction chamber in fluid communication with the vaporizer, and shutting down the vaporizer and the reaction chamber after a period of time. The method can also include conducting maintenance of the injector at the vaporizer by using a vapor solvent rinse.
US08225729B2
A planar substrate has a moisture activated shrinking filament applied thereon. When wetted, the shrinking filament shrinks and causes the planar substrate to gather and pucker. The planar substrate with the filament thereon may be compressed into a compact shape when in a dry state.
US08225728B2
A multi-needle sewing machine including a needle-bar case transfer mechanism transferring a needle-bar case relative to a sewing machine body and a first wiring and a second wiring each connected to an electrical component provided at the needle-bar case and that is extended across the sewing machine body and the needle-bar case. The first and the second wiring are held such that the first wiring and the second wiring are separated in a direction of transfer of the needle-bar case and a first intermediate portion of the first wiring and a second intermediate portion of the second wiring are curved so as to either cross over or proximate one another to allow the first wiring and the second wiring to be moved relative to one another at the first intermediate portion and the second intermediate portion.
US08225722B2
A crash module for a rail vehicle is provided. The crash module includes a crash element, a frontal impact plate and a rear connecting plate, wherein a guide element is provided between the frontal impact plate and the rear connecting plate. The guide element has the form of a plate and is oriented essentially in a longitudinal direction of the rail vehicle.
US08225716B2
A printing unit of a printing press is composed of at least two frame parts, the position of at least one of which, relative to the other, can be changed. Cooperating ones of these frame parts are placed against each other along a common joining surface, in a first operational position. These frame parts are separated from each other in a second operational position. An interstice, that is partly defined by these frame parts, is formed between the separated frame parts in the printing unit. At least one of the cooperating frame parts is supported so that it is movable along an adjustment path. At least one sensor is provided and is usable to monitor the interstice. The sensor has orientation characteristics or a sensory range along the joining surface. A control unit is provided and is connected to the at least one sensor. At least one drive unit is assigned to at least one of the cooperating frame parts and is usable to change the frame parts from one operational procedure into the other operational procedure. A control element is arranged in a control system and is usable to supply power to the first drive unit that is controlled by the control unit in accordance with a signal which is supplied by the sensor that is monitoring the interstice. The control element is also able to activate the first drive unit and is controllable independently from the activation of the first drive unit. A functional position of the control element blocks a relative movement between the frame parts with that functional position being selected by the control unit.
US08225715B2
A transfer drum between printing units in a sheet-fed printing press includes gripper systems which can be switched to a desired mode of operation by simple measures and ensure stable and reliable transport of a sheet between printing units when in a respective operating position. A drum body has journals for supporting the drum body in side walls and two gripper systems provided on the drum body. The gripper systems are radially extendable into an operating position depending on a selected mode of operation for printing on only one side or for printing on both sides of the sheet. The gripper systems are disposed diametrically opposite each other relative to an axis of rotation of the drum body and are attached to a support disposed in the drum body to move in radial direction.
US08225711B1
This invention fresh brews a single cup of coffee or other hot beverage without measuring, preparation or cleanup and without the need for stand-alone coffee-making devices. It can be dispensed individually from existing vending machines in remote areas or purchased in multi-packs for home or workplace use. The invention stores the ingredients, fresh brews the beverage, becomes a travel mug for consumption, and is disposable. The consumer places the invention in a microwave oven to heat the self-contained water to the proper brewing temperature. The heated water “melts away” or splits the temperature-sensitive membrane, enters the brewing chamber, seeps through the charge of beverage making material, and drips into the outer cup. When the brewing is done the consumer shakes the container to mix the enclosed ingredients, pops open the lid, and enjoys a freshly brewed single serving of hot beverage.
US08225707B2
To avoid having to strip down a radial piston engine (1) into its individual components when it is disassembled, a rotary cylinder (5) has a collar (19) on which the rotary cylinder is supported against the cam disk (2), the cam disk (2) being rotationally fixed in position to a housing portion (13).
US08225706B2
A method is provided for controlling a hydraulic cylinder, including detecting at least one operating parameter, and variably controlling a communication path between the piston-rod side and piston side of the hydraulic cylinder on the basis of the detected operating parameter.
US08225702B2
In the case of a stripping device (3) for use with a cutting tool (1) with a cutting element, in particular a punch (2), for machining a workpiece, in particular a curved metal sheet (6), at least one fastening piece (4, 28, 40) for fastening it to the cutting tool, a spring-elastic element (21) arranged outside the workpiece contact region, a stripping element (15, 34) which comes into contact with the workpiece and surrounds the cutting element (2), and at least one guide element (11, 26, 33) guiding the stripping element (15, 34) being provided, a device for securing against rotation is provided to essentially prevent the stripping element (15) from rotating.
US08225701B2
The present invention relates to a tire segmenting device capable of cutting tires into two or more segments, the device including: a cutter for dividing the tire into two or more segments; a positioning device on which the tire is mounted, the positioning device positioning a tire mounted thereon in alignment with the cutter; and a moving device operatively connected to the positioning device; wherein in use, the moving device moves the positioning device between a loading position in which a tire can be loaded and unloaded from the positioning device and a cutting position where the cutter engages the tire and divides the tire into the two or more segments.
US08225699B2
The planetary gear coaxially driven screw and nut structure of the present invention is to install the inner ring gear in the nut and install at least one of the radial arm structures of the planetary gear in the bolt; and by means of coaxial drive of the sun gear with the nut center, effects locking or loosening operation of the screw and nut set or screw structure.
US08225697B2
A tool includes a hub, at least two opposed fingers depending from the hub, and at least two opposed skirt sections configured different from the fingers. The skirt sections depend from the hub and are disposed adjacent the fingers. The opposed skirt sections have a second transverse distance between lower edges thereof that is greater than a first transverse distance between lower edges of the opposed fingers. The fingers are resiliently moveable relative to the skirt sections. Each of the fingers is circumferentially spaced from the adjacent skirt section by a gap. At least a portion of the gap is formed in the hub. The at least two fingers and the at least two skirt sections are circularly aligned such that each of the fingers and each of the skirt sections lie on a common circle.
US08225690B2
A power transmission device is provided with: a first gear having a plurality of teeth that share an identical tooth profile; an intermediate gear that is engaged with the first gear; and a second gear that is engaged with the intermediate gear, and has a plurality of teeth that share an identical tooth profile, wherein the first gear and the second gear have an identical number of teeth, an identical reference diameter, and an identical reference pitch; and the tooth profile of the first gear is different from that of the second gear.
US08225682B2
An apparatus for accelerating the weathering effects on test specimens within a test chamber including a calibration-access assembly for replacing test sensors located within the apparatus with reference sensors when the apparatus door is closed. An improved sensor support assembly is also included. The calibration-access assembly from an improved location, facilitating superior irradiance detection. The calibration-access assembly including an aperture defined in the door of the apparatus and a shield connected to the door that is movable to permit or prevent access to sensors when the apparatus door is closed.
US08225681B2
A device for measuring superfine particle masses including a quartz oscillator and an exposure system having at least two measuring chambers. Each of the at least two measuring chambers has a same geometry, a deposition surface for particles, and an aerosol feed directed at the respective disposition surface configured to feed an aerosol onto the respective deposition surface. At least one of the respective deposition surfaces is disposed on the quartz oscillator.
US08225677B2
A capacitive sensor for measuring flow parameters of a two-phase flow, a device for measuring phase concentration of a two-phase flow, and a system and method for measuring flow parameters of a two-phase flow is disclosed. In the capacitive sensor, at least one pair of electrodes is twisted by 180° in a common direction into a spiral shape. Edge guard electrodes are twisted in the common direction and are formed between adjacent electrode edges. Problems of non-homogeneous sensitivity distribution of a measuring field and soft field effect can be effectively addressed, thereby allowing reliable and accurate measurement of phase concentration of a two-phase flow. The system for measuring flow parameters of the two-phase flow can output signals with a current of 4˜20 mA to a PLC system or communicate with an industrial process control computer or with a remote control computer system in a operating room.
US08225672B2
The present invention is intended to provide a method for assessing remaining lifespan of a bolt with higher precision than conventional methods, which can be applied to a bolt comprising a high alloy with fewer tissue changes caused by creep damage.The present invention provides a method for assessing the remaining lifespan of a bolt used at high temperatures, including: carrying out a creep test for a bolt material that constitutes a bolt to be assessed and determining a life-time and a life-elongation rate; determining a time-temperature parameter based on the life-time and the creep test temperature; creating a lifespan-assessment diagram by plotting the time-temperature parameter with respect to the life-elongation rate; measuring a elongation rate between before and after the use of the bolt to be assessed; and assessing the remaining lifespan of the bolt with the use of the elongation rate between before and after the use of the bolt to be assessed and the lifespan-assessment diagram.
US08225670B2
A device of testing a vibrating device includes a housing, a connector, an indicator, and a vibrating sensing apparatus. The connector, the indicator, and the vibrating sensing apparatus are mounted with the housing, and electronically connected in series. When the test device is vibrated by a portable electronic device received in the housing, the vibrating sensing apparatus forms a closed circuit with the connector and the indicator to activate the indicator to indicate whether the vibrating performance of the portable electronic device is normal or not.
US08225666B2
A method for determining a shear modulus of an elastic material with a known density value is provided. In this method, a spatially modulated acoustic radiation force is used to initially generate a disturbance of known spatial frequency or wavelength. The propagation of this initial displacement as a shear wave is measured using ultrasound tracking methods. A temporal frequency is determined based on the shear wave. The shear modulus of the elastic material at the point of excitation may be calculated using the values of the spatial wavelength, material density, and temporal frequency.
US08225664B1
Exemplary embodiments are disclosed for the use of Lamb waves in laser bond inspection.
US08225660B2
A dynamic quantity sensor includes a sensor chip, a base member, and bumps. The sensor chip includes a semiconductor substrate, a sensor part, and sensor pads electrically coupled with the sensor part. The base member includes a base substrate and base pads disposed on the base substrate. The bumps mechanically and electrically couple the sensor pads and the base pads, respectively, in a state where the sensor chip is curved with respect to the base member. The sensor pads include input pads and output pads. The first surface of the semiconductor substrate includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is closer to the base substrate than the second portion is. At least one of the input pads is disposed on the first portion and at least one of the output pads is disposed on the second portion.
US08225658B2
Microstructures can be formed as patterned layers on a substrate and then erecting the microstructures out of the plane of the substrate. The microstructures may be formed over circuits in the substrate. In some embodiments the patterned layer provides resiliently-flexible members such as cantilevers or springs that can be buckled to permit an edge defined by the patterned layer to engage a surface of the substrate. In some embodiments deformation of the resiliently-flexible members results the edge being forced against the substrate. Such microstructures may be applied in a wide range of applications including supporting optical elements, sensors, antennas or the like out of the plane of a substrate. Examples of accelerometer structures are described.
US08225655B2
An altitude sensor includes a support frame and a sensor unit mounted in the support frame. The support frame has an upper shield and a lower shield. The sensor unit includes a beam and a damper. The damper is configured to move up and down in response to the air flow, which drives the beam to move up and down accordingly. Distances from the damper to the upper shield and the lower shield are less than those from the beam to upper shield and the lower shield. The altitude sensor possesses super specific properties such as unlimited sensitivity to flying height because of no size constraints and unchanged sensitivity under a changing environment, a selfprotective mechanism to resist deformation in case of an accident, easy manufacture process as well as low production cost. The present invention also discloses an altitude sensor for use in a disk drive device and a disk drive device with the altitude sensor.
US08225650B2
The invention relates to a method for measuring the uniformity of the moments of shiftable friction clutch systems, the individual friction clutch system comprising an adapter at the input end and at least one adapter at the output end, as well as a system for measuring the uniformity of the moments of shiftable friction clutch systems. According to the invention, the friction clutch system is inserted into a measuring apparatus encompassing at least one moment measuring device. The clutch plates that transmit the driving power in a frictionally engaged manner are pressed against each other by means of a test force. The driving motor is driven at a certain test speed. The torque of the driving motor transmitted by means of the friction clutch system is measured within a certain interval with the aid of the moment measuring device. The inventive test method and measuring apparatus developed for a friction clutch system allow the friction clutch system to be measured and tested before the same is mounted on a transmission.
US08225647B2
An alcohol concentration sensor detecting alcohol concentration of fuel is provided in a fuel tank or a fuel passage. An alcohol concentration detected at a previous driving of an engine is stored in a backup RAM. When a current alcohol concentration is different from the previous alcohol concentration, a procedure of an abnormality diagnosis is prohibited or invalidated until all of the fuel remaining in the fuel passage is consumed.
US08225638B1
Methods to determine the durability and wear-resistance of soft armor. Observations on field tested articles of soft body armor indicate that the materials are subject to a combination of flexing, tensile, compressive and abrasive forces. The forces and stresses to which soft armor articles are subjected to can be duplicated in a controlled, isolated, measurable, appropriate and intuitive manner, to correlate ballistic performance with durability and wear characteristics. The tests closely approximate the forces and stresses experienced in the end use of ballistic resistant composite articles.
US08225633B2
In at least one embodiment, a fob assembly comprising a housing, a mechanical key a spring cover, a spring, and a button is provided. The mechanical key includes includes a key holder for rotation to and from the housing and defines an opening extending therethrough to define a pivot axis. The spring cover is coupled to the key holder and is positioned about opening. The spring cover is adapted to rotate with the key holder. The spring is positioned within the opening and is coupled to the spring cover. The button is coupled to the spring and is adapted to lock the key holder to prevent rotation of the key holder. The button is further adapted to unlock the key holder in response to a force such that the key holder and the spring cover rotate about the pivot axis independent of the button.
US08225631B2
The invention relates to a hoop lock for two wheelers, wherein the hoop lock has a lock body and a substantially U-shaped hoop. The hoop is selectively releasable from the lock body or latchable to the lock body. The hoop has at least two wire sections which extend along the U-shape of the hoop alongside one another, and which are surrounded, at least regionally, by a sleeve.
US08225619B2
The present invention provides a technique for rapidly removing frost accumulated in air-refrigerant cooling apparatuses. An air-refrigerant cooling apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a bypass line for directly supplying a defroster with refrigerant air having an increased temperature from a compressor, avoiding temperature drop by a heat exchanger and an expansion turbine. Moisture of the frost melted in the defroster is externally exhausted by a fan.
US08225617B2
Bulk storage of natural gas or methane is facilitated by absorbing and storing the gas in a liquefied medium through the interaction of moderate pressure, low temperature and a solvent medium. Systems and processes are provided that facilitate the absorption of natural gas or methane into a liquid or liquid vapor medium for storage and transport, and back into a gas for delivery to market. In a preferred embodiment, the absorptive properties of ethane, propane and butane under moderate conditions of temperature and pressure (associated with a novel mixing process) are utilized to store natural gas or methane at more efficient levels of compressed volume ratio than are attainable with natural gas alone under similar holding conditions. The preferred mixing process efficiently combines natural gas or methane with a solvent medium such as liquid ethane, propane, butane, or other suitable fluid, to form a concentrated liquid or liquid vapor mixture suited for storage and transport. The solvent medium is preferably recycled in the conveyance vessel on unloading of the natural gas.
US08225612B2
A fuel spraying apparatus of a gas turbine engine includes a first fuel spraying section configured to spray fuel for diffusion combustion and a second fuel spraying section configured to spray fuel for premixed combustion. The second fuel spraying section is disposed so as to surround the first fuel spraying section. The apparatus further includes an air curtain generating section disposed between the first fuel spraying section and the second fuel spraying section. The air curtain generating section is configured to generate an air curtain which defines an outer edge of a diffusion combustion area in a combustion chamber.
US08225601B2
An exhaust gas purification system includes: a catalyst (3) provided in an exhaust gas passage of an internal combustion engine (1) and having a carrier containing a basic oxide and platinum carried on the carrier; a catalyst (4) for purifying NOx; and oxygen supply means (2).
US08225600B2
A method for remediating a NOx-containing lean diesel emission includes providing a LNT/SCR catalyst system including a SCR catalyst and a first and second LNT. The SCR catalyst is disposed downstream of the second LNT which is disposed downstream of the first LNT. The lean NOx-containing diesel emission is introduced to the first LNT with the NOx being absorbed on to the first LNT forming a substantially NOx-free lean diesel emission. An exotherm generating agent is introduced to the substantially NOx-free diesel emission between the first LNT and the second LNT to form a reactive lean diesel emission. The reactive lean diesel emission is introduced to the second LNT generating a quantity of heat effective for desorbing absorbed NOx. A reducing agent is introduced into the desorbed NOx between the second LNT and SCR catalyst. The desorbed NOx diesel emission is remediated in the SCR catalyst.
US08225595B2
According to one exemplary embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed for estimating an NOx conversion efficiency of an SCR catalyst. The apparatus includes a catalyst degradation module for determining an SCR catalyst degradation factor and a NOx concentration module for determining an SCR catalyst inlet NOx concentration based on an interpretation of at least one NOx detector signal. Additionally, the apparatus includes an NH3 concentration module for determining an SCR catalyst inlet NH3 concentration, a temperature module for determining an SCR catalyst bed temperature of the at least one SCR catalyst, and a space velocity (SV) module for determining an exhaust gas SV for the SCR catalyst. A NOx conversion efficiency module calculates a NOx conversion efficiency value based at least partially on the SCR catalyst degradation factor, the SCR catalyst inlet NOx concentration, the SCR catalyst inlet NH3 concentration, the exhaust gas SV, and the SCR catalyst bed temperature.
US08225591B2
A combustor for a combustion turbine engine, the combustor that includes: a chamber defined by an outer wall and forming a channel between windows defined through the outer wall toward a forward end of the chamber and at least one fuel injector positioned toward an aft end of the chamber; a screen; and a standoff comprising a raised area on an outer surface of the outer wall near the periphery of the windows; wherein the screen extends over the windows and is supported by the standoff in a raised position in relation to the outer surface of the outer wall and the windows.
US08225585B2
A device for dispensing a dosage material has a container with an outlet spout and a metering element adjoining the outlet spout. The metering element has an inlet opening on a side facing the container and an outlet opening on a side that faces away from the container. A wall of the metering element extends between the openings. A film material can be inserted into the device which passes at least through the inlet opening and the slot-shaped outlet opening and covers the inside of the wall. The device also has a feature that stretches a portion of a tube section of the film material. This stretching device includes at least two locations for fastening the portion to be stretched, the two locations being arranged on a stretch line that is at an angle to the lengthwise direction of the tube section.
US08225578B2
The various embodiments of the present invention provide a slab roof for interlocked mortarless masonry wall systems. In a method of providing a mortarless construction system, a wall foundation including foundation tendon rods is constructed and a first set of mechanical fastening is attached to the foundation tendon rods. A first set of tendon rods is attached to the first set of mechanical fastening. A wall structure is created by vertically stacking a plurality of wall units onto the threaded tendon rods and affixing the wall units using the mechanical fastening. A plurality of roof connecters is attached to the threaded tendon rods of the wall structure and a plurality of roof rods are attached to the roof connecters of opponent walls horizontally to form a network of roof rods which are interconnecting the walls for building a roof.
US08225577B1
A method of using liner-like cores or core assemblies for creating in-ground concrete spas or swim pools. For larger projects, that is for enlarged scale spas or swim pools, the inventive liner-like core comprises an assembly of sections. The cores or core assemblies are re-usable at least for several projects if reasonably maintained and cleaned. The core assembly comprises two long walls and two short wall defining the perimeter around a split level bottom with a shallow end, a deep end, and an intermediate transition slope. The liner-like core is constructed from a suitable rigid material like fiberglass for stiffening purposes and is an assembly of sections and also comprises: leveling blocks, transverse support beams, and hangers that attach to the walls of the core assembly and stiffens the long walls against being warped inward during the concrete pour.
US08225563B2
An adjustable housing assembly for mounting to a wall is disclosed. The assembly generally includes a back plate having a flange that defines an axis extending perpendicularly from the back plate and a front plate disposed in parallel relationship to the back plate. A connector connects the plates in the parallel relationship at various distances longitudinally along the axis. The connector includes co-acting male and female components extending circumferentially about the axis and at least one of the male and female components is spaced longitudinally along the axis for connecting the plates at any one of the various distances in response to relative rotation between the male and female components about the axis. The connector may also include a mounting ring separate from the back plate and the front plate that couples the front plate to the back plate. The mounting ring allows for additional distances to be obtained between the front plate and the back plate.
US08225562B2
An improved simulated authentic divided-light windows, includes an internal muntin grid structure sandwiched between the panes of a double-glazed sealed window pane, and an external muntin grid removably attached to each side of the sealed window pane. The internal grid is equipped with multiple neodymium magnets, which are embedded in the grid structure at regular intervals, while the back side of each of the outer muntin grid structures is equipped with multiple steel or iron inserts which align with the neodymium magnets when the outer grids are positioned, as intended, on the sash. Outer grids used on the inside of a building can be made of wood or plastic. Outer grids used on the exterior of building are preferably made of extruded aluminum or other weather resistant material. The steel or iron inserts are threadably secured or adhesively bonded to apertures in the back side of the grid.
