US08243298B2
A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer usable program code are provided for detecting a printer condition. A set of signals is received from a sensor in a printer. A current state of a paper roll within the printer is detected within the set of signals. Responsive to the current state indicating that the paper roll moved from a desired position between a set of devices, a response signal is sent to the user of the printer. Alternatively, in response to the current state indicating that the paper roll moved from the desired position, a number of paper line feed commands that are issued are counted. A determination is made as to whether the number of paper line feed commands that are issued exceeds a predetermined value. Responsive to the number of paper line feed commands exceeding the predetermined value, the response signal is sent.
US08243289B2
A sensor system and method for analyzing a feature in a sensing volume is provided. The system receives image data from a sensor, where the image data including peaks corresponding to the intersection of laser lines with the feature. The system generates a dynamic window based on the entropy of the peaks.
US08243286B2
The invention relates to a device for the contactless detection of a three-dimensional contour, comprising a projector with an imaging element and a projection lens for depicting a stripe pattern that is generated on the imaging element in an object space. The invention further comprises a camera arrangement for the surveillance of the object space from two different directions, having two camera lenses. The projector and the camera arrangement are housed together in a measurement head that can be handheld. The invention further relates to a method for detecting a three-dimensional contour using said device.
US08243285B2
A manufacturing method and system are disclosed for illuminating a target. A light controller has a plurality of pixels, and light is projected from at least a first light source to the light controller, wherein the light from the first light source is incident on the light controller at a first angle. The pixels are controlled to establish illumination characteristics for first and second optical paths between the light controller and the target.
US08243279B2
A displacement measurement apparatus includes a first diffraction grating transmitting light from a light source and producing diffracted beams including first to third diffracted beams output in different directions; a second diffraction grating movable together with an object to be measured, provided in a plane parallel to the first diffraction grating, and reflecting the first to third diffracted beams transmitted through the first diffraction grating; a first photodetector receiving the first and second diffracted beams diffracted by the second diffraction grating; a second photodetector receiving at least the third diffracted beam transmitted through the first diffraction grating; and a calculation unit calculating displacement of the object in a first direction in accordance with the beams received by the first photodetector, and displacement of the object in a second direction, different from the first direction, in accordance with the beam received by the second photodetector.
US08243274B2
A diesel particulate matter (DPM) monitor that can be worn, attached to a particular location or piece of equipment, and collects real-time data about DPM levels. In an exemplary embodiment, ambient air is drawn by a flow-controlled diaphragm pump through a particle size selector which only passes submicron particles. These particles are collected on an optically transparent filter. A laser illuminates the filter and the transmittance of the laser beam is measured in real-time by a photo detector. As DPM accumulates on the filter, the laser transmittance decreases. The instrument is calibrated to convert this decrease in transmittance to a real-time concentration of elemental carbon in the air.
US08243271B2
An analytical substrate for amplifying Raman signals by a factor greater than 10,000, or by a factor less than 1,000,000. The analytical substrate is fabricated by depositing a film on the substrate and heating the substrate to a temperature less than 100 degrees Celsius for a period of time less than 30 seconds. The film can comprise a metallic nanoparticle dispersion that can further comprise a population of metallic nanoparticles. In some instances, the metallic nanoparticles have an average cross-sectional dimension in a range of about 1 nm to about 100 nm. In other instances each nanoparticle comprises at least one ligand bound to a surface of the nanoparticle, where the ligand comprises a heteroatom head group bound to the nanoparticle surface and a tail bound to the heteroatom head group.
US08243266B2
A sample observation system and a sample observation process are provided which do not need any special manipulation or treatment to limit the motion of the sample or adjust the orientation of the sample when observing the sample, and enable observation of samples simply from wider direction than ever. A sample observation system of a sample whose vertical direction is defined by gravity, wherein the system at least includes a sample holder having at least one penetrating hole for retaining a liquid containing the sample; an observation unit for observing the sample; and an angle adjusting unit for varying the angle of the observation unit to the direction of the gravity which acts on the sample in a condition in which the sample holder and the observation unit have a fixed relative angle therebetween.
US08243257B2
A first grating is placed on the upper surface of wafer stage WST, and on the +Y side of the first grating, a calibration area is arranged where an auxiliary grating is formed. By performing a predetermined calibration process using the calibration area, such as calibration process related to position measurement of the wafer stage using a head and the like of an encoder, it becomes possible to perform position control of the wafer stage in the predetermined direction with good precision using the encoder after the calibration process.
US08243256B2
The present invention provides a measurement apparatus which measures a wavefront aberration of a measurement target optical system, the apparatus including a fringe scanning unit configured to perform fringe scanning by changing a phase difference between test light and reference light, a determination unit configured to determine a nonlinear error representing a nonlinear change in feature amount, which is derived from an interference pattern between the test light and the reference light, with respect to predetermined control data by performing fringe scanning by the fringe scanning unit in accordance with the control data in a plurality of phase states, and a correction unit configured to correct, based on the nonlinear error determined by the determination unit, a wavefront aberration of the measurement target optical system calculated from the interference pattern between the test light and the reference light.
US08243255B2
An immersion type lithographic apparatus includes an immersion system configured to at least partially fill an immersion space with an immersion liquid. The apparatus also includes an indicator configured to indicate whether a part of the immersion system should be cleaned and a cleaning liquid supply system configured to supply a cleaner to the part of the lithographic apparatus. The cleaner is at least one of a plurality of different cleaners. Each cleaner or combination of cleaners is configured to clean a different type and/or level of contamination in the part of the lithographic apparatus. The apparatus also includes a controller configured to control which of the plurality of cleaners is provided to the part of the lithographic apparatus, based on an indication received from the indicator.
US08243246B2
A liquid crystal display includes a color filter substrate, an array substrate, a liquid crystal layer, and at least one conductive element. The color filter substrate has at least one color filter, at least one first electrode, and at least one second electrode opposite the first electrode. The second electrode is comb-shaped and disposed between the first electrode and the liquid crystal layer, and one of the first and the second electrodes is electrically connected to a common voltage of the liquid crystal display. At least one conductive element electrically connects the source/drain region of a thin film transistor with the other one of the first and the second electrodes which is not connected to the common voltage.
US08243242B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a pair of substrates, a plurality of gate lines arranged in parallel, a plurality of common lines arranged in parallel, a plurality of source lines arranged in such a manner that the direction of the source lines intersects the direction of the gate lines and the common lines, thin-film transistors arranged in the vicinity of intersections of the gate lines and source lines, lower electrodes arranged in respective regions separated by the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of source lines, the lower electrodes being connected to the common lines and composed of a transparent conductive material, upper electrodes arranged on surfaces of the respective lower electrodes with an insulating film provided between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, each of the upper electrodes having a plurality of slits arranged in parallel with one another, the gate lines, the common lines, the source lines, the thin-film transistors, the lower electrodes, and upper electrodes being arranged on one of the pair of substrates, a liquid crystal layer arranged between the pair of substrates and driven by an electric field produced between the lower electrodes and the upper electrodes, and first conductive material layers arranged on surfaces of the common lines at intersections of the source lines and the common lines.
US08243236B2
A transflective-type and a reflection-type liquid crystal display device having a high reflection efficiency and a high image quality are provided. A liquid crystal display device of the present invention is a liquid crystal display device including a reflection region for reflecting incident light toward a display surface, wherein the reflection region includes a metal layer, an insulating layer formed on the metal layer, a semiconductor layer formed on the insulating layer, and a reflective layer formed on the semiconductor layer; a plurality of recesses are formed in at least one of the metal layer, the insulating layer and the semiconductor layer; a plurality of dents are formed in the reflective layer in the reflection region according to the plurality of recesses; and a shortest distance a between edge portions of at least two of the plurality of recesses is 4 μm or less.
US08243233B2
A liquid crystal device comprising: a pair of substrates having an electrode arrangement thereon; an orientation control means provided on at least one of said substrates; and a ferroelectric or antiferroelectric liquid crystal layer interposed between said substrates, said liquid crystal layer being uniaxially oriented by virtue of said orientation control means, wherein means for suppressing an orientation control effect of said orientation control means with respect to said liquid crystal layer is provided between said liquid crystal layer and said orientation control means.
US08243223B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel; a backlight unit disposed under the liquid crystal panel and including a light source and an optical sheet, the optical sheet including a protrusion extending from two opposite sides; and a bottom frame under the backlight unit and including a counter part, the counter part including an opening such that the protrusion is inserted into the opening.
US08243213B2
A monitor apparatus includes a monitor main body and a monitor stand pivotably connected with the monitor main body. A pair of rolling members is attached to a base of the monitor main body. The monitor stand and the rolling members are seated on a same plane for supporting the monitor main body. The monitor main body is capable of rotating about an axis parallel or vertical to the plane.
US08243212B2
When dividing one frame into a plurality of sub-frames to carry out image display, in a gradation range which is able to be displayed using only sub-frames other than the last sub-frame (for example, luminance ½ or less in the case of two-part division, and luminance ¾ or less in the case of four-part division), the luminance of the last sub-frame is set as the minimum luminance, and luminance display is carried out using the other sub-frames.
US08243211B2
A projection system with one or more light sources reduced power consumption and optional scanning capability is disclosed. A controller processes image data to generate light source control signals and pixel screen control signals which are coordinated to generate an image. Reductions in power consumption occur by matching the light output from the light source to the brightest pixel(s) in the pixel screen for a particular frame. By setting the light output level to an intensity or duration matched to only the maximum level corresponding to a image frame, power consumption is reduced as compared to an embodiment which sets the light source output to its maximum level or maximum duration. The pixel screen, which may be an LCD screen, sets pixel areas corresponding to the brightest pixels as transparent and other, less bring pixels on the pixel screen are set to appropriate levels of reduced transparency.
US08243209B2
Provided are a wireless television system and a wireless transmitter, capable of automatically turning off a light-emitting unit installed in the wireless transmitter depending on a power state of the wireless transmitter and the wireless television system. The wireless television system includes: a wireless transmitter for relaying a video signal received from the outside; a wireless television for receiving the video signal from the wireless transmitter and displaying an image corresponding to the received composite video signal; a light-emitting unit installed in at least one of the wireless transmitter and the wireless television, and displaying one of a power state and a signal transmission/reception state from one of the wireless transmitter and the wireless television; and a light-emission control unit for controlling the light-emitting unit to emit light when both power of the wireless transmitter and power the wireless television are turned on.
US08243199B2
An information processing apparatus includes a content display control section switching contents to be displayed on a display screen, and a related information display control section displaying, during a switching period when a content displayed on the display screen is switched from one content to another content, related information related to the other content, wherein the related information display control section fades out the related information displayed on the display screen at the time of displaying the other content on the display screen.
US08243196B2
A method of image processing for converting interlaced images to progressive scan images comprises the steps of generating a motion dependent mixing value for determining the extent to which a preceding image field should be mixed with a current intra-field interpolated image field at a given pixel position, comparing the generated mixing value with a preceding historical mixing value, and if the comparison indicates an increase in motion, using the generated mixing value; otherwise, if the comparison indicates a decrease in motion, temporally filtering the generated mixing value prior to use.
US08243191B2
An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging optical system including a focus lens; an imaging element generates an image indicating an object image; a lens drive device which moves the focus lens along an optical axis direction of the imaging optical system; an evaluation value calculation device which calculates an evaluation value of a contrast for each of a plurality of evaluation value calculation areas while moving the focus lens; a point light source presence/absence determination device which determines a presence or absence of a point light source in a specific region of the image; an area selection device which selects a focusing determination area based on the presence or absence of the point light source; and a focusing control device which determines the focusing position of the focus lens based on the evaluation value in the focusing determination area and moves the focus lens to the focusing position.
US08243190B2
A solid-state image pickup device wherein, in order to obtain an output of large amplitude from a low-contrast object without using a bottom detecting circuit to thereby increase a capturing rate, an accumulation end is determined when a maximum value signal in a photosensor array reaches a predetermined accumulation end level, and an amplifier circuit unit is provided for amplifying a signal, which is outputted from each of the pixels of the photosensor array, with reference to the maximum value signal of the photosensor array and for outputting the signal.
US08243182B2
A method of making an image in a digital camera comprises capturing a digital image of a scene into which the camera user is to be inserted, and superimposing a symbol (subject locator) onto the scene image representing at least a part of a human subject. The subject locator is scaled to a desired size and moved to a desired position relative to the scene image. Next a digital image of the user is captured, and at least the part of the user image represented by the subject locator is extracted. The part of the user image represented by the subject locator is scaled (before or after extraction) to substantially the same size as the subject locator and inserted into the first image at the position of the subject locator.
US08243177B2
A multi-pixel row wafer-scale cluster image sensor chip (WCISC) is proposed. Expressed in X-Y-Z coordinates with its pixel rows along X-axis, the WCISC converts areal image frame (IMFM) into areal image frame signal (AIFS). The WCISC includes multiple imaging pixel rows PXRW1, . . . , PXRWM. Each PXRWi has photoelectrical sensing elements spanning pixel row width PRWi and producing a pixel row image signal PRISi. Each PXRWi is offset from PXRW1 by distance XOFSTi and spaced from PXRWi−1 by distance SPi−1,I such that X- and Y-extremities of (PXRW1, . . . , PXRWM) define IMFM. The WCISC is so configured that any image pixel sweeping through IMFM will be sensed by at least one imaging pixel row. In the presence of Y-directional relative motion between WCISC and IMFM and an external electronic imaging controller (EEIC) interfacing with the WCISC, the EEIC can extract all PRISi from WCISC and reconstruct the AIFS.
US08243173B2
In order to perform a pipeline processing on a noise filtering processing, which uses a multi-resolution noise filtering, with a few line memories, the way to select an area of a reduced image which is used by the extraction of the low-frequency noise component from the reduced image is modified. By extracting the low-frequency noise component from the area being selected by the modified way, it is possible to suppress a volume of image data which needs to be read prior to the noise filtering object pixel.
US08243171B2
A camera system and a method for zooming the camera system is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating an electronic image by sensing an optical image received by the camera, the sensing including electronic cropping to a window size to establish an initial resolution for the electronic image, (B) generating a final image by decimating the electronic image by a decimation factor to a final resolution smaller than the initial resolution and (C) changing a zoom factor for the final image by adjusting both of the decimation factor and the window size.
US08243170B2
A zoom lens system is provided that includes a compactly constructed focusing lens unit and that has a suppressed change in the image magnification at the time of movement of a focusing lens unit. The zoom lens system according to the present invention, in order from an object side to an image side, comprises: a first lens unit having positive optical power; a second lens unit having negative optical power; a third lens unit having positive optical power; and an aperture diaphragm. At the time of zooming, the zoom lens system moves the first to third lens units so that intervals between these lens units vary. At the time of focusing from an infinity in-focus condition to a close-point object in-focus condition, the zoom lens system moves the third lens unit to the object side.
US08243169B2
Disclosed are an apparatus and method for improving digital image playback by switching among a plurality of displayed playback images according to a control signal generated from a user input. The apparatus includes a playback image generating unit (in an embodiment, a digital signal processor), which generates a playback image by using image data included in an image file. A display unit displays the playback image generated by the playback image processor. A detecting unit determines the duration of the control signal generated from the user input, and the playback image generating unit adjusts a specified speed of switching among a plurality of playback images according to the input of the control signal and the specified speed of switching playback images is adjusted according to the detected duration.
US08243164B2
A method, apparatus, and system that use a white balance operation. A selecting process is applied to each pixel selected and considered for automatic white balance statistics to determine the distance from the selected pixel to a white curve defined in a white area corresponding to an image sensor.
US08243159B2
An image capturing device includes: an image capturing unit that captures a subject and generates a captured image; a resolution converting unit that converts the captured image into a plurality of images with different resolutions; an image storing unit that stores the converted plurality of images with different resolutions as a set of images; a first image analysis processing unit that performs a first image analysis process of analyzing the captured image by using a combination of a plurality of images among the images included in the set of images; and a second image analysis processing unit that performs a second image analysis process that is different from the first image analysis process and is a process of analyzing the captured image by using, among the images included in the set of images, a combination of a plurality of images different from the combination of a plurality of images.
US08243152B2
A photographic apparatus comprises a movable platform and a controller. The movable platform has an imager that captures an optical image through a taking lens, and is movable and rotatable on an xy plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the taking lens. The controller calculates an inclination angle of the photographic apparatus, which is formed by rotation of the photographic apparatus around the optical axis, as measured with respect to a level plane perpendicular to the direction of gravitational force, and performs a controlled movement of the movable platform for an inclination correction based on the inclination angle. The controller calculates an elevation/depression angle that represents an angle at which the optical axis intersects said level plane, and calculates the inclination angle in consideration of the elevation/depression angle.
US08243150B2
An image processing method is disclosed. The image processing method uses a first still image and a second still image which are chronologically successive and outputs an image from which noise has been reduced. A motion of the second still image is compensated block by block. Reliability of addition of the first still image and the motion-compensated second still image is determined pixel by pixel and a weighting factor is set corresponding thereto. The first still image and the motion-compensated second still image are added or averaged with the weighting factor and a processed image is obtained.
US08243147B2
A handshake correction apparatus is provided that comprises: a correction lens that is driven in a plane defined by a first axis and a second axis that are each independent; a pair of first magnets disposed at opposite sides of the correction lens for providing a driving force in a first axis direction; at least one second magnet disposed on at least one side of the correction lens for providing a driving force in a second axis direction; and driving coils disposed to face the first and second magnets for exerting electromagnetic interaction therebetween. In the handshake correction apparatus, a rotation of the correction lens is minimized to improve a controlling characteristic.
US08243136B2
A position identifying system (1) is comprised of a radio terminal device (2) carried by a monitoring target and a sensor device (3) provided with a radio communication unit (9) for communicating by radio with the radio terminal device (2) and a camera unit (10) for taking an image of the monitoring target. In the sensor device (3), the position (tag position) of the radio terminal device (2) is detected on the basis of a detection signal from the radio terminal device (2), and the position (image position) of the monitoring target is calculated on the basis of the image taken by the camera unit (3). By linking the tag position with the image position, the position of the monitoring target is identified. Thus, there is provided the position identifying system capable of identifying the position of the monitoring target and keeping track of the movement of the monitoring target even if the image of the monitoring target cannot be taken.
US08243133B1
An optical system includes an active focus element that maintains an image in focus over a range of object distances. The active focus element and aperture stop are positioned such that the image scale and the image spatial resolution are also invariant (or at least have a reduced sensitivity) with respect to object distance.
US08243127B2
The present invention is directed a switchable optical imaging system and a 3D/2D image switchable apparatus having high functional flexibility in a number of aspects and adaptability to various applications. The present invention is based on generating directional optical beams, transforming these optical beams and projecting transformed optical beams in a field of view to thereby divide the field of view into one or more adjustable viewing zones and to form 2-dimensional (2D) images or perspective views of a 3-dimensional (3D) image of an object or scene therein. The present invention is embodied in the switchable optical imaging system and the 3D/2D image switchable apparatus using the same system.
US08243122B2
The present invention provides a method of generating a virtual viewpoint video image when the virtual viewpoint position is not located on a plane where a camera is disposed. In an environment in which a plurality of cameras having a horizontal optical axis are disposed in a real zone (for example, on the circumference) which surrounds an object, a video image of an arbitrary viewpoint on the circumference is generated. Further, by synthesizing video images photographed by a camera, a free viewpoint video image is generated from a virtual viewpoint (viewpoint from a high or low position) where no camera is placed. According to a method of achieving this, a travel distance of a display position is calculated by the local region synthesizing portion and this travel distance is reflected to the free viewpoint video image of a local region.
US08243120B2
A method for realizing a private session in a multipoint conference is provided. The method includes: establishing, by a multipoint control unit (MCU), a private session according to a private session establishment request carrying private session participant identifiers (IDs) sent by a private session initiator, and sending audio code streams of private session participants corresponding to the private session participant IDs. A device for realizing a private session in a multipoint conference is further provided. Thus, a part of participants can discuss privately while normally listening to the content of the multipoint conference.
US08243118B2
Systems and methods for processing video are provided. Video compression schemes are provided to reduce the number of bits required to store and transmit digital media in video conferencing or videoblogging applications. A photorealistic avatar representation of a video conference participant is created. The avatar representation can be based on portions of a video stream that depict the conference participant. A face detector is used to identify, track and classify the face. Object models including density, structure, deformation, appearance and illumination models are created based on the detected face. An object based video compression algorithm, which uses machine learning face detection techniques, creates the photorealistic avatar representation from parameters derived from the density, structure, deformation, appearance and illumination models.
US08243110B2
An optical writing device performs writing on an exposure region of a light writing display medium. The optical writing device includes an accommodation section, a light irradiation member, a voltage application member, a medium conveyance member and control means. The control means performs control for: applying voltage with the voltage application member to a first medium; the light irradiation member irradiating the light bearing image information and moving a first distance in the first direction over the first medium; the voltage application member applying voltage to a second medium; the light irradiation member irradiating the light for image erasure onto the second medium and moving a second distance in the second direction over the second medium; and, simultaneously the movement of the light irradiation member in the second direction, the medium conveyance member conveying the first medium.
US08243107B2
A display panel device includes: a luminescence element; a capacitor; a driver that passes a drain current through the luminescence element; a data line that supplies a signal voltage to the capacitor; a switch that switchably interconnects the data line and the capacitor; and a controller. The controller is configured to: apply a predetermined bias voltage to a second capacitor electrode to prevent a flow of the drain current; turn ON the switch to supply the signal voltage to a first capacitor electrode; apply a reverse bias voltage to the second capacitor electrode to flow a discharge current between a source of the driver and the second capacitor electrode; and turn OFF the switch, after a lapse of a predetermined period of time since the discharge current is caused to flow, to stop the supply of the signal voltage to the first capacitor electrode.
US08243102B1
A graphics or image rendering system, such as a map image rendering system, determines a viewing window of a map surface to be displayed, wherein the viewing plane is at an angle of incidence with respect to the map surface. The method generally determines a depth boundary along the map surface where a height projection of a depth increment of a first unit of area is lower than a threshold height increment at a non-zero angle of incidence and at a single zoom level magnification. The method renders the first unit of area within the depth boundary and a second unit of area outside the depth boundary. The first unit of area is rendered at a first density of map data and the second unit of area is rendered at a second density of map data that is lower than the first density of map data.
US08243097B2
A portable electronic device provides a compass bearing display juxtaposed with or superimposed on a camera viewfinder display. The device includes an image sensor and an electronic compass. When the device is held with the image sensor pointed in a generally horizontal direction, the displayed viewfinder image from the image sensor is combined with a graphic indicating a compass bearing corresponding to the imaging axis of the image sensor. The display may be presented as a linear scale to indicate off-axis headings as well.
US08243095B2
Provided is a rendering apparatus and method. After a rendering image is generated by forming a splat for each of points generated by projecting a model composed of a plurality of points, then a plurality of predetermined regions which extend over a boundary of the generated rendering image are selected for each splat forming the boundary of the rendering image, and a pixel value of each pixel included in each of the selected regions is corrected based on pixel values of the pixel and its surrounding pixels, thereby correcting the boundary of the rendering image to make the boundary appear to be more natural and thus improving the display quality of the rendering image.
US08243093B2
Aspects of the present invention relate to creation, modification and implementation of dither pattern structures applied to an image to diminish contouring artifacts. Some aspects relate to dither pattern structures with pixel values in a first color channel pattern that are spatially dispersed from pixel values in a corresponding pattern in a second color channel. Some aspects relate to application. Some aspects relate to systems and apparatus for creation and application of these dither pattern structures comprising pixel values dispersed across color channels.
US08243090B2
A method maps a color specified using a smaller color gamut to a larger color gamut. Under that method, a map in a chromaticity diagram is constructed that provides a direction and a magnitude for a unit change in chroma for a specified pixel value in the chromaticity diagram. Using the magnitude and direction in the map, the specified color is mapped to a new pixel value corresponding to a predetermined shift in chromaticity. Preferably, the new pixel value preserves the hue of the specified color, and its luminance related to that of the specified color. Also, the new pixel value preferably has a greater color saturation than the specified pixel value.
US08243088B2
A data processing system may include a display, the display having a display surface, and logic to modify the address signals of a graphics processing unit (GPU) if the address signals do not fall within a two-dimensional range of authorized pixel locations corresponding to a subset of the display surface, and to propagate the address signals unmodified to a display memory otherwise.
US08243084B2
A data processing apparatus includes a plurality of processing units each performing a respective one of process parts into which a predetermined process to be performed on data is divided, and a changing unit that changes a connection between the plurality of processing units on the basis of setting parameters that are set to enable a plurality of types of processing procedures.
US08243074B1
A dynamic financial caricature graphic whereby financial data associated with a user is obtained from one or more sources. The financial data associated with a user obtained from one or more sources is then aggregated and/or categorized/re-categorized to generate a personalized financial caricature graphic that is a visual representation of the user and the user's financial situation. The visual characteristics of the dynamic financial caricature graphic, such as size, weight, height, clothing, color, accessories, etc., are chosen based on the financial data associated with a user obtained from one or more sources and/or one or more criteria provided. The user's financial data is then monitored and the visual characteristics of the dynamic financial caricature graphic are changed and/or updated in accordance with changes in the financial data associated with the user obtained from the one or more sources.
US08243071B2
An exemplary method includes providing image data for an illuminated physical sample of a heterogeneous translucent material, determining one or more material properties of the material based in part on a diffusion equation where one of the material properties is a diffusion coefficient for diffusion of radiation in the material and where the determining includes a regularization term for the diffusion coefficient, mapping the one or more material properties to a virtual object volume, assigning virtual illumination conditions to the virtual object volume, and rendering the virtual object volume using the virtual illumination conditions as a boundary condition for a system of diffusion equations of the virtual object volume. Other methods, devices and systems are also disclosed.
US08243066B2
A system and method for creating a three dimensional model of an object having a three dimensional shape is disclosed that includes first creating a mathematical function and the related numerical data which defines a three dimensional shape, and wherein the mathematical function and data creates a first patch which has a shape resembling the object, and the mathematical function is a differential geometric function. Next the function is processed to create a data set that defines an object model data set which is then stored in a memory.
US08243065B2
Provided are a high-performance, real-time image presentation method and apparatus for a 3-dimensional (3D) navigation system that may be used in a mobile environment since a small amount of data and a simple algorithm are used, and a mobile device including the image presentation apparatus. The image presentation method includes: loading two-dimensional (2D) map data and pattern control map (PCM) data; analyzing the 2D map data; generating 3D image data on a region that is analyzed as requiring 3D images in the analyzing of the 2D map data, based on the PCM data; and displaying 3D images on a display based on the 2D map data and the 3D image data.
US08243061B2
In an image processing method of determining the positional relationship among virtual objects in virtual space and generating a virtual shadow of the virtual objects, a plurality of virtual objects are rendered in a first plane to which a first axis passing through a virtual light source is normal, and the positional relationship among the plurality of virtual objects is determined based upon the result of rendering acquired. Shadow information of the plurality of virtual objects is generated using the result of acquired rendering.
US08243053B2
A flexible display panel includes a flexible panel body and at least one integrated circuit driver (IC driver). The flexible panel body has a first end surface, a second end surface, a plurality of side surfaces and at least one convex cambered surface. The first end surface has a display area. The second end surface is opposite to the first end surface. Each of the side surfaces connects the first end surface and the second end surface. Each adjacent two of the side surfaces connect each other. The convex cambered surface connects adjacent two of the side surfaces and connects the first end surface and the second end surface. The IC driver is disposed at the flexible panel body, located outside the display area, and adjacent to the convex cambered surface. In addition, another flexible display panel having a gravity-changing device is also provided.
US08243052B2
A display apparatus includes: a display part; a storing part which stores first driving data for driving the display part; a data interface which receives second driving data from an external apparatus; and a controller which updates the first driving data with the second driving data after receiving an instruction to update the first driving data.
US08243050B2
A stylus for use in operating any small device requiring contact for inputting commands. The stylus is comprised of a wrap and a tip. The wrap encircles and engages a user's digit. The tip is positioned to easily contact a touch-screen device when the wrap is placed on a user's digit. The stylus is made of a conductive material such that a conductive connection is made between the user's digit and the touch-screen device.
US08243048B2
A touchscreen system comprises a touch area. At least one transmitter is positioned proximate to outer edges of the touch area for transmitting first beams in a first direction. At least one beam splitter is positioned proximate to the outer edges of the touch area for splitting the first beams into at least second and third beams that travel through the touch area in at least second and third directions, respectively. The at least one beam splitter comprises a plurality of deflecting elements. Receivers are positioned proximate to the outer edges of the touch area for receiving the at least second and third beams.
US08243046B2
An electrophoresis display device adapted to prevent sensing errors and to reduce electric power consumption is disclosed. The electrophoresis display device includes a thin film transistor array substrate and an ink film. The thin film transistor array substrate includes a sensor configured to generate a sensing signal, and an output transistor configured to be connected to the sensor and to control the output of the sensing signal. The ink film includes a common electrode and an ink layer, which are formed on one side surface of a base film, and a floating electrode formed on the other side surface of the base film. The output transistor outputs the sensing signal when a touch current is generated on the floating electrode. The electrophoresis display device only outputs the sensing signal when a substantial touch occurs. Therefore, the electrophoresis display device can prevent sensing errors and reduce electric power consumption.
US08243042B2
An operation device includes: a touch panel on which at least one operation button is displayed; a press position detection unit detecting a press position when a user presses the touch panel; a button operation detection unit determining whether an operation is applied to the operation button based on the press position; a button operation appropriateness determination unit determining whether a button operation by the user is appropriate; and a button operation facilitating unit facilitating subsequent button operations by the user when it is determined by the button operation appropriateness determination unit that the button operation by the user is inappropriate.
US08243038B2
A method adjusting a user interface experience for a device that includes providing a user interface to retrieve a user input, providing a tactile interface layer that defines a surface and includes a volume of fluid and a displacement device 10 that manipulates the volume of fluid to deform a particular region of the surface into a tactilely distinguishable formation retrieving a user preference between a first type, location, and/or timing and a second embodiment, location, and/or timing through the user interface, and manipulating the volume of fluid to deform a particular region of the surface into a tactilely distinguishable formation of one of the first and second type, location, and/or timing is disclosed.
US08243028B2
An eraser assembly for erasing a display surface of an electronic display system, where the display surface can implement a dot pattern. The eraser assembly can comprise a body assembly, which can be in communication with an eraser pad and a sensing device, such as a camera. The camera can be adapted to view the display surface when the eraser pad is in use.
US08243020B2
An assembly may include information that includes a first plurality of stripes making up a first icon and a second plurality of stripes making up a second icon. The assembly may include an actuator configured to displace the information to a first position in response to a change in length of a first wire to displace the information to a second position in response to a change in length of a second wire. The assembly may include a lenticular lens configured to display the first icon to a user when the actuator is in the first position, and to display the second icon to the user when the actuator is in the second position.
US08243018B2
A mouse with multi button functionality is disclosed. The mouse includes a housing that surrounds the internal components of the mouse. The housing includes at least a first member and a second member, each of which forms a substantial portion of the housing. The first member moves relative to the second member so as to implement at least one of the multiple button functions of the mouse.
US08243011B2
The present invention provides a display device. The display device includes: a backlight unit that is divided into a plurality of blocks and driven for each of the divided blocks and includes a plurality of optical assemblies; a display panel positioned on the top of the backlight unit; a controller that outputs a local dimming value for each of blocks corresponding to the blocks of the backlight unit depending on an image displayed in the display panel; and a BLU driver that controls the brightness of the blocks of the backlight unit by using the local dimming value for each block, wherein the optical assembly includes a substrate; a plurality of light sources that are positioned on the substrate and emit light; and a light guide plate including a light input unit including an incident surface into which light is inputted through the side from the light source and a light emitting unit emitting the inputted light to the top, and wherein at least some portions of two adjacent optical assemblies among the plurality of optical assemblies are superimposed on each other, and the BLU driver receives the local dimming value for each block and outputs a plurality of driving signals and each of the driving signals controls the brightness of two or more blocks among the blocks of the backlight unit.
US08243001B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) module includes a display unit for displaying images, a temporary storage unit electronically connected to the display unit for temporarily storing image data, and a timing unit electronically connected to the display unit. The display unit displays images corresponding to the image data stored in the temporary storage unit, and the timing unit generates a synchronous signal corresponding to the displaying operation.
US08242997B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel includes a plurality of data and gate lines, a plurality of main switching elements, and a plurality of liquid crystal capacitors. Each main switching element is electrically connected to a main data and gate line. Each liquid crystal capacitor is electrically connected to a main switching element. The LCD panel further includes a plurality of partial gate lines to transmit a plurality of partial driving signals, a plurality of partial data lines to transmit a plurality of data signals, and a plurality of partial switching elements. Each partial switching element is turned on based on a partial driving signal to provide a memory with a data signal via a partial data line when a main switching element is enabled, and to provide a liquid crystal capacitor with a data signal stored in the memory when the main switching element is turned off.
US08242994B2
A display device includes a display panel, an environmental sensor, a correction circuit and a driving circuit. The correction circuit is configured to generate a corrected gray-scale data on the basis of input gray-scale data. The driving circuit is configured to drive the display panel in response to the corrected gray-scale data. The correction circuit generates the corrected gray-scale data by executing a correction using a polynomial in which the input gray-scale data are used as variables. Coefficients of the polynomial are changed in response to an output signal of the environmental sensor.
US08242988B2
A light emitting device comprising a light emitting element and a first transistor and a second transistor controlling current to be supplied to the light emitting element in a pixel; the first transistor is normally-on; the second transistor is normally-off; a channel length of the first transistor is longer than a channel width thereof; a channel length of the second transistor is equal to or shorter than a channel length thereof; gate electrodes of the first transistor and the second transistor are connected to each other; the first transistor and the second transistor have the same polarity; and the light emitting element, the first transistor and the second transistor are all connected in series.
US08242982B2
To drive light-emitting blocks, currents are sensed through the light-emitting blocks arranged in an M×N matrix (wherein M and N are natural numbers), wherein M rows are connected to a row switching part and N columns are connected to a column switching part. The light-emitting blocks are driven by a local dimming method with feedback control responsive to the sensed currents.
US08242981B2
A pixel is provided including an OLED having anode and cathode electrodes. A second transistor controls current supplied from a first power supply to a second power supply via the OLED. A first transistor is coupled between a gate electrode of the second transistor and a data line and is configured to turn on when a scan signal is supplied to a scan line. A first capacitor is coupled between the first power supply and the gate electrode. A second capacitor is coupled between the anode electrode and the gate electrode. A fourth transistor is coupled between the second capacitor and the anode electrode and is configured to turn on when a control signal is supplied to a control line. A third transistor is coupled between the second transistor and the anode electrode and is configured to turn off when a signal is supplied to a light emitting control line.
US08242980B2
A pixel circuit includes first, second, and third transistors, and first and second capacitors, wherein the first transistor is controlled by a scan line and is configured to controllably couple a data line to the first capacitor and a gate electrode of the second transistor, the second transistor is controlled by a voltage provided by the first and second capacitors, the third transistor is controlled by the scan line and is configured to controllably couple a first power supply to the second capacitor, and the first power supply is controllably coupled to a light source by the second transistor.
US08242979B2
The invention provides a portable information terminal, such as a notebook PC, including light-emitting elements entirely having longer lives (a double-sided display panel having longer lives) and allowing lower power consumption with a double-sided display panel having a first screen on one surface of a substrate in the portable information terminal, such as a notebook PC, and a second screen on the other surface of the substrate on the opposite side of the first screen. In this case, light emission intensities and aperture ratios of the first and second screens may be differentiated for different applications of the first and second screens. One of the first screen and second screen may implement multi-color display, and the other may implement monochrome display. The double-sided display panel may be used in a lid of a portable information terminal, such as a notebook PC, and a touch-panel function may be provided thereto. Thus, a portable terminal such as PC can be manipulated easily even with the lid closed. Therefore, the portable terminal can be used easily even on the move.
US08242966B2
An antenna array is provided. The antenna comprises a first antenna unit, a second antenna unit, a third antenna unit and a fourth antenna unit. The first antenna unit, the second antenna unit, the third antenna unit and the fourth antenna unit have L-shaped cross-sections. The second antenna unit is close to the first antenna unit. The third antenna unit is close to the second antenna unit. The fourth antenna unit is close to the third antenna unit and the first antenna unit. The fourth antenna unit is opposite to the second antenna unit. The third antenna unit is opposite to the first antenna unit.
US08242965B2
A dielectric antenna having an at least partially dielectric body and an electrically conductive sheath, wherein the dielectric body can be struck on a supply section with electromagnetic radiation and the electromagnetic radiation can be at least partially emitted from the dielectric body via a lens-shaped radiation section. The conductive sheath essentially surrounds the dielectric body from the supply section to the radiation section and a supply opening is provided in the conductive sheath in the area of the supply section and a radiation opening is provided in the conductive sheath in the area of the radiation section. The dielectric antenna that is easy to produce, has little interference and has a short construction as a result of the dielectric antenna having essentially the cross section of the radiation opening in the area of the supply section.
US08242962B2
A supper-broadband antenna structure designed with a specific coplanar waveguide (CPW) mode to make its covering range of frequency be in a range of about 300 MHz˜9 GHz., of which the covering range of frequency is in a range of 300 MHz˜9 GHz having a rational efficiency of above 40% within the range of frequency band, and the return loss is better than the value −5 dB. The structure of a single supper-broadband antenna designed according to the present invention can be applied to many usages easily and accurately, e.g., for checking chamber stability, chamber to chamber verification etc.
US08242961B2
A UWB antenna mounted on a baseboard includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a radiating unit, two connecting portions, a mircostrip line, and a grounding unit. The radiating unit includes two radiating bodies positioned on the first surface and the second surface separately. The mircostrip line and the grounding unit are positioned on the first surface and the second surface separately, and connected to the two radiating bodies via the two connecting portions. Projections of the two radiating bodies on the baseboard are symmetrical, and take the connecting portion as an axis.
US08242955B2
Embodiments provided herein recite methods and systems for an accuracy estimator for a position fix. In one embodiment, a solution receiver for receiving a code solution and at least one additional solution from a different solution technique is utilized. In addition, a table of metric values comprising an associated accuracy estimate for at least one characteristic of each of the code solution and the at least one additional solution is also utilized. A comparator compares the code solution and the at least one additional solution with the table of metric values. In addition, a solution orderer orders the at least one additional solution above or below the code solution dependent on whether the at least one additional solution is within a pre-defined offset distance threshold. If the at least one additional solution is outside of the distance threshold, the code solution is chosen as the final solution.
US08242951B2
A two-element array antenna system includes a first antenna element and a second antenna element. The first and second antenna elements respectively include first and second frequency multipliers. A transmitting, receiving, and processing (TRP) system is coupled to the first and second antenna elements via, respectively, a single first transmission element and a single second transmission element. The TRP system is configured to transmit to the first antenna element a first input signal at a sub-multiple of a first frequency, receive from the first frequency multiplier a first calibration signal based on the first input signal, transmit to the second antenna element a second input signal at a sub-multiple of the first frequency, receive from the second frequency multiplier a second calibration signal based on the second input signal, and determine, based on the calibration signals, a relative phase difference between the first and second transmission elements.
US08242950B2
A delineated collision avoidance system may comprise a processor for executing one or more instructions that implement one or more functions of the collision avoidance system, a transceiver for transmitting information from and receiving information for the host aircraft, and memory for storing the one or more instructions for execution by the processor to implement the one or more functions of the collision avoidance system to: receive from the transceiver information from another aircraft, generate from the received information a track for the other aircraft, and determine whether the track will intersect within a predefined period of time a region of interest around the host aircraft. In a variation, the system may include a display and the memory may include instructions to: determine whether a predefined condition is satisfied and change an appearance of a symbol shown on the display to indicate that the predefined condition is satisfied.
US08242949B2
Disclosed is a method for removing the distortions produced by multipath Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging. Conventional SAR systems assume that the returned signal consists of only direct scatterings; in practice however, the returned signal consists of multiple scattering events. Multiple or multipath scattering occurs when part of the surface reflects energy to at least one other part of the surface before the signal is scattered back to the receiver. Multipath scattering distorts the SAR image by superimposing blurring artifacts that diminish the resolution of the radar image. We exploit the phase change introduced by the “half Nyquist” frequency points of Fourier space to remove the effects of multiple scattering. The reflectivity function of the scene is recovered while retaining the resolving power of single scattering SAR.
US08242933B2
A one-person remote control system for overriding pre-established control sequences of a traffic light, which control system is compatible with plug-in communications connectors conventionally provided with traffic light controllers. The remote control system comprises a stationary signal transfer unit which has a signal receiver and a plug-in connector for communicating with the traffic light controller, and a mobile control unit disposed to receive manual commands from the person providing overriding control, and a transmitter for transmitting manual overriding command signals to the stationary signal transfer unit.
US08242932B2
An imaging system (10) and method (200) for reading residential and/or commercial meters. The system and method comprise a transmission element (12) that attaches to an external location of a meter (24). The transmission element (12) selectively communicates a reading signal (40) corresponding to a meter value. The system and method further comprise an imaging unit (14) located within the transmission element (12) that images the meter value at a prescribed frequency. The system and method also comprise a transceiving arrangement (16) that receives the reading signal (40) communication from the transmission element. The transceiving arrangement (16) also comprises a converter (44) that analyzes and converts the reading signal (40) communication to a use signal (46).
US08242928B2
A downhole signal transmission system provides electric radiofrequency signals that are coupled to electrically conductive or non-conductive fluids through electrical insulators. A plurality of signal repeaters are tuned to the frequencies of the radiofrequency signals, and a plurality of transmission lines terminated by resonance circuits are also provided such that the terminating resonance circuits resonate on the frequencies of the electric radiofrequency signals. The plurality of signal repeaters and plurality of transmission elements are arranged to be redundant such that a failure of one or more of the signal repeaters or a failure of one or more of the transmission elements does not substantially affect the operation of the data transmission system. The signal repeaters and transmission elements also are arranged such that a failure of any of the signal repeaters or a failure of any of the transmission elements is communicated to the surface. During operation, the signal repeaters receive and transmit radiofrequency signals and the transmission elements transport radiofrequency signals between the repeaters. The downhole pipe section in which the downhole data transmission system is implemented includes rotary connections and a tubular pipe section arranged to transport radiofrequency signals over transmission elements wherein the inner cross section of the pipe section is approximately circular and the transmission elements take up approximately less than 5% of the cross sectional area around the periphery of the pipe.
US08242926B2
The embodiments described herein present methods and apparatus for an energy-saving status indicator. A method includes receiving a configuration of a first power consumption state for a status indicator light in a network device. The method then activates the first power consumption state using the configuration. After detecting a condition, the method activates a second power consumption state for the status indicator light. The transition from the first power state to the second power state may be from a low power state to a normal operating state or from a normal operating state to a low power state in various embodiments. Other embodiments are described.
US08242922B2
A reminder device includes a controller, a switch, and an annunciator. When a user closes the switch, the controller turns on the annunciator for a fixed period of time. The annunciator may be a light source such as a flashing LED or an audio indicator. The signal from the annunciator communicates to a user that a particular task, such as taking a pill or locking a car door, has been completed and need not be further verified.
US08242921B2
A portable electronic device includes an image capturing unit, a processor unit connected to the image capturing unit, and an alarm unit connected to the processor unit. The image capturing unit captures outside images, the processor unit detects if there is any smoke near the portable electronic device according to the images and measuring relative parameters of detected smoke, and the alarm unit alarms when at least one parameter of detected smoke is out of predetermined acceptable ranges.
US08242916B2
An RFID tag has an IC chip and an antenna connected to the IC chip, the RFID tag including: a spacer that has elasticity; a first locking section that is formed around the IC chip; a second locking section that is arranged in a position apart from the first locking section across the spacer, is displaced toward the first locking section and locked on the first locking section by pressing force with which the spacer is pressed, and applies reactive force against the pressing force around the IC chip via the first locking section when the pressing force is removed; and a destruction section that destroys the IC chip or the antenna with the reactive force from the second locking section.
US08242911B2
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a composite RFID tag, where the composite RFID tag may include a plurality of individual tags that are arranged to respond to a reader as one tag.
US08242910B2
A security tag assembly and security system associated therewith to prevent the unauthorized removal of merchandise from a given area, such as a retail establishment. The security tag assembly comprises a base and at least one attachment member removably connected in an operative position on the merchandise being protected. A locking assembly including a locking member is structured to restrict detachment of the attachment member and is forcibly disposed out of movement restricting relation to said connector member when the base and the attachment member are separated. A detachment assembly and a data registering processor may include a two-way communication link which facilitates processing of the merchandise data disposed on the security tag assembly, such that the purchasing of the merchandise and the removal of the security tag assembly can be effectively accomplished without jeopardizing the security of the merchandise being sold.
US08242906B2
A merchandise display stand for displaying an item of merchandise defines an angled exit path for a security cable attached to the merchandise. The display stand includes a base configured for attachment to a support surface and an upright extending from the base. The security cable extends from the base through an internal passageway defined by the upright to the merchandise. The upright has an arcuate or an angled shape relative to the support surface and the angled exit path forms an acute angle with a central axis between about fifteen and about seventy-five degrees. A sensor housing may be disposed between an upper end of the security cable and the merchandise and configured for attachment to the merchandise. A first displacement sensor may be provided for indicating whether the base is separated from the support surface and a second displacement sensor may be provided for indicating whether the merchandise is separated from the sensor housing. Electronic circuitry may also be provided for monitoring and detecting an unsecured state of the first and second displacement sensors and for activating an alarm when the first or second displacement sensor is in the unsecured state.
US08242902B2
Disclosed is an urgent message transmission system. In the system, when a disaster warning message is received from a network provider, an originating terminal transmits the received disaster warning message to a preset urgent message recipient according to a user's request. Further, a terminating terminal having received an urgent message from the originating terminal transmits the received urgent message to a preset urgent message recipient according to a user's request. Accordingly, when an urgent message is received from a provider or a specific user, it is possible to quickly transfer the contents of the received urgent message to other users without recreating a separate urgent message.
US08242895B2
A method and system for forming a surrounding seamless bird-view image by processing a plurality of surrounding images associated with a carrier captured by different imaging devices is provided in the present invention. During the process, the surrounding images are converted into corresponding bird-images respectively and then an overlapping area corresponding to each two adjacent bird-view images is determined. After that, distances between the pixel in the overlapping area and the boundary of the overlapping area in each adjacent bird-view image is calculated so as to determine a weighting value for each corresponding pixel in each adjacent bird-view image thereby forming an overlapping image, wherein each pixel in the overlapping image is determined according to the weighting value and information of the corresponding pixel in each adjacent image. After determining the overlapping image for each two adjacent bird-view image, it is capable of forming the surrounding seamless bird-view image.
US08242894B2
To realize a system for simplifying a user's operation to instruct a main device to operate as desired, using a remote control device such as a remote controller or the like. An operation device has an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration in one or more directions of the operation device. A main device has an operation control section for causing the main device to begin a predetermined operation according to an acceleration pattern detected by the acceleration sensor.
US08242888B2
Systems and methods to determine motion parameters of physical objects using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags attached to the objects. In one embodiment, a method implemented in a radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes determining a motion parameter of the RFID tag based on detecting a Doppler frequency shift in a radio frequency signal received from the RFID tag.
US08242882B2
A biometric authentication apparatus includes a part to retain first biometric data items extracted from living body parts of a user in correlation with the collation order of the first biometric data items; a part to acquire a second biometric data item from the user, to compare and collate the acquired second biometric data item with the first biometric data items in descending order of their collation priorities based on the collation order, and to determine that the user has been successfully authenticated in response to detecting one of the first biometric data items whose match rate with the second biometric data item exceeds a predetermined value; and a part to change the collation order in response to detecting, from the state of usage of the one of the first biometric data items, that the user has steadied at a change of her/his living body part to use for authentication.
US08242880B2
A method of tracking movement, position, or both of a tongue of a subject. The method includes positioning a tracer unit on the tongue of the subject in a non-obstructively manner; positioning a sensor system in proximity to the tongue carrying the tracer unit; calibrating the sensor system relative to the tracer unit; and detecting the position of the tracer unit. An assistive system/apparatus can track movement, position, or both of the tongue. The system/apparatus includes the tracer unit; the sensor system for detecting position of the tracer unit and adapted for non-obstructive placement proximal the sensor system; and a control system for transmitting to a processing system.
US08242878B2
A metal strip resistor is provided. The metal strip resistor includes a metal strip forming a resistive element and providing support for the metal strip resistor without use of a separate substrate. There are first and second opposite terminations overlaying the metal strip. There is plating on each of the first and second opposite terminations. There is also an insulating material overlaying the metal strip between the first and second opposite terminations. A method for forming a metal strip resistor wherein a metal strip provides support for the metal strip resistor without use of a separate substrate is provided. The method includes coating an insulative material to the metal strip, applying a lithographic process to form a conductive pattern overlaying the resistive material wherein the conductive pattern includes first and second opposite terminations, electroplating the conductive pattern, and adjusting resistance of the metal strip.
US08242877B2
The disclosure is related to a touch panel with discontinuous chain of resistances. It is formed by an internal series of electrodes of the conducting layer formed by a chain of discontinuous resistances. The design of the chain of discontinuous resistances can compensate for the voltage compensation by the voltage drop generated by the distance of chain of electrodes wherein the chain of discontinuous resistances is located at the interface of the series electrodes, and the length chain of discontinuous resistances is calculated by the specific equation.
US08242872B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a transformer comprising: a first coil element having a transverse axis along a transverse direction, the first coil element having p turns where p is greater than or equal to 1; and a second coil element having a transverse axis generally parallel to the transverse axis of the first coil element, the second coil element having n turns, where n is greater than or equal to 5p; wherein the first and second coil elements are arranged to provide electromagnetic coupling between the coil elements along a portion of a length of the second coil element in both a transverse direction parallel to the transverse axes and a lateral direction, wherein the lateral direction is a direction normal to the transverse axes.
US08242871B2
The transformer includes a bobbin, a plurality of terminal electrode, a primary coil, a secondary coil, and a hook part. The bobbin includes a core portion extending in an axial direction, and terminal bases fixed at both ends of the core portion in the axial direction. The plurality of terminal electrode regions is provided on the terminal bases. Each terminal electrode region is provided with a wire connection part. The primary coil comprises a plurality of primary wires. The secondary coil comprises a plurality of secondary wires. The hook part is disposed between the core portion and one of the terminal electrode regions and configured to hook at least one of the primary wires and the secondary wires.
US08242868B2
A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.
US08242866B2
A sealed cased magnetic switch includes: a first contact pressure spring having one end supported by the movable contactor and applying an elastic force to the movable contactor to provide a contact pressure in a direction in which the movable contactor is brought into contact with the fixed electrode; a spring seat member supporting the other end of the first contact pressure spring and fixedly installed on the driving shaft; and a second contact pressure spring having a diameter larger than that of the first contact pressure spring and applying an elastic force at an outer position in a radial direction compared with the first contact pressure spring to the movable contactor in a direction in which the movable contactor is brought into contact with the fixed electrode.
US08242860B2
A sequential rotated feeding circuit for sequential rotated feeding of a signal with a wavelength λg is provided. The sequential rotated feeding circuit comprises a feed transformer, a resistance transforming unit, a first antenna transformer, a second antenna transformer, a third antenna transformer and a fourth antenna transformer. The feed transformer has a feed line width resistance Zin. The resistance transforming unit is connected to the feed transformer, the first antenna transformer, the second antenna transformer, the third antenna transformer and the fourth antenna transformer. The resistance transforming unit has a transforming line width resistance Zl. The first antenna transformer, the second antenna transformer, the third antenna transformer and the fourth antenna transformer have an antenna line width resistance Za, and the feed line width resistance Zin, the transforming line width resistance Zl, and the antenna line width resistance Za satisfy the following formula: Zl=√{square root over (ZaZin)}.
US08242850B2
A direct digital frequency synthesizer having a multi-modulus divider, a numerically controlled oscillator and a programmable delay generator. The multi-modulus divider receives an input clock having an input pulse frequency fosc and outputs some integer fraction of those pulses at an instantaneous frequency fVp that is some integer fraction (1/P) of the input frequency. The multi-modulus divider selects between at least two ratios of P (1/P or 1/P+1) in response to a signal from the numerically controlled oscillator. The numerically controlled oscillator receives an accumulator increment (i.e., the number of divided pulse edges) required before an overflow occurs that causes the multi-modulus divider to change divider ratios in response to an overflow. The numerically controlled oscillator also outputs both the overflow signal and a delay signal to the delay generator. The delay signal contains phase-dithering noise that is induced by input from a pseudo-random noise generator.
US08242845B2
A radiofrequency signal power amplification circuit may include a signal input for receiving the radiofrequency signal, an amplification stage coupled to the signal input and having at least one power transistor, a biasing stage for delivering a bias voltage to the amplification stage, and a processing stage. The processing stage may include a processing input coupled to the signal input, a processing output for delivering a bias current modulated at least in amplitude to the biasing stage, and an amplitude modulator coupled between the processing input and the processing output and configured to determine an envelope signal representative of the envelope of the radiofrequency signal, for modulating the amplitude of the envelope signal based on a variable voltage setpoint and for generating the amplitude-modulated bias current based on the modulated envelope signal.
US08242835B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a first ground voltage pad, a second ground voltage pad, an internal voltage generation unit, and a division unit. The first ground voltage pad is configured to receive a first ground voltage. The second ground voltage pad is configured to receive a second ground voltage. The internal voltage generation unit includes a comparison unit configured to compare a reference voltage with a feedback voltage by using the first ground voltage, and a driving unit configured to drive an internal voltage terminal in response to an output signal of the comparison unit. The division unit is coupled between the internal voltage terminal and the second ground voltage pad, and configured to divide a voltage of the internal voltage pad and generate the feedback voltage supplied to the internal voltage generation unit.
US08242829B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus can provide a multichannel interpolator while optimizing circuitry reuse.
US08242826B2
A master-slave retention flip-flop includes a master latch adapted to latch an input data signal and to output a latched master latch data signal based on an input clock signal, a slave latch coupled to an output of the master latch and adapted to output a latched slave latch data signal based on the input clock signal, and a retention latch embedded within one of the master and slave latches adapted to preserve data in a power down mode based on a power down control signal.
US08242822B2
A delay locked loop includes a replica delay oscillator unit, a division unit, a pulse generation unit, a code value output unit, and a delay line. The replica delay oscillator unit generates a replica oscillation signal having a period corresponding to a replica delay. The division unit receives the replica oscillation signal and a clock signal and divides the replica oscillation signal and the clock signal at a first or second ratio in response to a delay locking detection signal. The pulse generation unit generates a delay pulse having a pulse width corresponding to a delay amount for causing a delay locking. The code value output unit adjusts a code value corresponding to the pulse width of the delay pulse in response to the delay locking detection signal. The delay line delays the clock signal in response to the code value.
US08242817B2
A power-on reset circuit includes a first monitor circuit that monitors a power supply voltage, an output circuit that outputs a reset release signal upon detection, by the first monitor circuit, of the power supply voltage exceeding a first predetermined value, and a control circuit having lower current consumption than the first monitor circuit, wherein the control circuit includes a second monitor circuit that monitors the power supply voltage, a suppression circuit that suppresses current flowing through the first monitor circuit upon detection, by the second monitor circuit, of the power supply voltage exceeding a second predetermined value higher than the first predetermined value, and an output fixing circuit that fixes the output of the output circuit to a predetermined potential upon detection, by the second monitor circuit, of the power supply voltage exceeding the second predetermined value.
US08242809B2
A comparator circuit, includes first and second terminals to which a reference voltage that determines a threshold voltage is inputted, a third terminal to which a standard voltage is inputted, a fourth terminal to which a target voltage that is to be detected and is based on the standard voltage is inputted, first and second transistors of a first conductivity type including control terminals connected to the first and second terminals, respectively, the first and second transistors flowing currents depending on a potential difference of the reference voltage, a third transistor of a second conductivity type connected in series with the first transistor, a fourth transistor of the second conductivity type connected in series with the second transistor, a fifth transistor of the second conductivity type through which a mirror current depending on a current flowing through the third transistor, a sixth transistor of the second conductivity type flowing a mirror current depending on a current flowing through the fourth transistor, a seventh transistor of the first conductivity type connected between the sixth transistor and the fourth terminal, and an eighth transistor of the first conductivity type connected between the fifth transistor and the third terminal, the eighth transistor flowing a mirror current depending on a current passing through the seventh transistor. A voltage depending on a voltage of an intermediate node between the fifth and eighth transistors is outputted as an output signal.
US08242804B2
An impedance control signal generation circuit includes an impedance control signal generation unit configured to generate an impedance control signal in response to a command, a storage unit configured to latch and output the impedance control signal in response to an update pulse signal, a control unit configured to determine whether the impedance control signal is within a predetermined range and generate an update enable signal according to a determination result, and a prohibition unit configured to control input of the update pulse signal to the storage unit in response to the update enable signal.
US08242796B2
In one embodiment, apparatus for transmitting and receiving data includes a transmission line network having at least three input/output terminals; at least three transmit/receive units, respectively coupled to the at least three input/output terminals; and a control system. The control system is configured to, depending on a desired direction of data flow over the transmission line network, i) dynamically place each of the transmit/receive units in a transmit mode or a receive mode, and ii) dynamically enable and disable an active termination of each transmit/receive unit. Methods for using this and other related apparatus to transmit and receive data over a transmission line network are also disclosed.
US08242795B2
The property of CIS based thin-film solar cell modules that the modules recover their conversion efficiency, etc. upon irradiation with a weak light is correctly evaluated. A CIS based thin-film solar cell module is subjected to a conventional damp heat test with a constant-light solar simulator (solar simulator) 1D in such a manner that the power of the light source 1E is regulated so that the solar simulator 1D emits a weak light corresponding to the amount of solar radiation in cloudy weather, i.e., resulting in an irradiance of 100-300 W/m2, and the module is continuously irradiated with the weak light throughout the test period under the same temperature, humidity, and storage period conditions as those in the conventional conditions for the test (1,000-hour storage in the dark at a temperature of 85° C. and a relative humidity of 85%). Thus, the property of the module 2′ that the module 2′ does not show considerable deterioration even after storage in an open state for 1,000 hours can be correctly evaluated.
US08242794B2
An apparatus for testing electric characteristics of a test object including first connection terminals on a bottom surface and second connection terminals on a top surface, the apparatus comprises a test board comprising first pads on a predetermined surface; a socket configured to electrically connect the test object to the test board; and a handler configured to transport the test object to the socket. The socket comprises a first connection unit configured to be electrically connected to the first connection terminals of the test object and a second connection unit configured to be electrically connected to the second connection terminals of the test object.
US08242792B2
The impedance of ionic solutions may be determined using a bridge circuit where the ionic solution forms one leg of the bridge circuit and a reference impedance characterized by a reference time constant forms a second leg of the bridge circuit. The bridge is driven by a switched DC voltage waveform. Measurement of the ionic solution is delayed after switching to allow the reference impedance to reach its asymptotic value. The reference impedance may be varied to reduce the reference time constant.
US08242786B2
The disclosure relates to a method for partial discharge testing of an insulation component, wherein at least one X-ray pulse is applied to the insulation component, an AC voltage is applied to the insulation component and the partial discharge induced by the at least one X-ray pulse is measured, wherein the dose rate of the at least one X-ray pulse is at least about 10−2 Gray/s. The disclosure relates further to a system for partial discharge testing of an insulation component which includes a flash X-ray source for generating at least one X-ray pulse, an AC voltage source, a voltage sensor, a partial discharge sensor and a partial discharge detection device for evaluating the measured partial discharge.
US08242783B2
An ionization vacuum gauge includes a cathode electrode, a gate electrode, and an ion collector. The cathode electrode includes a base and a field emission film disposed thereon. The gate electrode is disposed adjacent to the cathode electrode with a distance therebetween. The ion collector is disposed adjacent to the gate electrode with a distance therebetween. The field emission film of the cathode electrode includes carbon nanotubes, a low-melting-point glass, and conductive particles.
US08242769B2
A method for measuring transconductance of an oscillating circuit is provided. The oscillating circuit includes an inverter. When an input terminal and an output terminal of the inverter are floated, the bias voltage of the inverter is obtained by measuring the output terminal thereof. Based on floating the input terminal and respectively providing a first voltage and a second voltage to the output terminal, a first current corresponding to the first voltage and a second current corresponding to the second voltage are measured from the output terminal. The first voltage and the bias voltage have the same voltage levels. An output resistor value of the inverter is obtained according to the first and second voltages and the first and second currents. The transconductance of the oscillating circuit is obtained according to the output resistor value.
US08242768B2
A system for testing power supply performance includes a DC power supply, a test apparatus for testing the DC power supply, and a control circuit electrically coupled to the DC power supply and the test apparatus. The control circuit includes an A/D conversion circuit, and a voltage level conversion circuit. The A/D conversion circuit receives DC voltage signals from the power supply, and converts the received DC voltage signals to digital signals. The voltage level conversion circuit receives the digital signals, and converts the received digital signals to voltage level signals which can be identified by the test apparatus. The test apparatus receives the voltage level signals, and generates signal waveforms of the voltage signals according to the received voltage level signals.
US08242760B2
A constant-voltage circuit converts a voltage input to an input terminal and outputs a predetermined constant voltage from an output terminal. The constant-voltage circuit includes an output transistor to output an electrical current to the output terminal in response to a control signal, a reference voltage circuit to generate a predetermined reference voltage, a control circuit to adjust a voltage proportional to the output voltage output from the output terminal to the reference voltage output from the reference voltage circuit by controlling the output transistor and a soft start circuit including a capacitor for soft start that is charged at start-up and a current control unit to control an electrical current supplied to the reference voltage circuit. The current control unit adjusts the reference voltage to a voltage determined by the capacitor for soft start at the start-up until the reference voltage reaches a desired voltage.
US08242759B2
According to one configuration, a multi-phase power supply adjusts a number of active phases based at least in part on a peak current supplied to a dynamic load. For example, a controller associated with the multi-phase power supply can monitor or receive a value indicative of a peak magnitude of current delivered by the multi-phase power supply to a dynamic load. The controller initiates comparison of the value to threshold information. Based at least in part on the comparison, the controller adjusts how many phases of the multi-phase power supply are activated to deliver the current delivered to the dynamic load. Thus, one embodiment herein is directed to controlling a multi-phase power supply based at least in part on a measured parameter such as peak current magnitude.
US08242735B2
A method of controlling a power converter in an electric drive machine is disclosed. The method may include determining a first switching frequency and determining a second switching frequency. The method may also include comparing the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency. The method may further include selecting a power converter switching frequency from the lesser of the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency to control a power converter.
US08242733B2
At least two asynchronous AC induction electrical machines in parallel connection with the power source respectively include a main winding and control winding for operating the electrical machines, wherein the individually load driving operations of the two electrical machines in cross-interlocked parallel connection with the power source respond to changes in individual electrical machine loading statuses to provide variable impedance operation so as to change the end voltage ratio between the individual electrical machines.
US08242713B2
An LED illumination system includes a control circuit having a timing unit, a control unit, a PWM signal generating unit and a micro-programmed control unit (MCU). The timing unit divides an operating period of an LED lamp into different time segments, and outputs clock signals. The control unit outputs different controlling signals corresponding to the clock signals to the PWM signal generating unit, which in turn generates different PWM signals with different duty cycles. A constant current circuit electrically connects the control circuit and outputs different electric currents to make the LED lamp emit light having different light intensities at the different time segments. The MCU is at an outside of the LED lamp and sets a program to control the timing unit, the control unit and the PWM signal generating unit.
US08242709B2
An optical transmitter includes a light-emitting device and an optical modulator that modulates light output from the light-emitting device by using an input signal. The optical transmitter includes a drive current switching controller that performs an ON/OFF switching control of a drive current of the light-emitting device, by using an ON/OFF signal as an input that controls ON/OFF of an optical output of the light-emitting device, in response to a switching of the ON/OFF signal. The optical transmitter also includes a drive current adjusting and generating unit that detects an ambient temperature, and generates a drive current that is adjusted according to the ambient temperature detected thereby. The drive current switching controller includes a differential circuit that is supplied a drive current that is generated by the drive current adjusting and generating unit and controls the drive current that is output to the light-emitting device, according to the ON/OFF signal.
US08242707B2
A method, system, and apparatus that can be used to operate a display device in an energy efficient manner. The energy efficient display device can effectively and efficiently compensate for changes in ambient light incident at a display screen of the display device using an internal ambient light sensor to provide control signals to a backlight driver.
US08242693B2
A package structure of a light emitting device includes a device substrate, at least a light emitting device, and a cover structure. The cover structure includes a cover substrate, a blocking dam, a sealant and an encapsulation glue. The blocking dam, disposed in a peripheral region of the cover substrate, faces the device substrate and substantially surrounds an active region of the cover substrate. The sealant, disposed in the peripheral region, faces the device substrate and substantially surrounds the blocking dam. The cover substrate and the device substrate are bonded together by virtue of the sealant. The encapsulation glue, blocked by the blocking dam, is substantially disposed in the active region of the cover substrate, and covers at least a part of the light emitting device.
US08242683B2
It is an object of the invention to achieve weight saving and downsizing of an electronic apparatus, in particular a portable electronic apparatus while enlarging a display screen thereof. The invention provides an electronic apparatus using a light emitting device which includes a light emitting element, a color filter provided on either side of an anode or a cathode of the light emitting element, and two polarizers sandwiching the light emitting element and the color filter, in which the anode and the cathode transmit light, deflection angles of the two polarizers are different from each other, and light obtained from the light emitting element is white.
US08242679B2
A display device using quantum dots includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed to face each other, a partition wall formed between the first and second substrates and defining a unit pixel, a first electrode formed on the first substrate, a second electrode formed to correspond to the first electrode, a backlight unit formed under the first substrate and having a UV light source, a UV blocking film formed above the second substrate, and a red light emitting layer where red quantum dots are formed, a blue light emitting layer where blue quantum dots are formed, and a green light emitting layer where green quantum dots are formed, which are disposed in the unit pixel.
US08242674B2
The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for production of a device for thermally induced field emission of particles for particle optical devices such as in particular electron or ion microscopes, having at least one particle emitter (3) arranged in or pointing into a vacuum space (2) with at least one field emitter tip (4) for the emission of the particles, and having a magnetic field generator (6) attributed to the particle emitter (3) for focussing of the emitted particle beam (5), with the particle emitter (3) with its field emitter tip (4) is built by emitter structures (9) positioned on the surface (7) of a substrate (8) which is turned away from the magnetic field generator (6), and the substrate (8) formed as separating wall between vacuum space (2) and the atmospheric space (10) situated outside the vacuum space (2) at the side (14) of the substrate (8) which is turned away from the emitter structures (9).
US08242673B2
A spark plug has a center electrode, a ceramic insulator having an axial hole to support the center electrode therein, a metal shell holding the ceramic insulator, and a ground electrode, one end portion of which is fixedly connected with the metal shell, the other end portion of which is located apart from an outer circumferential surface of a top end portion of the center electrode for defining a spark discharge gap therebetween. The ceramic insulator is provided with recesses at an edge portion between a top end surface of the ceramic insulator and an inner circumferential surface of the axial hole. When defining first and second imaginary circles with the axis being their respective centers as circles passing through portions of the recesses whose radial distances from the axis are a maximum and a minimum respectively, a difference of diameters of the first and second imaginary circles is 0.08 mm or less.
US08242670B2
Disclosed is an electromagnetic wave blocking member for a display apparatus. The electromagnetic wave blocking member may include a transparent substrate, an electrode layer, and a transparent conductive layer. The electrode layer can include i) a grounding electrode corresponding to at least one frame area of the transparent substrate, and ii) an auxiliary electrode overlying the transparent substrate for connection with the grounding electrode and having a mesh or stripe pattern. The transparent conductive layer can be formed either on the electrode layer or between the transparent substrate and the electrode layer. In one example, the transparent conductive layer can include a series of a metal thin film alternating with a metal oxide thin film a plurality of times.
US08242668B2
A light source module including a planar light source, a heat dissipation medium, and a heat dissipation element are disclosed. The planar light source includes a light box, electrodes, and an insulation layer. The light box has a light emitting surface and a bottom surface opposite to the light emitting surface. The electrodes and the insulation layer are disposed on the bottom surface, and the insulation layer covers the electrodes. The heat dissipation medium is disposed on the insulation layer. The heat dissipation element includes conductive contact portions contacting the heat dissipation medium and a conductive connection portion connecting the conductive contact portions, wherein the orthographic projections of the conductive contact portions and the orthographic projections of the electrodes on the bottom surface are not overlapped by each other, and airflow channels are formed between the conductive contact portions, the conductive connection portion, and the heat dissipation medium.
US08242666B2
A contour resonator is provided with a vibrating body formed from a flat plate in a square shape, excitation electrodes formed on both front and back surfaces of the vibrating body and regulating a resonance frequency, and temperature characteristic adjustment films formed on surfaces of the excitation electrodes and adjusting a temperature characteristic.
US08242665B2
An acoustic assembly that includes an integrated circuit package having an electrically conductive via configured to pass from an active portion of the integrated circuit package through a bottom portion of the integrated circuit package. The bottom portion is a bottom side of a substrate of the integrated circuit package. An acoustic element is positioned on the bottom side of the substrate and the via is arranged to electrically couple the active portion of the integrated circuit package to the acoustic element. In one embodiment, the acoustic element is an acoustic stack and the integrated circuit package is an ASIC. The assembly microbeamformed transducer.
US08242652B2
A coupling device for the transmission of torque. The coupling device includes a drivable rotor part, an output shaft rotatably connected with an armature part, a hysteresis part disposed on the armature part, permanent magnets configured to generate a magnetic field through which magnetic field a torque can be transmitted from the rotor part to the armature part, a stator part in which an electromagnet is disposed, the electromagnet being configured to induce a magnetic flux in the rotor part so as to adjust a torque from the rotor part to the armature part, and a synchronous coupling disposed between the stator part and the armature part.
US08242651B2
A lubrication system for an electrodynamic machine including therein an internal oil sump and at least one oil ring hydrodynamic bearing, wherein the oil ring is in fluid communication with oil, in the sump and replenishes oil in the bearing. The lubrication system includes an electrically powered oil sump pump that is oriented within the sump. An of intake is coupled to the pump and is in fluid communication with oil in the internal sump. An oil discharge line is coupled to the pump discharge. The distal end of the discharge line is oriented proximal the motor bearing, so that oil discharged therefrom replenishes oil in the bearing and shaft journal interface. The lubrication system oil discharge parameters are independent, of the motor speed, load or physical orientation, and may be varied by a controller coupled to the oil sump pump.
US08242648B2
A control circuit member provided in a motor is disclosed. The motor includes a motor main body having a rotary shaft and a gear housing integrated with the motor main body. The control circuit member includes a circuit substrate on which a rotation detecting element is mounted and a substrate support member. The circuit substrate is accommodated in a circuit accommodating portion in the gear housing. The substrate support member supports the circuit substrate inside the circuit accommodating portion. The control circuit member is configured to be insertable into the circuit accommodating portion along the axial direction of the rotary shaft. The circuit substrate is configured to be arrangeable inside the circuit accommodating portion while being inclined with respect to the axial direction of the rotary shaft, so as to cause the rotation detecting element to approach the detector magnet.
US08242647B2
An overload protection device includes a chassis, a motor, a pair of resilient members, and at least one of electrode. The motor is received in the chassis and includes a stator having a spiral groove defined on the stator and a pair of electrical conductive contacts attached on the stator, a rotor rotatably received in the stator at one end and protruding from the stator at another end. The resilient members are positioned between the chassis and two opposite ends of the motor. The at least one friction bump is attached on the inner side of the chassis and frictionally engaged in the spiral groove of the motor. The electrodes are separately attached on the inner side of the chassis and electrically coupled to electrical conductive contacts of the motor for supply power.
US08242645B2
A rotating electric machine includes a rotation shaft arranged rotatably, a rotor having a storing hole capable of storing a permanent magnet, including the permanent magnet stored in the storing hole, and being fixed to the rotation shaft, a stator facing the rotor and including a coil, an end plate provided at an axial end of the rotor, a coolant passage formed in the end plate and running along an axial end of the permanent magnet for allowing a coolant to flow, and a discharge hole located at a radially inner side of the rotor with respect to a cooling target region including the permanent magnet and being located at an outer circumferential side of the rotor from a radially inner end of the permanent magnet, the discharge hole communicating with the coolant passage and being capable of discharging the coolant.
US08242640B2
A power system with light-controlled function and the control method thereof, which power system comprising a light sensor module, a first microprocessor, a wireless transmitter, at least one controlled socket, a wireless receiver and a second microprocessor. The light sensor module outputs a first electrical signal according to the brightness of light. The first microprocessor is coupled to the light sensor module and outputs a first control signal according to the first electrical signal. The wireless transmitter is coupled to the first microprocessor and transmits the first control signal to the wireless receiver. The second microprocessor is coupled to the wireless receiver and the aforementioned controlled socket so as to control the state of power supply in the above-said controlled socket according to the first control signal.
US08242637B2
A power source switching circuit includes a main source input terminal, an auxiliary source input terminal, a control circuit, a first switch, a second switch, and an output terminal. The control circuit is connected to the main source input terminal and the auxiliary source input terminal. The first switch is connected to the main source input terminal and the control circuit. The second switch is connected to the auxiliary source input terminal and the control circuit. The output terminal is connected to the first switch and the second switch. When the main source input terminal is at high level, the auxiliary source input terminal remains high level, the first switch is turned on, and the second switch is turned off by the control circuit.
US08242620B2
A wind turbine generator system can regulate the rotational velocity of the wind turbine within an operation range even when the wind velocity suddenly changes and can perform continuous operation of the wind turbine. The wind turbine generator system includes a generator connected to the shaft of the wind turbine and a converter connected to the generator. When the rotational velocity of the wind turbine is within a predetermined range, power outputted from the generator is controlled so as to follow the instruction concerning the generator output given from the wind turbine to the converter. When the rotational velocity of the wind turbine is out of the predetermined range, the power outputted from the generator is controlled without following the instruction concerning generator output given from the wind turbine to the converter.
US08242619B2
Provided is a wind power generation system intending to suppress an increase of torque when a voltage in a utility grid is restored, and to reduce a load to devices due to the torque. The blade control unit controls the pitch angle of the wind turbine blades such that a rotation speed of the power generator becomes equal to or greater than a synchronous rotation speed when the power control unit de-actuates the operations of the converter and the inverter, and controls the pitch angle of the wind turbine blades such that the pitch angle matches a target pitch angle that is determined based on one of a wind speed, a rotation speed of the power generator, and a requested output power when the power control unit re-actuates the operations of the converter and the inverter.
US08242617B2
A method and an arrangement for the damping of tower-oscillations are provided. The method for the damping of tower-oscillations includes transforming a rotation into electrical power using a generator, which is located on top of the tower. The electrical power is transformed from AC to DC and back to AC by a converter. A power-reference-signal is used by the converter to control the delivered electrical power. A variable power-offset-signal is added to the power-reference-signal before it is used for the control. The variable power-offset-signal is based on a mean value of the power-reference-signal and a side-to-side-oscillation of the tower.
US08242610B2
There is provided a semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate on which at least one electrode pad is formed, a rewiring layer connected to the electrode pad, and an encapsulation part which encapsulates the semiconductor substrate, the electrode pad being formed of a first region including a connection part connected to the rewiring layer and a second region other than the first region, the device including: an insulating film provided on the semiconductor substrate, having an opening at which the first region in the electrode pad is exposed, and covering the second region of the electrode pad, wherein the rewiring layer is connected to the first region of the electrode pad exposed at the opening, and extends across the insulating film so as to cover the second region of the electrode pad from above.
US08242608B2
A bump array structure for an integrated circuit is presented. An array of metal alloy bumps is disposed on a surface of the integrated circuit. The array of metal alloy bumps is configured to receive input from a multi-layer substrate package and transmit output to the multi-layer substrate package. The array defines a first portion of metal alloy bumps around the periphery of the surface of the integrated circuit configured to provide power and ground signals for the integrated circuit. The array further defines a second portion of metal alloy bumps providing power and ground for the integrated circuit, located between opposing sides of the periphery of the integrated circuit. Metal alloy bumps not contained in either the first or the second portion of the array are configured for input and output signals between the integrated circuit and the multi-level substrate package.
US08242593B2
A substrate via structure for stacked vias in a substrate/chip assembly includes: a center via stack and a plurality of stacked vias clustered around the center via stack. In this structure, the center via and the surrounding vias are made of copper. Some of the surrounding vias may be non-functional vias and these may be of a different height than the functional vias.
US08242581B1
Mixed gate varactors are provided. The mixed gate varactors may include a semiconductor region of a given doping type. A first terminal for the varactor may be formed from a gate structure on the semiconductor region. A second terminal for the varactor may be formed from a heavily doped region in the semiconductor region that has the same doping type as the given doping type. A third terminal for the varactor may be formed from a heavily doped region in the semiconductor region that has a different doping type than the given doping type. The gate structure may include multiple gate conductors on a gate insulator. The gate insulator may be a high-K dielectric. The gate conductors may be metals or other materials that have different work functions. A conductive layer such as a layer of polysilicon may electrically connect the first and second gate conductors.
US08242570B2
A truss structure is provided. The truss structure comprises a substrate; and plural sub-truss groups disposed on the substrate, wherein each sub-truss group comprises plural VIAs; and plural metal layers interlaced with the plural VIAs, wherein the plural sub-truss groups are piled up on each other to form a 3-D corrugate structure.
US08242564B2
A semiconductor structure having a transistor region and an optical device region includes a transistor in a first semiconductor layer of the semiconductor structure, wherein the first semiconductor layer is over a first insulating layer, the first insulating layer is over a second semiconductor layer, and the second semiconductor layer is over a second insulating layer. A gate dielectric of the transistor is in physical contact with a top surface of the first semiconductor layer, and the transistor is formed in the transistor region of the semiconductor structure. A waveguide device in the optical device region and a third semiconductor layer over a portion of the second semiconductor layer.
US08242558B2
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device including: a gate electrode formed in a recess dug in the surface of a semiconductor substrate, with a gate insulating film interposed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate; a source-drain diffusion layer formed on that surface of the semiconductor substrate which is adjacent to both sides of the gate electrode; and a stress applying layer which is formed deep from the surface of the semiconductor substrate in such a way as to cover the surface of the source-drain diffusion layer.
US08242554B2
The non-volatile memory cell is comprised of the series integration of a fixed threshold element and a bistable element. The fixed threshold element is formed over a substrate with a gate insulator layer and an access gate having a nitride layer. The bistable element is formed adjacent to the fixed threshold element by a tunnel insulator over the substrate, a charge trapping layer over the tunnel insulator, a charge blocking layer over the trapping layer, and a control gate, having a nitride layer, over the charge blocking layer. In one embodiment, the gate insulator, tunnel insulator and charge trapping layers are all SiON with thicknesses that depend on the designed programming voltage. The control gate can be formed overlapping the access gate or the access gate can be formed overlapping the control gate.
US08242550B2
Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. A preferred embodiment includes providing a workpiece having a first orientation and at least one second orientation. The semiconductor device is implanted with a dopant species using a first implantation process in the first orientation of the workpiece. The semiconductor device is implanted with the dopant species using a second implantation process in the at least one second orientation of the workpiece, wherein the second implantation process is different than the first implantation process.
US08242541B2
A technique which reduces the influence of external noise such as crosstalk noise in a semiconductor device to prevent a circuit from malfunctioning. A true signal wire and a bar signal wire which are susceptible to noise and part of an input signal line to a level shifter circuit, and shield wires for shielding these signal wires are laid on an I/O cell. Such I/O cells are placed side by side to complete a true signal wire connection and a bar signal wire connection. These wires are arranged in a way to pass over a plurality of I/O cells and are parallel to each other or multilayered.
US08242531B2
A light emitting diode (LED) package including a carrier, a housing, at least one LED chip and at least one electrostatic discharge protector (ESD protector) is provided. The housing encapsulating a portion of the carrier has at least one first opening, at least one second opening and a barricade. The barricade separates the first opening from the second opening. The first opening and the second opening expose a first surface of the carrier. The LED chip is disposed on the first surface of the carrier, located in the first opening, and electrically connected to the carrier. The ESD protector is disposed on the first surface of the carrier, located in the second opening, and electrically connected to the carrier.
US08242516B2
An organic EL display panel is provided which includes: a substrate which includes a plurality of luminescent regions which are arranged side by side in a specific direction and run in parallel to one another; a bank formed over the substrate, the bank defining a plurality of coating regions in each of the luminescent regions, the coating regions being aligned in a row along the long axis of the luminescent region; and a pixel electrode provided in each of the coating regions, the pixel electrode having a long axis which is in parallel with the long axis of the luminescent region, wherein, in each of the luminescent regions, the coating region positioned at a lengthwise end of the luminescent region is larger in size than the coating region positioned at a lengthwise center of the luminescent region.
US08242512B2
A compound semiconductor device includes: an electron transit layer made of GaN; a channel layer made of AlGaN; a source electrode, a gate electrode and a drain electrode that are provided on the channel layer; a cap layer that is provided at least between the source electrode and the gate electrode and between the gate electrode and the drain electrode and is made of GaN; a recess portion that is provided in the cap layer between the gate electrode and the drain electrode; and a thick portion that is provided in the cap layer between the recess portion and the drain electrode and has a thickness larger than the recess portion.
US08242509B2
A light emitting device is provided. The light emitting device may include a plurality of light emitting elements formed on a first common electrode, each light emitting element having a first conductive layer formed over the first common electrode. The light emitting device may also include an active layer formed over the first conductive layer, a second conductive layer formed over the active layer, and an insulator formed between adjacent light emitting elements. A plurality of electrodes may be respectively formed on the plurality of light emitting elements, and a second common electrode may couple the plurality electrodes. Such a light emitting structure may improve emission characteristics, heat dissipation and high temperature reliability.
US08242505B2
A display device for improving an aperture ratio of the pixel is provided. In the display device, a transparent oxide layer, an insulating film, and a conductive layer are sequentially stacked on a pixel region on a substrate, the conductive layer has a gate electrode of a thin film transistor connected to a gate signal line, and a region of the transparent oxide layer other than at least a channel region portion directly below the gate electrode is converted into an electrically conductive region, and a source signal line, a source region portion of the thin film transistor connected to the source signal line, a pixel electrode, and a drain region portion of the thin film transistor connected to the pixel electrode are formed from the conductive region.
US08242497B2
The present invention is related to a depletion or enhancement mode metal transistor in which the channel regions of a transistor device comprises a thin film metal or metal composite layer formed over an insulating substrate.
US08242496B2
An object is to increase an aperture ratio of a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a driver circuit portion and a display portion (also referred to as a pixel portion) over one substrate. The driver circuit portion includes a channel-etched thin film transistor for a driver circuit, in which a source electrode and a drain electrode are formed using metal and a channel layer is formed of an oxide semiconductor, and a driver circuit wiring formed using metal. The display portion includes a channel protection thin film transistor for a pixel, in which a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer are formed using an oxide conductor and a semiconductor layer is formed of an oxide semiconductor, and a display portion wiring formed using an oxide conductor.
US08242490B2
An organic light emitting device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device includes a plurality of pixels formed on a substrate, wherein each of the pixels includes: a first electrode layer formed on the substrate; an organic emission layer formed on the first electrode layer and a second electrode layer formed on the organic emission layer. Further, at least one of the first electrode layers of the pixels is externally patterned.
US08242479B2
A nonvolatile memory device includes via holes (12) formed at cross sections where first wires (11) cross second wires (14), respectively, and current control elements (13) each including a current control layer (13b), a first electrode layer (13a) and a second electrode layer (13c) such that the current control layer (13b) is sandwiched between the first electrode layer (13a) and the second electrode layer (13c), in which resistance variable elements (15) are provided inside the via holes (12), respectively, the first electrode layer (13a) is disposed so as to cover the via hole (12), the current control layer (13b) is disposed so as to cover the first electrode layer (13a), the second electrode layer (13c) is disposed on the current control layer (13b), a wire layer (14a) of the second wire is disposed on the second electrode layer (13c), and the second wires (14) each includes the current control layer (13b), the second electrode layer (13c) and the wire layer (14a) of the second wire.
US08242465B2
The objective is to obtain a driving type patient platform that can efficiently perform positioning work for making the position and the posture of a diseased site coincide with those established when a treatment plan is generated. There are provided translation units that translate a top board in the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction, respectively, in a fixed coordinate system; rotation units that rotate the top board in the θ direction around the X axis, the φ direction around the Y axis, and the ξ direction around the Z axis, respectively; and a control device that controls the translation units and the rotation units, based on an inputted desired rotation center point and an inputted desired rotation angle. The control device is provided with a rotation drive signal generation unit that generates a rotation drive signal for moving the top board in a rotating manner from the reference state “a” of the translation units and the rotation units to a desired rotation angle; and a translation drive signal generation unit that generates a translation drive signal for translating the translation units in such a way that the amount of translation movement, of the desired rotation center point, that is caused by the rotation movement becomes the same as or smaller than a predetermined value.
US08242464B1
A radiation detection device with at least one self indicating radiation sensor and at least one machine readable sensor.
US08242458B2
The system for irradiating patients with charged particles includes a raster scanning irradiation unit with a particle accelerator, a beam guide unit, and a 3D scanning system. It also contains a therapy planning system for generating therapy planning data, which include the energy and number of charged particles per raster point in each layer as derived from the derived dose distribution; a therapy control system, which converts the planning data generated by the therapy planning system into irradiation data and irradiation commands for the particle accelerator, the beam guide unit, and the 3D scanning system. The system further has a plurality of safety devices for ensuring that the therapy planning data have been converted correctly and for verifying the functionality of the system. The plurality of safety devices includes an evaluation unit, which checks the irradiation data and irradiation commands supplied by the therapy control system to the 3D scanning system to verify their therapy-specific plausibility.
US08242443B2
A semiconductor device inspection apparatus having a noise subtraction function includes an electron gun, a stage for holding a sample, a main detector for detecting a signal discharged from the sample, and at least one or more sub detector for detecting noise generated from the sample or apparatus so that there can be obtained an image in which the noise caused by discharge generated on the sample or in the apparatus is removed from the signal. The noise subtraction function subtracts the noise detected by the sub detector from the signal detected by the main detector to remove or reduce the noise from the signal.
US08242431B2
An automated de-icing system for a low power lighting device having a light emitting face. The system includes one or more detectors for detecting conditions under which ice, frost or snow are likely to occur on the light emitting face. The system further includes a heat transfer system for transferring heat to the light emitting face and a controller for receiving data from the detector(s) and determining a likelihood of ice, frost or snow forming on the light emitting face. The controller engages the heat transfer system if the likelihood of ice, frost or snow forming on the light emitting face exceeds a threshold.
US08242429B2
An energy-efficient photoreceptor apparatus and a transimpedance amplifier apparatus having high energy-efficiency and low power consumption of which are achieved through multiple distributed gain amplification stages, adaptive loop gain control circuitry and unilateralization, thereby enabling fast and precise performance over a wide range of input-current levels. The high-energy efficiency, robust feedback stability and performance of the present invention can be utilized to achieve sub-milliwatt pulse oximeters and may be employed in other current-to-voltage amplification and conversion applications. The use of analog processing on the outputs of the photoreceptor apparatus also helps lower the overall power of pulse oximeters.
US08242428B2
A method and system for at least three dimensional imaging comprising a processor for processing information; at least one photon light source generating a beam of light; a modulator for modulating the light of the at least one photon light source; a plurality of first receivers operative to detect the influence of a subject on the beam; the plurality of first receivers being operatively connected to the processor and operating to transmit nonspatial information to the processor; the plurality of first receivers being spaced at known, different distances from the subject, whereby comparison of each of the outputs of the plurality of first receivers provides three dimensional information concerning the subject; the processor operating to correlate the outputs of the plurality of first receivers with spatial information derived from the modulated light at correlating intervals of time to create a three dimensional image of the subject.
US08242426B2
An electronic camera comprises two or more image sensor arrays. At least one of the image sensor arrays has a high dynamic range. The camera also comprises a shutter for selectively allowing light to reach the two or more image sensor arrays, readout circuitry for selectively reading out pixel data from the image sensor arrays, and, a controller configured to control the shutter and the readout circuitry. The controller comprises a processor and a memory having computer-readable code embodied therein which, when executed by the processor, causes the controller to open the shutter for an image capture period to allow the two or more image sensor arrays to capture pixel data, and, read out pixel data from the two or more image sensor arrays.
US08242424B2
The invention relates to a single-axis solar tracker formed by a support structure (2) which is supported in a rotating assembly with respect to a vertical axis on a base (7), a bearing structure (3) for a solar panel being assembled on said support structure (2) by means of horizontal articulations (4), with the inclusion between said structures (2 and 3) of ties (5) which can be longitudinally regulated, by means of which the inclination of the bearing structure (3) for the solar panel can be relatively varied.
US08242417B2
In the present invention, temperature drop amounts of heating plate regions when the substrate is mounted on a heating plate are detected to detect a warped state of the substrate. From the temperature drop amounts of the heating plate regions, correction values for set temperatures of the heating plate regions are calculated. The calculation of the correction values for the set temperatures of the heating plate regions is performed by estimating steady temperatures within the substrate to be heat-processed on the heating plate from the temperature drop amounts of the heating plate regions using a correlation obtained in advance. From the estimated steady temperatures within the substrate and the temperature drop amounts of the heating regions, the correction values for the set temperatures of the heating plate regions are calculated. Based on the correction values for the set temperatures, the set temperatures of the heating plate regions are changed.
US08242414B2
A domestic appliance combination comprising at least a first domestic appliance and a second domestic appliance arranged thereabove is disclosed, these being connected to one another for installation into a common built-in housing, with the second domestic appliance being connected to the first domestic appliance by means of a clamp-connection. A method for connecting at least two domestic appliances one above the other is also disclosed, which comprises a step involving fastening the second domestic appliance by means of a clamp-connection.
US08242408B2
A laser machining system for machining a workpiece is disclosed. The workpiece may have a primary surface and a secondary surface. The system may have a laser emitter configured to emit a laser beam. The system may also have a masking device having an absorbing portion formed from corundum. The absorbing portion may have a surface portion shaped to approximately correspond to a contour of an inner side of the primary surface of the workpiece.
US08242398B2
A switch unit (40) is mountable to a distal end of a handpiece of an electrically-activatable surgical tool, such as an ultrasonically-vibratable surgical tool. The switch unit (40) has a generally bullet-shaped outer form with an axial bore (42) through which a waveguide of the tool extends. A resiliently deformable band (1) extends around the switch unit (40) above a polygonal-section contact zone (2), such that fingertip pressure on the band (1) may locally depress the band (1) towards a flat area (12) of the contact zone (2). Switch contacts (11) are mounted to an inner surface of the band (1) opposite a plated circuit (10) located on each flat area (12) so as to form a plurality of switches. A switch to activate the tool is thus easily accessible to a user's fingertip in any orientation of the handpiece in the user's hand. The switch contacts (11) may each comprise a body having an electrical resistance dependent on a pressure exerted thereon. A magnitude of a response from the tool may thus be controlled by the pressure exerted by the user's fingertip.
US08242389B2
A portable electronic device includes a main body, a stylus and a switch. The main body has a containing slot and the stylus is suitable for being inserted into the containing slot. The switch is disposed at a side of the containing slot and electrically connected to the main body. When the stylus is inserted into the containing slot, the switch is pressed by the stylus. When the stylus is taken out from the containing slot, the switch is released to enable the main body to execute a presetting function.
US08242388B2
A scale includes a stationary bracket, a movable bracket, a linear displacement sensor and a plurality of the resilient mechanisms. The movable bracket is disposed opposite to the stationary bracket. The linear displacement sensor is disposed between the stationary bracket and the movable bracket. The resilient mechanisms are disposed between the stationary bracket and the movable bracket. Each resilient mechanism includes a limiting shaft, a sleeve movably sleeved on the limiting shaft and a resilient member received in the sleeve. The limiting shaft is fixed to one of the stationary bracket or the movable bracket, and the sleeve is fixed to the other. The resilient member is elastically deformed by resisting a free end of the limiting shaft. The linear displacement sensor registers a displacement of the movable bracket.
US08242383B2
A packaging substrate with an embedded semiconductor component and a method of fabricating the same are provided, including: fixing a semiconductor chip with electrode pads to an assisting layer with apertures through an adhesive member, wherein each of the electrode pads has a bump formed thereon, each of the apertures is filled with a filling material, and the bumps correspond to the apertures, respectively; forming a first dielectric layer on the assisting layer to encapsulate the semiconductor chip; removing the bumps and the filling material to form vias; and forming a first wiring layer on the first dielectric layer and forming first conductive vias in the vias to provide electrical connections between the electrode pads and the first wiring layer, wherein the first wiring layer comprises a plurality of conductive lands formed right on the first conductive vias, respectively.
US08242380B2
A printed circuit board (PCB) substrate and method for construction of the same. In one embodiment, a first dielectric material is associated with a first current return layer and a second dielectric material is associated with a second current return layer. A first signal path layer is embedded in the first dielectric material and a second signal path layer is embedded in the second dielectric material, wherein the first and second signal path layers are substantially parallel to each other in a stack-up arrangement. An adhesive layer is interposed between the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material.
US08242378B2
A lead-free solder joint is formed between a tin-silver-copper solder alloy (SAC), SACX, or other commonly used Pb-free solder alloys, and a metallization layer of a substrate. Interaction of the SAC with the metallization layer forms an intermetallic compound (IMC) that binds the solder mass to the metallization layer. The IMC region is substantially free of any phosphorous-containing layers or regions.
US08242377B2
Disclosed is a printed circuit board into which an electromagnetic bandgap structure for blocking a noise is inserted. The electromagnetic bandgap structure can include a first conductor and a second conductor arranged on different planar surfaces, a third conductor arranged on a same planar surface that is different from a planar surface where the second conductor is arranged, and a first stitching via unit configured to connect the first conductor to the third connector through the planar surface where the second conductor is arranged and being electrically separated from the second conductor. The first conductor can include a first plate, a second plate spaced from the first plate, and a second stitching unit configured to electrically connect the first plate to the second plate through a planar surface that is different from a planar surface where the first plate and the second plate are arranged.
US08242368B2
A cable protection device includes a protective conduit and a fixing mechanism fixing the protective conduit on a cable. The fixing mechanism includes a clamping member and a latching member. The clamping member includes a first threading portion sleeved on the cable and multiple clamping claws extending from one end of the first threading portion. The latching member includes a main body having a first end surface and a second end surface, the main portion defining a mounting hole in the first end surface, the mounting hole having many inner threads adjacent to the first end surface, and an inner resisting surface adjoining the inner threads. The protective conduit is fixed to the first end surface. The clamping claws are pressed by the resisting surface to fixedly clamp the cable when the first threading portion is received in the latching member with the inner threads.
US08242367B2
A cable guiding arrangement for at least one electrical cable harness installed in an aircraft cabin includes a guide rail having at least one receiving pocket and an attachment surface configured to receive the at least one cable harness; a plurality of retaining heads spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction along the guide rail and configured to affix the at least one electrical cable harness; and at least one insertion element disposed on an edge of the guide rail configured to attach at least one laterally branching-off cable of the at least one cable harness, the at least one insertion element including at least one retaining head section and an insertion section, wherein the insertion section is disposed in the at least one receiving pocket.
US08242363B2
A power supply consists of a main body including a base and a cover. The base defines a cavity and a through hole communicating the cavity with the exterior. The cover covers the cavity. The circuit board is received in the base. The connector includes a connector body, a conductive pad, and a conductive fastener. The connector body is disposed within the cavity. The conductive pad is fixed to the connector body, connected to the circuit board, and defines a threaded hole. The conductive fastener is received in the threaded hole. The cable goes through and is connected to the conductive fastener.
US08242362B2
A tamper-resistant electrical receptacle includes a cover defining a set of cover apertures; and a slider defining an aperture therein and being movable between a first position blocking the set of cover apertures and a second position not blocking the set of cover apertures, wherein when an object probes at least one and fewer than all of the set of cover apertures, the slider is constrained in the first position. When a set of prongs is inserted simultaneously through the set of cover apertures, the prongs contact a slider surface that is oriented substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the set of prongs such that the slider is urged from the first to the second position. When in the second position the slider aperture aligns with at least one of the set of cover apertures to enable the set of prongs to contact the receptacle contacts.
US08242360B2
An electrical junction box adapted for mounting on a drywall without attachment to a stud. The junction box carries four tabs that pivotally move between a retracted position inside the junction box and an extended position extending through respective slots formed in the junction body sidewalls. The tabs are turned by a turning screw into a position contacting the drywall. A pair of flange members is secured to a front edge of the box for engaging the interior surface of the drywall. The tabs and the flanges support the weight of the junction box on the drywall.
US08242357B2
The invention offers a submarine solid cable that can suppress the movement of the insulating oil when the cable is used and the production method thereof. The method of producing a submarine solid cable forms an insulating layer by lapping insulating tapes, each of which includes a resin film, over the outer circumference of a conductor and impregnates the insulating layer with medium-viscosity insulating oil. The insulating layer is formed by lapping insulating tapes, each of which includes a resin film, over the outer circumference of the conductor 1. The insulating layer is impregnated with an insulating oil having an at least medium viscosity. The resin film is swelled to narrow an impregnation path impregnated with the insulating oil. According to the production method, the impregnation path for the insulating oil is secured when the impregnation with the insulating oil is performed and the impregnation path is narrowed to suppress the movement of insulating oil when the cable is used. Thus, the cable can have excellent insulation properties.
US08242350B2
The present invention relates to photovoltaic power systems, photovoltaic concentrator modules, and related methods. In particular, the present invention features concentrator modules having interior points of attachment for an articulating mechanism and/or an articulating mechanism that has a unique arrangement of chassis members so as to isolate bending, etc. from being transferred among the chassis members. The present invention also features adjustable solar panel mounting features and/or mounting features with two or more degrees of freedom. The present invention also features a mechanical fastener for secondary optics in a concentrator module.
US08242348B2
Processes for economical large scale commercial production of blocks of quantum well particles, platelets, or continuous sheets of material imparting minimal or essentially no parasitic substrate loss in quantum well devices such as thermo-electric generators in which the blocks are embodied involve roll to roll processing, i.e., deposition and crystallization of alternating layers of quantum well materials, on an elongate and continuous base layer of appreciable width. Blocks of quantum well materials having no attached base layer are produced on decomposable or release treated base layers.
US08242345B2
An electronic fingerboard for use on a musical instrument comprises a printed circuit board layer with contact electrodes and electronic sensing components. A first double sided adhesive tape is formed over the printed circuit board layer, and a polyester film membrane having carbon printing on the lower surface thereof is formed above the first double sided adhesive tape. A second double sided adhesive tape is formed above the polyester film membrane, and a silicon rubber overlay is mounted over the second double sided adhesive layer. A polyurethane overspray comprising a non-stick coating is then formed on the silicon rubber overlay.
US08242344B2
The present invention is method and apparatus for music performance and composition. More specifically, the present invention is an interactive music apparatus comprising actuating a signal that is transmitted to a processing computer that transmits output signals to a speaker that emits sound and an output component that performs an action. Further, the present invention is also a method of music performance and composition. Additionally, the present invention is an interactive wireless music apparatus comprising actuating an event originating on a remote wireless device. The transmitted event received by a processing host computer implements the proper handling of the event.
US08242338B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH293284. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH293284, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH293284 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH293284.
US08242336B1
A novel maize variety designated PH11SY and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH11SY with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH11SY through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH11SY or a locus conversion of PH11SY with another maize variety.
US08242332B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XBP21004 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XBP21004, cells from soybean variety XBP21004, plants of soybean XBP21004, and plant parts of soybean variety XBP21004. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XBP21004 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic, mutant trait, and/or native trait into soybean variety XBP21004, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XBP21004. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XBP21004 are further provided.
US08242331B2
A soybean cultivar designated 89126133 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 89126133, to the plants of soybean 89126133, to plant parts of soybean cultivar 89126133, and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar 89126133 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars, or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean variety 89126133, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 89126133, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar 89126133 with another soybean cultivar.
US08242330B1
The present invention is in the field of soybean cultivar 05KG104848 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean cultivar 05KG104848 and its progeny, and methods of making 05KG104848.
US08242328B2
The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing 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.
US08242312B2
The present invention comprises a compound of a compound of Formula 1 wherein Rf is a C2 to C12 perfluoroalkyl optionally interrupted by one to four moieties each independently selected from the group consisting of —CH2—, —O—, —S—, —S(O)—, and —S(O)2—; n is 1 to 6; m is 0 to 2, provided that m is less than or equal to n. X and Y are each independently O or NR, R is hydrogen or C1 to C6 alkyl; R1, and R2 are each independently C1 to C6 alkyl, optionally containing one or more oxygen atoms and may form a ring selected from the group of piperidine, pyrrolidine, and morpholine; and R3 is O−, (CH2)pC(O)O−, (CH2)pCH(OH)(CH2)SO3−, and (CH2)qSO3−; p is 1 to 4; and q is 2 to 4 which is useful as a surfactant.
US08242303B2
The present invention provides a method for producing an optically active N-(halopropyl)amino acid derivative, wherein the method comprises the steps of obtaining a compound represented by formula (III) by reacting an optically active alanine ester represented by formula (I) or a salt thereof (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as an “alanine ester”) with a halogenated propane represented by formula (II); and obtaining an optically active N-(halopropyl)amino acid derivative represented by formula (IV) by introducing a protecting group onto the nitrogen atom of the compound represented by formula (III). The present invention provides a method for efficiently producing an optically active N-(halopropyl)amino acid derivative.
US08242302B2
It is intended to provide a drug which is efficacious in treating and preventing diseases wherein ischemia or an inflammatory substance associated with ischemia participates in the onset or worsening thereof. Because of containing as the active ingredient a substance selected from among farnesol, a farnesol derivative, a tocopherol derivative, a tocotrienol derivative, pharmacologically acceptable salts thereof and solvates thereof, the above-described inhibitor of ischemic disorders can exert therapeutic and preventive effects on diseases wherein ischemia or an inflammatory substance associated with ischemia participates in the onset or worsening thereof (for example, brain infarction, brain edema, cardiac infarction, etc.) not only by the administration in the acute ischemic stage but also by the therapeutic administration in subacute and/or chronic stages after ischemia-reperfusion. It is also intended to provide a farnesol carboxylic acid ester derivative and a method of producing the same.
US08242299B2
A composite including a cross-linked interpenetrating network of an organic polymer including an alcohol adduct of, for example, a glycidyl ether substituted acrylate or epoxy substituted acrylate; and a sol-gel polymer. The composite having a low or no-shrinkage characteristic, and a method for making and using the composite, as defined herein.
US08242298B2
The present invention relates to novel processes for preparing borylsilylamines, novel amines, novel borosilazane compounds, novel oligoborosilazane or polyborosilazane compounds which have the structural feature Si—N—B, ceramic material and methods of producing and using them.
US08242289B2
The present invention relates to alkyl-substituted tetrahydropyrans, mixtures containing these alkyl-substituted tetrahydropyrans, their respective use and corresponding flavored products.
US08242287B2
The invention provides an improved method of synthesizing chemicals according to the ene reaction. The method addresses two problems that previously could not be addressed simultaneously, preventing charring of the reaction, and preventing gaseous degradation of the reagents. The method involves adding a boron bearing compound and an aromatic/antioxidant compound to the ene reaction. Combining these two compounds together inhibits charring and also causes an effect that neither compound can accomplish alone. The addition of these two compounds together also more effectively prevents either of the reagents from degrading than when either reagent is added alone. As a result the method reduces costs by reducing the amount of reagents needed for a synthesis and further reduces costs by eliminating the need to filter out char from the end products of the ene reaction. The method is particularly useful in the ene reaction synthesis of ASA from olefins and maleic anhydride.
US08242276B2
The present invention provides novel methods for preparing N—(S)-1 -azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-3-yl-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide HCl salt 1, a nicotinic α-7 receptor ligand, that are useful for the scaled-up preparation of compound 1. Compound 1 is useful in the treatment of disease conditions associated with defective or malfunctioning nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, especially of the brain, such as for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia, as well as other psychiatric and neurological disorders.
US08242272B2
The present invention relates to a process for the synthesis of 5-fluoro-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridin-3-amine in high yield and purity. The present invention also relates to processes for the synthesis of 5-fluoro-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridin-3-amine derivatives. These processes are useful for preparing biologically active compounds, particularly certain GSK-3 inhibitors, or derivatives thereof.
US08242269B2
The present invention relates to novel compounds of formula (VIII) and (X), processes for their preparation and their use in the preparation of paliperidone or a salt thereof. There is also provided by the present invention novel processes for preparing intermediates for use in the preparation of paliperidone or a salt thereof, and novel processes for preparing paliperidone or a salt thereof.
US08242263B2
The present invention relates to a composition for photon energy up-conversion, a system comprising said composition and to uses of said composition and said system.
US08242257B2
The present invention concerns methods and reagents useful in modulating gene expression in a variety of applications, including use in therapeutic, diagnostic, target validation, and genomic discovery applications. Specifically, the invention relates to synthetic chemically modified small nucleic acid molecules, such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules capable of mediating RNA interference (RNAi) against target nucleic acid sequences. The small nucleic acid molecules are useful in the treatment of any disease or condition that responds to modulation of gene expression or activity in a cell, tissue, or organism.
US08242256B2
The present invention relates to apoptosis specific eucaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF-5A), referred to as apoptosis factor 5A1 or simply factor 5A1, apoptosis factor 5A1 nucleic acids and polypeptides and methods for inhibiting or suppressing apoptosis in cells using antisense nucleotides or siRNAs to inhibit expression of factor 5A1. The invention also relates to suppressing or inhibiting expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting expression of apoptosis factor 5A.
US08242253B2
The present invention relates to an isolated β-actin nucleic acid promoter molecule from shrimp; nucleic acid constructs including the β-actin promoter molecule; and expression vectors, host cells, and transgenic animals transduced with the isolated β-actin nucleic acid promoter. Also disclosed are methods for imparting to an animal resistance against a pathogen, regulating growth of an animal, increasing stress tolerance in an animal, and increasing cold tolerance in an animal that involves transforming an animal with a nucleic acid construct including the isolated β-actin nucleic acid promoter molecule of the present invention.
US08242241B2
Embodiments of the present invention include methods and systems for designing inhibitors of amyloidosis in humans, domesticated animals, and wild animals as well as inhibitors of amyloidosis designed by the methods and systems. Methods and systems for designing inhibitors of amyloidosis are largely computational, in nature, and are directed to designing various types of polymers, small-molecule organic compounds, organometallic compounds, or non-chemical physical processes that can target the extended-α-strand and α-sheet regions of amyloidogenic protein and polypeptide intermediates in order to prevent aggregation of those intermediates into protofibrils and fibrils that, in turn, recruit additional native-conformation proteins and polypeptides into amyloidogenic intermediates and that additionally aggregate to form higher-order structures, such as plaques observed in the brains of patients suffering from the various spongiform encephalopathies.
US08242236B2
An elastomeric nanocomposite is produced from an isobutylene-based polymer and a layered nanofiller. The process of preparing the nanocomposite includes the steps of a) polymerizing isobutylene monomers and multiolefin monomers to produce an isobutylene-based polymer; b) completing at least one mass transfer dependent stage in the process wherein, after completion of the stage and prior to any recovery of the polymer, the polymer is dissolved in a solvent to create a polymer cement; c) contacting the layered nanofiller and the polymer solvent to obtain the nanocomposite; and d) recovering the nanocomposite. The layered nanofiller may be in a slurry prior to contacting with the polymer cement.
US08242233B2
This invention relates to a method of preparing poly(arylene sulfide) (PAS) from an iodo compound and a sulfur compound, and more particularly, to a method of preparing PAS, including adding a sulfur-containing polymerization terminator when PAS is produced using an iodo compound as an intermediate. Thereby, in final PAS, the residual iodine content may be maintained at the same level or decreased and other properties may be maintained at equal or superior levels, thanks to the use of the sulfur-containing polymerization terminator, which is much lower in price than conventional polymerization terminators.
US08242223B2
There is provided a polymer made from a monomer having Formula I: where: R and Y are independently selected from the group consisting of H, D, alkyl, fluoroalkyl, aryl, fluoroaryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, NR″2, R′, R′ is a crosslinkable group; R″ is independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, fluoroalkyl, aryl, fluoroaryl, and R′; X is a leaving group; Z is C, Si, or N; Q is (ZR″n)b; a is an integer from 0 to 5; b is an integer from 0 to 20; c is an integer from 0 to 4; q is an integer from 0 to 7; and n is an integer from 1 to 2.
US08242213B2
In the present invention, in order to provide an electrode active material that has a high capacity density and from which a large current can be extracted and to provide a battery that has a high energy density and produces a large output, in a battery comprising at least a cathode, an anode and an electrolyte, a polyradical compound having a partial structure represented by the following general formula (2) is used as an electrode active material for at least one of the cathode and the anode, wherein, in the formula (2), R1 to R3 independently represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and R4 to R7 independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms.
US08242212B2
A method of preparing a polystyrene blend that includes combining a first polystyrene composition having a first melt flow index with a second polystyrene composition having a second melt flow index and forming a polystyrene blend, the second melt flow index being at least 2 dg/min higher that the first melt flow index. The polystyrene blend has an observed tensile strength value greater than 3% above the expected tensile strength value. The second polystyrene composition can include a recycled polystyrene material, which can include expanded polystyrene. An alternate method of preparing the polystyrene blend includes combining a polystyrene composition with a styrene monomer to form a reaction mixture, polymerizing the reaction mixture and obtaining a polystyrene blend, where the polystyrene containing composition has a melt flow index at least 2 dg/min higher than the melt flow index of the styrene monomer after it has been polymerized.
US08242209B2
A composition is disclosed which comprises a mixture of a poly(trimethylene terephthalate) polymer composition, a nucleating agent, and an ethylene copolymer. Also disclosed in a method for reducing the melt viscosity of nucleated poly(trimethylene terephthalate) polymer composition.
US08242199B2
The invention relates to a rubber composition for a tire tread simultaneously establishing a high wear resistance and a low heat buildup, and more particularly to a rubber composition for a tire tread comprising 10-250 parts by weight of a carbon black per 100 parts by weight of a rubber component, in which said carbon black is produced in a carbon black production step satisfying the following relational equations (1) and (2): 2.00≦α≦9.00 (1) −2.5xα+85.0≦β≦90.0 (2) when a residence time from the introduction of the starting hydrocarbon into the high-temperature combustion gas flow to the introduction of the quenching medium is t1 (sec), an average reaction temperature for such a time is T1 (° C.), a residence time from the introduction of the quenching medium to the enter of a reaction gas flow into the reaction stop zone is t2 (sec), an average reaction temperature for such a time is T2 (° C.), α=t1×T1 and β=t2×T2.
US08242192B2
This invention relates woven jumbo polypropylene bags manufactured from a polypropylene resin that includes a low molecular weight hindered amine light stabilizer, a high molecular weight hindered amine light stabilizer, a first antioxidant, and a second antioxidant. Also provided are methods for the preparation of woven jumbo polypropylene bags.
US08242186B2
In a method for producing a lactic acid oligomer by subjecting an aqueous lactic acid solution to a polycondensation reaction under microwave irradiation, the polycondensation reaction is carried out under reduced pressure in the absence of a polymerization catalyst and an organic solvent. An initial polycondensation reaction is carried out under normal pressure, and thereafter, a reaction is carried out under reduced pressure. The pressure is reduced stepwise to give a final pressure of 2000 Pa or less. A lactic acid oligomer which has a high purity and is safe from hygiene point of view can be obtained at a low cost in a short time.
US08242184B2
To provide a process for producing a flexible polyurethane foam, which comprises reacting a polyol compound and a polyisocyanate compound in an open system substantially without using a silicone foam stabilizer.A process for producing a flexible polyurethane foam, which comprises reacting a polyol composition (I) containing at least a polyol compound and containing at least one of a polyol compound (A) and a monool compound (X) obtained by ring-opening polymerization of an alkylene oxide with an initiator by using a double metal cyanide complex catalyst, and a polyisocyanate composition (II) in the presence of a urethane-forming catalyst made of a metal catalyst and an amine catalyst, and a blowing agent, in an open system substantially without using a silicone foam stabilizer.
US08242178B2
Methods of treating autoimmune hepatitis are provided. The methods include injecting cannabidiol into the subject, where the cannabidiol is synthetic cannabidiol or natural cannabidiol isolated from other natural cannabinoids.
US08242175B2
New histone deacetylase inhibitors according to the general formula (I) wherein: Q is a bond, CH2, CH—NR3R4, NR5 or oxygen, X is CH or nitrogen, Y is a bond, CH2, oxygen or NR6, Z is CH or nitrogen, R1, R2 are, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl or C1-C6 haloalkyl, R11, R12 are, independently, hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl, and R3, R4, R5 and R6 are as further defined in the specification.
US08242172B2
The invention is directed to novel pharmaceutical compositions comprising chemicals agents that are useful in the treatment and prevention of cystic fibrosis and the prevention of signs and symptoms of this disease. These pharmaceutical compositions are surprisingly successful in the treatment disorders related to cystic fibrosis including disorders of blood production. Many of these compositions of the invention are even more effective when administered to a patient in pulses. Pulse therapy is not a form of discontinuous administration of the same amount of a composition over time, but comprises administration of the same dose of the composition at a reduced frequency or administration of reduced doses.
US08242170B2
The invention provides methods for inhibiting cardiomyopathy and for inhibiting cardiac arrhythmia, by administering to an individual in need thereof a cis-epoxyeicosantrienoic acid, an inhibitor of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), or both. In some embodiments, the method comprises administering to the individual a nucleic acid encoding an inhibitor of sEH. Cardiomyopathies treatable by the methods of the invention include cardiac hypertrophy and dilated cardiomyopathy.
US08242169B2
An emulsion composition of the present invention includes (A) a salt of a higher fatty acid ester of ascorbic acid-2-phosphoric acid ester, (B) a polyglycerin fatty acid monoester including polyglycerin having a mean polymerization degree of 8 to 12 and an unsaturated fatty acid residual group of 14 to 22 carbon atoms, (C) a polyglycerin fatty acid monoester comprising polyglycerin having a mean polymerization degree of 2 to 6 and an unsaturated fatty acid residual group of 14 to 22 carbon atoms, and (D) a hydrocarbon oil, wherein the blending ratio by mass between the component (B) and the component (C) is in the range of 1:1 to 3:1, and the blending ratio by mass between the total of the components (B) and (C) and the component (D) is in the range of 10:1 to 1:4. By the use of the emulsion composition of the present invention, a skin external preparation can be provided which is prevented from decrease of a salt of a higher fatty acid ester of ascorbic acid-2-phosphoric acid ester attributable to decomposition of the salt, is excellent in retention of moisture, and has a beautiful appearance.
US08242166B2
Taxanes having an ethyl ester or cyclopropyl ester substituent at C(10), a keto substituent at C(9), a hydroxy substituent at C(7), a thienyl substituent at C(3′) and a cyclobutyloxycarbamate or cyclopentyloxycarbamate substituent at C(3′), pharmaceutical compositions comprising such taxanes, methods of treatment and administration, and methods of preparation of medicaments comprising the taxanes.
US08242165B2
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition which includes nanoparticles. The nanoparticles include a glyceryl monooleate or monolinoleate (or other mono fatty acid ester); a chitosan; and a cancer therapeutic agent, such as gemcitabine, taxanes, and hydrophobic cancer therapeutic agents). Also disclosed are methods for preparing such nanoparticles and pharmaceutical compositions, as well as methods for treating breast, pancreatic, colon, prostate, and other cancers by parenterally, intravenously, or otherwise administering such nanoparticles and pharmaceutical compositions.
US08242162B2
Aromatic molecules that can be used as sensors are described. The aromatic sensors include a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon core with a five-membered imide rings fused to the core and at least two pendant aryl groups. The aromatic sensor molecules can detect target analytes or molecular strain as a result of changes in their fluorescence, in many cases with on-off behavior. Aromatic molecules that fluoresce at various frequencies can be prepared by altering the structure of the aromatic core or the substituents attached to it. The aromatic molecules can be used as sensors for various applications such as, for example, the detection of dangerous chemicals, biomedical diagnosis, and the detection of damage or strain in composite materials. Methods of preparing aromatic sensor molecules are also described.
US08242150B2
Compounds of formula I: Selectively attenuate production of Aβ(1-42) and hence find use in treatment or prevention of diseases associated with deposition of Aβ in the brain, in particular Alzheimer's disease.
US08242147B2
This invention relates to methods of using aryl ureas to treat diseases mediated by the VEGF induced signal transduction pathway characterized by abnormal angiogenesis or hyperpermeability processes.
US08242142B2
Compounds having the formula I, their methods of synthesis, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of certain of them are provided in which the variables have the definitions described herein. Compositions including the compounds having the formula I-A in which the variables have the definitions described herein, and methods of using the compositions for the treatment of certain diseases mediated by the up-regulation of Smo are also disclosed.
US08242119B2
Compounds of the formula II: wherein R1 and R2 are independently H, F or CH3; or R1 forms an ethynyl bond and R2 is H or C3-C6 cycloalkyl which is optionally substituted with one or two substituents independently selected from methyl, CF3, OMe or halo; R3 is C1-C3 alkyl or C3-C6 cycloalkyl, either of which is optionally substituted with one or two methyl and/or a fluoro, trifluoromethyl or methoxy, when R3 is C3-C6 cycloalkyl it may alternatively be gem substituted with fluoro; R4 is methyl or fluoro; m is 0, 1 or 2; E is a bond, or thiazolyl, optionally substituted with methyl or fluoro; A1 is CH or N, A2 is CR6R7 or NR6, provided at least one of A1 and A2 comprises N; R6 is H, C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 haloalkyl, C1-C3 alkyl-O—C1-C3 alkyl, or when A2 is C, R6 can also be C1-C4alkoxy or F; R7 is H, C1-C4 alkyl or F or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, N-oxide or hydrate thereof, have utility in the treatment of disorders characterized by inappropriate expression or activation of cathepsin K, such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or bone metastases.
US08242116B2
A series of 6,7-dihydro[1,3]thiazolo[5,4-c]pyridin-4(5H)-one derivatives, and analogues thereof, which are substituted in the 2-position by an optionally substituted morpholin-4-yl moiety, being selective inhibitors of PI3 kinase enzymes, are accordingly of benefit in medicine, for example in the treatment of inflammatory, autoimmune, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, metabolic, oncological, nociceptive or ophthalmic conditions.
US08242104B2
Benzoxazepin compounds of Formula I, including stereoisomers, geometric isomers, tautomers, solvates, metabolites and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein: Z1 is CR1 or N; Z2 is CR2 or N; Z3 is CR3 or N; Z4 is CR4 or N; and B is a pyrazolyl, imidazolyl, or triazolyl ring fused to the benzoxepin ring, are useful for inhibiting lipid kinases including p110 alpha and other isoforms of PI3K, and for treating disorders such as cancer mediated by lipid kinases. Methods of using compounds of Formula I for in vitro, in situ, and in vivo diagnosis, prevention or treatment of such disorders in mammalian cells, or associated pathological conditions, are disclosed.
US08242101B2
A method of inducing high anti-leukemia activity responsive to the combination of hydroxamic acid analogue histone deacetylase inhibitors and PKC412 against human acute leukemia characterized as expressing phosphorylated (p)FLT3 kinase by a novel flow cytometry-based assay.
US08242098B2
The present invention provides methods of inducing contraception which includes delivering to a female a composition containing a compound of formula I, or tautomers thereof, in a regimen which involves delivering one or more of a selective estrogen receptor modulator, wherein formula I is: and wherein R1-R5 and Q1 are defined as described herein. Methods of providing hormone replacement therapy and for treating carcinomas, dysfunctional bleeding, uterine leiomyomata, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome is provided which includes delivering a compound of formula I and a selective estrogen receptor modulator are also described.
US08242091B2
This invention provides a method of treating a disorder of a subject's heart involving loss of cardiomyocytes which comprises administering to the subject an amount of an agent effective to cause cardiomyocyte proliferation within the subject's heart so as to thereby treat the disorder. This invention further provides the instant method wherein the agent is human endothelial progenitor cells, G-CSF, GM-CSF, SDF-1, and IL-8. This invention also provides methods of determining the susceptibility of a cardiomyocyte in a subject to apoptosis.
US08242070B2
Disclosed is the method for producing an anionic surfactant powder, including removing impurities by introducing gas into a crude anionic surfactant containing water in a content of 0.01 to 5% by weight in a granulator or drier, having an agitating blade. Also disclosed is the method for producing an anionic surfactant powder, including introducing a gas along with the surface of an inner wall of a granulator or drier having an agitating blade at a reduced pressure to produce the anionic surfactant powder.
US08242064B2
[Task] The solid-lubricant layer applied on the surface of Al or Cu-based bearing alloy is improved so as to satisfactorily demonstrate the properties of the solid lubricant.[Means for Solution] The solid lubricant dispersed in the solid-lubricant solid-lubricant layer exhibits 85% or more of the relative C axis intensity ratio defined below.The relative C axis intensity ratio=the accumulative intensity of (002), (004) and (008) planes relative to the accumulative intensity of (002), (004), (100), (101), (102), (103), (105), (110) and (008) planes detected by X ray diffraction.
US08242051B2
The present invention provides a novel adsorbent carbon supported activated alumina (CSAA) which posses both the advantageous characteristics of carbon and alumina viz., the high specific surface area associated with activated carbon and high sorption capacity of alumina towards F− Carbon supported activated alumina has an added advantage of its usage in the neutral pH unlike alumina and alumina impregnated carbon which are found to be efficient only in acidic pH. It is more efficient compared to carbon in terms of its sorption capacity towards F− and is therefore useful for the efficient removal of fluoride ions from water.
US08242042B2
The present invention aims at providing an optimal constitution and production method for an OH-type anion-exchange hydrocarbon-based elastomer used when manufacturing a catalyst electrode layer of a solid polymer type fuel cell, in view of a balance of stability, durability and flexibility. Also, the present invention aims to provide an ion-conductivity imparting agent comprising the OH-type anion-exchange hydrocarbon-based elastomer, wherein the elastomer is uniformly dissolved or dispersed and has appropriate viscosity even with a high concentration. The anion-exchange hydrocarbon-based elastomer of the present invention has an iodine value of 3 to 25, contains an anion-exchange group having OH−, CO32− and/or HCO3− as a counterion in its molecule and is poorly-soluble in water. The hydrocarbon-based elastomer can preferably be used as an ion-conductivity imparting agent for forming a catalyst electrode layer by mixing an organic solvent.
US08242040B2
A process for the removal of corrosion metal contaminants from a carbonylation catalyst solution comprising an iridium and/or rhodium carbonylation catalyst, an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal and corrosion metal contaminants in which the catalyst solution is contacted with a cation exchange resin having its active sites partially loaded with a sufficient amount of alkali and/or alkaline earth metal to maintain the concentration of said alkali and/or alkaline earth metal in the catalyst solution and recovering a catalyst solution of reduced corrosion metal contaminant content.
US08242024B2
Many current micromachining devices are integrated with materials such as very thick layer of polyimide (10 to 100 um) to offer essential characteristics and properties for various applications; it is inherently difficult and complicated to provide reliable metal interconnections between different levels of the circuits. The present invention is generally related to a novel micromachining process and structure to form metal interconnections in integrated circuits or micromachining devices which are incorporated with thick polyimide films. More particularly, the embodiments of the current invention relates to formation of multi-step staircase structure with tapered angle on polyimide layer, which is therefore capable of offering superb and reliable step coverage for metallization among different levels of integrated circuits, and especially for very thick polyimide layer applications.
US08242022B2
A method for forming a fine pattern in a semiconductor device using a quadruple patterning includes forming a first partition layer over a first material layer which is formed over a substrate, performing a photo etch process on the first partition layer to form a first partition pattern, performing an oxidation process to form a first spacer sacrificial layer over a surface of the first partition pattern, forming a second spacer sacrificial layer over the substrate structure, forming a second partition layer filling gaps between the first partition pattern, removing the second spacer sacrificial layer, performing an oxidation process to form a third spacer sacrificial layer over a surface of the second partition layer and define a second partition pattern, forming a third partition pattern filling gaps between the first partition pattern and the second partition pattern, and removing the first and third spacer sacrificial layers.
US08242021B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a hard mask pattern and a spacer at both sides of the hard mask pattern. The method also includes forming a spacer pattern, so that the spacer remains in one direction to form a spacer pattern, forming a photoresist pattern having a pad type overlapping a side of the spacer pattern, and etching an underlying layer, with the photoresist pattern and the spacer pattern as a mask, to form an isolated pattern. The method improves resolution and process margins to obtain a highly-integrated transistor.
US08242018B2
A semiconductor device has a structure of contacts whose size and pitch are finer that those that can be produced under the resolution provided by conventional photolithography. The contact structure includes a semiconductor substrate, an interlayer insulating layer disposed on the substrate, annular spacers situated in the interlayer insulating layer, first contacts surrounded by the spacers, and a second contact buried in the interlayer insulating layer between each adjacent pair of the first spacers. The contact structure is formed by forming first contact holes in the interlayer insulating layer, forming the spacers over the sides of the first contact holes to leave second contact holes within the first contact holes, etching the interlayer insulating layer from between the spacers using the first spacers as an etch mask to form third contact holes, and filling the first and second contact holes with conductive material. In this way, the pitch of the contacts can be half that of the first contact holes.
US08242016B2
A method for fabricating an integrated circuit structure and the resulting integrated circuit structure are provided. The method includes forming a low-k dielectric layer; form an opening in the low-k dielectric layer; forming a barrier layer covering a bottom and sidewalls of the low-k dielectric layer; performing a treatment to the barrier layer in an environment comprising a treatment gas; and filling the opening with a conductive material, wherein the conductive material is on the barrier layer.
US08242008B2
Some embodiments include methods of removing noble metal-containing particles from over a substrate. The substrate is exposed to a composition that reduces adhesion between the noble metal-containing particles and the substrate, and simultaneously the substrate is spun to sweep at least some of the noble metal-containing particles off from the substrate. Some embodiments include methods in which tunnel dielectric material is formed across a semiconductor wafer. Metallic nanoparticles are formed across the tunnel dielectric material. A stack of two or more different materials is formed over the metallic nanoparticles. A portion of the stack is covered with a protective mask while another portion of the stack is left unprotected. The unprotected portion of the stack is removed to expose some of the metallic nanoparticles. The semiconductor wafer to is subjected to etchant suitable to undercut at least some of the exposed metallic nanoparticles, and simultaneously the semiconductor wafer is spun.
US08242005B1
A first species is directed through a first mask with a first aperture and a second mask with a second aperture. The first aperture and second aperture may be different shapes or have different spacing. The first species may be implanted in pattern defining non-implanted regions surrounded by implanted regions. These implanted regions are a sum of said first ion species implanted through said first aperture and said second aperture. Thus, the non-implanted regions are surrounded by the implanted regions formed using the first mask and second mask. The first species also may deposit on or etch the workpiece.
US08242002B2
A layer including a semiconductor film is formed over a glass substrate and is heated. A thermal expansion coefficient of the glass substrate is greater than 6×10−7/° C. and less than or equal to 38×10−7/° C. The heated layer including the semiconductor film is irradiated with a pulsed ultraviolet laser beam having a width of less than or equal to 100 μm, a ratio of width to length of 1:500 or more, and a full width at half maximum of the laser beam profile of less than or equal to 50 μm, so that a crystalline semiconductor film is formed. As the layer including the semiconductor film formed over the glass substrate, a layer whose total stress after heating is −500 N/m to +50 N/m, inclusive is formed.
US08241999B2
A semiconductor device has a circuit element region formed on a semiconductor substrate, and a protective pattern formed so as to surround the circuit element region. The protective pattern comprises a first element separation region formed on the semiconductor substrate, a second element separation region formed on the semiconductor substrate and having a width smaller than that of the first element separation region, a first element region formed between the first element separation region and the second element separation region, a first gate layer formed on the first element separation region, a wiring layer formed on the first gate layer, a passivation layer formed above the wiring layer, a second element region, an insulation film formed on the second element region, and a second gate layer formed on the insulation film, the first element separation region, the first element region, the second element separation region and the second element region being located in this order from the nearer side of the circuit element region.
US08241998B2
The invention relates to semiconductor-on-insulator structure and its method of manufacture. This structure includes a substrate, a thin, useful surface layer and an insulating layer positioned between the substrate and surface layer. The insulating layer is at least one dielectric layer of a high k material having a permittivity that is higher than that of silicon dioxide and a capacitance that is substantially equivalent to that of a layer of silicon dioxide having a thickness of less than or equal to 30 nm.
US08241993B2
Methods for rounding the bottom corners of a shallow trench isolation structure are described herein. Embodiments of the present invention provide a method comprising forming a first masking layer on a sidewall of an opening in a substrate, removing, to a first depth, a first portion of the substrate at a bottom surface of the opening having the first masking layer therein, forming a second masking layer on the first masking layer in the opening, and removing, to a second depth, a second portion of the substrate at the bottom surface of the opening having the first and second masking layers therein. Other embodiments also are described.
US08241991B2
A method for forming an interconnect structure with airgaps, includes: providing a structure having a trench formed on a substrate; depositing a spacer oxide layer on sidewalls of the trench as sidewall spacers by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition; filling the trench having the sidewall spacers with copper; removing the sidewall spacers to form an airgap structure; and encapsulating the airgap structure, wherein airgaps are formed between the filled copper and the sidewalls of the trench.
US08241988B2
A photo key has a plurality of first regions spaced apart from one another on a semiconductor substrate, and a second region surrounding the first regions, and one of the first regions and the second region constitutes a plurality of photo key regions spaced apart from one another. Each of the photo key regions includes a plurality of first conductive patterns spaced apart from one another; and a plurality of second conductive patterns interposed between the first conductive patterns.
US08241981B1
A method includes providing an SOI substrate including a layer of silicon disposed atop a layer of an oxide, the layer of an oxide being disposed atop the semiconductor substrate; forming a deep trench having a sidewall extending through the layer of silicon and the layer of an oxide and into the substrate; depositing a continuous spacer on the sidewall to cover the layer of silicon, the layer of an oxide and a part of the substrate; depositing a first conformal layer of a conductive material throughout the inside of the deep trench; creating a silicide within the deep trench in regions extending through the sidewall into an uncovered part of the substrate; removing the first conformal layer from the continuous spacer; removing the continuous spacer; depositing a layer of a high k dielectric material throughout the inside of the deep trench, and depositing a second conformal layer of a conductive material onto the layer of a high-k dielectric material.
US08241976B2
The method includes the steps of: forming a planar semiconductor layer on an oxide film formed on a substrate and then forming a pillar-shaped first-conductive-type semiconductor layer on the planar semiconductor layer; forming a second-conductive-type semiconductor layer in a portion of the planar semiconductor layer underneath the pillar-shaped first-conductive-type semiconductor layer; forming a gate dielectric film and a gate electrode made of a metal, around the pillar-shaped first-conductive-type semiconductor layer; forming a sidewall-shaped dielectric film on an upper region of a sidewall of the pillar-shaped first-conductive-type semiconductor layer and in contact with a top of the gate electrode; forming a sidewall-shaped dielectric film on a sidewall of the gate electrode; forming a second-conductive-type semiconductor layer in an upper portion of the pillar-shaped first-conductive-type semiconductor layer.
US08241975B2
A system and method is disclosed for providing a low voltage high density multi-bit storage flash memory. A dual bit memory cell of the invention comprises a substrate having a common source, a first drain and first channel, and a second drain and a second channel. A common control gate is located above the source. A first floating gate and a second floating gate are located on opposite sides of the control gate. Each floating gate is formed with a sharp tip adjacent to the control gate and an upper curved surface that follows a contour of the surface of the control gate. The sharp tips of the floating gates efficiently discharge electrons into the control gate when the memory cell is erased. The curved surfaces increase capacitor coupling between the control gate and the floating gates.
US08241969B2
A method of making a device includes forming a first photoresist layer over a sacrificial layer, patterning the first photoresist layer to form first photoresist features, rendering the first photoresist features insoluble to a solvent, forming a second photoresist layer over the first photoresist features, patterning the second photoresist layer to form second photoresist features, forming a spacer layer over the first and second photoresist features, etching the spacer layer to form spacer features and to expose the first and second photoresist features, forming third photoresist features between the spacer features, removing the spacer features, and patterning the sacrificial layer using the first, second and third photoresist features as a mask to form sacrificial features.
US08241960B2
Semiconductor device manufacturing equipment in which in the process of dividing a substrate into individual semiconductor devices using a dicing blade, the possibility of an odd piece flying off a supporting member is prevented. A supporting member supports a substrate for semiconductor devices on one surface thereof. A dicing blade dices the substrate supported by the supporting member along dicing lines provided on the substrate to divide the substrate into a plurality of semiconductor devices. In a plan view, the edge of the supporting member's surface supporting the substrate overlaps a semiconductor device located at an outermost position of the substrate and lies inside a dicing line at an outermost position of the substrate.
US08241949B2
An object is to provide a method for manufacturing a highly reliable semiconductor device including a transistor with stable electric characteristics. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming a gate electrode over a substrate having an insulating surface; forming a gate insulating film over the gate electrode; forming an oxide semiconductor film over the gate insulating film; irradiating the oxide semiconductor film with an electromagnetic wave such as a microwave or a high frequency; forming a source electrode and a drain electrode over the oxide semiconductor film irradiated with the electromagnetic wave; and forming an oxide insulating film, which is in contact with part of the oxide semiconductor film, over the gate insulating film, the oxide semiconductor film, the source electrode, and the drain electrode.
US08241947B2
A phase change memory element and method of forming the same. The memory element includes a phase change material layer electrically coupled to first and second conductive material layers. A energy conversion layer is formed in association with the phase change material layer, and electrically coupled to a third conductive material layer. An electrically isolating material layer is formed between the phase change material layer and the energy conversion layer.
US08241932B1
An LED array comprises a growth substrate and at least two separated LED dies grown over the growth substrate. Each of LED dies sequentially comprise a first conductive type doped layer, a multiple quantum well layer and a second conductive type doped layer. The LED array is bonded to a carrier substrate. Each of separated LED dies on the LED array is simultaneously bonded to the carrier substrate. The second conductive type doped layer of each of separated LED dies is proximate to the carrier substrate. The first conductive type doped layer of each of LED dies is exposed. A patterned isolation layer is formed over each of LED dies and the carrier substrate. Conductive interconnects are formed over the patterned isolation layer to electrically connect the at least separated LED dies and each of LED dies to the carrier substrate.
US08241922B2
Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold substrates is presented for SAMs onto which gold nanoparticles of various shapes have been electrostatically immobilized. SERS spectra of 4-MBA SAMs are enhanced in the presence of immobilized gold nanocrystals by a factor of 107-109 relative to 4-MBA in solution. Large enhancement factors are a likely result of plasmon coupling between the nanoparticles (localized surface plasmon) and the smooth gold substrate (surface plasmon polariton), creating large localized electromagnetic fields at their interface, where 4-MBA molecules reside in this sandwich architecture. Moreover, enhancement factors depend on nanoparticle shape, and vary by a factor of 102.
US08241915B2
The present invention relates to methods of detecting hemoglobin in a test sample. These methods can be used to diagnose a subject suffering from a genetic disorder relating to hemoglobin metabolism, to determine the eligibility of a subject to be a blood donor, to determine the age of a stored blood sample or to identify a hemolyzed plasma sample. The present invention also relates to kits for use in the above described methods.
US08241913B2
A multiple-gate field-effect transistor includes a fluid in a top gate, two lateral gates, and a bottom gate. The multiple-gate field-effect transistor also includes a patterned depletion zone and a virtual depletion zone that has a lesser width than the patterned depletion zone. The virtual depletion zone width creates a virtual semiconductor nanowire that is lesser in width than the patterned depletion zone.
US08241910B2
This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a galactinol synthase. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the galactinol synthase, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the galactinol synthase in a transformed host cell.
US08241898B2
Methods and compositions are provided for the isolation, culture and use of highly regenerative somatic mammalian cells. The cells are very small, and have an undefined nuclear structure. The cells may be isolated from fetal or adult tissues, and are found in tissue including, without limitation, fetal dermal tissue, blood, and bone marrow. The cells are characterized as expressing one or more markers selected from E-cadherin, integrin β1, CXCR4, CD90 and CD34, and may be selected on the basis of such expression patterns.
US08241894B2
A method for analyzing proteins makes use of an array of first capture molecules which are specific for peptide epitopes. The proteins to be analyzed or a protein mixture containing the proteins to be analyzed is degraded to peptide fragments corresponding to the peptide epitopes, after which the array of capture molecules is incubated with the peptide fragments. The peptide fragments bound to the capture molecules are then detected.
US08241886B2
This invention provides formulations and methods for stabilizing viruses in liquid and dried formulations. In particular, formulations are provided including Zn2+ cations that stabilize the viability of Rotaviruses. Methods of vaccination include neutralization of gastric contents and administration of the vaccine formulations of the invention.
US08241878B2
Yeast strains were engineered that have increased activity of heterologous proteins that require binding of an Fe—S cluster for their activity. The yeast strains have reduced activity of an endogenous Fe—S protein. Activities of heterologous fungal or plant 2Fe-2S dihydroxy-acid dehydratases and Fe—S propanediol dehydratase reactivase were increased for increased production of products made using biosynthetic pathways including these enzymes, such as valine, isoleucine, leucine, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), isobutanol, 2-butanone and 2-butanol.
US08241877B2
The invention provides a non-naturally occurring microbial organism having a 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid, 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid or methacrylic acid pathway. The microbial organism contains at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding an enzyme in a 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid, 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid or methacrylic acid pathway. The invention additionally provides a method for producing 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid, 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid or methacrylic acid. The method can include culturing a 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid, 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid or methacrylic acid producing microbial organism expressing at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid, 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid or methacrylic acid pathway enzyme in a sufficient amount and culturing under conditions and for a sufficient period of time to produce 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid, 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid or methacrylic acid.
US08241874B2
A method to detect a messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) sequence is provided including annealing a first probe and a second probe to at least a portion of the mRNA, wherein the first and second probes do not comprise the same nucleotide sequence, wherein each probe sequence is complimentary to at least a portion of the mRNA and the second probe is a T-shaped probe having 1) a probe sequence complementary to at least a portion of the mRNA sequence and 2) a rolling circle amplification primer that is linked to an internal reactive group of the probe sequence of the second probe so as to provide physical separation of probe ligation and rolling circle amplification, said probe-connected rolling circle primer comprising a circle recognition sequence.
US08241872B2
A microorganism which produces compounds useful as an antifungal agent, particularly a therapeutic agent for deep-seated mycoses, such as mycotic sinusitis, is provided. The present inventors have conducted intensive studies on naturally-occurring microorganisms as a research for antifungal compounds, and found a fungus Acremonium persicinum which produces cyclic compounds having a potent antifungal activity and useful as a medicament, particularly an antifungal agent, and the present invention was completed.
US08241859B2
The invention provides new methods, means and uses in connection with detection, characterization and prognosis of colo-rectal cancer, via the identification of the SATB2 protein as a marker for this cancer type.
US08241856B2
A method for detecting anti-filaggrin-autoantibodies specific to rheumatoid arthritis in a biological sample, by providing a filaggrin with no citrulline residues (FNC) having an arginine residue or a filaggrin peptide with no citrulline residues (PFNC) having an arginine residue. Also provided are a citrulline-containing filaggrin (FC) having the peptide sequence of the FNC where some arginine residues have been converted to citrulline residues or a citrulline-containing peptide (PFC) having the peptide sequence of the PFNC, where at least one arginine residue has been converted to a citrulline residue. The sample is contacted with the FNC or PFNC and the FC or PFC, and the resulting immune complexes are detected and quantified, with a value XNC and XC, respectively. Anti-filaggrin-autoantibodies specific to rheumatoid arthritis are determined to be present in the biological sample if the value of XC is greater than the value of XNC.
US08241853B2
Methods of detecting influenza, including differentiating between type and subtype are disclosed, for example to detect, type, and/or subtype an influenza infection. A sample suspected of containing a nucleic acid of an influenza virus, is screened for the presence or absence of that nucleic acid. The presence of the influenza virus nucleic acid indicates the presence of influenza virus. Determining whether the influenza virus nucleic acid is present in the sample can be accomplished by detecting hybridization between an influenza specific probe, influenza type specific probe, and/or subtype specific probe and an influenza nucleic acid. Probes and primers for the detection, typing and/or subtyping of influenza virus are also disclosed. Kits and arrays that contain the disclosed probes and/or primers also are disclosed.
US08241847B2
The invention relates to a polypeptide of a protective antigenic determinant (PAD polypeptide) of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and nucleic acids encoding a PAD polypeptide. The PAD polypeptide and nucleic acids encoding a PAD polypeptide are useful in the development of antibodies directed to PAD, vaccines effective in providing protection against PRRSV infection, and diagnostic assays detecting the presence of PAD antibodies generated by a PAD-specific vaccine. The invention also discloses methods of generating antibodies to PAD, for vaccinating a pig to provide protection from PRRSV infections, a method of preparing the vaccine, a method of treating PRRSV infections in a pig, and a method of detecting antibodies to PAD of PRRSV.
US08241845B2
The invention provides an isolated, novel steroid 5α-reductase enzyme termed SRD5AIII. The protein has an estimated molecular weight of 37 kDa and is capable of converting testosterone to dihydrotestosterone at a pH of about 7.0. Also provided is a method for identifying inhibitors of SRD5AIII by contacting SRD5AIII with a test compound and measuring the activity of the enzyme. A reduced activity relative to a control indicates that the test compound is an inhibitor of SRD5AIII. A method is also provided for detecting androgen stimulated prostate cancer or recurrent prostate cancer in an individual. The method comprises obtaining a prostate biopsy from an individual and determining the level of expression of SRD5AIII gene or protein relative to a normal control. An increased expression of SRD5AIII relative to the control is indicative of androgen stimulated prostate cancer or recurrent prostate cancer.
US08241844B2
This document relates to compositions and methods for modulating an immune response. For example, compositions of immunostimulatory CpG oligonucleotides derived from retroviral genomes are provided.
US08241843B2
The present invention provides a method for modulating the complement cascade by depleting the plasma of the functional activity of complement proteins and thereby reducing or eliminating complement-mediated cell lysis. The invention provides a method for the therapeutic use of coat proteins and derivatives thereof from the Astroviradae family of viruses in the treatment of complement-mediated cell lysis and peptide mediators of inflammation. The invention provides a method for the therapeutic use of coat proteins and derivatives thereof from the Astroviradae family of viruses in the treatment of complement-mediated diseases. Methods are described herein where complement cascade, triggered by either the classical or alternative complement pathways, is prevented from effecting cell lysis and inflammation due to inhibition or depletion of one or more complement components in the serum following administration of astrovirus coat proteins or derivatives.
US08241840B2
A pattern forming method includes (a) coating a substrate with a resist composition including a resin that includes a repeating unit represented by a following general formula (NGH-1), and, by the action of an acid, increases the polarity and decreases the solubility in a negative developing solution; (b) exposing; and (d) developing with a negative developing solution: wherein RNGH1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; and RNGH2 to RNGH4 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group, provided that at least one of RNGH2 to RNGH4 represents a hydroxyl group.
US08241834B2
An optical recording medium includes a substrate having features that define track regions, an optical recording layer disposed on the substrate, and a light-transmitting layer disposed on the optical recording layer. The optical recording layer has a composition of (Sb2Se3)wTexOyPdz, where w, x, y, and z each represent a molar percent and satisfy 10 (mol %)≦w≦60 (mol %), 0 (mol %)
US08241826B2
Disclosed is a full-color image forming method by which an image exhibiting comfortable image quality reliably suitable for a human visual system can be obtained in such a way that a halftone image exhibiting excellent granularity and evenness thereof is acquired.
US08241825B2
Embodiments pertain to a flexible imaging member used in electrostatography and processes for making and using the imaging member. More particularly, the embodiments pertain to a structurally simplified flexible electrophotographic imaging member that has reasonable flatness and exhibits good performance without the need of an anticurl back coating layer.
US08241818B2
A diffusion medium for use in a PEM fuel cell contains hydrophobic and hydrophilic areas for improved water management. A hydrophobic polymer such as a fluororesin is deposited on the paper to define the hydrophobic areas, and an electroconductive polymer such as polyaniline or polypyrrole is deposited on the papers defining the hydrophilic areas. In various embodiments, a matrix of hydrophobic and hydrophilic areas on the carbon fiber based diffusion media is created by electropolymerization of a hydrophilic polymer onto a diffusion medium which has been previously coated with a hydrophobic polymer such as a fluorocarbon polymer. When an aqueous solution containing monomers for electropolymerization is contacted with a fluorocarbon coated diffusion medium, the hydrophilic polymer will be preferentially deposited on areas of the carbon fiber based diffusion medium that are not covered by the fluorocarbons.
US08241812B2
A solid oxide fuel cell including a metal frame, a pre-treated porous metal substrate, an anode layer, an electrolyte layer, a cathode interlayer and a cathode current collecting layer is provided. The pre-treated porous metal substrate is disposed inside the metal frame. The anode layer is disposed on the porous metal substrate. The electrolyte layer is disposed on the anode layer. The cathode interlayer is disposed on the electrolyte layer. The cathode current collecting layer is disposed on the cathode interlayer. The anode layer is porous and nano-structured. Moreover, a manufacturing method of the solid oxide fuel cell mentioned above is also provided.
US08241808B2
An object is to provide a fuel cell system having a simple structure, which is capable of supplying gas appropriately through an ejector in accordance with the load of a fuel cell. The fuel cell system (1) uses an ejector (24) disposed in a gas supply system (4) to combine a new gas to be supplied to the fuel cell (2) with an off-gas discharged from the fuel cell (2) and supply the fuel cell (2) with the resulting combined gas. The ejector (24) includes a nozzle (46) for ejecting the new gas and generating a negative pressure for aspirating the off-gas, and a flow rate control mechanism (47) for controlling the flow rate of the new gas which passes through the nozzle (46). A first flow path (81) for leading the off-gas to the flow rate control mechanism (47) is provided in the gas supply system (4), and the flow rate control mechanism (47) controls the flow rate of the new gas in accordance with the pressure of the off-gas led from the first flow path (81).
US08241805B2
A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell that generates an electric power and heat by a reaction of a reaction gas; a heat exchanger; a coolant circuit for a coolant between the fuel cell and the heat exchanger; a coolant circulating pump for circulating the coolant in the coolant circuit; and a drive motor for driving the coolant circulating pump, the coolant receiving and carrying the heat to the heat exchanger by the coolant circuit, the coolant circulating pump, and the drive motor. A rotational speed of the drive motor is controlled according to an upper limit of the rotational speed of the drive motor which may be determined on the basis of a cooling capacity of the heat exchanger, a speed of the vehicle mounting the fuel cell system, a generated electric power, and a flow rate of the reaction gas.
US08241803B2
A method of actuating a fuel cell system equipped with a fuel cell is disclosed. The fuel cell system is supplied with reaction gases for generating electricity. The method includes the steps of: a first step for actuating the fuel cell in a low-temperature actuation mode to thereby warm up the fuel cell, if a low-temperature actuation condition is satisfied at a start-up of the fuel cell; and a second step for drying a membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell, if a power generation capacity of the fuel cell is lower than a predetermined power generation capacity.
US08241799B2
A method of operating a fuel cell power generator, and a fuel cell power generator to be operated by the method, which method enables feeding of a diluted fuel having an optimum concentration to a power generation unit even without measuring an absolute concentration typically using a sensor are provided. Specifically, how an output voltage of the power generation unit varies depending on a flow rate of a diluted fuel is monitored. Thus, the diluted fuel may be adjusted to have an optimum concentration always, even without measuring an absolute concentration typically using a sensor. According to this operation method, output characteristics and electrical efficiencies can be maximized according to a load and conditions of a fuel cell power generator.
US08241794B2
The present invention relates to an active material for a rechargeable lithium battery and a rechargeable lithium battery including the same. The active material includes an active material and a fiber-shaped or tube-shaped carbon conductive material attached to the surface of the active material. The active material includes a conductive shell including a fiber-shaped or tube-shaped carbon conductive material and increases discharge capacity due to improved conductivity and improves cycle-life efficiency by maintaining paths between active material particles during charge and discharge cycles.
US08241787B2
The principal object of the present invention is to provide a liquid electrolyte for electrochemical device having a wide potential window. The invention solves the problem by providing a liquid electrolyte for electrochemical device, which comprises an electrolyte dissolved in an MFx complex being liquid at ordinary temperatures wherein “M” represents B, Si, P, As or Sb and “X” represents the valence of “M”.
US08241781B2
Provided is a cylinder type lithium ion secondary battery capable of preventing an internal electrical short due to compression of a center pin in compression and collision. The cylinder type lithium ion secondary battery includes a cylindrical can, an electrode assembly housed in the cylindrical can, a center pin inserted into the electrode assembly, and a cap assembly sealing the cylindrical can. The center pin has a hollow inner space and a wall surrounding the inner space. Outer diameters of an upper portion and lower portion of the center pin are larger than an outer diameter of a central portion of the center pin. Therefore, an internal electrical short due to compression of the center pin can be prevented in compression and collision.
US08241772B2
A system for integrating the venting feature of a battery with a means for simultaneously disconnecting the cell from the battery pack, thereby isolating the cell, is provided. The provided battery interconnect system is comprised of a battery, a connector plate for electrically coupling the battery to a battery pack, and an interruptible electrical connector for electrically coupling the connector plate to a battery terminal vent. The vent, defined by scoring on the battery terminal, ruptures when the internal battery pressure exceeds the predefined battery operating range, causing the interruptible electrical connector to break and disrupt electrical continuity between the connector plate and the battery terminal.
US08241771B2
This invention relates to a solid oxide fuel cell stack comprising a plurality of tubular solid oxide fuel cells each comprising concentric inner and outer electrode layers sandwiching a concentric electrolyte layer. The fuel cells extend in the same direction and are arranged in a cluster with at least one fuel cell having an electrolyte layer with a different composition and different maximum operating temperature than another fuel cell in the cluster. The fuel cell having the electrolyte layer with a higher maximum operating temperature is located closer to the core of the cluster than the fuel cell having the electrolyte layer with a lower maximum operating temperature.
US08241765B2
A fluorescent ink composition comprising functionalized fluorescent nanocrystals, an aqueous-based ink carrier comprising water or a water-based solution, and a binder. Also provided are methods of providing an image or a security mark on a substrate for subsequent identification by applying a fluorescent ink composition onto the substrate.
US08241761B2
A composite casting for a wear resistant surface, comprising a base composed of a ductile material; and a plurality of wear resistant inserts embedded in said base and composed of a carbide-containing wear resistant alloy which after casting is hot strained by forging or rolling, said inserts being arranged in said base rows so that said inserts of each subsequent one of said rows overlap gaps between said inserts of a preceding one of said rows and (or) said inserts should be positioned with their side bases at a degree (relative to the movement of the abrasive material) of no less than 20°, which would prevent the wear of the ductile base of the composite castings.
US08241759B2
A high-strength galvanized steel sheet having excellent formability contains as a chemical component of steel on a mass percent basis: 0.05% to 0.3% of C; more than 0.60% to 2.0% of Si; 0.50% to 3.50% of Mn; 0.003% to 0.100% of P; 0.010% or less of S; 0.010% to 0.06% of Al; 0.007% or less of N; and the balance including Fe and inevitable impurities, and in the microstructure of the steel sheet, the standard deviation of nano-hardness is 1.50 GPa or less.
US08241753B2
Provided is a composition thermoplastic elastomer structure comprising (1) a first component comprising a first elastomeric component comprising an at least partially vulcanized rubber and a thermoplastic resin, (2) an adhesive later comprising a grafted random propylene copolymer and (3) a third component comprising a polyamide or polyester. The third component is at least partially adhered to the adhesive component, which is in turn, partially adhered to the first component. The structure has superior adhesive properties between structures. Also provided are articles made from the structures, particularly automotive weather seals, glass run channels, a noise attenuating device, automotive interior part, automotive belt, automotive hose, industrial belt, industrial hose, packaging material, construction material, decorative building material, and other consumer goods.
US08241751B2
Provided is a glass roll formed by winding a glass film into a roll, in which a minimum winding radius of the glass film is optimized. Thus, the glass film is reliably prevented from breaking due to static fatigue, and is able to be stored for long periods. A glass roll (1), which is formed by winding a glass film (2) into a roll, has a configuration in which the glass film has a minimum winding radius (R) satisfying the following relation: R≧(T/2)[(2.3/σ)×E−1], where σ represents flexural strength of the glass film (2) obtained by a 3-point bending test, T represents a thickness of the glass film, and E represents a Young's modulus of the glass film.
US08241747B2
Thermoplastic polyolefin polymer composition, polymer chip, fiber, woven or nonwoven fabric, film, closures, laminates can comprise a polymer, a polymer and a nonvolatile polymer-compatible carboxylic acid. Thermoplastic polyolefin polymer composition can also comprise a polymer, a cyclodextrin-modified polymer and a nonvolatile polymer-compatible carboxylic acid. The carboxylic acid moiety of the polymer composition can react with basic materials in the polymer environment and reduce release of the basic material. The cyclodextrin can act to absorb or trap other contaminants or odors in the environment.
US08241745B2
The present invention relates to a substantially chromium-free process for passivating metallic surfaces of Zn, Zn alloys, Al or Al alloys by treating the surface with an acidic aqueous formulation which comprises at least one substantially noncrosslinked, water-soluble polymer or copolymer containing at least 50% by weight of (meth)acrylic acid units and comprises water or an aqueous solvent mixture comprising at least 50% by weight of water, and by further treating the surface with at least one water-soluble crosslinker comprising at least 2 crosslinking groups selected from the group consisting of azirane, oxirane, and thiirane groups. The invention further relates to passivating layers obtainable by means of the process and to a formulation suitable for this process.
US08241744B2
This surface-treated metal material includes a composite film obtained by applying a metal surface treatment agent on a surface of a metal material and drying the metal surface treatment agent, the metal surface treatment agent containing: an organic silicon compound (W) obtained by combining a silane coupling agent (A) containing one amino group in a molecule and one glycidyl group in a molecule, at a solid content mass ratio [(A)/(B)] of 0.7 to 1.7; at least one kind of fluorine compound (X) selected from titanium hydrofluoric acid and zirconium hydrofluoric acid; a phosphoric acid (Y); a vanadium compound (Z); and at least one kind of lubricant (J).
US08241741B2
Improvements to foaming methods and the interbimodal cellular structures of the foams made therefrom are disclosed.
US08241723B2
An invention is provided for a flexible external surface shield for use while operating a recreational board. An embodiment of the invention includes a shaped material having an outer edge, an upper surface, and a lower surface. Also included is a casting, which is formed along the outer edge and includes a stretchable material capable of creating an inward force on the casting such that the casting forms an edge of an underside opening partially enclosing the lower surface of the shaped material. Further included is a plurality of fasteners disposed across the underside opening. The fasteners prevent the underside opening from enlarging beyond a predetermined size when the fasteners are engaged.
US08241722B2
The present technology generally relates to multilayer films having breathable regions which are suitable for use as broadcast fumigation films and for other applications. More particularly, the present technology relates to multilayer films comprising at least one breathable layer and at least one barrier layer, where the layers are arranged so that the multilayer film has at least one region, such as at the edge of the film, that is breathable throughout its thickness. The present technology also relates to methods of manufacturing and using such multilayer films.
US08241718B2
There is provided a preform, and a mold stack for producing the preform. For example, there is provided a preform suitable for subsequent blow-molding. The preform includes a neck portion, a gate portion, and a body portion, extending between said neck portion, and said gate portion. The gate portion, has a conical shape. In an example embodiment, the conical shape is selected such that to homogenize angle of refraction of rays, used during a re-heating stage of a blow-molding process.
US08241716B2
Ventilated system for the collection and temporary storage of organic waste which comprises a rigid container provided with a plurality of holes and a removable bag inserted in and supported by said container. The bag is supported by the container in a spaced relationship with respect to the ground or the surface on which said container is placed, so that air can flow from the bottom into the bag. The bag is obtained from a breathable biodegradable plastic.
US08241707B2
This invention pertains to silsesquioxane resins useful in antireflective coatings wherein the silsesquioxane resin is comprised of the units (Ph(CH2)rSiO(3−x)/2(OR′)x)m (HSiO(3−x)/2(OR′)x)n (MeSiO(3−x)/2(OR′)x)o (RSiO(3−x)/2(OR′)x)p (R1SiO(3−x)/2(OR′)x)q where Ph is a phenyl group, Me is a methyl group; R′ is hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R is selected from a hydroxyl producing group; and R1 is selected from substituted phenyl groups, ester groups, polyether groups; mercapto groups, and reactive or curable organic functional groups; and r has a value of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4; x has a value of 0, 1 or 2; wherein in the resin m has a value of 0 to 0.95; n has a value of 0.05 to 0.95; o has a value of 0.05 to 0.95; p has a value of 0.05 to 0.5; q has a value of 0 to 0.5; and m+n+o+p+q≈1.
US08241706B2
A method of manufacturing a ceramic coated fiber comprises heat treating an activated carbon coated fiber containing a ceramic precursor, to form a ceramic coated fiber.
US08241703B2
A composite structure formation method based on an aerosol deposition method by which an aerosol with brittle material fine particles dispersed in a gas is sprayed toward a substrate to form a structure made of the brittle material fine particles, the composite structure formation method includes: storing a plurality of controlled particles in a storage mechanism, the controlled particle being an assembly packed with a plurality of particles including the brittle material fine particles; supplying the controlled particles from the storage mechanism to an aerosolation mechanism; disaggregating the supplied controlled particles in the aerosolation mechanism to form an aerosol; and spraying the aerosol toward the substrate to form a composite structure having the structure and the substrate.
US08241702B2
The embodiments include a method for producing a coating through cold gas spraying. In the process, particles according to the embodiments are used which contain a photocatalytic material. In order to improve the effect of this photocatalytic material (such as titanium dioxide), a reactive gas can be added to the cold gas stream, the reactive gas being activated by a radiation source not shown, for example by UV light, on the surface of the coating that forms. This makes it possible to, for example, dose titanium dioxide with nitrogen. This allows the production of in situ layers having advantageously high catalytic effectiveness. The use of cold gas spraying has the additional advantage in that the coating can be designed to contain pores that enlarge the surface available for catalysis.
US08241701B2
The embodiments fill the need to enhance electro-migration performance, provide lower metal resistivity, and improve metal-to-metal interfacial adhesion for copper interconnects by providing improved processes and systems that produce an improved metal-to-metal interface, more specifically barrier-to-copper interface. An exemplary method of preparing a substrate surface of a substrate to deposit a metallic barrier layer to line a copper interconnect structure of the substrate and to deposit a thin copper seed layer on a surface of the metallic barrier layer in an integrated system to improve electromigration performance of the copper interconnect is provided. The method includes cleaning an exposed surface of a underlying metal to remove surface metal oxide in the integrated system, wherein the underlying metal is part of a underlying interconnect electrically connected to the copper interconnect. The method also includes depositing the metallic barrier layer to line the copper interconnect structure in the integrated system, wherein after depositing the metallic barrier layer, the substrate is transferred and processed in controlled environment to prevent the formation of metallic barrier oxide. The method further includes depositing the thin copper seed layer in the integrated system, and depositing a gap-fill copper layer over the thin copper seed layer in the integrated system. An exemplary system to practice the exemplary method described above is also provided.
US08241694B2
The present invention discloses a fat and oil composition which comprises 25-60 mass % of a soft fractionated palm oil, a polyglycerol ester of fatty acids and a cooking oil other than palm oil,wherein the soft fractionated palm oil comprises 25-38 mass % of a palmitic acid and 40-60 mass % of an oleic acid as constituent fatty acids, and O/P ratio (mass ratio of an oleic acid/a palmitic acid) is 1.3 or more, andthe polyglycerol ester of fatty acids has HLB of 1.0-7.5, and the ratio of an oleic acid in the constituent fatty acids thereof is 50-95 mass % and that of a stearic acid is 1.0-15 mass %. This fat and oil composition can be preferably used for frying foods, especially for frying tempura and fried chicken.
US08241693B2
The invention relates to a method of producing a fat-containing suspension and/or a fat-containing emulsion, in particular a chocolate or a chocolate-like fat composition, by mixing an emulsion formed by means of a reactive emulsifying technique, which emulsion has a disperse aqueous phase and a continuous fat phase, with a fat phase, in particular a cocoa mass. The invention relates, in particular, to a method of producing agave syrup-containing chocolate, wherein an emulsion consisting of cocoa butter or another fat or fat mixture and agave syrup or an aqueous sugar solution is generated and mixed with cocoa mass. According to the invention, the emulsion and later the chocolate are stabilized by emulsification at elevated temperature and evaporating the agave syrup or the sugar solution in the emulsified state. An otherwise customary comminution of the dry materials is therefore no longer necessary since the fineness necessary for sensory properties is set by the emulsifying process.
US08241692B2
Canola protein isolates consisting predominantly of 7S canola proteins are formed by isoelectric precipitation from aqueous salt solution extracts of canola oil seed meal. Canola protein isolates consisting predominantly of 2S canola protein are recovered from supernatant from the isoelectric precipitation step.
US08241689B2
Thin, baked fermented chips having an irregular shape and surface bubbles are produced by cutting a fermented, wheat-based compressed dough sheet into a plurality of pieces having different shapes and notches with a single rotary cutter so that the dough pieces form an interlocking pattern and the notches extend around the periphery of each piece. The notches are spaced around the periphery of each piece and facilitate separation of the dough pieces from each other while at least substantially avoiding tearing and breaking of the dough pieces. A plurality of notches of each piece are aligned or contiguous with notches of any adjacent piece in the interlocking pattern.
US08241687B2
A method is provided for treating cooking oil during frying operations, which comprises in situ treatment of the oil with a source of calcium or magnesium combined with silicate such that the calcium or magnesium substantially does not leach into the oil. The filter treatment materials may be cement clinker, OPC, calcium silicate and combinations or mixtures thereof e.g. a combination of white OPC clinker and white OPC. The filter treatment materials may be in the form of a free briquette or block immersed in the oil. In other embodiments a decontaminating or filter cartridge is provided for fitting to a deep oil or fat cooker or a frying basket and comprises a foraminous housing containing filtering or decontaminant material. The cartridge may be used in association with a deep oil or fat fryer having a base formed with a depression defining a cool spot, the cartridge fitting in or on said cool spot.
US08241686B2
A system (50) is provided for the production of elongated comestible products such as hot dogs, without the use of traditional casings. The system (50) includes a circular pattern of arrays (92) of elongated, open-ended, extruded synthetic resin cooking tubes (94, 96) within a rotatable cylindrical heating drum or housing (70). The tube housing (70) and arrays (92) are incrementally rotated and at each stop position certain of the tubes (94, 96) are filled with portions of meat emulsion (590) and alternating plugs (208), while previously filled tubes (94, 96) containing cooked product are unloaded, and other unfilled tubes are internally coated with a lubricant (e.g., a mixture of lecithin and vegetable oil). Energy exchange media such as hot water and/ or steam are used within the housing to continuously cook the emulsion portions within the tubes (94, 96) to the desired extent.
US08241685B2
This invention relates generally to the field of starch syrup production, specifically to a processing method and a device for the extrusion of raw materials with enzymes added for starch syrup, and a saccharogenic method of the extruded raw materials. This invention discloses the kind and amount of enzymes added, the appropriate parameters of the processing method and the device for the extrusion of raw materials with enzymes added for starch syrup, and the appropriate saccharogenic method of the extruded raw materials for starch syrup. The processing method and the device of this invention are such that the jet liquefaction process as used in the traditional double enzyme method for starch syrup production can be spared, and starch syrup with the same DE value can be obtained in a saccharification time which can be shorten 2-4 times the traditional saccharification time.
US08241675B2
Use of safe forms of elemental indium and associated compounds at approximately ¼ to 1 mg per 50 pounds of body weight in water-soluble liquid solution taken away from other foods orally into the mouth and stomach to enhance human, mammal, fowl and reptile nutrition and metabolism.
US08241663B2
A liposome preparation is provided. This liposome preparation is capable of stably encapsulating a drug which is unstable under an acidic condition, and such stable encapsulation is realized without detracting the effect realized by the modification of the membrane by a hydrophilic macromolecule such as stability in blood. More specifically, the liposome preparation comprises a unilamellar vesicle formed from a lipid bilayer comprising a phospholipid as its main membrane component, and an interior aqueous phase of the vesicle at a pH of up to 5. The liposome has a drug loaded therein, and the vesicle is modified with a hydrophilic macromolecule only on its exterior surface.
US08241656B2
Medical articles having a body member including natural biodegradable polysaccharides are described. The body member is formed from a plurality of natural biodegradable polysaccharides having pendent coupling groups. The body member can also include a bioactive agent which can be released to provide a therapeutic effect to a patient.
US08241651B2
Multiphasic nano-components (MPNs) having at least two phases and at least one active ingredient are provided. The MPNs can be used in various methods for medical diagnostics or with pharmaceutical, personal care, oral care, and/or nutritional compositions, for example, in oral care, hair, or skin products. The MPNs can be designed to have targeted delivery within an organism, while providing controlled release systems or combining incompatible active ingredients. Further, the MPNs can be used as biomedical coatings (such as anti-microbial coatings), or anti-corrosive coatings, bioimaging probes with combined diagnostic and therapeutic use, and fragrance release systems, among others. The MPNs can be formed by electrified jetting of polymers.
US08241642B2
The present invention relates to newly identified open reading frames comprised within the genomic nucleotide sequence of Streptococcus pneumoniae, wherein the open reading frames encode polypeptides that are surface localized on Streptococcus pneumoniae. Thus, the invention relates to Streptococcus pneumoniae open reading frames that encode polypeptide antigens, polypeptides, preferably antigenic polypeptides, encoded by the Streptococcus pneumoniae open reading frames, vectors comprising open reading frame sequences and cells or animals transformed with these vectors. The invention relates also to methods of detecting these nucleic acids or polypeptides and kits for diagnosing Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. The invention finally relates to pharmaceutical compositions, in particular immunogenic compositions, for the prevention and/or treatment of bacterial infection, in particular infections with Streptococcus pneumoniae. In particular embodiments, the immunogenic compositions are used for the treatment or prevention of systemic diseases which are induced or exacerbated by Streptococcus pneumoniae. In other embodiments, the immunogenic compositions are used for the treatment or prevention of non-systemic diseases, particularly of the otitis media, which are induced or exacerbated by Streptococcus pneumoniae.
US08241637B2
A method of inhibiting endothelial cell proliferation in a mammal is provided. The method comprises the step of administering to the mammal an effective immunological response eliciting amount of a DNA composition comprising a DNA construct operably encoding a VEGF receptor polypeptide and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier therefor, whereby said mammal exhibits an immune response elicited by vaccine and specific to proliferating endothelial cells. The methods of this invention inhibit vascular endothelial cell proliferation in the tumor micro-environment. Angiogenesis inhibition and subsequent decrease in tumor growth and dissemination is achieved.
US08241631B2
Described are human binding molecules specifically binding to enterococci and having killing activity against enterococci, nucleic acid molecules encoding the human binding molecules, compositions comprising the human binding molecules and methods of identifying or producing the human binding molecules. The human binding molecules can be used in the diagnosis, prophylaxis, and/or treatment of a condition resulting from Enterococcus.
US08241629B2
Human anti-human IL-21 monoclonal antibodies and the hybridomas that produce them are presented. Certain of these antibodies have the ability to bind native human IL-21, a mutant recombinat IL-21 protein and/or peptide regions of human IL-21. These human anti-IL-21 antibodies are useful in therapeutic treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, particularly diseases mediated by T follicular helper cells, B cells TH cells or TH17 cells.
US08241620B2
Physically and chemically stable, water-soluble, amphiphilic polymer-PDGF complex, characterized in that the amphiphilic polymers include a hydrophilic polymeric backbone functionalized with hydrophobic substituents and hydrophilic groups.
US08241617B2
The invention relates to kits and methods for removing a long wearing or transfer resistant make-up composition from keratin materials such as eyelashes, nails, skin or lips, wherein the make-up composition contains at least one oil soluble film-forming agent and at least one coloring agent, including applying to the make-up composition a removal composition containing at least one oil soluble film-forming agent and at least one oil and removing the make-up composition from the eyelashes, nails, skin or lips.
US08241613B2
Topically applicable cosmetic/dermatological UV protection compositions having enhanced SPF contain at least one organic UV screening agent and/or at least one inorganic screening agent, such compositions also containing at least the following constituents (A) and (B): A) a semi-crystalline polymer which is solid at ambient temperature and has a melting point of greater than or equal to 30° C., containing a) a polymeric backbone and b) at least one crystallizable organic side chain and/or one crystallizable organic block forming part of the backbone of this said polymer, said polymer having a number-average molecular mass Mn of greater than or equal to 1,000, and B) hollow latex particles having a particle size ranging from 150 to 380 nm, formulated into a topically applicable, physiologically acceptable medium therefor.
US08241603B1
A multi-stage UCSRP process and system for removal of sulfur from a gaseous stream in which the gaseous stream, which contains a first amount of H2S, is provided to a first stage UCSRP reactor vessel operating in an excess SO2 mode at a first amount of SO2, producing an effluent gas having a reduced amount of SO2, and in which the effluent gas is provided to a second stage UCSRP reactor vessel operating in an excess H2S mode, producing a product gas having an amount of H2S less than said first amount of H2S.
US08241601B2
The invention relates to a process for the production of a layered double hydroxide comprising carbonate by preparing a divalent and trivalent metal ion source-containing slurry, which is subsequently treated solvothermally. If the slurry does not contain a divalent metal ion source containing carbonate, a carbonate source is added during or after the solvothermal treatment.
US08241595B2
A potassium titanate, method for manufacturing the potassium titanate, a friction material using the potassium titanate and a resin composition using the potassium titanate are disclosed. The potassium titanate is represented by K2TinO(2n+1) (n=4.0-11.0) and has the highest X-ray diffraction intensity peak (2θ) in the range of 11.0°-13.5° with its half width being not less than 0.5°.
US08241591B2
A method comprising obtaining a preparation unit comprising a filter module and a collection for each liquid coming from the filter module, with the filter module comprising an inlet compartment as well as an evacuation compartment for the liquids, the filter and collection modules being rotatably mounted relative to each other; disposing the filter and collection modules in a first position; passing a liquid from the filter module to attain the collection module; disposing the filter and collection modules relative to each other in a second position, and passing another liquid from the filter module to attain the collection module.
US08241581B2
Apparatus, method and system for delivering sterile unit dose of ozone. System includes sterile vial containing oxygen and corona discharge assembly. Sterile vial is engaged to ozone conversion unit having high voltage transformer, ozone measurement mechanism, data input mechanism, and displayed read-out. When power is supplied to sterile vial containing corona discharge assembly, oxygen is converted to specified concentration of ozone. Sterile vial is disengaged from ozone conversion unit, drawing port is attached, and needle or similar extraction tool is used to withdrawal ozone for treatment.
US08241580B2
This invention concerns with the plasma inactivating method and processor that can inactivate the surface of the object without causing the degradation inside of it. The inactivation of toxins on the surface of the object proceeds as removing the toxins by nitriding or oxidizing the toxins by the following triple effects, the sharp pulsed electric field by the supply of the electric pulses, the generated N-radicals (N*) contained inside of the plasma in the surrounding gases composed mainly by N2 gas under the low pressure.
US08241579B2
A catalyst composition for facilitating the oxidation of soot from diesel engine exhaust is provided. The catalyst composition includes a catalytic metal selected from Pt, Pd, Pt—Pd, Ag, or combinations thereof, an active metal oxide component containing Cu and La, and a support selected from alumina, silica, zirconia, or combinations thereof. The platinum group metal loading of the composition is less than about 20 g/ft3. The catalyst composition may be provided on a diesel particulate filter by impregnating the filter with an alumina, silica or zirconia sol solution modified with glycerol and/or saccharose, impregnating the filter with a stabilizing solution, and impregnating the filter with a solution containing the active metal oxide precursor(s) and the catalytic metal precursor(s). The resulting catalyst coated diesel particulate filter provides effective soot oxidation, exhibits good thermal stability, has a high BET surface area, and exhibits minimal backpressure.
US08241578B2
A catalytic apparatus for a vehicle, may include a caning that is a single hollow unit with both distal ends open, a front substrate and a rear substrate that are disposed apart from each other with a predetermined space therebetween in the caning, and a front flange that is connected to one of the distal ends of the caning to be joined with a front muffler pipe connected to an exhaust manifold and has a bottom portion inclined toward the center axis of the front substrate in the vertical cross section.
US08241576B2
A process and apparatus wherein multiple instantaneous pressure pulsations with a regulated frequency and amplitude are applied to various biological substances in order to eliminate the undesired microorganisms in these substances with minimal negative effect on the quality of these substances, and, further, to use these in mass production of foodstuffs pharmaceuticals for treatment of human blood or plasma, and for research to establish a specific frequency of pressure pulsations at which a particular type of bacteria could be selectively destroyed while other components of the substance remain intact.
US08241565B1
A shoe sole sanitizing device preferably includes a portable platform including a pair of shoe sole-receiving sections including open bottom surfaces respectively. Each of the shoe sole-receiving sections may be adapted to receive the exterior sole of the shoe thereon. The portable platform may further include a plurality of disposable transparent stratums removably positioned on the open bottom surfaces respectively. A plurality of ultraviolet light emitting sources are aligned beneath the shoe sole-receiving sections respectively. Notably, a mechanism is also provided for independently toggling each of the ultraviolet light emitting sources between on and off modes upon detecting a corresponding triggering event respectively. The ultraviolet light emitting sources upwardly emit an array of ultraviolet light towards the transparent stratums respectively such that the ultraviolet light arrays penetrate through the disposable transparent stratums and eradicate microorganisms deposited on the exterior surface of the shoe sole.
US08241562B1
Methods and systems for knockdown and neutralization of toxic clouds of aerosolized chemical or biological warfare (CBW) agents and toxic industrial chemicals using a non-toxic, non-corrosive aqueous decontamination formulation.
US08241556B2
A tool is provided that is capable of friction stir processing, friction stir mixing, and friction stir welding of high melting temperature and low melting temperature materials, wherein the collar is now divided into at least an inner and an outer collar coupled to the shank and the FSW tip, wherein new thermal barriers enable expansion of the inner collar to be directed inward to thereby create compression on the FSW tip instead of allowing the FSW tip to become loose in the tool at elevated temperatures.
US08241554B1
Methods of fabricating an implantable medical device from a tube or a sheet in an expanded or stretched state, respectively, are disclosed herein. The implantable medical device may be an endoprosthesis such as a stent. In one embodiment, the method may include radially expanding a tube about a cylindrical axis of the tube from a first diameter to a second diameter. The method may further include forming a pattern on at least a portion of the expanded tube. Additional embodiments may include forming a stent pattern on a stretched sheet from which a stent may be formed. In addition, a stent pattern may be formed on a tube that is formed from a stretched sheet.
US08241552B2
In a method and apparatus for producing a composite component, a tubular hollow section blank is placed into a die cavity of a combination tool comprising an inner high-pressure shaping tool and an injection-molding tool. The combination tool is filled with a fluid in such a way that the blank is wetted from the inside by the fluid, and the ends of the combination tool are sealed by two axial molding plugs. The filled blank is then expanded under pressure . The finished hollow section is plastic-coated in the same tool. The hollow section is emptied after shaping in the sealed state, at least until it is no longer dripping, the pressurized fluid being expelled under pressure from the hollow section through at least one discharge channel formed in the axial molding plugs.
US08241548B2
A method includes forming an elongated member having a tubular shape. The elongated member includes a sidewall that defines a lumen. A spiral-shaped opening is formed in the sidewall such that the elongated member is configured to move between a retracted configuration and an expanded configuration along a longitudinal axis of the lumen. In some embodiments, the method further includes forming a distal retention structure. The distal retention structure can be disposed at a distal end of the elongated member and can define a lumen in fluid communication with the lumen defined by the sidewall of the elongated member.
US08241543B2
A method for making apertures in a web comprising providing a precursor web material; providing a pair of counter-rotating, intermeshing rollers, wherein a first roller comprises circumferentially-extending ridges and grooves, and a second roller comprises teeth being tapered from a base and a tip, the teeth being joined to the second roller at the base, the base of the tooth having a cross-sectional length dimension greater than a cross-sectional width dimension; and moving the web material through a nip of the counter-rotating, intermeshing rollers; wherein apertures are formed in the precursor web material as the teeth on one of the rollers intermesh with grooves on the other of the rollers.
US08241529B2
(Problems)To provide a coating film which excels in corrosion resistance and processability as well as high durability and little suffers from electrification.(Means for Solving Problems)A fluororesin composite material including: a fluororesin microencapsulating silicon carbide, an amount of the silicon carbide being 5 to 9% by weight with respect to a total of the fluororesin composite material; and at least one of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyether sulphone (PES) and polyether ether ketone (PEEK).
US08241523B2
A system, for production of high-quality syngas, comprising a first dual fluidized bed loop having a fluid bed conditioner operable to produce high quality syngas comprising a first percentage of components other than CO and H2 from a gas feed, wherein the conditioner comprises an outlet for a first catalytic heat transfer stream comprising a catalytic heat transfer material and having a first temperature, and an inlet for a second catalytic heat transfer stream comprising catalytic heat transfer material and having a second temperature greater than the first temperature; a fluid bed combustor operable to combust fuel and oxidant, wherein the fluid bed combustor comprises an inlet connected with the outlet for a first catalytic heat transfer stream of the conditioner, and an outlet connected with the inlet for a second catalytic heat transfer stream of the conditioner; and a catalytic heat transfer material.
US08241522B2
The invention provides liquid crystalline blends, a device such as a photovoltaic cell using the blend and method thereof. A liquid crystalline blend comprises at least an electron donor and at least an electron acceptor with a weight or molar ratio in the range of from about 1:20 to about 20:1. Another liquid crystalline blend comprises at least an electron donor and at least an electron acceptor, wherein the electron donor, the electron acceptor, or both is (are) halo-substituted such as F-substituted. The donor or the electron acceptor can be excited by an electromagnetic radiation such as solar light to induce electron transfer between the donor and the acceptor. The photovoltaic cell is improved in that favorable molecular arrangement in the blend gives more interfaces between the donor and the acceptor and thus a viable path for dissociation and electrons and/or holes; as well as larger light-harvesting area toward the coming light.
US08241519B2
A <110> domain engineered relaxor-PT single crystals having a dielectric loss of about 0.2%, a high electromechanical coupling factor greater than about 85%, and high mechanical quality factor greater than about 500 is disclosed. In one embodiment, the relaxor-PT material has the general formula, Pb(B1B2)O3—Pb(B3)O3, where B1 may be one ion or combination of Mg2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Sc3+, In3+, Yb3+, B2 may be one ion or combination of Nb5+, Ta5+, W6+, and B3 may be Ti4+ or combination of Ti4+ with Zr4+ and/or Hf4+.
US08241514B2
A plasma etching method includes disposing a first electrode and a second electrode to face each other; preparing a part in the processing chamber; supporting a substrate; vacuum-evacuating the processing chamber; supplying an etching gas into a processing space between the first electrode and the second electrode; generating a plasma of the etching gas in the processing space by applying a radio wave power to the first electrode or the second electrode; and etching a film to be processed on a surface of the substrate by using the plasma. Further, a DC voltage is applied to the part during the etching process, the part being disposed away from the substrate and being etched by reaction with reactant species in the plasma.
US08241509B2
Fluidic conduits, which can be used in microarraying systems, dip pen nanolithography systems, fluidic circuits, and microfluidic systems, are disclosed that use channel spring probes that include at least one capillary channel. Formed from spring beams (e.g., stressy metal beams) that curve away from the substrate when released, channels can either be integrated into the spring beams or formed on the spring beams. Capillary forces produced by the narrow channels allow liquid to be gathered, held, and dispensed by the channel spring probes. Because the channel spring beams can be produced using conventional semiconductor processes, significant design flexibility and cost efficiencies can be achieved.
US08241501B2
Polymer membranes prepared from aromatic polyimide membranes by thermal treating and UV crosslinking
The present invention discloses a new type of high performance polymer membranes prepared from aromatic polyimide membranes by thermal treating and crosslinking and methods for making and using these membranes. The polymer membranes were prepared from aromatic polyimide membranes by thermal treating under inert atmosphere followed by crosslinking preferably by using a UV radiation source. The aromatic polyimide membranes were made from aromatic polyimide polymers comprising both pendent hydroxy functional groups ortho to the heterocyclic imide nitrogen and cross-linkable functional groups in the polymer backbone. The membranes showed significantly improved selectivity and permeability for gas separations compared to the aromatic polyimide membranes without any treatment. The membranes can be fabricated into any convenient geometry and are not only suitable for a variety of liquid, gas, and vapor separations, but also can be used for other applications such as for catalysis and fuel cell applications.
US08241499B2
A method of controlling filamentous bacteria responsible for foaming and bulking in wastewater systems with virulent bacteriophage. The method includes, optionally, identification of problematic filamentous bacteria and matching virulent bacteriophage, use of bacteriophage from phage libraries and concentration of filamentous bacteria and bacteriophage from the wastewater to be treated.
US08241498B2
Bacterial contamination of industrial water systems lead to biofouling by biofilms and corrosion from bacterial induced corrosion. This invention provides a method for control of fouling and contamination of industrial water systems caused by bacteria. Prevention or reduction of process interruptions and general contamination, fouling and corrosion is achieved by the destruction of targeted problematic bacteria with naturally occurring, non-engineered bacteriophage virulent for targeted bacteria. The invention also provides for in-situ confirmation of the proper identification of target bacteria and a mobile laboratory adapted to implement the method.
US08241487B2
A sensing device includes a sensing surface, and a matrix overlaying the sensing surface. The sensing device includes a photoformed membrane overlaying at least a portion of the matrix. The photoformed membrane includes a directly photoformed organosiloxane polymer that is substantially permeable to gaseous molecules and substantially impermeable to non-gaseous molecules and ions.
US08241479B2
A variety of deep structured decorative patterns originate with mechanical relief or etching. The present method incorporates a deeply patterned or textured etching or relief into a thin film embossing shim to simulate the look of the deep pattern or texture when used to emboss thin film or material. A transparent mold of the relief surface (such as brushed metal, engine-turned patterns, and textured glass) is formed using UV curable liquid and a transparent substrate. The relief copy in the transparent mold or overlay is mapped onto a photoresist surface or plate by shining or expanding one or more laser lights or laser beams through the transparent mold. The different heights of the relief copy of the transparent mold will cause the light to diffract/refract to form a corresponding patterned etching in the photoresist plate. The resulting photoresist plate is then metalized and electroplated to form a thin film embossing shim. The thin film embossing shim is then used with conventional embossing equipment to form thin film embossings. The embossed thin films can then be metalized and laminated onto substrate to create a product that has shifting patterns that reflect at a variety of viewing angles when (observed under normal lighting conditions) exposed to white light.
US08241477B2
A tank apparatus (10) for horizontal electrophoresis that comprises a base member (12) having at least first and second independent receptacles (16, 18) for accommodating buffer solution. Each of the receptacles comprises an inlet (28, 28′) for allowing communication with the external environment. A cover member (14) covers at least the first and second receptacles, thereby forming first and second buffer chambers. The cover member comprising suitable openings (40, 42) for allowing a portion of an electrophoresis gel cassette to be inserted therethrough, such that the electrophoresis gel is in communication with the contents of each of the first and second receptacles. Each of a pair of electrodes (33, 33′) is situated in one of each of the first and second receptacles, wherein the electrodes are connectable to an electrical power supply.
US08241469B2
A reactor cover, and a hydrogen generating apparatus and a fuel cell power generation system having the reactor cover are disclosed. The reactor cover includes a base panel; a control unit, which is coupled to one side of the base panel, and which regulates a reaction for generating the hydrogen; a circuit pattern buried in the base panel in electrical connection with the control unit; and an electrode pad formed on the other side of the base panel in electrical connection with the circuit pattern. In the reactor cover, the base panel and the control unit may be integrated, to eliminate unnecessary wiring, prevent short-circuiting, and consequently provide a reactor cover that can be fabricated and used more easily.
US08241466B2
A spiral double-tube structure including an inner tube for introducing a solvent vapor resulting from vaporization within a distillation still and an outer tube which a coolant gas cooled by an outdoor machine is passed through is disposed in a buffer tank; the solvent vapor is directly cooled from the surrounding area by the coolant gas with a large temperature difference and thus condensed into a liquid state; by means of an ejector, the liquid is mixed with the solvent suctioned from the buffer tank and returned into the buffer tank; since the solvent in the buffer tank is also directly cooled by the coolant gas, the cooling efficiency is high; accordingly, both the solvent vapor generated from the distillation still and the solvent in the buffer tank for reducing the pressure inside the distillation still can be efficiently cooled without using cooling water, and downsizing of the apparatus can also be attained.
US08241463B2
A process for manufacturing fiberboard by preparing a fiber slurry mixture including containing cellulose fibers and water then atomizing a liquid bituminous material, such as asphalt. The liquid bituminous material is atomized by mixing it with a pressurized gas, such as compressed air, forming a mist comprising droplets of bituminous material having a diameter between 20 microns and 50 microns. A water spray solidifies the bituminous material droplets thereby forming bituminous particles which fall into the fiber slurry within the spray chamber. From there the slurry is sheared, dewatered, and dried, forming a finished fiberboard.
US08241459B2
A vessel header comprising a plurality of lateral flow tubes arranged in a parallel configuration and entering the vessel header through alternating header penetrations with a single header penetration per lateral flow tube. A method of increasing the throughput of a polymerization reaction comprising conducting the polymerization reaction in a reaction vessel comprising a plurality of lateral flow tubes arranged in a parallel configuration and entering the vessel header through alternating header penetrations with a single header penetration per lateral flow tube wherein the polymerization reaction displays an increase in throughput of 10% and a decrease in volatiles of from 5% to 10% when compared to a polymerization reaction carried out in a reaction vessel lacking a plurality of lateral flow tubes arranged in a parallel configuration and entering the vessel header through alternating header penetrations with a single header penetration per lateral flow tube.
US08241456B2
A method for producing an electric-wave-transmissible transferring member capable of expressing a metallic luster pattern having a sharp outline. A peel layer (3) is formed on a base sheet (2) throughout the entire surface of the sheet. Next, a water-soluble pattern layer (4) is partially formed thereon. Next, an electric-wave-transmissible metallic luster layer (5) is formed thereon and throughout the entire surface thereof. Next, a protective layer (6) is formed thereon and throughout the entire surface thereof, or is formed thereon and, partially, in the region where the water-soluble pattern layer (4) is not formed. Next, the workpiece is subjected to a heating treatment and then a water-washing treatment to peel and remove the water-soluble pattern layer (4), and the electric-wave-transmissible metallic luster layer (5) and the protective layer (6) formed over the layer (4). Next, an adhesive layer (7) is wholly or partially formed on the workpiece.
US08241449B2
A laminated body includes, in sequence, a base layer mainly composed of a ceramic material and a glass material, a first constraining layer that is primarily made of a ceramic material that is not sintered at a temperature at which the base layer is sintered, a second constraining layer primarily made of a ceramic material and a glass material that are sintered at the temperature at which the base layer is sintered, and a third constraining layer primarily made of a ceramic material that is not sintered at the temperature at which the base layer is sintered. The laminated body is subsequently fired at the temperature at which the base layer is sintered. The first, second, and third constraining layers are removed from the fired laminated body to provide a ceramic body that is a sinter of the base layer. After the firing, adhesion between the base layer and the first constraining layer and adhesion between the second constraining layer and the first constraining layer are different from each other.
US08241448B2
The invention relates to a method of bonding two members together utilizing a stack of solid film adhesive and a layer of solid film adhesive, both disposed between the members. A pressure-applying device may be utilized to apply low pressure to force the members together. The pressure may force the stack to compress and expand in varying directions in order to substantially remove air-bubbles between the layer and one of the members. A heating device may be utilized to change the layer and the stack into liquid states in order to bond the members together with a void-free bond-line.
US08241447B2
Method of welding a strip for the production of flexible tubular bodies made of plastic, comprising the following steps: shaping of a strip (1) around a welding rod; contacting of the ends (3, 4) of the strip; formation of a welded zone (5) by heating and compressing said ends (3, 4) and then by cooling them, said method being characterized in that the strip (1) is also heated outside the welded zone (5).
US08241442B2
A method of making a hypereutectoid, head-hardened steel rail is provided that includes a step of head hardening a steel rail having a composition containing 0.86-1.00 wt % carbon, 0.40-0.75 wt % manganese, 0.40-1.00 wt % silicon, 0.05-0.15 wt % vanadium, 0.015-0.030 wt % titanium, and sufficient nitrogen to react with the titanium to form titanium nitride. Head hardening is conducted at a cooling rate that, if plotted on a graph with xy-coordinates with the x-axis representing cooling time in seconds, and the y-axis representing temperature in Celsius of the surface of the head of the steel rail, is maintained in a region between an upper cooling rate boundary plot defined by an upper line connecting xy-coordinates (0 s, 775° C.), (20 s, 670° C.), and (110 s, 550° C.) and a lower cooling rate boundary plot defined by a lower line connecting xy-coordinates (0 s, 750° C.), (20 s, 610° C.), and (110 s, 500° C.).
US08241425B2
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method of forming a thermos layer surrounding a chuck for holding a wafer during ion implantation. The thermos layer is located below a clamping surface, and comprises a vacuum gap and an outer casing encapsulating the vacuum gap. The thermos layer provides a barrier blocking condensation to the outside of the chuck within a process chamber by substantially preventing heat transfer between the chuck when it is cooled and the warmer environment within the process chamber.
US08241420B2
The invention intends to provide a single crystal material that can be used as a dielectric material for use in electronic devices, which has a high Qf value; and a process for producing the same. According to the invention, a single crystal of a composite oxide is obtained from a composition in which a slight amount of SrTiO3 is added to LaAlO3, and the (1-X)LaAlO3—XSrTiO3 single crystal material having the specific composition has such dielectric characteristics for electronic devices that the dielectric constant is 24 or more and the Qf value is 300,000 GHz or more, is considerably improved in the Qf value as a dielectric material, and can be applied to a high-temperature superconducting filter.
US08241419B2
A building material product comprising a cementitious binder, an aggregate and cellulose reinforcing fibers wherein the cellulose reinforcing fibers have been treated with oil which is bound to the fiber by a retention aid. The resulting fiber when included in a fiber cement composite results in improved deflection of the composite at peak loading as well as improved impact strength while maintaining overall board strength.
US08241418B2
The present invention provides a producing method of powder particles having an average particle diameter on the order of submicrons. Specifically, the producing method is a producing method of powder particles obtained by grinding a product to be ground by using plural grinding media, wherein the grinding media including at least one kind (grinding medium A) having an average particle diameter of 0.01 to 5 times and at least one kind (grinding medium B) having an average particle diameter of 10 to 450 times, with respect to the average particle diameter of the product to be ground before being ground, are used.
US08241416B2
To provide an inorganic waterborne coating agent and its aqueous solution: wherein, with the surface of the base material highly-hydrophilizated, the contaminant such as oil-based contaminant and inorganic dust adhered onto the surface of the base material can be removed easily with water, and at the same time, the antistatic effect can be achieved due to its dust-repelling property; which can be applied by anyone (non-skilled) with ease without considering the base material being organic or inorganic, compared with conventional coating agents, such as photocatalyst and polysilazane-based glass coating agent that have limited range of use; and which has little limit in conditions of use, and is inexpensive and applicable to any places, thereby securing the original goal of antifouling property. To provide an inorganic waterborne coating agent comprising: alkaline colloidal silica, a sodium phosphate compound and a potassium phosphate mixture, and boric acid.
US08241413B2
An air filter system of a motor vehicle has an air filter housing with a housing part of a moisture-sensitive plastic material and an air passage section with a circumferentially extending passage wall, wherein the passage wall of the air passage section is integrally formed of identical material on the housing part of the air filter housing. A mass air flow sensor is arranged in the air passage section. A plastic insert of a moisture-insensitive plastic material is disposed on an inner side of the passage wall of the air passage section and lines the passage wall.
US08241412B2
A gas mixing apparatus including a chamber, a filter, a gas transmitting unit and a porous layer is provided. The chamber includes a gas inlet and a gas outlet. The filter, which has at least one opening, is disposed at the gas outlet of the chamber. An environmental gas outside the chamber is filtered and becomes a clean gas after flowing through the filter into the chamber. The gas transmitting unit is connected to the opening of the filter to transmit a gas to be mixed into the chamber through the opening. The porous layer is disposed at the gas outlet. The gas to be mixed is mixed with the clean gas and leaves the chamber through the porous layer.
US08241411B2
An inertial gas-liquid separator and method is provided, including variable orifice jet nozzle structure having a variable orifice area dependent upon axial movement of a plunger relative to a housing sleeve, and in another embodiment having first and second flow branches, with the first flow branch being continuously open, and the second flow branch having a variable flow controller controlling flow therethrough.
US08241406B2
In order to provide a device for separating wet paint overspray from a stream of crude gas containing overspray particles which includes at least two filter devices each of which has an inlet opening through which a partial stream of crude gas enters the respective filter device and each of which includes at least one filter element for separating the overspray from the partial stream of crude gas, which allows one to maintain the fluidity of the mixture including of filter aid material and wet paint overspray that has been cleansed from the filter elements in the filter aid material reservoirs in a simple and efficient manner, it is proposed that the device should comprise at least one reservoir for receiving material which has been cleansed from the filter elements of a plurality of filter devices and a mixing device for mechanically blending the cleansed material from a plurality of filter devices.
US08241403B2
The present invention relates to systems for regenerating a plugged diesel particulate filter (DPF) or catalyzed DPF. In certain embodiments, the system includes a fluid container and pulse valve, a heater, and a blower. Other embodiments include methods of regenerating a plugged DPF by directing a fluid at a first face of a DPF, redirecting the fluid at a second face of the DPF, and in some embodiment, heating the DPF.
US08241388B2
The invention is a process for treatment of brown grease, where the brown grease comprises water, food solids and free-oil. This process starts with the collection of the brown grease into a container. The brown grease's pH is adjusted with a chemical treatment to produce an adjusted brown grease phase. To the adjusted brown grease phase an anionic copolymer treatment mixture is added along with a cationic copolymer to form a reaction mixture. The reaction mixture reacts for a period of time, and during this time wastewater is discharged from the reaction mixture to produce resulting solids. The resulting solids are then transferred from the container for disposal or are processed further into a fuel or soil additive.
US08241384B2
A filter element arrangement is provided which includes a media pack comprising Z-filter media, a preform and an overmold sealing a portion of the interface between the preform and the media pack, and also forming an air cleaner seal for the filter element. The overmold preferably comprises molded, foamed, polyurethane. A variety of media pack shapes can be used.
US08241370B2
The present invention relates to a composition for treating keratin fibers, and in particular human keratin fibers such as the hair, comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium, one or more alkanolamines, one or more basic amino acids and one or more additional alkaline agents chosen from aqueous ammonia; ammonium salts of acids whose pKa at 25° C. is greater than 4; alkali metal or alkaline-earth metal hydroxides, carbonates, carbamates and hydrogen carbonates. The present invention also relates to processes for bleaching and/or dyeing keratin fibers, and also to multi-compartment devices or ‘kits’ for performing these processes.
US08241366B2
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a reverse shoulder assembly. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a reverse shoulder assembly method of use. In one example, a reverse shoulder assembly of the present invention may be provided such that the reverse shoulder assembly alters the abduction force created by a patient's deltoid to a forward flexion force. In one example, a reverse shoulder assembly of the present invention may be provided such that the reverse shoulder assembly alters the abduction force created by a patient's deltoid to an external rotation force. In one example, a reverse shoulder assembly of the present invention may be provided such that the reverse shoulder assembly alters the abduction force created by a patient's deltoid to an external rotation force and a forward flexion force.
US08241364B2
Disclosed are methods for implant installation and assembly between adjacent vertebral bodies of a patient. The implant has a support body and a rotatable insert therein and the support body is curved for installation between adjacent vertebral bodies transforaminally. An installation instrument is also disclosed for removable attachment to implant and engagement with the rotatable insert to selectively permit rotation between the insert and the support body. The installation instrument extends along a longitudinal tool axis and when the installation instrument is in a first position the insert is rotationally fixed with respect to the support body and when the installation instrument is in a second position the support body may rotate with respect to the insert. Methods of installing multiple implants are also disclosed.
US08241361B2
An endoprosthesis component is formed from a ceramic material and in which the ceramic material is partially coated with a titanium alloy. An uncoated surface portion of the endoprosthesis component is designed to interact as slide surface with another endoprosthesis component. A coated surface portion of the endoprosthesis component is designed to establish a connection to a bone. The part of the ceramic material forming an interface to the coating has a roughness Ra of between 2.5 μM and 7 μM, creating a firm connection between the coating and the ceramic material. The invention further relates to a method for producing such an endoprosthesis component. To achieve the desired roughness of the surface, the ceramic component is presintered at a temperature of between 880° C. and 980° C. and is then treated with a blasting material.
US08241360B2
An artificial disc device for replacing a damaged nucleus is disclosed. In one form, the device may be inserted in components such that the device may be assembled within and retained by the natural annulus therein. In another form, the device may be inserted into the natural annulus in a collapsed or compressed state or arrangement and then be expanded within and retained by the annulus therein. In a further form, the device may be provided with a releasable connection so that the device may be connected in an insertion configuration and may be released in an operable configuration. Insertion tools and methods are also disclosed.
US08241359B2
This present invention concerns a transforaminal intersomatic cage for an intervertebral fusion graft, and an instrument and method for implanting the cage, an embodiment of the cage having a body in the shape of a circular arc and comprising a lateral concave surface, a lateral convex surface, a straight upper surface, a straight lower surface and an end wall having at least one hole, called the end hole, designed to receive a rod of an instrument for implanting the cage between the vertebrae, wherein: the end hole has an orientation that is more or less tangential to the circular arc described by the body; the extremity opposite to the end wall of the body includes a return part extending the body toward the center of the circle on which the circular arc described by the body lies.
US08241356B2
A method and apparatus for treating a nasal valve condition including surgically forming an access path to create a pocket on a side of the patient's nose. The pocket is positioned between a soft tissue layer and opposing surfaces of upper and lower cartilages of the nose. The pocket spans a junction between the upper and lower cartilages. An implant is placed through the access path into the pocket with a length oriented to span the junction. A delivery system for placement of the implant includes a surgical tool for forming the access path and for delivering the implant into the access path.
US08241355B2
A haptic is provided for use in an accommodating intraocular lens. The haptic has multiple filaments, each connected to the edge of the optic at one end. Each filament has a shape that conforms to an equatorial region of the capsular bag. The haptic couples the forces exerted by the capsular bag of the eye during accommodation radially to the edge of the optic, produce a diametric expansion or compression of the optic. This diametric motion distorts the optic, producing a change in any or all of the anterior radius, the posterior radius, and the thickness. These changes affect the power of the lens and/or location of the image. The haptic may optionally have a thin membrane joining the filaments at the optic end, and may optionally have a connecting ring that joins the filaments at the end opposite that of the optic.
US08241354B2
In one aspect, the present invention provides an ophthalmic lens (e.g., an IOL) that includes an optic having an anterior surface and a posterior surface disposed about an optical axis. At least one of the surfaces (e.g., the anterior surface) has a profile characterized by superposition of a base profile and an auxiliary profile. The auxiliary profile can include an inner region, an outer region and a transition region between the inner and the outer regions, where an optical path difference across the transition region (i.e., the optical path difference between the inner and the outer radial boundaries of the transition region) corresponds to a non-integer fraction (e.g., ½) of a design wavelength (e.g., a wavelength of about 550 nm).
US08241349B2
The present invention concerns novel stent apparatuses for use in treating lesions at or near the bifurcation point in bifurcated cardiac, coronary, renal, peripheral vascular, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, urinary and neurovascular vessels and brain vessels. More particularly, the invention concerns a stent apparatus with at least one side opening which may further comprise an extendable stent portion laterally extending from the side opening and at least partly in registry with the wall of the side opening. Devices constructed in accordance with the invention include, singularly or in combination, a main expandable stent comprising at least one substantially circular side opening located between its proximal and distal end openings, which side opening may further comprise an expandable portion extending radially outward from the edges of the side opening; and a branch stent comprising proximal and distal end openings and which may further comprise a contacting portion at its proximal end, and which may optionally be constructed to form either a perpendicular branch or a non-perpendicular branch when inserted through a side opening of the main stent. The stents of the invention are marked with, or at least partially constructed of, a material which is imagable during intraluminal catheterization techniques, most preferably but not limited to ultrasound and x-ray.
US08241348B2
An expandable stent is implanted in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery, peripheral artery, or other body lumen for rupturing a fibrous cap to controllably release vulnerable plaque. The invention provides for a an intravascular stent having a plurality of cylindrical rings connected by links. The stent includes struts and links of varying strengths about the circumference of the stent. The weaker struts and links require less force to open and, hence, may apply more stress to rupture the fibrous cap while the stronger struts and links protect the healthy portions of the body lumen. In another embodiment, the stent may include stress concentrators positioned on outer surfaces of the links. The stress concentrators are aligned with the fibrous cap prior to stent expansion so that upon stent expansion, the stress concentrators induce stress to rupture the fibrous cap, thereby releasing the vulnerable plaque.
US08241346B2
A flexible low profile delivery system for delivery of an expandable intracorporeal device, specifically, an endovascular graft, which has at least one belt circumferentially disposed about the device in a constraining configuration. The belt is released by a release member, such as a release wire, by retracting the wire from looped ends of the belt. Multiple belts can be used and can be released sequentially so as to control the order of release and placement of the endovascular graft. An outer protective sheath may be disposed about the endovascular graft while in a constrained state which must first be refracted or otherwise removed prior to release of the graft from a constrained state. The delivery system can be configured for delivery over a guiding device such as a guidewire. The delivery system can also be configured for delivery of bifurcated intracorporeal devices.
US08241345B2
A stent delivery system comprises a stent having a first connector disposed on a stent proximal end, and a pusher wire having a second connector disposed on a pusher wire distal end, wherein the first and second connectors are configured to releasably attach to each other.
US08241344B2
An implant delivery catheter enables permanent modification of the implant length in the vicinity of the treatment site prior to radial expansion thereof. The implant is releasable carried between inner and outer tubular members of the delivery catheter which, upon repositioning relative to one another using an actuator mechanism, impart any of tensile, compressile or torquing forces to the implant causing permanent modification of the implant length. In one embodiment, the circumference of the implant is substantially similar both before and after modification of the implant length. In another embodiment, the implant includes a plurality of strut sections interconnected by bridges which are capable of the deformation along the longitudinal axis of the implant.
US08241338B2
Removable drill guide tips are pre-assembled into threaded holes of a bone plate. The tips may be used with an extension to together function as a conventional drill guide. After drilling, the extension or another tool is used to remove the tips from the plate. According to another use, the tip is used as a guide for a drill bit without any additional extension and then removed with a tool.
US08241334B2
A spinal cross-connector is configured for adjustable connection between spinal fixation devices such as spinal fixation rods and allows for adjustment in length or distance between adjacent spinal rod clamping members and provides independent rotational adjustment of the two spinal rod clamping members for individual and independent attachment thereof to adjacent spinal rods of a spinal rod assembly. The cross-connector has first and second connection members that are adjustable in length and rotation relative to one another. A first spinal rod clamping member is provided on an end of the first connection member and defines first and second arced jaws that are adapted to clamp onto a first spinal rod. A second spinal rod clamping member is provided on an end of the second connection member and defines first and second arced jaws that are adapted to clamp onto a second spinal rod. Both the first and second clamping members are rotatable relative to the connection arms and thus provide the rotational adjustment. The individual and independent rotational adjustment of the spinal rod clamping members allows the present cross-connector to adjust to variations in skew between adjacent spinal rods as well as provide the ability to attach to the adjacent spinal rods at various angles between the adjacent spinal rods.
US08241325B2
Devices and methods for accessing and closing vascular sites are disclosed. Self-sealing closure devices and methods are disclosed. A device that can make both steeply sloping and flat access paths into a vascular lumen is disclosed. The device can also form arteriotomies with sections cleaved between a vessel's intima and adventitia. Methods for using the device are also disclosed.
US08241313B2
A surgical cutting instrument for use with a drive motor, and related system and method, is described. The surgical cutting instrument includes an elongated drive member, a cutting tip secured to the drive member, a non-conductive coupling body adapted for connection to a motor assembly, a housing maintaining the coupling body, a fluid coupling assembly and an electrical connector for connection to a stimulating energy source. The electrical connector is in electrical communication with the cutting tip via an electrical pathway.
US08241309B2
A remote cannulation assembly is disclosed for rapidly cannulating a body part such as a heart during a medical procedure. Cannulation is often conducted in procedures such as the installation of a ventricular assist device. The cannulation assembly of the invention utilizes an isolation valve to create a sealed fluid environment for the procedure. The invention further includes a coring assembly that may be used with the cannulation apparatus. Methods of cannulating a heart or other body part are also disclosed in which the risk of emboli is reduced. Additionally, methods of connecting and disconnecting two fluid conducting elements are disclosed.
US08241303B2
A surgical staple remover includes a first elongated element having a handle on one end and an upward sloped jaw element on the other end, wherein the jaw element comprises a pair of parallel jaws; a housing running a length of the first elongated element; an interior element within the housing comprising a planar element having a hook element; a second elongated element pivotally connected to the first elongated element and the interior element, such that moving the second elongated element results in moving the hook element and the jaw element while retracting the interior element, resulting in the hook element deforming the surgical staple so as to remove it and moving the surgical staple towards the housing; and a strip element located on top of the jaw element, such that when the hook element moves the removed surgical staple, the removed surgical staple is moved under the strip element.
US08241301B2
A guide puncturing needle which is integratively used with a scanning and detecting device, such as CT, MRI or the like, and provides puncturing, biopsy, injection, implanting, and the physical diagnose and therapy, such as RF, microwave, freezing, laser and the like, and a puncturing guide method for applying the puncturing needle to puncture are provided. Since the guide puncturing needle is provided with a needle-entering angle guide means (2), a puncturing layer levelling component (31), a needle-entering reference line levelling component (32), whether the CT gantry and the MRI scanning layer are at any angle, the actual needle-entering layer is always adjusted to just superpose to the CT scanning layer, the actual needle-entering angle is always just the same as the needle-entering angle needed for the scanning and detecting device, thus allow the puncturing needle to arrive at the focus point exactly accurately.
US08241297B2
A surgical drill guide for guiding a drill bit and limiting the depth of holes drilled by is disclosed. In some embodiments the surgical drill guide includes the following: a body including a drill bit entry side and a tissue contact side opposite the drill bit entry side, the drill bit entry side having first and second surfaces that are offset from one another, the tissue contact side including a tissue contact surface that is defined by one or more tissue contact points; drill bit guide holes extending from the drill bit entry side of the first and second surfaces to the tissue contact side of the body; and implant storage holes defined in one of the plurality of sides of the body for storing shape memory implants during shipment of the system, the implant storage holes being spaced a distance commensurate to dimensions of the shape memory implant.
US08241293B2
A surgical kit includes a patient-specific alignment guide having a three-dimensional engagement surface custom-made by computer imaging to conform to a corresponding portion of a patient's tibial bone. The patient-specific alignment guide defines an elongated planar slot for guiding a blade. The planar slot is oriented at a selected angle and at a selected position relative to an anatomic axis of the patient when the engagement surface engages the corresponding portion of the tibial bone. The selected angle and selected position are determined during a pre-operative planning stage.
US08241285B2
Clamping devices and methods for external fixation systems include a post component having a yaw axis and a clamping system secured to the post component and rotatable about the yaw axis. The clamping system includes a outer jaw and a inner jaw having an inner surface facing the outer jaw. The outer and inner jaws together form an opening for receiving a fixation element of the external fixation system. The inner jaw and outer jaw have a roll axis alignable with a longitudinal axis of the fixation element. The clamping system and post component are rotatable about the roll axis. The inner jaw also includes a cylindrical outer-facing surface. The devices also include a base component having a cylindrical concave surface having a pitch axis. The concave surface of the base component interfaces with the cylindrical outer facing component on the inner jaw. The outer and inner jaws being rotatable relative to the base and the post component about the pitch axis.
US08241282B2
An endoscopic bipolar forceps includes a housing having a shaft affixed thereto the shaft including jaw members at a distal end thereof. The shaft includes a longitudinal axis defined therethrough and the jaw members are adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy such that the jaw members are capable of conducting energy through tissue held therebetween to effect a tissue seal. A movable handle is included that is rotatable about a pivot to force a drive assembly to move the jaw members between the first and second positions. The pivot is located a fixed distance above the longitudinal axis. A cutting assembly is included having at least one blade element disposed within one of the jaw members. The blade element is selectively moveable from a first recessed position within the jaw member to a second extended position for cutting tissue. The cutting assembly also includes a remote actuator which reciprocates a camming element to move the blade element between the first and second positions.
US08241280B2
A multifilar flexible rotary shaft includes a plurality of individual filaments which are not wound around each other or around a central core, a loose ensemble of filaments. The input ends of each filament are coupled to each other and the output ends of each filament are coupled to each other. A loose ensemble of N filaments can transmit N times the torque of a single filament, and will have N times the torsional stiffness of a single filament, while retaining the minimum radius of operation of a single filament. Since a loose ensemble of filaments does not have any appreciable contact forces among the filaments (because they are not forcibly twisted together), there is no appreciable internal friction or hysteresis. The filaments should be no more than loosely twisted together, if at all. Several practical applications of the invention are also disclosed.
US08241263B2
An absorbent article is disclosed. The article includes a first portion having at least two target strips located on opposite ends of the first portion, at least one visual sizing indicator positioned on the first portion of the article between the at least two target strips, a middle portion contoured inwards such that an hourglass shape is formed, and a second portion having at least two fasteners located on opposite edges of the second portion. The absorbent article is formed of several layers including a moisture-impervious outer layer, an inner layer substantially co-extensive with the outer layer, and a filler interposed between the inner layer and the outer layer.
US08241244B2
A method for tilling needleless injector capsules with liquid drug, whereby dissolved gas within the drug is replaced by a less soluble gas in order to reduce the inclusion of gas bubbles, or to prevent the growth of bubbles during storage and thereby prevent breakage of the capsules.
US08241234B2
A knee brace divided into anterior and posterior sides by a frontal plane, and having first and second sides divided by a median plane. The knee brace including a frame having proximal and distal portions, a stability strap having first and second ends respectively connected to first and second sides on the proximal frame portion along the posterior side thereof, and a cross strap having a first end connected to the first side of the proximal and a second end connected to the distal frame portions. A bracket assembly having a buckle connects the stability and cross straps to the frame. A sleeve is provided which covers the frame and upon which the bracket assembly rests.
US08241233B2
A portable, manual massage device for massaging appendage muscles, having a wrap with vertical edges and a gap defined between the vertical edges. The vertical edges have at least one anchor and are bound by at least one tension transfer member located between the vertical edges. The tension transfer members are encircled with springs between the vertical edges and enclosed by an external tension-transfer guide and an internal tension-transfer guide. The external tension-transfer guide integrally couples between an actuator and the wrap and the internal tension-transfer guide integrally couples between the anchors.
US08241229B2
The present invention relates to methods and devices for formation of microconduits in tissue, particularly using an impedance sensing drill to form microconduits. One embodiment of the invention is an impedance sensing drill comprising a drilling assembly, a control module, mechanically connected to the drilling assembly for controlling the depth of drilling by the drilling assembly; and a sensor, electrically connected to the drilling assembly and control module for detecting a change in an electrical impedance of a material being drilled. Another embodiment is a method of forming a microconduit in a material, which comprises the steps of drilling into the material, monitoring an electrical impedance of the material, and stopping the drilling into the material when a change in the impedance is detected, thereby forming microconduit.
US08241227B2
A biopsy tissue sampling treatment instrument includes a stem portion having a predetermined length sufficient to puncture living tissue; a puncturing portion formed at a distal end of the stem portion and having a protruding surface portion expanding rearward along a puncture direction of the stem portion; a tissue holding surface provided on a rear side of the protruding surface portion in the puncturing portion and having an area large enough to hold the living tissue; a stopper member provided at a rear end of the stem portion and having an abutting portion capable of abutting against the living tissue punctured by the stem portion; and an operating member provided on the stopper member and configured to hold the stem portion to the living tissue, allowing the stem portion to puncture the living tissue. Consequently, the biopsy tissue sampling treatment instrument increases holding capacity for the living tissue to be extracted, allows living tissue to be extracted in sufficient sampling quantities, and makes it easy to take samples of living tissue at an intended depth in tissue.
US08241213B2
A system and method for organization and analysis of complex and dynamically interactive time series is disclosed. One example comprises a processor based system for relational analysis of physiologic signals for providing early recognition of catastrophic and pathologic events such as pathophysiologic divergence. The processor is programmed to identify pathophysiologic divergence of at least one of first and second physiologic parameters in relationship to the other and to output an indication of the divergence. An object-based method of iterative relational processing waveform fragments in the time domain is described wherein each more complex waveform object inherits the characteristics of the waveform objects from which it is derived. The first physiologic parameter can be the amplitude and frequency of the variation in chest wall impedance or nasal pressure and the second parameter can be a measure or indication of the arterial oxygen saturation.
US08241209B2
Methods and devices are provided to allow for easy manipulation of a configuration and/or an orientation of seal elements of a surgical access device by an end user. In one exemplary embodiment a surgical access device is provided that includes a retractor configured to be positioned within a surgical incision to provide access to a body cavity, seal elements disposed within a lumen of the retractor, and adjustment mechanisms in communication with the seal elements and which are configured to manipulate an orientation of one or more of the seal elements. Types of adjustment mechanisms capable of manipulating the seal elements as desired include inflatable bladders and electroactive polymers. Exemplary methods for providing easy manipulation of the configuration and/or orientation of seal elements of a surgical access device on location are also provided.
US08241204B2
Various embodiments of a surgical device and methods of using the surgical device are disclosed. The surgical device may comprise a collar configured to fit over a distal face of an endoscope and rotate about a longitudinal axis of the endoscope. The surgical device may also comprise a flexible, elongate translating mechanism coupled to the collar and extending proximally from the collar. Applying a linear force to the translating mechanism may cause the translating mechanism to exert a rotational force on the collar. In addition, the surgical device may comprise a hollow cap coupled to a distal end of the collar. The cap may be pivotable relative to the collar in a plane parallel to the axis. In addition, the cap may have a first open end configured to face the endoscope and a second open end configured to face distally.
US08241200B2
An incubator transporter interface assembly for releasably securing an incubator to a transporter is provided. The interface assembly includes equipment mounts that pivot together between an engaging position and a disengaging position so as to engage and disengage, respectively, the incubator to and from a secured state with the interface assembly.
US08241199B2
The invention relates to a blood pump and a medical apparatus having a blood pump, which is provided for insertion into the heart of a patient. The blood pump has at least one imaging sensor disposed in the region of the distal end of the blood pump to obtain imaging information in a blood vessel or in the heart. The invention also relates to a method for assisting the positioning of a blood pump in the heart of a patient, wherein image information is recorded inside the body of the patient using the at least one imaging sensor of the blood pump and transmitted in real time to an image processing and playback facility disposed outside the body of the patient for display purposes.
US08241195B2
A folder gluer for conveying a cardboard sheet and folding up the cardboard sheet from a deployed state thereof is disclosed. The folder gluer comprises two flat belts including a first belt and a second belt arranged in parallel for conveying a cardboard sheet, two pulleys provided at a starting part or a terminal part in a conveying direction of the folder gluer for respectively driving the first and second flat belts by friction forces, two motors for respectively driving the pulley for the first belt and the pulley for the second belt, a sensor device for respectively detecting the speeds of the first belt and the second belt, and a control device for controlling at least one of the two motors such that a difference in the speeds of the first belt and the second belt detected by the sensor device becomes zero.
US08241190B2
An exercise machine which has a seat and a backrest which are mounted for independent pivotal movement about an axis to respective chosen inclinations, structure which is fixed to, and which is movable together with, the seat, and resistance bands which are located on the structure.
US08241189B2
A dumbbell of the present invention includes: a handle portion having a flattened cross section; and at least two weight portions provided at opposite ends of the handle portion. The handle portion is connected to an off-center position deviating from a center-of-gravity portion of each of the weight portions.
US08241185B2
A trampoline (10) includes a bed (14), a base frame (12), a bed suspension assembly (16) that resiliently couples the bed (14) to the base frame (12), and a plurality of legs (20) that are connected to the base frame (12) so as to maintain the base frame (12) above a surface (36). The base frame (12) includes a first side frame (22), a second side frame (24), a first end frame (26), and a second end frame (28). The plurality of legs (20) includes (i) a first leg (20A) that is secured to the first side frame (22) and the first end frame (26), (ii) a second leg (20B) that is secured to the first side frame (22) and the second end frame (28), (iii) a third leg (20C) that is secured to the second side frame (24) and the second end frame (28), and (iv) a fourth leg (20D) that is secured to the second side frame (24) and the first end frame (26). The trampoline can further include a backstop frame (244A) that is mounted on the base frame (12) and that extends in a generally upward direction away from the base frame (12).
US08241179B2
A hydraulic control apparatus of a continuously variable transmission of a hybrid vehicle may include a D-N control valve that converts a state, in which a hydraulic pressure is supplied from a line regulator valve to a solenoid feed valve through a second regulator valve according to changes of a driving pulley control pressure and a clutch lubrication control pressure with respect to driven pulley control pressure, and a state, in which the hydraulic pressure from the line regulator valve is directly supplied to the solenoid feed valve, into each other.
US08241174B2
A method for controlling a drivetrain including a combustion engine, electric motor/generator and a transmission inter-coupled, via a summarizing gear, with one output and two input elements and, via a clutch, with each other. One input element is fixed to the engine, the second input element is fixed to the motor/generator and the output element is fixed to the input shaft of the transmission. The clutch is between two elements of the summarizing gear. Before a gearshift, torques of the engine and motor/generator are reduced and the clutch disengaged. To quickly reduce torque in the summarizing gear, the engine torque is reduced after a defined time, such that the clutch disengages when the slippage is proportional to the lowering engine torque and the motor/generator torque, in a ratio of torques at the beginning of torque reduction, is reduced proportionally to the engine torque.
US08241168B2
An automatic transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices may be either clutches or brakes.
US08241167B2
A front wheel drive transmission is provided having a transmission input member, a transmission output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes a sun gear member, a planet carrier member, and a ring gear member. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and a brake arranged within a transmission housing.
US08241158B2
A bicycle derailleur apparatus comprises a derailleur including a mounting member adapted to be mounted to a bicycle frame and a chain guide coupled to the mounting member so that the chain guide moves relative to the mounting member. A power storing unit is supported by the derailleur.
US08241154B2
A sheath for a lacrosse stick includes a cap and a rolled sheath. The cap is mounted on the free end of a lacrosse stick and the sheath is unrolled onto the stick to the desired length or the entire length of the stick. The cap and sheath are preferably made from injection molded rubber, neoprene of other polymers that permit production in various thickness, colors and lengths. The elasticity of the material preferably gives it memory and durability. The diameter of the sheath is preferably smaller than the diameter of the lacrosse stick so that it stretches to a tight fit. After the sheath is unrolled to the desired length, excess material may be cut off, if desired.
US08241152B2
A sport instruction system for use in training for a sport requiring use of equipment having a gripping handle comprises a plurality of flexible equipment handle cue bands, each cue band displaying a unique visual cue, each cue band sized for securement to the gripping handle of the equipment in a location visible to the player of the sport when holding the gripping handle of the equipment, a plurality of sport specific instruction cards, each card having training theme indicia corresponding to one of the visual cues on the equipment handle cue bands, performance problem indicia related to the training theme indicia, and training instruction indicia related to the performance indicia, such that viewing the visual cue on one of the cue bands during training focuses the players attention on training instructions conveyed by the training instruction indicia on the instruction card having training theme corresponding to the visual cue.
US08241146B2
This invention is related to multi-layer golf balls having at least one layer containing a neutralized high acid ionomer linked to a grafted metallocene copolymer, where the golf balls exhibit improved performance characteristics and properties.
US08241138B2
Sports training apparatuses, systems and methods for allowing a golf club user to estimate the trajectory and distance of a golf ball once it has been impacted with the golf club. One embodiment includes a golf club made up of a head, a ferrule, a shaft and a grip wherein one or more markings are positioned on said head, ferrule, shaft or grip or any combination of the head, ferrule, shaft and grip so the one or more markings may be used for monitoring and aiding in the improvement of the player's performance. The markings may be positioned at one or more locations about the external surface of one or more portions of the golf club including the head, the ferrule, the hosel, the shaft, and the grip. In other embodiments, additional markings may be used in conjunction with the first set of markings.
US08241119B2
A gaming peripheral for a gaming machine is described. The gaming peripheral can be configured to emulate the functions of a lighting device, such as a candle. The gaming peripheral can be configured to provide enhanced gaming features such as 1) enhanced networking capabilities, 2) enhanced peripheral device monitoring and upgrade capabilities, 3) enhanced player monitoring and security capabilities 4) enhanced gaming function capabilities and 5) enhanced player reward capabilities. The enhanced gaming features can be provided in a non-intrusive manner such that regulated software executed on a gaming machine does not have to be altered.
US08241116B2
A method for testing a new feature of an online gaming application is provided. According to the method, a gaming application request is received from a user, and it is determined whether to add the user to a live test for a new game feature. If the user is added to the live test, then the user is assigned to a test group or a control group. If the user is assigned to the test group, then a gaming application is provided including the new game feature enabled. If the user is assigned to the control group, then the gaming application is provided without the new game feature enabled. User social graph data identifying co-users of the user is obtained, and gaming activity and social network activity of the user is evaluated.
US08241115B2
A computerized wagering game system includes a gaming module comprising gaming code which is operable when executed on to conduct a wagering game on which monetary value can be wagered, and a security module operable to check the authenticity of a wagering game component using at least one of two or more available encryption keys.
US08241113B2
Disclosed are games, gaming machines, gaming systems and methods having a horserace bonus feature game including randomly generated icons which serve to advance one or more horses toward a finish line. In some embodiments, a progressive award associated with the winning horse is paid to a player. In other embodiments, multiple progressive awards may be paid in the event of a tie.
US08241105B1
The specification discloses a multi-wheel game-of-chance having at least two groups of spinning wheels, wherein each group includes at least two concentric spinning wheels having a viewable surface face thereon. A plurality of indicia are positioned on the peripherals of the viewable surface face of each wheel such that all indicia on each wheel is viewable to the user. Bet areas are positioned at various locations around at least a portion of each group of wheels; along a line joining the center of any two groups of wheels; and/or a junction between various radially positioned lines extending from the center of two or more groups of wheels. Each bet area represents a possible payline with various pay ratios depending on the probability of various predetermined combinations. For instance, a one-group combination payline has the lowest pay ratio; a two-group payline requires the combination from two groups of wheels and thus, has a higher pay ratio than a one-group payline; and as additional group combination paylines are added, the higher the pay ratio can become.
US08241094B2
A micro-abrasive blasting device comprises a mixing chamber, a delivery conduit extending from external the mixing chamber to the mixing chamber and a discharge conduit extending from the mixing chamber. Abrasive material may selectively be sealed in the chamber by positioning the discharge conduit to abut the inlet port. The chamber may be spherical to deliver consistent powder perturbation at all mixing chamber orientations. Methods of using the device are disclosed. Methods of making the device by blow molding are disclosed.
US08241092B1
A lapping tool for lapping a wafer section in a well controlled manner, has a head with an actuator for bending the row tool, and a force multiplier coupled between the actuator and row tool to multiply the force generated by the actuator for application of greater bending force to the row tool than can be generated by the actuator. Furthermore, at least two actuators, which are controlled together, simultaneously apply force to one force multiplier, so as to further increase bending force. The increase in available force permits the use of a row tool of a ceramic or other material that is substantially stiffer than stainless steel, such as a row tool having a coefficient of thermal expansion that is substantially similar to that of the rowbar itself. The tool further includes structures for tilting or otherwise orienting the wafer section relative to the lapping plate.
US08241089B2
A Halter Bra is disclosed which has a support frame (F) with a first side portion and a second side portion and a base portion between the side portions. The side portions extend laterally from the base portion. A first quarter cup (A) is dependent from the base portion and the first side portion and a second quarter cup is dependent from the base portion and the second side portion. The support frame (F) is preferably bound with elastic binding material (B1, B2) on each side portion and on the base portion.
US08241080B2
An outboard engine unit having a cover halved into two. An undercover is made of a resin and halved into a left resin half and a right resin half. A lower mount cover is made of a resin and halved into a left resin half and a right resin half. The resin halves are formed so that when they are mated together, a gap is defined at a connection therebetween on a rear face side of the outboard engine unit. An elastic rubber member is filled in the gap.
US08241078B2
A male terminal fitting includes a tab that is connectable with a counterpart female terminal fitting. A tubular body is behind the tab and has an opening for receiving a lance. A barrel is behind the body and is crimped to an end portion of an electric wire. Side walls between the barrel and the tab in the longitudinal direction are hammered in to form a reduced space portion. The reduced space portion has an opening smaller than a thickness and a width of the tab to prevent the tab of another male terminal fitting from intruding through the opening and into the body. Thus, the male terminal fitting prevents the entanglement of male terminal fittings without making the structure of the male terminal fitting complicated.
US08241076B2
A female terminal fitting (10) has a tubular main portion (11) with first and second opposed resilient pieces (21, 24) formed therein. The second resilient piece (24) has an extending piece (25), a support (26) and a pressing piece (27). The support (26) contacts the inner surface of the main portion (11) and the pressing piece (27) extends from the support (26) to hold the first resilient piece (21) in a pre-loaded state. A tab (60) is inserted between the extending piece (25) and the first resilient piece (21) to incline the pressing piece (27) about the support (26) and to release the pre-loaded state. The extending piece (25) resiliently deforms about the support (26) and toward the tab (60) as the pressing piece (27) is inclined. Thus, the tab (60) is held resiliently between the extending piece (25) and the first resilient piece (21). With this arrangement, the tab (60) may be inserted at low frictional force but at complete insertion is held tightly be increased frictional force.
US08241075B2
A rectangular tubular terminal connecting portion (11) includes two side plates (17) standing up from opposite sides of a base plate (15) via curved portions (16). A resilient contact piece (20) includes a substantially arcuate turned portion (21) extending forward from a front end (15F) of the base plate (15) and a main portion (22) extending back from an extending end of the turned portion (21). First slits (24) extend back from a front end (11F) of the terminal connecting portion (11) along lateral edges (21S) of the turned portion (21), second slits (25) extend from the rear ends of the first slits (24) along the front ends (15F, 16F) of the base plate (15) and the curved portions (16), and protecting plates (26) defined by the first and second slits (24, 25) are cantilevered toward the turned portion (21).
US08241068B2
A pluggable connector that includes a connector housing having mating and loading ends and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween. The connector housing includes an insert cavity that opens to the mating end. The pluggable connector also includes a plug insert that is disposed within the insert cavity. The plug insert has an air core that extends in a direction along the longitudinal axis. The pluggable connector also including first and second differential pairs that extend along the longitudinal axis through the plug insert. Each of the first and second differential pairs includes two mating contacts that extend parallel to each other. The air core is located directly between the first and second differential pairs to control the electromagnetic coupling between the first and second differential pairs.
US08241050B2
A docking cradle for a portable electronic device has a floating connector assembly which isolates a portable electronic device connected to the connector assembly from at least some of the shock, vibration or other motion imposed on the rest of the docking cradle. The connector assembly is positioned above a base frame and comprises a platform, a device interface on the platform, a device securing mechanism connected to the platform and connectable to the portable electronic device to physically secure the portable electronic device to the connector assembly; and at least one connector assembly spring connecting the connector assembly to the base frame such that the connector assembly is movable laterally relative to the base frame.
US08241044B2
A socket assembly includes a light emitting diode (LED) package having an LED printed circuit board (PCB) with an LED mounted thereto. The LED package has a power contact configured to receive power from a power source to power the LED. The socket assembly also includes a socket housing having a receptacle that removably receives the LED package. The socket housing has a securing feature engaging the LED PCB to secure the LED PCB within the receptacle, where the securing feature is configured to release the LED PCB to remove the LED PCB from the receptacle. Optionally, the socket housing may include mounting features configured to mount the socket housing to a base, where the LED package is removable from the socket housing while the socket housing remains mounted to the base. A second LED package may be provided, where the LED package is removable from the receptacle and is replaced by the second LED package.
US08241037B2
A dental implant for mounting prosthetic devices such as crowns, having a shaft having an external end adapted for receiving a prosthetic device, a foot attached to an opposing end of the shaft, the foot and shaft being generally orthogonal and the implant foot having a circular outline over an arc α with two long substantially linear sides enclosing an angle β, the linear sides being disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to the shaft.
US08241036B2
Implant (1) with a base body having at least one bone contact surface (K) and at least one soft tissue contact surface (W), characterized in that the soft tissue contact surface (W) and/or a transition area (U) from bone contact surface (K) to soft tissue contact surface (W) have/has at least partially a ceramic coating (2), and in that the bone contact surface (K) has areas not provided with a ceramic coating (2).
US08241035B2
Mouthpieces having activated textured surfaces that can be implemented using repetitive movement mechanisms and energy (e.g., electromagnetic radiation) emitting sources are disclosed. The mouthpieces may be used to provide detection, treatment and management of conditions including tooth discoloration and periodontal disease. Implementations can include a low-profile mouthpiece or a mouthpiece covering only front sides of the upper and lower teeth. Other combinations may include full-mouth implementations suitable for simultaneously covering part or all of a patient's upper and lower rows of teeth. The activated textured surfaces may include a surface topography consisting of bristles.
US08241026B2
The polymer processing machine, is an injection molding machine, which has at least two electrical consumers (1, 2, 3, 4). At least one of the electrical consumers (1, 2, 3) is also designed as a generator for the conversion of kinetic energy into electrical energy. The machine is connected for its supply with electrical energy with an electrical alternating current network (5). To increase the energy efficiency of the machine, the electrical network (5) is connected to a direct current intermediate circuit (7) via a rectifier (6). At least a part of the electrical consumers (1, 2, 3, 4) are electrically connected to the direct current intermediate circuit (7) and are powered from the direct current intermediate circuit (7) with electrical energy. At least a part of the electrical consumers (1, 2, 3) which are designed as generator operation are electrically connected to the direct current intermediate circuit (7) for supplying it with generated electrical energy.
US08241022B2
A rotation-preventing member has an annular main body, first keys, and second keys. The first keys face one another across a main body axis, and extend to one side along an axial direction of the main body. The first keys have first surfaces that include the axial direction and a radial direction of the main body. The second keys face one another across an imaginary surface being parallel to the first surfaces and including the axis, and the second keys extend to the same side as the first keys extend to or the side opposite to the first keys along the axial direction. The second keys also have third surfaces orthogonal to the first surfaces and including the axial direction. Of the first keys and second keys, at least the first keys are provided with recesses that open onto end surfaces on the side toward which the keys extend.
US08241020B2
The present invention relates to a piston pump. A piston with at least one transverse bore and a longitudinal blind bore, has a plate element with an opening, arranged on the piston at an opening of the longitudinal blind bore. The invention includes an inlet valve, an outlet valve, and a pressure chamber arranged between the inlet valve and the outlet valve. The inlet valve has a pretensioning element, a closing element, and a sealing seat, which sealing seat is built on the plate element.
US08241015B2
The invention refers to a linear compressor, comprising: a shell (20); a cylinder (30) affixed to the shell (20) and defining a compression chamber (C); a piston (40) to be displaced in reciprocating movement in the interior of the compression chamber (C) during the operation of the compressor; a linear electric motor (50) mounted to the shell (20); and an actuating means (60) operatively coupling the piston (40) to the linear electric motor (50), in order to make the latter displace the piston (40) in a reciprocating movement in the interior of the compression chamber (C), the actuating means (60) being coupled to the piston (40) by an elastic means (70), so that the actuating means (60) and the piston (40) be displaced in phase opposition during the operation of the compressor.
US08241010B2
A hydraulic reservoir includes a container having an internal volume, an internal wall dividing the internal volume of the container into a first section and a second section for separately containing the hydraulic fluid, and two one-way valves. The first one-way valve allows the hydraulic fluid to be drawn out of the first section of the hydraulic reservoir and substantially prevents a flow of the hydraulic fluid back into the first section. The second one-way valve allows the hydraulic fluid to be returned to the second section of the hydraulic reservoir and substantially prevents a flow of the hydraulic fluid out of the second section. A cooling/filtering loop may connect the second section and the first section such that the used fluid in the second section may be processed and returned to the first section in a substantially unused condition.
US08241005B2
In one embodiment a centrifugal impeller has an axis of rotation, a plurality of blades, and a plurality of pitches defined between the blades. A cavity may be formed in a back side of the impeller, opposite with at least one of the plurality of pitches. In one form the cavity may not extend below a radius determined according to a stress criteria or stress limitation.
US08241000B2
The present invention includes a set of airfoils, U rails and V rails taken together to describe a blade for use with a horizontal axis wind turbine. The blade's design includes a maximum thickness higher than conventional blades employed for the same use thereby providing better load bearing structural characteristics while at the same time maintaining the requisite aerodynamic qualities for similar blades. The blade has a Reynolds number in the range of about 1.1 to 1.3×106 and a maximum lift coefficient of about 1.3.
US08240996B2
A synergistic blade and hub structure for a cooling fan. Helical gussets are provided which proceed from the central hub member adjacent one blade member to the trailing edge of an adjacent blade member. The helical gussets provide structural load paths as well as aerodynamic flow guides. The helical gussets extend axially rearwardly to the trailing edges of preceding blade members and provide structural attachments between the leading and trailing edges of adjacent blade members. Hollow triangular structures are also provided on the rear of the fan structure and the triangulation area provides superior stiffness.
US08240987B2
Gas turbine engine systems involving baffle assemblies are provided. In this regard, a representative baffle assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: a cooling plenum defining a cooling air path; and a baffle sized and shaped to extend between surfaces of the cooling plenum such that a cooling air path of reduced cross-section is formed between the baffle and the surfaces, the baffle being operative to increase a flow rate of cooling air as the cooling air directed to the cooling air path is redirected through the cooling air path of reduced cross-section.
US08240982B2
The present invention relates to a structure (7) for a lip (4a) of an air inlet (4) of a turbojet pod (1) including an outer skin (12), designed to be oriented towards the outside of the lip, and an inner skin (13), designed to be oriented towards the inside of the lip, characterized in that it includes at least one electric heating element (14) situated between the inner skin and the outer skin and capable of being connected to an electric supply (15, 16), and the at least one electric heating element extending at least partly through an acoustic attenuation zone having perforations (11) passing through the structure and associated with an acoustic attenuation structure (30) fitted to the inner skin.
US08240978B2
The present invention relates to a control method for the operation of a fan equipping an electronic device. A determination step detects the vertical or horizontal position of the electronic device. The fan is not started up during the powering up of the device while the device is in a vertical position. The flow of air produced by the “fireplace” effect in the device in a vertical position suffices to ensure correct ventilation. According to an improvement the device has a sensor measuring the internal temperature of the device, whatever the position of the device, the fan being started up from a determined temperature. The present invention relates also to a device implementing the method.
US08240969B2
Cargo wagon to transport bulk material in different conditions which allows the load not to attach itself to the surface of the wagon, speeding up the unloading process, wherein said cargo wagon is formed by a defined structure which vertebral frame is conformed by a longitudinal beam, where in a transversal way to such beam ribs have been configured in a semi-rectangular shape which give the volume configuration to the wagon's load; in the Terminal ends of such ribs there are lateral beams that give firmness to the structures that define the ribs; said lateral beams have on their interior end steel plates along their whole longitude that conform an upper lateral end of the wagon; where in said steel plates and in suspended form there are a series of ropes over which there is rubber carpet in suspended form that defines the structure to receive the load.
US08240965B2
A mounting structure is provided which is capable of easily attaching a heat sink irrespective of a thickness of an LSI (Large-Scale Integration circuit) mounted on a printed circuit board. Each female screw metal fitting of each female screw portion is attached on an upper surface of a cylindrical gel in a stacked manner and a lower surface of the cylindrical gel is attached to the printed circuit board. An end portion of each male screw is made to pass through each through-hole of the heat sink so as to be screwed into each of the female screw portions. With a progress of screwing therein, each of the female screw portions is elevated and the cylindrical gel is pulled and elongated. Since a restoring force occurs when the cylindrical gel is elongated, the heat sink is pulled by each of the female screw portions toward the LSI. Thus, variations in height can be accommodated.
US08240964B2
A sheet metal nut including a cage part (1) that is fitted with a bottom plate (2), supporting edge sections, and opposite side plates (4, 5). Contacting final sections (15, 16) are disposed across from the supporting edge sections and grip the peripheral zones of a hole along with the supporting edge sections in a mounted arrangement of the sheet metal nut. The supporting edge sections are molded onto the bottom plate (2) while a separate securing part (10) is joined to the side plates (4, 5) and is equipped with two leg plates (11, 12) that are located between the side plates (4, 5) and extend from a base region (13) towards the supporting edge sections (24, 25) at an increasing distance from each other. The contacting final sections (15, 16) are molded onto one respective free end of a leg plate (11, 12), are aligned with their front sides directed towards one another, and lie across from the supporting edge sections (24, 25).
US08240948B2
A pavement road marker is provided mounted to a road having a main shell or body having a top portion. The top portion of the body being generally planar and including a lens mounted thereon. The lens is mounted within the body so that the plane created by the lens is beneath the plane created by the planar surface of the body portion. The assembly further includes an inner cavity having a first surface and a first opening. The first opening is oppositely disposed from the top portion. The first surface of the inner cavity includes various structural elements such as protrusions, legs, or dimples. The protrusions, legs, and dimples increase surface area to improve adhesion of potting to the inner surface of the housing to fill the cavity of the housing. The legs having a lateral surface which extend on a plane normal to an outer surface of the body.
US08240945B2
An assembly of at least two concentric axisymmetric parts intended to work at least in tension, wherein at least one axisymmetric part is equipped with at least one dust removal groove, the groove being cut from a plain surface of the first axisymmetric part in contact with a plain surface of a concentric second axisymmetric part so as to open toward the plain surface of the second axisymmetric part, the groove being capable of collecting the dust that lies in the area of contact between the two axisymmetric parts.
US08240944B2
A fixing device for an emblem plate includes a front cover, a panel, and a rotating member. The emblem plate is located on an outside of the front cover. A locking portion extends from an inner side of the front cover. The locking portion includes a hook. The panel defines a first through hole. The rotating member includes a rotating shaft extending through the first through hole. The rotating shaft axially defines a second through hole. The locking portion extends through the second through hole. A locking block is formed on an inner sidewall of the second through hole, corresponding to the hook. The rotating shaft can be rotated relative to the front cover in the first through hole of the panel, to release the locking block from the hook.
US08240942B2
In order to produce a connecting means for connecting a first component and a second component and especially for connecting furniture parts or machine parts which will enable two components consisting of a multiplicity of materials to be securely connected to one another without giving rise to the danger of damaging the two components during the assembly process, wherein the device comprises a first connecting element that it arranged on the first component in the connected state of the components and a second connecting element that is arranged on the second component in the connected state of the components, it is proposed that at least one of the connecting elements should comprise a non self-cutting holding projection which has a curved support surface that is in the form of an arc of a circle in longitudinal section, wherein the holding projection can be inserted into a groove which is provided in one of the components and has a curved undercut surface that is in the form of an arc of a circle in longitudinal section.
US08240938B2
An over cap brush for a squeeze dispensing bottle comprising a body injection molded as a single piece, the body being formed of a relatively soft elastomeric material, the body including a circular end wall, a generally cylindrical skirt at an outer periphery of the end wall defining a central axis and extending in one direction along the axis, the end wall having a central through hole and an outer face with a multitude of bristles distributed about the hole and extending axially from said face in a direction opposite the one direction, the skirt being of sufficient length so as to extend along the threads of a screw-on cap to retain the over cap brush on the cap by frictionally engaging the exterior of the skirt of the cap while the cap is disposed on a squeeze dispensing bottle.
US08240934B2
A dispenser for dispensing a substance, such as a liquid lipstick or other cosmetic, pharmaceutical or cosmeceutical product, has a body with a variable-volume storage chamber for storing the product. A dispensing portion is connected with the body and a one-way valve for dispensing amounts of product therethrough. The dispensing portion defines a compression chamber in fluid communication with the storage chamber for receiving product therefrom, and an outlet aperture coupled in fluid communication with the compression chamber. The one-way valve has a valve seat, and a visco-elastic valve cover seated on the valve seat and defining a normally-closed, axially-extending seam therebetween forming a fluid-tight seal between the valve cover and valve seat. The flexible valve cover is movable relative to the valve seat, and the seam is connectable in fluid communication with the outlet aperture to allow the passage of product through the seam and out of the dispenser. An actuator is drivingly connected to the compression chamber for pressurizing product within the compression chamber and dispensing an amount of product within the compression chamber.
US08240928B2
A recording medium accommodating unit 301 that accommodates a recording medium 202 wound in a roll includes a first detecting unit that detects that a core part in the center of the recording medium 202 has reached a predetermined position in consequence of consumption of the recording medium 202 when a printer 201 is in a first installation state, a second detecting unit that detects that the core part in the center of the recording medium 202 has reached a predetermined position in consequence of the consumption of the recording medium 202 when the printer 201 is in a second installation state that is different from the first installation state, and a moving mechanism that moves the first and the second detecting units to positions activating detection by one among the first and the second detecting units.
US08240924B2
A socket and a plug are provided. Both the socket and the plug include a body, a blocking sheet, and an elastic member. Both the bodies define a coupling portion. The blocking sheet is disposed on the corresponding body and covers the corresponding coupling portion to protect the coupling portions from being contaminated when not used. The elastic member connects the corresponding body and the blocking sheet. When the plug is plugged into the socket, the blocking sheets, against an elastic force of the elastic member, pushes each other to expose the coupling portions until the coupling portions are coupled.
US08240923B2
A thermally stable tribological coating is applied to the outer surface of a moveable bearing outer ring in a bearing assembly for an x-ray tube rotating anode and/or the surface of a housing bore of the X-ray tube rotating anode which receives the bearing assembly. If the tribological coating is applied to the outer surface of the bearing outer ring, it is made of a material that is metallurgically incompatible with the material from which the housing containing the bearing is made. The coating includes one or more of the following: Cr, W, Mo, or Nb, or nitrides, carbides, oxides, or sulfides of Cr, W, Mo, or Nb.
US08240922B2
A wheel support bearing assembly, which enables an increase in the strength and the fatigue strength of its wheel mounting flange or vehicle body fitting flange against high stress and repeated stress and the suppression of the increase of the number of processes, includes an inner member and an outer member rotatable relative to each other through rolling elements. The flange is formed on the inner member or the outer member. A component part having the flange is a hot-forged product of steel in which a matrix portion is formed as a standard structure and the non-standard structural portion is formed on the surface of the flange. The non-standard structure is formed of either of a fine ferrite/pearlite structure, an upper bainite structure, a lower bainite structure, and a tempered martensite structure, or mixture of two or more of these structures.
US08240915B2
A polymeric woven bag has a first panel and a second panel and an open end of the bag to be pinched closed. A first layer of heat activated adhesive material is on a portion of the bag to form an adhesive-to-adhesive seal by contact with a second layer of heat activated adhesive material on a portion of the bag. second panel, wherein a chemical family of the adhesive layers comprises, distillates, petroleum and ethanamine or naphthene components, and wherein the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer have respective heat activation temperatures below the softening point temperature of the polymeric bag material.
US08240907B2
An apparatus having a device for moving a liquid comprises a piezoacoustic resonator element (11) having at least one piezoelectric layer (110) and two electrodes (111 and 112) present on the piezoelectric layer (110). The piezoacoustic resonator element (11) is designed such that, owing to a voltage being applied to the piezoelectric layer (110) by means of the electrodes (111 or 112), a volume oscillation of the piezoelectric layer (110) is excited at a resonant frequency. The piezoelectric resonator element (11) can be acoustically coupled in a suitable manner to a liquid for the purpose of transmitting the excited oscillation into the liquid for the purpose of moving the liquid. The apparatus may be in the form of a micromixer or in the form of a micropump and may comprise, in addition, sensor elements (41) for detecting the attachment of substance.
US08240904B2
A display including a display panel and a backlight module adjacent to the display panel is provided. The backlight module includes a light source emitting a light beam and at least one light diffraction member. The light diffraction member includes a first surface, a second surface, an azimuth convergence structure and a light diffraction structure. The second surface is opposite the first surface, and the light beam enters the light diffraction member through the second surface and leaves the light diffraction member from the first surface. The azimuth convergence structure is disposed on the second surface for converging the azimuth of the light beam incident thereon. The light diffraction structure is disposed on the first surface for adjusting the emergence angle of the light beam.
US08240897B2
An optical axis adjusting apparatus and vehicle light include a lamp housing and a reflector. The optical axis adjusting apparatus includes a ball joint via which the lamp housing and the reflector are connected, an aiming screw, a nut portion, and a support member. The nut portion is screwed onto the aiming screw and the support member is fit onto the aiming screw.
US08240891B2
A lamp arrangement with a lamp housing with at least one housing surface having at least one module connecting device, and at least one module set including at least two housing connecting modules. The housing connecting modules have a correspondingly configured connecting device for connection to the module connecting device.
US08240890B2
A lamp holder includes a holder body. The holder body includes a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a first side surface and a second side surface arranged between the first surface and the second surface. The holder body defines a first groove and a second groove at the first side surface of the holder body. The first groove and the second groove communicate with the first and second surfaces of the holder body. The first groove and the second groove are configured for receiving connectors of a lamp. A fool-proofing member is arranged at a first bottom surface of the first groove.
US08240888B2
An LED unit includes an LED and a lens receiving the LED. The LED includes a chassis, a base on the chassis and an envelope fixed on the base. The lens has two crossed grooves, a hole and a chamber sequentially defined in a bottom face the lens, along an upward direction thereof. The chassis of the LED can be selected to fit in one of the two grooves. The base of the LED is engaged in the hole of the lens, and the envelope of the LED is received in the chamber of the lens.
US08240882B2
A light emitting diode module includes: a printed circuit board including an upper circuit layer, a lower metal layer, an insulating layer, and a plurality of through holes; a metallic heat sink formed with a plurality of chip-support portions and disposed below the printed circuit board; a thermal connection layer that has lower and upper surfaces respectively bonded to the heat sink and the lower metal layer of the printed circuit board; and a plurality of light emitting diode chips, each of which is placed in contact with and bonded to one of the chip-support portions and each of which is electrically connected to the upper circuit layer. A method for making the light emitting diode module is also disclosed.
US08240879B2
An illumination module includes a substrate and a plurality of LED devices. The substrate has a main plane, and the main plane includes a central region and a peripheral region. The LED devices are disposed on the main plane of the substrate in the central region and peripheral region. Each of the LED devices has a light-exiting direction, where the light-exiting direction of the LED device disposed in the central region is substantially perpendicular to the main plane, and the light-exiting direction of each of the LED devices in the peripheral region goes outwards with respect to the central region.
US08240872B1
An interior lighting system for a security safe is taught which incorporates a power supply that is located within the safe and converts alternating current power to low voltage direct current. An electrical switch is in communication with the power supply and mechanically interfaces with the safe door boltworks which energize the lighting system when the safe door is unlocked and opened. A number of LED lights are disposed within the door edge and connected to the switch. When the door is hinged open the LED lights are energized through the switch and illuminate the interior of the safe until the door is closed and bolted.
US08240864B2
A planar light source apparatus includes a plurality of elongated lighting elements disposed in a common plane, and a plurality of mirror reflectors arranged perpendicular to the common plane and facing the lighting elements. The lighting elements are equidistantly spaced from each other. The lighting elements face a same direction. The mirror reflectors frame the lighting elements. The mirror reflectors each have a reflecting surface facing the lighting elements. The reflecting surfaces are perpendicular to the common plane. A distance between one of the reflectors and its nearest lighting element is maximum of half the distance between two adjacent lighting elements.
US08240844B2
An imaging and punching system and related method for a plate imaging system that can record an image on recordable media and punch the imaged media. The imaging and punching system includes a punching apparatus that is a part of the imaging and punching system that can precisely punch an imaged plate in a punch area. The system also includes a transfer assembly, including the imaged media support, having a pivot for moving the imaged media from the imaging system to the punching system. The pivot having a fixed relationship to said imaging system and said punching system and movable about the pivot between a first position proximate the imaging system and a second position proximate the punching system.
US08240836B2
A recording ink containing: a solid component containing a colorant, and a resin, and being solid in ink at 25° C., a liquid component having a boiling point higher than that of water and being liquid in ink at 25° C., and water, wherein the total amount of the solid component contained in the recording ink is equal to 8.5% by mass or higher and less than 15% by mass, a ratio (A/B) of the total amount of a water-soluble organic solvent (A), which is contained in the liquid component and has a high-boiling point of 280° C. or higher (A), to the total amount of the solid component (B) contained in the recording ink is 1.1 to 2.5, and a ratio (C/B) of the total amount of the liquid component (C) in the recording ink to the total amount of the solid component (B) in the recording ink is 1.85 to 3.10.
US08240833B2
A liquid ejecting head includes: a first supply member and a second supply member, each of which has a liquid supply passage formed therein; a filter that is held between the first supply member and the second supply member in correspondence with the liquid supply passage; a thermally welded portion that is welded to the filter so that the first supply member melts and soaks into the filter in a region that surrounds the liquid supply passage; a bonded portion at which the second supply member is bonded to the filter by the thermally welded portion; and a bonding resin that is formed by being poured into an outer region between the first supply member and the second supply member and outside the thermally welded portion and bonded portion with respect to the liquid supply passage.
US08240832B2
A head unit has a supply tank provided above a plurality of heads, for storing ink and a collecting part having an internal space into which ink flows from the plurality of heads. In the head unit, a plurality of ink inlet pipes serving as a plurality of passages leading from the supply tank to the plurality of heads have the same shape and the same resistance and a plurality of ink outlet pipes serving as a plurality of passages from the plurality of heads to the collecting part have the same shape and the same resistance. This equalizes respective flow rates of ink and respective pressures of ink at nozzles in the plurality of heads. As a result, it is possible to suppress variation in landing positions and the like of ink with respect to the nozzles among the plurality of heads.
US08240827B2
A liquid container includes an air introduction portion including an air introduction chamber, a first path through which the air introduction chamber is configured to communicate with a liquid chamber, a second path extending from the air introduction chamber and is opened to an exterior of an container body, an air communication path through which the air introduction chamber is configured to communicate with the exterior of the container body, a valve member comprising a first valve and a second valve, the valve member being movable, such that when the first valve closes the first path the second valve opens the second path, and when the second valve closes the second path the first valve opens the first path, and an urging member configured to urge the valve member in such a direction that the first valve closes the first path and the second valve opens the second path.
US08240826B2
An ink tank capable of optically detecting ink remaining in an ink accommodation chamber with high precision is provided. A printing apparatus, a method of manufacturing the ink tank, and a method of detecting ink remaining in the ink tank are also provided. Radiated light (11) projected into an ink accommodation chamber (5A) excites an illuminant material (10) contained in ink in the ink accommodation chamber (5A) to illuminate. Based on light (12) produced by the illuminant material (10), the amount of ink remaining in the ink accommodation chamber (5A) is detected.
US08240824B2
A plug connection for an ink supply, which has an ink supply connector, allows removable connection of the ink supply to an ink-consuming component that carries a rapid action cartridge coupling that forms a fluid connection with the ink supply connector. An ink connection holder is attachable to the ink supply connector and has an opening therein receives the rapid action cartridge coupling. An unlocking element releasable holds the ink connection holder to the ink supply connector when the rapid action cartridge coupling is inserted therein. The ink connection holder has a guide for the rapid action cartridge coupling, and each of the guide and the rapid action cartridge coupling are coded, with complementary mechanical codings, so that the ink connection holder can receive only an appropriately coded rapid action cartridge coupling.
US08240820B2
A fluid ejection device ejecting a fluid, the fluid ejection device includes: a fluid ejection unit, a main chassis case, a fluid-containing pack, and a container case. The fluid ejection unit ejects a fluid onto an ejection target. The main chassis case houses the fluid ejection unit. The fluid-containing pack contains a fluid for ejection. The container case houses the fluid-containing pack. The container case is pivotably attached to the main chassis case and openable by rotation about a rotation shaft. The fluid ejection device further comprises a fluid passage, including a delivery tube with a bent section, in which fluid flows from the fluid-containing tank to the fluid ejection unit through the container case. The shape of the bent section changes by the opening and closing of the container case.
US08240802B2
By subtracting a first parameter related to the printing position deviation inherent to the printing head from a second parameter that is obtained by actually measuring the printing position deviation in a state where the printing head is mounted on the printing apparatus, a third parameter related to the printing position deviation inherent to the printing apparatus is acquired. When a new printing head is mounted on the printing apparatus, a new second parameter is computed from the third parameter and a first parameter that is of the new printing head. By this procedure, it is possible to hold down a time required for actual measurement of the printing position deviation and consumables, and even when the printing head is exchanged, it becomes possible to stably output a uniform image free from the printing position deviation.
