US08248242B2
A wireless tracking system and method for real-time location tracking of a extreme-temperature sterilizable object is disclosed herein. The system and method utilize a tag attached to the extreme-temperature sterilizable object which includes a housing, a processor, a temperature sensor and a transceiver. If an internal temperature of the tag is detected by the temperature sensor, the tag enters a sleep mode. The temperature sensor periodically activates to determine if the internal temperature of the tag is within an acceptable operating range.
US08248238B2
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a Radio Frequency ID (RFID) tag that contains multiple Radio Frequency (RF) network nodes that provide enhanced memory capabilities, redundant functionality, and multiple frequency capabilities to the RFID tag using an inter-RF network node communication connection. The inter-RF network node communication may allow the coordination of RFID tag memory and functionality.
US08248233B2
In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining location information associated with a remote device, and processing the location information. Processing the location information includes determining if the remote device is mobile. The method also includes configuring a filter such that at least one parameter indicates that the remote device is mobile if the remote device is mobile, and configuring the filter such that the at least one parameter indicates that the remote device is approximately stationary if the remote device is not mobile. The filter is applied to the location information to generate a filtered location estimate which is arranged to estimate a location of the remote device.
US08248225B2
A tire sensor module having a circuit carrier, on or in which at least one sensor element is attached for measuring a measured variable, an antenna for transmitting sensor signals to a receiving unit of the vehicle, and a housing, in whose housing inner chamber the circuit carrier is received, the antenna being provided in the housing material of the housing or on a housing side of the housing.
US08248220B2
A surrounding recognition support system includes a distance marker display section displaying a distance marker on a monitor for a user to identify the distance marker, which indicates a distance from the user to a predetermined area and allows the user to visually sense the distance when the user looks at the monitor, and a sound output section emitting a special sound corresponding to the distance indicated by the distance marker when the distance marker is displayed on the monitor by the distance marker display section. The sound output section emits the special sound in response to a result of detection of an object detection portion detecting the object existing around the user within the predetermined area defined by the distance indicated by the distance marker.
US08248215B2
A dynamic condition monitoring system is disclosed, such as for monitoring vibrations in complex machine systems. The system includes monitors on which server software is provided. The server software may access pre-defined graphical user interface pages that can be populated and served directly from the monitors. The data may be accessed via conventional networks for viewing and analyzing monitored data, as well as for configuration of the individual dynamic condition monitors.
US08248212B2
The present disclosure includes a method and system for pipelining processes in an RF reader. In some implementations, a method includes receiving, from a transponder, a reply to an initial command. A physical (PHY) layer and a media control access (MAC) layer are pipelined to initiate transmission of a subsequent command during demodulation of the transponder reply.
US08248210B2
A method and system of determining spatial identification of an object, such as orientation, size, location, range, and/or movement, using an RFID system is disclosed. An RFID system can comprise one or more RFID reader receiving antennas that query one or more RFID tags coupled to the object. The measurement of the phase of the tag responses at the reader antennas and phase differentials as a function of distance, frequency, and time are the basis of spatial identification. The system can work with conventional Gen 2 tags and readers without modification of the tags or protocol.
US08248208B2
A radio-frequency identification-(RFID)-based active labeling system for labeling components of a telecommunication system. The active labeling system includes an electronically addressable active label device that forms and displays indicia that remains static and visible when the device is unpowered. A RFID tag is operably connected to the device and is configured to receive a RF signal that contains component information, and to harvest power from the RF signal. The RFID tag then transfers the component information and power to active label device to enable it to form and display indicia representative of the component information. A database unit is operably connected or is contained directly in the RF reader and contains the component information on a computer-readable medium.
US08248197B2
A sheath including a hollow main body having a first end with an opening formed therein. The hollow main body is formed from a substantially nonmagnetic material and adapted to receive the permanent magnet material handling device. The sheath militates against an attraction of foreign material to the permanent magnet material handling device when not in use. Additionally, an assembly and method for storing the permanent magnet material handling device. The assembly includes a pedestal having a stationary base coupled to a plate selectively engaging the sheath. A movement sensor may be coupled to the plate to detect movement of the plate relative to the base.
US08248195B2
A flat electromagnetic actuator includes a solenoid, a shaft at the center thereof, first and second bearings, a projecting supporting part, a movable core having an annular projection, a cylindrical yoke, a coil bobbin, a coil and a cylindrical housing whose top is closed, wherein an axial dimension thereof is shorter than a radial dimension thereof, and wherein the second bearing, the projecting supporting part, the movable core, the annular projection, the cylindrical yoke, the coil bobbin, and the housing are disposed on a same surface perpendicular to a displacement direction of the shaft, and continuously provided in the radial direction.
US08248193B2
In an electromagnetic switch for an auxiliary-rotation starter according to the present invention, the magnetic bypass core is disposed at a place that is an air gap portion, in a magnetic circuit, through which the plunger moves due to magnetic attractive force produced by energizing the attraction coil and the holding coil and that is between the outer circumference of the plunger and the inner circumference of the bobbin, in such a way that one end thereof makes contact with one end of the case and the other end thereof faces the end of the core by the intermediary of an air gap.
US08248188B2
A fixation arrangement for a resonator of a cavity body includes a cavity body including a base, a resonator defining a cavity and comprising a bottom, a screw including sharply arc-shaped head and securing the resonator on the base of the cavity body, and a sticky element located between the screw head of the screw and the bottom of the resonator.
US08248175B2
An oscillator output is controlled from an external voltage control terminal using an interpolative divider as a frequency modulator. The oscillator includes a reference clock generator, analog to digital converter, and an interpolative divider. Nominal output frequency is determined by the frequency of the reference clock and the nominal divide value of the interpolative divider. The divide value is changed according to the voltage control input value which is converted to a digital value via an analog to digital converter. Multiple interpolative dividers may be coupled to the single reference clock generator and each have a voltage control input and analog to digital converter.
US08248171B1
A thermally-compensated oscillator has a current reference with an output current which relates to an ambient temperature with a first relationship, a ring oscillator having an operating frequency which relates to the ambient temperature with a second relationship, and which receives the output current of the current reference and outputs an oscillator signal, and a level shifter which receives the oscillator signal from the ring oscillator and outputs a corresponding voltage-regulated clock signal.
US08248166B2
To reduce a knee voltage of a Darlington amplifier, a negative voltage is applied by a depletion mode FET between the emitter of one amplifying transistor and the base of another amplifying transistor to provide a reduced potential, which reduces the knee voltage of the Darlington amplifier. Reducing the knee voltage of the Darlington amplifier decreases the size of a saturation region thereby increasing the linearity of the Darlington amplifier.
US08248153B2
A charge pump comprises at least one charge pump cell and control logic. The at least one charge pump cell is configured to receive a power supply voltage and provide a pump output voltage higher than the power supply voltage. The control logic is configured to receive an oscillator signal and a level detector enable signal, provide at least one cell clock signal, based on the oscillator signal, to the at least one charge pump cell, control the at least one pump cell to charge while the level detector enable signal is asserted, and control the at least one pump cell to continue to charge after the level detector enable signal is deasserted and until a full pulse cycle of the oscillator signal is completed.
US08248147B2
A power switch circuit providing voltage to an output port is provided. The switch circuit includes a single power supply, a switch unit, a controlling unit, and a logic unit. The switch unit is connected between the single power supply and an output port and capable of being turned on and off alternatively for continuing or discontinuing power from the single power supply to the output port; the single power supply provides power to the output port. The controlling unit is configured for generating a voltage controlling signal and transmitting the voltage controlling signal to the logic unit. The logic unit receives and inverts the voltage controlling signal, and outputs the inverted voltage controlling signal to turn on or turn off the switch unit.
US08248139B2
An apparatus for interleaved phase shift clock synchronization includes a master clock generator and at least one slave clock generator. The master clock generator provides a ramp signal or reset signal for each slave clock generator to generate a clock synchronized with the clock of the master clock generator, and the master and slave clock generators have different reference voltages for generating clocks. Therefore, the clocks generated will be synchronized and interleaved phase with each other.
US08248129B2
A signal delay circuit including a clock transfer control circuit configured to transmit or block a clock signal, and a pulse signal generation circuit configured to delay a first pulse signal in response to the transmitted clock signal to generate a second pulse signal which has a longer active period than the first pulse signal.
US08248126B2
A clock control circuit can prevent a malfunction that occurs when a rising strobe signal and a falling strobe signal change in pulse width and thus overlap each other. The clock control circuit which includes a first clock control unit configured to receive a rising strobe signal and a falling strobe signal and output an adjusted rising strobe signal, an enable pulse width of which does not overlap an enable pulse width of the falling strobe signal.
US08248119B2
A low power frequency divider and a low power phase locked loop, which consume the least power. The low power frequency divider generates a frequency dividing signal by dividing a frequency of an input signal in a uniform ratio, and includes a phase to voltage converter, a comparator, a phase synchronization circuit, and a reset circuit. The phase to voltage converter generates a phase voltage signal corresponding to phase change of the input signal in response to a reset signal. The comparator generates a comparator signal by comparing the phase voltage signal and a reference phase voltage signal. The phase synchronization circuit generates the frequency dividing signal by matching phases of the input signal and the comparator signal. The reset circuit generates the reset signal in response to the comparator signal or the frequency dividing signal.
US08248107B2
A high-speed differential comparator circuit is provided with an accurately adjustable threshold voltage. Differential reference voltage signals are provided to control the threshold voltage of the comparator. The common mode voltage of the reference signals preferably tracks the common mode voltage of the differential high-speed serial data signal being processed by the comparator circuit.
US08248105B2
In some embodiments related to a smart edge detector, the smart edge detector uses a second clock in a receiver domain (e.g., clock CLK_D2) to trigger a first flip-flop having a first clock in a transmitter domain (e.g., clock CLK_D1) as input data for the first flip-flop. The clock CLK_D2 through a delay cell also triggers a second flip-flop having the same clock CLK_D1 as input data for the second flip-flop. Based on the output of the first flip-flop (e.g., output S1) and of the second flip-flop (e.g., output S2), the embodiments determine whether the rising and or falling edge of clock CLK_D2 should be used for triggering in a transmitting and receiving application. The embodiments are applicable in both situations where the rising edge or falling edge of clock CLK_D1 is used as a triggering edge. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08248100B2
A method and system for providing a logic device are described. The logic device includes a plurality of magnetic input/channel regions, at least one magnetic sensor region, and at least one sensor coupled with the at least one magnetic sensor region. Each of the magnetic input/channel regions is magnetically biased in a first direction. The magnetic sensor region(s) are magnetically biased in a second direction different from the first direction such that at least one domain wall resides in the magnetic input/channel regions if the logic device is in a quiescent state. The sensor(s) output a signal based on a magnetic state of the magnetic sensor region(s). The input/channel regions and the magnetic sensor region(s) are configured such that the domain wall(s) may move into the magnetic sensor region(s) in response to a logic signal being provided to at least a portion of the magnetic input regions.
US08248086B2
A proximity detection system for an appliance is disclosed. The system includes an electrically conductive sensor for a capacitive proximity detection system, the sensor forming a part of an accessory device for the appliance; and an electrically conductive member disposed substantially opposite a location of the sensor and electrically connected to a ground potential to form a ground shield for the sensor.
US08248083B2
A processing device is provided with a circuit connected to a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion. An AC voltage source produces an AC waveform voltage obtained by adding a bias voltage to an AC voltage for capacitance measurement. The AC waveform voltage is applied between the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion through the measurement probes. The moment the AC waveform voltage is applied to the circuit with a switch closed, an inrush current flows through the circuit based on a potential difference of the bias voltage. This inrush current causes dielectric breakdown in the conductive resin, thereby securing the continuity of the conductive resin. With the continuity of the conductive resin secured, a capacitance of the piezoelectric body is measured by the AC waveform voltage, and it is determined whether or not the piezoelectric body is normal.
US08248075B2
A system, apparatus and method for dissipating standing waves in a microwave energy delivery system including a microwave energy source configured to intermittently delivery microwave energy as a periodic microwave signal an energy delivery network configured to transmit the periodic microwave signal and a circuit connected between the microwave energy source and the energy delivery network. The circuit is configured to pass the periodic microwave signal from the microwave energy source to the energy delivery network when the periodic microwave signal is present and to dissipate standing waves when the periodic microwave signal is absent.
US08248073B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a plurality of cores (99) connected with an inter-connection network (1000) and a test controller (500) which is connected with the inter-connection network (1000) and which issues a test control request associated with the test of the core (99) via the inter-connection network (1000). The inter-connection network (1000) is constituted of a plurality of adapters (3000) which serve as connection interfaces of the plurality of cores (99) and the test controller (500), respectively, and a plurality of routers (2000) which connect the plurality of adapters (3000). The adapters (3000) connected with the core (99) comprise a core testing unit for vicariously testing core (99) connected to itself based on the test control request received from the test controller (500) via the inter-connection network (1000).
US08248071B2
The present invention relates to a method of conducting an N-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiment in a phase-sensitive manner by the use of forward and backward sampling of time domain shifted by a primary phase shift under conditions effective to measure time domain amplitudes and secondary phase shifts. The present invention also relates to methods of conducting an N-dimensional NMR experiment in a phase-sensitive manner by the use of dual forward and backward sampling of time domain shifted by a primary phase shift under conditions effective to measure secondary phase shifts or at least partially cancel dispersive and quadrature image signal components arising in the frequency domain from secondary phase shifts.
US08248065B2
The method for detecting at least one structural defect in a spherical particle (33) comprises at least the following steps of passing the particle (33) into at least one induction coil (15); exciting the induction coil (15) in order to induce Foucault currents in the particle (33); acquiring an output signal at the terminals of the induction coil (15); and analyzing the signal in order to establish whether or not the particle (33) comprises a structural defect. A plurality of output signals are acquired by passing the particle (33) successively into one or more induction coils (15) with different positions of the particle (33), the or each induction coil (15) being excited at least each time the particle (33) passes in order to induce Foucault currents in the particle (33).
US08248064B2
A device for inductive speed detection includes two planar coils which are arranged offset at a given distance from a pulse wheel and in the rotational direction of the pulse wheel, and are each part of an oscillator, the oscillator frequency of which is evaluated.
US08248061B2
A system and method for monitoring the rotation of a generator rotor and calculating a power angle using an optical rotor displacement monitor. The monitor uses a light beam directed toward the rotor to detect a marking thereon, and generates an electrical pulse when the marking is detected. The time between the pulse and a reference point (such as a zero crossing) of the signal waveform from the terminals of the generator is used to calculate the power angle of the generator. The system is adaptive in that it can account for new markings on the rotor. The system may be connected to a network so that power angles from various generators on the electrical network may be compared. The system may further be connected to a common time source such that a time stamp may be applied to the power angles from various generators, allowing for more accurate comparison of the power angles.
US08248044B2
Embodiments for at least one method and apparatus of controlling a bypass resistance of a voltage regulator are disclosed. One method includes generating a regulated output voltage based upon a switching voltage. The switching voltage is generated through controlled closing and opening of a series switch element and a shunt switch element, the series switch element and the shunt switch element being connected between voltages based on an input voltage. A control of a duty cycle of the switching voltage is provided by sensing and feeding back the regulated output voltage. The bypass resistance is controlled based on a parameter related to the duty cycle, wherein the control of the duty cycle is persistent during the control of the bypass resistance.
US08248043B2
A control circuit for a DC-DC converter includes a controller configured to control, based on a feedback voltage, a first switch provided between an inductor and a reference potential and a second switch provided between a coupling node of the first switch and the inductor and an output terminal, a third switch provided between the second switch and the output terminal and turned off when an overcurrent flows in a coupling path between the second switch and the output terminal, and a selector configured to select a voltage of a first position which is located on a side of the second switch in the coupling path as the feedback voltage when the third switch is turned off, or a voltage of a second position which is located on a side of the output terminal in the coupling path as the feedback voltage when the third switch is turned on.
US08248034B2
Used dry cell batteries having a terminal voltage less than a working voltage of a previously applied device but higher than an exhaustion voltage below which the dry cell batteries stop discharging can be used in a present provided discharging system. The used dry cell batteries are connected in series. The discharging system also includes a discharging unit, a measuring unit, a judging unit, and an indicating unit. The discharging unit discharges the used dry cell batteries. The measuring unit measures the terminal voltage of each dry cell battery. The judging unit judges if the terminal voltage of each dry cell battery is less than a preset voltage below which the dry cell battery is deemed to be exhausted. The indicating unit indicates which dry cell battery has the terminal voltage less than the preset value for replacement.
US08248019B2
To further improve the stability of drive control for the start period of a motor without complicating a circuit configuration.During the period in which the rotational speed of a rotor does not reach the rotational speed capable of locking a PLL circuit, a drive control method of two-phase mode in which a start current is supplied by two energizing patterns is used. In energizing pattern A, a current is caused to flow in a motor winding in the direction from U to W and in the direction from V to W at the same time. In energizing pattern B, a current is caused to flow in the motor winding in the direction from W to U and in the direction from W to V at the same time. A potential difference Vu-v between a U phase and a V phase in which the phase and magnitude of voltage drop due to inductance are equal is detected. Based on the detected potential difference Vu-v, a magnetic flux estimation signal φu-v is calculated by an integrator. Then, based on the magnetic flux estimation signal φu-v, an ROT signal is sent from a comparator. The energizing pattern of the start current is switched over according to the ROT signal, and torque in the normal rotation direction is developed, by which the rotor is accelerated.
US08248010B2
A voltage application unit applies voltage to windings of a motor without passing though an inverter unit. A first detection unit detects a short circuit failure in switching elements of the inverter unit based on a terminal voltage between each of the switching elements and a corresponding winding and a power voltage of a power supply. Before rotation of the motor, when no short circuit failure is detected and when a switching unit switches at least one of the high and low potential-side switching elements of the inverter unit on and subsequently switches all the switching elements off, a second failure detection unit determines whether the switching unit is incapable of rendering the switching element non-conductive based on the terminal voltage and the power voltage.
US08248008B2
A motor control device includes a measurement unit, a speed control unit, a correction unit, a drive unit, and a disturbance suppressing unit. During a time period before a measurement value of speed of one of a motor and a driven object which is driven by the motor measured by the measurement unit becomes greater than zero the correction unit corrects a manipulated variable such that a reduced correction amount which is from zero percent to less than 100 percent of a correction amount determined by the disturbance suppressing unit, is added to the manipulated variable determined by the speed control unit corresponding to a target speed of the one of the motor and the driven object.
US08248003B2
A vibration frequency adjusting system and method measures energy of a vibration generated by a vibrator of an electronic device, and converts the vibration energy to a level of electric charge. The system and method further compares the level of electric charge with preset electric charge thresholds, and adjusts the level of electric charge to a preset level of electric charge according to the comparison. Then, the system and method converts the adjusted preset level of electric charge to a voltage, and outputs the voltage to vibrator, so as to adjust the frequency of the vibration according to the voltage.
US08248001B2
A LED control circuit and method generate a high frequency clock signal with a fixed duty for a LED driver, to supply a switching current to drive a LED to emit light flashing at a modulated high frequency and with a fixed duty. By controlling the flashing LED light within certain flashing frequency range, the circuit and method allow a LED light source for expelling, confusing or trapping insects but serving only an illuminative or decorative purpose to human eyes, due to the difference between human beings and insects in visual perception of flashing frequencies.
US08247992B2
A light-emitting diode (LED) driver circuit is provided, which includes a transistor, a current regulator, a release diode, and a voltage clamping device. The transistor is coupled in series with an LED string. The LED string is coupled between the transistor and a bus voltage. The current regulator is coupled to the transistor for regulating the current through the transistor and the LED string to a predetermined current. The release diode has an anode coupled between the LED string and the transistor. The voltage clamping device is coupled to the cathode of the release diode for clamping the voltage level at the cathode of the release diode to a predetermined voltage. The voltage clamping device protects the transistor from breakdown when the transistor is turned off for dimming control.
US08247986B2
A power conversion controller having an adaptive peak current reference, including: a peak current reference generation means, used for generating a peak current reference signal by performing an adaptive arithmetic operation on an output voltage feedback signal and a power source signal; and a comparator means, used for generating a gating signal by performing a voltage comparison operation on the peak current reference signal and a current sensing signal.
US08247985B2
The present invention provides a light tube for illumination by a power supply circuit including a bulb portion and a pair of end caps disposed at opposite ends of the bulb portion. A plurality of light emitting diodes are disposed inside the bulb portion and in electrical communication with the pair of end caps for illuminating in response to electrical current to be received from the power supply circuit.
US08247973B2
A high intensity discharge light source includes an arc tube having a longitudinal axis and discharge chamber formed therein. The light source includes first and second electrodes having inner terminal ends spaced from one another along the longitudinal axis. Each electrode extends at least partially into the discharge chamber. The discharge chamber is deformed so that its internal geometry is substantially rotationally asymmetric about its longitudinal axis, and is substantially mirror-symmetric relative to a plane spanned by the longitudinal axis and by another transverse axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and is vertical in a horizontal arc tube orientation, as well as substantially mirror-symmetric relative to a central plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. In a preferred embodiment of the disclosure the discharge lamp is of a single ended construction and the arc tube of the lamp is of double ended configuration, the discharge lamp having proximal and distal end electric lead wires to connect the arc tube to the lamp base, and the distal end electric lead wire is running below and parallel to the longitudinal discharge chamber axis in a horizontal lamp orientation, and its lateral direction coincides with the lateral direction of the central convex portion of the laterally complex concave-convex-concave deformed surface portion all along the longitudinal axis of the discharge chamber.
US08247965B2
An object of the invention is to provide a display device which can be manufactured with usability of a material improved and with a manufacturing step simplified and to provide a manufacturing technique thereof. One feature of a light emitting display device of the present invention is to comprise a gate electrode formed over a substrate having an insulating surface with a substance having a photocatalytic function therebetween, a gate insulating layer formed over the gate electrode, a semiconductor layer and a first electrode formed over the gate insulating layer, a wiring layer formed over the semiconductor layer, a partition wall covering an edge portion of the first electrode and the wiring layer, an electroluminescent layer over the first electrode, and a second electrode over the electroluminescent layer, wherein the wiring layer covers the edge portion of the first electrode.
US08247948B2
A oscillator include: a vibrator that vibrates in a thickness shear vibration mode; a first adsorption film formed in a first region in a first surface of the vibrator; a second adsorption film formed in a second region in a second surface of the vibrator opposing to the first surface; and a substrate with a surface on which the vibrator is erected, wherein the vibrator contacts the substrate in a third surface that is different from the first surface and the second surface.
US08247946B2
The present invention provides systems, devices, and related methods, involving electrochemical actuation. In some cases, application of a voltage or current to a system or device of the invention may generate a volumetric or dimensional change, which may produce mechanical work. For example, at least a portion of the system may be constructed and arranged to be displaced from a first orientation to a second orientation. Systems such as these may be useful in various applications, including pumps (e.g., infusion pumps) and drug delivery devices, for example.
US08247945B2
A micro-electro-mechanical transducer (such as a cMUT) is disclosed. The transducer has a substrate, a top plate, and a resilient structure therebetween. The resilient structure has multiple connectors distributed over the device element area to vertically transport the top player with distributed support. The resilient structure may be cantilevers formed using a middle spring layer covering cavities on the substrate. Connectors define a transducing space below the top plate. The resilient structure enables a vertical displacement of the connectors, which transports the top plate in a piston-like motion to change the transducing space and to effectuate energy transformation. No separate cells are necessary for each addressable transducer element. Multiple device elements can be made on the same substrate.
US08247939B2
A permanent magnet arrangement for an electrical machine comprises a support structure for carrying magnetic flux and a pole assembly fixed to the support structure. The pole assembly comprises a magnet pole comprising at least one piece of permanent magnet material and a magnet carrier on which the magnet pole is mounted and which provides a magnetic flux path between the magnet pole and the support structure. The permanent magnet arrangement further comprises a sleeve containing the magnet pole and at least part of the magnet carrier. The magnet carrier is secured to the support structure to fix the pole assembly to the support structure and the sleeve is clamped to the support structure by the magnet carrier. A method for assembling the permanent magnet arrangement is also described.
US08247936B2
An electric motor includes: a stator of columnar shape including a stator core of annular shape and mold resin molding the stator core, the stator core accommodating a rotor configured to rotate about a rotary shaft; and a temperature detecting element buried in the mold resin. The stator core includes a plurality of stator teeth around which a coil wounded around respectively. The temperature detecting element is buried in the mold resin from any one of the pair of end surfaces at a position between two adjacent stator teeth.
US08247935B2
A brushless motor stator is provided that may be applied to a plurality of types of motors having different rotational speeds, merely by providing one type of a circuit substrate. A pair of fitting convex portions that project radially outside of a virtual circle centering on a center line C are formed on one insulator divided body of a slot insulator. Three pairs of diagonally located fitting concave portions are formed in an inner circumferential wall portion surrounding a through-hole of a circuit substrate. The pair of fitting convex portions of the one insulator divided body are fitted in one of the three pairs of fitting concave portions. With this, a positional relationship between three hall elements and stator magnetic poles is selected, corresponding to the speed range of a motor to be used.
US08247924B1
A power supply and associated method include a power supply converter having a power output and configured to provide a supply voltage through the power output to a communications device. A simplified boost circuit is connected to the power supply converter in parallel but isolated from the power supply converter's bulk input capacitance during normal operation. The boost circuit includes at least one power storage circuit and a charging circuit connected thereto and configured to charge and maintain the power storage circuit to a predetermined voltage and switch the power storage circuit into the power supply converter during an undervoltage condition to transfer the stored power from the power storage circuit to the power supply converter and maintain the supply voltage to the communications device connected thereto for a required hold-up time.
US08247923B2
A photovoltaic system having a plurality of photovoltaic modules producing electric energy and method for operating such photovoltaic system are disclosed. With the method, the photovoltaic modules are connected to a first DC motor having a motor shaft, and a generator shaft of a three-phase generator is coupled to the motor shaft. The three-phase generator can be connected to a power grid. The motor shaft of a second DC motor can be connected to the generator shaft, with only one of the two DC motors being initially driven with the electric energy produced by the photovoltaic modules. The electric energy is subsequently divided among both the first and the second DC motor. This process significantly shortens the startup process of the photovoltaic system compared to conventional systems.
US08247922B2
A power device transforms input power into power for output, and includes an input unit, a power factor unit, an output unit, a power saving unit, and a control signal port. The power saving unit includes a first electronic switch, a first diode and a single-direction switch. The first electronic switch is connected between the input unit and the power factor unit. An anode of the first diode is connected to the input unit, and a cathode of the first diode is connected to the output unit. The single-direction switch is connected to the power factor unit and the output unit to block current from the output unit to the power factor unit. The control signal port controls an on/off state of the first electronic switch.
US08247920B2
A motor drive device includes first to third system main relays, a limiting resistor, and a control device. Upon start of the motor drive device, the control device determines whether or not the first and third system main relays are welded, based on voltage VH. If the control device determines that the first and third system main relays are both welded, then it prohibits a discharging process, which is to discharge a capacitor using motor generators.
US08247917B2
A control method for a wind turbine generator and storage battery unit connected to a power grid in parallel, includes calculating total active power and total reactive power, and switching between: a first mode in which the generator outputs turbine required active power and reactive power that can be outputted by the generator and the battery unit outputs battery required active power and battery required reactive power which correspond to a difference between the total active power and the turbine required active power and a difference between the total reactive power and the turbine required reactive power respectively; and a second mode in which the battery required active power is maintained and the battery required reactive power is reduced while the turbine reactive power is increased by an amount of the reduction of the battery required reactive power wherein apparent power exceeds a set battery unit apparent power.
US08247915B2
An energy storage and recovery system employs air compressed utilizing power from an operating wind turbine. This compressed air is stored within one or more chambers of a structure supporting the wind turbine above the ground. By functioning as both a physical support and as a vessel for storing compressed air, the relative contribution of the support structure to the overall cost of the energy storage and recovery system may be reduced, thereby improving economic realization for the combined turbine/support apparatus. In certain embodiments, expansion forces of the compressed air stored within the chamber, may be relied upon to augment the physical stability of a support structure, further reducing material costs of the support structure.
US08247914B2
Control features for a wind turbine that control the turbine over a range of wind speeds and under triggering conditions with reduced noise, cost, and reliability issues associated with other such controls. Control is accomplished via control electronics, which adjust the torque produced by the electrical output generation device (e.g., alternator) within the wind turbine. During normal operation, torque is adjusted for optimum aerodynamic performance and maximum output of power. In winds above rated power, the control circuit regulates torque to lower aerodynamic performance, as necessary to maintain desired power level output. In triggering conditions, such as during simultaneous control circuit failure and loss of some portion of the electrical output generation device in extreme winds, wind turbine control is accomplished by increasing torque (e.g., via a separate controller) from the electrical output generation device via shorting of windings, so as to cause retardation of blade rotation.
US08247909B2
A semiconductor device with a cavity structure comprises: a carrier substrate; a first die having an active surface and the pads thereon; a back surface of the first die is disposed on the carrier substrate; a second die having a top surface and a back surface and a cavity structure therein; the top surface of a second die is flipped to dispose on the first die, and the cavity structure is an inverse U-type to dispose between the active surface of the first die and the top surface of the second die; the wires is electrically connected the pads with the first connecting points; a package body encapsulated the first die, the second die, the wires, and the portion of the top surface of the carrier substrate; and the connecting components is disposed on the back surface of the carrier substrate and is electrically connected the second connecting points.
US08247907B2
Methods for forming interconnects in microelectronic workpieces and microelectronic workpieces formed using such methods are disclosed herein. One embodiment, for example, is directed to a method of processing a microelectronic workpiece including a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of microelectronic dies. The individual dies include integrated circuitry and a terminal electrically coupled to the integrated circuitry. The method can include forming a first opening in the substrate from a back side of the substrate toward a front side and in alignment with the terminal. The first opening has a generally annular cross-sectional profile and separates an island of substrate material from the substrate. The method can also include depositing an insulating material into at least a portion of the first opening, and then removing the island of substrate material to form a second opening aligned with at least a portion of the terminal. In several embodiments, the method may include constructing an electrically conductive interconnect in at least a portion of the second opening and in electrical contact with the terminal.
US08247902B2
In a semiconductor device, capacitance between copper interconnections is decreased and the insulation breakdown is improved simultaneously, and a countermeasure is taken for misalignment via by a manufacturing method including the steps of forming an interconnection containing copper as a main ingredient in an insulative film above a substrate, forming insulative films and a barrier insulative film for a reservoir pattern, forming an insulative film capable of suppressing or preventing copper from diffusing on the upper surface and on the lateral surface of the interconnection and above the insulative film and the insulative film, forming insulative films of low dielectric constant, in which the insulative film is formed such that the deposition rate above the opposing lateral surfaces of the interconnections is larger than the deposition rate therebelow to form an air gap between the adjacent interconnections and, finally, planarizing the insulative film by interlayer CMP.
US08247884B2
Disclosed is a semiconductor structure for producing a handle wafer contact in trench insulated SOI discs which may be used as a deep contact (7, 6, 30′) to the handle wafer (1) of a thick SOI disc as well as for a trench insulation (40). Therein, the same method steps are used for both structures which are used as deep contact to the handle wafer of the thick SOI disc as well as trench insulation.
US08247873B2
A semiconductor device includes a first MISFET and a second MISFET, wherein the first MISFET includes a semiconductor substrate 100, a first gate insulating film 101a and a first gate electrode 102a formed on the first region of the semiconductor substrate, and first side walls (103a, 120a) formed on the side surface of the first gate electrode 102a, and the second MISFET includes a second gate insulating film 101b and a second gate electrode 102b formed on the second region of the semiconductor substrate 100, and second side walls (103b, 120b) formed on the side surface of the second gate electrode 102b. The width of the first side wall is smaller than the width of the second side wall, and the second side wall includes the second spacer 103b containing a higher concentration of hydrogen than the first spacer 103a.
US08247869B2
A transistor including a source region, drain region, channel region, drift region, isolation region, a first gate structure over the channel region, and a second gate structure over the isolation region is provided. The drift region includes a first portion located under the isolation region and a second portion located laterally adjacent to the isolation region. The first gate structure is separated by a first separation space from the second gate structure. The first separation space is located over a portion of the second portion of the drift region and a portion of the isolation region.
US08247865B2
A semiconductor structure has a substrate with a first main surface and a second main surface, the substrate comprising a gate electrode region, a channel region, wherein a conductive channel can be generated, and a gate electrode insulation between the gate electrode region and the channel region.Further, a field electrode region with a curved external surface is provided for increasing a breakdown voltage of the semiconductor structure, wherein the field electrode region has an extension in every direction in parallel to the first main surface, which is lower than a maximum extension in the one direction perpendicular to the second main surface.
US08247863B2
A memory string comprises: a pair of columnar portions; a first insulating layer surrounding a side surface of the columnar portions; a charge storage layer surrounding a side surface of the first insulating layer; a second insulating layer surrounding a side surface of the charge storage layer; and a first conductive layer surrounding a side surface of the second insulating layer. A select transistor comprises: a second semiconductor layer extending from an upper surface of the columnar portions; a third insulating layer surrounding a side surface of the second semiconductor layer; a fourth insulating layer surrounding a side surface of the third insulating layer; and a second conductive layer surrounding a side surface of the fourth insulating layer. The first semiconductor layer is formed continuously in an integrated manner with the second semiconductor layer. The first insulating layer is formed continuously in an integrated manner with the third insulating layer.
US08247850B2
A method for making a semiconductor device is provided by (a) providing a substrate (203) having first (205) and second (207) gate structures thereon; (b) forming an underlayer (231) over the first and second gate structures; (c) removing the underlayer from the first gate structure; (d) forming a first stressor layer (216) over the first and second gate structures; and (e) selectively removing the first stressor layer from the second gate structure through the use of a first etch which is selective to the underlayer.
US08247847B2
A solid-state imaging device including a first transfer electrode portion and a second transfer electrode portion having a pattern area ratio higher than that of the first transfer electrode portion. The first transfer electrode portion includes a plurality of first transfer electrodes having a single-layer structure of metal material. The second transfer electrode portion includes a plurality of second transfer electrodes having a single-layer structure of polycrystalline silicon or amorphous silicon.
US08247845B2
Semiconductor devices, methods of manufacturing thereof, and methods of arranging circuit components of an integrated circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes an array of a plurality of devices arranged in a plurality of rows. At least one electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit or a portion thereof is disposed in at least one of the plurality of rows of the array of the plurality of devices.
US08247843B2
An etched grooved GaN-based permeable-base transistor structure is disclosed, along with a method for fabrication of same.
US08247842B2
A device includes a substrate; a buffer layer; and a device formation layer, wherein the buffer layer is formed by sequentially stacking, a plurality of times, a first nitride-based semiconductor layer made of a material having a lattice constant lower than a lattice constant of a material of the substrate; a first composition graded layer made of a material having a lattice constant gradually higher than the lattice constant of the first nitride-based semiconductor layer in a thickness direction; a second nitride-based semiconductor layer made of a material having a lattice constant higher than the lattice constant of the first nitride-based semiconductor layer; and a second composition graded layer made of a material having a lattice constant gradually lower than the lattice constant of the second nitride-based semiconductor layer in the thickness direction, and the second composition graded layer is thicker than the first composition graded layer.
US08247839B2
An ESD protection circuit including an SCR having at least one PNP transistor and at least one NPN transistor such that at least one of the PNP transistor and the NPN transistor having an additional second collector. The circuit further including at least one control circuit coupled to the at least one second collector to control holding voltage of the SCR.
US08247833B2
An LED package includes a base, an LED chip, and an encapsulant. The LED chip is mounted on the base, and is enclosed by the encapsulant. The base includes a substrate and a blocking wall integrally formed with the substrate. The blocking wall divides a surface of the substrate into a first bonding area and a second bonding area. An electrically conductive layer and a solder are formed on the bonding area in sequence. The blocking wall can block the first and second solder to overflow outside the first and second bonding area at soldering respectively. A method for manufacturing the LED package is also provided.
US08247828B2
An illumination device includes an active layer, such as a blue LED, covered with a first luminescent ceramic converter layer and partially covered with a second luminescent ceramic converter layer. The first and second conversion layers convert primary photons emitted by the active layer into photons of different, longer wavelengths. The color point of the illumination device can be adjusted by adjusting the relative size of the second conversion layer.
US08247818B2
A semiconductor layer of a TFT is continuously formed from an inside of an open hole portion overlapping with an intersection up to an outside of the open hole portion and includes a first source/drain area electrically connected to a surface portion of the data line exposed to a bottom surface of the open hole portion, a channel area disposed on a side wall of the open hole portion, and a second source/drain area formed outside the open hole portion and electrically connected to the pixel electrode. The gate electrode of the TFT is formed inside the open hole portion so as to overlap with at least the channel area and is electrically connected to a scanning line.
US08247816B2
A thin film transistor array panel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a gate electrode; a semiconductor layer; a gate insulating layer disposed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor layer; a source electrode connected to the semiconductor layer; and a drain electrode connected to the semiconductor layer, spaced apart from the source electrode, and including two branches overlapping the gate electrode, wherein the two branches of the drain electrode are spaced apart from each other and lie on a straight line or on two parallel straight lines.
US08247812B2
An object is to suppress deterioration in electric characteristics in a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer or a semiconductor device including the transistor. In a transistor in which a channel layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor, a silicon layer is provided in contact with a surface of the oxide semiconductor layer, an impurity semiconductor layer is provided over the silicon layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer are provided to be electrically connected to the impurity semiconductor layer.
US08247798B2
Circuits for processing radio frequency (“RF”) and microwave signals are fabricated using field effect transistors (“FETs”) that have one or more strained channel layers disposed on one or more planarized substrate layers. FETs having such a configuration exhibit improved values for, for example, transconductance and noise figure. RF circuits such as, for example, voltage controlled oscillators (“VCOs”), low noise amplifiers (“LNAs”), and phase locked loops (“PLLs”) built using these FETs also exhibit enhanced performance.
US08247788B2
The nonvolatile memory device includes at least one pair of first electrode lines, at least one device structure disposed between the at least one pair of first electrode lines and a dielectric layer disposed between the at least one device structure and the at least one pair of first electrode lines. The at least one device structure includes a second electrode line including a first conductive type semiconductor, a resistance changing material layer adjacent to the second electrode line, a channel adjacent to the resistance changing material layer and including a second conductive type semiconductor different from the first conductive type semiconductor and a third electrode line adjacent to the channel and including the first conductive type semiconductor.
US08247770B2
In a thermal imaging camera (1) with an IR sensor arrangement (2) and an interchangeable IR lens (5), an image processing unit (12) and a data processing unit (13) are provided with which at least one feature (8, 9) can be extracted from a recorded IR image (6) and a numerical value (14) can be derived from this feature, wherein the numerical value (14) is determined by the distortion of the interchangeable IR lens (5), and a mapping (16) of lens characteristics (17, 18, 19) with the determinable numerical values (14) is stored.
US08247769B2
The present invention relates to methods and systems for 4D ultrafast electron microscopy (UEM)—in situ imaging with ultrafast time resolution in TEM. Single electron imaging is used as a component of the 4D UEM technique to provide high spatial and temporal resolution unavailable using conventional techniques. Other embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and systems for convergent beam UEM, focusing the electron beams onto the specimen to measure structural characteristics in three dimensions as a function of time. Additionally, embodiments provide not only 4D imaging of specimens, but characterization of electron energy, performing time resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS).
US08247763B2
The main voltage generator (5) applies a rectangular-wave radio-frequency voltage to the ring electrode (21) in order to capture ions inside the ion trap (2). In the case where the TOFMS (3) is operated in the reflectron mode, the radio-frequency voltage is changed into a constant voltage value when the phase thereof is 1.5π, and a voltage for expelling ions is applied to the end cap electrodes (22, 23) to expel the ions from the exit aperture (25) and introduce them into the TOFMS (3). In this case, since the velocity spread of the ions inside the ion trap (2) is small and so is the spatial spread thereof, a high mass resolution and accuracy can be achieved while assuring a high detection sensitivity. In the case where the TOFMS (3) is operated in the linear mode, the radio-frequency voltage is changed into a constant voltage value when the phase thereof is 0.5π, and then the ions are expelled. In this case, a high mass resolution and mass accuracy can be achieved since the variation of the ions' acceleration, which cannot be converged in the linear mode, can be suppressed.
US08247762B2
Molecules of a specific species can be selectively excited among molecules of a plurality of species that show only a slight difference of mass. Energy levels can be displayed on a graph where the horizontal axis indicates excitation energy. Assume an instance where an electromagnetic wave showing a comb-shaped spectrum having a plurality of narrow bands as indicated by P1 through P14 and tuning with excitation energies corresponding to the rotational levels of molecule X is irradiated onto the molecule X. The molecule X can sequentially make transitions to higher energy levels by using an electromagnetic wave showing such a comb-shaped spectrum. The energy levels of molecule Y are not synchronized with the comb-shaped spectrum. The two ranges of Y4 through Y7 and Y12 through Y15 operate as gates and the molecule Y cannot make transition from a rotational level to another when a gate is found between them.
US08247754B2
A focal plane array suitable for use in hyperspectral imaging applications is provided. The focal plane array comprises pixels comprising arrays of photodiodes, wherein each photodiode in each array is selectively sensitive to a different wavelength of a set of wavelengths.
US08247749B2
Large, non-unitarily forged shaft workpieces such as a crankshaft have successive shaft features inductively heated and forged without cool down between each sectional forging process. The temperature profile along the axial length of the next section of the shaft workpiece to be inductively heated and forged is measured prior to heating, and the induced heat energy along the axial length of the next section is dynamically adjusted responsive to the measured temperature profile to achieve a required pre-forge temperature distribution along the axial length of the next section prior to forging.
US08247747B2
A plasticating barrel is provided with a primary heating system having at least one laminated ceramic heater, where the ceramic heater has an electrical insulating layer interposed between the ceramic heater layer and an outer wall of the barrel, and the longitudinal length of the ceramic heater is arranged over a portion of the barrel length. A secondary heating system may also be provided and overlaps, at least in part, the primary heating system.
US08247746B2
A connector for incorporation into a heater system for inlet struts includes a body having a tapered forward end and an opposite rear end. A plurality of forward electrical terminals are formed on the outer surface of the tapered end. A plurality of rearward electrical terminals are formed on the rear end of the body. The rearward electrical terminals are in electrical connection with the forward electrical terminals. The forward electrical terminals on the tapered end are in electrical contact with a plurality of electrical contacts connected to heating elements formed in a heating mat. The heating mat entirely envelops the connector. The heater mat is formed within a substantially rigid outer shell.
US08247718B2
A button structure for actuating a switch includes a pressing part, a protruding part connected to a side of the pressing part for being driven to actuate the switch when the pressing part is pressed, and a constraining part. An end of the constraining part is connected to the pressing part in an elastically deformable manner. A guiding slot is formed on the constraining part. The button structure further includes a fixing part. An end of the fixing part is disposed inside the guiding slot. The guiding slot slides relative to the fixing part when the pressing part is pressed.
US08247717B2
A power button assembly includes a printed circuit board having a switch, a support plate engaging with the printed circuit board, and a push button to activate the switch. The support plate includes abutting portions to elastically abut against the push button, and one of the support plate and the push button includes hook portions, and the other includes latching portions engaging with the hook portions.
US08247714B2
A back lighted membrane keyboard includes a key housing, a membrane, a key support plate, a membrane circuit board, an insulative plate, a light guide membrane plate, and a base plate. The key housing, the membrane, the key support plate, the membrane circuit board, the insulative plate, and the light guide membrane plate are aligned by inserting stems thereinto. Eventually, these components are subjected to ultrasonic welding to be bound together.
US08247711B2
An intermittent motion checkweigher for weighing products of interest. The checkweigher includes a product transport wheel having a plurality of product retention pockets, each of which retains one or more products of interest throughout the weighing operation. Products are loaded into a product retention pocket by an in-feed conveyor or similar device, after which the product transport wheel is indexed to advance the products in the product retention pocket toward one or more weighing devices where the products will be weighed while still located in the product retention pocket. After weighing, the products are advanced to a discharge conveyor or similar device by further indexing of the product transport wheel.
US08247701B2
This invention provides an electroconductive particle placement sheet comprising electroconductive particles and an insulating resin sheet. The thickness of the insulating resin sheet is smaller than the average particle diameter of the electroconductive particles. Electroconductive particles are protruded from the reference plane (P1) on at least one side of the insulating resin sheet. The electroconductive particle in is part protruded from the reference plane (P1) is covered with a layer formed of the same resin as in the insulating resin sheet.
US08247686B2
Thin film photovoltaic devices are provided that generally include a transparent conductive oxide layer on the glass, a multi-layer n-type stack on the transparent conductive oxide layer, and an absorber layer (e.g., a cadmium telluride layer) on the multi-layer n-type stack. The multi-layer n-type stack generally includes a first layer (e.g., a cadmium sulfide layer) and a second layer (e.g., a mixed phase layer). The multi-layer n-type stack can, in certain embodiments, include additional layers (e.g., a third layer, a fourth layer, etc.). Methods are also generally provided for manufacturing such thin film photovoltaic devices.
US08247679B2
An apparatus for generating electrical power from the waste heat generated by an internal combustion engine includes a first pipe wall through which a heated medium flows, a thermoelectric generator disposed exteriorly to the inner pipe wall, and a second pipe wall disposed exteriorly to the thermoelectric generator. The first pipe wall and the second pipe wall form at least a partially double-walled pipe. The first pipe wall saves as a high-temperature source. The second pipe wall serves as a low-temperature source.
US08247673B1
A string tuning system useful for both acoustic and amplified instruments provides a nondestructive method and kit to replace existing thumb peg tuning controls with ergonomic orbital controls. Orbital controls are sometimes referred to as “orbs” and may comprise round tuning knobs that make string manipulation ergonomic. In one embodiment, a tuning assembly 800 comprises a headstock bolt 650, comprising a threaded shaft section 651 and nut section 652, with the headstock bolt 650 fitting into the housing 506 of the string attachment shaft 500. The main wall 103 of the orb contains a perpendicular orb void 105, the orb void 105 being sometimes used to accept an orb set screw 106. The orb 100 also comprises an interior center vertical void 104, the interior center vertical void 104 sometimes used to accept an orb collar 107. The orb collar 107 comprising a main pipe like body 114, a bottom edge 109, a top edge 110, an interior vertical void 111 and a perpendicular void 108.
US08247656B2
The invention provides seed and plants of cucumber hybrid Darlington and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of cucumber hybrid Darlington and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a cucumber plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another cucumber plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US08247646B2
The present invention provides methods to increase crop yield utilizing transgenic complementary paired genes controlling plant growth and yield. The specific genes increase female reproductive organs and are paired with genes responsible for modifying the growth of non-yield specific plant tissues. Plants, plant progeny, seeds and tissues created by these methods are also described. Polynucleotides encoding the paired sequences are provided for expression in a plant of interest. Expression cassettes, plants, plant cells, plant parts and seeds comprising the sequences of the invention are further provided. In specific embodiments, the polynucleotide is operably linked to a constitutive promoter.
US08247640B2
The present invention concerns highly swellable absorption mediums with a reduced caking tendency at high humidity and/or high temperatures, wherein a swellable polymer is coated with a non-ionic, nitrogen-containing surfactant and optionally a Lewis acid and then reacted by heating.
US08247634B2
A custom fabricated (e.g. custom shaped and dimensioned) primary wound dressing part that matches a corresponding, pre-mapped integumentary wound is combined with dressing extension parts to form a composite wound dressing system. The primary wound dressing part may include one or more liquid flow barriers composed for example of a hydrophobic and high viscosity liquid embedded in a layer of the primary wound dressing part. The dressing extension parts may include interconnect portals for operatively interconnecting with the primary wound dressing part so that liquids may be securely moved between primary wound dressing part and the extension parts.
US08247632B2
A method of producing a hydrocarbon product by hydrotreating a feedstock comprising triacylglyceride (TAG) and TAG-derived materials such as free fatty acid (FFA) and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) in the presence of a nonsulfided hydrotreating catalyst to produce a first product comprising hydrocarbons. A method of producing a transportation fuel by selecting an undoped feedstock comprising virgin TAG, used TAG, FFA, and FAME or a combination thereof; hydrotreating the undoped feedstock in the presence of an unsulfided hydrotreating catalyst to produce a first product and subjecting the first product to at least one process selected from aromatization, cyclization, and isomerization to produce a second hydrocarbon product selected from gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel, and diesel fuels. A method is described by which fatty acids may be converted to hydrocarbons suitable for use as liquid transportation fuels. Additionally, the method allows for the blending of fatty acids with TAGs, and the conversion of such blends to hydrocarbons suitable for use as liquid transportation fuels. The method utilizes a catalyst and hydrogen as reductant to convert fatty acids to hydrocarbons. Subsequent steps, including dewatering, isomerization, and distillation, can provide a hydrocarbon mixture useful as a liquid transportation fuel or as a blendstock with petroleum transportation fuels.
US08247627B2
In a process for producing phenol and/or cyclohexanone, benzene and hydrogen are contacted with a first catalyst in a hydroalkylation step to produce a first effluent stream comprising cyclohexylbenzene, cyclohexane, and unreacted benzene. At least part of the first effluent stream is supplied to a first separation system to divide the first effluent stream part into a cyclohexylbenzene-rich stream and a C6 product stream comprising unreacted benzene and cyclohexane.
US08247626B2
To provide a method for purifying tetrafluoroethylene by removing, from tetrafluoroethylene containing a polymerization inhibitor, the polymerization inhibitor by adsorption.A method of bringing tetrafluoroethylene containing a polymerization inhibitor into contact with a silica gel containing a metal salt in an amount of from 250 to 100,000 mass ppm as calculated as metal atoms to remove the polymerization inhibitor by adsorption, and the metal salt is preferably a salt of a metal of Group 3 to 13 of the Periodic Table, more preferably a salt of a metal of Group 8 to 10 of the Periodic Table. For example, as the metal salt, a salt of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium and platinum may be used.
US08247614B2
Fluorinated copolymers are prepared via copolycondensation polymerization in a process comprising reacting A) a telechelic fluoroazido compound of formula N3(Y)p—(CH2)n—R—(CH2)m—(Y)pN3, wherein Y is SO, SO2, C6H4, or CO, p=0 or 1, n and m are independently 1 to 4, and R is selected from the group consisting of i) a C3-C10 fluoroalkylene group, ii) a C3-C10 fluoroalkoxylene group, iii) a substituted aryl group, iv) an oligomer comprising copolymerized units of vinylidene fluoride and perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether), v) an oligomer comprising copolymerized units of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene, vi) an oligomer comprising copolymerized units of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether), and vii) an oligomer comprising copolymerized units of tetrafluoroethylene and a hydrocarbon olefin with B) a telechelic diyne or dinitrile compound in the presence of copper halide catalyst.
US08247612B2
There is provided an organic sulfur compound having an excellent controlling effect on harmful arthropods represented by the formula (I): wherein, R1 represents a C1-C5 haloalkyl group having at least one fluorine atom, R2 represents a C1-C4 alkyl group optionally substituted with at least one halogen atom or the like, R3 represents a hydrogen atom or the like, R4 represents a cyano group or the like, R5 represents a hydrogen atom or the like, m represents an integer of 1 to 4, and n represents 0, 1 or 2.
US08247603B2
The present invention concerns deuterated catecholamine derivatives as well as pharmaceuticals containing these compounds. In addition, the invention concerns the use of deuterated catecholamine derivatives as well as physiologically acceptable salts thereof, and also pharmaceutical compositions, which contain these compounds, also in combination with enzyme inhibitors, for the treatment of dopamine deficiency diseases or diseases which are based on disrupted tyrosine transport or disrupted tyrosine decarboxylase, as well as other disorders.
US08247600B2
Systems and methods for processing glycerol into one or more products are provided. In at least one specific embodiment, the method can include decreasing a pH of a mixture comprising glycerol and fatty acids to produce an emulsion comprising a glycerol-rich portion and a fatty acids-rich portion. At least a portion of the glycerol-rich portion can be reacted with an acid comprising phosphorus at conditions sufficient to produce a reacted product comprising glycerophosphoric acid, glycerol, and a portion of the acid.
US08247598B2
The present invention provides both crosslinked polymer compositions capable of forming hydrogels upon exposure to an aqueous environment and thiosulfonate hydrogel-forming components. The thiosulfonate hydrogel-forming components of the invention are preferably multi-arm thiosulfonate polymer derivatives that form a crosslinked polymer composition when exposed to a base without requiring the presence of a second cross-linking reagent, redox catalyst, or radiation. Methods for forming hydrogel compositions, as well as methods for using the hydrogels, are also provided.
US08247593B2
A one-pot process of preparing a substituted 7-cyano quinone methide in which i) a substituted phenol is chloromethylated to form a substituted 4-chloromethylphenol; ii) converting the substituted 4-chloromethylphenol to a substituted 4-cyanomethylphenol; and iii) oxidizing the substituted 4-cyanomethylphenol to the substituted 7-cyano quinone methide, where steps i)-iii) are carried out in a single reaction vessel in a solvent system comprising water and one or more organic solvents and where after steps i) and ii) the aqueous portion of the reaction mixture is removed and the reagents for the subsequent step are added in aqueous solution. The 7-cyano quinone methides are effective inhibitors of the polymerization of reactive monomers.
US08247583B2
Disclosed is a 3-ethyloxethane compound having a hydroxyl group which is represented by the following general formula (1). (1) (In the formula, A represents an alkylene group having 3-5 carbon atoms which may have an ether bond or an alkylene group having 3-5 carbon atoms which may be substituted by a hydroxyl group.) The 3-ethyloxethane compound having a hydroxyl group can be produced by reacting a 3-ethyloxethane compound represented by the general formula (2) below, a diol compound represented by the general formula (3) below and a base. (2) (In the formula, X represents a leaving group.) (3) (In the formula, A is as defined above.)
US08247577B2
An optical recording material comprising at least one kind of a cyanine compound represented by the following general formula (I): wherein ring A and ring B each independently represent a benzene ring or a naphthalene ring which may have a substituent; R1 represents a group represented by the general formula (II), (II′) or (II″); R2, R3 and R4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an organic group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, or a group represented by the general formula (II), (II′) or (II″); R3 and R4 may be linked together to form a ring structure; Y1 and Y2 each independently represent an organic group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms or a group represented by the general formula (III); X represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a phenyl group which may have a substituent, a benzyl group which may have a substituent, or a cyano group; Anm− represents an m-valent anion; m is 1 or 2; and p represents a coefficient keeping the charge neutral.
US08247576B2
The invention provides compounds of the formula: (I) having protein kinase B inhibiting activity: wherein A is a saturated hydrocarbon linker group containing from 1 to 7 carbon atoms, the linker group having a maximum chain length of 5 atoms extending between R1 and NR2R3 and a maximum chain length of 4 atoms extending between E and NR2R3, wherein one of the carbon atoms in the linker group may optionally be replaced by an oxygen or nitrogen atom; and wherein the carbon atoms of the linker group A may optionally bear one or more substituents selected from oxo, fluorine and hydroxy, provided that the hydroxy group when present is not located at a carbon atom a with respect to the NR2R3 group and provided that the oxo group when present is located at a carbon atom a with respect to the NR2R3 group; E is a monocyclic or bicyclic carbocyclic or heterocyclic group; R1 is an aryl or heteroaryl group; and R2, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined in the claims. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds, methods for preparing the compounds and their use as anticancer agents.
US08247575B2
Disclosed is a carbazole derivative and a light-emitting element, a light-emitting device, and an electronic device using thereof. The carbazole derivative possesses an oxadiazole moiety or a quinoxaline moiety as a heteroaromatic ring having an electron-transporting property and a carbazole moiety having a hole-transporting property. The ability of the carbazole derivative to transport both electrons and holes and its large excitation energy larger than a triplet excitation energy of a phosphorescent compound allow the formation of a phosphorescent light-emitting element having well-controlled carrier balance, which contributes to the formation of light-emitting devices and electronic devices that are capable of being driven at a low voltage, have a long lifetime, and consume low power. The detailed structure of the carbazole derivative is defined in the specification.
US08247574B2
The use of Pt- and Pd-bis- and tetracarbene complexes with bridged carbene ligands in organic light-emitting diodes, organic light-emitting diodes comprising at least one aforementioned Pt- or Pd-carbene complex, at least one transition metal-carbene complex of the general formula I and/or II, organic light-emitting diodes where the at least one transition metal-carbene complex of the general formula I and/or II is present in the light-emitting layer, a blocking layer for electrons, a blocking layer for excitons and/or a blocking layer for holes, a light-emitting layer comprising at least one aforementioned Pt- or Pd-carbene complex, organic light-emitting diodes comprising at least one inventive light-emitting layer, and devices which comprise at least one inventive organic light-emitting diode.
US08247564B2
The invention is directed to compounds of formula I: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7a, R7b, W, G1, G2, a, b, c, d and m are as defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate or stereoisomer thereof. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; methods of using such compounds; and process and intermediates for preparing such compounds.
US08247555B2
The invention provides a crystalline sulfate salt of 3-endo-(8-{2-[cyclohexylmethyl-((S)-2,3-dihydroxy-propionyl)amino]ethyl}-8-aza-bicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yl)benzamide or a solvate thereof. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising such crystalline salt forms, methods of using such crystalline salt forms to treat diseases associated with mu opioid receptor activity, and processes useful for preparing such crystalline salt forms.
US08247554B1
A “real time” method for detecting chemical agents generally and particularly electrophilic and nucleophilic species by employing tunable, precursor sensor materials that mimic the physiological interaction of these agents to form highly florescent berberine-type alkaloids that can be easily and rapidly detected. These novel precursor sensor materials can be tuned for reaction with both electrophilic (chemical species, toxins) and nucleophilic (proteins and other biological molecules) species. By bonding or otherwise attaching these precursor molecules to a surface or substrate they can be used in numerous applications.
US08247553B2
The present invention generally relates to a new process of making a trialkyl aluminum compound in which at least one alkyl group is a primary alkyl derived from an internal olefin or alpha-olefin. The process employs an isomerization/hydroalumination catalyst.
US08247548B2
N-bridged PCBMs are prepared by the cycloaddition of an organic azide to C60. The N-bridged PCBMs are imino PCBMs, exemplified by an isomeric mixture of [5,6]-open APCBM and [6,6]-closed APCBM. An organic electronic material containing a fullerene adduct, such as an organic field effect transistor or an organic photovoltaic device, is provided containing the N-bridged PCBM as the fullerene adduct.
US08247542B2
Newly identified mammalian taste-cell-specific G protein-coupled receptors, and the genes and cDNA encoding said receptors are described. Specifically, T1R G protein-coupled receptors active in taste signaling, and the genes and cDNA encoding the same, are described, along with methods for isolating such genes and for isolating and expressing such receptors. Methods for representing taste perception of a particular tastant in a mammal are also described, as are methods for generating novel molecules or combinations of molecules that elicit a predetermined taste perception in a mammal, and methods for simulating one or more tastes. Further, methods for stimulating or blocking taste perception in a mammal are also disclosed.
US08247540B2
There is disclosed nucleotides and nucleotide analogs having a protecting or “caging” group. There is further disclosed oligonucleotides and oligonucleotides analogs formed having a protecting or “caging” group. There is further disclosed a method for decaging the nucleotides and nucleotide analogs having a protecting or “caging” group and oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide analogs having a caging group.
US08247539B2
The invention concerns a process for preparing a hybrid organic-inorganic material (HOIM) with phosphorus-containing bridges between the surface of an inorganic substrate containing an element M and one or more organic groups of the covalent M-O-P-R type, said process using, as a precursor for said organic group or groups, at least one organophosphorus acid halide with formula RxP(O)Xy in which x=1 or 2, y=3−x, X being a halogen and R designating at least one organic alkyl, aryl or aryl-alkyl group.Non-exhaustive applications for the hybrid organic-inorganic material obtained by the process of the invention are in the fields of anti-corrosion, lubrication, microelectronics, nanotechnologies, composite materials, heterogeneous catalysis, supported catalysis, depollution and biomedical applications.
US08247534B2
The present invention addresses a novel method of preparing radiofluorinated peptide-based compounds and introducing those compounds into an automated radiosynthesis apparatus with the aid of microwave activation. The present invention further relates to obtaining radiopharmaceutical kits utilizing microwave activation technology for the preparation of obtaining peptide based compounds as well as a method for the use of preparing a peptide based compound.
US08247528B2
A composite material includes a body and a plurality of nano-scale probes. The body is made of a polymer. The plurality of nano-scale probes is embedded in the body. The nano-scale probes are substantially uniformly distributed in the polymer matrix. A method for making the composite material is further provided.
US08247521B2
New multifunctional aromatic copolymers bearing pyridine or pyrimidine units either in the main chain or side chain and single wall carbon nanotubes or multi wall carbon nanotubes as side chain pendants have been prepared. These multifunctional materials will combine both high proton and electrical conductivity due to the existence of polar pyridine or pyrimidine groups and carbon nanotubes within the same chemical structure. The prepared multifunctional materials can be used in the catalyst ink of the electrodes in high temperature PEM fuel cells.
US08247513B2
Materials crosslinkable at room temperature by condensation, based on organosilicon compounds which cure to give permanently resilient materials, are catalyzed by a compound of the main or subgroups I and II in conjunction with an inorganic acid as a catalyst.
US08247510B2
A homopolymer having a monomer unit such as an isopropylidene diallylmalonate unit; a process for producing said homopolymer comprising the step of homopolymerising a monomer such as isopropylidene diallylmalonate; a copolymer containing said monomer unit and an ethylene unit and/or α-olefin unit; and a process for producing said copolymer comprising the step of copolymerizing a monomer such as isopropylidene diallylmalonate with at least ethylene and/or an α-olefin.
US08247509B2
The present invention relates to a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition used for a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet to be directly attached to a metal surface, the composition including, a monomer mixture or an acrylic copolymer material obtained by at least partially polymerizing the monomer mixture, the monomer mixture including: at least one monomer (monomer m1) selected from alkyl(meth)acrylates represented by the following formula (I): CH2═C(R1)COOR2 in which R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and R2 is an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and N-methylol (meth)acrylamide (monomer m2); in which the monomer m1 and the monomer m2 are contained in a total amount of 60% by weight or more based on the total amount of the monomer mixture, and the monomer mixture includes substantially no carboxyl group-containing monomer.
US08247506B2
This invention provides a polytetrafluoroethylene powder capable of giving moldings which are improved in surface roughness Ra, tensile strength and/or tensile elongation as compared with the prior art ones and can be excellent in dielectric breakdown strength and, further, can be excellent, if desired, in apparent density and/or powder flowability as well, and a method of producing a polytetrafluoroethylene molding powder. The present invention is a PTFE powder wherein a surface roughness Ra of molded articles a1 for measurement is less than 0.92 μm.
US08247503B2
The object of the present invention is to provide an adhesive composition which can form a thinner adhesive layer, which has good storage stability and which can actualize high package reliability even when exposed to severe reflow conditions in a semiconductor package in which a semiconductor chip being reduced in a thickness is mounted, and an adhesive sheet having an adhesive layer comprising the adhesive composition.The adhesive composition of the present invention comprises an epoxy thermosetting resin (A), a thermosetting agent (B) and a thermosetting accelerating agent (C); the thermosetting accelerating agent (C) being soluble in methyl ethyl ketone and inactive as a thermosetting accelerating agent at room temperature.
US08247501B2
Compositions are described that include a) from 15 weight percent to 60 weight percent of one or more random alkylene oxide interpolymers, each having a weight average molecular weight ranging from 250 g/mol to 2000 g/mol and comprising from 30 weight percent to 60 weight percent of polymer units derived from ethylene oxide; and b) from 40 weight percent to 85 weight percent of one or more alkylene oxide block interpolymers, each having a weight average molecular weight ranging from 1500 g/mol to 4000 g/mol and comprising from 40 weight percent to 90 weight percent propylene oxide blocks. The compositions have a first viscosity in the absence of water and a second viscosity that is at least 60 percent of the first viscosity when at least 10 weight percent water is present. Methods of lubricating surfaces, particularly, marine bearing surfaces with such compositions, are also described.
US08247492B2
Powder compositions and articles and methods of forming articles from powder compositions are provided. In one embodiment the powder compositions include at least one polyester polymer powder and an amount of reinforcing particles having an aspect ratio of preferably at least about 5:1. In another embodiment the powder compositions include at least one medium-high melting temperature, aromatic and crystalline polyester polymer powder. In a preferred embodiment, the powder composition is capable of being formed, via a laser sintering process, into a three-dimensional article that exhibits one or more desirable mechanical properties in an elevated temperature environment.
US08247486B2
Creep resistant fluoropolymer is made by blending a melt-fabricable fluoropolymer having a melt flow rate of no greater than about 7 g/10 min with milled carbon fiber and forming the resultant blend into an article, the carbon fiber content of the blend being from about 15 to 35 wt % based on the combined weight of the carbon fiber and the fluoropolymer.
US08247483B2
A rotation molded body obtained by rotation molding of a polyolefin composition comprising a polyolefin and a phosphite of the formula (I).
US08247478B2
A thermoplastic resin composition of the present invention has high impact resistance, not lowering the weather resistance thereof, even though the amount of an impact resistance improver added thereto is small. The thermoplastic resin composition contains 100 parts by weight of (A) a thermoplastic resin and from 0.5 to 20 parts by weight of (B) a graft copolymer, wherein the graft copolymer (B) contains from 70% to 99% by weight of a crosslinked core (b2) prepared through polymerization of a monomer for the core (b2), containing 70% by weight or more of an acrylate, in the presence of from 0.5% to 20% by weight of a non-crosslinked seed (b1) having a weight-average molecular weight of 40,000 or less, and from 0.5% to 10% by weight of a shell (b3) prepared through polymerization of a monomer for the shell (b3) containing 50% by weight or more of a methacrylate, and the thermoplastic composition further contains from 0.01 to 3.0 parts by weight of (C) a water-soluble polymer compound having the property of forming a physical gel, relative to 100 parts by weight of the graft copolymer (B).
US08247476B2
In order to provide a curable casting compound by means of which plastic molded parts, having a structured surface and improved cleanability, can be produced, it is proposed that the casting compound comprises a binder material and a filler material, wherein the filler material is ca. 40 to ca. 85% by weight of the casting compound, and comprises two or more filler fractions, wherein a first filler fraction consists of solid granular mineral particles, and a second filler fraction consists of dimensionally stable hollow microspheres, and wherein the second filler fraction is ca. 1% by volume or more of the casting compound.
US08247474B2
A base layer is formed on the surface of metal plate, metal pipe, unbaked ceramic sheet, laminated ceramic green sheet, etc., the base layer causing a gelling reaction with inkjet-ink. The base layer improves ink acceptability for low viscosity inks such as inkjet-ink, and prevents oozing, draining, uneven thickness of an ink pattern and a resist pattern. Thus, the present invention enables to use an ink jet process for providing resist patterns for etching, etc., which has to fulfill stringent high precision requirements.
US08247473B2
The present invention provides a colorant dispersion for a recording ink containing at least a dispersant, a colorant, and water, wherein the dispersant is a polycarboxylic acid dispersant containing units represented by formulae (1) to (3): where R1, R2, and R4 are selected from a hydrogen atom and CH3; R3 is selected from a hydrogen atom and a C1-C3 alkyl group; R5 represents a C1-C3 alkyl group; AO and BO represent a C2-C3 oxyalkylene group; M is selected from alkali metal, alkali earth metal, ammonium, and organic amine; m represents an integer of 1 to 30; and n represents an integer of 5 to 50.
US08247467B2
The invention relates to a process for producing flexible polyurethane foams by reacting a) polyisocyanates with b) compounds having at least two hydrogen atoms which are reactive toward isocyanate groups in the presence of c) blowing agents, wherein the component b) comprises at least one polyether carbonate polyol bi) which can be prepared by addition of carbon dioxide and alkylene oxides onto H-functional starter substances using DMC catalysts and has a functionality of at least 2, a hydroxyl number in the range from 10 to 500 mg KOH/g and a content of incorporated carbon dioxide in the form of carbonate units of at least 2% by weight.
US08247466B2
A polyurethane foam sponge that picks up at least 80% of water in a wipe dry performance test is made by variably felting (compressing under heat and pressure) a foam sheet to a compression ratio of about 1.05 to 2.9. The resulting foam sponge has from 5% to 25% of its top and bottom surface portions modified by the variable felting, while its core portion remains substantially unmodified.
US08247464B2
A selective high intensity ultrasonic foaming technique is described to fabricate porous polymers for biomedical applications. Process variables, including ultrasound power, scanning speed, and gas concentration have an affect on pore size. Pore size can be controlled with the scanning speed of the ultrasound insonation and interconnected porous structures could be obtained using a partially saturated polymers. A gas concentration range of 3-5% by weight creates interconnected open-celled porous structures. The selective high intensity ultrasonic foaming method can be used on biocompatible polymers so as not to introduce any organic solvents. The method has use in cell related biomedical applications such as studying cell growth behaviors by providing a porous environment with varying topological features.
US08247460B2
The invention relates to a method of treatment for muscular dystrophies, including Duchenne, Becker, limb-girdle, facioscapulohumeral, congenital muscular dystrophies and the like using a combination of nitric oxide-releasing and anti-inflammatory compounds.
US08247459B2
There is provided a composition comprising an oil medium, wherein particles are suspended in said oil medium, wherein said particles comprise cyclopropene and molecular encapsulating agent, and wherein said particles have median size, as measured by the largest dimension, of 50 micrometer or less. Also provided are a method of making such a composition and a method of treating plants by contact with such a composition.
US08247458B2
A therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy which comprises (±)-[2-[4-(3-ethoxy-2-hydroxypropoxy)phenylcarbamoyl]-ethyl]dimethylsulfonium p-toluenesulfonate of the formula (1) as an active ingredient.
US08247457B2
Vasoconstrictors are administered topically to provide protection against the adverse effects, e.g., alopecia, mucositis or dermatitis, induced by chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Appropriate dosages and formulations of topical vasoconstrictors are provided. Methods for the use of such compositions are also provided.
US08247453B2
The present invention is directed to the use of a compound of formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, for the treatment of disorders mediated by the melanocortin-5 receptor, particularly dermatological disorders; and further directed to pharmaceutical compositions containing the compound of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US08247452B2
The invention relates to urea- and urethane-substituted acylureas and to their physiologically tolerated salts and physiologically functional derivatives. In particular, the invention relates to the compounds of the formula I wherein the radicals have meanings described herein, and to their physiologically tolerated salts and to processes for their preparation. The compounds are suitable for example as antidiabetics.
US08247448B2
The present invention relates to butenoic acid derivatives of the formula I: in which R, R1, R2 and R3 are as defined in the description, and also to processes for the preparation thereof, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising them and to their use for the treatment of dyslipidaemia, atherosclerosis and diabetes.
US08247446B2
Insecticidal compositions suitable for use in preparation of insecticidal granular fertilizer and insecticidal formulations comprising a pyrethroid and a glycol present in a concentration of from 40.0% by weight to 99.0% by weight based upon the total weight of all components in the composition is disclosed.
US08247438B2
Treatment of schizophrenia or humans suffering from conditions associated with high dopamine levels in ventral striatum or caudate nucleus administers the compound (2S)-2-{3-[3-({[(2R,4R)-4-tert-Butoxycarbonyl-2-(2-fluorophenyl)]-3-thiazolidinyl}carbonylmethyl)ureido]phenyl}propionic acid and its physiological acceptable salts.
US08247437B2
The present invention is related to N-hydroxyamide derivatives of Formula (I) and use thereof in particular for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of autoimmune disorders, inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, respiratory diseases and fibrosis, including multiple sclerosis, arthritis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, liver and pulmonary fibrosis.
US08247434B2
Anhydrous crystalline fexofenadine hydrochloride Form C, crystalline fexofenadine acetate monohydrate Form D, crystalline fexofenadine acetate dihydrate Form E and crystalline fexofenadine free base monohydrate Form F, processes of preparing the same, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, therapeutic uses thereof and methods of treatment therewith.
US08247426B2
Disclosed is a crystalline form of irinotecan hydrochloride (I) and processes for the preparation thereof from crude irinotecan hydrochloride or another polymorphic form of irinotecan. Said crystalline form is particularly suitable for industrial use, because it is easily filtered and possesses characteristics of high stability and purity.
US08247420B2
The present invention provides novel quinolinone derivatives which can be advantageously used for treating schizophrenia and related psychoses such as acute manic, bipolar disorder, autistic disorder, and depression.
US08247418B2
Pyrazine compounds, and compositions containing them, and processes for preparing such compounds. Provided herein also are methods of treating disorders or diseases treatable by inhibition of PDE10, such as obesity, non-insulin dependent diabetes, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and the like.
US08247417B2
The invention relates to the use of eszopiclone for the treatment of low-level, chronic pain and fatigue associated with pain.
US08247411B2
The present invention relates to a compound of the formula I wherein R1 to R6, A, B, n and m are as defined herein. Such novel sulfonyl amide derivatives are useful in the treatment of abnormal cell growth, such as cancer, in mammals. This invention also relates to a method of using such compounds in the treatment of abnormal cell growth in mammals, especially humans, and to pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds.
US08247407B2
The invention relates to medicine, in particular to searching and developing novel medicinal agent for treating pancreatic diabetes. The invention is based on the development of more effective and less toxic medicinal agents based on indole derivatives which exhibit antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic activity and insulin resistance-improving actions and the structure of which differs from the structure of traditionally used compounds. The inventive indole derivatives are also low-toxic and easily tolerated.
US08247404B2
The present invention relates to derivatives of 4-{2-[phenyl-3,6-dihydropyridin-1-yl]-2-oxoalkyl}-1-piperazin-2-one and 4-{2-[phenyl-2,5-dihydropyrrol-1-yl]-2-oxoalkyl}-1-piperazin-2-one having general formula (I): in which A, B, m, R3 and n are as defined herein. The invention also relates to the preparation thereof and to the therapeutic use thereof.
US08247400B2
The present invention relates to new cephem compounds useful for the treatment of bacterial infections of formula I: The invention also relates to methods of preparing the compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds, and to methods of treatment using the compounds. The new cephem compounds are stable, exhibit good solubility, and are particularly well suited for, e.g., parenteral administration for the treatment of bacterial infections.
US08247396B2
The invention relates to compounds of general formula (I), to the process for the preparation thereof and to the use thereof as a therapeutic agent.
US08247394B2
Methods for the treatment and prevention of a bacterial infection caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, or Chlamydia trachomatis, or both Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis, such as urethritis, an ocular infection, or a pharyngeal infection, using fusidic acid, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, are described.
US08247393B2
The present invention is directed to monophasic pharmaceutical compositions comprising a conjugated estrogen and a hydrophilic or lipophilic excipient. The present invention is also directed to kits and applicators comprising the pharmaceutical compositions. The invention is also directed to methods for treating menopausal conditions in a female comprising administration of the pharmaceutical compositions.
US08247392B2
Compounds of formula (I) are disclosed. The tetrapyrole ring in formula (I) can be substituted with a metal cation (M); R1, R2, R3 and R4 separately represent a hydrogen atom, a C1-4 alkyl or alkyloxy radical, or a phenyl radical optionally substituted by vinyl, hydroxy, nitro, amino, bromo, chloro, fluoro, iodo, benzyloxy, or hydroxymethyl radicals; R5, R6, R7 and R8 separately represent a hydrogen atom or a C1-4 alkyl radical; Ra, Rb and Rc separately represent a hydrogen atom, a C1-4 alkyl or alkyloxy radical optionally substituted by a halogen, or a phenyl radical optionally substituted by vinyl, hydroxy, nitro, amino, bromo, chloro, fluoro, iodo, benzyloxy, or hydroxymethyl radicals, wherein at least one of Ra, Rb, and Rc is a phenyl radical. Compounds of formula (I) bound to a silica, a sol-gel material or a mesoporous silica are useful for selective trapping of carbon monoxide.
US08247390B2
Disclosed are hydrophilic polymers such as polysaccharides, including hyaluronic acid of any origin, modified by reaction with epoxy-functional-silicones. Hydrophobic silicon, which contains chemically active groups covalently attach to the backbone of the hydrophilic polymer and gives these new, modified polymers the ability to dissolve hydrophobic compounds including oils, drugs, and vitamins, while maintaining the hydrophilic properties and benefits of the unmodified polymer. With respect to topical applications these polymers substantially increase the stability of formulations and provide for ease of preparation. The properties and advantages of the original polymer are maintained while other properties are augmented, namely the ability to combine with or dissolve hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs. The products can be used alone or in combination with other substances for various applications including cosmetic, medical, and drug delivery applications. Also disclosed are methods for preparing them.
US08247377B2
The present invention provides compounds of formula (I): a process for their preparation, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds and the preparation of said compositions, to intermediates and to use of the compounds for the manufacture of a medicament for therapeutic treatment, particularly for the treatment of inflammation, allergy and/or autoimmune conditions.
US08247374B2
Methods, compositions, and kits for repairing damaged myocardium and/or myocardial cells including the administration of cytokines, variants of cytokines, cardiac stem cells, or combinations thereof are disclosed and claimed. In addition, methods, compositions, and kits for forming coronary vasculature including the administration of cytokines, variants of cytokines, cardiac stem cells, or combinations thereof are described. In particular, administration of variants of hepatocyte growth factor, such as NK1, 1K1, and HP11, are useful for the repair and/or regeneration of damaged myocardium or formation of coronary vasculature. Methods of activating cardiac stem cells in vitro are also disclosed.
US08247368B2
Laundry detergents and cleaning compositions which provide improved cleaning benefits that comprise a novel polymer system. The polymer system comprises one or more amphiphilic alkoxylated grease cleaning polymers, and either a clay soil cleaning polymer; or a soil suspending polymer.
US08247363B2
The present invention relates to methods for removing or preventing scale formation in a liquid food processing operation. The present invention also relates to methods and compositions for increasing the solubility of insoluble calcium salts in an acidic environment. Aqueous antiscalant solutions comprising soluble magnesium salts are used to prevent the precipitation of insoluble calcium salts and/or to increase the solubility of insoluble calcium salts.
US08247362B2
The invention encompasses liquid cleaning compositions, for example, dish washing liquids, and methods of their manufacture and use, which possess enhanced cleaning ability. The cleaning compositions of the invention include acidic light duty liquid cleaning compositions with low toxicity and antibacterial efficacy on surfaces, for example, hard surfaces.
US08247350B2
The present invention relates to an adjuvant composition characterized by containing the following (A) and (B): (A) Sodium dialkylsulfosuccinate and polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, the total content being 45% to 85% by mass; (B) 5 to 40% by mass of component for pour-point depressant, and the adjuvant composition can uniformly adhere agrochemical active ingredients to crops, has an effect to stabilize the agrochemical efficacy and particularly exerts a pronounced effect when used in drift-reducing spraying.
US08247344B2
The present invention provides a Mo—Bi—Nb based composite metal oxide (with the proviso that Te is not included); a method for producing (meth)acrylic acid from at least one reactant selected from the group consisting of propylene, propane, isobutylene, t-butyl alcohol and methyl-t-butyl ether, in which a Mo—Bi—Nb based composite metal oxide (with the proviso that Te is not included) is used as a catalyst; and a reactor used for producing (meth)acrylic acid from at least one reactant selected from the group consisting of propylene, propane, isobutylene, t-butyl alcohol and methyl-t-butyl ether, in which a Mo—Bi—Nb based composite metal oxide (with the proviso that Te is not included) is used as a catalyst. Further, the present invention provides a method for producing the (meth)acrylic acid without any additional process of converting (meth)acrolein into (meth)acrylic acid.
US08247343B2
The present invention is directed to compositions and processes for the production of stable, alkaline, high solids, low viscosity, low surface tension, low flammability, sub-micron titania sols that have minimal offensive odor and methods of their use. Compositions of the present invention include, for example, mixtures of strong and weak organic bases used as dispersants to stabilize the titania sols. The dispersant mixtures have been found to result in relatively high titania solids content, low surface tension, low viscosity suspensions that are low in flammability. Sols produced according to the present invention can be used, for example, in catalytic applications such as catalyst supports for diesel emission control, or in pollutant photocatalyst applications in which it is desirable to have the titania in sol form.
US08247333B2
A cellular material that can provide a unique combination of properties and characteristics for a variety of applications requiring a cellular solid that possesses one or more of the following characteristics: (1) efficient load support in one or more directions, (2) excellent mechanical impact energy absorption and vibration suppression potential, (3) high convection heat transfer throughout, (4) low pumping requirements for fluid throughput, for example in a second direction orthogonal to one or more load-bearing directions, (5) a substantially linear dependence of the Young's and shear moduli along with the tensile, compressive and shear yield strengths upon relative density (6) a potentially inexpensive textile-based synthetic approach, (7) excellent filtration potential, (8) a high surface area to volume ratio for enhanced activity as a catalyst or catalyst support (9) interconnected, open porosity for device storage, biological tissue in-growth or other functionalities requiring open space, and (10) extendibility to a wide variety of materials.
US08247331B2
A method for forming an insulating film includes a step of preparing a substrate, which is to be processed and has silicon exposed on the surface; a step of performing first nitriding to the silicon exposed on the surface of the substrate, and forming a silicon nitride film having a thickness of 0.2 nm but not more than 1 nm on the surface of the substrate; and a step of performing first heat treatment to the silicon nitride film in N2O atmosphere and forming a silicon nitride film. This method may further include a step of performing second nitriding to the silicon oxynitride film, and furthermore, may include a step of performing second heat treatment to the silicon oxynitride film after the second nitriding.
US08247321B2
When a barrier film is formed on an exposed surface of an interlayer insulation film on a substrate, the interlayer insulation film having a recess formed therein, and a metal wiring to be electrically connected to a metal wiring in a lower layer is formed in the recess, a barrier film having an excellent step coverage can be formed and increase of a wiring resistance can be restrained. An oxide film on a surface of the lower copper wiring exposed to a bottom surface of the interlayer insulation film is reduced or edged so as to remove oxygen on the surface of the copper wiring. Then, by supplying an organic metal compound containing manganese and containing no oxygen, generation of manganese oxide as a self-forming barrier film is selectively allowed on an area containing oxygen, such as a sidewall of the recess and a surface of the interlayer insulation film, while generation of the manganese oxide is not allowed on the surface of the copper wiring. Thereafter, copper is embedded in the recess.
US08247319B1
Techniques for silicide, germanide or germanosilicide formation in extremely small structures are provided. In one aspect, a method for forming a silicide, germanide or germanosilicide in a three-dimensional silicon, germanium or silicon germanium structure having extremely small dimensions is provided. The method includes the following steps. At least one element is implanted into the structure. At least one metal is deposited onto the structure. The structure is annealed to intersperse the metal within the silicon, germanium or silicon germanium to form the silicide, germanide or germanosilicide wherein the implanted element serves to prevent morphological degradation of the silicide, germanide or germanosilicide. The implanted element can include at least one of carbon, fluorine and silicon.
US08247311B2
A laser processing method for preventing particles from occurring from cut sections of chips obtained by cutting a silicon wafer is provided. An irradiation condition of laser light L for forming modified regions 77 to 712 is made different from an irradiation condition of laser light L for forming the modified regions 713 to 719 such as to correct the spherical aberration of laser light L in areas where the depth from the front face 3 of a silicon wafer 11 is 335 μm to 525 μm. Therefore, even when the silicon wafer 11 and a functional device layer 16 are cut into semiconductor chips from modified regions 71 to 719 acting as a cutting start point, twist hackles do not appear remarkably in the areas where the depth is 335 μm to 525 μm, whereby particles are hard to occur.
US08247310B2
A method for making a GaN substrate for growth of nitride semiconductor is provided. The method first provides a GaN single crystal substrate. Then an ion implanting layer is formed inside the GaN single crystal substrate, which divides the GaN single crystal substrate into a first section and a second section. After that, the GaN single crystal substrate is connected with an assistant substrate through a connecting layer. Thereafter, the GaN single crystal substrate is heated whereby the ion implanting layer is decompounded. Finally, the second section is separated from the first section. The first section left on a surface of the assistant substrate is provided for growth of nitride semiconductor thereon.
US08247309B2
In order to reduce and render uniform the surface roughness and variations in thickness of a layer after detachment (post-fracture) of a donor substrate, the mean temperature of the donor substrate during implantation thereof is controlled so as to be in the range 20° C. to 150° C. with a maximum temperature variation of less than 30° C.
US08247308B2
It is an object of the preset invention to increase adhesiveness of a semiconductor layer and a base substrate and to reduce defective bonding. An oxide film is formed on a semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor substrate is irradiated with accelerated ions through the oxide film, whereby an embrittled region is formed at a predetermined depth from a surface of the semiconductor substrate. Plasma treatment is performed on the oxide film on the semiconductor substrate and the base substrate by applying a bias voltage, the surface of the semiconductor substrate and a surface of the base substrate are disposed opposite to each other, a surface of the oxide film is bonded to the surface of the base substrate, heat treatment is performed after the surface of the oxide film is bonded to the surface of the base substrate, and separation is caused along the embrittled region, whereby a semiconductor layer is formed over the base substrate with the oxide film interposed therebetween.
US08247303B2
Provided is a semiconductor capacitor including: a capacitor device forming region having a trapezoidal trench which is formed on a surface of a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate; a second conductivity type lower electrode layer provided along the trapezoidal trenches of the capacitor device forming region; a capacitor insulating film formed at least on a surface of the second conductivity type lower electrode layer; and a second conductivity type upper electrode formed on a surface of the capacitor insulating film.
US08247300B2
An integrated circuit and method of fabricating the integrated circuit is disclosed. The integrated circuit includes vertical bipolar transistors (30, 50, 60), each having a buried collector region (26′). A carbon-bearing diffusion barrier (28c) is disposed over the buried collector region (26′), to inhibit the diffusion of dopant from the buried collector region (26′) into the overlying epitaxial layer (28). The diffusion barrier (28c) may be formed by incorporating a carbon source into the epitaxial formation of the overlying layer (28), or by ion implantation. In the case of ion implantation of carbon or SiGeC, masks (52, 62) may be used to define the locations of the buried collector regions (26′) that are to receive the carbon; for example, portions underlying eventual collector contacts (33, 44c) may be masked from the carbon implant so that dopant from the buried collector region (26′) can diffuse upward to meet the contact (33). MOS transistors (70, 80) including the diffusion barrier (28) are also disclosed.
US08247269B1
Wafer level embedded and stacked die power system-in-package semiconductor devices, and methods for making and using the same, are described. The methods include placing a first side of a substrate frame, which includes through cavity and an adjacent via, on a carrier. A first side of a component selected from an active device and a passive device can be placed on the carrier, within the cavity. A perimeter of the cavity can be attached to a perimeter of the component. Material at a second side of the substrate frame can be removed so the via extends from the frame's first side to the frame's second side. The substrate frame and component can then be removed from the carrier so that routing can be distributed between the first side of the frame and the first side of the component to electrically connect the component with the via. Other embodiments are described.
US08247268B2
A semiconductor wafer contains a plurality of die with contact pads disposed on a first surface of each die. Metal vias are formed in trenches in the saw street guides and are surrounded by organic material. Traces connect the contact pads and metal vias. The metal vias can be half-circle vias or full-circle vias. The metal vias are surrounded by organic material. Redistribution layers (RDL) are formed on a second surface of the die opposite the first surface. The RDL and THV provide expanded interconnect flexibility to adjacent die. Repassivation layers are formed between the RDL on the second surface of the die for electrical isolation. The die are stackable and can be placed in a semiconductor package with other die. The RDL provide electrical interconnect to the adjacent die. Bond wires and solder bumps also provide electrical connection to the semiconductor die.
US08247264B2
The invention provides a process for production of a transistor that can form an oriented active layer by a convenient method while yielding a transistor with excellent carrier mobility. The process according to the invention is a process for production of a transistor with an active layer composed of an organic semiconductor compound-containing semiconductor film, the process comprising a step of stretching the semiconductor film and a step of pasting the semiconductor film onto the side on which the active layer is to be formed while heating and/or pressing, to obtain the active layer.
US08247260B2
A very thin photovoltaic cell is formed by implanting gas ions below the surface of a donor body such as a semiconductor wafer. Ion implantation defines a cleave plane, and a subsequent step exfoliates a thin lamina from the wafer at the cleave plane. A photovoltaic cell, or all or a portion of the base or emitter of a photovoltaic cell, is formed within the lamina. In preferred embodiments, the wafer is affixed to a receiver before the cleaving step. Electrical contact can be formed to both surfaces of the lamina, or to one surface only.
US08247258B2
A method for fabricating CMOS image sensor device includes providing a P-type semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes a surface region. The method includes forming a first dielectric layer having a first thickness overlying a first region of the semiconductor substrate. The method includes providing an N type impurity region in a portion of the semiconductor substrate underneath the first dielectric layer to cause formation of a photodiode device region characterized by at least the N type impurity region and the P type substrate. A second dielectric layer having a second thickness is formed in a second region of the surface region. The second dielectric layer is formed within a portion of the first region within the first thickness of the first dielectric layer. The method includes forming a polysilicon gate layer overlying at least the second region to form a contact member coupled to the second region.
US08247249B2
A structure and method for producing same provides a solid-state light emitting device with suppressed lattice defects in epitaxially formed nitride layers over a non-c-plane oriented (e.g., semi-polar) template or substrate. A dielectric layer with “window” openings or trenches provides significant suppression of all diagonally running defects during growth. Posts of appropriate height and spacing may further provide suppression of vertically running defects. A layer including gallium nitride is formed over the dielectric layer, and polished to provide a planar growth surface with desired roughness. A tri-layer indium gallium nitride active region is employed. For laser diode embodiments, a relatively thick aluminum gallium nitride cladding layer is provided over the gallium nitride layer.
US08247244B2
There are provided a light emitting device and a method of manufacturing the same. A light emitting device according to the present invention includes a substrate; an N-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a P-type semiconductor layer, sequentially formed on the substrate; one or more trenches formed to expose the N-type semiconductor layer by partially removing at least the P-type semiconductor and active layers; a first insulating layer formed on sidewalls of the trenches; and a conductive layer filled in the trenches having the first insulating layer formed therein. According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a characteristic of uniform current diffusion, and thus, light is uniformly emitted to thereby enhance the light emitting efficiency.
US08247233B2
An integrated meter system for determining information related to an analyte of a fluid sample includes a meter including a housing and a plurality of test sensors. Each of the plurality of test sensors includes a penetrating member, a testing portion, and a channel. The channel is adapted to receive the fluid sample. The test sensors are removably located within the housing. At least one of the test sensors is removably connected to an adjacent test sensor. The integrated meter system also includes a test-sensor advancement mechanism that is configured to advance the test sensors.
US08247226B2
The present invention incorporates germinal centers (GCs) into three-dimensional (3D) engineered tissue constructs (ETCs). In an embodiment, we have incorporated the GC in the design of an artificial immune system (AIS) to examine immune responses to vaccines and other compounds. Development of an in vitro GC adds functionality to an AIS, in that it enables generation of an in vitro human humoral response by human B lymphocytes that is accurate and reproducible, without using human subjects. The invention also permits evaluation of, for example, vaccines, allergens, and immunogens, and activation of human B cells specific for a given antigen, which can then be used to generate human antibodies. In an embodiment of the present invention the function of the in vitro GC is enhanced by placing FDCs and other immune cells in a 3D ETC; FDCs appear more effective over a longer time (antibody production is sustained for up to about 14 days.
US08247217B2
A thermal cycling instrument for PCR and other reactions performed on multiple samples with temperature changes between sequential stages in the reaction procedure is supplied with a thermal block to provide rapid changes and close control over the temperature in each sample vessel and a pressure plate incorporated into a motorized lid that detects anomalies in the reaction vessels or in their positioning over the thermal block, and automatically adjusts the plate position to achieve an even force distribution over the sample vessels.
US08247212B2
The present invention provides a method of circulating algae in growing containers using thermally-induced convection techniques. In particular, a method of growing algae by providing a thermal gradient in algae containing medium is disclosed.
US08247209B2
The present invention provides novel genes for glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase. In exemplary embodiments, the invention provides a nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or 4 or a fragment thereof.
US08247204B2
Magnetic enrichment method, wherein the desired biological component is collected from a solution, which component is thereafter enriched in a liquid in such a manner that by means of the micro particles attached to the magnet or attached by means of at least one magnet at least one biological component is collected in a closed reactor vessel. Thereafter at least one biological component is enriched in such a manner that the desired component is released to the solution. The reactor unit is a closed vessel, wherein the prevailing conditions are controllable. The shape and the location of the magnet unit in the reactor unit are adjusted in a preferable manner to collect the desired biological component.
US08247201B2
An organic acid is produced by allowing a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which has an ability to produce an organic acid and has been modified so that the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity is enhanced, which is selected from Enterobacter, Pantoea, Erwinia, Klebsiella and Raoultella bacteria, or a product obtained by processing the bacterium, to act on an organic raw material in a reaction mixture containing carbonate ions, bicarbonate ions, or carbon dioxide gas to produce the organic acid, and collecting the organic acid.
US08247200B2
A process for obtaining inorganic salt and acetate salt from cellulosic biomass is disclosed. The cellulosic biomass is pretreated by adding one or more than one acid or base to produce a pretreated cellulosic biomass comprising acetic acid or acetate salt. One or more than one base or acid is then added to the pretreated cellulosic biomass to adjust the pretreated cellulosic biomass to a pH of about 4.0 to about 6.0 to produce a neutralized cellulosic biomass comprising inorganic salt and acetate salt. The neutralized biomass is then hydrolyzed by cellulase enzymes to produce a sugar stream. Streams arising from the processing of the cellulosic biomass to sugar are subjected to ion exclusion chromatography performed at pH 5.0 to about 10.0 to produce a stream comprising an inorganic salt and an acetate salt.
US08247196B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring on a micro-array a PCR amplification of a nucleotide molecule being present in a solution. The method includes the steps of: providing a support having fixed upon its surface a microarray having at least a capture molecule being immobilized in specifically localized areas of the support and a reaction chamber; introducing a solution containing the nucleotide molecule into the reaction chamber and reagents for nucleotide molecule amplification and labelling; submitting the solution to at least 2 thermal cycles having at least 2 and preferably 3 different temperature steps in order to obtain labelled target nucleotide molecule by PCR amplification; performing at least a measurement of the labelled target nucleotide molecule in at least one thermal cycle by incubating the labelled target nucleotide molecule under conditions allowing a specific binding between the target nucleotide molecule and its corresponding capture molecule and measuring the light emission from the bound labelled target nucleotide molecule in response to excitation light with the solution being present in the chamber and containing the labelled target nucleotide molecule. The surface of emission for a localized area is between about 0.1 μm2 and about 75 mm2. The method further includes processing the data obtained in at least one thermal cycle in order to detect and/or quantify the amount of nucleotide molecule present in the solution before the amplification.
US08247189B2
Provided is an enzyme that is further advantageous in terms of practical aspects when compared to publicly known enzymes for blood sugar sensors, and that can be used in a blood sugar level measuring reagent A flavin adenine dinucleotide-dependent glucose dehydrogenase that has amino acid sequence including a specific amino acid in an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or an amino acid sequence that has 60% homology therewith, and that has an improved temperature dependency.
US08247182B2
The present invention concerns a method for diagnosing a melanoma in a mammal comprising the detection of the overexpression of RACK-1 protein in a melanocytic cell of said mammal, and the deduction of the presence of a melanoma from the overexpression of RACK-1 protein. The invention is also directed to a method for determining the tumoral status of a melanocytic cell of a mammal, comprising the detection of overexpression of RACK-1 protein in the melanocytic cell, and the deduction of the tumoral state of said cell from the overexpression of RACK-1 protein.
US08247180B2
The invention provides methods and kits for detecting and/or measuring receptor homodimers on a cell surface membrane. In one aspect, the methods employ pairs of probes comprising binding compounds and a cleaving probe, such that at least one binding compound binds specifically to the same epitope of a membrane-bound analyte as the cleaving probe. The binding compound includes one or more molecular tags attached through a cleavable linkage, and the cleaving probe includes a cleavage-inducing moiety that can cleave the linkage when within a defined proximity thereto. Binding of the two probes to a homodimer of a cell surface molecules results in release of molecular tags from the binding compounds, providing a measure of formation of the homodimeric complex.
US08247175B2
Methods and compositions for determining the suitability of a lung for transplantation are described.
US08247174B2
The present invention provides biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of endometriosis. Generally, the methods of this invention find use in diagnosing or for providing a prognosis for endometriosis by detecting the expression levels of biomarkers, which are differentially expressed (up- or down-regulated) in endometrial cells from a patient with endometriosis. Similarly, these markers can be used to diagnose reduced fertility in a patient with endometriosis or to provide a prognosis for a fertility trial in a patient suffering from endometriosis. The present invention also provides methods of identifying a compound for treating or preventing endometriosis. Finally, the present invention provides kits for the diagnosis or prognosis of endometriosis.
US08247173B2
The present invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule containing a repeat region of an isolated spinocerebellar ataxia type 8 (SCA8) coding sequence, the coding sequence located within the long arm of chromosome 13, and the complement of the nucleic acid molecule. Diagnostic methods based on identification of this repeat region are also provided.
US08247172B2
This invention relates to the amplification of multiple nucleic acid target sequences. Forward and reverse compound primers comprising a common amplification sequence and a target-specific primer sequence are immobilized at a site on a solid support. Target regions of single-stranded template DNA are primed and copied by the forward primer to produce a first extension product. The template DNA is removed and the first extension product is primed and copied by the reverse primer to produce a second extension product. The second extension product has common amplification sequences at each end and is bulk-amplified in solution by regular PCR employing primers that target the common amplification sequences. These methods allow highly multiplexed amplifications to be performed.
US08247171B2
A method for detecting the presence of a target polynucleotide in a sample, including providing a mixture of the sample and target binding agent and measuring a signal from the mixture, where the target binding agent is capable of assuming a first position where the target binding agent is not bound to the target polynucleotide and a second position where the target binding agent is bound to the target polynucleotide, and the intensity of the signal depends on the proportion of target binding agent in the first and second positions. The method is suitable for detecting a PCR product using a homogeneous detection method.
US08247165B2
An immersion upper layer film composition is provided which exhibits sufficient transparency for the exposure wavelength 248 nm(KrF) and 193 nm(ArF), can form a protective film on the photoresist film without being intermixed with the photoresist film, is not eluted into water used during immersion exposure to maintain a stable film, and can be easily dissolved in an alkaline developer. The composition applied to coat on the photoresist film when using an immersion exposure device which is irradiated through water provided between a lens and the photoresist film, the composition comprises a resin forming a water-stable film during irradiation and being dissolved in a subsequent developer, and a solvent containing a monovalent alcohol having 6 or less carbon atoms, and the resin contains a resin component having an alcoholic hydroxyl group on the side chain containing a fluoroalkyl group on at least the carbon atom of α-position.
US08247164B2
The method prepares a substrate provided thereon with a first resist film having a first pattern of first pillars spaced at intervals, the pillars having a first height, and forms a second resist film on the substrate. The second resist film is formed by alternately performing, each at least twice, applying of a resist solution to the substrate such that at least the spaces between adjacent first pillars are filled with a resist solution having a thickness smaller than the first height, and by heat-treating of the substrate to solidify the resist solution thus applied, thereby forming a resist layer, whereby the spaces between the adjacent first pillars are filled with resist layers, as the second resist film, having a total thickness at least approximately equal to the first height.
US08247153B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a resin microparticle for a toner raw material that has a small particle diameter and a narrow particle diameter distribution and has a low odor.There are provided a resin microparticle for a toner raw material characterized in that all of the following requirements (i) to (iii) are satisfied: Requirement (i): A particle diameter of 50% volume (D50) satisfies the relationship 0.05 μm≦D50≦1 μm; Requirement (ii): A particle diameter of 10% volume (D10) and a particle diameter of 90% volume (D90) satisfy the relationship D90/D10≦7; and Requirement (iii): The content of an organic solvent is not more than 70 ppm.
US08247141B2
A method of generating reticle data for producing a reticle, a pattern of the reticle including a main pattern, a first auxiliary pattern, and a second auxiliary pattern, the first auxiliary pattern and the second auxiliary pattern being patterns not to resolve, light having passed through the first auxiliary pattern and light having passed through the main pattern being in phase, and light having passed through the second auxiliary pattern and light having passed through the main pattern having a phase difference of 180° from each other, the method comprising the step of deleting either of the first auxiliary pattern and the second auxiliary pattern or deforming at least either of the first auxiliary pattern and the second auxiliary pattern when the first auxiliary pattern and the second auxiliary pattern overlap each other.
US08247139B2
There is provided volume holographic data recording media having a recording layer which is capable of recording interference fringes generated by interference of light having excellent coherence as fringes having different refractive indexes and undergoes holographic data recording by an amount of spatial shift distance of not more than 3 μm which is smaller than that of conventional media.
US08247136B2
Novel proton exchange membrane fuel cells and direct methanol fuel cells with nanostructured components are configured with higher precious metal utilization rate at the electrodes, higher power density, and lower cost. To form a catalyst, platinum or platinum-ruthenium nanoparticles are deposited onto carbon-based materials, for example, single-walled, dual-walled, multi-walled and cup-stacked carbon nanotubes. The deposition process includes an ethylene glycol reduction method. Aligned arrays of these carbon nanomaterials are prepared by filtering the nanomaterials with ethanol. A membrane electrode assembly is formed by sandwiching the catalyst between a proton exchange membrane and a diffusion layer that form a first electrode. The second electrode may be formed using a conventional catalyst. The several layers of the MEA are hot pressed to form an integrated unit. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells and direct methanol fuel cells are developed by stacking the membrane electrode assemblies in a conventional manner.
US08247132B2
Provided are a heat recovery apparatus recovering heat generated from a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) and transmitting the heat to a fuel spreader so that a temperature difference between the MEA and the fuel spreader inside a fuel cell is reduced, and a fuel cell having the heat recovery apparatus. The fuel spreader supplies fuel having a uniform concentration to the MEA through the heat recovery apparatus, so that a fuel cell having a reduced total volume, a stable performance, and increased energy efficiency can be provided.
US08247122B2
A fuel cell system has a fuel cell generating power using a fuel gas and an oxidizing agent gas serving as materials of the system and a material supply section supplying the materials to the fuel cell. The power generated by the fuel cell is extracted to a load. A device for controlling the fuel cell system has: a material flow calculation section calculating a material flow supplied to the fuel cell so as to cause the fuel cell to generate the power of a required power generation amount; a material reduction limit detection section calculating a limit for reducing the material flow, based on a power generation state of the fuel cell; and a material flow change section controlling the material supply section so as to change the material flow calculated by the material flow calculation section to the limit calculated by the material reduction limit detection section.
US08247104B2
A battery cover mechanism for a portable electronic device includes a housing, a door, two elastic members and a holding unit, the housing defines a cutout, the door slidably engage with the cutout, the cutout is closed by the door with the elastic resisting the door, the door can be opened by external force and not be removed from the housing, thus, a battery can be assembled in the housing.
US08247102B2
A portable electronic device includes a main body and a battery cover. The main body defines a recess for receiving a battery therein. The battery cover is installed on the main body to cover the recess when the portable electronic device is in a first use mode, and the battery cover is detached from the main body, placed flatly, and used to stand the main body erectly thereon when the portable electronic device is in a second use mode.
US08247097B1
A method for controlling the relative humidity within a battery pack enclosure is provided in which the volume of air within the battery pack is exposed to a volume of desiccant contained within a desiccant enclosure. The system is configured to heat and reactivate the desiccant at predetermined time intervals or when the humidity within the system reaches a preset level, thereby allowing the desiccant to regain its potential for absorbing/adsorbing water vapor.
US08247096B2
In a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 including a positive electrode 11, a negative electrode 12, a separator 14, a positive electrode lead 15, a negative electrode lead 16, a gasket 17, and a housing case 18, the negative electrode 12 including a negative electrode active material layer 12b including an alloy-formable active material, a resin layer 13 is formed on the surface of the negative electrode active material layer 12b. The resin layer 13 includes a resin component with lithium ion conductivity and an additive for non-aqueous electrolyte. This configuration enables the battery performance to be maintained at a high level and the battery swelling to be suppressed, even when the number of charge/discharge cycles is increased, providing the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery 1 with a high level of safety.
US08247089B2
Provided is an organic EL element, which has a controlled emission wavelength, a high emission efficiency and a long emission life. An organic EL element material for such organic EL element, a lighting device, and a display device using such organic EL element are also provided.
US08247087B2
An object of the invention is to provide an organic compound having excellent characteristics as a material for highly efficient and highly durable organic EL devices, and also to provide a highly efficient and highly durable organic EL device. This invention relates to a compound represented by the general formula (1) having an oxadiazole ring structure bonded with an aromatic heterocycle, and to an organic electroluminescence device containing the compound: wherein Ar represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group, or a substituted or unsubstituted condensed polycyclic aromatic group; A represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group; and n represents an integer of 1 to 3.
US08247085B2
Coatings suitable for use as protective oxide-forming coatings on Nb-based substrates exposed to high temperatures and oxidative environments. The coatings contain chromium and/or molybdenum, preferably contains silicon, and optionally contains niobium, titanium, hafnium, iron, rhenium, tantalum, and/or tungsten, which in combination form multiple intermetallic phases, which in combination form one or more intermetallic phases that promote the formation of a slow-growing oxide scale. Depending on the particular coating composition, the intermetallic phases may be: a silicon-modified Cr2Nb Laves phase and optionally a chromium solid solution phase, a CrNbSi intermetallic phase, and/or an M3Si intermetallic phase where M is niobium, titanium, and/or chromium; or M5Si3, MSi2 and/or M3Si2 where M is molybdenum, niobium, titanium, chromium, hafnium, iron, rhenium, tantalum, and/or tungsten.
US08247079B2
A laminate includes a backing material coated with an adhesive composition. The adhesive composition includes a cured silylated polyurethane composition derived from polyester based polyurethane prepolymer. The silylated polyurethane composition when partially silylated is especially useful for pressure sensitive adhesives where it imparts superior adhesive and cohesive performance thereto.
US08247059B2
A two-color molding equipment for shaping a two-color molded product by placing a film in primary mold tool configured by a fixed mold and a movable mold, injecting a resin into a first cavity to shape a primary molded piece, shifting the primary molded piece provided with the film to secondary mold tool configured by the fixed mold and the movable mold, and injecting a resin into a second cavity to shape a secondary molded piece, wherein the first cavity is configured to shape the primary molded piece to be smaller than the film so that a part of the film protrudes from the primary molded piece, and a wall surface located at the protruding portion of the film to constitute the first cavity is provided with a convex portion that restricts mold shrinkage of the film protruding portion in the primary molded piece.
US08247055B2
A protective device includes a base film, a first carbon nanotube film, and a first protecting film. The first protecting film includes a release layer. The first carbon nanotube film is located between the base film and the first protecting film and in contact with the release layer. The carbon nanotube film is capable of being released from the release layer. The present disclosure also relates to a roll of protective device, and a method for making the protective device.
US08247049B2
An injection molded preform for making a stretch blow molded container having an overall stretch ratio of from about 12 to about 16, wherein the overall stretch ratio is a product of a hoop stretch ratio and an axial stretch ratio, wherein the hoop stretch ratio is from about 5.6 to about 6.5, wherein the axial stretch ratio is from about 2.4 to about 2.7, and wherein the preform comprises a CG PET Copolymer having a free blow volume of from about 650 to about 800 ml measured at 100° C. and 90 psi using a 25 gram weight preform designed for a 500 ml container with a maximum diameter of 65 mm and a height of 200 mm from below the container finish and having a hoop stretch ratio of 5.5 and an axial stretch ratio of 2.6. This invention also relates to a method of making such preforms and stretch blow molded containers and methods of making the same.
US08247045B2
An inkjet recording element is disclosed having a support and, on the support, (a) a porous base layer comprising particles of fumed silica and a hydrophilic binder and (b) an optional porous gloss layer above the base layer comprising particles of colloidal silica and a hydrophilic binder, wherein the particles of finned and colloidal silica are anionic. Also disclosed is a method of printing on such an inkjet recording element and a preferred method of making the inkjet recording element. The inkjet recording element can potentially have, in some embodiments, the advantages of improved image quality (reduced coalescence), and higher dye ink optical densities.
US08247042B2
The invention provides a recording medium capable of inhibiting cracks and also inhibiting peeling off of an ink receiving layer upon folding of the recording medium. The recording medium has a substrate and an ink receiving layer provided on the substrate, wherein the substrate is a resin-coated substrate obtained by coating a base material with a resin, the arithmetic average roughness Ra of a surface of the substrate on the side of the ink receiving layer as prescribed by JIS B 0601:2001 is 3.0 μm or more, the skewness Rsk of a roughness curve of the surface of the substrate as prescribed by JIS B 0601:2001 is 0.2 or less, and the coating thickness of the ink receiving layer is 50 μm or less.
US08247024B2
A method for manufacturing a carbon nanotube/polymer composite includes the steps of: (a) providing a carbon nanotube array formed on a substrate in a container; (b) providing a prepolymer of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA); (c) putting the prepolymer into the container for a period of over 30 minutes to fill in clearances of the carbon nanotube array; and (d) polymerizing the prepolymer film at a temperature of about 50° C. to 60° C. for a period of about 1 hour to 4 hours and then heating the prepolymer film to about 90° C. to 100° C. to form a polymer film, the carbon nanotube array thereby being embedded within the polymer film.
US08247022B2
A silicon nitride layer may be formed with a suitable refractive index, mass density, and hydrogen concentration so that the layer may serve as an ARC/passivation layer on a solar cell substrate. The silicon nitride layer may be formed on a solar cell substrate by adding a hydrogen gas diluent to a conventional precursor gas mixture during the deposition process. Alternatively, the silicon nitride layer may be formed on a solar cell substrate by using a precursor gas mixture consisting essentially of silane and nitrogen. To improve deposition chamber throughput, the silicon nitride layer may be a dual stack film that includes a low-hydrogen interface layer and a thicker bulk silicon nitride layer. Placing a plurality of solar cell substrates on a substrate carrier and transferring the substrate carrier into the deposition chamber may further enhance deposition chamber throughput.
US08247021B2
A liquid material arrangement method includes performing a first pattern generating step, a dot deleting step, and a liquid material arranging step. The first pattern generating step includes generating a first dot pattern in which a first prescribed number of dots is set according to the prescribed region. The dot deleting step includes deleting a second prescribed number of dots from the first prescribed number of dots to generate a second dot pattern. The liquid material arranging step includes arranging a liquid material in a prescribed region on a substrate by causing a nozzle and the substrate to scan in relative manner and discharging the liquid material from the nozzle based on the second dot pattern. The performing of the dot deleting step further includes deleting at least one prohibited dot with priority with the prohibited dot being determined based on discharge information of the nozzle determined in advance.
US08247015B2
Techniques for making a yogurt-cheese-oil product, comprising steps of: providing a milkfat-oil fluid comprising butterfat and an oil; pasteurizing the milkfat-oil fluid to produce a cheese-oil precursor; combining yogurt with the cheese-oil precursor to produce a combined yogurt-cheese-oil precursor; and homogenizing and acidifying the combined yogurt-cheese-oil precursor; producing a yogurt-cheese-oil product. Yogurt-cheese-oil products: comprising between about 10% by weight and about 80% by weight of total butterfat; comprising between about 2% by weight and about 52.5% by weight of an oil; comprising between about 10% by weight and about 50% by weight of yogurt; and yielding less than about 1% syneresis by weight after 15 hours at about 74° F. to about 75° F.
US08247012B2
The invention can be used in varies industries, in particular, in the food, paper, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.The inventive method consists in separating unpasteurized cow milk in a separator, wherein a skimmed milk and fats are separated. Said method is characterized in that it consists in pasteurizing said skimmed milk in a pasteurizer at a determined temperature, in cooling said milk and conveying it to an intermediate balance tank from which the milk is supplied to a micro-filtering membrane-type filter for dividing it into casein and whey proteins, in supplying the separated casein protein to a membrane-type ultrafiltration-defiltration filter, wherein the concentrated product is transferred to a drier for drying, and in cooling and packing the thus produced water-soluble casein flour.
US08247011B2
Apparatus for extracting pomegranate seeds from pomegranates including a pomegranate breaker operative for breaking open pomegranates generally without cutting pomegranate seeds at the interior of the pomegranates and a pomegranate seed extractor operative to engage broken open pomegranates for separating the pomegranate seeds from other parts of the pomegranates.
US08247010B2
A brewing system (100) includes a brew group (130) having a cylindrical brewing chamber (132), a first actuator (146) attached to an upper piston assembly (140) that is movable to sealingly engage one end of the brewing chamber, a second actuator (156) attached to a lower piston assembly (150) that slidably engages the opposite end of the brewing chamber. The lower piston assembly includes a water supply tube (151) that engages a channel through the piston to supply heated water to the brewing chamber. The upper piston assembly includes a dispensing tube (141) that engages a channel through the piston to accommodate dispensing the brewed liquid. A sliding arm assembly is positioned to remove spent grounds from the brewing assembly. The current embodiment includes a controller (100), hopper (112), water heater (11) and grinder assembly (120). An optional flavoring dispenser may also be provided.
US08246994B2
New hydrogel, including a hydrogel containing cationic BSA is included in a vaccine to stimulate the immune system to increase the potency of the vaccine.
US08246993B2
New hydrogel, including a hydrogel containing cationic BSA is included in a vaccine to stimulate the immune system to increase the potency of the vaccine.
US08246989B2
Oral dosage forms of a bisphosphonate comprised of a safe and effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a bisphosphonate, a chelating agent, and, means for effecting delayed release of the bisphosphonate and the chelating agent in the lower gastrointestinal tract provide delivery of the pharmaceutical composition to the lower gastrointestinal tract of the mammal subject and pharmaceutically effective absorption of the bisphosphonate with or without food or beverages. The present invention substantially alleviates the interaction between bisphosphonates and food or beverages, which interaction results in the bisphosphonate active ingredient not being available for absorption. The resulting oral dosage form may thus be taken with or without food. Further, the present invention effects delivery of the bisphosphonate and the chelating agent to the lower GI tract, substantially alleviating the upper GI irritation associated with bisphosphonate therapies. These benefits simplify previously complex treatment regimens and can lead to increased patient compliance with bisphosphonate therapies.
US08246984B2
The present invention provides formulations containing at least one unsaturated amphiphilic lipid and an amphipathic or hydrophobic drug and methods of making these formulations. In particular, the present invention provides formulations of at least one unsaturated phospholipid and an amphipathic or hydrophobic pyrimidine drug, methods of making these formulations and the use of such formulations in a variety of contexts, including, for example, the treatment of proliferative disorders, such as tumors and cancers.
US08246982B2
A pressure sensitive adhesive for medicinal application purposes, based on ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers is characterized in that it contains as polymer component (A) an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer or a combination of at least two ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, and as component (B) an adhesive resin or a combination of adhesive resins at a portion of up to 55%-wt, relative to the sum of components (A) and (B) without active substances or other auxiliary substances.
US08246978B2
This invention relates to a transdermal drug delivery device that comprises an active ingredient (AI) layer, having a skin contacting surface and a non-skin contacting surface and comprising a volatile component, a release liner impermeable to the volatile component adjacent the skin contacting surface of the AI layer having a perimeter that extends beyond the perimeter of the AI layer in all directions, and an overlay comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) that does not absorb the volatile component adjacent the non-skin contacting surface of the AI layer having a perimeter of which extends beyond the perimeter of the AI layer in all directions, wherein the release liner and the PSA of the overlay are in contact with and adhered to each other around the perimeter of the AI layer to form a seal that reduces or prevents volatile component loss.
US08246974B2
Embodiments of the invention include coated medical devices that can elute one or more bioactive agents within the body, and methods for producing the same. In an embodiment, the invention includes a method of forming a coated medical device including depositing a coated composition onto a medical device having a roughened segment and a smooth segment. In an embodiment, the invention includes a method of forming a coated implantable medical device including depositing a coated composition onto a medical device having a body segment and a piercing segment. In an embodiment, the invention includes a medical device, a coated composition provided on the substrate surface, the composition including a bioactive agent and a polymer. The medical device includes an uncoated component wherein the edge of the coated composition is within 0.5 mm of the uncoated component. In an embodiment, the invention includes a method for disposing a coated composition on a medical device with an ultrasonically atomized spray stream including moving a spray stream in a pattern having a plurality of transverse sweeps and a plurality of longitudinal movements.
US08246957B2
Disclosed are monoclonal antibodies and antibody fragments which recognize antigens encoded by HERV DNA sequences, and methods for production, including recombinant antibody fragments derived from lymphoid cells of lupus patients that make antibodies which neutralize HIV.
US08246955B2
The present invention relates to a substance specific to human PD-1 comprising a part that recognizes human PD-1, a part that recognizes a membrane protein in cell membrane of human PD-1-expressing cells, and linkers. Since the substance specific to human PD-1 selectively can recognize human PD-1 and a membrane protein on cell membrane of human PD-1-expressing cells and can transmit inhibitory signal of human PD-1, it is useful for therapy and/or prevention of diseases caused by immunopathy.
US08246954B2
The present invention is related to chimeric and humanized antibody and to methods and compositions for the therapeutic and diagnostic use in the treatment of amyloidosis, a group of disorders and abnormalities associated with amyloid protein such as Alzheimer's disease.
US08246941B2
Disclosed herein is novel detergent and conditioning composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium, at least one sulfate or sulfonate anionic surfactant, at least one carboxylic anionic surfactant other than the preceding surfactant, at least one amphoteric surfactant and at least one amino silicone, wherein the sulfate or sulfonate anionic surfactant/carboxylic anionic surfactant weight ratio ranges from 2 to 12, and the surfactants are present in the composition in a total amount ranging from 4% to 35% by weight relative to the total weight of the composition. Also disclosed herein is a method for cleansing and/or caring for keratin materials such as the hair or the skin comprising applying this composition to the keratin materials.
US08246931B1
A method for using bird eggs to detect the presence of at least one botulinum toxin.
US08246922B2
Provided are catalyst articles, emission treatment systems and methods for simultaneously remediating the carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter, and gaseous hydrocarbons present in diesel engine exhaust streams. The emission treatment system of specific embodiment effectively treats diesel engine exhaust with a single catalyst article.
US08246913B2
A lead portion (25) of a heater coil (22) is constituted of a single coil wound into a coil and a bead portion (24) is constituted of a double coil formed by further winding the single coil into a coil. By constituting a detecting element (2) by burying the bead portion (24) in a heat conductive layer (21) and adhering a catalyst layer (23) on the surface of the heat conductive layer (21), improvement of the gas sensitivity and the response speed of a catalytic combustion gas sensor is facilitated. Zero point variation is reduced by improving impact resistance. When both ends of the heater coil are fixed to electrode pins, both ends of the heater coil are welded to the electrode pins using a resistance welding method, etc., with a platinum wire, etc., wound on a primary core wire, and thereafter, the primary core wire is melted and eliminated while leaving the platinum wire, etc., by a wet etching process.
US08246910B2
Sensing device and method for detecting presence and concentration of generic target analytes of interest. The device and method are based on detecting changes in effective dielectric induced by the target analytes of interest. Applications of the invention include, but are not restricted to, detecting and characterizing the presence of chemical and/or biological target analytes of interest as well as detecting and characterizing target analytes of interest from a separation apparatus. In one embodiment of the invention, the device comprises at least two electrodes in a rigid architecture such as a solid surface, where the electrodes have sizes and inter-electrode spacings that are on the order of sizes of target analytes of interest to improve sensitivity of the device. Changes in effective dielectric and, therefore, capacitance induced by a presence of the target analytes of interest are measured electronically. The changes are used to detect the presence of the target analytes of interest and to characterize their presence.
US08246897B2
A vulcanization apparatus and method for vehicle wheel tires, includes at least one prevulcanization work station to conduct a prevulcanization of a radially internal portion of the tire and at least two vulcanization work stations wherein the remaining part of the vulcanization of the whole tire is carried out.
US08246895B2
Molding methods and systems are disclosed for manufacturing molded items (10) with an integral substrate (50) formed thereon, particularly wherein the substrate has a metallic appearance and/or wherein the molded product is formed with a geometric feature (66) associated with an edge of the substrate adapted for at least partially obscuring the edge in the molded product.
US08246894B2
A flexible substrate, a method of manufacturing a display substrate, and a method of manufacturing a display panel. A spinning device is filled with a source solution, and a carrier substrate is arranged such that the spinning device faces the carrier substrate. An electric field is formed between the spinning device and the carrier substrate by supplying a power to the spinning device and the carrier substrate, and a nano-fiber is formed by spraying the source solution toward the carrier substrate. A flexible substrate is formed on the carrier substrate by coating a polymer resin on the nano-fiber, a plurality of display cells are formed on the flexible substrate, and then a display substrate is formed by separating the carrier substrate from the flexible substrate.
US08246892B2
The invention relates to a method of controlling the quality of blocks that are produced front face-up in a mold, and verifying the accuracy of the production of such blocks, to ensure that the blocks are manufactured with consistent quality and minimal block-to-block variability. Measurement locations are formed on the front faces of predetermined blocks. By measuring the distances between the measurement locations and the rear faces and comparing with a target distance, any variation provides an indication that the blocks are not being properly formed. The process variables, such as the alignment of the compression head and/or the pressure plates to the mold, can then be adjusted accordingly.
US08246888B2
A support material feedstock comprising a first copolymer and a polymeric impact modifier, where the first copolymer includes a first monomer unit comprising a carboxyl group and a second monomer unit comprising a phenyl group.
US08246886B2
A method and system for aligning nanotubes within an extensible structure such as a yarn or non-woven sheet. The method includes providing an extensible structure having non-aligned nanotubes, adding a chemical mixture to the extensible structure so as to wet the extensible structure, and stretching the extensible structure so as to substantially align the nanotubes within the extensible structure. The system can include opposing rollers around which an extensible structure may be wrapped, mechanisms to rotate the rollers independently or away from one another as they rotate to stretch the extensible structure, and a reservoir from which a chemical mixture may be dispensed to wet the extensible structure to help in the stretching process.
US08246885B2
The invention relates to a process for manufacturing an absorbent sheet comprising at least two plies of cellulose wadding, consisting in combining said plies under pressure by passing between two steel cylindrical components, the first being smooth on the outside and the second being equipped with raised components on the outside and the hardness of the first cylindrical component being lower than that of the second cylindrical component. According to the invention, the first cylindrical component has a treated hardened surface layer and a deformable underlayer; the second cylindrical component has a hardened outer surface, and the sheet, when it passes between the two cylindrical components is compressed at a specific pressure between 40 and 250 N/mm2. Another subject of the invention is an assembly of steel cylindrical components intended for the manufacture of multiply absorbent sheets.
US08246884B2
Compositions for golf balls that include polyurea linkages and that are crosslinked in the soft segments of the polymer backbone. In particular, the compositions of the invention, which are based on a polyurea have improved crosslink density from the crosslinking between the soft, unsaturated segments of the polymer backbone. The curative blend includes at least one isocyanate-reactive component and a free radical initiator.
US08246881B2
A method of forming a midsole includes the steps of placing a first mold member and a second mold member in contact with one another, injecting a first material into the first mold member to form first and second portions of a midsole preform, positioning the first and second portions in a third mold member of a second mold assembly; placing a second material in the third mold member; placing the third mold member and a fourth mold member in contact with one another, subjecting the second material and the first and second portions to heat to form a midsole preform, placing the midsole preform in a fifth mold member, placing the fifth mold member and a sixth mold member in contact with one another; and subjecting the midsole preform to heat and pressure to form a midsole.
US08246880B2
Disclosed is a method for producing a cellulose ester film wherein a film-forming material containing the following components A-C is heated and melted, and a cellulose ester film is formed therefrom by melt-casting. A: a cellulose resin, B: an ester compound obtained by condensing an organic acid represented by Formula (1) and a polyalcohol, and C: an aliphatic polyester or an aliphatic-aromatic copolymer.
US08246877B2
Method and apparatus for casting a concrete product with a substantially horizontal slipform casting process, wherein the concrete mix is fed at least in one step through a limited cross-section moving progressively along with the cast, whereby the height of the product forming part (1) is changed during the cast. The invention also comprises a product forming part (1) having an adjustable height.
US08246874B2
A method for making a carbon nanotube-based device includes the steps of: providing a carbon nanotube yarn; preforming the carbon nanotube yarn into a predetermined shape; and heating the preformed carbon nanotube yarn so as to enable the carbon nanotube yarn to memorize the predetermined shape.
US08246872B2
A method of making a composite article includes providing an elastomeric composition with a blowing agent having an activation temperature and providing at least one structural member defining a fixed gap. The composition is formed below the blowing agent's activation temperature into a solid elastomeric member approximately the thickness of or larger than the gap. The elastomeric member is assembled into the gap, which may place the elastomeric member in a state of compression in the gap. The elastomeric member is then expanded by heating it above the activation temperature. During expansion, the escape of the gas produced is limited to increase the state of compression of the elastomer in the gap by means of confining any free surfaces or by including a platy filler such as nanoclay in the composition.
US08246859B2
The invention describes a process for reducing the surface energy of organic materials such as for example increasing the oil and water repellency and stain release of organic materials, which comprises treating the organic material with at least a compound of the formula I wherein the general symbols are as defined in claim 1; especially wherein at least one of the radicals R2, R3 or R4 is —CH(R11)—S(O)p—R12; R11 is hydrogen, C1-C8alkyl, unsubstituted or with C1-C4alkyl substituted phenyl; R12 is a monovalent perfluorinated alkyl or alkenyl, linear or branched organic radical having four to twenty fully fluorinated carbon atoms, and p is 0, 1 or 2.
US08246844B2
A method of folding a filter bag 10 made from a nonwoven fabric or stiff media to facilitate installation within a filter retainer basket and a folded filter bag 10 arrangement.
US08246842B2
A centrifuge (2) for separating solids from liquid of a slurry with a conveyor (12) having a hub (14) rotatable about an axis (34) and at a helical blade (16) extending axially and radially from the hub. A bowl (4) including a cylindrical section (6) extending from an upstream end of the conveyor and a conically diverging screen section (10) extending to a downstream end of the conveyor extends about the conveyor and is rotatable about the axis. The conically diverging screen section includes an angle (40) that reduces the coefficient of friction of the solids to allow a cake formed of the solids to slide in a controlled manner forward on the conically diverging screen section with minimal back pressure, but without allowing the solid cake to break loose from the conically diverging screen section and slide out of the centrifuge in an uncontrolled manner.
US08246838B2
A method for filtering a fluid to obtain a fluid having a known purity is described. The fluid is filtered with a filtration system, and upstream of a final filtration stage of the filtration system, a purity of the fluid is measured. A purity of the fluid filtered by the filtration system is determined by correcting the measured purity with a filtration behavior of the final filtration stage. In an embodiment, the fluid comprises an ultra pure water for use as an immersion liquid in a lithographic apparatus.
US08246837B2
A method for removal of ammonia from a polluted medium avoids the disadvantages related to the chemical-physical properties of an ammonium-containing salt (MAP). The method has improved technical and economical operational parameters and produces a reusable and environmentally friendly nitrogen fertilizer. All chemical processes and mechanical steps of the method are carried out in one single container, with the different steps divided into time phases. The chemical products are prevented from transportation between compartments and contact with pumps and pipes. Only liquids without precipitates are in contact with these elements. The method is applicable to ammonia-containing water from leachate, wastewater, the food industry, and agriculture.
US08246835B2
One exemplary embodiment can be an apparatus for isomerizing a hydrocarbon stream rich in a C4 hydrocarbon and/or at least one of a C5 and C6 hydrocarbon. The apparatus can include: a first drier and a second drier adapted to receive a fluid including at least one reactant; and a reaction zone communicating with the first drier to receive the fluid including at least one reactant and with the second drier to receive the regenerant. Generally, the first drier operates at a first condition to dry the fluid including at least one reactant and the second drier operates at a second condition during regeneration with a regenerant. The regenerant is displaced from the drier using a down-flow regenerant displacement assembly.
US08246832B2
The present invention contemplates various devices that are configured to separate a sample, which contains more than one unique species, into any desired number of sub-samples by passing the sample across a like number of separation media configured for a first separation protocol. Each of the sub-samples may be further separated by an additional separation protocol, thereby creating a plurality of mini-samples, each of which may be further separated and/or analyzed. The invention also contemplates using a simple method of using conduits to form a fluid path that passes through a plurality of separation media, each of which media is configured to isolate a particular sub-sample. After various sub-samples of the sample are isolated by the various separation media, the conduits may be removed, thereby enabling each of the isolated sub-samples to be further separated and/or analyzed independent of any other sub-sample.
US08246827B2
A hollow-fiber membrane assembly having the function of preventing the membrane filaments from cracking, which comprises: hollow-fiber membrane filaments (1), protective film(s) (2) and fastening material (3), wherein the protective film (2) enwraps the outside of the hollow-fiber membrane filament(s) (1) near the end head (5), and a portion of the protective film (2) is immobilized in the fastening material (3), while the rest portion of the protective film (2) outside of the fastening material (3) is left free.
US08246817B2
A novel deionization filter for removing ions from a coolant in an electric fuel cell vehicle cooling system is disclosed. The deionization filter includes a filter housing having a coolant inlet port, through which the coolant enters the filter housing; and a coolant outlet port, through which the coolant exits the filter housing. An ion exchange bed having positively-charged and negatively-charged ion exchange resin beads is provided in the filter housing for removing negative and positive ions, respectively, from the coolant. At least one filter assembly is typically provided in the filter housing for filtering particles from the coolant.
US08246809B2
An apparatus and a method deposits a metal coating on an electrically conductive substrate in a continuous way. The apparatus includes at least one plating vessel for receiving an electrolyte solution and at least one plating unit. The plating unit includes a first zone comprising at least one first electrode (anode) connected to a positive pole of a power supply; a second zone comprising at least one second electrode (cathode) connected to a negative pole of the power supply; and an intermediate zone between the first zone and the second zone. The intermediate zone separates the first zone from the second zone by a predetermined distance larger than zero. The substrate functions as a cathode having a current density Jc when the substrate is facing the first electrode, and as an anode having a current density Ja when the substrate is facing the second electrode.
US08246802B2
An apparatus, a method and a process to achieve manipulation of particles and/or solutions through the use of electrokinetic properties are disclosed. The manipulation is performed using a disposable device positioned on top of a stage for purposes of powering the electrodes. The fluidic solution is brought into contact with the active part of the device and then manipulated.
US08246798B2
According to the present invention, it can be switched whether or not to apply a magnetic field to a substrate depending on a material of a film to be formed, and a magnetic layer and a non-magnetic layer can be formed in the same chamber.A sputtering apparatus 100 includes a substrate holder 102 configured to support a substrate W; magnet holders 106 that are disposed around the substrate holder; magnets 104 that are movably loaded on the magnet holders; supporting members 103 that protrude from the substrate holder so as to face the magnets; connecting members 105 that protrude from the magnets to face the substrate holder; a rotation mechanism 121 configured to rotationally move at least one of the substrate holder and the magnet holders; and a connection switching mechanism 122 configured to move, when positions of the supporting members and the connecting members are matched to each other by rotational movement of the rotation mechanism, the substrate holder upward and downward to engage the supporting members and the connecting members with each other or separate the supporting members and the connecting members from each other, and switch whether or not to apply a magnetic field to the substrate W.
US08246797B2
The invention concerns a surface treatment electrode (11) to treat at least one object (1). It comprises at least one cavity (23) enclosing the object (1) to be treated during the treatment, having a geometry ensuring free movement of the object (1), this cavity (23) being delimited by a wall (24) comprising at least one opening (25) communicating the inside of the cavity (23) with a treatment solution (5) in which the electrode (11) is immersed during the surface treatment. The cavity (23) is substantially cylindrical and its diameter is approximately 50 to 100 micrometers larger than a maximum size of the object (1).
US08246795B2
A method for fabricating a lens module includes forming an IR-cut filter, forming a shading block on part of a surface of the IR-cut filter, forming a blocking layer on the IR-cut filter and the shading block, forming an electromagnetic shielding layer on the blocking layer, polishing the electromagnetic shielding layer and the blocking layer to expose the shading block, removing the shading block from the IR-cut filter to form an optical component, mounting a lens in the barrel portion adjacent to the IR-cut filter portion, and packaging the holding portion of the optical component to a printed circuit board to form the lens module.
US08246794B2
A method of magnetron sputtering, comprises rotating a magnet of a magnetron with an angular frequency ω, and, during sputtering of material from a source of the magnetron onto a substrate, periodically modulating a power level applied to the source with at least a component comprising a frequency f which is a harmonic of the angular frequency ω of rotation of the magnet other than the first harmonic.
US08246793B2
Processes for the continuous fractional distillation of a mixture comprising morpholine (MO), monoaminodiglycol (ADG), ammonia and water from a reaction of diethylene glycol (DEG) with ammonia, the process comprising: (i) separating off ammonia from the mixture at a top of a first distillation column K10; (ii) feeding a bottom fraction from the first distillation column to a second distillation column K20, wherein water and an organic product are separated off at a top of the second distillation column at a top temperature of 45 to 198° C. and a pressure in the range from 0.1 to 15 bar; (iii) feeding a bottom fraction from the second distillation column to a third distillation column K30, wherein morpholine and an organic product having a boiling point of <140° C. (1.013 bar) are separated off at a point selected from a top and a side offtake of the third distillation column, and monoaminodiglycol and an organic product having a boiling point of >190° C. (1.013 bar) are separated off at a bottom of the third distillation column, and (iv) feeding the morpholine-comprising stream from the third distillation column to a fourth column K40, wherein morpholine is separated off at a side offtake of the fourth column, an organic product having a boiling point of ≦128° C. (1.013 bar) is separated off at a top of the fourth distillation column and an organic product having a boiling point of ≧128° C. (1.013 bar) is separated off at a bottom of the fourth distillation column.
US08246792B2
Processes for making SA from either a clarified DAS-containing fermentation broth or a clarified MAS-containing fermentation broth that include distilling the broth under super atmospheric pressure at a temperature of >100° C. to about 300° C. to form an overhead that comprises water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes SA, and at least about 20 wt % water; cooling the bottoms to a temperature sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a liquid portion and a solid portion that is substantially pure SA; and separating the solid portion from the liquid portion. A method also reduces the broth distillation temperature and pressure by adding an ammonia separating and/or water azeotroping solvent to the broth.
US08246787B2
A desalinization plant and process utilizes solar radiation to produce steam from seawater which is then used to generate freshwater and electricity.
US08246784B2
This invention relates to a porous pulp mold comprising sintered particles and a plurality of drainage channels. The pulp mold of the invention can be produced in a fast and cost effective way. The molding surface of the invention comprises small pore openings, to evacuate fluid and prevent fibers from entering the pulp mold. Furthermore the pulp mold of the invention comprises drainage channels improving the drainage capabilities of the pulp mold. The molding surface can be heated to at least 200° C., due to high heat conductivity of the pulp mold and its ability to withstand high temperatures.
US08246781B2
A creping adhesive comprising a PAE composition comprising a reactive, light crosslinked polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin polymer (PAE-type polymer) optionally in combination with a reactive modifier and the corresponding method for of creping cellulosic fiber webs with the adhesive.
US08246777B2
The present invention relates to the manufacturing of honeycomb sandwich panels. Particularly a two component polyurethane adhesive having a Polyol P1 with a bisphenol-A or bisphenol-F moiety in its structure, a polyester or polyether Polyol P2, a heat-activated polyurethane catalyst CA and a polyisocyanate PI. The adhesive is remarkably well suited for the manufacturing of honeycomb sandwich panels showing particularly a short curing time combined with a long open time and good wetting and bonding properties.
US08246761B2
A workpiece is designed for rolling stresses and includes a body having a core zone and a carbonitrided surface zone which surrounds the core zone. The workpiece body is formed of a fully hardening steel. The core zone has a bainite microstructure as its main constituent. The surface zone of the workpiece has a mixed microstructure comprising martensite and bainite and the martensite in the surface zone constitutes a proportion of at least twenty percent by volume.
US08246760B2
A multi-chambered deposition pin wash station is provided. The wash station includes a lower chamber and an upper drain basin connected by a plurality of wash tubes. Cleaning fluid is provided to the lower chamber and passes through the cleaning tubes into the upper drain basin. The cleaning tubes are adapted to clean a single deposition pin with a single tube per wash cycle.
US08246758B2
The present invention relates to medium chain peroxycarboxylic acid compositions of neutral or alkaline pH, to methods of making these compositions, and to methods employing these compositions. The methods include methods of cleaning. The compositions include cleaning compositions.
US08246752B2
A device for clearing obstructions from a medical tube, such as a chest tube, is disclosed in various embodiments. In embodiments, the device features a guide wire that extends from a drainage canister and can be advanced and withdrawn through a medical tube, such as a chest tube, via an actuator. The guide wire is actuated so as to maintain the sterile field within the chest tube and the associated suction pathway. Methods of clearing a medical tube of obstructions using such a device are also disclosed.
US08246748B2
A workpiece support member can rotate about an axis relative to a source, and the source can emit a plume of coating material that flows toward the workpiece support member approximately parallel to the axis. A plume-influencing shield can rotate with the workpiece support member, and has a plurality of openings extending therethrough approximately parallel to the general direction of flow of the plume. According to a different aspect, a method involves: rotating a workpiece support member about an axis relative to a source; emitting from the source a plume of coating material that flows toward the workpiece support member approximately parallel to the axis; and influencing the plume with structure that includes a shield rotating with the workpiece support member, the shield having a plurality of openings extending therethrough approximately parallel to the general direction of flow of the plume.
US08246747B2
Disclosed is an apparatus for manufacturing semiconductors, to be used for various processes in semiconductor manufacture processing, such as the forming of layers on wafers. A tube has a processing space therein and a discharge hole at a side thereof. A boat can be loaded and unloaded through a lower opening of the tube. Susceptors are vertically separated from one another and supported within the boat, have a central hole defined in the respective centers of rotation thereof, and have a plurality of wafers stacked around a central perimeter on the respective top surfaces thereof. A supply tube is installed at the top of the boat and passes through each central hole of the susceptors, and defines discharge holes for discharging processing gas supplied from the outside onto each top surface of the susceptors.
US08246742B2
The invention concerns an accelerator mixture which contains aluminum in oxidation state 3, sulphate and hexafluorosilicic acid, a process for the preparation of said accelerators and the use of said accelerators for the coating of substrates with concrete or mortar. Furthermore the invention relates to concrete or mortar containing accelerators according to the invention and the hardened layers produced by applying the accelerators to concrete or mortar. The invention relates also to the use of hexafluorosilicic acid as a stabilizer.
US08246738B2
Starch(es) and starch derivatives are combined together with at least one high-viscosity cellulose as a thickener in dispersion binder-based color systems. The cellulose has a viscosity of >50,000 mPa·s, measured by the Brookfield rotation viscometer as a 2% swollen aqueous solution at 5 rpm and 25° C. A method produces dispersion binder-based color systems and a dispersion color thickener combination and a dispersion color containing the dispersion color thickener combination.
US08246722B2
A regenerable sorbent for the removal of acid gas from a fluid stream. The regenerable sorbent is made from raw materials such as iron mineral, expansive clay and starch. Acid gas is removed from the fluid stream by a process where the raw materials are obtained, crushed, sifted, possibly pelletized, calcined and contacted with the fluid stream containing the acid gas.
US08246719B2
Method for processing an article comprising mixed conducting metal oxide material. The method comprises contacting the article with an oxygen-containing gas and either reducing the temperature of the oxygen-containing gas during a cooling period or increasing the temperature of the oxygen-containing gas during a heating period; during the cooling period, reducing the oxygen activity in the oxygen-containing gas during at least a portion of the cooling period and increasing the rate at which the temperature of the oxygen-containing gas is reduced during at least a portion of the cooling period; and during the heating period, increasing the oxygen activity in the oxygen-containing gas during at least a portion of the heating period and decreasing the rate at which the temperature of the oxygen-containing gas is increased during at least a portion of the heating period.
US08246716B2
A method of producing a fluxing agent that can be used in production of steel, preferably stainless steel, employs as a raw material a hydroxide sludge that results from neutralization of metal-contaminated pickling liquid from a pickling step for a steel and contains at least one fluoride-containing compound. The hydroxide sludge is calcined. Steel, preferably stainless steel, is produced by decarburizing a steel heat, whereby a slag is formed on top of the steel heat, and adding a fluxing agent to the slag.
US08246711B2
Biotic fertilizers are described that build soil nutrients by accelerating the growth of topsoil microorganisms Biotic fertilizers are primarily aimed at increasing populations of cyanobacteria, formally known as blue-green algae, and like organisms that have the ability to engage in photosynthesis reand to engage in the extraction of nitrogen from the atmosphere. Methods of biotic fertilizer manufacture are presented that utilize animal waste product as well as desirable compositions obtained thereby.
US08246708B2
A filter pack includes a filter construction and a sealing system for sealing the construction within a duct or housing. The filter construction has first and second opposite flow faces and is configured for a straight-through flow. The sealing system includes a frame construction and a compressible seal member. The compressible seal member is molded around a portion of the frame construction. The compressible seal member is sufficiently compressible to form a radial seal between and against the frame construction and a surface of a housing when the filter pack is inserted within the housing.
US08246701B2
Methods of fabricating polycrystalline diamond elements and compacts using sp2-carbon-containing particles are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of fabricating a polycrystalline diamond element includes mixing a plurality of sp2-carbon-containing particles and a plurality of diamond particles to form a mixture. An amount of the plurality of sp2-carbon-containing particles present in the mixture is effective to increase a thermal stability of the polycrystalline diamond element formed at least partially from the mixture. The method further includes sintering the mixture in the presence of a catalyst material to form the polycrystalline diamond element.
US08246699B2
The processes of producing the low pour point palm diesel particularly but not exclusively via esterification of C18, C18:1 and C18:2 mixed fatty acids with methanol or ethanol, or fractional distillation of methyl or ethyl esters of palm oil, palm kernel oil and palm oil products, or fractional distillation of methyl or ethyl esters of palm oil, palm kernel oil and palm oil products, followed by crystallization, or crystallization of methyl or ethyl esters of palm oil, palm kernel oil and palm oil products, or crystallization of methyl or ethyl esters of palm oil, palm kernel oil and palm oil products, followed by fractional distillation.
US08246687B2
A shoulder implant assembly including a humeral stem, a head, a cup, and a taper adaptor. The humeral stem is configured to be inserted into a humerus bone. The head includes a metal substrate having a coupling taper and a polymeric cover mounted to the metal substrate having a convex outer surface and a generally planar base. The cup has a concave surface configured to articulate with the polymeric cover of the head. The taper adaptor is configured to mate with the coupling taper of the head. The taper adaptor is configured to connect the head to the stem when the cup is connected to a glenoid. The taper adaptor is configured to connect the head to the glenoid when the cup is connected to the humeral stem.
US08246685B2
The present invention relates to a prosthesis including a first component that delimits a single central housing, including a bottom forming a first articular surface, a peripheral wall and, at a distance from the bottom, an edge extending inwards, a peripheral supporting surface, and on the side turned towards said bottom a second articular surface; and a second component including a plate intended to come into contact with the vertebral plate of the relevant vertebra and a single central pin with a widened head.
US08246681B2
Introduction of a bone filler material into at least a portion of the cancellous bone volume pressurizes the bone filler material and compresses the cancellous bone volume within the bone structure.
US08246679B2
An accommodating intraocular lens has an anterior portion including an anterior viewing element and an anterior biasing element connected to the anterior viewing element. A posterior portion has a posterior viewing element and a posterior biasing element connected to the posterior viewing element. The anterior and posterior biasing elements are connected at first and second apices. First and second distending members are connected to the posterior portion. The first and second distending members extend to locations significantly anterior of an anterior side of the posterior viewing element.
US08246670B2
A system for delivering a medical device, such as an angioplasty balloon, includes two catheter shafts. The distal portion of a first shaft includes a first balloon and is narrower than the proximal portion. A second catheter shaft includes a second balloon and is connected to a medial portion of the first shaft. The second shaft includes a guidewire passageway which is in communication with the passageway of a third shaft that is removably connected to the first shaft. The distal tips of the first and second balloons are connected together to allow the system to be advanced to an anatomical site using a single guidewire. A second guidewire may be used to separate the distal ends of the balloons and to position the balloons at vascular bifurcation. A stent can be crimped onto the balloons such that inflation of the balloons implants the stent within the bifurcation.
US08246665B2
A spinal cross connector head assembly and a cross connector assembly utilizing the spinal cross connector head assembly are configured for fixation to an existing spinal rod bone screw head. The spinal cross connector head assembly has one or more components which incorporate one or more breakaway portions that aid in the installation of the cross connector head assembly onto a polyaxial spinal rod bone screw assembly. The spinal cross connector assembly includes first and second spinal cross connector head assemblies each of which is configured for fixation to existing, adjacent spinal rod screw heads and connection with a cross connector rod. Each spinal cross connector rod head assembly has a dual breakaway system including a cross connector head component having a breakaway collar that, once detached, provides a polyaxial cross connector head, and a set screw component having a breakaway set screw that, once detached, provides fixation of the orientation of the polyaxial cross connector head relative to the polyaxial spinal rod bone screw head.
US08246652B2
A tissue connector has a first pointed end, an anchor end, a body with a periphery and a plurality of barbs projecting from said periphery of said body. The plurality of barbs are yieldable in one direction, which direction is the direction of motion of the first pointed end through tissue, and are rigid in an opposite direction, which is in the direction of the anchor end. At axial locations of said body, said barbs are about equally located about the periphery of said body. At axial locations on a cylindrical periphery of the body barbs are locate at about 120 degree spacings. The barbs are conically shaped.
US08246638B2
A needle delivery device that has particular application for providing needles for minimally invasive spinal surgical procedures. The device includes an elongated pincher having opposing rails that is slidable within a channel defined in an extended base portion. Widened end portions of the rails hold the needle and push it out of an end of the device where it is released. The pincher is then retracted to a location where the end portions can pick up a next needle to be delivered.
US08246637B2
A handle assembly for operating a surgical instrument is provided and includes a housing; a trigger operatively supported on the housing; and at least one actuation cable operatively associated with the trigger and extending from the housing in such a manner that an actuation of the trigger imparts both an axial translation of the actuation cable and a rotation to the actuation cable. Each of the axial translation and rotation of the actuation cable performs a separate function.
US08246623B2
An instrument and method for reducing a vertebral rod into an anchor attached to a vertebral member. The instrument may include a gripper and an attached reduction member that includes a handle and shaft. The gripper is configured to attach to an anchor and may include an asymmetrical shape to accommodate the anatomy of a patient and a funneled capturing space to facilitate reduction of the vertebral rod. The reduction member may be configured to apply a reduction force to the vertebral rod at the various axial and lateral medial positions within the capturing space. The reduction member may also provide for course and fine movement of the shaft during the movement of the vertebral rod.
US08246608B2
A medical manipulator system includes a manipulator, an operating unit for entering operation commands, motors for actuating a working unit, and a controller for energizing the motors based on operation commands supplied from the operating unit. When an activation resetting switch and a resetting switch are operated according to a predetermined procedure, the controller performs a resetting process to return the motors to an origin. The controller is capable of controlling three manipulators. The activation resetting switch is shared by the three manipulators, and there are three resetting switches corresponding to the three manipulators.
US08246606B2
A method and system for controlling inflammatory response at an internal tissue site of a patient utilizes a reduced-pressure treatment device. Controlling the inflammatory response may be accomplished in a number of ways that involve treating the inflammatory milieu. Treating the inflammatory milieu may include removing or moderating pro-inflammatory stimuli, e.g., fluids, enhancing perfusion of the tissue at or near the internal tissue site, or providing reduced-pressure therapy. The reduced-pressure treatment device is placed at or near the internal tissue site and is fluidly coupled to an external reduced-pressure source. The reduced-pressure treatment device provides reduced pressure proximate the tissue site and treats the inflammatory milieu. The reduced-pressure treatment device for controlling inflammatory response may be a minimally-invasive treatment device.
US08246603B2
A catheter for a coronary artery can include a distal end for being introduced into an opening of a coronary artery from an artery of an arm. The catheter can, include a catheter main body including a main body portion having a substantially linear shape in a natural state and a curved portion forming a portion extending from the main body portion to the distal end and having a curved shape in a natural state. The curved portion can include a first curve extending in a curved state from the main body portion, an intermediate portion extending from the first curve, a second curve extending from the intermediate portion and curved in a direction same as that of the first curve, and an extreme distal end portion of a substantially linear shape extending from the second curve. A method of using the catheter is also disclosed.
US08246601B2
The invention relates to a method of engrafting donor cells into injured myocardium. The method includes delivering donor cells to a delivery site adjacent to and downstream of a chronic total occlusion and treating the chronic total occlusion. The delivery device may be a catheter with a wireguide that may be provided by a retrograde approach via an un-occluded artery or antegrade approach through the chronic total occlusion. The invention also relates to a method of treating injured myocardium and cell compositions for treatment of injured myocardium.
US08246592B2
Wound treatment apparatuses comprising a vacuum source and a bandage (e.g., a wound-care bandage) configured to be coupled (and/or coupled) to the vacuum source. Some embodiments of the bandage including a wound dressing member configured to be placed in contact with a wound surface, and a suction port associated with the wound dressing member and/or configured to be connected to the vacuum source. Some embodiments of the member including a plurality of spacers configured to contact the wound surface to define suction space between the member and the wound surface. Some embodiments of the member including holes configured to communicate with the suction space, and/or a plurality of passageways between the suction port and the holes.
US08246584B2
An intraosseous injection device includes a tool having a distal portion, a proximal portion, and a solution dispensing opening. The distal portion has one or more cutting surfaces. The tool can be coupled with a protective carrier. The tool can be rotatably coupled to a tool actuation mechanism. A housing has a distal end and a proximal end. The housing releasably receives a solution cartridge containing a solution. A solution dispensing mechanism dispenses solution from the solution cartridge. A gripping member grips a proximal portion of the tool. A rotation device rotates the gripping member and thereby rotates the tool about an axis. The proximal portion of the tool connects directly to the solution cartridge such that solution from the cartridge can be delivered through the solution dispensing opening. The tool is configured to rotate relative to the solution cartridge.
US08246569B1
An implanted parylene tube shunt relieves intra-ocular pressure. The device is implanted with an open end in the anterior chamber of the eye, allowing excess fluid to be drained through the tube out of the eye. In one embodiment, only a first end of the tube implanted into the anterior chamber of the eye is open. Intra-ocular pressure (IOP) is then monitored, for example utilizing an implanted sensor. When IOP exceeds a critical value, a practitioner intervenes, puncturing with a laser a thinned region of the tube lying outside the eye, thereby initiating drainage of fluid and relieving pressure. In accordance with alternative embodiments, the both ends of the tube are open, and the tube includes a one-way valve configured to permit drainage where IOP exceeds the critical value. The tube may include projecting barbs to anchor the tube in the eye without the need for sutures.
US08246568B2
The present disclosure provides apparatus and methods for removing thrombus outside of a hemodialysis. The hemodialysis catheter comprises an elongate shaft comprising a plurality of lumens. A first lumen has a first distal port. The first lumen is configured for the flow of a fluid in a first direction. A second lumen has a second distal port proximal to the first distal port. The second lumen is configured for the flow of the fluid in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A third lumen has a third distal port proximal to the second distal port. An elongate device is disposed through the third lumen. The elongate device has an operable member on a distal end or a device to connect to an operable member disposed on the elongate shaft. The operable member is configured to engage and remove thrombus from an exterior surface on the elongate shaft.
US08246564B2
This invention discloses a modular system having a base module, a mid-section control module, and a display module for preparing and administering a gas-enriched bodily fluid. Gas-enrichment is achieved by a gas-enriching device which can be in the form of a disposable cartridge. During operation, the gas-enrichment device is placed in an enclosure within the control module to form a fluid pathway for extracorporeal circulation of the bodily fluid. An electronic controller manages the various aspects of the system and executes an automated method for priming the extracorporeal circuit.
US08246562B2
The plantar flexion prevention device is an elastic sock. The sock extends over a foot to a calf area above the foot. A heel portion has a first attachment mechanism positioned near a plantar surface of a heel of the foot. There is an inverted Y-shaped inelastic strap that has two members securely attached to the elastic sock near the plantar surface of a metatarsalphalangeal joint region of the foot. A third member has a second attachment mechanism positioned in a middle portion of the third member. There is an inelastic toe strap that extends from a toe portion of the sock. A separate adjustable cuff with a third attachment mechanism is positioned above the calf area of the leg. The inelastic toe strap attaches to the second attachment mechanism of the inverted Y-shaped strap for toe extension, and can attach to the first attachment mechanism for toe flexion.
US08246561B1
Systems, device and methods are described for maintaining concentric reduction of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint of a finger with few as two orthopedic pins, one inserted through the head of the proximal phalanx concentric with the axis of rotation of the joint (i.e., a transverse pin), and the other through the middle phalanx at a location between the PIP and distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint (a dorsal pin), and applying a force between the two pins. A surgical kit is described which may include such components as a dorsal pin, a transverse pin, a pin placement guide for use in reducing the joint fracture dislocation and then drilling holes for the pins or for inserting self-drilling pins, and a fixation device for coupling and applying a force between the dorsal and transverse pins. The components of the surgical kit are described, including various configurations of the fixation device.
US08246556B2
Methods and systems for dynamic compression of venous tissue enable improved blood movement in the extremities. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a pressure pad provides a compressive force to the venous plexus region of the foot. The pressure pad is successively withdrawn and re-pressed against the foot. Improved blood circulation may reduce the occurrence of undesirable complications such as deep vein thrombosis, ulcers, and the like.
US08246555B2
The present invention relates to a method and system for monitoring sport related fitness by estimating muscle power and joint force of limbs, in which the system comprises a sensing module and a force/track detection module, wherein sensor values from the sensing module are fed to the force/track detection module to be used as base for estimating feature parameters and classifying a motion series relating to muscle power and joint force of limbs so as to obtain skill-related fitness parameters corresponding to the sensing of the sensor module.
US08246551B2
An adapter is provided for use with a biopsy device that includes a cutting element having an outer cannula hub removably mounted to a handpiece. The cutting element includes an outer cannula connected to the outer cannula hub and an inner cannula disposed within the outer cannula and attached to the handpiece. The outer cannula hub allows removal of the handpiece and inner cannula from the outer cannula. The adapter includes a base, a cradle moveably mounted to the base and configured to rotatably support the biopsy device therein, and an indexing guide moveable with the cradle having a receptacle within which the outer cannula hub is rotatably received. The cradle and indexing guide are configured to inhibit rotation and axial movement of the biopsy device relative to the cradle, and facilitates removal of the handpiece and inner cannula from the outer cannula, while maintaining registration with the biopsy site.
US08246543B2
Methods for imaging the internal structures of an object using an acoustic wave field are provided. In one aspect, for example, a method of imaging internals of a physical object using acoustic waves may include transmitting an acoustic wave field toward the object, receiving a resultant acoustic wave field with a receiver, where the resultant acoustic wave field is in response to the transmitted acoustic wave field reflected from or transmitted through the object, and determining a predicted resultant acoustic wave field derived from a model of the object. The method may also include determining a residual between the predicted resultant acoustic wave field and the resultant acoustic wave field, and back propagating the residual to determine corrections to the model of the object. In another aspect, the above recited steps may be further iterated to successively refine the model of the object over a number of iterations until a predefined condition is reached.
US08246542B2
A bone strength diagnostic device includes a wave-transmission module that transmits an ultrasonic wave obliquely to a bone covered with soft tissues; a wave-reception module that receives the ultrasonic wave that exits from the bone to the side of the soft tissues; a shape detection module for detecting the shape of the front surface of the bone; and a speed-of-sound deriving module for deriving the speed of sound of the ultrasonic wave that propagates along the front surface of the bone, based on the received wave signals, and the shape of the front surface of the bone detected using the shape detection module.
US08246539B2
A method for managing the pericardium during intra-pericardial procedures such as the delivery of cardiac support devices. One embodiment of the method includes making an incision through the pericardium to provide access to the pericardial space, and inserting a plurality of strips of lubricious material into and through the incision. The strips of material are spaced around the edges of the incision to form a tubular barrier against the pericardium. End portions of the strips of material in the pericardial space are expanded away from the body to form a lip that lines the inside of the pericardium around the incision.
US08246534B2
When a guide wire 5 is maximally raised on a treatment instrument raising stand 35, a distal point of the guide wire 5 is operated so as to be capable of always observing a papillary opening portion 7, which is a subject to be treated, from the front (in a basic position where the portion to be treated is positioned at the center of the field of view). The treatment instrument raising stand 35 is maximally raised in order that the tilt angle β of the guide wire 5 is equal to the tilt angle α of a central axis of a field of view of an observation window 30. Then, the guide wire 5 is fixed and a treatment instrument such as a drainage tube is replaced, whereby a treatment instrument can be easily and more safely replaced via the guide wire 5.
US08246522B2
An exercise apparatus includes a housing, a pair of pivoting foot treadles and a pair of reciprocating bellows that support the foot treadles. A sealed air system including a conduit interconnects the bellows and is operable for reciprocating transfer of air from bellow to bellow. Each of the foot treadles is pivotably movable between upper and lower positions, and has a resting position between the upper and lower positions. The resting position of the foot treadles defines a resting position of the bellows while the upper and lower positions of the foot treadles respectively define elongated and compressed positions of the bellows. In use, the elongated and compressed positions of the bellows are each no more than 5 degrees off the center resting position thereby reducing stress on the bellows.
US08246519B2
In an automatic clutch control with respect to a pressure-disengaged type of automatic clutch, when an working oil temperature increase has occurred in a state in which a clutch master cylinder is not in communication with a reservoir tank, a clutch stroke position is changed in a clutch engaging direction such that the number of engine revolutions matches the number of engine revolutions at the point in time when the clutch master cylinder and the reservoir tank became not in communication.
US08246511B2
A power transmitting apparatus for a vehicle mounted with a torque converter and an idle-stop mechanism can be configured to improve fuel economy without cancelling a fuel-cut-off during vehicle speed reduction and to reduce the manufacturing cost by eliminating an electrically-driven oil pump. A power transmitting apparatus can comprise a torque converter, a clutch mechanism, an oil pump, a continuously variable transmission, a clutch control device, an engine control device, and a flow control device. The flow control device can be configured to limit or prevent the supply of oil to the torque converter by the oil pump and to prioritize the supply of oil to the clutch mechanism and the continuously variable transmission when the vehicle speed is reduced below a predetermined value with fuel being cut off by the engine control device during vehicle speed reduction.
US08246510B2
A vehicle drive force control apparatus for controlling a drive force of a vehicle including: a main drive power source for driving main drive wheels through a coupling device and a transmission, an electric generator operated by a drive force generated by the main drive power source, and an electric motor which is driven by electric power generated by the electric generator, to generate a drive torque that can be transmitted to auxiliary drive wheels. The vehicle drive force control apparatus controls the coupling device and transmission to reduce an engaging force of the coupling device and shift up the transmission during driving of the auxiliary drive wheels, so that the operating speed of the main drive power source is raised according to a load of the coupling device, while the electric power generated by the electric generator is increased, permitting an increase of the drive torque of the auxiliary drive wheels and stable 4-wheel-drive control.
US08246507B2
A control apparatus for a vehicular drive system, including an engine speed limiting device configured to limit operating speed of engine to an upper limit determined according to speed ratio of automatic transmission portion, so as to prevent a rise of operating speed of first electric motor into excessive rise range, so that the excessive rise of the first electric motor speed due to a shifting action of the automatic transmission portion is prevented to improve the durability of the first electric motor. For example, the speed of the engine is limited to the upper limit when the automatic transmission portion is shifted to a failure gear position established as a result of a failure of the automatic transmission portion to perform a shifting action following a shifting boundary line map, so that the vehicle can be driven upon the failure of the automatic transmission portion, while preventing an excessive rise of the first electric motor speed.
US08246495B2
A bat conditioning device for breaking in or seasoning softball or baseball bats. A preferred conditioning device includes a handle having a first end and a second end, a grip attached to the first end of the handle, and a head attached to the second end of the handle having an impact response that mimics that of a regulation softball. In the preferred form, the head is a regulation softball. The bat conditioning device is of a length that allows softball bats to be broken-in by striking a bat held in one hand of a user, with the conditioning device being held in the other hand.
US08246491B2
Embodiments of golf tees, such as golf tees with compressible materials, are described herein. Other examples and related methods are also described herein.
US08246482B1
A golf swing stance trainer has a hub and a central telescoping arm connected to the hub. Side telescoping arms are connected to the hub for swinging outward to positions perpendicular to the central arm. The hub has ground-engaging cleats on a lower surface. The central arm is selectively extended outward for position with respect to a ball position. The side arms are selectively extended outward to indicate desired foot positions. Arm extensions are related to an individual user and club selection. The arms are telescoped inward and the side arms are swung inward for carrying. The hub includes a hinge rod with a central receive through which a connected on the central arm slides. The hinge rod has slots and holes through the slots at opposite ends. Side arm ends have complementary holes. Pins or screws extend through the holes, and washers allow turning the arms on the pins.
US08246479B2
The present invention is a mechanical ride that simulates riding an actual rodeo bull. simulator, which provides a rider a simulation of an rodeo bull ride. The ride includes a track, a sled to move the ride along the track, and a mechanical body affixed to the sled. The mechanical body includes a plurality of actuators and motors that simulate the bucking, rotating, lunging, pitching, and tilting movement of an actual rodeo bull. The simulated movements are performed at the same time as the ride moving along the track.
US08246478B2
On a low-pressure turbine shaft made of fiber-composite material, the connection to the metallic driven protrusion or the driving protrusion (1), respectively, is made via an adapter (3) formed onto the latter, with pylons (6) extending beyond the circumferential area of the latter and on which the fibers (4) are deflected and guided in accordance with the fiber orientation in the fiber-composite material, enabling high torsional forces to be transmitted via the small connecting zone.
US08246476B2
A universal joint composed of a swivel member, a driven socket, and at least one mediator. The swivel member includes a swivel body and a first driving portion. The driven socket includes a concavity, a second driving portion, and an annular recess formed at the concavity. A retaining ring is mounted in the annular recess. The swivel body is received in the concavity. The swivel body includes at least one cavity formed on a surface thereof. The driven socket includes at least one recession, which can correspond to the at least one cavity when the swivel body is located in the concavity. The at least one mediator interacts with the recession and the cavity and is located between the swivel body and the driven socket. Therefore, the operation of the universal joint can be smooth.
US08246469B2
A communication game system includes a first computer and at least one second computer. When an operational designation has been performed, the second computer transmits to the first request a request for permission to perform an action corresponding to the operation. Until a conclusion to the request is received, the second computer produces an image in which a character performs a first act of the action. The first computer determines whether the action is permitted and transmits its conclusion to the second computer. When receiving the conclusion before the end of the first act, the second computer produces an image in which the player character performs a second act according to the conclusion. On the other hand, when the conclusion is received after the end of the first act, the second computer produces, at the end of the first act, an image in which the player character performs a third act until the reception of the conclusion.
US08246467B2
An interactive game environment includes two or more co-located, networked, direction and location aware interactive game devices. The game devices share a common reference coordinate frame (e.g., a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate frame). Each game device maintains its own device state (e.g., position, orientation, time) in the reference coordinate frame. Each interactive game device shares its device state with the other interactive game devices using communication technology (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular). Each interactive game device can use the device states of the other interactive game devices to project the relative positions and orientations of the other interactive game devices into a local, fixed coordinate frame of the interactive game device. These projections allow each interactive gaming device to know the position and orientation of the other interactive game devices in an interactive game environment defined by the reference coordinate frame.
US08246449B2
A gaming device having a bonus scheme, wherein the player may choose when to play a bonus scheme, so long as the player is qualified to do so. The method of qualifying the player to enter the bonus round connects or links the base game operation of the gaming device with the bonus scheme. The reels of the base game contain symbols which alone or in combination with other symbols yield one or more bonus awards to a player. The bonus awards are escrowed and displayed a bonus award escrow display. Once the player obtains a single bonus award, the player becomes eligible or qualified to play the bonus round and the player may choose to do so at any time. The player can accumulate bonus awards and use multiple bonus awards at one time.
US08246447B2
A game variation played on a gaming device displaying reels is disclosed. The game grants awards to the player for certain combinations of symbols. When a player gets one or more special symbols in an initial game, the player gets a free spin of one or more reels while the reels that display the special symbols are held. The player continues to get free spins as long as additional special symbols are displayed after each spin. The player may be granted awards for winning symbols combinations after each spin. In one embodiment, a certain number of special symbols across a payline awards the player a jackpot. In another embodiment, the game is a bonus game where any reels containing special, or trigger, symbols are shifted by one position after each free spin and then held for the next free spin. Only reels that do not display a trigger symbol are spun. The bonus game ends when there are no more trigger symbols displayed. The game may be played on a video gaming machine or a motor-driven reel machine. Various embodiments are described herein.
US08246446B2
The subject invention comprises a method and apparatus for which, from a single random event such as a spin of a roulette wheel or a roll of dice, a casino provides many concurrent games of chance. By mapping sets of randomization results (such as the results from rolling dice) to multiple sets of randomization ranges, a casino may run a number of disparate games concurrently from one randomly generated event. Players of the various games enjoy the common experience of all playing together against the same randomization events.
US08246442B1
A game of chance is disclosed that looks like a multi-line gaming machine having a matrix of rows and columns of positions for displaying slot symbols or cards to a player. A player wagers to play one or more games but the actual pay lines are dynamically determined by events that occur during the course of game play, not before. Per the teaching of the invention a number of bonus pay lines and their routing are dynamically determined during the course of game play of slots or cards dependent on choices made by a player during game play.
US08246441B2
A gaming system for conducting a wagering game includes a display, a reel mounted for rotation relative to the display, the reel having a plurality of display symbols thereon, a plurality of light cups stationary relative to the display for illuminating symbols on the reel in the direction of the display, a sensor to detect the position of the light cups relative to the display and generate position information, and a controller in communication with the sensor operative to receive the position information from the sensor and determine the position of the light cups relative to the reel from the position information.
US08246437B2
A gaming device and a method of playing a gaming device which includes a game having a plurality of presentations associated with outcomes or combinations in a game. Specifically, the each outcome or combination includes a default presentation and at least one of the outcomes includes one or more alternate presentations. The default and alternate presentations include probabilities of being selected by the processor. In a game, the processor predetermines the winning outcome or non-winning outcome to provide to the player and then selects one of the presentations associated with the determined outcome. The gaming device selects the presentation based on the probabilities of being selected associated with the presentations. The gaming device then provides any award associated with the determined combination to the player.
US08246433B2
A method provides a fantasy sport contest having rules wherein a plurality of participants are permitted to populate respective fantasy rosters with actual athletes for purposes of competing with each other based on corresponding real-life field-of-play performances of the actual athletes. The method includes restricting a population of each of a first and second fantasy roster for respective first and second participants to actual athletes who are teammates on respective first and second real-life team, and measuring corresponding real-life field of play performance of the actual athletes on the first and second fantasy rosters. A ranking is established as between the first participant and the second participant based on the respective performance measurements, and is further displayed. The first real-life team and the second real-life team may be the same real-life team, or different real-life teams.
US08246415B2
An improved and simplified gear box for toys and other small motorized devices is disclosed. The output gear is a composite piece that integrates a drive shaft with the output gear.
US08246414B2
The present invention provides an unconventional and proprietary radio control (RC) or infrared remote control (IR) toy model/airplane which can intentionally shift or change its center of gravity (COG) to different positions along the longitudinal centerline of the aircraft or fuselage. The incremental shifting or moving of the COG from front to rear or vice versa incrementally changes the “angle of attack” of the wing, thereby producing a variable range of viable flight attitudes and resultant terminal velocities (top speeds). Therefore, users can easily select an appropriate speed for the airplane to fly in limited indoor spaces or in larger outdoor areas. Additionally, the COG shifting of the present invention can be applied not only to RC and IR controlled toy models/aircrafts but may also be implemented into real aircrafts including manned and unmanned aircraft for civilian and/or military applications.
US08246392B2
An electrical cable connector comprising an electrically conductive central body, an outer sleeve rotatably coupled to the central body, and a tubular cam member disposed between the outer sleeve and the central body. When the outer sleeve is rotated around the central body from a first rotational position to a second rotational position, the tubular cam member is displaced from a first axial position to a second axial position, thereby causing a radial camming region in an axial through bore of the tubular cam member to displace fingers of the electrically conductive central body radially inwardly. In that manner, when the connector is plugged into a port or jack comprising a cylindrical body that is at least partially enclosed by the fingers of the central body of the connector, the fingers clamp onto the body of the port, thereby securing the connector to the port.
US08246387B2
An electronic wiping torsional connector for use in connecting to mating contacts on an insulating base. The connector includes a plurality of contacts 1-10, each having a contact area 93 adapted for wiping contact to a pad, an anchor area 92, and flattened, ribbon-like connector for receiving a wiping contact. Contacts 1-10 twist against an anchor 92 when the insulating base is inserted into the connector to provide the wiping contact.
US08246385B2
A connector has a top housing, a bottom housing coupled with the top housing, a plurality of terminals mounted in the top housing. The terminal has a base slice. The base slice is bent perpendicularly to form a first holding slice which has lateral sides extended outward to form a pair of fixing slices. The top housing is recessed to form a plurality of receiving passages. The receiving passage has a bottom thereof recessed to form a pair of fixing recesses. The terminal is received in the receiving passage. The fixing slices are received in the fixing recesses, which prevents the soldering slice to be knocked while assembling the bottom housing to the top housing.
US08246380B2
A connecting device includes a cable transmitting a signal, a carrier receiving the cable, a sliding member slidable on the carrier, and a resilient component. The carrier includes a first side plate and a second side plate opposite to the first side plate, and a fixing post is secured in the carrier adjacent to the first side plate. The resilient component is secured to the fixing post and the sliding member, and the cable runs between the fixing post and the sliding member, wherein the resilient component is elastically deformable between a first state and a second state. In the first state, the resilient component is in an original state, substantially all of the cable is in the carrier, and the sliding member abuts the second side plate. In the second state, the resilient component is in elastically deformed, substantially all of the cable is exposed from the carrier, and the sliding member slides adjacent to the first side plate.
US08246377B2
In a connector housing with integrated cable clamp, it is proposed to provide a receptacle sleeve for an electrical cable that is integrally formed on the connector housing and provided with clamping elements that are distributed over the radius and point in the mating direction. When a pressure screw is screwed onto the receptacle sleeve, the clamping elements are pressed radially inward and the electrical cable is clamped in position.
US08246374B1
A connector assembly for electrically connecting a hard disk to a motherboard includes a first connector and a second connector positioned on the motherboard. The first connector includes a first insulation main body, a plurality of electrical pins arranged in the first insulation main body, and a locking member positioned on the first insulation main body. The second connector includes a second insulation main body, a plurality of electrical spring plates arranged in the second insulation main body, and a protruding locking block arranged on the second insulation main body and engaged with the locking member.
US08246372B1
An anchored 522 male electrical connector is provided. A stationary housing 520 is combined with a coupling ring 540 to form an outer housing. An internal plunger 560 is housed in and spans the length of the outer housing. The stationary housing 520 mounts onto an anchoring surface via an anchor mount 522, while the coupling ring 540 is free to rotate about the internal plunger 560. The coupling ring is rotated via a hand grasp 441. The coupling ring rotation 442, 443 translates into forward and aft movement of the pin assembly 515. The connector provides forward 520-1 and backward stops 520-4 for limiting pin insertion and extraction moves to desired distances. Rotation via triple start threads 548, 525 readily overcomes insertion and extraction resistance of a bulky multi-pin assembly 515 and provides a smooth and controlled electrical connection. The connector may be sized to meet multi-pin connector needs or military standards.
US08246370B2
An electrical connector forms electrical contact by tightening a movable, electrically-conductive spiral around un-insulated wire(s). The spiral coils around the wire(s) multiple times and tightens on the wire(s) when either one or the other end, or both ends, of the spiral is/are rotated relative to the other. One region of the spiral is preferably fixed to an insulating housing or otherwise retained from movement in the housing, while another region of the spiral is rotated and latched to retain the spiral in the tightened condition. Multiple spirals may be provided in one connector, including spirals that tighten around separate wires at opposite ends/side of the connector. Modular connectors that include spiral(s) may be assembled in multiple combinations.
US08246369B2
A terminal fitting (20) is provided with a terminal portion (21) and a wire connecting portion (27) formed to be continuous with the rear end of the terminal portion (21) and to be connected with an exposed part of a conductor (11). The wire connecting portion (27) and the exposed part of the conductor (11) are accommodated in a waterproof cover (40) and clearances in the waterproof cover (40) are filled with a filling material (55). The waterproof cover (40) is formed with a holding portion (51) for holding the terminal fitting (20) in such a manner as to preventing a movement of the terminal fitting (20) with respect to the waterproof cover (40) by coming into contact with the terminal fitting (20).
US08246368B2
An electrical plug-type connector includes a carrier, a sleeve contact having a movable tensioning sleeve, a housing movable relative to the carrier, a mating component having a pin configured to make contact with the sleeve contact, and a lever having first and second lever arms. Joining of the mating component with the carrier causes an anti-displacement element between the housing and the carrier to be released and, as a result of a displacement of the housing relative to the carrier, the tensioning sleeve moves and presses the sleeve contact against the pin and the first lever arm displaces and connects with the mating component and the displacement of the first lever arm builds spring tension that is applied in the second lever arm such that the second lever arm latches on the housing with a latching sound when the housing reaches an end position relative to the carrier.
US08246363B2
A safety socket has an insertion block, a base and a conducting unit. The insertion block has an inner housing and two support frames mounted in the inner housing. The base has an outer housing covered on the inner housing and two guide arms mounted in the outer housing. The conducting unit is mounted between the support arms and between the guide arms. When two blades of a plug are plugged in the insertion block and pushed inwardly, the conducting unit is rotated to electrically connect with the two blades. Each one of the guide arms and the two blades is held between the conducting unit and the corresponding support arm to keep the plug from being unplugged arbitrarily. When the insertion block is pushed again, the conducting unit is rotated and the plug can be easily unplugged.
US08246356B2
In an embodiment, the claimed invention is a device to for optical presentation of magnetic flux. A ferromagnetic colloidal mixture is substantially evenly dispersed and sealed between two optically transmissive lenses. At least one magnetic source is juxtaposed about the viewer. A light source is positioned to project through the mixture, the light interacting with the mixture to create the presentation of magnetic flux. The viewer is optionally positioned within a housing. In another embodiment, the invention is a method of using the viewer to view a presentation of magnetic flux when light interacts with the mixture.
US08246352B2
Provided is a surgical guide that enables a dentist to visually identify the tip of a drill during dental implant treatment, and does not allow the drill to tilt more than necessary, and enables sufficient cooling water to be provided so as not to cause bone burns, and is compatible with several different types of drills having different diameters. A first wire is embedded in a mockup in a same orientation as the orientation of a fixture of an implant is to be embedded. A guide member of a surgical guide is fitted to a tooth portion of the mockup. An adjusting mechanism adjusts such that an intersection line made by plane-shaped red laser light beam and green laser light beam from line laser modules is located on the first wire. The guide member is removed from the tooth portion of the mockup, and fitted to a tooth portion in the mouth, and the orientation of a drill is aligned with the intersection line. Drilling operation is performed in the aligned condition.
US08246346B2
A blooming candle is described as an ornamental candle that transforms between different appearances as the candle burns. The candle has a tapered body that extends along a longitudinal axis from a top portion to a bottom portion, where the top portion has a larger diameter than the bottom portion. Vertical grooves are cut into the outside surface of the tapered body to form segments. When the candle is burned, the center portion of the candle about the wick melts according to the candles defined heat radius. As the candle continues to burn, the wax material begins to soften and the segments between the vertical grooves will begin to separate away from the tapered body. As melting continues, the segments continue to separate in an outward and downward direction, resembling petals from a blooming flower. The described candle structures have a predictable ornamental change in shape during the burning process.
US08246329B2
A fan includes a bracket, a stator, a rotor, and a slanting portion. The bracket includes a tray, and a frame circling the tray. The stator is mounted to and circled by the frame. The rotor includes a shaft rotatably mounted to the stator, and a shell coupled to the shaft. The shell covers the stator, and the shell and the tray of the bracket cooperatively enclose the stator. An assembly clearance is formed between a bottom end of the shell and a top surface of the tray. The slanting portion circles the tray and extends down from the bottom end of the shell, slanting away and spaced from the tray.
US08246325B2
A liquid cooling apparatus for cooling an inversely mounted electronic component, includes a casing defining a receiving room therein, a diaphragm, a partition plate forming a nozzle thereon, and a piezoelectric element attached to the diaphragm in such a manner that a vibrating direction thereof is perpendicular to the diaphragm. The diaphragm is arranged in the receiving room and divides the receiving room into a top first chamber and a bottom second chamber isolated from each other. The partition plate is arranged in the first chamber and divides the first chamber into an upper region and a lower region. The lower region is filled with a working fluid. When the diaphragm is driven to vibrate upwardly by the piezoelectric element, the diaphragm pushes the working fluid in the lower region of the first chamber to the upper region of the first chamber via the nozzle.
US08246319B2
The reciprocating pump for performing a pumping action by reciprocating an individual reciprocating member inside a plurality of cylinder sections arranged in parallel includes a seal case in which a cylinder section is formed and which functions as an independent pressure-resistant container; and a suction valve and a discharge valve in which a valve chamber is formed individually and each of which functions as an independent pressure-resistant container. The suction valve and the discharge valve are coupled so as to sandwich two planar sections from a direction perpendicular to a direction in which a plurality of cylinder sections are arranged in parallel in a state in which each of the suction valve and the discharge valve abuts against the respective one of the two planar sections of an external surface of a small diameter section at a front end side formed in the seal case, and the valve chamber is communicatively connected to the cylinder section. Thereby, the cylinder distance can be reduced while maintaining the thickness between cylinders and the assembling is facilitated.
US08246316B2
A self priming pump system that includes a motor coupled to a centrifugal pump. A separator having a reservoir is provided for storing a limited amount of pumped fluid in advance of the centrifugal pump. A vacuum source provides a vacuum suction to the reservoir to draw pumped fluid into the reservoir to prime the pump. A float may be provided, wherein when the fluid level in the reservoir reaches a desired level, the float opens a float valve to let air into the reservoir to maintain the desired level. The float valve may have a capacity that is greater than or equal to the pumping capacity of the vacuum pump, or at least large enough to make up for a difference between the pumping capacity of the vacuum pump and an amount of fluid that can be pumped by the centrifugal pump from the reservoir.
US08246308B2
A turning device includes a brake disc, functioning as a driven-side friction pulley, which is disposed on an output shaft of a gearbox and rotates together with the output shaft; a motor-side friction pulley, which can move between an engagement position, where the motor-side friction pulley frictionally engages with an outer circumferential surface of the brake disc, and a free position, where the motor-side friction pulley is a certain distance away from the outer circumferential surface of the brake disc; a pulley pressing mechanism, which moves the motor-side friction pulley from the free position to the engagement position by manual power of an operator to frictionally engage the motor-side friction pulley with the outer circumferential surface of the brake disc; and pulley driving means (electric motor, etc.) for rotationally driving the motor-side friction pulley.
US08246302B2
A wind turbine system includes a shaft, a rotor for driving the shaft, and a first fluidic teeter control assembly. The rotor includes a first blade engaged to the shaft by a hub, and has a degree of freedom to pivot relative to the shaft. A first teeter angle is defined between an instantaneous position of the first blade and a time-averaged plane of rotation of the first blade. The first fluidic teeter control assembly is engaged between the rotor and the shaft for providing a first dynamic teeter restraining force as a function of the first teeter angle and a fluidic resistance. The first dynamic restraining force is relatively low when the first teeter angle is within a first teeter operation range, and the first dynamic restraining force is higher when the first teeter angle is outside that range.
US08246300B2
The distance h between a base end face 12ta (12tb) of a stator-blade-wheel outer ring part 12a and the corresponding rotor-blade end face 4aa (4ab), is set at a value larger than the maximum deformation of the running rotor blade wheel 4a during the pump operation. The larger distance h keeps perfectly stator-rotor separation, while the outer ring part 12a of a stator blade wheel 12 goes, in assembling, into the rotor area on account of large shift of any half of stator blade wheels owing to the wide cutting width. It makes also easy stator blade wheel assembling of the pump, as it is allowable to arrange half stator blade wheels with some eccentricity.
US08246298B2
A coolable borescope boss includes cooling passages extending through the boss and oriented for spraying cooling air into a hole extending through the boss. Centerlines of the cooling passages may intersect the a hole axis of the hole. The cooling passages may be cylindrical or open slots disposed through the boss. The boss may be on an arcuate gas turbine engine shroud segment circumscribed about an axial centerline axis. The segment may be part of an annular segmented turbine shroud having cylindrical shroud first and second sections and a conical shroud midsection therebetween and the segment having cylindrical segment first and second sections and a conical segment midsection therebetween. A hole exit of the hole being flush with the conical segment midsection. A borescope plug tip having a spherical tip chamfer may be used to seal against a conical boss chamfer of the boss.
US08246291B2
A working member for a power plant is disclosed herein. The working member includes a body defining at least one working surface of the working member. The at least one working surface is operable to contact a working fluid. The body also includes at least one inner surface opposite the at least one working surface. The working member also includes an interior chamber defined within at least part of the body proximate to the at least one working surface. The working member also includes at least one inlet to the interior chamber. The working member also includes at least one outlet from the interior chamber. The working member also includes a quantity of open-cell foam positioned in the interior chamber between the inlet and the outlet. The quantity of open-cell foam fills less than all of the interior chamber such that at least one empty space is defined in the interior chamber between the at least one inner surface and the quantity of open-cell foam.
US08246289B2
In a substrate transfer robot, an end effector includes a wrist plate, a first blade movably connected to the wrist plate in a vertical direction to support a first substrate, and a second blade connected to the wrist plate to support a second substrate, wherein the second blade is adjacent to the first blade. An elevating unit moves the first blade upward to allow the first blade to support the first substrate and moves the first blade downward to allow the second blade to support the second substrate.
US08246283B2
Equipment and a method for transporting red-hot coke are provided, which do not need increase in size of a hoist, reinforcement of a CDQ system, and the like, even when the amount capacity of a coke bucket does not correspond to an amount equivalent to the coke amount from one oven chamber. In particular, transporting equipment for red-hot coke, includes: a non-rotary coke receiving car for receiving coke out of a coke oven; a coke bucket for receiving the coke discharged from the coke receiving car; a transporting device for transporting the coke bucket to a hoist position; and a hoist for transporting the coke bucket to a coke dry quenching system.
US08246282B2
A multi-shank nail has a first shank, a second shank and a washer; wherein both of the first shank and the second shank have an enlarged head at their top ends and a point at their lower ends. The first shank has a flat contact surface along its longitudinal length at an upper portion, and the second shank has a shape of a longitudinally cut nail such that the second shank is capable of corresponding to the contact surface on the first shank. The first shank has an inclined face and an extended portion in sequence below the contact surface. At least one of the first shank or second shank comprises a plurality of notches opposite the contact surface, and the notches make the first shank or second shank easier to bend.
US08246281B2
Captive panel fasteners are configured to be held captive on a panel by multiple retaining elements. The fasteners include longitudinal grooves along a cylindrical portion of the fastener, a retaining ring over the cylindrical portion, a primary structure for retaining the retaining ring on the cylindrical portion, and secondary structure for retaining the cylindrical portion within a bore of the panel. The retaining ring includes radially inwardly extending opposing prongs that fit into the longitudinally extending grooves. A stop point may be provided in the longitudinally extending grooves, or an end of the fastener may be flared, to retain the retaining ring on the fastener. The prongs may also be slightly flexible and flared to grip the longitudinally extending grooves. The secondary structure can include one or more spring loaded pins in the fastener extending externally outward.
US08246280B2
The invention relates to an apparatus for holding a workpiece (2) or tool having a tapered collar (1) or the like and having a pull-back rod (4) axially shiftable in a body (3) for actuating a chuck head (6) cooperating with jaws (5). The axial position of the pull-back rod (4) is maintained in a holding position without utilizing the force of a tension spring by a self-locking mechanism.
US08246268B1
A connector for connecting a bicycle having a frame member to a bicycle carrier includes a frame rest which is shaped and dimensioned to receive the frame member of the bicycle. A line is wrapped around the frame rest and the frame member of the bicycle. A coupler connects to the frame rest, wherein during the connection the coupler urges the line toward the frame member of the bicycle thereby tightening the line around the frame rest and the frame member of the bicycle.
US08246267B2
A safety post mountable in a post holder includes an elongate tubular member and a locking device arranged inside of the tubular member. The locking device includes a lever and a bias spring device biasing the lever against an inner surface of the wall of the tubular member. The lever has a lock protrusion and a release protrusion extending through a first and second aperture portions of the wall, respectively. The lock protrusion is retractable to a release position inside of an outer surface of the tubular member by operation of the release protrusion in a counter biasing direction. The release protrusion has a support surface arranged to support the safety post against a support surface of the post holder, and the release protrusion is related to the lock protrusion such that, in the release position, the release protrusion is still protruding from said outer surface to an extent.
US08246265B2
A valve includes a first valve portion made from a first material, the first valve portion including a body, a door, and an inner hinge pivotably connecting the body to the door, the body including a first opening at a first end and a second opening at a second end opposite the first end, and a circumferential recess disposed in the second end, wherein the inner hinge pivotably connects the door to the body at the first end and a second valve portion made from a second material, the second valve portion including an inner seal disposed in the circumferential recess, the inner seal including a circumferential ridge extending inwardly, the second valve portion further including a door seal disposed on the first end of the body.
US08246264B2
A cosmetic applicator for transporting and applying cosmetic material, including a rotating applicator tip which, when rotated, dispenses cosmetic material onto the tip such that the user does not need to periodically dip the applicator tip into a reservoir of cosmetic material.
US08246262B2
A print media processing apparatus increases printer throughput by starting printing after setting the conveyed print medium to the printing start position, and a transportation control unit controls how far the print medium is advanced according to the length of text to be printed on the print medium. The transportation control unit advances the paper to the position where printing text of a specified length to the printing area of the paper begins.
US08246261B2
A printer using a thermal head to sublime ink on an ink ribbon includes a cylindrical ribbon core around which the ink ribbon is wound, a rotating shaft to rotate the ribbon core, first and second magnets to generate magnetic force lines in a space surrounded by an inner peripheral face of the ribbon core, and a magnet sensor located in the space to detect the magnetic force lines generated by the first and second magnets only when the magnetic force lines are set in prescribed directions by rotation of the ribbon core. The ribbon core includes a cylindrical outer core with an outside peripheral surface around which the ink ribbon is wound and a cylindrical inner core with an outside peripheral surface to which the first and second magnets are fixed. The inner core with the first and second magnets fixed thereto is installed inside the outer core.
US08246260B2
A printer includes a print head moving in printing and shifting regions, a carriage connecting the print head and the print head transport mechanism, and a ribbon cassette mounting mechanism that drives a multicolor ribbon cassette to swing. A ribbon cassette supporting mechanism in the shifting region correspondingly supports the ribbon cassette mounting mechanism to different levels to shift color of the ink ribbon while the ribbon cassette supporting mechanism rotates. A ribbon cassette shifting mechanism fixed on the carriage is used, in the shifting region, to lift the ribbon cassette mounting mechanism to a position disengaged from the ribbon cassette supporting mechanism and move the ribbon cassette supporting mechanism to rotate. A resetting mechanism fixed on the ribbon cassette supporting mechanism resets the ribbon cassette supporting mechanism when the ribbon cassette supporting mechanism no longer contacts the ribbon cassette mounting mechanism and the ribbon cassette shifting mechanism.
US08246243B2
An instrument for performing highly accurate PCR employing an assembly, a heated cover, and an internal computer, is provided. The assembly is made up of a sample block, a number of Peltier thermal electric devices, and a heat sink, clamped together. A control algorithm manipulates the current supplied to thermoelectric coolers such that the dynamic thermal performance of a block can be controlled so that pre-defined thermal profiles of sample temperature can be executed. The sample temperature is calculated instead of measured using a design specific model and equations. The control software includes calibration diagnostics which permit variation in the performance of thermoelectric coolers from instrument to instrument to be compensated for such that all instruments perform identically. The block/heat sink assembly can be changed to another of the same or different design. The assembly carries the necessary information required to characterize its own performance in an on-board memory device, allowing the assembly to be interchangeable among instruments while retaining its precision operating characteristics.
US08246242B2
An up/down movable diaphragm is disposed to an upper surface portion of a stirring vessel so as to airtightly cover the upper surface portion, a drive shaft passing through the diaphragm is fixed and vertically disposed to the diaphragm, and a stirring blade coupled with and fixed to a lower end portion of the drive shaft so as to be orthogonal thereto is composed of a laterally long and oval sheet-shaped member having a major axis and a minor axis passing through a center thereof, and a stirring is performed by moving the stirring blade up and down. With this arrangement, there are provided a stirring blade and a stirring apparatus which do not apply a strong shearing force to a stirring liquid, do not have an anxiety of polluting the stirring liquid, and can sufficiently fluidize, mix, disperse, and homogenize the stirring liquid in a stirring blade and a stirring apparatus for performing a stirring in fields of medicine and food.
US08246240B2
Improved single screw extruders systems (40) are provided including a single screw extruder (42, 92) as well as an upstream preconditioner (44). The extruders (42, 92) include a single, internal, elongated, helically flighted, axially rotatable screw assembly (52) having one or more improved screw sections (74, 74a, 76). The screw sections (74, 74a, 76) include specially configured flighting (86) wherein adjacent flighting portions (86a, 86b) have smoothly arcuate surfaces (88) extending between the respective flighting portion peripheries (90a, 90b). This flighting design provides smooth, substantially surge-free operation while increasing SME and cook values. The preferred preconditioner (44) has independently controlled mixing shafts (106, 108) allowing the shafts (106, 108) to be rotated at different rotational speeds and/or directions.
US08246238B1
A cavitation system in which a source gas, e.g., a reactant, is loaded into the cavitation medium prior to cavitation is provided. The cavitation system includes a cavitation chamber with suitable cavitation drivers and a cavitation medium reservoir, the chamber and reservoir being flexibly coupled together via a pair of conduits. The conduits can be fabricated from a plastic or, as is preferred for higher temperature liquids, a metal. Typically metal conduits are formed into a coil, thus providing the desired flexibility. Flexibility is required in order to allow the relative positions of the cavitation chamber and the cavitation medium reservoir to be varied. The system is configured such that the cavitation fluid will flow out of the cavitation chamber, through the lower coupling conduit and into the cavitation medium reservoir when the chamber is positioned higher than the reservoir, and flow out of the cavitation medium reservoir, through the lower coupling conduit and into the cavitation chamber when the reservoir is positioned higher than the chamber. As a consequence of this configuration, cavitation fluid can be readily exchanged between the cavitation chamber and the cavitation medium reservoir, thereby aiding the degassing process as well as providing a means of replenishing reactant-depleted cavitation medium.
US08246237B2
The apparatus for the production of foams includes an extrusion device for the plastification of a polymer melt, a heat exchanger for the cooling of the polymer melt, and also a connection piece for the connection of the extrusion apparatus to the heat exchanger. The connection piece contains a metering device for the introduction of a foaming agent into the polymer melt.
US08246236B2
A light guide loop includes a number of optical coupling structures and a number of luminaries. Each of the optical coupling structures includes a light incident surface and a reflecting surface. The luminaries are respectively facing the light incident surfaces of the optical coupling for emitting light to the optical coupling structures.
US08246233B2
Display devices are used in portable computer systems, imaging systems, and other electronic devices. Many of these display devices require a source of light to illuminate a display screen. The invention relates to an illumination system for illuminating said display devices. The invention also relates to a display device provided with such an illumination system.
US08246232B2
Described is an optical waveguide having a main direction of extension, at least one radiation entrance face, and a radiation exit face that extends longitudinally to the main direction of extension, wherein at least one radiation entrance face extends transversely to the main direction of extension, and the at least one radiation entrance face has two convexly curved subregions that are connected to each other by a kink-like or concavely shaped indentation. An optical device formed with such a waveguide is also described, as is a display device.
US08246230B2
An LED based light source unit for an endoscopic imaging system produces illumination for a camera through an endoscope. The light source unit includes an array of LEDs mounted to a thermally conductive substrate, a light guide to collect light emitted from the LEDs and to couple the light into a group of optical fibers within the endoscope, and an interface to allow the light source unit to be removably attached to the endoscope at the endoscope's external light port. The LEDs therein may be overdriven by power for increased light output. When the LEDs reach their lifetime, the light source unit can be discarded.
US08246213B2
A high-power LED lamp, including: a shell, a light-emitting assembly, heat dissipating fins, the light-emitting assembly includes a reflective bowl, a LED and a lens, characterized in that, the heat dissipating fins are radially installed in the channel of the shell, the outer end of each heat dissipating fins is connected with the inner wall of the shell, with the inner end linked to the outer wall of a circular cylinder, all of the front end faces of the heat dissipating fins form a cone-shaped concave torus, the reflective bowl is provided on the cone-shaped concave torus; the axis of the circular cylinder coincides with the axis of the shell, the front end face of the circular cylinder is planar, and the LED and the lens are installed on the surface. Compared with the prior art, the radially fenced-shaped heat-dissipating fins communicating from the front to the rear are provided in the shell, which will be more conducive to the air ventilation around the heat-dissipating fins, as well as heat transfer, and remove the heat generated by the LED nodes in time to improve the effect of heat dissipation.
US08246208B2
An electronic book includes a shell and an illumination device. The shell defines a housing. The illumination device is received in the housing, and includes a support arm rotatablely connected to the shell, at least one light source fixed on the support arm, a opening mechanism movably connected to the support arm and opens or folds the support arm, and a light cover mounted on the opening mechanism. The light cover follows the opening mechanism to unfold or fold.
US08246205B2
An LED light emitting device includes an LED light emitting component comprising a visible LED die emitting visible light and an infrared LED die emitting infrared light, a power source driver for providing electric energy for the LED light emitting component, and a temperature sensor for sensing a surface temperature of an outer surface of the LED light emitting component. When a value of the surface temperature is smaller than zero degree Celsius, the temperature sensor outputs a control signal to the power source driver to control the power source driver to supply an electric current to the infrared LED die, whereby the infrared LED die radiates infrared light to melt ice on the outer surface of the LED light emitting component.
US08246178B2
A focus control device for a beam projector allows the focus of a lens assembly to be finely and easily controlled. The focus control device includes: a control member rotatably mounted on the beam projector for controlling the focus of a lens assembly; a rotary eccentric member provided in the control member, the rotary eccentric member having a control axis eccentric to the rotary axis of the control member, and being rotated while depicting an elliptical trace in response to the rotation of the control member; a focus guide member provided in the rotary eccentric member, the focus guide member allowing the lens assembly to be moved rectilinearly in the direction of an optical axis in response to the rotation of the control member; and an actuating member provided in the lens assembly and coupled to the focus guide member, the actuating member moving the lens assembly in the direction of the optical axis in response to the movement of the focus guide member. According to the present invention, with the rotation of the rotary dial, the moving distance of the lens assembly can be easily controlled, and the lens assembly can be moved finely to project a sharp picture image.
US08246176B2
A projection display device comprises a projection lens section to which light modulated by a light modulating element is entered, a mirror section for reflecting the light emitted from the projection lens section to reflect to the projection lens section side and directing the light to a projection plane, and an operation section for displacing a lens in the projection lens section. The operation section is disposed in a region in which the operation section does not hinder an optical path of the light that has been passed through a projection port provided in a main body cabinet.
US08246166B2
Eyewear includes at least one lens, a frame having a main front section for supporting the lens attached to the main front section. The eyewear further includes a head strap attached to the frame and at least one retroreflective element attached to the head strap to be visible by others in low-light conditions.
US08246162B2
The transporting device includes a linear guide member disposed at a position facing to inkjet line heads and a drying device, moving a pallet on which a sheet is attracted by magnetic force, and a belt driving device supporting both sides of the pallet by an endless belt and driving the pallet by circumferential movement of the belt. An ink is ejected from the inkjet line heads to the sheet on the pallet transported by the linear guide member, and a recording surface of the sheet is dried by the drying device. Subsequently, the pallet from which the sheet is separated is moved back to an upstream side of the inkjet line heads passing through a lower side of the linear guide member in the vertical direction by circumferential movement of the belt.
US08246161B2
A conveying apparatus includes a conveyance carrier configured to attract and convey a recording medium, a voltage applying unit configured to apply a voltage to the conveyance carrier to generate electrostatic attraction force on a surface of the conveyance carrier, a static charge eliminating unit configured to eliminate charges on a surface of the recording medium which is electrostatically attracted to the conveyance carrier, and the surface of the conveyance carrier outside an area where the recording medium is attracted, and a reverse voltage applying unit configured to apply a voltage which has a polarity reverse to that of the voltage applied by the voltage applying unit, to the conveyance carrier at a downstream side of the static charge eliminating unit to weaken the electrostatic attraction force of the conveyance carrier.
US08246154B2
Liquid injecting head, method of manufacturing liquid injecting head, and liquid injecting apparatus
A liquid injecting head includes a first supply member and a second supply member in which the liquid supplying path is formed and a filter that is pinched by the first supply member and the second supply member and is disposed in correspondence with the liquid supplying path. In areas that surround the liquid supplying path of the first supply member and the second supply member on the filter side and face each other, filter pinching parts that are brought into contact with the filter are included and concave parts that surround the filter pinching parts are included on the outer side of the filter pinching parts. In addition, the first supply member, the filter, and the second supply member are bonded together by a bonding resin that is formed by flowing into the concave parts of the first supply member and the second supply member.
US08246153B2
Provided is a bubble control unit for a liquid ejecting head which ejects liquid from a nozzle formed on a nozzle surface. The bubble control unit includes a liquid channel through which the liquid is supplied to the nozzle. In the bubble control unit, the liquid channel includes: a first chamber; a second chamber disposed on the upstream side from the first chamber; a first communicating path which has a bubble chamber extending upward from the first chamber, and makes the liquid within the second chamber to flow into the first chamber from a first communicating path inlet of the second chamber; and a second communicating path which is provided with a second communicating path inlet below the first communicating path inlet, separately from the first communicating path inlet, and makes the liquid within the second chamber to flow into the first chamber from the second communicating path inlet.
US08246146B2
A printing head includes a printing element substrate that is hard to be deformed even if the printing head falls by mistake. The printing head comprises element substrate in which an energy generating element for generating energy used for ejecting ink is provided, a first sheet-shaped portion to which the element substrate is provided, a second sheet-shaped portion provided away from the first sheet-shaped portion at an opposite side to a direction of ejecting the ink in relation to the first sheet-shaped portion, and a sheet-shaped wall member connecting the first sheet-shaped portion to the second sheet-shaped portion, wherein the wall member has a thickness of a portion connected to the second sheet-shaped portion, which is larger than a thickness of a portion connected to the first sheet-shaped portion.
US08246137B2
A method of calibrating a transport roller includes forming a reference image through nozzles arranged in an array having an array height, moving a substrate a distance along a substrate transport path by the transport roller having a radius and a circumference, and determining an offset value based on an actual distance of substrate advancement corresponding to the reference image and movement of the transport roller. The circumference of the transport roller is equal to or less than at least one of the array height of the nozzle array or an image height of the reference image.
US08246132B2
A method to determine an amount of remaining fluid in a replaceable fluid supply unit includes determining a first estimated fluid volume of a first replaceable fluid supply unit in communication with a fluid ejector unit, determining a first correction factor corresponding to the first replaceable fluid supply unit in communication with the fluid ejector unit including at least a first volume ratio parameter corresponding to a ratio of a first nominal fluid volume of the first replaceable fluid supply unit and the first estimated fluid volume, determining an amount of fluid consumed from a second replaceable fluid supply unit configured to replace the first replaceable fluid supply unit, and determining a remaining amount of fluid in the second replaceable fluid supply unit by subtracting the determined amount of fluid consumed from a second nominal fluid volume of the second replaceable fluid supply unit.
US08246127B1
A storage cylinder within an enclosed storage unit that secures stored items and inhibits shelf repositioning during normal operation. The design allows shelf reconfiguration during maintenance and restocking. The storage cylinder contains rectangular-shaped and triangular-shaped storage areas. Most importantly, all storage areas (including those with a generally triangular-shape) have parallel faces with horizontal slots that are used for shelf support. Such a design requires radial movement to reposition the shelves. In its closed position the maintenance door or baffle mechanism restricts shelf removal. Therefore, during normal operation, when the maintenance door or baffle is closed, shelf repositioning is not possible. However, access panels still allow removal of stored objects. During maintenance or restocking, the maintenance door or baffle mechanism allows removal and installation of shelves.
US08246115B1
An infant chair designed to attach and secure to the rear of a seat functions as a conventional baby seat and has a soft fabric-based seat. The chair comprises a pair of adjustable handles that extend over the seating surface. The base of the chair also comprises a pair of adjustable legs to support the seat against the back cushion portion of the seat. The handles allow the infant chair to be placed upon a seat more safely than existing models. To make the chair more appealing to the infant, the chair comprises an animal motif with the handles being the upper arms of an animal and the lower base supports being the legs of an animal. The chair further has an integral vibrating mechanism and permanently attached toys to help amuse the infant while in the chair.
US08246112B2
A vehicle seat has a mechanism for moving a headrest upon a rear-end collision, wherein the vehicle seat comprises a plate-like support body for receiving a load of a rearward movement of an occupant; a link mechanism for transmitting the load received by the plate-like support body to the headrest side, and comprising a lower link, an upper link, and a connecting link; and a load retaining member for blocking the load received by the plate-like support body from being transmitted to the link mechanism, until the load reaches a predetermined level; wherein the load retaining member is held by one of the lower link and the connecting link, and is configured to urge the lower link and the connecting link in a separating direction.
US08246099B2
A sun visor for a vehicle and method of operating the same which prevents glare caused by light from the sun or headlights and which promotes safe driving without obstructing the field of view of a driver. The invention also features methods for operating the sun visor.
US08246095B2
A cable clasp comprises a tail including an engagement face. The cable clasp further comprises a head including a handle that connects to the tail and defines a mouth opening into which the tail is movable. The cable clasp is biased towards a closed-loop position in which at least a portion of the tail is disposed in the mouth opening. The head further includes a lock having a catch engageable with the engagement face in a lock position to: 1) prevent motion of the tail relative to the head in a first direction, and 2) permit motion of the tail relative to the head in a second direction opposite the first direction by sliding the catch over the engagement face. The catch and the engagement face are also disengageable in a release position to permit motion of the tail relative to the head in both the first and second directions.
US08246089B2
The invention relates to a lock, in particular for a household appliance such as a tumble drier, a washing machine, a dishwasher or the like, having a movable retaining element, which is configured in particular in the manner of a slide. The retaining element interacts with a closure hook located on a closure element, such as a door, a cover, a flap or the like of the household appliance, which can be moved between an open and a closed state. The closure hook, in the closed state of the closure element, engages into the retaining element. Here, the closure hook is held by the retaining element in contact against a blocking face in such a way that a movement of the closure element into the open state is blocked. The blocking face is designed so as to be pivotable in the manner of a positive opener.
US08246082B2
An apparatus for changing a length of a pipe, the pipe including first and second pipe portions each having an interior, includes a cylinder having a first end wall and an open end, the cylinder being connectable to the first pipe portion. The apparatus also includes a piston having a second end wall, the piston being receivable in slidable and sealable engagement with the cylinder, the piston being connectable to the second pipe portion, wherein the cylinder and the second end wall define a chamber physically isolated from the interiors of the first and second pipe portions, the chamber being adapted to receive a control fluid for displacing the piston relative to the cylinder to vary a distance between the first and second pipe portions while permitting fluid communication between the first and second pipe portions, the chamber including a cushioning region in communication with the chamber.
US08246074B2
An airbag mounting assembly for vehicles to mount a passenger airbag housing to a cowl cross bar may include a mounting bracket, a first end thereof being mounted to the passenger airbag housing and a fastening unit mounting a second end of the mounting bracket to the cowl cross bar.
US08246065B1
A height adjustable seatpost assembly is provided with first and second tubes that are telescopically arranged to change an overall length of the height adjustable seatpost assembly using first and second ratchet arrangements. The first ratchet arrangement includes a set of first ratchet teeth having a first pitch and a first stop pawl member being movably coupled with respect to the first ratchet teeth between a first lock position and a first free position. The second ratchet arrangement includes a set of second ratchet teeth having a second pitch that is smaller than the first pitch and a second stop pawl member being movably coupled with respect to the second ratchet teeth between a second lock position and a second free position. The stop pawl members engage the ratchet teeth in the lock positions to prevent expansion of the first and second tubes.
US08246062B2
A fast displaceable bicycle fender plate structure includes at least a hitch and a fender plate. The hitch has a body and a coupler formed on the body to fasten a fender to a bicycle frame. The hitch further has a plate fastener which has at least one first fastening element located thereon. The fender plate has at least one second fastening element corresponding and fastenable to the first fastening element so that the fender plate can be quickly installed or removed by users without using any tool.
US08246056B2
A seal intended to be inserted between a first and a second member, the seal including: two contact portions spaced from each other along a spacing direction, respectively intended to contact in a tight manner the first and second members, the contact portions being made of a first alloy displaying superplasticity properties under predetermined stress conditions including predetermined temperature conditions, the contact portions being supported by a support arranged therebetween, produced so as to display, under the predetermined temperature conditions, a greater mechanical compression resistance in the spacing direction than that of the contact portions.
US08246054B2
The present invention relates to cylinder head gaskets on internal combustion engines, with at least three layers, namely a mid-layer, a function layer and a layer of a compression limiter. The mid-layer is arranged between the function layer and the compression limiter. The mid-layer has at least two essentially round fixing openings, outside a sealing region. The compression limiter is beaded around the edges of the fixing openings in the region thereof, and in this way fixes the compression limiter to the mid-layer. The function layer has recesses in the region of the fixing openings of the mid-layer, in order to accommodate the beaded region of the compression limiter, without increasing the total thickness of the gasket in the region of the fixing of the compression limiter.
US08246052B1
A downhole submersible pumping system includes a housing and a bag seal assembly. The bag seal assembly includes a seal bag and a fastening assembly. The fastening assembly is configured to exert a compressive force between inner and outer surfaces of a first end of the seal bag. The fastening assembly may include a first ring attached to the support tube, a second ring and a plurality of fastening members. The first ring may be configured for threaded engagement with the support tube. The second ring is configured for engagement with the first ring.
US08246050B2
A game manager receives a request from a user to play a cue sport, which includes a table and a plurality of balls. The game manager retrieves user attributes corresponding to the user that include a user skill level. Next, the game manager detects ball locations for each of the plurality of balls, and determines one or more beginning shot opportunities based upon the user skill level and the plurality of ball locations. In turn, the game manager provides the beginning shot opportunities to the user.
US08246047B1
A display for a game is provided with a display portion that provides indication of a plurality of movable symbols that are necessary for playing the game, and which are moved in a determined direction. A special kind of symbol, among the plurality of symbols, is associated with a predetermined game condition, such as a win or a loss, and is displayed in the display portion two or more identical symbols being caused to appear serially on the display portion. When two or more such identical symbols appear in sequence, even if the symbols are moved at a fairly high rate of speed, the player can distinguish such repetition of a symbol in the sequence, and thereby identify the special symbol. With knowledge of the identity of the special symbol, the player can relatively easily execute a stop motion operation with good timing.
US08246045B2
A holding mechanism which holds a rear end restricting plate at the restricting position in accordance with the sheet size is configured with a first rack tooth row and a second rack tooth row. The first rack tooth row and the second rack tooth row are arranged at the bottom surface of a cassette body to be the same height along the sheet restricting direction and a first tooth row and a second tooth row are arranged at a restricting member to be the same height along the sheet restricting direction.
US08246039B2
The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus in which generation of a hollow at a separation roller can be prevented.A sheet separating and feeding portion 132 which separates and feeds sheets S one by one sent by a pickup roller 129 includes a feed roller 130 and a retard roller 131 which is arranged rotatably in the direction opposite to a sheet feeding direction and which is capable of rotating along with a rotation of the feed roller 130 while being press-contacted to the feed roller 130. Then, the feed roller 130 is rotated by a predetermined amount so as to rotate the retard roller 131 via the sheet S after job completion.
US08246020B2
A vibration isolator includes layered rubbers interposed between a support body and a movable body, and a pair of dampers attached to the support body at one ends and to the movable body at the other ends. The layered rubbers are arranged to be spaced apart in an anterior and posterior direction and in a left and right direction, with reference to a direction in which an operator faces when seated. One of the dampers is arranged at a position corresponding to a middle of the left and right direction between the layered rubbers arranged in the left and right direction, and aligned in the anterior and posterior direction. The other one of the dampers is arranged closer to an anterior side than a middle of the anterior and posterior direction between the layered rubbers arranged in the anterior and posterior direction, and aligned in the lift and right direction.
US08246019B2
An air spring for use with a closure of a vehicle is disclosed. The air spring includes a rod and a tube axially slidable in the rod. The rod may include a housing having tube slots defining flexible arms with rod cam extensions extending therefrom. The rod cam extensions may have an extension rod cam surface that has a smaller angle than a retraction rod cam surface, with a rod peak between the two. The tube may include a tube cam extension having a tube peak with a diameter greater than the diameter of the rod peak. The tube cam extension may include an extension tube cam surface that has a smaller angle than a retraction tube cam surface.
US08246015B2
A direct contact steam injection heater that includes a steam diffuser having a plurality of steam diffusion holes that are selectively exposed by a regulating member to control the amount of steam used to heat a liquid. The regulating member is movable within the steam diffuser and the steam diffuser includes a seating member to prevent the flow of steam from the diffuser when the regulating member is in a completely closed, seated position. At least one sealing members selectively exposes the steam diffusion holes in the discharge region of the steam diffuser when the regulating member moves between the open and closed positions. The spacing of the steam diffusion holes along the steam diffuser can be varied depending upon the desired resolution of the steam released as the regulating member moves between its fully closed and fully open position.
US08246011B1
A slidable adjustable jacking device where the numbers of rotations of a hand crank on a jacking device may be greatly reduced by using a slidable screwjack inner member to re-position a load-carrying member. New in the art is the use of a slidable screwjack inner member and an affixed bar within a tubular outer member and an affixed passageway. This invention re-positions a slidable screwjack inner member to a location and then pins the member such that the member is fixed relative to a trailer. The device is useful for raising or lowering the tongue of a trailer.
US08246010B2
A fluid shear actuated brake mechanism includes an outer hub secured to a hoist frame, a main brake disc stack engaged between the outer hub and a hoist drum shaft, an actuator hub helically engaged with the outer hub, and an actuator disc stack engaged between the actuator hub and the shaft. The main disc stack and the actuator disc stack are immersed in a fluid. Rotation of the shaft in a load lowering direction generates fluid shear in the actuator disc stack which rotates the actuator hub in a lowering direction and advances it toward the main disc stack, compressing it and the actuator disc stack. Rotation of the shaft in an opposite load lift direction retract the actuator hub from the main disc stack.
US08246009B2
A puller head and cable puller including the puller head are provided for pulling cable in an upward or a downward direction. The puller head includes a frame, a capstan mounted to the frame, and first and second retaining shaft apertures. The puller head is pivotally mounted to a boom of the cable puller through a pivot shaft. The capstan of the puller head is positioned rearward of the boom. The position of an upper most surface of the capstan relative to the boom is changed by pivoting the puller head between upward and downward pulling positions. The puller head is maintained in either the upward or downward pulling position through the use of a retaining shaft.
US08245999B2
The present invention relates to a stacking apparatus (1) enabling two front-loaded household appliances (X, Y) to be stacked. The stacking apparatus (1) of the present invention comprises an elastic bumper (4) that covers the gap left in between the household appliances.
US08245988B2
A method for installing an accessory for a bath includes attaching a first mounting bracket to a structure; placing the accessory on a first side of a system wall that is visible after installation; placing a second mounting bracket on a second side of the system wall that is not visible after installation; attaching the accessory to the second mounting bracket through the system wall; and attaching the second mounting bracket to the first mounting bracket wherein the system wall has a first portion that is both parallel to the structure and extends above the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket, and a second portion that is both parallel to the structure and extends below the first mounting bracket and the second mounting bracket.
US08245983B2
A system and method for communicating information between wayside equipment and a railcar is provided, wherein the communication system includes a wayside monitoring system located at the wayside of a railway, wherein the wayside monitoring system is configured to generate wayside system data responsive to an operational characteristic of the railcar. A wayside communication device communicated with the wayside monitoring system to receive the wayside system data is also provided, wherein the wayside communication device is configured to generate digital wayside data and transmit at least one of the wayside system data and the digital wayside data to the railcar via a dispatch voice channel. Furthermore, an on-board communication device is provided, wherein the on-board communication device is configured to receive the digital wayside data from the wayside communication device via the dispatch voice channel.
US08245972B2
A leading edge structure includes two or more multilayer panels at least partially overlapping and suitably curved with at least partially congruent concavities. Each multilayer panel includes at least the following three layers: a first metal foil layer metal foil, a second intermediate layer of fiber-glass securely fixed to the first layer, and a third metal honeycomb layer securely fixed to the second layer.
US08245958B2
A powder sprayer includes a sprayer body having a nozzle head mounted on the top side of the bottle cap thereof, the nozzle head having a transverse mounting hole disposed in communication with a vertical through hole of the bottle cap and a guide notch located on the periphery at one end of the transverse mounting hole, and a spraying mechanism having a nozzle tube positioned in the transverse mounting hole, the nozzle tube having a guide block protruded from the periphery thereof and fitting the guide notch of the nozzle head, an axial air passage and a transverse suction hole disposed in communication between the air passage and the through hole of the bottle cap for sucking powder from the powder bottle through a dip tube into the air passage upon passing of a flow of forced air through the air passage.
US08245954B2
The purpose of the present device is to provide a simply-configured showerhead at a low price wherein the shower water is stopped simultaneously with the operation of the stop cock of the shower. Thus, sparing the user an unnecessary action of reattempting to turn off the stop cock. The showerhead comprises at least a body having a large channel and small channel defining a step and being in communication with each other. Further, nozzle is provided at one end of the showerhead and a water supply connection is provided at the other end. A partition tube may be inserted in the large channel to form an air-inflow chamber between the partition tube and the body. Thus, air may be introduced from an outer air-suction port into the water-inflow chamber through an inner air-suction port.
US08245953B2
An adjustably mounted spray nozzle (4) for windshield washer fluid of a motor vehicle is designed to be easy to install and adjust. To this end, the spray nozzle (4) has the following features: it has a bearing axis (7) by means of which it can be attached to a vehicle in a manner that enables it to pivot about a y-axis of said vehicle; the spray nozzle (4) is provided with an adjusting-means element for pivoting about its bearing axis (7); the adjusting-means element is designed to cooperate with an adjusting-drive manipulator.
US08245947B2
A dual air cavity roof has a continuous upper cavity which is cooled by fans, while the lower cavity is generally sealed. Preferably the cavities are separated by a radiant barrier. The fans are preferably powered by one or more photovoltaic cells that are also disposed on the roof. The roof can be pre-cooled with cooler night air and fans only activated when necessary to remove heat from the solar load on the upper cavity. When it is desirable to remove heat, the fan speed is optimized in each zone of the roof to enhance the natural convective flow to the optimum level. A radiant barrier can also cover the roof substrate, which is optionally an existing roof that is in need of repair. The roof structure is preferably assembled in parallel modules using insulating support brackets that support the outer surface and the barrier that separates the upper and lower cavity.
US08245942B2
A dual mode smart card controller, a dual mode smart card, and a wireless communication device incorporating one or more of the same are provided. The dual mode smart card controller includes a first controller adapted for supporting communications with a first smart card protocol, and a second controller adapted for supporting communications with a second smart card protocol. The dual mode smart card controller further includes a multiplexer module having two sets of multiplexed ports that are selectively coupled to a common set of ports, and an interface module coupled to the common set of ports, and adapted to be coupled to signal terminals of a smart card. The multiplexer module selectively couples one or more signals received from the smart card via the signal terminals to one of the first controller and the second controller. The smart card uses at least one of a same connection associated with the common set of ports for use with both of the first controller and the second controller.
US08245941B2
In an IC card provided with a recording unit having a plurality of recording areas designated by continuous addresses, a unit for executing a command based on information recorded in the recording unit, and a unit for communicating with an external apparatus, when the information received from the external apparatus is recorded in the recording unit, the information is divided and recorded in the plurality of recording areas designated by discontinuous addresses.
US08245926B2
State-of-the-art optical scanning systems feature digital imaging of multiple symbolic labels such as optical bar codes. An imaging scanner reads a label 10 to 100 times faster than a conventional laser scanner because a group of items may be placed in the read zone simultaneously, or an item may bear multiple labels, thus allowing multiple symbolic labels to be captured in a single image. A preferred system/method is directed to a software-implemented “multiple label double read” protection scheme for preventing duplication errors in an advanced bar code reader using multiple fixed delay timers, with each timer being somewhat analogous to existing “single label double read” schemes. Determining the presence of duplicate data is accomplished by comparing label data or portions of label data to a set of recent buffered data representing the last N labels read and transmitted within a specified delay time.
US08245924B2
Improved podcasts and techniques that facilitate their use are disclosed. The improved techniques can pertain to creating, publishing, hosting, accessing, subscribing, managing, transferring, and/or playing podcasts. According to one aspect, a client application can subscribe to podcasts and then automatically monitor the podcasts for updates to be downloaded. In the event that user interest in a podcast becomes inadequate, downloading of further updates can be restricted. According to another aspect, a podcast can be subscribed to through use of a portable subscription file. According to still another aspect, podcast feeds can be enhanced to include segment elements and other metadata.
US08245923B1
A handheld device for capturing magnetic credit card data includes a MEMS magnetic field sensor disposed within the housing, wherein the MEMS magnetic field sensor is configured to determine a plurality of magnetic data stored on a magnetic stripe of a user provided media when the user disposes a user provided media proximate to the housing, and a processor disposed within the housing and coupled to the MEMS magnetic field sensor, wherein the processor is programmed to receive the plurality of user data stored on the user provided media, wherein the processor is configured to execute an application program, and wherein the processor is programmed to provide at least a subset of the plurality of user data to the application program.
US08245919B1
The present disclosure facilitates gesture-based interaction with a computer-system. The method may comprise pairing a transaction account with a likeness, receiving the likeness and a transaction request based upon the location of a marker in three dimensional space, retrieving the transaction account paired with the likeness, and approving the transaction request at least partially based upon the transaction account and the likeness.
US08245918B2
A method for securely handling processing of information includes, in a chip, selecting one of a plurality of data processes based on a random index. After a randomly allocated time interval has elapsed, the selected one of the plurality of data processes may be initiated. The selected one of the plurality of data processes may include accessing data and/or acquiring the data. Burstiness of the data may be approximately equal to burstiness of data acquired by at least one of a plurality of clients on the chip. Data may be verified by the selected one of the plurality of data processes prior to the processing of the data.
US08245912B2
An automated banking machine operates responsive to data read from data bearing records to cause financial transfers. The machine includes a card reader that operates to read card data from user cards. The card data corresponds to financial accounts. The automated banking machine includes a cash dispenser and the machine carries out transaction functions for consumers including dispensing cash responsive to. The amount of cash dispensed is verified through communication with a security manager.
US08245911B2
A virtual cash system, method, and apparatus has an account record containing a record of money amounts associated with a wireless device and a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting to the wireless device predetermined information from the account record. Cash amounts can be spent from the account record directly from the wireless device via information derived from the wireless device via a bar code on the display, a short range radio signal, a light beam, or the like. A different security code is generated for each account transaction for verification.
US08245910B2
A computerized system for activating, issuing and otherwise managing transactions and activities pertaining to stored-value cards over a communications network. A central information database is provided for storing stored-value cardholder and card purchaser information received directly from respective stored-value cardholders and card purchasers PCs through a universal central processor via respective communication gateways. The central processor is coupled for communication realtime to multiple unaffiliated stored-value card processing networks normally operated by respective hosts. Each network includes a stored-value card processor coupled to a stored-value card database and multiple respective merchant communication devices. The central processor is programmed for managing the activation and issuance of transactions and activities for the stored-value card through the respective unaffiliated networks. The universal central processor is programmed to issue the stored-value cards directly to the cardholder or card purchaser by download over respective communication gateways. The universal central processor is further programmed for reporting the card activations, issuances, transactions and activities to the cardholders and the merchants thereby providing a universal management system.
US08245909B2
According to one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method and a system for implementing a card product or access mechanism with multiple relationships with an issuing entity (e.g., bank, etc.) where each relationship may be defined by one or more sets of rules that are customized for a particular customer. A computer implemented method and system for implementing a mechanism with multiple customized relationships may involve identifying one or more customized rules for an access mechanism associated with a customer; establishing a plurality of accounts for the customer wherein the plurality of accounts comprise different accounts with different account characteristics; and invoking one of the plurality of accounts for a transaction through the access mechanism, based at least in part on the one or more customized rules; wherein the plurality of accounts share at least one funding account.
US08245901B2
A surgical stapling device includes a tissue contacting surface and a buttress attachment feature. The buttress attachment feature permits selectively securing a surgical buttress to the tissue contacting surface, which may be disposed on a cartridge assembly or an anvil plate of the surgical stapling device. The buttress attachment feature may include a shape memory alloy, such as a nickel titanium alloy, that is responsive to a temperature change to allow the buttress attachment feature to move between a first position where a free end of the buttress attachment feature is substantially spaced from the tissue contacting surface, and second position where the surgical attachment feature is approximated with respect to the tissue contacting surface.
US08245900B2
A surgical instrument including a handle portion, a body portion, a movable handle, a tool assembly, a drive beam and a closure apparatus is disclosed. At least one of the closure apparatus and a contact surface of the tool assembly include a plastic surface. The body portion extends distally from the handle portion. The movable handle is located on the handle portion and is in mechanical cooperation with a drive member. The tool assembly includes an anvil, a cartridge assembly and a contact surface. The drive beam includes a proximal engagement portion and is configured to engage a portion of the drive member. The closure apparatus is configured to engage the contact surface of the tool assembly. At least a partial actuation of the movable handle moves the closure apparatus distally into engagement with the contact surface to approximate the anvil and the cartridge assembly.
US08245893B2
An assembly for loading cargo on top of a vehicle includes at least one load bar oriented perpendicular to a pair of crossbars. The load bar is movable between stowed and loading positions in a direction parallel to the direction of vehicle travel. A rear end of the load bar is connected to a roller device for minimizing friction and avoiding contact with the vehicle when cargo is being elevated to the roof of the vehicle.
US08245888B2
A barrier piston with an integrated seal for use with aerosol containers is disclosed. The barrier piston includes a piston body with flow channels disposed on the surface thereof. Stabilizers of a low durometer material are provided on the flow channels to prevent tilting and binding of the piston body within a container. A seal also of a low durometer material is disposed on the base of the piston body to ensure separation of the product and propellant.
US08245885B2
The invention is directed to semi-solid food product metering devices that typically have two counter rotating feed rollers with ends to entrain the semi-solid food product and has an at least one actuating device. The two feed rollers have two roller end plates at each end of the feed rollers, one being at a distal end of the rollers and the other at a proximal end of the rollers relative to the at least one actuating device with an at least one support bar. The feed rollers make a positive seal with the end plates. The semi-solid food product metering device of the invention has an open position and an operating position where the at least one support bar supports the two roller end plates in position while in the operating position and operating the semi-solid food product metering device, and allowing for lateral movement of the end plates away from the ends of the feed rollers to allow access to the gap between the feed roller ends and the roller end plates in the open position.
US08245884B2
An airless type cosmetics vessel, in which, in order to suck a gel type cosmetic from a vessel body into a cylinder chamber, an axial valve primarily opens an inlet passage and closes an outlet passage according to stepwise upward movement of a piston and an axial valve, and the piston is further moved upwards, thus sucking the cosmetic into the cylinder chamber, and, in order to discharge the cosmetic from the cylinder chamber, the axial valve is primarily moved downwards so as to close the inlet passage and open the outlet passage, and the piston is further moved downwards, thus compressing the cosmetic in the cylinder chamber and discharging the cosmetic from the chamber, so that a precise cosmetic suction and discharge operation can be executed by the stepwise suction and discharge actions of the axial valve and the piston, separately provided, without malfunctioning.
US08245877B2
A dispenser, more particularly, a hand cleaner dispenser incorporating a reader for a user's hand in the form of a palm reader which avoids the need for contact between the user's hand and the dispenser yet provides opportunity for the monitoring of usage including determining the identities of users.
US08245874B1
A mechanism is provided for connecting a door to a container. The door provides and restricts access to a chamber of the container in respective open and closed positions. The mechanism includes, at each corresponding lateral side of the container and the door, a rail mounted to the container, an elbow, and first and second linkage arms. The rail aligns along a fore-and-aft direction so that the elbow slides along that direction. The elbow has vertical and axial members. The axial member connects to the rail. The first linkage arm includes first, second and third joints that pivotably connect respectively to the vertical member, to the container, and to the door. The second linkage arm includes fourth and fifth joints that pivotably connect respectively to the door and to the container. The linkage arms are disposed to avoid lateral obstruction beyond the door in the open position.
US08245872B2
The invention relates to a rigid or semirigid plastic part designed to form the bottom of a package whose side wall consists of a laminated film. The plastic part has a central axis and includes the following features: a peripheral welding zone designed to contact and be welded to the inside surface of the side wall; a convex inside face and a concave outside face; the inside face and the outside face each comprise a zone whose centre is on the axis and which is designed to contact a tool used to attach the part to the side wall; and a profile at least partially defined by a curve. The invention also relates to a package having a bottom consisting of the plastic part.
US08245871B2
A container to contain fluid products, installed in a dispensing machine for fluid products, which is provided with a pair of delivery stations which have respective axes of delivery (X1) arranged at a determinate distance (D1) from each other. The container comprises an outer wall shaped so as to define an inner compartment consisting of two cylindrical zones connected by an intermediate zone. The distance (D2) between the longitudinal axes (X2) of the two cylindrical zones is substantially equal to the determinate distance (D1) between the axes of delivery (X1).
US08245869B2
Provided are a packaging container for a microwave oven that excels in the sealing performance between a container body and lid, and that at heating/cooking by a microwave oven, maintains the internal pressure of the container for a given period of time to thereby enhance the taste of contents through steaming effect, and that thereafter, can spontaneously open with certainty from a steam releasing seal part; and an efficient process for manufacturing the packaging container. In the packaging container for microwave oven having a lid heat-sealed to the periphery of a flange part of container body made of a synthetic resin so as to attain hermetic sealing, at least one steam releasing seal part with a weakened part is disposed inside the peripheral seal part of the flange part at a position separate from the peripheral seal part.
US08245857B2
A medical device holder assembly includes a medical storage device for storing a medical instrument on a support rail convenient to a patient. The storage device includes a housing and a universal attachment member which forms an elastomeric loop adapted to secure the housing to the support rail. The storage device includes a locking slot formed in an upper portion adapted to receive at least a portion of the instrument to retain the instrument within the housing. The housing may also include an internal retention mechanism to aid in retaining the device within the housing, as well as air holes, drain holes, external hooks for retaining the elastomeric loop in place, external retention features to aid in retaining the storage device in place on the support rail, and/or a sump to prevent the instrument from contacting fluid in the bottom of the housing.
US08245848B2
A fully compostable container is provided having an enclosed body with an opening through an interior surface and an exterior surface. The enclosed body having a plant fiber structural layer configured to biodegrade in ambient conditions into nontoxic residue and a fluid barrier layer formed on a first side of the structural layer to form the interior surface of the enclosed body, the fluid barrier layer configured to biodegrade in ambient conditions into nontoxic residue. The container is gradually biodegradable when exposed to a set of factors in a natural environment and has a shelf life of six months when stored under standard commercial conditions.
US08245842B2
A protective case for handheld devices with improved protection characteristics, durability, convenience of use, and functionalities without compromising aesthetics. The protective case includes a “glove” or “skin” piece of a softer material that substantially covers and grips the entire back of the electronic device, by wrapping over the edge of the electronic device (without obscuring the display/touch screen on the front of the device). One or more separate complementary frame pieces, braces and the like made of a hard material are attached over the glove piece, extending over a substantial area of the glove piece, thereby creating a robust interlocking hybrid structure. Openings are provided in the protective case to allow for user interaction with the device, including access to the interfaces (e.g., screens, buttons, sockets, etc.) provided on the device.
US08245835B2
A sorting apparatus for sorting products comprises an endless conveying element comprising a support surface. The support surface makes an angle with a horizontal plane, at least at the location of the outlets, about an axis parallel to the conveying direction. The sorting apparatus further comprises locking elements arranged one behind the other, as seen in the conveying direction, which move along synchronously with the conveying element and which can be unlocked independently of each other, which locking elements function to hold the products in place on the support surface. Upon activation of a selected unlocking mechanism, a product is moved downwards from the conveying element towards the outlet under the influence of the force of gravity being exerted thereon.
US08245831B2
The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for checking bank notes wherein measuring values of the bank note to be checked are obtained and a classification of the bank note is carried out by evaluation of the measuring values in a plurality of checking steps, whereby the classification distinguishes in particular at least the classification categories, counterfeit, suspect and genuine bank notes, or acceptable or redispensable, and a linkage of a plurality of measuring values is formed at least in one checking step for deciding whether the checked bank note corresponds to a given classification category and this linkage term is compared with a corresponding tolerance range during evaluation.
US08245827B2
A clutch-brake assembly transmits force to rotate a shaft and to retain the shaft against rotation. The assembly includes a plurality of force transmitting members which transmit force between a piston and a base member. A plurality of springs urge the piston to move relative to the base member. A plurality of spring retainers are disposed between the base member and the piston. Each of the spring retainers includes a plurality of projecting portions extending from the base portion. Each of the springs is telescopically disposed on one of the projecting portions. Each of the force transmitting members is disposed between adjacent spring retainers.
US08245823B2
Disclosed is a vibration damper comprising a cylinder in which a piston rod is guided in an axially movable manner. A first piston is mounted stationarily on the piston rod while a second piston that is equipped with at least one valve disk biased by a spring assembly is mounted on the piston rod so as to be axially movable counter to a force of at least one support spring. The spring assembly is provided with at least one spring plate on which the spring assembly rests. The second piston is retained by a fixing sleeve which supports the at least one spring plate. The structural unit encompassing the fixing sleeve and the at least one spring plate is fitted with an axially effective separating joint for a locking connection inside the structural unit. The entire structural unit can be axially displaced towards the at least one support spring.
US08245817B2
A self-rescue device includes a rope operatively connected to a lifeline connector. The lifeline connector is releasably operatively connected to a frame member of the self-rescue device, and should a fall occur, the user releases the lifeline connector from the frame member. A centrifugal braking mechanism controls the rate at which the rope is paid out, which controls the rate of the user's descent.
US08245816B2
This system includes support pieces (1, 1a) intended to be permanently fixed to the structure of the construction, interchangeable supports (30) fitted with a fixing device (4) for attachment to any of the support pieces (1, 1a) and with means of attachment for safety devices or load-bearing devices, intermediate supports (5, 14, 18) that can be coupled to the interchangeable supports and safety elements that can be coupled to the intermediate supports and/or the interchangeable supports. These protective elements include: head pieces (6) of lifelines, modular masts, angled brackets for attaching safety nets (9), protective canopies, safety guard masts (15), telescopic baseboards (16), extendible railings (17) and auxiliary railings (19).
US08245813B2
There is provided a steering apparatus including a pinion communicating with an operation of a steering member, a rack shaft having a rack meshed with the pinion, and a support yoke resiliently coming into contact with the rack shaft, and being configured to convert rotation of the pinion into movement of the rack shaft in an axial direction in a meshing portion in which the pinion and rack mesh to each other. The steering apparatus comprises a detection unit for detecting a force applied to the support yoke to which a force acting on the meshing portion being transmitted from the rack shaft and a calculation unit for calculating a steering torque applied to the steering member based on the force detected by the detection unit, wherein the pinion and the rack are formed in helical gears.
US08245809B2
A system for automatically detaching a windshield from a vehicle cab comprises a pressure applying device mounted between a windshield and a frame element, a roll-over condition sensor, and a controller connected to receive a signal indicating a roll-over condition from the roller-over condition sensor and connected to activate the pressure applying device responsive to receiving said signal. The pressure applying device may be one or more pyrotechnic devices. The system includes a delay function to delay activating the pressure applying device to allow the vehicle to come to a rest.
US08245801B2
A hybrid electric vehicle drive system comprises a first power bus electrically coupled to a motive power subsystem and a drive wheel propulsion assembly; a second power bus electrically coupled to the first power bus and a plurality of energy storage subsystems, wherein the first power bus is configured to allow electrical power to be transmitted among the motive power subsystem, the drive wheel propulsion assembly, and the second power bus, and wherein the second power bus is configured to allow electrical power to be transmitted among the plurality of energy storage subsystems and the first power bus.
US08245791B2
The invention relates to a hand-held tool, in particular a rotary hammer, a percussion hammer, or a sabre saw. The hand-held tool is equipped with a drive unit and a stroke-generating element; the drive unit is embodied to move the stroke-generating element in a reciprocating fashion along a translation axis. The hand-held tool has at least one counterweight; the counterweight is operatively connected to the drive unit in such a way that it is possible to at least partially compensate for forces at least indirectly caused by the reciprocating motion. According to the invention, the counterweight in the hand-held tool is supported so that it is able to move, in particular to reciprocate, coaxial or parallel to the translation axis.
US08245785B2
The apparatus and method for drilling through the casing utilizes a yieldable biasing element to provide a self-adjusting length and exerts a predictable, controlled biasing force against the casing cutter for penetrating the casing. The cutter will be suspended from the well head by an element which will stretch to some extent, and the self-adjusting length will compensate for this also. As the cutter is lowered into position, and during the casing cutting operation, a flow of pressurized gas or emulsion can be directed through the down hole unit, to clear cuttings and other solids from the cutter's path.
US08245784B2
A well treatment composition comprises: a water-soluble, organic liquid, wherein the organic liquid comprises the continuous phase of the well treatment composition, and wherein the organic liquid comprises a polyglycol or a derivative of polyglycol; a fluid loss additive, wherein the fluid loss additive is insoluble in the organic liquid, and wherein the fluid loss additive comprises a high molecular weight, water-swellable polymer; and a suspending agent, wherein the suspending agent comprises an organophilic clay, wherein the well treatment composition has an activity of at least 15%. A method of cementing in a subterranean formation comprises: introducing a cement composition into the subterranean formation, the cement composition comprising: (i) cement; (ii) water; and (iii) the well treatment composition; and allowing the cement composition to set after introduction into the subterranean formation.
US08245777B2
A tubing centralizing apparatus has a centralizer body including opposing end portions, a central passage extending through the opposing end portions, and a plurality of apertures extending therethrough between its exterior side surface and the central passage. The apertures are uniformly spaced about a longitudinal axis of the central passage. Bow springs are mounted on the exterior side surface of the centralizer body such that a central portion of each one of the bow springs is bowed away from the centralizer body. The tubing sub is slideably positioned within the central passage of the centralizer body. One of the tubing joint collars is attached to each end portion of the tubing sub. The tubing joint collars and the centralizer body are jointly configured such that the tubing joint collars engage the centralizer body for constraining the tubing sub within the central passage of the centralizer body.
US08245771B2
A demagnetizing sub having an electromagnet or a rotating magnet is used for demagnetizing magnetized material in a wellbore. By gradually reducing the magnetic field, the magnetized material within the borehole is demagnetized.
US08245768B2
An air-conditioning system of an electric car has an air-conditioning unit which is configured to perform air-conditioning in a passenger compartment by heater/cooler operation, a setting panel configured to set a target temperature of the passenger compartment, and a control unit which is connected to the air-conditioning unit and setting panel, and has different control of heater operation of the air-conditioning unit, wherein the control unit is configured to select controls of heater operation based on a vehicle speed v.
US08245766B2
A fastener includes an upper mounting portion, a lower mounting portion, a connecting portion extending through the upper mounting portion and connecting the lower mounting portion, a resilient portion set on the connecting portion and pressing the upper mounting portion, at least a supporting portion with a first end thereof connecting the upper mounting portion, and an operating portion pivotally connecting a second end of the at least a supporting portion. The operating portion includes a cam abutting against the connecting portion. The cam is rotatable relative to the at least a supporting portion, to bring the upper mounting portion to move up and down, and make the fastener shift between a locked state in which a fan is securely sandwiched between the upper and lower mounting portions and a released state in which the upper mounting portion is disengaged from the fan.
US08245753B2
A plurality of hand tools for use in a wide variety of different applications for applying masking tape to various surfaces prior to painting, staining, detailing, sanding and the like wherein one embodiment includes a removably attachable blade member associated with one end portion of the tool and a removably attachable roller member or nudger member associated with the opposite end portion of the tool, and an extension/retraction mechanism for extending and retracting the blade member. Another embodiment of the present hand tool includes a handle member adaptable for receiving any combination of removably attachable roller members, nudger members, and blade members for attachment to the opposite end portions of the handle member. A wide variety of different blade configurations, roller member configurations, and nudger member configurations can be removably attached to the opposite end portions of the present tools. The present tools along with the various roller members, knife blades and nudger members can also be provided in kit form to accommodate a wide variety of different surface applications.
US08245748B2
A vibration welding system has a pair of electromagnets coupled to a first workpiece support for effecting reciprocating movement of the first workpiece support relative to a second workpiece support, and an electrical drive system coupled to the electromagnets for successively energizing and de-energizing the electromagnets out of phase with each other to effect the reciprocating movement of the first workpiece support. The drive system includes a source of DC current; multiple controllable electronic switching devices for controllably coupling the source to, and de-coupling the source from, each of the electromagnets; current sensors coupled to the electromagnets and producing signals representing the currents supplied to the electromagnets; and control circuitry coupled to the electronic switching devices and receiving the signals produced by the current sensors for turning the switching devices on and off to control the energizing and de-energizing of the electromagnets to effect reciprocating movement of the first workpiece support.
US08245745B2
A pneumatic tire is provided with a main groove extending along a tire circumferential direction, and a land portion comparted by the main groove in a tread surface. A reinforcing member having a cord which is inclined at an angle between 75 and 90 degrees with respect to the tire circumferential direction is buried in the vicinity of a groove bottom height of the main groove in an inner region of the land portion.
US08245738B2
A filling device for containers, particularly for beverage bottles, having a filling valve, a holder for the container in suspended arrangement, as well as a weighing device. To make the weighing device robust and the measurement more precise, the weighing device is assigned to the holder in close vicinity.
US08245733B2
A clip (6) of molded plastics material for fitting on a pipe or duct in particular a blow-molded automotive fluid duct, comprises an open ring of generally C-shape having facing arms (20) that are curved and with open ends that can be sprung apart and together again to resiliently fit the clip on the pipe or duct. The facing arms (20) have profiled inner surfaces that engage with complementary profiles carried by the pipe or duct, namely the facing arms (20) have a substantially T-shaped profile (23/24), that fits between pairs of complementary spaced-apart arcuate ribs and recess carried by the pipe or duct. The clip (6) is easy to fit and remove while providing firm holding power and good pull-out strength.
US08245728B2
A miniature quantum fluid transfer system configured to regulate the flow rate of a fluid by allowing passage of very small, discrete increments of fluid through the valve including a valve body having at least one inlet to receive fluid and at least one outlet to release fluid. The quantum fluid transfer system includes a valve rod movably disposed in a first chamber in the valve body. The valve rod has a plurality of fluid passages spaced longitudinally along the valve rod, and the valve rod is movable to align each fluid passage with an inlet or outlet port in the first chamber to allow fluid to flow through selected inlet or outlet ports corresponding to selected fluid passages. The quantum fluid transfer system has a plug movably disposed in a second chamber in the valve body. The plug is movable between a first end and a second end of the second chamber, and moves toward the first or second end when a volume of fluid enters the second chamber from the first chamber at the other of the first or second end. The plug pushes a corresponding volume of fluid out of the second chamber at the end opposite the end the fluid entered.
US08245726B2
A citrus juice apparatus may include at least one citrus juice processing device. The at least one juice processing device may include at least one juice output having a flow of juice therethrough. The at least one juice processing device upon a malfunction may cause an undesired material release along with the flow of juice into the at least one juice output. An undesired material release detector may be coupled to the at least one juice output for detecting the undesired material release. The detector may operate based upon magnetic proximity sensing of a moving filter plate within a housing of the detector. Alternatively, the detector may operate using a filter plate, and based upon pressure.
US08245721B2
A tube coupling device includes a coupling member having an upper peripheral casing formed by a peripheral flange and a peripheral wall, a number of openings formed in the peripheral flange and communicative with an environment of the peripheral casing, a water guide plate engaged into the peripheral fence and engaged with the peripheral wall and having one or more passages, a partition member engaged into the peripheral casing and having a bore for water to flow into the coupling member, and a receptacle engaged into the coupling member, a valve member biased by a spring biasing member to engage with the partition member and to form a check valve.
US08245718B2
A pump, particularly for dishwashers, is provided and includes a housing made of a housing bottom, a housing cover, and a heating device disposed in between the bottom and cover for heating a washing fluid. The heating device forms a ring-shaped side wall of the housing. An impeller is arranged in the housing, an intake connection is arranged axially in the housing cover relative to the axis of rotation of the impeller, and a pressure connection is arranged in the housing cover.
US08245712B2
The invention relates to a respiratory protection mask for a compressed air breathing apparatus comprising a pulmonary machine which is controlled by a control membrane when the wearer of the mask breathes in. According to the invention, the air outlet of the expiratory valve and the control membrane are covered by a common cover, forming a rinsing area on the outside of the control membrane through which homogeneously temperate, clean rinsing air flows from the air outlet to the air discharge openings in the cover, thereby ensuring high functionality and high service life of the membrane-controlled pulmonary machine despite extreme environmental conditions.
US08245697B2
Coupling device for hydraulically and mechanically coupling a fuel injector to a fuel rail of a combustion engine. The fuel injector has a central longitudinal axis. The coupling device has a fuel injector cup being designed to be hydraulically coupled to the fuel rail and to engage a fuel inlet portion of the fuel injector, a first plate element being fixedly coupled to the fuel injector cup, the first plate element comprising a recess, and a second plate element being fixedly coupled to the fuel injector and being arranged in the recess and being fixedly coupled to the first plate element to retain the fuel injector in the fuel injector cup in direction of the central longitudinal axis. The fuel injector comprises a groove. A snap ring is arranged in the groove of the fuel injector and is designed to fixedly couple the second plate element to the fuel injector.
US08245691B2
A method for controlling a vehicle engine having a plurality of cylinders is provided. The method comprises: during engine idling, advancing spark timing of at least one cylinder to before a peak torque timing, and retarding spark timing from the advanced timing toward the peak torque timing in response to decreased engine speed to maintain idling speed.
US08245689B2
A method for monitoring a control loop or a regulating loop in a system, in particular in an engine system in a motor vehicle, is described. A characteristic value is ascertained from a preset value and a system variable of the regulating loop or the control loop during one or more state changes, and an error is detected as a function of the ascertained characteristic value.
US08245682B2
An inlet valve includes a valve head including a valve surface located at a circumferential edge portion, and a single annular circumferential edge groove disposed radially inside and close to the valve surface in the circumferential edge portion. When intake air (an airflow) proceeds along a surface of the valve head and reaches the circumferential edge portion, only a portion thereof (a partial airflow) enters the circumferential edge groove and the remaining thereof (remaining partial airflow) passes by the circumferential edge groove. As the intake air (the partial airflow) having entered the circumferential edge groove forms a turbulent flow, the intake air surrounds the circumferential edge portion of the valve head and reaches below the circumferential edge portion of the valve head, thereby achieving an increase in volume of air taken into a combustion chamber. Further, because only a portion of intake air enters the circumferential edge groove, it is possible to suppress and minimize flow resistance applied to air taken into the combustion chamber from an inlet port.
US08245681B2
A starter for an internal combustion engine, particularly for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, having a housing, on which a mounting flange is developed that can be associated with the internal combustion engine, at least one insulating part being associated with the mounting flange, such that no electrical connection exists between the starter and the internal combustion engine. An internal combustion engine, particularly for a motor vehicle, has a starter as described above. A retaining flange for an electric motor, particularly for a starter of a motor vehicle, the retaining flange being developed as an insulating part, and is made up at least partially of an electrically insulating material and/or has at least one electrically insulating insulating element situated on the retaining flange.
US08245680B2
An engine assembly may include an engine structure supporting a camshaft and a valve lift mechanism. The camshaft may include a cam lobe and may define a longitudinally extending rotational axis. The valve lift mechanism may define a longitudinally extending cam engagement surface and a first side wall. The cam engagement surface may be engaged with the cam lobe at a first location. The first side wall may be fixed to the cam engagement surface and may include first and second portions. The first portion may extend from the cam engagement surface. The second portion may extend continuously inward from an end of the first portion. The inward extent of the second portion may be greater than or equal to a first height at the first location defined from the cam engagement surface to the end of the first portion.
US08245675B2
A first overlap amount that is an overlap amount of overlap between an intake valve opening timing and an exhaust valve opening timing, is calculated based on rotation speed of an internal combustion engine, load on the engine, and temperature of a working fluid. A second overlap amount that is the overlap amount that is set so that the relative rotation phase of at least one of the intake-side camshaft and the exhaust-side camshaft relative to the rotation phase of the crankshaft is fixed when the engine stops, is calculated based on the temperature of the working fluid. The overlap amount is set to equal to the second overlap amount, if the first overlap amount is larger than the second overlap amount. The overlap amount is set to equal to the first overlap amount, if the first overlap amount is less than or equal to the second overlap amount.
US08245674B2
Provided is a power unit for a vehicle including an engine main body of an engine having: a valve system capable of changing operational modes of each engine valve; valve controlling apparatuses for controlling operations of the valve system; and a crankcase housing a transmission, the engine main body being mounted on a vehicle frame. The power unit for a vehicle achieves reduction in size of the engine main body in a direction along the axis of a cylinder, and increases the freedom of arranging parts designed to be placed on an upper end portion of the engine main body. The valve controlling apparatuses are attached to the top surface of the crankcase.
US08245670B2
A sensor housing system maintains a sensor—which is used in monitoring an extreme temperature environment such as a combustion unit—at a desired ambient temperature. The system comprises one or more sensors housed within an internal chamber and cooled by air or an inert gas. Gas within the chamber cools the sensor and then exhausts to a second internal chamber which, in turn, exhausts to atmosphere. Both chambers are housed in a directional ball pivot that provides access to the extreme temperature environment and adjusts the angle of the sensor. An air tube having a sweep is directed toward the external surface of the glass wafer and directs a hot gas stream across the surface of the wafer. A failsafe device retracts the chambers from the extreme temperature environment in case of power failure or if for some reason the sensor becomes too hot.
US08245667B2
A liquid nectar hummingbird feeder has a reusable base with a feeding basin that receives a disposable cartridge containing a pre-filled volume of liquid nectar. The cartridge has a single bottleneck opening at a lower end which is initially sealed by a breakable seal in the form of a film layer of foil, coated paper stock, plastic or the like. The base includes a cartridge mounting and opening structure adapted to secure and open the cartridge bottleneck opening by rupturing the film layer seal to allow liquid nectar to flow from the cartridge into the feeding basin.
US08245660B2
A dip coating apparatus and method of dip coating. The apparatus includes a guide surface, a bendable tube, a carriage, and a support assembly. The bendable tube redirectionally engages the guide surface intermediate the first and second longitudinal ends of the tube. The carriage is vertically repositionable and cooperatively engages the tube proximate the first longitudinal end of the tube, whereby vertical repositioning of the carriage effects a change in the vertical distance between the first and second longitudinal ends of the tube. The support assembly releasably suspends an elongate workpiece for introduction of at least a portion of the workpiece into the tube through the first longitudinal end of the coating tube as the carriage is vertically repositioned upwards towards the support assembly.
US08245659B2
Mechanical member (1; 100; 200) for a means of transport such as a boat—where said mechanical member has a support shaft (2; 101; 201), provided with a main axis (Y) that is mountable on the means of transport. Sliding bodies (3; 108; 202) are connected to the support shaft (2; 101; 201) through a union or connector (4; 203), which includes shaped disks (5;6;102;103;104;105;) and radial shock absorbers (17) mounted at the end of the shaped disks so that the sliding bodies (3, 108, 202) come into contact with any adjacent structures to direct the movement of the means of transport and prevent damage to adjacent structures.
