US08258841B2
A PLL circuit includes a polyphase reference clock output circuit that outputs reference clocks, a polyphase frequency divider circuit that outputs divided clocks, which is obtained by dividing frequencies of the reference clocks, a selection switch circuit that selects one of the reference clocks or one of the divided clocks, and outputs the selected clock as a selected clock, a digital VCO that uses the selected clock as an operating clock, and outputs delay amount data indicating a phase difference between an output clock and an ideal phase, where the output clock has a frequency that fluctuates according to a value of frequency control input data, and the ideal phase is calculated according to the output clock and the value of the frequency control input data, and a selection circuit that selects and outputs the output clock synchronized with the divided clocks according to the delay amount data.
US08258823B2
To operate a semiconductor power switch having a control electrode and a reference electrode in response to first and second switching commands, a control voltage between a first electric pole and a second electric pole is provided. Upon each first switching command, the control electrode is coupled to the first electric pole, and the reference electrode is coupled to the second electric pole; and upon each second switching command, the control electrode is coupled to the second electric pole, and the reference electrode is coupled to the first electric pole. Upon each switching command, continuously transitioning an electric potential of the one of the control and reference electrodes during a first transition period, and continuously transitioning an electric potential of the respective other of the control and reference electrodes during a second transition period occurs, wherein the first transition period beginning before and ending after the second transition period.
US08258814B2
A layout design method in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the present invention is a layout design method for a clock tree circuit, including disposing a first clock distribution circuit in a clock tree circuit, wiring the clock tree circuit in which the first clock distribution circuit is disposed, verifying timing of the wired clock tree circuit, and replacing the first distribution element by a second clock distribution circuit based on a result of the timing verification, the second clock distribution circuit having roughly a same input load capacitance as the first clock distribution circuit and a different delay value from the first clock distribution circuit.
US08258811B2
An enhanced performance field programmable gate array integrated circuit comprises a field programmable gate array and other functional circuitry such as a mask-programmable gate array in the same integrated circuit. A circuit interface provides communication between the field programmable gate array, the mask-programmable gate array and the integrated circuit I/O.
US08258810B2
A semiconductor device includes a first transistor layer and a second transistor layer overlaying the first transistor layer, wherein said first transistor layer comprises a plurality of flip-flops each having a selectively coupleable additional input generated by said second transistor layer.
US08258805B2
A test device and a semiconductor integrated circuit are provided. The test device may include a first test region and a second test region defined on a semiconductor substrate. The first test region may include a first test element and the second region may include a second test element. The first test element may include a pair of first secondary test regions in the semiconductor substrate extending in a first direction. The second test element may include structures corresponding to the first test element except the second test element does not include structures corresponding to the pair of first secondary test regions.
US08258794B2
A measuring device for carrying out purity measurements in a media circuit of a power station with an ion exchanger device and a measuring means for measuring a parameter of a media current flowing through the ion exchanger device is described. In order to obtain measurements in a rapid and reliable manner at the start up of the ion exchanger device, for example during the start-up phase of the power station, it is suggested that the ion exchanger device has two flow paths for two different operating modes of the power station.
US08258788B2
A wireless magnetic resonance imaging scanner has one or more local coils, a microwave antenna array, and a local oscillator, and an upconverter. The local oscillator signal from the local oscillator is transmitted from the microwave antenna array to illuminate the local coils. The local coils generate magnetic resonance signals at a first frequency and the magnetic resonance signals at the first frequency are upconverted in the upconverter to microwave frequencies. The local oscillator operates at a frequency within an unlicensed band, chosen such that desired sidebands for reception of the upconverted local coil magnetic resonance signals fall outside the unlicensed band.
US08258786B2
A method for determining the spatial distribution of the magnitude of the radio frequency transmission field B1 in a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, wherein the method comprises performing an MRI experiment in which a B1-sensitive complex image (SI) of a sample is obtained, wherein the phase distribution within the B1-sensitive complex image (SI) depends on the spatial distribution of the magnitude of the field B1. For establishing the dependency of the phase distribution within the B1-sensitive complex image (SI) on the spatial distribution of the field B1, one or more adiabatic RF pulses are applied. The method provides a simple procedure for mapping the B1 field of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus with an improved accuracy and a wider measurement range.
US08258781B2
A rotation detecting sensor, having excellent sealing capability to prevent water ingress from outside, being so robust that no damage occur in sensor component parts and circuits due to external force and/or thermal strains resulting from self-heating or change in ambient temperature, and inexpensive to manufacture, is provided. The rotation detecting sensor is fixed to a sensor fixing member to be fitted to a wheel support bearing assembly. A sensor unit, including a magnetic sensor element, a cable and a substrate, is fixed to the sensor fixing member through the substrate. A molding segment molded of a molding material bonded with the substrate is provided around the sensor unit. The substrate has a metallic pattern portion formed as a metallic coating on a substrate surface in the vicinity of an electroconductive pattern portion and the molding material is bonded to the metallic pattern portion.
US08258778B2
A simplified micro-magnetic based sensor and a system built with it for detecting or measuring acceleration, speed, position, placement, tilt, and vibration are disclosed for a reduced product size, simplified manufacturing process, and reduced product cost. Both simplified micro-magnetic sensor and simplified micro-magnetic sensor system include a primary micro inductor and a secondary micro inductor coupled with a micro magnetically permeable dynamic medium element that is small, simple and low cost to manufacture.
US08258776B2
A sensing system includes a conductor with a current flow path therethrough configured such that a current flowing through the conductor establishes an inhomogeneous magnetic field. A first pair of sensors is situated a first location having a first sensitivity, a second pair of sensors is situated at a second location having a second sensitivity lower than the first sensitivity. The first and second pairs of sensors are configured to measure the inhomogeneous magnetic field at their respective locations.
US08258773B2
A system and method for detecting lightning strikes on a wind turbine includes detecting and measuring a parameter that is indicative of a lightning strike, which may be current induced in a conductor as a result of the lightning strike. A current receptor may be located on a component of the wind turbine and electrically coupled to a ground conductor. A current sensor is disposed on the ground conductor and generates a primary current I(p) that is proportional to a lightning strike current flowing through the ground conductor upon a lighting strike on the receptor. A signal converter sub-system is configured to convert the primary current I(p) into a processing signal. A processing sub-system is configured to receive and use the processing signal to determine an actual lightning strike on the wind turbine.
US08258771B2
A circuit device includes: a power supply circuit; and a logic circuit, the power supply circuit supplying a first power supply voltage and a second power supply voltage to the logic circuit, the first power supply voltage supplied by the power supply circuit periodically changing with a first reference voltage as a reference voltage, the second power supply voltage supplied by the power supply circuit periodically changing with a second reference voltage as a reference voltage, the power supply circuit supplying, due to resonance, the first power supply voltage and the second power supply voltage that repeat a first period during which a voltage difference between the first power supply voltage and the second power supply voltage is decreasing and a second period during which the voltage difference is increasing, and the logic circuit performing adiabatic circuit operation with the supply of the first and the second power supply voltage.
US08258762B2
The present invention provides a computer power measurement device, which comprises: a first inductor connected power supply, and the first inductor is provided with a first DC equivalent resistance; a second inductor connected power consumption components, and the second inductor is provided with a second DC equivalent resistance; an input measurement module, which is connected to the first inductor, and measures the input power based on the first DC equivalent resistance; and, an output measurement module, which is connected to the second inductor, and measures the output power based on the second DC equivalent resistance.
US08258750B2
A charging circuit and a charging method by the charging circuit that allow a stable charging operation are provided. The charging method of charging a battery from a charging power supply according to a constant current constant voltage charging system includes the steps of increasing a charging current for each predetermined current level step by step at a time of constant current charging, thereby performing the constant current charging, and stopping the increase of the charging current and continuing the charging maintaining a predetermined minimum chargeable voltage determined by the battery in advance, when it is detected that a supply voltage from the charging power supply has assumed the predetermined minimum chargeable voltage.
US08258746B2
A charger adapted for charging at least one energy storage device to be charged by means of an electrical charging power provided by an electrical power supply grid is provided. The charger includes a grid parameter detector unit adapted for detecting at least one electrical grid parameter of the electrical power supply grid and for outputting a grid parameter detection signal on the basis of the at least one detected electrical grid parameter. A control unit receives the grid parameter detection signal and determines a control signal, wherein a charging power adjustment unit adjusts the electrical charging power on the basis of the control signal.
US08258745B2
A device for charging at least one rechargeable battery of a battery-operated surgical instrument that comprises a sealed container operable to enclose and create a microbial seal around the battery. The sealed container permits surgical sterilization and inductive charging of the battery while the battery is enclosed therein. The device further comprises an inductive charging assembly having a power receiver sub-assembly inside the sealed container and electrically coupled to the battery whereby the power receiver sub-assembly is operable to receive electrical power inductively from outside the sealed container and to charge the battery electrically coupled to the power receiver sub-assembly. A power supply is disposed outside the sealed container and supplies power inductively to the power receiver sub-assembly through the sealed container such that the sealed container is not structurally breached.
US08258716B2
An active type multiple channeled LED power driving system which includes seven regions, wherein power is lead-in through the first region with the EMC circuitry and the PWM circuitry, passing through the second region with the transformer, entering the third region with the CC & CV control circuitry, passing through the fourth region with two multiple channeled outputers, lead-in the fifth region having two intermittent modulating circuitries, outputting to the sixth region with the two LED lighting modules, and setting with environment parameters sensors in the seventh region, thereby raising the electronic typed heat dissipation rate and energy efficiency under the system operation to let the LED lamp be able to achieve its maximum performance.
US08258713B2
Supply circuits for supplying voltage and current signals to light sources (6) comprise switches (22, 32, 42, 52) and controllers (21, 31, 41, 51) to control the switches (22, 32, 42, 52) for reducing values of frequency components of harmonic content of power spectra of the light sources (6). By switching one of the voltage and current signals or by switching signals that result in one of the voltage and current signals, the other one of the voltage and current signals can be adjusted. The power spectrum of the light source (6) may be a function of the voltage and current signals. By adjusting one of them, the power spectrum can be adjusted such that values of frequency components of the harmonic content of the power spectrum are reduced. As a result, visible flicker is reduced in the light originating from the light source (6) without the use of energy storage capacitors for reducing this visible flicker.
US08258706B2
An LED drive circuit is an LED dive circuit that receives an alternating voltage to drive an LED, and includes a current remove portion that removes a current from a current supply line that supplies an LED drive current to the LED. If an input current to the LED drive circuit is an unnecessary current, the LED does not light because of current removal by the current remove portion. If the input current to the LED drive circuit turns into the LED drive current from the unnecessary current, the current remove portion decreases the amount of current removed.
US08258705B2
System and method are provided for controlling emergency lighting where emergency lights turn on when main source of power goes out for controlling emergency lighting to conserve energy utilized by the emergency light, while maintaining good visibility of the emergency lighting. Solid state lighting, such as LED, is used within an emergency light to add light in blue wavelength region matching the light output to the most sensitive of wavelength response of the human eve to increase color perception and allows faster response time. Electrical current to the device and light output are reduced while LED light tends to increase its blue wavelength component as it is dimmed thus increasing effective light output. After a predetermined time, the light is purposefully dimmed to conserve energy and to allow the eye to slowly and safely adjust to the new lighting conditions. By reducing electrical current, energy storage batteries may be smaller than for similar unit that maintains constant light output.
US08258704B2
A lighting system for vehicles includes a housing having a front panel and a back panel, a reflector positioned adjacent the back panel, a plurality of light sources positioned on sides of the housing transverse to the back panel, a lens positioned the plurality of light sources and the front panel, a faceplate having a transparent pattern is configured to couple to the housing adjacent the front panel, a controller coupled to the light sources having a first input configured to couple to a vehicle ignition switch and a second input configured to couple to an accessory switch, and a color mapping interface coupled to the controller and configured to receive at least one removable color chip. The controller detects at least one color signal from the at least one removable color chip and controls the plurality of light sources in response to the at least one detected color signal.
US08258697B2
According to one embodiment, a light emitting device includes a first lead, a light emitting element, a second lead and a molded body. The first lead includes a die pad portion having a major surface and a recess provided in the major surface, a bent portion bent toward above the major surface, and a thermally conductive portion extending outward from the die pad portion. The first lead is provided with a slit at an end of a fold. The light emitting element is bonded to a bottom surface of the recess. The second lead with one end portion is opposed to one end portion of the first lead. The molded body covers the light emitting element, the bent portion, the die pad portion, the thermally conductive portion, and the one end portion of the second lead, penetrates through the slit, and is made of a resin.
US08258696B2
The present invention is to provide an organic light emitting display and a method of manufacturing the same. The light emitting display according to the present invention includes: a first substrate on which a plurality of light emitting devices having first electrodes, organic light emitting layers, and second electrodes are disposed; a second substrate disposed to face the first substrate; a dam member disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate to surround the plurality of light emitting devices; an inorganic sealing material disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate in an outer area of the dam member and attaching the first substrate to the second substrate; and a silicon filling material provided between the first substrate and the second substrate inward of the dam member to be in contact with the second electrodes.
US08258694B2
A flexible display device and a method for manufacturing a flexible display are provided. The flexible display device includes a flexible substrate, a display element layer formed on the flexible substrate; an insulating protective layer covering the display element layer; and a rigid substrate. The rigid substrate has an etching selectivity at least 20 times greater than that of the insulating protective layer.
US08258693B2
A top-emitting OLED device, comprising: one or more OLEDs formed on a substrate; a light-scattering layer formed over the one or more OLEDs; a transparent cover; one or more color filters formed on the transparent cover; a color-conversion material layer formed over the color filters, or formed over or integral with the light-scattering layer; wherein the substrate is aligned and affixed to the transparent cover so that the locations of the color filters and color conversion material correspond to the location of the OLEDs, and the color-conversion material layer, color filters, and the light-scattering layer are between the cover and substrate, and a low-index gap is formed between the light-scattering layer and the color filters, with no light-scattering layer being positioned between the color conversion material layer and the low-index gap, wherein the color-conversion material layer is formed integrally with the light-scattering layer.
US08258683B2
An insulation reinforcing light bulb includes a light penetrable shell, a power receiving base, a heat sink and an assembling holder located between the light penetrable shell and the power receiving base, at least one light source baseboard located in the light penetrable shell and a power conversion board electrically connected to the light source baseboard and the power receiving base. The heat sink has a housing chamber to hold the power conversion board. The light bulb further includes an isolation element held in the housing chamber. The isolation element has an isolation wall interposed between the power conversion board and the heat sink to form a circuit housing compartment to hold the power conversion board, and a wiring outlet formed on the isolation wall to allow wires to be led from the power conversion board to connect to the light source baseboard.
US08258679B2
The present invention provides a piezoelectric ceramic and a piezoelectric element, which have a large dynamic d33 (dynamic piezoelectric coefficient d33), can be used even under an elevated temperature of 200° C., and exhibit a small variation between the dynamic d33 at room temperature and the dynamic d33 at 200° C. The piezoelectric ceramic of the present invention is characterized by containing 100 parts by mass of a bismuth layered compound as a main component and a total of 0.05 to 1 part by mass, in terms of oxides (MnO2 and Fe2O3), of at least one of Mn and Fe, the bismuth layered compound being represented by a compositional formula of Bi4Ti3O3O12.β[(1-γ)M1TiO3.γM2M3O3], wherein β and γ satisfy the following formulae: 0.405≦β≦0.498 and 0≦γ≦0.3, M1 represents at least one selected from Sr, Ba, Ca, (Bi0.5Na0.5) (Bi0.5Li0.5) and (Bi0.5K0.5), M2 is at least one selected from Bi, Na, K and Li, and M3 is at least one of Fe and Nb.
US08258670B2
A motor includes a stator, a case and a supporting portion. The stator formed by laminating plural disc plates includes a yoke portion having a plurality of first and second portions alternately formed in a circumferential direction of the stator, and plural tooth portions respectively radially protruding from an inner circumferential surface the yoke portion at the second portion of the yoke portion towards an axial center of the stator. The case provided at an outer circumference of the stator includes a first communicating passage extending in an axial direction of the stator to be in communication with both axial ends of the stator and defined by an inner circumferential surface of the case. The supporting portion protrudes from an inner circumferential surface of the first communicating passage towards the stator and contacts an outer surface of the stator at one of the first portions of the stator.
US08258659B2
A shaft support system 7 for an electric motor 1, comprising a rolling bearing 17 provided with an inner race 33 and an outer race 34, at least one angular position sensor 20 for detecting the angular position of the inner race, an encoder 19 mounted on the inner race, a flange 16 for supporting the outer race of the bearing, and a processing module 18 supported by the flange.
US08258655B2
A circuit arrangement includes a drive circuit is adapted to generate a drive signal at the output dependent on a signal received at a control input, and dependent on a signal received at the first enable input. A first supply voltage circuit is adapted to provide a first supply voltage at output terminals, the output terminals being coupled to the supply terminals of the drive circuit. A second supply voltage circuit adapted to provide a second supply voltage at output terminals, the output terminals being coupled to the supply terminals of the drive circuit. The second supply voltage circuit has a second enable input, and is adapted to generate the second supply voltage dependent on a signal received at the second enable input.
US08258651B2
Redundant power supplies and redundant channels of communication maximize the probability that a controller will trigger a battery disconnect switch to open when commanded to do so.
US08258649B2
A system includes a first communication module to be coupled to a first transmission medium for distributing power using a voltage waveform having a first amplitude; and a second communication module to be coupled to a second transmission medium for distributing power using a voltage waveform having a second amplitude different from the first amplitude, the second transmission medium being coupled to the first transmission medium. Each of the first and second communication modules is configured to use signals that propagate between the first and second transmission media.
US08258645B2
A wind turbine (10) includes a turbine wheel (12) with radially extending turbine blades (20) supported between the axis structure (16) and the circular rim (18) of the turbine wheel. Turbine blade extensions (22) are positioned in alignment with the turbine blades and may be pivotally mounted on the circular rim.
US08258640B2
A power system is disclosed. The power system may have an engine with a desired operating speed range, and a generator mechanically driven by the engine to produce electrical power directed to an external load. The power system may also have a power storage device associated with at least one of the engine and the generator, and a controller in communication with the engine and the power storage device. The controller may be configured to determine a speed of the engine deviating from the desired operating range, and to activate the power storage device to absorb or supplement at least a portion of the electrical power directed to the external load based on the determination.
US08258639B2
A starting device for an internal combustion engine, especially that of a motor vehicle, comprises: a stator, or inductor, comprising an inductor coil (5), said inductor coil comprising at least first (43), second (41) and third (42) windings that are all electrically connected in parallel; a rotor associated with said stator and having a longitudinal axis; a starter element that can be rotated by the rotor; and a contractor designed to supply power, in a prerotation first phase, only to the first winding (43) of the inductor coil and, in a full-speed second phase, following the first phase, to the first, second and third windings (41, 42) of the inductor coil.
US08258620B2
A circuit device includes an insulating base provided with a resin layer mixed with a fibrous filler, bumps provided in the insulating base and functioning as electrodes for connection, a semiconductor device that is flip-chip mounted, and an underfill filling a gap between the semiconductor device and the insulating base. By allowing the fibrous filler projecting through the top surface of the resin layer to be in contact with the underfill, strength of adhesion between the underfill and the insulating base is improved.
US08258601B2
A plurality of cell structures of a vertical power device are formed at a semiconductor substrate. One cell structure included in the plurality of cell structures and located in a central portion CR of the main surface has a lower current carrying ability than the other cell structure included in the plurality of cell structures and located in an outer peripheral portion PR of the main surface. This provides a power semiconductor device having a long power cycle life.
US08258595B2
Provided are an image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same. The image sensor comprises a substrate, a bonding silicon, an interlayer dielectric, a first contact plug, a second contact plug, a second metal interconnection, and a color filter layer and a microlens. The substrate comprises a first metal interconnection. The bonding silicon is formed on the substrate, and comprises a plurality of impurity regions. The interlayer dielectric is formed on the bonding silicon. The first contact plug penetrates the bonding silicon and is electrically connected to the first metal interconnection. The second contact plug penetrates the interlayer dielectric and is connected to a surface of the bonding silicon. The second metal interconnection is formed on the interlayer dielectric, and is connected to the second contact plug. The color filter layer and a microlens are formed over the second metal interconnection.
US08258592B2
A semiconductor device having a MTJ device excellent in operating characteristics and a manufacturing method therefor are provided. The MTJ device is formed of a laminated structure which is obtained by laminating a lower magnetic film, a tunnel insulating film, and an upper magnetic film in this order. The lower and upper magnetic films contain noncrystalline or microcrystalline ferrocobalt boron (CoFeB) as a constituent material. The tunnel insulating film contains aluminum oxide (AlOx) as a constituent material. A CAP layer is formed over the upper magnetic film and a hard mask is formed over the CAP layer. The CAP layer contains a substance of crystalline ruthenium (Ru) as a constituent material and the hard mask contains a substance of crystalline tantalum (Ta) as a constituent material. The film thickness of the hard mask is larger than that of the CAP layer.
US08258587B2
The present disclosure provides a method for making a semiconductor device having metal gate stacks. The method includes forming a high k dielectric material layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a metal gate layer on the high k dielectric material layer; forming a top gate layer on the metal gate layer; patterning the top gate layer, the metal gate layer and the high k dielectric material layer to form a gate stack; performing an etching process to selectively recess the metal gate layer; and forming a gate spacer on sidewalls of the gate stack.
US08258572B2
A static random access memory (SRAM) cell includes a straight fin and a bended fin physically disconnected from the straight fin. The bended fin has a first portion and a second portion parallel to the straight fin. The distance between the first portion of the bended fin and the straight fin is smaller than the distance between the second portion of the bended fin and the straight fin. The SRAM cell includes a pull-down transistor including a portion of a first gate strip, which forms a first and a second sub pull-down transistor with the straight fin and the first portion of the bended fin, respectively. The SRAM cell further includes a pass-gate transistor including a portion of a second gate strip, which forms a first sub pass-gate transistor with the straight fin. The pull-down transistor includes more fins than the pass-gate transistor.
US08258565B2
There is provided a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, including, a tunnel insulator, a floating gate electrode including a first floating gate electrode and a second floating gate electrode being constituted with a nondegenerate state semiconductor, an intergate insulating film formed to cover at least continuously an upper and a portion of a side surface of the floating gate electrode, and a control gate electrode in order, and an isolation insulating film, a lower portion of the isolation insulating film being embedded in the semiconductor substrate in both sides of the floating gate electrode along a channel width direction, an upper portion of the isolation insulating film contacting with a side surface of the first floating gate electrode and protruding to a level between an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and an upper surface of the first floating gate electrode.
US08258562B2
A semiconductor device of an example of the invention comprises a memory cell and a select gate transistor provided for the memory cell. A gate electrode of the select gate transistor has a Tri-gate structure in which an upper surface of a gate insulating film formed above a channel of the select gate transistor is set higher than a portion of an upper surface of an element isolation region of the select gate transistor.
US08258551B2
A cell of a semiconductor device includes a diffusion level including a plurality of diffusion regions separated by inactive regions. The cell also includes a gate electrode level including conductive features defined to extend in only a first parallel direction. Adjacent ones of the conductive features that share a common line of extent in the first parallel direction are fabricated from respective originating layout features that are separated from each other by an end-to-end spacing having a size that is substantially equal across the gate electrode level region and is minimized to an extent allowed by a semiconductor device manufacturing capability. Some of the conductive features form respective PMOS and/or NMOS transistor devices. A number of the PMOS transistor devices is equal to a number of the NMOS transistor devices in the cell. The cell also includes a number of interconnect levels formed above the gate electrode level.
US08258546B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and a transistor formed in the substrate, the transistor having a gate stack that has an interfacial layer formed on the substrate, a high-k dielectric layer formed over the interfacial layer, a metal layer formed over the high-dielectric layer, a capping layer formed between the interfacial layer and high-k dielectric layer; and a doped layer formed on the metal layer, the doped layer including at least F.
US08258543B2
Quantum-well-based semiconductor devices and methods of forming quantum-well-based semiconductor devices are described. A method includes providing a hetero-structure disposed above a substrate and including a quantum-well channel region. The method also includes forming a source and drain material region above the quantum-well channel region. The method also includes forming a trench in the source and drain material region to provide a source region separated from a drain region. The method also includes forming a gate dielectric layer in the trench, between the source and drain regions; and forming a gate electrode in the trench, above the gate dielectric layer.
US08258542B2
Semiconductor devices and semiconductor apparatuses including the same are provided. The semiconductor devices include a body region disposed on a semiconductor substrate, gate patterns disposed on the semiconductor substrate and on opposing sides of the body region, and first and second impurity doped regions disposed on an upper surface of the body region. The gate patterns may be separated from the first and second impurity doped regions by, or greater than, a desired distance, such that the gate patterns do not to overlap the first and second impurity doped regions in a direction perpendicular to the first and second impurity doped regions.
US08258536B2
A light emitting module includes a dielectric substrate, a solar cell unit, a metal pattern layer, light emitting units, and a power storage component. The dielectric substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The solar cell unit is positioned on the first surface. The metal pattern layer is positioned on the second surface. The light emitting units is positioned on the metal pattern layer. The power storage component includes a power charge port electrically coupled to the solar cell unit, and a power supply port electrically coupled to the metal pattern layer.
US08258533B2
Disclosed are a light emitting device and a method of fabricating the same. The light emitting device includes a substrate; first and second light emitting cells, each including a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer; and a connector located between the first and second light emitting cells and the substrate, to electrically connect the first and second light emitting cells to each other. The connector extends from the second semiconductor layer of the first light emitting cell, across the substrate, and through central regions of the second semiconductor layer and active layer of the second light emitting cells, to contact the first semiconductor layer of the second light emitting cell.
US08258522B2
An LED apparatus includes a base having thermal conductivity, an insulative substrate provided on one surface of the base and including electrodes provided on a surface of the substrate, at least one base-mounting area that is an exposed part of the base, exposed within a pass-through hole provided in the substrate, a plurality of LED elements mounted on the base in the base-mounting area and some of the LED elements in a unit electrically connected to the electrodes in series, a plurality of the units are electrically connected in parallel, and a frame disposed to surround the base-mounting area and configured to form a light-emitting area.
US08258511B2
Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to TFTs and methods of fabricating the TFTs. In TFTs, the active channel carries the current between the source and drain electrodes. By tailoring the composition of the active channel, the current can be controlled. The active channel may be divided into three layers, a gate control layer, a bulk layer, and an interface control layer. The separate layers may have different compositions. Each of the gate control, bulk and interface control layers may additionally comprise multiple layers that may have different compositions. The composition of the various layers of the active channel comprise oxygen, nitrogen, and one or more elements selected from the group consisting of zinc, indium, cadmium, tin, gallium and combinations thereof. By varying the composition among the layers, the mobility, carrier concentration and conductivity of the various layers may be controlled to produce a TFT having desired properties.
US08258510B2
A display device including the thin film transistor, and a method of manufacturing the display device are provided. The thin film transistor comprising a first gate electrode, a second gate electrode formed on the first gate electrode, a first semiconductor formed on the first gate electrode and including a polycrystalline semiconductor, a second semiconductor formed on the second gate electrode and including an amorphous semiconductor.
US08258501B2
A method of using a metal complex as an n-dopant for doping an organic semiconducting matrix material in order to alter the latter's electrical characteristics is provided. In order to provide n-doped organic semiconductors with matrix materials having a low reduction potential, while achieving high conductivities, the n-dopant is a neutral electron-rich metal complex with a neutral or charged transition metal atom as a central atom and having at least 16 valence electrons. The complex can be polynuclear and can possess at least one metal-metal bond. At least one ligand can form a π complex with the central atom, which can be a bridge ligand, or it can contain at least one carbanion-carbon atom or a divalent atom. Methods for providing the novel n-dopants are provided.
US08258499B2
A fabrication method is provided for a core-shell-shell (CSS) nanowire transistor (NWT). The method provides a cylindrical CSS nanostructure with a semiconductor core, an insulator shell, and a conductive shell. The CSS nanostructure has a lower hemicylinder overlying a substrate surface. A first insulating film is conformally deposited overlying the CSS nanostructure and anisotropically plasma etched. Insulating reentrant stringers are formed adjacent the nanostructure lower hemicylinder. A conductive film is conformally deposited and selected regions are anisotropically plasma etched, forming conductive film gate straps overlying a gate electrode in a center section of the CSS nanostructure. An isotropically etching removes the insulating reentrant stringers adjacent the center section of the CSS nanostructure, and an isotropically etching of the conductive shell overlying the S/D regions is performed. A screen oxide layer is deposited over the CSS nanostructure. The source/drain (S/D) regions in end sections of the CS nanostructure flanking are doped.
US08258490B2
Prior to applying of ultraviolet rays to a surface of a wafer with a protective tape joined thereto that is placed and held on a holding table, an illumination sensor moves to a position below an ultraviolet irradiation unit having ultraviolet light emitting diodes arranged in one dimensional array to measure ultraviolet intensity in a position corresponding to a surface of the protective tape, and output voltage of each diode is controlled so as to maintain a uniform accumulated quantity of light in an area of the protective tape where ultraviolet rays are applied that is determined from the result of measurement and a turning velocity of the holding table.
US08258488B2
An improved aperture arrangement in a device for defining a pattern on a target, for use in a particle-beam exposure apparatus, by being irradiated with a beam of electrically charged particles and allowing passage of the beam only through a plurality of apertures. The device includes an aperture array having a plurality of apertures of identical shape defining the shape and relative position of beamlets permeating the apertures. A blanking device switches off the passage of selected beamlets permeating the apertures and defined by them. The apertures are arranged on the aperture array according to an arrangement deviating from a regular arrangement by small deviations, adjusting for distortions caused by the particle-beam exposure apparatus, and the size of the apertures of the aperture array differs across the aperture array in order to allow for an adjustment of the current radiated on the target through the apertures and the corresponding openings.
US08258482B2
In one embodiment, a system comprises a semiconductor gamma detector material and a hole blocking layer adjacent the gamma detector material, the hole blocking layer resisting passage of holes therethrough. In another embodiment, a system comprises a semiconductor gamma detector material, and an electron blocking layer adjacent the gamma detector material, the electron blocking layer resisting passage of electrons therethrough, wherein the electron blocking layer comprises undoped HgCdTe. In another embodiment, a method comprises forming a hole blocking layer adjacent a semiconductor gamma detector material, the hole blocking layer resisting passage of holes therethrough. Additional systems and methods are also presented.
US08258478B2
An apparatus for enabling and disabling a lookdown zone mask in an intrusion detector unit. The unit may include a passive infrared motion detector, a lens assembly, and a mask or cover which selectively enables and disables a lookdown zone associated with the detector. The lens assembly provides a lens proximate the detector. The lens provides the lookdown zone. When the mask substantially covers the lens, the lookdown zone is disabled because the path of radiant energy to the detector is blocked and prevents the detector from detecting any motion in the lookdown zone. When the mask does not cover the lens, the lookdown zone is enabled because the lens permits the path of radiant energy to the detector through the lens and allows the detector to detect any motion in the lookdown zone.
US08258468B2
An ion mobility spectrometer includes a protective housing. A drift tube having at least one inlet and at least one outlet confines a drift gas. An ion gate is positioned in the drift tube. The ion gate defines a reaction region and a drift region in the drift tube. An ion detector is positioned in the drift tube downstream of the ion gate at an end of the drift region. A helical resistive wire coil is positioned around the drift tube. A power supply generates an electric field in the helical resistive wire coil that rapidly controls the temperature of the drift gas.
US08258464B2
A mass spectrometer and methods for obtaining the mass spectrum of a single macromolecular or biomolecular ion in a mass spectrometer. The methods include creating single macromolecular or biomolecular primary ions in an ion trap by ionization of a macromolecule or biomolecule; ejecting half of the primary ions for detection with a first charge detector; ejecting half of the primary ions to impact upon a conversion dynode, thereby creating secondary ions for detection with charge amplification detector such as a channeltron or an electromultiplier or an MCP.
US08258461B2
An apparatus of generating an optical tweezers with momentum and method thereof and an optical tweezers photo-image for guiding particles are provided. The apparatus generates at least one optical tweezers on an examined object that carries at least one particle. The apparatus includes a laser source, a diffractive optical element and a convergent lens. The laser beam from the laser source passes through the diffractive optical element to produce a diffractive pattern. The laser beam is then received by the convergent lens and then to be focused on a plane of the examined object. The optic axis of the convergent lens is substantially not perpendicular to the plane of the examined object, so that the laser beam is projected onto the plane of the examined object in a skewed manner for providing a lateral momentum to move the particle.
US08258454B2
This invention relates to a luminaire comprising an OLED device, where a light detecting function of the OLED device is employed for transmitting light setting commands to the luminaire from a remote position by means of a control light signal, which carries command information. The control light signal has a header portion, which can be recognized by the luminaire and makes it ready to receive a command, and a following control command portion.
US08258449B1
A system for calibrating a broadband detector includes a first narrowband telescope for viewing a celestial body, and an earth viewing telescope. The broadband detector is selectively coupled to the first narrowband telescope or the earth viewing telescope. A first narrowband filter is selectively inserted in an optical path of the first narrowband telescope, or the earth viewing telescope. A processor is configured to calibrate the broadband detector based on viewing the celestial body with the first narrowband telescope or the earth viewing telescope, and selectively inserting the first narrowband filter in the optical path. The first narrowband telescope includes a first narrowband filter inside its optical train. The first narrowband filter, which is selectively inserted in the optical path, is spectrally similar to the first narrowband filter inside the optical train of the first narrowband telescope. In addition, a second narrowband telescope, which receives a different wavelength from the first narrowband telescope includes a second narrowband filter inside its optical train. In addition, a second narrowband filter, which is selectively inserted in the optical path of the second narrowband telescope, is spectrally similar to the second narrowband filter inside the optical train of the second narrowband telescope. By using the first and second narrowband telescopes and the first and second narrowband filters, the broadband detector may be calibrated at two different wavelengths.
US08258446B2
A power control unit for high-frequency dielectric heating is provided. The power control includes an input current detection section for detecting input current from an AC power supply to an inverter circuit and outputting input current waveform information. A conversion section converts the input current waveform information into a drive signal of the switching transistor of the inverter circuit so that instantaneous fluctuation of the input current waveform information is suppressed. An input voltage detection section detects input voltage from the AC power supply to the inverter circuit and outputs input voltage waveform information. A selection section selects the input current waveform information or the input voltage waveform information, whichever is larger. The conversion section also converts the selected input current waveform information or input voltage waveform information into the drive signal of the switching transistor of the inverter circuit.
US08258441B2
Small, low-cost wireless temperature sensors (120) are provided for sensing the temperature of servingware (121). Each temperature sensor preferably includes a substrate (124); at least one sensor element (122) positioned on the substrate; and an adhesive (126) for securing the sensor element to the substrate and for securing the temperature sensor to the servingware so that the sensor element may sense a temperature of the servingware. The temperature sensors may be used in conjunction with a reader/detector (136) operable to generate a magnetic field of magnitude sufficient to cause re-magnetization responses of the temperature sensor element and optional data elements to detect such responses, and to use the detected responses to determine the temperature of the servingware by means of a decoding algorithm. The temperature sensors can be used in closed-loop heating systems capable of controlling the heating of the servingware.
US08258439B2
A portable heating and cooling apparatus and method of using the same wherein a temperature-set material is secured in a housing with both rigid and expandable sides. The housing is placed within a container which is so configured such that there is little or no disruption of the contact between the rigid surface and an object to be heated or cooled, whether such contact is direct or via some thermal conductive material.
US08258432B2
Welds made in TRIP steel workpieces by non-autogenous welding techniques can be made to approximate both the composition and microstructure of the TRIP steel being welded by formulating the weld to have controlled amounts of γ phase (austenite) stabilizers and cementite suppressors.
US08258431B2
An implantable lead may have a distal assembly including a coupler, a terminal pin and a conductive member rotatably secured to both the coupler and the terminal pin. The conductive member may include a coating that is at least partially removed before securing the conductive member to the coupler and the terminal pin. The coating may be removed in a process combining, in sequence, an IR laser and a UV laser.
US08258429B2
A first laser working method includes a step of irradiating the metallic work held by a rotation holding mechanism, with a nanosecond laser beam from a first laser oscillation mechanism, to form a through hole, and a step of irradiating, when the metallic work is rotated under the action of the rotation holding mechanism, the inner wall of the through hole with a picosecond laser beam from a second laser oscillation mechanism, thereby to finish the same. While forming the through hole, metal vapor is sucked from the outside of the metallic work. Then, the gas is fed from the outside of the metallic work, and the inside of the metallic work is suctioned. In a second laser working method, when a lower hole made through is radially enlarged, the exit side of the lower hole is kept lower in pressure than the laser incident (or entrance) side.
US08258428B2
A laser beam processing machine comprising a chuck table for holding a workpiece, a laser beam application means for applying a laser beam to the workpiece held on the chuck table, a processing feed means for moving the chuck table and the laser beam application means relative to each other in a processing-feed direction and an indexing-feed means for moving the chuck table and the laser beam application means in an indexing-feed direction perpendicular to the processing-feed direction, wherein the laser beam application means comprises a first laser beam application means for applying a first pulse laser beam having an energy density per one pulse of 20 to 60 J/cm2 and a second laser beam application means for applying a second pulse laser beam having an energy density per one pulse of 3 to 20 J/cm2.
US08258427B2
Disclosed are systems and methods for separating a glass sheet along a predetermined line. Laser beams are generated and shaped into elongated laser beams. Arm members are provided that are pivotally coupled together to form a chain of arm members. Each elongated laser beam is directed therefrom a respective laser beam toward the glass sheet to form a contiguous chain of elongated laser beams thereon a surface of the glass sheet. The arm members can be moved to move the contiguous chain of elongated laser beams along the predetermined line to scoring the glass sheet along the predetermined line.
US08258424B2
A plasma arc torch is provided that includes a wear stop designed to detect wear of an electrode and prevent the use of the electrode once the electrode has experienced a certain amount of wear. Either the electrode or the nozzle is movable with respect to the main torch body, and the movable component defines a projection. The wear stop is positioned a predetermined distance from a nozzle of the torch, such that prior to experiencing an excessive amount of wear, the electrode is able to contact the nozzle and initiate a pilot arc for starting a torch operation. Once the length of the electrode becomes shorter than a predetermined length due to wear, the projection of the electrode engages the wear stop, and the wear stop prevents the electrode from contacting the nozzle. In this way, an electrode that is excessively worn cannot be used in subsequent torch operations.
US08258422B2
The present technology relates to adjustment mechanisms for control settings on stud weld tools. Stud welding tools typically have a body that comprises a handle, a front end and a rear end. In one aspect, the present technology relates to plunge adjustment mechanisms for stud welding tools that are located at the front end of a stud welding tool and provide an adjustment knob for manual plunge adjustment. Another aspect of the present technology relates to weld heat adjustment mechanisms for stud welding tools that are located at the rear end of a stud welding tool and provide an adjustment knob for manual weld heat adjustment.
US08258419B2
A high speed closing switch in a power distributor includes: a case forming an external appearance; a first electrode provided within the case and including a through hole; a second electrode having a receiving recess facing the through hole; a moving contact point member having a cylindrical portion received in the through hole so as to be put into the receiving recess and a flange portion formed at one end of the cylindrical portion; and a closing coil wound on a base of the case, wherein a damping hole is formed at receiving recess of the second electrode. When the moving contact point member put into the receiving recess approaches its final position, a damping force is applied to the moving contact point member to stably and accurately control the final position.
US08258409B2
Provided are a circuit board with enhanced moisture resist and the method of manufacturing the circuit board, and a circuit device and a method of manufacturing the circuit device. A circuit board of the present invention includes: a substrate; wirings formed on the main surface of the substrate; a cover layer covering the wirings excluding the regions to be connectors; back electrodes formed on the bottom surface of the substrate; and through-hole electrodes formed so as to penetrate the substrate, and thereby connecting the wirings and the back electrodes. On surfaces of each of the wirings in this circuit board, convex portions on the periphery of the substrate are set larger in width than convex portions in a center portion of the substrate. With this configuration, adhesion reliability between the wirings and the cover layer under a thermal cycle load can be enhanced.
US08258405B2
A hardware protection system for sensitive electronic-data modules protects against external manipulations. As a result, the sensor has a correspondingly adapted layout.
US08258399B2
A coaxial cable, including an inner conductor and an outer conductor surrounding the inner conductor and a thermally responsive material positioned between the outer conductor and the inner conductor. The outer conductor is in a generally concentric relationship to the inner conductor and the inner and outer conductors are adapted to connect to an energy source. A thermal change in the thermally responsive material alters the generally concentric relationship between the outer conductor and the inner conductor.
US08258395B2
One embodiment relates to an arrangement of photovoltaic modules configured for transportation. The arrangement includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules, each photovoltaic module including a frame having at least a top member and a bottom member. A plurality of alignment features are included on the top member of each frame, and a plurality of alignment features are included on the bottom member of each frame. Adjacent photovoltaic modules are interlocked by the alignment features on the top member of a lower module fitting together with the alignment features on the bottom member of an upper module. Other embodiments, features and aspects are also disclosed.
US08258389B2
In a keyboard device, a frame function part is provided integrally in a frame to engage with a component of the keyboard device excluding the frame. Integrated continuous parts are formed at the frame and extend continuously over a key zone including a plurality of keys. The integrated continuous part receives external force directly or via the frame function part or allows a component constructed separately from the frame to mount on the integrated continuous part. A connection rib is formed in the frame such that the connection rib extends in a direction intersecting a direction along which the keys are arranged side-by-side. The integrated continuous parts are formed at positions deviated with respect to each other, when viewed from a side of the frame. The integrated continuous parts are connected to each other only by the connection rib.
US08258385B1
A novel maize variety designated X8H564 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X8H564 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X8H564 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X8H564, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X8H564. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X8H564.
US08258374B2
A soybean cultivar designated S090249 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S090249, to the plants of soybean S090249, to plant parts of soybean cultivar S090249, and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar S090249 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars, or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean variety S090249, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S090249, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar S090249 with another soybean cultivar.
US08258366B2
A disposable hygiene article has an absorbing element component (12) which is used for storing body liquids and can also contain superabsorbent materials. The absorbing element component (12) is provided with a first area (18, 20), an absorbent material of which has a mass per unit area that increases towards the lateral edges in the transversal direction (16) of the hygiene article. The storage capacity of a section (44) which extends along 40 to 90 percent of the length of the absorbing element component (12) in the longitudinal direction (14) is substantially constant relative to the longitudinal direction (14).
US08258362B2
A process for the synthesis of linear α,ω-diolefins from an allylic substrate comprises the steps of a) forming the bis-Grignard reagent XMgCH2(CH2)nCH2MgX from an α,ω-acyclic dihalide with X being a halogen; b) preparing a solution comprising an allylic substrate and a copper catalyst; c) catalyzing a coupling reaction by adding to the solution of step (b) the bis-Grignard reagent of step (a); and d) isolating and purifying the α,ω-olefin coupling reaction product.
US08258356B2
A system and process for acetylene selective hydrogenation of an ethylene rich gas stream. An ethylene rich gas supply comprising at least H2S, CO2, CO, and acetylene is directed to a first treatment unit for removing H2S and optionally CO2 from the gas stream. A CO oxidation reactor is used to convert CO to CO2 and form a CO-depleted gas stream. A second treatment unit removes the CO2 from the CO-depleted gas stream and an acetylene selective hydrogenation treats the CO-depleted gas stream.
US08258355B2
Provided is a continuous process for preparing 1,1,2,3-tetrachloro-1-propene having the steps of catalytically dehydrochlorinating CH2ClCCl2CH2Cl in the gas phase to produce CHCl═CClCH2Cl; chlorinating the CHCl═CClCH2Cl to form CHCl2CCl2CH2Cl; and catalytically dehydrochlorinating the CHCl2CCl2CH2Cl in the gas phase to form CCl2═CClCH2Cl.
US08258354B2
An improved process for producing perfluoroalkyl iodides of formula (I) F(CF2CF2)n—I (I) wherein n is an integer from 2 to 3, wherein the improvement comprises contacting at least one perfluoroalkyl iodide of formula (II) and at least one perfluoroalkyl iodide of formula (III) F(CF2CF2)m—I (II) F(CF2CF2)p—I (III) wherein m is an integer greater than or equal to 3, and p is an integer equal to or lower than 2, at a) a molar ratio of formula (III) to formula (II) of from about 1:1 to about 6:1, b) a residence time of from about 1 to about 9 seconds, and c) a temperature of from about 450° C. to about 495° C.
US08258349B2
A benzaldehyde acetal compound of formula (3): (wherein Q represents a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom, Ar represents a phenyl group optionally substituted with at least one selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and halogen atoms, and R represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms).
US08258347B2
Cyclic alkynes (e.g., cyclooctynes such as dibenzocyclooctynes) can be photochemically generated from cyclopropenones as disclosed herein. The cyclic alkynes can be reacted (e.g., in situ) with materials having alkyne-reactive groups (e.g., azide groups in a “click” reaction). In preferred embodiments, the generation and reaction of the cyclic alkyne can proceed in the absence of a catalyst (e.g., Cu(I)). These reactions can be useful, for example, for the selective labeling of living cells that are metabolically modified with azido-containing surface monosaccharides, or for light-directed surface patterning.
US08258345B2
The present invention pertains to a process for preparing a compound of Formula I that is achiral, racemic or enantiomerically enriched at the hydroxylation center indicated by * comprising contacting a compound of Formula II with an oxidant selected from oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, peracids or alkyl hydroperoxides in the presence of a zirconium complex, wherein R1, R2 and R3 are as defined in the disclosure. This invention also pertains to zirconium complexes useful in this procedure comprising zirconium and a ligand of Formula III or its enantiomer wherein J, R6 and n are as defined in the disclosure. This invention further pertains to a compound of Formula III or its enantiomer.
US08258341B2
Current methods for making polyfluorosulfonamido amines, which involve the use of a diamine reactant, provide low yields and produce an undesirable fluorine containing bis-sulfonamide by-product representing an economic loss. The bis-sulfonamide by-product is particularly undesirable because it shares very similar physical properties with the desired monoamine product thus making isolation of the desired polyfluorosulfonamido amine product difficult and costly. Furthermore, instead of the efficient incorporation of fluorine to make the desired polyfluorosulfonamido amine product, the bis-sulfonamide by-product constitutes a substantial loss of costly fluorinated starting material. The bis-sulfonamide by-product also constitutes an undesirable impurity that can worsen surfactancy, repellency, or other performance characteristics of the desired polyfluorosulfonamido amine product. The present invention provides a method of making a polyfluorosulfonamido amine without the production of a bis-sulfonamide by-product by reacting a polyfluoroalkylsulfonic compound with a monoamino amide rather than with a diamine reactant as in previously known methods.
US08258339B2
Hydrolyzed nitrilotriacetonitrile compositions are disclosed prepared by a method characterized by a one-shot addition of an amount of nitrilotriacetonitrile to a solution containing an acid catalyst, where the reaction is complete in a time period of less than an hour. The method is also characterized by adjusting the pH of the reaction mixture to a pH of at least 8. The method is also characterized by oxidatively removing free cyanide to a desired low level through the addition of an oxidizing agent the produces environmentally benign by-products to the crude hydrolyzed NTAN to form hydrolyzed NTAN compositions having minimized, negligible, or substantially no free cyanide levels.
US08258335B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing hydrochloride-free 2-dihaloacyl-3-aminoacrylic esters by reacting acid fluorides with dialkylaminoacrylic acid derivatives.
US08258334B2
A method of preparing a N-acyl-N,N′,N′-alkylenediamine trialkanoic acid ester comprising contacting a cyclic amidine with an ester of a haloalkanoic acid is provided. In some embodiments, the method involves preparing a N-acyl-N,N′,N′-ethylenediamine trialkanoic acid ester by contacting a 2-alkyl imidazoline with the ester of haloalkanoic acid. In some embodiments, the N-acyl-N,N′,N′-alkylenediamine trialkanoic acid ester is a synthetic intermediate in the preparation of a N-acyl-N,N′,N′-alkylenediamine trialkanoic acid or a salt thereof. In some embodiments, the method provides novel N-acyl-N,N′,N′-alkylenediamine trialkanoic acids and/or esters, which can be used, for example, as chelating agents.
US08258323B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing nebivolol and, more particularly, to a process for preparing d-nebivolol and its enantiomer l-nebivolol or acid addition salts thereof starting from commercially available or easily obtainable 2,2-dimethyl-1,3 dioxolane-4-carbaldehyde and a vinyl Grignard reagent.
US08258321B2
The present invention provides compounds having the general structure A, or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives thereof: wherein R is an alkyl group, and R1 comprises at least one moiety selected from a group consisting of an alkyl, an alkenyl, an aryl, a heterocycle, hydroxyl, ester, amido, aldehyde, and a halogen.
US08258320B2
The present invention generally relates to refreshing, soothing, and cooling compounds that affect sensory processes. More particularly, the present invention pertains to certain N-alkylcarbonyl-amino lactone compounds as described herein; compositions and articles comprising such compounds; and methods of treatment, for example, methods of alleviating the discomforts of irritation, itch, and pain in the skin and in the linings of the oral cavity and upper respiratory tract, for example, in methods of treatment of cough.
US08258317B2
The present disclosure discloses a catalyst for directly producing a lactide which is a cyclic ester used as a monomer for polylactides, and a method for directly producing a lactide using the catalyst, the method including the transesterification reaction between two molecules of an ester of lactic acid or a mixture containing the ester of lactic acid with a small amount of lactic acid and oligomer of lactic acid under an inert environment in the presence of a titanium-based catalyst or a catalyst mixture containing the titanium-based catalyst so as to produce lactide while simultaneously removing an alcohol (ROH) generated as a by-product. As compared to a conventional commercialized process, since the method for producing a lactide in accordance with the present disclosure is a novel process capable of directly producing the lactide from the ester of lactic acid, energy consumption is low and the lactide can be produced through a simple process showing a high yield while maintaining optical property (D-form or L-form optical isomer).
US08258316B2
The present invention provides a compound of general Formula (I) having histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitory activity, a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compound, and a method useful to treat diseases using the compound.
US08258313B2
A method of selectively producing the syn-isomer of a compound having a hydantoin ring, which is important as an optical material, an electronic material, an active ingredient and an intermediate of medicines and pesticides and an active ingredient and an intermediate of diagnostics, comprising converting a compound having a hydantoin ring (for example, (E,Z)-2-benzyloxy-5,7-diazaspiro[3,4]octan-6,8-dione represented by the following formula (1)) into a t-butyl ester derivative thereof (formula (2)), crystallizing the same to selectively give the syn-monoBoc isomer thereof and then leaving the t-butyloxycarbonyl group.
US08258312B2
An improved process for the preparation of substantially pure valsartan employing suitable reagents such as chelating agent and reaction conditions.
US08258308B2
The present disclosure relates to compounds of formula (I): or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or N-oxide thereof. The present disclosure also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of formula (I), and to their methods of use in therapy.
US08258306B2
The present invention provides compounds that are glycine transporter 1 (hereinafter referred to as GlyT-1) inhibitors and are therefore useful for the treatment of diseases treatable by inhibition of GlyT1 such as cognitive disorders associated with Schizophrenia, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), MCI (mild cognitive impairment), and the like. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and processes for preparing such compounds.
US08258301B2
Compounds of the formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, W, and Y are as described herein, or a tautomer, prodrug, solvate, or salt thereof. These compounds are useful as inhibitors of Urotensin II and are thus useful for treating a variety of diseases and disorders that are mediated or sustained through the interaction of Urotensin II with its receptor, including cardiovascular diseases. This invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds, methods of using these compounds in the treatment of various diseases and disorders, processes for preparing these compounds, and intermediates useful in these processes.
US08258295B2
We describe compounds of the following general formula (I): wherein X is fluorine or chlorine; Y is oxygen, sulfur, or an amino group; R is an amino, hydroxyl, sulfonamide, or carboxamide group or an N-monomethyl or N-dimethyl analog thereof; m is an integer from 2 to 6, and n is an integer from 0 to 2. The compounds may be used for treating certain cancers and autoimmune diseases.
US08258285B2
The invention relates to short RNA molecules of about 25 nucleotides in length, which comprise antisense RNA complementary to a targeted mRNA and corresponding sense RNA molecules. These short RNA molecules are effective in post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS).
US08258273B1
The invention is directed to an isolated genomic polynucleotide fragment that encodes human soluble (cytosolic) aminopeptidase P, vectors and hosts containing the fragment and fragments hybridizing to noncoding regions as well as antisense oligonucleotides to these fragments. The invention is further directed to methods of using these fragments to obtain human soluble aminopeptidase P and to diagnose, treat, prevent and/or ameliorate a pathological disorder.
US08258272B2
The present invention relates to an agent for controlling Bcl-2 expression comprising ginsenoside F1 (20-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-20(S)-protopanaxatriol) represented by the following formula 1 as an active component.
US08258262B2
Provided herein are methods and compositions relating to the attachment of water soluble polymers to proteins. Provided are novel methods for N-terminally modifying proteins or analogs thereof, and resultant compositions, including novel N-terminally chemically modified G-CSF compositions and related methods of preparation. Also provided is chemically modified consensus interferon.
US08258246B2
A process for the preparation of a chromium-type supported olefin polymerization catalyst. A fluidized bed of support particles in an inert carrier gas is established. A chromium (III) compound is added to the fluidized support particles to provide a supported catalyst component. The supported catalyst component is activated to convert at least a portion of the chromium (III) to Chromium (VI). The chromium (III) containing particles may be recovered from the fluidized bed and then activated or they may be activated in the fluidized bed. Also the support particles can be treated in the fluidized bed with other treatment agents. The support particles may be pretreated with a solution of a boron treating agent prior to incorporation of the support in the fluidized bed.
US08258243B2
The grafted silicone polymer comprises a polymerization product of (a) a mercapto-modified silicone polymer and (b) a radically polymerizable monomer component comprising (meth)acrylic acid and/or a (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester selected so that the solubility parameter of a polymer obtained only from the radically polymerizable monomer component is at least 9.14 (cal/cm3)1/2, wherein the grafted silicone polymer has a elastic storage modulus of 1 105 Pa or greater at 37° C., 1 Hz and dissolves in decamethylcyclopentasiloxane by 1 weight percent or greater at 23° C.
US08258240B2
The present invention provides a water-dispersed acrylic PSA composition suitable for forming a PSA sheet. The PSA composition contains 0.5 to 15 parts by weight of an acrylic copolymer (polymer H) with a Tg of 30° C. to 120° C. in relation to 100 parts by weight of an acrylic copolymer (polymer L) with a Tg of −70° C. to −50° C. The polymer L is obtained by polymerization of a monomer starting material comprising 60 wt % or more of an alkyl (meth)acrylate with a C8-C12 alkyl group; and 0.5 to 10 wt % of a radical polymerizable monomer with a carboxyl group.
US08258224B2
The present invention provides a rubber composition for a tire containing an epoxidized natural rubber, sulfur and a fatty acid metal salt, in which the metal of the fatty acid metal salt is a metal belonging to Group 12, 13 or 14 of the periodic table. Here, the fatty acid metal salt is preferably at least one kind selected from the group consisting of zinc stearate, aluminum stearate and tin stearate. Also, the present invention provides a tire manufactured by using the foregoing rubber composition for a tire.
US08258223B2
The invention concerns a process for producing water-absorbing polymer, which comprises a base polymer A being mixed with a first aqueous solution B of at least one surface postcrosslinker and a second aqueous solution C of at least one polyvalent cation and thermally treated, wherein said base polymer A is based on at least 50% neutralized acid-functional monomer and said solutions B and C are metered wholly or partly concurrently through separate nozzles whereby a water-absorbing polymer having a high saline flow conductivity value is obtained.
US08258218B2
A method of fabricating a composite insulator with a protective housing made of a polymer material incorporating an antioxidant and an antiozonant includes the step consisting in incorporating said antiozonant at a final concentration by weight lying in the range 0.005% to 1%, and said antioxidant at a final concentration by weight lying in the range 0.005% to 1%, said antiozonant being selected from the family of phenylenediamines, and said antioxidant being selected from the family of multifunctional phenolic antioxidants.
US08258217B2
The instant invention relates to a composition comprising a) an organic material which is susceptible to oxidative, thermal or light-induced degradation, and b) at least one 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 —CH2—CH(CH3)—S(O)p—R12, —CH2—CH2—CH2—S(O)p—R12, —CH2—CH(R11)—CH2—R12 or —CH2—CH═CH—R12, R11 is hydrogen or halogen, R12 is a monovalent perfluorinated alkyl or alkenyl, linear or branched organic radical having four to twenty fully fluorinated carbon atoms; or —CH2CH2(CF2)mCF3, m is 3 to 12, and p is 0, 1 or 2. The compounds of the formula I are useful as reducers of surface energy for organic materials, for example synthetic polymer. Polymers with such a reduced surface energy possess an “easy-to-clean”, “self-cleaning” “antisoiling”, “soil-release” “antigraffiti”, “oil resistance”, “solvent resistance”, “chemical resistance”, “self lubricating”, “scratch resistance”, “low moisture absorption”, “dirt pickup resistance”, “slip properties” and “hydrophobic surface”; and anti-adhesion properties against proteins and against microorganism such as for example bacteria, fungi and algae.
US08258206B2
A hydrophobic coating has been made for use on interior pipe surfaces, exterior boat surfaces, and in many other applications, to reduce drag in fluid flow, thus providing an energy savings. The coating utilizes a blend of organic and/or inorganic polymers with hydrophobic nanoparticles of fumed silica and/or titania in a solvent. The coating solves the problem of poor resistance to UV light and/or abrasion found in previous coatings of similar nature. The coating of the present invention can be made to be translucent and nearly transparent whereas previous coatings of comparable hydrophobicity have all been white or opaque. The coating can be applied in a single application by an easy spraying method and the super hydrophobic property can be achieved by drying the film at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes. A preferred coating has good resistance to UV light and some resistance to abrasion. The hydrophobic drag reduction coating composition forms an almost clear, translucent film or coating on painted material, plastic, metal, glass, ceramic, fiberglass or polymer substrate. A preferred coating composition comprising an effective amount of a treated fumed silica in a solvent resulting in a coated surface providing a contact angle of at least 165 degrees as compared to water having a contact angle of from 10 to 15 degrees on a noncoated surface. The composition imparts a degree of hydrophobicity to a surface so that the surface will have a tilt angle of sliding of less than 2 degrees as compared to water on a noncoated surface having a tilt angle of sliding of 90 degrees or higher.
US08258199B2
Compounds represented by the following structural formulas can be used as photoacid generators: Such compounds are useful, for example, in fabricating arrays of polymers.
US08258198B2
Catalyst compositions for use in forming polyurethane products include a gelling catalyst, a trimerization catalyst, and a cure accelerator. The gelling catalyst is a tertiary amine, mono(tertiary amino) urea, bis(tertiary amino) urea, or a combination of any of these. Any known trimerization catalyst may be used. The cure accelerator may be a diol having at least one primary hydroxyl group, and having from five to 17 chain backbone atoms chosen from carbon, oxygen, or both between the hydroxyl groups, provided that at least five of the backbone atoms are carbon. Alternatively or in addition, the cure accelerator may be a polyol having three or more hydroxyl groups, at least two of which are primary, and having molecular weights between 90 g/mole and 400 g/mole. Delayed initiation of the polyurethane-forming reaction and/or reduced demold time for producing the polyurethane part can be obtained by using these catalyst compositions.
US08258197B2
Porous networks are described linked by boronates. Also described are processes for producing the porous networks. The porous networks are formed by reacting a polyboronic acid with itself or with a polydiol, a polydiamine, or a polyamino alcohol. The resulting boronate linkage is covalently bonded. The characteristics and properties of the resulting porous material can be varied and altered by changing the reactants and by incorporating functional groups into the reactants. Of particular advantage, the porous materials can be formed at or near atmospheric pressure and at low temperature in the presence of one or more solvents.
US08258196B2
To provide a method for producing a rigid polyurethane foam, whereby it is possible to reduce the density without causing deterioration in dimensional stability, and a rigid polyurethane foam.A method for producing a rigid polyurethane foam, which comprises a step of reacting a polyol having a hydroxyl value of from 200 to 800 mgKOH/g with a polyisocyanate compound in the presence of an amino-modified silicone, a catalyst, a blowing agent and a surfactant.
US08258194B2
Method and reactor for performing Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis with controlled steam partial pressure by introducing cool points in the FT reactor, typically in form of cooled solid surfaces. At the surface, the low temperature will force condensation of the water into a liquid film. Thereby, the partial pressure of steam in the gas and reactor will not exceed significantly the vapor partial pressure at the liquid film and water from the gas stream will be removed as it is produced, i.e. steam induced deactivation is avoided. In addition, the decrease of hydrogen and carbon monoxide partial pressures due to dilution by steam will be kept low ensuring a constant high reaction rate.
US08258183B2
By using a composition for preventing onset and/or recurrence of stroke which contains ethyl icosapentate as its effective component, onset and/or recurrence of stroke is prevented, or in particular, the onset and/or recurrence of stroke in a hyperlipidemia patient who has been treated with HMG-CoA RI, or in particular the recurrence of stroke in a patient who is beyond six months after the onset of stroke, is prevented.
US08258180B2
Organic zinc salts and mixtures thereof, organic zinc salt coated particles, methods of preparing organic zinc salts and organic zinc salt coated particles, and various applications of such coated particles, including applications in rubber, other polymeric materials, and pesticides and/or fungicides are disclosed.
US08258174B2
The invention disclosed is drawn to a method of inhibiting apoptosis comprising administration an effective amount of an indole derivative represented by formula (1) as described herein.
US08258164B2
An aqueous nitroimidazole composition comprises metronidazole, tinidazole or a combination thereof at a concentration greater than the solubility of the free base form of the nitroimidazole in water at 20° C., and a nitroimidazole crystallization-inhibiting amount of at least one organic acid. The organic acid preferably is a lower alkyl carboxylic acid (e.g., acetic acid), a polybasic acid (e.g., citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, polyacrylic acid, and the like), or a combination thereof. The composition can further include a thickening agent, to form a gel. The composition is free from organic co-solvents, water-soluble vitamins, and cyclodextrins; and free from nitroimidazole crystals at an ambient temperature of about 20° C. Methods of preparing the composition are also described.
US08258155B2
Disclosed are new quinine sulfate/bisulfate solid complexes, methods of making the solid complexes as well as formulations prepared therefrom and uses thereof.
US08258152B2
The invention relates to N-substituted azaindolyl compounds of Formula I with anti-cancer and/or anti-inflammatory activity and more specifically to N-substituted azaindolyl compounds which inhibit MEK kinase activity. The invention provides compositions and methods useful for inhibiting abnormal cell growth or treating a hyperproliferative disorder, or treating an inflammatory disease in a mammal. The invention also relates to methods of using the compounds for in vitro, in situ, and in vivo diagnosis or treatment of mammalian cells, or associated pathological conditions.
US08258145B2
Disclosed are 4-arylamino-quinazolines and analogs thereof effective as activators of caspases and inducers of apoptosis. The compounds of this invention are useful in the treatment of a variety of clinical conditions in which uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells occurs, and in particular to the use of these compounds in treating brain cancer.
US08258143B2
Methods of using substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines for targeting tumor cells and treating cancer
A method for treating cancer tumors, particularly ovarian cancer tumors, is described, where fused cyclic pyrimidine having a cancer treating ability is selectively delivered to an FR expressing cancerous tumor.
US08258136B2
A pyridazine compound of the formula: has an excellent plant disease controlling effect.
US08258126B2
Novel vitamin D analogues are useful for making pharmaceutical compositions for the prevention or treatment of bone disorders such as osteoporosis.
US08258125B2
A pharmaceutical composition including therapeutically effective amounts of at least one HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor present as a dyhydroxyacid salt and at least one additional therapeutic agent.
US08258124B2
The subject matter of this application relates to the combination of ciclesonide or an epimer thereof with R,R-formoterol or a salt, or a hydrate of a salt thereof.
US08258118B2
Disclosed are compounds of Formula (I): and salts thereof. Also, disclosed are methods of using the compounds in the treatment of proliferative diseases, such as cancer, and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising at least one compound of Formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt.
US08258116B2
The present invention relates to therapeutic combinations comprising a protease inhibitor and a polymerase inhibitor for the treatment of HCV. The present invention also relates to therapeutic combinations comprising VX-950 and a polymerase inhibitor. Also within the scope of the invention are methods using the therapeutic combinations of the present invention for treating HCV infection or alleviating one or more symptoms thereof in a patient. The present invention also provides kits comprising the combinations of the present invention.
US08258113B2
The invention relates to a method for influencing the miR-92 expression in a cell, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a cell; and (b1) reducing the miR-92 expression in the cell in order to promote the vascularization or vessel repair by introducing an antisense molecule against miR-92 into the cell, or (b2) increasing the miR-92 expression in the cell for an inhibition of the tumor angiogenesis by introducing a construct into the cell, wherein the construct includes an expressible miR-92 sequence. Furthermore, the invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition, comprising an agent for reducing the miR-92 activity or expression in a cell in the form of an antisense molecule against miR-92, or an agent for increasing the miR-92 expression in a cell in the form of a construct for expressing miR-92.
US08258109B2
Disclosed herein are compounds, compositions and methods for modulating the expression of LMNA in a cell, tissue or animal. Also provided are methods of target validation. Also provided are uses of disclosed compounds and compositions in the manufacture of a medicament for treatment of diseases and disorders. Further provided are methods of identifying cis splicing regulatory elements of a selected mRNA using the disclosed compounds.
US08258107B2
The present invention makes it possible to enhance steroid efficacy in a steroid refractory or dependent patient afflicted with an inflammatory condition not responding or responding poorly or inadequately to anti-inflammatory treatment, by administering an oligonucleotide having the sequence 5 5′-Xm-CG-Yn-3′ in an effective amount to said patient and wherein X is A, T, C or G, Y is A, T, C, or G, m=1-100, n=1-100 and wherein at least one CG dinucleotide is ummethylated. The invention also encompasses the use of said oligonucleotide for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals.
US08258106B2
Nucleic acids containing unmethylated CpG dinucleotides and therapeutic utilities based on their ability to stimulate an immune response and to redirect a Th2 response to a Th1 response in a subject are disclosed. Methods for treating atopic diseases, including atopic dermatitis, are disclosed.
US08258103B2
The present invention provides a pesticidal composition comprising a compound represented by the formula (I): wherein A, B, R, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 are as defined in the description, and 2,6-dichloro-4-(3,3-dichloroallyloxy)phenyl 3-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridyloxy]propyl ether as active ingredients, and also provides a pest control method which comprises the step of applying an effective amount of the compound represented by the above formula (I) and an effective amount of 2,6-dichloro-4-(3,3-dichloroallyloxy)phenyl 3-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridyloxy]propyl ether to pests or a place where pests inhabit.
US08258102B2
The present invention provides a polypeptide comprising (i) a leader sequence, the leader sequence comprising a (a) secretion pre sequence, and (b) the following motif: -X1-X2-X3-X4-X5- where X1 is phenylalanine, tryptophan, or tyrosine, X2 is isoleucine, leucine, valine, alanine or methionine, X3 is leucine, valine, alanine or methionine, X4 is serine or threonine and X5 is isoleucine, valine, alanine or methionine; and (ii) a desired protein heterologous to the leader sequence. A polypeptide of the invention may additionally comprise, as part of the leader sequence, a secretion pro sequence. The invention also provides a polynucleotide comprising a sequence that encodes a polypeptide of the invention and a cell, preferably a yeast cell, comprising said polynucleotide.
US08258096B2
The present invention relates to methods for the treatment or prevention of trigeminal nerve-associated pain, in particular chronic, acute and procedural-related pain. The methods comprise administration of analgesic agents to the trigeminal nerve system which results in analgesia to the facial or head region.
US08258093B2
Disclosed are keratin preparations for use in medical applications. Methods of treating wounds are provided, wherein keratin preparations are applied to the wound in a treatment effective amount. Methods of treating burn wounds are also provided. Surgical or paramedic aids are provided, comprising a substrate with keratin preparations provided thereon. Kits comprising keratin derivatives packaged in sterile form are also provided.
US08258090B2
Fluorinated lubricants of formula: T-O-[A-B]z-[A-B′]z′-A-T′ (I) wherein: A=—(X)a—O-A′-(X′)b wherein A′ is a perfluoropolyether chain comprising units (CF2O), (CF2CF2O), (CF2CF2CF2O), (CF2CF2CF2CF2O); X, X′=—CF2—, —CF2CF2—; a, b=0 or 1; B derives from olefins, of which at least one homopolymerizable by radical route, of formula: —[(CR1R2—CR3R4)j(CR5R6—CR7R8)j′]— (Ia) wherein j=1-5, j′=0-4 and 2<(j+j′)<5; R1-R8=halogen, H, C1-C6 (per)haloalkyl, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 oxy(per)-fluoroalkyl; z≧2; z′ is 0 or an integer; z, z′ are such that the number average molecular weight of the polymer of formula (I) is in the range 500-500,000; B′=(Ia) but at least one of R1-R8 has a meaning different than that in B and 2≦(j+j′)<5; T, T′=C1-C3 perfluoroalkyl, C1-C6 alkyl and compositions thereof.
US08258089B2
Provided is a grease composition with a long service life under high-temperature conditions, considerable low-evaporability, and incombustibility.The invention provides a grease composition comprising, as a base oil, an ionic liquid formed of a cation and an anion and having an ion concentration of 1 mol/dm3 or more as measured at 20° C., and a thickener, wherein the grease composition has a dropping point of 260° C. or higher.
US08258087B2
A lubricating oil composition for an internal combustion engine. The lubricating oil composition includes: (A1) a lubricant base oil as a main component having a kinematic viscosity at 100 degree C. being 1 to 8 mm2/s, pour point being −15 degree C. or less, aniline point being 100 degree C. or more, paraffinic content in saturates being 40 mass % or more, monocyclic naphthenic content being 25 mass % or less, bicyclic to hexacyclic naphthenic content being 35 mass % or less, iodine number being 2 or less, and ratio of tertiary carbon to the total carbon atoms composing the (A1) being 6.3% or more. The total mass of the composition is: (B) 0.005 to 0.5 mass % of a metallic detergent as metal content; (C1) 0.005 to 0.2 mass % of a boron-containing succinimide ashless dispersant as boron content; and (D) 0.005 to 0.2 mass % of a metal salt of phosphorus-containing acid as phosphorus content.
US08258079B2
A heat-sensitive transfer sheet, having: a base film; a dye layer; and a heat-resistant lubricating layer; wherein the heat-resistant lubricating layer contains a specific compound, and wherein, when a characteristic X-ray intensity originated from K-line of phosphorus element in the heat-resistant lubricating layer is measured with respect to each points within a 200 μm square region, the largest value of the characteristic X-ray intensity is at least 2.5 times or more relative to the smallest value of the characteristic X-ray intensity within the 200 μm square region, and a plurality of maximum regions having a maximum value of the characteristic X-ray intensity exist in the 200 μm square region, and a variation coefficient that is obtained by dividing a standard deviation of the maximum values of the characteristic X-ray intensity among these maximum regions with an average value of the characteristic X-ray intensities is 0.25 or less.
US08258072B2
The invention relates to a sulphide catalyst for electrochemical reduction of oxygen particularly stable in chemically aggressive environments such as chlorinated hydrochloric acid. The catalyst of the invention comprises a noble metal sulphide single crystalline phase supported on a conductive carbon essentially free of zerovalent metal and of metal oxide phases, obtainable by reduction of metal precursor salts and thio-precursors with a borohydride or other strong reducing agent.
US08258071B2
The invention relates to a catalyst that comes in the form of grains, each grain consisting of a core covered by at least one external layer, the core consisting of an acidic porous solid and having a size of between 0.1 micron and 0.4 millimeter, in which the external layer has a uniform thickness with a uniformity criterion C, which is less than 0.30, whereby said uniformity criterion C is defined as being equal to an average, on a number N of catalyst grain samples, of the ratio of the difference between the maximum thickness, Eimax, of the external layer and the minimum thickness, Eimin, of this same layer to the average of these two thicknesses Eimax and Eimin.
US08258067B2
A nonwoven fabric treated to provide pleat retention, static control, stain-resistance, and antimicrobial efficacy for a window shade application. The stain-resistant finish does not significantly interfere with the subsequent printing, as well as the pleating and gluing of the nonwoven fabric into a window shade. A test method to determine the degree of stain resistance to common household products is also described.
US08258063B2
A method of manufacturing a metal gate/high K dielectric gate stack includes the steps of: forming an interfacial layer of SiON or SiO2 on a silicon substrate; depositing a high K dielectric film on the interfacial layer; performing a rapid thermal anneal of the high K dielectric film; depositing a TaN metal gate electrode film on the high K dielectric film; depositing a polysilicon gate layer on the TaN metal gate electrode film, and then depositing a hard mask layer; patterning a photoresist mask, and performing an anisotropic etching of the hard mask layer; removing the photoresist mask, and etching the polysilicon by reactive ion etching with the hard mask as masking layer using a mixed gas of Cl2/HBr; and etching the TaN metal gate electrode/high K dielectric gate stack by reactive ion etching with the hard mask as masking layer using BCl3-based etchant gas.
US08258043B2
A manufacturing method of a thin film semiconductor substrate includes implanting ions at a specified depth into a semiconductor substrate, forming a bubble layer in the semiconductor substrate by vaporizing the ions through heating, bonding an insulating substrate onto the semiconductor substrate, and cleaving the semiconductor substrate along the bubble layer to form a semiconductor thin film on a side of the insulating substrate. At the forming, the semiconductor substrate is heated at a temperature in a temperature range of approximately 1000° C. to 1200° C. for a duration in a range of approximately 10 μs to 100 ms. The heating of the semiconductor substrate is performed by using, for example, a light beam.
US08258039B2
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes: forming a wiring in a first interlayer insulating layer in a first region; etching an surface portion of the first interlayer insulating layer in a second region; forming a plurality of opening portions extended below in the etched region; and forming a lower electrode layer, a dielectric layer, and a common upper electrode in each of the plurality of opening portions to form a plurality of capacitance portions. The step of forming the plurality of capacitance portions, includes: forming the common upper electrode so that an upper surface of the first interlayer insulating layer and an upper surface of the common upper electrode approximately lie in the same plane.
US08258034B2
Methods of fabricating 3D charge-trap memory cells are described, along with apparatus and systems that include them. In a planar stack formed by alternate layers of electrically conductive and insulating material, a substantially vertical opening may be formed. Inside the vertical opening a substantially vertical structure may be formed that comprises a first layer, a charge-trap layer, a tunneling oxide layer, and an epitaxial silicon portion. Additional embodiments are also described.
US08258025B2
A microcrystalline semiconductor film with high crystallinity is manufactured. In addition, a thin film transistor with excellent electric characteristics and high reliability, and a display device including the thin film transistor are manufactured with high productivity. A deposition gas containing silicon or germanium is introduced from an electrode including a plurality of projecting portions provided in a treatment chamber of a plasma CVD apparatus, glow discharge is caused by supplying high-frequency power, and thereby crystal particles are formed over a substrate, and a microcrystalline semiconductor film is formed over the crystal particles by a plasma CVD method.
US08258024B2
The display device having a thin film transistor formed on a substrate including a display portion is provided. The thin film transistor including: a gate electrode; a gate insulating film formed so as to cover the gate electrode; a semiconductor laminated film formed on top the gate insulating film so as to extend over the gate electrode, the semiconductor laminated film being formed by laminating at least a polycrystalline semiconductor film and an amorphous semiconductor film, a first electrode and a second electrode disposed on top of the semiconductor laminated film so as to be opposed to each other across a region superposing the gate electrode. In the display device, the semiconductor laminated film is formed immediately below a wiring extending from the first electrode and immediately below a wiring extending from the second electrode.
US08258015B2
An integrated circuit package system including: providing a wire bonded die with an active side and a bond wire connected thereto; forming a penetrable film adhesive on the active side and partially encapsulating the bond wire; mounting an interposer, having a first functional side facing up away from the wire bonded die and a second functional side facing down toward the wire bonded die and having exposed conductors, over the wire bonded die; providing a substrate and connecting the first functional side by the exposed conductor with an electrical interconnect to the substrate; and encapsulating the wire bonded die, and the penetrable film adhesive with an encapsulation.
US08258009B2
A circuit substrate includes the following elements. A conductive layer and a dielectric layer are disposed on an inner circuit structure in sequence, and a plurality of conductive blind vias are embedded in the dielectric layer and connected to a portion of the conductive layer. A plating seed layer is disposed between each of the first blind vias and the first conductive layer. Another conductive layer is disposed on the dielectric layer, wherein a portion of the another conductive layer is electrically connected to the conductive layer through the conductive blind vias. A third plating seed layer is disposed between the third conductive layer and each of the first blind vias and on the first dielectric layer.
US08257993B2
Provided are a light emitting device and a method of fabricating the same. The light emitting device comprises: a first conductive semiconductor layer; an active layer comprising an InGaN well layer and a GaN barrier layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer; and a second conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer. The GaN barrier layer comprises an AlGaN layer.
US08257990B2
A silicon vertical cavity laser with in-plane coupling comprises wafer bonding an active III-V semiconductor material above a grating coupler made on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer. This bonding does not require any alignment, since all silicon processing can be done before bonding, and all III-V processing can be done after bonding. The grating coupler acts to couple the vertically emitted light from the hybrid vertical cavity into a silicon waveguide formed on an SOI wafer.
US08257989B2
A semiconductor structure includes a light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region. A p-electrode is disposed on a portion of the p-type region. The p-electrode includes a reflective first material in direct contact with a first portion of the p-type region and a second material in direct contact with a second portion of the p-type region adjacent to the first portion. The first material and second material are formed in planar layers of substantially the same thickness.
US08257988B1
A method of making a light emitting diode (LED) having an optical element is provided, comprising: providing a curable liquid polysiloxane/TiO2 composite, which exhibits a refractive index of >1.61 to 1.7 and which is a liquid at room temperature and atmospheric pressure; providing a semiconductor light emitting diode die having a face, wherein the semiconductor light emitting diode die emits light through the face; contacting the semiconductor light emitting diode die with the curable liquid polysiloxane/TiO2 composite; and, curing the curable liquid polysiloxane/TiO2 composite to form an optical element; wherein at least a portion of the optical element is adjacent to the face.
US08257986B2
The invention provides a method for forming a testing wiring structure of a thin film transistor (TFT) motherboard for applying signals to a plurality of signal lines in a pixel region on the motherboard and a method for forming the same. The formed testing wiring structure comprises a gate layer metallic testing wiring and a drain layer metallic testing wiring that is over and intersects the gate layer metallic testing wiring. A pixel electrode layer testing wiring is further provided over the drain layer metallic testing wiring in an intersecting region where the drain layer metallic testing wiring intersects the gate layer metallic testing wiring. The pixel electrode layer testing wiring is electrically connected to the drain layer metallic testing wiring to be a redundant testing wiring of the drain layer metallic testing wiring.
US08257977B2
Described herein are methods for determining an amount of an analyte in a test sample. The methods involve preparing a calibration curve using standard samples containing an isotopically-labeled standard in a biological matrix.
US08257970B2
The present invention provides a method for activating a Natural Killer (NK) cell by contacting the NK cell in vitro with an activating tumor cell preparation (ATCP). The invention also provides an activated NK cell produced by such a method and its use in the treatment of cancer.
US08257969B2
The invention relates to gene suppression and replacement. In particular, the invention relates to enhanced expression of suppression agents for suppressing gene expression in a cell and in vivo and replacement nucleic acids that are not inhibited by the suppression agent. Regulatory elements are included in expression vectors to optimize expression of the suppression agent and/or replacement nucleic acid.
US08257953B2
The present invention relates to a hyperthermophilic DNA polymerase and a preparation method thereof. The invention provides a novel hyperthermophilic DNA polymerase isolated from a Thermococcus sp. strain, a functional equivalent thereof, a protein having the amino acid sequence thereof, and a preparation method thereof. The DNA polymerase according to the invention is a DNA polymerase, which is hyperthermophilic and has an elongation ability and fidelity higher than those of prior commercial DNA polymerases. Thus, the DNA polymerase according to the invention will be useful in precision analysis, precision diagnosis, identification and the like, which require accurate PCR.
US08257938B2
Disclosed is the cloning, expression and purification of a hemolysin protein and its protein fragments in Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The recombinant hemolysin and its protein fragments are useful in the ELISA detection of anaplasma pathogen. The use of same as a kit for ELISA is also disclosed.
US08257932B2
Disclosed herein are methods and materials by which nanostructures such as carbon nanotubes, nanorods, etc. are bound to lectins and/or polysaccharides and prepared for administration to cells. Also disclosed are complexes comprising glycosylated nanostructures, which bind selectively to cells expressing glycosylated surface molecules recognized by the lectin. Exemplified is a complex comprising a carbon nanotube functionalized with a lipid-like alkane, linked to a polymer bearing repeated α-N-acetylgalactosamine sugar groups. This complex is shown to selectively adhere to the surface of living cells, without toxicity. In the exemplified embodiment, adherence is mediated by a multivalent lectin, which binds both to the cells and the α-N-acetylgalactosamine groups on the nanostructure.
US08257931B2
A composition and method for inhibiting proliferation of a tumor cell compared to a non-tumor cell. Also described are methods of screening for a composition that inhibits cap-dependent translation compared to cap-independent translation of proteins.
US08257928B2
The present invention relates to methods for prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment of malignant tumors that were treatment resistant. The present invention provides methods of prognosis and diagnosis of multidrug resistant tumors through detection of the expression levels of nuclear co-repressor 2 (“N-CoR2”), histone deacetylases 3 (“HDAC3”), and their associated gene expression biomarkers. The present invention also provides methods of sensitizing tumors to anti-tumor therapeutics by disrupting HDAC3 activation, abrogating the N-CoR2-HDAC3 interaction, inhibiting the activity of either protein, or by downregulating the expression of either protein.
US08257927B2
The invention relates generally to the gene, and mutations thereto, that are responsible for the disease hereditary hemochromatosis (HH). More particularly, the invention relates to the identification, isolation, and cloning of the DNA sequence corresponding to the normal and mutant HH genes, as well as the characterization of their transcripts and gene products. The invention also related to methods and the like for screening for HH homozygotes and further relates to HH diagnosis, prenatal screening and diagnosis, and therapies of HH disease, including gene therapeutics, protein and antibody based therapeutics, and small molecule therapeutics.
US08257926B2
Chemically reactive carbocyanine dyes that are intramolecularly crosslinked between the 1-position and 3′-position, their bioconjugates and their uses are described. 1,3′-crosslinked carbocyanines are superior to those of conjugates of spectrally similar 1,1′-crosslinked or non-crosslinked dyes. The invention includes derivative compounds having one or more benzo nitrogens.
US08257922B2
The present invention is directed to detection and measurement of gene transcripts in blood. Specifically provided is a RT-PCR analysis performed on a drop of blood for detecting, diagnosing and monitoring diseases using tissue-specific primers. The present invention also describes methods by which delineation of the sequence and/or quantitation of the expression levels of disease-associated genes allows for an immediate and accurate diagnostic/prognostic test for disease or to assess the effect of a particular treatment regimen.
US08257920B2
The purpose of the present invention is to provide detection methods of Notch signaling activation for detecting the activation of the Notch signaling in living cells simply and conveniently. The expression of a fluorescent protein Venus in a transgenic cell into which a vector having the fluorescent protein Venus gene which is controlled by the wild-type Hes-1 gene promoter has been introduced is compared with the expression of a fluorescent protein Venus in a transgenic cell into which a vector having the fluorescent protein Venus gene controlled by a mutated Hes-1 gene promoter which is not controlled by an activated Notch protein has been introduced, and a transgenic cell in which a signal by the expression of Venus introduced by the vector having the wild-type Hes-1 promoter is observed and in which a signal by the expression of Venus introduced by the vector having the mutated Hes-1 gene promoter which is not controlled by the activated Notch protein is not observed is identified.
US08257919B2
A method predicting of cancer chemoresponse of the population of cancer cells to the one or more chemotherapeutic agents. Our ability to treat patients with advanced stage and recurrent endometrial cancer is hampered by an incomplete understanding of the molecular basis of disease development and response to therapy. A novel class of gene products called microRNA (miRNA) has recently been implicated in the etiology of several different human cancers. Altered levels of expression of specific miRNAs may contribute to cancer development in a variety of cancers such as endometrial cancer and may also influence response to cytotoxic chemotherapy or other cancer treatments. Evidence is provided that differential expression of miRNAs contributes to endometrial carcinogenesis and further associates with sensitivity of endometrial cancer cells to various chemotherapeutic agents including cisplatin and doxorubicin chemotherapy. MiRNA profiles and their gene targets show promise as biomarkers of endometrial cancer chemo-response, and as a novel class of therapeutic targets for patients with endometrial cancer.
US08257918B2
A method of controlling the activity of a biologically active compound. The method concerns an oligonucleotide-based compound, comprising a hairpin-forming oligonucleotide, an effector moiety physically associated with the oligonucleotide, where the effector moiety possesses a biological activity, and a regulating moiety physically associated with the oligonucleotide, where the regulating moiety controls the biological activity of the effector moiety by interacting with the effector moiety. The oligonucleotide can assume a hairpin configuration, where the effector and regulating moieties interact, or an open configuration, where the effector and regulating moieties fail to interact. Depending on the nature of the effector and regulating moieties, either configuration can result in the expression of the biological activity of the effector moiety.
US08257911B2
A method for patterning a substrate is described. In particular, the invention relates to a method for double patterning a substrate using dual tone development. Further, the invention relates to optimizing a dual tone development process.
US08257910B1
The present invention provides methods of fabricating microelectronics structures and the resulting structures formed thereby using EUV lithographic processes. The method involves utilizing an underlayer immediately below the photoresist layer. The underlayer can either be directly applied to the substrate, or it can be applied to any intermediate layer(s) that may be applied to the substrate. The preferred underlayers are formed from spin-coatable, polymeric compositions. The inventive method allows reduced critical dimensions to be achieved while improving adhesion and reducing or eliminating pattern collapse issues.
US08257903B2
The present invention provides a compound that can be used within a resist composition, an intermediate compound for the compound, a positive resist composition, and a method for forming a resist pattern.The present invention discloses a compound represented by a general formula (A-1) shown below [wherein, R′ represents a hydrogen atom or an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group, provided that at least one of the plurality of R′ groups represents an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group; R″ represents an alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms; R11 to R17 each independently represents an alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an aromatic hydrocarbon group, which may include a hetero atom within the structure; g and j each independently represents an integer of 1 or greater, and k and q each represents an integer of 0 or greater; a represents an integer of 1 to 3; b represents an integer of 1 or greater, and l and m each independently represents an integer of 0 or greater; c represents an integer of 1 or greater, and n and o each independently represents an integer of 0 or greater; and A represents a group represented by a general formula (Ia) shown below, a group represented by a general formula (Ib) shown below, or an aliphatic cyclic group].
US08257901B2
Polyimide-based polymers and copolymers thereof are provided. Further provided is a positive type photoresist composition comprising at least one of the polyimide-based polymers and copolymers thereof as a binder resin. The photoresist composition exhibits high resolution, high sensitivity, excellent film characteristics and improved mechanical properties, which are required for the formation of semiconductor buffer coatings.
US08257888B2
A first exposure dose for a shot area based upon layout data is determined. A correction dose compensating a dose deviation between a first point in time, at which a control unit configured to control a shot time period of a particle beam writing apparatus considers a charged particle beam as having reached a nominal current density, and a second point in time, at which the charged particle beam has actually reached a nominal current density, at a target substrate is determined.
US08257887B2
A photomask defect correction method for correcting a defect of a photomask. A defect in a portion of a photomask to be corrected is observed and information of the observed defect for performing correction of the defect is acquired. The observed defect is corrected in accordance with the acquired defect information by irradiating the observed defect with a focused ion beam from an ion beam irradiation system having a gas field ion source that generates rare gas ions for forming the focused ion beam.
US08257884B2
The invention relates to a method of making fuel cell devices. Anode and cathode layers are applied on respective first and opposing second sides of a first portion of a first green ceramic layer, and a second green ceramic layer of thickness approximately equal to that of the anode and cathode layers is applied on a second portion of each of the first and second sides of the first green ceramic layer. A sacrificial layer is applied over each of the anode, cathode and second green ceramic layers, and a third green ceramic layer is applied over the sacrificial layers. The layered structure is heated to sinter all the layers and burn out the sacrificial layers. A pair of gas passages is thus formed with a thick sintered ceramic therebetween as a passive supporting portion and an anode, thin electrolyte and cathode therebetween as an active portion of the device.
US08257882B2
The cathode 114 is formed by forming several layers comprising an inorganic material that is primarily electron conductive and a complex oxide B that is primarily oxygen ion conductive and that supports an oxygen dissociation-promoting catalyst, on an electrolytic membrane 112. The electrolytic membrane 112 and the outermost layer of the cathode 114 (layer of mixture furthest from the electrolytic membrane 112) facing the separator 120 are physically and electrically continuous by means of the inorganic material a and complex oxide B disposed between them.
US08257879B2
A fuel cell system is provided including a fuel cell stack having a first end and second end. The fuel cell stack includes at least one fuel cell having a membrane-electrode assembly disposed between adjacent gas diffusion layers. The fuel cell system further includes a compression retention system having a plurality of compliant straps adapted to apply a compressive force to the fuel cell stack. The plurality of compliant straps are further adapted to accommodate an expansion of the fuel cell stack during an operation thereof and maintain the compressive force within a desired range.
US08257877B2
A stack for a mixed oxidant fuel cell and a mixed oxidant fuel cell system including the stack. The stack includes at least one membrane-electrode assembly that includes a polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode and a cathode disposed on opposite sides of the polymer electrolyte membrane, and an electrode substrate disposed on at least one of the anode or the cathode; and an oxidant supply path and a fuel supply path that penetrate the membrane-electrode assembly. The oxidant supply path has both ends open, and the fuel supply path has one end open and the other end closed. The stack of the present invention can improve fuel cell efficiency by smoothly supplying a fuel and an oxidant. Particularly, since the stack is configured to supply the fuel and the oxidant without using a pump, it can make a fuel cell small and light.
US08257872B2
A device to produce electricity by a chemical reaction without the addition of liquid electrolyte comprises an anode electrode, a polymer membrane electrolyte fabricated to conduct hydroxyl (OH—) ions, the membrane being in physical contact with the anode electrode on a first side of the membrane, and a cathode electrode in physical contact with a second side of the membrane. The anode electrode and cathode electrode contain catalysts, and the catalysts are constructed substantially entirely from non-precious metal catalysts. Water may be transferred to the cathode side of the membrane from an external source of water.
US08257852B2
A battery cover mechanism includes a body member, a battery cover and an operating piece. The body member defines a receiving cavity recessed therefrom for receiving the battery cover and a battery therein. The battery cover is rotatably assembled to the body member to cover the receiving cavity of the body member. The operating piece is releasably assembled to the battery cover for locking the battery cover to the body member and unlocking the battery cover. The battery cover mechanism is convenience to operate, and avoids the interfering signals efficiently.
US08257831B2
Glass-ceramics include SiO2, Al2O3 and Li2O on oxide basis. In the glass-ceramics, total amount in mass % of SiO2 and Al2O3 is less than 77% and Li2O/(SiO2+Al2O3) which is the ratio in mass % of the amount of Li2O to the total amount of SiO2 and Al2O3 is 0.064 or over. The glass-ceramics include at least one crystal phase selected from the group consisting of β-quartz, β-quartz solid solution, β-eucryptite, β-eucryptite solid solution, β-spodumene and β-spodumene solid solution.
US08257805B2
The invention relates to a high thermal efficiency, insulated glass unit structure sealed with a cured composition containing, inter alia, diorganopolysiloxane(s) and organic nanoclay(s), the cured composition exhibiting low permeability to gas(es).
US08257803B2
An inkjet recording medium comprising a support, an ink receiving layer containing fine particles and a water-soluble resin, and a back coat layer containing a specific resin, and satisfying the equation B>−30A+4C+37, wherein A is a static friction coefficient between the uppermost surface at the back coat layer side of the support and a metal roller onto which wear-resistant particles are adhered, B is an amount of deformation of the overall layer(s) on the back coat layer side of the support B (μm), and C is an overall rigidity of the layers including the support, the ink receiving layer and the back coat layer (mN·m), and A, B and C are within the ranges of 0.84>A>0.44, 32>B>20 and 5>C>2, respectively.
US08257798B2
A method for creating extensive variations in size or distance in nanostructure patterns on surfaces preferably includes: a) contacting a substrate with a liquid phase containing organic two-block or multi-block copolymer micelles, which are charged with an inorganic metal compound, by immersion into this liquid phase, during which chemically different polymer domains including inorganic metal compounds enclosed in micelles are deposited on the substrate; b) withdrawing the substrate from the liquid phase at a predetermined withdrawing speed, which is varied continuously or gradually, so that a gradient of the lateral separation length of the polymer domains is produced on the substrate surface; c) converting the deposited inorganic metal compounds by an oxidation- or reduction treatment into inorganic nanoparticles and optionally complete or partial removal of the organic polymer by a plasma treatment, wherein positions and lateral separation length of the nanoparticles obtained are determined by those of deposited polymer domains.
US08257792B2
Process for manufacturing an article comprising an approximately flat porous support and, within this support, defined zones in a chosen pattern, these zones being grafted with sensor molecules, such as metals, biological molecules, whereas the rest of the support remains free of this grafting.
US08257791B2
A wood fiberboard, in particular floor panel, includes an HDF support board with a top side and an underside, the top side having a decoration, preferably a wood or tile decoration, is distinguished in that the decoration is printed directly onto the top side of the support board and is covered by at least one layer of a transparent synthetic resin.
US08257781B1
A main reservoir holds cool reactant liquid. A reaction vessel for treating a substrate is connected to the main reservoir by a feed conduit. A heater is configured to heat reactant liquid in the feed conduit before the liquid enters the reaction vessel. Preferably, the heater is a microwave heater. A recycle conduit connects the reaction vessel with the main reservoir. Preferably, a recycle cooler cools reactant liquid in the recycle conduit before the liquid returns to the main reservoir. Preferably, an accumulation vessel is integrated in the feed conduit for accumulating, heating, conditioning and monitoring reactant liquid before it enters the reaction vessel. Preferably, a recycle accumulator vessel is integrated in the recycle conduit to accommodate reactant liquid as it empties out of the reaction vessel.
US08257779B2
A viscous material noncontact jetting system has a jetting dispenser mounted for relative motion with respect to a surface. A control is operable to cause the jetting dispenser to jet a viscous material droplet that is applied to the surface as a viscous material dot. A device, such as a camera or weigh scale, is connected to the control and provides a feedback signal representing a size-related physical characteristic of the dot applied to the surface. The size-related physical characteristics of subsequently applied dots is controlled by heating and cooling, or adjusting a piston stroke in the jetting dispenser, in response to the size-related physical characteristic feedback. Dispensed material volume control and velocity offset compensation are also provided.
US08257771B2
A method for heating and pasteurizing a material, comprising placing the material inside of a semi-sealed chamber at atmospheric pressure that contains an atmosphere produced by replacing air in the chamber with a gas component produced by spraying or injecting hot water droplets and steam at a temperature of at least 100° C. into the chamber which is heated to a temperature of at least 100° C. which is equal to or higher than the temperature of the sprayed hot water droplets and steam, which gas component has a humidity of at least 95% and contains no more than 1% oxygen; contacting said material to the gas component for exposing it to continual temperature variation during heating ranging from 10-50° C. inside the chamber at temperature(s) ranging from 90-180° C. for a time sufficient to heat or pasteurize it. An apparatus for performing this method.
US08257766B2
A capsule for preparation of a beverage in a beverage production machine. The capsule includes a body and a delivery wall forming a chamber containing ground coffee. The delivery wall has at least one outlet, an inner layer and an outer layer forming respectively first and second layers at least partially connected together by at least one seal portion which delaminates or breaks under the pressure of coffee liquid against the seal portion. Preferably, the seal portion extends in a direction (P) which differs from the direction (A) of the outlet.
US08257760B2
The invention relates to a method for the prevention or reduction of haze in a beverage by the addition of a prolyl-specific and/or alamine specific endoprotease and the new beverages obtainable by the method according to the invention. It also relates to new endoproteases. It also relates to methods as described above wherein auxiliary enzymes are used in combination with the specific endoprotease. Sequence information of a genomic DNA, cDNA as well as protein sequences are provided.
US08257755B2
A metabolic syndrome relieving agent that is free from a problem of side effects and can be taken for a long term is provided. Bergamottin is used as an agent for relieving a metabolic syndrome. Since bergamottin has functions of activating PPARα and PPARγ, promoting the secretion of adiponectin in adipocytes and inhibiting the generation of VLDLs in hepatic cells, it is possible to prevent or treat diseases such as insulin resistance, hyperinsulinism, type 2 diabetes, obesity, visceral fat obesity, hypertension, hyperlipemia, arteriosclerosis and the like and thus prevent or treat the metabolic syndrome. Also, as understood from the fact that citrus fruits such as a grapefruit or the like containing bergamottin have been eaten for many years, they have no problems in terms of safety and have a low calorie content, and therefore, they can be taken for a long term. Further, since bergamottin is tasteless and odorless, it does not impair the unique taste of a food when added to this food, so that it can be added to foods and taken.
US08257744B2
Pharmaceutical form containing at least an active compound and a polymeric matrix, wherein said polymeric matrix comprises at least one polymer of cationic nature and at least one biodegradable polymer, process for the preparation thereof, pharmaceutical formulations comprising said pharmaceutical form, and their uses. The pharmaceutical form provides enhanced absorption of active compounds across the mucosa.
US08257743B2
Disclosed herein are multifunctional nanoparticles, comprising: polymer nanoparticles formed by loading a drug into a polymer; a gold thin film deposited on a portion of the surface of the polymer nanoparticles; and an antibody to a substance expressed on the surface of a cell to which the drug is to be delivered, the antibody being conjugated to the gold thin film. Also disclosed is a method for preparing multifunctional nanoparticles, the method comprising the steps of: loading a drug into a polymer to prepare polymer nanoparticles; depositing a portion of the surface of the polymer nanoparticles with a gold thin film; conjugating to the gold thin film an antibody to a substance expressed on the surface of a cell to which the drug is to be delivered; and separating from the resulting nanoparticles those in which a portion of the surface of the polymer nanoparticles is deposited with the gold thin film and conjugated with the antibody. Furthermore, disclosed are a composition containing the multifunctional nanoparticles and a method for diagnosing and treating disease using the composition.
US08257741B2
Spray dried solid dispersions comprising a sparingly soluble drug and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS) provide increased aqueous solubility and/or biavailability in a use environment.
US08257740B1
The invention discloses a composition of chitosan-shelled nanoparticles and methods of manufacturing. The chitosan-shelled nanoparticles are characterized with a positive surface charge and enhanced epithelial ermeability for oral drug delivery.
US08257737B2
The invention provides biocompatible, biodegradable calcium sulfate matrices containing calcium sulfate activated platelets for use in tissue formation. The matrices are particularly useful in stimulating hard tissue, for example, bone formation. The matrices may also further include a growth factor and/or a transfectable gene, the inclusion of which may be useful in stimulating the growth of tissue of interest.
US08257729B2
An implant for implantation in a human or animal body having a structure comprising a) an implant base body; b) a primer layer which is partially or completely applied to the surface of the implant; c) an active ingredient layer consisting of one, two, three or more active ingredients applied entirely or partially to the surface of the primer layer; and d) a diffusion-controlling layer which is applied partially or entirely to the active ingredient layer, and optionally to the primer layer, wherein diffusion of the active ingredients of the active ingredient layer is controlled. Also disclosed is a manufacturing method for an implant.
US08257728B2
The present invention relates to a method for producing a device comprising the steps of (a) providing a solution comprising dissolved osteoinductive protein, (b) contacting the solution of the preceding step with a carrier containing a surface of metal or a metal alloy, (c) allowing coating of the surface of said carrier with said dissolved protein and (d) drying of the coated carrier obtained in step (c) wherein steps (b) to (d) are carried out under a reduced concentration of oxygen. The invention also encompasses a device obtainable by the method of the present invention. Moreover, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the said device and to the use of the device for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition to be used for an accelerated osseointegration and new bone formation. Finally, the present invention relates to a kit comprising the device of the present invention.
US08257723B2
Certain embodiments include a method of improvising radiological outcomes by introducing a filler to between a first tissue location and a second tissue location to increase a distance between the first tissue location and the second tissue location, and administering a dose of radioactivity to at least the first tissue location or the second tissue location. Collagen and hyaluronic acid are examples of fillers. Certain embodiments include a medical device having a biocompatible, biodegradable filler material, wherein the device comprises at least a portion that has a shape that substantially conforms to Denovillier's space between the rectum and prostate. Certain embodiments include a kit, the kit comprising a filler and instructions for placing the filler between a first tissue location and a second tissue location to increase a distance between the first tissue location and the second tissue location.
US08257717B2
The invention discloses immunogenic polypeptides comprising several MAGE-specific antigen epitopes selected from different (i.e. discrete) members of the MAGE protein family, nucleic acids coding therefor, recombinant viruses and/or cells comprising said nucleic acids, and compositions thereof. Methods for eliciting or inducing MAGE-specific immune responses utilizing the aforementioned immunogenic agents are also disclosed.
US08257708B2
The invention relates to the identification and generation of antibodies that bind to TMEFF2 proteins which are involved in cancer. Further, the invention provides for the use of these antibodies in the treatment of cancer.
US08257702B2
The present invention provides methods of using Bv8 and EG-VEGF polypeptides and nucleic acids to promote hematopoiesis. Also provided herein are methods of screening for modulators of Bv8 and EG-VEGF activity. Furthermore, methods of treatment using Bv8 and EG-VEGF polypeptides or Bv8 and EG-VEGF antagonists are provided.
US08257700B2
The invention provides methods for treating demyelinating inflammatory diseases by administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that provides activated protein C activity, where the dose is effective to reduce the adverse clinical indicia of the disease. In some embodiments, the patient being treating is of the chronic active plaque type.
US08257691B2
A liquid composition in an osmotic drug delivery system and a dosage form in an osmotic drug delivery system is disclosed comprising an amphiphilic molecule, a non-aqueous liquid solvent, and a pharmaceutically active agent.
US08257682B2
This disclosure relates to compositions for delivering agents to a subject, and in particular, to compositions for delivery of therapeutic agents or diagnostic agents in the presence or absence of targeting moieties. In part, this disclosure relates to compositions comprising a hydrophobic group with a first end and a second end, a first metal binding domain linked to the hydrophobic group, a metal ion capable of being chelated to the first metal binding domain, and an agent linked to a second metal binding domain capable of chelating to the metal ion.
US08257667B2
A support device for a cytocentrifuge sample container includes a support body including spaced edge fingers and a clip hinged to the support body. The clip has a latch for each spaced edge finger of the support body and edge members each including lugs engaging slotted ledges in the sample container.
US08257660B2
A honeycomb filter includes a honeycomb structure and a zeolite. The honeycomb structure has cell walls to define cells between the cell walls. The zeolite is supported on the cell walls. An amount of the zeolite is from about 80 g/L to about 150 g/L. The cells include a large volume cell and a small volume cell. A porosity of the cell walls is from about 55% to about 65%. A proportion of a sum of a pore volume A and a pore volume B relative to a total pore volume C is about 20% or less. The pore volume A indicates a pore volume of pores having a pore diameter of one half or less of the average pore diameter. The pore volume B indicates a pore volume of pores having a pore diameter of twice or more the average pore diameter.
US08257658B2
A catalytic reactor containing a core structure near the reactor axis and a casing structure near the reactor wall, the two structures differing from each other to promote catalysis and heat transfer, respectively. The casing contains a multiplicity of first devices for directing fluid centrifugally impinge a reactor wall and second devices for permitting fluid to flow away from a reactor wall as the fluid flows from the inlet to the outlet of the reactor.
US08257654B2
A health monitoring and diagnostic device (LIFESTREAM cholesterol meter) configured as a self-contained testing and diagnostic unit in a clam-shell type case. One side of the case includes a spring-loaded finger stick and a compartment for carrying one or more packages of disposable items including a test strip, a needle for the finger stick, and an alcohol swipe. The other half of the case includes a test strip reader, a key pad, and a liquid crystal display. The meter reads a test strip carrying a droplet of blood and receives additional diagnostic information from the patient, such as age, gender, weight, and family history of heart disease. Within minutes, the meter displays test results, including total cholesterol levels. The meter also displays additional diagnostic results, such as the patient's “cardiac age,” recommended weight loss, and a cardiac risk assessment. The meter also works in connection with a network-based comprehensive health analysis and reporting system. The meter writes patient data to a smartcard. This patient data typically includes patient identification information, the test results, the diagnostic information, and the diagnostic results. A computer station reads the smartcard and establishes a network connection with a health report server over the Internet. The computer then downloads the patient data to the health report server, which prepares a comprehensive health report. Within minutes, this report is transmitted back to the computer station, where it is printed out and delivered to the patient.
US08257651B2
In one embodiment the present invention provides a blood analyte meter that is user-friendly and easy to use. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention an analyte measurement device, for use with a test strip for determining the amount of an analyte in a sample, displays a hierarchy of information or options to a user. The hierarchy of information or options may include, among other information or options, subroutines that are performable by the processor of the device, stored data related to past tests performed by the user, and alarm features of the device. A user scrolls through and selects individual options or pieces of information by rotating and translating a rotatable user interface around and along an axis of rotation.
US08257650B2
An automated analyzer for analyzing patient samples. The analyzer includes a plurality of cuvettes, which allow the samples to be mixed with various reagents. The analyzer includes one or more detectors, including a detector adapted to detect luminescence of the reaction mixture in the cuvettes. The analyzer allows for various diagnostic assays to be performed on a single system, and provides for high-sensitivity analysis at faster speeds.
US08257645B2
Presented are an insulation brick and the method of using an insulation brick to create a thermal lining. A set of corrugations are formed into a sidewall of the brick to increase the thermal insulation. A first end of the insulation brick has a convex portion while the second end of the insulation brick has a convex portion. This allows a first insulation brick to mate with another brick in an end to end configuration.
US08257633B2
Cast material rotor (200,300,500,800) with profiled helical outer surface (208,308,508,808). Cast material layer (502,802) can be disposed between core (504,804) and tube (506,806). Profiled helical outer surface (208,308) can be in tube 206 or cast material layer 302, respectively. Method of forming rotor 200 can include filling void between outer surface 212 of core 204 and longitudinal bore 210 of tube 206 having profiled helical outer surface 208 with cast material 202 in fluid state, and solidifying cast material 202. Tube 206 can be disposed within profiled helical bore 714 of mold 700, e.g., before solidifying cast material 202. Method of forming rotor 300 can include filling void between outer surface 312 of core 304 and profiled helical bore 714 in mold 700 with cast material 302 in fluid state, solidifying cast material 302 to impart profiled helical outer surface 308 thereto, and removing mold 700 from cast material 302.
US08257628B2
Disclosed are multicomponent fibers derived from a blend of a sulfopolyester with a water non-dispersible polymer wherein the as-spun denier is less than about 6 and wherein the water dispersible sulfopolyester exhibits a melt viscosity of less than 12,000 poise measured at 240° C. at a strain rate of 1 rad/sec, and wherein the sulfopolyester comprising less than about 25 mole % of residues of at least one sulfomonomer, based on the total moles of diacid or diol residues. The multicomponent fiber is capable of being drawn at a relatively high fiber speed, particularly at least about 2000 m/min, and may be used to produce microdenier fibers. Fibrous articles may be produced from the multicomponent fibers and microdenier fibers. Also disclosed is a process for multicomponent fibers, nonwoven fabrics, and microdenier webs.
US08257609B2
The present invention discloses an etchant for etching at least two different metal layers, the etchant comprising hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and one of carboxylic acid, carboxylate salt, and acetyl group (CH3CO—). The present invention also discloses a method of fabricating a metal wiring on a substrate, the method comprising forming a first metal layer on a substrate, forming a second metal layer on the first metal layer, and simultaneously etching the first metal layer and the second metal layer with an etchant comprising hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and one of carboxylic acid, carboxylate salt, and acetyl group (CH3CO—).
US08257591B2
A method is provided for filtering a fluid including contaminant and or sediment particles. The method includes the steps of: selecting a particle of a first size to be filtered; selecting a first mesh material having a pore size greater than the first size; and selecting a number of layers of the first mesh material for forming a filtration material having an absolute micron rating. The absolute micron rating has a value equal to or less than the first size. The method also includes the step of arranging the layers of first mesh material in a manner so as to form a stack of first mesh material. The method further includes the step of passing a fluid through the stack of first mesh material.
US08257587B2
A horizontal centrifugal scroll screen apparatus including: a housing; a frusto-conical screen assembly mounted within the housing and having an outer inlet end and an inner discharge end, the screen assembly being mounted for driven rotation via a base-of-spoke piece disposed across the inner discharge end thereof; and a frusto-conical scroll assembly coaxially mounted for differential driven rotation within the screen assembly and including an outer closed end in the proximity of the outer inlet end of the screen assembly and being adapted to direct material to be screened from a material supply conduit to the outer inlet end of the screen assembly for screening and conveyance to an outlet provided in the base-of-spoke piece.
US08257584B2
The wastewater treatment tank results in high quality effluent meeting what is referred to as “Secondary Treatment Standard. The tank deploys in combination an Facultative Aerobic Bacterial Generators (FABG) that includes a plurality of surrounding horizontally extending bacteria supporting filters disposed in a vertical array along with a second vertical filter media disposed between the FABG and the outlet port. A facultative bacteria generator and additional bacteria supporting filters are also deployed adjacent the FABG and between the second vertical filter media.
US08257582B2
In an embodiment, an automated peritoneal dialysis (“APD”) machine includes at least one pump, a logic implementer storing a plurality of therapy prescriptions by which to operate the at least one pump, each therapy prescription pre-approved for a particular patient, and an input device operating with the logic implementer to allow the patient to select one of the therapy prescriptions for a particular therapy. In another embodiment, the input device operating with the logic implementer allows a doctor/clinician to select or approve one of the therapy prescriptions to be run on the APD machine. In a further embodiment, the logic implementer is programmed to select or suggest one of the therapy prescriptions to be run on the APD machine.
US08257576B2
An ammonia gas sensor is disclosed that includes a reference electrode, an ammonia selective sensing electrode and an electrolyte disposed therebetween. The ammonia sensing electrode comprises an oxide material characterized by the formula CewAxLyVOz wherein L is lanthanum or another lanthanide element other than cerium, A is one or more other metals, and w, x, y and z are numbers indicative of atomic proportion with w ranging from about 0.001 to about 4 x ranging from 0 to about 0.8, y ranging from about 0.001 to about 4, and z with a range to balance the existence of Cew, Ax, Ly and V.
US08257571B1
Microfluidic devices according to embodiments of the present invention include an inlet port, an outlet port, and a channel or chamber having a non-uniform array of insulating features on one or more surfaces. Electrodes are provided for generation of a spatially non-uniform electric field across the array. A voltage source, which may be an A.C. and/or a D.C. voltage source may be coupled to the electrodes for the generation of the electric field.
US08257569B2
In a capillary electrophoresis apparatus, a capillary array unit has a capillary array including capillaries having a capillary head and a detection unit, a frame for supporting the capillary array, and a load header for holding cathode ends of the capillaries. The frame has separators for separating and holding the capillaries. The capillary head, the detection unit, and the separators are disposed along one linear line. With this arrangement, there is provided the capillary array unit and the capillary electrophoresis apparatus which are arranged such that a job for mounting the capillary array can be executed easily.
US08257566B2
A nanotube device and a method of depositing nanotubes for device fabrication are disclosed. The method relates to electrophoretic deposition of nanotubes, and allows a control of the number of deposited nanotubes and positioning within a defined region.
US08257565B2
A sensor control apparatus includes an applied voltage control circuit connected to the positive terminal of a sensor element. The applied voltage control circuit includes a reference power supply and a noninverting amplifier circuit connected to the reference power supply. An AC power supply circuit, a buffer and a current measurement resistance are connected in series to the negative terminal of the sensor element with the current measurement resistance disposed between the AC power supply circuit and the sensor element. One terminal of the current measurement resistance, which is on the side opposite to the sensor element, is held at a reference voltage (center voltage of an AC voltage generated from the AC power supply circuit). Voltage at an intermediate point between the current measurement resistance and the sensor element is inputted via a low-pass filter to the noninverting amplifier circuit of the applied voltage control circuit.
US08257564B2
A gas sensor comprising: a gas detecting element extending in an axial direction and including a detecting electrode provided on an outer surface of a leading end side of the gas detecting element, and a lead portion connecting to the detecting electrode and extending toward a rear end side of the gas detecting element; a cylindrical metal shell housing the gas detecting element such that the gas detecting element protrudes from a leading end side of the metal shell; a powder layer filling a gap between the gas detecting element and the metal shell and covering at least a portion of the lead portion; and an insulating layer provided between the powder layer and the lead portion. Also disclosed is a method for manufacturing the gas sensor which includes forming the insulating layer by at least: applying a glass paste; drying the glass paste; and heat-treating the glass paste.
US08257558B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide processes, columns, and systems for removing acetaldehyde from alkylene oxide in a feed stream and for providing an alkylene oxide-water stream that can be directly transferred to a glycol reaction process. The alkylene oxide purification column includes a first section to convert a feed stream into a gas phase portion and a liquid phase portion and a second section located in the column above the first section to separate alkylene oxide from the acetaldehyde, water, and other impurities that enter the second section from the first section.
US08257556B2
The present invention provides a papermaking felt which exhibits a good dewatering capability (water permeability) and resistance to flattening in a papermaking machine, and which is capable of improving surface smoothness of a wet paper web and has improved anti-dehairing property.A papermaking felt using a woven fabric in which at least one of an MD yarn and a CMD yarn arranged on a wet paper web side of a base body is a multifilament yarn which is a bundle of a plurality of filaments with fineness of 100 dtex or less and which is substantially without twisting or only loosely twisted and hence almost without twisting.
US08257551B2
A soft, layered, single-ply wet-pressed tissue can be made with improved softness by providing one or both outer layers of the tissue with polysiloxane-treated pulp fibers. A particularly suitable wet-pressing process includes pressing a wet tissue web between a felt and a transfer belt to dewater the web, followed by transfer of the dewatered web to a texturizing fabric where the wet web is provided with a three-dimensional texture. Thereafter the texturized web is transferred to a Yankee dryer, dried and creped. The combination of the polysiloxane fibers and the texturizing step provides a particularly effective combination of surface feel, low stiffness and high bulk (caliper).
US08257549B2
Provided is a spin head for supporting a substrate. The spin head includes a rotatable body, and chuck pins protruding upward from the body and configured to support an edge of a substrate placed at the body when the body is rotated. Each of the chuck pins includes a vertical rod vertically disposed at the body, and a support rod extending from a side of the vertical rod and configured to make contact with the edge of the substrate placed at the body when the body is rotated. When the substrate is rotated, the vertical rod is spaced apart from the edge of the substrate. The contact portion includes a streamlined side surface. The support rod includes a contact portion. The contact portion tapers toward the end of the support rod when viewed from the top of the support rod.
US08257546B2
A method and apparatus for monitoring an etch process. The etch process may be monitored using measurement information (e.g., critical dimensions (CD), layer thickness, and the like) provided ex-situ with respect to the etch process in combination with in-situ monitoring (e.g., spectroscopy, interferometry, scatterometry, reflectometry, and the like) performed during the etch process. The ex-situ measurement information in combination with the in-situ monitoring may be used to monitor for example, an endpoint of an etch process, an etch depth profile of a feature formed on a substrate, fault detection of an integrated circuit manufacturing process, and the like.
US08257545B2
A chemical mechanical polishing pad is provided, comprising: a polishing layer having a polishing surface; and, a light stable polymeric endpoint detection window, comprising: a polyurethane reaction product of an aromatic polyamine containing amine moieties and an isocyanate terminated prepolymer polyol containing unreacted —NCO moieties; and, a light stabilizer component comprising at least one of a UV absorber and a hindered amine light stabilizer; wherein the aromatic polyamine and the isocyanate terminated prepolymer polyol are provided at an amine moiety to unreacted —NCO moiety stoichiometric ratio of <95%; wherein the light stable polymeric endpoint detection window exhibits a time dependent strain of ≦0.02% when measured with a constant axial tensile load of 1 kPa at a constant temperature of 60° C. at 100 minutes and an optical double pass transmission of ≧15% at a wavelength of 380 nm for a window thickness of 1.3 mm; and, wherein the polishing surface is adapted for polishing a substrate selected from a magnetic substrate, an optical substrate and a semiconductor substrate. Also provided is a method of polishing a substrate (preferably a semiconductor wafer) using the chemical mechanical polishing pad provided.
US08257543B2
The invention relates to a process for the production of a layered composite structure comprising (1) a semi-permeable membrane made of a polymer composition comprising a polyetherester elastomer and (2) at least one web layer bonded to the membrane, wherein the process comprises a step wherein a melt layer of the polymer composition is applied onto the at least one web layer, and wherein the polyetherester elastomer comprises polyether soft segments formed from poly(alkylene-ether)glycols comprising alkylene-ether segments formed from ethylene oxide and polyester hard segments consisting of ester units derivable from short chain diols and dicarboxylic acid consisting of 98-65 mole % terephthalic acid (TPA), 2-35 mole % isophthalic acid (IPA) and optionally 0-20 mole % other dicarboxylic acids, wherein the mole % is relative to the total molar amount of dicarboxylic acid.
US08257538B2
A device transfer method and a display apparatus are provided. A device transfer method and a display apparatus are provided by or in which, in transferring devices arranged on a substrate onto another substrate, it is possible to easily strip the substrate after the transfer of the devices, to lower the possibility of damaging of the substrate, and to additionally transfer devices onto the same substrate after the transfer of the devices. A plurality of devices arranged on a temporary holding substrate are embedded into and held in a pressure sensitive adhesive layer formed on a transfer substrate, and the devices are stripped from the temporary holding substrate. Other devices are further additionally embedded into the pressure sensitive adhesive layer before hardening the pressure sensitive adhesive layer, whereby the devices can be arranged on a transfer substrate having a large area. Besides, where the devices additionally embedded into the pressure sensitive adhesive layer are different in characteristics from the devices embedded in the pressure sensitive adhesive layer in advance, it is possible to easily obtain a display apparatus for multicolor display, a display apparatus having a driving circuit, and the like.
US08257524B2
Aspects of this disclosure relate to a method of manufacturing wallboard which includes providing a first layer of facing material, creasing the first layer facing material intermittently to create a series of creased portions, providing a gypsum slurry on the first layer of facing material and providing a second layer of facing material over the gypsum slurry. Further, creasing the first layer of facing material intermittently can include intermittently creasing the first layer of facing material in a substantially linear fashion extending in a first direction of the first layer of facing material so that the first layer of facing material exhibits a linear series of creased portions extending in the first direction of the first layer of facing material and a series of portions that are not creased extending in the first direction of the first layer of facing material.
US08257518B2
The invention concerns a method of producing and treating a sheet suited to be used as a component or as a part of a component in a fuel assembly for a nuclear light water reactor, which method comprises: a) producing a sheet of a Zr-based alloy by forging, hot rolling and cold rolling in a suitable number of steps, b) carrying out an α+β quenching or a β quenching of the sheet when the sheet has been produced to a thickness which is equal to or almost equal to the final thickness of the finished sheet, c) heat treating the sheet in the α-phase temperature range of said alloy, wherein the sheet is stretched during the heat treatment according to step c). The invention also concerns a use of a sheet that is produced and treated according to this method, and to methods and fuel assemblies of which said sheet forms a part.
US08257515B2
A copper alloy having an improved combination of yield strength and electrical conductivity consists essentially of, by weight, from 1% to 2.5% of nickel, from 0.5% to 2.0% of cobalt, with a total nickel plus cobalt content of from 1.7% to 4.3%, from 0.5% to 1.5% of silicon with a ratio of (Ni+Co)/Si of between 3.5 and 6, and the balance copper and inevitable impurities wherein the wrought copper alloy has an electrical conductivity in excess of 40% IACS. A further increase in the combination of yield strength and electrical conductivity as well as enhanced resistance to stress relaxation is obtained by a further inclusion of up 1% of silver. A process to manufacture the alloys of the invention as well as other copper-nickel-silicon alloys includes the sequential steps of (a). casting the copper alloy; (b). hot working the cast copper-base alloy to effect a first reduction in cross-sectional area; (c). solutionizing the cast copper-base alloy at a temperature and for a time effective to substantially form a single phase alloy; (d). first age annealing the alloy at a temperature and for a time effective to precipitate an amount of a second phase effective to form a multi-phase alloy having silicides; (e). cold working the multi-phase alloy to effect a second reduction in cross-sectional area; and (f). second age annealing the multiphase alloy at a temperature and for a time effective to precipitate additional silicides thereby raising conductivity, wherein the second age annealing temperature is less than the first age annealing temperature.
US08257514B2
A ferrous seal sliding part excellent in heat crack resistance, seizing resistance and abrasion resistance is provided. The ferrous seal sliding part having a seal sliding surface, wherein the seal sliding surface has a martensite parent phase which forms a solid solution with carbon of 0.15 to 0.6 wt % and contains a first dispersion material of at least either cementite of 5 to 70% by volume or MC-type carbide of 0.1 to 10% by volume and a second dispersion material of at least either graphite of 1 to 15% by volume or Cu alloy phase of 1 to 20% by volume dispersed therein, with a total content of the first dispersion material and the second dispersion material being 5 to 70% by volume.
US08257508B2
The invention relates to a method and apparatus relate for the liquefaction of natural gas. In another aspect, the present invention concerns the deriming the interior surfaces of a cryogenic heat exchanger employed in the liquefaction of natural gas. In another aspect, the present invention concerns the utilization of a pump to derim the interior surfaces of a cryogenic heat exchanger.
US08257506B2
The present invention relates to a cost saving liquid-treatment unit (100). According to the invention, a control unit (152), which is connected to an input port of a control valve (118, 120, 122), is adapted to set, in dependence on the evaporation rate of a treatment liquid on the substrate at the given or desired temperature of the substrate and/or at the given or desired pressure of a gaseous ambient atmosphere at the substrate, a number of dispense pulses to be applied to the substrate for the liquid treatment, a respective pulse duration of individual dispense pulses, and respective dispense-interruption time spans between the individual dispense pulses. This way, the use of treatment liquid is reduced to a minimum amount, thus reducing costs for providing and cleaning treatment liquid.
US08257501B2
In a plasma doping device according to the invention, a vacuum chamber (1) is evacuated with a turbo-molecular pump (3) as an exhaust device via a exhaust port 11 while a predetermined gas is being introduced from a gas supply device (2) in order to maintain the inside of the vacuum chamber (1) to a predetermined pressure with a pressure regulating valve (4). A high-frequency power of 13.56 MHz is supplied by a high-frequency power source (5) to a coil (8) provided in the vicinity of a dielectric window (7) opposed to a sample electrode (6) to generate inductive-coupling plasma in the vacuum chamber (1). A high-frequency power source (10) for supplying a high-frequency power to the sample electrode (6) is provided. Uniformity of processing is enhanced by driving a gate shutter (18) and covering a through gate (16).
US08257498B2
A substrate transfer module that can prevent corrosion of components, adhesion of particles to the substrate, and increases in the manufacturing cost and the size of the substrate transfer module. A substrate transfer module is connected to a substrate processing module. The substrate processing module implements desired processing on a substrate. A substrate transfer device transfers a substrate and includes a holding unit and a moving unit. The holding unit holds the substrate, and the moving unit moves the holding unit. A transfer chamber houses the substrate transfer device in an interior thereof that is isolated from an external atmosphere. An isolation device isolates at least the holding unit and the substrate held by the holding unit from an interior atmosphere of the transfer chamber.
US08257494B2
One provides nanocrystalline diamond material that comprises a plurality of substantially ordered diamond crystallites that are sized no larger than about 10 nanometers. One then disposes a non-diamond component within the nanocrystalline diamond material. By one approach this non-diamond component comprises an electrical conductor that is formed at the grain boundaries that separate the diamond crystallites from one another. The resultant nanowire is then able to exhibit a desired increase with respect to its ability to conduct electricity while also preserving the thermal conductivity behavior of the nanocrystalline diamond material.
US08257488B2
A cementitious composition capable of forming a high, early-phase strength cement may comprise construction grade cement and ground blast furnace slag, the ground blast furnace slag having a Blaine fineness less than about 250 m2/kg. The cementitious composition may comprise, for each 100% by weight, greater than about 50% by weight construction grade portland cement and less than about 50% by weight ground blast furnace slag, and the cementitious composition may have a Blaine fineness less than about 300 m2/kg. Methods of making and using such a cementitious composition to cement a structure are also described.
US08257487B2
The invention relates to a hydraulic binding agent comprising a binding agent component having free-flowing or solidifying properties when water is added and an acceleration component which is used to accelerate solidification. The acceleration component contains ultrafine calcium hydroxide having a high specific surface and low grain size.
US08257476B2
A first contaminant selected from oxygen and carbon monoxide is removed from impure liquid carbon dioxide using a mass transfer separation column system which is reboiled by indirect heat exchange against crude carbon dioxide fluid, the impure liquid carbon dioxide having a greater concentration of carbon dioxide than the crude carbon dioxide fluid. The invention has particular application in the recovery of carbon dioxide from flue gas generated in an oxyfuel combustion process or waste gas from a hydrogen PSA process. Advantages include reducing the level of the first contaminant to not more than 1000 ppm.
US08257475B2
An integrated ship mounted system for loading a gas stream, separating heavier hydrocarbons, compressing the gas, cooling the gas, mixing the gas with a desiccant, blending it with a liquid carrier or solvent, and then cooling the mix to processing, storage and transportation conditions. After transporting the product to its destination, a hydrocarbon processing train and liquid displacement method is provided to unload the liquid from the pipeline and storage system, separate the liquid carrier, and transfer the gas stream to a storage or transmission system.
US08257460B2
A filter element and a soot filter are provided, in which resistance against thermal shocks is improved due to the channel geometry.
US08257456B2
Disclosed is a vacuum system capable of realizing a simple, compact configuration using a filter cartridge. The vacuum system makes use of a container-shaped filter cartridge, which includes an intake port, an inflow port for compressed air, and a mounting port in a sidewall thereof, and a filter which is disposed in a space therein covered by a cap and filters air flowing in through the intake port. An ejector pump passes through the mounting port of the filter cartridge, is installed such that one end thereof is adjacent to or inserted into the inflow port, and includes a through-hole formed in a nozzle body so as to communicate with the space inside the filter cartridge. In the state in which the ejector pump is mounted, the filter cartridge is used as a housing providing a vacuum chamber or an enclosed space.
US08257454B1
An apparatus for thermochemical conversion of solid carbonaceous materials into fluid fuels using a fluid source of oxygen and an external source of concentrated radiation includes a reactor having a wall defining a cavity; a radiation inlet positioned in the wall for passing concentrated radiation into the cavity; and at least one inlet for introducing a fluid reactant flow of a source of oxygen and particles of carbonaceous material into direct exposure to the concentrated radiation in the cavity so as to heat and thermochemically convert the particles into fluid fuel. A process and system are also provided. The fluid source of oxygen is preferably steam and the carbonaceous material is preferably particles of petcoke.
US08257453B2
An object of the invention is to enhance gasification efficiency of flammable solid content when high fuel ratio fuel having fixed carbon content in large quantity is to be gasified. A material downcomer 11 for introduction of bed material 10 separated in a material separator 9 and a fuel supply port 21 for introduction of gasification fuel 12 are arranged at one side of a gasification furnace 2; a solid content supply port 19 for supply of flammable solid content 18 and the bed material 10 in the gasification furnace 2 to the combustion furnace 1 is arranged at the other side of the gasification furnace 2. In the gasification furnace 2 and between the one and the other sides of the furnace 2, vertical partition plates 22 are arranged to provide a zigzag curved flow passage 23 with upper and lower turns.
US08257452B2
The invention relates to a method for producing hydrogen and power from a synthesis gas that contains CO, H2 and H2S. The synthesis gas is separated into two partial streams, vapor is added to the first partial stream of synthesis gas, out a CO conversion is carried out at a temperature of 220° C. to 500° C., pure hydrogen is obtained from the converted synthesis gas in a pressure swing absorption device and a residual PSA gas is produced. The second partial stream of synthesis gas is fed to a power-generating gas turbine for combustion, H2S and optionally other sulfur-containing components are removed in one or more separators that are arranged in any position in the process, however, before entry into the gas turbine, the residual PSA gas is mixed with nitrogen, the gas mixture so obtained is compressed and the compressed gas mixture is admixed to the partial stream of synthesis gas that is fed to the power-generating gas turbine.
US08257450B2
The present invention relates to the reduction or inhibition of corrosion in an atmospheric burner unit by adding to a combustion system an effective amount of manganese, or a manganese precursor source, or derivative. The system may further include a catalyst package that may be composed of one or more individual organometallic compounds of Li, Na, K, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Mo, Fe, Co, Pt, Ce, and combinations, mixtures or precursors thereof. The manganese component of the catalyst package of the present invention reduces or eliminates the poisoning of the combustion system, whereby improved combustion and reduced emissions result. In addition, this invention inhibits both high- and low-temperature corrosion that occurs on the hot surfaces of burner furnace walls and tubes, and on cooler surfaces of the burner unit exhaust stack.
US08257448B2
The invention relates to hair dyeing composition comprising (a) a dye of formula (1); (b) a least one dye selected from the compounds of formulae (2) and (3), wherein D is the radical of a diazo component of the formula (2a) and (c) a quaternary ammonium salt selected from (c1) quaternary ammonium salts of the formula (4); (c2) imidazolium salts of the formula (5) and (c3) quaternary diammonium salts of the formula (6). The invention also relates to the dyeing methods for dyeing keratinous fibers comprising such dyeing composition.
US08257446B2
The invention relates to a clutch module for prostheses, in particular for prosthetic grippers, arm prostheses or hand prostheses that comprise a chassis to which at least one finger prosthesis is articulated, the clutch module including a drive element, a driven element and a clutch device, which shifts between two gear stages depending on the torques applied to the driven element.
US08257444B2
The present invention discloses an implant for use with a joint defining bone having a three dimensional shape and including a first exposed and joint surface defining layer and an inner most and bone mounting layer. The body further has at least one intermediate layer exhibiting a hardness less than either of the exposed layer and the inner most layer such that, upon mounting the body to a conditioned end of a joint defining bone, it provides the dual features of dynamic cushioning support and external wear resistance.
US08257436B2
A convex spinal fusion interbody space device includes spaced apart superior and inferior abutment surfaces which are effectively medially convex. The peak of such convexity is displaced anteriorly of a central plane through the device. The spacer device has a height which is greater than the width of the device. The spacer device is implanted between a pair of adjacent vertebrae by insertion in a tipped-over orientation and then reoriented to an upright orientation for engagement by facing surfaces of the vertebrae. Fusion promoting bone material is packed between the vertebrae and about and within the spacer device subsequent to implantation.
US08257429B2
Biomedical valve devices, support frames for use in such devices, methods of making such devices, and methods of treating animals, including humans, for valve-related conditions are described. The biomedical valve devices can includes a native tissue valve attached to a support frame or a tissue attached to a support frame in a manner to form a valve. The tissue valve or tissue can be autogenous to the animal being treated.
US08257427B2
An expandable stent comprising a tubular body made up of a plurality of separated tubular elements (1) arranged along a common longitudinal axis. Each tubular element (1) comprises a plurality of rhombic-shaped closed cell elements (2) joined by circumferentially extending linking members (3). The closed cell elements (2) are expandable to allow the tubular elements, and hence the stent itself, to expand. In the direction of the longitudinal axis of the stent, the extremities of each of the closed cell elements has an enlarged loop (30) with waisted portions (33) which allow the tubular elements to interlock to create a stable structure, at least when in the unexpanded condition.
US08257412B1
A reach extending device for extending the reach and effective positioning of a therapy device comprises a holder portion configured to grip a therapy device and a handle portion releasbly mounted on the holder portion. The holder portion comprises a mounting element removably mountable on the handle portion, and a movable element for removably mounting on the therapy device. The movable element may be movably mounted on the mounting element to permit movement of the movable element with respect to the handle portion. The handle portion comprises at least two sections, and includes a base section and at least one extension section extendable from the base section. The at least one extension section may be movable between a retracted position and an extended position.
US08257409B2
Described is a reference pin for use during a bone fracture treatment. The pin may include a longitudinal shaft and a spreading member. The longitudinal shaft with a longitudinal axis, a front end, a rear end and a through hole penetrating the shaft from the front end to the rear end. The shaft includes a rear portion adjoining the rear end and an expandable front portion adjoining the front end. The expandable front portion is insertable in a distal locking hole of an intramedullary nail and reversibly expandable transversely to the longitudinal axis. The spreading member is moveably located in the through hole and apt for reversibly expanding the expandable front end portion. The expandable front portion is reversibly expandable within a range between 0.3 mm and 0.5 mm.
US08257407B2
A system, components of the system, and methods for attaching a plate between two or more bones or bone fragments. The system includes distraction pins having a threaded bone attachment or screw section and a detachable shaft section. The screw section of the distraction pins remain in the bone and are used to affix a plate to the bones.
US08257405B2
A periarticular bone plate for the internal fixation of a fractured, proximal tibia of a surgical patient includes a shaft member connected to a head member, a top surface, a bottom surface, a posterior edge, an anterior edge and a plurality of holes extending between the top and bottom surfaces for receiving fasteners for attaching the plate to the bone. The head member is offset relative to the shaft member in each of a frontal and sagittal planes of the proximal tibia.
US08257404B2
An orthopedic bone plate, suitable for internally fixating and stabilizing fractured bones, includes: an elongated structure, capable of contraction in a longitudinal direction and having at least two ends, the structure having at least two fixation points adapted to be fixated to a fractured bone with the fixation points on opposing sides of a fracture. An elastic, polymer cable is longitudinally stretched and coupled in tension to the elongated structure, capable of causing the structure to contract in the longitudinal direction.
US08257402B2
An anti-splay closure with a left handed threaded removal bore, includes a cylindrical closure body with an external, continuous, helically extending anti-splay guide and advancement flange and a breakaway installation head. The removal bore is aligned with an axis of the closure body. The bore thread is sized and shaped to receive a removal tool having mating left handed thread. The closure is used with an open headed bone implant screw which is provided with internal, helically extending mating guide and advancement structure complementary to the flange of the closure body.
US08257399B2
An anchoring device for anchoring a rod in a bone or a vertebra and for use with at least two rods having a different diameter is provided. The anchoring device includes a shaft and a head for connection to one of said rods. The head is connected to said shaft and has a recess with a base and two substantially vertically extending legs defining a channel for receiving the rod in said channel. The anchoring device further includes a fixation element for clamping said rod in said channel. The fixation element and said base each have a contact surface contacting said rod, the contact surfaces being shaped so as to be able to clamp any of the different rods.
US08257398B2
A polyaxial bone screw assembly includes a threaded shank body having an upper portion with a laterally extending lug and a retainer having an inner cam track for receiving the lug and thus attaching the shank upper portion to the retainer within a receiver. The retainer may be a closed or open ring. The receiver has a cavity and a U-shaped cradle defining a channel for receiving a longitudinal connecting member such as a spinal fixation rod. The retainer has an external surface that mates with an internal surface of the receiver, providing a ball joint.
US08257387B2
An end effector for a surgical instrument includes a fixed bearing member with mounting surfaces for attachment to a distal end of the surgical instrument. At least one jaw member of the end effector is configured to move relative to an opposing jaw member between open and closed configurations, and a force transfer member is configured for longitudinal motion with respect to the fixed bearing member. The force transfer member includes a pivot channel therein. The end effector also includes a reactive member coupled between the fixed bearing member and the at least one jaw member. The reactive member is constructed from a thin strip of conformable material and extends through the pivot channel such that relative longitudinal motion between the fixed bearing member and the force transfer member causes the reactive member to flex and the at least one jaw member to move relative to the opposing jaw.
US08257382B2
A device, such as for use with lumen reentry, including a catheter including a balloon disposed at a distal end thereof, the catheter being formed with a first lumen through the balloon for passing therethrough a guidewire and a second lumen for inflation and deflation of the balloon, the catheter and the balloon being sized and shaped for entry between two layers of a wall of a body lumen, wherein upon expansion of the balloon when placed between the layers, a distal portion of the first lumen that passes through the balloon is bent with respect to a portion of the first lumen proximal to the balloon and is directed towards the body lumen.
US08257372B2
Provided is an apparatus that includes a nerve conduit, a manifold and a support structure for providing a reduced pressure. Also provided is a system that includes a source of reduced pressure, a nerve conduit, a manifold, a support structure and a conduit for providing fluid communication between the manifold support and the source of reduced pressure. Additionally provided is a method that includes implanting the above nerve conduit, manifold and support structure at a site of damaged nerve tissue and applying a reduced pressure to the manifold thereby stimulating repair or regrowth of nerve tissue.
US08257366B2
A digital suture fixation system includes an anchor, an introducer that is attachable to a finger of a person such that at least a distal tip of the finger is available to palpate tissue and identify a landmark within a patient, and a delivery device attached to the introducer. The anchor is removably attached to the delivery device. The anchor is exposed on an exterior of the delivery device and the delivery device is positioned to allow the finger to push the anchor into the landmark.
US08257363B2
An expandable shoulder trial for a reverse shoulder system is described. The trial includes a rotatably adjustable insert housed within a humeral cup. The insert has a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end having a concave recess therein adapted to receive a glenosphere prosthesis. The distal end of the insert includes a shaft, the shaft having a helical groove disposed on at least a portion thereof. A distal end of the humeral cup is inserted in a humeral stem. The humeral cup has a proximal end including a recess therein, the recess defined by a circular wall. A guide pin protrudes from the circular wall and is adapted to engage the helical groove of the shaft of the insert. The proximal end of the insert may rotate along an axis toward the proximal end of the humeral cup and along the same axis away from the proximal end of the humeral cup.
US08257362B2
The invention relates to a distance measuring instrument for pedicle screws which detects the spacing between two pedicle screws (3, 3′) with the ends (26, 27) of two crossing limbs (11, 12) and displays it on a crossbar (25) fixedly connected to one of the limbs at a scale (22). Since the second limb (12) is divided into a pointer (16a) and into a flexural spring extending parallel to it at which a pronounced thumb grip (21a) is fastened, and since the thumb grip is connected to a scale (24) via which a pre-determined pre-tension can be read off relative to the pointer (16a), a spacing measurement can take place under a controlled pre-tension.
US08257360B2
There is provided a method and system for determining a distal cut thickness and posterior cut thickness for a femur in a knee replacement operation, the method comprising: performing a tibial cut on a tibia; performing soft tissue balancing based on a desired limb alignment; measuring an extension gap between the femur and said tibial cut while in extension; measuring a flexion gap between the femur and the tibial cut while in flexion; calculating a distal cut thickness and a posterior cut thickness for the femur using the extension gap and the flexion gap and taking into account a distal thickness and posterior thickness of a femoral implant; and performing said femoral cut according to the distal cut thickness and posterior cut thickness.
US08257355B2
Methods and devices for static or dynamic spine stabilization include an anterior plating system that allows longitudinal and pivoting motion of the plates and of the stabilized vertebras. In one embodiment a spine fixation assembly for connecting a first vertebra to a second vertebra includes a first plate configured to be attached to one or more locations of the first vertebra and a second plate configured to be attached to one or more locations of the second vertebra. The first plate is pivotally connected to the second plate and may also allow longitudinal and/or horizontal motion of the plates relative to each other.
US08257348B2
The present invention relates to devices and methods for altering the tissue in and around an intervertebral disc through localized hypothermia therapy to restore function of the disc and reduce pain. Hypothermia therapy is defined as the reduction of tissue temperature to below that of the equilibrium temperature. Target therapeutic temperatures and times are varied according to the desired treatment effect. Intended effects of hypothermia of the intervertebral disc include cellular disruption leading to cell death and or structural and chemical denaturation within the anulus fibrosus, nucleus pulposus, or nerve fibers, temporary or permanent deadening of the nerves within or surrounding the disc, induction of a healing response, angiogenesis, or accelerated degeneration and/or drying of the nucleus pulposus and/or anulus fibrosus. Various effects can be achieved by reaching different temperatures for differing periods of time or by the proximity of the hypothermia therapy device to the treatment target. Accordingly, it is an object of one or more the embodiments of the invention to provide hypothermic therapy to selected locations within an intervertebral disc utilizing a flexible and guidable cryogenic device.
US08257336B2
A system for removing or tranferring a pharmaceutical product from a reservoir including an ampoule with a moveable piston therein and an adaptor which includes, generally along a longitudinal axis, a reservoir connector and an ampoule connector for coupling to the ampoule, wherein the ampoule connector includes at least one locking mechanism which, in a side wall, includes a resilient element generally corresponding to a portion of the side wall which extends along the periphery thereof and, at opposing ends, merges with the side wall.
US08257335B2
A disposable absorbent article including a chassis and an absorbent assembly in combination with a support element that extends circumferentially around the waist of the wearer. The support element includes hip stretch panels. The chassis includes a water-impermeable backsheet that may be folded laterally inward at both of its side edges to form opposing side flaps. Each side flap is attached to the interior surface of the chassis adjacent to its end edges. Each side flap has a longitudinally extending elastic gathering member attached adjacent to its proximal edge. The chassis may include an extensible formed web material. The absorbent assembly may be attached in a cruciform pattern to the chassis to allow unattached portions of the chassis to extend laterally. Frangible tear lines and/or tear locator lines may be formed to facilitate removal of the article from the wearer.
US08257334B2
A disposable pull-on garment is provided having a front region, a back region and a crotch region. The garment includes a chassis having edge lines in the front and back regions. A pair of extensible front ear panels extends laterally outward from the chassis in the front region, and a pair of extensible back ear panels extends laterally outward from the chassis in the back region. Each of the panels is joined along its outermost edge line to its corresponding opposite front or back ear panel to form two overlapping seams, two leg openings and a waist opening. At least one of the overlapping seams has a substantially bonded portion and an unbonded portion such that the ratio in the length of the unbonded portion to the substantially bonded portion is between about 4:96 and about 20:80.
US08257331B2
In a pants-type absorbent product, a first middle elastic member is located along a horizontal direction in a middle front part between a pair of leg openings in an outer covering sheet. The first middle elastic member contracts a first sheet and a second sheet, and middle gathers are formed. Thus, it is possible to improve fitting of a middle part to a wearer. In the middle front part, both ends of the first middle elastic member are apart from edges of the pair of leg openings, and a pair of non-contracted parts are provided between the both ends of the first middle elastic member and the edges of the pair of leg openings, to thereby improve flexibility of portions in the vicinities of the leg openings in the outer covering sheet.
US08257322B2
A safety catheter includes a catheter hub, a catheter tube, a needle hub, a needle cannula having a tip, and a tip protector. The tip protector includes an outer member having a flexible tab configured to releasably engage with the catheter hub and release therefrom upon inward flexing of the tab. An inner member is positioned entirely within the outer member and has a portion that impedes inward flexing of the tab when disposed adjacent the tab. The inner member is axially shiftable relative to the outer member between a first position wherein the needle tip is distal of the tip protector and the inner member portion is disposed adjacent the tab to impede release from the catheter hub, and a second position wherein the tip is within the outer member and the inner member portion is no longer adjacent the tab and no longer impedes release from the catheter hub.
US08257320B2
An IV manifold includes a plurality of injection/aspiration ports including a needleless access port (NAC). A check valve included in the manifold is generally located at an upstream end of the manifold. However, the check valve may alternatively be located between injection ports. An aspiration port can be formed with a second seal disposed on the side of the valve element opposite a first seal. Two-way aspiration can be provided by a valve having a cage with or without compressible characteristics to accommodate low tolerance fittings. Alternatively, two way aspiration can be provided by the NAC having a single elongate valve element including a plug at one end. The elongate valve element has properties for resiliently and sealingly biasing the plug into an aperture of the NAC. In use the Plug is mechanically displaced by insertion of a male Luer for injection or aspiration.
US08257312B2
A catheter system for positioning of an instrument within a body. The catheter system includes a hub defining a lumen therethrough for passage of the instrument and an elongate tubular member defining a lumen therethrough. The lumen of the tubular member is in communication with the lumen of the hub. The system also includes a slitter member that is coupled to the hub. The slitter member is disposed to slit the tubular member. The slitter further includes a moveable member that is moveably coupled to the hub and that is coupled to the tubular member, the moveable member is operable to advance the elongate tubular member toward the slitter member as the moveable member is moved relative to the hub. The slitter member thereby slits the elongate tubular member.
US08257303B2
The apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention is comprised of a flexible sheath instrument, a flexible guide instrument, and a tool. The flexible sheath instrument comprises a first instrument base removably coupleable to an instrument driver and defines a sheath instrument working lumen. The flexible guide instrument comprises a second instrument base removably coupleable to the instrument driver and is threaded through the sheath instrument working lumen. The guide instrument also defines a guide instrument working lumen. The tool is threaded through the guide instrument working lumen. For this embodiment of the apparatus, the sheath instrument and guide instrument are independently controllable relative to each other.
US08257302B2
A remote control catheterization system comprising: a propelling device, which controllably inserts a flexible, elongate probe into the body of a patient; and a control unit, in communication with the propelling device, and comprising user controls which are operated by a user of the system remote from the patient to control insertion of the probe into the body by the propelling device, wherein the user controls include an intuitive user interface comprising a handle that can be moved longitudinally, forward and back along a longitudinal axis, and also can be moved rotationally, in rotation around the longitudinal axis; the intuitive user interface comprising motion sensors that detect longitudinal motion and rotational motion of the handle and convert them to signals; and signal communication circuitry that communicates the signals to the control unit for commanding the propelling device to move the probe in respective direction and distance as the handle.
US08257299B2
A dialysis system includes at least one pump actuator, a disposable cassette operable with the at least one pump actuator, a plurality of disposable cassette supply connections, and plurality of dialysis solution lines. Each of the plurality of solution lines is connected to a dialysis solution container. The system further includes an autoconnection mechanism configured to connect the plurality of supply connections to the plurality of dialysis solution lines. The system additionally includes an autoidentification system configured to automatically identify information associated with the plurality of dialysis solution lines to determine at least one of (i) dialysis solution type (ii) dialysis solution volume, or (iii) a number of the plurality of dialysis solution supply containers.
US08257298B2
A multitube catheter is provided. The assembly includes two or more tubes fused together to form one catheter tube shaft. Each tube has at least one lumen extending longitudinally through the catheter from its distal end to its proximal end. The tubes are fused together by use of heat and pressure. A distal end of the united catheter tube can be split to form a split tip, stepped tip, or a tapered tip. The proximal segment (non-fused portion) forms catheter extension legs.
US08257294B2
A blood treatment machine has a housing and a blood treatment module to hold components of an extracorporeal blood circulation. The machine simplifies access to a securing means for securing objects, in particular containers such as bags containing medicinal fluids, that is attached to a rod-shaped means attached to the blood treatment machine. Vertical and horizontal directions are defined by the orientation of the housing during the use of the blood treatment machine. The rod-shaped means has at least one first section and a second section, whereby the axial extent in the second section runs in a different direction than in the first section. In another embodiment, the rod-shaped means has a cropped course.
US08257290B2
A splint assembly for use with an individual's limb including an assembleable and rigid member positioned in surrounding fashion about an intermediate joint associated with the limb. A pair of support subassemblies secure about a location of the individual's limb contiguous to the joint, an extending edge of each support subassembly securing to a perimeter extending edge of the rigid member. Upper and lower wraparound support subassemblies secure to first and second perimeter extending edges associated with the rigid member, each further including a generally grid and web-shaped foam template with a hardened plastic backing being configured to match the configuration of the foam template. Edge extending straps provided for each of the hardened plastic backings overlap and engage opposite extending edge locations of each wraparound support subassembly.
US08257277B2
A bodily fluid sampling device includes a piercing device and a sensor enclosed in a housing. A cassette, which contains test media, is positioned proximal to the sensor so that the sensor is able to analyze a bodily fluid sample collected on the test media. The cassette includes a supply portion from which unused test media is supplied and a storage portion in which contaminated test media is stored after exposure to the bodily fluid. The cassette is adapted to collect a series of bodily fluid samples without requiring disposal of the test media.
US08257276B2
A device for sampling body fluid, the device comprising, a main body, a lancet disposed within the main body, a carrier disposed within the main body fixedly attached to the lancet, a biasing means in communication with the lancet and the carrier, an annular space disposed within the main body adjacent the lancet, and a means for measuring a body fluid. Wherein the means for measuring the body fluid may include micro-porous test strips, an electronic testing device, an optical/reflectance testing measuring device, or a visual inspection.
US08257270B2
A pulse wave measuring apparatus includes a pulse wave measuring unit measuring a pulse wave; a first detection unit detecting first maximum and minimum values; a second detection unit detecting second maximum and minimum values; an update unit updating the first maximum and minimum values with the second maximum and minimum values after time periods; an initialization unit initializing the second maximum and minimum values after updating the first maximum and minimum values; a timing detection unit detecting a time determined by the first maximum and minimum values; and an interval calculation unit calculating a pulse wave interval using the timing.
US08257268B2
Methods and systems for preventing the underlying anatomical cause that gives rise to a predisposition to SIDS are provided. Methods and systems are provided for the diagnosis of infants predisposed to SIDS. Methods and systems are provided for the therapeutic treatment of infants predisposed to SIDS. A treatment device includes an auditory stimulation system, a monitoring system, a warming system and a response system that can respond to and alleviate crisis situations.
US08257267B2
The present invention provides self-aligning rotational connectors. In an non-limiting embodiment, a catheter system comprises a catheter connectable to a drive unit. The catheter includes a rotator, and at least one orientating feature extending proximally from the rotator, and configured to be inserted into an orienting slot of a shaft connector of the drive unit. When the orienting feature is inserted into the slot of the shaft connector, the slot transmits torque from the shaft connector to the orientating feature, and therefore the rotator of the catheter. Electrical contacts are provided on the rotator and the shaft connector, wherein the contacts of the rotator are properly aligned with and engage the contacts of the shaft connector. Further, the shaft connector has a slopping surface that slops downward into the slot for automatically aligning the rotator rotationally with the shaft connector during insertion of the catheter into the drive unit.
US08257265B1
A method of diagnosing an obstructive lesion in the iliac venous system. The method includes the steps of identifying the presence of chronic venous disease from clinical evaluation alone of a patient, and without any further evaluation, undertaking an IVUS procedure on the patient to identify any non-thrombotic or thrombotic iliac vein lesions.
US08257260B2
An ultrasonic imaging system has an ultrasonic probe which improves poor harmonic performance of existing transmit circuits through the use of a linear high-voltage transmit amplifier on each sub-channel to amplify low-voltage arbitrary shape transmit waveforms generated by the ultrasonic system. The linear high-voltage amplifier of the ultrasonic probe amplifies low-voltage arbitrary shape transmit waveforms beamformed by a micro-beamformer of the ultrasonic system.
US08257258B2
A sensor array designed to be continuously indexed through a compatible blood glucose test monitor for the purpose of conducting multiple consecutive blood glucose measurements. The sensor array can be configured to substantially conform to a non-planar surface. In one embodiment, the sensor array includes first and second test sensors which are hingedly coupled together through a pin and socket interconnection. In another embodiment, the sensor array includes a unitary, non-conductive substrate which is scored to define one or more fold lines, a first set electrodes deposited on the substrate to define a first test sensor, and a second set of electrodes deposited on the substrate to define a second test sensor. In another embodiment, the sensor array includes a first test sensor, a second test sensor spaced apart from said first test sensor, a first spacer mounted on the first test sensor, a second spacer mounted on the second test sensor, and a unitary flexible member disposed across said first and second spacers.
US08257257B2
A capsule type medical device is of a type of a capsule type medical device that is introduced inside the living body to gather in-vivo information, and comprises a capsule shaped casing; an in-vivo information acquisition device for acquiring the in-vivo information; a communication device for sending the in-vivo information acquired by the in-vivo information acquisition device to outside of the living body by wireless; at least one pair of first electrodes provided in a vicinity of one end along an axis of the casing for giving electric stimulation to body tissue in the living body; a first current control device for sending current to the first electrodes; and an interelectrode distance variation device for changing a distance between the electrodes.
US08257253B2
Laparoscopic instruments and trocars are provided for performing laparoscopic procedures entirely through the umbilicus. A generally C-shaped trocar provides increased work space between the hands of the surgeon as well as S-shaped laparoscopic instruments placed through the trocar when laparoscopic instrument—trocar units are placed through the umbilicus. In order to facilitate retraction of intra-abdominal structures during a laparoscopic procedure, an angulated needle and thread with either one- or two sharp ends is provided. Alternatively, an inflatable unit having at least one generally C-shaped trocar incorporated within the unit's walls can be placed through the umbilicus following a single incision. Generally S-shaped laparoscopic instruments may be placed through the generally C-shaped trocars to facilitate access to intra-abdominal structures.
US08257242B2
Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to one example embodiment, a magnetic therapy device may include a power source, a motor, a tachometer, and a microprocessor. The power source may be configured to supply power to the motor. The motor may be configured to control a disk upon which is mounted a plurality of magnets. The tachometer may be configured to monitor a magnetic field generated by the plurality of magnets and provide a signal to a microprocessor based on the monitored magnetic field. The microprocessor may be configured to control the motor based on the signal received from the tachometer.
US08257240B2
In a compressible unit a plurality of separating discs are provided and adapted to being capable, in a compressed state, of being mounted in and removed from a centrifugal separator rotor, which rotor during operation is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The unit includes a support, a pressure surface, between which the separating discs are disposed abutting against one another. Guide surfaces abut against the separating discs and control radial and polar position. At least one compression mechanism is adapted during compression of the unit to press the support and pressure surface towards one another so that the discs are compressed. During compression, the guide surfaces allow relative movement between the support and pressure surface and the separating discs, and are of at least sufficient extent in the compression direction for the position-controlling abutment between the guide surfaces and the separating discs to be maintained throughout the relative movement during the compression.
US08257238B2
A method and apparatus are provided for feeding and folding sheets. Providing a folding blade having a free edge, reciprocably movable between a retracted position and a folding position, provided with blade surfaces adjacent to the free edge converging towards the free edge at a first angle in the folding position, and by further providing a pressing mechanism having pressing surface areas reciprocably movable between a retracted position and a pressing position, and enclosing in the pressing position a second angle larger than the first angle of the folding blade, allows an apparatus, having a pair of folding rollers and a sheet support, selectively to fold only an outer sheet from a set of sheets or to fold a set of sheets simultaneously.
US08257237B2
A system is provided for bifolding disposable absorbent articles on a high speed production line on which the disposable absorbent articles are moved along a predetermined path. The system includes the use of one or more vacuum conveyor assemblies to engage and transfer the leading end portion of the article from the surface of a peel-roll to a folding drum. Thereby potentially reducing the occurrence of undesirable misalignment between opposing edges of an article during a bifolding process.
US08257231B2
An exercise device including at least one positionable component configured to be positioned by a user. The exercise device includes a frame to which a collar is mounted. The positionable component includes a member slidably received within the collar that may be positioned therein by sliding. A locking assembly is coupled to the collar and operable to lock the member in a selected position within the collar, release the member from the locked position, and when released, allow the member to slide within the collar. The locking assembly includes a cam pivotably mounted to the collar and a cam follower assembly selectively biased by the cam against a portion of the member disposed inside the collar. The locking assembly also includes a pair of engagement members disposed inside the collar opposite the cam. The engagement members are moveable relative to one another and biased by the cam against member.
US08257229B2
Play gyms and methods of operating the same are disclosed. A disclosed example includes a floor mat dimensioned to be positioned within a play yard and/or a bassinet. It also includes a play gym to suspend an object above the mat when the mat is positioned in the play yard and/or the bassinet, and at least one connector to couple the play gym to the mat when the mat is removed from the play gym and/or the bassinet.
US08257228B2
Systems and techniques for the collection and display of athletic information. Athletic data relating to a single person or group of people is collected at a central location, and subsequently displayed at a desired remote location so that the person or people can review and critique their performance. In addition, athletic data for multiple persons can be collected at a central location, and subsequently displayed to a user at a desired remote location, so that the user can compare his or her athletic activities to others.
US08257218B2
A multi-speed automatic transmission of a planetary design for a motor vehicle, the transmission comprises an input shaft and an output shaft; first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets; and at least third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth rotatable shafts and first and second brakes and first, second and third clutches whose selective engagement defines different gear ratios between the input shaft and the output shaft such that at least eight forward gears and at least one reverse gear can be implemented. When shifting from one forward gear into one of a successive higher and a successive lower forward gear, only a single one of the first and second brakes and the first, second and third clutches is disengaged and only a single one of the first and second brakes and the first, second and third clutches is engaged.
US08257211B2
A pulley assembly for a flexible motor vehicle transmission, comprising a supporting member rotatable about an axis, a pulley adapted to cooperate with a belt and connected to the supporting member to be rotatable about said axis with respect to the supporting member, elastic spiral means interposed between the supporting element and the pulley and comprising a sliding portion elastically loaded in radial direction against a sliding wall carried by one of either the supporting members or the pulley for tangential force drive coupling pulley to the supporting member. In particular, the elastic spiral means comprise a supporting element and sliding portion comprising at least one runner carried by the supporting element and sliding along the sliding walls.
US08257201B2
A golf ball including an inner core layer formed from a thermoset rubber composition and having a first surface hardness; a thermoplastic outer core layer having a second surface hardness, an inner surface hardness, and being formed from a copolymer of ethylene and an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, an organic acid or salt thereof, and sufficient cation source to fully-neutralize the acid groups of the copolymer; an inner cover layer; and an outer cover layer; wherein the first surface hardness is less than the second surface hardness by at least 5 Shore C and less than the inner surface hardness by at least 5 Shore C.
US08257192B2
Disclosed herein is a combination putter and chipper golf club. The golf club is constructed such that opposite side surfaces of the club head can be used, respectively, as a putter and a chipper, and the club head is easily switched between a putter and a chipper when the golf club is used, and the club head is prevented from shaking when putting or chipping. The golf club has a shaft and a head. A putter face and a chipper face are provided, respectively, on opposite side surfaces of the head. A coupling frame is provided between the shaft and the head.
US08257190B2
According to this invention, a golf strap comprised of a flexible soft material with a visual alignment indicator and fastener is provided with a raised flexible bar across the palm portion, which aligns the golf club for proper gripping. The golf strap is worn around a golfer's hand, and the visual alignment indicator directs the golfer in proper golf strap placement before affixing the fastener to secure the golf strap. The flexible bar is so positioned across the palm portion of the golf strap that, when the golf club grip is held, the gripping hand of a golfer wearing the golf strap receives the grip portion of the club shaft across the palm of the golf strap and against the flexible bar. The flexible bar positions the club shaft to lie diagonally across the roots of the fingers. When the hand is closed around the golf club, with the flexible bar cradling the grip portion of the golf club, an automatic proper gripping of the golf club will be ensured.
US08257188B2
A conjurer's kit is disclosed that comprises a box comprising a plurality of walls enclosing an interior wherein one of the front walls of the box has a display opening. The walls have black inside surfaces. The box defines a hiding space between a rear wall and a partitioning wall. The partitioning wall has a height smaller than the interior height of the box. The box has a bottom cover that covers the bottom of the hiding space and is made of a soft material such as foam or sponge or carpet. The box has at least one partly black outer surface such as a hollow cone with a black outer surface or an object having one black half or a playing card having a black back.
US08257173B2
A method for driving an artificial intelligence (AI) character involving computing a navigational graph for a virtual environment and moving the AI character along a current path for an AI character from a current location to a current destination is disclosed. While moving the AI character along the current path the potential alternative destinations are continuously evaluated and a new destination or the current destination based upon a heuristic analysis of the alternative destinations and the current destination. The system also continuously determines whether the AI character can leave the current path.
US08257169B2
A gaming system comprises a wager input device for receiving at least one wager and at least one display for displaying a randomly selected outcome of a wagering game. The at least one display further displays an expected value indicator. The gaming system further comprises a controller operative to (i) add a portion of the at least one wager to an actual turnover, (ii) randomly select a trigger amount from a range of available trigger amounts, (iii) update the expected value indicator to indicate the actual turnover relative to the range, and (iv) award a mystery prize in response to the actual turnover becoming equal to or greater than the trigger amount.
US08257168B2
A gaming machine detects a player touching a bet region on which an existing bet is placed and, upon detecting that another bet region has been touched thereafter, dynamically displays a chip displayed on the bet region on which an existing bet is placed so as to move to the other bet region.
US08257161B2
A gaming system comprises a wager input device and a display for displaying a first matrix of symbols representing a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game, the symbols selected from a plurality of symbols including at least one special symbol. The system further includes a controller operative to (i) collect occurrences of the at least one special symbol in the first matrix, (ii) vary the symbols to create a final matrix of symbols, (iii) redeem the collected special symbols by placing the collected special symbols into the final matrix, and (iv) provide an award if the final matrix of symbols indicates a winning combination.
US08257156B2
Provided are electronics chassis having air inlets with increased cross-sectional area that facilitate airflow through the chassis and thereby provide improved cooling. As electronics chassis are often stacked, it has been determined that the upper surfaces of a lower chassis may be utilized to at least partially define the air inlet of the upper chassis. In this regard, an upper portion of the lower chassis may be removed to increase the size of an air inlet. That is, portions of an upper wall and/or the top wall of a lower chassis are removed and connected by a connecting wall (e.g. a tapered and/or a chamfered wall). Likewise, the bottom wall of an upper chassis may be removed. When stacked, the air inlet of the upper chassis may be disposed above the truncated portion of the lower chassis. In such an arrangement, the size of the resulting air intake is significantly increased.
US08257145B2
A method of polishing a marble terrazzo floor, including shaving the surface with a first plurality of first diamond abrasive particles, and shaving the surface with a second plurality of second diamond abrasive particles. The first diamond abrasive particles are MBG-type mesh crystals characterized by a first average size, wherein the second diamond abrasive particles MBG-type mesh crystals characterized by a second, smaller average size, and wherein the diamond abrasive particles substantially laterally impact surface protrusions.
US08257138B2
A bra to be worn during vigorous physical activity. It provides the wearer with a high level of breast tissue support without undue restriction of breathing or shoulder movement, while providing means for ventilation and moisture management. The bra is underwire-free, and designed to be worn as outerwear. The bra achieves these objectives through the innovative combination of various non-stretch and stretch fabrics. The non-stretch portions of the garment provide a high level of compression and stability to the breast tissue, while the multiple regions of stretch fabric minimize breathing and shoulder restrictions and provide ventilation. Non-stretch wicking fabric is used to form the majority of the body of the bra, and is used to pull the breast tissue in and hold it firmly to the chest. This non-stretch fabric is connected to panels of stretch wicking fabric located in the front and back of the body of the bra.
US08257133B2
A traveling toy system is provided, in which it becomes possible to reduce the amount of information transmitted to a video display device. In the traveling toy system, a video camera, a video camera controller which is adjustably controls at least a frame rate of the video camera, a signal transmission device which transmits a video signal outputted from the video camera to a video display device, and electric storage means for power supply are mounted on the traveling toy which travels on a traveling lane using a potential energy. The traveling toy system further includes a traveling toy carrier device which carries the traveling toy from a position where the potential energy is low to a position where the potential energy is high. The video camera controller changes the frame rate so that when a traveling speed of the traveling toy is higher than a given speed, the frame rate may be increased from the frame rate at the time that the traveling speed is lower than the given speed.
US08257132B2
A toy kit for creating a three-dimensional object such as an Easter egg, or a doll having a humanoid or animal appearance is described. The kit has at least two parts formed of resiliently deformable material. One of the part or parts includes posts extending outwardly from a surface thereof for mating with corresponding holes formed in the other part or parts.
US08257130B2
A manufacturing method of a high-reliability hermetic container includes an assembling step of arranging, between first and second glass substrates, a sealing material including first and second straight line portions stretching in different directions and a coupling portion connecting these straight line portions, with a viscosity of the sealing material having a negative temperature coefficient, and a scanning sealing step of performing scanning to the first straight line portion and the coupling portion while irradiating local heating light at least once. Scanning to the second straight line portion and the coupling portion is performed while irradiating the local heating light at least once, and the assembling step further forms at least a part of the sealing material at the coupling portion with a film thickness thinner than the sealing material in a region adjacent to the coupling portion of the first straight line portion.
US08257128B2
The present invention relates to a method of preparing a Li film, wherein said Li film is fabricated by directly decomposing a compound of Li under a vacuum evaporation condition, and said compound is Li3N. Said Li film is fabricated by decomposing Li3N at an evaporation rate of 0.01-0.25 nm/s and an evaporation temperature of 300-450° C., and said Li film has a thickness of 0.3-5.0 nm. The present invention also relates to an organic light emitting device comprising said Li film as an electron injection layer and a method for the preparation thereof, and an organic light emitting device including an electron injection layer comprising an electron transport material doped with Li obtained by decomposing Li3N under a vacuum evaporation condition, and a method for the preparation thereof.
US08257125B2
A wiring method for checking wirings of an organic electroluminescent display, in which a plurality of organic electroluminescent displays are arranged and encapsulated on a large piece of glass substrate, a power contact block with a main checking wiring is arranged at one side of the glass substrate, the cathode and the anode of the display which is at the centre are connected to said main checking wirings through an electrically conductive cathode checking wiring and an electrically conductive anode checking wiring, respectively. The main checking wirings connect the plurality of displays to the power contact block in series or parallel at a side of the glass substrate, wherein said cathode checking wiring may be connected to the cathode from any side of the display, then be wired and extended out, said anode checking wiring may be wired and extended out from other one side other than the anode end side which is connected to the integrate circuit for the display, and the anode checking wiring is only is connected to other end of the anode.
US08257114B2
An electrical connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1), a set of contacts (2) retained in the insulative housing and a metal shell (3) covering the insulative housing. The insulative housing includes a base (11) and a tongue plate (12) protruding upwardly. The contacts have contacting portions (21) arranged in one row, retaining portions (22) extending from lower ends of the contacting portions and retained in the base, and tail portions (23) bending forwardly from lower ends of the retaining portions for being mounted directly onto a surface of the printed circuit board. The metal shell includes a front wall (31), a back wall (32) opposite to the front wall, and a pair of side walls (33) connecting the front and back walls. The front wall has a depressed wall (310) depressed backwardly and forming a hollow space for the tail portions (23) forwardly extending into.
US08257103B2
A technique enables protection of electrical conductors in a submerged environment, such as a wellbore environment. A connector system is deployed at the end of an electric cable to enable connection of the electric cable with a submersible component. The connector system comprises a connector body formed of a moldable material that is molded around at least one conductor of the electric cable. The moldable material insulates and protects the at least one conductor when the connector body is engaged with the submersible component.
US08257099B2
A switch for universal serial bus is disclosed. The universal serial bus (USB) port has a built switch actuator that automatically turns power on and off upon insertion and removal of a USB plug. The switch for universal serial bus comprises of a USB port with a switch actuator in a power-off position and a momentary switch wherein when a USB plug is inserted into the USB port, the switch actuator is depressed which in turn depresses the momentary switch to turn on the power to the USB port. When the USB plug is removed from the USB port, the switch actuator returns to its original power-off position thereby turning off the power to the USB port.
US08257087B2
Methods and equipment to improve the visual ability of a subject during athletic activities are provided. One such method includes configuring a sporting object to visually approximate the appearance of a background or configuring a background to visually approximate the appearance of a sporting object. A subject may then train using the sporting object visually in front of the low contrast background. A background where the visual appearance of the background comprises at least one depiction of the sporting object may be used. A subject may then train using the sporting object visually in front of the background.
US08257085B2
The invention relates to a device for simulating the stomach of a monogastric mammal or of a human being that includes at least two compression chambers (C2, C3) connected together by an intermediate chamber. Each compression chamber (C2, C3) includes a piston (72, 73) adapted for urging the content of a compression chamber (C2, C3) towards the other compression chamber (C2, C3). The device includes means (20) capable of generating turbulent flow of the device content when passing through the intermediate chamber (C8). The intermediate chamber (C8) is formed in an intermediate block (8) provided with an access means (11a, 12, 16) for supplying products (12) and/or tapping the content of the device at any moment of the operation cycle thereof.
US08257076B2
A multi-rod structure for opening and closing molds is provided and includes a single cam, a first side connection rod assembly located on a first side of the cam and having a first side triple connection rod, a first mold actuated by the first side triple connection rod, a linkage connection rod, a second side connection rod assembly located on a second side of the cam and having a second side triple connection rod actuated by the linkage connection rod, and a second mold actuated by the second side triple connection rod. The multi-rod structure only uses the single cam to simultaneously actuate the first and second molds, so that the structure can be simplified, while the vibration, loading, noise and abrasion of components during operation can be relatively reduced.
US08257068B2
A hydraulic motor having a cooling system includes a stator, a rotor that rotates and orbits in the stator, a drive link connected to the rotor, and a housing connected with the stator. The housing includes a working fluid inlet port, a working fluid outlet port, a cooling fluid inlet port, and a cooling fluid outlet port. Each port extends through the housing and is configured to connect with a different associated external fluid line. Pressurized fluid enters the working fluid inlet port to rotate and orbit the rotor en route to the working fluid outlet port. The cooling fluid ports are isolated from the working fluid inlet port and the working fluid outlet port within the housing.
US08257067B2
A volume chamber is formed by a valve member, an inner peripheral wall of a tubular portion and a bottom portion of a stopper when the valve member is engaged with tubular portion. A communication passage communicates between the volume chamber and one of an intermediate passage of a valve body and a tertiary passage of the stopper. The communication passage is formed at a location, which is spaced from a contact surface between the tubular portion and the valve member by a first predetermined distance and is also spaced from a contact surface between the bottom portion and the first urging member by a second predetermined distance.
US08257065B2
The high pressure lubricant pump for steelworks has a body provided with at least one cylinder, the cylinder having a lubricant intake port and a lubricant delivery port. Within the cylinder a piston is movable to pressurize the lubricant. The cylinder and the piston define a pre-assembled pumping unit removably fixed into a seat of the body.
US08257064B2
An electric fuel pump is disclosed which includes a pump portion, a motor portion, a housing, and a fuel passage. The pump portion pressurizes fuel. The motor portion drives the pump portion. The motor portion includes a rotor with a rotating shaft and a stator that surrounds an outer periphery of the rotor. The housing surrounds, at least, an outer periphery of the stator of the motor portion. The fuel passage, through which the fuel pressurized by the pump portion passes the motor portion, is made up of a clearance between the outer periphery of the stator of the motor portion and an inner periphery of the housing. The clearance extends, at least, in the axial direction of the rotating shaft of the rotor of the motor portion.
US08257060B2
Provided is a highly reliable inverter-integrated electric compressor that is capable of suppressing electromagnetic noise interference from a power-system metal board on which a semiconductor switching devices are bare-mounted and preventing malfunction of the inverter device. In an inverter-integrated electric compressor in which an inverter accommodating section provided on a housing accommodates an inverter device, the inverter device includes an inverter module in which a power-system metal board on which at least semiconductor switching devices are bare-mounted and a CPU board on which is mounted a control and communication circuit having a device operating at low voltage, such as a CPU, are modularized via a resin case, wherein the inverter module has a metal shield plate supported by the resin case and interposed between the power-system metal board and the CPU board.
US08257059B2
The present invention relates to an air supply system for a vehicle, which includes a curved diffuser passageway and a volute formed on upper portion of the diffuser passageway to sufficiently secure a length of the diffuser passageway, thereby enhancing a pressure conversion efficiency and reducing a size of the entire system, and which further includes a guide for guiding an air flow toward an input of an impeller, thereby minimizing a loss occurring when air passing through a motor housing flows to the inlet of the impeller, and reducing a weight of an outlet duct.
US08257057B2
A variable displacement vane pump includes a rotor, a swingable annular cam ring receiving therein the rotor, a pump body encasing the cam ring and rotor, and a pressure plate which is disposed between an end wall of the pump body and the rotor and which includes a backup surface and a sliding surface formed with an inlet port, an outlet port and a backpressure groove. The vane pump further includes a seal member which is provided between the backup surface of the pressure plate and the end wall of the pump body, and which includes an inlet-side segment extending on the radial inner side of the inlet port and the radial outer side of the backpressure groove, and an outlet-side segment extending on the radial outer side of the outlet port.
US08257056B2
A service pack, in certain embodiments, includes an engine, a variable displacement pump coupled to the engine, and a controller configured to control displacement of the variable displacement pump in response to a load condition associated with the engine. A method of managing power of an engine-driven system, in certain embodiments, includes sensing a load associated with an engine coupled to a variable displacement pump. The method also includes adjusting pump displacement of the variable displacement pump in response to the sensed load and one or more limits associated with the engine.
US08257052B2
A device and method are disclosed for driving an electromagnet for operating a pump. The electromagnet includes a primary winding and a moving element that is attracted within the primary winding when an energizing current is higher than a first threshold value. The moving element lets a liquid dose into an external hydraulic circuit depending on the a travel of the moving element. A control logic unit detects an energizing current to provide the energizing current to the primary winding until the energizing current assumes a second threshold value, depending on a value of the liquid dose to let into the external hydraulic circuit. The second threshold value is higher than the first threshold value and not higher than a third threshold value in correspondence of which the moving element arrives at a stop.
US08257050B2
Peening provides compression of component surfaces in order to create residual surface compressions to resist crack propagation in components such as aerofoils. Previously peening techniques have had problems with respect to achieving adequate treatment depths, speed of treatment and with respect to effectiveness. By the present method arrangement an electrical conductor in the form of a wire is subject to electrical pulses to cause evaporation and subsequent breakdown with high power ultrasound (HPU) propagation in a volume of dielectric fluid towards a component and so peening. The electrical conductor ensures that there is limited possibility of electrical discharge to the component surface while the positioning of the wire relative to the surface can be adjusted to achieve best effect particularly if reflector devices are utilized to concentrate (HPU) pulse presentation to the component. Furthermore, the component can be surface treated in order to provide protection from potentially damaging emissions from evaporation and electrical discharge to the wire.
US08257045B2
Platforms with curved side edges and gas turbine engine systems involving such platforms are provided. In this regard, a representative airfoil assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: a platform having a gas path side, a non-gas path side, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side edge extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge and exhibiting a first curve along a length thereof, and a second side edge extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge and exhibiting a second curve along a length thereof; and an airfoil extending from the gas path side of the platform; the platform and the airfoil exhibiting a unitary construction such that a continuous exterior surface blends from the airfoil to the platform.
US08257040B2
A wind power generation system includes a wind turbine at a wind turbine location, a measuring device for providing a wind condition signal at a test location, a sensor for providing a wind condition signal at the wind turbine, and a controller. The controller is configured for receiving the wind condition signals, using a wind correlation database and the wind condition signal at the test location for providing a wind condition estimation at the wind turbine location, obtaining a difference between the wind condition signal at the wind turbine location and the wind condition estimate at the wind turbine location, and using the difference for adjusting the wind condition signal at the wind turbine location.
US08257037B2
A nozzle guide vane arrangement comprising a vane member having a platform portion extending forwards of a leading edge of the vane member, the platform portion having a first securing member and a second securing member to provide at least part of the means to retain the vane member in use, the arrangement characterized in that the first securing member and the second securing member are staggered with an axial displacement relative to each other upon the platform portion in the direction from the leading edge to a trailing edge of the vane member.
US08257025B2
A combustion turbine includes a compressor section, a combustion section downstream from the compressor section, and a turbine section downstream from the combustion section. A diffuser section is downstream from the turbine section and has an outer wall, an inner wall, and at least one strut member extending therebetween. The outer wall has at least one first gas passageway therein, the inner wall has at least one second gas passageway therein, and the at least one strut member has at least one third gas passageway therein. The at least one first, second and third gas passageways deliver gas therethrough to assist attachment of a boundary layer to adjacent surfaces of the outer wall, the inner wall, and the at least one strut, respectively.
US08257023B2
The present invention relates to the field of blades, particularly fan blades, intended for turbojets, particularly of the aeronautical type. Its objective is to provide a fan blade the features of which will enable the number of fan blades to be reduced while at the same time providing satisfactory performance. According to the invention, the fan blade comprises a plurality of aerodynamic parts which are superposed in a radial direction Z and the number of aerodynamic profiles varies from one aerodynamic part to the other.
US08257019B2
A wind energy systems includes a shroud for each turbine. The shroud is adapted to direct and accelerate wind towards the turbine. A strong adaptable support assembly is provided for securing turbines to a structure. An air glide yaw assembly facilitates rotational movement of the structure allowing the turbines to face oncoming wind. The turbine blades are optimized for use with a shroud.
US08257018B2
A wind turbine for harvesting energy from both horizontal and vertical wind currents having an open frame structure and a central passage through the structure with at least three wind energy harvesting generally vertically disposed and rotatably mounted blades positioned about the central passage and at least three wind energy harvesting generally horizontal blades projecting radially from the central vertical axis of the device. The open frame structure includes a unique rod and cable central structure offset from the periphery of the frame. In one embodiment, the frame structure is suspended from a rotatable hub at the top of a stationary mast.
US08257008B2
The disclosed warehouse loader has two platform sections. One section is hinged to a deck where the operator stands when moving the loader. The other section is hinged to the first section and can be aligned with the first section to create a platform that extends outwardly from the deck and can be accessed by the operator directly from the deck. The second section is narrower than and folds against the first section. A spring-loaded latch holds the first section in an upright position, with the second section folded against it. A manually-operable positioning hook engages receptacles in the platform sections, making it easier to fold the sections. To retrieve a spilled article, the loader is first positioned at an open location adjacent the spilled article. The platform is extended into the open location. The operator can then stand on the platform while retrieving the article.
US08257004B2
The present invention relates to a thread clamping device including a plurality of movable nut segments around a threaded rod, and spring members flexibly holding the segments against the rod. The thread clamping device has a structure adapted to accommodate substantially planar outer surfaces of the segments engaging planar surfaces of the end housing of the device, leading to a more robust device and improved performance. Such a thread clamping device can advantageously be used as a component of a self-adjusting shrinkage compensation device, a coupler for threaded rods, hold-downs, among other uses. Various embodiments of the thread clamping device include a multi nut configuration, a quick release, and including mechanical or magnetic clip attachments.
US08257000B2
A drill includes a blade portion provided with spiral cutting blades along a cutting direction from a tip end to a rear end, and a shank portion formed consecutively on a rear side of the blade portion. The blade portion includes distal-side cutting blades provided from the distal end of the blade portion along the cutting direction and angled at a constant first torsion angle, intermediate grooves formed at a variable torsion angle that varies gradually from the first torsion angle to a second torsion angle, and rear-side grooves formed at the constant second torsion angle. The rear-side grooves are longer than the distal-side cutting blades in the cutting direction, and the second torsion angle is greater than the first torsion angle.
US08256991B2
An engineered, scalable underground containment system and method for storing compressed gases or liquids in permeable rock formations using conventional drilling techniques. The porosity and permeability of the formation may be enhanced to maximize reservoir capacity and increase the rate at which gases and liquids can be introduced into and removed from the reservoir. In some embodiments, layers of cap rock in the formation are utilized as containment barriers, and in some, containment barriers are constructed around the storage zones.
US08256983B2
A quick release device includes an attaching member having a chamber for receiving various objects and having two end members, and having an aperture formed through the end members for receiving a tie rod, a longitudinal lever arm having a bore for reducing the weight of the lever arm, and having a cam member for engaging with one of the end members, and having a channel formed in the cam member for forming two limbs, and having an orifice formed in the limbs for receiving a shaft, and the free end portion of the tie rod is secured to the shaft for securing or releasing the end members, the lever arm includes an increasing strength and a decreased weight and a decreased manufacturing cost.
US08256980B2
An assembly comprises a carrier part and a ball joint housing. The housing is provided with an attachment projection which is formed integrally with the housing on an outer surface of the housing. The carrier part is formed as a double-layer structure, and the attachment projection is held between two layers of the carrier part.
US08256977B2
A printing device loads a tape cassette including a label, a tape transfer roller, and a shaft hole, and the printing device includes a first synthetic resin support shaft that is fitted in the shaft hole to support the tape transfer roller, a synthetic resin frame that anchors a lower part of the first support shaft, a second synthetic resin support shaft that stands on the frame on the opposite side of the first support shaft, a first gear that is provided on the second support shaft to be rotated by driving power from a motor in the printing device, a second gear that engages with the first gear and biased toward the first gear, and a press roller that includes the second gear, rotates, and is biased toward the first support shaft to hold the label between itself and the tape transfer roller and to discharge the label.
US08256972B2
An exemplary fiber optic connector includes four converging lenses and a main body. The four converging lenses each includes a base portion and two engaging portions protruding from the base portion. The main body includes a first surface and a second surface at two opposite sides thereof. The first surface has four first receiving holes defined therein for receiving four respective optical fibers. The second surface has four second receiving holes aligning with the four respective first receiving holes defined therein. In addition, the main body defines an inner surface in each second receiving hole and two first slots in the inner surface. Each second receiving hole is configured for fixedly receiving the base portion of corresponding converging lens with the two engaging portions engaging in the two first slots.
US08256953B2
Methods and apparatus for measuring heat flux in a material are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves emitting an acoustic signal into the material and determining a first propagation time associated with the propagation of the acoustic signal through the material. A first heat flux value indicative of a first heat flux of the material is then determined based on the first propagation time.
US08256949B2
Among other things, an apparatus for mixing and dispensing a bone cement mixture are provided. In certain embodiments, the apparatus includes a housing having a first chamber for containing an ampoule having a first bone cement component. The housing has a second chamber for containing a second bone cement component and the first and second chambers are in fluid communication. An ampoule breaking device is disposed within the first chamber and is configured to engage and break the ampoule for release of the first bone cement component. Disposed within the second chamber is an impeller that is configured to rotate such that the impeller mixes the first and second bone cement components together to form the bone cement mixture. Adjacent the impeller is a displacer that is configured to advance through the second chamber, receiving the impeller and dispensing the bone cement mixture.
US08256940B2
A cover for use in connection with a vehicle light having a light source and a light reflector is provided. A lens of the cover has an electrically activatable material switchable between a light inhibiting state and a light transmissive state. The electrically activatable material prevents the transmission of visible light from entering into and reflecting out from the vehicle light when the electrically activatable material is set to the light inhibiting state. The lens has an area without having the electrically activatable material such that visible light from the light source is also to pass through the area. A baffle having the electrically activatable material extends from the body of the lens. The baffle blocks a portion of the visible light that passes through the area of the lens from traveling in certain directions when the electrically activatable material is in the light inhibiting state.
US08256934B2
A puck light fixture has a puck shaped housing, the interior divided by a partition into a circular central compartment encompassed by an outer compartment. Air conduits closed to the housing interior admit flow of ambient air between top and bottom openings in the housing. The air conduits are in heat exchanging relationship with the partition for dissipating heat generated by a lamp in the central compartment and thereby lowering the operating temperature of electrical wiring and connectors in the outer compartment so as to allow use of lower rated wiring for on site hard wiring of the puck fixture.
US08256932B2
An exemplary light diffusion plate includes a main body, and a plurality of diffusion particles dispersed in the main body. The main body includes a first surface and a second surface. The first surface and the second surface are on opposite sides of the main body. The first surface is a flat surface. The second surface defines a plurality of rectangular structures. Each rectangular structure defines four adjacent triangular pyramid depressions. A backlight module using the light diffusion plate is also provided.
US08256924B2
An LED-based light includes a support structure. At least one oscillator is connected to the support structure. At least one LED is coupled to each oscillator. The oscillator can oscillate the LED to produce a light blurring effect.
US08256920B2
The invention relates to an illumination unit having an adjustable color location consisting of a discharge lamp as primary light source and LEDs as secondary light source and additionally a phosphor layer in the form of a phosphor screen comprising conversion phosphors. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for lighting usable areas by the illumination unit according to the invention.
US08256915B2
An illuminated mirror includes a central reflective mirror portion and a surrounding transmissive portion supported to a housing. Spacing between an outer diameter of the transmissive portion and the housing allows airflow to exit from the housing. A chamber behind the mirror surface may comprise a dish reflector surface. In one form, the dish reflector comprises a white enamel surface. Lamps, which may comprise LEDs, are mounted to the reflector surface. The LED lamps may be placed in a pattern on the reflector surface. Circuitry may be provided to illuminate either all or selected ones of the LEDs. Lamps of selected colors may be provided. Preselected combinations of lamp illumination vary the level and composite color of illumination. In order to enhance the comfort of a user, a fan may be positioned in the housing behind the reflector. A cooling device may cool airflow from the fan.
US08256914B2
An arrangement for emitting mixed light including a primary and secondary radiation with at least one first electroluminescent light-source for emitting first primary radiation, at least one second electroluminescent light-source for emitting second primary radiation, and a light-converting element for absorbing at least one of the primary radiations and re-emitting the secondary radiation. The light-converting element is arranged so that the entire proportion of primary radiation in the mixed light passes through the light-converting element. The light-converting element is a ceramic light-converting material whose microstructure is selected to be such that the color point of the mixed light of primary and second radiation is substantially independent of the angle of viewing.
US08256913B2
An improved housing for a computing device is disclosed. The improved housing is provided with one of an illuminable connector, a touch pad arrangement, and a palm rest stiffening plate. Normally, the illuminable connector and the touch pad arrangement are provided on external portions of a housing of the computing device such that they are available for user interaction. The palm rest stiffening plate is provided internal to a housing to provide stiffness or rigidity to a palm rest region of the housing.
US08256909B2
An antiglare film includes a transparent substrate, and an antiglare layer on the transparent substrate, the antiglare layer including a light-transmitting coating layer and an antiglare agent contained in the light-transmitting coating layer, the antiglare agent being composed of first antiglare particles and second antiglare particles overlapping each other.
US08256904B2
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to systems and methods for providing image projection and entertainment.
US08256900B2
A system and method for projecting an image with predetermined characteristics includes a projector configured to project light on a surface, and a photo sensor configured to analyze light reflected from the surface. A controller is configured to compare the reflected light with a selected characteristic. The controller is configured to control the projector to adjust the projected light such that the reflected light substantially matches the selected characteristic to make the surface appear to be of the selected characteristic.
US08256899B1
A system and method for reproducing complex camera movements that are made during a recorded scene so that camera movements can be precisely reproduced. A camera is mounted onto a camera support system. The camera support system has multiple articulated joints that enable the camera support system to move the camera through a wide range. Sensors are provided at each of the articulated joints to sense any changes in orientation experienced during a scene. The sensors create corresponding data signals indicative of the movement. A scene is shot with the camera. During the scene, the camera has a shooting position that is altered using the camera support system. The sensors detect the movements and the data signals produced are saved in an electronic memory. The saved data signals are used at a later time to reproduce movements of the camera support system.
US08256895B2
The invention relates to so-called progressive medical eyeglass lenses. A progressive lens is a type of lens for making eyeglasses for correcting human vision defects, being adapted simultaneously to far vision and to near vision. The present invention makes it possible to reconcile a design that is finely optimized over a wide range of variables; it enables the looked-for optical powers to be made for any progressive lens prescription while controlling and obtaining a distribution of virtually identical optical values on the entire surface of the lens, and doing so for a wide range of materials (i.e. of refractive indices) e.g. lying in the range 1.498 to 1.74 (values mentioned here in non-exhaustive manner), and for any combination of refractive index, of basecurves lying in the range 0.5 diopters to 10.5 diopters, and for any addition values, over an addition range of 0.5 diopters to more than 3.5 diopters. This design presents exceptional “robustness”, thereby eliminating the major obstacle of conventional progressive lenses that present characteristics that vary strongly and that depend strongly on the selected materials, basecurves, and additions.
US08256889B1
Platens for digital garment printing are provided. The platens include cutouts or depressions configured to conform to areas of increased height on garments. The garments may then be placed onto the platens such that the garments have a substantially uniform horizontal printing surface, thus providing high quality printing on the garments.
US08256880B2
A fluid height backpressure system includes a printhead, a fluid supply tank, a backpressure device, and an air removal device. The backpressure device responsible for supplying system backpressure includes at least one tower disposed in an upright position and having a plurality of walls defining first and second chambers for respectively communicating with the ink supply tank and a fluid supply reservoir of the printhead. The air removal device provides additional backpressure in the second chamber, allows backpressure in the system to be maintained even with an empty fluid supply tank, and also supply of ink to the fluid supply reservoir of the printhead substantially without air bubbles being introduced therein. Also, ink sensors are utilized for sensing different levels of ink in the ink supply tank and out-of-ink/ink-low conditions in the backpressure device and also to help establish and continue the operation of the backpressure device.
US08256877B2
An inkjet printhead assembly comprising an ink supply manifold; printhead integrated circuits and a connector film for supplying power to drive circuitry in the printhead integrated circuits. Each printhead integrated circuit has a frontside comprising the drive circuitry and inkjet nozzle assemblies, a backside attached to the ink supply manifold, and ink supply channels providing fluid communication between the backside and the inkjet nozzle assemblies. A connection end of the connector film is sandwiched between part of the ink supply manifold and the printhead integrated circuits.
US08256871B2
An inkjet printhead has been developed that includes an ink reservoir vent, which prevents ink from exiting the ink reservoir through the vent. The inkjet printhead includes a reservoir, an ink inlet, a vent opening, and a vent member. The reservoir contains a supply of ink and an air space above the supply of ink. The vent member extends from the vent opening and includes a first vent member opening positioned in an air space outside of the reservoir, a second vent member opening positioned in the air space above the supply of ink, and a vent channel configured to couple fluidly the first vent member opening to the second vent member opening. The second vent member opening is positioned within the reservoir to enable the second vent member opening to remain within the air space above the supply of ink regardless of a printhead orientation.
US08256867B2
The recording apparatus includes: an image forming device which deposits ink onto a recoding medium to form an image; a conveyance device which conveys the recording medium in a recording medium conveyance direction at a recording medium conveyance speed; a pressing member which presses the recording medium on which the ink has been deposited, onto the conveyance device; and a pushing device which pushes the pressing member to press the recording medium to suppress cockling occurring in the recording medium on which the ink has been deposited, the pushing device having a spring constant k that satisfies: 48 EI ( 1 / f ) 3 < k < v · 2 A t · 48 EI ( 1 / f ) 3 , where EI is a flexural rigidity of the recording medium, t is a thickness of the recording medium, v is the recording medium conveyance speed, A is an amplitude of the cockling in the recording medium, and f is a frequency of the cockling in the recording medium along the recording medium conveyance direction.
US08256861B2
A droplet ejection apparatus includes a common flow path; droplet ejection units each respectively including a first distribution port; first flow paths that respectively connect each first distribution port to the common flow path; first open/close mechanisms provided respectively at the first flow paths; a first pressurizing unit that applies a positive pressure to the common flow path; a second open/close mechanisms provided at the common flow path at the first pressurizing unit side of connection portions that connect the common flow path and the respective first flow paths; and a controller. When the second open/close mechanism is closed, the controller opens only one or more first open/close mechanisms corresponding to one or more target droplet ejection units, applies positive pressure to a section of the common flow path at the first pressurizing unit side of the second open/close mechanism, and then opens the second open/close mechanism.
US08256860B2
A printing apparatus is provided with a heater for heating ink and a cooler for cooling ink, and comprises: an ink circulation route including a heater side route and a cooler side route which are separately provided through the heater and the cooler respectively; a switch mechanism operable to switch the ink circulation route between the heater side route and the cooler side route; and a control unit operable to control the switch mechanism. The control unit controls the switch mechanism to switch the ink circulation route to the heater side route when the ink temperature is lower than a first reference temperature, and switch the ink circulation route to the cooler side route when the ink temperature is no lower than the first reference temperature. By this configuration, the ink heating efficiency can be improved.
US08256856B2
A liquid droplet jetting apparatus includes a nozzle which jet the liquid droplets in a plurality of types of jetting modes; a liquid droplet jetting head which has the nozzles; a signal generating section which generates a plurality of types of jetting signals, each of which is formed of bit data, has predetermined bits not less than three bits, and corresponds to one of the plurality of types of jetting modes; and a signal supply section which outputs serially the bit data forming one of the jetting signals to the liquid droplet jetting head at each of jetting timings of the nozzle. The jetting signals are set such that the jetting signals corresponding to the jetting modes respectively are subjected to binary switching of the bit data at frequencies decreasing proportional to usage frequencies of the jetting modes when the bit data are outputted serially from the signal supply section.
US08256847B2
In one aspect of the invention, a system for exchanging a milling chamber comprises a vehicle comprising a milling chamber supported by the underside of the vehicle. The underside comprises a track that interfaces with a guide of the milling chamber. The track and guide are configured to accommodate lateral movement of the milling chamber with respect to a length of the vehicle.
US08256831B2
A vehicle body front structure is disclosed, wherein a large engine can be installed even if the entire vehicle body length is kept compact, and an impact load can be efficiently absorbed. In a vehicle body front structure (10), internal and external extension members (41, 42) protruding forward are provided to the front ends of left and right front side frames (11, 12) and the front ends of left and right upper members (13, 14) via a mounting plate (35). In the mounting plate, internal mounting parts (51) and front walls (68) of the internal extension members are inclined farther toward the front of the vehicle body nearer the center of the vehicle width direction.
US08256829B2
A modifiable structural assembly comprising an active material based insert positioned within a hollow structural member, wherein the insert defines a first insert dimension, is configured, when activated, to change the first insert dimension to a second insert dimension, and selectively achieving the first or second dimension facilitates positioning the insert, or changes a characteristic of the assembly, such as the stiffness, damping effect, or energy absorption rate, once the insert has been positioned.
US08256827B2
A sidewall of a trailer includes a side panel, an outer member, a base rail. The side panel is positioned within the channel. The outer member has a planar inner surface. The base rail has an upper portion offset from a lower portion. An outer surface of the upper portion of the base rail is generally parallel to and spaced from the inner surface of the outer member. A channel is defined by an outer surface of the upper portion of the base rail and the inner surface of the outer member. The side panel is positioned within the channel. The lower portion of the base rail is positioned beneath the channel.
US08256826B2
A motor car including a central body with a nose having a tapered shape, an intermediate portion in which a driver's compartment is formed, and a tail portion having a tapered shape. The body is shaped such that, during movement, it generates a substantially zero overall lift. A pair of steering front wheels is connected externally to the front portion of the central body and each of them has, associated therewith, a front fairing which leaves a top portion of the wheel uncovered. These fairings are connected to the ends of a front transverse wing which extends from both sides of the nose of the central body and which is profiled so as to generate a negative lift during movement. A pair of rear wheels are connected to the tail portion of the central body and each of them has, associated therewith, a front fairing and rear fairing which leave a top portion of the wheel uncovered. The fairings associated with the rear wheels are joined to corresponding intermediate wings which extend laterally, towards the outside and the rear, from the intermediate portion of the central body. The rear fairings are connected to the ends of an essentially delta-shaped, rear, transverse wing which is connected to the bottom part of the central body and which is profiled such as to generate a negative lift during movement.
US08256820B2
An adjustable toolbox for use in conjunction with a bed on a pickup. The adjustable toolbox includes a base portion, a mounting portion and a lid portion. The base portion has a recess formed therein that is adapted to receive at least one object. The mounting portion is operably attached to the base portion so that at least part of the mounting portion is slidable with respect to the base portion to adjust a width of the adjustable toolbox. The lid portion is operably attached to at least one of the base portion and the mounting portion.
US08256817B2
A tonneau cover assembly for a truck having a bed and a pair of upstanding sidewalls generally includes a panel and a mechanism for enabling movement of the panel between the first position abutting the bed and a second position generally level with tops of the upstanding sidewalls.
US08256814B2
The present invention is directed to a unique solution for a storage console with a cord and media management system, including a movable tray assembly, for a vehicle that allows for provides a convenient system for display, storage (general storage and otherwise), power supply and other features for any number of media devices.
US08256808B2
A pair of tongs in combination with a basting apparatus and an optional sharpened edge that can be used as a knife for cutting into food to check for degree of cooking. Also a container for use as a holder of a tool, such as a pair of tongs with a basting apparatus, for applying a spreadable basting material (e.g., sauce) held in the container. The container provides a stable support of the tool, such as the pair of tongs, to prevent cross contamination of working surfaces and basting material on the basting apparatus, while at the same time providing a holder from which the tongs/baster efficiently can be retrieved for use.
US08256804B2
An electronic apparatus includes a first body, a second body pivotally attached on the first body for covering on the first body, and a latching device for locking the second body on the first body when the second body covers the first body. The latching device includes a locking member rotatably attached on the first body, a hook disposed on the second body and capable of hooking on the locking member for locking the second body on the first body, and a driving subassembly rotatably connecting with locking member and slidably disposed on the first body. The driving subassembly drives the locking member to rotate to engage and disengage with the hook.
US08256798B2
A substantially vertically extending concave portion is provided at a middle part of an impact absorbing face of an airbag body that deploys under a windshield so as to face a front seat occupant. With this configuration, an occupant who is seated in a regular seating position and wearing a seatbelt can be properly protected by preventing the neck area or the like of the occupant from being damaged. In addition, a bulging portion configured to bulge under the windshield and at an upper part of the concave portion is provided to the airbag body. With this configuration, it is possible to properly prevent the head area of an occupant who is not wearing a seatbelt from being damaged directly by the windshield.
US08256795B2
A rubber spring device is formed by alternately laminating a plurality of layers of hard plates whose linear dimension W in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of each equalizer bar is shorter in plan view than a linear dimension H in a direction parallel to an axle direction, and rubber layers. The rubber spring device is disposed between an end portion of each equalizer bar and a center axle in an articulated dump truck, and is allowed to function as a suspension. Thus, even when the rubber spring device is deformed into an accordion shape, peak positions of an internal stress within each rubber layer can be dispersed and reduced, thereby preventing generation of cracks within each rubber layer.
US08256783B2
A suspension system of the present invention pivotally supports a wheel of a motor vehicle. An upper control arm and a lower control arm are cooperable with a spindle, which supports the wheel. A vibration damper is cooperable with the upper control arm. A link interconnects the lower control arm and one of the terminal ends of the vibration damper thereby defining a common axis bisecting the link. The vibration damper moves along the common axis to absorb vibration transferred from a road surface and through the wheel.
US08256772B2
For better assembling characteristic and sealing performance with secured circularity and coaxiality of a seal lip, a lip type seal installed to an inner periphery of a shaft hole of a housing in slidable contact with a peripheral surface of a shaft for inhibiting a sealed fluid in the machine from leaking to an atmospheric air side, has a cartridge fitted to an inner periphery of the shaft hole, a first lip seal member made of a rubber-like elastic material and fitted in a non-bonding manner to the cartridge, a case fitted in a non-bonding manner to the first lip seal member, a second lip seal member made of a resin and a backup ring supporting the second lip seal member which are retained by caulking to the case, and an adapter fitted to the cartridge at a sealed fluid side of the first lip seal member.
US08256771B2
A mechanical calculator that computes payouts for combinations of roulette bets. A number wheel (50) has an array of payout numbers (54) for a combinations of two types of bets over a range of chips, such as up to 20 chips on a street bet and up to 20 chips on a line bet. A mask wheel (40) overlays the number wheel (50). Windows (44) on the mask wheel each reveal an individual number (54) on the number wheel, depending on the relative rotational positions of the mask and number wheels, which are manually selectable with knobs (28, 32). A cover plate (22) overlays the mask wheel, and has a window (26) that reveals a single combined payout number (54) on the number wheel under a mask window (1-20) and the cover plate window (26). Rotational index numbers (49, 68) indicate the number of chips selected for each bet.
US08256770B1
Skill game apparatuses include one or more game piece guiding elements configured to influence movement of game pieces within a game piece path in a manner that is dependent at least in part upon the skill of the player. In one embodiment, the back portion of a skill game apparatus is provided with one or more guide channels configured to limit horizontal movement by a game piece as it moves from the top of the back portion to a base portion of the skill game apparatus. In another embodiment, the skill game apparatus includes one or more player-repositionable guide members along a game piece path that are moveable in response to inputs provided by one or more player-operated controller devices.
US08256768B2
A method of aligning transport modules in a printing system, the method including passing at least one substrate media in a process direction through two adjacent belt driven transport modules with one of the two transport modules having a belt steering control disabled. Each of the two transport modules including a transport belt for engaging and conveying the at least one substrate media, which transfers skew between the two adjacent transport modules. The method including detecting a first cross-process position of the transport belt in one of the two adjacent transport modules using a first edge sensor and detecting a second cross-process position of the transport belt in the other of the two adjacent transport modules using a second edge sensor. Further, aligning the two adjacent transport modules based on a relative skew between the two transport modules indicated by the first cross-process position and the second cross-process position.
US08256760B2
A system for conveying mailpieces along a feed path including first and second conveyances. A first conveyance is operative to convey mailpieces along the feed path and includes a singulating and drive belt. The singulating and drive belts define a throat or singulating a mailpiece from the stack of mailpieces. A second conveyance accepts mailpieces from the first conveyance and conveys singulated mailpiece downstream of the first conveyance. The system further includes a series of sensors extending from the first to the second conveyance for issuing a gap signal indicative of the relative spacing between sequential mailpieces along the feed path. Additionally, the system includes a means to vary the velocity of the drive belt based upon the location of the gap signal along the series of sensors.
US08256759B2
A sheet post-processing apparatus of the invention includes a sheet guiding unit configured to have plural components including paper carrying components be attached thereto, a tray onto which a sheet of paper is discharged, and a protection cover attached to the sheet guiding unit at a portion in close proximity to the tray side. A protection cover has a cover main body, a screw attachment portion, a screw cover that covers the screw attached to the screw attachment portion, and a slit used for the tip end of the screw cover to be inserted into the cover main body to be fixed thereto.
US08256752B2
A machine tool is provided for processing a workpiece, e.g., a metal sheet. The machine tool comprises at least one support configured to, in a support position, support a part of the workpiece on an upper surface, the part being completely separated from the workpiece, and a motion unit for moving the support downwards out of the support position into a discharge position located underneath the support. The motion unit is configured to accelerate the support, at least in a region of the part lying thereon, out of the support position along a gravitational direction with an acceleration which is greater than an acceleration of the part in the gravitational direction, and to move the accelerated support into an open position located outside a path of movement of the part at a speed such that the workpiece part attains the discharge position in free fall.
US08256748B1
A working pontoon raft has frame that supports a plurality of high speed evaporator fans. An alternative design uses a skid to support the same high speed evaporator fans. An on board pump draws wastewater from under the raft or via a hose from the pond to the skid and feeds it to the fans. Large amounts of wastewater from industrial reservoirs, such as oil drilling reservoirs, are evaporated into the air in an environmentally friendly manner Power is supplied to the raft via hydraulic lines. A land base generator supplies the hydraulic power. The entire system fits on a custom trailer.
US08256747B2
A system and method for closed-loop testing of a biological or chemical sensor is disclosed. The tester is fluidically coupled to the input port and exhaust port of a sensor. A mixture of a chemical or biological simulant and air is generated by the tester and is delivered to the sensor. The mixture of simulant and air exiting the sensor is delivered to a collection device.
US08256743B2
A female element quick coupling for releasably joining two pipes conveying a fluid under pressure and which receives a male coupling wherein the female element includes a latch movable relative to a body of the female element between a first position, in which it retains the male portion in a leaktight coupling position, and a second position, in which it retains the male portion in a position for purging a downstream pipe. The female element further includes a control member mounted to slide in an open bore in the body for causing the latch to move at least towards the second position. This female element includes a gasket for closing a gap defined between an outer face of the member and an inside face of the bore especially at high purging pressures.
US08256740B2
A connection mechanism for fluid pipings, for connecting a plurality of the fluid pipings to flow a fluid, includes: a first component provided to one side of the plurality of the fluid pipings and including a movable portion constituting a part of a pressure control valve and operated by a differential pressure; a second component provided to another side of the plurality of the fluid pipings and including an opening and closing mechanism which is opened and closed by an operation of the movable portion constituting the part of the pressure control valve; and a transmission mechanism provided to at least one of the first component and the second component.
US08256734B1
The support apparatus includes a base, a pair of supporting arms, and a locking element. The base defines at least one engaging projection on a top thereof. Each supporting arm includes a body having a first curved end and a second curved end extending from the two opposite ends thereof. The first curved end is connected to the base and the second curved end is positioned in the locking element. The locking element defines a rail, and two curved protruding blocks extend from the two opposite ends of the rail. When the at least one engaging projection is engaged with a side of an external device, the supporting arms rotate relative to the base and the locking element sits on top of the external device, and the rail and the protruding blocks holds another side of the external device.
US08256716B2
An aircraft has a flight termination system that allows flight of an unmanned aircraft to be quickly and efficiently terminated. The flight termination system separates one of the control surfaces of the aircraft, such as a wing, from a fuselage of the aircraft, while one or more other control surfaces connected to the fuselage. The separation may be accomplished by firing one or more explosive bolts to release a clamp that connects the control surface to the fuselage. The separation causes an asymmetry in configuration that results in a rapid crash of the aircraft. The flight termination system causes termination to be effected in small flight footprint, without use of powerful explosives, and without a large cost in weight or volume. The flight termination system may be used in unpowered or powered aircraft.
US08256712B2
A crew rest unit for an aircraft fuselage may be formed as a monocoque shell (10) having curved walls (10b) complementary to and fitting within an available space (20a, 20b) in the aircraft fuselage. The monocoque shell (10) provides an enclosure for at least one sleep area (14a, 14b) therein. The curved walls (10b) of the monocoque shell (10) have load-bearing mounting members (12) on their outer surfaces for attachment of fasteners (22) to an adjacent wall or frame for the pre-determined available space (20a, 20b) in the aircraft fuselage.
US08256708B2
An aircraft engine attachment device including a rigid structure and a mechanism attaching the engine on the rigid structure, the attachment mechanism including a rear engine attachment and a device for taking-up thrust forces generated by the engine. The rear engine attachment is attached to the rigid structure by two lateral fittings attached to the rigid structure. The force take-up device includes two connecting rods mechanically connected to a spreader beam by a mechanical connection, a connection fitting attached to the rear engine attachment and mechanically connected to the rigid structure by a thrust pin, the lateral fittings including a stop mechanism to limit pivoting of the spreader beam if a connecting rod breaks and ensuring transmission of thrust forces to the rigid structure.
US08256706B1
Methods, aircraft, and engine nacelles are disclosed. A wing leading edge of a planform is superimposed on a wing shockwave that extends in a first direction from a shockwave apex toward the wing leading edge. A waverider shape is streamline traced between the wing leading edge and a trailing edge of the planform to form a waverider wing. A position of an engine inlet vertex relative to the waverider wing is identified. An inlet shockwave is projected from the inlet vertex in a second direction generally opposed to the first direction. The inlet shockwave intersects the wing shockwave. An inlet leading edge of an engine inlet includes a lower leading edge including a plurality of points where the inlet shockwave intersects the wing shockwave.
US08256703B1
A highly visible tether assembly for use on parked aircraft that interconnects the pitot tube covers with the landing gear lock pin thereby assuring removal of both the covers and the lock pin as part of the aircraft preflight check list. The assembly is made of heat and environment resistant materials that avoid instrument and air craft damage during installation and residence.
US08256700B2
A braking assembly used in a dispenser that dispenses a continuous supply of material such as paper. The braking assembly includes a support structure. A first fixed gear is rotatably connected to the support structure. A movable chassis is also connected to the support structure. A second movable gear is held by the chassis and moves with the chassis. Teeth of the first gear and teeth of the second gear intermesh with each other and allow the paper to pass therethrough. The chassis maintains the teeth of the first and second gears in contact with each other while enabling a distance between gears to be adjustable. The assembly further includes a braking mechanism that varies an amount of force required to rotate the gears.
US08256687B2
DOTEM is an information-coding method which is used to represent same on physical media with the aid of dots and in a computerised format, in memory and on networks with bits. The method is based on the broad concept of characters grouped into alphabets. The characters comprise dots on documents, for example, and bits in machine format. The physical characters have specific dots that are not represented in machine format in order to enable same to be located on media, such as the foot of a character and the head of a character. Each character can represent at least the 256 values of an octet. The character concept is extended such that it can be identified by the value thereof and, such that it can be identified by the value thereof and, taken together, can represent one or more variables having any dimension but determined in the structure of the character. The complex data and the context thereof can be described by a series of characters in the form of words or even sentences with a direct language correspondence. As a result, the representation is simpler and more concise. The characters are constructed over several columns for documents and over several octets for machine format. The characters can code values far greater than the octet, such that tags or field delimiters can be designated directly without the need for prior formatting.
US08256686B2
Apparatus forming a portable charge, debit or similar identification card which can be read using a magnetic card reader and methods for securing information are described. The preferred apparatus includes a magnetic stripe for storing information, a jamming assembly configured to emit a jamming signal which temporarily renders at least a portion of the magnetic stripe unreadable when the card is swiped through the card reader without first entering correct authentication data, and a power source adapted to supply power to the jamming assembly. Other features are also disclosed.
US08256680B2
A portable data terminal including a processor, a plurality of system resources, data storage means configured to store a plurality of program instructions, the program instructions including at least one hardware device driver and at least one scan driver, an image engine including a host interface, an imager in communication with the host interface, an illumination assembly and an aimer assembly wherein the illumination and aimer assemblies are controlled by the processor according to instructions stored in the data storage means, and a data structure having at least one data type and at least one value, the data structure being defined by the scan driver wherein the scan driver is configured to modify the data structure and transfer at least one of the values of the data structure to the hardware device driver in order to manage acquisition and release of a system resource by the image engine.
US08256672B2
According to one embodiment, a self-checkout terminal includes a reading unit, a registration processing unit, a determining unit, a checking unit, and a settlement processing unit. The reading unit reads a data code. The registration processing unit acquires sales limitation information. The determining unit determines, according to the limitation information, whether the commodity is subjected to sales limitation. The checking unit transmits, when it is determined that the commodity is subjected to the sales limitation, data for checking whether a limit condition is satisfied and determines whether data of completion of the check is returned. The settlement processing unit inhibits shift to settlement processing for the commodity subjected to the sales limitation and enables, when the checking unit determines that the data of the completion of the check is received, the shift to the settlement processing for the commodity and subjects the commodity to the settlement processing.
US08256669B2
A transaction product includes a housing and a plurality of cards. The housing defines a storage chamber and a substantially planar exterior surface facing away from the storage chamber. The housing is configured to repeatedly open and close to selectively provide access to the storage chamber and includes a machine-readable account identifier statically secured to the substantially planar exterior surface. The machine-readable account identifier links the transaction product to an account or record remote from the transaction product and having a value available for use as payment toward a purchase. The plurality of cards is arranged in at least one stack. The at least one stack is selectively maintained within the storage chamber of the housing, and each card of the plurality of cards is substantially planar.
US08256667B2
A transaction card with improved security features, comprising: an authentication unit and a magnetic stripe wherein parts of the magnetic field pattern of said magnetic stripe are generated by currents running through coils only after the authentication unit authenticates the transaction card holder. One or more sensors detect attempts to read the card by two magnetic heads, and block the card if a cloning attempt is suspected. The transaction card is thus closed for transactions in a normal state, and the magnetic information is not readable. Only after the card holder authentication, then currents are run through the coils to generate the magnetic information and make the magnetic stripe readable by commercial devices. Authentication means may include entering a PIN via a keyboard, entering a PIN via a keypad, voice recognition identification of one or more voices, biometric identification, or identification via a connection to a remote device.
US08256666B2
Each portable payment device associated with a single account within a payment processing system is distinguished using track data. The track data from the portable payment device is read at each of a plurality of merchant point of sale terminals (POS). Rather than relying on the PAN alone, a merchant may utilizes the track data, or a proxy thereof, as the unique identifier for the portable payment device. The merchant may then process transactions involving the portable payment device based on the unique identifier. For example, in the transit environment the transit fare for each rider with different portable payment devices but the same account can be calculated using the unique identifier, such as the full track data read from both tracks of the corresponding portable payment devices.
US08256665B2
A camera, of a handheld computing device, is used to capture a picture of an object. At least some image data corresponding to the captured picture is provided to a processor, which returns processed information corresponding to the object. By reference to this processed information, the system automatically identifies a particular one of plural different software application programs—a program that is particularly relevant to the object, rather than being generally relevant to all objects. Output information is then produced using the identified software application program, which is then presented to the user, e.g., on a screen of the handheld computing device. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.
US08256658B2
A wire bonding apparatus, comprising a bonding tool mounted on a bondhead body which is in turn mounted on a positioning table, is provided for bonding electronic devices. The positioning table has first and second motors coupled to it that are operative to drive the bondhead body to positions along respective first and second orthogonal axes. The bondhead body is connected to the positioning table through a pivot such that the bondhead body is rotatable relative to the positioning table about a third axis which is substantially orthogonal to the first and second axes. Further, a third motor drives the bondhead body to rotate about the third axis.
US08256656B2
A surgical stapling device particularly suited for endoscopic procedures is described. The device includes a handle assembly and an elongated body extending distally from the handle assembly. The distal end of the elongated body is adapted to engage a disposable loading unit. A control rod having a proximal end operatively connected to the handle assembly includes a distal end extending through the elongated body. A control rod locking member is provided to prevent movement of the control rod until the disposable loading unit is fully secured to the elongated body of the stapling device.
US08256648B2
A pre-compression system for liquid dispensing devices, such as sprayers, is presented. The pre-compression system includes a pump chamber and a valve chamber including a pre-compression valve member. The valve member is operable to allow liquid in the pump chamber to exit via an outlet only after a predetermined pressure is reached in the pump chamber, and to stop liquid from exiting when the pressure in the pump chamber falls below the predetermined pressure. The valve member includes an elastic diaphragm and a valve seat. The valve member has a concave surface facing a valve seat opening and a convex surface in communication with atmospheric pressure.
US08256647B2
A valve assembly for dispensing a plurality of flowable materials, such as viscous fluids or powders, comprising a valve member having a plurality of inlets for the plurality of flowable materials and dispense outlets communicating with the inlets and a closure having one or more openings in a pattern that corresponds to the pattern of at least some of the outlets. The valve member and the closure are movable relative to each other between a closed position in which the outlets are closed and at least one dispensing position in which one or more openings in the closure are at least partially in register with the dispense outlets thus clearing the latter.
US08256646B2
A device for storing, mixing, and dispensing components that has at least one container and a transferor configured to transfer a first, liquid component into a second, powdery component, a dispensing piston configured to dispense mixed materials, a valve assembly arranged between the first, liquid component and the second, powdery component, and a closure element. The first, liquid component and the second, powdery component are located in the at least one container, and the transfer device arranged between the first, liquid component and the second, powdery component is designed as a sealing passage piston. Such a multicomponent syringe has a significantly reduced volume as compared to the multicomponent syringes of the prior art but nevertheless offers a simple and safe handling besides the required safety with regard to separate storage and hygiene.
US08256638B2
A paint liner having a containment area within the paint liner for receiving and containing paint, the containment area defining a peripheral edge provided with a rim, the rim being provided with male and female components, the male and female components of the paint liner being positioned, shaped and sized with respect to one another so that the paint liner can be operated along first and second operating modes, where in the first operating mode the male component of the paint liner is insertable into a corresponding female component of another paint liner so that the paint liners can be nested into one another, and where in the second operating mode the paint liner is turned over so that the male component of the paint liner is insertable into another corresponding female component of the other paint liner in order to have the first paint liner cover the containment area of the other paint liner.
US08256637B2
Wire formed products are formed of wires of various cross-sectional shapes and sizes shaped and assembled to form containers, holders, dispensers and the like for household and office use. In preferred arrangements, the wire formed product comprises a weldment of frame and connecting wires. The connecting wires form arches that each include an arcuate end extending to spaced legs that overlap with the legs of adjacent wires.
US08256631B2
A closure system is provided for containers used for storing or administering substances in the form of liquids, pastes or powders, which includes a cap, provided with a through-hole, and a closure element, wherein the cap holds the closure element with a force fit and/or form fit on the container, in the area of the container opening that is to be closed, by a catch element present on the container. The end face which surrounds the container opening, and on which the closure element bears, comprises a depression. The closure element is a virus-proof, bacteria-proof and spore-proof film that lies on the end face and, at least in some areas, over the depression. The cap is then fitted in place, an elastomer ring or adhesive ring is arranged between the closure element and the depression and fills the depression.
US08256619B2
A container for an electronic device has pivotally coupled first and second portions. The first portion is configured to house the electronic device and has an opening for receiving the electronic device and for displaying the electronic device when the container is configured in a first configuration. The second portion is configured to act as a mount for mounting the container on a surface when the container is configured in the first configuration and the first portion is displaying the electronic device. The second portion is further configured to cover the opening in the first portion, and thus the electronic device, when the container is configured in a second configuration.
US08256616B2
A pack (1) for containing at least two hygiene products (100), in particular at least two uncompressed toilet paper rolls, kitchen paper rolls, household towels, individual packs of handkerchiefs or other tissue paper products. The pack includes a packaging (2) for containing the hygiene products (100), the packaging (2) being folded over and joined in an overlap (264) in a bottom wall (26) of the packaging (2); a side wall (22) extending substantially in an angle, preferably by 90° or 60°, with respect to the bottom wall (26) of the packaging (2); a single line of weakness (3) extending in a portion of the side wall (22), a portion of the bottom wall (26) and a portion of the overlap (264).
US08256595B2
A multiple disc clutch includes a pressing member that can be axially moved and that is turned together with an output shaft so as to compress driving friction plates and driven friction plates, a ringed set plate is provided on a side of the pressing member so as to receive a load by a clutch spring that axially presses the pressing member and a cam plate fixed to the pressing member so as to enable increasing or reducing frictional fitting force of the driving friction plates and the driven friction plates. The area for receiving the set plate is extended using a minimum number of parts, preventing a shape of the pressing member from being intricate and strength for supporting the set plate is enhanced. A part of the set plate axially touches the cam plate.
US08256593B2
A driving force transmitting devices is able to engage a main clutch with a small amount of hydraulic pressure. The driving force transmitting device includes an input shaft and an output shaft, and a main clutch. The device is formed of a primary clutch that intermittently transmits the driving force transmitted from the input shaft, a hydraulic pump that generates a hydraulic pressure, a piston that presses the primary clutch with the hydraulic pressure by the hydraulic pump, and a cam mechanism that presses the main clutch with a press-contact force which is amplified to be larger than the press-contact force of the piston by utilizing the driving force from the input shaft through the primary clutch, so as to engage the main clutch.
US08256578B2
An industrial truck has a vehicle frame (1), a lifting framework (4) attached to the vehicle frame (1) and two wheel arms which extend in the horizontal direction. The wheel arm is connected to the vehicle frame (1) and at the free end of which at least one running wheel (3) is arranged. Each wheel arm has a first longitudinal structural part (2) which is a component of the vehicle frame (1) and has a second longitudinal structural part (5) which is a component of the lifting framework (4). The running wheel (3) is arranged on the first longitudinal structural part (2). A screwed connection is provided for connecting the first longitudinal structural part (2) to the second longitudinal structural part (5)
US08256575B2
Methods and systems for reducing a flow of ambient air into a bearing lubricating oil system are provided. The system includes a lubricating oil bearing cover that is stationary with respect to the bearing wherein the bearing is configured to support a portion of a rotatable machine shaft. The cover includes a first end cap extending radially inwardly towards the shaft such that a cavity surrounding the bearing is formed by the cover and the first end cap and a set of seal rings positioned substantially concentric with the shaft and forming a seal against lubricating oil flow. The seal rings include a plurality of wire bristles extending radially inwardly from the end cap wherein the wire bristles are configured to extend to a surface of the shaft when assembled and the bristles are configured to present a tortuous flow path to gas infiltrating the cavity.
US08256572B2
A sound insulating trim part with acoustic mass-spring characteristics is provided. The sound insulating trim part includes a mass layer and a decoupling layer. The mass layer includes a porous fibrous layer with a dynamic Young's modulus E of at least about 96·AW·t (Pa), with AW being an area weight (g/m2), and t being a thickness (mm) of the porous fibrous layer. The mass layer also includes an air impervious thin barrier layer. The barrier layer is disposed between the porous fibrous layer and the decoupling layer. The barrier layer, the porous fibrous layer, and the decoupling layers are laminated together.
US08256571B1
A muffler for raising the audible pitch of an internal combustion engine's exhaust note that includes an enclosed case having an inlet and an outlet, and a plurality of flow-directing components which are adapted to subdivide an inlet flow into a plurality of interior flows, including a first interior flow providing the shortest flow length through the muffler between the inlet and the outlet, a second interior flow having a flow length at least about twice the length of the first interior flow, and one or more intermediate flows following by-pass passages to split off from the second interior flow between the inlet and the outlet and having flow lengths between the flow lengths of the first and second flows.
US08256565B2
An enclosure for housing a transducer and electronics for disposal on a downhole tool. A transducer is disposed at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the enclosure, wherein the enclosure contains a fluid surrounding the transducer. Enclosures also include transducers linked to motor means for selective rotation of the transducers within the enclosure. Enclosures with transducer arrays for phased or targeted signal transmission/detection.
US08256559B2
A driving force transmission device is for a four-wheel-drive vehicle based on the two-wheel drive of rear wheels or front wheels. In the case of the two-wheel drive of rear wheels, a multi-disc clutch mechanism controls the driving force distribution to a front wheel output shaft, and a disconnection/connection mechanism selectively disconnects and connects a front wheel differential and a left front wheel drive shaft. In the two-wheel drive of the rear wheels, the dragging torque of the multi-disc clutch mechanism is made smaller than the friction torque of a front wheel driving force transmission section, and the front wheel differential and the left front wheel drive shaft are disconnected by the disconnection/connection mechanism, thereby stopping the rotation of the front wheel driving force transmission section.
US08256557B2
A saddle-type vehicle includes a canister mounting structure. The vehicle includes a vehicle body frame, an engine fastened to the vehicle body frame, an exhaust pipe connected to the engine, a fuel tank mounted on the vehicle body frame, a canister for storing gasoline vapors form the fuel tank and a purge control valve for controlling purge of the canister. The canister mounting structure includes a canister holder having a first mounting portion for mounting the canister, and a second mounting portion for mounting the purge control valve therein. The canister holder is disposed adjacent the exhaust pipe. The canister holder is formed so as to cover sides of the canister and a side of the canister adjacent the exhaust pipe. Such configuration of the canister mounting structure provides heat-shielding measures for the canister, and achieves a desired ease of assembly.
US08256546B2
An internal combustion engine apparatus provided with an internal combustion engine in which ignition timing can be adjusted and which has attached thereto an exhaust gas recirculation device that recirculates exhaust gas to an intake side, a control method for the internal combustion engine apparatus, and a hybrid vehicle are provided. When it is not a recirculation ratio variation time, a target ignition timing is set by correcting a base ignition timing that has been established as a base value of an ignition timing of the internal combustion engine by a first correction amount, and when it is the recirculation ratio variation time, the target ignition timing is set by correcting the base ignition timing by a second correction amount that delays an ignition timing more than a provisional correction amount obtained by correcting the first correction amount, and the internal combustion engine is controlled so that the internal combustion engine is operated due to the ignition at the target ignition timing that has been set.
US08256540B1
A retainer cap assembly for attaching a track assembly to a vehicle includes a housing and at least two latch plates disposed in the housing, pivotable about a common pivot axis, between a locked and an unlocked position. A lock bar is rotatably supported on the housing, wherein the lock bar rotates about an axis perpendicular to the pivot axis of the latch plates, so as to be selectively engaged with both of the latch plates to prevent the latch plates from rotating on the pivot axis when the latch plates are in a locked position and disengaged with both of the latch plates to allow the latch plates to rotate on the pivot axis when the latch plates are in an unlocked position.
US08256539B2
A steerable ground piercing tool includes an elongated outer housing having a lengthwise extending bore and an inner assembly at least in part disposed within the outer housing. The inner assembly includes a rotatable chisel having a longitudinally extending shaft at least in part disposed within the housing bore. The chisel has a first end defining an asymmetric tip and a second end defining a first impact surface for receiving a reciprocating action impact to drive the tool through the ground. The inner assembly further includes a conversion mechanism to selectively convert upon activation thereof at least a first portion of the reciprocating action imparted to the first impact surface into combined reciprocation and rotation of the tool.
US08256535B2
A method and apparatus for forming a window in the wall of a tubular wellbore. In one embodiment described herein, a down hole apparatus for forming a window in the wall of a wellbore utilizing a plurality of tubing string sections and a thick tailpipe positioned at the down hole end of a tubing section.
US08256534B2
A system for optimizing a rate-of-penetration of a drill string includes a plurality of sensors in operable communication with the drill string; and a controller in operable communication with the plurality of sensors. The controller is connectable to a drill string motivator and capable of outputting a signal to the drill string motivator for optimizing the rate-of-penetration of the drill string, and the signal is configured to provide at least one of weight on bit, an amount of speed to rotate the drill string, an amount of torque to be applied to the drill string, and an amount of mudflow to the drill string.
US08256533B2
A distance holder for connection to, and rotation with, a drill string in an earth formation drilling device arranged to supply a jet of abrasive fluid for the purpose of providing a borehole by removing earth formation material through abrasion, comprises a housing with a chamber which is essentially rotational symmetric and which is to face the earth formation material, and a jet nozzle which arranged for discharging a jet of the abrasive fluid in the chamber, the housing comprising at least one slot for allowing the abrasive fluid to leave the chamber. The slot is continued over the housing outer surface so as to counteract rolling motions of the particles which are comprised in the abrasive fluid.
US08256527B2
This invention provides an auto hammer comprising a housing, a head assembly including a striking device and transmission mechanism. The striking device includes a striking rod having a striking end. The transmission mechanism includes an impact wheel. The distance from the end surface of the striking end of the striking rod to the center of the impact wheel between 40 mm and 100 mm. This distance is arranged very small, in favor of the hammer being used in some narrow spaces. The auto hammer according to this invention meets the requirements of being used in narrow spaces by hands, thereby suitable for use in various circumstances.
US08256520B2
Floating systems for well operations are disclosed with a height-adjustable crown assembly movably connected to a derrick; in one aspect, movable within the derrick by movement apparatus; and, in one aspect, movable with a motion compensator. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b).
US08256513B2
A wireline apparatus for depositing slurry in a well. The apparatus includes a container for holding slurry to be deposited in the well. The container is operatively associated with and disassociated from a packer. The apparatus also includes a displacement valve actuated by a predetermined pressure and a cross-over tool operatively associated with the displacement valve. Actuation of the displacement valve causes the slurry to enter and pass through the cross-over tool and into the well. A method of gravel packing a well with the wireline deployed apparatus is also disclosed.
US08256506B2
A tubing hanger for use in a wellhead. The wellhead includes a throughbore, a landing seat positioned in the throughbore, a landing groove positioned above the landing seat in the throughbore, and a locking groove in the throughbore. The tubing hanger comprises an expandable landing ring positioned on the tubing hanger for engaging the landing groove and a landing mechanism for expanding the landing ring radially outward from the tubing hanger. A locking ring for engaging the locking groove can be positioned on the tubing hanger. The tubing hanger can further include a locking mechanism for expanding the locking ring radially outward from the tubing hanger body and locking it into the locking groove.
US08256503B2
A plastic heat exchanger has a shell with tanks disposed side-by-side. First and last distribution tanks straddle heat transfer tanks. The shell has a plurality of flow gaps, to allow coolant to flow between adjacent tanks. Spacers hold the flow gaps open.Upper and lower flanges are adhesively attached to the shell. Flange holes align with the tanks. Each flange hole has an annular wall encircling one of the tanks to preclude the shell from expanding.Upper and lower manifolds are adjacent the flanges, and have chambers disposed side-by-side for each heat transfer tank. Baffles are adapted to be removably received between the chambers to selectively block flow.A plurality of tubes extends between upper and lower tube headers, comprising a tube bundle, removably received within each of the heat transfer tanks.A header O-ring is between each header and flange. A seal plate is disposed against each flange. Each seal plate has seal plate holes in alignment with the flange holes, defining a hole pair. Each hole pair has a groove to receive the header O-ring. Each manifold and seal plate has a manifold seal.The shell, the manifolds, the headers, and the flanges, are constructed of a polymer. The tubes are constructed of metal materials having efficient heat transfer properties.
US08256492B2
A sunshade device for a vehicle includes a sunshade cloth that has two opposite lateral ends inserted respectively into two track rails, a fixed end fixed to a winding shaft assembly, and a pull end interconnecting the lateral ends oppositely of the fixed end. A cross bar is attached to the pull end and extends between the track rails. A tensioning unit includes a spring disposed within the cross bar, a buffer sleeve disposed around the spring, and two tension cords each having an intermediate section attached to one of two lateral ends of the sunshade cloth, a first end section connected to one end of the spring, and a second end section connected to the winding shaft assembly. The tension cords prevent the sunshade cloth from becoming slack.
US08256491B2
A screening device for mounting in a frame structure, which has at least one pair of opposed frame pieces, has two opposite ends and carries at each end a coupling member for supporting the screening device in the frame structure, wherein at least one of said coupling members has a recess having at least one coupling member engagement side for engaging a bracket member in a frame structure and an electrical terminal in the recess. The electrical terminal is resilient and movable in directions towards and away from a body part of the screening device, and the resilience of the electrical terminal is configured so that retaining of the coupling member on the bracket member may, at least in part, be fulfilled by the resilience of the resilient electrical terminal.
US08256487B2
A portable barrier retraction device and system for retracting and deploying barriers, such as theatrical curtains. The device includes a first drum, a rotatable shaft in selective rotational communication with the first drum, and a clutch configured to disengage the first drum from the rotatable shaft. The device further includes a detachable rotatable second drum in rotational communication with the first drum. The rotatable shaft selectively imparts rotation to the second drum by selectively imparting rotation to the first drum. The second drum includes at least one spool configured to retract or deploy at least one line in response to rotation of the second drum.
US08256482B2
There is provided an apparatus for applying tape on a plurality of wire to form a harness thereof, the apparatus comprising a casing defining a fixed portion adapted to rotatably receive a moveable portion rotatable about a moveable portion axis, the moveable portion being adapted to secure a roll of tape thereon such that the roll of tape revolves with the moveable portion in a fashion allowing unwinding of the tape on the plurality of wires, the fixed portion and the moveable portion defining cooperating indentations encompassing the moveable portion axis, the indentation in the moveable portion being adapted to be selectively aligned with the indentation of the fixed portion to receive and allow positioning of the plurality of wires about the moveable portion axis such that the tape on the rotating moveable portion being unwounded on the plurality of wires to secure the plurality of wires in a harness.
US08256472B2
A domestic appliance apparatus having a container is connectable to a fluid-containing reservoir that includes a movable actuator for activating a pump for dispensing the fluid. The reservoir is put in communication with the container and the actuator is activated by an auxiliary device to transfer a quantity of fluid from the reservoir to the container. The auxiliary device includes a housing which accommodates a holder for holding the reservoir and an actuator driver for activating the actuator. The auxiliary device may be part of a refilling assembly, which also includes the reservoir and/or the refillable container.
US08256469B2
A method for the drainage of permeate gases from a flexible tubular pipe and a pipe embodied for carrying out the method. The pipe comprises at least one inner pressure sleeve, for the transport of hydrocarbons, which contain permeate gases which diffuse across the wall of the inner pressure sleeve. The pipe has an outer sleeve and several reinforcement layers, arranged in an annular zone between the outer sleeve and the inner pressure sleeve. The annular zone has transport ducts in which the permeate gases can circulate towards the removal. The method comprises a forced circulation of the permeate gases in the annular zone through the transport ducts towards the removal.
US08256467B1
A plug having a pressure release valve for releasing excess pressure within a bladder of the plug. The release valve has a valve core with a pressure release passage therethrough with an inlet in fluid communication with an interior void of the bladder and an outlet in fluid communication with the external environment outside the bladder. An elastomeric seal under hoop stress about a portion of the valve core seals the outlet until overinflation of the bladder causes the seal to become elastically deflected and unseal the outlet, thereby allowing excess pressure to be released. When the overinflation no longer exists because of the pressure release, the hoop stress of the seal causes resealing of the outlet. An inflation valve may also be provided to inflate the bladder, and with the inlet opening into an inflation passageway into the bladder's interior.
US08256457B2
A saddle tank for internal combustion engines of motor vehicles includes an oblong boom, which is connected at one end to a swirl pot located in the first chamber and rests toward the other end on a lower saddle surface of the saddle and a retainer for a Venturi nozzle or pump, which is mounted so it is rotatable on the other end of the boom.
US08256454B2
An adjustable moment arm flapper including a flapper defining a cavity there within and a moveable mass system disposed within the cavity, a center of mass of the flapper changeable based upon position of the movable mass and a method for dynamically controlling a flapper.
US08256446B2
Apparatus to configure fluid regulators are described. In one example, a stem guide for use with a fluid regulator is described. The stem guide includes a body having an opening to slidably receive a valve stem and an outer surface having a plurality of circumferential seals that removably couple the body within a bore of a regulator casing and align the body with the regulator casing or a valve.
US08256437B2
An applicator for applying a composition to the eyelashes or the eyebrows, the applicator having a brush with a twisted core and including at least two segments. Each segment includes a plurality of bristles having a common diameter associated with the segment, the bristles being held by the twisted core. The common diameter associated with each of the at least two segments increases for each segment towards a distal end of the twisted core.
US08256432B2
Tobacco products are wrapped by a unit equipped with a rotating drum carrying a set of holder mechanisms around the periphery, each rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of the drum, by which single products are supported and carried through an assembly station together with leaves of wrapping material received from a vacuum roller turning on an axis parallel to the axis of the drum; the vacuum roller revolves tangentially to the drum at the assembly station and comprises a system by which each leaf is transferred to a gripper associated with the support mechanism. The transfer system is timed to operate in a situation of substantially zero relative peripheral velocity between the support mechanism and the vacuum roller.
US08256422B2
A respiratory access assembly includes a distal plate having a port, which is adapted to be positioned in operable communication with an artificial airway of a patient. The assembly includes a distal plate having a port and a proximal plate which has a first port and a second port. The distal plate is positioned against the proximal plate in a stacked configuration, and each plate is configured to move relative to the other. The assembly has an actuator which is positioned adjacent to at least one plate. The actuator cooperates with both plates to substantially prevent movement of the plates when the port of the distal plate is positioned in an alignment with at least one port of the proximal plate and an object, such as a suction catheter, is positioned through the aligned ports of the plates. The actuator cooperates with at least one plate to permit movement of at least one plate when (a) no object is positioned through aligned ports, and (b) when no ports are aligned. The assembly desirably has predetermined positions, which include a first open position, a second open position, and a third closed position.
US08256419B2
The present invention relates to a method and device for determining a level of ventilatory assist to a ventilator-dependent patient, in which a critical threshold of a respiration-related feature is calculated. Fatigue of a respiratory muscle of the ventilator-dependent patient develops when the critical threshold is reached by the respiration-related feature. The level of ventilatory assist to the ventilator-dependent patient is controlled in relation to the critical threshold of the respiration-related feature so as to prevent fatigue of the patient's respiratory muscle.
US08256408B2
The device (1) for wire sawing of a piece (10) to be sawed that is mounted on a support table (20) comprises fastening means (15, 26, 40) for fastening said piece (10) to be sawed to a carriage (18) apt to cooperate with a guide rail of said support table (20), said fastening means (15, 26, 40) consisting of a mounting plate (15) apt to be manufactured to which said piece (10) to be sawed is bonded, and of anchoring means (26, 40) for anchoring said mounting plate (15) directly on said carriage (18).
US08256405B2
Disclosed herein is a breather assembly for use in an internal combustion engine and a method of operating an internal combustion engine. In at least one embodiment, the breather assembly includes an input chamber for receiving blow-by gas, the input chamber bounded at least partially by a crankcase exterior, and a standpipe situated inside the input chamber for directing blow-by gas into the input chamber. Additionally, the breather assembly can include an input drainback passage situated inside the input chamber and an output chamber situated adjacent the input chamber, the chamber having an inner wall with a one-way valve that allows blow-by gas to flow from the input chamber to the output chamber. The breather assembly can also include an output drainback aperture situated in the inner wall and an output chamber housing that substantially encloses the output chamber and includes an exhaust port for exhausting blow-by gas.
US08256404B2
To provide an oil separator including multiple cones and having a simple structure and high trapping efficiency for oil mist. An oil separator can include multiple cones arranged in a line and a chamber for blow-by gas, which is formed in adjacent to the line of the cones, and arranged at an upper side surface of the cones, the chamber being provided with a flow-in port at a position in front of the line of the cones, in which upper outer peripheral walls of the cones at portions facing the chamber constitute partition walls provided with slits, which constitute inlets for the blow-by gas to enter the cones.
US08256398B2
A high-pressure pump (50) is provided which is drivingly connected to an engine output shaft (1) and delivers fuel to an injector (4) through a delivery pipe (5) based on the rotation of the output shaft (1). The high-pressure pump (50) includes an electromagnetic valve (50b) that adjusts, based on the engine operating state, a fuel delivery amount within an adjustable range that changes according to a rotation speed of the engine output shaft (1). When an abnormality is detected in the electromagnetic valve (50b), the rotation speed of the engine output shaft (1) is restricted to equal to or less than a reference engine speed (NT).
US08256388B2
A nozzle is adapted to direct a jet of oil under pressure on an internal combustion engine. It has a variable outlet section, and it is provided with mechanical arrangement adapted to control its outlet section on the basis of the pressure of a fluid under pressure provided to this mechanical arrangement, independently of the oil going through the outlet of the nozzle. In the lubrication system an auxiliary line is provided with first proportional means controlling oil flow toward a nozzle. A control line connects a main line or the auxiliary line, upstream of the first proportional means, to a mechanical arrangement adapted to control the outlet section of the nozzle. The control line is provided with a second proportional arrangement controlling the pressure of oil delivered to the mechanical arrangement. The nozzle can be used as a piston cooling nozzle to direct oil toward a piston of an internal combustion engine.
US08256387B2
An apparatus for controlling airflow to and a temperature of an engine may employ a radiator with liquid coolant, a first roller positioned parallel to an inlet tank and a second roller positioned parallel to an outlet tank, and a single film shutter that winds upon each roller. Thin strip leaders define gaps for airflow to reach the radiator. A method of controlling an open position of the film shutter may entail calculating a first film shutter open position based upon an engine coolant temperature, calculating a second film shutter open position based upon an air conditioning output pressure, comparing the first film shutter open position to the second film shutter open position, determining the larger open position, and moving the film shutter to the larger open position to expose a greater radiator surface area than the smaller open position.
US08256380B2
A disposable folding type sanitary toilet for pets includes a folding type receiving unit configured in the form of a box having a receiving space. A wall of the box is configured to fold such that the volume of the receiving unit is adjusted, thereby allowing the sanitary toilet to be easily stored and carried. The sanitary toilet further includes a case unit for containing the bottom of the receiving unit and protecting the bottom, top, and sides of the receiving unit. The receiving unit includes a top plate, a wall unit connected to the top plate, the wall unit having horizontal folds formed at its exterior for adjusting the vertical height of the wall unit, and a lower receiving part coupled to the bottom of the wall unit and having a receiving space. An attached filter may be deployed during closure to inhibit discharge of dust and/or microbial contaminants.
US08256379B2
A dog leash handle assembly is provided with containers for dog food and water which are removeably attached to the assembly. Thus, the dog owner has a single assembly including the leash and provisions for the dog which are readily transported. The assembly also provides a place for the storage of clean up bags and other items. The handle assembly further includes has a mechanism for attaching to the loop handle of a typical dog leash but may also be used with a retractable leash.
US08256375B2
A method for the production and control of plates for electronics comprising a first step in which a plate is positioned, by means of positioning means, in a loading station; a second step in which the plate is disposed in a deposition station associated with a unit for depositing metal, or other material, in which the metal is deposited on the plate, in order to generate on the plates metal tracks, according to a pre-determined and desired topological disposition; a third step in which the plate is disposed in an exit station and a detection means is activated so as to detect the presence of defects in the plate; and a fourth step in which the plate is discharged from the exit station. In the first step the detection means is activated to identify defects in the plate disposed in the loading station. In the second step the deposition unit is activated in order to deposit the metal on the plate when in the first step the detection means has not detected any defect in the plate.
US08256374B2
Apparatus and methods for applying a coating of adhesive to laminate cover material in a profile wrapping operation. The apparatus can include a slot nozzle, a pressure roller, and a drive roller. The drive roller and pressure roller are movable to first positions in which the drive roller and pressure roller are spaced from the laminate, and second positions in which the drive roller and pressure roller contact the laminate to feed the veneer over the slot nozzle. The apparatus may be used to apply adhesive to raw veneer provided in strip form and to laminates provided in roll form.
US08256372B2
An exemplary apparatus for applying deglossing paint on a peripheral inactive portion of a lens is provided. The apparatus includes a platform, a holder and a printing device. The platform includes a worktable, and a supporting member extending from the worktable and having a cantilever portion suspending above the worktable. The holder is mounted on the worktable, and is configured for holding one or more lenses thereon. The printing device is supported by the cantilever portion, and includes a stamper facing toward the lens. The stamper is capable of having the deglossing paint stained thereon and applying the deglossing paint on the peripheral inactive portion by bringing the deglossing paint into contact with the peripheral inactive portion.
US08256359B1
A height adjustable table is disclosed wherein all horizontal supports that span between legs have been eliminated to increase storage space and knee space in the area under the table work surface. A unique telescoping leg arrangement is disclosed.
US08256356B2
A display table assembly for displaying an urn. The display table has a plurality of retractable legs and a table top. Swivably connected to the table top is an urn carriage so that the urn carriage may be rotated for display. The urn carriage has first, second, front, and back sidewalls that enclose an open interior that is of size and shape to receive an urn chest.
US08256352B2
A jacketed bullet comprising a dense core of a first material substantially surrounded by and bonded to a jacket of a second material, wherein the thickness of the jacket varies.
US08256346B2
Embodiments of the present invention dispense with the need for lithographic printing plates, instead facilitating direct transfer of ink from a permanent cylinder to a recording medium. Accordingly, instead of being permanently modified to exhibit oleophilic and oleophobic (or hydrophilic) regions, the cylinder is effectively “programmed” with the image prior to each transfer of ink.
US08256345B2
A printing press has at least one first printing tower with at least one first printing unit that has several offset printing couples which are usable to print on one or on both sides of a first web which runs through the first printing unit substantially from the bottom to the top. The web is printed in multiple colors in the first printing tower. A dryer is arranged downstream of the first printing unit and along the conveying path of the first web. A former structure, with at least one former through which the web runs, is located downstream of the dryer. At least one nipping roller is located downstream of the dryer and upstream of the former. A spreading device is provided between the dryer and the at least one nipping roller that is located upstream of the former and along the conveying path of the first web.
US08256342B2
The invention relates to an extraction module with linear closure for the pressurized preparation of a drink from a capsule, containing a substance for extraction, comprising means for extraction with a first extraction sub-assembly and a second mobile extraction sub-assembly closing against the first sub-assembly such as to form an extraction chamber in the closed position and to provide sufficient space between the two sub-assemblies for introduction of a capsule between the sub-assemblies in the open position and comprising a means for fixing and positioning the capsule between the two sub-assemblies. Said means for fixing and positioning may be displaced in a coaxial manner with relation to the linear displacement of the mobile extraction sub-assembly and is capable of being displaced linearly by the second mobile sub-assembly in to a displaced position such as to permit a closing of the two sub-assemblies around the capsule.
US08256341B2
An air-operated diaphragm brake, more particularly a brake actuator assembly containing a diaphragm with a rib or ring design for centering and maintaining the location of a piston or push plate and for reducing debris build up in the brake actuator assembly. The diaphragm includes a projecting rim for engaging a housing containing a piston, a bottom wall having an interior surface for engaging the piston, a sidewall connecting the projecting rim with the bottom wall; and a plurality of ribs or a ring disposed on the interior surface of the bottom wall. The ribs or ring structure extends in a direction away from the intersection between the sidewall and the bottom wall, toward the center of the interior surface, and revolving around the center point of the interior surface.
US08256335B1
A saw chain which is reversible having adjacent chain sections each having a pair of cutting links with cutting teeth disposed on opposite sides of the chain having flanged cutting teeth extending over the chain. The cutting edge on the pairs of cutting teeth on adjacent sections are oppositely disposed so that when the chain becomes dulled it can be reversed on the chain saw bar to reverse the chain sections to place sharp teeth in the cutting position and the previously used teeth are in a non-cutting position.
US08256330B2
A guarded surgical knife handle includes a lower handle portion, an upper handle postion, and a button. The lower handle portion includes a blade holder, a proximal pair of lateral shelves, and a distal pair of lateral shelves. The upper handle portion includes a guard portion, a proximal post between the proximal pair of shelves with a first widened post portion wider than the lateral spacing between the shelves, and a distal post between the distal pair of shelves with a second widened post portion wider than the lateral spacing between the shelves. The button has a button waist narrower than the second lateral spacing and a widened button portion below the button waist wider than the second lateral spacing. A bias member connected to the button and at least one of the handle portions provides an upward force on the button.
US08256300B2
A pressure sensor includes a sense element port, a support ring and a plurality of interference fit slits to provide a flexible interference fit between the sense element port and the support ring to form a substantially flush lap joint. The sensor also includes an electronics board inside the support ring and attached to planar mounting tabs which provide a stable mounting. Gel flow barriers protect electronics board features from unwanted non-conductive gel. Double-ended symmetrical, tapered contact springs provide manufacturing cost savings and contribute to improved alignment of an interface connector of the sensor.
US08256297B2
Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for measuring turbine blade vibratory responses. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for measuring a vibratory response of a plurality of turbine blades. The method can include mounting an optical probe comprising at least one probe tip optical surface, wherein the at least one probe tip optical surface is substantially parallel to within about +15 or about −15 degrees with respect to a trailing edge surface of at least one of the plurality of turbine blades, directing light towards a trailing edge surface of at least one of the plurality of turbine blades, receiving reflected light from the at least one of the plurality of turbine blades, and determining relative position of the at least one of the plurality of blades based at least in part on the reflected light.
US08256287B2
A system and device that provides for the retention of a sensor shield for a sensor such as a microphone, hydrometer, chemical sensor, or other detector. This invention provides for the quick attachment and release of a reduced visibility and reduced bulk shield retention assembly. In a battlefield environment, a smaller profile sensor shield presents less visibility as a prospective target of interest to enemy forces. Also, the sensor shield may be readily replaced without the use of any tools. The snap-lock feature provides a positive means for holding, for example, a windscreen in its respective position, requiring reasonable, but yet not objectionable force to install and remove the windscreen from the sensor's mounting shaft. Furthermore, the snap-lock feature, when engaged, may provide positive location of the sensor shield's sweet spot by maintaining a slight air space between the sensor shield and the sensor, and thereby precluding direct physical contact.
US08256276B2
A ball movement path measuring method includes the steps of: preparing an operating unit and a measurement unit, mounting the triaxial accelerometer in the object to be measured for enabling the triaxial accelerometer to define XYZ triaxial space coordinates, obtaining the data of a initial position of the XYZ axes at a first measuring time and the data of a reference position of the XYZ axes at a second measuring time and transmitting the obtained data to the operating unit, and comparing the reference position to the initial position and calculating the XYZ acceleration data, XYZ vector components of force and torsion force relative to each of XYZ axes after receipt of force subject to the contained angle between the coordinates data of the reference position and the coordinate data of the initial position and then using the XYZ acceleration data and the data of the weight and size of the object to calculate the force experienced by the object, initial velocity, flight duration, flight height, flight distance and/or rotation speed.
US08256275B2
An in-liquid-substance detection sensor that achieves size reduction and detection accuracy improvement includes a piezoelectric substrate, at least two SAW devices provided on one major surface of the piezoelectric substrate and each having at least one IDT electrode defining a sensing portion, outer electrodes provided on the other major surface of the piezoelectric substrate and electrically connected to the SAW devices through vias extending through the piezoelectric substrate, a channel-defining member provided on the one major surface of the piezoelectric substrate so as to surround the SAW devices and a region connecting the SAW devices to each other, thereby defining sidewalls of a channel, and a protective member bonded to the one major surface of the piezoelectric substrate with the channel-defining member interposed therebetween, thereby sealing the channel, the protective member having at least two through holes communicating with the channel.
US08256274B2
Time-series data of piezoelectric resonator frequencies for each concentration of a substance to be absorbed is collectively displayed. An absorption start point of a substance to be absorbed is set in pieces of the time-series data. An editor combines and displays at least frequency variation regions in the data. The absorption start point setting is realized when an operator positions a pointer and clicks on the time-series data, or when an absorption start signal is output at the time when a solution is supplied.
US08256264B2
A method for detecting the composition of an unknown gas mixture (Minc) through an electronic nose (2) equipped with a measuring chamber (3) that houses at least one sensor comprises the steps of: calibrating a sensor by feeding a known gas mixture (Mn) into the measuring chamber (3); feeding the unknown gas mixture (Minc) into the chamber (3), while keeping the unknown gas mixture (Mine) in a predetermined desired state; and detecting the composition of the unknown gas mixture (Minc) by means of the sensor.
US08256263B2
An apparatus for compressing a stent includes a flexible sheet having a first portion curved over toward a second portion of the sheet, such that the sheet includes a generally cylindrical opening. A compression wedge and a curved surface of a platen sandwich at least the second portion of the sheet, and the compression wedge is adjacent to the generally cylindrical opening. A size of the generally cylindrical opening is changed by relative curvilinear motion of the compression wedge and the platen.
