US08274434B2
According to one embodiment, an antenna unit provided on the inner surface of the upper peripheral portion of the display housing of a notebook PC includes a projection that positions a power feeder connected to an electronic component adjacent to the antenna unit such that the power feeder extends at a constant distance from the core member of the antenna unit. The projection projects from the core member at a position at which it does not interfere with an antenna wire, and includes a recess that receives the power feeder.
US08274428B2
A method for estimating a radar cross-section (RES) of a given object by using a diffraction model of this object. With the model, it is possible to determine a basis adapted to said object on which is projected a vector of measurement. With the projected vector, it is possible to obtain a more complete reconstructed vector than the measurement vector in terms of incident wave and diffracted wave observation directions/polarizations and the components of which have a better signal/noise ratio than the measurements. The reconstructed vector is then used for calculating the RCS.
US08274426B2
A radio frequency ranging system is grounded in establishing and maintaining phase and frequency coherency of signals received by a slave unit from a master unit and retransmitted to the master unit by the slave unit. For a preferred embodiment of the invention, coherency is established through the use of a delta-sigma phase-lock loop, and maintained through the use, on both master and slave units, of thermally-insulated reference oscillators, which are highly stable over the short periods of time during which communications occur. A phase relationship counter is employed to keep track of the fractional time frames of the phase-lock loop as a function of the reference oscillator, thereby providing absolute phase information for an incoming burst on any channel, thereby enabling the system to almost instantaneously establish or reestablish the phase relationship of the local oscillator so that it synchronized with the reference oscillator.
US08274421B2
A system for digitizing the magnitude of a first parameter, which can be inferred by applying to a second parameter and digitizing the magnitude of a resulting third parameter. The circuit which applies the second parameter has an associated bias point with which the magnitude of the second parameter varies. The value of the first parameter can result in an error in the value of the second parameter which results in an error being incurred when the digitized value of the third magnitude is used to infer a digitized value of the magnitude of the first parameter. This is avoided by adjusting the bias point with each successive trial and employing a sequential-trial ADC which performs sequential comparisons between the third magnitude and respective decision thresholds, such that there is no error in the magnitude of the second parameter when the third magnitude is equal to the decision threshold for a particular trial.
US08274419B2
A device may include a programmable gain amplifier and an analog-digital converter with pipeline architecture having several stages. The first stage of the analog-digital converter may incorporate the programmable gain amplifier and an analog-digital conversion circuit with a programmable threshold.
US08274414B2
An interface system between an RDC and a connected resolver dynamically matches an input range of the RDC to the output range of the resolver's output signals. The interface system may include methods and/or apparatuses to determine the amplitude of sinusoidal input signals presented to the RDC by the resolver and to compare the amplitude against high and low threshold values. A gain control signal may be generated, which may be corrected if the detected amplitude either exceeds the high threshold or falls below the low threshold. The gain control signal may be output to a circuit in the RDC or in the resolver that corrects any mismatch that occurs between the RDC input and the resolver output. For example, the gain control signal may control the amplitude of an excitation signal applied to a primary of the resolver or the gain control signal may be applied to an analog to digital converter at the input of the RDC to control its effective input range.
US08274405B2
A method of managing a Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC) network in a vehicle having a primary DSRC system is provided. The method comprises detecting a secondary DSRC system operating in proximity to the vehicle and transmitting a suppression notice in response to detecting the secondary DSRC system, where the suppression notice conveys an instruction to the secondary DSRC system to suspend DSRC transmissions.
US08274400B2
Methods and apparatus for facilitating optical communications and sensing, with downhole optical or other sensors, in high temperature oilfield applications. The apparatus can include a downhole telemetry cartridge for downhole use at temperatures in excess of about 115 degrees Celsius. The apparatus can also include a downhole light source optically connected to the telemetry cartridge. The light source may include at least one remotely pumped laser optically connected to a surface pump laser via optical fiber(s). The remotely pumped laser may drive the downhole optical or other sensors for their operations.
US08274398B2
A Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive includes an USB interface, a control unit, a storage unit, a timer, a logic circuit, and a quartz meter that includes a scale dial and a dial pointer. The control unit calculates a storage capacity difference between a current storage capacity and a previous storage capacity, and calculates a runtime of the dial pointer according to a time calculation algorithm. The control unit generates an enabling signal if the storage capacity difference is not equal to zero, and generates an interrupt signal when the runtime equals the time value. The logic circuit outputs a high voltage to the quartz meter to control the dial pointer to run around the scale dial according to the enabling signal, and outputs a low voltage to the quartz meter to control the dial pointer to stop running around the scale dial according to the interrupt signal.
US08274393B2
Signaling systems are disclosed that indicate a change in an absorbent article, such as the presence of a body fluid. The various different signaling systems disclosed do not include any conductive elements contained on the interior of the article as were required in the past. Instead, the changes are monitored from the outer cover of the article. In one embodiment, for instance, conductive zones are formed directly into the outer cover for forming the signaling system. Alternatively, a sensor may be mounted to the outer cover of the article for monitoring changes within the article. The sensor may comprise, for instance, a temperature sensor, a conductivity sensor, an optical sensor, a vibration sensor, a humidity sensor, a material expansion sensor, a chemical sensor, or the like.
US08274389B2
A disposable and tamper-resistant RFID lock that employs an RFID tag. Use of tamper evident housing. Disabling an RFID tag contained in the housing cutting, crushing, or puncturing the RFID tag.
US08274385B2
A security system includes a perimeter sensor configured to cause an alarm signal to be issued after a first period of time upon sensing a security breach. An interior sensor is configured to cause an alarm signal to be issued after a second period of time upon sensing a security breach. The second period of time is shorter than the first period of time. A controller is communicatively coupled to each of the perimeter sensor and the interior sensor. The controller is adapted, in response to the perimeter sensor entering into a fault condition, to reconfigure the interior sensor to cause an alarm signal to be issued after a third period of time upon sensing a security breach. The third period of time is longer than the second period of time.
US08274378B2
A remote climate control system is for an electric vehicle without a combustion engine and including a rechargeable electrical power source and an electrical heater selectively powered thereby, a sensor associated with the rechargeable electrical power source, and a data communications bus extending throughout the electric vehicle. At least one of the electrical heater and the sensor is coupled to the data communications bus. The remote climate control system includes a remote transmitter and a receiver to be positioned at the electric vehicle for receiving signals from the remote transmitter. A vehicle remote climate controller cooperates with the receiver and to be coupled to the data communications bus extending within the electric vehicle for communication thereover to selectively operate the electrical heater responsive to the sensor and the remote transmitter.
US08274374B2
Disclosed is a synchronization method between a reader and tag according to an example embodiment, the method including: transmitting, by the reader, a first write command message to the tag at a first time; detecting, by the tag, the first write command message from the reader at a second time and transmitting a first response message to the reader in response to the first write message; transmitting, by the reader, a second write command message including first time information of the first time to the tag; and correcting, by the tag, a clock offset using a difference between the first time and the second time.
US08274368B2
A chipless microwave identification tag (200) comprising: a dielectric substrate (210); and a plurality of antenna elements (220) made from a conductive material and disposed on at least one surface (205, 255) of the dielectric substrate (210); wherein when the tag (200) is excited by an incident microwave signal (131), a reflected wave (141) to identify the tag (200) is generated with a number of specific frequencies altered by microwave resonation of the antenna elements (220).
US08274351B2
A transformer device includes an iron core, a plurality of stacked coils, wound onto the iron core, a plurality of base members arranged between the plurality of coils adjacent in a stacking direction, a plurality of flow channel member groups provided for each of the coils, each provided at a corresponding base member, and forming a flow channel directed to a flow of an insulating liquid between the corresponding base member and a corresponding coil, and an obstruction member arranged to obstruct the flow of the insulating liquid such that at least one of the flow channels formed by the plurality of flow channel member groups differs in the flow volume of the insulating liquid from another of the flow channels, and to obstruct the flow of the insulating liquid at a region not overlapping with the iron core in the flowing direction of the insulating liquid, among the flow channels.
US08274349B2
A tap-switching autotransformer for regulating the voltage supplied to a facility includes an electronics sub-assembly for controlling switching of the taps. The electronics sub-assembly and the windings are contained in a housing from which the electronics sub-assembly may be removed for repair or replacement. The electronics sub-assembly is adapted to enable an electronically actuated switch to short-circuit two of the taps. A mechanical switch enables a separate short-circuit to be maintained between the taps to enable the electronics sub-assembly to be safely removed from the housing.
US08274346B2
An electromagnetic contact device has a contactor holder (40), which moves a mounted movable contactor (42a) according to a displacement of a movable core (32) forming an electromagnet (30) for operation. The contactor holder (40) is being housed together with the electromagnet (30) for operation in a case (1). The case (1) has a lower case portion (10) housing the electromagnet (30) for operation and an upper case portion (20) engaging with the lower case portion (10) while being stacked on the lower case portion and houses the contactor holder (40) advanced from above. The upper case portion (20) has a recess (21) with an upward opening and houses the contactor holder (40) placed on the bottom wall of the recess (21). The lower case portion (10) houses one selected either a DC-only electromagnet (30b) or an AC-only electromagnet (30a).
US08274343B2
An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate; an interconnect structure over the semiconductor substrate; a first dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate and in the interconnect structure; a second dielectric layer in the interconnect structure and over the first dielectric layer; and a wave-guide. The wave-guide includes a first portion in the first dielectric layer and a second portion in the second dielectric layer. The first portion adjoins the second portion.
US08274341B2
The techniques described herein permit the application of methods for increasing the performance of a communications system on a medium made up of N conductors and a reference plane by means of injecting signals inductively in up to N combinations of the conductors, including injection in common mode, such that said injected signals can be made to be orthogonal to each other.
US08274340B2
A signal bus includes multiple interconnects for transporting electronic signals. The interconnects have different physical path lengths and different structures to equalize the different the physical path lengths, so that the electronic signals traverse the corresponding interconnects in same period of time.
US08274339B2
A mixed signal circuit architecture is disclosed for automatic frequency control and digital temperature compensation in an LC-PLL system. Some embodiments allow for high-volume manufacturing of products such as microprocessors and chipsets, and other circuits that employ LC-PLL technology. In some embodiments, various capacitor loadings can be selected to compensate for variation associated with process, voltage, temperature, and reference frequency. In addition, a multi-leg capacitor bank can be selectively used to further compensate for temperature variation post-lock, in accordance with some embodiments. A programmable timer can be used in some embodiments to allow for loop settling prior to assessing parameters of interest.
US08274337B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes: digitally controlled oscillators; a phase-data output unit; an integration processing unit; a filter unit; a multiplier (a first multiplier) that outputs, as an oscillator tuning word, a value obtained by multiplying an output signal subjected to time division from the filter unit with a predetermined coefficient; and an output selector (a tuning-word separating unit) that allocates the oscillator tuning word to the digitally controlled oscillators in synchronization with a reference frequency.
US08274333B2
A method and apparatus are provided for use with a power amplifier for protecting active devices on the power amplifier. A peak detector is used by control circuitry to detect the presence of a peak voltage that exceeds a threshold voltage. In response to the detection of a peak voltage, the gain of the power amplifier is reduced.
US08274331B2
A differential receiver includes a first amplifying circuit and a second amplifying circuit. The first amplifying circuit comprises a first differential pair of PMOS transistors, a first current source, and a first load resistance section, while the second amplifying circuit comprises a second differential pair of NMOS transistors, a second current source, and a second load resistance section. With the structure of the first and second amplifying circuits, an increased input common mode range can be obtained.
US08274330B2
A method and apparatus is provided for use in power amplifiers for reducing the peak voltage that transistors are subjected to. A power amplifier is provided with first and second switching devices and an inductor connected between the switching devices. The switching devices are driven such that the switching devices are turned on and off during the same time intervals.
US08274328B2
An amplifying apparatus includes an amplifier that amplifies a signal, using a voltage supplied; a power source unit that generates a first voltage and a second voltage having an amplitude greater than that of the first voltage; and a switching controller that, when the an envelope signal of the signal becomes current zero, switches between and supplies to the amplifier, the first voltage and the second voltage generated by the power source unit.
US08274318B2
A duty cycle correction circuit of a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a duty correction unit configured to determine a duty correction range in response to a duty correction range control signal, correct a duty of an inputted clock in response to duty correction codes to fall in the determined duty correction range, and generate a duty corrected clock; a duty detection unit configured to detect a duty of the duty corrected clock and output duty information; and a duty correction code generation unit configured to generate the duty correction codes based on the duty information.
US08274317B2
A phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit including a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) with a variable gain is provided. A phase frequency detector (PFD) detects a phase difference between a reference signal and a PLL feedback signal. A charge pump and a loop filter sequentially process an output signal of the PFD. A VCO has different gains according to a mode transition. A control voltage applied to the VCO is selected from an output signal of the loop filter and an additional control signal according to the mode transition.
US08274315B2
A voltage sequence output circuit includes input terminals of a NOR gate connected to first and second input terminals. An output terminal of the NOR gate connected to a first terminal of a first electrical switch. A third terminal of the first electrical switch connected to a power source. A first terminal of a second electrical switch connected to the first input terminal and the power source through a first resistor. A second terminal of the second electrical switch connected to a second terminal of the first electrical switch. A third terminal of the second electrical switch connected to a first output terminal and a second terminal of a third electrical switch. A first terminal of the third electrical switch connected to a second input terminal and the power source through a second resistor. A third terminal of the third electrical switch connected to a second output terminal.
US08274312B2
An apparatus which provides a self-reconfigurable analog resonant computer employing a fixed electronic circuit schematic which performs computing logic operations (for example OR, AND, NOR, and XOR Boolean logic) without physical re-wiring and whose components only include passive circuit elements such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, and memristor devices. The computational logic self-reconfiguration process in the circuit takes place as training input signals, which are input causing the impedance state of the memristor device to change. Once the training process is completed, the circuit is probed to determine whether the desired logic operation has been programmed.
US08274308B2
Described herein are a method and an apparatus for dynamically switching between one or more finite termination impedance value settings to a memory input-output (I/O) interface of a memory in response to a termination signal level. The method comprises: setting a first termination impedance value setting for a termination unit of an input-output (I/O) interface of a memory; assigning the first termination impedance value setting to the termination unit when the memory is not being accessed; and switching from the first termination impedance value setting to a second termination impedance value setting in response to a termination signal level.
US08274299B2
Various methods are described to characterize interferometric modulators or similar devices. Measured voltages across interferometric modulators may be used to characterize transition voltages of the interferometric modulators. Measured currents may be analyzed by integration of measured current to provide an indication of a dynamic response of the interferometric modulator. Frequency analysis may be used to provide an indication of a hysteresis window of the interferometric modulator or mechanical properties of the interferometric modulator. Capacitance may be determined through signal correlation, and spread-spectrum analysis may be used to minimize the effect of noise or interference on measurements of various interferometric modulator parameters.
US08274296B2
Provided is a test apparatus that tests a device under test, comprising a digital signal generator that outputs in parallel one or more n-bit digital test signals, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1; a plurality of driver circuits that are connected respectively to a plurality of digital terminals of the device under test; and an analog signal generator that generates an analog test signal by converting, into an analog signal, an n×m-bit digital multi-bit signal based on the one or more digital test signals output by the digital signal generator to the plurality of driver circuits, where m is an integer greater than or equal to 2.
US08274284B2
A method for producing background-suppressed MR images with improved resistance to subject motion and noise, particularly that associated with parallel imaging techniques. An MRI system is employed to acquire two sets of undersampled k-space data under different scan conditions. A differential k-space data set is then formed by complex, pairwise subtraction of the two undersampled k-space data sets and a background-suppressed MR is reconstructed from the differential k-space data set using an accelerated reconstruction technique, such as GRAPPA.
US08274279B2
An apparatus and method are disclosed for detecting flaws in electrically conductive materials by observing properties of the back-EMF of the eddy current field generated by driving magnetic flux through the object to be examined. The input signal may include sweeps at several frequencies, and may do so at one time under the principle of wave superposition. The sectorial observations of eddy currents summations may be compared to a known datum for a defect free material, the presence of anomalies in eddy field back EMF divergence tending to provide an indication of an irregularity in the underlying eddy field, and hence in the underlying material itself. The portable unit may have a number of different configurations depending on the nature of the object to be examined, be it a flat or large radius plate, a flange, a rail, or some other structural element.
US08274278B1
An automated, non-destructive anhysteretic magnetization characterization method for studying and modeling soft magnetic materials. This measurement method employs a “reading-waveform” that allows multiple points of reference to be established in tracing out the B waveform. In using the reference values from this waveform, the components of B that cannot be measured directly may be calculated with precision. In turn, the initial magnitude of the B waveform is identified as the unknown component of the anhysteretic state. The processes can be repeated for different values of static fields as well as a function of temperature to produce a family of anhysteretic magnetization curves. The core characterization was performed without physically altering the core, so that the true anhysteretic magnetization curve, and the true B-H loop under applied bias H, is measured.
US08274274B2
A position/displacement measuring system is provided comprising at least one magnetically encoded scale body with at least one encoding track and a sensor device with at least one sensor sensitive to the encoding, the at least one encoding track comprising main fields of at least a first type and a second type which are arranged in a periodically alternating manner in at least a first direction, the subfields of the first type and second type being north pole fields and south pole fields, wherein the main fields of the first type and the main fields of the second type are each subdivided into subfields of at least two different types; wherein a length and/or an encoding strength of the subfields within a main field varies in at least the first direction; and wherein, in the main fields of the first type, the total length in the first direction and/or the total surface of field portions of the first type is greater than the total length and/or the total surface of field portions which are not of the first type, and in the main fields of the second type, the total length in the first direction and/or the total surface of field portions of the second type is greater than the total length and/or the total surface of field portions which are not of the second type.
US08274264B2
A method for improving heavy-to-light load transient response in low-power switch-mode power supplies is described. It uses a negative voltage input power rail and a digital controller with an extended duty ratio control value to provide faster discharging current slew rate in the switched mode power supplies (SMPS) inductor.
US08274260B2
A battery pack is provided which includes: a state detection section which decides whether secondary batteries are in an electricity-charged state or in an electricity-discharging state; a power decision section which decides whether the secondary batteries are in a power-on state or in a power-off state; and a residual-capacity calculation section which, if the state detection section decides that they are in the electricity-charged state, calculates the residual capacity of the secondary batteries by accumulating a current value detected by a current sensor, and if the state detection section decides that they are in the electricity-discharging state, calculates the residual capacity of the secondary batteries by acquiring the voltage of the secondary batteries when the power decision section decides that they are in the power-off state.
US08274259B2
A charge-up circuit includes a charge-up transistor configured to supply a charge-up current to a secondary battery in accordance with a control signal, a detection resistor connected in series with the charge-up transistor to detect the charge-up current, a current-to-voltage conversion circuit configured to generate and output a monitor voltage in accordance with the charge-up current based on each voltage at both end terminals of the detection resistor, a reference voltage generator configured to generate a predetermined reference voltage and including a voltage adjusting mechanism to generate the reference voltage from the constant voltage so that the charge-up current becomes a desired current, and a charge-up current control circuit configured to control the charge-up transistor so that the monitor voltage becomes the reference voltage.
US08274257B2
This invention relates to a portable charging equipment in which a socket is provided on side edge of a backup battery and a plug is correspondingly provided on a charger device. A recessed arc portion formed on the bottom surface of the charger device is to abut closely against the peripheral outer edge of the backup battery. A boost unit provided in the charger device is electrically connected to the plug, and a lead wire connected to the boost unit has an output terminal provided on the other end. A tightening strap body having hook and loop structure is attached to the charger device. The backup battery and the charger device can be inseparably affixed together by the fastening action of the tightening strap body.
US08274254B2
A power transmission control device included in a contactless power transmission system that transmits power by electromagnetically coupling a primary coil and a secondary coil from a power transmission device to a power receiving device so as to supply the power to a load of the power receiving device includes: a controller that controls the power transmission device. The controller includes: a negotiation processing section that performs a negotiation process of contactless power transmission; and a setup processing section that performs a setup process of the contactless power transmission based on a result of the negotiation process. In the device, normal power transmission from the power transmission device to the power receiving device is started after the setup process.
US08274245B2
An actuating device for displacing a control device, such as a gate valve or other control mechanism, in particular for use in oil or gas production systems, includes a motor-gear unit and a threaded spindle drive, which is operable by said motor-gear unit. The threaded spindle drive includes at least a threaded spindle and a screw nut. The threaded spindle is displaceable in an essentially axial-direction so as to displace the control device between an advance position and a retracted position. The threaded spindle drive further includes a position holding means holding the attained position of the threaded spindle. The position holding means is directly connected to a motor shaft of the motor-gear unit so as to apply a holding torque to said motor shaft.
US08274244B2
An actuator system for assisting extension of a biological joint is provided with a motor assembly, a rotary-to-linear mechanism, and an extension stop. The rotary-to-linear mechanism includes a screw that accepts rotational output of the motor assembly, and a nut that cooperates with the screw to convert rotational movement of the screw to linear movement of the nut. The extension stop is driven by linear movement of the nut in an extension direction to cause extension of the biological joint. The motor assembly, the rotary-to-linear mechanism and the extension stop cooperate to allow unpowered flexion of the joint. The system is configured without a flexion stop, and is configured such that the nut cannot drive the joint in a flexion direction. Methods of use are also disclosed.
US08274237B2
An LED driver circuit is provided for protecting one (or more) LEDs connected in series from over-current damages which may result from a short circuit condition. The driver circuit includes a current control circuit for receiving an input signal from a power source and providing a current output for powering the LED. A voltage sensor detects a voltage across the LED. An LED current restriction circuit such as a switching element restricts a current flow into the LED. A short circuit response circuit controls the LED current restriction circuit dependent on a comparison between the voltage detected by the voltage sensor and a predetermined threshold value. When the detected voltage is less than or equal to the threshold value, the response circuit determines a short circuit, and a signal is sent to the current restriction circuit to restrict current flow into the one or more LEDs.
US08274219B2
An electro-luminescent display panel including an active device array substrate, a pixel definition layer, electro-luminescent devices, an electrode layer and a protective layer is provided. The substrate includes pixel electrodes. The pixel definition layer on the substrate includes openings, each exposing the corresponding one of the pixel electrodes. The electro-luminescent devices are in the openings. Each electro-luminescent device layer is on the corresponding one of the pixel electrode. The electrode layer is on the pixel definition layer and the electro-luminescent devices. The protective layer including a buffer layer, a first and a second encapsulation films is on the electrode layer. The buffer layer covers the pixel definition layer and the electro-luminescent devices. The first encapsulation film partially covers the buffer layer. The first encapsulation film includes island patterns on the pixel electrodes. The second encapsulation film covers the buffer layer and the first encapsulation film.
US08274218B1
A color light emitting display includes light-emitting devices constituting a plurality of red, green and blue pixels disposed in a matrix form on a substrate, said light-emitting display takes out light from a side of said light-emitting devices opposite to said substrate on which said light-emitting devices are formed, and wherein when a wavelength of the light having an interference intensity of which with respect to the light emitted from an emissive layer constituting said light-emitting device becomes a maximum value at 0 degree of a viewing angle is λimax, and a wavelength of the light becomes a maximum in a light intensity of the light emitted from said emissive layer is λemax, a relationship of λemax−50 nm≦λimax<λemax is satisfied.
US08274217B2
A LED package includes a LED chip, a first phosphor layer, a second phosphor layer, a transparent adhesive and a lens. The lens includes an inner surface and an exterior surface. The first phosphor layer is mounted on the LED chip. The transparent adhesive is filled between the LED chip and the lens. The second phosphor layer is mounted on one of the inner surface and the exterior surface of the lens. Each of the first phosphor layer and the second phosphor layer is of one color.
US08274216B2
Provided is a bottom emission type organic EL panel capable of preventing or delaying loss of light emission from an end portion of the light emission area and reduction of the light emission area in an organic EL element. This organic electro luminescence panel includes an organic electro luminescence element having at least one organic layer between an anode and a cathode arranged on a substrate. This panel has a main light emission area emitting light with a high luminance and a non-light emission area or a low light emission area emitting light with a lower luminance than the main light emission area, arranged outside the end portion of the main light emission area. By limiting the main light emission area to a smaller size than the cathode forming area, the end portion of the cathode forming area is arranged outside the end portion of the main light emission area.
US08274215B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to nitride-based, red-emitting phosphors in red, green, and blue (RGB) lighting systems, which in turn may be used in backlighting displays and warm white-light applications. In particular embodiments, the red-emitting phosphor is based on CaAlSiN3 type compounds activated with divalent europium. In one embodiment, the nitride-based, red emitting compound contains a solid solution of calcium and strontium compounds (Ca,Sr)AlSiN3:Eu2+, wherein the impurity oxygen content is less than about 2 percent by weight. In another embodiment, the (Ca,Sr)AlSiN3:Eu2+ compounds further contains a halogen in an amount ranging from about zero to about 2 atomic percent, where the halogen may be fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), or any combination thereof. In one embodiment at least half of the halogen is distributed on 2-fold coordinated nitrogen (N2) sites relative to 3-fold coordinated nitrogen (N3) sites.
US08274211B2
Provided is a white organic light emitting device (OLED). The white OLED includes a double cavity structure in which a first region and a second region are defined based on a transparent common electrode using a top emission method. A green phosphorescence or fluorescence emission layer is disposed in the first region, a blue fluorescence emission layer is disposed in the second region, a red emission layer is optionally disposed in the first region or the second region, and an optical path control layer (OPCL) for widening color gamut is disposed in a region in which green light and blue light are emitted so that color coordinates are not greatly changed due to a change in thickness of the OPCL and white light having good quality is obtained.
US08274207B2
An EL display panel including an EL unit and a thin film semiconductor unit, in which the EL unit includes an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, and a light-emitting layer, and the thin film semiconductor unit includes a substrate, a gate electrode, a gate insulating film, a semiconductor layer, a first electrode, a second electrode, an interlayer insulating film, a gate line formed above the interlayer insulating film, a power supply line formed above the interlayer insulating film, in a same layer as the gate line, and side-by-side with the gate line, and an auxiliary line formed above the interlayer insulating film, in a same layer as the gate line and the power supply line, and side-by-side with the gate line and the power supply line.
US08274203B2
A spark plug electrode material that may be used in spark plugs and other ignition devices including industrial plugs, aviation igniters, glow plugs, or any other device that is used to ignite an air/fuel mixture in an engine. According to an exemplary embodiment, the electrode material includes a refractory metal (for example, tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), rhenium (Re), ruthenium (Ru) and/or chromium (Cr)) and a precious metal (for example, rhodium (Rh), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd) and/or iridium (Ir)), where the refractory metal is present in an amount that is greater than that of the precious metal. This includes, but is certainly not limited to, electrode materials including tungsten-based alloys such as W—Rh and ruthenium-based alloys such as Ru—Rh. Other combinations and embodiments are also possible.
US08274198B2
An ultrasonic motor includes a fixed member including a surface, a movable member positioned to face the surface of the fixed member, and an actuator to cause at least a portion of the movable member to contact the surface of the fixed member and cause the movable member to move relative to the fixed member.
US08274185B2
The present invention provides a rotor for a rotary electric machine, the rotor extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising: at least two poles defining between them an inter-pole space; and windings of electrical conductors wound around the poles, said windings including straight portions extending along the longitudinal axis of the rotor; at least one pole of the rotor, and in particular each pole of the rotor, including a spacer placed along at least a fraction of the straight portion between at least two conductor groups of the windings so as to form at least one cooling channel between the two conductor groups, enabling a cooling fluid to flow longitudinally and/or transversely within the windings, the spacer including at least one spacer element presenting a cross-section that is hollow, defining the cooling channel at least in part.
US08274175B2
A method in conjunction with an emergency light, and an emergency light with equipment comprising one or more LED light sources (52) for producing emergency lighting; a super capacitor (C1) arranged to supply one or more LED light sources (52), a charging apparatus (A) arranged to charge the super capacitor (C1) to a predetermined nominal voltage. The equipment of the emergency light further comprises means for deviating the charging voltage (U) produced by the charging apparatus; and means (C) for detecting the capacitor circuit voltage when the charging voltage is being deviated, the means (C) being arranged to detect a defect in the capacitor circuit in response to the voltage detection.
US08274172B2
Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for regulating or limiting the voltage output from solar modules connected in series such that the voltage on a string bus connecting those solar modules does not exceed regulatory or safety limitations. This can be accomplished via a controller, local management units (for downconverting solar module voltage output), or a combination of the two.
US08274164B2
A high power surface mount package including a thick bond line of solder interposed between the die and a heatsink, and between the die and a lead frame, wherein the lead frame has the same coefficient of thermal expansion as the heatsink. In one preferred embodiment, the heatsink and the lead frame are comprised of the same material. The package can be assembled using standard automated equipment, and does not require a weight or clip to force the parts close together, which force typically reduces the solder bond line thickness. Advantageously, the thermal stresses on each side of the die are effectively balanced, allowing for a large surface area die to be packaged with conventional and less expensive materials. One type of die that benefits from the present invention can include a transient voltage suppressor, but could include other dies generating a significant amount of heat, such as those in excess of 0.200 inches square.
US08274163B2
A method of making a semiconductor die includes forming a trench around a conductive stud extending from the first side to a second side of a substrate to expose a portion of the stud and then forming a conductive layer inside the trench and in electrical contact with the stud.
US08274157B2
A semiconductor device having redistribution interconnects in the WPP technology and improved reliability, wherein the redistribution interconnects have first patterns and second patterns which are electrically separated from each other within the plane of the semiconductor substrate, the first patterns electrically coupled to the multi-layer interconnects and the floating second patterns are coexistent within the plane of the semiconductor substrate, and the occupation ratio of the total of the first patterns and the second patterns within the plane of the semiconductor substrate, that is, the occupation ratio of the redistribution interconnects is 35 to 60%.
US08274142B2
A semiconductor device includes: a plurality of semiconductor substrates each having a pad-formed surface and being mutually laminated; a connection electrode pad formed on the pad-formed surface; a wire connecting the connection electrode pads of the plurality of semiconductor substrates so as to electrically connect the semiconductor substrates; a relay electrode pad that is provided on the pad-formed surface of a lower one of the laminated semiconductor substrates so as to be exposed by an upper one of the laminated semiconductor substrates, and that is connected to the connection electrode pad by a relay wire included in the wire; and a mounting electrode pad that is formed on a mounting surface on which the laminated semiconductor substrates are mounted, and that is connected to the relay electrode pad of the lower semiconductor substrate by the wire. In the device, the wire electrically connects the connection electrode pad of the upper semiconductor substrate to the relay electrode pad of the lower semiconductor substrate.
US08274139B2
A via connecting the front surface of a substrate to its rear surface and having, in cross-section in a plane parallel to the surfaces, the shape of a scalloped ring.
US08274131B2
A semiconductor device comprising a first transistor device (130) on or in a semiconductor substrate (115) and a second transistor device (132) on or in the substrate. The device further comprises an insulating trench (200) located between the first transistor device and the second transistor device. At least one upper corner (610) of the insulating trench is a rounded corner in a lateral plane (620) of the substrate.
US08274117B2
A semiconductor device includes a first MISFET having a first conduction type channel and formed on a semiconductor substrate; a second MISFET having a second conduction type channel and formed on the semiconductor substrate; a first strain film having a first sign strain that covers a region where the second MISFET is disposed; and a second strain film having a second sign strain that covers a region where the first MISFET is disposed. In the semiconductor device, an edge of the second strain film closer to the second MISFET overlaps with part of the first strain film; and the second strain film at a portion where the second strain film overlaps with the first strain film and at a portion extending from the portion, is thinner than the second strain film at a portion that covers the first MISFET.
US08274113B1
A trench MOSFET having shielded gate in parallel with trench Schottky rectifier is formed on a single chip to further increase the efficiency of the trench MOSFET having shielded electrode. As the size of present device is getting smaller and smaller, the trench Schottky rectifier of this invention is able to be shrink and, at the same time, to achieve lower forward voltage drop and lower reverse leakage current.
US08274110B2
A vertical semiconductor material mesa upstanding from a semiconductor base that forms a conductive channel between first and second doped regions. The first doped region is electrically coupled to one or more first silicide layers on the surface of the base. The second doped region is electrically coupled to one of a plurality of second silicide layers on the upper surface of the mesa. A gate conductor is provided on one or more sidewalls of the mesa.
US08274109B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having at least a pn-junction arranged in the semiconductor substrate. At least a field electrode is arranged at least next to a portion of the pn-junction, wherein the field electrode is insulated from the semiconductor substrate. A switching device is electrically connected to the field electrode and adapted to apply selectively and dynamically one of a first electrical potential and a second electrical potential, which is different to the first electrical potential, to the field electrode to alter the avalanche breakdown characteristics of the pn-junction.
US08274101B2
An image sensor includes a device wafer substrate of a device wafer, a device layer of the device wafer, and optionally a heat control structure and/or a heat sink. The device layer is disposed on a frontside of the device wafer substrate and includes a plurality of photosensitive elements disposed within a pixel array region and peripheral circuitry disposed within a peripheral circuits region. The photosensitive elements are sensitive to light incident on a backside of the device wafer substrate. The heat control structure is disposed within the device wafer substrate and thermally isolates the pixel array region from the peripheral circuits region to reduce heat transfer between the peripheral circuits region and the pixel array region. The heat sink conducts heat away from the device layer.
US08274091B1
A light emitting device with a light extraction layer and the fabricating method thereof are provided. Embedding a light extraction layer between an emitting layer and a packaging layer can reduce the difference in the refractive index between the emitting layer and the packaging layer. In addition, the refractive index of the light extraction layer is adjustable by doping various concentrations of metal materials in the light extraction layer. The mechanism helps improving the light emitting efficiency of the light emitting device.
US08274090B2
An organic light-emitting display device includes: a substrate; pixels on a first side of the substrate, each of the pixels comprising a first region for emitting light and a second region for transmitting external light; pixel circuits on the first regions of the pixels, each of the pixel circuits comprising at least one thin film transistor; an insulating layer covering the pixel circuits; first electrodes on the insulating layer, spaced from each other on the first regions, and electrically connected to the pixel circuits; a second electrode opposite the first electrodes and formed throughout the first and second regions of all the pixels; an organic layer between the first electrodes and the second electrode; a sealing member facing the first side of the substrate; and an anti-reflection layer located on at least one of a second side of the substrate or an outer side of the sealing member.
US08274087B2
To improve an adhesion to a substrate holder, and improve a device production yield by uniformizing a temperature distribution in a surface of a substrate and uniformizing characteristics such as a film thickness. When a concave warpage is set to be negative on a substrate front side, and a convex warpage is set to be positive on the substrate front side, then a line segment is drawn from one end of a substrate rear surface to the other end of the substrate rear surface, passing through a substrate center line, and a substrate is sliced by this line segment in a substrate thickness direction, a maximum value of shortest values of a distance from an arbitrary point on the drawn line segment to a rear side outline in a sliced surface, is defined as warpage H in a diameter direction, and when the warpage H in the diameter direction is obtained in a substrate peripheral direction, with its maximum value set to be Hmax, and its minimum value set to be Hmin, the warpage H in the diameter direction is defined to satisfy Hmax−Hmin≦30 μm.
US08274083B2
A reduction in contaminating impurities in a TFT, and a TFT which is reliable, is obtained in a semiconductor device which uses the TFT. By removing contaminating impurities residing in a film interface of the TFT using a solution containing fluorine, a reliable TFT can be obtained.
US08274075B2
Solution-processable dielectric materials are provided, along with precursor compositions and processes for preparing the same. Composites and electronic devices including the dielectric materials also are provided.
US08274068B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit device including: multiple wiring layers stacked on a semiconductor substrate with interlayer insulating films interposed therebetween; wiring hook-up portions extended from the corresponding wirings in the respective wiring layers; and contact conductors so buried in interlayer insulating films as to pass through the hook-up portions for vertically leading wirings of the respective wiring layers, wherein the hook-up portions have different sizes from each other between at least two layers in the wiring layers.
US08274066B2
This disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor device layer and associated memory cell structures. By performing a surface treatment process (such as ion bombardment) of a semiconductor device layer to create defects having a deliberate depth profile, one may create multistable memory cells having more consistent electrical parameters. For example, in a resistive-switching memory cell, one may obtain a tighter distribution of set and reset voltages and lower forming voltage, leading to improved device yield and reliability. In at least one embodiment, the depth profile is selected to modulate the type of defects and their influence on electrical properties of a bombarded metal oxide layer and to enhance uniform defect distribution.
US08274065B2
A memory, comprising a metal portion, a first metal layer and second metal oxide layer is provided. The first metal oxide layer is on the metal portion, and the first metal oxide layer includes N resistance levels. The second metal oxide layer is on the first metal oxide layer, and the second metal oxide layer includes M resistance levels. The memory has X resistance levels and X is less than the summation of M and N, for minimizing a programming disturbance.
US08274063B2
A composite focused ion beam device has a first ion beam irradiation system that irradiates a first ion beam for processing a sample and a second ion beam irradiation system that irradiates a second ion beam for processing or observing the sample. The first ion beam irradiation system has a plasma type gas ion source that generates first ions for forming the first ion beam, each of the first ions having a first mass. The second ion beam irradiation system has a gas field ion source that generates second ions for forming the second ion beam. Each of the second ions has a second mass smaller than that of the first mass.
US08274059B2
An active detector and methods for detecting molecules, including large molecules such as proteins and oligonucleotides, at or near room temperature based on the generation of electrons via field emission (FE) and/or secondary electron emission (SEE). The detector comprises a semiconductor membrane having an external surface that is contacted by one or more molecules, and an internal surface having a thin metallic layer or other type of electron emitting layer. The kinetic energy of molecules contacting the semiconductor membrane is transferred through the membrane and induces the emission of electrons from the emitting layer. An electron detector, which optionally includes means for electron amplification, is positioned to detect the emitted electrons.
US08274054B2
Methods and systems for determining a sequence of energy interactions in a detector. A plurality of discrete energy interactions is received in a plurality of detector voxels. A plurality of possible sequences of interaction is formed based on the received plurality of discrete energy interactions. For each of the plurality of possible sequences of interaction, an a posteriori probability is computed, where the a posteriori probability is based on a likelihood that the possible sequence of interaction is consistent with the received plurality of discrete energy interactions. Additionally or alternatively, the a posteriori probability may be based on an a priori probability. One of the formed plurality of possible sequences of interaction is selected based on the computed a posteriori probability.
US08274052B1
In a specimen identification system, an oscillator directs a THz wave toward a channel that accommodates a specimen. A receiver detects the THz wave transmitted through the specimen. A first controller controls the oscillator to sweep the oscillation frequency of the THz wave within a frequency band. A receiver generates a receiving signal by sweeping the receiving frequency of the THz wave within the frequency band. A specimen identification unit specifies the specimen based on the waveform of the receiving signal within the frequency band.
US08274046B1
This invention provides a monochromator for reducing energy spread of a primary charged particle beam in charged particle apparatus, which comprises a beam adjustment element, two Wien-filter type dispersion units and an energy-limit aperture. In the monochromator, a double symmetry in deflection dispersion and fundamental trajectory along a straight optical axis is formed, which not only fundamentally avoids incurring off-axis aberrations that actually cannot be compensated but also ensures the exit beam have a virtual crossover which is stigmatic, dispersion-free and inside the monochromator. Therefore, using the monochromator in SEM can reduce chromatic aberrations without additionally incurring adverse impacts, so as to improve the ultimate imaging resolution. The improvement of the ultimate imaging resolution will be more distinct for Low-Voltage SEM and the related apparatuses which are based on LVSEM principle, such as the defect inspection and defect review in semiconductor yield management. The present invention also provides two ways to build a monochromator into a SEM, one is to locate a monochromator between the electron source and the condenser, and another is to locate a monochromator between the beam-limit aperture and the objective. The former provides an additional energy-angle depending filtering, and obtains a smaller effective energy spread.
US08274045B2
A method of imaging mass spectroscopy and a corresponding apparatus are provided, wherein the m/z-ratio of ions as well as the location of said ions on a sample surface are detected simultaneously in a time of flight mass spectrometer. The detector is a semiconductor array detector comprising pixels, that each can be arranged to measure a signal intensity of a signal induced by the ions or their time of arrival. A four-dimensional image consisting of the two lateral dimensions on the sample surface, the m/z-ratio representing the ion type and the abundance of an ion type on the surface can be reconstructed from repeated measurements for which a correspondingly adapted computer program product can be involved.
US08274042B2
The invention relates to spatially resolved mass spectrometric measurement and visualization of the distribution of small molecules in a mass range from approximately 150 to 500 Daltons, for example drugs and their metabolites, in thin sections or other two-dimensional samples, preferably with ionization of the molecules by matrix-assisted laser desorption. The invention includes the steps measuring a daughter ion produced by forced decomposition of the molecular ion instead of the ionized analyte molecule itself, the daughter ion having a much better signal-to-noise ratio. The daughter ions are detected in a relatively simple reflector time-of-flight mass spectrometer instead of using an expensive time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometers for the measurement of the daughter ions. Advantageously, substantially faster and less expensive scanning of the thousands of mass spectra which serve as the basis for visualizing the spatial distribution of the analyte molecule is achieved, while the mass resolution and sensitivity are at least equally good.
US08274030B2
The present disclosure relates to a concentrator, particularly a terrestrial solar concentrator to harness the sun's energy, and a tracking system. The concentrator includes a parabolic or other curved reflective surface and an absorber positioned at the focus of the curved reflective surface. Parabolic ribs give shape to the reflective surface. The tracking system includes a rotating, swiveling, or pivoting joint. One or more cables attach to the tracking system. Selectively applying tension to the cables causes the tracking system to rotate, swivel, or pivot at the joint to track an object.
US08274029B2
An inverter for converting the direct current provided by a solar generator to alternating current includes a control providing a control signal for a drive of the solar generator, for allowing tracking the solar generator after the sun, wherein the control is integrated in the inverter.
US08274024B2
Control surface assemblies have a torque tube base. In one embodiment, a method includes moving an aerospace vehicle through a medium; and moving at least a portion of a control surface assembly to generate a force for controlling the vehicle.
US08274011B2
A soldering device includes a tip member and a temperature sensor embedded within the tip member by a buckled copper pipe that is thermally conductive. A soldering device includes a tip member and a temperature sensor embedded within the tip portion by application of a crimping force that deforms the tip portion onto the temperature sensor. A soldering device includes a tip member, a heater member, and a thermally conductive wedge that is pushed into a gap between the tip member and the heater member. A soldering device includes a tip cartridge carried by a handle assembly that includes an o-ring and an o-ring cover that keeps the o-ring from falling off of the handle assembly. The o-ring cover includes a hook portion that engages a catch feature of the handle housing.
US08273993B2
An electronic component module 1 has a circuit board 2 in which metal plates 5 and 7 are bonded to both surfaces of a ceramic substrate 3, and an electronic component 9 that is bonded to at least one surface of the metal plate 5 and is operable at least 125° C. The electronic component 9 is bonded to the metal plate 5 via a brazing material layer 8 having a higher melting point than a operating temperature of the electronic component 9.
US08273990B2
A flexible flat circuit cable includes first and second flexible circuit substrates extending in an extension direction. The first flexible circuit substrate has a first surface forming a first conductor layer and an insulation layer, and the second flexible circuit substrate has a first surface forming a second conductor layer and an insulation layer. A bonding material layer is applied at a predetermined section between the first flexible circuit substrate and the second flexible circuit substrate to bond the first and second flexible circuit substrates together in such a way to maintain a predetermined spacing distance between the first and second flexible circuit substrate and forming a gapped segment at sections where no bonding material is applied. The first and second flexible circuit substrates form a cluster section within the gapped segment, which has opposite ends respectively forming first and second connected sections each of which forms a connection plug or is provided with a connector.
US08273986B2
A device housing for an electronic device is provided. The device housing includes a main body and a decorative member. The main body and the decorative each has a metallic coating with a different color. The decorative member is positioned within the main body to form a desired symbol, logo, or pattern thereon.
US08273976B1
A synchronized performance process includes performing a first portion of a musical work using musicians and performing a second portion of the musical work using a computer.
US08273967B1
The present invention is in the field of soybean cultivar 05JR211311 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean cultivar 05JR211311 and its progeny, and methods of making 05JR211311.
US08273963B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1016240. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1016240. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1016240 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1016240 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08273961B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1015499. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1015499. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1015499 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1015499 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08273960B2
A soybean cultivar designated S080187 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S080187, to the plants of soybean S080187, to plant parts of soybean cultivar S080187, and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar S080187 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 S080187, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S080187, 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 S080187 with another soybean cultivar.
US08273958B2
The present invention relates to a new process for the production of arachidonic acid and/or eicosapentaenoic acid in plants through the co-expression of a Δ-12-/Δ-15-desaturase, Δ-9-elongase, Δ-8-desaturase and a Δ-5-desaturase and a process for the production of lipids or oils having an increased content of unsaturated fatty acids, in particular ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids having at least two double bonds and a 18 or 20 carbon atom chain length. Preferably the arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid are produced in at least a 1:2 ratio. The invention furthermore relates to the production of a transgenic plants, preferably a transgenic crop plant, having an increased content of arachidonic acid and/or eicosapentaenoic acid, oils or lipids containing C18- or C20-fatty acids with a double bond in position 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15 or 17 of the fatty acid produced, respectively due to the expression of the Δ-12-/Δ-15-desaturase, of the Δ-9-elongase, of the Δ-8-desaturase and of the Δ-5-desaturase in the plant. The expression of the inventive Δ-12-/Δ-15-desaturase leads preferably to linoleic acid and linolenic acid as products having a double bond in the position 9, 12 and 15 of the fatty acid. The invention additionally relates to specific nucleic acid sequences encoding for proteins with Δ-12-/Δ-15-desaturase-, Δ-9-elongase-, Δ-8-desaturase- or Δ-5-desaturase-activity, nucleic acid constructs, vectors and transgenic plants containing said nucleic acid sequences.
US08273957B2
The present invention relates to fungal Δ-15 fatty acid desaturases that are able to catalyze the conversion of linoleic acid (18:2, LA) to alpha-linolenic acid (18:3, ALA). Nucleic acid sequences encoding the desaturases, nucleic acid sequences which hybridize thereto, DNA constructs comprising the desaturase genes, and recombinant host plants and microorganisms expressing increased levels of the desaturases are described. Methods of increasing production of specific omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids by over-expression of the Δ-15 fatty acid desaturases are also described herein.
US08273949B2
The present invention relates to a method for identifying and isolating native plant nucleic acid sequences that may function as T-DNAs or T-DNA border-like sequences, effecting the transfer of one polynucleotide into another polynucleotide. The present invention also provides a modified tuber, such as a genetically modified mature tuber, that comprises at least one trait that is not exhibited by a non-modified tuber of the same species.
US08273945B1
A novel maize variety designated X08A169 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 X08A169 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X08A169 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X08A169, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X08A169. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X08A169.
US08273941B2
The invention provides a nonwoven fabric having good fluid drawing properties, in which fluid hardly remains, a method for producing a nonwoven fabric, and an absorbent article.The nonwoven fabric has a thickness direction and a planar direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, and includes a high density region having a higher fiber density than an average fiber density. The high density region penetrates from one side to another side in the thickness direction.
US08273934B2
A process for producing a PX-rich product, the process comprising: (a) providing a PX-depleted stream; (b) isomerizing at least a portion of the PX-depleted stream to produce an isomerized stream having a PX concentration greater than the PX-depleted stream and a benzene concentration of less than 1,000 ppm and a C9+ hydrocarbons concentration of less than 5,000 ppm; and (c) separating the isomerized stream by selective adsorption.
US08273933B2
A method for forming a functionalized latex polymer includes polymerizing a heterogeneous dispersion of water insoluble monomers in water, thereby forming a latex polymer. An at least partially water soluble halogenated non-ionic group is reacted with the latex polymer, whereby a halogen is displaced from the non-ionic group, thereby forming an at least partially water soluble non-ionic group that attaches to the latex polymer.
US08273932B2
The process for producing alkylated aromatic compounds includes feeding raw materials including an aromatic compound, a ketone and hydrogen in a gas-liquid downward concurrent flow mode to a fixed-bed reactor packed with a catalyst thereby to produce an alkylated aromatic compound, wherein the catalyst includes a solid acid component and a metal component, the catalyst is loaded in the fixed-bed reactor such that the catalyst forms a catalyst layer, and the reaction gas flow rate defined by Equation (1) below is not less than 0.05 at an entrance of a layer containing the solid acid: ρg·ug·[ρair·ρwater/(ρg·ρl)]1/2 (kgm−2s−1).
US08273919B2
Problem: To provide a novel compound capable of preventing pyrolysis of fluorinated oils when it is used as an additive for the fluorinated oils.Solution Means: A compound represented by Formula (1): wherein Y represents an oxygen atom (O), a sulfur atom (S), a CO group, a SO group, or a SO2 group; k is an integer from 1 to 5; m is an integer from 1 to 10; and n is an integer of 1 or more; and wherein two substituents on each phenyl group may be in any of ortho-, meta-, and para-positions.
US08273914B1
Disclosed is a process for making vinyl chloroformate which includes reacting (a) a carbonyl compound of formula I: wherein R is a halogen or an alkyl group of 1 to about 25 carbon atoms; with (b) a silyl-containing enol ether and in the presence of an effective amount of a Group VIII-containing catalyst.
US08273912B2
The invention provides a reaction system for the production of an alkylene carbonate comprising: an epoxidation zone containing an epoxidation catalyst located within an epoxidation reactor; a carboxylation zone containing an bromide-containing carboxylation catalyst located within an alkylene oxide absorber; and one or more purification zones containing a purification absorbent capable of reducing the quantity of bromide-containing impurities in a feed comprising a recycle gas, which purification zones are located upstream from the epoxidation zone; and a process for the production of an alkylene carbonate and an alkylene glycol.
US08273911B2
At least one (poly)thio alkoxy and/or halosilane is/are prepared by reaction of at least one sulfur-containing reagent with at least one alkoxy and/or halosilane, wherein an ionic addition of a sulfur-containing reagent to an alkoxy and/or halosilane is preferably conducted with thermal and/or actinic activation; the novel polythio alkoxy and/or halosilanes of formula (III.2) thus prepared are particularly useful as coupling agents in elastomeric compositions containing a white filler of the silica type and having the formula (III.2) wherein, for example, R1.1 and R1.3=methyl and R1.2=ethoxy.
US08273904B2
Process for preparing 2,2-difluoroethylamine derivatives, wherein compounds of the general formula (IV) are reduced to the corresponding 2,2-difluoroethylamine derivatives of the general formula (III), where the A radical is as defined in the description:
US08273903B2
The disclosure provides a method for preparing the citraconic anhydride and a method for isomerizing/dehydrating itaconic acid. The method for preparing the citraconic anhydride includes the following steps: providing itaconic acid as a starting material; and subjecting the itaconic acid to an isomerization/dehydration reaction in the presence of a catalyst to obtain the citraconic anhydride, wherein the catalyst includes a heteropolyacid or heteropolyacid salt.
US08273896B2
The present invention relates to processes for the preparation of compounds useful as inhibitors of p38 kinase. The processes of the present invention are amenable for large scale preparation and produce stable phenyl-6-(1-(phenyl)ureido)nicotinamides in high purity and yields.
US08273887B2
The present invention provides processes for the synthesis of opiate alkaloids. In particular, the opiate alkaloids produced by the process of the invention are typically intermediate compounds that may be utilized to produce a variety of biologically active alkaloids including buprenorphine and diprenorphine.
US08273880B2
Disclosed herein are novel pyrazole compounds, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, a method for preparing the same, and uses thereof as anticancer agents.
US08273873B2
A sucrose of a conformational polymorph and its manufacturing method are disclosed. The sucrose is a Form II sucrose having a melting point of 140-180° C., and furfuryl alcohol is added into a saturated sucrose solution by a reverse solution method, such that the saturated solution is recrystallized to form a new sucrose. The sucrose of this conformational polymorph has a melting point lower than the melting point of a general Form I sucrose, and the solubility of the Form II sucrose is different from the solubility of the Form I sucrose. Thus the Form II sucrose can be used as an excipient of medicines, sacrificial fiber blood vessel network structure for cell cultivations, or the manufacture of an optical interference wavy device. Since the hydrogen bonds in the molecular structure of the Form II sucrose and the Form I sucrose are different, the mechanoluminescence of the sucrose is affected.
US08273868B2
The present invention relates to a double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) having a nucleotide sequence which is less that 30 nucleotides in length and which is substantially identical to at least a part of a 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of a (+) strand RNA virus, such as HCV, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising the dsRNA, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The pharmaceutical compositions are useful for treating infections and diseases caused by the replication or activity of the (+) strand RNA virus, as well as methods for inhibiting viral replication.
US08273861B2
Methods and reagents for photo-initiated carbonylation with carbon-isotope labeled carbon monoxide using alkyl/aryl iodides with carbanion precursors pretreated by a base are provided. The resultant carbon-isotope labeled ketones, and pharmaceutical acceptable salts and solvates are useful as radiopharmaceuticals, especially for use in Positron Emission Tomography (PET). Associated kits and method for PET studies are also provided.
US08273857B2
The present invention describes neuroprotective and multifunctional intra- and inter-molecular redox coupled polynitroxylated pegylated carboxy hemoglobins as high therapeutic index agents for un-met medical needs or diseases, which require acute or chronic alleviation of oxidative stress and correction of inadequate blood flow resulting from physical injury, ischemia, reperfusion injury, and inflammation injury in either or both pre-hospital and in-hospital transfusion and critical care medicine. These hemoglobins are triple-modified with a focus on therapeutic activities rather than oxygen carrying ability.
US08273856B2
Disclosed are major allergenic proteins in cashew nut, which are legumin-like proteins and 2S albumins. Also disclosed is a polypeptide allergen in the 7S superfamily, which includes vicilin-like and sucrose binding proteins. Several linear epitopes of the cashew nut are identified and characterized. The invention further discloses the sequence of cDNA encoding the allergenic polypeptide, the allergen being designated Ana o 1, and also describes the characterization of the expressed recombinant polypeptide and associated methods employing the polypeptide.
US08273846B2
The present invention relates to high-quality polyurethane and polyurethane urea elastomers which exhibit unique combinations of processing characteristics, oxidation resistance, mechanical and mechanical/dynamic properties in particularly demanding applications. These polyurethane elastomers and polyurethane urea elastomers are based on novel polycarbonate polyols.
US08273839B2
Antiballistic or composite products include high strength polyethylene films or tapes produced in a process including the steps of providing a quantity of disentangled polyethylene, applying a pressure of at least 20 bar to the quantity of disentangled polyethylene and a temperature between the α-relaxation temperature and the melting temperature of the disentangled polyethylene Tm PE resulting in a block of disentangled polyethylene, skiving a film or tape off the block of disentangled polyethylene and drawing the film or tape in a single or multi stage drawing step at a total draw ratio of at least 1:20.
US08273838B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a class of propylene/α-olefin block interpolymers. The propylene/α-olefin interpolymers are characterized by an average block index, ABI, which is greater than zero and up to about 1.0 and a molecular weight distribution, Mw/Mn, greater than about 1.3. Preferably, the block index is from about 0.2 to about 1. In addition or alternatively, the block propylene/α-olefin interpolymer is characterized by having at least one fraction obtained by Temperature Rising Elution Fractionation (“TREF”), wherein the fraction has a block index greater than about 0.3 and up to about 1.0 and the propylene/α-olefin interpolymer has a molecular weight distribution, Mw/Mn, greater than about 1.3.
US08273835B2
Process for the preparation of ethylene homopolymers or copolymers in the presence of free-radical polymerization initiators at from 100° C. to 350° C. and pressures in the range of from 160 MPa to 350 MPa in a tubular reactor with at least two spatially separated initiator injection points, wherein injecting initiator rises the temperature of the reaction mixture in the reaction zone following the injection point, and the first initiator injection point of the tubular reactor is not provided with initiator or is provided with so little initiator that the temperature of the reaction mixture does not rise more than 20° C. in the first reaction zone and method for reducing the output of a high pressure tubular reactor for the homo- or copolymerization of ethylene in the presence of free-radical polymerization initiators with at least two initiator injection points, wherein feeding of free-radical polymerization initiator to the first initiator injection point is discontinued or reduced to a level that the temperature of the reaction mixture in the first reaction zone does not rise more than 20° C.
US08273831B2
Brominated styrenic polymer is recovered from solution in a vaporizable solvent by converting the solution in a devolatilization extruder into a brominated styrenic polymer melt or flow and a separate vapor phase comprised predominately of vaporizable solvent, recovering the melt or flow from the devolatilization extruder, and allowing or causing the melt or flow to solidify. The solidified brominated styrenic polymer can be subdivided into a powder or pelletized form. Pellets so made have improved hardness and/or crush strength properties along with reduced formation of fines. Brominated anionic styrenic polymer is preferably used in the process.
US08273830B2
Provided is a method of deprotecting a protected polymer, the method being capable of, in the deprotection reaction of a polymer comprising a unit structure having a phenolic hydroxyl group protected with an acyl group, deacylating the polymer in a short period of time while maintaining the other structure, and being capable of taking out the deacylated polymer while highly suppressing contamination of the deacylated polymer with a substance other than the polymer taking part in the reaction. More specifically, provided is a method of deprotecting a protected polymer comprising at least a step of dissolving in an organic solvent the protected polymer comprising at least a unit structure having a phenolic hydroxyl group protected with an acyl group and a deprotecting reagent selected from primary or secondary amine compounds each having a ClogP value of 1.00 or less with the proviso that in the secondary amine compound, neither of the two carbon atoms coupled to the nitrogen atom of the amino group is tertiary. The primary or secondary amine compounds are each represented preferably by HNR12-nR2n (1).
US08273807B2
The present invention herein provides ceramic powder which is to be incorporated into rubber or a resin and which can be used as, for instance, a semiconductor-sealing material and for the preparation of a composition excellent in the narrow interstice-filling up property and moldability. The ceramic powder has a multiple peak-frequency type particle size distribution which has at least two peaks, as determined according to the laser diffraction-scattering type particle size distribution analyzer, wherein the maximum particle size observed for the first peak falls within the range of from 12 to 30 μm; that observed for the second peak falls within the range of from 2 to 7 μm; the content of the particles having a particle size of greater than 7 μm and less than 12 μm is not more than 18% (including 0%); and wherein the ratio (F2/F1) of the frequency value F2 of the maximum particle size for the second peak to that F1 of the maximum particle size for the first peak ranges from 0.5 to 1.3.
US08273806B2
The process for preparing a self-healing composite material comprising a matrix of epoxy polymer, in which a catalyst of ring opening metathesis reaction and microcapsules containing a cyclic olefin having 7 to 40 carbon atoms are dispersed, comprises the steps of: preparing a mixture of a precursor of the epoxy polymer, having at least one oxirane ring, a curing agent chosen from the group consisting of tertiary amines, a Hoveyda-Grubbs II metathesis catalyst reaction, having the formula (I), wherein Ar=aryl having at least one halogen or alkyl substituent and “R=alkyl with 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and microcapsules containing a cyclic olefin having 7 to 40 carbon atoms; and heating the mixture at a temperature comprised between 25 and 130° C. for at least 1 hour, so as to obtain such matrix of epoxy polymer due to a reaction between precursor and curing agent, which reaction does not substantially involve either said catalyst or said microcapsules.
US08273802B2
The present invention relates to wettable silicone hydrogels comprising the reaction product of at least one siloxane containing component and at least one reactive, hydrophilic polymeric internal wetting agent. The present invention further relates to silicone hydrogel contact lenses comprising at least one oxygen permeable component, and an amount of reactive, hydrophilic polymeric internal wetting agent sufficient to impart wettability to said device.
US08273799B2
The invention generally relates to amination reactions and amination reaction products, and particularly to methods for aminating vinyl aromatic polymers utilizing tertiary amines. In one embodiment, the invention includes conducting an amination reaction by combining a tertiary amine and a vinyl aromatic polymer comprising benzyl chloride groups to form a reaction mixture and maintaining the pH of the reaction mixture within a designated range. In another embodiment, the invention includes an aminated vinyl aromatic polymer. In yet another embodiment, the invention includes an ion exchange resin including quaternary ammonium functionality. The invention is useful in preparing ion exchange resins suitable for a variety of applications such as the removal of perchlorate ions from water sources and recovery of gold cyanide from mining leach solutions.
US08273795B2
Disclosed are modified release oral tranexamic acid formulations and methods of treatment therewith.
US08273794B2
Compounds and compositions for the delivery of active agents are provided. Methods of administration and preparation are provided as well.
US08273791B2
Compositions, kits and regimens for treatment of damaged skin, especially décolletage, include application of a retinoid, hydroquinone or hydroquinone derivatives, and a composition containing a multi-metal complex.
US08273782B2
Invented are novel heterocyclic carboxamide compounds, the use of such compounds as inhibitors of protein kinase B activity and in the treatment of cancer and arthritis.
US08273778B2
Compounds which inhibit microbial growth or attenuate the virulence of pathogen microorganisms. Compounds of the invention inhibit UDP-galactopyranose mutase (UGM) and have activity as inhibitors of microbial growth of microorganisms which contain this enzyme and particularly those microorganisms in which this enzyme is responsible for the incorporation of galactofuranose residues, particularly for uridine 5′-diphosphate (UDP) galactopyranose mutase. Compounds of the invention inhibit UDP-galactopyranose mutase (UGM) and have activity to attenuate virulence of pathogenic microorganisms, including mycobacteria.
US08273777B2
Compounds are provided which are activators of the enzyme glucokinase and thus are useful in treating diabetes and related diseases, which compounds have the structure where Q is and R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8 are as defined herein or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. A method for treating diabetes and related diseases employing the above compounds is also provided.
US08273775B2
The present invention relates to non-steroidal mimetics of brassinosteroids. More specifically, it relates to non-steroidal monocyclic compounds, capable of rescuing the brassinosteroid receptor null mutation bri1-116. Preferably, said compounds are low molecular weight, monocyclic halogenated compound.
US08273769B2
The present invention provides phenoxyacetic acid derivatives of Formula (I) for the treatment of CRTH2 related disorders and disease selected from asthma, atopic dermatitis and inflammatory dermatoses.
US08273767B2
Compounds of formula (I) are useful in treating conditions or disorders prevented by or ameliorated by histamine-3 receptor ligands. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the histamine-3 receptor ligands, methods for using such compounds and compositions, and a process for preparing compounds within the scope of formula (I).
US08273751B2
1- or 2-substituted (6aR,9aS)-3-(phenylamino)-5-6a,7,8,9,9a-hexahydro-5-methyl-cyclopent[4,5]imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazolo[4,3-e]pyrimidin-4(1H or, 2H)-one compounds of Formula (I), processes for their production, their use as pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them.
US08273749B2
A series of N-substituted oxindole derivatives represented by Formula I, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. Pharmaceutical compositions comprise an effective amount of the instant compounds, either alone, or in combination with one or more other therapeutically active compounds, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Methods of treating conditions associated with, or caused by, calcium channel activity, including, for example, acute pain, chronic pain, visceral pain, inflammatory pain, neuropathic pain, urinary incontinence, itchiness, allergic dermatitis, epilepsy, diabetic neuropathy, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, anxiety, multiple sclerosis, sleep disorder, bipolar disorder and stroke, comprise administering an effective amount of the present compounds, either alone, or in combination with one or more other therapeutically active compounds.
US08273747B2
The present invention makes available methods and reagents for modulating proliferation or differentiation in a cell or tissue comprising contacting the cell with a compound. In certain embodiments, the methods and reagents may be employed to correct or inhibit an aberrant or unwanted growth state, e.g., by antagonizing a normal patched pathway or agonizing smoothened or hedgehog activity.
US08273743B2
The invention provides novel inhibitors of hedgehog signaling that are useful as a therapeutic agents for treating malignancies where the compounds have the general formula I: wherein A is a carbocycle or heterocycle; X is alkylene, NR4C(O), NR4C(S), NR4C(NH), NR4SO, NR4SO2, NR4C(O)NH, NR4C(S)NH, C(O)NR4, C(S)NR4, C(NH)NR4, NR4PO or NR4PO(OH) wherein R4 is H or alkyl; R1 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or a heterocycle each of which is optionally substituted with hydroxy, halogen, amino, nitro, alkyl, acyl, alkylsulfonyl or alkoxy; R2 is halogen, hydroxy, alkyl, acyl or alkoxy each optionally substituted with hydroxy, halogen, amino, nitro, alkyl, acyl, alkylsulfonyl or alkoxy; R3 is halogen, hydroxy, alkyl, acyl or alkoxy each optionally substituted with hydroxy, halogen, amino, nitro, alkyl, acyl, alkylsulfonyl or alkoxy; m is 0-3; n is 0-3; and salts and solvates thereof. The invention also provides methods of using these compounds for therapy and/or prophylaxis in a mammal of hyperproliferative diseases and angiogenesis mediated diseases due to their activity for inhibiting the hedgehog signaling pathway.
US08273741B2
The present invention provides a fused heterocyclic derivative having a potent kinase inhibitory activity and use thereof.A compound represented by the formula (I): wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification, except a particular compound, or a salt thereof, and a pharmaceutical agent containing the compound or a prodrug thereof, which is a kinase (VEGFR, VEGFR2, PDGFR, Raf) inhibitor, an angiogenesis inhibitor, an agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of cancer, a cancer growth inhibitor or a cancer metastasis suppressor.
US08273736B2
Compounds having the formula are useful for inhibiting protein tyrosine kinases. The present invention also discloses methods of making the compounds, compositions containing the compounds, and methods of treatment using the compounds.
US08273733B2
The disclosure relates to tetrahydroisoquinoline sulfonamide compounds of formula I: wherein R1, R2, n and B are as defined in the disclosure, their preparation and their use in therapies for the treatment of central nervous system diseases such as vigilance and sleep disorders, narcolepsy, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, Parkinson's disease, attention disorders in hyperkinetic children, memory and learning disorders, epilepsy, schizophrenia, moderate cognitive disorders, depression, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, dizziness and travel sickness.
US08273719B2
An antiwrinkle agent which is highly effective in alleviating wrinkles caused by the photoaging. The present invention relates to an antiwrinkle agent comprising an eugenyl glycoside.
US08273718B2
The present invention provides a composition for inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating a bone metabolism disorder, which comprise D-pinitol as an active ingredient. The present compositions have an inhibitory activity on the differentiation of osteoclast and are useful in the prevention or treatment of a bone metabolism disorder resulting from overactivity or hyper-proliferation of osteoclasts.
US08273712B2
A method of promoting healing of a wound in a patient, the method comprising administering to the patient (i) a prostaglandin E (PGE) or an agonist thereof and/or an agent that increases the local concentration or effect of PGE and (ii) granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GMCSF) or a derivative thereof. Use of (i) a PGE or an agonist thereof and/or an agent that increases the local concentration or effect of PGE and (ii) GMCSF or a derivative thereof in the preparation of a medicament for promoting healing of a wound in a patient. A wound dressing, bandage or fibrin glue comprising (i) a PGE or an agonist thereof and/or an agent that increases the local concentration or effect of PGE and (ii) GMCSF or a derivative thereof.
US08273710B2
Disclosed is a protein hydrolysate having DPP-IV inhibiting activity, the hydrolysate being enriched in peptides having a length of 2-8 amino acids comprising at least one proline residue, an isolated peptide derivable from such a protein hydrolysate, or a mixture thereof, and the use of such protein hydrolysate or isolated peptide for the manufacture of a medicament, food supplement, beverage or food product for prophylaxis and/or treatment of a DPP-IV mediated condition, in particular chosen from the group of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and an immunological disorder.
US08273707B2
The invention relates to a process for purifying a protein by mixing a protein preparation with a solution having a first salt and a second salt, wherein each salt has a different lyotropic value, and loading the mixture onto a hydrophobic interaction chromatography column. The dynamic capacity of the column for a protein using the two salt combination will be increased compared with the dynamic capacity of the column for either single salt alone.
US08273705B2
Compounds that modulate the function of anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL are identified. These compounds have the ability to convert the activity of Bcl-2-family member proteins from anti-apoptotic to pro-apoptotic. Methods for inducing apoptosis are described, together with methods for identifying molecules that induce apoptosis through interaction with Bcl-2-family members.
US08273700B2
The present invention relates to compounds and methods of inhibiting p97/valosin-containing protein and compounds and methods of inhibiting gp78, the compounds and methods being useful for the treatment of a disorder comprising a IκB/NFκB mediated chronic inflammatory response component, for example cystic fibrosis.
US08273697B2
The present invention relates to a liquid pipe unblocker comprising at least one strong acid, and a colored indicator capable of assuming different colors, depending on the acid concentration and on the polarity of the pipe unblocker solution.
US08273685B2
An agrochemical composition is provided in which an agrochemically active ingredient having 4 or more fluorine atoms in a molecule and having a Log P value of 3 or more is contained, and superior disintegration dispersibility is exhibited, and which is suitable for a water dispersible granule or a suspension concentrate. An agrochemical composition is characterized by containing (a1) an agrochemically active ingredient having 4 or more fluorine atoms in a molecule and having a Log P value of 3 or more, or (a2) an agrochemically active ingredient for which, in a fluidity test of a mixture composed of 50 parts by weight of the agrochemically active ingredient, 2 parts by weight of sorbitan monooleate and 48 parts by weight of water, the time for moving 85 mm is not less than 90 seconds, in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 70% by weight of the total amount of the composition, and (b) a wetting agent such as an alkylsulfate salt, in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 10% by weight of the total amount of the composition.
US08273684B2
The invention pertains to a seed coating composition comprising a certain latex binder and/or graft polymer dispersant. The seed coating composition imparts good color to treated seeds, has excellent durability, and is non-sticky after application to allow for smooth flow of coated seed in planting equipment.
US08273682B2
A method for preparing a palladium-gold catalyst containing a titania extrudate is disclosed. The titania extrudate is produced by using a carboxyalkyl cellulose and a hydroxyalkyl cellulose as extrusion aids. The titania extrudate has improved processibility and/or mechanical properties. After calcination, the extrudate is used as a carrier for the palladium-gold catalyst. After calcination, the in producing vinyl acetate by oxidizing ethylene with oxygen in the presence of acetic acid.
US08273681B2
An exhaust gas purifying catalyst includes: rhodium; a zirconium-containing oxide which supports rhodium, and comprises: at least one element selected from the group consisting of calcium, lanthanum, cerium, neodymium and yttrium; and zirconium; and a NOx absorbing material comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium, barium, sodium, potassium and cesium. A degree of dispersion of rhodium is 20% or more after baking at 900° C. in air for three hours. A method for manufacturing the exhaust gas purifying catalyst includes: mixing the zirconium-containing oxide with water, thereby preparing an aqueous liquid of the zirconium-containing oxide; and supporting rhodium on the zirconium-containing oxide by mixing the aqueous liquid of the zirconium-containing oxide with an aqueous solution of a rhodium salt. A pH of a mixed liquid of the aqueous solution of the rhodium salt and the aqueous liquid of the zirconium-containing oxide is adjusted to 7 or more.
US08273673B2
The invention provides a fused cast refractory product with a high zirconia content comprising, as. a percentage by weight based on the oxides: ZrO2+Hf2O: >85%; SiO2: 6% to 12%; Al2O3: 0.4% to 1%; Y2O3: 0.2%; a dopant selected from the group formed by Nb2O5, Ta2O5, and mixtures thereof, in a quantity such that the molar ratio ZrO2/(Nb2O5+Ta2O3) is in the range 200 to 350.
US08273670B1
A semiconductor processing tool heats wafers using radiant heat and resistive heat in chamber or in a load lock where pressure changes. The wafers are heated in greater part with a resistive heat source until a transition temperature or pressure is reached, then they are heated in greater part with a radiant heat source. Throughput improves for the tool because of the wafers can reach a high temperature uniformly in seconds.
US08273662B2
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device wherein a metal pad is etched to form a trench in which a central part is concave in form, or to form a trench in the shape of a cylinder or a parallelepiped on the edge part of a metal pad. Accordingly, the contact area between a polymide isoindro quirazorindione (PIQ) or similar curable layer and the metal pad is increased and the bondability is improved. Accordingly, the technology of improving the characteristic of device by preventing the problem that the metal pad is excessively opened in a subsequent curing process and the layer of a lower portion of the metal pad is attacked is disclosed.
US08273657B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus having a through-hole interconnection in a semiconductor substrate. An insulating layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate. A via hole is formed through the semiconductor substrate and the insulating layer. Another insulating layer is formed in the via hole, and a conductive layer of the through-hole interconnection is subsequently formed. The insulating layer formed in the via hole is formed such as to substantially planarize an inner surface of the via hole.
US08273646B2
A non-volatile memory device includes a memory cell region which is formed on a semiconductor substrate to store predetermined information, and a peripheral circuit region which is formed on the semiconductor substrate. The memory cell region includes a gate electrode; and a charge storage layer, the charge storage layer being formed to be a notch or wedge shape having an edge extending into both sides of a bottom end of the gate electrode. The peripheral circuit region includes no charge storage layer therein.
US08273638B2
Provided is a thin film transistor that may be manufactured using Metal Induced Crystallization (MIC) and method for fabricating the same. Also provided is an active matrix flat panel display using the thin film transistor, which may be created by forming a crystallization inducing metal layer below a buffer layer and diffusing the crystallization inducing metal layer. The thin film transistor may include a crystallization inducing metal layer formed on an insulating substrate, a buffer layer formed on the crystallization inducing metal layer, and an active layer formed on the buffer layer and including source/drain regions, and including polycrystalline silicon crystallized by the MIC process.
US08273634B2
A method of fabricating a substrate includes forming first and second spaced features over a substrate. The first spaced features have elevationally outermost regions which are different in composition from elevationally outermost regions of the second spaced features. The first and second spaced features alternate with one another. Every other first feature is removed from the substrate and pairs of immediately adjacent second features are formed which alternate with individual of remaining of the first features. After such act of removing, the substrate is processed through a mask pattern comprising the pairs of immediately adjacent second features which alternate with individual of the remaining of the first features. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08273631B2
A method of fabricating an NMOS transistor, in which, an epitaxial silicon layer is formed before a salicide process is performed, then a nickel layer needed for the salicide process is formed, and, thereafter, a rapid thermal process is performed to allow the nickel layer to react with the epitaxial silicon layer and the silicon substrate under the epitaxial silicon layer to form a nickel silicide layer.
US08273628B2
A semiconductor device manufacturing method includes: alternately stacking a plurality of insulating layers and electrode layers; forming a hole penetrating through a multilayer body of the insulating layers and the electrode layers; forming a conductive film on an inner wall of the hole; anisotropically etching the conductive film to selectively leave the conductive film on a sidewall of the hole; altering the conductive film into an insulator by heat treatment; and removing the insulator covering the electrode layers to expose the electrode layers into the hole.
US08273621B2
A MOSFET comprising a substrate of a semiconductor material; source/drain regions, which are arranged at a distance from each other at a surface of the substrate; a gate electrode arranged above an area of the surface of the substrate between the source/drain regions, the gate electrode being electrically insulated from the semiconductor material; at least one recess in the gate electrode, a through-contact arranged in the recess of the gate electrode, the through-contact being electrically insulated from the gate electrode; a terminal contact on the semiconductor material; and a terminal conductor arranged on the side of the gate electrode that faces away from the substrate, wherein the through-contact electrically connects the terminal contact to the terminal conductor.
US08273617B2
A suite of novel structures and methods is provided to reduce power consumption in a wide array of electronic devices and systems. Some of these structures and methods can be implemented largely by reusing existing bulk CMOS process flows and manufacturing technology, allowing the semiconductor industry as well as the broader electronics industry to avoid a costly and risky switch to alternative technologies. As will be discussed, some of the structures and methods relate to a Deeply Depleted Channel (DDC) design, allowing CMOS based devices to have a reduced σVT compared to conventional bulk CMOS and can allow the threshold voltage VT of FETs having dopants in the channel region to be set much more precisely. The DDC design also can have a strong body effect compared to conventional bulk CMOS transistors, which can allow for significant dynamic control of power consumption in DDC transistors. There are many ways to configure the DDC to achieve different benefits, and additional structures and methods presented herein can be used alone or in conjunction with the DDC to yield additional benefits.
US08273614B2
To reduce variation among TFTs in manufacture of a semiconductor device including n-type thin film transistors and p-type thin film transistors. Further, another object of the present invention is to reduce the number of masks and manufacturing steps, and manufacturing time. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an island-shaped semiconductor layer of a first thin film transistor, then, forming an island-shaped semiconductor layer of the second thin film transistor. In the formation of the island-shaped semiconductor layer of the second thin film transistor, a gate insulating film in contact with the island-shaped semiconductor layer of the second thin film transistor is used as a protection film (an etching stopper film) for the island-shaped semiconductor layer of the first thin film transistor.
US08273600B2
A method of fabricating MOTFTs on transparent substrates by positioning opaque gate metal on the substrate front surface and depositing gate dielectric material overlying the gate metal and a surrounding area and metal oxide semiconductor material on the dielectric material. Depositing selectively removable etch stop material on the semiconductor material and photoresist on the etch stop material to define an isolation area in the semiconductor material. Removing uncovered portions of the etch stop. Exposing the photoresist from the substrate rear surface using the gate metal as a mask and removing exposed portions leaving the etch stop material overlying the gate metal covered. Etching the semiconductor material to isolate the TFT. Selectively etching the etch stop layer to leave a portion overlying the gate metal defining a channel area. Depositing and patterning conductive material to form source and drain areas on opposed sides of the channel area.
US08273594B2
Low temperature, multi-layered, planar microshells for encapsulation of devices such as MEMS and microelectronics. The microshells include a planar perforated pre-sealing layer, below which a non-planar sacrificial layer is accessed, and a sealing layer to close the perforation in the pre-sealing layer after the sacrificial material is removed. In an embodiment, the pre-sealing layer has perforations formed with a damascene process to be self-aligned to the chamber below the microshell. The sealing layer may include a nonhermetic layer to physically occlude the perforation and a hermetic layer over the nonhermetic occluding layer to seal the perforation. In a particular embodiment, the hermetic layer is a metal which is electrically coupled to a conductive layer adjacent to the microshell to electrically ground the microshell.
US08273591B2
Segmented semiconductor nanowires are manufactured by removal of material from a layered structure of two or more semiconductor materials in the absence of a template. The removal takes place at some locations on the surface of the layered structure and continues preferentially along the direction of a crystallographic axis, such that nanowires with a segmented structure remain at locations where little or no removal occurs. The interface between different segments can be perpendicular to or at angle with the longitudinal direction of the nanowire.
US08273584B2
A semiconductor device including a wafer-level LED includes a semiconductor structure coupled to first and second electrodes. The semiconductor includes a P-doped portion of a first layer to an N-doped portion of a second layer. The first layer includes a surface configured to emit light. The first electrode is electrically coupled to the P-doped portion of the first layer on a first side of the semiconductor structure. The first side is adjacent to the surface that is configured to emit the light. The second electrode is electrically coupled to the N-doped portion of the second layer on a second side of the semiconductor structure. The second side is also adjacent to the surface that configured to emit light.
US08273583B2
A method of manufacturing a light emitting device is provided in which satisfactory image display can be performed by the investigation and repair of short circuits in defect portions of light emitting elements. A backward direction electric current flows in the defect portions if a reverse bias voltage is applied to the light emitting elements having the defect portions. Emission of light which occurred from the backward direction electric current flow is measured by using an emission microscope, specifying the position of the defect portions, and short circuit locations can be repaired by irradiating a laser to the defect portions, turning them into insulators.
US08273575B2
Methods for the diagnosis, risk assessment, and monitoring of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are disclosed. More specifically the present invention relates to the measurement of small molecules (metabolites) in human plasma that are found to have different abundances between persons with a clinical manifestation of ASD and subjects not expressing symptoms of ASD. Further, this invention relates to the monitoring of putative therapeutic strategies designed to ameliorate the biochemical abnormalities associated with ASD.
US08273571B2
Methods for obtaining pluripotent (embryonic stem) cells from parthenogenetic embryos, especially primates, are provided. These cells are useful for producing differentiated cells, tissues and organs, especially human and non-human primate cells, tissues and organs.
US08273564B2
The present invention provides a disinfectant composition including a phage of Acinetobacter baumannii and a carrier. The present invention also provides a method for disinfecting a medical institute or a medical research institute, including the steps of applying an effective amount of a phage of Acinetobacter baumannii to the medical institute or the medical research institute for reducing amount of Acinetobacter baumannii in the medical institute or the medical research institute.
US08273559B2
A method for obtaining a concentrated alcohol solution from a lignocellulosic feedstock. The lignocellulosic feedstock is hydrolyzed to prepare a sugar solution. The sugar solution is fermented to produce a fermentation broth comprising alcohol and at least about 1 g ammonium ions/kg fermentation broth. The alcohol in the fermentation broth is then concentrated by distillation to produce an alcohol-enriched vapour. Either before distillation, during distillation or during the azeotrope breaking process, the concentration of ammonia in the alcohol-enriched vapour can be reduced by acid addition to at most about 300 ppm. The alcohol in the alcohol-rich vapour is then further concentrated by an azeotrope breaking process to provide the concentrated alcohol solution.
US08273558B2
Methods for the fermentative production of four carbon alcohols is provided. Specifically, butanol, preferably isobutanol is produced by the fermentative growth of a recombinant bacterium expressing an isobutanol biosynthetic pathway.
US08273551B2
Nucleic acids encoding erythropoietin receptor isoforms are described, as well as the encoded isoforms, methods of detecting the same, and methods of screening for and treating cancer.
US08273546B2
The invention relates to a process of fermenting plant material in a fermentation medium into a fermentation product using a fermenting organism, wherein one or more carbonic anhydrases are present in the fermentation medium.
US08273534B2
The present invention provides methods and compositions to facilitate determining whether an EGFR-expressing cancer in an individual is an EGFR inhibitor-responsive cancer, as well as methods for determining the likelihood that a patient having an EGFR-expressing cancer will exhibit a beneficial response to an EGFR inhibitor therapy. The methods generally involve determining a normalized expression level of a gene product that correlates with EGFR inhibitor responsiveness.
US08273533B2
Provided is a method of preparing a patterned spot microarray using a photocatalyst. The method comprises coating the photocatalyst on a substrate to form a photocatalyst layer, coating a composition comprising a functional group to be connected to a biomolecule on the photocatalyst layer to form an organic layer, spotting the biomolecule on the organic layer, positioning a photomask above a spot of the biomolecule; and irradiating the spot through the photomask to pattern the spot.
US08273529B2
A method for hybridizing a target nucleic acid and a probe nucleic acid that can specifically bind to the target nucleic acid and that is immobilized on a substrate includes a first reaction step of allowing the target nucleic acid contained in a sample solution to react with the probe nucleic acid, a recovery step of recovering the sample solution after the first reaction step, a heating step of heating the recovered sample solution to the denaturation temperature of the target nucleic acid or a higher temperature, and a second reaction step of allowing the target nucleic acid contained in the sample solution after the heating step to react with the probe nucleic acid.
US08273520B2
The present invention provides a resin composition for laser engraving containing at least an acetylene compound and a binder polymer, a relief printing plate precursor for laser engraving using the same, a relief printing plate, and a method for producing a relief printing plate.
US08273516B2
Toners are provided which include a resin including at least one baroplastic polymer. The baroplastic polymer, in embodiments, may be a block copolymer with discrete low glass transition temperature (Tg) domains and high Tg domains that plasticize one another at ambient temperature when subjected to pressures of from about 500 psi (about 3.45 MPa) to about 10,000 psi (about 69 MPa), enabling them to be extruded and molded without heat. The resulting polymers, in turn, may then be utilized to form toners.
US08273510B2
The present invention provides an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a photosensitive layer on a conductive substrate, an outermost layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor including a cured film of a composition which includes at least one charge transporting compound (a) having a charge transporting skeleton and at least two structural units represented by R—O—CO—CR′═CH—R″ in the same molecule, and at least one polycarbonate resin; a ratio (IA/IC) of an absorption peak intensity (IA) resulting from stretching vibration of a carbonyl group originating from the structural unit represented by R—O—CO—CR′═CH—R″ of the charge transporting compound (a) to an absorption peak intensity (IC) resulting from stretching vibration of a carbonyl group originating from the polycarbonate resin in an IR absorption spectrum of the outermost layer being from about 0.5 to about 10, and a width at half maximum of the absorption peak of the absorption peak intensity (IA) being about 25 cm−1 or more.
US08273509B2
To realize an electrophotographic photoreceptor excellent in abrasion resistance, the photosensitive layer of the photoreceptor comprises a polyester resin containing a repeating structural unit represented by the formula (1) and a hydrazone compound. (In the formula (1), Ar1 to Ar4 each represents, independently of each other, an arylene group which may have a substituent. X1 represents a bivalent group (including a single bond) and X2 represents a bivalent group (including a single bond) with 3 or less atoms.)
US08273501B2
A fuel cell hydration system comprising a first reservoir is provided. The first reservoir is positioned between a cathode supply and a fuel cell stack. The first reservoir includes corrugated regions positioned axially along the first reservoir to accumulate water discharged from a first fluid stream. The first fluid stream absorbs the accumulated water when an amount of water within the first fluid stream is below a water level to hydrate the fuel cell stack.
US08273500B2
A polymer electrolyte composition obtained by mixing a plurality of ion-conductive polymers, wherein if the ion-conductive polymer that is highest in ion exchange capacity among the plurality of ion-conductive polymers is termed first ion-conductive polymer, and the ion-conductive polymer that is lowest in ion exchange capacity is termed second ion-conductive polymer, then the first ion-conductive polymer and the second ion-conductive polymer are both block copolymers composed of a segment having an ion-exchange group and a segment having substantially no ion-exchange groups, and if the weight fraction of the segment having an ion-exchange group in the first ion-conductive polymer is termed Wh1, and the weight fraction of the segment having an ion-exchange group in the second ion-conductive polymer is termed Wh2, then the relations (I) and (II) listed below are satisfied: (I) Wh1>Wh2; (II) Wh1−Wh2≦0.25.
US08273497B2
An air battery which is capable of improving operating voltage. The air battery includes: an air electrode containing a carbonaceous matter; an anode; and an electrolyte layer containing an electrolyte which conducts ions between the air electrode and the anode, the D/G band ratio X of the carbonaceous matter being 0.058≦X≦0.18.
US08273494B2
A fuel cell stack includes a stack of fuel cells. Each of the fuel cells includes a membrane electrode assembly and a separator that are stacked. The membrane electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane and a pair of electrodes sandwiching the electrolyte membrane therebetween. The terminal plate, the insulation plate, and the end plate are stacked at each end of the stack of the fuel cells in a stacking direction of the fuel cells. The terminal plate has a plurality of spaces formed therein. The spaces are separated from each other by a partition wall. A connection terminal is disposed on a plate surface of the terminal plate. The plate surface faces the insulation plate, at a position at which the connection terminal does not overlap the partition wall in the stacking direction. The connection terminal protrudes outward from the end plate in the stacking direction.
US08273491B2
Methods and systems of reducing the start-up time for a fuel cell are described. One method of reducing the start-up time includes: concurrently supporting load requests for the fuel cell and stabilizing the voltage of the fuel cell; wherein stabilizing the voltage of the fuel cell comprises: providing a flow of hydrogen to the fuel cell and opening an anode valve, wherein the hydrogen flow continues for predetermined volume or a predetermined time; and ending voltage stabilization after the predetermined volume or predetermined time is exceeded while continuing to support load requests for the fuel cell.
US08273488B2
A plate-type heat exchanger for use in a fuel cell system that has a fuel cell stack and a reformer is provided. The heat exchanger includes a substrate and a pair of cover plates. The substrate has a first face and a second face opposite to the first face. The substrate is disposed between the cover plates, and combined with the cover plates to form a first passageway and a second passageway. The first passageway is formed in the first face and circulates steam discharged from the fuel cell stack. The steam or water condensed from the steam is supplied to a water supply source. The second passageway is formed in the second face, and circulates water supplied from the water supply source. The water is supplied to the reformer after the circulation. The heat exchanger of the present invention improves performance and efficiency of a fuel cell system.
US08273485B2
Fuel cells having an efficient means of thermal insulation such that all of the components requiring high temperature operation are contained within a single housing and whereby such thermal insulation is disposed exterior to such housing.
US08273480B2
A negative active material for a rechargeable lithium battery, a method of preparing the negative active material, and a rechargeable lithium battery including the negative active material. The negative active material for a rechargeable lithium battery includes lithium titanium oxide (Li4Ti5O12) having a tap density of about 1.2 g/cc to 2.2 g/cc. The lithium titanium oxide is prepared by a mechano-chemical treatment and a heat treatment at a low temperature of about 650° C. to 775° C. According to the present invention, lithium titanium oxide having high crystallinity and tap density can be prepared through a simple and low-cost solid-phase method, e.g., a mechano-chemical treatment, and thus an electrode with excellent electrochemical reactivity and high energy density per volume can be fabricated.
US08273474B2
Electrochemical cell battery systems and associated methods of operation are provided based on the incorporation of a thermal management matrix including a supply of phase change material disposed at least in part in a heat conductive lattice member to effectively dissipate heat produced or generated by or in the battery system such as to minimize or prevent thermal runaway propagation in the electrochemical cells of the system.
US08273469B2
Disclosed is a piston ring comprising a supporting material and a wear-resistant coating. The wear-resistant coating is composed of a ternary system A-B—N which is applied using a PVD process and in which A and B each represent an element form the group encompassing Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo W, Al, Si and C, wherein A≠B and N represents nitrogen. The thickness of the wear-resistant coating amounts to ≧3 μm.
US08273464B2
An object of the present invention is to obtain a composite in which a copper or copper alloy is securely integrated with and joined to PBT or PPS. A copper product that has been suitably roughened by chemical etching and also blackened can be used favorably. A surface-treated copper piece 1 is inserted into a cavity formed by a movable molding plate 2 and a stationary molding plate 3 of an injection molding mold 10, and a specific resin is injected to obtain an integrated product. PBT or PPS can be used as the resin component of a resin composition 4 that is used here. High injection joining strength is obtained if the resin composition contains, as an auxiliary component, PET and/or a polyolefin resin in the case of PBT, and a polyolefin resin in the case of PPS.
US08273460B2
Disclosed are a composition comprising an organic insulating polymer in which a photo-reactive functional group showing an increased crosslinking degree is introduced into a side-chain, an organic insulating film comprising the composition, an organic thin film transistor (OTFT) comprising the organic insulating film, an electronic device comprising the organic thin film transistor and methods of fabricating the organic insulating film, the organic thin film transistor and the electronic device. The OTFT comprising the organic insulating film of example embodiments may not show any hysteresis during the driving of the OTFT, and therefore, may exhibit a homogeneous property.
US08273456B2
It relates to a highly heat resistant thermosetting polyimide resin composition that is cured at a temperature of 150° C. or less, and provides a cured product that generates a less amount of decomposed gas even under heating to 250° C., and has flexibility and adhesiveness.A two-component thermosetting polyimide resin composition containing a liquid A containing a polyimide (a) having a main chain constituted by a repeating unit having a polyoxyalkylenediamine structure with amino groups on both ends thereof, and a liquid B containing a bismaleimide compound, and a cured product of a thermosetting polyimide resin composition obtained by mixing these two liquids and curing the mixture under heating.
US08273438B2
In an information recording medium that has an information layer which includes a recording layer capable of undergoing phase transition, the recording layer is formed from a material that contains Sb and S, and has composition represented by the formula (1): SbxS100-x (atomic %) where suffix x represents the proportion in atomic % that satisfies a relationship of 50≦x≦98.
US08273434B2
Resealable multi-ply labels include a base label ply and an overlaminate for capturing onserts between them. The base label plies carry an adhesive layer on the bottom surface for mounting the resealable multi-ply labels to articles. The base plies each include a hinge area, an attachment area, a tab area, and an intermediate area separating the hinge area from the attachment area. The overlaminates form permanent bonds with both the hinge areas and the tab areas of the base plies and form reusable bonds with the attachment areas of the base plies. The permanently bonded tab areas of the base plies provide access for releasing the overlaminates from the attachment areas of the base plies and exposing the onserts.
US08273418B2
Provided herein is a head unit arrangement method for arranging a plurality of head units in a liquid droplet ejection device that plots an image in a matrix form with functional liquid droplets in a number n of colors by performing the number n of primary scans and a number (n−1) of secondary scans. The head unit arrangement method includes evaluating liquid droplet ejection performance of each of the head units based on an inspection result of a volume of liquid droplet ejection from each of the functional liquid droplet ejection heads to arrange two of the head units that exhibit the lowest liquid droplet ejection performance at both ends in the Y-axis direction.
US08273404B2
A process for reducing solvent contents in drug-containing polymeric compositions may be utilized to reduce the solvent content in implantable medical device wherein the compositions are in reservoirs. Specifically, the solvent contents in the drug-containing polymeric compositions are first reduced by one or more conventional drying methods, to a range from about 0.5 weight percent to about 10 weight percent of the total weight of the polymeric composition. Subsequently, the drug-containing polymeric compositions are further treated by a low temperature drying method for further reduction of the solvent content.
US08273399B2
A process for making a coated frozen confection is provided, the process comprising: forming two sheets of coating material comprising particles and a binder, the binder comprising an aqueous solution of sweeteners of from 70 to 90° Brix; placing one or more frozen confection pieces onto the first sheet of coating material; then placing the second sheet of coating material on top of the frozen confection and first sheet; and shaping the second sheet around the frozen confection and pressing the second sheet onto the first sheet so that they are welded together to form a continuous coating. A coated frozen confection is also provided.
US08273398B2
The present invention concerns geranylamine derivates of oxalic acid, use of the same as flavorings and certain mixtures, compositions, preparations and semi-finished goods containing one or more such compounds.
US08273388B2
An extract of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. ex Murray var. hypoleucum (Ohwi) or of Polygonum hypoleucum (Ohwi) for improving metabolic syndrome is prepared by the following method: (a) providing fresh or dry Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. ex Murray var. hypoleucum (Ohwi) or Polygonum hypoleucum (Ohwi) in partial or whole plant; (b) extracting the partial or whole plant by a solvent to obtain a crude extract; (c) condensing and drying the crude extract to obtain an extract product; and (d) collecting the extract product. The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical and a food composition having the above extract for improving the metabolic syndromes. The extract of the present invention can be easily prepared and is demonstrated to modulate the levels of both blood glucose and blood lipid, to inhibit the activities of glycolytic enzymes and acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and to stimulate acyl-CoA oxidase. The extract of the present invention is capable of improving metabolic syndromes.
US08273384B2
The present invention provides novel methods of making a non-corrosive base solution for use as an alkalinity increasing agent and/or antioxidant. The present invention further provides novel compositions and methods which can be used to provide relief from disorders related to or complicated by acidosis or excessive free radical or other reactive oxygen species production including, but not limited to, gout, Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, hemochromatosis, Alzheimer's, amyotropic lateral sclerosis, arthritis, atherosclerosis, cancer, cataracts, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, cellulitis, coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypertension, inflammatory bowel disease, macular degeneration, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, Reynaud's phenomenon, reperfusion injury, pancreatic impairment, skin infections, Hepatitis C, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and infection. The compositions and methods of the present invention additionally supply relief from microbial infections including fungal infections as well as prevent secondary infections. Additional compositions and methods are provided which employ a non-corrosive base solution in combination with a second alkalinity increasing agent and/or antioxidant, or other therapeutic agent to yield a more effective treatment tool against acidosis and/or excessive ROS production including free radical production useful to prevent or reduce acidosis and/or excessive ROS production or related symptoms or conditions associated with acidosis and/or excessive free radical production in mammalian subjects.
US08273383B2
Methods and compositions for treating and/or preventing a pregnancy related disease or disorder are provided. The methods involve administration of 2-methoxyestradiol, or an analog thereof, to a subject. Also provided are methods for diagnosing or predicting a pregnancy related disease or disorder. The methods involve detection of 2-methoxyestradiol, or a precursor or metabolite thereof.
US08273381B1
A composition, system and method for modifying an olfactory response to an odorant is disclosed. In some embodiments, the composition includes crystalline metal nanoparticles dispersed in an aqueous medium. The composition is applied to olfactory tissues using a suitable applicator or dispenser. The metal nanoparticles are believed to interact with a G-protein coupled to receptor located in the cilia to moderate (enhance or reduce) sensitivity or ability to smell particular odorants. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the composition includes one or more odorants.
US08273378B2
Dialysis solutions comprising pyrophosphates and methods of making and using the dialysis solutions are provided. In an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a dialysis solution comprising a stable and therapeutically effective amount of pyrophosphate. The dialysis solution can be sterilized, for example, using a technique such as autoclave, steam, high pressure, ultra-violet, filtration or combination thereof. The dialysis solution can be in the form of a concentrate.
US08273371B2
Crystalline mesoporous oxide based materials useful for the fixation and controlled release of drugs
The invention describes a new class of crystalline silica material having two levels of porosity and structural order. At the first level, building units are nanoslabs of uniform size having zeolite framework. At the second structural level, nanoslabs are assembled, e.g. linked through their corners, edges or faces following patterns imposed by interaction with cationic surfactant or triblock copolymer molecules. After evacuation of these molecules, microporosity is obtained inside the nanoslabs, and a precise mesoporosity between the nanoslabs depending on the tiling pattern of the zeolite nanoslabs, as evidenced by X-ray diffraction. These materials are useful for the fixation of biologically active species, such as poorly soluble drugs.
US08273370B2
An adhesive patch has a support and an adhesive layer formed on at least one surface of the support. The adhesive patch has a peripheral part and a central part 21. The adhesive layer has voids localized in the peripheral part, with the adhesive layer in the central part being substantially free of voids. The peripheral part preferably contains voids at 2.0-100 voids/mm3 on average. Since time-course changes of adhesive layer components such as additives are reduced, the adhesive patch is highly resistant to detachment from the skin, the components do not easily protrude from the edge of the adhesive patch during preservation in a package, adhesion to the inner surface of the package is suppressed, the adhesive patch can be easily removed from the package and edge lifting by cold flow is suppressed during adhesion to the skin.
US08273365B2
An osmotic delivery system flow modulator includes an outer shell constructed and arranged for positioning in an opening, an inner core inserted in the outer shell, and a fluid channel having a spiral shape defined between the outer shell and the inner core. The fluid channel is adapted for delivery of an active agent formulation from the reservoir of the osmotic delivery system.
US08273361B2
Compositions and methods, including vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions for inducing or enhancing an immune response are disclosed based on the discovery of useful immunological adjuvant properties in a synthetic, glucopyranosyl lipid adjuvant (GLA) that is provided in substantially homogeneous form. Chemically defined, synthetic GLA offers a consistent vaccine component from lot to lot without the fluctuations in contaminants or activity that compromise natural-product adjuvants. Also provided are vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions that include GLA and one or more of an antigen, a Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist, a co-adjuvant and a carrier such as a pharmaceutical carrier.
US08273359B2
The present invention relates to a method of treating or preventing pain or pains induced by an anti-neoplastic agent, comprising the step of administering an effective amount of at least one botulinum neurotoxin to a patient in need thereof.
US08273349B2
The invention relates to the use of a binding member which binds to LewisY and Lewisb haptens in the treatment of tumours and leukaemia. The binding member may be an antibody which binds to LewisY and Lewisb haptens and cancer cells and induces cells death.
US08273334B2
Disclosed is a method and composition for transforming hair. The composition is a dual composition that is useful to curl or straighten hair. The composition also repairs hair. The reducing solution includes monoethanolamine and thioglycolic acid and is essentially ammonium hydroxide free.
US08273328B2
The present invention relates to antigen binding molecules (ABMs). In particular embodiments, the present invention relates to recombinant monoclonal antibodies, including chimeric, primatized or humanized antibodies specific for human EGFR. In addition, the present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules encoding such ABMs, and vectors and host cells comprising such nucleic acid molecules. The invention further relates to methods for producing the ABMs of the invention, and to methods of using these ABMs in treatment of disease. In addition, the present invention relates to ABMs with modified glycosylation having improved therapeutic properties, including antibodies with increased Fc receptor binding and increased effector function.
US08273321B1
A three-step process for the preparation of analytical grade sodium chloride from rock salt was developed.
US08273316B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for purification of silicon tetrachloride which solves the problems of separating and removing organic chlorosilanes by distillation or adsorption.The method for purification of silicon tetrachloride comprises the steps of (1) bringing a mixed gas including a silicon tetrachloride gas and an oxygen-containing gas into contact with a catalyst layer which is controlled to a temperature of 200 to 450° C. and which includes at least one selected from the group consisting of activated carbon and metal-supporting activated carbon, and (2) cooling the mixed gas after brought into contact to separate and recover liquid silicon tetrachloride.
US08273315B2
Systems and methods are provided for reducing exhaust NOx species using a monolith substrate having a plurality of channels configured with radially varying cell density. An injector injects reductant into the substrate unobstructedly, without use of a mixer. In some embodiments, a twist angle of the channels is based on a distance from an inlet of the substrate and varies exponentially as a function of the distance.
US08273310B2
A centrifugal force-based microfluidic device for nucleic acid extraction and a microfluidic system are provided. The microfluidic device includes a body of revolution; a microfluidic structure disposed in the body of revolution, the microfluidic structure including a plurality of chambers, channels connecting the chambers, and valves disposed in the channels to control fluid flow, the microfluidic structure transmitting the fluid using centrifugal force due to rotation of the body of revolution; and magnetic beads contained in one of the chambers which collect a target material from a biomaterial sample flowing into the chamber, wherein the microfluidic structure washes the magnetic beads which collect the target material, and separates nucleic acid by electromagnetic wave irradiation from an external energy source to the magnetic beads. The microfluidic system includes the microfluidic device; a rotation operating unit which rotates the body of revolution; and an external energy source which irradiates electromagnetic waves.
US08273306B2
The present invention relates to a color-changing material and to a multiple-component material that includes a color-changing composition. The color-changing materials and color-changing compositions are capable of changing color in order to indicate a change in condition, such as a change in pH. The color-changing materials and color-changing compositions include a hydrogel-forming composition, a charged colorant and a pH adjuster. The hydrogel-forming composition includes at least one charged species.
US08273304B2
An analytical biochemistry system featuring a substrate with reactants immobilized thereon at fixed, known locations, a holder supporting the substrate and a manipulator for transporting the holder to a fixed sample and to an inspection station. The reactants are binding agents for a target biomolecule in a sample which forms a bound substance having a detectable characteristic. The holder may be a standard pipettor, optionally carried by a robot arm or hand as the manipulator to contact the sample for detection of the presence of target biomolecules within the sample. In one embodiment, the holder is a pipette tip within which the substrate is housed, or it may be a pipette adapter which bears the substrate and fits within the sample wells of a standard microtiter plate. After appropriate incubation, the substrate and holder may be moved from contact with the sample, and the substrate may be exposed to any necessary development steps before being moved by the manipulator to a location for probing, such as by a beam. Probing of the substrate is performed to identify binding or complexing of target biomolecules of the sample with the reactants immobilized on the substrate, and may be accomplished via fluorescence detection, light scattering, autoradiography, or some other detection method.
US08273283B2
A method of making a finely textured molded article is disclosed. The method utilizes properties of the compound being molded, such as impact toughness and melt flow index. Poly(vinyl halide), particularly polyvinyl chloride), articles can be custom-injection-molded using the method, in order to simulate the appearance of original metal, glass, or wood articles. Consumer, transportation, building construction, and other industries can benefit from durable plastic articles that simulate the more fragile articles.
US08273271B2
A method for making an optical fiber connector includes a mold. The mold includes a first mold portion having inserts each for molding a blind hole preform, and a second mold portion having a flat molding surface for forming a flat optical surface, and a number of curved molding surfaces for forming lens caps. A non-contact detection instrument is provided to project a light beam to the bottom of the blind hole preforms with the light beam passing through the flat optical surface. Then a coarseness factor image is obtained and analyzed to determine whether a coarseness factor of the bottom of the corresponding blind hole preform is acceptable and the corresponding insert is modified if it is not acceptable. Finally, the curved molding surfaces are aligned with the inserts to form the lens caps on the flat optical surface.
US08273269B2
A composition, for producing dispersions, thermoplastic masses and/or color filters, comprising (a) a colorant of formula (1) wherein 20-100 mol % R1 are Br and 80-100 mol % R3 are H, especially of formula (Ib) and/or (Ic); (b) from 0 to 150% by weight, based on (a), of C. I. Pigment Red 144, 188, 190, 224, 242 or 2,4,6-trimethylphenylperylene diimide; (c) from 3 to 25% by weight, based on (a), of a di- or tri-azacyclopentylmethyl-substituted colorant (formulae given); (d) from 0 to 10% by weight, preferably from 0.01 to 8% by weight, based on the sum of (a) and (b), of an additionally sulfonated colorant of the same kernels as in (c); and (e) from 0 to 30% by weight, preferably from 3 to 25% by weight, especially from 5 to 20% by weight, based on (a), of a diketopyrrolopyrrole colorant substituted by at least one chain containing a plurality of nitrogen atoms (cf. formula (V)).
US08273267B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a positive electrode active material for a battery, which can realize easy regulation of pore size in porosity formation of a positive electrode active material and is less likely to undergo hindrance of ion conduction caused by residues and, thus, can realize excellent high-rate discharge characteristics, and a method for producing a composition for a battery using the positive electrode active material for the battery. The method for producing a positive electrode active material for a battery of the present invention is a method for producing a positive electrode active material for a battery, including: a step 1 of firing a mixture of a raw material for the positive electrode active material and carbon particles to remove the carbon particles; and a step 2 of milling and classifying a fired body obtained in the step 1.
US08273266B2
This invention relates to luminescent materials for ultraviolet light or visible light excitation comprising copper-alkaline-earth dominated inorganic mixed crystals activated by rare earth elements. The luminescent material is composed of one or more than one compounds of silicate type and/or germinate or germanate-silicate type. Accordingly, the present invention is a very good possibility to substitute earth alkaline ions by copper for a shifting of the emission bands to longer or shorter wavelength, respectively. Luminescent compounds containing Copper with improved luminescent properties and also with improved stability against water, humidity as well as other polar solvents are provided. The present invention is to provide copper containing luminescent compounds, which has high correlated color temperature range from about 2,000K to 8,000K or 10,000K and CRI up to over 90.
US08273264B2
Disclosed are novel liquid-crystal compounds, processes and intermediates for the preparation thereof, the use thereof for optical, electro-optical and electronic purposes, in particular in liquid-crystal (LC) media and LC displays, and to LC media and LC displays containing the same.
US08273257B2
In a method for processing a nanotube, a vapor is condensed to a solid condensate layer on a surface of the nanotube and then at least one selected region of the condensate layer is locally removed by directing a beam of energy at the selected region. The nanotube can be processed with at least a portion of the solid condensate layer maintained on the nanotube surface and thereafter the solid condensate layer removed. Nanotube processing can include, e.g., depositing a material layer on an exposed nanotube surface region where the condensate layer was removed. After forming a solid condensate layer, an electron beam can be directed at a selected region along a nanotube length corresponding to a location for cutting the nanotube, to locally remove the condensate layer at the region, and an ion beam can be directed at the selected region to cut the nanotube at the selected region.
US08273253B2
The present application is directed to the separation of—a solid fraction from a fluid sample particularly a therapeutic cellular fraction from a biological sample such as a bone marrow sample by a porous filter (2) which separates a filtration unit (1) into an upper pre-filtration chamber (3) into which a fluid sample (4) requiring cell separation is introduced and a lower post-filtration chamber (5) into which a fluid (6) capable of transmitting an acoustic standing wave is introduced. An acoustic element (8) is coupled to a substrate (7) which is located within and at the bottom of the lower chamber (5) and which resonates in response to the acoustic generating element (8) and generates a standing wave through the two fluid phases and the filter to agitate the sample (4). Simultaneously, a cyclic process of vacuum draw (9). causes movement of the sample (4) downwards through the filter (2). Vacuum pressure, fluid flow rate and frequency of vibration are controlled from a remote unit housing appropriate pumps and valves.
US08273251B2
A fluid feed stream is flowed, subject to electromagnetic pulses, to a filter element via an input feed conduit for the filter element. A coil assembly is disposed about the input feed conduit and an AC power source is connected with the coil assembly. The AC power source has a period including first and second half-cycles of opposing polarities. A switch in series with the coil assembly forms a series connected circuit. A second switch connected with the coil assembly forms a second circuit. A control means closes the first switch and opens the second switch during a first half-cycle of the AC power source. During a second half-cycle, the control means closes and then opens the second switch to produce a first large ringing pulse in the coil assembly. A subsequent pulse may be produced either before or after the first pulse substantially decays.
US08273245B2
The present disclosure describes devices useful for microscale fluid purification, separation, and synthesis. Such devices generally comprise a fluid membrane that separates two or more fluids flowing through plural microchannels operatively associated with the membrane. Often, the membrane is a semipermeable membrane, such as might be used with a filtration device, such as a dialyzer. Devices of the present invention can be combined with other microscale devices to make systems. For example, the devices may be coupled with one or more microchemical microfactories, one or more micromixers, one or more microheaters, etc. Examples of devices made according to the present invention included an oxygenator, a dialyzer, microheat exchangers, etc.
US08273236B2
A first aqueous solution filled in an electrolytic cell (2) is electrolyzed by applying DC voltage between the electrodes 7a and 7b in said electrolytic cell 2, to form an oxidation field short of electrons in said aqueous solution; and then, a second aqueous solution with carboxylic acid dissolved in it is mixed into the first aqueous solution in oxidation field state, so that the first aqueous solution in oxidation field state obtains electrons and is deoxidized, and the carboxylic acid is oxidized, to produce carbonic acid gas in said aqueous solution. Therefore, the present invention can be used to produce carbonic acid gas solution at a low cost easily.
US08273235B2
An aqueous acidic trivalent chromium electrolyte comprising trivalent chromium ions and a complexing agent for maintaining the trivalent chromium ions in solution is provided in which the aqueous electrolyte comprises additives capable of producing a coating on a substrate having a desired dark hue. The additives typically comprise a dispersion of colloidal silica and an additional additive selected from thiocyanate ions and/or iron ions. The electrolyte is used in a method of producing the desired dark-hued decorative chromium coating on a substrate by electrodeposition.
US08273225B2
The present invention provides a solid diamond electrode, a reactor, in particular a reactor comprising an anode, a cathode and at least one bipolar electrode having first and second major working surfaces positioned therebetween wherein the at least one bipolar electrode consists essentially of diamond, and methods in which the reactors are used.
US08273223B2
A handling device for hoods of an aluminum production cell by fused bath electrolysis, including a positioning device and a hood-gripping device. The positioning device includes a vertical guide device, a mobile support mounted on the guide device so that it can be moved in at least a vertical direction during use, an articulated arm, a first framework mounted on the articulated arm so that it can pivot about a first rotation axis A substantially horizontal during use, a motor to make the first framework pivot about the first rotation axis A, a second framework mounted on the first framework so that it can be moved along the first translation axis B that is substantially horizontal during use, and means of displacing the second framework along the first translation axis B. The hood-gripping system is fixed to the second framework and includes a set of gripping devices designed to grip a set of hoods at a number of fixing points.
US08273222B2
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for depositing coatings on the surface of a workpiece with sputtering material in an ion plasma environment. The apparatus may include a magnetron including a core cooling system surrounded by a magnet assembly and target material having a surface capable of providing a source of sputtering material. An RF plasma generation assembly is also provided in the apparatus including an RF antenna capable of providing an RF plasma and drawing ions to one or both of the workpiece surface and target material surface.
US08273220B2
A distillation column is disclosed. The column includes a plurality of rectification zones and corresponding stripping zones. Each rectification zone is linked to a heat pump or a stage of a heat pump. Overhead material from the top rectification zone is compressed and used to heat bottoms liquid from the bottom stripping zone. Similarly, overhead material from a lower rectification zone is compressed and used to heat liquid taken from the uppermost or top stripping zone. Optionally, overhead material from a middle rectification zone is compressed and used to heat liquid from a middle stripping zone. A single multiple stage heat pump compressor may be utilized as opposed to a plurality of heat pumps. Because the heat exchanger from each rectification-stripping zone pair has a lower duty, economical stab-in heat exchangers may be utilized.
US08273208B2
A structural composite laminate and method of making the same are provided. The laminate includes first and second skins or laminas, and a core positioned between the first and second laminas. The core contains thermoplastic and/or substantially inelastic polymeric particles with inter-particle interstices between the polymeric particles. Optionally, the polymeric particles are arranged discontinuously to establish gaps between adjacent particles along at least one dimension of the laminate.
US08273195B2
A heat treatment method of heat-treating a steel tube provides the steel tube with satisfactory workability and high pressure resistance capable of coping with a recent increasing trend of pressure dealt with by a recent common rail type fuel injection system. A steel tube of a desired size is formed by drawing a material of a steel containing at least vanadium. The steel tube is processed for normalizing by holding the steel tube at high temperatures between 950 and 1000° C. for a predetermined time and slowly cooling the steel tube at a predetermined cooling rate. Then, the steel tube is processed for tempering by heating the steel tube at a temperature between 500 and 700° C. and cooling the steel tube to an ordinary temperature at an optional cooling rate.
US08273185B2
A method of cleaning a vehicle exhaust system filter (1), the filter (1) having a first end (11) and a second end (10) and comprising a plurality of elongate channels (6) containing debris (19) to be removed, comprises the steps of: (i) providing a chamber (14) having an outlet in fluid communication with the first end (11) of the filter (1); (ii) covering the second end (10) of the filter (1) to hinder fluid flow out of the second end of the filter; (iii) introducing a flow of liquid into the chamber (14); (iv) stopping the flow of liquid into the chamber (14) when the chamber and channels (6) of the filter are substantially filled with liquid; (v) introducing a pulse of compressed gas into the chamber (14), and (vi) uncovering the second end (11) of the filter (1) to allow the gas to force said debris (19) and liquid (17) out of the second end (10) of the filter (1). The invention also provides apparatus for use in the method.
US08273177B2
An apparatus and methods of forming the apparatus include a film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide for use in a variety of configurations and systems. The film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide may be structured as one or more monolayers. The film of transparent conductive titanium-doped indium oxide may be formed using atomic layer deposition.
US08273171B2
A pearlescent pigment (100) includes: a flaky substrate (10); a titanium dioxide layer (20) that is formed on the flaky substrate (10); and an oxazoline compound layer (40) that is formed on the titanium dioxide layer (20) with the titanium dioxide layer (20) being interposed between the flaky substrate (10) and the oxazoline compound layer (40), and serves as a top surface of the pearlescent pigment (100).
US08273168B2
An ink contains at least a pigment, wherein the pigment is a solid solution of C.I. Pigment Red 202 and C.I. Pigment Violet 19, and a primary particle diameter D (nm) of the pigment and a 50%-cumulative diameter D50 (nm) in particle diameter distribution of the pigment satisfy a relation of D×0.95≦(=<)D50≦(=<)130, and a 90%-cumulative diameter D90 (nm) in particle diameter distribution of the pigment and the 50%-cumulative diameter D50 (nm) satisfy a relation of 1.5≦(=<)D90/D50≦(=<)2.2.
US08273157B1
A solar energy system. The system includes a thermal solar system comprising an air plenum positioned between the system and the underside body. In a specific embodiment, the air plenum is configured according to a specified aspect ratio. The system uses an air moving device to transfer a volume of air through the plenum. The air moving device is configured to maintain a flow rate associated with the volume of air at a specified velocity. The air plenum is configured to reduce the particle concentration of the air traveling through the plenum and to undergo heat treatment for use inside the target building where the thermal solar system is implemented, which keeps the air entering the building clean and healthy.
US08273154B2
A method and system for removal of in most instances 70% of mercury contamination from flue gas and in many instances 90-95%. It involves passing hot flue gas through a honeycomb filter brick comprising a ceramic honeycomb of MgAl2 Si2O8, preferably containing minor amounts of Iron, Platinum and Titanium.
US08273151B2
A liquid/gas separator device for separating liquid and gaseous phases of a fluid, in particular crude oil, the device comprising a network of first and second separator pipes disposed horizontally, said first and second separator pipes being connected together by vertical link third pipes. The first separator pipes are fed from and connected upstream to a horizontal cylindrical diffuser and are connected downstream to a first horizontal cylindrical manifold. The second separator pipes are connected upstream to the same diffuser and downstream to a second horizontal cylindrical manifold.
US08273149B2
The present invention provides a nanowire production method that is simpler than conventional nanowire production methods, and that makes it easier to control the size and shape of the nanowires by using a technique completely different from the conventional ones. A powder particle containing a metal element is divided into nanometer-size wires containing the metal element by irradiating a suspension of the powder particles with a femtosecond laser. The present invention also makes it possible to divide the nanometer-size wires thus formed into nanometer-size particles containing the metal element by irradiating further the nanometer-size wires with the femtosecond laser.
US08273140B1
A method, apparatuses and chemical compositions are provided for producing high purity hydrogen from water. Metals or alloys capable of reacting with water and producing hydrogen in aqueous solutions at ambient conditions are reacted with one or more inorganic hydrides capable of releasing hydrogen in aqueous solutions at ambient conditions, one or more transition metal compounds are used to catalyze the reaction and, optionally, one or more alkali metal-based compounds. The metal or alloy is preferably aluminum. The inorganic hydride is from a family of complex inorganic hydrides; most preferably, NaBH4. The transition metal catalyst is from the groups VIII and IB; preferably, Cu and Fe. The alkali metal-based compounds are preferably NaOH, KOH, and the like. Hydrogen generated has a purity of at least 99.99 vol. % (dry basis), and is used without further purification in all types of fuel cells, including the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell.
US08273131B2
A method and apparatus for positioning an implant system in anatomy is disclosed. The apparatus can include an alignment member operable to contact an implant portion, a bone, or other appropriate portion. The method can include using the apparatus to assist in positioning a single or multi-piece implant member. Also, a method of aligning a first implant position relative to another implant position is disclosed.
US08273129B2
A spinal fusion implant for implantation between adjacent vertebrae is formed in the approximate shape of a hollow cube. The device has an upper section and a lower section separated by a distractor all of which are relatively movable. The sidewalls of the upper section and the lower section terminate in inclined planes so that the sections move away from each other as the wedge shaped increases the height of the device. The upper section and lower section each includes a clamping flange. The clamping flange on the upper section engages the vertebral body above the implant and the clamping flange on the lower section engages the vertebral body below the implant. The distractor has a pair of clamping flanges on an end wall wherein one of the pair engages the vertebral body above the implant and the other engages the vertebral body below the implant. The clamping flanges provide a clamping action between adjacent vertebral bodies to restore alignment and stabilize the vertebral segments.
US08273127B2
A method and apparatus is provided for use in spinal fusion procedures. An interbody fusion device has a first piece that is a load bearing device designed to bear the axial loading from the end plates of adjacent vertebrae. A second piece of the interbody fusion device is a retention device whose function is to prevent migration of the load bearing device. One or more fasteners secure the retention device to the vertebrae above and below the load bearing device. The fasteners cause the end plates of the vertebrae to compress the end plates to the load bearing device to facilitate proper fusion.
US08273120B2
A prosthetic valve delivery system for percutaneously delivering and deploying a prosthetic valve within an existing valve is disclosed. The delivery system includes a stented prosthetic valve having a balloon-expandable stent portion with a prosthetic valve disposed therein and at least one self-expanding stent portion. The delivery system further includes a dual balloon catheter having a first balloon on which the stented prosthetic valve is disposed during delivery and a second balloon. Upon delivery within the existing valve, the self-expanding stent portion contacts the existing valve and the first balloon expands the balloon-expandable stent portion to a first diameter such that the stented prosthetic valve is in a first stage deployment configuration. The second balloon then expands the balloon-expandable stent portion to a second diameter, greater than the first diameter, such that the stented prosthetic valve is in a second stage deployment configuration being fully deployed within the existing valve.
US08273116B2
Medical devices and methods for delivery or implantation of prostheses within hollow body organs and vessels or other luminal anatomy are disclosed. The subject technologies may be used in the treatment of atherosclerosis in stenting procedures or be used in variety of other procedures. The systems may employ a self expanding stent restrained by one or more members released by an electrolytically erodable latch. Such release means do not connect directly to the implant, though one or more portions may contact it.
US08273113B2
A bone screw is provided having first and second threaded portions of different diameter separated by a middle portion that is unthreaded so that the bone screw may be inserted into a pair of adjacent bone fragments and used to compress the fragments together by driving the screw into a hole drilled in the fragments. An installation tool is also disclosed for threadably engaging one end of the bone screw and is used to initially drive the screw into the bone hole. Thereafter, a screwdriver may be inserted through the tool and into engagement with a recess in the bone screw and may be used to drive the screw fully into the bone and to separate the bone screw from the installation tool. A method of installation is further provided.
US08273110B2
A method for repairing a defect in the annulus of an intervertebral disc uses a port through a vertebra adjacent the disc for passage of a rivet insertion tool to place a first part of a two-part annulus repair rivet against an internal surface of the annulus adjacent the defect. A separate rivet insertion tool places a second part of the annulus repair rivet on an external surface of the annulus adjacent the defect. The first and second parts are secured together, repairing the defect.
US08273108B2
An implantable spacer for placement between adjacent spinous processes in a spinal motion segment is provided. The spacer includes a body defining a longitudinal axis and passageway. A first arm and a second arm are connected to the body. Each arm has a pair of extensions and a saddle defining a U-shaped configuration for seating a spinous process therein. Each arm has a proximal caming surface and is capable of rotation with respect to the body. An actuator assembly is disposed inside the passageway and connected to the body. When advanced, a threaded shaft of the actuator assembly contacts the caming surfaces of arms to rotate them from an undeployed configuration to a deployed configuration. In the deployed configuration, the distracted adjacent spinous processes are seated in the U-shaped portion of the arms.
US08273099B2
A thrombus filter which can be securely fixed at a selected location in the vascular system of a patient and removed when no longer required. The thrombus filter includes a body portion and a plurality of struts, each strut having a joined end and a free end. The joined end of each strut is fixably attached to the body portion. The struts radiate outwardly from the body member such that the thrombus filter is generally conical in shape. The free end of each strut includes an anchor member. A weakened portion is disposed proximate the free end of each strut. When removal of the thrombus filter is desired, forces are applied to the thrombus filter causing the struts to break at the weakened portions proximate the free ends. When breaking of the struts has been accomplished, the thrombus filter may be freely pulled into the lumen of the retrieval catheter. Once the thrombus filter is disposed inside the lumen of the retrieval catheter, the removal of the thrombus filter from the body of the patient becomes a simple matter of withdrawing the retrieval catheter from the blood vessel.
US08273088B2
A bone preparation device for preparing a bone surface for receiving an implant is disclosed, as is a method of using the device, wherein the device contains a gripping element for gripping a first bone surface and a abrading element for abrading an opposing bone surface.
US08273085B2
An electrosurgical instrument includes a body portion, an actuator, a first jaw having a first electrode and a second jaw. The first electrode has a relatively large area seal surface with a relatively small edge portion and a third electrode, and the second jaw has a second electrode having a relatively large area seal surface and a smaller edge portion. The actuator moves the jaws between an first, open position, a second position for grasping tissue, and a third position where the jaws are further closed such that the first and second seal surfaces are adjacent each other and only the edge portions are exposed. An electrosurgical generator is connected to deliver a coagulation RF waveform between the first and second jaws when in the second position, and to deliver a cutting RF waveform between one or both of the first and second electrodes and the third electrode when the jaw members are in the third position.
US08273078B2
The catheter (1) has a fastener (10) for firmly holding the wall (19) of vessel (18) when it is cut by optical fibers (3). The fastener (10) has an engaging element which can be a pin (20), roughened surface (23), spiral grooves (27), dendritic grooves (31), adhesive surface (34) or pointed pins (38).
US08273075B2
Embodiments of a system including a remotely controlled osmotic pump device and associated controller are described. Methods of use and control of the device are also disclosed. According to some embodiments, an osmotic pump device is placed in an environment in order to pump a material into the environment or into an additional fluid handling structure within the osmotic pump device. Exemplary environments include a body of an organism, a body of water, or an enclosed volume of a fluid. In selected embodiments, a magnetic field, an electric field, or electromagnetic control signal may be used.
US08273073B2
A long nose manipulatable catheter is described herein. The catheter generally comprises a flexible joint region defining a main lumen and an adjacent wire lumen. The wire lumen has an opening near or at a distal end of the flexible joint region and a push/pull wire can be pushed or pulled through the wire lumen. The catheter assembly may also comprise at least one radio-opaque marker band for securing the push/pull wire. The joint region has a predetermined length sized to affect a flexure of the joint and is generally located at the distal end of the catheter. The joint region itself may be varied to extend distally from where the braid terminates, or it may extend to encompass a portion of the braid. By varying a length of the joint region, the amount of curvature and flexure of the joint region can be controlled.
US08273059B2
A tearaway sheath assembly (100) having a splittable sheath tube (102) a splittable hub (110), a split valve (150,250) and a split cap (180). The valve (150,250) has a slit (158,258) at least partially across the transverse distal section (154) such that transverse distal section may be displaced laterally during insertion through the slit (158,258), of a dilator (200) or a catheter. The valve (150,250) is formed in two separate halves (152A,152B;252) that are fused or adhered to each other to form a sealed weak bond (154) that is easily broken during splitting of the sheath; each valve half is mechanically affixed in a proximal valve-receiving recess (130) of the hub such as by anchor posts (136) extending through apertures (166A,166B) in ears (164A,164B) of each valve half. A two-part cap (180) is affixed to the hub proximal end (120) and traps the valve between itself and the hub. Pairs of opposed gaps (184,122) of the cap (180) and the hub (110) are aligned with lines of weakness or seams (106) of the sheath tube (102) and the weak bond (154) of the valve, facilitating splitting of the assembly (100) when desired by the practitioner to peel it away from the inserted catheter.
US08273058B2
An improved implantable valve accumulator pump for the delivery of medication is disclosed. The implantable pump comprises a pressurized drug reservoir. The medication metering assembly comprises a fixed volume accumulator positioned between a pair of valves. The valves alternately open and close to admit medication from the reservoir into the accumulator and to dispense a precise volume pulse to an outlet catheter. In order to improve the pump's accuracy and to increase pumping volume while optimizing the pump's overall size and energy usage a two way diaphragm accumulator is used. The unit can be externally programmed or can be used in a fixed rate configuration that is never programmed but set at the factory or in the current programmable configuration.
US08273057B2
The connector provides fewer connections and attachments to a breastpump configured for expressing breast milk from both of a woman's breasts simultaneously, thereby facilitating easier use of the breast pump and yielding fewer pieces for the user to carry or misplace. The connector includes a manifold with four ports. Individual tubes extend from three of the four ports and each has a plug member. One tube engages with a vacuum source and the remaining two tubes engage with a breastshield assembly for double breast pumping. When single breastpumping is desired, one of the two tubes connected to the breastpump assemblies is disconnected and engaged with the dock port of the manifold.
US08273055B2
A retractable safety syringe is provided herein wherein an external vacuum compartment produces a retraction force which urges a piston of a plunger toward a retracted position. The retractable safety syringe may have a needle holder which is removably engageable to a distal portion of a syringe body. When the piston is traversed toward the engaged position, the external variable vacuum compartment produces a retraction force. When the piston is traversed to an engaged position, the piston engages the needle holder and disengages the needle holder from the syringe body. The medical professional may release a thumb pressure on a thumb platform of a plunger. At this point, the retraction force of the external variable vacuum compartment may traverse the piston along with the needle holder and needle toward the retracted position and into the syringe body. An internal variable vacuum compartment may also create a retraction force to assist retraction of the needle holder and needle into the syringe body.
US08273054B2
A system for arterial access for delivery of treatment devices is provided. In one embodiment, the system comprises a guidewire and a catheter. The catheter comprises a handle and a shaft. The shaft may be a steerable/deflectable tip shaft with a lumen adapted to allow passage of the guidewire at least partially there through. A passive sheath may also be provided to be delivered over the shaft. The handle controls the steerable/deflectable tip shaft and may be used to deflect the distal tip of the shaft.
US08273040B1
An arm sling provides elastic elongation to accommodate arms of differing lengths. Wedge shaped blocks are engagable with the sides of the sling to provide abduction of the sling. The sling is made predominantly of a net material so as to provide air circulation around the supported arm. An elastic sheet material supports the hand of the supported arm. A shoulder strap provides a movable cushioned pad for comfortable use of the sling as held by the strap.
US08273031B2
Method and apparatus are introduced for determining proportional cardiac output (CO), absolute left atrial pressure (LAP), and/or other important hemodynamic variables from a contour of a circulatory pressure waveform or related signal. Certain embodiments of the invention provided herein include the mathematical analysis of a pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) waveform or a right ventricular pressure (RVP) waveform in order to determine beat-to-beat or time-averaged proportional CO, proportional pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), and/or LAP. The invention permits continuous and automatic monitoring of critical hemodynamic variables with a level of invasiveness suitable for routine clinical application. The invention may be utilized, for example, to continuously monitor critically ill patients with pulmonary artery catheters installed and chronically monitor heart failure patients instrumented with implanted devices for measuring RVP.
US08273027B2
In an ultrasonic probe of the present invention, a probe main body that comprises a flat shaped piezoelectric element group having a plurality of strip shaped piezoelectric elements arranged in a line in the major axis direction, which is the crosswise direction of the piezoelectric elements, is formed and housed within a container main body and sealed therein with a cover. The ultrasonic probe is characterized in that, in order to mechanically and linearly scan the probe main body in the minor axis direction, which is the lengthwise direction of the piezoelectric elements, the probe main body is linearly reciprocated and mechanically scanned in the minor axis direction, by an endless belt that is driven by a drive source via another endless belt linearly in the minor axis direction, while being guided by a pair of linear guides. As a result, sufficient movement stroke of the probe main body in the minor axis direction can be ensured, and by means of a movement mechanism comprising the endless belt, the probe main body can be reciprocated in the minor axis direction to the fullest extent between the inner walls of a sealed container.
US08273012B2
An apparatus for treating tissue within a lumen may include a therapeutic or diagnostic instrument. A cleaning device may also be supported by the instrument. The cleaning device has a portion of a cleaning surface positioned proximal to the distal end of the cleaning device.
US08273010B2
An incontinence treatment device includes a urethral support and first and second connectors. The urethral support extends between a first end and a second end and has porosity that is configured to allow tissue in-growth through the urethral support. The first connector is attached to the first end of the urethral support and the second connector is attached to the second end of the urethral support. At least one of the first connector and the second connector is a cross-linked polymer connector having a glass transition temperature between 40-70 degrees Celsius. The cross-linked polymer connector has an initial length that is elongated to an implant length that is greater than the initial length. Means for heating the cross-linked polymer connector from an extracorporeal location through intact skin is provided, thereby shortening the cross-linked polymer connector.
US08273009B2
A device for aspirating sample media into a pipette for use in a micro-manipulation procedure includes a ring member having an opening sized for receiving a digit of an operator, and an aspirating bulb engaged with the ring member. The aspirating bulb has an open end sized for receiving an end of the pipette, and includes a compressible chamber capable of creating a suction force suitable for aspirating the sample media into the pipette. The aspirating bulb is oriented along the ring member such that the chamber is compressible by a digit on the same hand of the operator as the digit receivable in the ring member.
US08273002B2
A paint roller assembly providing a friction hinge for a swiveling connection between the handle and the paint applicator and a clip for locking the tubular paint applicator against unwanted axial displacement during the use.
US08272999B2
Described are several mechanisms for permitting a user to adjust the seat on a stationary exercise bicycle. The described mechanisms can be used to adjust the height of the seat or the fore and aft positioning of the seat on an upright type bicycle. Each of the described mechanisms can be configured to provide users with an optimum seat position and with a convenient latch mechanism to adjust the position of the seat.
US08272979B1
An aerodynamic multi-bladed expandable broadhead with rearward mounted overlapping blades with greater in-flight blade angles along with substantially perpendicular blade edges relative to the arrowhead body. Position of blades in flight guarantees they will always make a lethal cut on contact with an animal even before expansion. Greater in-flight blade angle means less force to open blades on hide guaranteeing expansion, and minimal rotation of blades to the penetration position results in a maximum entry cut and greater penetration. By expanding the distance between the blade edge and pivot a stronger blocky blade is produced. Geometry dictates during entry when blades hit bone on angle shots arrow direction will favorably remain in its intended lethal path to an animal.
US08272972B2
A golf club, includes: a head; a shaft; a shaft case, having a cylindrical shape and fixed to a leading end of the shaft, a hosel, mounted on the head, wherein: the shaft case is inserted into the hosel from an upper end of the hosel; and the shaft case is fixed to the hosel so that an insertion depth of the shaft into the hosel is changed.
US08272964B2
Systems and methods for defining and tracking advertising campaigns across a channel video game network are disclosed. The system allows advertisements to be dynamically activated in video games. Advertisements are tracked to determine user impressions and user exposure to the advertisement. In the system, an impression area is defined relative an advertisements in the game. Methods for redefining the impression area or for accounting for the existence of obstructions that distort the view of the advertisement are also provided.
US08272961B2
Challenge gaming includes selection of individual gaming characters or teams of characters to be pitted against opposing characters in asynchronous individual competitions or sequential tournament competitions. Each of the characters has a predetermined set of characteristics such as abilities, powers, defenses or performance levels. These characteristics can be implemented in a preselected order or according to a statistical probability, for example, based on historic data. Characteristics of team members are variable based on characteristics of other team members and opposing team members or other competition factors. Game play is conducted between characters without the need for further user interaction.
US08272958B2
A method and apparatus are used to simultaneously display a virtual dealer and a dynamic visual background image in connection with a multi-player video platform simulating and effecting play of a casino table card game. The dealer imagery is in the foreground and the background is behind the dealer. The background is either a live video feed from the casino, live feed from another location or event or pre-recorded image sequences. The various videos are keyed or masked and layered together using known video production technology.
US08272956B2
A supply harvest mechanic with a social fulfillment component for online social games.
US08272955B2
Displayed on a predetermined display device is a play screen on which a virtual game space is rendered, the virtual game space containing a character item indicating a predetermined character and a player object. Also displayed is a character string object screen on which character string objects are rendered, each of the character string objects formed as a combination of the character items displayed on the play screen. When the player object has obtained a character item, a process is performed onto the same character as the obtained character item, the process indicating that the character item has been obtained is performed, the same character being among characters of character strings displayed on the character string object screen. When all constituent characters of a character string object have been obtained, effect generating process predefined as a game effect corresponding to the character string object is performed.
US08272954B2
A mat unit 7 is provided with four foot switches SW1 to SW4 each of which detects stepping motion as input from a player. A processor 11 displays a player character 21 which travels in virtual space on a television monitor 5 on the basis of a result of detection by the mat unit 7, and furthermore arranges tasks 23L, 23C and 23L in the virtual space. The player chooses one which is different from the other two from among the tasks 23L, 23C and 23L. The processor 11 performs correctness/incorrectness determination on the basis of the result of the detection by the mat unit 7.
US08272953B2
When a cooperation game starts in a host game machine and a guest game machine that have been separately executed standalone games, present information (time and position of character) of the guest game machine is changed into one of the host game machine. During the cooperation game, present information of the guest game machine and the host game machine are renewed, being synchronized with each other. Then, player characters of the guest game machine and the host game machine are displayed on a display of each game machine, and each player plays the cooperation game together with the player character of the other game machine which is displayed on one's own game machine.
US08272949B2
Certain embodiments provide a system and method for automatic progressive link management and dispersal. Certain embodiments of a progressive gaming system include a first progressive link, wherein the first progressive link includes a first progressive amount. The system also includes a second progressive link, wherein the second progressive link includes a second progressive amount. The system further includes a progressive manager capable of automatically dispersing to the second progressive amount a portion of the first progressive amount greater than a base amount upon removal of the first progressive link. In an embodiment, the progressive manager calculates the portion of the first progressive amount that is greater than the base amount. In an embodiment, the first and second progressive links are active in multiple gaming environments. The progressive manager may schedule automatic dispersal of the portion of the first progressive amount to a selected progressive amount at a selected time.
US08272945B2
Physical objects may be employed with a virtual game layout to enhance wager and non-wagered based gaming. Displays subsystems may provide a changeable or selectable virtual game layout with demarcations appropriate to a selected game. A sensor subsystem may detect physical aspects of game related pieces (e.g., playing cards, chips, markers, dice, spinners, tokens, tiles) as well as media (e.g., identity media, financial media). All gaming functions may occur through interaction with a playing surface, as well as functions such as order food, beverages and services. Automated tracking of players, dealers and games may be realized along with bonusing and promotions.
US08272937B2
A central determination gaming system including a plurality of gaming terminals in communication with a central controller. In one embodiment, upon initiation of a game at one of the gaming terminals, the gaming terminal randomly generates a proposed game outcome. The proposed game outcome is communicated to the central controller. The central controller determines if a pool of predetermined game outcomes includes the proposed game outcome. If the pool includes the proposed game outcome, the central controller authorizes the proposed game outcome to be provided to the player, flags the authorized game outcome from further authorizations and communicates the authorized game outcome to the gaming terminal. The gaming terminal then provides the authorized game outcome to the player. If the pool does not include the proposed game outcome, the central controller discards the proposed game outcome and instructs the gaming terminal to generate another proposed game outcome for authorization.
US08272935B2
The present invention relates generally to a casino gaming system including a select and drag feature. In the system, a gaming device is capable of enabling play of a game of chance, wherein the game of chance displays multiple game positions for insertion of values related to the game of chance. Also, the system includes a processor associated with the gaming device, and the processor includes an algorithm allowing a player to select an initial value in one of the game positions and then copy the initially selected value into another game position. The select and drag feature may be used with any game, including a lottery style game.
US08272934B2
A game device and a method allow a player to play a game on the gaming machine. The gaming machine has a main display and a user interface. The game has a main game and a bonus game. The method includes the steps of (i) allowing the player to place a wager on the main game, (ii) playing the main game and randomly establishing a result of the main game, and (iii) awarding the player an award as a function of a paytable if the result of the main game is a win. The method further includes the steps of (iv) detecting an appearance of a predetermined bonus trigger symbol during the play of the main game and responsively, randomly selecting a bonus symbol from a set of bonus symbols, repeating steps (i)-(iv), and awarding the player a bonus award if a predetermined number of unique bonus symbols are selected.
US08272931B2
An air conducting device includes a rigid support, an outlet, a flexible element that is fixedly connected to the outlet and a deflecting means which allows the outlet to be tilted about at least one axis of rotation at least into a first and a second position. The flexible element is fixedly connected to the support at a distance from the outlet such that at least one of the axes of rotation is defined as a substantially stationary axis of rotation in the area of the outlet, at the level of the connection to the flexible element. The air conducting device includes a small size of the components and a small number of required individual parts.
US08272929B2
Auto-Arranged Coin Stacker and Dispenser device that is capable of stacking and dispensing coins automatically in a row and columnar configuration inside chambers formed between a back panel and a front panel between which a space is created to accept coins to drop freely and sequentially from an opening at the top of the device. A spacer having substantially the thickness of the coins is configured to have guide posts wherein the dropping coins are directed automatically to advance downward and arrange themselves first horizontally then vertically in the space provided between the front and back panels. The subsequently falling coins form additional rows vertically above the previous rows in a well-ordered manner by gravity assist and judiciously spaced guides on the sides. The device presents the stacked coins through a translucent frontage to show an immediate accounting of what has been deposited with an aesthetic appearance to the viewer.
US08272928B2
An apparatus to separate a fillet attached to a backbone of a beheaded, slaughtered fish having an open abdominal cavity previously cut by an abdominal knife and a dorsal knife, by cutting through a web left round the backbone of the fish by the abdominal and dorsal knives. The apparatus includes a transport saddle to transport the previously cut fish in a direction of fish travel wherein the saddle includes an upper bone guide and a lower bone guide. The apparatus also includes a separating unit movable back and forth from a standby position into a working position. The separating unit has a separating device to detach the fillet from the backbone of the fish and a counter support associated with the separating device and arranged on the separating unit with the separating device.
US08272927B2
An automated apparatus for removing skin from the shoulder and neck areas of a chicken carcass that includes a neck skinner and a shoulder skinner mounted to an elongated support wall in a longitudinally spaced relationship. The neck skinner includes a rotatably-driven gripper having a plurality of fins extending radially therefrom. A pinch block with an arcuate surface is mounted in a close-clearance relationship with the gripper to form a pinch point therebetween. The pinch point of the neck skinner is positioned to engage the neck area of an incoming chicken. The shoulder skinner is substantially similar to the neck skinner except that the pinch point of the shoulder skinner is positioned to engage the shoulder area of an incoming chicken. The apparatus further includes a rotatably-driven indexing conveyor laterally adjacent the neck and shoulder skinners for maintaining a longitudinal separation between chickens that are conveyed through the skinning apparatus.
US08272924B2
The invention relates to a grinding head for a grinding machine. The grinding head comprises a tool holder, which in use is moved in a plane, in particular rotated or translated back and forth, by the grinding machine. The grinding head furthermore comprises at least two tools which are connectable to the tool holder by a releasable sticking connection. One of the tools or the tool holder is provided with at least one protrusion and the other one is provided with an associated cavity to lock which extend transverse to said plane of movement of the tool with respect to the tool holder in a direction parallel to said plane when the tool is connected to the tool holder.
US08272918B2
A simulation tail swinging installment includes a base plate, an electromagnetic coil disposed on the base plate, a battery module configured for supplying power to the electromagnetic coil, and a control circuit coupled to the battery module. The simulation tail swinging installment further includes a furcated component having two arms disposed with respect to the electromagnetic coil, with the two arms located on opposite sides of the electromagnetic coil, respectively. Each of the arms includes a permanent magnet positioned in correspondence with the electromagnetic coil. The furcated component is mounted to the base plate through a pivot connected to the base plate. A first driving cable and a second driving cable are attached to the two arms, respectively. The first driving cable and the second driving cable extend through and along two side portions of a simulation tail and secured to a distal end of the simulation tail.
US08272914B2
Provided are a field emission electrode, a method of manufacturing the field emission electrode, and a field emission device including the field emission electrode. The field emission electrode may include a substrate, carbon nanotubes formed on the substrate, and a conductive layer formed on at least a portion of the surface of the substrate. Conductive nanoparticles may be attached to the external walls of the carbon nanotubes.
US08272913B2
The present invention provides an organic light-emitting device which can prevent a covering member from being damaged or peeled off, and which can be manufactured with excellent productivity and cost performance; and a method for manufacturing the organic light-emitting device. The covering member has a chamfer formed on the side of a face of the covering member on a reverse side to the side of an organic light-emitting element.
US08272909B2
A spark plug (10) includes an intermediate connecting pin (54) disposed in the central passage (28) of an the insulator body (12). The connecting pin (54) seats in an intermediate taper section (72) within the central passage (28), which is generally frustoconical and establishes a transition between a first larger diameter of the central passage (28) and a second smaller diameter. The intermediate tapered section (72) is located longitudinally above a filleted transition (26) feature of the insulator body (12) exterior. A pin head (53) of the connecting pin (54) has a complementary tapered under-cut and seats against the intermediate tapered section (72) to provide self-centering of the connecting pin (54) without trapping gas during the assembly process. The intermediate taper section (72) also provides an increase in insulator wall thickness which improves dielectric capacity and structural integrity of the insulator (12).
US08272902B2
A communication connector uses compensation circuitry to compensate for crosstalk in a network connection. Capacitors are connected between specific conducive paths in said communication connector. Inductive stubs are utilized in the compensation circuitry to improve the overall compensation performance.
US08272900B2
An electrical connector, such as a circuit board connector, includes a first group or subassembly of electrical contacts physically separate from an adjacent and second group or subassembly of contacts. The first group of electrical contacts and second group of electrical contacts each include a row of lower contacts and upper contacts. The second group of electrical contacts has an identical but mirrored configuration as the first group of electrical contacts.
US08272894B2
A coaxial connector includes a terminal, an insulating housing for receiving the terminal therein, and a shell for receiving the insulating housing therein. The terminal includes a carrier plate; two contacts correspondingly provided at their facing sides with two concaved areas for electrically connecting with an external round-shaped conductor; and a first and a second fastening plate for fastening to a core wire of a cable. The two contacts and the first and second fastening tabs are oriented toward the same direction. With the above arrangements, the coaxial connector can be easily assembled and have reduced assembly height, the first and second fastening plates are in direct contact with the core wire to securely fasten the same to the terminal, and the contact area between the contacts and the external round-shaped conductor is increased, ensuring good electrical signal transmission via the coaxial connector.
US08272889B2
A connector has a base having an opening formed at a front surface of the base, to which a distal end of a flexible printed circuit is inserted, a plurality of insertion holes passing from the front surface to a rear surface arranged in a line at a predetermined pitch, and a fit-in recess at an upper surface of the base, a connection terminal press-fit into the insertion hole of the base from a side, a support fitting assembled to the fit-in recess of the base from an upper side, and including an elastic temporary holding portion capable of engaging a temporary holding cutout portion arranged on both side edges of the distal end of the flexible printed circuit, and an operation lever for supporting a turning shaft portion arranged at both side ends at a bearing of the support fitting in a turnable manner, and driving the connection terminal.
US08272877B2
An interconnection system that includes a daughter card and backplane electrical connectors, each mounted to a printed circuit board at a connector footprint. The backplane connector has conductive elements with transition regions that allow the mating contact portions to be positioned on a uniform pitch while contact tail portions can be shaped to improve signal integrity or to provide a more compact and/or mechanically robust footprint. The conductive elements in both connectors are configured such that the contact tails of the ground conductors align from column to column, but the planar portions of the ground conductors in one column align with a pair of signal conductors in the other column, which improves mechanical and signal integrity. Mechanical integrity may be improved by forming the connector footprints with pads for the ground conductors that span multiple columns.
US08272876B2
Apparatus and methods for magnetically enhanced electrical signal conduction are disclosed. An embodiment electrical connector comprises a connector body, a first active signal contact mechanically attached to and at least partially disposed within the connector body, a ground contact mechanically attached to the connector body, an insulator mechanically separating and electrically isolating the first active signal contact and the ground contact, and a first permanent magnet electrically connected to the first active signal contact. An embodiment electrical cable comprises an elongated insulating sheath, a first active signal electrical conductor disposed within the sheath, a first connector body mechanically attached to a first end of the sheath, a first active signal contact mechanically attached to the first connector body, and electrically connected to the first active signal electrical conductor, and a first permanent magnet electrically connected to the first active signal electrical conductor.
US08272873B1
Computer software for language analysis and material design, and a method of natural language training, comprising: receiving a plurality of texts in a predetermined natural language; establishing one or more groups of core words of the natural language; and compiling teaching materials that comprise at least a predetermined percentage of words that are within one or more of the groups. At least one of the groups comprises high frequency words in the natural language.
US08272870B2
An anchorage unit fits to a dental implant. A dental attachment for mounting to the anchorage unit has a first attachment part and a second attachment part. The attachment parts define an aperture for accommodating a portion of the anchorage unit with a boundary wall of the aperture on each of the attachment parts serving, in use, as a jaw for clamping against the portion of the anchorage unit. The aperture is of greater size than the portion of the anchorage unit to allow adjustment of the position of the attachment with respect to the anchorage unit. In another embodiment, a two-part anchoring assembly defines a pair of jaws for, in use, receiving and clamping against a portion of a dental attachment. The apparatus is particularly relevant when an attachment must be placed on more than one implant simultaneously.
US08272867B2
An orthodontic device consisting of a bracket having a slot formed by arm parts facing each other in the vertical direction, and an inner part having a socket for holding a wire. The orthodontic device is characterized in that the opening of the slot is closed by inserting the inner part into the slot so that the inner part can be held by the arm parts. Different torque depending on the socket can be applied to a tooth. A desired torque can be applied by only changing the inner part without changing the bracket.
US08272861B1
An apparatus for vulcanizing at least a tread of a tire has a top mold section and a bottom mold section. The mold sections are secured to one another during a vulcanizing process by a plurality of locking mechanisms located around the outer circumference of the apparatus. Each locking mechanism includes a dual action hydraulic actuator. A piston rod of the hydraulic actuator imparts movement to a generally vertically oriented articulated linkage member. T-shaped projection located at an end of the articulated linkage member distal from the piston rod is brought into engagement with a securing member associated with the top mold section to secure the mold sections to one another. After the vulcanizing process is complete the hydraulic actuator imparts movement to the articulated linkage member to release the top mold section from the bottom mold section.
US08272857B2
A tube-positioning system for loading tubing into a peristaltic pump includes a holder and a first tube segment. The holder includes a shell configured to slidably fit onto an exterior of a pump and a pair of guides extending upward from opposite side walls of the shell. The first tube segment has a fixed length and extends between the pair of guides with each end of the first tube segment secured within one of the respective guides.
US08272856B2
The high-pressure pump has at least one pump element which has a pump plunger which is driven in a reciprocating motion and defines a pump working space into which fuel is drawn in from a fuel feed via an inlet valve during the suction stroke of the pump plunger and from which fuel is displaced into a high-pressure region via an outlet valve during the delivery stroke of the pump plunger. The inlet valve and/or the outlet valve has a valve member at least approximately in the shape of a ball which acts as a sealing surface with a valve seat arranged in a valve housing. The valve member, in its open state, is lifted with its sealing surface from the valve seat, a first cross section of flow is cleared between the valve member and the valve seat, and downstream of the first cross section of flow, a second cross section of flow is formed between the valve member and the valve housing. In the direction of flow between the first cross section of flow and the second cross section of flow, a third cross section of flow is formed between the valve member and the valve housing, said third cross section of flow being larger than the first cross section of flow and the second cross section of flow.
US08272851B2
A fluid energy transfer device, including a chamber for receiving a fluid, at least a portion of the chamber comprising a movable portion relative to another portion of the chamber, the movable portion being adapted to change the volume of the chamber from a first volume to a second volume by movement of the movable portion. The device further includes an actuator attached to the movable portion, wherein the displacements of the movable portion can be larger than the displacement of the actuator.
US08272849B1
A process for sizing an axial length of a throat in a jet pump, where an exponential relationship between mixing and kinetic energy dissipation of the primary jet is plotted in terms of a non-dimensional parameter on a graph which ranges from around 1.0 at an axial length of zero to a ratio of less than 0.1 at the minimal axial length of the throat to produce complete mixing between the primary and secondary fluids. This non-dimensional parameter is referred to as the Stein number.
US08272842B2
In one embodiment, the invention provides an air movement device having a matrix polymer and nanoparticles. In another embodiment, the invention provides a method of manufacturing an air movement device having dry-mixing about 30% to about 80% by weight matrix polymer and about 2% to about 15% by weight layered clay to form a dry mixture, extruding the mixture to form a polymer nanocomposite, and molding the polymer nanocomposite into an air movement device. In yet another embodiment, the invention provides an air movement device having about 30% to about 80% by weight polypropylene, about 3% to about 10% by weight layered clay, and about 1% to about 10% by weight maleic anhydride grafted polystyrene, wherein the air movement device has a UL 94 5VA flame retardant rating.
US08272834B2
A compressor housing for accommodating a compressor wheel comprises an inlet and an outlet, each being defined by a wall provided integrally with said compressor housing, wherein at least one acoustic damper element is disposed on the outside of at least one of said walls of the inlet and the outlet. Preferably, the acoustic damper element is integrally formed with the compressor housing by die casting. A compressor or a turbocharger can be equipped with the compressor housing.
US08272829B1
A trailer assembly 10 having a frontal support and storage portion 12 and a back support and storage portion 14 and the portions 12 and 14 are selectively and independently articulatable, such that portion 14 may be selectively raised and lowered independent of the movement of the portion 12, portion 12 may be selectively raised and lowered independently of the portion 14, and both portions 12 and 14 may be lowed and raised in a substantial concurrent manner in order to facilitate the loading and unloading of items upon and/or from the trailer assembly 10 without the need for a ramp or other such aid.
US08272823B2
The present invention relates to a sealing arrangement for attaching a side plate often used with a pump volute of a centrifugal pump and an attachment screw used therewith. A characterizing feature of the sealing arrangement for attaching the side plate of a centrifugal pump, comprising at least a pump volute (10) and a side plate (130) with attachment screws (132) and flanges (164) of the screws (132) arranged in communication with the volute (10) or the cover of the casing, is that an annular seal (180) is arranged between the screw (132) and the volute or the cover of the casing.
US08272819B1
A restraining strap securement system for a trailer includes a load-restraining strap with a flat hook that connects to the trailer side rail. The trailer side rail extends along the sides of the trailer and comprises a bottom wall with an opening for receiving the flat hook. A keeper slides upon a rail affixed to the bottom wall and the keeper may be positioned to extend beneath the flat hook and prevent the flat hook from falling from the opening while the strap is being tightened. The keeper may comprise a hook that can be used to secure tarps or ropes over the trailer load.
US08272814B2
A crawler assembly includes an attachment mechanism that is removably attachable to a stringer. The stringer has a vertical web and a longitudinal axis. The crawler assembly includes a longitudinal slider that is engageable to the attachment mechanism and having a normalizing mechanism disposable in bearing contact against the vertical web for maintaining an orientation of the longitudinal slider relative to the stringer. The longitudinal slider is movable along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. The crawler assembly includes a lateral slider that is mountable to the longitudinal slider and is movable along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The lateral slider includes a drill bushing. The longitudinal and lateral sliders cooperate to move the drill bushing to at least one predetermined hole location.
US08272806B2
Described is a building connecting apparatus for receiving structural members including frames and panels. The apparatus includes a main body having a central opening for receiving an extension member attached to a slot plate. Receiving plates can be coupled to the apparatus for receiving the structural members with the extension member capable of guiding and aligning the structural members.
US08272798B2
In a printer which prints on a roll paper transported toward a discharge port and cuts the roll paper, an exchangeable lower cover is attached to the printer. The exchangeable lower cover defines a lower edge of the discharge port. A change of height of the discharge port is allowed by exchanging the exchangeable lower cover for another one. Hereby, it is possible to change specifications between one for holding a printed slip and the other for allowing the printed slip to fall freely. In the former specification, a brush provided at a periphery of an upper edge of the discharge port is in contact with a lower cover. On the other hand, in the latter specification, the brush is in distant from another lower cover.
US08272792B2
Retention bodies for securing a fiber optic cable thereto for optical connectorization are disclosed along with fiber optic cable assemblies. The fiber optic cable is inserted into a passage of the retention body and secured to the same using a bonding agent and/or a mechanical element. The rear end opening of the passage is configured for inserting and securing an end portion of the fiber optic cable having at least one strength component and a portion of a cable jacket. Additionally, the retention body has a buckling chamber disposed within the retention body passage for accommodating movement of optical fiber.
US08272791B2
An optical fiber connector includes a housing, and two lenses. The housing defines two first blind holes each configured for receiving an optical fiber. The two lenses are formed on the housing and each of the lenses is aligned with a corresponding first blind hole. The two second blind holes are defined on the housing and each of the second blind holes run through the housing to the bottom of a corresponding first blind hole allowing air in the first blind hole vent out when the optical fiber is inserted into the first blind hole.
US08272789B2
Provided are an adapter assembly and method for compensating optical fibers for a length difference. The adapter assembly includes a first adapter, a second adapter, and a member. The first adapter is configured to be connected to at least one optical communication unit. The second adapter is configured to be connected to at least another optical communication unit and be coupled to the first adapter. The member is configured to be interposed between the first and second adapters for providing an optical signal transmission path between the optical communication units. Owing to the member, a length difference between optical fibers can be compensated for.
US08272787B2
A connector enclosure for enclosing a cable assembly includes a main body that has a first body portion and a second body portion. The first body portion is adapted for selective releasable engagement with the second body portion. Each of the first and second body portions defines a cavity having a first connector portion and a second connector portion. The cavity of each of the first and second body portions cooperatively defines a passage through the main body. The passage is configured to retain a cable assembly.
US08272785B2
A bearing mechanism 1 includes a housing 3 having a cylindrical inner peripheral surface 2, a rack shaft 5 inserted and secured in the housing 3 and having a cylindrical outer peripheral surface 4, and a sliding bearing 6 interposed between the inner peripheral surface 2 of the housing 3 and the outer peripheral surface 4 of the rack shaft 5.
US08272779B2
A calorimeter which includes a casing in which a sample is combusted, a jacket around the casing, and temperature sensors in an outer surface of the jacket.
US08272773B2
An illuminating device acceding to the present invention has light sources, a light guide body which emits lights incident from the light sources, and a blurring structure, and, on the surface opposing to the emission surface of the light guide body, the light deflection elements which guide lights incident from the light sources toward the emission surface are formed regularly in two-dimensional direction of the first direction and second direction. The blurring structure has a function of blurring the light deflection elements regularly formed in the two-dimensional direction, and this blurring structure converts incident lights into linear lights inclined in the direction of the angle θ with respect to the first direction.
US08272766B2
A lamp, for general lighting applications, utilizes solid state light emitting sources to produce and distribute white light. The exemplary lamp also includes elements to dissipate the heat generated by the solid state light emitting sources. The lamp includes a thermal handling system having a heat sink and a thermal core made of a thermally conductive material to dissipate the heat generated by the solid state light emitting sources to a point outside the lamp.
US08272762B2
A luminaire includes an electrical base, an optic, and a heat sink disposed between the base and the optic. An LED driver circuit is disposed at least partially within the heat sink, and is disposed in electrical communication with the base. An LED light source is disposed in thermal communication with one or more surfaces of the heat sink, and in electrical communication with the driver circuit, the LED assembly includes an LED module. The light source includes a printed circuit board with a plurality of projections that are bendable such that the projections are arranged on an angle when assembled on the heat sink.
US08272751B2
A display apparatus includes: a light modulator having translucent windows; a light emitter having a light source; a light guide having a tubular reflecting surface guiding light source light to the light modulator; and a light separator having a light separation surface separating guided light into transmitted and reflected light. The tubular reflecting surface narrows from the light modulator toward the light emitter to guide the reflected light to the windows. Denoting a lateral cross-sectional area of an inside area of the tubular reflecting surface at a light source end as S1, a lateral cross-sectional area of the tubular reflecting surface at a light separation surface end as S2, and a maximum incident angle at which light from the light source reflected by the tubular reflecting surface is input to the light separation surface as θ, θ×√(S2/S1)≧110.
US08272746B2
A projection display apparatus for displaying an image on a projection plane by projection, includes: an image capturing unit capturing an image; an angle calculator calculating an angle of the projection plane relative to the projection display apparatus; a straight line detector detecting a straight line in the captured image corresponding to a line perpendicular to a predetermined reference plane and a straight line in the captured image corresponding to a line parallel to the predetermined reference plane on the basis of the calculated angle; and a keystone corrector correcting a keystone distortion of an image to be displayed on the projection plane on the basis of the detection result in the straight line detector.
US08272735B2
A method for producing lenses with at least one simple surface that is optically equivalent to a lens having two complex surfaces.
US08272733B2
A printer apparatus includes a guide rail, a first device including a first head, a second device including a second head, and a hauling device including a driving member movable between the first device and the second device. A first holding mechanism is provided on one side with respect to a medium supporter. A second holding mechanism is provided on another side with respect to the medium supporter. When ink is to be ejected from the first head, the second holding mechanism holds the second device separated from the driving member, and a first connecting mechanism connects the first device to the driving member. When ink is to be ejected from the second head, the first holding mechanism holds the first device separated from the driving member, and a second connecting mechanism connects the second device to the driving member.
US08272732B2
An image forming method is disclosed, which includes applying a treatment liquid onto a recording medium that has a coated layer and has an area of 1,250 cm2 or more, applying an ink composition including a pigment and resin particles having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 100° C. or higher onto the recording medium onto which the treatment liquid has been applied and which is conveyed at a conveyance speed of 200 mm/s or higher, heating and drying the applied treatment liquid and ink composition, cooling the recording medium that has been subjected to the heating and drying, to a temperature of 35° C. or lower, and accumulating the recording medium that has been subjected to the cooling, into an accumulation unit.
US08272729B2
An ink jet printer for printing a cationic ink jet ink is provided. The printer comprises a print head for printing the ink onto a substrate, a heating means for heating the ink on the substrate, and a source of radiation for curing the heated ink.
US08272723B2
An ink cartridge includes an inner pack that stores ink, an outer pack that packs the inner pack and into which gas is introduced to squeeze the inner pack to supply the ink to an exterior of the ink cartridge, and a cartridge case having a housing portion to enclose the outer pack and an inner wall surface against which the outer pack is inflated to be pressed as gas is introduced into the outer pack.
US08272719B2
A liquid droplet jetting apparatus includes a jetting unit equipped with plural head modules, a supply channel equipped with plural branching channels, first circulation limiting units, liquid storage units and external force applying units. The first circulating limiting units allow circulation of a liquid in a direction from a storage chamber to each of the head modules and limit circulation of the liquid in an opposite direction of the circulating direction. The liquid storage units are disposed between the circulation limiting units and the head modules. The liquid storage units store the liquid, and the volumes of the liquid storage units change due to external force. The external force applying units apply the external force to the liquid storage units such that the volumes of the liquid storage units become smaller and cause liquid droplets to be jetted from the nozzles.
US08272715B2
An inkjet printhead is provided having an array of ink chambers each including a nozzle and an actuator for ejecting ink through the nozzle and being defined by sidewalls extending between a nozzle plate and underlying wafer substrate with one sidewall having an opening to allow ink to refill the chamber, an ink conduit between the nozzle plate and underlying substrate, and a plurality of ink inlets defined in the substrate. Each conduit is in fluid communication with the openings the chambers and with at least one of the inlets for receiving ink to supply to the chambers. The nozzles are arranged in rows such that the nozzle centers are collinear and the nozzle pitch along each row is greater than 1000 nozzles per inch.
US08272713B2
An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a liquid tank, a first fluid flow path supplying liquid to the recording head, a second fluid flow path being in communication with the liquid tank, a pressure adjusting valve allowing fluid communication between the first and the second fluid flow paths, a cap member covering a nozzle surface of the recording head, and a suction unit being in communication with the cap member. The pressure adjusting valve includes a movable member movably disposed in the internal fluid flow path, wherein the movable member includes a sealing unit that seals the communication between the first and the second fluid flow paths when the cap member covers the nozzle surface of the recording head and a negative pressure is generated in a cap-member space formed between the cap member and the nozzle surface by driving the suction unit.
US08272711B2
A recording target medium includes a base material, a recording portion, and a guided-array portion. The recording portion is formed on or at one surface of the base material. The recording portion includes an ink-accepting layer. The guided-array portion is formed on the base material at a side opposite to an observation side of the recording portion.
US08272708B2
An inkjet printhead has nozzles and respective heater elements. A print engine controller actuates the heater elements to eject ink through the corresponding nozzle. During use, the print engine controller actuates each of the heater elements at least once every decap time. The decap time is a predetermined time period in which the viscosity of the ejectable liquid at the nozzle increases to a threshold, at which ejection fails and the nozzle clogs.
US08272705B2
A liquid ejection apparatus including: a flushing-operation-data producing section which produces flushing-operation data for flashing of ink; a second-liquid-ejection-data producing section which produces data about ejection of treatment liquid such that (i) the treatment liquid is to be landed on a dot area on which the ink is to be landed upon forming an image dot among dot areas and (ii) an amount of the treatment liquid landed to be on at least one dot area on which the ink is to be landed upon flashing of the ink is made smaller, by referring the flushing-operation data produced by the flushing-operation-data producing section, than an amount of the treatment liquid to be landed on a dot area on which the ink is not to be landed upon flashing; and a second-liquid controlling section which controls a head on the basis of the data produced by the second-liquid-ejection-data producing section.
US08272704B2
An ink containment system for an inkjet cartridge, for storing ink for printing, comprises a rigid basin member and a rigid moveable plate. A flexible membrane is affixed to a surface of the basin member and to a surface of the plate forming an ink reservoir within the basin member, plate and flexible membrane. A spring-biased mechanism is disposed between the basin member and plate, for biasing the plate apart from the basin member, generating a negative pressure within the ink reservoir and the basin member remaining stationary relative to the movement of the plate. The basin member has a bowl-like configuration and the spring is seated within the reservoir in such a way that when the ink reservoir has collapsed due to depletion of ink, the flexible membrane and moveable plate are substantially flush with surfaces of the basin member.
US08272702B2
A fixture includes a medicine cabinet having a cabinet body and a door. The fixture includes a frame which includes a frame body having a recess sized and shaped to receive the door, and an overhang which extends along the upper portion of the door. The fixture can include a guide rail which is repeatably moveable between positions away from and extending over the lower portion of the door, and an adjustable container assembly carried by the door.
US08272701B2
A track chain link for use in an endless track chain has a longitudinal (or “x”) dimension and a lateral (or “y”) dimension. The track chain link has an x-y plane of symmetry about which the track chain link is symmetric.
US08272700B2
A pressure regulating valve unit 7 is configured to be electrically driven according to a detection value of a detection unit 74 adapted to detect an amount of brake application effort made by a brake operation member 5 so as to switch states of the vehicle brake apparatus between a state where a boosted hydraulic pressure chamber 9 is made to communicate with a hydraulic pressure generating source 6 while a communication between the boosted hydraulic pressure chamber 9 and a reservoir R is interrupted, a state where the communication between the boosted pressure chamber 9 and the hydraulic pressure generating source 6 is interrupted while the boosted pressure chamber 9 is made to communicate with the reservoir R, and a state where the boosted hydraulic pressure chamber 9 is disconnected from both the hydraulic pressure generating source 6 and the reservoir R.
US08272696B2
The present invention relates to a height control unit of a headrest for a vehicle seat, in which the height of the headrest may be simply controlled by the driving force of an electric motor. The height control unit of a headrest for a seat of a vehicle includes a bracket fixed to an inner frame of a seat back, an electric motor fixed on a side of the bracket, a lead screw axially supported at a lower end by a stopper plate so as to be driven forward or backward towards a lower part of the bracket via a reduction gear box by the electric motor, lifting rods standing on both sides between the bracket and the stopper plate, and a carrier provided with pockets opened upward on both sides so as to receive poles of the headrest and lifted or lowered by the guide of the lifting rods in a state where the lead screw is screw-coupled with the carrier, wherein the carrier has stoppers axially supported by pins so that the stoppers are alternatively released by the manipulation of a user in a state where the poles of the headrest are coupled, and has coil springs elastically supporting the stoppers with respect to the carrier.
US08272691B2
A resilient lower-back supporting device capable of vertical adjustment along with a backrest of a chair includes a resilient supporting unit pivotally connected between a lower end of the height-adjustable backrest and a supporting element. Configured for resilient extension and retraction, the resilient supporting unit includes an outer supporting rod and an inner supporting rod inserted therein. The two supporting rods are pulled toward each other by a spring provided therebetween. Besides, a spring is provided at an outer end of each supporting rod to bias the resilient supporting unit and the backrest toward a predetermined direction. With the backrest being vertically adjustable, and with the resilient support provided by a lower-back supporting portion at the lower end of the backrest, people of different heights are ergonomically supported especially on the lower back while sitting in the chair and are protected from back pain attributable to a prolonged sitting posture.
US08272690B2
According to the present disclosure, a juvenile vehicle seat includes a base providing a seat bottom, a backrest extending upwardly from the base, and a movable headrest. The headrest is mounted for up-and-down movement on the backrest. The juvenile vehicle seat also includes a headrest-height controller configured to control the height of the movable headrest relative to the backrest.
US08272686B1
Devices, apparatus and methods of assembling and mounting a removable net basket on hoops/rings that can be attached to armrests on child car seats. Two hoops can sandwich a rim end of a tubular net/mesh material. The hoops can be located with one within the other and have snapable bendable fasteners that snap into like slots. The bottom end of the tubular mesh material can be closed off by sandwiching a pair of elongated strips together, with the strips having mateable enlarged heads that pass through slots such as cross shaped slots. The mesh/net bag can be removed by reversing the assembly. The assembled hoops can be hunger by a hanger onto an armrest of a juvenile car seat so that items, such as but not limited to beverage holders, food stuffs, toys and the like, can be placed therein.
US08272677B2
The invention relates to a tensioning bow for a convertible top, a convertible top for a convertible vehicle, a convertible vehicle and a method for mounting a convertible top to a body of a convertible vehicle. The tensioning bow comprises a main segment having a first end and a second end, a first pivotable segment being assigned to the first end of the main segment, and a second segment, wherein a first rotary joint pivotably connects the first pivotable segment to a portion of the main segment, and wherein a second rotary joint pivotably connects the first pivotable segment to the second segment.
US08272675B2
A mounting bracket is attached to an instrument panel frame, and an aperture is formed in an upper surface of an instrument panel housing in alignment with the bracket to provide a hardpoint for attaching an adapter module. The adapter module is removably secured to the mounting bracket and is provided with component mounting features for securing electrical components such as a radio or radar device. Vehicle electric wiring internal to the instrument panel housing is easily connected with wiring associated with the components. The apparatus allows cost-effective and efficient customization of electrical components mounted to a vehicle instrument panel.
US08272667B2
An inflatable knee airbag can have a plurality of inflatable chambers. The inflatable chambers can be formed as independent chambers, rather than a single chamber being divided by an internal tether. The inflatable chambers can be arranged in a serial configuration, wherein the chambers form an “L” shape so that when the airbag is deployed, it conforms to the shape of an instrument panel.
US08272658B2
A bicycle may include a rear suspension system to absorb forces impacting on the bicycle by allowing a rear wheel of the bicycle to be displaced relative to the bicycle frame. Upon displacement of the rear wheel, the rear suspension system allows the rear wheel to move from a general first position to a second position, and then acts to return the rear wheel to the general first position. The rear suspension system may be adjusted in some versions to affect the travel path of the rear wheel as well as the leverage ratio curve to suit the rider's preference. The bicycle may include a rear frame couple with a front frame through first and second pivot translating assemblies, the orientations and/or shapes of which affect the rear wheel path as well as the leverage ratios.
US08272657B2
A bicycle comprises a bicycle frame and a rear wheel suspension system that is attached to the frame. The rear wheel suspension system comprises a rear wheel swingarm and a shock absorber that is coupled to the swingarm. A change in vertical wheel travel (ΔVWT) of the rear wheel is related to a change in the length of the shock absorber (ΔSL), providing a shock rate (SR). The shock rate (SR) changes throughout the vertical wheel travel of the rear wheel, such that the change in the shock rate dSR/dVWT has a change in sign as the rear wheel travels through its vertical wheel travel. In each case, the rate of change of the shock includes a change in sign, from positive to negative or from negative to positive. In some embodiments, the swingarm may be attached to the frame at a single pivot point or through a linkage system.
US08272648B2
A detachable golf club carrier has a handle, a carrier body, a golf club bag, at least one wheel and a second hitching device. The golf club carrier and the motorized golf cart can be hitched together without lifting the golf club carrier. A carrier for attaching to a golf car is also provided.
US08272646B2
A quick change jaw system for chucks is provided. The quick change jaw assembly includes a master jaw including a first pair of coplanar abutment surfaces defining a first aperture; a clamping device including a dovetail portion being disposed in the first aperture of the master jaw, wherein the dovetail portion rests above the first pair of coplanar top surfaces of master jaw; a top jaw formed with a groove longitudinally extending along a length of the top jaw, the groove being complementary to the dovetail portion and configured for engaging the dovetail portion, the top jaw including a second pair of coplanar abutment surfaces extending along opposite sides of the groove; and a cam for actuating the clamping device for urging the second pair of coplanar abutment surfaces of the top jaw into coengagement with the first pair of coplanar abutment surfaces of the master jaw.
US08272645B2
A tool replacing device including a case member is disclosed. In the case member, engaging balls supported between a holding member and a movable member is projected into the holding member by an extruding surface of the movable member, resiliently urged by a second spring, thereby allowing a tool to be engaged. By pressing the movable member against a resilient urging force of the second spring, the engaging balls can be moved in the movable member. Also, since there are provided shock sensors for detecting a moving distance of the holding member holding the tool, collision or the like of the tool can be detected. Even if power supply is stopped, the present tool replacing device can hold the tool.
US08272643B2
An improved air-riding seal system for turbine engines is presented. The seal system includes a movable primary seal assembly, a stationary secondary seal assembly, and at least one structure to increase the stiffness of a thin film between the primary seal and a rotating component. The primary seal assembly includes an annular seal ring and an arcuate support arm. The annular seal ring has a cross section that is substantially L-shaped and a surface with a step face and a circumferential dam. The arcuate support arm has a tooth at one end adjacent to an outermost circumferential surface along the seal runner, which could include an optional notch. The tooth and outermost circumferential surface are separated by a gap. A plurality of radial dams disposed along the surface in an outward radial arrangement from the circumferential darn is provided to improve the stiffness of the thin film.
US08272637B2
A sheet tray unit includes a particular feed tray configured to hold one or more sheets therein, and a discharge tray disposed on the particular feed tray and configured to receive a discharged sheet. The discharge tray includes a first discharge tray portion, a second discharge tray portion, and a third discharge tray portion. The first discharge tray portion is configured to support the second discharge tray portion such that the second discharge tray portion selectively slides in a first direction and in a second direction, which is opposite and substantially parallel to the first direction. The second discharge tray portion is configured to support the third discharge tray portion such that the third discharge tray portion selectively slides in the first direction and in the second direction. The first discharge tray portion includes a stopper configured to limit the third discharge tray portion from sliding in the first direction beyond a predetermined position.
US08272634B2
There is provided a sheet feeding device in which a sheet is discriminated at preliminary loosening before feeding, and is set to be controlled according to the type of the sheet by a simple configuration without requiring a special configuration. In the sheet feeding device in which air is blown onto a sheet stack, and a sheet floating at the uppermost level by the blowing is absorbed and conveyed, a sheet type is discriminated, based on a moving amount of the tray, at preliminary loosening before sheet feeding after setting the sheet in a tray.
US08272632B2
In a bookbinding apparatus, an adhesive applying portion applies an adhesive to an end face of a sheet bundle allowed to stand in the substantially vertical direction, a storage portion that gathers and stores the sheet bundle which is applied with the adhesive and bound in the adhesive applying portion while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction, transport means for conveying the sheet bundle while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction from the adhesive applying portion to the storage portion along a substantially vertical transport path, and a cutting portion which is provided on the transport path between the adhesive applying portion and the storage portion, and which cuts an end face of the sheet bundle while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction.
US08272628B2
The present invention includes an apparatus and method for restraining a tool that a base having a plurality of spaced apart body apertures of a size and shape for accommodating at least one surface of a tool, said apertures organized in an array according to an outline of at least one surface of each said tool and one or more spacers positioned between the apertures, wherein at least every other spacer comprises a magnet for holding a tool within the aperture.
US08272610B2
In one aspect, a holder assembly includes a substrate-mountable holder having a metal base having a centerline, the base having a plurality of openings to receive a plurality of fasteners, a generally symmetrical wireform having a pair of legs with a portion therebetween, the portion welded to the base, each leg having a first segment extending parallel to the base and a second segment extending outwardly of the base. First segment of each leg may be generally parallel to the centerline, or first segment may be angled with respect to the centerline. Second segment of legs may extend generally linearly outwardly of the base or may have radii of curvature.
US08272604B2
The locking arm pedestal system includes a clevis assembly pivotally attached to a plurality of pivotal arms. One of the arms is pivotally attached to a telescoping arm housed in a base, the telescoping arm setting the desired height of the clevis assembly. The base is adapted to be mounted to a vehicle console and floor. The clevis assembly includes a pivotal mounting bracket where an item can be mounted thereon at a desired angle. A pivot locking joint prevents the mounting bracket from pivoting from the desired angle. Each of the pivotal arms also includes similarly configured pivot locking joints to set the desired position of the clevis assembly with respect to the user. Fasteners clamp the locking pivot joints in place.
US08272602B2
A stand includes a base, a supporting member and a connecting member. The supporting member is spaced from the base and comprises a supporting portion and an arm pivotally engaging with the supporting portion. The arm is rotatable towards the supporting portion. The connecting member connects the base and the supporting member. The connecting member comprises a plurality of connecting portions foldaway relative to each other.
US08272601B2
A cooking utensil support apparatus used for the cooking of food in a cooking utensil over a heat source, such support apparatus having stand and a cooking utensil handle support member adjustably positioned on such stand with angle adjustment means for adjusting the angle of the cooking utensil handle support member and the handle supported therein of such cooking utensil.
US08272599B2
A control lever assembly for a tilt-rotor aircraft, comprises at least one control lever which is movable relative to a control lever support. The control lever support has a rotational position that varies in correspondence with the tilt of the rotor of the aircraft. For example, the control lever support is movable by an actuator between a first position, in the airplane mode of the aircraft, in which the control lever moves substantially horizontally and a second position, in the helicopter mode of the aircraft, in which the control lever moves substantially vertically.
US08272594B2
A method of providing an aircraft having a fuselage and a wing configured for extensive laminar flow at design cruise conditions, the method characterized by a) providing wing biconvex-type airfoils having values of thickness, chord and shape along the wing span which provide substantially optimal aircraft range at design cruise conditions, considering the influences of wing drag and wing weight; b) providing wing leading edges, which are configured to effect laminar flow; c) providing fuselage and wing contours which, in combination, produce reduced total wave drag and produce extensive areas of laminar boundary layer flow on the wing; and d) providing wing sweep angularity that facilitates provision of a), b) and c).
US08272593B2
Conventional bottom blade type flight vehicles have a complex structure and complex flying control operations in that several pairs of fixing plates, and forward/backward and left and right rotation adjustment blades are separately mounted and adjusted to remove the anti-torque of the flight vehicle caused by the rotation of the propellers and to fly the flight vehicle, so that the flight vehicles has difficulties in scouting and surveillance of an indoor area due to the heavy weight and the great volume. The flight vehicle of the disclosure continuously rotates in a state in which the anti-torque is not removed by one adjustment blade. The flight vehicle stops, ascends, descends, advances forward, backward, leftward, or rightward, or left or right rotates, performs flight in a narrow space, scouting and surveillance in an indoor area with a simple structure, simple control, light weight, and small size, and increases power efficiency.
US08272591B2
A breakdown spool is provided having a barrel and at least one flange formed separate from the barrel. The barrel has an insertion end that includes an annular ring spaced from the axial end and projected radially from the barrel winding surface. The flange includes a receiving channel for receiving the insertion end of the barrel to form the completed spool. The receiving channel includes a first portion for receipt of the end of the barrel and a second portion for receiving the annular ring. The second portion is recessed within the support surface such that the annular ring aligns with the support surface on the flange. A locking mechanism is provided for axially securing the insertion section of the barrel within the receiving channel of the flange.
US08272590B2
A tape winding apparatus includes: a rotating device configured to rotate a wind-up core for winding a tape into a roll which defines a tape roll; a push roller configured to be pressed against the tape roll, the push roller contacting with and rolling on an outer periphery of the tape roll at a tape feeding position where the tape is fed onto the tape roll; a feeding direction control guide arranged upstream from the push roller as viewed in a running direction of the tape and configured to control a tape-feeding direction of the tape that is fed onto the tape roll; and a movement device configured to move at least one of the push roller and the feeding direction control guide such that the tape-feeding direction conforms with a tangential direction of the tape roll at the tape feeding position.
US08272587B2
A machine for distributing insulation from a bag of insulation having a cross-sectional shape is provided. The machine includes a chute having an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end is oriented in a substantially vertical plane and is configured to receive the bag of insulation. The inlet end has opposing longitudinal sides configured to be substantially horizontal in orientation. The inlet end also has opposing lateral sides connected to the longitudinal sides. The opposing lateral sides are configured to be shorter than the opposing longitudinal sides and further configured to be substantially vertical in orientation. A plurality of shredders is mounted at the outlet end of the chute and is configured to shred and pick apart the insulation. A discharge mechanism is provided for distributing the insulation into an airstream. The chute has a cross-sectional shape that approximates the cross-sectional shape of the bag of insulation.
US08272577B2
An apparatus for spraying a liquid, such as a cleaning liquid or a lubricating liquid, onto a wire or onto a felt in a plant for paper production. The apparatus has pipeline for supplying the liquid and spray nozzles for ejecting the liquid. A shaft with a cleaning device for the spray nozzles or for the inner wall of the pipeline is disposed within the pipeline. The shaft includes a cylindrical sleeve which has a slotted guide and a thread and is arranged in a housing which adjoins the pipeline, the thread interacting with a control spindle and, furthermore, a bolt or the like being provided which can be adjusted transversely with respect to the housing and projects into the slotted guide in a first position, as a result of which, during a rotation of the control spindle, the shaft is displaced in the longitudinal direction of the pipeline. Here, a second bolt or the like is provided, by which the control spindle can be coupled to the cylindrical sleeve in terms of its rotation, as a result of which, after adjustment of the first bolt or the like out of the slotted guide, the shaft can be rotated by the control spindle.
US08272576B2
A nozzle for producing a single-file stream of droplets of a fluid, methods using the nozzle, and an injector, comprising the nozzle of the invention, for providing the single-file stream of droplets of a fluid to a high-vacuum system are described. The nozzle comprises two concentric tubes wherein the outer tube comprises a smoothly converging-diverging exit channel and the outlet end of the first tube is positioned within the converging section of the exit channel.
US08272567B2
A system and method for disputing individual items that are the subject of a transaction includes storing, in a database, a record of a transaction in which a plurality of goods or services were sold to an individual that owns a transaction card through which access to monetary funds may be obtained, so that the transaction is identified by a transaction identifier. Also, information identifying each good or service that is a subject of the transaction is associated with said transaction identifier. A cost associated with one of the goods or services associated with the transaction identifier is disputed, without subjecting costs of all goods or services that are associated with said transaction identifier to dispute.
US08272566B2
The present invention provides a system for card customization including a centralized issuer hub providing a single point of website integration for applicants in different countries or affiliations, the system comprising a centralized issuer hub comprising a server that coordinates data exchange among a plurality of country- or affiliate-specific websites, a card customization services for processing applicant requests, and an image administrator for customizing applicant submitted images. In operation, a local issuer country website provides a browser-based user interface for an applicant. Card customization services includes a website that recognizes an issuer country or affiliation of the applicant and launches a dedicated country- or affiliate-specific website for the applicant based upon on a country of origin or affiliation of the local issuer country website.
US08272559B2
A pack includes a top panel, side panels, bottom panels, and retaining structures at each end of the pack. A packet can be disposed on a top surface of a container enclosed within the pack.
US08272551B2
An exemplary method for treating an animal body may include receiving a driverless surgical stapler that includes a staple holder, staples positioned within that staple holder, and at least one wedge; and sliding at least one wedge relative to the staples to directly contact at least one staple.
US08272545B1
A bottle carrier has a resilient ring dimensioned to encircle a neck of the bottle in an installed condition. A brim is unitarily formed with and depends from the resilient ring and is dimensioned to fall in facing or contacting relation to a shoulder of the bottle.
US08272542B2
A handle attachment for mounting to a standardized valve mounting cup of a spray can and operating a push-type dispenser valve. The handle attachment includes a housing that defines a grip and a cap configured to couple with an outer diameter of the valve mounting cup. An actuation device is pivotally mounted to the housing and includes a trigger portion disposed adjacent the grip and a finger portion disposed within the cap for actuating the push-type dispenser valve. A C-shaped rim is disposed on the cap and defines a central opening sized to accommodate the valve mounting cup, a base located on the axis of symmetry of the rim, a circumferential gap located on the axis of symmetry diametrically opposite the base and separating two ends of the rim, and at least one slot disposed between the base and a diametrical chord perpendicular to the axis of symmetry.
US08272538B2
The wine bottle sealing and dispensing device provides for the dispensing of wine from a wine bottle, or any other liquid from a corresponding liquid container, without exposing the wine or liquid in the bottle to environmental air at any time. The device includes a housing adapted for mounting above a cork of a corked wine bottle. An upper open end of a hollow needle is mounted in the housing, the needle projecting downward from the housing and terminating in a tip adapted for insertion through the cork. A first end of a spout projects outwardly from the housing, and a second end of the spout is in fluid communication with the upper open end of the hollow needle. A cartridge of pressurized, inert gas is mounted to the housing. The cartridge is in communication with an upper end of a gas conduit, which is mounted within the hollow needle.
US08272530B2
A container for receiving cryogenic media and/or units which are to be stored at low temperatures, having an outer shell (1) and an insulating shell (10) which is connected directly or indirectly to said outer shell (1) in a positionally stable manner and is optionally surrounded by one or more further insulating shells (10), wherein an inner shell (2) for storing cryogenic media is connected to the outer shell (1) via fastening elements (3) in a positionally stable manner. Each insulating shell (10) is of at least two-part configuration and is fastened to the outer shell (1) and/or to the inner shell (2) by positioning elements (11, 26, 27) which are independent of the fastening elements (3), wherein the insulating shell (10) is spaced apart without contact from the outer or inner shell (1,2) or from a further insulating shell (10) with the formation of a gap (15).
US08272528B2
A utility box having a housing, and a ring that forms a hole that receives an attachment from a cover. A fastener retention piece has a first recess in a first surface, a second recess within the first recess, and a third recess in a second surface. The first and second recesses retain fasteners when the first surface is adjacent a lower surface of the ring. The third retaining recess retains a fastener when the second surface is adjacent the lower surface of the ring. The fasteners secure the attachment depending from the cover, and the recesses prohibit complete rotation of the fasteners.
US08272524B2
A valve for a floating roof emergency drainage system for draining fluid accumulated atop the floating roof, including a valve body having a top part having a cylindrical bore of first diameter, a bottom part formed by a circumferential wall which extends axially downward from the top part and defines within the wall a cylindrical bore of second diameter that is generally coaxial with and greater than the first diameter, thereby defining at the junction of the top and bottom part bores a downward facing shoulder which serves as a valve seat, the circumferential wall of the bottom part having at least one fluid discharge passage extending transversely therethrough for discharge of the fluid from the valve, a valve seal element axially movable in the bottom part bore between an upper closed position where it abuts the shoulder, and a lower open position spaced axially downward from the upper closed position, and a spring mounted in the bottom part and constantly biasing the valve seal element toward the upper closed position, the valve seal element in the open position being at least partially below the fluid discharge passage in the bottom part bore, thus providing a passageway, when the valve seal element is in the open position, for fluid to flow through the top part bore, past the shoulder and to exit the valve via the fluid discharge opening.
US08272520B2
A method for a standalone open frame in one example is configured to support a rack-mount electronic component of a predetermined size selected from any of a plurality of predetermined sizes. The standalone open frame is configured to securely engage the rack-mount electronic component through employment of at least one set of rack-mount adapters that is configured for the predetermined size of the rack-mount electronic component.
US08272519B1
A rotatable display carousel may include a stationary central rod and a bottom plate rotatably mounted about the central rod. A plurality of shelf sections may be rotatably positioned above the bottom plate respectively. A rotating mechanism may be used to simultaneously rotate each shelf section respectively by rotating the bottom plate about the central rod. In this manner, each shelf section rotates in sync based upon a rotational speed of the bottom plate. The central rod remains stationary while the bottom plate and the shelf sections rotate respectively. The structural arrangement enables the plurality of shelf sections to be dynamically linked to the bottom plate in such a manner that the shelf sections synchronously rotate upon rotation of the bottom plate.
US08272517B2
The present invention provides a water-proof sound-transmitting membrane including a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) porous membrane, in which the waterproofness is enhanced further with little lowering of the sound transmittance. The water-proof sound-transmitting membrane includes the PTFE porous membrane. The PTFE porous membrane includes a first porous layer, and a second porous layer stacked on and integrated with the first porous layer by a binding force acting between PTFE matrices. The first porous layer and the second porous layer each are composed of PTFE with a number-average molecular weight of 5.0×107 or more determined by a standard specific gravity method. At least one layer selected from the first porous layer and the second porous layer has an average pore diameter of 1 μm or less. The water-proof sound-transmitting membrane has a surface density of 1 g/m2 to 10 g/m2.
US08272516B2
An endcap including a first plate member including a radial inner portion, a radial outer portion, and defining a longitudinal axis. The endcap also includes a flange disposed between the radial inner and outer portions of the first plate member and projecting axially along the longitudinal axis in a first direction. The endcap also includes a first seal member disposed adjacent the flange. The first seal includes a first portion thereof engaged with an axial facing surface of the first plate member and a second portion thereof engaged with a radially facing surface of the flange. The endcap further includes a second plate member disposed radially outward of the radial outer portion and a second seal member disposed adjacent the second plate member including at least a portion thereof axially spaced from the axially facing surface of the first plate member in a second direction along the longitudinal axis opposite the first direction.
US08272515B2
A packaged article containing an electronic device which comprises an electronic device-packaging carrier tape and an electronic device-packaging cover tape, wherein a layer in the cover tape contacting with the carrier tape contains an adhesive resin (A), an electrically-charged resin. (B) charging opposite to the charging polarity of the adhesive resin (A) generating at the time of friction between the adhesive resin (A) and the electronic device, and a metallic filler and/or carbon, and wherein the packaged article containing an electronic device is capable of preventing the adhesion of the electronic devices to the cover tape (pickup failure) resulting from the static and the part breakage by ESD, by inhibiting the static caused by the friction between the contained electronic devices, particularly small/light weight electronic devices, and the cover tape.
US08272508B2
A sterilization container having surgical implement/implant holders with flexible edges. Each holder is in the form of a pair of brackets which are positioned tightly on either side of a flexible wall for cooperatively forming a composite holder with an upwardly opening recess. The flexible wall of each holder extends beyond edges of its respective pair of brackets for forming the flexible edges which are used to support the surgical implements/implants. Outwardly turned feet on the bottom of each of the pair of brackets are placed through holes on a base wall of the sterilization container for securing each holder to the container.
US08272506B1
A novelty device for securing two or more drinking vessels to an elongated body member to facilitate simultaneous beverage consumption by two or more participants is provided, the device including threaded knob or socket means for securing the drinking vessels to the body member, and a means for securing two or more of such holding devices together so as to increase the number of potential participants, plus the device also serving as a novel medium for placement of advertising indicia.
US08272499B2
A method and apparatus in which laundry cakes (10), formed when washed laundry articles are for the most part freed in a dewatering press of the treatment liquid bound in them giving rise to a laundry cake (10) consisting of coherent laundry articles, are divided from the end face (15) by a roller-like divider (20) which can be driven in rotation about a horizontal axis of rotation (31), which axis of rotation (21) runs parallel to the end face (15) of the laundry cake (10) to be divided, and an effective division of the laundry cake (10) which takes care of the laundry articles is carried out.
US08272495B2
A bottle treatment system having a safety unit that improves the operational process, including a first accessible safety region, a second accessible safety region and a shut-off device. The first safety region is delimited by a first protection in which a first machine has a drive associated with the first protective region. The second accessible protective region is delimited by a second protection direction following the first protection, with a second machine having at least one further drive associated to the second protective region. A bottle transport from the first machine to the second machine is provided via a transport device, as provided with an individual drive and exceeds the protective region. The shut-off device turns off the machine drive associated with at least one of the respective protective regions and the drive of the transport device exceeding the protective region, if access to protective region is detected.
US08272478B2
A stepladder includes a top having a plane having a front and a rear, the plane having at least a first bungee tool holding slot to hold a ball and bungee strap unit.
US08272470B2
A steering linkage for a vehicle, having a first draglink (32), an auxiliary steering cylinder (34) and a second draglink (38). The auxiliary steering cylinder (34) has a through piston rod (36). The first draglink (32) is arranged between a guide arm (12) of a steering gear (10) and a first end (35) of the through piston rod (36). The second draglink (38) is arranged between steerable vehicle wheels (48, 50) and the second end (37) of the through piston rod (36), thereby making it possible for the steerable vehicle wheels (48, 50) to be steered via the steering gear (10).
US08272468B2
A tractor includes a boom and a bucket being coupled with each other in series and having the same rotating direction, and a control lever for operating both the boom and the bucket. The control button is equipped in the control lever, and the control lever can operate either a boom or a bucket after either the boom or the bucket is selected by pressing the control button.
US08272464B2
An automotive drive assembly includes a housing configured to be installed in an automobile, a first electric motor component coupled to the housing, a second electric motor component rotatably coupled to the first electric motor component, the first and second electric motor components jointly including at least one magnet and at least one conductive coil configured such that when current flows through the at least one conductive coil, the second electric motor component rotates relative to the first electric motor component, and a transmission assembly including at least one gear coupled to the second electric motor component such that the rotation of the second electric motor component causes movement of the at least one gear. The second electric motor component and the transmission assembly are coupled to the housing such that the transmission assembly substantially supports the second electric motor component when the housing is installed in the automobile.
US08272460B2
A two-wheeled vehicle is disclosed. The two-wheeled vehicle may include highway bars. The two-wheeled vehicle may include a steering axis which is tilted relative to a fork axis. The two-wheeled vehicle may be configured in a faring configuration and in a non-fairing configuration.
US08272459B2
Superabrasive inserts are disclosed. More particularly, a superabrasive insert may comprise a superabrasive layer bonded to a substrate at an interface. Further, the superabrasive layer may include a central substantially planar surface, a peripheral side surface, and an arcuate peripheral surface extending between the central substantially planar surface and the peripheral side surface. In one embodiment, the arcuate peripheral surface may comprise a lateral extent and an extension depth, wherein a ratio of the lateral extent to the extension depth is at least about 1.5. In another embodiment, an arcuate peripheral surface may comprise a substantially circular arc, wherein the substantially planar surface is tangent to the substantially circular arc and a tangent reference line to the substantially circular arc forms an angle of at least about 10° with the peripheral side surface. Subterranean drilling tools (e.g., drill bits) including at least one superabrasive insert are disclosed.
US08272458B2
A drill bit for rotary drilling a well bore of a subterranean formation which has replaceable blades which overlap and interlock with each other and have retention means on more than one axis. The replaceable blades may have cutters with enhanced retention by brazing ring grooves and the body may be flared at its bottom to better retain the blades and cutters.
US08272456B2
A system for drilling a well having a wellbore includes a first pipe string positioned in the wellbore with a first annulus being present between the first pipe string and the wellbore. A second pipe string, smaller in diameter than the first pipe string, is positioned within the first pipe string to form a second annulus between the first pipe string and the second pipe string. The second pipe string is configured to be attached to a drill bit. A first rotator is operably associated with the first pipe string to rotate the first pipe string in a first direction at a first speed, and a second rotator is operably associated with the second pipe string to rotate the second pipe string in a second direction at a second speed.
US08272454B2
One aspect according to the present invention includes a cutting unit for a cutting device. The cutting unit has a gear chamber. A partitioning member can partition the gear chamber at a midpoint of a transmission path of rotation of a gear train from an electric motor to a spindle.
US08272452B2
A hammering tool includes, within its tool main body, a piston which reciprocates by using a motor as its drive force, a hammering member which carries out its hammering operation in linking with the reciprocating motion of the piston, and an intermediate member which transmits a hammering force of the hammering member to a top end tool mounted on the top end of the tool main body. The tool main body further includes a measuring device which measures a hammering state of the hammering member and a control device which controls the number of rotations of the motor. The control device, according to measurement results of the measuring device, determines the limit number of times of hammering where the hammering member becomes unable to follow the reciprocating motion of the piston, and thus controls the number of rotations of the motor.
US08272438B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for accurately determining a pore pressure of a subsurface formation (20) penetrated by a wellbore (40). The systems and methods provide for measuring pressure and temperature at a measuring location proximal to the wellbore for a predetermined amount of time, storing the measurements, communicating the measurements and processing the pore pressure from the pressure and temperature measurements. The measuring location may be a location in a channel (50) drilled from the wellbore into the formation.
US08272436B2
A novel method reduces methane slack when operating a biogas fermenter. When starting up a freshly charged fermenter, the methane portion of the produced biogas is initially so low and the portions of carbon dioxide and nitrogen are so high that the biogas cannot be directly used in a combined heat and power plant. Conventionally, the biogas generated during the startup phase has a small portion of methane that is discharged directly into the atmosphere or is flared off if the methane fraction is larger. The initially produced methane is consequently not used and becomes methane slack. To reduce methane slack, the biogas with the low methane fraction is fed to a gas treatment unit in which non-methane components of the gas mixture are partially separated, and the remaining gas mixture with a higher methane content is returned to the biogas fermenter until the methane fraction is sufficiently high.
US08272427B2
A casting element for a casting installation for transferring liquid metal comprises a plurality of casting elements in successive contact and forming a canal along which the metal can flow, the casting element comprising a tube, notably a ladle shroud, the axis of which corresponds to the axis of the canal. The casting element is able to make contact with an upstream element of the installation and comprises means for controlling the angular orientation of the tube about its axis with respect to the upstream element, these means being capable of giving the tube at least three distinct orientations.
US08272415B2
A heavy duty tire (1) comprising at least three rib-like land portions (7) with a block row where blocks (6) defined by circumferential main grooves (3) extending in the circumferential direction and lateral grooves (5) are arranged in the circumferential direction, wherein the lateral grooves (5) are provided, in their bottoms (S), with a sipe-forming region (Sy) having a sipe (20) which extends along the groove center line and has a width of 0.5 to 2.0 mm, and wherein the depth (DY) in the sipe-forming region (Sy) of the lateral grooves (5) is from 0.5 to 0.75 times the depth (H) of the circumferential main grooves (3), and the depth (DS) of the sipe (20) is from 0.75 to 1.0 times the depth (H) of the circumferential main grooves.
US08272414B2
A tread surface includes a center arc, a shoulder-side arc, and a shoulder arc, and is formed such that a value given by F1=L1/(TDW×0.5) falls in the range of 0.64≦F1≦0.7, a value given by F2=TR1/OD falls in the range of 1.2≦F2≦2.0, a value given by F3=TR2/TR1 falls in the range of 0.1≦F3≦0.2, and a value given by F4=(β×TDW)/(100×SW) falls in the range of 0.35≦F4≦0.48, where L1 is outline range being a width from an equatorial plane to an edge of the center arc, TDW is extended tread width, TR1 is curvature radius of the center arc, TR2 is curvature radius of the shoulder-side arc, OD is tire outside diameter, SW is total width, and β is aspect ratio.
US08272410B2
A method for filling a dispensing bag includes inserting a collapsed bag within a chamber of a bin and securing a lower end of the collapsed bag to the bin. After securing the lower end of the collapsed bag to the bin, a hoist coupled to an upper end of the collapsed bag is manipulated so that the hoist raises the upper end of the collapsed bag within the chamber while the lower end of the collapsed bag remains secured to the bin so as to expand the collapsed bag within the chamber of the bin.
US08272408B2
An apparatus and method operations are provided for battery plate fabrication, in particular for applying paste to battery plate grids. A conveyer-type pasting machine includes a conveyer belt for moving battery plate grids under a new type of paste dispensing hopper, which includes closely spaced knurled rollers and an angled paste deflector member, which cooperate to generate a pressurized stream of paste for extrusion thru the battery plate grid. The apparatus also includes a specialized grid support sheet that also enables a consistent layer of paste to be applied to both exterior sides of a manufactured battery plate grid by enabling application of paste to one side of the grid and facilitating transmission of the paste through to and past the opposite, exterior side of the grid.
US08272407B2
An insulated hose for a high voltage paint application apparatus including an inner hose containing a fluid or paint charged at a high voltage. The flexible inner tube hose is arranged inside at least one flexible mechanical protection tube or layer and an air excluding medium is enclosed between flexible inner tube and first flexible mechanical protection layer. A mechanical protection layer may be surrounded by an electrical protection layer which is grounded. A system for applying paint or other fluid materials at a high voltage is also described.
US08272403B2
A valve part of a hydraulic control valve for controlling flows of pressurized medium is provided. The valve part includes: a cylindrical valve housing with a valve housing hollow space that is open on one side in the axial direction, wherein the valve housing is provided with a radial first work connection (A), a radial second work connection (B), and a radial pressure connection (P), each of which opens into the valve housing hollow space, and a cylindrical control piston is held in the valve housing hollow space so that it can move in the axial direction with a control piston hollow space that is open on one side at an axial control piston hollow space opening. The control piston is provided with a radial discharge connection (T) opening into the control piston hollow space, and the control piston is constructed in such a way that the work connections (A, B) can be connected selectively in a fluid conducting way to the pressure connection (P) and the discharge connection (T) through axial displacement of the control piston. The valve part distinguishes itself in that a cover provided with at least one cover opening is attached to the axial control piston hollow space opening.
US08272395B2
A water dispensing device capable of recycling cold water comprises a mixing valve connected with a first pipe for supplying cold water and a second pipe for supplying hot water; at least one watering member connected with an output end of the mixing valve; a bucket connected with the output end of the mixing valve and the first pipe to store water from the mixing valve; a control unit being used to sense a temperature of the water flow passing through the mixing valve; as a sensed temperature is less than a set value, the cold water stored in a pipe system will be guided to recycle toward the bucket and to be supplied to the first pipe, obtaining recycling and reusing purpose; while the sensed temperature is more than the set value, the cold water stored in the pipe system will be guided to flow toward the watering members.
US08272387B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for allowing a user to modify a surgical procedure. An embodiment of the method of the present invention can include: providing a GUI on a touch screen of a surgical console, said GUI comprising a representation of the surgical procedure and representations of one or more surgical steps, wherein the GUI allows a user to modify the representation of the surgical procedure by dragging and dropping representations of surgical steps using the touch screen; detecting that the representation of the surgical procedure has been modified; and modifying the surgical procedure to correspond to the modified representation of the surgical procedure.
US08272379B2
This disclosure describes systems and methods for compensating for inelastic and elastic leaks in a ventilation system. The disclosure describes a model-based enhancement to conventional flow triggering and cycling methodologies that improves the timing and patient work of flow-based triggering and cycling performance. The methods and systems described herein compensate for the leak condition and minimize additional effort a patient has to exert to generate the same patient synchrony and comfort level compared to no leak condition. One method described includes calculating an elastic leakage and an inelastic leakage based on current measurements of pressure and flow in the ventilation system and then estimating a leak-compensated lung flow using the inelastic and elastic leaks and pneumatic attributes of the patient-ventilator system.
US08272375B1
A stove and pot arrangement is provided that affords utility to backpackers and other users having limited space. The apparatus provides a specially configured stove frame having laterally spaced apart channels that are receptive of the pot rim and wall and wherein the pot interior is receptive of a central portion of the frame, the pot and frame having about the same overall height.
US08272373B2
A pneumatic assembly for a paintball gun is provided. The pneumatic assembly includes a valve stem, and a bolt slidably mounted on the valve stem. The bolt includes at least one bolt port arranged through a sidewall of the bolt. A sealing member is provided on the valve stem in communication with an inner surface of the bolt. The bolt slides from a rearward position to a forward position along the valve stem. Compressed gas flows through the bolt port and through the bolt aperture to fire a projectile when the bolt is in the forward position. A paintball gun incorporating the pneumatic assembly is also provided.
US08272365B2
An engine with two vacuum sources is disclosed. In one example, a valve position is adjusted when engine load is low and intake manifold pressure is low to arbitrate vacuum between the two vacuum sources. The approach may increase engine operating efficiency during at least some conditions.
US08272354B2
A fuel tank system includes a fuel tank that has a tank wall defining a fuel storage space. A heat control chamber is formed within the tank wall. A pressure control device can control a pressure within the heat control chamber in response to a difference between a temperature within the fuel storage space and a temperature externally of the tank wall.
US08272346B2
An electrode assembly for a plasma reaction chamber used in semiconductor substrate processing. The assembly includes an upper showerhead electrode which is mechanically attached to a backing plate by a series of spaced apart cam locks. A thermally and electrically conductive gasket with projections thereon is compressed between the showerhead electrode and the backing plate at a location three to four inches from the center of the showerhead electrode. A guard ring surrounds the backing plate and is movable to positions at which openings in the guard ring align with openings in the backing plate so that the cam locks can be rotated with a tool to release locking pins extending from the upper face of the electrode.
US08272342B1
A counterweighted mooring line includes a line, a counterweight portion and a hook. The line has a proximal end which is secured to a watercraft and an opposite distal end. The hook is tied to the distal end of the line and includes a center shaft with an opening for receiving the line and at least one prong extending from a center shaft. The counterweight portion is also secured to the line and is spaced away from the grappling hook. The counterweight portion and hook may be thrown at a pole to catch the pole or dragged across a float having cleats in order to catch a cleat.
US08272334B2
A three-link toggle type positioning platform comprises a first motor, a first ballscrew coupled to said first motor, a first linkage attached to the ballscrew a second linkage attached to the first linkage, and a third linkage attached to the second linkage. The ballscrew drives the first linkage, and then the first linkage drives the second linkage, and then the second linkage drives the third linkage, which drives a platform in a predetermined direction.
US08272332B2
An overhead mass transportation system for cities and urban areas may be particularly suitable for environmentally acceptable, or “green”, systems because it can be used to produce power by an optional super solar system deployed, for example, over the tracks. The mass transportation system may meet many current economic and environmental needs. In many urban areas around the world, the mass transportation system can replace buses and taxis on the street, with their noise and pollution, and reduce the use of oil and fuel. The system can also be used for inter-cities transportation, where in can dispense with the need to carry large amounts of fuel for long distance transportation. The system may also be suitable for areas with challenged trains, such as those areas with a high level of floods, snow, or the like. Furthermore, the system may be suitable for desert transportation or transportation over waterways or between islands. The system can provide faster public transportation than buses and can operate where the streets are too crowded for ground transport, acting like an elevated freeway.
US08272321B1
A removable rotisserie accessory for an oven includes a motor assembly positionable beneath a floor of the oven to provide rotational energy about a vertical axis perpendicular to the floor of the oven. A vertical rod is insertable through an opening in the floor of the oven to engage the motor assembly and to rotate about the vertical axis. A horizontal rod has a first end supported by the vertical rod and has a second end supported proximate to a sidewall of the oven. The horizontal rod supports at least one engagement device for an item to be cooked. A miter gear assembly includes a first bevel gear mounted on the vertical rod to rotate with the vertical rod and includes a second bevel gear mounted on the horizontal rod to rotate the horizontal rod in response to rotation of the first bevel gear.
US08272320B2
A cooking apparatus having a waste heat recovery system for incorporation into broilers, ovens, and toasters, the apparatus including a cooking chamber having a cooking platform, at least one air plenum disposed in the upper portion of the cooking chamber and having a plurality of air outlets for producing a focused forced air, a low pressure air source connected to the air plenums, a heating element or burner disposed under each of said air plenums, such that said curtain of focused forced air guides and directs heat from said heating element toward food product being cooked, and heat exchange pipes disposed between at least two of said air plenums. Radiant heat generated from the heating elements or burners rises in the cooking chamber and is retained between the air plenums to maximize heat transfer from the heated air to the heat transfer pipes, and thus to the low pressure air in the low pressure air system. The recycled heat enhances cooking.
US08272314B1
An auto-loading firearm may obtain improved firing precision by using stored energy to cycle the firearm. The firearm may be partially cycled when the trigger is pulled. The firearm may be completely cycled only when the trigger is released. Sound suppression and/or sound reduction may be obtained by limiting the amount of gas escaping the breech during extraction as well as separating the noise of the firing event from the noise of the action cycling.
US08272312B2
The invention relates to a breech for a repeating rifle with a breech guide, a locking chamber arranged in the breech guide, and a locking sleeve that is arranged concentrically about a rear part of the locking chamber and that has several locking elements that can be moved by an expansion device between an inner unlocked position and an outer locked position for engaging in a locking groove of a barrel. The expansion device has, according to the invention, a support sleeve that can move in the axial direction between the rear of the locking chamber and the locking sleeve.
US08272301B2
An extensive apparatus includes a shaft, a sensor, a display, a sleeve and a shell. The sensor is attached to the shaft so that the sensor detects torque exerted on the shaft. The display is electrically connected to the sensor so that the value of the torque detected by the sensor is shown on the display. The sleeve includes a tunnel through which the shaft extends. The sleeve is connected to the shaft so that they can only rotate together. The shell is rotationally provided around the sleeve. The display is connected to the shell so that the display is rotational relative to the shaft and easily observable regardless of the shaft.
US08272298B2
A steering device for a ratchet screwdriver includes a base. The base has a receiving hole defined therein. Two receiving grooves are defined in the base. A moving slot is comparted from receiving hole. A ratchet rod is partially received in the base. The ratchet rod includes a spindle and a ratchet wheel disposed on the spindle. Two blockers are respectively received in the two receiving grooves. Each blocker has unidirectional teeth formed on one end thereof for selectively engaging with the ratchet wheel. A housing is sleeved on the base. The housing has a protrusion disposed on an interior thereof for inserting into the moving slot.
US08272283B2
Disclosed is a method and a system for vibrating an object using centrifugal forces, wherein the centrifugal forces are achieved from a rotating device and wherein the centrifugal forces comprise a positive force and a negative force. A linear motion is added to the rotating device thereby inverting the negative force of the centrifugal forces to a positive force.
US08272275B2
A Coriolis mass flowmeter having a measuring tube that can be excited to oscillation and a magnet assembly (1) serving to generate oscillations and/or to receive oscillations. The magnet assembly (1) includes at least one permanent magnet (2) and a magnet holder (3) holding the permanent magnet (2). The Coriolis mass flowmeter that has a mounting for the permanent magnet, which can withstand long-term oscillation stress and can reliably protect the permanent magnet is implemented by the magnet holder (3) consisting of nonmagnetic metal such as stainless steel.
US08272268B2
An acceleration sensor includes a substrate, a rocker mass, a z spring connected to the rocker mass, which allows the rocker mass to rotate about an axis, and at least one additional spring system connected to the substrate and the rocker mass. The additional spring system allows the rocker mass to deflect in an x or y direction oriented parallel or perpendicular to the axis. The z spring or the additional spring system allows the rocker mass to deflect in a y or x direction oriented parallel or perpendicular to the axis.
US08272267B2
In an angular velocity sensor, driven mass portions are disposed on a surface of a base plate at point-symmetrical locations with respect to a central point O. The driven mass portions are connected to a coupling beam to be interconnected. The coupling beam is flexibly supported through connecting portions and driven beam. Detecting mass portions are disposed inside the driven mass portions, and the detecting mass portions are supported by detecting beams to be displaceable in the Z-axis direction. Two adjacent ones of the driven mass portions in the circumferential direction are vibrated by vibration generation portions in opposite phases to each other. When angular velocities are exerted in such a state, the detecting mass portions are caused to displace and vibrate in the direction of thickness of the base plate. Displacement detecting portions detect displacements of the detecting mass portions in the direction of the thickness.
US08272262B2
An underwater sensor device comprises a submersible housing including one or more housing components, one or more sensors for monitoring and collecting water characteristics, a controller for controlling operations of the one or more sensors and an graphical user interface mounted to the housing that displays the water environmental data. The housing defines a channel that extends through one of the housing components, and at least one of the sensors is mounted to the housing and extends into the channel. The controller is disposed within the housing and is operatively connected to the one or more sensors.
US08272252B2
A method for determining pore structure characteristics of a filtration cartridge includes the steps of placing a porometry test location isolating device in sealing contact with the filtration cartridge at a desired test location, increasing the porometer test gas pressure until the test gas flows through the cartridge at the test location, measuring the flow rate of the test gas through the test location as a function of differential pressure, reducing the test gas pressure to atmospheric pressure, wetting the test location with a wetting liquid, increasing the test gas pressure again until the test gas flows through the cartridge at the test location, measuring differential gas pressure and gas flow rates through the test location, and converting the measured gas flow rates and differential pressures into through pore throat diameters, largest through pore throat diameter, mean flow through pore throat diameter, pore distribution, and gas permeability of the cartridge.
US08272250B2
An effective sensor for indicating exposure to a toxic gas includes a non-conductive, inert substrate such as glass or polyethylene, a two-dimensional film of nanoparticles of a conductive metal such as silver or copper on the substrate and an electrode connected to each end of the film. When an electrical current passes through the film and the sensor is exposed to a toxic gas, changes in the electrical resistance of the film provides an indication of the presence of the toxic gas.
US08272245B2
When shaping a metal blank (P), the blank (P) is heated to a predetermined temperature, is then cooled using a cooling device (10), and is subsequently placed in a press and is shaped. According to the invention, at least one plate surface, and particularly both plate surfaces, of the blank (P) is/are brought in direct contact with a cooling element (16, 19) in the cooling device (10), and the blank is clamped especially between said cooling elements (16, 19). A corresponding cooling device for a metal blank (P) comprises a first cooling element (16) and a second cooling element (19) which are adjustable relative to each other and between which the blank (P) can be clamped.
US08272241B2
An electronic door lock for a door having a first side and a second side. The electronic door lock includes an escutcheon including a first aperture. A non-circular spring cage extends through the first aperture, and the spring cage includes a second aperture. A spring cage spindle at least partially extends through the second aperture, and the spring cage spindle extends from the spring cage and includes a third aperture. A key cylinder is received in the third aperture. A handle including a fourth aperture receives the key cylinder and the spring cage spindle, and a fastener is received by the handle. The fastener is configured to couple the handle to the spring cage spindle and inhibit movement of the handle with respect to the spring cage spindle.
US08272236B2
A method of producing a thermally stable grating allows the grating to be placed in environments where temperatures reach 1000° C. and where the grating is relatively stable and has very low loss from scatter. These gratings have spectral characteristics that allow them to be concatenated so as to form a sensor array. The method requires a step of lowering the characteristic intensity threshold of a waveguide by at least 25%, followed by irradiating the waveguide with femtosecond pulses of light having a sufficient intensity and for a sufficient duration to write the grating so that at least 60% of the grating remains after exposures of at least 10 hours at a temperature of at least 1000° C. Pre-writing a Type I grating before writing a minimal damage Type II grating lowers the characteristic threshold of the waveguide so that a stable low damage type II grating can be written; alternatively providing a hydrogen or deuterium loaded waveguide before writing the grating lowers the characteristic threshold of the waveguide.
US08272233B2
A heat exchanger includes a first flat tube in which a low temperature fluid flows and a second flat tube in which a high temperature fluid flows and that is laminated on the first flat tube and arranged so that the flow direction of the high temperature fluid is parallel to the flow direction of the low temperature fluid. One of the first and second flat tubes is arranged in the direction of lamination. Ends of the flat tubes are bent in a direction intersecting at right angles both flow directions of the fluids and the direction of lamination.
US08272228B2
A refrigerant recovery unit is provided that can recover and recharge refrigerant. The unit is further configured with a pair of service hoses and a refrigerant control circuit operable to receive and transport the refrigerant between the hoses and the storage vessel and to process the refrigerant to substantially remove contaminants from the refrigerant. A fluid connector is provided in fluid communication with the hoses to enable the refrigerant to flow between the hoses and to establish a closed loop through the refrigerant control circuit, and a controller is operatively connected to the refrigerant control circuit and configured to control a flow of the refrigerant through the refrigerant control circuit and through the fluid connector.
US08272223B2
A twin-shaft gas turbine 1, which has a gas generator 2 including a compressor 7, a combustor 8, and a high-pressure turbine 9, is configured to make a first control mode and a second control mode selectively useable for control of the gas generator. In addition, in the first control mode, an IGV angle in the compressor is controlled in accordance with a corrected shaft rotation speed of the gas generator, and in the second control mode, the IGV angle is controlled to maintain a constant gas generator shaft rotation speed. Furthermore, the first control mode is used to start, to stop, and to operate the turbine under fixed or lower load conditions, and that the second control mode is used under operational states other than those to which the first control mode is applied.
US08272220B2
A thermal machine including a wall defining a hot gas duct for transferring a hot gas stream and a cooling jacket disposed at a distance from the wall on an outside of the hot gas duct so as to define a cooling duct with an inlet and an outlet. The cooling duct is configured to conduct a cooling medium along an external face of the wall from the inlet to an outlet in a direction counter to a flow of hot gas in the hot gas duct. An impingement cooling plate is disposed at the inlet of the cooling duct and includes cooling baffle holes configured such that cooling medium entering the cooling duct through the cooling baffle holes flows in a direction perpendicular to the wall. The impingement cooling plate is positioned such that an inflow-side edge sealingly abuts the wall of the hot gas duct so as to reduce a transverse flow of the cooling medium through the cooling duct.
US08272216B2
[Subject]The subject is to provide a method of converting solar energy into the transportable and stockable secondary energy[Means for Solving the Problem]There is provided a method of converting solar thermal energy obtained in a first region into motive power energy used in a second region, the second region having a solar-radiation amount smaller than that of the first region, comprising: synthesizing ammonia from air and water by using, as an energy source; only the solar thermal energy acquired in the first region, transferring the ammonia from the first region to the second region; and, burning the ammonia in the second region such that nitrogen and water are produced, thereby obtaining motive power energy.
US08272209B2
An object of the present invention is to reduce oxide stored in an NOx catalyst in a more preferable manner. According to the present invention, when oxide stored in the NOx catalyst is to be reduced, the combustion mode of the internal combustion engine is switched into a low air-fuel ratio mode in which the air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture in the internal combustion engine is low, and supply of fuel is executed at a time when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas has been made low by the switching of the combustion mode.
US08272199B2
A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a flexiable cutterbar assembly and a draper assembly that flexes with the cutterbar assembly. The draper assembly includes a side draper belt configured to receive severed crop materials from the cutterbar assembly. The draper belt includes an internal guide rib. Pivoting structure is positioned within the interior of the draper belt. The pivoting structure presents a groove that receives the guide rib therein.
US08272190B2
Methods of fabricating wall panels by generally continuously pultruding a wall panel profile comprising inner and outer layers, and spaced reinforcing webs and/or foam extending between the inner and outer layers, optionally studs extending inwardly from the inner layer, away from the outer layer. The so-continuously pultruded wall panel optionally has male and a female edges. The wall panel is periodically cut for wall panel height, thereby creating an ongoing stream of cut wall panels. The panels are advanced through a corner index station, and indexed at right angles while maintaining orientation of the panels. The wall panels leave the indexing station edge-to-edge. Resin is applied to facing edges of adjacent wall panels. Adjacent wall panels are joined to each other at the facing edges, to make a generally continuous wall panel. The so-joined wall panel is cut to desired lengths. The resulting wall panel can provide tough, water-proof, otherwise weather-proof, building systems and buildings, without structural use of concrete except in floor slabs.
US08272179B2
A barrier for a robotic work station is provided and includes a pair of upright posts, and rigid panels which are movable between a lower open position and a raised closed position. The panels are simultaneously moved between the raised and lower positions by a pneumatic cylinder and a pulley system. The movable panels are cantilevered from one of the posts, and include rollers for movement within a channel in the post. A fixed panel is provided at the bottom of the posts and extends approximately to the top of the work station table.
US08272155B2
The present invention provides an automatic banner roll-up mechanism for automatically rolling up a banner or poster, which includes two tubes, a foldable material cloth, a connecting rod, two plugs, a cylindrical spring, a stopper and two mounting supports. One end of the connecting rod is sheathed by one plug and the cylindrical spring, and it is retained in one of the mounting supports. Ball bearings in one of the plugs are engaged with the connecting rod when the plug is rotated to twist cylindrical spring tight. After rotating the plug in a reverse direction to release the cylindrical spring, the connecting rod rotates in the reverse direction, thereby rolling up the foldable material. Further, the foldable material may be coated or printed with various patterns for decorative or sun-shading purposes.
US08272149B2
An article of footwear is disclosed that includes at least one of an upper and a segmented sole structure. The sole structure may include an insole portion and a plurality of discrete sole elements disposed within an outsole unit. The insole is positioned adjacent the upper and may extend along a longitudinal length of the upper. The sole elements extend from the connecting portion, and the sole elements are separated by a plurality of flexible regions.
US08272148B2
A sports shoe has a sole S absorbing a shock of landing, an upper U covering an instep of a foot, and a fastening member 3 fitting the upper U to the instep of the foot. The upper U has a first opening 1 from which a leg extends upwardly during wearing and a second opening 2 which is closed with a tongue, and the first and second openings 1, 2 are continuous with each other in a front-rear direction, the upper comprises a medial side portion 7 covering a medial side surface of the foot, a lateral side portion 8 covering a lateral side surface of the foot, and stretchable portions 71, 81 forming a part of the medial side portion 7 and/or the lateral side portion 8, and the second opening 2 inclines toward the medial side of the foot along a ridge line of the foot as the second opening extends toward a front of the foot.
US08272146B1
A spring-loaded jumping shoe featuring a shoe component comprising a sole, a top, and a foot hole; a track disposed in the sole of the shoe component; an attachment flange removably attached in the track in the sole of the shoe component; a generally flat base having a top surface, a bottom surface, an upwardly curved front end, and an upwardly curved back end; and at least a first hydraulic spring and a second hydraulic spring each extending upwardly from the base and sandwiched between the base and the attachment flange.
US08272143B1
A process for removing or treating harmful biological and organic substances within an enclosure includes heating the ambient air within the enclosed area to a predetermined temperature over time to cause harmful biological or organic substances to be destroyed or migrate into the ambient air. Temperature and pressure levels are monitored through the treatment process. Contaminated objects or areas may be subjected to biocides, irradiation, or even freezing as part of the treatment process. The air removed from the enclosure is preferably passed through an incinerator, a filter or an irradiation device and the heated air is re-circulated to enhance efficiency.
US08272136B2
A cutting tool is provided which may simultaneously score or cut opposite sides of a wallboard. The tool may also be used to cut semi-circular portions from a corner of the wallboard and which may be used to cut circles from the wallboard.
US08272135B2
A saw blade clamping mechanism includes a saw blade spindle, a support sleeve, a clamping pin, and a rotating sleeve. The spindle has a longitudinal receiving slot and an axial elongate slot. The rotating sleeve has a retaining slot. A movable pin is secured on the rotating sleeve and extends through the elongate slot. A latch pin is fixed on the support sleeve and is held within the retaining slot. The rotating sleeve is movable from a first position to a second position. When the rotating sleeve is in the first position, the latch pin is positioned at an outer end of the circumferential section of the retaining slot and the clamping pin inserts into the longitudinal receiving slot of the spindle to fix a saw blade. When the rotating sleeve is in the second position, the latch pin is positioned at an upper end of the axial section of the retaining slot and the clamping pin retracts from the receiving slot of the spindle to release the saw blade.
US08272131B2
Provided are a fixture of a dental implant and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, a method of manufacturing a fixture of a dental implant easily that allows fast bone formation at an early stage and prevents infection and inflammation, and a fixture of a dental implant having an improved structure that can be manufactured by using the method of manufacturing the same. The fixture of a dental implant with an improved structure in which the performance of osseointegration is excellent and spread of inflammation is reduced, and the method of manufacturing the fixture of a dental implant easily are provided. In the method of manufacturing a fixture of a dental implant, the fixture of the dental implant in which the performance of osseointegration is excellent and spread of inflammation can be reduced, can be easily manufactured. Furthermore, in the fixture of the dental implant, the performance of osseointegration is excellent and spread of inflammation can be reduced.
US08272121B2
A connector installation apparatus including a frame, a ram and a gas spring. The frame includes an anvil section. The anvil section is adapted to have a first connector part located at the anvil section. The ram is movably connected to the frame. The ram includes a front section adapted to have a second connector part located at the front section. The gas spring includes a piston head on a rear end of the ram, and a portion of the frame forming two variable chambers with the piston head.
US08272120B2
An apparatus for applying solder to semiconductor chips is provided that employs a plurality of apertured decals to define areas for engaging solder on a semiconductor chip. Each of the plurality of decals includes an upper, center and bottom layer having apertures present therethrough. The apparatus fills the apertures with solder. The upper and bottom layers of the apertured decals are removed to provide solder portions projecting from the center layer. The apparatus provides a station for applying an adhesive layer to the exposed surfaces of the center layer having the solder portions projecting therefrom. The apparatus includes a station for contacting the solder and adhesive to the semiconductor chip. The apparatus also includes a separating structure for detaching the portion of the center layer that is in contacting to the semiconductor chip through the solder.
US08272117B2
A window frame insulation assembly and sealing arrangement, comprising an elongated, extruded block of foam material having a first or inner side and a second or outer side. A unitary air fin is co-extruded therewith. The air fin comprises an elongated flange of flexible foam material. The air fin and the elongated block define an elongated receiving-channel that is filled with a foam compression rod there between creating a seal for blocking air and moisture from a building in which said window frame assembly has been placed.
US08272115B2
A multi-plate clutch includes a plurality of drive plates that are rotationally coupled to a concentric shell wherein keys radially extending from each drive plate are slidably received in axial channels formed in the interior surface of the shell. The enhancement of the wear resistance of the keys of single one of the drive plates serves to extend the service life of the entire clutch.
US08272101B2
A door hinge comprises a first hinge element fastenable to a door frame and a second hinge element fastenable to a door leaf and includes first and second hinge blade. A first pivot axis is connected, when the door hinge is in a first operating condition, to first and second hinge elements such that the second hinge blade is pivotable relative to the first hinge element, in a first pivot direction, for unblocking a door aperture. The first pivot axis is decoupled from the first or the second hinge element when the door hinge is in a second operating condition. A second pivot axis is connected to the first and second hinge elements such that said first and second hinge elements are pivotable relative to one another, in a second pivot direction which is opposed to the first pivot direction, for unblocking the door aperture.
US08272098B2
A vacuum cleaner has a hose and wand assembly onto which a floor tool may be attached. The wand includes a plurality of telescoping tubes which can slide between retracted and extended positions. In order to be able to transmit power and signals from the vacuum cleaner to the end of the wand assembly, conductors are provided in a channel in the hose. The hose is connected to the interior of the wand, just beyond the last telescoping joint, with the conductors extending beyond the end of the hose to a connector at the far end of the wand. This arrangement automatically provides a reliable electrical connection down the wand. Previously, electrical conductors were not employed with this type of wand as it was not straightforward to provide electrical connections across the telescoping parts.
US08272093B2
A cloth disc assembly for a mop includes a disc having engaging holes. A fixing member is mounted to each engaging hole and includes a cylinder having a longitudinal hole. The cylinder further includes an engaging section formed on an outer periphery thereof and engaged in one of the engaging holes. A fixing hole extends from the outer periphery of the cylinder through an inner periphery of the longitudinal hole. A cleaning unit is extended through the longitudinal hole of the cylinder of each fixing member and includes a plurality of cleaning strips each having two ends extending out of the cylinder. A positioning member is mounted to each fixing member and includes a shank extending through the fixing hole of the cylinder of each fixing member into the longitudinal hole of the cylinder and pressing the cleaning strips against the inner periphery of the longitudinal hole of the cylinder.
US08272090B2
A method for operating a washing machine, in which wrinkles are removed from laundry using steam. The method includes supplying steam of a high temperature to a drum containing laundry; and supplying air to the drum. The method facilitates the refreshing of the laundry, such as clothes, thus allowing a user to wear the clothes just after the refreshing of the clothes.
US08272079B2
A whirlpool foot bath for a pedicure chair having a housing with a removable cap and a rotor and stator magnetic motor within the housing. Water in the bath is circulated through an inlet in the cap and out through at least one outlet in the cap. A method of use is described.
US08272078B2
An apparatus and system are disclosed for a pool drain cover, the cover having a perforated ramp around its perimeter to which are attached a plurality of straight, horizontally disposed tubes, circumscribing channels with substantially continuous cross-sectional areas, each tube enclosing a channel extending the length of the tube of at least six inches. The cross-sectional area of the tubes is kept at a minimum and their number is increased by arranging the tubes in rows and columns or giving the tubes an elliptical cross-sectional area and arranging them in a single row, thereby reducing the tapering in the tubes. The cover may be segmented and may be of multiple shapes, including a circle.
US08276187B2
An information processing system includes a client device and a server system. The client device executes an application program as a confidential process for performing processing based on confidential information. When a transmission request asking for transmission of confidential information is generated by the application program being executed, the client device transmits, to the server system, the transmission request and confidential process information indicating that the process in which the transmission request was generated is a confidential process. When the server system receives the transmission request and the confidential process information from the client device, the server system transmits stored confidential information in accordance with the received transmission request.
US08276183B1
The invention relates to apparatus and methods for a television terminal with data storage. The television terminal may be a set top terminal for use with a cable television program delivery system. The data storage may be integral to the terminal or may be provided as a hardware upgrade unit or expansion card connected to the terminal to modularly enhance the functionality of the terminal. The data storage may be in the form of a disc, such as a compact disc storage device or a CD-ROM. The data stored on the storage device may relate to games, education, encyclopedias, reference, or economics. The television terminal may additionally include a microprocessor that is programmed to react to information within a television signal to access the data stored on the storage device.
US08276181B1
A content distribution system includes a distribution center, a processor, a switch, and first and second multiplexers. The distribution center receives and applies program content on program channels. The processor identifies subsets of the program channels in response to a respective score associated with the program channels. The switch couples the distribution center to the multiplexers. The switch applies program channels to respective inputs of the first and second multiplexers in response to the processor. A method for optimizing a multiplexed transport channel includes the steps of identifying a set of program channels designated for distribution via the multiplexed transport channel, arranging the set of program channels in subsets, the program channels within a subset grouped in accordance with a viewing score, multiplexing the program channels of the subsets to a respective transport channel and applying the respective transport channels to a distribution medium for delivery to the destination.
US08276180B1
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for delivering video content over a wide area network (WAN). Included is at least one server for transcoding or transrating the video content for delivery over the WAN.
US08276179B2
A system and method for resource sharing are provided. The method includes storing an electronic programming guide (EPG) application and an EPG, determining when local memory of a local video device lacks capacity to download additional time of the EPG, and communicating with another device to transmit a resource request to the other device to download the additional time of the EPG to storage in the other device. The method also includes processing for display monitoring data that indicates remaining storage space in the storage of the other device, querying the other device to determine what programming is being viewed, and processing controls included in the EPG application that enable access to the storage of the other device to interact with the EPG stored on the other device through the local video device to schedule a programming event at the local video device.
US08276175B2
A method is disclosed for efficiently receiving Electronic Service Guide (ESG) data for a Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld (DVB-H) broadcast service in a DVB-H reception terminal. When ESG data to which session partitioning rules are applied is received in a multiple-stream mode, session-by-session rules are detected. On the basis of the rules, sessions in which actual ESG data is carried are classified by roles required to provide the broadcast service. The associated ESG data from the sessions is acquired and stored. Since ESG data can be efficiently received by providing detailed guidelines for receiving the ESG data based on a session partitioning rule, a reception scheme of the DVB-H reception terminal can be significantly improved.
US08276167B2
Plug-in configurable middleware is provided for managing distributed applications. The middleware includes at least one core runtime engine configured as a plurality of concurrent instantiations on one or more hosts within a distributed architecture. These hosts can represent separate nodes or a single node within the architecture. Each core runtime engine instance provides the minimum amount of functionality required to support the instantiation of one or more plug-ins within that core runtime engine instance. Each core runtime engine instance is in communication with other concurrent core runtime engine instances and can share the functionality of plug-in instances with the other core runtime engine instances, for example through the use of proxies. A plurality of personalities representing pre-defined functions is defined and one of more of these personalities is associated with each core runtime engine instance. A plurality of pre-defined plug-ins are defined and associated with the personalities.
US08276160B2
Managing an asynchronous messaging queue with a client computer in an asynchronous messaging system, where the client computer is programmed to store an manage the asynchronous messaging queue, includes receiving a reactive message in the asynchronous messaging queue, the reactive message including an identification of a referenced message and an action to be performed on the referenced message; and performing the action on the previously initiated message with the client computer if the referenced message is present in the asynchronous messaging queue.
US08276158B2
In a response based messaging system in which the reliability of the message transmission is supplemented by storing at both the source and destination a copy of the message, storage space is bounded. By including in the response to a message acknowledgement from the destination that the message has been received, the copy of the message stored at the source can be deleted. Furthermore, by including in the message an identifier of what message acknowledgement the source is expecting, the destination can delete from its storage medium any previously stored messages.
US08276152B2
A change order to be executed at a scheduled time as part of a change plan is created, wherein the change order to define a change to an Information Technology (IT) environment. The change order is validated against validation rules to simulate execution of the change order at the scheduled time wherein other change orders scheduled to execute before the execution of the change order are included in the simulation. Breaks in change orders scheduled to execute after the change order are detected. Side effects caused by execution of the change order are determined. The results of validating the change order are output.
US08276150B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing a resource include using a first object to obtain data associated with the resource that is being managed. The first object may be embedded in a cell of a spreadsheet running on a spreadsheet application. Formula in the spreadsheet are executed, where at least some of the formulas reference at least some of the data obtained by the first object. The operation of the resource may then be altered based on the results of the executed formula.
US08276149B2
Method, apparatus and system embodiments to assign priority to a thread when the thread is otherwise unable to proceed with instruction retirement. For at least one embodiment, the thread is one of a plurality of active threads in a multiprocessor system that includes memory livelock breaker logic and/or starvation avoidance logic. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08276137B2
A Virtual Machine (VM) is created utilizing a virtual Operating System (OS) disk and virtual application disks, each of which may be from disparate third party suppliers. One or more files in the virtual application disk are then linked to a specific file system location (node) in the virtual OS disk.
US08276134B2
An improved system and computer programming product for acquisition and release of locks within a software program is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a lock within a loop is transformed by relocating acquisition and release instructions from within the loop to positions outside the loop. This may significantly decrease unnecessarily lock acquisition and release during execution of the software program. In order to avoid contention problems which may arise from acquiring and keeping a lock on an object over a relatively long period of time, a contention test may be inserted into the loop. Such a contention test may temporarily release the lock if another thread in the software program requires access to the locked object.
US08276130B2
The present invention provides a method and a compiler of compiling a source program. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of compiling a source program comprising: identifying a hint related to vector aligning when syntax analyzing said source program; and generating a simplified code based on said identified hint related to vector aligning when generating a code.
US08276129B1
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a system that allows a software developer to perform shader debugging and performance tuning. The system includes an interception layer between the software application and the application programming interface (API). The interception layer is configured to intercept and store source code versions of the original shaders included in the application. For each object in the frame, the interception layer makes shader source code available to the developer, so that the developer can modify the source code as needed, re-compile only the modified shader source code, and run the application. Consequently, shader debugging and performance tuning may be carried out in a manner that is more efficient and effective relative to prior art approaches.
US08276128B2
Various embodiments of systems and methods for dynamic binary translation in an interpreter are disclosed. An embodiment comprises a method for dynamic binary translation in an interpreter. One such method comprises: receiving non-native code comprising a sequence of one or more operators to be interpreted; building a static branch destination table associated with the operators, the static branch destination table specifying a static branch operator that branches to another operator in the sequence and a corresponding memory location to which the static branch operator branches; parsing the sequence of operators and building a cross-reference table that specifies a pointer to an operator function associated with the corresponding operator, an index of the operator in a native code sequence, and a call to a native operator; selecting a dynamic branch code template for the native operator; and based on the static branch table and the cross-reference table, emitting the native code sequence to be executed via a native processor.
US08276126B2
Techniques for isolating software regressions are provided. In one approach, QTrace is used to generate DTrace scripts to gather timing information of one or more portions of source code during a test of particular version of a program. Based on results of one or more tests of multiple versions of a program, a regression is identified with respect to a particular portion of source code. It is determined that the particular portion of source code was changed during an intermediate version of the program (i.e., between two tests). The intermediate version and/or the particular portion of source code are identified as being a potential source of the regression.
US08276121B2
A requirement for a versioned resource is fulfilled, particularly in light of compatibility constraints of the requirement. Versions of the versioned resource are associated with compatibility information, such as a feature version and a service version, for example. In fulfilling the requirement, compatibility logic may be applied to identify versions that are compatible with the requirement, and selection logic may be applied to select a preferred version from the compatible versions.
US08276111B2
A method of providing access to a dataset in a type-safe manner includes storing a dataset including a plurality of data elements and a corresponding plurality of order keys for indicating an ordering of the data elements. Each order key is associated with one of the data elements. An interface to the dataset is generated that is parameterized by an element type parameter and a key type parameter. The interface is configured to provide access to the data elements and the order keys in the dataset in a type-safe manner.
US08276097B2
A key control system disposed in a display apparatus includes a hierarchical menu, a power key, and a key module. The hierarchical menu includes a first layer menu and a second layer menu. The first layer menu has an item corresponding to the second layer menu. The power key is adapted to turn on the power supply of the display apparatus. The key control system is used to execute a key control method includes steps of defining the function of the power key as opening the first layer menu of the hierarchical menu after the power supply is turned on; defining the function of the key module as selecting the item of the first layer menu when the first layer menu is opened; and defining the function of the power key as opening the second layer menu after the item of the first layer menu is selected.
US08276096B2
Same data of a unit of information is displayed in first and second windows. The same data of the unit of information is not frozen in the first window and in the second window. The second window comprises a freeze control. In response to receiving an activation of the freeze control, the same data of the unit of information in the second window is frozen. The same data of the unit of information in the first window is not frozen in response to the activation of the freeze control. In response to receiving an edit to the same data in the first window, the same data of the unit of information in the first window is modified in accordance with the edit. The edit is not applied to the frozen data in the second window.
US08276095B2
A computer application and method for generating a workspace and navigating therein are disclosed. Code can be used to generate an application workspace for an associated computer application, wherein the application workspace is comprised of a plurality of screens and each screen has dimensions that are generally coextensive with a viewable area defined by the computer application. Code can be used to logically associate a plurality of sub-application windows for displaying viewable content with respective locations of the application workspace.
US08276080B2
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for automatically putting a reference mark on an object to pay attention to. A server device which provides a virtual reality space to multiple client devices connected to the server device via a network detects movement of an avatar related to a client device, the movement indicating an object in the virtual reality space displayed on a screen of the client device, as a trigger for generating a reference mark. In response to detection of the movement of the avatar, the server device generates a reference mark to be put on the object. The server device notifies another client device of the presence of the generated reference mark. Accordingly, the other client device is guided to the object by selecting the notification displayed on the screen.
US08276068B2
In a print system of this invention, upon issuance of a preview instruction from an application (201), print data is spooled in a spool file (303). A printer driver (203) despools the spooled data and transmits the despooled data to a printer (2000) as a preview job together with job setting information. The printer (2000) generates preview information for each physical page in accordance with the job setting information, and sends it to a host computer (3000). A previewer (306) receives the preview information, reads out data from a spooler, and displays a preview image in accordance with the received preview information.
US08276067B2
A method for building a classification model for classifying unclassified documents based on the classification of a plurality of documents which respectively have been classified as belonging to one of a plurality of classes, said documents being digitally represented in a computer, said documents respectively comprising a plurality of terms which respectively comprise one or more symbols of a finite set of symbols, and said method comprising the following steps: representing each of said plurality of documents by a vector of n dimensions, said n dimensions forming a vector space, whereas the value of each dimension of said vector corresponds to the frequency of occurrence of a certain term in the document corresponding to said vector, so that said n dimensions span up a vector space; representing the classification of said already classified documents into classes by separating said vector space into a plurality of subspaces by one or more hyperplanes, such that each subspace comprises one or more documents as represented by their corresponding vectors in said vector space, so that said each subspace corresponds to a class.
US08276065B2
A method for classifying electronically posted documents includes receiving two posted documents and generating corresponding metadata summaries for each, wherein each of the metadata summaries includes at least one sub-tree structure. The structures of the two summary sub-trees within the respective metadata summaries are subsequently compared. If the two summary sub-trees are different, the two documents are deemed distinct. If the two summary sub-trees are the same, attribute values and text content of the metadata summaries are compared over a portion of the metadata summaries. If the compared attribute values and text content are determined to be the same, the documents are deemed duplicative.
US08276063B2
There is provided a computer-implemented method for importing information stored in a tag-based markup language file into a computer modeling software package, and exporting changes in the information back to the file. There is also provided a system, and associated instructions for carrying out the method.
US08276061B2
A user can highlight text and provide accompanying annotations. Highlighted text, accompanying annotations, and time-stamp information are stored in a user profile that is maintained locally with a web browser, at the client side. A retrieved web page is presented to a user with annotations of some form, based upon the user profile. The retrieved web page may typically be annotated through marked or highlighted portions of text, so that the user can readily locate this information in the web page, and assess the relevance of the retrieved page.
