US08362065B2
Compounds having the formula (I), and enantiomers, and diastereomers, pharmaceutically-acceptable salts, thereof, are useful as kinase modulators, including Btk modulation.
US08362056B2
Compounds of Formula I: I in which D1, D2, R1, R2, R7, R8 and A have the meanings given in the specification, are DP2 receptor modulators useful in the treatment of immunologic diseases.
US08362049B2
This application relates to novel urea glucokinase activators and use of the compounds of the invention for preparation of a medicament for the treatment of various diseases, e.g. for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Further encompassed is a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to the invention and a process for preparing such.
US08362044B2
Described herein are compounds that are antagonists of PGD2 receptors. Also described are pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments that include the compounds described herein that are antagonists of PGD2 receptors. Also described herein are methods of using such antagonists of PGD2 receptors, alone and in combination with other compounds, for treating respiratory, cardiovascular, and other PGD2-dependent or PGD2-mediated conditions or diseases.
US08362040B2
Compounds of the present invention having the formula exhibit inhibitory activity on the natural enzyme renin. Thus, compounds of formula (I) may be employed for the treatment of hypertension, atherosclerosis, unstable coronary syndrome, congestive heart failure, cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac fibrosis, cardiomyopathy postinfarction, unstable coronary syndrome, diastolic dysfunction, chronic kidney disease, hepatic fibrosis, complications resulting from diabetes, such as nephropathy, vasculopathy and neuropathy, diseases of the coronary vessels, restenosis following angioplasty, raised intra-ocular pressure, glaucoma, abnormal vascular growth, hyperaldosteronism, cognitive impairment, alzheimers, dementia, anxiety states and cognitive disorders.
US08362038B2
This invention provides a compound of formula (I): wherein R1 represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a halogen atom, R2 represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R3 represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxy group, and A represents an oxygen atom or a group of the formula —C(R4)(R5)— (in which R4 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and R5 represents a hydroxy group or an alkoxy group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. These compounds have 5-HT4 receptor agonistic activity, and thus are useful for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease, non-ulcer dyspepsia, functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome or the like in mammalian, especially humans.
US08362028B2
Pseudobase benzo[c]phenanthridines and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof of Formula I are provided herein. The variables R, R1, R2, R3, and R4 are defined herein. Certain pseudobase benzo[c]phenanthridines provided herein act as prodrugs, targeting the parent benzo[c]phenanthridinium alkaloid to hydrophilic or hydrophobic regions in the body. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising a pseudobase benzo[c]phenanthridine and a carrier, excipient, or diluent are provided herein. Methods of treating or preventing microbial, fungal and or viral infections and methods of treating diseases and disorders responsive to protein kinase C modulation, topoisomerase I, and/or topoisomerase II modulation are also provided.
US08362021B2
A method of increasing the bioavailability of a compound of formula 1 by orally administering to a patient a compound of formula 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, with food:
US08362009B2
The present invention is directed to diazepan compounds which are antagonists of orexin receptors, and which are useful in the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders and diseases in which orexin receptors are involved. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the treatment of such diseases in which orexin receptors are involved.
US08362006B2
This invention generally relates to processes for making zilpaterol and salts thereof, as well as processes for making intermediates that, inter alia, may be used to make zilpaterol and salts thereof. The zilpaterol and salts prepared in accordance with this invention can be used to increase the rate of weight gain, improve feed efficiency, and/or increase carcass leanness in livestock, poultry, and fish.
US08361991B2
The invention relates to the cosmetic use, as a skin moisturizer, of a compound of formula (I): with (i) R1 and R2 represent a hydrogen atom or a C1-C6-alkyl group, or (ii) R1 and R2 can form, together with the nitrogen atom which bears them, a saturated heterocycle with 5 to 7 ring members; R5 representing a hydrogen atom or a (C1-C3) alkyl group; R6 representing a hydrogen atom or a (C1-C4) alkyl group; R3 represents a hydrogen atom or a (C1-C6) alkyl-group, or —OR3 represents a phosphate group; it being possible for the two groups R3 to form, together, an isopropylidene group; R4 represents a hydrogen atom or —OR4 represents a-phosphate group; and the salts, solvates and isomers thereof. The invention also relates to a cosmetic composition comprising a compound (I) and the corresponding new compounds.
US08361988B2
The present invention comprises compounds useful as antiviral or antitumor agents. The compounds comprise nucleotide analogues that comprise tetrahydrofuranyl or tetrahydrothienyl moeities with quaternary centers at the 3′ position. The nucleotide analogues can be used to inhibit cancer or viruses. Accordingly, the compounds of the present invention are useful for treating, preventing, and/or inhibiting diseases or conditions associated with cancers and viruses. Thus, the present invention also comprising pharmaceutical formulations comprising the compounds and methods of using the compounds and formulations to inhibit viruses or tumors and treat, prevent, or inhibit the foregoing diseases.
US08361987B2
The present invention is related to a method of treating a T cell-mediated inflammatory autoimmune disease by administering to an individual in need thereof an immunogenic composition comprising a recombinant construct of a nucleic acid sequence encoding heat shock protein 60 (HSP60), or an active fragment thereof, wherein the nucleic acid sequence is operatively linked to one or more transcription control sequences, and wherein the disease is other than insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), thereby treating the disease.
US08361986B2
The invention relates to synthetic chemical compositions that are useful for modulation of Toll-Like Receptor (TLR)-mediated immune responses. In particular, the invention relates to agonists of Toll-Like Receptor 9 (TLR9) that generate unique cytokine and chemokine profiles.
US08361984B2
The invention found that overexpression and activation of α9-nAChR are associated with tumorigenesis of breast cancer and create a number of small interfering RNAs to inhibit the expression of α9-nAChR so as to inhibit breast cancer. Therefore, the invention provides small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) for inhibiting expression of α9-nAChR so as to inhibit breast cancer, methods to prevent/inhibit/treat malignant progression of nicotine-derived-compound-induced breast cancer and method of determining malignant level of such breast cancer.
US08361983B2
A bifunctional shRNA-based composition and methods for knocking down the expression of the PDX-1 oncogene in target cells is described herein. The invention also provides methods to deliver the shRNA-containing expression vectors to target tissues overexpressing the PDX-1 oncogene.
US08361979B2
In the present invention means and method are provided for optimising exon-skipping using exon-internal AON. We show that skipping efficiencies are improved by targeting putative splicing regulatory sequences (ESEs) within an exon. Such double targeting may be particularly useful for exons with which efficient skipping was difficult to obtain prior to the invention.
US08361977B2
Disclosed herein are compounds, compositions and methods for modulating splicing of SMN2 mRNA in a cell, tissue or animal. Also provided are uses of disclosed compounds and compositions in the manufacture of a medicament for treatment of diseases and disorders, including spinal muscular atrophy.
US08361974B2
Administration of at least one compound of the family of the avermectins or of the family of the milbemycins, notably ivermectin, is useful for the treatment of ophthalmic pathologies, including ocular rosacea.
US08361973B2
The present invention provides glycoside compounds, methods of preparing such compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and a method for the treatment of hyperproliferative diseases using the same.
US08361971B2
Disclosed herein are tablets comprising ezatiostat hydrochloride wherein the ezatiostat hydrochloride comprises from about 75 to about 82 percent by weight of the tablet.
US08361964B2
Novel GRF analogs having GRF activity are described herein, as well as uses thereof for example as a GRF receptor agonist, e.g., to induce growth hormone secretion in a subject or biological system.
US08361963B2
The invention provides nucleic acid molecules encoding FGF21 mutant polypeptides, FGF21 mutant polypeptides, pharmaceutical compositions comprising FGF21 mutant polypeptides, and methods for treating metabolic disorders using such nucleic acids, polypeptides, or pharmaceutical compositions.
US08361961B2
The present invention provides polypeptides that include an O-linked glycosylation site that is not present in the wild-type peptide. The polypeptides of the invention include glycoconjugates in which a species such as a water-soluble polymer, a therapeutic agent of a biomolecule is covalently linked through an intact O-linked glycosyl residue to the polypeptide. Also provided are methods of making the peptides of the invention and methods, pharmaceutical compositions containing the peptides and methods of treating, ameliorating or preventing diseased in mammals by administering an amount of a peptide of the invention sufficient to achieve the desired response.
US08361959B2
The present invention relates to compounds of the general formula: (I) wherein ring A, ring B, R1, R3, Z, L1, and L2 are selected independently of each other and are as defined herein, to compositions comprising the compounds, and to methods of using the compounds as glucagon receptor antagonists and for the treatment or prevention of type 2 diabetes and conditions related thereto.
US08361954B2
Methods for treating patients with cancer and autoimmune disorders using IL-28 and IL-29 molecules. The IL-28 and IL-29 molecules include polypeptides that have homology to the human IL-28 or IL-29 polypeptide sequence and proteins fused to a polypeptide with IL-28 and IL-29 functional activity. The molecules can be used as a monotherapy or in combination with other known cancer and/or autoimmune therapeutics.
US08361950B2
The invention relates to methods and compositions for treating non-trans fats, fatty acids and sunscreen stains with a chelating agent. The invention also relates to methods for reducing the frequency of laundry fires with a chelating agent.
US08361941B2
The present invention relates to an antiwear agent and lubricating compositions thereof. The invention further provides for a method of lubricating a driveline device or a grease application by employing a lubricating composition containing the antiwear agent.
US08361935B2
Methods of treating a subterranean formation are disclosed, using a fluid including an essentially metal-free organic crosslinker selected from amines, diamines, poly amines, polyamino polymers, alcohols, polyols, polyhydroxy polymers, hydroxyl amines, peptides and proteins, combined with a polysaccharide or cellulosic material having oxidized functional groups. The fluid is then introduced into a wellbore penetrating the formation to contact the formation. The polysaccharide or cellulosic material may have aldehyde groups as one example of an oxidized group, or any other suitable oxidized functional group. The polysaccharide or the cellulosic material may be oxidized using at least one of an enzymes, oxidizers, photooxidation, bacteria, catalyst, or other suitable technique. The fluid may also further include an inorganic crosslinker.
US08361925B2
The exhaust gas-purifying catalyst includes at least one of a first composite oxide represented by a formula A(Al2-xBx)O4 and a second composite oxide represented by a formula (Al2-yCy)O3, wherein element A is a divalent transition metal other than platinum-group elements, each of elements B and C is a transition metal other than platinum-group elements, x satisfies 0
US08361918B2
To provide a ceramic composition not only having little compositional variation after burning, but a high flexural strength of the sintered body, and a high Q value in a microwave band, a ceramic composition used for forming a ceramic layer of a multi-layer ceramic substrate contains 47.0 to 67.0 wt. % of SiO2, 21.0 to 41.0 wt. % of BaO, and 10.0 to 18.0 wt. % of Al2O3, and contains as a first additive, 1.0 to 5.0 parts by weight of CeO2, relative to a total of 100 parts of SiO2, BaO and Al2O3, and as a second additive, 2.5 to 5.5 parts by weight of MnO, relative to a total of 100 parts by weight of SiO2, BaO, Al2O3 and CeO2, and is substantially free of Cr. As a third additive, at least one of Zr, Ti, Zn, Nb, Mg and Fe, and as a fourth additive, a Co component and/or a V component, may be contained.
US08361913B2
An elastic nonwoven composite that contains an elastic film laminated to one or more nonwoven web materials is provided. The composite is formed by passing the film through a nip to bond the film to the nonwoven web material(s). Concurrent with bond formation, apertures are also formed in the elastic film. The apertures are of a size sufficient to provide a desired level of texture, softness, hand feel, and/or aesthetic appeal to the composite without having a significant adverse effect on its elastic properties. Aperture and bond formation are accomplished in the present invention by selectively controlling certain parameters of the lamination process, such as film content, bonding pattern, degree of film tension, bonding conditions, etc.
US08361910B2
Embodiments of the invention provide methods for forming dielectric materials on a substrate. In one embodiment, a method includes exposing a substrate surface to a first oxidizing gas during a pretreatment process, wherein the first oxidizing gas contains a mixture of ozone and oxygen having an ozone concentration within a range from about 1 atomic percent to about 50 atomic percent and forming a hafnium-containing material on the substrate surface by exposing the substrate surface sequentially to a deposition gas and a second oxidizing gas during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, wherein the deposition gas contains a hafnium precursor, the second oxidizing gas contains water, and the hafnium-containing material has a thickness within a range from about 5 Å to about 300 Å. In one example, the hafnium-containing material contains hafnium oxide having the chemical formula of HfOx, whereas x is less than 2, such as about 1.8.
US08361898B2
A bonding pad structure for an optoelectronic device. The bonding pad structure includes a carrier substrate having a bonding pad region and an optoelectronic device region. An insulating layer is disposed on the carrier substrate, having an opening corresponding to the bonding pad region. A bonding pad is embedded in the insulating layer under the opening to expose the top surface thereof. A device substrate is disposed on the insulating layer corresponding to the optoelectronic device region. A cap layer covers the device substrate and the insulating layer excluding the opening. A conductive buffer layer is disposed in the opening to directly contact the bonding pad. The invention also discloses a method for fabricating the same.
US08361882B2
Provided is a semiconductor device manufacturing method wherein the following steps are performed; a step of forming at least a part of an element on a base body layer, a step of forming a peeling layer, a step of forming a planarizing film; a step of forming a die by separating the base body layer at a separating region; a step of bonding the die to a substrate by bonding the die on the planarizing film; and a step of peeling and removing a part of the base body layer along the peeling layer. Prior to the step of forming the die, a step of forming a groove opened on the surface of the planarizing film such that at least a part of the separating region is included on the bottom surface of the groove, and forming the die such that the die has a polygonal outer shape wherein all the internal angles are obtuse by forming the groove is performed.
US08361881B2
A method and device for alternatively contacting two wafer-like component composite arrangements, in which two component composite arrangements, provided with contact metallizations on their opposing contact surfaces, are brought into a coverage position with their contact metallizations to form contact pairs, in which position the contact metallizations to be joined together are pressed against one another, the contact metallizations being contacted by exposing the rear of one of the component composite arrangements to laser radiation, the wavelength of the laser radiation being selected as a function of the degree of absorption of the component composite arrangement, so that a transmission of the laser radiation through the component composite arrangement exposed to the laser radiation at the rear is essentially suppressed or an absorption of the laser radiation takes place essentially in the contact metallizations of one or both component composite arrangements.
US08361877B2
A method of printing on a semiconductor wafer, a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, and a semiconductor device which enable to easily perform positioning in the direction perpendicular to the top of the wafer and to easily identify the type of the wafer. The manufacturing method includes preparing a semiconductor wafer having a structure in which an element forming film is stacked on the top of an insulative transparent substrate, forming a light reflection film to reflect light for positioning on the bottom of the transparent substrate, irradiating a laser from the side at which the element forming film is disposed so as to form printed letters at the light reflection film, forming a semiconductor element at the element forming film, forming an interlayer dielectric film to cover the element forming film and the semiconductor element, forming a contact wire, and forming a metal wire on the interlayer dielectric film.
US08361870B2
A semiconductor device is formed with low resistivity self aligned silicide contacts with high-K/metal gates. Embodiments include postponing silicidation of a metal layer on source/drain regions in a silicon substrate until deposition of a high-K dielectric, thereby preserving the physical and morphological properties of the silicide film and improving device performance. An embodiment includes forming a replaceable gate electrode on a silicon-containing substrate, forming source/drain regions, forming a metal layer on the source/drain regions, forming an ILD over the metal layer on the substrate, removing the replaceable gate electrode, thereby forming a cavity, depositing a high-K dielectric layer in the cavity at a temperature sufficient to initiate a silicidation reaction between the metal layer and underlying silicon, and forming a metal gate electrode on the high-K dielectric layer.
US08361861B2
Provided is a semiconductor device, including a silicon substrate, a first insulating film formed on the silicon substrate, a first conductive plug formed in an inside of a first contact hole of the first insulating film, an underlying conductive film having a flat surface formed on the first conductive plug and in the circumference thereof, a crystalline conductive film formed on the underlying conductive film, and a capacitor in which a lower electrode, a dielectric film made of a ferroelectric material, and an upper electrode are laminated in this order on the crystalline conductive film.
US08361860B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device may include forming a first interlayer insulation layer on a substrate including at least one gate structure formed thereon, the substrate having a plurality of source/drain regions formed on both sides of the at least one gate structure, forming at least one buried contact plug on at least one of the plurality of source/drain regions and in the first interlayer insulation layer, forming a second interlayer insulation layer on the first interlayer insulation layer and the at least one buried contact plug, exposing the at least one buried contact plug in the second interlayer insulation layer by forming at least one contact hole, implanting ions in the at least one contact hole in order to create an amorphous upper portion of the at least one buried contact plug, depositing a lower electrode layer on the second interlayer insulation layer and the at least one contact hole, and forming a metal silicide layer in the amorphous upper portion of the at least one buried contact plug.
US08361847B2
A method for forming a stressed channel field effect transistor (FET) with source/drain buffers includes etching cavities in a substrate on either side of a gate stack located on the substrate; depositing source/drain buffer material in the cavities; etching the source/drain buffer material to form vertical source/drain buffers adjacent to a channel region of the FET; and depositing source/drain stressor material in the cavities adjacent to and over the vertical source/drain buffers.
US08361839B1
Methods for fabricating a packaged semiconductor device includes providing a metal plate having a single flat first surface and a parallel second surface. The flat first surface ending in four sawed plate sides. The plate having on the second surface at least one mesa of the same metal and a linear array of insular mesas. The at least one mesa is raised from the second surface. A single terminal of a semiconductor chip is attached to the second plate surface.
US08361830B2
An image sensor module having a light gathering region and a light non-gathering region includes an image sensor, a light blocking spacer, a lens layer and a fixing shell. The light blocking spacer is disposed on the image sensor and located in the light non-gathering region. The light blocking spacer has a through hole exposing a portion of the image sensor in the light gathering region. The lens layer is disposed on the light blocking spacer and covers the through hole. The lens layer includes a transparent substrate and a lens disposed on the transparent substrate and located in the light gathering region. The fixing shell located in the light non-gathering region wraps the sidewalls of the image sensor, the light blocking spacer and the lens layer continuously. The material of the fixing shell includes a thermosetting material. A method for manufacturing the image sensor module is also provided.
US08361829B1
A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming an implant mask on a substrate, such that a first portion of the substrate is located under the implant mask, and a second portion of the substrate is exposed; performing oxygen ion implantation of the substrate; removing the implant mask; and forming a first field effect transistor (FET) on the first portion of the substrate, and forming a second FET on the second portion of the substrate, wherein the second FET has a higher radiation sensitivity than the first FET.
US08361825B2
An apparatus includes a mechanical switch. The mechanical switch includes a bilayer with first and second stable curved states. A transformation of the bilayer from the first state to the second state closes the switch.
US08361822B2
A method for producing a light-emitting device, includes: performing, on a first substrate made of III-V group compound semiconductor, crystal growth of a laminated body including an etching easy layer contiguous to the first substrate and a light-emitting layer made of nitride semiconductor; bonding a second substrate and the laminated body; and detaching the second substrate provided with the light-emitting layer from the first substrate by, one of removing the etching easy layer by using a solution etching method, and removing the first substrate and the etching easy layer by using mechanical polishing method.
US08361818B2
A method of forming an optical sensor includes the following steps. A substrate is provided, and a read-out device is formed on the substrate. a first electrode electrically connected to the read-out device is formed on the substrate. a photosensitive silicon-rich dielectric layer is formed on the first electrode, wherein the photosensitive silicon-rich dielectric layer comprises a plurality of nanocrystalline silicon crystals. A second electrode is formed on the photosensitive silicon-rich dielectric layer.
US08361816B2
A method of manufacturing a vertical GaN-based LED includes forming a nitride-based buffer layer on a silicon substrate; sequentially forming a p-type GaN layer, an active layer, and an n-type GaN layer on the nitride-based buffer layer; forming an n-electrode on the n-type GaN layer; forming a plating seed layer on the n-electrode; forming a structure supporting layer on the plating seed layer; removing the silicon substrate through wet etching and forming roughness on the surface of the p-type GaN layer through over-etching; and forming a p-electrode on the p-type GaN layer having the roughness formed.
US08361806B2
The invention provides, inter alia, methods, devices and reagents for the preparation of native and non-denatured biomolecules using solid-phase extraction channels. The invention is particularly suited for the purification, concentration and/or analysis of protein analytes. The invention further provides, inter alia, methods, devices and reagents for the purification, concentration and/or analysis of multi-protein complexes.
US08361804B2
Disclosed herein is an indicator precursor composition for determining the hardness of a wellbore fluid filtrate, where the composition includes a colorimetric indicator and a buffer, where the buffer may include a salt of a weak acid and a strong base, and where the indicator precursor may be a dry solid. Also disclosed is a method for determining the hardness of a wellbore fluid filtrate.
US08361802B2
A selective, fluorescent “turn-on” probe and method for the detection of ozone in biological and atmospheric samples, wherein the method of detecting ozone in a sample comprises the steps of (1) contacting the sample with a fluorophore capable of undergoing allylic ether or allylic ester cleavage and (2) detecting fluorescence in the sample.
US08361799B2
A method for determining the hematocrit of a blood sample is provided that includes the steps of 1) depositing the sample into an analysis chamber adapted to quiescently hold the sample for analysis; 2) imaging at least a portion of the quiescent sample, which sample portion contains the red blood cells and one or more lacunae to determine an optical density of the imaged portion of the sample on a per image unit basis; 3) selecting optical density values of the image units aligned with the red blood cells; 4) selecting optical density values of the image units aligned with the one or more lacunae; and 5) determining the hematocrit of the sample using the selected optical density values of the image units aligned with the red blood cells and the lacunae.
US08361796B2
The present invention is directed to a method for the in vitro preparation of cardiovascular progenitors cells from mammalian embryonic stem cells (ES cells) or mammalian embryonic-like state cells, preferably from primate, wherein said method comprises the use of the CD15 (SSEAI) marker as a positive cardiovascular progenitors differentiation marker. The present invention also claimed the use of a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, particularly the SU5402 or SU11248 in association with the BMP2 for improving the efficiency of the desired differentiation. The present invention is also directed to the use of platelet lysate as foetal animal serum substitute in a culture medium intended to the proliferation or propagation of primate ES cells maintaining their pluripotency feature. Derived compositions or kits in relation with the claimed methods or product obtainable by the claimed methods form also part of the present invention.
US08361787B2
The invention provides methods and compositions for the expression of small RNA molecules within a cell using a lentiviral vector. The methods can be used to express doubles stranded RNA complexes. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) can be expressed using the methods of the invention within a cell, which are capable of down regulating the expression of a target gene through RNA interference. A variety of cells can be treated according to the methods of the invention including embryos, embryogenic stem cells, allowing for the generation of transgenic animals or animals constituted partly by the transduced cells that have a specific gene or a group of genes down regulated.
US08361784B2
A DNA inspecting apparatus including driving means for relatively changing positions of the multi-spot lights and a position of the DNA chip so as to detect the fluorescent lights in such a manner that a desired area on the DNA chip is irradiated with the multi-spot lights, and a control system for determining and inspecting DNA information about the to-be-inspected DNA chip from fluorescent light intensities and fluorescent light positions of the desired area on the DNA chip, the fluorescent light intensities and the fluorescent light positions being detected by the driving means and the fluorescent light detecting means.
US08361775B2
Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for imaging nerve cells. The composition comprises a fluorescent dye; and a viral component selected from a neurotropic, replication-defective virus, a viral protein of a neurotropic virus, and a capsid of a neurotropic virus. Although the fluorescent dye in itself cannot penetrate nerve cells, the fluorescent dye is bound to the viral component to form a dye/viral component complex that is capable of penetrating nerve cells.
US08361772B2
The Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage phi11 endolysin has two peptidoglycan hydrolase domains (endopeptidase and amidase) and a SH3b cell wall-binding domain. In turbidity reduction assays, the purified protein can lyse untreated staphylococcal mastitis-causing pathogens, S. aureus and coagulase negative staphylococci (S. chronogenes, S. epidermis, S. hyicus, S. simulans, S. warneri, and S. xylocus), making it a strong antimicrobial protein and an effective candidate for treating multidrug-resistant staphylococci. Lytic activity is maintained at the pH (6.7) and the ‘free’ calcium concentration (3 mM) of milk. Truncated endolysin-derived proteins, containing just the endopeptidase domain, also lyse staphylococci, in the absence of the SH3b-binding domain.
US08361764B1
Novel genes that code for a family of feruloyl esterases that break down ferulic acid crosslinks between polysaccharide chains and between polysaccharides and lignins in plant cell walls are described herein as well as a method of rapid gene discovery.
US08361758B2
Provided are a microorganism of Corynebacterium genus capable of producing L-lysine and resistant to kanamycin, and a method of producing L-lysine using the same.
US08361753B2
The present invention provides methods and compositions for nucleic acid amplification. These methods involve the use of oligonucleotide primers in temperature dependent nucleic acid amplification reactions. In certain aspects, the methods are accomplished by use of certain modified oligonucleotide primers which provide utility in nucleic acid amplification. In preferred embodiments, the oligonucleotide primers are modified with particular chemical groups such as esters.
US08361751B2
A cell in which the activity of a protein relating to transport of an intracellular sugar nucleotide, GDP-fucose, to the Golgi body is more decreased or deleted than its parent cell; a process for producing an antibody composition using the cell; a transgenic non-human animal or plant or the progenies thereof, in which genome is modified so as to have a decreased or deleted activity of a protein relating to transport of an intracellular sugar nucleotide, GDP-fucose, to the Golgi body; a process for producing an antibody composition from the animal or plant; and a medicament comprising the antibody composition.
US08361750B2
A recombinant BSA (rBSA) that (a) substantially lacks deoxyribonuclease activity as determined by incubating rBSA with linear DNA overnight and gel electrophoresis, (b) lacks animal viruses associated with animal-derived cell growth supplements; and (c) is capable of stabilizing DNA proteins is provided. Methods for making the rBSA and using it to stabilize enzymes are also provided.
US08361749B2
A variant of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae surface protective antigen SpaA protein or of a shortened form of SpaA (ΔSpaA) in which a portion of SpaA protein is deleted for protection from Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae infection and a process for preparing the same are provided. Introduction of amino acid substitution at a specific site in the amino acid sequence of SpaA or ΔSpaA protein provides a variant of SpaA or ΔSpaA protein which is immunogenic and is expressed in E. coli as inclusion bodies. The variant of SpaA or ΔSpaA protein of the present invention may easily be recovered and purified since it is expressed in E. coli as inclusion bodies.
US08361746B2
The invention provides methods for enriching methyl-CpG sequences from a DNA sample. The method makes use of conversion of cytosine residues to uracil under conditions in which methyl-cytosine residues are preserved. Additional methods of the invention enable to preservation of the context of me-CpG dinucleotides. The invention also provides a recombinant, full length and substantially pure McrA protein (rMcrA) for binding and isolation of DNA fragments containing the sequence 5′-CMeCpGG-3′. Methods for making and using the rMcrA protein, and derivatives thereof are provided.
US08361737B2
The invention is a herd management schema based upon the inventor's analysis of the natural history of bovine infection due to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map) and related genomic variants and upon the ability of two distinct Map ELISA tests to sequentially or in parallel determine prior and current Map infection and evidence of active mycobacterium replication. Interpretation of the test results are integrated into sequential directives designed to enhance productive retention of infected animals as well as identify animals not previously infected. The sequential utilization of the data guidelines is developed to minimize the adverse economic impact.
US08361728B2
Methods and compositions for diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders are disclosed. The methods and compositions apply the discovery of the correlation between an hGDH2 gene polymorphism and the occurrence of atypical Parkinson's Disease.
US08361709B2
A first cell mass substantially containing only either one of mesenchymal cells or epithelial cells and a second cell mass substantially containing only the other one of the cells are positioned in contact with each other inside a support carrier which can maintain a condition of cell contact; and cultured to obtain a tooth having a specific cell placement. Preferably, after the culturing, the support carrier having both cell masses is cultured with kidney cells.
US08361707B2
Methods for detecting an infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in a subject are disclosed. The methods include detecting the presence of CD8+ T cells that specifically recognize an Mtb polypeptide. The methods include in vitro assays for detecting the presence of CD8+ T cells in a biological sample, and in vivo assays that detect a delayed type hypersensitivity reaction. The methods can also include detecting Mtb polypeptides and polynucleotides. Reagents for the detection of an Mtb infection are also disclosed.
US08361703B2
A protective coating composition comprising a polymer of acyl-protected hexafluoroalcohol structure as a base polymer, optionally in admixture with a second polymer containing sulfonic acid amine salt in recurring units is applied onto a resist film. The protective coating is transparent to radiation of wavelength up to 200 nm.
US08361696B2
The present invention relates to a polymer resin compound including a new polycyclic compound, and a photosensitive resin composition including the polymer resin compound as an effective binder matrix. In particular, the photosensitive resin composition according to the present invention uses a polymer resin compound, which includes a compound having double cyclic structure in one molecule as a monomer, as a binder matrix. Accordingly, the photosensitive resin composition has an excellent photosensitivity and an excellent developing property, and has a low distortion property during plastic processing. For this reason, the photosensitive resin composition has an advantage of curing various transparent photosensitive materials used to manufacture a color filter of a liquid crystal display, for example, a column spacer, an overcoat, a passivation material, and the like.
US08361695B2
There is provided a composition for forming a resist underlayer film having a large selection ratio of dry etching rate, exhibiting desired values of the k value and the refractive index n at a short wavelength, for example, in an ArF excimer laser, and further, exhibiting solvent resistance. A resist underlayer film forming composition for lithography comprises a linear polymer having, in a main chain thereof, at least one of an aromatic ring-containing structure and a nitrogen atom-containing structure; and a solvent, wherein to the aromatic ring or the nitrogen atom, at least one alkoxyalkyl group or hydroxyalkyl group is directly bonded.
US08361689B2
The present invention provides an electrostatographic toner that hasa condensation polymer binder having carboxylic acid end groups and an acid number of 4 or greater. The carboxylic end groups are converted to metal salts having the structure; (—COO−1)nM+n where M is selected from groups IB, IIB, IIIB, IVB, VB, or IA, IIA, IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA and VIIIA of the periodic table and n is an integer from 1-4. The present invention also provides a developer of carrier particles and the electrostatographic toner.
US08361688B2
Disclosed is a toner including: a resin; coloring agent and release agent including compound or compounds represented by the following general formula (1): R1—(COO—R2)n, wherein R1 is a linking group having carbon number of 2 to 8 which may be a cyclic structure and may have a hydroxy group or fatty acid ester group; and each R2 is an alkyl group having carbon number of N, (N-2) or (N-4) independently, N is a natural number from 10 to 30, and n is a natural number from 3 to 4, R2 with carbon number of N is 80 to 97 percent by mass, R2 with carbon number of (N-2) is 0.0 to 7.8 percent by mass, R2 with carbon number of (N-4) is 3.0 to 13.0 percent by mass, R2 with carbon number of (N-4) is included 1.5 percent by mass or more than R2 with carbon number of (N-2).
US08361686B2
An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising at least a photosensitive layer on an electroconductive substrate, a surface layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor including a fluorinated alkyl group-containing copolymer having repeating units represented by the following formulae A and B, and fluorine-based resin particles: wherein in Formulae A and B, l, m and n each independently represent a integer number of 1 or more; p, q, r and s each independently represent 0 or an integer of 1 or more; t represents an integer of from 1 to 7; R1, R2, R3, and R4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; X represents an alkylene chain, a halogen-substituted alkylene chain, —S—, —O—, —NH— or a single bond; Y represents an alkylene chain, a halogen-substituted alkylene chain, —(CzH2z-1(OH))— or a single bond; and z represents an integer of 1 or more.
US08361683B2
A wafer includes an active region and a kerf region surrounding at least a portion of the active region. The wafer also includes a target region having a rectangular shape with a width and a length greater than the width, the target region including one or more target patterns, at least one of the target patterns being formed by two sub-patterns disposed at opposing corners of a target rectangle disposable within the target region.
US08361681B2
Disclosed is a polymerizable composition characterized by containing at least (A) a photopolymerization initiator represented by the following general formula (1); (B) a coloring agent; (C) a polymerizable monomer; (D) a binder polymer; and (E) a solvent. wherein, in formula (1), R1 represents an aromatic group; R2 represents a group represented by any one of the above Formulae (2-1) to (2-3); R3 represents an alkyl group or the like; and A represents a single bond or —C(═O)—; X1, X2, and Y each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or the like and Z represents an atomic group which may form an arbitrary ring structure containing a carbon-carbon double bond.
US08361680B2
The present invention relates to a pigment dispersion solution, a pigment photoresist and a color filter. The pigment dispersion solution includes a colored pigment, a dispersant, a binder resin and a solvent, and further includes particles of white pigment. The pigment photoresist using the pigment dispersion solution of the present invention includes an alkali-soluble resin, a monomer, a photo initiator and an additive. The color filter using the pigment photoresist of the present invention includes a substrate, and the pigment photoresist is developed to be shaped in regions corresponding to pixels on the substrate. The present invention adopts a technical means that adding the particles of the white pigment into the pigment dispersion solution, thereby taking advantage of properties such as high reflectivity and diffused reflection on surface of the white pigment, so as to increase transmitting path and absorbing path of lights in the pigment dispersion solution. Therefore, when the pigment photoresist made of the pigment dispersion solution is irradiated by lights to cure, the curing speed could be improved distinctly, the curing time could be reduced and the curing effect could be improved.
US08361675B2
A vehicle 1000 has two pipings 60 and 62 arranged to discharge an exhaust gas from a fuel cell stack 10 to the outside of the vehicle 1000. An outlet provided at an end of the piping 60 is located at an underfloor position in a rear portion of the vehicle 1000, while an outlet provided at an end of the piping 62 is located at a roof rear end of the vehicle 1000. When the outlet provided at the end of the piping 60 is blocked or when there is a potential for such blockage, the outlet provided at the end of the piping 62 is used to discharge the exhaust gas from the fuel cell stack 10 to the outside of the vehicle 1000. This arrangement ensures continuous drive of the vehicle 1000 even in a specific environment where any of various obstructing objects as the cause of blockage of the outlet is present in the surroundings of the vehicle 1000.
US08361661B2
A magnesium battery electrode assembly is described, including a current collector comprising a carbonaceous material and an electrode layer comprising an electrode active material disposed on the current collector.
US08361660B2
Disclosed are a non-aqueous electrolyte solution for a lithium secondary battery and a lithium secondary battery comprising the same. The non-aqueous electrolyte solution for a lithium secondary battery may include difluorotoluene having a lowest oxidation potential among components of the non-aqueous electrolyte solution. The lithium secondary battery may have improvement in basic performance including high rate charge/discharge characteristics, cycle life characteristics, and the like, and may remarkably reduce swelling caused by decomposition of an electrolyte solution under high voltage conditions such as overcharge.
US08361647B2
A battery module includes a plurality of battery cells arranged in a stack, each of the battery cells including a pair of spaced apart tabs extending therefrom, a rigid support plate coupled to at least one of the tabs, and a busbar coupled to at least one of the tabs of each of a pair of adjacent battery cells.
US08361616B2
Aqueous adhesive containing, based on solid contents, −20 to 80% by weight of an (meth)acrylic copolymer (A) as dispersion in water, −10 to 50% by weight of a resin (B), −5 to 30% by weight of a reaction product (C) of i) 20 to 50% based on dispersion (C) of an (meth)acrylic copolymer having an acidic number of 1-100 mg KOH/g in form of a dispersion, ii) 5 to 40% based on dispersion (C) of at least one sugar alcohol with a MN of 100 to 600 g/mol, and reacting the mixture in alkaline solution for 0.1 to 6 hours, and 0.1 to 30% by weight of one or more auxiliaries (D) wherein the sum A to D adds to 100%.
US08361612B2
A wood powder-containing resin molded article which can be reduced in weight by reducing an amount of thermoplastic resin, and also has excellent mechanical strength, and a method for producing the same are provided. A wood powder-containing resin molded article 1 is made of a thermoplastic resin containing wood powder, and includes a non-foamed layer 2 formed on a surface and a foamed layer 3 formed in an inner portion. The foamed layer 3 includes, in order from a side close to the surface, a first foamed layer 3a, a second foamed layer 3b having cells with a smaller average pore size than those of the first foamed layer 3a, and a third foamed layer 3c having cells with a larger average pore size than those of the first foamed layer 3a. The wood powder-containing resin molded article 1 contains a perfuming component.
US08361610B2
Disclosed herein are processes for making a consolidated or densified composite article comprising polymer, particularly fluoropolymer, and oriented carbon fiber, which provides suitability for use in chemical-mechanical applications.
US08361600B1
An Interactive Stance Mat designed for comfort or rhythmic physical activity short of exercise. Invention is interactive by means of user weight shifts ranging from nuanced to purposeful. Characteristic viscoelastic lag response in cycles provides more tactility to user than elastic force. Mat comprises top mounted flexible planar panel aligned with corrugated foamed polycarbonate-corrugation panel, where it is often unified with planar panel in sections. One or the other panel, but not both, may comprise sections. Attachment unifying the panels comprises a method where corrugation can expand freely and prevent material failure; the method comprises fixing attachment not restraining two or more of the corrugation panels expandable parts. User weight shifts are more interactive with gravity and its reaction forces than mats in the art. Modes of the invention reflect desired motion through selection of planar panel flexibility, and size, configuration of the corrugation panel.
US08361597B2
Solar-reflective roofing granules having improved solar heat-resistance are formed by coating colored mineral particles with a coating composition including titanium dioxide nanoparticles.
US08361594B2
Methods and associated structures of forming microelectronic devices are described. Those methods may include forming a first layer of a magnetic material on a substrate, forming an oxide layer on the first layer of the magnetic material, forming at least one conductive structure on the first magnetic layer, forming a dielectric layer on the at least one conductive structure, forming a second layer of the magnetic material on the at least one conductive structure, and forming a magnetic via coupled to the first and second layers of the magnetic material, wherein the magnetic via comprises a shape to increase inductance of the inductive structure.
US08361591B2
An implantable medical device including a plurality of components on a substrate, and a biocompatible multi-layer coating applied at least in part by vapor deposition to conform to and sealingly cover at least a portion of the components and/or the substrate. The coating is applied in at least two sets of layers, wherein each set has at least one layer formed by dissociation of a polymeric precursor and then deposition of that precursor, and another layer is a biocompatible liquid.
US08361583B2
A welded joint for structural component having two or more portions fused together at a weld line. An adhesive layer is placed between the two or more portions at the location of the weld line and a conductor is placed between the two or more portions in operable contact with the adhesive. Energy is transmitted through the conductor and into the adhesive layer to activate the adhesive layer and create the weld line that defines the welded joints between the two or more portions. The welded joint of the structural component allows energy to be injected into the adhesive layer via the conductor in order to cause the adhesive layer to activate from the inside of the adhesive outward. The conductor can be placed adjacent the adhesive layer or within the adhesive layer in order to cause the adhesive to be activated from the inside outward.
US08361582B2
A method for joining two or more substrates with a seam is provided. The seam is formed with a thermoplastic tape that is capable of forming an adhesive bond and a physical bond with a substrate. For instance, in one embodiment, the thermoplastic tape is formed from a polyurethane film. In addition, the seam can be utilized in a flat configuration or folded into a variety of different shapes, such as in a z-shaped configuration. As a result of the present invention, it has been discovered that a seam can be formed to have improved strength without substantially sacrificing the desired functional properties of the substrate materials.
US08361581B2
A modular textile system comprises a plurality of distinct, but coordinating, textile tiles, each including at least one design zone, where at least two of the distinct tiles include at least one design zone having substantially the same composition.
US08361577B2
The invention relates to polyester compositions comprising a) a poly(cyclohexylene-dimethylene)terephthalate (PCT) resin, b) at least one copolyester elastomer and c) at least three ethylene copolymers chosen among c1) one or more ethylene alkyl-(meth)acrylate copolymers; c2) one or more ethylene acid copolymers and/or ionomers thereof; and c3) one or more ethylene epoxide copolymers. The disclosed polyester compositions are particularly well suited for manufacturing articles that maintain good mechanical properties against long-term high temperature exposure, i.e. for high temperature applications.
US08361575B2
The present invention provides a heat-shrinkable polyphenylene sulfide-based tube containing a resin composition (A) including a thermoplastic polyphenylene sulfide-based resin (a) as a main constituent, having a difference of 35° C. or more between the cold crystallization temperature Tc as measured by a differential scanning calorimetry in accordance with JIS-K7121 and the glass transition temperature Tg measured in the same manner, and having the glass transition temperature Tg between 65° C. and 85° C.; and the invention provides a component covered with the tube. The heat-shrinkable polyphenylene sulfide-based tube fulfills the characteristics required for a heat-shrinkable tube, such as heat resistance, low-temperature shrinkage characteristics, electrical characteristics, chemical resistance, and electrolytic solution resistance.
US08361574B2
An image transfer article includes an image-imparting member and a removable substrate disposed adjacent the image-imparting member. The image-imparting member can have a softening point temperature less than about 220° C. The image-imparting member includes at least one surface configured to receive and carry indicia to be transferred and at least one portion comprising a pigment providing an opaque background for received indicia. In some examples, the image-imparting member comprises a first polymer including the indicia and at least a second polymer including the pigment. In some examples, the image-imparting member comprises a polymer including the indicia and the pigment. The indicia and the opaque background are arranged to concurrently transfer to a woven- or fabric-based article or paper in contact with the image-imparting member, upon application of iron pressing temperatures.
US08361567B2
The liquid crystal composition of the invention exhibits selective reflection and changes its selective reflection wavelength by a redox reaction induced by an electric field. The liquid crystal device of the invention has a pair of electrodes, at least one of which is a transparent electrode, and a liquid crystal layer containing the liquid crystal composition between the electrodes. The reflective display material and the light modulating material of the invention include the liquid crystal device described above.
US08361556B2
A mixture of a high molecular weight EPDM rubber with a low molecular weight (liquid) EPDM rubber provides a highly useful laser-ablatable flexographic printing plate precursor formulation. This formulation is sensitive to infrared radiation by the incorporation of an IR absorbing compound such as a carbon black. The inclusion of the liquid EPDM rubber avoids the need for plasticizers such as process oils during manufacturing, and provides improved image sensitivity, print quality, and run length. Both flexographic printing plates and printing sleeves can be made using the mixture of EPDM rubbers.
US08361554B2
In a bar coating apparatus which applies a coating liquid to a continuously running web using a columnar bar which rotates by being supported by a bar receiving member, the bar to be used is determined based on D*, where A is a deflection value of a difference between a maximum value and minimum value of roundness of the bar, B is a value obtained by a second-order approximation of A in a width direction X of the bar, T (=A−B) is a value obtained by subtracting B from A, and D* is an average inclination which is an average of a bar width of an absolute value |dT/dX| of a differential value of T in the width direction X of the bar.
US08361552B2
In a method of applying a firmly adhering metallic coating onto a steel sheet product, a steel sheet product is inserted into a film bag which contains at least a coating material. Subsequently, the film bag is evacuated to cause the film to evenly bear upon the outer surface of the steel sheet product. This state is fixed by sealing the film bag. The film bag and the steel sheet product are then subjected to a heat treatment to thereby form a coating of the coating material on the steel sheet product.
US08361551B2
In a method of forming a target layer having a uniform composition of constituent materials, a first precursor including a first central atom and a ligand is chemisorbed on a first reaction site of an object. The ligand or the first central atom is then removed to form a second reaction site. A second precursor including a second central atom is then chemisorbed on the second reaction site.
US08361541B2
The subject matter disclosed herein provides methods for manufacturing an electronic lapping guide and a magnetic read head assembly. The magnetoresistive head assembly includes a sensing element that has a front edge and a front flux guide that has a back edge, such that the sensing element front edge and the front flux guide back edge share a common interface that defines an interface plane normal to the surface of a wafer substrate. The electronic lapping guide comprises a conductive material adapted to attach to two electrical leads for measuring a resistance through the conductive material. The conductive material may include a conductive material back edge aligned with the interface plane. The resistance of the conductive material may be inversely proportional to a conductive material length normal to the interface plane.
US08361529B2
The inventors have identified a xylanase from a bacterial strain of Paenibacillus pabuli and found that the xylanase can increase the shelf life of baked products. More specifically, the xylanase in combination with a maltogenic amylase further improves the softness of bread crumb without having detrimental effects on elasticity.
US08361519B2
An herbal composition for providing a beneficial effect to the respiratory tract. The composition includes Thyme Leaf, Wild Cherry Bark, Cocoa Extract, Mullein Leaf Extract, and Boswellia Serrata. In particular, the composition may prevent or treat cough, specifically caused by exposure to smoke. Also described are methods of using the herbal composition.
US08361507B2
The present invention relates to eprosartan mesylate particles having a relatively larger surface area, to the methods for the manufacture of said crystalline particles, and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising said crystalline particles. The present invention further relates to a crystalline solid of eprosartan acetate, to a process for its preparation and to a pharmaceutical composition comprising it. The present invention also provides substantially pure eprosartan free base and a process for its preparation.
US08361490B2
Apparatus and methods for treatment of an internal cavity are provided. The internal cavity is coated with a treatment solution. The treatment solution can include a solidifiable matrix with or without a drug or combination of drugs incorporated therein, or a drug solution without a solidifiable matrix. The treatment solution is coated onto at least a portion of the internal cavity, and acts as a slow-release drug delivery system.
US08361488B2
A stable, controlled release formulation for oral dosing of vitamin D compounds is disclosed. The formulation is prepared by incorporating one or more vitamin D compounds into a solid or semi-solid mixture of waxy materials. Oral dosage forms can be prepared by melt-blending the components described herein and filling gelatin capsules with the formulation.
US08361479B2
The present invention relates to the discovery of novel T cell epitopes of the human prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) protein that is promiscuous for at least 15 different HLA-DR alleles. The invention also relates to compositions that contain one of the novel epitopes or a fusion peptide of such an epitope and a heterologous polypeptide. Further disclosed herein is the use of the epitopes or their fusion peptides, and compositions containing the epitopes or their fusion peptides.
US08361467B2
The present invention relates to trans-capsularly administering into a diseased joint a high specificity antagonist selected from the group consisting of: i) an inhibitor of a pro-inflammatory interleukin; ii) an inhibitor of TNF-α synthesis; iii) an inhibitor of membrane-bound TNF-α; iv) an inhibitor of a natural receptor of TNF-α; v) an inhibitor of NO synthase, vi) an inhibitor of PLA2 enzyme; vii) an anti-proliferative agent; viii) an anti-oxidant; ix) an apoptosis inhibitor selected from the group consisting of EPO mimetic peptides, EPO mimetibodies, IGF-I, IGF-II, and caspase inhibitors, and x) an inhibitor of MMPs; and xi) an inhibitor of p38 kinase.
US08361462B2
Single-domain anti-bodies that bind pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and caspase-3 are identified and isolated. These single-domain antibodies may be used to modulate the active of Bax and caspase-3, thereby modulating the symptoms and steps of oxidative stress and/or cell apoptosis, including Bax dimerization, mitochondrial permeabilization and the release of apoptotic proteins.
US08361460B2
The present invention provides a method for detecting food allergens, antibodies and antigens to prepare the antibodies. The antigens of this invention are a mixture comprising multiple native and/or heated food allergens that IgE antibodies of food-allergy patients recognize. The antibodies of this invention are prepared by immunizing animals with the above-mentioned antigens. The food allergen-detecting method of this invention relates to the above-mentioned antibodies. As the method can detect food allergens and food allergy-inducing foods, it can provide safety to food allergy patients.
US08361457B2
The present invention provides duplexed parvovirus vector genomes that are capable under appropriate conditions of forming a double-stranded molecule by intrastrand base-pairing. Also provided are duplexed parvovirus particles comprising the vector genome. Further disclosed are templates and methods for producing the duplexed vector genomes and duplexed parvovirus particles of the invention. Methods of administering these reagents to a cell or subject are also described. Preferably, the parvovirus capsid is an AAV capsid. It is further preferred that the vector genome comprises AAV terminal repeat sequences.
US08361454B2
A temporary embolic material for blood vessel which can embolize a blood vessel in a living body and is used for the temporary embolization of the blood stream. More specifically, disclosed is an embolus-forming material comprising a specific PVA particle which can be used for the closure of the inner lumen of a blood vessel by the PVA particle to embolize the blood stream, which can ultimately be absorbed in the living body, which can be excreted out of the body and which does not remain in the body. A pearl-like polyvinyl alcohol particle for use as a temporary embolic material, the particle having a saponification degree of 90 mol % or higher and an average particle diameter of 70 to 1000 μm; and a temporary embolic material comprising the particle mixed or dissolved therein.
US08361451B2
A bar of soap that will help the environment, solve an age old problem of what to do with the annoying pieces of leftover soap, save consumers money by using the complete bar of soap and provide additional functions from one bar of soap.
US08361446B2
Use of benzotriazole derivatives of formula (1), wherein R1 is C1-C30alkyl; C1C5alkoxy; C1-C5alkoxycarbonyl; C5-C7cycloalkyl; C6-C10aryl; aralkyl; —SO3M; a radical of formula (1a) R3 is hydrogen; C1C5alkyl; C1C5alkoxy; halogen, preferably Cl; or hydroxy; R4 and R5 are each independently of the other hydrogen; or d-C5alkyl; m is 1 or 2; n is O or 1; if m=1, R2 is hydrogen; unsubstituted or phenyl-substituted d-C1-C12alkyl; or C6-C10aryl; if m=2, R2 is the direct bond; or —(CH2)p—; and p is 1 to 3; for enhancing the photostability of cosmetic or dermatologic compositions comprising at least one further organic UV absorber.
US08361441B2
The present invention provides a method for the treatment and/or prevention of bacterial infection caused by Enterobacteriaceae bacteria in central nervous system and/or peripheral blood circulation in a mammal by administering effective amount of outer membrane protein A (OmpA) or its derivatives to a mammal. Also provided are a method for vaccinating a mammal to produce an antibody against bacterial infection caused by Enterobacteriaceae family in central nervous system and/or peripheral blood circulation and a method of detecting or diagnosing bacterial infections caused by Enterobacteriaceae family in central nervous system and/or peripheral blood circulation in a mammal. An antibody and a kit on the basis of the vaccinating method and detecting/diagnosing method are also provided.
US08361418B2
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a closure for a container comprises at least two closure members. The relative position of the closure members with respect to each other is altered upon mating of the closure and container. The alteration of the relative position of the closure members may result in one or more of the members approaching the container more closely. The alteration may result in one or more of the members pressing against the container. The pressing may take place in such a way that exit paths for vapor from fluid in the container would require passage through the pressed surfaces.
US08361415B2
An inertial particle focusing system for use with a particle having diameter (a) includes a curved microchannel into a substrate, said microchannel having a radius of curvature (r), and a channel hydraulic diameter (Dh), wherein the ratio of r to Dh satisfies the following criterion: 2ra2/Dh3≧0.037.
US08361409B2
A system for disinfecting and purifying aqueous solutions and water for drinking purposes comprising an outer pouch, a disinfectant generating device, and an inorganic coagulant. The disinfectant generating device is provided with a membrane shell defining at least two compartments which house a first reactant, a second reactant, and an inorganic coagulant. The disinfectant generating device is capable of producing a disinfectant when exposed to water or moisture and the disinfectant exits the compartment through the membrane shell. The inorganic coagulant aid the formation of flocs of the suspended dispersed particles in the aqueous solution.
US08361405B2
A reactor vessel for subjecting a first gas and a second gas to a chemical reaction to produce a third gas is provided. The reactor vessel includes a catalyst bed, an inlet for receiving the first gas and the second gas, and a first outlet for discharging the third gas. The first outlet includes a selective microporous conduit to separate the third gas from products of incomplete reaction or unreacted first gas and unreacted second gas. A second outlet for discharging one or more of the following: unseparated third gas is also included in this invention. The products of incomplete reaction, unreacted first gas, or unreacted second gas are removed from the system. At least one helical tube is disposed within the reactor vessel and in direct contact with the catalyst bed. The helical tube has an inlet end communicating with a hot gas source, and an outlet end exhausting cooled gas. Indirect heat exchange between the helical tube and the first and second gas, promoted by the catalyst, generates the third gas.
US08361403B2
The ultrasonic ozone-generating unit in accordance with the present invention has an ozone-generating device, an independent seat, a sink device, an utensil-holding device and a vegetable basket. The utensil-holding device and the vegetable basket are mounted in a receiving space of the independent seat or in a sink of the sink device. An ozone gas generated by the ozone-generating device with a close-type air-pumping device capable of producing powerful ultrasonic carrier-airflow is guided into the receiving space or the sink and dissolved in water to sterilize deodorize and bleach an object to be cleansed.
US08361397B2
A method of preparing an oxidant stream comprising: burning a combustion mixture comprising (a) one or more fuel composition and (b) oxidant comprising a first oxygen content of about 10 mole % or more and a first carbon dioxide (CO2) gas content of about 68 mole % or more on a dry basis, the burning producing a flue gas comprising CO2 gas, water vapor, and unreacted oxygen; separating from the flue gas a recycle stream; mixing at least a portion of the recycle stream having a first pressure with a sufficient amount of an oxygen stream having a second pressure which is sufficiently higher than the first pressure to entrain at least a portion of the recycle stream in the oxidant stream and to produce the oxidant stream having a second oxygen content of 10 mole % or more and a second CO2 gas content of about 68 mole % or more on a dry basis.
US08361389B2
A device for remote management of patients suffering from heart failure and hypertension can measure one or more biomarker. The device aids in monitoring the efficacy and safety of treatment in such patients.
US08361387B2
A method and system for automatically processing of liquid samples involving mixing of the samples with fluids are disclosed. The system includes a storing and handling device for storing and handling of fluid containers, which includes: a storing member provided with a plurality of storing positions, adapted for accommodating the fluid containers, the storing member having at least two storing levels, each of which extending in a plane, which are being stacked in a direction orthogonally aligned to the plane; and a handler, adapted for automatically transferring the fluid containers at least with respect to the storing positions. A method for operating such storing and handling device is also disclosed, wherein individual fluid containers are transferred between storing positions of a same or different storing levels in accordance with processing of the liquid samples.
US08361384B1
A water treatment device and methods of treating cooling tower water are described. The water treatment device utilizes ultraviolet radiation, a magnetic field, and ozone fortified air to treat cooling tower water, resulting in reduced microbial contamination and reduced alkalinity in cooling tower water. Cooling tower water may consequently be run at higher cycles of concentration while reducing or eliminating deposition of minerals on cooling tower components.
US08361379B2
The present invention includes a molten metal pump and associated components that enable gas to be released into a stream of molten metal. The gas may be released into the molten metal stream (preferably into the bottom of the stream) flowing through a passage. Such a stream may be within the pump discharge and/or within a metal-transfer conduit extending from the pump discharge. The gas is released by using a gas-transfer foot that is positioned next to and is preferably attachable to the pump base or to the metal-transfer conduit. Preferably, the conduit (and/or discharge) in which the gas is released comprises two sections: a first section having a first cross-sectional area and a second section downstream of the first section and having a second cross-sectional area, wherein the second cross sectional area is larger than the first cross-sectional area. Preferably, the gas is released into or near the second section so that the gas is released into an area of relatively lower pressure.
US08361369B1
A method and apparatus for making a lined waterproof footwear product, and footwear product formed there from, are provided. A last, having an exterior surface configured to correspond to the size and shape of the interior surface of the footwear product, is covered with a microcellular lining material. An injection mold comprises shells having a pre-determined configuration to cooperate with the exterior surface of the lining covered last to form: (i) a pre-injection cavity between the shells and the lining covered last when in position in the mold for injection molding; and, (ii) an injection cavity, defining the configuration of the footwear product, between the shells and the lining covered last when injection material is being injected into the injection cavity whereby the injection pressure causes the microcellular lining material to reconfigure the pre-injection cavity.
US08361366B2
A process for preparing ultra-high molecular weight poly(alpha-olefin) (UHMWPO) multi-filament yarns having improved tensile properties at higher productivity. The process includes drawing a solution yarn, then drawing a gel yarn and then drawing a dry yarn continuously in sequence to form a partially oriented yarn, winding up the partially oriented yarn, unrolling the yarn, drawing the partially oriented yarn to form a highly oriented yarn, cooling the highly oriented yarn under tension and winding up the highly oriented yarn.
US08361349B2
A nanoparticle coated with a semiconducting material and a method for making the same. In one embodiment, the method comprises making a semiconductor coated nanoparticle comprising a layer of at least one semiconducting material covering at least a portion of at least one surface of a nanoparticle, comprising: (A) dispersing the nanoparticle under suitable conditions to provide a dispersed nanoparticle; and (B) depositing at least one semiconducting material under suitable conditions onto at least one surface of the dispersed nanoparticle to produce the semiconductor coated nanoparticle. In other embodiments, the nanoparticle comprises a fullerene. Further embodiments include the semiconducting material comprising CdS or CdSe.
US08361344B2
The subject is to provide a liquid crystal composition that satisfies at least one of characteristics such as a high maximum temperature of the nematic phase, a low minimum temperature of the nematic phase, a small viscosity, a suitable optical anisotropy, a large negative dielectric anisotropy, a large specific resistance, a high stability to ultraviolet light and a high stability to heat, or that is suitably balanced regarding at least two of the characteristics. The subject is also to provide the AM device that has a short response time, a large voltage holding ratio, a large contrast ratio, a long service life, and so forth. The invention provides a liquid crystal composition having a negatively dielectric anisotropy containing a specific compound having a negatively large dielectric anisotropy as a first component, and a specific compound having a negatively large dielectric anisotropy as a second component, and provides a liquid crystal display device containing this composition.
US08361343B2
The present invention provides a nematic liquid crystal composition suitable for a bistable nematic liquid crystal display. A bistable nematic liquid crystal display having a wide nematic phase temperature range and operating temperature range can be obtained by using a nematic liquid crystal composition comprising at least 20% by weight of a specific liquid crystal compound (A) having a polar group and 5 to 50% by weight of a specific liquid crystal compound (B) not having a polar group, along with comprising, in the compound (B), at least 3% by weight of a specific liquid crystal compound having a alkenyl group.
US08361340B2
Described herein are a method and an apparatus for removing metal oxides from a substrate surface within a target area. In one particular embodiment, the method and apparatus has an energizing electrode which has an array of protruding conductive tips that are electrically connected by a conductive wire and separated into a first electrically connected group and a second electrically connected group wherein at least a portion of the conductive tips are activated by a DC voltage source that is negatively biased to generate electrons within the target area that attach to at least a portion of a reducing gas that is present in the target area to form a negatively charged reducing gas that contacts the treating surface to reduce the metal oxides on the treating surface of the substrate.
US08361336B2
An imprint method for imprinting a pattern of a mold onto a resin material on a substrate. The imprint method includes a step of forming a processed area in which an imprint pattern corresponding to the pattern of the mold is formed, and an outside area formed of a periphery of the processed area, by bringing the mold into contact with the resin material formed on the substrate, so that a portion of the resin material is extruded from the processed area into the outside area, a step of forming a protection layer for protecting the processed area, and a step of removing a layer of the resin material in the outside area, while the imprint pattern formed on a layer of the resin material in the processed area, is protected by the protection layer, so as not to be removed.
US08361335B2
Methods are provided for fabricating a semiconductor device. One method comprises providing a first pattern having a first polygon, the first polygon having a first tonality and having a first side and a second side, the first side adjacent to a second polygon having a second tonality, and the second side adjacent to a third polygon having the second tonality, and forming a second pattern by reversing the tonality of the first pattern. The method further comprises forming a third pattern from the second pattern by converting the second polygon from the first tonality to the second tonality forming a fourth pattern from the second pattern by converting the third polygon from the first tonality to the second tonality forming a fifth pattern by reversing the tonality of the third pattern, and forming a sixth pattern by reversing the tonality of the fourth pattern.
US08361334B2
Plasma etching of a polymeric dielectric material such as polyurethane results in volatile byproducts that are deposited onto the surface of an inert substrate. The surface treatment increases adhesiveness so that the surface of the inert material may be bonded to another material. Portions of a medical device comprising an inert substrate such as a fluoropolymer may therefore be securely affixed to other portions of the medical device formed of polymeric, metallic, or ceramic materials.
US08361330B2
A laminate for making signs, the laminate comprising a readily-abraded layer and an abrasion-resistant layer. A method of making signs is also disclosed. The method includes providing a laminate comprising a first layer that is readily etched by abrasives and a second layer disposed beneath the first layer and substantially resistant to abrasive etching. A mask is applied to the top of the laminate; and abrasives are used to selectively remove a portion of the first layer, so as to form a relief image with a controlled and uniform relief depth.
US08361326B2
The present invention relates to a device and a method for treating liquids with magnetic particles, wherein at least one further central element which ensures collection and homogenization of the particles is additionally provided.
US08361322B2
A solid-phase extraction device utilizing a section of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) tubing as the stationary phase is disclosed. The microscopic pores of ePTFE tubing are impregnated with a binding agent having an affinity for a target constituent within a matrix. The matrix is prepared and loaded onto the stationary phase of the system. The target constituent is retained by the stationary phase. The constituent is stripped from the stationary phase with a stripping solution, and collected for further analysis or use.
US08361316B2
An apparatus for mixing and separating magnetic particles in a liquid comprises a holder having a plurality of apertures configured as an array of rows and columns and a plurality of containers capable of receiving liquid containing magnetic particles, each container being sized to be placed in one of the apertures; plural magnets capable of being moved relative to the containers between a first position and a second position to change the position of the magnets and magnetic particles in the container; and a drive mechanism for moving the magnets between positions at a sufficiently high speed that the particles do not settle down due to gravitational forces during motion between the first and second positions.
US08361305B2
To provide a method of analyzing a lipid component in serum which comprises: a first total acid concentration measurement step of electrochemically measuring the total acid concentration in a serum-containing analyte solution in the presence of a water-soluble quinone derivative; a fatty acid production step of allowing a lipid component in the serum to react with one or more kinds of enzymes which specifically act on the lipid component to produce a fatty acid; a second total acid concentration measurement step of electrochemically measuring the total acid concentration in the serum-containing analyte solution in the presence of the water-soluble quinone derivative; and a lipid component concentration calculation step of calculating the serum concentration of the lipid component based on the total acid concentration measured in the first total acid concentration measurement step and the total acid concentration measured in the second total acid measurement step.
US08361304B2
A water electrolysis system includes a water electrolysis apparatus for producing high-pressure hydrogen by electrolyzing pure water and a casing. The casing defines therein an accommodating chamber accommodating the water electrolysis apparatus etc. therein, first electric component compartments separate from the accommodating chamber and housing a controller and an electrolysis power supply therein, the first electric component compartments having first fans for introducing external air, and a second electric component compartment separate from the accommodating chamber and housing a relay, the second electric component compartment being connected to the first electric component compartments by a pipe.
US08361301B2
The present invention relates to an electrodepositable coating composition comprising a crater control additive.
US08361296B2
Methods, devices, and systems for separating disparate liquid-suspended particles in a flow channel using dielectrophoresis induced by concave-shaped electrodes and field-flow fractionation.
US08361291B2
The present invention provides a test strip for measuring a signal of interest in a biological fluid when the test strip is mated to an appropriate test meter, wherein the test strip and the test meter include structures to verify the integrity of the test strip traces, to measure the parasitic resistance of the test strip traces, and to provide compensation in the voltage applied to the test strip to account for parasitic resistive losses in the test strip traces.
US08361282B2
Approaches for producing fuel from a carbon-containing feedstock are described. Feedstock is introduced into a substantially microwave-transparent reaction chamber. A microwave source emits microwaves which are directed through the microwave-transparent wall of the reaction chamber to impinge on the feedstock within the reaction chamber. The microwave source may be rotated relative to the reaction chamber. The feedstock is subjected to microwaves until the desired reaction occurs to produce a fuel. A catalyst can be mixed with the feedstock to enhance the reaction process.
US08361276B2
An arcless, atmospheric-pressure plasma generating apparatus capable of producing a large-area, temperature-controlled, stable discharge at power densities between about 0.1 W/cm3 and about 200 W/cm3, while having an operating gas temperature of less than 50° C., for processing materials outside of the discharge, is described. The apparatus produces active chemical species, including gaseous metastables and radicals which may be used for polymerization (either free radical-induced or through dehydrogenation-based polymerization), surface cleaning and modification, etching, adhesion promotion, and sterilization, as examples. The invention may include either a cooled rf-driven electrode or a cooled ground electrode, or two cooled electrodes, wherein active components of the plasma may be directed out of the plasma and onto an external workpiece without simultaneously exposing a material to the electrical influence or ionic components of the plasma.
US08361271B2
To form an electrostatic chuck, a bonding sheet is applied onto the upper surface of a cooling plate and then the cooling plate is placed in a vacuum dryer at a pressure of 2,000 Pa or less for a pre-bake treatment at 120° C. to 130° C. for 15 to 40 hours, followed by natural cooling. A plate is then stacked on the bonding sheet so that the lower surface of the plate is aligned with the upper surface of the bonding sheet, which is applied onto the cooling plate. The resulting stacked body is placed in a heat-resistant resin bag, and is then placed in an autoclave and treated together for several hours under pressure and heat.
US08361265B2
A composite prepreg base which includes a raw prepreg base comprising a fiber sheet comprising discontinuous reinforcing fibers arranged in one direction and having a fiber length of 1-300 mm and a matrix resin infiltrated into the fiber sheet; and an additional resin layer formed on at least one surface of the raw prepreg base. The composite prepreg base is produced by a process including (i) the step of preparing the raw prepreg base and (ii) the step of forming an additional resin layer on at least one surface of the raw prepreg base prepared. Also provided are: a layered base including two or more sheets of the composite prepreg base which have been superposed so that the additional resin layer is present on at least one surface; and a fiber-reinforced plastic formed by heating and pressing the layered base.
US08361246B2
A pearlite rail contains, by mass %, 0.65 to 1.20% of C; 0.05 to 2.00% of Si; 0.05 to 2.00% of Mn; and the balance composed of Fe and inevitable impurities, wherein at least part of the head portion and at least part of the bottom portion has a pearlite structure, and the surface hardness of a portion of the pearlite structure is in a range of Hv320 to Hv500 and a maximum surface roughness of a portion of the pearlite structure is less than or equal to 180 μm.
US08361242B2
A powder consists essentially by weight, of 28.00≦R≦32.00%, where R is at least one rare earth element including Y and the sum of Dy+Tb>0.5, 0.50≦B≦2.00%, 0.50≦Co≦3.50%, 0.050≦M≦0.5%, where M is one or more of the elements Ga, Cu and Al, 0.25 wt %
US08361237B2
The present invention is a formulation for wet clean removal of post etch and ash residue from a semiconductor substrate having a CoWP feature, comprising; Deionized water; Organic acid; Amine and/or quaternary ammonium hydroxide; wherein the formulation is compatible with the CoWP feature and either (a) the molar ratio of amine and/or quaternary ammonium hydroxide to organic acid provides a pH in the range of 7-14; or (b) the formulation includes a corrosion inhibitor. A method of using the formulation is also described.
US08361235B2
The invention provides a low-viscosity reduced-sugar syrup, methods of making such a low-viscosity reduced-sugar syrup, and uses of such syrup.
US08361232B2
An apparatus and related process are provided for vapor deposition of a sublimated source material as a thin film on a photovoltaic (PV) module substrate. A deposition head is configured for sublimating a source material supplied thereto. The sublimated source material condenses onto a transport conveyor disposed below the deposition head. A substrate conveyor is disposed below the transport conveyor and conveys substrates in a conveyance path through the apparatus such that an upper surface of the substrates is opposite from and spaced below a lower leg of the transport conveyor. A heat source is configured adjacent the lower leg of the transport conveyor. The source material plated onto the transport conveyor is sublimated along the lower leg and condenses onto to the upper surface of substrates conveyed by the substrate conveyor.
US08361229B2
An apparatus and associated method of operation is provided for vapor deposition of a sublimated source material, such as CdTe, as a thin film on discrete photovoltaic (PV) module substrates that are conveyed in a continuous, non-stop manner through the apparatus. The apparatus includes a deposition head configured for receipt and sublimation of the source material. The deposition head has a distribution plate at a defined distance above a horizontal conveyance plane of an upper surface of the substrates conveyed through a deposition area within the apparatus. The sublimated source material moves through the distribution plate and deposits onto the upper surface of the substrates as they are conveyed through the deposition area. The substrates move into and out of the deposition area through entry and exit slots that are defined by transversely extending entrance and exit seals. The seals are disposed at a gap distance above the upper surface of the substrates that is less than the distance or spacing between the upper surface of the substrates and the distribution plate. The seals have a ratio of longitudinal length (in the direction of conveyance of the substrates) to gap distance of from about 10:1 to about 100:1.
US08361221B2
The invention relates to an additive for reducing Cr(VI) ions to Cr(III) ions, comprising a complex of tin(II) and a carboxylic acid or a salt thereof, and to the process for the preparation thereof. It also relates to a process for preparing a material having a low chromium(VI) content. Finally, it relates to the use of said additive for reducing chromium(VI) ions to chromium(III) ions.
US08361199B2
Methods of purifying H2Se by removing H2S and/or H2O are disclosed. The amount of H2S in the H2Se-containing gas is reduced below 10 ppmv by passing the H2Se-containing gas through an AW-500 molecular sieve. H2S and H2O are removed by passing H2Se through a 4 A molecular sieve and subsequently passing H2Se through an AW-500 molecular sieve.
US08361196B2
A membrane selectively permeable to light gases comprises a membrane body formed by a first plate and a second plate. The second plate comprises a thin layer that is selectively gas-permeable. In the region of windows, this layer is exposed. There, support is provided by a porous bottom wall in the first plate or by narrow bores in the second plate. A heating device causes a radiation heating of the windows.
US08361190B2
A process and an apparatus for producing sponge iron from iron-oxide-containing material in lump form by direct reduction in a reduction shaft using a reducing gas, wherein the entire reducing gas is introduced by means of a number of reducing gas distribution ducts in a star-like arrangement or arranged parallel to one another, preferably into the lower quarter of the reduction shaft, and evenly distributed over the entire cross-section of the reduction shaft.
US08361188B2
Metal and metal oxide nanoparticles can be prepared via a simple synthesis by using a hydrolysable gallotannin, such as tannic acid, to reduce a metal precursor compound and to act as a stabilizer for the resultant nanoparticles. By controlling the molar ratio of hydrolysable gallotannin to metal precursor and/or the initial pH of the reagents one can achieve control over the size and polydispersity of the resultant nanoparticles. In particular, the controlled addition of a metal precursor into a solution of the hydrolysable gallotannin, as described herein, can yield small nanoparticles, for example 1 nm to 40 nm diameter nanoparticles, with low polydispersity. The methods disclosed herein can be performed at room temperature.
US08361183B2
An air filtration media pack is provided having a plurality of layers of single facer media. The layer of single facer media includes a fluted sheet, a facing sheet, and a plurality of flutes extending between the fluted sheet and the facing sheet and having a flute length extending from a first face of the filtration media pack to a second face of the filtration media pack. A first portion of the plurality of flutes are closed to unfiltered air flowing into the first portion of the plurality of flutes, and a second portion of the plurality of flutes are closed to unfiltered air from flowing out of the second portion of the plurality of flutes so that air passing into one of the first face and the second face of the media pack and out the other of the first face and the second face of the media pack passes through media to provide filtration of the air. The fluted sheet includes repeating internal peaks facing toward the facing sheet and repeating external peaks facing away from the facing sheet. In addition, the fluted sheet can include at least one ridge extending along at least 50% of the flute length between an internal peak and an adjacent external peak. Additional characterizations of an air filtration media pack, air filtration media, and methods of making and using are provided.
US08361176B2
A surface-modified abrasive grain includes an abrasive grain as a substrate, and a film on the abrasive grain that includes a relatively hydrophilic silane component and a relatively hydrophobic silane component. The film can be a single film layer or multiple film layers, wherein a film layer most proximal to the abrasive grain has a predominately hydrophilic silane component, and a film layer more distal to the abrasive grain includes predominately a relatively hydrophobic silane component. Coated abrasive products and bonded abrasive products include the surface-modified abrasive grains.
US08361165B2
An apparatus and method is related to providing sensing functions that are similar to “human touch” when located in a prosthetic device such as a BION microstimulator that is implanted in a patient. The apparatus includes a power circuit, a communication circuit, and a sensor circuit. The power circuit provides power to the communication circuit and the sensor circuit. The sensor cooperates with the communication circuit, which communicates to the brain. The sensor uses various techniques to detect changes in the environment for the surrounding tissue using criteria such as reflectivity, impedance, conductivity, return signal spectrum, return signal rate, and return signal phase to name a few. For example, the impedance observed by the sensor changes when: the skin tissue is deformed around the sensor, or when the skin is surrounded by water. The sensory information is interpreted by the brain as an analog of touch or feel.
US08361161B2
Kit of parts, comprising: a prosthesis or prosthesis part having at least one contact surface; metal granules having an internal porosity; bone cement; and further comprising titanium granules for use in a kit of parts, which granules preferably are osteoconductive, which granules preferably are coated with a coating from the group of osteoconductive or osteoinductive coatings, or coatings comprising bioceramic, bioglass or osteoconductive or osteoinductive molecules or fluids or cells.
US08361156B2
A system and method for spinal fusion comprising a spinal fusion implant of non-bone construction releasably coupled to an insertion instrument dimensioned to introduce the spinal fusion implant into any of a variety of spinal target sites.
US08361153B2
An intervertebral space distraction and implantable device assembly provides sequentially axially wider spacers that are to be sequentially inserted into and removed from an intervertebral space to widen the space until a desired anatomical spacing of the adjacent vertebral bones is restored. The set of spacers includes a porous spacer that is as wide as the spacer that restores the desired anatomical spacing. The porous spacer can therefore be left implanted in the intervertebral space to promote fusion of the adjacent vertebral bones.
US08361149B2
The present invention is a spinal implant that can be inserted into a surgically created cavity of one or more regions of the mammalian spine. Universal corner posts and one or more lateral universal posts are connected with a series of trapezoidal wedge-like dividers. The series of dividers includes a generally horizontal divider, a first set of dividers diverging away from the horizontal and a second set of dividers diverging away from the horizontal. Embodiments of the current cage can further include brakes, bars and superior and inferior plates.
US08361146B2
The present invention provides copolymers made up of alkoxyalkyl methacrylate and/or alkoxyalkyl acrylate monomers in combination with one or more additional hydrophobic monomers. The copolymers may be used in the manufacture of intraocular lenses, including both the optic and haptic portions of the lenses. The present invention also provide methods for making intraocular lenses from the copolymers.
US08361144B2
A prosthetic heart valve implantable by catheter without surgery includes a substantially “dry” membrane or tissue material. In at least one embodiment, the tissue is folded in a dry state to form a tissue leaflet assembly that is then attached to a frame to form an implantable prosthetic heart valve. Alternatively, one or more tissue leaflets are operatively associated with a frame to form an implantable prosthetic heart valve. The implantable prosthetic heart valve is subsequently pre-mounted on an integrated catheter delivery system. The catheter delivery system that includes the implantable prosthetic heart valve is then packaged and transported while the tissue remains dry. The implantable prosthetic heart valve, while remaining substantially dry, can then be implanted into the receiving patient.
US08361143B2
The present invention is generally directed to medical devices, and more specifically to medical devices that are at least partially insertable or implantable into the body of a patient. The medical devices generally include (a) a therapeutic agent, more typically, a high-molecular-weight therapeutic agent, and (b) at least one polymeric layer, which typically acts to control the release of the therapeutic agent from the medical device. Also disclosed herein are methods of making such medical devices.
US08361142B2
A docking head of the present invention is provided to be mounted on a vascular graft having an outer diameter comparable with the inner diameter of the blood vessel so as to couple the vascular graft to a vessel wall in a suture-less manner. The docking head comprises a thin-walled hollow truncated cone having a passage sized to fit the outer diameter of the vascular graft wherein the cone is capable of connecting to the vascular graft while the hollow thin-walled truncated cone is provided with a plurality of outwardly pointing and inclined plurality of barbs. The docking head act as guiding, anchoring and sealing means between the vascular graft and the vessel.
US08361141B2
A modular stent assembly (20) is provided with stent sections (22-26) which are coupled together by a coupling arrangement formed of first (30) and second (32) coupling elements. The first and second coupling elements (30, 32) provide a strong coupling between adjacent stent sections (22-26) which behaves in a manner substantially identical to the conventional unitary tie bar. The modular nature of the stent assembly (20) reduces manufacturing costs, can provide for replacement of only a defective part of the assembly 20 and can facilitate the assembly of a stent having differing characteristics along its length optimised for a particular medical application.
US08361135B2
An introducer for an expandable endovascular prosthesis having a self expanding stent has a distal prosthesis positioning mechanism and a proximal prosthesis retention mechanism. The proximal prosthesis retention mechanism includes a cylindrical sleeve adapted to retain the self expanding stent. A release mechanism extends proximally from the distal prosthesis positioning mechanism exerts a force in the proximal direction on the self expanding stent to retain the self expanding stent in the cylindrical sleeve.
US08361131B2
A surgical tool includes first and second K-wire components that are configured to pivot relative to each other and their relative position can be securely locked. The locking mechanism may be a sleeve, a retention ring or a collet.
US08361129B2
A bone anchor assembly is described having a large diameter for fixing a spinal connection element to bone. The assembly includes a receiver member for receiving the spinal connection element, a bone-engaging shank for engaging bone and a first and second insert for retaining the head of the shank within the receiver member.
US08361128B2
A method of performing a computer-assisted orthopaedic procedure includes securing a sensor support instrument to the patient's bone. A number of sensors are secured to the support instrument. A computer-assisted orthopaedic surgical instrument is also disclosed.
US08361119B2
A bone anchoring device is provided that includes an anchoring element with a shank to be anchored in a bone or a vertebra, a connection element for connecting at least two anchoring elements, the connection element being made of an elastic material, a receiving part being connected to the shank for receiving the connection element and connecting the connection element to the shank, a seat for the connection element the seat being provided in the receiving part, and a locking element being engageable with the receiving part for fixation of the connection element in the seat. At least the portion of the connection element which is received in the recess has a substantially smooth-surface. The locking element has an engagement structure which contacts the surface of the connection element in such a way that a form-fit connection is provided.
US08361114B2
A method of preparing a suture in a suture anchor having a bone engaging section and a suture engaging section is provided. The suture is passed through a first suture passage section from a proximal end of the suture engaging section in a direction that diverges from a bone engaging axis and out of the suture engaging section through a first suture portal. The suture is passed from the first suture portal through the second suture portal. The suture is then passed from the second suture portal in a direction that converges toward the bone engaging axis through the third closed suture passage.
US08361113B2
A method and apparatus for surgically repairing a tear in soft tissue is disclosed. A plurality of collapsible tubes are positioned about the suture. The collapsible tubes are pushed through soft tissue and orthopedic mesh on opposite sides of a tear in soft tissue. When tension is applied to the suture, the tubes are compressed to fix the suture to the soft tissue and draw the soft tissue portions together.
US08361110B2
Patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure clip include two closure members, which may be heart shaped, joined by at least two spaced central connecting members. Each of the at least two spaced central connecting members is attached to each closure member at a location on the periphery of the closure member. The connecting member may be generally square shaped or include other shapes. The clips of the present invention may be formed of various materials, including metals, nonmetallic materials, bioresorbable polymers, spring steel, shape memory materials, bioresorbable shape memory polymers, or combinations thereof. The clips can take various forms depending, in part, upon the distribution of force required to close a given PFO. At least one of the closure members can include a tissue scaffold.
US08361098B2
A surgical blade is disclosed for use with a surgical tool for making incisions in the sclera of an eye to form a scleral pocket to receive a scleral prosthesis. The surgical blade comprises a rotatable support arm capable of being rotated by the surgical tool and a detachable curved cutting blade for making incisions in the sclera of an eye. The surgical tool causes the curved cutting blade to advance through the sclera to form an incision having dimensions to receive a scleral prosthesis. When the incision is complete the curved cutting blade is detached from the rotatable support arm. The curved cutting blade is then removed from the incision by pulling the curved cutting blade forward out of the incision. The incision has the exact dimensions to receive a scleral prosthesis.
US08361091B2
A cannula connects an organ with a perfusion system that monitors, treats, sustains and/or restores the viability of the organ and/or that transports and/or stores the organ. At least part of a cannula may be made of a soft elastomer to help avoid damage to the organ. In embodiments, the cannula includes a top portion, a bottom portion, a sealing ring and two compression straps. In embodiments, the cannula includes a top portion and a flexible bottom portion that may be attached to the top portion. In embodiments, part of the cannula is inserted directly into an artery and a suture is used to tie the artery in place. Also, the cannula may include an attachment feature that can be used to connect the cannula to an organ platform or chair. Various features of the cannula may allow a visual check for and venting of air bubbles in the cannula.
US08361090B2
Apparatus and methods for endoscopic colectomy are described herein. A colectomy device having a first and a second tissue approximation device is mounted on a colonoscope separated from one another. During deployment of the colectomy device, a diseased portion of the colon is positioned inbetween the tissue approximation devices. The tissue approximation devices are radially expanded such that they contact and grasp the colon wall at two sites adjacent to the diseased portion of the colon. The diseased portion is separated from the omentum and is transected using a laparoscope or is drawn into the colonoscope for later removal. The tissue approximation devices are then urged towards one another over the colonoscope to approximate the two free edges of the colon into contact together where they are fastened to one another using the tissue approximation device as a surgical stapler to create an end-to-end anastomosis.
US08361083B2
A vacuum extractor for obstetrical use comprises a vacuum cup at one end of an elongated stem having a handle at the opposite end. The vacuum cup is sealed over a portion of the head of the fetus and a vacuum source, usually operating through the stem, connects to the inner side of the cup and secures it to the fetal head. A strain sensor is connected to the stem. When the force applied to the cup through the handle and stem exceeds a predetermined maximum, a valve connecting the vacuum pressure to the atmosphere is opened so as to release the vacuum pressure from the cup. Another extractor comprises an elongated hollow stem having one or more apertures along its length, a vacuum source connected to a cup supported on the stem, and a handle member which includes a traction limiting element operative to open and close the apertures.
US08361081B2
A grabbing device includes a transparent flexible cup that can be placed adjacent to a selected region of an inner surface of a body cavity. The flexible cup is visually put in place by the surgeon, and a vacuum is applied to draw a selected amount of tissue into the flexible cup, so that it may, e.g., be excised. The device may also retrieve the tissue excised from the body cavity.
US08361079B2
Methods for drilling enlarged osteal tunnels using osteal guides capable of drilling an angled osteal tunnel, namely, an osteal tunnel having an angle or turn within the bone and for drawing a muscle, tendon or ligament in need of repair into the enlarged osteal tunnel such that the bone can mend about, around, over and/or within the muscle, tendon or ligament. A reamer and guide wire can be used to create the enlarged osteal tunnel to accommodate a portion of the muscle, tendon or ligament in need of repair. The device allows for the blind intraosseous preparation of osteal tunnels and the blind intraosseous retrieval of sutures from such osteal tunnels.
US08361065B2
The electrosurgical instrument is configured to selectively perform ablation or coagulation as desired. The electrosurgical instrument includes at least two electrodes on the electrode probe that can be activated using an RF generator. The electrosurgical instrument is selectively switchable between an ablation mode and a coagulation mode by changing the amount of active surface area. In particular, in the ablation mode, a relatively small surface area is active. Thus, for a given power input, the current density is relatively high. In the coagulation mode, the active surface area is increased, thereby reducing the current density in the coagulation mode for the given power input.
US08361060B2
An electromagnetic thermotherapeutic system is adapted to treat a biological tissue and includes an electromagnetic thermotherapeutic apparatus and a high frequency induction heating circuit unit. The apparatus includes a needle assembly and a temperature monitor. The needle assembly is adapted to be inserted in the biological tissue and includes a flexible and bendable needle seat and a plurality of ferrous needles attached to the needle seat and having needle tips extending in a direction away from the needle seat. The temperature monitor is connected to the needle assembly. The high frequency induction heating circuit unit has an induction coil capable of producing an electromagnetic field to induce currents in the ferrous needles and to thereby heat the ferrous needles.
US08361058B2
A laser treatment apparatus for irradiating a laser beam to a patient's eye, comprises: a plurality of laser sources which emit treatment laser beams having different wavelengths, each laser source being held in a main body to be mountable and demountable and connected to a power source through a connector; a light delivery optical system having a mirror for making the laser beams from the laser sources coaxial with each other to deliver each laser beam to the patient's eye; an input unit for inputting mounting information of each laser source; a control unit which checks a predetermined operation of each laser source by a sensor at the time of activation to determine whether an abnormality is present or not in each laser source, and displays an indication that the abnormality is present on a display, wherein the control unit will not perform the operation check whether the abnormality is present or not in the laser source or laser sources unmounted in the main body, based on the mounting information input by the input unit.
US08361057B2
The present invention relates to a catheter, especially an expandable catheter with a transition between the individual sections allowing insertion of the transition into urethra. In particular the present invention relates to a catheter which is operable between a collapsed configuration for storage and transportation and an expanded configuration for draining fluid from a body via a conduit which extends axially in a longitudinal direction from a proximal end to an opposite distal end, the catheter comprising: a proximal section, adapted to be fully inserted into a urinary channel of the body and forming a proximal part of the conduit which part extends axially between the proximal end and a first transition end of the proximal section, and a distal section, adapted to be at least partially inserted into the urinary channel and forming a distal part of the conduit which part extends axially between a second transition end of the distal section and the distal end, an insertable part of the first transition end being dimensioned to enable its positioning inside a receiving portion of the distal part of the conduit to enable axial movement of the sections relative to each other to operate the catheter between the collapsed configuration and the expanded configuration of the catheter, wherein the sections comprise cooperating coupling structures to support the catheter in the expanded configuration.
US08361055B2
A method of reconstituting and administering an injectable fluid distributed to practitioners in dry-form includes receiving a drug or medicine in dry form, selecting a reconstitution concentration for the drug or medicine, reconstituting a desired number of units of the drug or medicine by adding diluent to the dry-form drug or medicine, selecting a syringe having units marked according to the selected reconstitution concentration, drawing up a desired number of drug or medicine units using the selected syringe, and administering a desired number of units according to the unit markings on the selected syringe. Such a syringe includes a barrel, a plunger assembly that has a plunger handle and a piston, a needle, and a needle cap. The syringe includes a visual indicia, representing a first drug concentration contained in the barrel, that is distinguishable from a corresponding visual indicia, on a second syringe, representing a second drug concentration.
US08361053B2
A fluid delivery device for administering a first medicament and a second medicament includes a first fluid reservoir configured to contain the first medicament and a second fluid reservoir configured to contain the second medicament. The fluid delivery device may include one or more basal drive mechanisms to provide a basal delivery of one or more of the first and second medicaments. The fluid delivery device may further include one or more bolus drive mechanisms to provide a bolus delivery of one or more of the first and second medicaments.
US08361047B2
The absorbent article includes a chassis, a crotch region, an absorbent body, and an elastic member arranged along a side edge in width direction of the crotch region. The oblong absorbent body arranged in the crotch region includes a first narrow width section, a second narrow width section, a center low rigidity section formed along a center line that halves the absorbent article in the width direction and a pair of lateral low rigidity sections provided at both sides of the center low rigidity section in the width direction with a substantially equal interval. Skin contacting face-side sheets and non-skin contacting face-side sheets 6 and 10 are arranged in the crotch region. The initial tensile strength of the skin contacting face-side sheets is lower than that of the non-skin contacting face-side sheets or that of the chassis 2.
US08361046B2
Absorbent articles with carefully controlled stretch properties are provided. Of particular advantage, the carefully controlled stretch properties can prevent too much tension in the front leg area of the garment. The outer cover is constructed such that the front leg zone has a tension of less than about 1200 grams-force at about 160% to about 175% stretch in the lateral direction, and each of the front waist zone, the front crotch zone, the back crotch zone, the back leg zone, and the back waist zone of the outer cover has a tension of greater than about 1500 grams-force at about 160% to about 175% stretch in the lateral direction. Methods of making such an absorbent article are also provided.
US08361035B2
A retractable syringe, plunger and releasable needle retaining assembly are provided. The retractable syringe typically has a glass barrel and is prefilled with fluid contents before use. The releasable needle retaining system comprises a retractable needle, a needle seal, a retaining member and an ejector member that is operable to release the retractable needle from the retaining member. The retaining member has a mating surface for mounting to a complementary mating surface of an interior wall of a syringe barrel. The plunger comprises a plunger outer, a plunger rod frangibly connected to a controlling member, a spring and a unitary plunger seal capable of engaging the retractable needle, wherein the plunger rod, plunger outer and the controlling member co-operate to releasably maintain the spring in an initially compressed state. After delivery of fluid contents of the syringe, the plunger forces the ejector member to release the retractable needle from the retaining member. Decompression of the spring at the end of depression of the plunger facilitates retraction of the retractable needle when engaged with the unitary plunger seal. Dual locking systems prevent re-use of the syringe after needle retraction.
US08361032B2
An apparatus and method for introducing material into an injection site of a patient is disclosed. The device includes a cannula and a carrier. The cannula is inserted into an injection site of a patient. The carrier is connected to an injector containing a volume of material. Material may be pre-loaded into the carrier so that the material is delivered to a distal end of the carrier from the injector and the carrier is thus pre-loaded with material. A portion of the distal end of the pre-loaded carrier is inserted into the cannula and material is delivered to an injection site. The supply section can be rotatable with respect to the longitudinal axis of the inner section.
US08361023B2
A medical fluid machine includes: an enclosure; at least one medical fluid delivery component located inside the enclosure, the component capable of being powered by an external power source or a back-up battery; a transistor in electrical communication with the battery; and a regulator configured to: (i) receive as feedback a supply voltage; and (ii) vary a gate voltage at the transistor to maintain the supply voltage at least substantially at a desired level.
US08361020B2
A pierced septum valve is disclosed herein. The pierced septum valve includes a septum that is located within a lumen of a body. A septum activator is positioned proximal the septum within the lumen of the body. A seal is disposed between an outer surface of the septum activator and the body to seal the portion of the septum activator distal the lumen from the portion of the septum activator proximal the lumen. One or more vents are disposed between the seal and the lumen of the body to permits the passage of air but not blood past the seal.
US08361019B2
An injection aid for a syringe includes a disk with a central orifice and a flange. The flange is located on the top of the disk, and surrounds the central orifice. The outlet end or needle hub of a syringe or insulin pen fits in the flange, with the syringe needle extending through the orifice, thereby securing the disk to the syringe. The bottom surface of the disk is generally flat. The bottom surface of the disk makes contact with the skin when the needle is inserted to the proper depth. In other words, the needle lies perpendicular to the disk and is arranged to project past the disk's flat bottom surface by a set, pre-determined length. When the disk is pressed flat against a patient's skin, the needle is at the proper depth for the substance being injected.
US08361014B2
A system for perfusion management that monitors, maintains, diagnoses, or treats perfusion deficiencies.
US08361009B2
A medical fluid machine with supply autoconnection, the machine comprising: a cassette-receiving wall; a disposable cassette held firmly by the wall, the disposable cassette including a port spike, the port spike fitted with a spike cap; a translating shuttle including a channel sized to hold a portion of a supply tube and including a fixture for releasably holding a supply tube end; a supply tube including an end configured to be releasably held by the fixture of the channel of the translating shuttle, the supply tube fitted with a supply tube cap; a cap removal device selectively positionable between the disposable cassette and the translating shuttle; and a controller programmed to (i) translate the shuttle holding the supply tube at the supply tube end towards the disposable cassette, so that the cap removal device is likewise moved towards the disposable cassette and the spike cap of the disposable cassette is engaged, (ii) translate the shuttle holding the supply tube at the supply tube end away from the disposable cassette and the cap removal device, so that the cap removal device can pull the spike cap off of the port spike and the tube cap off of the tube end, and (iii) translate the shuttle back towards the disposable cassette to allow the port spike of the cassette to spike the tube end.
US08361006B2
A blood treatment device has a blood purification element divided into two chambers by a semipermeable membrane. With the device, nonphysiological conditions of the patient, in particular critical potassium concentrations and withdrawal rates, can be better prevented during the blood treatment. The device's analyzer unit determines on the basis of at least one sensor the concentration of a substance in the blood in the blood inlet line, the instantaneous transfer rate of this substance through the membrane, and the total quantity of this substance withdrawn during the treatment. The determined concentration is compared with a first admissible value range, the transfer rate is compared with a second admissible value range, and the quantity of the substance withdrawn is compared with a third value range. The device's control unit can instruct the device such that the blood treatment device performs the blood treatment while maintaining all three admissible value ranges.
US08361004B2
An improved foot abduction apparatus allowing movement in a horizontal and vertical plane. The embodiments allow a user to more easily manipulate the apparatus in one or both planes through the use of strategically placed pivot points. The device utilizes at least one rigid member attached to coupling devices which contain at least one pivot point. The specialized coupling devices may be selectively attached to shoe receiving member or plates which are well known in the art. Additionally the shoe receiving members are able to receive an improved shoe containing a sole member contained with a silicone boot.
US08361003B2
Systems, devices, and methods for diagnosing and treating conditions of the spine employ a garment for selectively positioning vertebrae of a spine of a supine individual, e.g., during diagnostic imaging of the spine. The garment affects movement of vertebrae that can be diagnostically correlated with incidents of back pain.
US08361002B2
An inflatable bladder position a distance from a joint is attached to an external structural support which crosses the joint but does not support it. By inflating the bladder one limb segment is forced towards the external support thereby increasing the ranges of motion of that joint. Further, the inflatable bladder has an instant release valve which, when pressed, will instantly release the pressure within the bladder. The limb is positioned intermediate the bladder and the external structural support for optimal biomechanical efficiency.
US08361001B2
The present invention generally relates to a device for applying a pulsating pressure to a local region of the body and applications thereof. The device may be used to increase the blood flow in a local region of the body, and in preferred embodiments provides a device for regulating the core body temperature of a patient.
US08360998B2
An applicator system for providing a massaging and a cooling effect while applying product to a body includes an applicator tip connected to a vibrating mechanism that is disposed proximate to the applicator storage tip. By virtue of having the vibrating mechanism disposed proximate to the applicator tip, the vibration produced by the vibrating mechanism is transferred primarily to the applicator tip.
US08360996B2
A guide wire for a catheter is inserted for use into the catheter and has a wire body, a reshapeable shaping ribbon (wire material) mounted such that a part of the base end side of the shaping ribbon is fixed to the front end side (small diameter section) of the wire body and a part of the front end side of the shaping ribbon extends in the direction to the front end of the guide wire from the front end of the wire body, and a helical coil installed so as to cover both the front end side of the wire body and the shaping ribbon. The coil is divided into a first coil and a second coil, and the first coil is divided into a fine pitch section and a rough pitch section. The bending rigidity of the fine pitch section is greater than that of the rough pitch section.
US08360995B2
The present invention provides a wire guide (20) suitable for use in a body vessel, such as a peripheral vessel. The wire guide comprises a core member (22) and a first coiled member (40), each having proximal and distal ends. In one embodiment, the core member comprises at least one recessed portion (36), wherein the proximal end of the first coiled member is seated at least partially within the recessed portion to form a substantially flush exterior surface with the core member. The wire guide further preferably comprises a second coiled member (50) having proximal and distal ends, wherein the second coiled member is disposed distal to the first coiled member. The distal end of the first coiled member may be partially intertwined with the proximal end of. the second coiled member. A shaping ribbon (60) may be disposed substantially beneath the second coiled member to achieve a desired curvature at the distal tip of the wire guide.
US08360993B2
An arrangement for producing a sample of body fluid from a wound opening created in a skin surface at a sampling site includes at least one skin-penetration member having a first end configured to pierce the surface of the skin, and a inner lumen in communication with the first end; at least one actuator operatively associated with the at least one skin-penetration member; and at least one catalyst device configured to cause perfusion of body fluid at the sampling site; wherein the at least one actuator is configured to locate the at least one skin-penetration member so as to obstruct the wound opening while transporting body fluid through the inner lumen. Associated methods are also described.
US08360982B2
A device and a method for sealing a micromotor with an optional associated gearbox are disclosed where, in one aspect of the present invention, a catheter tip comprises: a micromotor; an ultrasound imaging transducer; a gearbox mechanically coupled to the micromotor, the gearbox having a rotatable portion mechanically coupled to the ultrasound imaging transducer array; and a moisture barrier disposed so as to reduce or prevent acoustic coupling fluid from entering both the gearbox and the micromotor.
US08360981B2
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in which moving images of rapidly moving tissues and organs can be preferably displayed in real time and the lower power consumption can be achieved. The apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe including plural ultrasonic transducers for transmitting ultrasonic waves toward an object to be inspected according to drive signals and receiving ultrasonic echoes propagating from the object to output reception signals, an image generating unit for supplying the drive signals to the ultrasonic probe and processing the reception signals outputted from the ultrasonic probe to generate image signals representing ultrasonic images, and a display unit including a display of an impulse drive type for displaying the ultrasonic images based on the image signals generated by the image generating unit.
US08360975B1
A networked interface appliance for use in the medical arena that simplifies the connectivity of medical diagnostic devices to the portable computers in electronic medical record systems (EMR's). The appliance utilizes location support hardware and software to locate and map various tagged assets within the existing environment. The appliance automatically determines the proximity of nearby portable assets and computing devices, and creates network connection to each. Data obtained from a diagnostic device connected to the appliance is buffered and transmitted to portable computing devices connected to the appliance. Using specific IP addressing, support teams can connect to the appliance to diagnose and correct problems remotely using a local area network, wide area network or the Internet. A video port for remotely controlled video display and for local data acquisition is included. Location data from the appliance can be utilized in improving billing algorithms and workflow analysis. Asset management and location mapping of resources are also supported.
US08360972B2
A device auxiliary to surgery, for anchoring and lifting cavity walls or internal organs of a patient. The device provides a virtual port; that is an instrument that can be non-invasively, or minimally invasively and removably attached to the undersurface of a patient's cavity, or to various tissues within a cavity, and to which various retracting means are attached. The device includes means allowing it to be moved from one position to another and reattached to the undersurface of the abdominal wall, or to various tissues within a cavity, without creating any additional openings in the cavity wall. The device includes means for attaching various retractors.
US08360969B2
A medical device suitable for introducing a medical instrument into a patient includes an outer cannula and at least one arm connected to the cannula toward a proximal portion of the at least one arm. The at least one arm is deployable between a closed position and an open position. An inner member is telescopically received in the outer cannula to hold each arm in the closed position. The inner member is deployable to disengage from the arm after the device is inserted into a patient, thereby freeing the arm to be deployed to the open position where it helps hold the outer cannula in the patient. The inner member includes an inner cannula and/or a trocar.
US08360967B2
A distal end optical unit for an electronic endoscope includes a first supporting tube configured to support an image sensor therein, a second supporting tube, and a third supporting tube configured to support an objective optical system. The first supporting tube includes a first open end, a first sealed end that is hermetically sealed, and a metal-covered inner circumferential surface. The second supporting tube includes a second open end, a second sealed end that is hermetically sealed with a cover lens, and a metal-covered outer circumferential surface. The third supporting tube has an inner circumferential surface with a low reflectivity. The third supporting tube is fitted into the second supporting tube. The second open end of the second supporting tube is fitted into and hermetically joined to the first open end of the first supporting tube.
US08360962B2
A system measures a change in position of a medical appliance, such as an endoscopy capsule. A device uses this measurement in order to influence the position of the medical appliance. The medical appliance sends a signal that is received by a multiplicity of spatially separate receiving devices. The time profile of the phase differences between the received signals and a reference signal provides an indication of whether the medical appliance has moved. In the event of a movement being detected, a maneuvering device can be regulated by a regulating means in such a way that the maneuvering device generates forces and/or torques and applies them to the medical appliance to counteract the detected movement.
US08360960B2
An endoscope having circumferential surgical instrument positioning capability includes an operation portion; an elongated, flexible insertion portion extending from the operation portion; a viewing conduit extending through the operation portion and the insertion portion; a plurality of instrument channels provided in and spaced around a circumference of the insertion portion; and a channel selector sleeve assembly having a selector channel rotatably carried by the operation portion. The selector channel of the channel selector sleeve assembly registers with the plurality of instrument channels, respectively, as the channel selector sleeve assembly is rotated with respect to the insertion portion.
US08360946B2
A machine (1) for the manufacture of bags, having a support element (2, 3, 4) for detachably coupling a corresponding portable storage (22, 33, 44) of a consumable material (22a, 33a, 44a) from which the bags are made and mechanical mechanism for making bags from the material. A remote reading mechanism (5) is provided for reading the information stored in a radiofrequency tag (6, 7, 8) included in the portable storage, as well as a control unit (18) which contains a mechanism for obtaining information from the radiofrequency tag, which allows identifying the type of consumable material coupled in the support element, and for automatically generating a signal for controlling the mechanical mechanism.
US08360941B2
A pull handle that is ergonomically designed to avoid unnatural stresses on the user's body and joints through the range of motion. The invention enables a user to perform exercises that cannot be accomplished with existing handles or may be more difficult to do so. These objects are achieved by providing one or more axes of rotation or flexibility in the pull handle so that the user's hand, write and/or arm, or foot, ankle and/or leg, may bend and/or rotate more naturally through the user's range of motion.
US08360929B2
In a control unit and a method for operating a hybrid drive arrangement (1) with an internal combustion engine (5), an electric drive (3) and a coupling device (20) that is arranged therebetween, when the internal combustion engine (5) and the electric drive (3) should be coupled together, the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine (5) is pilot-controlled to a target rotational speed level (N2) such that the drive shafts (4, 6) of the internal combustion engine (5) and the electric drive (3) run at least approximately synchronously. The pilot-control takes place by the throttle valve. Subsequently, the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine (5) is controlled in such a manner that the drive shafts (4, 6) of the internal combustion engine (5) and the electric drive (3) run essentially synchronously. Then, the drive shafts (4, 6) are joined by the coupling device (20).
US08360924B2
A multi-speed transmission includes an input member, an output member, a stationary member, and a first and a second compound planetary gear set. The first planetary gear set has a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth member. The second planetary gear set has a first, second, third, and fourth member. The first member of the first compound planetary gear set is continuously connected for common rotation with the input member. The first member of the second compound planetary gear set is continuously connected for common rotation with the output member. The second member of the second compound planetary gear set is continuously grounded to the stationary member. None of the members of the first planetary gear set are continuously connected for common rotation with any of the members of the second planetary gear set. Seven torque-transmitting mechanisms are engagable to establish up to ten forward speed ratios.
US08360920B2
When a vehicle stops in a travel range, a transmission controller sets a subtransmission mechanism in a second speed interlocking condition in which a torque input into a continuously variable transmission is transmitted in a second gear position and both a frictional engagement element of a first gear position and a frictional engagement element of the second gear position are engaged, and when a predetermined condition is established while the vehicle is stationary, the transmission controller reduces an output shaft torque of the continuously variable transmission.
US08360913B2
A drive system with an 8-gear gearbox for a motor vehicle with a driving machine 11, more particularly an internal combustion engine, comprising a distribution gearbox 12 which is drivingly connected to the driving machine 11 and comprises three members, as well as two 2-gear partial gearboxes 17, 18, wherein a first member of the distribution gearbox 12 is drivingly connected to the internal combustion engine 11 and the two other members of the distribution gearbox 12 are each connected to an input shaft 20, 28 of one of the two 2-gear partial gear-boxes 17, 18 and wherein, between two members of the distribution gearbox 12, there is provided a switchable bridging coupling 19 and wherein one output element of each of the two 2-gear partial gearboxes 17, 18 is permanently drivingly connected to a driven gear 38, 39 or to a driven shaft 40.
US08360909B2
A control mechanism for controlling a bicycle transmission to set a speed stage of a bicycle comprises a shift command communication path for communicating electronic shift commands to select a speed stage of the bicycle, a transmission command communication path for communicating information for controlling the operation of the bicycle transmission, and a transmission control unit operatively coupled to the shift command communication path and to the transmission command communication path for receiving the shift commands and for generating the information for controlling the operation of the bicycle transmission. When the transmission control unit receives at least one shift command requesting a shift through N speed stages to a destination speed stage, where N is an integer greater than one, the transmission control unit generates information for causing the bicycle transmission to move to the destination speed stage.
US08360904B2
A sports electronic training system with sport ball, and applications thereof, are disclosed. In an embodiment, the system comprises at least one monitor and an electronic processing device for receiving data from the at least one monitor and providing feedback to an individual based on the received data. The monitor can be a motion monitor that measures an individual's performance such as, for example, speed, pace and distance for a runner. Other monitors might include a heart rate monitor, a temperature monitor, an altimeter, et cetera. In an embodiment, a sport ball that includes a motion monitor for monitoring motion of the sport ball stores an identification value received when a shoe that includes a motion monitor contacts the sport ball. The stored identification value serves as a record of the contact.
US08360898B2
The disclosure herein includes a grip for a golf club with a flexible tube and a layered sheet. The tube includes a tubular body and raised portions extending from the tubular body. The outer surface of the raised portions cooperates with the layered sheet to form a gripping surface. The grip reduces impact shock and provides a feeling of tackiness while providing increased variation in the physical characteristics of the gripping surface. The disclosure further provides a golf club grip that includes a resilient strip spirally wrapped about an underlisting sleeve having a cap and a nipple. The underside of the cap is formed a downwardly facing circumferential slot that receives the upper edge of the strip. The nipple is formed with an upwardly facing groove that receives the lower portion of the strip.
US08360876B2
A game machine includes a game progress controller, a main image display controller, a supplementary information generator, and a sub-image display controller. The game progress controller accepts operational information entered from a touch panel and from other game machines and successively obtains tile objects representing tiles of individual players. The main image display controller defines arrangement zones for the tile objects representing the tiles of the individual players within a main screen area, displays the tile objects so that patterns of tile objects of a primary player are visually recognizable, and substitutes the tile objects obtained by drawing actions for specified ones of the tile objects. The supplementary information generator generates supplementary information regarding the tile objects that are displayed in a visually recognizable fashion. The sub-image display controller displays the supplementary information in a sub-screen area located adjacent to the main screen area.
US08360871B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to load a software program which, when executed by a processor, is associated with presenting a wagering game upon which monetary value may be wagered. The software program may be loaded into a non-volatile memory in the form of phase-change random access memory, nanotube random access memory, or a combination thereof, and executed by the processor to present the wagering game after conducting a first preliminary authentication. Upon entering a reset cycle, a subsequent preliminary authentication of the software program is conducted without reloading the non-volatile memory, and the program is executed from the non-volatile memory by the processor while a background full authentication of the software program stored in mass storage is conducted. Execution out of the non-volatile memory is halted if the background full authentication fails.
US08360863B2
A method to implement a wagering game which allows a player to make multiple bets on independent outcomes. The outcome distributions/variances of each of the bets can vary. The player can, for example, place a bet on whether cards drawn from independent decks will have the same suit, the outcomes of which are entirely independent of each other.
US08360861B2
A method of gaming comprising: generating a game outcome by selecting a plurality of symbols, and displaying the selected symbols on a display at respective ones of a plurality of display positions arranged in a three-dimensional array; and determining whether the game outcome includes one or more winning outcomes.
US08360859B2
A gaming device such as a slot machine is provided having a payout proportional to a wager value. In accordance with one or more embodiments, the gaming machine provides a player with the ability to flexibly and automatically increase and decrease wagers, thereby allowing the player to press his bets when he feels lucky, and to decrease his bets when he feels unlucky. Different proportional payout tables are provided for different levels of wagers.
US08360856B2
An entertainment device comprises communication means for communicating with a remote device over a network; program code and resources for running a full version of the program, the program code being operable to interact with remote devices also running a full version of the program; and program resource classification means, and in which when communication with a remote device indicates that the remote device is running a demonstration version of the program code; the program code on the entertainment device restricts the use of program resources to those identified by the program resource classification means as being available to or compatible with the demonstration version of the program, thereby restricting the full version of the program to operate substantially as a demo version of the program for the purposes of interaction with a demo version of the program being run on the remote device.
US08360841B2
A gaming device is adapted to present audiovisual content to players of the game. While the audiovisual content is playing, the player may initiate a game start. A snap shot of the audiovisual content playing at the time of the game start is taken. Reels of the gaming device spin and provide indicia on a payline. The indicia on the payline are compared to characters and elements within the snap shot of the audiovisual content. If there is a match for outcome significant indicia, the player receives a benefit.
US08360840B2
A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display 14. The game controller is arranged to play a game 16 wherein at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display and, if a predefined winning event occurs, the machine 10 awards a prize. The gaming machine 10 comprises a bonus feature that is triggered when a trigger condition occurs in a base game and an indicator incorporated in the bonus feature indicates to the player that the chance of winning during the bonus feature is higher than in the base game that triggered the bonus feature.
US08360838B2
Methods and devices are provided for detecting and/or preventing cheating in online gaming. Some implementations provide gaming information in formats that are difficult for a bot to interpret, but which are preferably easy for humans to interpret. Some implementations of the invention involve the tracking and analysis of players' gaming activities. Some implementations of the invention provide a multi-tier approach to data analysis. Some analyses may be performed, for example, by a centralized computing device such as a server, whereas other analyses may be performed by a host device. In some implementations, “challenge and response” measures will be employed. Some implementations of the invention involve detection and prevention of collaboration between players.
US08360836B2
In a gaming device, an input receiving unit receives an instruction input to specify a position where a moving object is to be arranged. The moving object is movable in a predetermined pathway. A memory unit stores, for each of a plurality of timings, a timing and a position where the moving object is to be placed at that timing in association with each other. For each of the plurality of timings, a sound outputting unit determines whether a position stored in the memory unit in association with a timing matches a position specified by a latest instruction input received by the input receiving unit. When the positions match, the sound outputting unit outputs a sound associated with the matching position.
US08360833B2
Disclosed is an air containment cooling system for containing air between two rows of equipment racks. The air containment cooling system comprises a canopy assembly configured to enclose a hot aisle defined by two rows of equipment racks and a cooling system embedded within the canopy assembly, the cooling system being configured to cool air disposed within the hot aisle, the cooling system including a heat exchanger, a mounting plate coupled to the canopy assembly, and a fan assembly configured to move air to the heat exchanger, the fan assembly being releasably mounted on the mounting plate. The fan assembly may include a fan unit having a fan and a motor and a mounting ring configured to mount the fan unit thereon. The mounting ring may have at least one mounting post configured to pass through a key slot formed in the mounting plate.
US08360830B2
A grinding lamella (1) for being arranged on a rotatingly drivable grinding wheel (8), has at least two annular portions (4, 5, 6, 7, 24, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, 36, 37, 44, 45, 46, 47) arranged at an angle (α) relative to one another. At least partially, the grinding lamellae (1) have a shape that deviates from the shape of a circular wheel with a central aperture. The grinding wheel (8) containing the grinding lamellae has at least one carrier element (2) and a least two such grinding lamellae (1) that partially overlap and, together, form an annular shape. If use is made of a pattern (14, 32) for a piece of material or a strip of material for producing the grinding lamellae (1), the grinding lamellae (1) are arranged side by side in the same direction so as to adjoin one another and offset relative to one another by 180°.
US08360827B1
A road marking removal system creating a blasting mixture by injecting particulate matter from a media hopper into flowing compressed air. The blasting mixture is directed at a road marking via a blasting nozzle. The nozzle discharges the blasting mixture from within a marking removal head housing. A vacuum is applied to an interior of the marking removal head housing for collecting the residual material created by the removal process. The residual material consists of particulate matter, road marking debris, and the like. The collected material can optionally be sorted with material of an acceptable size being reclaimed and forwarded to the media hopper for reuse. The road marking removal system can be manually operated being integrated into a cart, or remotely operated when integrated into a vehicle.
US08360825B2
A slurry supply system with multiple supply modules and a flushing module concurrently coupled to the multiple supply modules is provided. Each supply module includes a slurry reservoir and at least one delivery line connecting to the slurry reservoir, wherein each delivery line is oriented toward a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus. The flushing module includes a flushing liquid reservoir and multiple flushing lines connecting to the flushing liquid reservoir, wherein each flushing line is coupled to each delivery line thereby the flush module can selectively flush one of the delivery lines.
US08360824B2
Disclosed is a method of processing a synthetic quartz glass substrate for a semiconductor, wherein a polishing part of a rotary small-sized processing tool is put in contact with a surface of the synthetic quartz glass substrate in a contact area of 1 to 500 mm2, and is scanningly moved on the substrate surface while being rotated so as to polish the substrate surface. When the method is applied to the production of a synthetic quartz glass such as one for a photomask substrate for use in photolithography which is important to the manufacture of ICs or the like, a substrate having an extremely excellent flatness and capable of being used even with the EUV lithography can be obtained comparatively easily and inexpensively.
US08360821B2
A glass-plate working apparatus (1) includes a grinding means (7) for grinding a peripheral edge (6) of a glass plate (2); and a grinding supporting means (9) for supporting the glass plate (2) whose peripheral edge (6) is to be ground by the grinding means (7), wherein the grinding supporting means(9) includes a grinding supporting table (101), a plurality of suction cups (102) which are held on the grinding supporting table(101) by being attached by suction to the grinding supporting table (101) and suck and hold the glass plate (2) by sucking the glass plate (2) whose peripheral edge (6) is to be ground, and an arranging means (103) for disposing the plurality of suction cups (102), respectively, at positions corresponding to the shape of the glass plate (2) to be ground.
US08360819B2
Disclosed is a method for grinding a machine part that is used as a drive shaft, for example, rotates about the longitudinal axis thereof during the grinding process, and is provided with a journal at one axial end thereof and a recess at the opposite end thereof. The grinding process is carried out in one and the same grinding machine. In said grinding method, the machine part is brought into different clamped states by means of a chuck of a workpiece spindle head with releasable clamping jaws and a centering tip, a backrest, and/or a tailstock quill. Changing the clamped states has the advantage that the machine part remains in the same position in a single grinding machine, i.e. the clamped position, in all the different clamped states such that more accurate sizes, shapes, and positions can be obtained in an economical manner and all areas of the machine part which are to be ground are successively accessible to the grinding disks.
US08360817B2
A polishing apparatus can perform more precise control of a polishing profile without carrying out many polishing tests in advance. The polishing apparatus includes: a polishing table 22 having a polishing surface 52a; a top ring 24 for holding a polishing object W and pressing the polishing object W against the polishing surface 52a; a polishing liquid supply nozzle 26 for supplying a polishing liquid to the polishing surface 52a; a movement mechanism 70 for moving a polishing liquid supply position 26a of the polishing liquid supply nozzle 26 approximately along the radial direction of the polishing surface 52a; a controller 66 for controlling the movement mechanism 70; and a simulator 72 for predicting the relationship between the polishing liquid supply position 26a of the polishing liquid supply nozzle 26 and a polishing profile, performing a simulation and outputting data to the controller 66.
US08360816B2
Articles of clothing that incorporate fabrics or chemicals having wicking, antibacterial/antifungal and low coefficients of friction either overall or in specific areas of the apparel that will minimize the development of irritation, bacterial and fungal infections of the skin. The invention also includes methods for producing this wicking, antibacterial/antifungal and low coefficient of friction apparel.
US08360814B2
The invention is a yo-yo that includes unique features that enable a user to adjust the yo-yo's string gap. In the preferred embodiment, at least one of the yo-yo's side assemblies includes a screw engaged to a nut that has two thru-bores located in a side-by-side relation. The screw is located to one side of the yo-yo's axis of rotation and can be rotated by a user to adjust the position of the associated side assembly on the yo-yo's axle structure. By appropriate positioning of the side assembly, a user can adjust the yo-yo's performance characteristics.
US08360810B2
In conjunction with a wiring in a house carrying data network signal, a modular outlet (100) includes a base module (100a) and interface module (100b). The base module connects to the wiring and is attached to the surface of a building. The interface module provides a data unit connection. The interface module is mechanically attached to the base module and electrically connected thereto. The wiring may also carry basic service signal such as telephone, electrical power and cable television (CATV). In such a case, the outlet provides the relevant connectivity either as part of the base module or as part of the interface module. Both proprietary and industry standard interfaces can be used to interconnect the module. Furthermore, a standard computer expansion card (such as PCI, PCMCIA and alike) may be used as interface module.
US08360806B2
An RF module configured to be coupled to a backplane module includes a front housing that has walls that define connector cavities. The walls include a rear wall that has a plurality of openings therethrough. The connector cavities are open opposite the rear wall to receive electrical connectors. The RF module also includes RF cable assemblies having front end connectors and rear end connectors that are connected by corresponding cables. The front and rear end connectors are coaxial connectors. The front end connectors are received in corresponding connector cavities through corresponding openings. The RF module includes a connector holder extending from the front housing rearward of the rear wall. The connector holder holds the rear end connectors such that the rear end connectors are simultaneously pluggable into corresponding board connectors of the backplane module.
US08360802B2
An adjustable connector system for use in an appliance is provided, wherein the adjustable connector system includes a channel disposed on a surface of the appliance, an access aperture defined by a surface adjacent the channel, and a utility enabled connector at least partially received in the channel, and extending from the access aperture, wherein the utility enabled connector includes an elongated member configured to at least partially extend along the channel, and extend from the access aperture, and an interface adapted to supply at least one utility to a modular appliance configured to be removably attached to one of a plurality of removable attachment locations on the appliance.
US08360793B2
A connector fitting structure enabling easy insertion is provided. The connector fitting structure includes a case provided with a plurality of holes, a male connector having connectors fitted into the plurality of holes, respectively, and sealing elements as sealing members interposed between the holes and the connectors, respectively. Connectors each have a tapered surface. The respective tapered surfaces are shifted in position such that a tapered surface comes into contact with a sealing element, and then another tapered surface comes into contact with a sealing element.
US08360785B2
A system for managing physical training includes: a goal achievement planning module establishing a training goal and a time schedule for a physical training participant on the basis of a profile reflecting physical characteristics of the physical training participant; a section creation module separately creating training items on a section basis according to the training goal and the time schedule of the physical training participant with reference to a predetermined standard; and a management contents creation module creating contents required to manage the physical training of the physical training participant on the basis of physical measurements previously established by the goal achievement planning module and the section creation module and various physical measurements measured from sensors attached to the physical training participant in real-time.
US08360783B2
An aural, neural muscle memory response tool includes an acoustic resonator in the form of a two-pronged fork with parallel tines formed from a U-shaped bar of elastic metal. The U-shaped bar is attached to a deflector at a curved vertex. The tines are configured to resonate at a determined frequency up to about 20 Hz. A housing houses and stably supports the deflector and also houses a portion of the tines without contacting the tines. Optionally, the tool may include a manually actuatable trigger configured to cause the tines to vibrate when actuated. Use of the tool for training entails performing a task; determining to either associate a sound generated by the tool with the performed task, and if the sound generated by the tool will be associated with the performed task, generating the sound. These steps may be repeated until the training session is complete. Use of the tool for recollection entails determining whether to produce a sound generated by the tool and associated with a task as a muscle memory cue, and if the sound will be produced, producing the sound before the task is performed; and then performing the task.
US08360780B2
A multiplication and division puzzle and method of making thereof include a main table having a plurality of cells in rows and columns, the cells being filled with products and multipliers. A template having a plurality of cells that correspond to the plurality of cells in the main table has selected cells removed to form openings therein to reveal a set of product clues in the main table when the template is superimposed or laid thereon. The product clues include the products in the cells of the main table. The non-selected cells that remain in the template, concealing the multiplier answer and non-selected product answers in the main table. The main table and template are used to form a puzzle blank having a plurality of cells containing the set of product clues and empty cells for the user to fill in missing product answers. The main table contains all of the product and multiplier answers.
US08360778B2
An electromechanical Braille cell assembly includes a plurality of parallel bimorph reeds. A first plurality of bimorph reeds is mounted to a first side of a printed circuit board by a first plurality of clips and a second plurality of bimorph reeds is mounted to a second side of the printed circuit board by a second plurality of clips. A frame has a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall in the form of an angle wall and a second side wall in the form of a flat wall. Pinholes are formed in the angle wall to accommodate Braille pins and the flat wall is slotted to accommodate a plurality of printed circuit boards. A monolithic cap covers all of the Braille pins. Pinholes formed in the cap receive the respective tips of the Braille cells when actuated bimorph reeds cause displacement of the Braille pins.
US08360771B2
A dental implement including a housing, a light source, and an air supply, the implement being suitable for examining tissue such as dentition of a patient and detecting loss of mineralization therein. The implement is capable of operating in a wireless mode. The implement is further able to communicate with a computing device to allow recording of images captured by the implement.
US08360767B2
One or more embodiments of a device for avoiding the uncontrolled discharge of melt from nozzle apertures of a nozzle plate are provided. The device can include a locking member that is movable in front of the nozzle plate. The locking member can be formed as an extrudate collection member. The locking member can be reciprocable between a production position and a collection position. And melt can be discharged from the nozzle apertures of the nozzle plate in the form of extrudates into a process chamber when the locking member is in the production position and into extrudate collection member when the locking member is in the collection position. The device can also include a melt extraction aperture disposed on the extrudate collection member. The melt extraction aperture can be configured to align with the nozzle apertures in the nozzle plate and a melt extraction channel.
US08360765B2
The present disclosure provides implants suitable for drug delivery. In embodiments, the present disclosure provides layered biodegradable drug delivery implants and systems and methods for making these implants.
US08360758B2
A peristaltic pump, for propelling liquid through a flexible pump tube, includes an outer casing having a guiding channel wherein an operating portion of the pump tube extends along the guiding channel. The peristaltic pump further includes at least two pressuring rollers supported at the outer casing in a radially movable manner which can move outwardly to press against the operating portion of the pump tube. A center driving mechanism is supported at a center portion of the outer casing to radially push the pressure rollers and to drive the pressuring rollers to concurrently rotate such that the pressuring rollers roll against the operating portion of the pump tube for continuously propelling the fluid in the pump tube in the direction of rotation.
US08360747B2
A miniature fan includes a housing having a mounting portion with a shaft seat. A base is mounted to the mounting portion of the housing. The base includes first and second faces spaced along an axis. An outer layer is provided on the first face of the base. A bottom layer is provided on the second face of the base. The base further includes a coil unit intermediate the outer layer and the bottom layer. The coil unit is electrically connected to a drive circuit. An impeller includes a shaft and a permanent magnet. The shaft is coupled to the shaft seat of the housing and rotatable about the axis. The permanent magnet is aligned with the coil unit. The axial height of the miniature fan is reduced, and the structure of the miniature fan is simplified.
US08360743B2
A rotary pressure production turbine for pressurizing a hydraulic fluid is disclosed comprising a plurality of piston assemblies. Each piston assembly comprises a hollow needle piston shaft having through which hydraulic fluid is moved from a low pressure volume to a high pressure volume as the piston shaft moves in a first direction. A rotary actuator actuates each piston shaft. From the high pressure volume, hydraulic fluid is moved to a common high pressure header and delivered to an aspirated accumulator where the fluid can be stored and subsequently utilized. In some embodiments, the fluid is utilized to operate an electric generator for use in a hybrid-electric vehicle. In some embodiments, the rotary actuator is driven by an internal combustion engine, while in others the rotary actuator is driven by a vehicle drive train in a regenerative braking application.
US08360742B2
A swash plate compressor capable of realizing an excellent sliding characteristic when a drive shaft is rotated at high speed, and a high refrigerating capacity when the drive shaft is rotated at low speed, has a release passage for communication between a crank chamber and a suction chamber. The release passage includes a first passage communicated to an oil rich region, in the crank chamber, and a second passage communicated to an oil poor region, in which lubricating oil is small in quantity, in the crank chamber. A valve mechanism that increases an opening ratio of the first passage with respect to the release passage, as a rotational speed of a drive shaft increases, and increases an opening ratio of the second passage with respect to the release passage, as the rotational speed of the drive shaft decreases.
US08360741B2
A manual/pneumatic pump structure includes: a barrel member having a barrel body defining a fuel collection space; a cover body disposed on the barrel body for sealing the fuel collection space; a pneumatic gas-sucking member having a main body disposed on the cover body and a Venturi tube section positioned in the main body, an inlet passage being formed in the main body in communication with an inlet of the Venturi tube section, an outlet passage being formed in the main body with a first end in communication with an outlet of the Venturi tube section, a second end of the outlet passage being permissible to communicate with the atmosphere; and an isolation section for isolating internal passage of the pneumatic gas-sucking member from the atmosphere. The isolation section has a movement space within which a stopper body is movable between a blocking position and an unblocking position.
US08360734B2
An example method of repairing an airfoil includes securing a cap to an end portion of a worn airfoil and securing additional material to the cap. The method includes altering some of the cap to form a desired airfoil contour.
US08360723B2
A method is presented that reduces vibrations of a wind turbine in a situation where yawing of a wind rotor of said wind turbine is at least temporarily not possible. The method includes adjusting a first pitch angle of a first rotor blade and a second pitch angle of a second rotor blade such that the first and second pitch angles differ by at least 30 degrees.
US08360722B2
A method of validating a wind turbine including a rotor includes intentionally inducing a loading imbalance to the rotor. The method also includes measuring the loading imbalance induced to the rotor, transmitting a signal representative of the measured loading imbalance to a calibration module, and at least one of detecting an error and calibrating at least one component of the wind turbine based on the signal.
US08360721B2
A stiff in-plane gimbaled rotor head for a rotorcraft, such as a helicopter, includes a vertically extending rotor shaft, a center hub disposed on the rotor shaft for conjoint rotation therewith, and an outer hub surrounding the center hub and coupled thereto through a spherical gimbal bearing for conjoint rotation therewith, and such that the outer hub is also capable of an angular range of gimbaling movement relative to the center hub. A plurality of rotor blades, which may include three or more blades, is coupled to the rotor shaft through the inner and outer hubs by a constant velocity joint that enables the blades to be rotated in a common plane about the axis of the rotor shaft while controlling the respective pitches of the blades and such that any other relative in-plane and out-of-plane movements of the blades during rotation is prevented.
US08360720B2
A generally spherical turbine configured to rotate transversely within a cylindrical pipe under the power of fluid flowing either direction therethrough is operatively coupled with a rotating machine or generator to produce electricity. In one embodiment, the blades of the spherical turbine curve in an approximately 180 degree arc in a plane that is at an inclined angle relative to the rotational axis of a central shaft. In another embodiment, a deflector is provided upstream of the spherical turbine and within the cylindrical pipe to control flow through the spherical turbine by shielding a part thereof. The blades of the spherical turbine are airfoil in cross section to optimize hydrodynamic flow, to minimize cavitation, and to maximize conversion from axial to rotating energy.
US08360714B2
A gas turbine engine includes a central body support that provides an inner annular wall for a core flow path. The central body support includes first splines. A geared architecture interconnects a spool and a fan rotatable about an axis. A flex support interconnects the geared architecture to the central body support. The flex support includes second splines that intermesh with the first splines for transferring torque there between.
US08360708B2
A telescoping, adjustable length tool basket, particularly suitable for offshore operations in the oil and gas industry. A center section has four elongated, tubular corner members, joined by bottom and side members. At least one, and preferably two, wing sections comprise elongated inner corner members that are slidably disposed within the outer corner members. The wing sections can be moved inwardly and outwardly from the center section to adjust the overall tool basket length to accommodate the tool length. When adjusted to the desired length, a lock pin is inserted through aligned holes in at least one pair of outer and inner corner members, to lock the tool basket at the desired length. Inner and outer bushings are disposed in the annulus between the inner and outer corner members. Preferably the bushings are of a polytetraflouroethylene (PTFE) material such as Teflon®.
US08360702B2
A screw includes a screw head and a shank connected to the bottom of the screw head. The screw head has a cavity on the top to be wrenched by a screwdriver. The shank is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a point at a distal end, a triangular thread portion helically formed thereon and extended upwards from the point and a circular thread portion extended contiguously upwards from the triangular thread portion. The triangular thread portion has a plurality of thread cusps formed annularly at different angles. The triangular thread portion and circular thread portion have asymmetrical threads. The triangular thread portion has serrated cutting edges on the circumference. Thus the screw can be screwed into a work piece with less friction force and fastened faster and firmer with less effort.
US08360701B2
A fastener includes an elongated body having a first end and a second end, a helical thread having a crest, a root, and flank portions formed on at least a portion of the elongated body, and at least one protrusion extending from the crest and flank portion. The at least one protrusion is an axially extending V-shape of the crest, flank portions, and root of the helical thread with a peak of the at least one protrusion having a ridge that extends radially outward from the root of the thread.
US08360696B2
An arbor is provided for small diameter quick change and standard hole saws. Each hole saw defines an outer diameter of less than 1¼ inches, a central aperture and at least one drive pin recess. The arbor comprises an arbor body including an end portion engageable within the central aperture, and a drive member having at least one drive pin receivable in a corresponding drive pin recess of the hole saw for rotatably driving the hole saw.
US08360694B2
A rotatable multi-operation tool for chip removing machining, including a plurality of replaceable cutting inserts of different types, and a basic body that is rotatable around a center axis and includes a rear end and a front end from which there is extending rearward an envelope surface in which at least one chip space, delimited by two opposite side surfaces, is countersunk, which opens in the envelope surface and in the front end. A first cutting insert is mounted in a first insert seat that is formed in one side surface of the chip space and situated in the immediate vicinity of the front end and included in a cavity that opens in the front end for the cutting insert to partly protrude axially forward from the front end. A second cutting insert, of a type other than the first cutting insert, is mounted in a second insert seat, which is formed in the same side surface as the first insert seat and situated axially behind the first insert seat. The second insert seat is included in a cavity that opens in a part of the envelope surface.
US08360693B2
In one advantageous embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a boring bar, a slot, a channel, a centering pin, and an adjustment system. The slot may extend substantially perpendicular to an axis extending through the boring bar. The slot may be configured to receive a cutting unit. The channel may be located within the boring bar extending substantially along the axis. The centering pin may be moveably located within the channel and configured to selectively engage a centering feature in the cutting unit. The adjustment system may be configured to position the centering pin relative to the channel in a plurality of axes.
US08360691B2
A plant for transport of granular material comprising container for granular material to be transported, receiver-meter group designed to receive granular material from container, conveyance duct of granular material from container to receiver-meter group, depressurization-pressurization means arranged to suction/inject a gaseous medium from/into container, and vacuum duct between receiver-meter group and depressurization-pressurization means, thereby creating a flow of granular material and gaseous medium in at least one conveyance duct or line directed to receiver-meter group and a flow of gaseous medium between receiver-meter group and depressurization-pressurization means, the plant comprising detection means of parameters of flow located in vacuum duct or line, adjusting means of the power of depressurization/pressurization means and electronic control means designed to receive in input control signals from speed detection means and to emit control signals in output for driving adjusting means.
US08360689B2
A method for ground improvement with hardened inclusions includes providing a device having a plurality of tines extending downwardly from a top plate in a manner to achieve displacement of ground material downward and radially outward. The device is mechanically driven into the ground to achieve predetermined depths of penetration by the tines and to create cavities at the location the tines are advanced. The device is at least partially retracted and hardening cementitious material backfill is added into the cavities for forming a plurality of hardened inclusions within the cavities.
US08360687B2
Disclosed is a method of laying pipeline in a horizontal plane. The method comprises anchoring a pivot member to a bed under a surface of a body of water; attaching a first plurality of lines to the pivot member; extruding a pipeline from a support base onto the surface of the body of water; and attaching a first line, of the first plurality of lines, to the extruded portion of the pipeline. Subsequently, the boat applies a force to the extruded portion applies such that the extruded portion of the pipeline encircles the pivot member while floating on the surface of the water, wound into a flat monolayer spiral. An inner radius of the spiral is sufficiently large to avoid applying plastic strain to the pipeline.
US08360686B2
An apparatus for continuously laying a pipeline on the floor of a body of water from a pipelaying vessel includes: a generally cylindrical reel with an axis upon which the pipeline is wound, a stinger provided at the stern of the vessel for guiding the lowered pipeline, a launch device configured to control lowering of the pipeline over the stinger of the vessel and into the body of water. This apparatus further includes a frame supporting the reel and the launch device, adapted to be moveable with respect to the vessel in the longitudinal direction of the pipeline, and a tension device to be mounted between the frame and the vessel, adapted to control the pipeline tension in a predetermined tension range during pipelaying.
US08360684B2
A linking tool links segments for a rehabilitating pipe for rehabilitating an existing pipeline. The segment is integrally formed at least from an internal surface plate that constitutes the inner circumferential surface of the rehabilitating pipe, and side plates that have an insertion hole formed thereon and are disposed on both sides of the internal surface plate so as to extend in the circumferential direction of the rehabilitating pipe. The linking tool includes a tubular linking pin that is separable into pin halves and can be inserted into the insertion hole in the side plate of a first segment with a part of the linking pin remaining outside the first segment. The linking tool further includes a separating pin that can be inserted into the linking pin to separate the linking pin into the pin halves and press them against the first segment for anchoring thereto. The pin halves remaining outside the first segment are snap-fitted into a second segment through the insertion hole of the side plate thereof, thereby linking the first and second segments in the longitudinal direction of the rehabilitating pipe. Such a linking tool allows the segments to be efficiently linked in a short period of time.
US08360681B1
The portable concrete striking device comprises an elongated portable screed, a handle mounted to the screed for allowing a worker to manually pull the screed towards an upstream direction and an auger rotatably mounted to the screed and located upstream of the screed. A motor is linked to the auger for rotating the auger. The auger is capable of directing excess concrete upstream of the screed towards an excess concrete discharge location which is located at a determined position along the elongated screed.
US08360665B2
A camera shutter device and an optical apparatus having the same are disclosed. The camera shutter device includes a pair of cores, each wrapped by a coil and having a distal end facing the other, wherein each coil is formed at the distal end with an electromagnetic force line generating unit. A magnet comprising a first magnet and a second magnet is interposed between the pair of cores. The magnet linearly and reciprocally moves in a direction perpendicular to the electromagnetic force line generating unit, and a slider opens and shuts a shutter blade as the magnet linearly and reciprocally moves, whereby miniaturization and thinning of the shutter device can be realized, and an opening/shutting operation can be stably performed.
US08360657B2
Tapered roller bearings and gas turbine engine systems involving such bearings are provided. In this regard, a representative bearing cage for a gas turbine engine includes: an outer cage rim and an inner cage rim; the outer cage rim having a rounded edge at a location of contact between the outer cage rim and a roller.
US08360656B2
A bearing apparatus includes two split outer ring halves disposed in close contact with each other and a plurality of rollers. A circumferential end of each of the split outer ring halves has a concave-and-convex shape including a first slope portion inclined with respect to a line extending along an axial direction of the split outer ring halves and a second slope portion inclined in an opposite direction to that of the first slope portion. Each of the rollers is provided with crowning so as to be shaped in barrel form, and an amount of crowning is set such that an apex of a projecting portion at the concave-and-convex shape of each of the split outer ring halves is located on an axially outer side of a rolling surface of the roller rolling on an inner peripheral surface of each of the split outer ring halves.
US08360654B2
The radial antifriction bearing has an outer ring, an inner ring, and a plurality or rolling bodies arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring in such a way that the inner ring is rotatably mounted relative to the outer ring, via the rolling bodies, and the outer ring has an inner chamber in which the inner ring and/or at least one inner ring section is arranged. The inner chamber is closed at one front side of the radial antifriction bearing by a shaped marginal section of the outer ring in such a way that the inner ring and/or the at least one inner ring section is destroyed when it is removed from the outer ring.
US08360646B2
A compound conduit containing inner and outer conduits with apertures in the former that are angled to direct jets of fluid in a rearward direction from the inner conduit into the annular space is used to draw sludge or undesirable material from a vessel without imposing a vacuum on the system. In conjunction with the compound conduit is a rotary tube seal that allows the conduit to be mounted to an orifice in a tank wall and pivoted or rotated over a range of angles. A tubing drive mechanism grasps the tubing at locations well removed from the distal end and causes the tubing to travel in the direction of the tubing axis. The gripping members in the mechanism engage the sides of the tubing and are capable of shifting position relative to each other to accommodate changes in the curvature of the tubing.
US08360644B2
A linear motion guide unit in which the smaller pitch between the center-lines of adjacent rollers installed in a cage results in the greater number of the rollers lying in a preselected length of the cage to increase load-carrying capacity. The cage plate has openings for retaining the rollers arranged in the lengthwise direction of the cage plate. Each of the openings has a contour whose major axis lies in a widthwise direction of the cage plate. Bearing lips retain axially opposite end surfaces of the rollers, the bearing lips extending inside from an edge around the opening at locations corresponding with diametrically opposite ends of the major axis. The bearing lips end into wedged bearing edges deformable elastically. The bearing edges have bearing slants that conform to the end surfaces of the roller to bear the roller thereon. The bearing slants are in diametrically symmetric relation to each other.
US08360641B2
An air bag includes two inner sheets facing each other, heat resistance materials located between the two inner sheets and applied to any one inner sheet in its length direction, two outer sheets located outside the two inner sheets, a second thermal bonding line thermally bonding the inner and outer sheets along the heat resistance materials, a first thermal bonding line thermally bonding the two outer sheets with gap from the second thermal bonding line to form an air input channel, and third thermal bonding lines extending from the second thermal bonding line oppositely to the channel to form air pillars, at least two heat resistance materials being continuously formed over the pillars, an air injected through the channel being introduced into the pillars between the two inner sheets, and the two inner sheets positioned in the pillars being adhered and pressed to any one outer sheet by an inner pressure of the pillars.
US08360640B2
The invention relates to an X-ray tube, especially a microfocus X-ray tube (2), comprising means (18) for orienting an electron beam (10) towards a target (4). A control device (20) is used to control the means for orienting the electron beam (10) towards the target (4) in such a way that the electron beam (10) scans the target (4), in addition to a measuring device (22) for measuring the intensity of the target current which flows to different scanning sites when the target (4) is scanned by the electron beam (10), or a measuring variable dependent on the target current, and an evaluation device (24) for associating each measured value of the target flow with the corresponding scanning site. Said X-ray tube enables the easy and economical implementation of a method for checking the operability of the target (4).
US08360638B2
There is provided a radiographic imaging apparatus including: a control unit housing a control section and a power source section; a panel unit housing a radiation detection panel; a connection member that rotatably connects one edge portion of each of the control unit and the panel unit so as to adopt two states: a closed state in which one face of the control unit faces one face of the panel unit, and an open state in which the one face of the control unit and the one face of the panel unit are side-by-side facing in substantially the same direction, wherein in the open state the other face of the panel unit is positioned higher than the other face of the control unit; and a support member positioned below the other face of the panel unit and supporting the panel unit when in the open state.
US08360636B2
An apparatus, in one embodiment, can include a configuration including a plurality of heat generation devices. The apparatus also includes a plurality of thermal sensors respectively, operably connected to each of the plurality of heat generation devices, wherein each thermal sensor of the plurality of thermal sensors includes a respective output terminal configured to provide a voltage representative of the temperature of the respective heat generation device. The apparatus further includes an output circuit configured to output the highest temperature information among the heat generation devices. The output terminals of the plurality of thermal sensors are tied together. A corresponding method is also discussed.
US08360631B2
A method and apparatus are provided for producing a reconstituted food product. The apparatus includes a co-extruder 11 in which a gelling agent 70 and a setting agent 80 are co-extruded into a process stream of comminuted food pieces in a flow passage, with the gelling agent and setting agent being separated by the process stream. The apparatus includes a static mixer 10 of part cylindrical wall elements 22 with inwardly protruding mixer elements 24 in which the process stream, including the gelling agent and setting agent are mixed and the grain and texture of the food pieces altered to produce a reconstituted food product that resembles whole food. The apparatus includes a tenderiser 200 for pre-treating the comminuted food pieces by compressing them between a stationary plate 202 and a vibrating plate 206 in a tapering cavity.
US08360626B2
A lamp unit includes a projection lens, a light emitting device disposed such that a light emitting axis of the light emitting device is oriented upward, a reflector disposed to cover light emitted from the light emitting device and to reflect the light toward the projection lens, a first shade configured and disposed to partially block the light reflected by the reflector, and a second shade. The first shade includes a light cutting edge configured to form a cutoff line along an upper edge of a light distribution pattern, and an auxiliary reflecting surface extending rearward from the light cutting edge and configured to partially reflect, toward the projection lens, the light reflected by the reflector. The second shade is arranged to extend from a front edge of the reflector toward the auxiliary reflecting surface.
US08360621B2
A lighting fixture has a modular design. A plurality of interconnecting components fit together to impart to the lighting fixture multiple degrees of rotation. This enables the installer or user to effectively move, change, or adjust the area of illumination over time without constraints. A lamp housing is supported by a plurality of tubular arms that have a threaded connection at one end and a slip-fit connection at the other end. These connections enable the arms to be rotated independently of each other. The result is a lighting fixture having multiple degrees of rotation. An enclosed path through the tubular arms and a hinge leads from a J-box to the lamp housing. The enclosed path accommodates electrical wiring to power the lighting fixture, while the hinge enables the lamp housing to rotate about an axis parallel to the mounting surface.
US08360618B2
An LED unit includes a printed circuit board, an LED mounted on the printed circuit board, and a lens covering the LED and fixed on the printed circuit board. The lens includes a pedestal and an optical element connected to the pedestal. The lens has a light-incident face formed in an interior thereof for receiving light emitted from the LED into the lens, and a light-emergent face formed on an outside thereof for refracting the light out of the lens. The optical element has two opposite sides longer than the other two opposite sides thereof so that the light pattern modulated by the optical element has two opposite ends wider than a middle thereof.
US08360617B2
A lighting system includes at least one light emitting diode and a coating of matrix material having at least one glass-coated quantum dot in a base material. The at least one glass-coated quantum dot may be selected from at least one of a group II-VI materials, III-V materials, IV-VI materials, I-III-VI materials and combinations of such materials. The matrix material may be silicone, and the lighting system may include a light bulb replacement fixture including a threaded screw electrically connected to the light emitting diode.
US08360615B2
A light module including a single light emitting diode (LED) and a rotationally symmetrical reflective light transformer providing an omnidirectional pattern with a pre-calculated intensity distribution. In alternative embodiments the light module may consist of a plurality of LEDs and the reflective light transformer, having plurality of identical segments, provides an omnidirectional pattern with a pre-calculated intensity distribution as a result of superposition of the limited angle pattern reflected by each segment. In order to provide high efficiency the light transformer reflective surface profile is designed using a given LED's spatial intensity distribution and required intensity distribution across the emitted omnidirectional pattern as a design parameters.
US08360608B2
Disclosed is an illuminating system of flexible shape and comprising at least one LED disposed on a flexible carrier material, an optic being provided that permits uniform, directed and/or glare-free light emission.
US08360603B2
To improve semiconductor-based systems for generating white light, a phosphor is integrated with an external structure, such as a reflector. A disclosed exemplary system, for illumination applications, utilizes one or more semiconductor devices for emitting radiant energy of a first wavelength. A reflector outside the package of the LED or other semiconductor device has a reflective surface arranged to receive radiant energy from the energy source. At least some of the received radiant energy of the first wavelength excites one or more phosphors associated with an external light processing element, for example, located along the surface of the reflector, to emit light, including visible light energy of at least one second wavelength different from the first wavelength. In the examples, at least some of visible light emitted by the phosphor is reflected by the reflective surface of the reflector and directed to facilitate the particular humanly perceptible luminance or illumination application.
US08360592B2
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention discloses a backlight unit with a plurality of light-emitting blocks and a light source driving section. The plurality of light-emitting blocks are arranged in a matrix shape along first and second directions different from each other. Each of the light-emitting blocks includes a light source unit having at least one light-emitting chip to emit light, and a light guiding unit to guide the light. The light source driving section controls the light source unit of the light-emitting blocks to drive the light source unit. Therefore, a thickness of the backlight unit may be reduced.
US08360586B2
In one aspect, there is provided a retroreflective film, comprising a retroreflective sub-structure, and a transparent polymeric film, having a surface roughness profile where the Arithmetic Mean Deviation of the Roughness Profile (Ra) ranges from about 0.18 microns to about 1.30 microns and where the Mean Spacing of Local Peaks (R-S) in the printing direction ranges from about 10 microns to about 85 microns, located over and coupled to the retroreflective sub-structure and wherein the polymeric film as a Vicat softening point of about 90° or greater.
US08360584B2
A projector includes: an optical system includes a light source, a light modulation element for modulating light emitted from the light source to form an optical image, and a projection lens for projecting the optical image, the optical system is structured such that an illumination optical axis of the light source and a projection optical axis of the projection lens cross each other substantially at right angles in the plan view; and a cooling fan configured to the light modulation element, and has a rotation axis crossing each other substantially at right angles with a discharge direction where a cooling air is discharged, the cooling fan is disposed in the vicinity of the projection lens and on the side where the light source is provided such that the rotation axis extends in the thickness direction of the projector.
US08360579B2
An opthalmological apparatus (1) comprises a base station (11) having a light source (51) for generating light pulses, and an application head (3) which can be mounted on an eye (2) having a light projector (58) for the focussed projection of the light pulses for punctiform breakdown of eye tissue (22). The application head (3) additionally has movement drivers (57) for moving the light projector (58) in a feed direction and in a first scanning direction. A scanner (52) is arranged in the base station (11) in order to deflect the light pulses in a second scanning direction. In addition, the opthalmological apparatus (1) comprises an optical transmission system for transmitting deflected light pulses from the base station (11) to the application head (3), and for superimposing the light pulses deflected in the second scanning direction onto the movement of the light projector (58) in the first scanning direction. It is possible to use light sources with high light pulse rates, for example femtosecond lasers, without the need for impractical enlargement of the overall size of the application head (3) owing to the scanner. In addition, it is possible while safeguarding a manageable overall size of the application head (3) to make use of light sources with high light pulse rates, something which increases the accuracy of treatment and reduces the burden on the eye (2).
US08360576B2
This invention relates to polymerizable ultraviolet light absorbers and yellow colorants and their use in ophthalmic lenses. In particular, this invention relates to polymerizable ultraviolet light absorbing methine compounds and yellow compounds of the methine and anthraquinone classes that block ultraviolet light and/or violet-blue light transmission through ophthalmic lenses.
US08360572B2
A transport apparatus which transports a sheet-like medium along a transport direction while one surface of the sheet-like medium is sucked to a holding surface, includes side members having opposed faces which are opposed to a portion of the holding surface at a position near the edge of the holding surface in a width direction intersecting with the transport direction. The side members form spaces between the other surface of the sheet-like medium and the opposed faces when the sheet-like medium is transported in a state where edges of the sheet-like medium in the width direction are interposed between the opposed faces and the holding surface.
US08360567B2
There is provided a liquid ejecting apparatus that is used for ejecting a liquid. The liquid ejecting apparatus includes a head unit that ejects the liquid, a liquid supplying path that is used for leading the liquid to the head unit, a defoaming chamber that is disposed in the liquid supplying path and is used for eliminating air bubbles inside the liquid, a broaden chamber that is disposed in the liquid supplying path and can collect the liquid due to having a cross-section area larger than that of the liquid supplying path, and a decompression unit that is used for decompressing the defoaming chamber and the broaden chamber.
US08360566B2
A method of printing including providing an ink delivery system including a print head in fluid communication between a first tank and a second tank; and providing a pressure differential across the print head to cause ink to flow from the print head. With embodiments of the method, ink can be controllably dispensed from the print head at substantially the same velocity irrespective of the orientation of the print head with respect to the direction of the force of gravity.
US08360558B2
A liquid droplet discharging head includes a pressure chamber substrate having a pressure chamber in communication with a nozzle hole. The pressure chamber has compartments adjacent to one another in a first direction. A vibrating plate has a first surface for covering the pressure chamber and a second, opposite, surface. The vibrating plate has a first area surface as a part of the first surface, the first area surface covering the pressure chamber in a view in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction and is normal to the first surface. A first conductive layer is formed at a plurality of areas to cover, in a view in the second direction.
US08360554B2
A modular encoder has been developed that can be mounted to a motor shaft without requiring time consuming alignment or special tools. The encoder includes a base having an annular opening, the base including a plurality of resilient arms surrounding the annular opening with each arm having a terminal end that extends into the annular opening, and a hub having a horizontal flange with a top and a bottom surface and a generally vertical wall extending from the bottom surface of the horizontal flange, the wall is configured to fit within the annular opening of the base and is circumscribed with a groove for receiving the terminal ends of the resilient arms to secure the hub to the base and enable rotation of the hub within the annular opening of the base as the terminal ends of the resilient arms slide within the groove.
US08360553B2
A liquid droplet jetting apparatus includes a jetting head having a jetting surface on which a plurality of nozzles are formed for jetting liquid droplets; a carriage carrying the jetting head and moving reciprocatingly in a first direction along a surface parallel to the jetting surface; and a guide member having a guide surface perpendicular to the jetting surface and extending in the first direction to guide the carriage along the guide surface. The carriage is provided with a fixed slide member fixed to the carriage to slide along the guide surface; a movable slide member arranged apart from the fixed slide member in the first direction to slide along the guide surface and configured to be movable with respect to the carriage in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and an angle change mechanism for changing an angle of the carriage relative to the first direction.
US08360548B2
A printhead maintenance assembly for an inkjet printer includes a movable chassis arranged in a housing; an endless belt mounted on the chassis, the endless belt having a contact surface reciprocally movable between a first position in which the contact surface is engaged with the printhead and a second position in which the contact surface is disengaged from the printhead; a pair of spools mounted on the chassis and on which the belt is mounted, one of the spools being a toothed drive spool and the other being an idler spool; a drive gear driven by a drive motor and engaged with the drive spool, the drive gear, the drive spool, and the drive motor forming a conveyor mechanism for conveying the belt in a direction substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the printhead; and a cleaning station mounted on the chassis and positioned to clean the belt as the belt moves past. The contact surface is sloped with respect to the printhead.
US08360545B2
An inkjet recording apparatus includes: a conveyance device having a conveyance device surface with which a rear surface side of a recording medium comes into contact and which includes a plurality of suction holes for suctioning the recording medium with a negative pressure, and conveying the recording medium while changing suction locations of the recording medium suctioned via the suction holes; an inkjet head for ejecting ink onto the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance device in such a manner that an image is formed on the recording medium; and a control device which changes the suction locations of the recording medium suctioned via the suction holes, at a prescribed interval.
US08360544B2
In a printing device includes a plurality of heads corresponding to black K ink and colored inks C, M, and Y, wherein the heads are extended in a direction orthogonal to a conveying direction of a medium and are disposed in parallel from the upstream side to the downstream side, and ink droplets are discharged and deposited on the medium in order from the heads while the medium is being conveyed, a print condition setting method includes the steps of setting an order in accordance with the extent of concentration irregularity in the composite colors RGB; and creating, within the discharge order of the inks, the most separation of discharge order between the two colored inks that manifest the composite color having the greatest concentration irregularity, and inserting K ink between the discharge orders of the two colored inks that manifest the composite colors having the second greatest concentration irregularity.
US08360537B2
An ejection device for a furniture component moveably housed in or against a furniture body. The ejection device includes a swivellably housed lever. A first castor is attached to a free end of the lever, and a second castor is attached to the lever at a distance from the free end.
US08360504B2
A weather strip 20 for double doors comprises: an installation base member 21 installed on a door join part side of a prior closing rear door 2 of double doors arranged on a side part of an automobile; a hollow seal member 22 which is integrally molded with the installation base member 21 and makes an elastic contact with a post closing front door 1 when the door is closed; and a fin 50 connected to a lower side of the hollow seal member 22, which includes a plane installation piece 51 installed on a lower end on a door join part side of the rear door 2 and a seal piece 52 which is integrally molded with the installation piece 51 and makes an elastic contact with the front door 1 when the door is closed, wherein: the installation piece 51 of the fin 50 has a concave ditch 80 formed on an installation surface side thereof, continuously extending from a lower side of the hollow seal member 22 to a hole 130 which is provided on a lower end on the door join part side of the rear door 2 and bores in the rear door 2.
US08360503B2
Disclosed herein is a sealing device disposed between a vehicle door and a vehicle body and a vehicle door sealing rubber strip thereof. The sealing rubber strip is sleeved on a door pipe of the vehicle door. The vehicle door sealing rubber strip is an annular rubber body constituted by a drain segment and a non-drain segment. The annular rubber body includes a hollow rubber ring made of foaming rubber and a groove-shaped rubber ring made of compacted solid rubber and provided with a pipe body mounting groove at the inner side of the groove-shaped rubber ring. An air hole is provided in the hollow rubber ring, and a small water flowing trench is provided at the bottom surface of the pipe body mounting groove of the groove-shaped rubber ring. A fixing groove with a broad bottom and a narrow opening is provided on one external side of the groove-shaped rubber ring. A water flowing channel disposed transversely and a draining through hole communicated with the water flowing trench are provided on the other side surface of the groove-shaped rubber ring at the drain segment. Compared with the prior art, such device can solve the problem of unreliable sealing between a vehicle body doorframe and a vehicle door which are made of circular pipes and the difficulty of draining water accumulated inside the vehicle door.
US08360496B2
A folding seat system for use with a vehicle includes, but is not limited to, a seat body including a seat bottom and a seat back. The seat back is rotatably mounted to the seat bottom such that the seat back can be folded over the seat bottom. A hinge is connected to the seat body and is configured to attach to the vehicle. The hinge is further configured to permit the seat body to rotate approximately 180° in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle between a forward position, an intermediate position, and a storage position when the seat back is folded over the seat bottom. A biasing member biases the seat body towards the storage position when the seat body is in the forward position.
US08360487B2
A latch assembly includes a housing having a cavity between first and second end walls. The housing includes first and second journal members and first and second swing arm apertures at the second end wall. A swing arm member having a joining end is positioned within the cavity having first and second swing arms connected to the joining end having portions extending freely through the first and second swing arm apertures. A keeper/catch member is rotatably connected to the first and second journal members. Keeper/catch member rotation from an orientation rotated away from a longitudinal axis defined by a portion of the first and second swing arms extending through the swing arm apertures to an orientation approximately parallel with the longitudinal axis creates an over-center locking condition for the housing and a pushing force acting through the keeper/catch member to push a first component into contact with a second component.
US08360482B2
A dead bolt latch (10) readily adjustable between forward and rear backset positions. A bolt casing (56) connects to a faceplate (48) installed on an outer face of a door (D). A bolt (15) fitting within the casing extends and retracts to latch or unlatch the door. A latch operator (12) and the bolt casing each have slots (64, 78) of a length corresponding to the distance between the backset positions, and a spring (72) seats between the bolt and latch operator. When the latch is being installed and needs to be adjusted between backset positions, the installer blocks movement of the bolt and then, by turning the latch operator, moves the relative position of the latch operator and bolt between backset positions using the force of the spring. This facilitates latch adjustment even by relatively unskilled installers.
US08360478B2
A hose fitting assembly is provided, wherein the components are operably engaged with a length of hose to form a sacrificial construction. An end fitting having an insertion stem is disposed within a portion of the hose, wherein a clamping sleeve receiving a length of the hose threadingly engages the end fitting. A swaging collar is slide along the hose to threadingly engage the clamping sleeve, such that complete threaded engagement of the swaging collar and the clamping sleeve circumferentially compress and deform a portion of the clamping sleeve to clamp a portion of the hose intermediate the clamping sleeve and the insertion stem, and partially deformed threads on at least one of the clamping sleeve and the swaging collar. The hose fitting assembly can cooperatively engage a flexible high pressure metal braided hose, wherein the metal braid is formed of a less than full tensile strength steel, such as half hard stainless steel.
US08360477B2
A compliant conduit connector system for the sealed joining of two fluid conduits having two or more slip bearings to maintain mechanical connection between the two fluid conduits and a sealing o-ring to maintain a fluid seal between the two fluid conduits is disclosed. A socket having an inner surface including a sealing surface is formed on an end of a first fluid conduit. A plurality of slip bearings are held in position on the outer surface of a second fluid conduit by respective bearing channels attached to an outer surface of the second fluid conduit where the slip bearings are in mechanical contact with an inner surface of the socket formed in the first fluid conduit. The o-Ring makes sealing contact with a sealing surface defined as part of the inner surface of the first fluid conduit. To assure electrical conductivity a conductor assembly contacts both the first fluid conduit and the second fluid conduit.
US08360467B2
A head-protecting airbag apparatus includes an inflated airbag with a rear inflatable portion covering the vicinity of a rear window of a vehicle, and a gas supply passage that inflates the rear portion. The rear inflatable portion includes a main body portion and an inlet inflatable portion, with a belt-shaped closing portion that partitions the two. The upper communication port and the lower communication port of the belt-shaped closing portion allow the inflation gas to flow from the inlet inflatable portion to the inflatable main body. In both communication ports, the opening area of the lower communication port is larger than the opening area of the upper communication port so that the airbag inflates via the lower communication port upon normal inflation of the airbag, and then inflates via the upper communication port upon abnormal inflation when the lower communication port is obstructed.
US08360461B2
A foldable stroller that moves between an extended position and stowed position, and which comprises a seat portion, a back, at least three legs, and a rear linkage including at least one rear leg, a front linkage including at least one front leg, a back linkage including at least one back mount and a seat portion mounting and when moving the stroller from the extended position to the stowed position, the lower end of the back leg tilts forward the lower end of the front leg tilts backward, the back is folded against the seat portion, the upper edge of the back coming opposite the front end of the seat portion mounting and the upper end of the front leg.
US08360456B2
Apparatus for towing bicycles, comprising a towing arm, a connector, adapted to fix the towing arm to a towing vehicle, a joint for interconnection between the towing arm and the connector, which defines a first oscillation axis and a second oscillation axis, the first oscillation axis being parallel to the resting surface of the towing bicycle to which the connector is coupled during use, a fork for connection of the towing arm to the hub of the front wheel of the bicycle to be towed, the fork being locked to the towing arm during use, a strut pivoted on the towing arm, and a coupling assembly which is adapted for connection of the strut to the bicycle to be towed. The first oscillation axis is transverse to the anteroposterior direction of the towing bicycle and the second oscillation axis is perpendicular to the resting surface.
US08360451B2
An air suspension system for a multi-axle vehicle having air bags (4,5; 6,7; 8,9; 10,11; 44 to 49) supporting either side of the axles (2,3; 41 to 43), including separate air lines (18 to 25; 50 to 55) respectively connecting each air bag to a level control valve (16,17; 56,57) via manifolds (26,27; M) and air lines (28,29; 54,55) to independently control air supply to the bags on either side, the separate air lines being of the same size and length to ensure that substantially the same volume of air is supplied to each bag to improve the responsiveness and stability of the system.
US08360449B2
A suspension assembly for a land vehicle comprises a spindle defining a steering axis for the land vehicle and configured to pivotably couple to a ground contact; an upper pivotable member having an inboard end configured to pivotably couple to the land vehicle and an outboard end pivotably coupled to the spindle; a lower pivotable member having an inboard end configured to pivotably couple to the land vehicle and an outboard end pivotably coupled to the spindle; a resilient member having an upper end configured to pivotably couple to the land vehicle and a lower end pivotably coupled to the spindle; a caster adjustment mechanism adjusting the position of one of the upper pivotable member and lower pivotable member relative to the spindle to thereby adjust caster; and a camber adjustment mechanism adjusting the position of one of the upper pivotable member and lower pivotable member relative to the spindle to thereby adjust camber.
US08360444B2
A transport tool is disclosed for moving an aircraft monument from one location to another. The transport tool comprises an elongated, substantially rectangular, support frame having handle members at an upper region, wheel elements at a lower region, and a leg pivoted to the mid-region of the tool for supporting a load mounted to the tool as the transport tool is rotated about the wheel elements from a vertical orientation in which the load can be loaded onto, or unloaded from, the tool to a horizontal orientation in which the load can be transported from one location to another. Also disclosed is a method for transporting the load between two locations using the transport tool.
US08360443B2
A pallet jack is disclosed that comprises a left tine and a right tine. The pallet jack includes a lifting mechanism that may include an electrically powered hydraulic pump to effectuate the lifting motion. The pallet jack may also include power-driven wheels that are connected by an axle, thereby facilitating translational motion of the pallet jack. The wheels may be maximally spaced by using a maximum-length axle that is slightly longer than the width of the pallet jack body, thereby optimizing load stability.
US08360436B2
The present invention provides a mechanical seal sliding member with high lubricating characteristics, in which the coefficient of friction and the temperature of sliding surfaces are lowered and stabilized without excessive leakage. In the mechanical seal sliding member of the present invention, on the sliding surface 2, a plurality of grating sections 5 are formed separately in each of which a plurality of linear shape ridge portions parallel to each other are formed in a predetermined region with a predetermined pitch. The linear shape ridge portions of the plurality of grating sections are formed as inclined at a predetermined angle to a sliding direction of the sliding surfaces 2. Such periodic structure can improve the lubricating characteristics for lubrication. By irradiating a linearly polarized femtosecond laser with irradiating energy adjacent to a process threshold level to a material surface, a fine periodic structure with a cycle interval comparable with a laser wavelength and with a ridge depth half or less than the laser wavelength can be formed by a self-structuring manner.
US08360430B2
The present invention relates to a table ball game device (1), comprising a game field (2) and a game table comprising a game field edge (3), wherein on at least one narrow side (4) at least one launch apparatus (5) for launching spheres (6) at a ball (7) are pivotally disposed, wherein the at least one launch apparatus (5) is associated with a feed apparatus (8) for automatically feeding the spheres to the at least one launch apparatus (5).
US08360427B2
The present invention relates to a medium transfer apparatus for an automated teller machine, wherein a portion of medium transfer apparatus is opened and shut by a simple operation, thereby conveniently and quickly solving the problem of jams occurring when the medium transfer apparatus transfers a paper medium.
US08360426B2
A medium pressurizing device includes: two rotating bodies that rotate and allow a recording medium held in a contact part to pass; a pressurizing member that applies, to one of the rotating bodies, a pressure of pressing the one toward the other; a drive roll disposed downstream from the contact part in a conveyance direction, and rotating thereby transmitting a conveyance driving force to the recording medium; and a following roll contacting the drive roll, and rotating by following rotation of the drive roll, thereby conveying the recording medium held therebetween. The device further includes: an axis member rotating by receiving a driving force; and a cam member fixed to the axis member, acting on the pressurizing member, and following rotation of the axis member, thereby changing the pressure. The following roll has a hollow, and the axis member is disposed to pass through a space in the hollow.
US08360410B1
The present invention is a dough board assembly including an outer frame having top and bottom edges, an inner perimeter with the inner perimeter having at least one shoulder, at least one inner board sized to rest on the at least one inner shoulder within the inner perimeter so that at least one of the top and bottom edges extend above the inner board as it rests on the at least one shoulder. The inner perimeter has at least one perimeter length and at least one perimeter width. In an alternate embodiment, the assembly further includes a insert defining at least one orifice. In a second embodiment, the invention further comprises a rolling pin.
US08360393B2
A spring return valve comprising a motor, a first worm member, a second planetary gear member, a second worm member, an elastic member, and a valve attached to said second worm wheel is provided. Since the first and the second planetary gear are installed between the first worm shaft and the second worm shaft and the elastic member is fitted onto the second worm shaft, the load applied on the output shaft can be reduced a lot, the opening and/or closing operation is very easy even if the elastic coefficient is small, thereby the reduction in size is possible.
US08360391B2
A device includes a stem hub attached to a fitting body. A rotatable stem is located at least partially within the stem hub. Rotation of the rotatable stem operates a blocking element located in the fitting body. In an embodiment, an upper stem is coupled to a first end portion of the rotatable stem so that rotation of the upper stem rotates the rotatable stem. A metal seal is located on the stem hub. A portion of the upper stem presses the metal seal between the upper stem and the stem hub when the upper stem is moved towards the stem hub. An operating mechanism moves the upper stem towards the stem hub and away from the stem hub. The upper stem is moved by the operating mechanism in a direction normal to the rotational axis of the rotatable stem and the upper stem.
US08360387B2
An active vibration control device is provided that is configured to control the position of a body relative to a reference frame. The control device includes sensors that provide input signals corresponding to movement of the body in at least one direction, a rotary motor configured to control the position of the body, and four-bar linkage connecting the rotary motor to the body. The linkage converts the rotary motion output from the motor into a linear motion of the body. The controller, based on the input signals from the reference frame sensors, provides control signals to the rotary motor which acts through the linkage to position the body in the at least one direction relative to the position of the reference frame.
US08360386B2
In a coupling system for coupling an aircraft seat in a rail of the rest thereof, of the type including a base to which the rest of the seat is connected and associated with a locking slide able to be moved using a control device under the control of a handling lever that can be actuated by an assembly operator, between an assembly/disassembly position and a locking position, the control device includes a device in needle form, which is able to be moved in the base by the lever and whereof one end includes a support surface adapted to cooperate with a complementary ramp surface of the slide to move the latter from its assembly/disassembly position towards its locking position, against the stress from an elastic or spring device.
US08360385B2
A tie down assembly adapted to be installed within a structure includes a cup and a plate fastened removably to the cup by fasteners. The cup includes a first sidewall, an interior portion, and a plurality of seats that extends within the interior portion. The plate an aperture to receive tie down connectors. The plate includes a plurality of tabs. The plate is positioned within the interior portion of the cup and rests on the seats. When the plate requires repair or replacement, it may be removed from the cup by unfastening the fasteners without the need to remove the cup from the structure. Each of the tabs of the plate is positioned within a space between adjacent pairs of the seats of the cup and is adapted to engage the seats of the cup so as to inhibit rotation of the plate relative to the cup.
US08360382B2
The present invention provides a stand assembly for supporting an electronic device. The stand assembly includes a main stand member and an auxiliary stand member. The main stand member includes a first stand and a second stand. The first stand is pivotally connected to the electronic device. The second stand is pivotally connected to the first stand and capable of sliding relative to the electronic device. The auxiliary stand member is pivotally connected to the electronic device.
US08360378B1
A mobile electronic device support is disclosed for allowing a mobile electronic device to be removably secured to a surface, such as a column.
US08360374B2
The present invention provides a frame having variable dimensions, comprising a plurality of telescoping legs arranged in first and second pairs, with each leg of said first pair being rotatably coupled together and each leg of said second pair being rotatably coupled together; and a scissor link mechanism coupled between the legs of said first and second pairs to vary a length of said plurality of legs in response to a distance between said first and second pairs varying. In one embodiment one end of each of said legs of said first pair is rotatably coupled together and one end of each of said legs of said second pair are rotatably coupled together. In this manner, the dimensions of the frame may be varied to accommodate support of a flexible body, such as a plastic bag, paper sack, fabric sack and the like to provide the same with a desired volume and/or an opening of the same with desired dimensions. Specifically, the length of the legs, the angle therebetween and the distance between the first and second pairs may be such as to provide a desired volume of structure support to the flexible membrane from amongst range of volumes that the flexible material can support.
US08360372B2
The invention relates to a novel cable hanger for supporting at least one cable. The cable hanger comprises a cable support member having first and second ends for supporting one or more cables and a latching element extending from each of the first and second ends of the support member which is adapted to stably suspend the cable hanger.
US08360369B2
A helicopter includes a rotor system having a rotor with an adjustable pitch that is controlled at least in part by a pilot using a collective control and which helicopter generates a Low RPM signal that is indicative of a threshold low rotational speed of the rotor. An actuator arrangement configured to move the collective control by exerting a force on the collective control such that the pilot is able to overcome the force but which otherwise moves the collective control from a current operational position toward a minimum pitch position. A control arrangement is configured for receiving the Low RPM signal and for responding to the Low RPM signal by activating the actuator arrangement for at least a predetermined period of time to apply the force to move the collective control from the current operational position to the minimum pitch position.
US08360365B2
The present invention describes a modular hatrack for an interior of an aircraft, wherein the modular hatrack comprises at least one container and at least one housing to accommodate the container, wherein at least one component from the group comprising a personal supply channel, an electrical line, a light strip, an air duct for an air conditioning system, and an air outlet for an air conditioning system is integrated in the housing. The present invention also describes the use of the modular hatrack in an aircraft or in some other vehicle.
US08360362B2
The invention relates to aircraft floor assemblies and to methods for their assembly. In one embodiment, an aircraft comprises at least one fuselage section and at least one floor section. At least one system component is installed to the floor section prior to installation of the floor section in the fuselage of the aircraft. In another embodiment, a floor section adapted to be installed in an aircraft includes at least one system component installed to the floor section while it is outside of the aircraft. In yet another embodiment, a method is disclosed for assembling an aircraft. The method comprises installing at least one system component to a floor section, and installing the floor section into a fuselage section of the aircraft.
US08360359B2
Aircraft horizontal stabilizer surface (8) in which the sweep angle (40) of this surface (8), where this angle (40) is the one formed by the projection of the reference line of points located at 25% of the local chord (19) of the horizontal stabilizer surface (8) on a plane perpendicular to the aircraft plane of symmetry (21), and which also contains this plane to the flight direction of the aircraft with respect to the aircraft plane of symmetry (21), is less than 90 degrees, with this angle (40) being measured in the flight direction of the aircraft. In addition, the structural connection of this horizontal stabilizer surface (8) to the aircraft fuselage (1) is located at a closing frame (13) of this fuselage (1).
US08360355B2
A fairing includes a fairing body having a fairing interior and an interior surface and a spray-on insulation foam layer provided on the interior surface of the fairing body.
US08360353B2
An improved winding apparatus for winding hoses and similar hose-shaped items such as those used in the firefighting industry. The apparatus includes a retainer including first and second pieces adapted for moving relative to each other in a complementary way for securing the hose to the winding means. Optional mechanical and electrical means for driving the apparatus are described. Rollers, left and right guide means and a squeegee comprise a three part guide and cleaning subassembly which aids in the reeling of the hose. The apparatus includes a modular core adapted to be permanently mounted to any vertical wall or alternatively easily connected to a handcart or fire truck for movement to fit the particular application.
US08360332B2
An electronic card that, once activated, can drive a set of user data from a first secure microprocessor through a signal line to a second processor, process the set of user data in the second processor to generate a series of digital transaction signals, drive the series of digital transaction signals into a RC specialty circuit, convert the series of digital transaction signals into two distinct analog waveform signals, and drive the two distinct analog waveform signals along at least two tracks such that the first analog signal and the second analog signal cancel each other magnetically so that the resulting magnetic flux at a target broadcast area replicates the magnetic field created in a magnetic stripe.
US08360322B2
A method for facilitating biometric security in a smartcard-reader transaction system is provided. The method includes determining if a transaction violates an established rule, such as a preset spending limit. The method also includes notifying a user to proffer a biometric sample in order to verify the identity of said user, and detecting a proffered biometric at a sensor to obtain a proffered biometric sample. The method additionally comprises verifying the proffered biometric sample and authorizing a transaction to continue upon verification of the proffered biometric sample.
US08360318B2
A system and method for auto-calibrating a barcode scanning tunnel to determine the orientation of one or more cameras with respect to a range finder and a conveyor belt comprises providing a scanning tunnel having a moveable surface, at least one range finder having an orientation, at least one camera having an orientation and at least one calibration object having at least one indicia disposed in a predetermined relationship to one or more features of the at least one calibration object, capturing at least one image of the at least one calibration object by the at least one camera, electronically detecting the at least one calibration object at least one indicia and the one or more object features and electronically calculating at least one component of the at least one camera orientation with respect to the moveable surface in response to information obtained from the image and the at least one calibration object at least one indicia.
US08360317B2
A card adapted to be read by a machine has certain patterns and physical characteristics unique to the card and includes electronic circuitry for storing selected of these characteristics. The machine includes apparatus for; (a) optically sensing selected characteristics of the card; (b) electromagnetically sensing information stored in the card; and (c) comparing optically sensed data with electromagnetically sensed data for validating the card. The machine further includes apparatus for selectively processing and updating the information stored on the card each time it reads the card.
US08360312B2
A method of creating a single transaction card is disclosed and comprises embossing the single transaction card within a pocket to form embossed characters on a first surface of the single transaction card, filling the pocket with a fill panel to provide a substantially flush surface on a second surface of the single transaction card, wherein a third surface of the fill panel is in uniform, direct contact with an interior of the pocket. Another method is disclosed for machining a face pocket within a single transaction card and disposing a microchip therein. In various embodiments, a single transaction card is comprised of a continuous metal layer, such as, for example, titanium.
US08360305B2
Reflow soldering apparatus comprising a vapour chamber in communication with a reservoir of heat transfer fluid such that a volume of vaporised heat transfer fluid is created and held in the vapour chamber by heating of the heat transfer fluid. A heating chamber is provided for receiving a board and a transportation mechanism is provided to transport vapour, and condensate formed from the vapour, from the volume of vaporised heat transfer fluid to the heating chamber. The transported vapour and condensate applies heat to the heating chamber for the reflow soldering process.
US08360297B2
A surgical instrument for being endoscopically or laparoscopically inserted into a surgical site for simultaneous stapling and severing of tissue includes an elongate channel that is configured to operably support a staple cartridge therein. An anvil is coupled to the elongate channel and is configured to interact therewith such that at least a mounting portion of the anvil can seatingly engage corresponding portions of the elongate channel at any one of a discrete number of predetermined locations to adjust a tissue clamping space between the anvil and the elongate channel in response to a thickness of tissue received between the elongate channel and the anvil and application of a closing motion to the anvil.
US08360295B2
A surgical stapling device an elongated body portion having proximal and distal portions, and a head portion positioned adjacent the distal portion of the elongated body portion. The head portion includes a shell assembly and an anvil assembly movable relative to the shell assembly between un-approximated and approximated positions. The anvil assembly includes a center rod and an anvil head connected to the center rod. The center rod includes at least one aperture extending transversely therethrough and configured and dimensioned to receive a flexible member such that the flexible member extends transversely through the center rod.
US08360292B2
A staple refill includes a refill body accommodating sheet-type connected staples. The refill body includes a bottom wall, a right wall provided on a right side of the bottom wall and formed with a vertically extending right guide slot, and a left wall provided on a left side of the bottom wall and formed with a vertically extending left guide slot. A pressing member is provided in the refill body in a movable manner to press the sheet-type connected staples, the pressing member including a guide shaft guided along the right and left guide slots. The guide shaft includes a right end portion protruding outside the right wall through the right guide slot, and left end portion protruding outside the left wall through the left guide slot.
US08360290B2
A label assembly including a face sheet, a back sheet, and a layer of an adhesive positioned between the face sheet and the back sheet. A separation line divides the label assembly into at least two portions. The separation line is formed by a first tearable line of separation extending across the back sheet and a second tearable line of separation extending across the face sheet. The first tearable line of separation is offset with respect to the second tearable line of separation, and at least one of the first and second tearable lines of separation includes a non-linear portion directed toward and/or an angled portion extending at an angle to an other of the at least one of the first and second tearable lines of separation.
US08360286B2
A piston pump dispenser having a reciprocating piston pump arrangement which in a dispensing stroke dispenses fluid from an outlet and in a charging stroke draws fluid from a reservoir and also draws back fluid from the outlet.
US08360279B1
An automatic home appliance that performs the preparation, mixing, and heating of infant formula bottles provides a reservoir on top that holds an amount of powdered formula. Connection to a household water supply provides a flow of water to an internal water heating reservoir. A central front opening is provided in which the infant bottle is placed. A digital display and a plurality of programming buttons are arranged upon a front panel to allow the user to select operating parameters. Once programmed, internal electronic controls perform dispensing and mixing of the necessary ingredients in the proper ratio and dispensing of mixed formula into the proper sized bottle. The mixture is also kept warm at the proper temperature by a hot plate. An indicator light then illuminates to communicate to a user that the bottle is ready to be removed and the mixture consumed.
US08360274B2
A medication delivering device includes a delivering unit and a negative pressure unit. The delivering unit includes a cylinder, a retractable part and a tip element. The cylinder has a first opening and a second opening. The retractable part connects the cylinder with the tip element. The tip element has a first end, a second end and a channel. The first end passes through the first opening and is received within the cylinder. The second end is located at an outlet of a pill container. The channel penetrates from the first end to the second end to link with the interior of the cylinder. The negative pressure unit connects to the second opening for providing negative pressure to the interior of the cylinder and the channel of the tip element, so that the tip element sucks up a pill on the outlet of the pill container.
US08360270B1
A method is provided for feeding small items, for example pills, that does not require tooling changes or position adjustment regardless of the size or shape of the pills. A first hopper supplies small items to a second hopper that separates the small items. The method incorporates sensors to detect the presence, size and travel time of the pills in the separating bowl hopper. The method uses the sensed values for setting vibration amplitude and the duration of an air flow to discharge pills from the apparatus.
US08360256B2
A storage and drinking container for pressurized beverages includes a drinking vessel 1 having a lip 3 and a lid formed from a cap 5 and retaining ring 12. The cap 5 seals with a surface 4 on the inside neck of the vessel and is retained in place by fingers 8 engaging under a lip 3. The fingers 8 are retained in position by a retaining ring 12. Cooperating sets of cammed surfaces 10 and 13 on cap 5 and ring 12 act on rotation of the ring to axially separate the ring 12 from the cap 5, releasing the fingers 8 from under the lip 3 and permitting the lid to be removed. A drinking vessel with a wide neck can be reliably sealed without the necessity to provide screw threads on the outer surface of the vessel 1.
US08360252B1
A ride on/ride off dirt bike stand for use with dirt bikes that do not come with a kickstand attached to the dirt bike for parking the dirt bike when not in use, such as motocross, rally, trials and/or track bikes. The dirt bike stand is free standing and includes an upper frame pivotally connected to a base frame, such that the upper frame may be pivoted and secured between an upright position and a lowered position. The upper frame may be height adjustable so that the dirt bike stand may be utilized with different dirt bikes having differing chassis heights. Also, the upper frame may include a rotatable platform to provide a greater surface area for supporting the dirt bike.
US08360240B2
A protective device made of plastic, which is intended as an instrument housing for a measuring instrument. In order to ensure sufficient shock protection, which assures that the protective device is not damaged by hard shocks, the protective device is assembled from a core which is made of thermoplastic material and at least in sections encloses the housing, and a sheathing, which is made particularly of rubber elastic material.
US08360232B2
An article support assembly includes a carriage for riding along a conveyor and a holder and turning block depending from and rotatable together relative to the carriage for supporting an article. Rotation of an article is effected in response to the article support and turning block moving past a turning station along a conveying path. Position stops are operatively arranged between the turning block and the carriage for holding the turning block and holder yieldably in at least one predetermined indexed orientation relative to the carriage. The position stops include at least one pair of confronting magnetic elements associated with the carriage and the turning block and located to align with each other when the turning block and holder are in the predetermined indexed orientation.
US08360229B2
An isolating plant for isolating objects, in particular nuclear fuel pellets, fed in stacks, includes a feeding conveyor belt and an output conveyor belt, permitting a particularly reliable and interruption-free isolation of the fed objects simultaneously with a high processing speed. A delivery area, situated between the feeding conveyor belt and the output conveyor belt, includes a separating device driven by a pressure gas, in which the fed objects are separated from each other during operation of the plant by purposeful pressure-gas pulses in order to be delivered one by one to the output conveyor belt. A method for isolating nuclear fuel pellets is also provided.
US08360220B2
A power transmission device includes a clutch that transmits power from a motor to an axle; a first pump that is driven by power from the motor to generate and output fluid pressure; a second pump that receives and is driven by a supply of electric power to generate and output fluid pressure; a pressure regulating valve that functions as a linear solenoid valve and is formed with an input port, an output port that is connected to the clutch, and a drain port; and a switching valve that switches between a first connection state.
US08360214B2
The brake shoe support assembly is able to track the lateral movement of a wheel, typically a wheel on an axle truck that allows lateral wheel movement. In operation, a flange of the wheel pushes on one side of the brake shoe support assembly, pushing it along a pin, and compressing a resilient biasing structure. As the wheel returns to a center or neutral position, the compressed resilient biasing structure expands pushing the brake shoe support assembly back to an original or neutral position. The resilient biasing structure also minimizes the lateral movement of the brake shoe support assembly down the wheel taper under normal braking loads thus preventing shoe ride-off. The resilient biasing structure may be enclosed in a housing adapted to prevent the intrusion of contaminants.
US08360211B2
A hoisting machine and an elevator system including the hoisting machine are provided. The hoisting machine includes a measuring arrangement for determining the position and/or movement of the rotor of a hoisting machine. The measuring arrangement includes a magnetic band whose magnetic property is so implemented that it varies in the longitudinal direction of the band.
US08360210B2
In an oil buffer for an elevator, at least one cylindrical intermediate plunger is inserted into a base cylinder. An upper-stage plunger is inserted into the intermediate plunger. An orifice is provided in a bottom surface portion of the upper-stage plunger. A pin rod is provided upright in the base cylinder. The pin rod is inserted into the orifice in a middle of a stroke of the upper-stage plunger. A return spring causes the intermediate plunger and the upper-stage plunger to return to positions in an unloaded state.
US08360207B1
A security method for a self-service checkout system with radio frequency identification (RFID) capability. The security method includes the steps of obtaining cart identification information from an RFID label attached to a cart by a security computer at a security station, obtaining first item identification information from a self-service computer transaction record using the cart identification information, obtaining second item identification information from a group of RFID labels attached to a group of items in the cart by the security computer, and comparing the first item identification information in the transaction record to the second item identification information to determine whether the second item identification information equals the first item identification information.
US08360206B2
Cart securing structures are provided for securing shopping carts. In one embodiment, the structures include a body having a pair of spaced stops with an intermediate trough. In use, the wheels of the cart are rolled along an upwardly extending face of one of the stops, over the stop and into the trough between the stops. In one embodiment, advertising is located on the surfaces of one or more of the stops. In one embodiment, an electronic display is located on one of the faces of the structure and a control system is provided for presenting advertising and other information using the display.
US08360202B1
A personnel extraction system preferably includes at least a securement band and an extraction strap. Preferably, the extraction strap is affixed to the securement band and provides at least one attachment loop. The preferred embodiment includes the securement band being selectively configurable to provide the extraction strap in a storage state, an operative state, and a deployed state. In the deployment state, a first connecting hitch is secured to a rescue personnel while a second connection hitch is secured to a downed personnel and the extraction strap accommodates movement of the downed personnel to safety.
US08360201B2
A sound absorber is formed by covering the opening of a housing with a vibration member having a flat shape or a film shape so as to define an air layer therebetween. The sound absorber is attached to the wall of a room such that the vibration member is positioned opposite to the wall with a prescribed space therebetween. Sound generated in the room particularly in low frequencies enters into the space between the vibration member and the wall so as to cause vibration of the vibration member due to the pressure difference between the sound pressure applied to the space and the internal pressure of the air layer, thus consuming energy of sound waves. Thus, it is possible to efficiently absorb low-frequency sound with a reduced thickness of the air layer.
US08360194B2
A transfer box for transferring movements and forces from a gearshift lever of a tiltable vehicle cab portion to a gearbox includes a first frame portion mounted on the cab portion, the first frame portion including at least one first journalled lever portion and being connectable to cable ends or push rods connected to the gear shift lever, a second frame portion mounted on a vehicle chassis, the second frame portion including at least one journalled second lever portion and being connected to the gearbox via cable ends or pushrods, wherein the first lever portions and the second lever portions interact to enable movement/force transfer from the cable ends/push rods connected to the first lever portions to the cable ends/push rods connected to the second lever portions. The at least one first and the at least one second lever portions are provided with wedge shaped cooperating portions.
US08360189B2
A motorcycle includes a main frame member having a front half section extending downward and rearward from a head pipe, and a rear half section extending rearwardly from a lower end of this front half section. A vehicle body part is provided for covering portions of this main frame member. In the motorcycle, the main frame member includes left and right sidewall parts as well as a bottom wall part, and is opened upward. The vehicle body cover is provided so as to cover, from above, an opened portion of the main frame member and a portion of each of the left and right sidewall parts. A lower portion of the rear half section is exposed to the outside as an external appearance design surface.
US08360184B2
A control system is disclosed which permits operation of a Plug-in Hybrid IC-Electric Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV) in either parallel electric hybrid or IC modes with a single accelerator pedal. The operation of the electrical equipment is optimized to provide maximum electric power as long as the battery has useable capacity while being completely transparent to the driver. This control system is particularly suitable for converting an existing vehicle to a PHEV.
US08360182B2
A method for controlling the operating mode of a drive of a vehicle that includes a main drive unit and an auxiliary tractive energy source. The method includes operating the main drive unit, detecting the duration of actuation of an uninterrupted actuation of a brake pedal, and detecting whether the duration of actuation is above a minimum duration by comparing the duration of actuation with a minimum duration. The main drive unit is switched off if it has been detected that the duration of actuation is above the minimum duration. Otherwise, operation of the main drive unit is continued if it has been detected that the duration of actuation is not above the minimum duration. A device for carrying out the method is also described, which includes a timer for detecting the duration of actuation and a comparator for comparing the duration of actuation with a minimum duration.
US08360180B2
A method includes identifying a first operating sequence of a repeated operation of at least one non-traction load. The method also includes determining first and second parameters respectively indicative of a requested energy and output energy of the at least one non-traction load and comparing the determined first and second parameters at a plurality of time increments of the first operating sequence. The method also includes determining a third parameter of the hybrid energy system indicative of energy regenerated from the at least one non-traction load and monitoring the third parameter at the plurality of time increments of the first operating sequence. The method also includes determining at least one of an energy deficiency or an energy surplus associated with the non-traction load of the hybrid energy system and selectively adjusting energy stored within the storage device during at least a portion of a second operating sequence.
US08360176B2
A method for a down hole cutting tool is disclosed, wherein the cutting tool includes a cutting element support structure having at least one cutter pocket to support a cutting element comprising a substrate and an ultrahard layer. The method includes inserting a base portion of the cutting element into the cutter pocket; locating a first braze alloy such that when heated the first braze alloy melts and fills a space in the cutter pocket between the cutting element and the cutting element support structure adjacent the ultrahard layer; locating a second braze alloy such that when heated the second braze alloy melts and fills a space in the cutter pocket between the cutting element and the cutting element support structure non-adjacent the ultrahard layer; and heating the first and second braze alloy such that they melt.
US08360175B2
This invention relates to carbide inserts used on roller cone bits for oil and gas drilling applications as well as for other geological drilling applications, and more specifically, relates to the convex crested insert with deflected wedge surfaces. The insert comprises a cylindrical portion and a crest portion. Said crest portion is composed of a conical crest base, a top surface and two opposing wedge surfaces. Upper ends of the two wedge surfaces are merged smoothly with top surface of the insert. The specific feature of the structure is that top surface of the crest portion is convexed outwardly and forms a smooth curve surface which is higher in the middle and lowers down gradually to each end. Said two wedge surfaces are slant wedge surfaces, so that a width of the top surface and therefore a width of the insert crest are tapered from one end to the other. Advantages of this invention include: 1. Help for rock breaking and therefore, it can increase drilling efficiency of the cutters and lower the overall drilling cost; 2. higher anti-breakage capability and longer working life; and 3. when inserts of this invention are used as heel row cutting elements on bit, contact area between wider end of the top surface of the insert and borehole wall is larger and therefore the gouging action applied on the borehole wall is higher and can also achieve better gage protection of the bit.
US08360169B1
One aspect of the instant disclosure relates to a subterranean drilling assembly comprising a subterranean drill bit and a sub apparatus coupled to the drill bit. Further, the sub apparatus may include at least one cooling system configured to cool at least a portion of the drill bit. For example, the sub apparatus may include at least one cooling system comprising a plurality of refrigeration coils or at least one thermoelectric device. In another embodiment a subterranean drill bit may include at least one cooling system positioned at least partially within the subterranean drill bit. Also, a sub apparatus or subterranean drill bit may be configured to cool drilling fluid communicated through at least one bore of a subterranean drill bit and avoiding cooling drilling fluid communicated through at least another bore of the subterranean drill bit. Methods of operating a subterranean drill bit are disclosed.
US08360168B2
It is an object of the invention to provide a power tool that effectively prevents leakage of lubricant while regulating the internal pressure of a housing space for a driving mechanism.The object can be achieved by a representative power tool that includes a too bit 119, a driving mechanism 113, 115, an enclosed housing space 107a which houses the driving mechanism and in which lubricant is sealed in, and a path 151 which regulates pressure of the housing space 107a. On the path, a filter chamber 154 having a predetermined capacity, an inner passage 155c that communicates the filter chamber 154 with the housing space 107a, and an outer passage 159c that communicates the filter chamber 154 with the outside are formed. A filter 157 is disposed in the filter chamber 154 and spaced apart from a peripheral edge of an opening of the outer passage 159c which is open to the filter chamber 154, so that a space 161 is created on the opening edge side of the filter chamber 154. A throttle member 163, 167 is disposed in the space 161 and throttles flow of air which flows out to the outer passage 159c through the filter 157.
US08360162B2
A hybrid fire suppression system includes a supply of pressurized inert gas, a pipe network connected in inert gas flow communication to the inert gas supply, a first inert gas nozzle, a second inert gas nozzle, and a water storage cartridge having an interior volume defining a water reservoir storing a limited amount of water. The water reservoir communicates with the second inert gas spray nozzle. The first inert gas nozzle connects with the first terminus for introducing a flooding flow of inert gas only into a first protected space. The second inert gas nozzle connects with the second terminus for introducing a flooding flow of inert gas and the limited amount of water from the water reservoir into the second protected space.
US08360160B2
Methods and apparatus are provided to place a conductor pipe and a casing in a subsea environment. In one embodiment, a conductor pipe is jetted or drilled into the subsea floor. Thereafter, a casing drilling assembly comprising a drill casing and a drilling assembly is connected to the drill pipe using a crossover. The drilling assembly urged into the seafloor until a casing latch on the drilling assembly is engaged with a casing profile of the conductor pipe. During drilling, instrumentation in the drilling assembly may be used to measure geophysical data. The measured data may be used to optimize the drilling process. After the drill casing is engaged with the conductor pipe, cementing may be performed to set the drill casing.
US08360151B2
Compositions and methods that mitigate pressure buildup in the annular space between two tubular bodies in subterranean wells. The composition of the invention comprises an aqueous solution of crosslinkable acrylamide-base polymer, a crosslinker and a gas. Once foamed and placed in the annular space, the composition provides a resilient, flexible, compressible and durable body that is able to compensate for pressure increases in the annular space, thereby protecting the integrity of the tubular bodies.
US08360140B2
A well head lubricator assembly including an elongated rigid tubular body defining an interior chamber open at a lower end to receive a plunger at a well head. The plunger is slidably positioned within the chamber in response to forces or loads acting thereon and has a seat arranged toward an upper end thereof. An upper end of the tubular body is closed. An axially elongated one-piece thermoplastic ether ester elastomer spring is slidingly positioned within the interior chamber of the tubular body. One end of the spring is seated on the seat of the plunger. The spring defines an elongated bore opening to opposed ends thereof. Moreover, the spring is provided with a plurality of axially spaced flange sections along a length thereof for guiding the spring for endwise sliding movement on an inside diameter of the tubular body. Any two flange sections on the spring are axially separated by an energy absorbing section for allowing the spring to react to energy imparted to the plunger. Each energy absorbing section on the spring defines a wall having a lateral thickness ranging between about 20% to about 30% of an axial length of the energy absorbing section extending axially between any two adjacent flange sections and such that radial expansion of the energy absorbing sections is limited to about an outermost edge of the flange sections.
US08360136B2
In a continuous casting method, the outside surface of a continuous casting nozzle which supplies molten metal into a mold while immersed in the molten metal in the mold, is heated to 1000° C. or higher by a nozzle heating device comprising an external heater which performs radiant heating, while the molten metal passes through the continuous casting nozzle.
US08360135B2
At the operation of a suction pump, a negative pressure is generated in a supply-side pipe line, a cooling passageway of a mold, and a return-side pipe line. Cooling water stored in a water tank is sucked by the negative pressure, flows from a first feed-water inlet to the supply-side pipe line, flows through the supply-side pipe line, and enters the cooling passageway of the mold. After the cooling water cools down the mold while flowing through the cooling passageway of the mold, it flows out to the return-side pipe line. Additionally, at the operation of the suction pump, a negative pressure is also generated in a bypass pipe line. The cooling water stored in the water tank is sucked by the negative pressure, flows from a second feed-water port to the bypass pipe line, and enters the return-side pipe line via the bypass pipe line.
US08360128B2
A transfer tool of the present invention comprises a transfer head which has a folding back guide portion for folding and guiding a transfer tape and a pair of outer walls for supporting side ends of the folding back guide and in which a transfer tape passage is formed between the outer walls, a refill for holding at least the transfer head, a case capable of holding the refill such that the refill can be inserted into and pulled out from the case in one direction, and a head cap which is pivotally mounted on the case through a pivot shaft portion and rotatable between a close position where the transfer head is covered and an open position where the transfer head is exposed, wherein the head cap is located outside an inserting and pulling out locus of the transfer head when the head cap is disposed in the close position.
US08360121B2
A wheel having a controlled and compensated pressure includes a rim associated with a tank adapted to be filled with a fluid to a first pressure; a tyre mounted on the rim and having an inner volume inflated to an operating pressure, the operating pressure being lower than the first pressure; at least one valve adapted to regulate a communication between the tank and the inner volume of the tyre, the valve having at least one elastic element operatively associated with a closure member designed to open and close a port of the valve to bring the tank into communication with the tyre when the pressure of the tyre is lower than the operating pressure, the elastic element having an elastic constant showing a variation of 10% to 40% within a temperature range of about −50° C. to about 50° C.
US08360118B2
A fuel system is disclosed for a floating unit, including a fuel passage extending from a filler neck to a motor, a measuring unit disposed in the fuel passage through which at least part of the fuel flowing along the fuel passage flows, for measuring a sulfur content of the fuel through the measuring unit.
US08360114B2
An apparatus for assisting a user in loading a syringe with medication from a medicinal vial comprising an elongated guide having a syringe well and a vial well, the syringe well having a syringe well opening along a surface of the guide. A syringe guide member inserted into and removable from the syringe well through the syringe well opening, the syringe guide member having a bore for receiving and guiding the syringe. The vial well receiving the vial. The guide has a wall separating the syringe well and the vial well, the wall having an aperture formed therethrough providing communication between one end of the bore and the vial, the recess mutually adjacent with the wall. The guide includes a displaceable cover enclosing the syringe well and the vial well. The guide may also include a magnifying element coupled to the cover.
US08360104B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a pressure relief assembly that may include a main housing having an air passage chamber, and a flapper positioned on or within the air passage chamber. The flapper includes a membrane flap and a stabilizing member extending toward a center of the membrane flap. The stabilizing member prevents the center of said membrane flap from flapping open, but allows outer free edges of the membrane flap to open when air flow at a particular pressure is exerted into said membrane flap from an opening direction.
US08360098B2
A monodirectional intake pressure stabilization structure of pneumatic tool includes a tool main body and a pressure stabilization unit. The pressure stabilization unit is disposed in a first directional intake passage formed in the tool main body for controlling the pressure of the air guided by the first directional intake passage into an air chamber of the tool main body. Accordingly, excessively great intake pressure can be avoided so as to avoid over-torque output of the pneumatic tool. In this case, the pneumatic tool can stably output power within a safety range in accordance with the requirements of actual use. The pressure stabilization unit can be a pressure stabilizer or a pressure relief valve.
US08360082B2
A folding umbrella, particularly one having multiple folds, has a support frame incorporating a hybrid rib typically located intermediate a main rib and a rear or outermost rib. The hybrid rib is formed of multiple sections composed of first and second materials which respectively provide the desired structural strength to reduce inversions of the umbrella to an acceptable minimum and provide the hybrid rib with the desired resiliency and flexibility to return the hybrid rib to its original, unstressed shape and thereby prevent permanent damage to the hybrid rib as well as adjoining frame elements of the umbrella. The thicknesses of the multiple sections and the relative sizes of the sections also significantly contribute to the capability of the hybrid rib to achieve the desired objectives of a compact, small, folding umbrella of reduced weight, and the ability to prevent permanent damage to the frame due to inversion.
US08360077B2
This invention provides a headband with pliable ends. More specifically, the headband with pliable ends has a curvilinear body integrally formed from an arcuate midsection and two pliable end sections. Each pliable end section extends from opposite ends of the midsection. The arcuate midsection structured and arranged to conform to a generalized top of head shape. The pliable end sections are each structured and arranged to be selectively deformable to conform to a user's side of head shape.
US08360076B2
A hair styling tool includes a body, a cylinder extending from the body, the cylinder rotatable relative to the body, a motor for rotating the cylinder, a heater to heat the cylinder, and a styling arm pivotally attached to the body. The hair styling tool may have a generally clam shell configuration, wherein the styling arm is movable between an open position in which the styling arm is distant the cylinder and a closed position in which the styling arm is proximate to the cylinder, such as contacting the cylinder. The styling arm may also include a brush head with fixed or retractable bristles and/or a smoothing plate.
US08360074B2
A smoking article (10) comprises a rod (12) of smokeable material and a filter (14) attached to one end of the rod. The filter comprises an elongate body of filter material (16) wrapped with a transparent plug wrap (18). A first tipping wrapper (20a) overlies the join between the rod and the filter to attach the filter to the rod. At least one additional tipping wrapper (20b) is provided around the filter, spaced from and separate to the first tipping wrapper such that a portion of the transparent plug wrap is exposed between the first and at least one additional tipping wrapper to define a window portion (22) through which the filter material is visible. A method of producing such a smoking article is also disclosed.
US08360071B2
A covered ashtray which has a reversible top which is reversed when the ashtray is in use. The reversed side allows for the use of the ashtray in a standard fashion. Upon completion of use, the top may be placed back into the original position, wherein the ash and cigarette butts will be deposited into a chamber in the bottom portion of the ashtray.
US08360059B2
A breathing tube system for connection to a respirator (2), which is provided with a tube heater, avoids a local increase in temperature during the heating of the tube (4, 7). Resistance wires (9, 10) are connected to one another on the breathing tubes (4, 7) in the form of a series connection and are contacted at the respirator (2) in the area of an inspiration port (3) and of an expiration port (6).
US08360052B2
Melting metals using the sun's energy is not new, but is new is making the technology ergonomic, and easy to use. Invented is a half-circular-planar-reflector with a cut-a-way-triangle, hinged and attached a half-shell-parabolic-reflector. When the sun is overhead, the sun's energy reflects off the flat half-circular-planar-reflector to a half-shell-parabolic-dish-reflector, which redirects the sun's energy to a crucible for smelting metals, which is also the focus of the sun's energy. The entire assembly rotates on top of a turntable, which can be steel wheel, floating on compressed air, bicycle wheels, or other suitable methods. The entire assembly rotates about a crucible located at the focal of the sun's energy. A smaller version of the smelter can be used for solar cooking.
US08360049B2
A windscreen having base positionable adjacent a fire, a first body portion removeably secured to the base in a substantially vertical orientation, and a securing member connected to the first body portion and capable of removeably securing a second body portion above or next to the first body portion.
US08360048B2
Self-heating containers comprise a reaction chamber and a heating chamber. The heating chamber is sized to contain a substance to be heated. The reaction chamber contains reactants which, when contacted, exothermically react. The reaction chamber is divided into a first compartment and a second compartment with a barrier therebetween. The barrier comprises a first barrier portion and a second barrier portion. The first barrier portion is attached to a reaction chamber wall and has an opening sized to allow reactants to flow through from one compartment to the other. The second barrier portion is attached to the first barrier portion to close the opening. The barrier can be opened by moving an actuator into engagement with the second barrier portion to dislodge the second barrier portion from the first barrier portion and thereby open the barrier.
US08360041B2
The present invention comprises a two-track cam assembly wherein the cam assembly has a bowstring component for housing the bowstring and a power cable component that allows for the take up and let out of the power cable on opposing ends of the power cable component, effectively creating a two-track cam assembly. The efficiency rating of the device achieves 95.8%. The cam assembly can come in a unitary or modular form and further each component (i.e. the bowstring or power cable component) can be in a circular or non-circular form.
US08360040B2
A system for controlling fuel to an engine to minimize emissions in an exhaust of the engine. There may be a controller connected to an actuator, for example a fuel control actuator, of the engine and to emissions sensors, such as an NOx and/or PM sensor, proximate to an exhaust output of the engine. The controller, for example a speed controller, may have an input connected to an output of a pedal or desired speed setting mechanism. A speed sensor at a power output of the engine may be connected to an input of the controller.
US08360029B2
The present invention relates to a method of improving vaporization of a fuel injecting an engine that can work at least a conventional mode during a high load and an at least partly homogeneous mode with an intake, compression, combustion and exhaust phase during the high load, said engine comprising at least one cylinder, a combustion chamber, at least one intake valve associated with an intake pipe, at least one exhaust valve with an exhaust pipe, control means for controlling opening-closing of the at least one valve and fuel injection means.
US08360024B2
A device and a method for controlling at least one glow plug of a motor vehicle are described. The at least one glow plug is controlled as a function of the operating state of the internal combustion engine. In this case, the control is effected as a function of a variable which depends on the exhaust gas temperature and/or as a function of the fulfillment of a fuel quantity condition and/or time condition.
US08360023B2
A valve lift mechanism may include a housing member and a plunger. The housing member may define a first annular wall including a first oil passage. An inner circumference of the first annular wall may define a first continuous region along an axial extent corresponding to the first oil passage from a first location on the inner circumference and circumferentially offset from the first oil passage to a second location on the inner circumference. The plunger may be located within the housing member within the first annular wall. The plunger may define a second annular wall including a series of apertures axially aligned with the first oil passage and separated from one another by an outer circumferential region of the second annular wall. The outer circumferential region may abut the first continuous region of the first annular wall to inhibit oil flow past the outer circumferential region.
US08360018B2
A V-type internal combustion engine having a variable valve train for keeping the height of the internal combustion engine low. Disclosed is a V-type internal combustion engine with a variable valve train that uses an actuator to vary the phase/lift amount of camshafts. The actuator is mounted on head covers for each of a plurality of cylinder blocks arranged in a V-shape. The actuator is attached to a lateral surface positioned opposite the offset direction of the head covers. In an embodiment, the actuator is attached to a lateral surface of the head covers and positioned close to the inside of the V banks.
US08360009B2
An animal support harness and method of supporting and restraining movement of an animal is provided. The apparatus includes a sling that can be routed around the abdomen of the animal, and a plurality of primary support straps extend and are joined at a handle. A leash strap is integrated with the handle, and extends to connect to the collar of the animal. The integral leash strap along with the primary support straps enables an owner to control not only an upward supporting force for the animal, but also provides an inherent restraint to prevent an animal from walking too quickly or lunging, which might otherwise harm the animal.
US08360008B2
A biodegradable chew toy having a first body that is made of a first biodegradable material have first characteristic. A second body is made of a second biodegradable material having a second characteristic. The second body is overmolded by the first body. The first characteristic and the second characteristic differ by elasticity.
US08359994B1
A retractable cover system for a pontoon boat comprising an expanding frame of U-shaped supports sliding in tracks along the sides of the boat, the U-shaped supports interconnected by expanding scissors. The bow and stern ends of the frame are provided with pivoting sections that include horizontal and angled U-shaped supports to define fabric-supporting and fabric-securing structure at the bow and stern of the boat when the frame is fully extended. The retracted frame and fabric cover self-store at the stern of the boat by tilting a pivot station portion of the track rearwardly.
US08359977B2
An initiator device, comprising an explosive foil initiator; an initiator shaped charge that is activated by the explosive foil initiator; the initiator shaped charge comprising an outer casing having an opening therein defining a volume, an explosive located inside the opening, the explosive defining a concave cavity therein; a metal liner lining the concave cavity; and a detonation cord that is activated by the initiator shaped charge.
US08359976B2
The invention relates to a method and a machine for aligning at least two flexographic printing plates on at least one printing cylinder. The method comprises the steps of capturing an image relating to a first plate, capturing the image relating to a portion of a second plate, reprocessing the image captured from the first plate so as to obtain a portion thereof corresponding to the image relating to the portion of the second plate, concurrently displaying said reprocessed image and the image captured from the second plate and aligning said two images.
US08359971B2
An improved, leak resistant, siphoning device that includes an elongated hollow body member, a means for filling and emptying the hollow body member, such as an elastomeric resilient suction bulb and a valve placed between the hollow member and the filling/emptying means. The suction bulb defines a chamber therein, so that when it is squeezed and released it will create suction to direct fluid up through the first open head end into the elongated hollow body member using pressure differential. Squeezing the suction bulb can release the liquid and partial solids held within the elongated hollow body member out of the first open head end. The suction bulb also has an optional opening for venting heated air from the bulb, and a means to selectively close the opening for creating vacuum or pressure required to draw or expel liquid from the tube.
US08359960B2
A cutter including a base, a holder, a cutter blade portion, and a laser generator. The holder is supported on the base portion in an upright posture. The cutter blade portion supports a moving blade. The cutter blade portion is supported on the holder movable between an upper position and a lower position. The cutter blade portion is moved into the lower position to cut a workpiece supported on the base using the moving blade. The laser generator is attached to the holder or the cutter blade portion in an orientation to direct at least a portion of the laser light onto a position on the workpiece that is directly beneath the cutter blade portion when the cutter blade portion is in the upper position. Alternatively, a holder has a shaft support portion, and a slide shaft is axially slidably supported by the shaft support portion. A front end of the slide shaft has a hinge holder which pivotally supports the cutting blade portion. A laser generator is fixed to a front side of the hinge holder.
US08359958B2
An emergency braking system of a machine tool for the abrupt braking of a rotating shaft of the machine tool having at least one brake drum and at least one brake shoe, which are brought into engagement with each other in order to brake the shaft. According to the present system, the brake drum engages with the brake shoe under the influence of a centrifugal force resulting from the rotation of a shaft.
US08359956B1
A rose engine apparatus is disclosed for attaching to a lathe having a lathe bed and a headstock with a rotatable spindle. The apparatus includes a pivotal attaching means for pivotally attaching the headstock with the lathe bed. At least one cam is selectively fixable to a cam attachment means fixed to the spindle of the headstock, each cam having a continuous, variable radius along a peripheral edge thereof. A cam roller is fixed with the lathe bed so as to make contact with the peripheral edge of a selected cam. A biasing spring urges the selected cam against the roller means, such that the headstock pivots with respect to the lathe bed as a function of the variable radius of the selected cam, as the spindle and workpiece rotates. As such, cutting operations can be performed on the workpiece that correspond to the variable radius of the selected cam. The apparatus may be bypassed to allow conventional operation of the lathe without removing the apparatus therefrom.
US08359950B2
A nail set includes a body portion and a tool portion. The body portion includes an opening formed therein. The tool portion includes a first work portion at one end portion thereof, and a second work portion at an opposite end portion thereof. The first work portion and the second work portion are constructed and arranged to be interchangeably received in the opening. The tool portion includes an outwardly extending shoulder portion between the first work portion and the second work portion. The outwardly extending shoulder portion is constructed and arranged to provide a path for force transmitted from the body portion, when the tool portion is disposed in the body portion and the body portion is impacted by a tool.
US08359944B2
A robot arm includes a circular rack, an elongated first mounting member attached to the rack, and a second mounting member attached to the first mounting member. The first mounting member extends in a radius direction of the rack and moves in a circular trace along the rack. The second mounting member slides relative to the first mounting member along the radius direction, thereby defining a polar coordinate system in a plane defined by the rack to allow the second mounting member to flexibly locate at any desired positions in the plane.
US08359943B2
A gearshift device for an automatic transmission that prevents inadvertent gearshift operations. The gearshift device includes a shaft-shaped gearshift member partially exposed from a housing so as to be rotatable relative to the housing about a rotation axis and movable sidewards in at least a first direction that intersects the rotation axis. The gearshift member is rotated to a plurality of rotation positions respectively corresponding to the gear positions of the automatic transmission. A movement restriction unit permits movement of the gearshift member in the first direction only when the gearshift member is rotated to a selected one of the rotation positions to determine shifting to the gear position corresponding to the selected one of the rotation positions. A control unit provides the automatic transmission with a gearshift control signal corresponding to the selected one of the rotation positions.
US08359937B2
An assembly for insertion of an object into a pipeline comprises a base, a connector, and a set of pins. The base has a cylindrical passage and is connected to a mechanism for configured to drive the object into an inlet in the pipeline. The connector includes a head and a cylinder with a threaded internal surface and a external surface having a groove spanning a circumference of the external surface. The connector is rotatable within the cylindrical passage in the base in a first direction and held substantially stationary within the cylindrical passage in the base in a second direction by the set of pins in cooperation with the groove. The base is rotatable in the first direction and held substantially stationary in the second direction while connected to the inlet in the pipeline by the connector.
US08359935B2
A sensor apparatus includes a resilient member positioned near a rod member and a strain sensor operatively connected to the resilient member. The rod member includes an eccentric member, which causes the resilient member to deflect as the rod member rotates. The strain sensor measures the strain in the resilient member due to the deflections caused by the eccentric member. The amount of strain relates to a rotational position of the rod member.
US08359919B2
Provided is a high-precision, mechanically robust thermal humidity sensor. A detecting element 1 of the thermal humidity sensor of the present invention has a diaphragm (a bridge structure) 2 formed on a planar substrate which is formed from a material with high thermal conductivity such as silicon or ceramic. Formed on the diaphragm 2 are temperature detecting resistors 4, 5, 6, and 7 and a heating resistor 3 arranged in a manner surrounding the temperature detecting resistors. Humidity is detected based on the outputs of the temperature detecting resistors 4, 5, 6, and 7. Accordingly, humidity measurement errors that can possibly occur due to the leakage of heat through the diaphragm 2 to the planar substrate can be reduced.
US08359918B1
The rain gauge with a particulate separator is a balance-type precipitation gauge having a particulate separator for removing sand, dust and other environmental particulate matter. The particulate separator includes a spherical particulate separator mounted beneath a central nozzle and above first and second receptacles of the gauge. A frustoconical particulate separator is mounted beneath the spherical particulate separator and above the first and second receptacles, a central channel being formed therethrough. In operation, liquid flows through the central nozzle and clings to an outer surface of the spherical particulate separator, flowing through the central channel to alternately fill the first and second receptacles. Particulate matter flowing through the central nozzle is deflected by the outer surface of the spherical particulate separator to strike an inclined upper surface of the frustoconical particulate separator, falling through at least one vent formed through the housing to exit the housing.
US08359914B2
A procedure for checking the functionality of a reducing agent pump (172) of a NOx-reduction system of a combustion engine (110) is thereby characterized, in that it is checked, whether the pump (172) reaches a default engine speed value in a defined time interval within defined limits.
US08359906B2
An object of the present invention is to provide an environment testing apparatus capable of achieving, on the surface of a test object, a stable condensation status with less variation in the condensation amount than that of already existing-art. The environment testing apparatus 100 includes a regulator 4. On the basis of a signal from a condensation amount sensor 9, the regulator 4 controls the temperature of a cooling/heating plate 6 between a deviation-added value of the wet bulb temperature obtained from the wet bulb 11, and a deviation-added value of the dew-point temperature inside the test chamber 1.
US08359892B1
A rebar bending device for bending rebar. The device features a base plate and a rotator plate pivotally attached to the top of the base plate. A top plate is attached atop the rotator plate. A first pin extends from the base plate through the rotator plate and through the top plate. The rotator plate can rotate about the first pin with respect to the base plate and top plate. An arc-shaped slots are disposed in the top plate, which is adapted to receive a dial pin that is anchored to the rotator plate. A dial is marked atop the top plate (the second marker plate). A second pin is disposed on the top of the top plate near the first pin and a third pin is disposed on the top of the rotator plate.
US08359876B2
A refrigerated display merchandiser is provided that includes a microchannel evaporator positioned within the merchandiser such that both the fins and the tubes of the microchannel evaporator are vertically oriented or substantially vertically oriented with respect to a vertical axis of the refrigerated display merchandiser, thus more reliably ensuring removal of condensate from the microchannel evaporator.
US08359869B2
A method and systems for an engine igniter excitation system includes an energy storage device, a first adaptive comparator configured to control the storage of an amount of energy in the energy storage device wherein the amount of energy is determined using at least one of an environmental parameter of the engine and a process parameter of the engine. The system also includes a second adaptive comparator communicatively coupled to the energy storage device wherein the second adaptive comparator is configured to control a rate of energy delivery to the energy storage device using at least one of an environmental parameter of the engine and a process parameter of the engine. The system also includes an igniter configured to generate a spark based on the amount of stored energy and the rate of energy delivery.
US08359832B2
An engine exhaust aftertreatment system including a mixer disposed in the exhaust stream. The mixer includes a mesh section having a mesh of wires and may include a baffle section having a deflector that redirects a direction of flow of the exhaust stream. The mesh section may not extend across an entire width of an exhaust conduit containing the exhaust stream. The mesh section may also be sized and located to intersect the reductant introduced by the injector.
US08359829B1
Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media directed toward reducing emissions are disclosed. In some aspects, a hybrid powertrain may include an engine and a motor. A combination of output from the engine and motor may be chosen that reduces a concentration of one or more pollutants. In some cases, an exhaust aftertreatment system may be remotely activated, which may reduce warmup time associated with emissions mitigation.
US08359824B2
A combined cycle power plant includes a gas turbomachine system including a compressor and a gas turbine that extracts work from gases at a first temperature. The combined cycle power plant also includes a steam turbomachine system including at least one steam turbine that extracts work from gases at a second temperature. The combined cycle power plant further includes a heat recovery steam generator having a main housing fluidly connected to the gas turbine. The heat recovery steam generator includes a plurality of heat pipes that extend within the main housing in fluid communication with the gases at the first temperature. The plurality of heat pipes are also in fluid communication with the gases at the second temperature. The plurality of heat pipes absorb heat from the gases at the first temperature and pass the heat into the gases at the second temperature to form gases at a third temperature.
US08359816B2
A method of shipping at least one child-resistant medicate container via a carrier includes providing or obtaining at least one child-resistant medicate container including a front sidewall, and an opposing rear sidewall, a right sidewall, an opposing left sidewall, and at least one locking mechanism. The method also includes creating or obtaining a flat-rate shipping package from a carrier, inserting the at least one child-resistant medicate container into the package, and closing the package to enclose the at least one child-resistant medicate container within the package so that the package is generally flat and acceptable by the carrier for a flat-rate shipping. The method also includes causing the closed package to be shipped or transported by the carrier at a flat-rate.
US08359810B2
Methods and systems for building a stress ribbon structure over an opening via incremental launching, a construction fixture, a support structure, an anchorage panel, and a stress ribbon structure are disclosed. Construction fixtures are constructed adjacent to a support structure. The stress ribbon structure is constructed in a staging area and in sections that are suspended between the construction fixtures. Anchorage panels at each end of a section engage a blister on the construction fixtures and the support structure. Completed sections are launched from the construction fixtures onto and along the support structure. Sections are individually constructed and launched and adjacent sections abut along a lateral edge. Adjacent sections are aligned by adjusting tension in integral support cables and their ends pivot or rotate about the blisters via a bearing system with both rotational flexibility and low friction to support sliding in the direction of launching.
US08359809B1
An apparatus and method of refurbishing a modular work station or cubicle having a wall segment with at least one exterior surface and at least one horizontal load support that is connected to the wall segment so that it confronts the exterior surface. The apparatus includes one or more sheets of material that can be trimmed to the dimensions of the exterior surface and which are thin enough so that they are able to be inserted between a load support (such as a desk top, tack board, shelf, tool rail, cabinet, or the like) and the external surface. The one or more sheets can be penetrable (tackable), paramagnetic, and/or capable of use with wet or dry markers. The one or more sheets may also be provided with a finishing layer of woven material or fabric and can be fire resistant and/or have acoustical dampening properties.
US08359803B2
An elongated grid runner, and its manufacture, comprising a pair of overlying metal strips roll-formed together into a shape suitable for use in a rectangular grid to support ceiling panels, one of said strips serving as a visible cap for concealing the other strip forming the main body of the grid runner when the grid member is employed in a completed ceiling, the strips being lanced at each end of the grid runner to lock the cap strip on the main body strip whereby when the overlying strips are simultaneously cut to a finish length prior to finish roll-forming, the ends of the strip are maintained in substantially overlying end-to-end registration where the cap is visible in a finished ceiling.
US08359787B2
A buffering device for temporarily storing containers with plants in a buffer space includes a supply device for supplying containers, a disposer for disposing a number of supplied containers in a row extending in a first direction, a distributor provided with at least one controllable gripper for gripping a row of containers, wherein the distributor is movable substantially in a second direction which differs from the first direction, and is movable above the disposer. In turn the gripper includes opposing pivot arms arranged opposite to one another relative to an intended row of containers to be gripped, and further includes a pivot driver.
US08359785B2
A fan type noxious insect control apparatus is disclosed which is desirably used carried on a user's body part and excels in noxious insect control performance. To this end, the apparatus is so configured that air is drawn through an inlet port (6) by driving of an axial flow fan (3) and passed through a chemical carrier (2) carrying a noxious insect control active ingredient to form the air containing such active ingredient, the air being run out through an outlet port (7) to diffuse the active ingredient into the ambient atmosphere and further that the inlet port (6) at an upstream of the fan (3) is open facing axially thereof, the outlet port (7) at a downstream of the fan (3) is open facing radially thereof, and there are provided an annular wall (8) surrounding the fan (3) and an air flow passage (9) communicating between a delivery section of the fan (3) and the outlet port (7) to convert air flowing out of the axial flow fan (3) axially thereof to air flowing radially thereof.
US08359780B2
Various detachable firearm mounting bracket device embodiments are provided. According to an embodiment, a detachable mounting bracket is adapted to allow users of various weapons platforms and support devices to rapidly and securely attach support devices, e.g., bipods and tripods, to a firearm in tandem. A detachable mounting bracket can comprise a housing to attach to a firearm forend, a clamping mechanism to secure the housing to a firearm, and a rail interface adapted to receive a plurality of adapters. The detachable mounting bracket device can be attached to a firearm with a clamp, screw closure, and a vertical interlock clamp. After the detachable mounting bracket is attached to a firearm, a user can easily and rapidly secure a support device to the rail interface using a plurality of adapters. Other aspects, features, and embodiments are also claimed and described.
US08359776B2
A sign holder includes a base, a first sign sleeve and at least one second sign sleeve. The base has a mounting portion configured to mount to an electronic kiosk, a sleeve support portion and a connecting portion coupling the mounting portion to the sleeve support portion. The first sign sleeve receives at least one sign and is mounted to a front surface of the sleeve support portion and the at least one second sign sleeve receives at least one sign and is mounted to a front surface of the first sign sleeve.
US08359771B2
The invention relates to a sports shoe (1) with an outer shell (2) made of injection moulded plastic, in particular a ski shoe with at least one tightening means (12) arranged in the upper end section of the shoe collar (5) running ring-like around the upper end section of the shoe collar (5), and with at least one adjusting means (13) for tightening or limiting the width of the entry opening into the sports shoe (1) as necessary. For this a first and a further tightening element (15, 16) are arranged above one another in vertical direction within a section of the length of the tightening means (12), where the tightening elements (15, 16) run essentially parallel to one another. The first tightening element (15) is designed to bear against the peripheral sections of the comparatively flexible inner shoe (3) or its tongue (17) and the further tightening element (16) is designed to bear against the upper end section of the shoe collar (5) made of a relatively rigid plastic. In this way pressure points can be avoided or reduced on the leg of the user and the level of comfort when using the sports shoe (1) can be increased.
US08359766B2
The technology relates to spray dried plasma and methods of making the same. The method includes providing plasma to a spray drying apparatus, spray drying the plasma, at the spray drying apparatus, to form physiologically active plasma powder, the spray drying apparatus configured utilizing one or more parameters, and storing the physiologically active plasma powder.
US08359754B2
A utility tool comprising a body having a first end and a second end positioned on opposite ends of the body; a removable blade cartridge positioned within the body, wherein a knife blade within the removable blade cartridge is configured to slidably extend out from the first end; as well as a first tool and a second tool configured to be selectively coupled to each other or one of either the first end and second end of the body. The utility tool includes a knife switch coupled to the knife blade, the knife blade moves from the retracted position to the extended position only when the blade cartridge is engaged within the body. The utility tool having a spring mechanism for biasing the knife blade to the retracted position and a leaf member for engaging and disengaging the blade cartridge from the blade cartridge bay by a snap fit.
US08359737B2
A device for connecting a framework of lengths of timber includes a number of upper and lower frame sections, as well as a number of diagonals or struts wherein at least one press tool is disposed to fixedly press at least one nail plate over joints between the lengths of timber, and that the press tools are disposed in a portal with a number of upper beams and a number of lower beams on which the press tools are adjustable reciprocally across the framework between a position in which the press tool collects a pair of nail plates, and a position over a joint for fixedly pressing one of the nail plates on the upper side and the other on the under side of the joint.
US08359735B2
A head assembly for a chip mounter is provided. The head assembly includes a nozzle module disposed above a printed circuit board (PCB) and configured to pick up and move an electronic component to mount the electronic component on the PCB, and a component recognition module electrically connected to the nozzle module and configured to recognize presence of the electronic component, a distance between the PCB and the nozzle module, and alignment of the electronic component at least one given moving position of the electronic component.
US08359725B1
The different advantageous embodiments provide a method and apparatus for forming materials that may comprise a body having a channel and an insert. The channel may extend to a first opening in the body and a second opening in the body. The embodiments may also provide a mandrel disposed in the channel of the body and the insert of the body. The mandrel may have a shaft, a head on the shaft, and a compressible material disposed between the head and the insert of the body. The embodiments may also provide a collar. The collar may have a diameter smaller than a diameter of the body. The embodiments may also provide a biasing system configured to guide the collar in a first direction to a first position and then to a second position and configured to apply force to the body in a second direction.
US08359720B2
Disclosed herein is a reflectively patterned, fibrous, sided nonwoven material comprising a first set of fibers hydraulically needled with a web of a second set of fibers, the first set of fibers primarily containing short fibers and the second set of fibers primarily containing one of (a) substantially continuous filaments, (b) long fibers, and (c) short fibers having an average fiber length at least twice the average fiber length of the first set of fibers. The material has a first surface predominately comprising the first set of fibers and an opposing second surface predominately comprising the second set of fibers. A method of patterning a sided nonwoven web and a reflectively patterned, sided nonwoven material also are disclosed.
US08359716B2
A connection assembly includes two connecting modules each including a load housing with a locking device, a spring locking element, a latch piece, a magnet and armature construction, and a movement track on which the latch piece can move from a closed position to an open position. The locking device, the magnet and armature construction and the movement track cooperate by way of an opening whereupon the connecting modules move on the movement track such that the magnet and armature move in opposition and the latch piece and the spring locking element move in opposition until the spring locking element is no longer engaged. On closing, the connecting module locks with the aid of magnetic force. The position of the load housing and the position and form of the movement track are such that on moving the connecting module the loading housings move together against a load.
US08359698B1
An improved mop system and method is provided including a T-shaped handle and a mop head. The handle comprises an elongated cylindrical shaft with a crossbar perpendicularly attached at the base of the shaft.The mop head comprises a sheet of flexible, absorbent first material and a sheet of flexible, reinforcing second material attached to a central area of the absorbent first material, with the joined absorbent first material and reinforcing second material configured with a generally circular central hole. The central hole is sized and shaped to accommodate the handle shaft, allowing the mop head to be fitted over the shaft and drawn down the shaft to be suspended over the crossbar.Preferably the mop head also comprises a third material attached near one or both outer edges of the absorbent first material. Thus the improved mop system provides an easily removable, launderable, and re-installable mop head.
US08359697B2
A toothbrush includes a head portion having bristles thereon, a neck portion, and a handle. One end of the neck portion is connected to the head portion, and the other end is connected to the handle. The axis of the bristles is substantially parallel to the axis of the neck portion. The axis of the neck portion and the axis of the handle form an angle. Accordingly, the toothbrush can be used easily for brushing, and it reduces angle limitations when cleaning the inner surface of teeth.
US08359684B2
The present invention is directed to a mattress which includes a heating unit in an enclosed space thereof to quickly heat the enclosed interior space of the mattress to a certain temperature and replacement main parts that are assembled in a separable box form to facilitate the maintenance service.
US08365311B2
Provided is a highly selective and non-destructive method and apparatus for the measurement of one or more target molecules within a target environment. The apparatus comprises of a modified AFM (atomic force microscope) tip to create a tapered nanoscale co-axial cable, and wherein the application of an alternating potential between the inner and outer electrodes of the co-axial cable creates a dielectrophoretic force for attracting molecules toward the tip-end which is pre-treated with one or more specific ligands.
US08365310B2
Method and apparatus for protecting RFID tags against power attacks by embedding two capacitors in an RFID tag and coupling to the RFID power extraction and computational circuitry to be operated so that at any given time during normal operation of the RFID tag one of them is coupled to the power extraction circuitry of the RFID tag and is storing energy that is being generated by the charge pump of the tag by sucking energy from the electromagnetic or magnetic field of a tag reader, and the other one is uncoupled from the power extraction circuitry of the RFID tag and is discharging and powering the computational element of the tag chip.
US08365307B2
A copy protection apparatus and method enabling storage of copy protection information separately from protected content is disclosed. One embodiment includes a digital data signal receiver to receive a digital data signal, the digital data signal receiver also to receive a copy protection signal produced from a copy protection information file being storable on a copy protection information storage device, a digital to analog converter operatively connected to the digital data signal receiver for converting the digital data signal to an analog signal, and a signal modifier connected to the digital to analog converter and the digital data signal receiver to produce a viewable copy protected analog signal from the analog signal and the copy protection signal, the copy protection signal specifying a modification to the analog signal to change video lines of the analog signal.
US08365304B2
Architecture that provides programmatic association of a device (e.g., removable) to a currently logged-in user, and restricts access to the drive only to that particular logged-in user. When active, the architecture detects when devices are added to the system, determines which logged-in user a given device (or devices) should be assigned, modifies the security settings for the device(s), and makes a per-user drive letter mapping to that device such that only the logged-in user can see the mapped device. In the context of serially attachable peripheral devices such as USB (universal serial bus) devices (and IEEE 1394 devices), for example, access can be restricted to a user based on the USB hub into which the device is connected. This prevents the operating system from assigning a global drive letter to a device or device volume (for drives) when the device is added.
US08365301B2
In a typical peer-to-peer network, any user of the peer-to-peer network may request a lookup of a key and its associated value. To limit access to a stored key-value pair, a user node may generate a registration message for a key-value pair. The value may include the payload to be stored at the storage node, and an access list containing one or more retrieval identifiers indicating one or more users authorized to access the payload. In some cases, the registration message may also include an encrypted payload which is encrypted with a group key. The group key may be included in the registration message, and may be encrypted with an encryption key which is known by the authorized user.
US08365295B2
Methods and systems are disclosed for providing one or more protected segments of a media content segment, selectively providing access to at least a portion of said one or more protected segments in response to an access of a gating segment for a duration, and setting said duration in response to a selection to access said media content segment.
US08365293B2
The invention is directed to techniques to secure interactions between entities communicating on a computer network. In general, techniques are described in which a first entity provides assurances to a second entity that an agent interacting with the second entity is interacting with the second entity on behalf of the first entity. Specifically, the techniques provide the second entity with information tending to indicate that the first entity authorized the agent to perform the interaction with the second entity pursuant to some prior agreement between the two entities. The techniques employ authentication systems and encryption to ensure the security of the interaction.
US08365285B2
The invention discloses a method and a system for deleting or isolating computer viruses. The method of deleting or isolating computer viruses comprises steps of: selecting a first operating system configured with a virus killing module from a plurality of operating systems in a computer, during the computer being in starting process; loading the first operating system; scanning, by the virus killing module, the storage area of at least one operating system of the plurality of operating systems, wherein the at least one operating system doesn't include the first operating system; and deleting or isolating virus found during scanning. According to the present invention, a problem that the basic operating system could not be started due to viruses may be solved, and thus the system stability is greatly improved.
US08365283B1
A plurality of fingerprints are created for a file. Each fingerprint is created in response to an instance of activity involving the file. A malware signature associated with the mutating malware is compared to one or more of the plurality of fingerprints. In response to the malware signature matching one of the plurality of fingerprints, determining that the file is infected with mutating malware. Further, in response to determining that the file is infected with mutating malware, transmitting to a server multiple fingerprints of the plurality of fingerprints. The server analyzes the multiple fingerprints to determine a pattern of mutation by the mutating malware. The determined pattern of mutation is used by the server to create a signature for detecting mutations of the mutating malware.
US08365280B2
A computer-implemented method, program product, and system for determining the validity of a string generated by a computer programming language program. The method includes: abstracting a constraint between variables extracted from a source code for a programming language, describing the constraint in M2L, and storing the constraint; and evaluating the validity of the string on an M2L solver on the basis of the constraint and a M2L specification to determine whether the string is safe or unsafe.
US08365267B2
Embodiments are directed towards employing a plurality of single use passwords to provide phishing detection and user authentication. A user receives a plurality of single use passwords that expire within a defined time period after having been sent to a registered device. During a login attempt, the user enters a user name and a requested one of the passwords, which once entered expires. If valid, the user then enters a portion of another password to complete a displayed portion of a password, and a specified other one of passwords. If the displayed portion of the other passwords does not match any portion of one of passwords, then the user may detect a phishing attempt and terminate the login. If the user correctly the password data, the user may then access secured data. Each new login request requires a different set of passwords to be used.
US08365265B2
An image forming apparatus communicates with an authenticating server having a storing unit which stores user information and first authentication information included in storage media in correspondence to each other. The image forming apparatus receives, from the authenticating server, the first authentication information which was made to correspond to user information input to the image forming apparatus, specifies the first authentication information which does not coincide with second authentication information obtained by reading a storage medium owned by the user and used for user authentication, and transmits a deleting request including the specified first authentication information to the authenticating server. The authenticating server transmits the first authentication information corresponding to the transmitted user information to the image forming apparatus, receives the deleting request including the first authentication information from the image forming apparatus, and deletes, from the storing unit, the first authentication information included in the received deleting request.
US08365258B2
In one embodiment, a network element comprises one or more processors, and a memory module communicatively coupled to the processor. The memory module comprises logic instructions which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to receive, via a first communication channel, a primary authentication request transmitted from a user from a first device, process the primary authentication request to determine whether the user is authorized to access one or more resources, in response to a determination that the user is authorized to access one or more resources, initiate, a secondary authentication request, and transmit the secondary authentication request from the network element to the user via a second communication channel, different from the first communication channel.
US08365252B2
A mobile device's level of access to services provided by a service provider is based on a current security state assessment of the mobile device. Mobile devices are granted different access levels to services based on the security state of the device. A security component can assess the current security state of the mobile device by processing security data generated by the mobile device. In a specific embodiment, the security component is at the mobile device. In another specific embodiment, the security component is at a server.
US08365247B1
Electronic circuitry includes an input/output (I/O) interface, memory which stores a set of database fingerprints generated from records of a database, and an analyzing circuit coupled to the I/O interface and the memory. The analyzing circuit is constructed and arranged to derive a set of sample tokens from electronic data under test (e.g., an email, an electronic document, etc.), and form a set of sample fingerprints from the set of sample tokens. Each sample fingerprint is based on a sample token of the set of sample tokens. The analyzing circuit is further constructed and arranged to output a result signal based on a comparison between the set of sample fingerprints and the set of database fingerprints. The result signal provides an indication of whether the electronic data under test includes particular information from the database.
US08365237B2
Method of bidirectional Time Division Duplex (TDD) data transmission over the same RF frequency ranges of a CATV cable system. The system's slave modem clocks are time synchronized to the master clock of a master modem. The master-to-slave signal propagation times are determined and used to precisely schedule transmissions with de-minimize guard times. The frequency range may be chosen to be in the high frequency CATV range around 1 GHz to maximize backward compatibility with legacy systems, and this frequency may in turn be subdivided into multiple frequencies. In some embodiments, the CATV cable tree may be further partitioned into multiple TDD domains, and multiple local master modems, connected by a special-use optical fiber, may communicate with multiple local slave modems. The system may use MAP allocation schemes that may frequently reallocate TDD time slots and frequencies according to current or projected slave modem data needs.
US08365228B2
MPEG video encoders and MPEG audio encoders encode video signals and audio signals, respectively. An SI/EPG data generator generates program information. A transport stream multiplexer multiplexes the program information with video data and audio data. A system controller controls the data output rates of the encoding operations and the multiplexing ratio.
US08365217B2
A method for managing the detection of advertising sequences in a stream of information stored on a mass memory module of an electronic apparatus, the information stream corresponding to an extract of a television program, the information stream including a first set of information corresponding to a content to be rendered and a second set of information, corresponding to the advertising sequences, the information stream including at least one set of video information, and teletext type data, and subtitle data associated with the stream, the method including analyzing the video information for detecting a format transition in the images associated with the video information; optionally storing a first address information corresponding to the detected transition, and validating a first detection condition; analyzing the teletext type data for detecting an absence, and then a presence, of teletext subtitles associated with the video information, optionally storing a second address information corresponding to the detected, transition, and validating a second detection condition; analyzing the subtitle data associated with the stream for detecting an absence, then a presence of the subtitle data associated with the stream; optionally storing third address information corresponding to the detected transition, and validating a third detection condition; if the three detection conditions are validated, identifying the stored address information as transition sequences between the second set of information and the first set of information.
US08365203B2
A software client (139) for executing an application on a mobile communications device, the software client (139) comprising: a receiver module (140) to receive a file containing mark up language to define the application; a parser (141) to parse the file in order to generate the application during run time to create a native application for the mobile communications device; a screen builder (142) to generate UI components for the native application by mapping procedures defined by the mark-up Language to native application programming interface (API) calls of the operating platform of the mobile communications device.
US08365181B2
A method and system for scheduling jobs in a cluster of compute servers using dynamic job profiling improves the overall performance of the computing cluster. Specifically, the method and system monitors the performance of individual compute servers in a cluster, and assigns jobs to particular compute servers based on the most current performance information of the compute servers. As the job profiles of the compute servers change with every job processed, the decision as to which compute server is most appropriate for a particular job will dynamically change. Various scheduling algorithms can be used in connection with the method and system to assign jobs to specific compute servers based on the available information in the job profiles.
US08365175B2
One embodiment provides a method of managing power in a datacenter having a plurality of servers. A number of policy settings are specified for the power center, including a power limit for the datacenter. The power consumption attributable to each of a plurality of applications executable as a job on one or more of the servers is determined. The power consumption attributable to each application may be further qualified according to the type of server on which the application is executed. Having determined the power consumption attributable to various applications executable as jobs, the applications may be executed on the servers as jobs such that the total power consumption attributable to the currently executed jobs remains within the selected datacenter power limit.
US08365172B2
A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product for dynamically scheduling algorithms in a pipeline which operate on a stream of data. The illustrative embodiments determine a computational cost of each algorithm in a plurality of algorithms in a pipeline. The plurality of algorithms in the pipeline processes an incoming data stream in a first sequential algorithm order. The illustrative embodiments reorder the plurality of algorithms in the pipeline to form a second sequential algorithm order based on the computational cost of each algorithm. The plurality of algorithms may then be executed in the second sequential algorithm order. When the illustrative embodiments assign a spare processing unit to an algorithm at an end of the pipeline, the computational cost of each algorithm in the plurality of algorithms in the pipeline is redetermined.
US08365165B2
A system and method for adding and/or removing a software product to a distribution server is provided. Upon identification that a software product desired is not indexed in the installation server database of the distribution server, then adding the software product to the distribution server. The distribution server maintains multiple products, every product components of the multiple products is indexed by the installation server database of the distribution server. Removal of a software product requires removal of the software product from the index maintained by the installation server database of the distribution server.
US08365164B1
A method of mapping a software installation, including: (a) providing a software installed on a computer with an operating system and at least one storage device, the installation including a plurality of software components and at least one entry in a system record on the storage device; (b) providing a plurality of potential interaction points between said installation and said computer; (c) executing at least one informer on said computer to obtain information about said potential interaction points of said installation with said operating system; and (d) determining a plurality of relationships between said components based on said interaction points on which information was obtained.
US08365162B2
A method, device arrangement, server, terminal device, and a computer program product for changing the use profile of a single terminal device of a cellular network are described. In the method, a server is connected to a telecommunications network, which sends to a single terminal device a program required by the change of its use profile as an over-the-air message, if the terminal device has found the program to be lacking from the terminal device when the new use profile is taken into use. Procedures according to the Device Management standard of Open Mobile Alliance are utilized in the messaging.
US08365161B2
Compatibility determination apparatus and method can properly determine compatibility between elements in an electronic music apparatus. When a reproducing program holds version information indicating, for example, that the own version of the program is 4.0 and music contents of versions 1.0 and 2.0 are reproducible by the program, and a music content holds version information indicating, for example, that the own version of the music content is 3.0 and programs of versions 4.0 and 5.0 can be reproduced on the music content side, the program of version 4.0 can be reproduced on the music content side. Although the information held in the program side does not indicate that a music content of version 3.0 is reproducible by the program, the music content of version 3.0 can be reproduced by the program of version 4.0. Thus, the apparatus and method can properly determine compatibility between the elements.
US08365159B2
A method to update code in an information storage and retrieval system comprising one or more processors, and existing code, where that existing code includes a Concurrent Code Load having (N) phases, where that Concurrent Code Load invokes an as yet unwritten Temporal Coupling File. The method provides a code update image comprising that Temporal Coupling File. If the (i)th phase of the Concurrent Code Load invokes the Temporal Coupling File, then the method reads instructions for that (i)th phase of the Concurrent Code Load from the Temporal Coupling File, and executes those instructions. The method completes each phase of the Concurrent Code Load, and then operates the system using the code update.
US08365150B2
Tools and techniques are provided to allow partners of analytics providers and others who use web-beacons to submit executable web-beacon plug ins. Analytics providers and others may also write web-beacon plug-ins. Certified plug-ins are executed in response to page loads, visitor clicks, and other visitor and programmatic actions at a website that has been tagged by the analytics provider's web-beacon, without requiring re-tagging of the website with a separate web-beacon for the partner. Web-beacons may invoke core analytics code of an analytics provider, where core analytics code may include multiple plug-ins selected by respective analytics provider partners, where each plug-in may send different analytics data from a website visitor's system to a respective analytics provider partner server. This allows the partner to obtain analytics data by piggybacking on the analytics provider, without re-tagging, and without compromising the availability and accuracy of the analytics data already being gathered.
US08365148B2
The present invention provides a system for monitoring the production of computer program code, comprising an integrated development environment (IDE) for the production of computer program code and a component, integrated into the integrated development environment, adapted to monitor whether one or more sections of computer program code are generated automatically or manually, so as to determine a measure of the volume of computer program code manually produced by a developer.
US08365140B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to system and method for managing parallel development of projects. One embodiment of the invention is a method of automatically managing processes in the parallel development of an application through a graphical user interface. The graphical user interface manages the automated processes, which are able to complete their tasks without further user interaction. The automated processes managed by the graphical user interface include, provisioning a first development environment and second development environment. The processes also includes deploying a second release of an application to the second development environment, and merging modifications to the second source code and the second content of the second release into a first source code and a first content of the first release. After the releases have been merged together, the process automatically deploys the third release of the application to a production environment for use by users.
US08365137B2
Invocation language is described that is suitable for controlling a machine to perform a process having concurrent parts. Each concurrent part has an association relationship, a completeness relation, and an invocation expression.
US08365129B2
A computer system identifies a source node that is to be connected to a target node, where the target node is connected to the source node using an edge that links a connection region associated with the source node to a candidate connection region of the target node. The computer system identifies candidate connection region constraints that place restrictions on where the candidate connection regions can be positioned on the target node and determines, based on the identified candidate connection region constraints, the position of each candidate connection region relative to the target node. At least two of the candidate connection regions are disconnected so that an edge's connection to the target node can change between the disconnected connection regions. The computer system also visually represents the position of each of the candidate connection regions of the target node.
US08365128B2
Routing methods for an integrated circuit design layout are disclosed. The layout can include design netlists and library cells. A multiple-level global routing can generate topological wire for each net. An area oriented graph-based detail routing on the design can be performed. A post route optimization after the detail routing can be performed to further improve the routing quality. Some methods can be single threaded all or some of the time, and/or multi-threaded some or all of the time.
US08365123B2
In an embodiment, a method to automatically generate a pad ring for a programmable logic device implementation of an integrated circuit is contemplated. The pad ring that will be used in the integrated circuit itself may include pad logic (e.g. to support boundary scan and other forms of testing), custom driver/receiver circuitry, etc. The pad ring in the programmable logic device, on the other hand, may be predetermined as part of the production of the programmable logic device. The generation may include removing the pad logic and other pad-related circuitry from one or more design files that represent the integrated circuit, as well as mapping the input, output, and input/output signals of the integrated circuit to the available programmable logic device pads.
US08365114B2
Two circuits, an original and a modified, are being recognized, with the original circuit having a first logic and the modified circuit having a second logic. The second logic contains at least one desired logic change relative to the first logic. An equivalence line is detected in the original circuit such that the first and second logic are equivalent from the circuit inputs to the equivalence line. At least one point of change is located amongst the logic gates that are neighboring the equivalence line. The points of change are accepted as verified if an observability condition is fulfilled. The observability condition is checked within a Boolean Satisfiability (SAT) formulation. Substitute logic for the verified points of change is derived using SAT and Boolean equation solving techniques, in such manner that the first logic becomes equivalent to the second logic.
US08365111B2
An apparatus and method may be used for compiling a hardware logic design into data-driven logic programs to be executed on a data-driven chip. The apparatus may include storage with a library for defining a net-list synthesized by a synthesis tool. The apparatus may also include a data-driven logic verification chip comprising a plurality of logic processors. The apparatus may further include a code generator for adopting heuristics to convert the net-list into data driven logic programs and for allocating hardware resources to balance computing and storage loads across the plurality of logic processors of the verification chip.
US08365103B1
Systems and methods for creating and implementing two-dimensional (2D), image-based design rules (IBDRs) are disclosed. Techniques for creating 2D IBDR can include identifying a search pattern that is representative of a 2D pattern of interest of a design, creating a pattern representation based on the search pattern, defining an anchor point for the pattern representation, and assigning weights to elements of the pattern representation. The 2D MDR can be used in systems and method for searching a design by comparing the 2D IBDR to the design. A number of 2D IBDRs can be merged into a subset of similar 2D IBDRs by characterizing desired rule geometries, sorting the 2D IBDRs into groups according to the desired rule geometries, merging the groups of 2D IBDRs into a single representative search pattern. Additionally, standard design rules can be created from the disclosed 2D IBDRs. The standard design rule can be created from a 2D pattern of interest by defining an origin of a shape within the 2D pattern of interest, identifying features within the 2D pattern of interest, deriving parameters relative to the origin for each of the identified features, and writing the standard design rule script using the derived parameters.
US08365101B2
Some embodiments include methods in which a mathematical representation of a photomask construction is defined, with such representation comprising a plurality of pillars that individually contain a plurality of distinct layers. Each of the layers has two or more characteristic parameters which are optimized through an optimization loop. Subsequently, specifications obtained from the optimization loop are utilized to form actual layers over an actual reticle base. Some embodiments include photomask constructions in which a radiation-patterning topography is across a reticle base, with such topography including multiple pillars that individually contain at least seven distinct layers.
US08365092B2
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, methods and apparatus are provided for efficient and effective loading of media in a multi-media presentation, such that a user may be able to view and/or edit the presentation. In one embodiment, a method for loading media comprises providing a maximum number of layers per page of a collage document, the collage document including at least one page having a plurality of layers, and each layer being associated with a media object. The method further includes loading a first page of the collage document to a client device, and creating a list of layers of the loaded page, with each layer indexed by at least a position in the collage document. The method continues by filtering the list of layers based on at least the position in the collage document and a visual window of a user interface to thereby display visible layers of the loaded page within the visual window. In another embodiment, a method for loading media comprises receiving a request for a collage document, receiving a specification of a maximum number of layers per page of the collage document, and returning a page of the requested collage document.
US08365090B2
In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for use in conjunction with a device with a touch screen display is disclosed. In the method, an electronic document is displayed at a first magnification. A gesture is detected on or near the touch screen display corresponding to a command to zoom out by a user-specified amount. In response to detecting the gesture, the electronic document is displayed at a magnification less than the first magnification. If a document length or a document width is entirely displayed while the gesture is still detected on or near the touch screen display, the electronic document is displayed at a magnification wherein areas beyond opposite edges of the electronic document are displayed. Upon detecting termination of the gesture, the electronic document is displayed at a magnification wherein the areas beyond opposite edges of the electronic document are no longer displayed.
US08365089B2
A method, system and computer program product are presented for intercepting data entry by a proxy server to automatically define data entry fields in a webpage. The proxy server counts a number of instances in which a particular type of data is entered into each field in the webpage. If the number of instances exceeds a predetermined number for a specific field, then subsequent users are prompted to enter data of that particular type in that specific field.
US08365082B2
A computer tool allows a user to manipulate displayed content of a web page by a user device. The computer tool may be used to implement a collapsing, foldable browser that allows users to customize web content. The computer tool receives an indication of a user defined first portion of the content of a web page displayed by a browser, determines a remaining portion of the content of the web other than the first portion; and renders only the first user defined portion on a display screen of a display associated with the user device. An attribute may be associated with the first portion and displayed in proximity to the first portion to provide functions to manipulate the first portion within the display screen of the display associated with the user device. A menu may be associated with the attribute. The menu may include functions to allow toggling between display of only first portion and the first portion combined with a remaining portion, to minimize the browser, to close the browser to a file, and to expand display of only the first portion to display the browser window in addition to the first portion.
US08365081B1
Techniques for embedding metadata into a piece of content are described herein. With use of the embedded metadata, an application takes one or more actions specified by the embedded metadata upon selection of the content. In some instances, the content comprises an image, video, or any other form of content that a user may consume. Using the example of an image, the techniques may embed metadata within the image to create an image file that includes both the image and the embedded metadata. Then, when an application of a computing device selects (e.g., receives, opens, etc.) the image file, the application or another application may perform one or more actions specified by the metadata.
US08365079B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for the collaborative development of a visualization dashboard. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for collaboratively developing a visualization dashboard can be provided. The method can include identifying an extended Wiki directive within a Wiki artifact for a visualization dashboard. The method further can include retrieving data referenced by the extended Wiki directive and one or more visual display elements referenced by the extended Wiki directive to visualize portions of the retrieved data. The method yet further can include mapping the visual display elements referenced by the extended Wiki directive to components requisite to programmatically rendering the visual display elements in the visualization dashboard. The method even yet further can include arranging the components in the visualization dashboard and linking the components to the retrieved data. Finally, the method can include displaying the visualization dashboard.
US08365072B2
Some embodiments provide a method of analyzing an unstructured document. The method receiving the unstructured document that includes a number of primitive graphic elements, each of which is defined as a single object in the unstructured document. The unstructured document has a drawing order that indicates the order in which the primitive graphic elements are drawn when the unstructured document is displayed. The method identifies positional relationships between successive primitive graphic elements in the drawing order. Based on the positional relationships, the method defines a single structural graphic element from several of the primitive graphic elements.
US08365066B2
Methods to facilitate the processing of formatting information for cells in a spreadsheet document described in a markup language are presented. For spreadsheet documents that include a plurality of style objects, cell formatting information may be obtained from a master style object that stores master formatting information. In addition, named style information may be obtained from a style name object that stores named styles. Further, cell specific formatting information, which can override master formatting information, may be obtained from a cell-specific style object that includes cell specific formatting information. Combined cell formatting information for cells may be stored in a cell format object, wherein the combined cell formatting information can comprise named styles, cell-specific formatting information that overrides formatting information in the master style object, and master formatting information that has not been overridden by the cell-specific formatting information.
US08365065B2
A system and method for creating a template configured to generate reports for reporting medical information. The method allows a user to generate a single template that may be then utilized in order to create a plurality of reports for numerous patients. The template is created by dragging and dropping the desired information onto a blank report. Once the desired format of the template has been set by the user, the user may save the template for future use.
US08365063B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, apparatus and computer program product for accessible list navigation. In one embodiment of the invention, a user interface article of manufacture configured for accessible list navigation can include markup defining a list including multiple list item, an obscured marker associated with at least one of the list items, and jump logic disposed in the obscured marker. Specifically, the jump logic can be programmed to navigate to a specified different one of the list items responsive to an activation of the obscured marker. Finally, alternate text can be disposed in the obscured marker which identifies the different one of the list items. As such, assistive technology can be programmed to read back the alternate text responsive to an activation of the obscured marker.
