US08440339B2
A battery module is configured so that the first cell string and the second cell string are arranged between the first plate member and the second plate member and the second cell string is arranged closer to the second plate member side than the first cell string is and is arranged closer to the outlet side than the first cell string is. At the inlet side of the housing, the inlet is arranged closer to the first plate member than to the second cell string, at least a part between the inlet side of the second cell string and the second plate member is covered by the inlet-side guide plate, and the cooling air is introduced into the housing through the inlet so as to form a flow of the cooling air along the first plate member and a flow of the cooling air along the inlet-side guide plate.
US08440335B2
An explosion-proof device for use in power batteries includes a battery cover defining an explosion-proof hole, a valve seat securely mounted in the explosion-proof hole and hermetically sealing the battery cover, and a rupture film positioned in the valve seat and hermetically sealing the explosion-proof hole. The rupture film is insulatively isolated from the valve seat via an insulative cushion enclosing the rupture film, or an insulative layer formed on the rupture film. In the explosion-proof device of the prevent invention, the rupture film is insulatively isolated from the valve seat, which can prevent the rupture film from being electrochemically corroded.
US08440330B2
Magnetic tunnel junction cells and methods of making magnetic tunnel junction cells that include a radially protective layer extending proximate at least the ferromagnetic free layer of the cell. The radially protective layer can be specifically chosen in thickness, deposition method, material composition, and/or extent along the cell layers to enhance the effective magnetic properties of the free layer, including the effective coercivity, effective magnetic anisotropy, effective dispersion in magnetic moment, or effective spin polarization.
US08440321B2
A coated article is described. The coated article includes a substrate, a bonding layer formed on the substrate, a plurality of nickel-chromium-nitrogen layers and a plurality of zinc layers formed on the bonding layer. The bonding layer is a nickel-chromium layer. Each nickel-chromium-nitrogen layer interleaves with one zinc layer. One of the nickel-chromium-nitrogen layers is directly formed on the bonding layer. A method for making the coated article is also described.
US08440315B2
The present disclosure is directed to a base film having a thickness from 8 to 152 microns, a 60 degree gloss value from 2 to 35, an optical density greater than or equal to 2 and a dielectric strength greater than 1400 V/mil. The base film comprises a chemically converted (partially or wholly aromatic) polyimide in an amount from 71 to 96 weight percent of the base film. The base film further comprises a pigment and a matting agent. The matting agent is present in an amount from 1.6 to 10 weight percent of the base film, has a median particle size from 1.3 to 10 microns, and has a density from 2 to 4.5 g/cc. The pigment is present in an amount from 2 to 9 weight percent of the base film. The present disclosure is also directed to coverlay films comprising the base film in combination with an adhesive layer.
US08440286B2
A laminate web having a nonwoven web in facing relationship with a polymer film. The laminate web has a first side comprising the polymer film and a plurality of discrete tufts including fibers integral with and extending from the nonwoven web. Each of the tufts has a tuft base proximal to the nonwoven web and a distal portion opposing the tuft base. At least part of the distal portion of each of the tufts is covered by a cap, each cap being an integral extension of said polymer film extending over the distal portion of a discrete tuft. The cap has a first opening including a location of rupture in the polymer film above which the tuft extends.
US08440284B2
Disclosed herein is an improvement for an inseam mechanically attached roofing membrane which includes a body portion, a mechanically fastened edge on one length with a fold line along the body portion and an overlap portion overlying the body portion. Further disclosed herein is a roofing material for a lap type roof system with a reinforced lap edge, which includes the base portion of the roofing material and a secondary portion of material disposed at the edge of the base portion.
US08440282B2
A rolled article includes a roll of material and a holding device positioned on the roll and extending across the free end of the roll, securing the free end against an adjacent portion of the roll surface for preventing the roll from unraveling, the holding device including a base article having first and second securing regions positioned adjacent respective opposite sides of the base article and having a linking portion positioned therebetween, the first securing region secured to the roll surface on a first side of the free end and the second securing region secured to the roll on a second side of the free end, and first and second parting features disposed between respective first and second securing regions and the linking portion, wherein the parting features are configured for facilitating parting the base article between the linking portion and the securing regions to unroll the roll.
US08440269B2
A method for depositing a thin film for a magnetic recording medium includes the steps of placing a substrate for a recording medium having a magnetic recording layer thereon on a substrate holder rotatably arranged within a film deposition chamber; and supplying a plasma beam from a plasma beam formation portion to the film deposition chamber so as to form a thin film of ta-C on the magnetic recording layer. In supplying the plasma beam, an inclination angle formed by a normal line to a surface of the magnetic recording layer and a plane orthogonal to a direction of incidence of the plasma beam is changed from a minimum inclination angle to a maximum inclination angle according to an increase in film thickness of the ta-C thin film.
US08440267B2
A process for efficiently forming a thick coating layer having a uniform thickness on the surface of a base material having a curved surface. The process comprises the steps of forming a coating film having a predetermined thickness by applying a coating agent containing a polymerizable monomer on the curved surface of a base material, and then curing the coating film in an atmosphere of an oxygen concentration of not more than 500 ppm by photo-polymerization while substantially maintaining the uniformity of the thickness of the coating film. Preferably, the photo-polymerization of the coating film is carried out while rotating the base material at a rotational speed of from 20 to 1500 rpm.
US08440264B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for preparing a brazed surface to receive a coating is disclosed. The method includes providing a brazed surface having a flux layer including a conversion coating and a powder component; and applying an aqueous solution containing a flux-removing agent to the surface to at least partially remove the powder component of the flux layer to obtain a treated brazed surface that is suitable for receiving a subsequent coating layer.
US08440258B2
The invention relates to a process for the non-covalent coating of a support by a hybrid organic/inorganic film, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: —depositing a conjugated organic polymer comprising organic groups of X type onto the support; depositing nanoparticles comprising one or more organic groups of Y type onto the support, and in that the groups of X and Y types are capable of developing hydrogen-type bonds between themselves. Typically, the deposition steps are repeated, generally alternately, until the desired thickness for the film is obtained. The deposition may be carried out on the whole of the support or on one part of the latter only.
US08440255B2
There is provided a method of making a heat treated (HT) coated article to be used in shower door applications, window applications, or any other suitable applications where transparent coated articles are desired. For example, certain embodiments of this invention relate to a method of making a coated article including a step of heat treating a glass substrate coated with at least a layer of or including diamond-like carbon (DLC) and an overlying protective film thereon. In certain example embodiments, the protective film may be of or include both (a) an oxygen blocking or barrier layer, and (b) a release layer. Following and/or during heat treatment (e.g., thermal tempering, or the like) the protective film may be removed. Other embodiments of this invention relate to the pre-HT coated article, or the post-HT coated article.
US08440250B2
Provided is a crystallization accelerator capable of accelerating fat crystallization a short time during a production step of a product of margarine, shortening, chocolate, or hard butter to be used for confectionery production or bread production. A phenomenon that sorbitan fatty acid ester having an esterification ratio of from 28 to 60% and a sorbitol-type content of from 20 to 40% exhibits a remarkable effect on acceleration of fat crystallization in a short time was found, and thus, the invention was completed.
US08440240B2
The present invention relates to a method for treating a disorder chosen from ocular Demodex, Demodex-induced blepharitis, rosacea, acne, and meibomian gland dysfunction in a patient in need thereof, comprising administering to the patient a composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a substance chosen from at least one of an isoprenoidal essential oil such as Tea Tree Oil; Terpinen-4-ol; Carvone; alpha-Terpineol; Cardinene; d-Carvone; l-Carvone; gamma-Terpinene; alpha-Terpinene; 1,8-Cineole; alpha-Terpineol; para-Cimene; alpha-Pinene; Limonene; (R)-(+)-Limonene; alpha-Thugene; Eucalyptol; (+)-Ledene; Cuminic Aldehyde; and Myrcene; the administration comprising contacting or scrubbing an affected area of skin or hair, or eyelid margin and lashes of the patient with the composition; also disclosed are a method for treating mange and mite infestations on a mammalian animal; and kits for in-office and at home treatments of the disorders.
US08440239B2
A formulation for trichological treatment of a patient including, in a dosage in the range of 3 g to 8 g: phytosterols in the range of 200 mg to 2500 mg; the quantitative equivalent of Polygonum multiflorum root 4:1 in 70% EW in the range of 600 mg to 2600 mg; methylsulfonylmethane in the range of 500 mg to 2000 mg; and bovine colostrum in the range of 500 m to 2000 m.
US08440229B2
The disclosure provide hollow nanospheres and methods of making and using the same. The methods and compositions of the disclosure are useful for drug delivery and gene transfer.
US08440225B2
The present invention is directed to processes of making flowable hemostatic compositions and devices that include the flowable hemostatic composition disposed therein, where a volume of a biocompatible liquid, a volume of a biocompatible gas, and an amount of solid particles of a biocompatible polymer are mixed together to form a substantially homogenous composition including a discontinuous gas phase and the solid particles substantially homogenously dispersed throughout a continuous liquid phase to form a flowable hemostatic composition, and the composition then transferred into a device suitable for applying the flowable hemostatic composition to a site of a body requiring hemostasis under conditions effective to maintain the substantially homogeneous dispersion of the gas phase and the solid particles throughout the liquid phase, wherein said transfer of said substantially homogenous hemostatic composition is conducted at an angle.
US08440218B2
The present invention concerns a method of enhancing milk production by a ruminant that includes providing a feed that contains sorbitol and at least one additional feed component, and orally feeding the feed to the ruminant, the ruminant ingesting about 100 grams, or less, of sorbitol per day.
US08440210B2
Use of an adsorbent and a sealed package (e.g. an overwrap) to protect a pharmaceutical product in a solid state in the presence of a reducing sugar.
US08440208B2
The present invention provides Chlamydia proteins and methods of use in diagnostic and detection assays as well as in treatment and immunization protocols.
US08440206B2
Methods for producing an immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) are disclosed herein. In several examples, the immune response is a protective immune response. In additional embodiments, methods are disclosed for preventing an infection with Mtb, or treating an infection with Mtb. Pharmaceutical compositions for the prevention and/or treatment of tuberculosis are also disclosed.
US08440200B2
Methods for desensitization of a mammal suffering from IgE mediated allergy comprise the steps of: administering to said mammal a therapeutically effective amount of an immunogenic and hypoallergenic composition which comprises (i) a Phl p 6 molecule having an N-terminal truncation which makes the molecule at least lack IgE binding capacity, and/or (ii) a Phl p 6 molecule having a C-terminal truncation which makes the molecule at least lack IgE binding capacity, wherein the molecules of (i) and (ii), if employed in combination, together span the complete sequence of Phl p 6, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
US08440195B2
A method of treating or reducing at least one inflammatory condition or the susceptibility to at least one inflammatory condition is provided involving administering at least one CD69 antagonist to a subject, wherein the subject has been diagnosed with at least one inflammatory condition, or a susceptibility to the same. CD69 antagonists can include one or more of an anti-CD69 antibody, an anti-CD69 aptamer, a CD69 mRNA antagonist, and a small molecule pharmaceutical.
US08440189B2
The present invention relates to reagents which modify the activity of TWEAK and their use as therapeutic agents for the treatment of immunological disorders.
US08440187B2
Provided are a novel means for regulating inflammatory reactions by regulating the signaling in inflammatory responses caused by non-homeostatic cell death, specifically an anti-inflammatory agent comprising a substance that inhibits the expression of Mincle or the interaction of Mincle and SAP130 or FcRγ, a screening method for a substance that regulates inflammatory reactions, comprising contacting Mincle or a fragment containing an extracellular region thereof and SAP130 in the presence and absence of a test substance, and comparing the degrees of the interaction of Mincle or the fragment thereof and SAP130 under the two conditions, a method of detecting non-homeostatic cell death, comprising measuring the amount of SAP130 in a sample collected from a subject animal, and the like.
US08440171B2
An air treating composition for eliminating odors from air in combination with specific spray valve and actuator requirements and spray performance parameters providing maximum dispersion of the active component in the composition into the air is disclosed. The particles of the composition are small so that the active component is dispersed into air as a fine dispersion to provide more contact with odors and to provide quick absorption of odors. The particle size of the composition is controlled through the selection of valve and actuator dimensions. The air treating and odor eliminating composition of the invention includes water, a low molecular weight polyol, an emulsifier, and a propellant. The composition may also include additional adjuvants such as solvent(s), fragrance(s), corrosion inhibitor, pH adjustor and the like.
US08440166B1
A titanium silicate variant named UPRM-5 was prepared using tetraethylammonium hydroxide as a structure-directing agent (SDA). Successful detemplation was achieved via ion exchange with NH4Cl. Effective functionalization was obtained after ion exchanging the detemplated material using SrCl2 and BaCl2. Adsorption of CO2 at 25° C. in Sr- and Ba-UPRM-5 materials activated at different temperatures. For low partial pressures, the observed CO2 adsorption capacities increased as follows: NH4-UPRM-5
US08440163B2
The invention relates to a slaked lime composition containing Ca(OH)2 particles of platelet crystalline morphology, called platelets, said platelets having a diameter D, this being the diameter of the circle circumscribing the platelet, a thickness e and an aspect ratio given by the ratio of said diameter of the platelet-circumscribing circle to said thickness, said composition having a platelet content of between 50 and 100% relative to the sum of the Ca(OH)2 particles and said aspect ratio being between 10 and 300, and to its manufacturing process.
US08440154B2
A process has been developed to selectively dissociate target molecules into component products compositionally distinct from the target molecule, wherein the bonds of the target molecule do not reform because the components are no longer reactive with each other. Dissociation is affected by treating the target molecule with light at a frequency and intensity, alone or in combination with a catalyst in an amount effective to selectively break bonds within the target molecule. Dissociation does not result in re-association into the target molecule by the reverse process, and does not produce component products which have a change in oxidation number or state incorporated oxygen or other additives because the process does not proceed via a typical reduction-oxidation mechanism. Target molecules include ammonia for waste reclamation and treatment, PCB remediation, and targeted drug delivery.
US08440148B2
Provided are a microfluidic device and a microfluidic analysis equipment. The microfluidic device includes guides disposed along both edges, a lower plate including a flow path defined between the guides, and a movable upper plate moved along the guides on the lower plate and having a length less than that the flow path. A fluid flow can be simply accurately controlled by adjusting a position of the movable upper plate. As a result, the fluid can sufficiently react in the detection part and the reaction part. Therefore, effective reaction and detection can be realized using only a small amount of fluid, thereby improving sensitivity. In addition, due to the improved sensitivity, a washing process for removing materials that are not consumed in the reaction can be omitted. Also, the movable upper plate can be manually moved using a user's finger.
US08440146B2
Cells and methods of producing hydrogen and oxygen from an aqueous solution at about 90% of the Faraday Limit are provided. An exemplary method includes the steps of placing a graphite electrode and a nickel electrode in an alkaline solution comprising colloidal silver, colloidal magnesium and a powdered metal such as aluminum, and applying a constant positive voltage to the nickel electrode. Further, the example includes cyclically applying a negative voltage potential to the graphite electrode by turning on the negative applied voltage for a first time period and switching off the negative voltage for a second time period. The second time period should be sufficient to permit removal of substantially all or at least some of any aluminum or zinc deposited on the graphite electrode. Graphite-containing electrodes may be pretreated to infuse with a precious metal.
US08440144B2
Through innovative design of a titanium dioxide coated metal reflector, which uses the negative space of a U-shaped ultraviolet lamp, maximum airborne chemical, vapor and/or odor abatement through photochemical reaction, yet eliminates most UV irradiation obstruction emanating from the lamp, thereby insuring maximum germicidal effect.
US08440143B2
An air purifier is provided, including a body comprising a wall defining an interior space, a first opening to the interior space, and a second opening to the interior space. In one example the body is a tubular body. An airflow pathway is provided through the tubular body defined between the first and second openings. A source of ultraviolet radiation is arranged to emit ultraviolet radiation into the interior space. A photocatalyst is arranged within the interior space and along the airflow pathway, and the ultraviolet radiation can be emitted onto at least a portion of the surface of the photocatalyst to activate the photocatalyst. In one example, the wall includes an aperture, and a cover is coupled to the body about the aperture and configured to enclose the source of ultraviolet radiation. In another example, the air purifier includes turbulence structure.
US08440140B2
A sample analyzer prepares a measurement sample from a blood sample or a body fluid sample which differs from the blood sample; measures the prepared measurement sample; obtains characteristic information representing characteristics of the components in the measurement sample; sets either a blood measurement mode for measuring the blood sample, or a body fluid measurement mode for measuring the body fluid sample as an operating mode; and measures the measurement sample prepared from the blood sample by executing operations in the blood measurement mode when the blood measurement mode has been set, and measuring the measurement sample prepared from the body fluid sample by executing operations in the body fluid measurement mode that differs from the operations in the blood measurement mode when the body fluid measurement mode has been set, is disclosed. A computer program product is also disclosed.
US08440139B2
A method of delivering a liquid sterilant to a sterilizer involves piercing a cell of a cassette with a first needle having a first lumen, flowing a gas into the cell to pressurize the cell relative to a pressure within the first lumen and drive the liquid sterilant out of the cell through the first lumen. The liquid sterilant travels from the lumen to a vaporizer in the sterilizer.
US08440138B1
An odor neutralizing shoe insert includes a flexible top layer formed from a fluid-absorbent material and a flexible bottom layer spaced from the top layer. An intermediate layer impregnated with a plurality of ground coffee particulates may be intercalated between the top and bottom layers respectively. The top layer may include a plurality of apertures formed through its entire cross-section such that the top layer is in fluid communication with the ground coffee particulates. The ground coffee particulates may further be scattered along a major top surface area of the intermediate layer and thereby filter through the top layer such that the ground coffee particulates become exposed above the top layer.
US08440135B2
A device for releasing gas into molten metal includes a base having a discharge. The discharge has a first section including a first cross-sectional area and a second section including a second cross-sectional area, wherein the first section is upstream of the second section and the first cross-sectional area is smaller than the second cross-sectional area. A gas-release opening is positioned so that it can release gas into one or more of the first section or the second section. As the molten metal moves from the first cross-sectional area to the second cross-sectional area gas is released into the molten metal and the molten metal flow helps to draw the gas into the flow, thereby lowering the pressure required to release gas into the molten metal. Metal-transfer conduits other than a discharge incorporated in a pump base are also disclosed, as are pumps including either a discharge or other metal-transfer conduit according to the invention.
US08440133B2
The present invention provides a cooling apparatus of a hot-rolled steel sheet capable of manufacturing a hot-rolled steel sheet having ultra fine crystal grains. In the cooling apparatus, when defining as L1, a length in a transporting direction of a steel sheet, of a zone from a rolling reduction point in a final stand to an exit side of a housing post; defining as L2, a length in the transporting direction of the steel sheet, of an area where high-pressure water is continuously sprayed over the steel sheet, within the zone; and defining a ratio of L2/L1 as X, an average value Ps [kPa], in the transporting direction of the steel sheet, of an impact pressure of the high-pressure water on a surface of the steel sheet in the area of the length L2 satisfies Ps≧2.5X(−1/0.6) on the above upper surface and lower surface of the steel sheet.
US08440127B2
Disclosed is a process for production of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet, which is superior in productivity compared to conventional processes and can reduce the cost of production. Also disclosed is a process for production of a PTFE seal tape. The processes comprise the following steps (i) to (iii): (i) applying a force to a PTFE particle suspension comprising PTFE particles, a surfactant and water (a dispersion medium) so that the particles can come close to each other or contact with each other, thereby forming a PTFE-containing solid material having the water and the surfactant included therein; (ii) shaping the solid material into a sheet-like form; and (iii) reducing the water content in the sheet-like solid material.
US08440122B2
An introducer sheath and methods of making the introducer sheath are described. The introducer sheath may include a hub portion and a tubular portion. The hub portion may include a substantially non-planar valve portion in a relaxed state. The valve portion may include an aperture configured to receive a medical device. A hub portion may be formed using a forming device. An aperture may be formed through a distal surface of the valve portion.
US08440111B2
A lead-free conductive paste composition includes silumin powder, lead-free glass frits, an organic binder, stearic acid zinc, and aluminum powder.
US08440109B2
The present invention relates to an organic photoelectric conversion device comprising a layer comprising a fullerene derivative represented by formula (1).
US08440092B2
Method and device for selectively etching a first material (4) relative to a second material (2), comprising a bath (11) of a solution capable of producing at least one chemical species for etching the first material (4) but not the second (2) and a system (12) for generating ultrasound at a frequency between 100 kHz and 3 MHz in the bath in order to produce cavitation bubbles.
US08440090B2
A catheter body having a variable stiffness along its longitudinal length and a method for manufacturing same is disclosed wherein an inner layer having an uninterrupted length serves as a backbone for segments of coextrusion of, e.g., Pebax or nylon and a tie layer which are then bonded to the backbone to create a multi-stiffness catheter body.
US08440089B2
A plurality of micro three-dimensional structure elements each having a movable structure fixed on a sacrifice layer, and fixation portions of the micro three-dimensional structure elements for the sacrifice layer are arranged into a film-like elastic body, and then the sacrifice layer is removed. Thus, a three-dimensional structure in which the individual micro three-dimensional structure elements are arranged independently of one another within the elastic body is manufactured.
US08440084B2
An effluent treatment apparatus which is a flushed anaerobic digester with fixed biofilm (FAD system) is disclosed. The FAD system creates and maintains an optimum environment for the development and activity of anaerobic bacteria. The FAD system can be used for all treatment methods for anaerobic bacteria, regardless of function. The FAD system is intended for the production of biogas.
US08440071B2
A hydrocracking system involves introducing a heavy oil feedstock and a colloidal or molecular catalyst, or a catalyst precursor capable of forming the colloidal or molecular catalyst, into a hydrocracking reactor. The colloidal or molecular catalyst is formed in situ within the heavy oil feedstock by 1) premixing the catalyst precursor with a hydrocarbon diluents to form a catalyst precursor mixture, 2) mixing the catalyst precursor mixture with the heavy oil feedstock, and 3) raising the temperature of the feedstock to above the decomposition temperature of the catalyst precursor to form the colloidal or molecular catalyst. The colloidal or molecular catalyst catalyzes upgrading reactions between the heavy oil feedstock and hydrogen and eliminates or reduces formation of coke precursors and sediment. The colloidal or molecular catalyst can be the sole or primary hydrocracking catalyst in a stand-alone hydrocracking reactor or it can be used together with a porous supported catalyst within a fixed bed or ebullated bed reactor.
US08440070B2
A process and apparatus process for preparing a resid-containing hydrocarbon feedstock for use in a regenerative pyrolysis reactor, comprising (a) feeding a resid-containing hydrocarbon feedstock to a thermal cracking unit; (b) thermally cracking at least about 60 wt. % of said resid having a boiling point of at least 565° C. in said hydrocarbon feedstock to form a vapor phase containing cracked hydrocarbons; (c) separating said vapor phase from remaining non-volatiles; and (d) converting the separated vapor phase in a regenerative pyrolysis reactor system.
US08440066B2
Disclosed is a tin electroplating bath containing a water-soluble tin salt, one or more substances selected from inorganic acids, organic acids and their water-soluble salts, and one or more substances selected from water-soluble tungsten salts, water-soluble molybdenum salts and water-soluble manganese salts. This tin electroplating bath enables to form a tin-plated coating film on components for electronic devices such as a chip component, crystal oscillator, bump, connector, lead frame, hoop member, semiconductor package and printed board, as a substitute for a tin-lead alloy plating material, while having high whisker suppressing effects.
US08440058B2
Method for concentrating nitrogen isotope to obtain a final product nitrogen, in which the stable nitrogen isotope, 15N, is concentrated, by low-temperature distillation of raw material nitrogen containing trace amounts of oxygen and argon using a plurality of distillation columns in a cascade arrangement. An argon-oxygen mixture is discharged from the bottom of the final column and 15N-concentrated nitrogen is extracted from a lower intermediate point of the final column. The flow rate of the argon-oxygen mixture discharged from the bottom of the final column is controlled based on the reading of a thermometer installed below the point where the final product 15N-concentrated nitrogen is extracted, thereby providing a stable nitrogen product.
US08440054B2
A calender (1) for calendering a paper web (2), in particular made from paper suitable for gravure printing, having at least one roll stack which in each case has an upper and a lower end roll (4.1, 4.2) and intermediate rolls (5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4), one of the two end rolls (4.1) delimits a first working nip (3) of the roll stack depending on the guidance of the paper web (2), and the rolls (4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4) are hard rolls (4.1, 5.2, 5.4) and soft rolls (5.1, 5.3, 4.2) in order to form loadable working nips in the form of soft nips, the end roll (4.1) which delimits the first working nip (3) being a hard, heated roll, the diameter of which is greater than that of a hard, heated intermediate roll (5.2, 5.4) and the outer wall (9) of which forms one of two contact faces (9, 10) of a web treatment nip (8) which is arranged upstream of the first working nip (3), and the other contact face (10) being formed by a belt (14) which circulates on guide rolls (11, 12, 13).
US08440052B2
An apparatus for feeding one or more chemicals into a process stream of a pulp process is disclosed, as well as a method of utilizing the apparatus for feeding one or more chemicals into a pulp process is disclosed.
US08440049B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus, such as a processing chamber, suitable for etching high aspect ratio features. Other embodiments include a showerhead assembly for use in the processing chamber. In one embodiment, a processing chamber includes a chamber body having a showerhead assembly and substrate support disposed therein. The showerhead assembly includes at least two fluidly isolated plenums, a region transmissive to an optical metrology signal, and a plurality of gas passages formed through the showerhead assembly fluidly coupling the plenums to the interior volume of the chamber body.
US08440045B2
A method of fabricating a conformal deltoid noodle includes providing a composite prepreg material having a predetermined length and a width, the predetermined length being aligned along a longitudinal axis; subjecting the composite prepreg material to a cutting process to form a notched section coextensive along the predetermined length; and rolling the composite prepreg material along its width to create the conformal deltoid noodle.
US08440037B2
A coated article is provided that may be heat treated in certain example embodiments. A coating of the coated article includes a zinc oxide inclusive layer located over and contacting a contact layer that is in contact with an infrared (IR) reflecting layer of a material such as silver. It has been found that the use of such a zinc oxide inclusive layer results in improved thermal stability upon heat treatment, increased visible transmission, and/or lower sheet resistance (Rs).
US08440034B2
A pipe is wrapped with a composite to form a pre-stressed interface to facilitate load sharing between the materials. Prior to being wrapped, the pipe is placed in tension via hydraulic devices or the like. Alternatively, a combination of cured and uncured composite wraps is used in proximity to each other to apply compressive stress to the pipe. In addition, the pipe may be subjected to cold temperatures to change its dimensions prior to being wrapped with a composite material.
US08440031B2
A nickel-titanium-rare earth (Ni—Ti-RE) alloy comprises nickel at a concentration of from about 35 at. % to about 65 at. %, a rare earth element at a concentration of from about 1.5 at. % to about 15 at. %, boron at a concentration of up to about 0.1 at. %, with the balance of the alloy being titanium. In addition to enhanced radiopacity compared to binary Ni—Ti alloys and improved workability, the Ni—Ti-RE alloy preferably exhibits superelastic behavior. A method of processing a Ni—Ti-RE alloy includes providing a nickel-titanium-rare earth alloy comprising nickel at a concentration of from about 35 at. % to about 65 at. %, a rare earth element at a concentration of from about 1.5 at. % to about 15 at. %, the balance being titanium; heating the alloy in a homogenization temperature range below a critical temperature; and forming spheroids of a rare earth-rich second phase in the alloy while in the homogenization temperature range.
US08440030B2
A method for manufacturing a fine spheroidized steel sheet having an excellent heat treatment characteristic, the method including: i) manufacturing a high carbon slab that is formed of 0.3 to 1.0 wt % C, 0.1 to 1.2 wt % Mn, 0 to 0.4 wt % Si, 0.01 to 0.1 wt % Al, 0 to 0.01 wt % S, and balance Fe and an inevitably added impurity as residuals; ii) reheating the slab to a temperature of Ar3 transformation point or more; iii) roughing rolling the slab, and manufacturing a thin plate by performing finish rolling in an austenite region; iv) cooling the thin plate at a cooling speed of 50 to 300° C./sec; v) finishing the cooling of the thin plate at a temperature region of 400 to 650° C. and maintaining the temperature; vi) winding the thin plate at a temperature region of 450 to 700° C.; vii) performing cold rolling at a reduction ratio of 30% or more; and viii) spheroidizing annealing the cold rolled thin plate.
US08440023B2
A package of smokeless tobacco includes a flavor patch located in the package to provide flavor to smokeless tobacco. Also disclosed is a method of packaging smokeless tobacco by combining a package with a flavor patch disposed inside the package, the flavor patch comprising a flavor and an adsorbent, so that the flavor patch resides in an interior of the package; and adding smokeless tobacco to the package with the flavor patch.
US08440021B2
The invention provides apparatus and methods for organic continuum vapor deposition of organic materials on large area substrates.
US08440013B2
Disclosed is a curable coating composition suitable for use on composite substrates such as plastic composites, cementitious composites, ceramic composites, and engineered wood, or on plastic materials. The curable coating composition comprises a multifunctional oligomer, a monomer selected from the group consisting of monofunctional monomers, difunctional monomers and mixtures thereof, a photoinitiator, a polyester resin and a polycarboxylic acid. Also disclosed is a method of coating the substrates with the curable coating composition and a coated substrate wherein the cured coating resides on the surface of the substrate.
US08440009B2
A process for manufacturing fire resistant materials comprising the steps of recovering Cladophora algae; mixing said algae with water to form an aqueous mixture; mixing a chlorine based solution to the mixture to kill the algae and any bacteria and to form an algae-based product; allowing the algae-based product to separate and rise to the surface of the aqueous mixture; skimming the algae-based product from the surface of the mixture; drying said recovered algae-based product; and recovering the dried algae-based product.
US08440008B2
Described are compounds and materials that may be used as a lead-free primary explosive, such as copper(I) nitrotetrazolate. Copper(I) nitrotetrazolate may he prepared by a process comprising the steps of: combining cupric salt, water and 5-nitrotetrazolate salt to form a mixture, heating the mixture, adding a reducing agent and stirring with continued heating. The method may also include combining cupric chloride, sodium 5-nitrotetrazolate and sodium ascorbate.
US08440002B2
A filtration apparatus includes at least three filter elements for filtering fluid, and a frame having a pyramidal frustum configuration that has at least three sides. The frame includes a frame structure for supporting the filter elements at the sides such that the filtration apparatus has a pyramidal frustum configuration. The filtration apparatus may be part of a filtration assembly. The filtration apparatus may be utilized within an associated method.
US08440000B2
A nitrogen-permeable structure includes a porous support and a nitrogen-permeable membrane adjacent to the porous support. The nitrogen-permeable membrane includes a first metal and a second metal, wherein the first metal is selected from niobium, tantalum, and vanadium, and the second metal is different from the first metal.
US08439996B2
An indoor unit of an air conditioner includes: a casing (10); an indoor fan (21); an air filter (30); an inlet port (24) in which the air filter (30) is attached, and a divider plate (25) for dividing space in the casing (10) into a room upstream of air passing through the air filter (30) and a room downstream of air passing through the air filter (30). The indoor unit conditions room air sucked into the casing (0) through the air filter (30). The indoor unit includes a rotating brush (51) for removing dust trapped on the air filter (30), and a dust container (90) for containing the removed dust. An access opening (70) which allows for checking of an electrical component box (72) in the casing (10) is formed in the divider plate (25), and an access lid (71) for closing the access opening (70) is provided.
US08439995B2
A polishing slurry for semiconductor planarization containing cerium oxide particles and water, wherein the content of the cerium oxide particles having a diameter of 3 μm or more is 500 ppm or less (weight ratio) in a solid, preferably 100 ppm or less and it is more preferable that D99 (99% by volume of the whole particles in polishing slurry) of the cerium oxide particles is 1 μm or less. The polishing slurry can reduce the generation of scratches, and can polish a surface of the semiconductor substrate in the wiring formation process of semiconductor device precisely at a high speed.
US08439994B2
Methods of fabricating polishing pads with end-point detection regions for polishing semiconductor substrates using eddy current end-point detection are described.
US08439991B2
A process for the generation of a synthesis gas comprising: (a) forming a raw synthesis gas, (b) dividing the raw synthesis gas into first and second streams, (c) subjecting the first stream to the water gas shift reaction to form a shifted gas mixture, (d) cooling the second raw synthesis gas stream and shifted gas mixture to below the dew point to form a dry raw synthesis gas mixture, and a dry shifted gas mixture respectively, (e) feeding the dry raw synthesis gas mixture and a dry shifted gas mixture to a gas-washing unit operating by counter-current solvent flow, such that the solvent flowing through said unit contacts first with the dry raw gas mixture and then the dry shifted gas mixture, and (f) collecting from said gas-washing unit a synthesis gas having a stoichiometry ratio, R=(H2−CO2)/(CO+CO2), in the range 1.4 to 3.3.
US08439990B2
An apparatus for fuel reforming is provided that utilizes pulsed injectors for a fuel flow controller and an air flow controller, and the injectors are integrated with an atomizing mixer thereby producing a fuel-air mixture having an O/C Ratio which, in turn, is passed to a Catalytic Partial Oxidation reactor. Use of this apparatus permits beneficial long term operation of this Catalytic Partial Oxidation reactor.
US08439986B2
A fuel additive for gasoline that increases automobile fuel efficiency and decreases carbon emissions. The fuel additive comprises a composition of olive oil and fuel oil in a ratio, by volume, of about 1 part olive oil to about 8 parts fuel oil. In the preferred embodiment the fuel oil is fuel oil no. 2-D.
US08439978B2
A substantially cup-shaped prosthetic device for a joint is provided. The prosthetic device includes an outer surface configured to operatively engage at least one of a first bone of the joint and a component, an inner surface including at least a portion configured to connect to a second bone of the joint, and at least one reservoir having an opening at each of the inner surface and the outer surface and extending therebetween.
US08439971B2
A tissue shaping device adapted to reshape target tissue adjacent to a lumen. In some embodiments, the device includes an expandable and contractable anchor, with the anchor having an adjustable height anchoring portion adapted to engage a wall of the lumen in at least first and second anchor heights, the anchoring portion being further adapted to be changed from the first anchor height to the second anchor height by a substantially proximally or a substantially distally directed actuation force. The invention is also a tissue shaping system including a tissue shaping device and a tool for adjusting the height of an anchor of the device. The invention also includes methods of using such tissue shaping devices and systems.
US08439964B2
A medical device for delivering a therapeutic agent is described comprising a stent comprising a sidewall and a plurality of struts, wherein at least one strut or strut portion comprises at least one node, wherein the expansion of the stent creates at least one web comprising a coating composition having a therapeutic agent, and wherein at least one node is configured to be associated with at least one web. A method for delivering a therapeutic agent to a body site is also described.
US08439955B2
A system for the internal fixation of a fractured bone of an elbow joint of a patient includes at least one bone plate, each bone plate having a plurality of holes and generally configured to fit an anatomical surface of the fractured bone. The at least one plate is adapted to be customized to the shape of a patient's bone. The system also includes a plurality of fasteners including at least one locking fastener for attaching the bone plate to the bone. At least one of the holes is a threaded hole. Guides for plate benders, drills, and/or K-wires can be pre-assembled to the threaded holes, and the locking fastener can lock into any of the threaded holes after the guides are removed.
US08439941B2
A disposable lancing device including: a lancet housed in a housing and urged by a spring member such that a puncture member provided at a distal end of the lancet is adapted to extend out from the housing so as to carry out a puncturing operation; a locking ring disposed within the housing such that the lancet is allowed to displace in an extension direction through the locking ring; a locking protrusion provided to the lancet and adapted to be engaged by the locking ring so as to hold the lancet in a puncture-ready position located deep in the housing with the spring member being compressed; and an operating member adapted to carry out the puncturing operation by rotating the locking ring so as to disengage the locking protrusion from the locking ring and displace the lancet in the extension direction by means of the spring member.
US08439936B2
Disclosed are medical devices and methods for tendon, ligament, and soft tissue repair. A method includes introducing a first segment having a delivery assembly into a first soft tissue, and removing the delivery assembly to expose an opening of a hollow body of the first segment. The method also includes introducing a second segment having a second delivery assembly and a second body into a second soft tissue, guiding the second delivery assembly through the opening, and advancing the second body into the hollow body, thereby joining the first soft tissue and the second soft tissue.
US08439918B2
An improved means for fixation of a fractured coronoid process of the proximal ulna. A substantially rigid plate is secured to the anterior aspect of the proximal ulna relative to a fracture of the coronoid process of the ulna. The plate contains a hook feature at the proximal aspect and is positioned so that it extends over the proximal/anterior aspect of the coronoid process relative to the fracture. The plate has surfaces that define a plurality of openings through which suture and/or screws can pass. The openings may contain a recess at a side of the plate opposite the ulna. At least one hole is formed in the ulna. At least one anchor may be secured to a flexible device, positioned at a side of the plate opposite the ulna, secured to another anchor on the posterior aspect of the ulna and the flexible device tensioned. At least one screw may be inserted through the plate and into the coronoid process or a bone fragment securing it to the plate.
US08439906B2
A method of performing a cryotherapy procedure can include introducing a cryotherapy balloon catheter at a treatment site inside a patient's body; regulating, during a first phase of a cryotherapy procedure, flow of cryogenic fluid to and exhaust from a distal balloon portion of the cryotherapy balloon catheter to cause an initial pressure to be maintained inside the distal balloon portion that is sufficiently high to cause an outer wall of the distal balloon portion to be pressed against body tissue at the treatment site; and regulating, during a second phase of the cryotherapy procedure, flow of cryogenic fluid to and exhaust from the distal balloon portion to cause a) a temperature inside the distal balloon portion to reach a value sufficient to deliver therapeutic levels of cryotherapy to the body tissue, and b) a second-phase pressure to be maintained that is within a threshold value of the initial pressure.
US08439905B2
The device of the invention takes the form of a catheter/probe and is a closed loop system in which cryogen is delivered along the length of the catheter/probe to the tip where freezing occurs, and then recirculated. The device is a tube within a tube and comprises a number of parts including supply and return (internal) tubes, outer sheath (external tube) seaJed to the inner tubes at one or both ends with a gas filled lumen between the internal and external tubes. The lumen of the external tube is filled with a saturated gas which solidifies upon cooling, thereby creating a vacuum along the catheter length and providing for insulation between the inner and outer tubes, and preventing freezing along the probe shaft length. The outside surface of the internal tubes is modified to potentiate gas nucleation on the outer surfaces of the internal tubes when cooled.
US08439897B2
Methods, systems and devices for assessing residual insulin time of a patient are provided. In one embodiment, the method and the device can be implemented by receiving a confirmation that an insulin dose has been administered to the patient; repetitively receiving a value corresponding to the patient's blood glucose level; identifying at least two consecutively received values based on a predetermined criteria; and, selecting the residual insulin time corresponding to a time period between the confirmation that the insulin dose has been administered and a time corresponding to the identification of the at least two consecutively received values.
US08439896B2
A device, a system, or a method is described for treating a disease or a condition of one or more joints of articulating bone in a mammalian subject. The device provides one or more medicaments to one or more joints of the mammalian subject. A device is described that includes an enclosure including one or more sensors, a controller, and one or more applicators configured to surround one or more joints of articulating bone of a mammalian subject, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to detect one or more physiological conditions of the one or more joints of the mammalian subject, and the controller, configured to communicate with the one or more sensors, is configured to activate the one or more applicators, and wherein the one or more applicators are configured to inject one or more medicaments to one or more joint tissues of the mammalian subject.
US08439893B2
A system for efficient drainage of a body cavity includes application of vacuum at very high pressure, preferably in the range of approximately 50-500 torr or higher. The system includes the use of a drainage tube having a plurality of holes formed into the wall of a portion of the tube to be inserted in the body cavity. The area of each of the holes is preferably selected to ensure that the suction force communicated by each of the holes to areas within the body cavity is insufficient to injure the tissues exposed in the body cavity. A one-way valve maintains unidirectional flow of drained fluids and gases away from the body cavity. A vacuum relief valve prevents application of dangerous levels of vacuum pressure by opening to admit atmospheric air when vacuum pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold. A vacuum chamber separates drained fluids from drained gases.
US08439890B2
A method for injecting a therapeutic agent into a target tissue, the method comprising: (a) providing an expandable member; (b) positioning said expandable member in proximity to the target tissue; (c) Introducing the therapeutic agent into the expandable member until a desired pressure is achieved; and (d) creating a plurality of small apertures in the expandable member.
US08439888B2
A three-piece disposable absorbent article is disclosed having a longitudinal central axis and a transverse central axis. The disposable absorbent article includes front and back panels, each panel capable of being stretched and retracted in multiple directions. The back panel is also distinct and spaced apart from the front panel. The disposable absorbent article further includes an absorbent assembly situated between the front and back panels and which is attached to each by a first attachment member. The first attachment member is aligned along the longitudinal central axis. The disposable absorbent assembly includes a non-elastic absorbent that is capable of being elongated and contracted in only one direction, that direction being aligned approximately parallel to the transverse central axis.
US08439882B2
A system and method for treating a tissue site of a patient may include sensing one or more characteristics of exudate fluid of a tissue site of a patient. A level of the sensed one or more characteristics of the exudate fluid may be measured, and, in response to the measured at least one characteristic level, treatment may be applied or altered to the tissue site.
US08439878B2
Rheolytic thrombectomy catheter with self-inflating proximal balloon with drug infusion capabilities
A thrombectomy catheter with a self-inflating proximal balloon having drug infusion capabilities is described. A self-inflating balloon is formed from an inflatable thin walled section of a flexible catheter tube. The self-inflating balloon includes a plurality of outflow orifices located about the peripheral circumference thereof and located proximal to an inflow gap interposed between a fluid jet emanator and the self-inflating balloon. The self-inflating balloon is inflated and expanded by internal operating pressures by proximal composite flow of fluid from the fluid jet emanator and entrained fluid from the inflow gap to uniformly space and position the outflow orifices of the self-inflating balloon in close proximity to the thrombus or vessel walls of a blood vessel. The thrombectomy catheter may be used for, among other things, thrombectomies, embolectomies, thrombus or vessel dilation, and for the delivery of drugs to a thrombus or vessel site.
US08439867B2
A system and method of treating urinary incontinence including a catheter and injection guide operatively disposed together. At least one needle is operatively disposed within at least one lumen and at least one channel extending through the catheter and injection guide respectively. The injection guide is transformable from a pre-injection configuration for placement in the bladder to an injection configuration for injection of a pharmaceutical such as botulinum toxin into the bladder tissue. Upon introduction of the pharmaceutical to the bladder tissue, symptoms of incontinence are alleviated.
US08439865B2
Punctal plugs for delivering therapeutic agents to the eye have a body with a portion into which the therapeutic agent is loaded and a conical anchor portion at an end of the plug.
US08439863B2
The present invention is directed to control of medical fluid injection systems. For instance, in some embodiments, an injection protocol may be initiated, and an actual flow rate of the medical fluid utilized in the injection protocol may be adjusted based, at least in part, on an inherent system elasticity of the injection system.
US08439856B2
A walking cast having an upper cage assembleable over an upper leg and a lower cage assembleable over a lower leg and hingedly secured to the upper cage approximate a wearer's knee. A foot sole support is connected to the lower cage which includes lower angled supports for engaging side locations of the sole in a further hinged connection. Each of the upper and lower cages include a rear positioned fixed support with a second forward and hingedly connecting door. A plurality of cushioning supports secure to inner facing locations associated with each of the upper and lower cages.
US08439852B2
A walk assistance device comprises a thigh unit configured to be arranged on a thigh of the user, a shank unit configured to be arranged on a shank of the user, a foot unit configured to be arranged on a foot of the user, a knee position joint unit configured to couple the thigh unit and the shank unit in a swingable manner, and an ankle position joint unit configured to couple the shank unit and the foot unit in a swingable manner. The shank unit comprises a first replaceable member and a second replaceable member that extend along the shank of the user, and a length of the shank unit is adjustable by replacing each of the first and second replaceable members with another one having a different length.
US08439845B2
A system and method is disclosed for measuring muscle reflexes (e.g., a bulbocavernosus reflex) as a tool for identifying/diagnosing dysfunctions (e.g., spinal cord abnormalities, bladder voiding dysfunction, and sexual organ dysfunction) non-invasively by using mechanical stimulation. The system and method includes a probe having a predetermined patient contacting portion, wherein when the contacting portion is moved into contact with a particular area of the patient (e.g., the patient's genitals), the contact induces a muscle reflex. The probe detects the pressure resulting from the contacting portion being abruptly and forcibly brought into contact with the particular area. Such detection is used to electronically initiate capture of electrical responses from a plurality of electrodes placed on the patient's skin in proximity to the particular area. Such electrical responses are processed to determine characteristics of the patient's reflexes of one or more muscles adjacent to the electrodes.
US08439837B2
The present invention is directed to a method of reducing false readings in a hypoglycemic detector that includes establishing a predetermined hypoglycemic threshold, a predetermined critical threshold, a predetermined rate of change in glucose concentration where the predetermined critical threshold is below the predetermined hypoglycemic threshold. A first sampling rate is then calculated based upon said predetermined hypoglycemic threshold, said predetermined critical threshold, and said predetermined rate of change in glucose concentration.
US08439836B2
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for monitoring the autonomous nervous system of a sedated patient. According to the method, skin conductance is measured through a time interval. Average skin conductance values and the number of fluctuation peaks are in the interval are calculated and analyzed, and an indication is given of the state of pain/discomfort in the patient as well as the state of awakening in the patient. The invention is particularly applicable for use with anaesthetized or artificially ventilated patents, as separate output signals are automatically provided, indicating the need for analgesics and hypnotics, respectively.
US08439831B2
Laparoscopic instruments and cannulas are provided for performing laparoscopic procedures entirely through the umbilicus. Generally S-shaped laparoscopic instruments placed through the C-shaped trocar sleeves or through the cannula and instrument holder unit provide markedly improved degrees of instruments' freedom during trans-umbilical laparoscopic procedures.
US08439822B2
A capsule endoscope includes a capsule-shaped casing and an imaging unit for taking an image of an inside of an organ in a state where the capsule endoscope is floating in liquid introduced inside the organ of a subject. Specific gravity of the capsule endoscope to the introduced liquid is ρ; a plane divides the capsule endoscope such that a volume ratio is to be ρ:1−ρ. A straight line that connects a center of volume of a portion whose volume ratio is ρ and a center of gravity of the capsule endoscope is substantially perpendicular to the plane. The center of gravity is present at a position farther distant from the plane than the center of volume. A surface of a boundary of a field of view that forms an angle of view of the imaging unit and the plane do not intersect outside the capsule endoscope.
US08439821B2
The present invention relates to a system for the central control of devices used during an operation, comprising a first control unit for control of said devices. The system is characterized in that a second control unit is provided which is connected to the first control unit for exchange of information. The first control unit may be embodied as closed system for control of at least those devices which carry out safety-related functions (safety-related devices), and the second control unit may be embodied as open system for control of the remaining devices which carry out non safety-related functions (non safety-related devices). The invention further relates to a method for the central control of devices.
US08439813B2
A method of manufacturing a top sheet material or back sheet material for use in the manufacture of disposable absorbent articles including the steps of: a) splitting a continuous first web of sheet material having substantially straight side edges into a second and third continuous web by an alternating concave-convex cutting line cut in a longitudinal direction along the continuous first web, the cutting line being distanced from both side edges of the continuous first web; b) shifting the second continuous web in a lateral direction in relation to the third continuous web so that the substantially straight edges of the second and third continuous webs are parallel to and adjacent to each other and longitudinally shifting the second continuous web so that the series of concave edge portions and the series of convex edge portions of the second and third continuous webs are longitudinally aligned with each other; c) directly or indirectly joining the substantially straight edges of the second and third continuous webs to each other, thereby forming a composite fourth web. The cutting line is made in the first continuous web so that all portions of the cutting line are distanced from a longitudinal center line of the first continuous web.
US08439809B2
A training dummy assembly includes a base, a column, a tensioning mechanism, a dummy. The base rests on the ground. The column is pivotally coupled to the base. The tensioning mechanism resiliently couples the base to the column. The dummy has a shape of a torso with head and is formed out of foam with an outer latex skin. The torso of the dummy is mechanically coupled to the column.
US08439805B2
An automatic vehicle transmission comprises a first oil supply unit (10) with at least one mechanically driven first pump (11) and a second oil supply unit (20) with at least one electrically driven second pump (21), and a valve device (14) and a clutch system (1). The second oil supply unit (20) supplies the clutch system (1), during a first operating condition, and the first oil supply unit (10) supplies the clutch system (1), during a second operating condition.
US08439804B2
A control for a multi-speed automatic vehicle transmission is provided. Electrical and hydraulic components are provided, including pressure control or “trim” valve systems in fluid communication with shift valves and electrohydraulic actuators to selectively engage and disengage the transmission clutches or other shift mechanisms. Pressure switches are provided for the trim valves and shift valves. The fluid connections between the trim valve systems and the shift valve systems are configured to reduce the total number of valves and fluid passages required and to reduce the size of at least one of the valves. Clutch blocking features are provided. Power off limp home and reduced engine load at stop features are provided in all forward ranges, and control of double transition shifts is also provided.
US08439803B2
A control system for a transmission coupled to an engine includes first, second, and third modules. The first module detects a closed throttle downshift of the transmission. The second module detects a request for a power-on downshift of the transmission. The third module controls a clutch of the transmission when the request for the power-on downshift is detected during the closed throttle downshift, wherein the third module one of (i) decreases a pressure applied to the clutch to a first predetermined pressure before an end of the closed throttle downshift and (ii) controls a pressure applied to the clutch to a second predetermined pressure at the end of the closed throttle downshift.
US08439802B2
A speed change control device of an automatic transmission comprises a first control section that, upon detecting a speed change instruction for a speed change from a first given speed to a second given speed, carries out the speed change by reducing an engaging pressure of a releasing side frictional element that has established the first given speed and increasing an engaging pressure of an engaging side frictional element that would establish the second given speed; a second control section that carries out a correction processing to increase the engaging pressure of the releasing side frictional element when a throttle open degree is increased during the speed change carried out by the first control section; and a third control section that inhibits the correction processing of the second control section when the engaging pressure of the releasing side frictional element is lower than a given value.
US08439795B2
In a vehicle that generates creep torque using an electric motor, a controlling means that causes, on the basis of the results of the detecting by the vehicle speed detecting means and the braking operation detecting means, the electric motor to generate the creep torque, wherein if the brake is operated when the creep torque is generated, the controlling means decreases the creep torque by a first level, if the brake is not operated when the creep torque is generated, the controlling means increases or decrease the creep torque in a level range on the basis of the speed of the vehicle detected by the vehicle speed detecting means, and the first level is a decreasing level larger than a possible maximum decreasing level in the level range.
US08439793B2
A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes.
US08439785B2
An automatic transmission includes: a frictional engagement element arranged to be switched from an engagement state to a disengagement state at a switching from a running range to a neutral range, and including: frictional plates; a first piston arranged to push the frictional plates; a second piston arranged to push the frictional plates; a first hydraulic chamber arranged to receive a hydraulic fluid for pushing the first piston; and a second hydraulic chamber arranged to receive a hydraulic fluid for pushing the second piston; a first discharge speed switching section arranged to switch only a discharge speed of the hydraulic fluid of the first hydraulic chamber; and a control unit configured to increase the discharge speed of the hydraulic fluid of the first hydraulic chamber during a predetermined time period by the first discharge speed switching section at the switching from the running range to the neutral range.
US08439784B2
The present invention relates to a braking system (1). The system comprises an annulus gear (3) having a fluid contained therein and at least one planet gear (4), arranged within the annulus gear and rotatably engaged therewith. The system further comprises means (10) for controlling the flow of fluid within the system to control relative rotational motion between the planet gear and the annulus gear.
US08439782B2
An automatic transmission includes an input shaft rotatable by power from a driving source. A transmission unit is capable of changing a speed of rotation of the input shaft to any one of speeds at gears. The transmission unit includes at least one planetary gear mechanism having three elements. An output member outputs the transferred power with a speed changed by the transmission unit. A transfer mechanism switches between a transfer state of power between a motor connection element and the output member and an open state of no transfer of power. The transfer mechanism is in the transfer state in a low-speed gear range and in the open state in a high-speed gear range.
US08439781B2
A tensioner for an endless power transmitting element in a drive system is disclosed that includes an arm rotatable about an axis and having a sleeve that includes a ramp face or contoured face, a damper cup having a protrusion and a plate, a spring case that houses the sleeve of the arm and the damper cup with the damper cup's plate mated with the ramp face or contoured face of the sleeve. During wind-up of the tensioner, a normal force is applied to the damper cup's protrusion that moves the plate along the ramp face or contoured face in a first direction, and in the first direction the ramp face or contoured face pushes the damper cup generally radially outward into the spring case to provide frictional damping.
US08439777B2
An animal attractant, such as a liquid scent can be dispersed from a soft-shelled frangible capsule by positioning the capsule in an enclosure and then attaching the enclosure to an arrow. A plunger secured to the enclosure slidably moves inside the enclosure and causes rapture of the capsule upon impact of the plunger with a solid surface. The liquid animal attractant is dispersed through cutouts formed in the enclosure in a fan-like fashion.
US08439775B2
A soccer training apparatus comprises a net capable of being placed in a deployed position, connected to or located adjacent a soccer goal frame and above a soccer playing surface, so as to cover a portion of a target opening bounded by the soccer goal frame and soccer playing surface. The net includes a peripheral edge located relative to the soccer goal frame so as to form a gap which extends around the net in the deployed position. which permits a soccer ball to pass through and enter the soccer goal area.
US08439773B2
The invention is directed to a novel and unique basketball shooting target removably connected to a basketball goal. The target is an object that includes a female member having a female member core and female outer layer and a male member having a male member core and male outer layer. The female member core includes female lock flanges and female contact surfaces for engaging the male member core. The male member core has buttons that each includes respective cam locks configured for releasable engagement with female lock flanges on a female core to prevent horizontal movement. The male member core has male contact surfaces for engaging the female contact surfaces of the female member to prevent vertical movement. In operation, the male and female members removably connect with one another to engage a netting of a basketball goal and prevent movement relative to one another in horizontal or vertical direction.
US08439770B1
An iron-type golf club head having a rear cavity with an undercut portion is disclosed herein. The undercut portion is present in less than 360 degrees of the rear cavity. Further, the undercut portion is preferably discontinuous. Further, the under portion preferably has sharp angles at segments of the rear cavity.
US08439767B2
A swinging mechanism and a ball capturing target, used together or separately, teach putting skills and enable entertaining indoor/outdoor putting games and practice. The swinging mechanism teaches tempo, direction and distance control. The mechanism adjusts to fit most bodies and putters to achieve a repeatable eye-over-ball setup. The putter-head's backside pushes the mechanism aft and lets the mechanism pace the forward stroke. Premature head and sternum movement are eliminated by focusing on swing-thought words on the base; feeling the support rod against your sternum; and noticing the mechanism tap your cheek at the instant you see and hear the putter-ball impact. Colored ball-sets are putted through 3 different sized openings into separated capture zones to score 1, 2, or 3 points per ball. Player's uniquely colored ball-sets enable easy counting and strategy changes as games progress. After final score count, up to 75 balls are easily retrieved for a new round.
US08439749B2
Gaming devices, gaming systems, methods of conducting wagering games, and computer programs for conducting wagering games are disclosed. A gaming system for playing a wagering game is disclosed which includes a processor(s) and a memory device(s) storing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the processors, cause the gaming system to: store, on at least one memory device, a progressive game having a first set of configuration parameters; store, on at least one memory device, a primary wagering game having a second set of configuration parameters; and compare, via at least one processor, the first set of configuration parameters with the second set of configuration parameters to determine, in accordance with at least a first rule set, if the primary wagering game can be activated and paired with the progressive game.
US08439744B2
A gaming system for playing a wagering game includes a gaming machine and a controller operatively associated with the gaming machine. The controller is configured to temporarily pause a game-in progress on the gaming machine following the occurrence of a pause event. The controller is also configured to reinstate a game-in progress on the gaming machine following the occurrence of an end-pause event.
US08439743B2
A gaming machine is disclosed having indicia of a plurality of spinning reels in a first set of reels and indicia of a plurality of spinning reels in a second set of reels. A determination is made as to whether the outcomes of the indicia of the plurality of spinning reels in the first and second sets of reels are winning outcomes. Award-multiplier indicia of a first shared spinning base game award-multiplier reel is positioned between the first and second set of reels. The first set of reels, second set of reels, and the base game award-multiplier reel form a contiguous set of reels having a common axis of rotation. The base game award-multiplier indicia modifies the winning outcome on the first set of reels, modifies the winning outcome on the second set of reels, includes a secondary game trigger symbol, or combinations thereof.
US08439734B2
An electronic game machine including a central processing unit, a storing device, a display, and an inputting device. The central processing unit serves as a game board displaying unit to display a game board on a display, a game piece deploy controlling unit to initially deploy game pieces, and a game piece movement permitting unit to permit the movement of the game pieces.
US08439726B2
A nozzle assembly (1) generates a jet (9) of water, or abrasive particles suspended in water, for use in an abrasive waterjet-cutting head. The nozzle assembly (1) comprises a nozzle element (5, 80, 84, 86, 91) with a tapering bore (7) therethrough, mounted to a carrier (2, 52) so that the bore (7) is connected coaxially to a passage (4) through the carrier (2, 52), the bore (7) and passage (4) preferably having the same diameter where they meet. The nozzle element comprises a superhard material, such as diamond, in the form of a solid body (5, 81, 83, 86) or a coating (90). The nozzle element is mounted to the carrier (2, 52) by a brazed or soldered joint (6), extending normally to a longitudinal axis of the passage (4) and bore (7).
US08439724B2
A method of machining a blade retention slot with an abrasive water jet machining. A straight blade retention slot along an X-axis then a at least one side of the straight blade retention slot is abrasive water jet machined to generate a curved side of the blade retention slot defined within an X-Y plane.
US08439722B2
A brassiere garment and associated method for dressing is provided contemplating a strap that is operably trained around a user's back and sides, a cup attached at each end of the strap, and an adjustable attachment feature connecting the cups together.
US08439719B2
In a method of encapsulating an organic light emitting display device, when a lower substrate and a encapsulating substrate are encapsulated, the encapsulating process can be simplified since a sealant coating process can be performed without a mask aligning process, thereby reducing manufacturing cost. The method comprises the steps of: preparing an encapsulating substrate for encapsulating a lower substrate on which a display unit, which includes the organic light emitting display device, is formed; forming a black mask on a region of the encapsulating substrate, which is not a sealant region, corresponding to outer regions of the display unit; and forming a sealant on the sealant region.
US08439713B2
The present invention is to provide a high-power connector having a heat dissipation structure, which includes a cover, a plurality of resilient metal terminals and a plurality of auxiliary metal plates. The cover is made of an insulating material and defines a plurality of receiving spaces therein. The resilient metal terminals are fitted in the receiving spaces respectively. The front section of each resilient metal terminal has an arcuate shape, passes through a lateral side of the cover, and is exposed from the cover. The front section of each auxiliary metal plate is electrically connected to the corresponding resilient metal terminal, and the rear section of each auxiliary metal plate is electrically connected to a circuit board. Since the auxiliary metal plates have relatively low impedance capable of rapidly releasing the heat generated by the connector, the components of the connector are prevented from premature aging attributable to high temperature.
US08439705B2
An electrical connector (100) includes an insulative housing (2) defining a receiving cavity (20) for insertion of a mating connector, a terminal module (3) including a number of mating terminals (311) projecting into the receiving cavity and a number of magnetic components connected with the mating terminals, and a respective shielding plate (33) located between adjacent magnetic components to reduce crosstalk.
US08439700B2
A socket for electrical parts which makes a locater plate fulfill the function satisfactory and enhance the operational feeling of the locater plate. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lock members are fixed on the vertically movable locater plate. The top of the lock member is the first engaging potion formed so as to have a hook shape, and the bent double portion thereof is a second engaging portion. The first engaging portion regulates the downward movement of the locater plate at the bottom position. The second engaging portion which regulates the upward movement and releases the regulation of the upward movement by deforming elastically when a force larger than a predetermined value is applied.
US08439693B2
A socket assembly comprises an insulating housing receiving a plurality of contacts, a pick up cap assembled on the insulating housing and a loading plate covering the insulating housing and the pick up cap. The pick up cap is pivotally assembled to one of the sidewalls of the insulative housing at an end thereof and has an operating portion at an opposite end thereof. The loading plate is provided with a latching piece to latch with the operating portion of the pick up cap, so that the loading plate can bring the pick up cap to open.
US08439692B1
A triplex electrical receptacle has a flexible, compact arrangement of bus bars and phase, neutral and ground contacts associated with three outlets. Two outlets are nearest two corners of the body that share a common first side, and the third outlet is between them but closer to the opposite side of the body. A common neutral bus bar (with terminal) is connected to the neutral contacts of all three outlets. The phase bus bar (with terminal) is connected to the phase contacts of at least two of the outlets. One embodiment permanently connects the phase contact of the third outlet to the phase bus bar; another embodiment permanently isolates the third outlet, connecting its phase contact to a separate phase terminal; and an additional embodiment incorporates a separate phase terminal for the third outlet and an optionally severable connection between the third outlet and the first phase terminal.
US08439687B1
Apparatus and methods useable for simulated insertion and positioning of medical or surgical devices. The apparatus generally comprises a substantially flat structure having simulated body openings, anatomical passageways, anatomical structures and anatomical cavities formed therein. One or more windows (e.g., a transparent top panel or cover) allows the operator to observe the movement or positioning of the medical or surgical device.
US08439685B2
A fire training door assembly includes a door hingably connected in a door frame including first and second vertical posts and an upper horizontal beam connecting the vertical posts. A cutout space is defined along one of the lateral sides of the door. The cutout space has an upper end, a lower end, and a side portion. The reinforced section of the second vertical post extends at least from the lower end to the upper end of said cutout space. The fire door assembly further includes a lock element movably arranged in the cutout space and a spring arranged between the lock element and the side portion urging the lock element toward the second side of the door against a stop element arranged on the door along the second lateral side of the door. The lock element is movable against an urgency of the spring toward the first lateral side of the door, whereby the forces required to move the lock element against the spring simulate the forces required to pry open a steel door. An adjustment device adjusts the urgency of the spring.
US08439682B1
A set of endodontic instrument adapted to remove material from walls of a root canal having a working portion with a relatively short working length. A substantially untapered nonworking portion of the instrument shaft with substantially parallel sidewalls and a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the proximal end of the working portion extends from adjacent a proximal end of the working portion to the proximal end of the shaft. The working portions of the set of instruments have relatively small, slowly progressing taper rates.
US08439674B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for intra-oral delivery of drugs.
US08439673B2
Embodiments are provided for tracking teeth movement correction. One method embodiment includes using a set of positioning appliances shaped to move teeth through a number of successive stages of arrangements of an expected teeth arrangement model where each stage corresponds to a particular positioning appliance, mapping a current teeth position based upon positions of a number of physical markers attached to a number of physical teeth, comparing the positions of the number of physical markers with a corresponding number of virtual markers positioned on a number of virtual teeth of a stage in the expected teeth arrangement model, determining whether midcourse correction is needed.
US08439660B2
A screw compressor comprises a first meshing body and a second meshing body. The first meshing body has plural helical flutes disposed around a first rotating shaft. The second meshing body has plural projections or lobes disposed around a second rotating shaft. At least one of the projections or lobes is arranged non-uniformly with respect to the other projections or lobes in a circumferential direction of the second rotating shaft. The plural helical flutes are arranged to be meshable with the plural projections or lobes, in a circumferential direction of the first rotating shaft.
US08439658B2
A progressing cavity pump assembly utilizes a reinforced upper section of the stator rubber helix. The pump stator is located at the end of a string of tubing. The reinforced upper section of the stator rubber helix is strong enough, whether reinforced by mechanical means or by strengthening the rubber matrix chemically, so as not to allow the passage of a stop located above or on the top of the pump rotor. The rotor is lowered on a string of rods until the stop above or on top of the rotor lands onto the reinforced upper section of the stator rubber helix. The rotor is then repositioned away from the stator helix a predetermined distance before pump operation begins with rod string rotation.
US08439653B2
A pump for a high-pressure cleaning apparatus for delivering cleaning liquid is provided. The pump has at least one pump chamber into which at least one reciprocally movable piston plunges. The pump chamber is connected via at least one inlet valve to a suction conduit and via at least one outlet valve to a pressure conduit. A bypass conduit leads from the pressure conduit to the suction conduit. A bypass valve is arranged in the bypass conduit. The valve body of the bypass valve is connected to a control member which displaces the valve body to a closed or an open position and displaces a switch plunger which is coupled to the valve body to a first or a second switch position. The valve body opens a passage upstream of the valve seat which becomes wider when the valve body is at a predetermined distance from the valve seat.
US08439652B2
A suction throttle valve of a variable displacement compressor having a compressor housing includes a suction chamber, a crank chamber, an inlet, a suction passage, a valve body, a valve housing, an urging member, a valve chamber, and a communication hole. The valve body is provided for adjusting an opening area of the suction passage and movably arranged in the suction passage. The urging member urges the valve body in the direction that decreases the opening area of the suction passage. The communication hole is provided for connecting the suction chamber to the valve housing. An opening area of the communication hole is variable in accordance with the movement of the valve body. Accordingly, the opening area of the communication hole becomes maximum during the maximum displacement operation of the compressor and becomes reduced during the intermediate displacement operation of the compressor.
US08439649B2
A sputter ion pump including an evacuateable envelope having a chamber, first and second cathodes and an anode disposed in the chamber. The anode can have an outer layer of a non-evaporable getter (NEG) material so as to permit NEG pumping of gases by the anode. In another aspect of the invention, the anode can be formed with spaced-apart first and second sheet portions disposed in juxtaposition to each other and having a plurality of holes extending through the sheets for forming a plurality of anode cells.
US08439643B2
A turbine blade includes an airfoil and integral platform. The platform is biformally contoured in elevation to include bilaterally disposed elevated ridges and depressed troughs on opposite sides of the airfoil.
US08439640B2
A propeller blade pitch control system includes a propeller hub for mounting at least one propeller blade, and a propeller shaft which rotates about an axis to rotationally drive the propeller hub. A pitch change yoke located within the propeller hub is configured to change a pitch of the at least one propeller blade in response to hydraulic fluid flow to a pitch change actuator. A propeller gearbox includes a first, rear end and a second, forward end located between the first, rear end and the pitch change yoke, and is configured to apply torque to the propeller hub. A hydraulic transfer bearing located between the first, rear end and the second, forward end of the propeller gearbox is operable to selectively permit a flow of hydraulic fluid from at least one hydraulic flow controller to the pitch change actuator.
US08439637B2
An assembly includes a first tapered roller bearing and a second tapered roller bearing and a bellows spring. The bellows spring is disposed adjacent the first tapered roller bearing and the second tapered roller bearing.
US08439629B2
A turbine engine blade outer air seal segment has a body having a base portion. The base portion has a transversely concave ID face, a forward end, an aft end, and first and second circumferential edges. The body has at least one mounting hook. At least one cover plate is secured to the body to define at least one cavity. The cover plate has a plurality of feed holes. A plurality of outlet holes extend through the base portion to the ID face. At least one of the base portion and cover plate comprises a protruding portion protruding into the cavity to form a partial restriction separating forward and aft cavity portions.
US08439627B2
A steam turbine includes a casing, a rotor arranged inside the casing so as to extend in an axial direction of the casing, a rotor disk integrally formed with the rotor, a rotor-side implanting portion formed in the rotor disk, a plurality of moving blades arranged on the rotor disk in a circumferential direction of the rotor, and a moving blade-side implanting portion formed in the moving blade, in which the moving blade-side implanting portions of the moving blades are engaged with the rotor-side implanting portions, respectively. A cooling medium flows through a gap formed at least on a blade portion side of the moving blade among gaps formed between the moving blade-side implanting portions and the rotor-side implanting portions.
US08439613B1
A fastener apparatus is disclosed that features projecting locking members that extend and retract when a central drive shaft is rotated. The exterior of the connector has a body that is partially threaded to receive a nut so that two structures (eg. flanges, panels, plates, beams, etc.) can be pulled together by tightening the bolt when the locking members are in the extended position. In one embodiment, the shaft can be an eyebolt.
US08439607B2
At least one exemplary system comprises a tubular mesh enclosure formed from a mesh material having a nominal opening size of less than 0.5 inches, said tubular mesh enclosure having an opposing pair of ends, at least one of said opposing pair of ends sealed; and a filling surrounded by said tubular mesh enclosure; said system defining a length and a generally non-circular longitudinal cross-section defining a major width, a ratio of said length to said major width greater than approximately 40. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure.
US08439603B2
A hose comprising an inner tubular structure, an outer tube and an insulation layer, wherein the inner tubular structure comprises a tubular body disposed between inner and outer gripping members, the tubular body including a sealing layer, and being formed of a material capable of withstanding cryogenic temperatures, wherein the outer tube comprises a rubber layer and a reinforcing layer disposed around the rubber layer, wherein the insulation layer is either incorporated in the inner tubular structure and/or is disposed between the inner tubular structure and the outer tube.
US08439598B2
A method for compacting a surface of granular materials is disclosed. The method is applicable to wheeled compaction equipment such as pneumatic-tire compactors, drum-type compactors and asphalt compactors. The propel system includes a controller programmed to send a first at least substantially constant propel command that propels the compaction equipment in a forward direction. The controller then changes the speed of the compaction equipment by providing a second varying propel command that may increase or decrease the speed resulting from the first command. As a result, the speed of the compaction equipment oscillates.
US08439595B1
A vehicle restraining system using an electrical impulse to disable the control system of a targeted vehicle including a roadway module placed at a location to engage the targeted vehicle for delivering the electrical impulse to the vehicle; a roadside module for generating the energy required for the electrical impulse and delivering the energy to the roadway module; and an operator interface module for operating the restraining system. In addition, a method of disabling the control system of a vehicle by delivering an electrical impulse to the vehicle includes the steps of charging a vehicle restraining system; setting the charged vehicle restraining system to disable the next encountered vehicle; detecting the next encountered vehicle, and delivering the electrical impulse to the targeted vehicle.
US08439591B2
A tube arrangement comprises a first tube and at least one second tube, the first tube and the second tube being arranged in relation to one another with an offset transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the tubes and with a partial overlap region in the longitudinal direction of the tubes, so that a first end of the first tube is arranged at a side of the second tube and a second end of the second tube is arranged at a side of the first tube. The tube arrangement has, further, at least one connection element which fixedly connects the first tube and the second tube to one another in the overlap region. The connection element has a first end wall and a second end wall spaced apart from the first end wall in the longitudinal direction of the tubes, which end walls extend, in the overlap region, between the tubes transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the latter and are fixedly connected to these, and two longitudinal walls which are spaced apart from one another transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction and which extend in the longitudinal direction of the tubes from the first end wall to the second end wall and are fixedly connected to these.
US08439588B2
A fluid-powered bath brush that uses the kinetic energy of moving water to operate skin-cleaning attachments. In one embodiment, the bath brush comprises a brush head member having at least one brush head housing, a water wheel, a first drive gear, a second drive gear and a brush element rotatably mounted thereon, an adaptor with an outlet side adapted to be connected to a showerhead and an inlet side adapted to be connected to a first fluid-dispensing means that carries water to the showerhead and contains a diverter which diverts the flow of water from the first fluid-dispensing means to the showerhead to the flow of water from the first fluid-dispensing means to the brush head member and a flexible second fluid-dispensing means containing at least two tubes for carrying water connecting the brush head member and the adaptor.
US08439585B2
The present invention refers to an article to be used to hold and carry writing instruments, such as an eraser and a markers for a white board; the article includes means to support the article in a removable way on a flat surface, such as a wall, a blackboard, a table or a similar surface, so that both the eraser and the markers can be easily located by the user during a working session. In the embodiment illustrated, the article has the capacity to hold one eraser and up to three conventional markers.
US08439581B2
A shutter assembly includes a plurality of shutter blades movable between an open position and a closed position, a drive ring having first and second oppositely-facing sides, at least one of the shutter blades being movably coupled to the first side, and a first permanent magnet coupled to the second side of the drive ring. The shutter assembly also includes a first solenoid selectively energizable to alternately attract and repel the first permanent magnet along an arcuate path beneath the first solenoid, thereby transitioning the plurality of shutter blades between the open and closed positions. The shutter assembly also includes a sensor assembly configured to detect a location of the first permanent magnet along the path.
US08439580B2
A dust-screening member arranged in front of an image forming unit that holds an image forming element configured to generate an optical image, is formed into a box shape that includes a plate-shaped polygonal light transmitting part that passes light entering from or to the image forming element, and a plurality of foot portions that tilt by a predetermined angle and extend from all sides of the light transmitting part or portions near all sides in a direction in which the image forming unit is located. The light transmitting part and the plurality of foot portions are formed using the same material. A vibrating member is fixed to at least one of the plurality of foot portions. The dust-screening member is held by an elastic force of an elastic member arranged between the plurality of foot portions and a support member configured to support the plurality of foot portions.
US08439576B2
A photoelectric connector assembly includes a first and a second connector and a photoelectric signal conversion module. The first connector defines a mating cavity, first terminals including contacting sections exposing to the mating cavity and a first light transmission module including convex lenses at a front thereof exposing to the mating cavity and first light ports at a rear thereof. The second connector includes an insulating seat and second terminals. The seat defines a rear mating end loading the second terminals and a receiving cavity opening upwards. The conversion module is inserted in the receiving cavity and includes second light ports coupled with the first light ports of the first light transmission module and conductive pads touching with the second terminal.
US08439575B2
A connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1) having a receiving slot (141) formed therein; an optical module (3) for transmitting optical data and being movably received in the receiving slot; a compression coil spring (4) having a first end for biasing the optical module to move in the receiving slot; a metal shell (7) shielding the insulative housing; and a sleeve (40) encircling a second end of the compression coil spring (4) opposite to the first end for retaining the compression coil spring therein.
US08439574B2
A tapered roller bearing includes an outer ring, an inner ring, a tapered roller interposed between the outer ring and the inner ring, and a cage holding the tapered roller. The tapered roller bearing is for being used in an idler portion of an automobile transmission that switches between an idle state in which the outer ring rotates freely in relation to the inner ring and a shift state in which the outer ring rotates synchronously with the inner ring. In one embodiment, the tapered roller bearing has a ratio of roller dynamic load rating Cr to static load rating Cor of Cor/Cr≧1.4. In an alternative embodiment, MoS2 processing is performed on a surface of the tapered roller and the tapered roller bearing has a ratio of roller dynamic load rating Cr to static load rating Cor of Cor/Cr≧1.3.
US08439569B2
A highly reliable combined bearing capable of achieving equal and sufficient lubrication of a plurality of roller bearings with a simple and compact structure is provided. The combined bearing includes a first roller bearing and a second roller bearing which are in contact with each other and arranged on the same axis. A lubricating oil inlet introduces a lubricating oil into an inner space formed between the first roller bearing and the second roller bearing, the lubricating-oil inlet being provided on at least one of an outer ring of the first rolling bearing and an outer ring of the second rolling bearing.
US08439565B2
A scanning system and methods for inspecting contents of a container. High-energy penetrating radiation collimated into a fan beam illuminates an inspected container from one side, while a plurality of detector plates are disposed on the opposite side of the container. Each detector plate has a plurality of detector modules, each of which, in turn, is disposed on a remotely activated alignment and has multiple detector elements. A controller governs the orientation of each of the plurality of detector plates based at least on the detector signal generated by its detector elements such that each detector element of each detector module of each detector plate may be aligned to within a specified fraction of the transverse dimension of the fan beam as measured at the exit slot.
US08439557B2
The invention relates to a single piece coaxial escape wheel set (100, 100′) including a first toothing (108, 108′) formed at the periphery of a plate (103, 103′) and a second toothing (113, 113′). According to the invention, the second toothing (113, 113′) is formed in a single piece with the plate (103, 103′) of the first toothing (108, 108′) so as to reduce any problems of alignment of one in relation to the other and to decrease the overall mass of the wheel set (100, 100′).The invention concerns the field of timepieces.
US08439549B2
A display device includes a top housing, a bottom housing, and a display module. The top housing is engaged with the bottom housing. The bottom housing includes a base and a fixing frame. The base and the fixing frame are integrally formed, and cooperatively define a receiving space. The fixing frame includes a reflective inner side surface. The display module is received in the receiving space. The reflective inner side surface reflects the light emitting from the side surface of the display module to the inner portion of the display module.
US08439543B2
A light source unit mounted in a mount portion of a vehicle includes a heat block and a reflector accommodated in an imaginary cylinder that is defined by a holding device for holding an outer circumference of a lens. A first heat dissipating portion and a second heat dissipating portion, which are partitioned by a partition plate, are provided on an outer circumferential surface of the heat block. A plurality of fins are projected on the first heat dissipating portion which is disposed on a lens side of the heat block so as to extend in a circumferential direction, and a second plurality of fins are projected on the second heat dissipating portion so as to extend in an axial direction of the heat block. The partition plate includes a mounting rib, and a mounting device is provided on the mounting rib for mounting the light source unit in the mount portion of the vehicle.
US08439538B2
A vehicle light can achieve the same or similar heat dissipation performance as that of a conventional vehicle light while having a smaller height than that of the conventional vehicle light, thereby improving space utilization efficiency for a limited installation space of a vehicle body. The vehicle light can include a housing, a cover lens attached to the housing to define a lighting chamber between itself and the housing. A heat dissipation member can be attached to the housing. An optical system can be disposed within the lighting chamber. The optical system can include a heat conduction member including an LED attached surface and a support member fixed to the LED attached surface at one end thereof and to the housing or the heat dissipation member at the other end thereof. An LED light source can be attached to the LED attached surface, and a reflector can be provided for receiving and reflecting light emitted from the LED light source towards the cover lens so that the reflected light passing through the cover lens forms a predetermined light distribution pattern.
US08439532B2
The invention relates to a lighting device to be installed in and/or behind a panel (3), in particular ceiling and/or wall cladding, comprising at least one fitted lamp (1, 1a, 1b) having at least one housing (4) which ends approximately flush with the panel (3), at least one light exit surface (10) and at least one LED module (10), the LED module (5) comprising at least one light-emitting diode (LED) (6). At least one ventilation opening (11, 12) is arranged between the light exit surface (10) and the housing (4) and means (13) are provided for generating an air flow through the ventilation opening (11, 12).
US08439529B2
Disclosed is a lighting device comprising at least one LED and at least one optical element, wherein the LED and the optical element are aligned with each other by means of at least one dowel pin. A method of making such a lighting device is also specified. The described lighting device is particularly well suited for use in a vehicle headlight.
US08439518B2
An illuminating device includes a hot-cathode fluorescent tube (discharge tube) and a light emitting surface that emits light from the hot-cathode fluorescent tube. An auxiliary light emitting portion is provided in the vicinity of a non-lighting region of the hot-cathode fluorescent tube. The auxiliary light emitting portion includes an optical fiber having an incident portion for receiving light from the hot-cathode fluorescent tube, and a light guide plate that receives light from the optical fiber and emits the incident light toward the light emitting surface.
US08439517B2
A light system for adapting the perimeter around an open space for accepting a light fixture comprising a first member for engagement with a portion of the perimeter around the space, a second member for engagement with a portion of the perimeter around the space such that the second member is located symmetrically opposite the first member with respect to the perimeter around the space, engaging the first member and the second member to the perimeter, a pivot for removably engaging the fixture to the first and second members such that the fixture pivots from a first position where the fixture fills the open space to a second position where the fixture is hanging from the perimeter, and a latch for securing the fixture in the first position. Also, a method of installing a fixture into an aperture in a ceiling, wall or box where the aperture is defined by a perimeter, the method comprises the steps of engaging an install apparatus with the perimeter of the aperture, engaging a fixture in a hanging relationship with the install apparatus, rotating the hanging fixture until the fixture is engaged with the perimeter of the aperture, securing the fixture in a operational relationship with the perimeter of the aperture.
US08439514B2
A lighting unit 12 of the present invention includes a light source 17, a chassis that covers the light source 17 and a vibration absorber 70 provided in a mat-like form and arranged between the light source 17 and the chassis 14. The vibration absorber 70 is made of gelatinous material. With this configuration, the vibration absorber 70 blocks vibration propagation from the light source 17 to the chassis 14. As a result, a roaring sound is properly eliminated or reduced.
US08439512B2
Semiconductor lamp with wavelength converter and circuit component axially opposed from light source
A lamp includes a semiconductor light-emitting element, a light guiding element, a wavelength converter, a reflecting mirror, and a circuit unit axially disposed within a central section of the outer tube of an envelope. Light emitted by the semiconductor light-emitting element is guided by the light guiding element to be incident on and be converted by the wavelength converter. At least one component of the circuit unit is disposed at a side of the wavelength converter opposite the semiconductor light-emitting element. The reflecting mirror is disposed between the at least one component of the circuit unit and the wavelength converter, and reflects at least part of light received from the wavelength converter back toward the wavelength converter.
US08439509B2
Ribbed mirrors allowing heat to be conducted past the glass during optical polish and application of coatings and methods of fabricating same. The method comprises placing a bridge of thermally conductive material in thermal contact with the mirror plate and the supporting rib at the interior angle. The preferred thermally conductive material is room temperature vulcanizing silicone. However, the room temperature vulcanizing silicone can be mixed with a powdered heat conductor such as diamond dust, aluminum oxide and silicon carbide. Alternatively, the thermally conductive fillet can be made from a segment of thermally conductive rigid material, such as copper, diamond, beryllium, silver and aluminum having an exterior angle matching the interior angle and a thermally conductive plastic such as room temperature vulcanizing silicone or thermally conductive grease, silicone or epoxy applied to surfaces of the exterior angle.
US08439504B2
Control of a multiprojector system having multiple projectors arranged in a projector array. It is determined whether the projector array is positioned to form one object or two or more objects. A first keystone correction mode is selected if it is determined that the projector array is positioned to form one object. A second keystone correction mode is selected if it is determined that the projector array is positioned to form two or more objects. In the first keystone correction mode, a homography transformation for each of the projectors is derived so as to accommodate keystone correction of all projectors in the projector array involved in the projection of the single object. In the second keystone correction mode, a homography transformation for each of the projectors is derived so as to accommodate keystone correction of all projectors involved in the projection of each object.
US08439503B2
The subject matter disclosed herein involves systems, methods, apparatuses or devices related to infrared imaging or infrared imaging projection.
US08439502B2
Aberration-induced vision symptoms are determined by obtaining at least one wave aberration of an eye, calculating at least one point-spread function from the wave aberration, convolving the point-spread function of eye with at least one specially designed image for night vision diagnosis, and determining at least one aberration-induced vision symptom of the tested eye from the convolved images. The specially designed images are for vision diagnosis of aberration-induced glare, halo, ghost image, and starburst. The invention methods for specifying aberration-induced symptoms allow to find an optimized refractive corrections of defocus and astigmatism and to reduce vision symptoms caused by aberrations in the eye.
US08439500B2
A method of calculating an optical system (OS) of an ophthalmic lens according to a given spectacle frame comprising the steps of: providing geometrical data of the spectacle frame, providing wearer data, and optimization of the optical system (OS) according to at least the criteria consisting of the geometrical data of the spectacle frame, the wearer data and at least one positioning data, so as to generate at least two optical surfaces (S1, S2).
US08439489B2
An ink supply system for an ink jet printer has an ink circuit including a plurality of circuit components and fluid paths for conveying ink between components. A manifold defining the fluid paths and a plurality of ports in fluid communication with the paths. A filter module is provided adjacent to the manifold and comprises a housing that houses at least a first filter, the housing having an inlet and an outlet. The filter module is connected to the manifold such that at least one of the inlet or the outlet is in fluid communication with one of the plurality of ports on the manifold. The filter module may comprise an ink filter and a solvent filter. A second ink filter may be provided upstream of a pump. The modular nature of the filter makes for easy assembly, service and repair. It also provides for improved printer reliability.
US08439486B2
A method of assembly produces a printhead having a polymer aperture plate and outlet plate that are at least 25 mm in length. The method includes bonding the polymer aperture plate to the outlet plate, which is configured with outlets. A laser is aligned with the outlets in the outlet plate to ablate apertures in the polymer aperture plate and the outlet plate is bonded to an inkjet stack to couple the outlets in the outlet plate to pressure chambers in a body plate in the inkjet stack.
US08439484B2
A pneumatic dispenser (1) according to the present invention includes: a first plate (10) including a liquid supply unit (11), a first chamber (C1) connected to the liquid supply unit (11), and a liquid discharge unit (12) connected to the first chamber (C1), a flexible membrane (20) at least installed on the first chamber (C1) of the first plate (10) and establishing one side of the first chamber (C1), a second plate (30) including a second chamber (C2) at a side opposite to the first chamber (C1) while facing the first plate (10) with the flexible membrane (20) interposed there between and a bump (40) formed by protruding the liquid supply unit (11) toward the flexible membrane (20).
US08439479B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus having a liquid ejecting unit that ejects liquid toward a target ejection medium and a target ejection medium support member that is disposed so as to oppose the liquid ejecting unit and supports the target ejection medium, includes a conductive shielding member that covers a first side of the target ejection medium, which opposes the liquid ejecting unit, at an edge area including an edge perpendicular to a feeding direction of the target ejection medium.
US08439476B2
After a light emitting element holder is rotated, it is detected from the output value of a position adjusting light receiving element that a light beam formed by light emitted from a light emitting element is incident on a positioning target provided in a light emitting element. The light emitting element holder is duly fixed to a base member. When the incidence of the light beam on the positioning target is not detected from the output value of the position adjusting light receiving element even though the light emitting element holder is rotated, a light receiving element holder is made to slide for height adjustment and the light emitting element holder is rotated again. The adjustment of the height of the light receiving element holder and the adjustment of the rotation of the light emitting element holder are repeated until the light beam is incident on the positioning target.
US08439475B2
In at least one of the period when the conveying speed of a continuous record medium is accelerated until the conveying speed reaches a constant speed and the period when the conveying speed is decelerated to stop conveying the continuous record medium, a test pattern is recorded on the continuous record medium by a first image recording unit and a second image recording unit. The pattern is read by a first detection unit and a second detection unit, and a record check unit determines whether or not there is a record error in the test pattern.
US08439472B2
While a conveying error of a roller depends on the eccentricity of the roller, the amount and the state of the eccentricity sometimes makes the roller have different conveying errors from one point in the longitudinal direction of the roller to another. There is provided a construction for obtaining a correction value that is suitable for the correction of the conveying error even in such a case as described above. To this end, plural test patterns are formed in the longitudinal direction of the roller. Then, a suitable correction value for correcting the conveying error that depends on the eccentricity of the roller is obtained on the basis of these test patterns.
US08439469B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus, including: a feeding mechanism which feeds a recording medium; a first ejection head including a first ejection opening for ejecting first liquid and a first energy generating portion which generates an energy for ejecting the first liquid; an image-data storage section storing image data for ejecting the first liquid onto dot areas on the recording medium; an image-recording controlling section which controls the first energy generating portion based on the image data; a flushing-data producing section which produces flushing data for flushing; and a flushing controlling section which controls the first energy generating portion such that a flushing dot is formed on the recording medium, wherein the flushing-data producing section produces the flushing data such that the flushing dot is landed on one of the dot areas which is distant, by a specific area, from an edge dot area corresponding to an edge of the image.
US08439464B2
Provided is an inkjet printing apparatus for performing a printing with a first nozzle array for ejecting a first color ink and a second nozzle array for ejecting a second color ink. The apparatus reduces density unevenness stemming from a sudden error in conveyance of a printing medium. When the apparatus performs a scan with respect to the printing medium for printing in which using ranges of nozzles in the first and second nozzle arrays are restricted to parts thereof, the restricted using ranges of the first and second nozzle arrays are shifted from each other. Thereby, the density unevenness stemming from the error in conveyance occur in positions which are different between the first and second colors, Thus, it possible to make the overall density unevenness less obvious by making gradients of variations in brightness and chroma of an image smaller.
US08439462B2
The embodiment relates to a refrigerator. The refrigerator according to one embodiment includes: a cabinet in which a storage chamber is formed; a door that is connected to the cabinet and opens and closes the storage chamber; a receiving member that is mounted in the door and receives foods; a guide unit that guides an up and down movement of the receiving member in a state where the receiving member is mounted in the door; and a fixing unit that fixes a position at which the receiving member is moved.
US08439458B2
A housing for at least partially accommodating a furniture fitting is designed such that it can be changed in length along a longitudinal axis of the housing.
US08439455B2
A brake control system that is received in a waterproof case and can be easily assembled even when a plurality of electric wires or hydraulic pipes is connected thereto is provided. A brake control system for a vehicle is connected to hydraulic brakes through a plurality of brake pipes 116a through 116e and controls hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic brakes, wherein the brake control system is received in a case 100 having a waterproof property, a pipe supporting member 101, which enables the plurality of the brake pipes 116a through 116e to be arranged from an external side of the case 100 into the case 100, is formed on the case 100, and the pipe supporting member 101 and the case 100 are detachably attached to each other through a seal member 102.
US08439436B2
An arrangement structure for a duct is provided, enabling formation of an air intake opening of the duct such as to be widely open on the side of a seatback and improvement in strength of a striker holding the seatback. The arrangement structure includes a vehicle seat with a seatback and a lock mechanism provided on the seatback and engaging with a striker supported on a vehicle sidewall to lock the seatback at a standing position; and the duct provided on the side of the seatback, extending in the up and down direction and flowing air. The striker has an inclined portion extending from the engaging position of the seatback and the lock mechanism toward outside with respect to a vehicle lateral direction and toward the vehicle rear side. The duct is disposed on the side of the seatback and on the front side of the inclined portion.
US08439432B2
A vehicle roof system enabling elimination of the B-pillar is disclosed. A particular aspect of the invention is to transfer vertical roof loads onto an enhanced rear structure of the vehicle. An additional aspect of the invention is to employ a rear upper cap reinforcement to directly assume roof crush loads applied at front of the vehicle during testing. A specific load transfer mechanism is disclosed. Vertical roof crush force applied near the front of the vehicle is transferred into both a torsional load upon a rear header of the vehicle, and a bending moment upon the C-pillar of the vehicle.
US08439423B2
Elongated side rails for attachment to a sidewall of a truck cargo box as a portion of a tonneau cover assembly. Each assembly includes a flexible cover that can be operatively secured to side rails. One side rail includes a securing portion that can be operatively connected to the sidewall; an inclined portion extending from the securing portion, the inclined portion having first and second sides; a connecting member extending downwardly away from the inclined portion from a position located between the first and second sides; and a longitudinal portion extending from the connecting member opposite the inclined portion. To secure the cover to the side rails, hook fastener is preferably attached to loop fastener on the cover. One preferred side rail has a ridge to prevent premature engagement of the fasteners. Another preferred side rail has directional hook fastener to prevent premature engagement of the fasteners.
US08439403B2
A printed article is disclosed having a light transmissive substrate having a reverse printed region on a surface thereof in the form of a plurality of very closely spaced printed lines or regions. The printed regions and spaces therebetween are subsequently flood coated with special effect ink such as optically variable ink wherein the ink particle size is on average greater than the gap between reverse printed regions. The image is viewed from the non-printed side of the substrate and very fine lines of the special effect flood coated special effect ink appear as very clear sharp lines having a fine resolution. This eliminates the typical jagged edges that would otherwise be seen if the inked region was not present. This effect is due to the first printed inked regions or lines forming a mask through which the flood coated ink is seen.
US08439390B2
A three-wheeled golf cart having collapsible mechanism to fold the cart down for storage and transport where the three wheels are placed evenly around the compact volume of the collapsed unit and a button-control unit allows for the front wheel to turn 180 degrees so that the front wheel will be turned and rotated to an offset position away from the center line of the main tube frame, resulting in a small and compact size storage and transport.
US08439386B1
A name plate motorcycle exhaust guard that includes a name plate having a plurality of letters wrought three-dimensionally thereupon, a pair of fasteners disposed perpendicularly from an inward surface, wherein the name plate is removably attachable to a mounting bracket, said mounting bracket configured to be removably attachable to a highway peg mount of a motorcycle, whereby the name plate motorcycle exhaust guard extends rearwards in a vertical plane to shield a rider from contact with the exhaust pipe when the motorcycle is in use.
US08439385B2
A tricycle may be operable between a first mode of operation steerable by a tricycle rider, and a second mode of operation steerable by an individual pushing the tricycle. A rider handle, in the first mode, may be rotationally coupled with the stem in a manner permitting a tricycle rider to exert forces on the rider handle and thereby turn the fork, and the rider handle in the second mode, may be rotationally uncoupled from the stem, preventing forces on the rider handle from turning the fork. At least one rotation restrictor may be included for preventing the front wheel from turning to a position where the front wheel axis leads the stem axis, and for maintaining the front wheel axis in a position trailing the stem axis in the first mode and in the second mode.
US08439377B2
Provided is a structure of a roll rod for a vehicle which is mounted on a subframe of the vehicle and combined with a transmission or an engine. The structure includes a fastening rod having one end connected with the transmission or the engine and the other end where a sliding portion is inserted in the subframe, a mounting member fixed to the subframe in contact with the outer circumference of the sliding portion and having a protrusion on the inner circumference, a front insulator connected to the outer circumference of the sliding portion and positioned ahead of the protrusions, a rear insulator connected to the outer circumference of the sliding portion and positioned behind the protrusion, and an end plate mounted on the fastening rod, behind the rear insulator, in which the rear insulator is formed by combining two or more sub-insulators and one or more sub-insulators are spaced apart from the end plate. The structure allows efficiently carrying displacement of the power train and insulate vibration and preventing the rear insulators from being worn and broken, thereby improving durability.
US08439375B2
A new dolly can be used for making either a vacuum cleaner supported by casters or one supported by wheels. Casters can be mounted in sockets in bosses near the dolly perimeter. Alternatively, axle mounts can be fitted over the bosses. Upright walls on the mounts engage corresponding walls on the underside of the dolly, forming spaced supports. An accessory component with molded upright walls is mounted onto the dolly, and its walls engage corresponding walls under the dolly. One fastener seats against one fastener surface on the accessory component, and extends into a hole in that fastener surface, an aligned opening in the corresponding axle mount, and into the dolly.
US08439374B1
A lightweight cart which weighs less than three pounds but has a structural design which enables the cart to retain and transport objects which weigh over one hundred and ten pounds. The cart can fold down to two inches for storage, a flat thickness which is at least one inch less thick than conventional foldup carts.
US08439369B2
A shrink-fit chuck tool holder which comprises: clamping means which are provided centrally with respect to an axis of rotation of the tool holder for holding a shank of a rotary tool, and which define a receiving opening for the shank. The clamping means can be displaced in the radial direction between a release position for insertion or removal of the shank and a clamping position. The clamping means are assigned a clamping surface with a cylindrical contour which, in the clamping position, bears against the outer circumferential surface of the shank. The clamping surface has a helical groove surrounding the axis of rotation or a multiplicity of annular grooves surrounding the axis of rotation, which as seen in the direction of the axis of rotation project towards the axis of rotation and the roof surfaces of which form the clamping surface.
US08439359B2
The present invention is directed to a two-piece shuffleboard playfield having two rectangular planar members forming the overall playfield, two bracket members and adjustment members. The two elongated planar playfield members are attached to each other with the bracket members. Each bracket member is mounted to the lower surface of one of the elongated planar members at the point of joinder of the two elongated playfield members. When the playfield members are placed in abutting relationship to each other, the bracket members are likewise placed adjacent to each other for securely attaching the same to each other with a plurality of fastener members. An adjustment bolt is position at each respective end portion of each bracket member for leveling the top surface of the elongated planar members at their point of joinder. Each end portion of one rectangular planar member adjacent the point of joinder or joint edge can be moved up and down with respect to the other end portions of the rectangular planar members by adjusting the adjustment members. The adjustment bolts are used to raise one corner of each of the elongated playfield members independently of each other at the point of joinder.
US08439355B2
A sheet feeder includes a sheet tray configured to support one or more sheets stacked thereon in a slanted state, a feed roller disposed to face a lower end of a top one of the sheets stacked on the sheet tray, the feed roller being configured to feed the sheets, a supporter disposed under the sheet tray movably relative to the feed roller, the supporter being configured to support, on an upper surface thereof, lower ends of the sheets stacked on the sheet tray, and a displacement mechanism configured to displace the supporter farther from the feed roller depending on a pressure which the feed roller applies to the sheets when rotating.
US08439350B2
In an image reading apparatus, the linear coefficients of expansion of conveyance drive rollers and a linear coefficient of expansion of the holding unit are determined such that the amount of change in the outer diameter of each of the conveyance drive rollers due to a change in temperature environment is substantially the same as the amount of change in the interval between the first reading unit and the second reading unit due to a change in the temperature environment. The conveyance drive rollers are attached to a rotary shaft such that the positions of head portions of screws are alternately located along the axis direction of the rotary shaft on opposite sides of the outer circumference surface in a direction perpendicular to the axis direction of the rotary shaft.
US08439346B2
The method includes determining whether or not the trailing end of the previous medium has reached a preliminary feed start position, if it is determined that the trailing end of the previous medium has reached the preliminary feed start position, determining whether or not the leading end of the subsequent medium has already reached a target position of the preliminary feeding operation, if the subsequent medium does not reach the target position, causing driving for the preliminary feeding operation so as to be performed, and when the preliminary feeding operation is performed, calculating a gap between the previous medium and the subsequent medium on the basis of a first value, and when the preliminary feeding operation is not performed, calculating the gap on the basis of a second value.
US08439334B2
Spring-mounted vibration system to reduce vibration with a first spring-mounted part and a second spring-mounted part, wherein the first spring-mounted part and the second spring-mounted part can oscillate relative to each in at least one vibration direction and at least one of the spring-mounted parts can be exposed to a return force on a vibration movement. A control unit is arranged with at least one travel linkage which is connected with at least one of the spring-mounted parts and in which is arranged displaceably at least one guide element connected with a spring element generating the return force and/or the other spring-mounted part.
US08439322B2
A mounting post for supporting a plurality of electronic cabinets, each having different bolt patterns, comprising a hollow post configured to receive a hollow mount at the upper end, a stabilizer plate attached to the lower end of the post, and a hollow mount selected from a plurality of hollow mounts, each having a lower end configured to mate to the post, and having a substantially planar upper surface with openings formed therein corresponding to a unique bolt pattern for an electronics cabinet.
US08439320B2
The extracting apparatus includes a bracket, a holder extractably mounted to the bracket, a locking member, an elastic member connecting the bracket with the locking member, and a handle pivotably connecting to the bracket. The locking member is pivotably engaged with the bracket. The handle includes a cam, and the locking member includes a latch portion. When the extracting apparatus is at a locked position, the latch portion of the locking member extends through the bracket to securely engage with the holder. When the handle is pivoted to move toward the bracket, the cam of the handle drives the locking member to rotate relative to the bracket for releasing the holder.
US08439315B2
A system and method for detecting failing rail car wheels, brakes, bearings, and/or other components of a rail car may include at least one thermal sensor and at least one image capture device. The thermal sensor(s) and image capture devices(s) are usable to help determine whether there is a failure or potential failure of a component of a wheel set by detecting, measuring and/or comparing a temperature of various portions of the wheel set. If the temperature is higher than expected, it may indicate, for example, a stuck brake, a failing bearing, and/or some other failure of the wheel set. If the temperature is lower than expected, it could indicate that a brake of the wheel set is unexpectedly diengaged and/or some other failure of the wheel set.
US08439309B2
A de-icer including a bracket arranged on a structural member and a de-icer module mounted on the bracket. The de-icer module is adjustable arranged on the bracket such that a position of the de-icer module is adjustable in relation to the bracket. Also a fixture and a method of adjusting a position of a de-icer.
US08439307B2
The present invention provides a fuselage structure for an aircraft or spacecraft with an outer skin. The fuselage structure comprises a rib element for stiffening the outer skin and ad cross member element. Here the rib element is bent in the shape of an arc to correspond to an inner contour of the outer skin. The cross member element connects two arc sections of the rib element transversely to each other. The cross member element has a higher strength than the rib element. From another point of view the invention provides an aircraft with such a fuselage structure.
US08439306B2
A thermal management system comprises a first heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, a second heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet, a fluid loop, a first heat pump, and a second heat pump. The fluid loop circulates a fluid, and forms a continuous path between the first and second heat exchangers. The first heat pump is connected to the fluid loop and is disposed between the outlet of the second heat exchanger and the inlet of the first heat exchanger. The second heat pump is connected to the fluid loop and is disposed between the outlet of the first heat exchanger and the inlet of the second heat exchanger.
US08439304B2
An energy absorber system (10) provided with a shock absorber (11) extending from a first end (12) suitable for being connected to a rocker arm (5) of an undercarriage (3) housed in a wheel bay (4), towards a second end (13). In addition, the system includes a fitting (20) connected to said second end (13), and guide means (30) for guiding said fitting (20) in translation that is suitable for being fastened to a flank (4″) of said wheel well (4), said system (10) including deformable energy absorber means (40) fastened to said fitting (20) and suitable for being fastened to a structure (4″) of said bay (4) and also to fusible retention means (50) suitable for fastening said fitting (20) to said flank (4″), said fusible retention means (50) rupturing from a predetermined threshold in order to allow said fitting (20) to move under guidance from said guide means (30) so as to deform said energy absorber means (40).
US08439300B2
A rear part of an aircraft, including a support structure for supporting engines, extending through the fuselage, through two openings distributed on either side of a vertical median plane of the aircraft. The support structure includes a first half-structure and a second half-structure respectively extending through the first and second fuselage openings, the first and second half-structures being joined to each other so that they can be disassembled in an inside space defined by the fuselage.
US08439298B2
An aircraft nacelle includes an air intake followed at the upper part by a part that is integral with the mast, called a cap, and at least one door with a curved profile that includes a stiffening device arranged at the edge upstream from the door and which includes: a flexible element that follows the curved profile of the door between two remote anchoring points, at least one safety index including a latch pivotable around an axis of rotation, and connected to the door so as to occupy a locked position in which the end of the latch rests against the inside surface of an edge upstream from the door, and an unlocked position in which the end of the latch is offset relative to the edge, whereby in the locked position, the latch prevents the scooping phenomena by limiting movements of the door in the radial direction toward the outside of the nacelle, and elements for stretching the flexible element between the two anchoring points and for controlling the pivoting in the locked position of the latch.
US08439292B2
A device for the automatic coiling and/or uncoiling on reels (28) of a flexible tape carrier of electronic components (60), the device comprising a coiling location (80) where a reel (28) can be connected to a rotation actuator, and retractable tape guides (35), consisting of articulated jaws (35) that can be closed together forming a channel to guide the flexible tape (60) and connect a free end of the flexible (60) tape (60) to a hub (29) of the reel (28), the device further having a stopper element (87) that engages with the slot in the reel hub, in order to stop the reel in a position in which the slot is aligned with the tape guide.
US08439281B2
A modular coatings sprayer includes a valve housing in which there is defined a nozzle orifice and a valve-shaft bore opposite the nozzle orifice. A housing side wall extends between the orifice and bore and defines an internal fluid passage. The side wall includes an opening through which pressurized fluid is introduced into the fluid passage. A valve including a valve shaft with opposed back and nozzle-closing ends is sealably supported within the bore such that (i) the nozzle-closing end is situated within the housing and the back end is situated external to the housing and (ii) the valve shaft can axially reciprocated between a first position in which the nozzle-closing end does not seal the nozzle orifice and a nozzle-closing position in which the nozzle-closing end seals the nozzle orifice such that pressurized fluid within the fluid passage is prevented from exiting through the nozzle orifice. The valve housing is configured for selective cooperative coupling to a valve-actuating assembly having a body and a lever mounted for pivotable movement relative to the body. The lever selectively engages a portion of the valve shaft external to the valve housing such that (i) when the lever is pivoted in a first direction, the valve shaft is axially displaced in order to open the nozzle orifice and (ii) when the lever is pivoted in a second direction, the valve shaft is axially displaced toward the nozzle-closing position.
US08439271B2
An electronic payment system is configured to process both proximity payment card type and magnetic stripe card type transactions. The magnetic stripe card transaction data is communicated between cards, readers, and transactions authorizing or approving parties in common industry ISO 7811 standard data structures or tracks. The proximity payment card transaction data such a dynamic authentication codes are placed in unused space in the same standard formatted data structures. The availability of unused space varies with card issuer or vendor. An issuer-specific bitmap provides an index to the available space in discretionary data fields in magnetic stripe tracks. The bitmap also is stored in the card's discretionary data field.
US08439262B2
There is provided an image capture apparatus and method. An image capture device can be used in the decoding of a decodable indicia, e.g., bar code symbols and/or text characters and can further be used in the capture of one or more images that may or may not be subjected to decoding processes. In one embodiment, an image captured with use of an image capture device is an image of an item bearing a decodable indicia. In one embodiment, an image capture device can have a plurality of user selectable modes of operation.
US08439249B2
A device and a method for making a semiconductor device including bonding a first bonding partner to a second bonding partner. The device comprises a lower tool and an upper tool, the upper tool including a plunger having a bottom side facing the lower tool at which bottom side a vacuum is creatable, so that the first bonding partner can be picked up by vacuum from the upper tool and positioned on the second bonding partner.
US08439233B2
A spray head assembly includes a head, a main tube, a link, a piston, a reception member, a mount piece and a spring. The parts made of metal such as the spring is isolated from the liquid to ensure that the liquid is not affected by the metal. The main tube can be stopped by the extension portion of the mount piece so as to adjust the length of the mount piece to control the travel distance of the main tube so as to control the volume of each spray.
US08439228B1
A multi-chambered container for selectively storing and dispensing a plurality of items may include predetermined quantities of first and second items and a container having a divided cavity formed therein. The container may further have a spout formed at a top end thereof and in fluid communication with the cavity. Additionally, the container may have first and second mutually exclusive passageways extending from the cavity and terminating at the spout. A mechanism may be included for selectively dispensing one of the first and second items from the spout. Such a mechanism may channel one item along a corresponding passageway while prohibiting another item from being dispensed. The mechanism may be operated by rotating a cam and semicircular disc to position an opening on a simultaneously rotated wheel over the desired passageway. The mechanism may rotate the opening 180 degrees for every 360 degree rotation of the cam.
US08439223B2
A container having a curved bottom and base cup which allows the container to stand upright. The container and base cup are fitted together by a mechanical engagement having portions on the container and base cup. The mechanical engagement of the container is disposed within the bottom cone of the container. The mechanical engagement of the base cup is cantilevered from the bottom of the base cup. Such disposition reduces stress at the interface between the side wall of the container and edge of the base, providing for a smoother transition and better appearance. Also, this disposition provides resistance to separation of the container and base cup during drop impact. The bottom of the container may be curved and have a well therein for receiving the contents of the container and a dip tube.
US08439222B2
A container, such as a beverage or food can is provided, which includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall and a bottom portion extending between the first and second sidewalls. The material of the bottom portion is stretched relative to the first sidewall and the second sidewall to form a thinned preselected profile, such as a dome. The material of the container at or about the dome has a substantially uniform thickness. The container is formed from a blank of material, which has a base gauge prior to being formed. After being formed, the material of the container at or about the dome has a thickness less than the base gauge. Tooling and a method for selectively forming a blank of material into a container, are also disclosed.
US08439221B2
A round beverage container with a chill sleeve is provided having a molded plastic wall in the shape of a cup, a mug, or a pitcher. A sleeve containing a chill medium is in the shape of a truncated conical cylinder, and is positioned in the container to be lodged therein at a selected mounting location and secured by snap-action sealing and retaining rings. A bottom disk, also containing the chill medium, snaps into the container's bottom edge to form the bottom of the container. This bottom disk is sealed to the inside wall of the container by snap-action sealing and retaining rings. Sonic welding can be employed as an alternative to sealing and securing rings. A quantity of water-based chill medium is metered into the hollow cavities when the sleeve and the bottom disk are charged, taking into consideration the expansion of the chill medium (water) upon a change of phase. The wall of the container is tapered and the side walls of the sleeve and of the bottom disk are each tapered to match the taper of the container wall. A bottom face (wall) for each of the insertable chill sleeve and the bottom disk is first separate from the remainder and then snapped into place to seal the respective chill sleeve and bottom disk after they are filled. The bottom face of the chill sleeve is toroidal-shaped.
US08439211B2
A system includes a panel, a holder removably connected to the panel. The holder includes at least one connecting portion. A removable slide hanger has a first portion rotatably connected to the panel and slidably connected to a frame. Content placed in the holder is viewable.
US08439206B2
A cyclone apparatus for separating a mixture containing at least one fluid and a further constituent based on the densities of the mixture constituents. The apparatus includes a first hollow pressure vessel having an overflow plate positioned at an overflow end of the first hollow pressure vessel and an end plate for sealing the overflow plate. The cyclone apparatus also comprises an underflow plate positioned at an under-flow end of the first hollow pressure vessel and a hollow pressure vessel with one end being sealed against the under-flow plate and another end being closed. The overflow plate and the end plate are shaped such that when they are brought together they form separate adjacent overflow compartments between them. The underflow plate and the second hollow pressure vessel are shaped such that when they are brought together they form separate adjacent under-flow compartments between them which correspond to the overflow compartments.
US08439202B2
To effectively utilize coal ash while reducing mercury concentration in cement kiln exhaust gas. Coal ash is received from a thermal power plant or the like; the received coal ash is separated into ash and unburned carbon; the separated ash is utilized in a cement manufacturing facility as a cement raw material; and the separated unburned carbon is utilized in the cement manufacturing facility in accordance with mercury concentration in gas exhausted from a cement kiln of the cement manufacturing facility. In case that the mercury concentration in the gas exhausted from the cement kiln of the cement manufacturing facility is high, in the coal ash, unburned carbon with high mercury content can be treated in facilities other than the cement manufacturing facility without feeding the unburned carbon to the cement manufacturing facility, or the quantity of such unburned carbon fed to the cement manufacturing facility can be adjusted. It is possible to separate mercury from the separated unburned carbon, and utilize the unburned carbon from which mercury is separated in the cement manufacturing facility as a fuel.
US08439197B2
A damping body for packaging includes, between an abutment adapted to abut against a precision substrate storage container upon packaging and an outer peripheral wall rising from an outer peripheral edge of a bottom part having the abutment, an outer peripheral bottom formed at a position distanced more from the abutment than is the precision substrate storage container, and a stepped part formed between the outer peripheral bottom and the abutment. Consequently, in the event of an impact from the outside, the stepped part collapses, so that the abutment favorably moves with respect to the outer peripheral bottom and thus can efficiently absorb the impact. This can prevent large impacts from instantaneously being exerted on the precision substrate storage container and efficiently damp drop impacts.
US08439196B2
A food storage container system including a plurality of food containers and a tray is provided. Each food container includes a container body defining an interior space for holding a product therein and a lid configured to open and close the interior space. The container body is formed from a material including a silicone elastomer. The tray includes a plurality of holders. Each holder defines a recess sized and shaped to removably hold one container of the plurality of containers therein.
US08439195B2
A pack, including at least two PET containers combined with each other, which are held together by a strip-like or ribbon-like compact strapping. The pack is provided with a carrier handle, which overstretches one top side of the pack and is fixed at the lateral surface areas of two PET containers which are arranged opposite of each other, next to each other or adjacent to each other, joints between the carrier handle and the respective PET container being at least partially arranged within the strapping.
US08439194B2
A carton for holding a plurality of containers. The carton comprises a plurality of panels that extends at least partially around an interior of the carton. The plurality of panels comprises a top panel, a first side panel foldably connected to the top panel, a bottom panel foldably connected to the first side panel, a second side panel foldably connected to the bottom panel, and a corner reinforcement flap foldably connected to the top panel. A reinforcing insert comprises a central panel and at least one reinforcing side flap. The central panel can be at least partially in face-to-face contact with at least a portion of the top panel. A container-restraining structure comprises the corner reinforcement flap positioned to restrain at least one container of the plurality of containers that is adjacent the second side panel.
US08439187B2
A shipping container convertible into a display container comprises a case having sidewalls, a closed bottom, and an open top. A separate cover is secured to and closes the open top. The cover comprises a lid panel coextensive in length and width with the open top. A flange depending from each of the side edges of the lid panel and attached to upper outer surfaces of the case sidewalls to secure the cover to the case. A detachable display panel is formed in the lid panel. A detachable protective panel is foldably attached to one side edge of the lid panel by weakened tear lines. The protective panel is attached to the display panel, whereby removal of the protective panel carries with it and removes the display panel to form a display opening in the lid panel for display of and access to product contained in the container.
US08439182B2
A system for controlling friction forces acting on a mailpiece in a mailpiece insertion module. The system includes, a backstop assembly for arresting the motion of the envelope when disposed in a first positon and permitting conveyance along the feed path when disposed in a second position, an actuator operative to position the backstop assembly into the first and second positions and consuming energy to maintain the backstop assembly in the first position, a sensor for acquirinq data indicative of the magnitude of energy consumed by the actuator; a means for developing a pressure differential across the envelope to urge the envelope into frictional engagement with a plurality of drive belts and for developing friction forces along a mating interface, and a system controller, for varying the magnitude of the pressure differential and the friction forces developed along the mating interface of the envelope.
US08439181B2
A device having a holder for holding a container such as a bottle of a size and with a second other holder for holding a container such as a bottle of another size. In addition, a method for loading a device with containers such as bottles, whereby the containers of one size are placed in a first holder and the containers of another size are placed in a second other holder to allow easy adjustment to a different size of container without requiring any time-consuming retooling work.
US08439175B2
A failure detecting apparatus for a hydraulic circuit of a gearbox includes an operating-state detector. The operating-state detector is configured to detect an operating state of a subject to be controlled with a control-signal pressure output from a solenoid valve. A current setting device is configured to set an electrical current supplied to a solenoid so as to close an output oil passage when a modulator valve is normal and to open the output oil passage when an open failure occurs in the modulator valve, while the solenoid valve is conductive. A failure determining device is configured to detect a failure of the modulator valve when the operating state of the subject to be detected by the operating-state detector is abnormal after a value of the electrical current to be supplied to the solenoid is set at the current setting device.
US08439170B2
The invention relates to a self-reinforcing electromechanical disc brake having a brake caliper produced by means of shaping, in one piece with a housing for electromechanical parts of an actuating device of the disc brake, with the housing forming a dimensionally stable hollow body. It is possible in this way to produce a bending-resistant and torsionally rigid brake caliper with a low wall thickness.
US08439166B2
A closed vertical frame for constructing a supporting frame, including at least two vertical supports disposed at a horizontal distance from each other, and at least two horizontal arms disposed at a vertical distance from each other. Each extends between the at least two vertical supports transversely to the vertical supports. A first horizontal arm is welded on both ends to a respective vertical support near the upper end thereof, and a second horizontal arm is welded on both ends likewise to these vertical supports near the lower end thereof. The vertical frame is reinforced with at least one diagonal rod extending between two vertical supports and two horizontal arms and is welded onto two vertical supports. Near the respective upper and/or lower end, a perforated disk having openings is welded to connect holding devices.
US08439156B1
A plastic muffler is configured to provide a controlled mode for releasing exhaust gas pressure during an over-pressurization event. The plastic muffler has a plastic casing that includes at least one pressure relief feature. The pressure relief feature allows exhaust gas to escape from the plastic casing when internal exhaust gas pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure level.
US08439150B1
A drive shaft damper assembly is structured to be installed onto a drive shaft bearing while it remains secured to a drive shaft mounted to a vehicle. The drive shaft bearing assembly includes a bearing collar assembly having a collar and a securing mechanism structured to securely attach the collar to the drive shaft bearing. The drive shaft damper assembly also includes an inner damper assembly, interconnected to the bearing collar assembly, which defines an inner bushing interface, and an outer damper assembly defining an outer bushing interface. A bushing assembly is disposed in an operative engagement between the inner and outer damper assemblies, wherein each of a plurality of bushing members are individually interconnected between the inner bushing interface and the outer bushing interface. A mounting mechanism is structured to securely attach the outer damper assembly to a portion of the vehicle.
US08439146B2
A motorcycle includes a pair of left and right main frames, a fuel tank placed on an upper side of the main frames, an engine suspended on a lower side of the main frames and provided with a cylinder assembly and a crankcase, and a canister that adsorbs an evaporated fuel gas generated in the fuel tank, wherein the canister is arranged inside the main frames in a plan view of the motorcycle and is disposed on a rear side of the cylinder assembly and on an upper side of the crankcase of the engine in a side view of the motorcycle.
US08439137B1
A superabrasive compact (e.g., a polycrystalline diamond compact) is disclosed, which includes a substrate pre-coated with at least one braze layer and an in-process drill bit assembly including at least one of such superabrasive compacts. Pre-coating the substrate with at least one braze layer and dimensioning the pre-coated substrate to fit within the tolerances of a conventionally-sized cutter recess of a drill bit body enables a drill bit manufacture to easily and rapidly braze the disclosed superabrasive compacts into the conventionally-sized cutter recess without substantially decreasing the superabrasive volume of the superabrasive compact.
US08439136B2
Embodiments of the present invention include a drill bit comprised of a plurality of blades. A first plurality of the blades has cutting elements positioned substantially within the cone section of the drill bit. A second plurality of blades has cutting elements positioned substantially within the blade flank section and the blade shoulder section. Another embodiment of the first plurality of blades in which the blades end or truncate at a radial distance substantially less than the radial distance of the blade shoulder section from the center of the drill bit.
US08439133B2
A down hole apparatus for generating a pulsing action includes a tubular housing a rotating first mandrel with a first cam profile and a reciprocating second mandrel with a second cam profile, which engages the first cam profile. Upon rotational movement of the first mandrel, the first cam profile exerts an axial force upon the second cam profile to initiate a pulsing action by forcing the second mandrel away from the first mandrel. Springs bias the second mandrel back toward the first mandrel, thereby completing the pulsing action and maintaining the second cam profile engaged with the first cam profile.
US08439121B2
A system for deploying a string of pipe from a drilling rig into a well includes a spider for mounting on a rig floor and a pipe gripper attached to the top drive. A hydraulic safety circuit monitors hydraulic fluid pressure at an apply port of the gripper and prevents hydraulic fluid pressure from being directed to move the slips to the released position if hydraulic fluid pressure is not already present at the apply port of the gripper. The safety circuit also monitors hydraulic fluid pressure at the apply port of the spider and prevents release hydraulic fluid pressure from being directed to move the gripping members to the released position if apply hydraulic fluid pressure is not already present at the apply port of the spider.
US08439118B2
The problem of flappers that will not close due to high velocity gas rushing past and creating a vortex that has zones of high pressure pressing the flapper against the force of the torsion spring is reduced or overcome with modifications in the passage through a subsurface safety valve so as to reduce the intensity of the vortex to allow the torsion spring to pivot the flapper to closed position. Various shapes are inserted adjacent the flapper base to create turbulence to minimize or prevent the vortex and the associated pressure increases that would otherwise prevent flapper closure with the flow tube retracted. Inserts that create turbulence are placed in a recess that in part holds the flapper when it is rotated to the open position.
US08439110B2
A technique involves collecting formation fluids through a single packer having at least one drain located within the single packer. The single packer comprises an outer seal layer, and the at least one drain is positioned in the outer seal layer. A viscosity system also is incorporated and enables the viscosity of a surrounding fluid to be selectively lowered for sampling.
US08439109B2
A technique enables determination of changes in length of a conveyance deployed between a surface vessel and a subsea installation. The technique allows information to be obtained on the relationship between length of conveyance spooled out or spooled in at a surface location and the depth and/or speed of an intervention well tool deployed in a well. The information can be used to determine the actual depth of the well tool deployed in the well for the intervention operation.
US08439108B2
Degradable polylactic or polyhydroxyalkanoate polymers may be used to viscosify aqueous fluids for use in wells, Sand control screen or liner can be coated with a solid degradable polymer during placement in a well. Mechanical changes or flow changes in a well can be caused by solid degradable polymer that changes physical properties after it is placed in a well. Parts of devices or entire devices can be made of solid degradable polymer that converts to a fluid after selected times in an aqueous environment in a well.
US08439104B2
Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems and heat exchangers are provided that include multichannel tube configurations designed to reduce refrigerant pressure drop through a heat exchanger manifold. In certain embodiments, tubes inserted within the manifold adjacent to a refrigerant inlet have non-rectangular or recessed end profiles configured to increase flow area near the inlet, thereby reducing a pressure drop through the manifold. In further embodiments, insertion depths of the tubes within the manifold vary based on distance from the inlet. This configuration may establish a larger flow area adjacent to the inlet, thus reducing the pressure drop and increasing heat exchanger efficiency.
US08439100B2
A vertical modular mount for a handling door (1) includes an upper plate (18) connected to a horizontal frame (4) and more particularly to a side flange (19), a lower plate (20) connected to the ground, a central web (21) connecting the upper (18) and lower (20) plates together, a cloth (23) arranged around the upper (18) and lower (20) plates in order to define an envelope (24) on the entire height of the mount (2, 3), and a guiding device (15) defining a slide for the movement of the flexible screen (6), characterized in that each of the members (21, 23, 15) forming the mounts (2, 3) of the handling door (1) are arranged so as to impart a high resilience to the latter, i.e. a high resistance to shocks due to the elastic deformation of each of the members.
US08439097B2
Provided is a pneumatic tire and a manufacturing method therefor which allow a reduction in a cavity resonance sound without complicated manufacturing steps. A pneumatic tire of the present invention includes: a pair of bead portions; a carcass layer bridged between the pair of bead portions; and an inner liner layer disposed at a tire inner surface side of the carcass layer, the inner liner layer being made of a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by blending a thermoplastic resin with an elastomer. The inner liner layer has a laminated structure including multiple film layers having different melting points of the thermoplastic resin from each other. The film layer having the lowest melting point of the thermoplastic resin is foamed to form multiple convex portions in the tire inner surface.
US08439094B2
The present invention provides a pneumatic tire that can exhibit high ice performance throughout a period of use of the tire, and can reduce a rejection rate without complicating production of the tire. The pneumatic tire includes: a plurality of land portions 4 partitioned by grooves 2 and 3 and formed in a tread surface 1a; and a sipe 5 formed in each of the land portions 4, wherein a plurality of first protrusions 7 are formed on only one of sipe inner wall surfaces 6 and 6 opposed to each other in the sipe 5, each of the first protrusions 7 continuing in a tire depth direction from the tread surface 1a to a sipe bottom 8 and protruding toward an opposite sipe inner wall surface, the first protrusion 7 is tapered toward the opposite sipe inner wall surface, a narrow portion 7a is provided between the tread surface 1a and the sipe bottom 8, and a second protrusion 9 protruding toward the opposite sipe inner wall surface is formed between narrow portions 7a of adjacent first protrusions.
US08439091B2
A pneumatic tire including: a tread portion and a belt layer on an outer periphery of a carcass layer that extends between left and right bead portions and a plurality of circumferential main grooves extending in a tire circumferential direction provided on an outer surface of the tread portion, wherein on a tire cavity side surface of the tread portion, a ridge (Ra) protruding into the tire cavity side in a direction opposite to a tire radial direction is formed that extends in the tire circumferential direction in a position offset from a tire center towards a well side of a mounting rim so as to encompass an entire width of a well and an entire width of a circumferential main groove positioned farthest to a shoulder side.
US08439081B2
A surge tank is sized to retain a volume of fluid. A fluid inlet/outlet port is attached to the tank, and an elastomeric bladder is disposed within the tank and separates the fluid from a volume of gas. A nozzle system is disposed within the tank and has a nozzle member comprising a first plurality of axially elongate perforations, and a second plurality of perforations. The nozzle member can extend a partial or complete distance with tank. The tank body includes a throat that extends outwardly from a portion of the tank adjacent the port, and a portion of the nozzle member comprising the first plurality of perforations is disposed within the throat. An annular space exists adjacent the nozzle member in the neck to facilitate the flow of solid constituent within the fluid from the tank and into the nozzle member.
US08439078B2
The present invention relates to an odor trap intended for installing in a pipe to a drain. The odor trap comprises a tubular element (1) and a blocking means (2). The blocking means (2) makes it possible to close the pipe but is shiftable by fluid flowing in the odor trap in order to allow said fluid to pass, and in order, when the fluid has passed, to return to the position which closes the pipe. To achieve an odor trap in which the blocking means is well protected against undesirable external influences and the configuration of the odor trap is such that it is easy to fit, the tubular element (1) is made of inelastic material and the separate blocking means (2) disposed in the tubular element is made of elastically deformable material, said blocking means comprising a fitting portion (6) removably connected to a fitting portion (7) of the tubular element, and a blocking portion (8) which is integral via a peripheral edge (9) with the fitting portion of the blocking means, and which, when in the position which closes the flow cross-section of the pipe, abuts, via the peripheral edge, fluidtightly against the inside of the tubular element and which, possibly with parts of the fitting portion of the blocking means, is to a varying degree shiftable by the fluid to allow the fluid to pass.
US08439070B2
A control valve includes particle and moisture accumulation inhibiting features. The control valve includes a piston that provides for pressure communication to a back cavity through a tortuous path that settles out particle matter carried within the airflow. Moreover, the piston includes drainage openings that direct moisture out of piston and away from the sealing surfaces.
US08439069B2
A valve assembly is provided that is suitable for use as an air release valve. The valve mechanism is actuated by liquid forced through an orifice by a diaphragm under pressure from the main discharge and is less prone to valve chatter under varying pressure conditions. The use of an externally adjustable orifice and/or regulator allows the valve assembly to operate satisfactorily in a wide range of pressures. The mode of operation of the valve mechanism is externally visible.
US08439065B2
An auto bleed valve and method of bleeding a hydraulic system of an aircraft is accomplished by illuminating a plenum of a bleed valve using an LED oriented to illuminate a phototransistor when air is present in the plenum. A comparator circuit is used on an output of the phototransistor such that a predetermined voltage output corresponds to air detected in the plenum. An integrating circuit and a second comparator in series with the first comparator circuit is used to determine when a predetermined time period is met in which air is continuously detected in the plenum. Thereafter an air bleed solenoid can be used to vent the air upon a signal from the aircraft computer logic system.
US08439064B2
A safety valve for a compressed gas reservoir has an exhaust duct that is connected to the compressed gas reservoir, and a sealing element, which is arranged to move within the exhaust duct, and selectively opens the exhaust duct to the outside depending on an operating phase. The exhaust duct has a greater cross-sectional area on the side facing away from the compressed gas reservoir than on the side facing the compressed reservoir, and a constriction on the side of the sealing element facing away from the compressed reservoir.
US08439060B1
A draining device for controlled drainage of internal water in plumbing systems comprises a semi-circular plastic collar that engages around a bottom of a pipe coupling. The collar covers the bottom of the coupling fitting and forms a watertight seal against sides of the pipe wall using an integral gasket. The collar is held in place around an upper side of the pipe using a pair of straps and strap fasteners. A hose connection fitting is provided on a bottom of the collar to provide a connection to a hose or other temporary plumbing, thereby providing drainage of water in a controlled manner.
US08439053B2
An apparatus for cleaning and storing painting tools is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a bucket member having a bottom wall and a side wall extending vertically from the bottom wall to an upper periphery wherein the side wall surrounds an open cavity. The apparatus also comprises a manifold nested within the bucket member. The manifold substantially bifurcates the open cavity into a first volume within the manifold and a second volume between the side wall and the manifold. The manifold extends vertically between an upper end disposed closer to the upper periphery than the bottom wall and a lower end disposed closer to the bottom wall than the upper periphery. The apparatus comprises at least one retaining member projecting into the second volume from one of the side wall and the manifold. The apparatus comprises at least one drain extending through one of the bottom wall and the side wall.
US08439052B2
An electric household appliance has a chamber that is at least partially filled with liquid during operation of the appliance. A motor drives a pump for drawing liquid from the chamber. A monitoring device detects the rotational speed and the power of the motor, compares detected values for the rotational speed and power to a predefined characteristic, and signals an exceptional state if the comparison indicates that the detected values deviate significantly from the characteristic.
US08439048B2
A device for applying a cosmetic composition including magnetic or magnetizable particles, said applicator device comprising handle means and an applicator head including an applicator surface and a magnetic device suitable for generating a magnetic field, and the applicator head further including a setback forming a reservoir suitable for containing said cosmetic composition, said reservoir being located in the applicator surface and having a bottom. The bottom of the reservoir is movable relative to the applicator surface by an adjuster device associated with the applicator head.
US08439044B2
A dental appliance for maintaining a separation between the occlusal plane surfaces of the posterior teeth in order to avoid or minimize the adverse effects of bruxism, especially while sleeping. The appliance comprises bitepad assemblies, side assemblies for adjustably receiving the bitepad assemblies, and a strap assembly for connecting the side assemblies. Bitepad cores are provided with solid projections and mechanical locks that enhance bonding with associated overmolds for improved durability. Side assembly flanges are divided to achieve independent flexibility and improved conformity for enhanced stability and comfort. A mesial area of the connecting strap assembly is thickened and rigidified to create a flare in the areas of the cuspid roots to minimize irritation and discomfort to the gum tissue.
US08439039B2
A respiratory mask includes a mask shell defining an interior of the respiratory mask and a gas washout vent passage having an inlet forming part of the mask shell and in fluid communication with the interior and an outlet in fluid communication with atmosphere. The mask shell includes a tubular mask inlet adapted to connect to a breathable gas supply conduit. The outlet includes an interior surface that forms a smooth prolongation with an adjacent exterior surface of the mask shell, and the outlet is adapted to direct washout gas in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the mask inlet and away from the mask inlet. The mask shell includes a body portion and a cap portion.
US08439038B2
A respirator including a collapse-resistant means for resisting collapse of the respirator main body due to respiration of a user during use of such a respirator is disclosed. Specifically, in various embodiments, the collapse-resisting means may be a deflection member, a stiffening material, fastening components configured to apply an outward-facing deflection force when the respirator is worn, or any combination thereof. Additionally, a dual exhalation vent assembly adapted for use in a collapse resisting respirator is also disclosed.
US08439033B2
A dry inhaler system includes a vibrating mechanism. A supply of a dry powder is operatively coupled to the vibrating mechanism. A power source communicates with the vibrating mechanism. A sensor communicates with the vibrating mechanism. A feedback control communicates with the sensor and the power source. The feedback control controls power delivered to the vibrating mechanism relative to information provided by the sensor about the performance of the vibrating mechanism.
US08439029B2
A fluid dispenser device including a body (10); a reservoir (20) containing fluid; a dispenser member (30), such as a pump or a valve, for dispensing the fluid contained in the reservoir (20) through a dispenser orifice (45); and a cap (50) that is adapted to cover said dispenser orifice (45) in a closed position. The cap (50) is pivotally mounted on the body (10) to turn about an axis (A) between the closed position and an actuation position, the cap (50) including an actuator mechanism (55; 56, 57) adapted to actuate the dispenser member (30) directly, while the cap (50) is turning towards its actuation position.
US08439001B2
A system for moving fluids includes a pump device having a housing and at least one piston movable in the housing to displace fluids thereby causing flow. An actuator device is connected to the at least one piston for moving the piston within the housing to displace fluids as the actuator device is moved. The actuator device includes a plurality of side portions connected to one another to form a vacuum therein and movable relative to one another as the actuator device moves reciprocally between first and second positions with one of the side portions being connected to at least one piston thereby moving the at least one piston within the housing.
US08439000B1
A pet diaper holder uses disposable human diapers. The diaper holder includes upper and lower flexible holder portions joined at one side. The upper holder portion overlays the rump of the animal, including the base of the animal's tail. The lower holder portion holds the diaper against the belly and groin area of the animal, and extends between the animal's rear legs to overlay the base of the animal's tail from below. The upper and lower holder portions define a rearward opening through which the tail of the animal protrudes and openings surrounding the rear legs of the animal. Snap-fitting male and female connectors join the holder portions at an openable side and at the opening surrounding the base of the tail, and fasten the waistbands associated with the diaper to the lower holder portion thereby avoiding shifting and balling of the diaper with movement of the animal.
US08438995B1
An animal run having first and second side panels operable to be pivotally mounted along a central plane. A front panel is pivotally coupled with one of the side panels and operable to be detachably coupled to the other side panel. The side panels are moveable between a stored position, in which each side panel is positioned parallel the central plane, and an operational position, in which they extend outward at an angle from the central plane. The front panel is moveable between a stored position, in which it is positioned parallel the central plane, and an operational position, in which it is positioned at an angle from the side panel to which it is coupled and is detachably coupled with the other side panel. The side panels and front panel define an interior space for housing an animal when in their operational position.
US08438994B2
A disposable litter device comprising a liner layer including closure means; litter; and a litter enclosure region about a portion of the liner layer, wherein the litter enclosure region includes a closure layer and the liner layer such that the litter is retained between the closure layer and the liner layer, and wherein the enclosure region includes opening means.
US08438992B2
The invention relates to a milk collecting piece comprising a housing upper part with at least two intake nozzles and a housing lower part with at least two chambers which are each flow-connected to an outtake nozzle via an outlet.
US08438990B2
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods and apparatus for plasma generation in plasma processes. The methods and apparatus generally include a plurality of electrodes. The electrodes are connected to a RF power source, which powers the electrodes out of phase from one another. Adjacent electrodes are electrically isolated from one another by electrically insulating members disposed between and coupled to the electrodes. Processing gas may be delivered and/or withdrawn through the electrodes and/or the electrically insulating members. The substrate may remain electrically floating because the plasma may be capacitively coupled to it through a differential RF source drive.
US08438985B2
A “float boat” with a unitary twin pontoon hull comprising a pair of inflatable pontoons, each shaped, when inflated to have a fully curved rocker bottom surface and a substantially straight upper surface and with pontoons being interconnected at rigid ends by an inflatable transom that together with the pontoons forms a raised V-hull stern; a platform extending between the pontoons and adjacent to the transom and at least one foot rest for a user sitting on the platform.
US08438979B2
A medical instrument includes a main body including at least one of an operation part and a display part, and a detachable lever arranged on a rear portion of the main body, a cart including a desk on which the main body is positioned, a front detachable member disposed on the desk and adapted to attach and detach a front portion of the main body to/from the desk, and a rear detachable member disposed on the desk and adapted to attach and detach a rear portion of the main body to/from the desk and fix the main body to the desk by the detachable lever.
US08438977B2
A supercavitating projectile is disclosed that has deployable fins. The fins are pivotally coupled to the body of the projectile. The fins have two primary states: stowed within a recess at the surface of the projectile and deployed to a radially-extended position relative to the body of the projectile. The fins deploy as the projectile leaves its launch tube. The fins function as a control surface, interacting with the wall of the vapor cavity in which the supercavitating projectile travels.
US08438974B2
A pressing device includes a work head having a work head body holding a tool and a mating end. The pressing device includes an actuator having an actuator body holding a hydraulic pump that is operable to drive the tool. The actuator has a mating end. The pressing device includes an interconnect assembly including a hydraulic hose having first and second couplings at both ends of the hydraulic hose for mating with the mating ends of the actuator and the work head, respectively. The interconnect assembly is removable and the work head is configured to be directly coupled to the actuator.
US08438966B2
A device and a piston for segregating articles is being disclosed. The device encompasses a segregating element comprising at least one cylinder with a cylinder housing and a piston installed in the cylinder that has at least one valve. A medium can be fed into and discharged from the cylinder via at least one line. The at least one valve interacts with the at least one line so as to create a hard sealing, and a housing sealing element interacts with a piston sealing element so as to create a hard sealing. The piston can used in a device for segregating liquid containers.
US08438963B2
An integrally formed high density ceramic pellet, for use in a ballistic armor plate, has a longitudinally extending body portion and an impact receiving end face. The impact receiving end face includes an impact receiving proximal segment that is convexly curved and a distal segment that merges with a top surface of the body portion. The distal segment has lateral surfaces that have a region including at least a portion which is concave in configuration or a region including a substantially smooth angled configuration. A cross-sectional area of the distal segment at the area of merger is greater than a cross-sectional area taken across a nominally designated base of the proximal segment. The length of the contour line of the outer surface of the distal segment is between 5 and 25% of that of the entire integrally formed impact receiving end face.
US08438953B2
A hammering tool with buffer design includes: a hammering member, a protrusion block section extending from a lower side of the hammering member, a right side of upper section of the protrusion block section being notched to form a first receiving space; a handle member having a grip section, a first plate section, a second plate section and a third plate section being disposed at an upper end of the grip section to define a receiving chamber for inserting the protrusion block section therein; a pivot member for pivotally connecting the protrusion block section of the hammering member with the handle member; and a buffer assembly including a first compression spring received in the first receiving space. A right end face of the protrusion block section of the hammering member is spaced from a left face of the first plate section by a predetermined buffering distance.
US08438951B1
A pill bottle opener including a base, a utility ring, and a cap. The utility ring includes two tabs positioned in its inner portion. The cap has a hollow, cylindrical body open on one end and has a dome-shaped top on its other end. The utility ring and cap may be interlocked by a locking mechanism.
US08438943B2
A shift mode system and method of operating includes a switch assembly that selectively and alternately connects a shift selector to one of the steering column and the steering wheel. In an exemplary embodiment, the switch assembly has a first locking member to connect the shift selector to the steering column, and a second locking member for connecting the shift selector to the steering wheel. A lever has first and second operative positions to selectively engage the first and second locking members or pins from the shifter into operative engagement with one of first and second cable reels, respectively.
US08438942B2
A vehicle transmission comprises a locking mechanism selectively preventing an at least one shift drum disposed on a shift drum shaft from rotating. The locking mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position. When in the first position, the locking mechanism prevents the at least one shift drum from rotating in the first direction to engage a first locked position. When in the second position, the locking mechanism prevents the at least one shift drum from rotating in the second direction to engage a second locked position. The second locked position is sequentially before the first locked position in the first direction.
US08438941B2
A transmission is connectable to an input member and includes an output transfer gear, first and second shaft members, first and second countershaft members, a plurality of co-planar gear sets, and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. The torque transmitting devices include a plurality of gears, synchronizer assemblies and a dual clutch assembly. The transmission is operable to provide at least one reverse speed ratio and a plurality of forward speed ratios between the input member and the output member.
US08438939B1
A sample introduction system provides mixing of a sample and a diluent within the container via gas injection. In one or more implementations, the sample introduction system causes a probe of an autosampler to be inserted into a container containing a sample and a diluent so that an end of the probe is submerged beneath a surface of the diluent and the sample. Gas is then injected through the probe to mix the sample and the diluent within the container. An aliquot of the mixed sample and diluent is then withdrawn through the probe.
US08438936B2
A sensor assembly for use with a fluid transport system is provided. The sensor assembly includes at least two sensors that are configured to measure a rate of flow of a fluid channeled through a pipeline of the fluid transport system. Moreover, the sensor assembly includes an annular collar that is coupled to the two sensors. The collar includes at least a first opening and at least a second opening defined therein. The first opening and the second opening are each sized to receive the two sensors therein such that the two sensors are substantially coaxially aligned with each other. A first sensor of the two sensors is positioned downstream from a second sensor of the two sensors.
US08438932B2
The present invention relates to an instrument for measuring torsion moment per a single-pole cylindrical foundation, including: a force-applying means that applies horizontal force to structures protruding from the ground; a tension means that is connected with the force-applying means to apply tensile force to the structures; a measuring unit that is disposed inside the structures to measure strain per depth and portion due to force applied from the force-applying means and the tension means; and a controller that analyzes moment per depth of the structures from horizontal force measured by the measuring unit.
US08438927B2
A system and method for analyzing a sample is described. The system may include, for example, a light source and a scanning probe microscope probe. The light source may generate a coherent laser beam that is modulated by a waveform of a lower frequency. The modulated laser beam is absorbed by the sample causing thermally induced expansion and resulting in an excitation of acoustic waves. The probe is locally deployed near the sample and detects, in real time, perturbations in the excited acoustic waves to detect surface and buried structures of the sample.
US08438919B2
A liquid level sensing system including a housing configured to hold a liquid, a first temperature sensor connected to the housing and configured to output a first signal representing a first temperature measured at the first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor connected to the housing and configured to output a second signal representing a second temperature measured at the second temperature sensor, and a circuit configured to receive the first and second signals as input and to provide an output signal proportional to the time rate of change of the difference between the first signal and the second signal.
US08438916B2
A meter apparatus is mountable on a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine having an output shaft that rotates at a predetermined idling speed during idling of the engine. When the vehicle satisfies a predetermined stop condition during rotation of the output shaft at the idling speed, the rotation of the output shaft is stopped temporarily. The meter apparatus includes a pointer needle that moves according to a rotation speed of the output shaft to indicate the rotation speed. The amount of movement of the pointer needle with respect to a change in the rotation speed of the output shaft is less when the rotation speed is in a low speed range below the idling speed than when the rotation speed is in a high speed range above the idling speed.
US08438915B2
A fluid testing apparatus for performing fluid flow analysis on a gas turbine engine component having a plurality of fluid cooling circuits each defining one or more openings in the component includes a first sealing insert configured to create a seal at an interface of the first sealing insert to the component to seal off one or more openings of a first fluid cooling circuit of the component and a generic insert separable from the first sealing insert. The first sealing insert is configured as a substantially flat sheet having a shaped perimeter, and the component is clampable to the generic insert to hold the first sealing insert against the component.
US08438910B2
A shear valve for use in a high performance liquid chromatography system, the shear valve comprising a first shear valve member and a second shear valve member, wherein at least one of the first and second shear valve members is adapted to be moved with respect to the other, one of the first and second shear valve members comprises a plurality of ports, and the other comprises at least one fluid path for fluidly coupling respective ones of the ports in dependency on a relative movement position of the first and second shear valve members with respect to each other, wherein the first shear valve member is at least partially coated with an adhesion-promoting layer and a diamond like carbon layer on the adhesion-promoting layer.
US08438902B2
An apparatus for sensing analyte is provided. The apparatus may include a plurality of sensor array columns, each sensor array column including a plurality of sensors, each sensor being adapted for sensing one or more parameters in reaction to the presence of one or more analytes and output a current therefrom in accordance with level of the sensed parameter, a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) array including a plurality of VCOs, each VCO adapted to receive an output current from one of the plurality of sensors from each of the plurality of sensor arrays and for and generating an output oscillation frequency in accordance with the level of the received output current, and a counter array including a plurality of counters, each counter adapted to receive an output from a corresponding VCO and count a number of oscillations over a predetermined time.
US08438896B2
A method of manufacturing an endoscopic insertion portion with high manufacturing efficiency is provided. The endoscopic insertion portion includes a plurality of bending parts provided side by side with each other, a protruding portion provided in one of each two adjacent ones of the bending parts, and a receiving portion provided in the other of each two adjacent ones of the bending parts and into which the protruding portion is inserted rotatably. The method includes forming, in at least one plate material, a first bending part preparation portion for the formation of the one bending part and a second bending part preparation portion for the formation of the other bending part, connecting the first bending part preparation portion and the second bending part preparation portion by press processing, and forming the first and second bending part preparation portion into a cylindrical shape by press processing.
US08438895B2
Crimping apparatuses for reducing the diameter of an intraluminal medical device from a first diameter to a second diameter prior to loading the medical device into a catheter delivery system and loading apparatuses for introducing the medical device into a catheter delivery system, the devices constructed and arranged for matingly engaging one another, combinations thereof, and methods of using the devices.
US08438889B2
The present invention provides a pin and tumbler cylinder lock and a retrofitted cylinder lock which minimizes unauthorized openings of the lock by bumping. The cylinder lock utilizes specially designed driver pins which are correlated in size to the largest possible stack height of the tumbler pins with a bump key inserted in the plug portion of the lock and the shear line height of the lock. All the driver pins are about the same height and preferably symmetrical with a lip on each end. The invention also provides a method for retrofitting existing locks by removing at least one of the driver pins and replacing the removed driver pin or pins with the driver pins of the invention.
US08438879B2
The present invention relates to a household appliance (1), constituting a display (3) which enables the user to observe the performance state of the household appliance (1) and one or more input units (2) that enable the user to make visual or audio data entries.
US08438877B2
A knitting device (10) comprising a needle bed (12) and knitting tools (16), wherein the needle bed (12) is designed so as to be without joints and seams in view of the configuration of its channel walls (18, 19) as well as perpendicularly to the floor (23) of the channel through the base body (20) of the needle bed (12). The channel depth of the individual guide channels (13, 14, 15) is preferably less than three times the channel width. Consequently, in particular in the case of extremely fine needle divisions, the resultant channel walls (18, 19) are robust and stable and can be subjected to a hardening or coating treatment. The reduced overall weight, the smaller friction surfaces, and the sturdier design of the knitting device enable the operation at greater knitting speeds and with greater rotational accelerations, in particular in reciprocating mode, and an overall savings of lubricants and energy.
US08438873B2
Methods and apparatus for separating fluids are disclosed. We have discovered that, surprisingly, providing an open pore structure between a wick and an open flow channel resulted in superior separation performance. A novel and compact integrated device components for conducting separations are also described.
US08438860B2
A heating apparatus including at least two thermoelectric modules connected in series, and at least one switching arrangement connected in parallel with one of the at least two thermoelectric modules such that electrical current flows via the at least one switching arrangement in an event of a failure of the one of the at least two thermoelectric modules.
US08438859B2
One form of the present invention contemplates an apparatus including a gas turbine engine core, wherein a gearbox accessory is mounted to the engine core and is substantially enclosed by an inner fairing. The apparatus can further include a nacelle having a plurality of panels, wherein the nacelle panels substantially enclose and overlap at least a portion of the inner fairing. The apparatus can further include a bypass duct defined between an exterior surface of the inner fairing and an interior surface of at least some of the nacelle panels. In additional and/or alternative forms a number of frame rods can also be used internal to the nacelle or nacelle panel. In some forms the frame rods can be connected between a front and rear frame.
US08438840B2
Systems and methods for controlling regeneration of a particulate filter downstream of an engine having a plurality of cylinders are provided. One exemplary method includes, during first conditions, spinning down the engine to non-combusting engine rest, and regenerating the particulate filter at least during engine rest. The method also includes, during second conditions, regenerating the particulate filter during combustion of at least one cylinder of the engine. By regenerating the particulate filter during engine shutdown and/or engine rest in some conditions, it is possible to reduce engine running regeneration, which can thereby lead to reduced engine running emissions.
US08438836B2
An abnormality determination apparatus for an electrically heated catalyst provided in a plug-in hybrid vehicle having a battery that is charged by connecting an external charging device to an external electric power supply is equipped with an abnormality determination portion that makes a determination on an abnormality in the electrically heated catalyst when the external charging device is connected to the external electric power supply.
US08438834B2
A helical cross flow pulse detonation engine.
US08438833B2
An engine contains at least one pulse detonation combustor having a combustion chamber and an exit nozzle coupled to and downstream of the combustion chamber. During operation of the at least one pulse detonation combustor a detonation occurs within the combustion chamber and at least one of a fuel fill fraction and purge fraction of the at least one pulse detonation combustor are utilized to offset a temperature peak of said detonation from a pressure peak of said detonation. The fuel fill fraction is defined as 1−purge fraction, and the purge fraction is the ratio of the purge time of the at least one pulse detonation combustor to a sum of the purge time of the at least one pulse detonation combustor and a fuel fill time of the at least one pulse detonation combustor.
US08438830B2
The present application provides a dual gas fuel delivery system and a method of delivering two gas fuels. The dual gas fuel delivery system may include (a) a low energy gas delivery system comprising a low energy gas inlet, a gas split, a low energy gas primary manifold outlet, and a low energy gas secondary manifold outlet; (b) a high energy gas delivery system comprising a high energy gas inlet and a high energy gas primary manifold outlet; (c) a primary manifold; and (d) a secondary manifold, wherein the low energy gas primary manifold outlet and the high energy gas primary manifold outlet are coupled to the primary manifold, and wherein the low energy gas secondary manifold outlet is coupled to the secondary manifold.
US08438829B2
A turboprop propulsion unit includes at least one pusher propeller 5, 6 driven by an aircraft gas-turbine engine, with the aircraft gas-turbine engine being arranged in front of the pusher propeller 5, 6 in a direction of flight. A turbine outlet area 9 is arranged at the front in the direction of flight and a compressor area 14 faces towards the pusher propeller 5, 6.
US08438828B2
A flow divider (1) for a fan engine which forms an annular leading edge (4) simultaneously on the outer circumference of an annular core air duct and the inner circumference of an annular secondary air duct, protrudes into the fan airflow and has an aerodynamic profile. In order to avoid blockage of the core air and/or secondary air ducts in the event of destruction or detachment of the flow divider (1), the flow divider features separable parts (6) which, whatever their orientation, are capable of passing the vane passages of the core air duct and the secondary air duct.
US08438820B1
A flower handling system includes loading, cutting, finishing, and boxing stations. Flowers are unloaded from dry-packed boxes at the cutting stations. Each cutting station includes a positioning arm that secures flower bundles and transports them from a first location adjacent a loading table to a second location above a conveyor. A bucket separating device deposits buckets one at a time onto the conveyor, and the buckets are filled with conditioning fluid. A cutting blade is positioned to cut flower stems as the positioning arm moves from the first to the second location. A clamping arm closes around the flowers and lifts them out of the positioning arm before lowering them into a fluid-filled bucket on the conveyor. The flower filled bucket is then transported through the finishing station to a boxing station where the bucket is deposited into a box for shipping to a wholesaler or retailer.
US08438817B2
A system for packaging mass-customized items includes a computer system including a database containing item identification information unique to each item; (2) outer container identification apparatus that applies the item identification information received from the database to each outer container in a plurality of outer containers; (3) inner pack identification apparatus that applies the item identification information received from the database to each inner pack in a plurality of inner packs; and (4) inner pack filling apparatus that fills each inner pack with a specific item matched to that inner pack by the item identification information received from the database. Each item is associated with its unique item identification information and is inserted into an inner pack with matching item identification information, and each outer container is presented for loading with one or more inner packs matched to that outer container by the item identification information received from the database.
US08438813B2
Floor covering (01) material, consisting of Natural Stones, i.e. Marble, Granite, Limestone, Onyx, Travertine and Sandstone, in format of tile slabs, in which the thickness is between 4 mm and 35 mm, in which at the two opposite edges or sides are jointed together and interlocked by mechanical locking means, by connecting or inserting (A6 to A5) and connecting or pressing downward (A8 to A9) using Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) couplings, connecting in the form of a tongue and a groove which will prevent shifting of two interlocked tiles and or slabs into the opposed direction of each section tile or slab, with an integrated backing layer consisting of cork and/or syntactic foam material, The invention relates to a natural stone core tile slab, allowing for an installation without the use of cement, adhesives or grout, provided with such a mechanical locking system jointed to the core (A4) according to the invention.
US08438807B1
A firestop drain assembly for mounting in a partition to prevent fire on one side of the partition from moving through the firestop drain assembly to the other side of the partition. The firestop drain assembly can achieve an F-rating and a T-rating of at least one (1) hour.
US08438794B2
A columbarium having a framework of a plurality of horizontally spaced vertical risers and a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal members defining a plurality of niches arranged in substantially horizontal rows and substantially vertical columns. Each of the horizontal members has a substantially planar web extending between a front rail and a back flange. A plurality of shutters is removably mounted over the plurality of niches by a concealed mounting system. The concealed mounting system permits the shutters to be movable about three axes of rotation as well as vertically and horizontally with respect to the horizontal members.
US08438789B2
Insulated scuttle covers configured for placement within a building scuttle opening are provided. The insulated scuttle cover includes a scuttle panel configured to cover the building scuttle opening and further configured to be supported when positioned within the building scuttle opening. An insulative assembly is attached to the scuttle panel. The insulative assembly includes insulation material encapsulated by a jacket. The insulated scuttle cover is configured to prevent or substantially retard the flow of air passing through the building scuttle opening.
US08438787B2
The invention includes a substantially rigid body providing underlying support for a filter screen. The invention further includes at least one heating wire disposed adjacent to the body, which is formed of heat conductive material. The body is configured with multiple ribs extending up from a floor so that heat transfer from the body to the screen can occur in a variety of different locations to keep the screen sufficiently heated. The body also includes a wing for interfacing with roofing and openings to allow water filtering through the screen to migrate down into the gutter. A cover overlies a channel, which contains one or more of the heating wires. The system includes a flange attached to the body and extends into the gutter enhancing the heat transfer from the body to within the gutter to keep the water flowing in gutter.
US08438785B2
In a first embodiment a safety mat for use with a parapet cap on a wall is disclosed. The cap extends over the top of the wall and partially down each side of the wall. The safety mat includes a durable flexible pad having a width greater than a width of the top wall; a first cinch down strap extending at a first end thereof from an interior of the pad toward a first width end; and a second cinch down strap extending at a first end thereof from the interior of the pad toward a second width end.
US08438783B2
An opening mechanism (1) includes a longitudinal guide (3) fixed to the frame of a furniture unit and, for each door (2), a first slide (4) sliding along the longitudinal guide (3), a second slide (5) which carries the door (2) and which slides transversally on the first slide (4) from a retracted position to an extracted position and vice versa and return elements to bring the second slide (5) back to the retracted position. The second slide (5) is able to rotate with respect to the first slide (4) and presents a curved space (8) in which guide elements (7), integral with the first slide (4). The first slide (4) further includes holding elements (10), controlled by a control surface (51) situated in the longitudinal guide (3), able to lock the second slide (5) in the extracted position when the door (2) is open to prevent the second slide (5) from being brought back to the retracted position by the return elements.
US08438781B2
The invention includes a box, vertical and horizontal dividers, a plant-growth mat, and a mounting bar. The dividers are permanently linked to form an insert, which slides into insert grooves inside the box. Insert grooves have upper and lower rails. At the insert groove openings rail ends feature upward bends. The plant-growth mat is secured against the box inner-back by the insert which is prevented from sliding out by the upward bends of the lower rails. A support mount and a fastener on the back of the box and compatible groove surfaces on the mounting bar prevent box movement when mounted. The invention increases the rigidity of the dividers and reduces their deformability. It facilitates inserting the integrated dividers into the box with convenient insert grooves. The plant-growth mat can store water, prevent soil erosion, and provide aeration to plant roots. The mounting bar stabilizes the module for easy installation.
US08438768B2
A auto-loading firearm with magazine disconnect mechanism operable to disable the firing control mechanism of the firearm. The firearm may include a frame, a magazine adapted for holding a plurality of cartridges, and a pivotably mounted trigger movable for discharging the firearm. A magazine disconnect member is provided that is selectively engageable with the trigger and movable in response to removing and inserting the magazine. In one embodiment, the disconnect member may be slidably disposed in the frame proximate the trigger. In one position, the disconnect member engages the trigger when pulled to block or restrict movement of the trigger and disable the firing control mechanism to prevent discharging the firearm. A spring biases the disconnect member towards engagement with the trigger.
US08438767B2
An improved projectile having a penetrator and a body is disclosed. The penetrator is secured to the body. Upon impacting a target, the penetrator travels into the body and deforms the body. The body optionally has one or more portions, such as slots in the body, to promote deformation of the body upon the penetrator impacting the target. The body optionally has a bore extending at least partially therethrough that permits attachment of the penetrator at a second end of the body opposite the first end.
US08438764B1
A bereavement artifact comprising a molded body of any desired shape simulating a religious ornament comprising an object in the form of a cross, rock or tablet or other configuration having a surface or opening therein upon or within which a degradable piece of paper including printed or written words of endearment is located such that when the artifact is exposed to the atmosphere the degradable paper will substantially dissolve or disintegrate upon contact with water over a relatively short time period.
US08438762B2
A feeding device for introducing a piece of linen to be ironed into an ironing unit by means of suction, the feeding device being provided with a suction shaft into which the piece of linen can be sucked and a top suction portion which is provided for sucking the piece of linen into the suction shaft, where the feeding device includes a blocking clamp which is provided to secure the item of linen in a clamping position, and which is arranged in the feeding device in such a way that there is located after the clamping of the item of linen a portion of this item of linen above this blocking clamp that can be sucked by the top suction portion into the suction shaft. An ironing device includes an ironing unit for ironing of linen and a feeding unit for feeding the linen to be ironed into the ironing unit.
US08438758B2
An interchangeable footwear restraint system comprising: a sole having a top surface and a continuous bottom surface; at least one female slot clip receptacle extending into the sole, wherein the female slot clip receptacle is exposed from the top surface; and at least one male slot clip extension, wherein the male slot clip is attached to a first end of at least one strap and is received into the female slot clip connecting the strap to the sole.
US08438754B2
The object of the invention is an apparatus and a method for improving the detachment of paper (1) from the cylinder of a paper machine in a drying section implemented with a single wire transfer, which drying section comprises means for heating the paper on the drying cylinder (3) and for transporting it onwards on the wire (2) via a hitch roll (8) to the next drying cylinder such that the paper together with the wire in the section between the cylinders is sucked against the wire by means of low pressure. What is essential to the invention is that in order to improve the detachment of the paper (1) an apparatus is installed on the opposite side of the drying wire (2) at the detachment point (7), which apparatus comprises a nozzle (14), with which an air jet (11) is blown against the direction of travel (15) of the drying wire, and a carrying surface (9) such that the air jet (11) ejects secondary air (17) along with it causing an air flow (18) between the planar carrying surface (9) and the drying wire (2).
US08438738B2
The present invention is to provide a safety folding knife comprising a blade having an end pivotally coupled to an end of a handle, such that the other end of the blade can be rotated out of or into the handle. The handle includes an elastic stop plate therein, which has an end fixed onto the handle and the other end tilted and extended towards a side of the blade. When the blade is turned fully out of the handle, the other end of the elastic stop plate can be abutted against the end of the blade so as to maintain the blade in a fully opened state, and a resisting block installed inside the handle then moves and firmly blocks the elastic stop plate to avoid the blade from being accidentally turned backward to the handle.
US08438737B2
A handheld fruit and vegetables slicing apparatus having a plurality of linked together rotatable knives connected to a frame. One of the knives being attached to a rotatable adjustment element on the frame, such that when the adjustment element is rotated the plurality of knives rotate from an original upright state to a flat state for rinsing.
US08438736B2
A shaving blade unit has a plastic housing having a front portion and a rear portion and two side surfaces extending from the front portion to the rear portion. A shaving blade is disposed between the front portion and the rear portion and has a blade length extending along a blade axis. A guard is disposed at the front portion of the housing. The guard includes an elastomeric member forming at least one passage extending between an upper surface and a lower surface of the elastomeric member.
US08438735B2
A razor which includes a head, at least two spaced apart razor blades mounted to the head, and structure for expelling a shaving composition from the head, at least between the blades, onto a surface to be shaved.
US08438731B2
A method of mounting a grate adapter unit beneath a stormwater collection grate includes steps of providing a grate adapter unit having a plurality of outwardly extending mounting flanges, each mounting flange being adapted to fit a different size commercially common stormwater collection grate. The grate adapter unit is trimmed, either at the factory, at the contractor's facilities or at the installation site, at the desired location to select a desired one of the mounting flanges that is appropriate for the collection grate to which the grate adapter is being fit. The grate adapter unit is then mounted beneath the stormwater collection grate using the selected mounting flange. A stormwater remediation unit may be pre-mounted to a lower end of the grate adapter unit or mounted to the lower end after installation.
US08438718B2
A movable device of acceleration sensors and a vibration device of a gyroscope are formed on the same sensor wafer spaced apart from each other by a wall. A cap wafer having gaps corresponding to the movable mechanical components of the acceleration sensors and gyroscope is provided for the wafer and an adsorbent divided into a plurality of divisional portions is disposed in the gap for the gyroscope. After the sensor wafer and the cap wafer have been bonded together at a temperature of inactivation of the adsorbent and in an atmospheric pressure ambience of noble gas and activated gas, the adsorbent divisional portions are activated in sequence to adsorb the activated gas so as to adjust the pressure inside the gyroscope, thus manufacturing a combined sensor wafer.
US08438713B2
A pin removal assembly for use with an upper block of a crane includes a sheave support and a pin support. The upper block includes a frame, a plurality of sheaves, and a removable sheave pin that defines and axis of rotation for the sheaves and supports the sheaves within the frame. The pin removal assembly includes a sheave support mountable to the frame of the upper block and a pin support mountable to the frame of the upper block. The pin support is configured to support the sheave pin when the sheave pin is removed from the upper block.
US08438704B2
The present invention refers to a process of making a fibrous structure, wherein roughly graded material is provided to rotating, apertured drums. The drums have at least one needle roll in their inside. The roughly graded material is agitated inside the drums, whereby fibers or small fiber clusters are separated from each other. These fibers and small fiber clusters are flung through the apertures to the outside of the drum, where they are directed onto a foraminous carrier to form a fibrous structure. The fibrous structures are especially useful in absorbent articles.
US08438698B2
A robot cleaner including a suction hole to suction dust, a blower to generate a suction force to suction the dust, a dust collector to receive the dust suctioned by said suction force through the suction hole, and a rotating brush to sweep up and collect the dust into the dust collector through the suction hole by a drive force of the rotating brush. The dust collector includes a backflow preventing member movable between an open position and a closed position. The backflow preventing member is pivotably rotatable in an air suction direction by the suction force of the blower to the open position and is adapted to return to the closed position to prevent the dust in the dust collector from being discharged through the suction hole upon stoppage of the blower.
US08438697B2
A vacuum cleaner is provided. A vacuum cleaner includes a main body with a suction motor, a dust collecting unit, a main body frame, a locking member, a detaching button, and a pushing member. A suction port assembly is connected to the main body and an extension pipe assembly is detachably attached to the main body; each fluidly connects selectively with the dust collecting unit. The locking member selectively locks the extension pipe assembly to the main body frame, the detaching button selectively detaches the locking member from the extension pipe assembly, and the pushing member moves the extension pipe assembly according to the locking member being detached from the extension pipe assembly.
US08438691B1
A grill cleaning assembly for cleaning the bottom side of a grill includes an arm that has a first end and a second end. A blade has an attached end, a free end, a top side, a bottom side, a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. The blade has a trapezoidal cross-section taken perpendicular to a line which extends through the attached and free ends such that the top side has a lesser width extending between the first and second lateral edges than the bottom side. Each of the first and second lateral edges slopes from a top end to a bottom end of the trapezoidal shape. The free end is configured to be inserted between a pair of bars of a grill and such that either the first or second lateral edges abuts and is moved across a lower side of the bars.
US08438674B1
A dish washing pan constructed of a housing having a bottom and multiple sidewalls integrally formed with the bottom to provide a washing chamber, a plurality of legs attached at the underside of the housing bottom to support the bottom over a sink surface and a plurality of holes provided in each of the sidewalls at a location spaced downwardly from a top rim of the sidewall. The plurality of holes is disposed closer to the top rim than the bottom of the housing. An outlet is provided in one of the sidewalls that can be closed to retain water in the washing chamber or opened to enable the water to be discharged from the washing chamber. The outlet is disposed closer to the bottom of the housing than the top rim.
US08438669B2
Protective components may include a plate element and a cushioning element that are secured together with a hook-and-loop fastening system. The cushioning element may include a pair of material layers and a plurality of pads located between the material layers. The plate element may include a polymer material and the pads may include a polymer foam material, with the polymer material of the plate element having greater rigidity and density than the polymer foam material of the pads.
US08438665B2
A garment includes a hood that can be adjusted by its wearer. The hood has opposite side portions and a face opening. The wearer can use the hood's drawstring to scrunch the face opening around the wearer's face with the side portions of the hood covering the wearer's ears. The wearer can also adjust the hood of the garment by folding the side portions of the hood back over a portion of the remainder of the hood in a manner such that the wearer's ears are exposed.
US08443461B2
Interatomic forces are measured with subatomic lateral resolution by in situ calibrated non-contact and passively thermal drift compensated atomic force microscopy in aqueous or generally liquidous environment; interatomic forces acting between distinct electronic orbitals of front-most tip atom and opposing sample atom can be quantitatively measured with subatomic lateral resolution. Calibration standard is a CaCO3-crystal, which undergoes a well defined pressure induced phase transition from the calcite to the aragonite crystal lattice structure providing an accurate independent force anchor point for the AFM's force versus distance curve. Furthermore, an independent actual tip-sample-distance d calibration is obtained by directly observing oscillatory (steric) solvation forces originating simply from packing effects of the liquid particles at very small tip-sample separations d.Key to achieving this extreme sensitivity is operating the AFM in the simple variable deflection mode in the non-contact regime while specific mechanical instrumental design minimizes thermal drifts.
US08443457B2
Methods, apparatus, and media for controlling the use of a digital work in accordance with usage rights associated with the digital work. An exemplary server-side method comprises storing a description file associated with a content file of a digital work, the description file including usage rights for the content file, the usage rights indicating a permitted use for the content file of the digital work, communicating with a rendering device, receiving a request to render the content of the digital work originating from the rendering device, processing the request to render including enforcing the usage rights by granting or rejecting the request to render in accordance with the usage rights, and performing closing transaction steps upon detecting that the rendering device has finished rendering the content of the digital work.
US08443455B2
A content usage control apparatus prevents a content managed by an end user from being illegally used. To prevent a content from being used by an apparatus or user other than an authorized apparatus or user, a content usage control apparatus registers the authorized apparatus or user and determines, before providing the content, whether the content is going to be provided to the authorized apparatus or user. The content usage control apparatus also has the capability of imposing a limitation on rewriting of registration. The above-described capabilities of the content usage control apparatus make it possible to protect copyright of information to be provided. A specific example of the content usage control apparatus is a server which stores contents such as movie contents or music contents, and may be used in a system in which a content is provided in response to a request from a client such as a portable telephone, a TV set, or a personal computer, connected to the server.
US08443448B2
A system and method for performing a security check may include using at least one processor to periodically check a status of a flag, generate and store a baseline representation of modules stored on the device where the flag is determined to be set to a first state, and, where the flag is determined to be set to a second state, generate an active representation of modules stored on the first device, compare the active representation of modules to the baseline representation of modules, and, responsive to a determination in the comparing step of a difference between the baseline and active representations of modules, output an alert. The flag status may depend on an association of the device with one of a plurality of authorization policies, each mapped to one of the two states. Results of the comparison may be appended to an activity log of the device.
US08443445B1
Scanning is disclosed. A system is monitored to detect object events. A risk level is determined for an object event, and a scan is scheduled for an object associated with the object event according to the risk level. The risk level may be based on the risk level of the object type, and on the risk level of the operation. An immediate on access scan may be scheduled for a first risk range, a differential scan may be scheduled for a second risk range, and an incremental scan may be scheduled for a third risk range. The scheduled scan is performed.
US08443443B2
In detecting the identity of a person currently using a computer (100) and in particular for detecting whether the person is the intended or authorized user of the computer previously established user patterns of users as stored in a database (4) are matched, in comparators (9), with data of the person's interactions through the computer. The interactions are detected by a monitoring module (2) that in testing modules (7) can process data of the interactions and storing them in buffers (8) to be used by the comparators. Such data can include data of interactions that happen directly after each other and can also include one or more time characteristic of each detected interaction.
US08443434B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for processing a first plurality of packets using one or more processors and maintaining one or more flow records associated with the first plurality of packets, and processing a second plurality of packets without maintaining flow records associated with the second plurality of packets and allowing the second plurality of packets to pass to one or more destinations.
US08443421B2
The present disclosure discloses a method and apparatus for implementing communication of stand-alone software applications. In one aspect, a method for implementing communication of stand-along software applications comprises: establishing an instant communication connection between a first user device and a second user device by a first instant communication client on the first user device and a second instant communication client on the second user device, the first user device and the second user device being remote from each other; and communicating, by a first stand-alone software application on the first user device, with a second stand-alone software application on the second user device via the instant communication connection.
US08443420B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium operating in a mobile device server that has computer instructions to execute a web server application at the mobile device server. The web server application can be operable to detect a media resource center while roaming in a communication zone of the media resource center and to transmit a pairing key to the media resource center responsive to acquiring communication access to the communication zone. The web server application can be further operable to receive from the media resource center an indication that a roaming charge will be applied to a subscriber account associated with the mobile device responsive to the media resource center identifying from the pairing key that the mobile device server is a guest device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08443414B2
According to one embodiment, there is provided an information processing apparatus connectable to a TV receiver via a digital image interface, including: a display device; a plurality of image output terminals including a digital image output terminal associated with the digital image interface; an image output selection section configured to select an image output terminal for output to the TV receiver from the plurality of image output terminals; and an image output section configured to output image data of an image being displayed on the display device and control data for control of the TV receiver to the TV receiver through the selected digital image output terminal, the image output section configured to generate the control data based on an operation state of the information processing apparatus.
US08443407B2
A method for providing a user of a target device with placeshifted content. The method includes detecting, utilizing the target device, a matrix code associated with an audio/visual program. Data encoded in the matrix code includes program identifying information and elapsed time information with respect to the program. The method further includes generating, utilizing the target device, a request for the program based at least in part on the encoded data. The method also includes transmitting, utilizing the target device, the program request across a network.
US08443404B2
A network system includes a connectivity services network (CSN), a plurality of access service network gateways, a plurality of base stations, an orchestration device, executing a lifecycle quality-of-experience model for video-on-demand flows, receiving content from the CSN, and a plurality of subscriber stations in communication with the orchestration device through a base station and/or gateway, wherein the orchestration device continuously tracks past service and usage for each of the subscriber stations and predicts future channel conditions and load to determine, periodically or when triggered by critical events, many-to-one assignments from subscriber stations to base stations and allocation of base station resources to subscriber stations assigned to it.
US08443402B2
An enhanced television broadcast system may enable the transmission and reception of a real-time event when a new program is about to begin. The real-time event may control access to enhancements from the program that is ending. In some embodiments, these real-time events may constitute triggers that are included within packets transmitted in an Internet Protocol multicast. As one example, the trigger may include a Uniform Resource Locator in the form of a tv: protocol that automatically causes the television display to go to full screen television.
US08443392B2
An apparatus, method and data structure for generating at least one table in a broadcast environment, are provided. The apparatus includes a generator to generate an event information table (EIT) and an extended text table (ETT). The ETT has program guide information for an n-hour span and has a transmission interval. The ETT has a transmission interval and program description information according to the EIT. The transmission interval of the EIT is shorter than the transmission interval of the ETT.
US08443381B2
An API evaluation system which includes: a test procedure description device in which an API execution procedure is described; a virtual API device for issuing a command to call the API and acquiring a return value by supplying the API of a target device to the test procedure description device; a script execution device for performing script interpret; a command transmission device for transmitting the command to the target device; and a log reception device for receiving a result log obtained after the API execution from the target device. A user program installed on the target device is controlled and verified on per-API basis.
US08443368B2
The present invention pertains to the field of onboard flight management systems embedded in aircraft. The invention relates to a reconfiguration device (1) for reconfiguring a task processing context.The reconfiguration device (1) according to the invention notably comprises: a module for managing the tasks to be carried out (2), performing a sorting of the tasks according to a priority criterion; a module for managing a current task (3), managing the state of progress of the current task; a module for managing a context (4), saving contexts relating to the current task, to a highest priority task and restoring one of the contexts saved on order of an operator. The present invention notably finds its application in the management of tasks for piloting an aircraft, for example the management of tasks originating from a system for managing alerts and procedures.
US08443360B2
A method of installing an application on a portable storage device is disclosed. The method includes receiving file system commands issued by an installer application and selectively intercepting and modifying at least one file system command before the at least one file system command is executed with respect to a destination file system. The method restricts access to a first file system located at a fixed storage memory device and directs access to a second file system located on the portable storage device.
US08443354B1
Detecting new or modified portions of executable code is disclosed. An indication is received that a prior version of an executable file has been replaced by a new version. A security response is provided if a process associated with the executable file attempts to perform a restricted action and a new or changed portion of code comprising the new version has executed. If no new or changed portion of code has executed, the restricted action is allowed to an extent determined previously for the prior version of the executable file.
US08443347B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for translating declarative models. Embodiments of the present invention facilitate processing declarative models to perform various operations on applications, such as, for example, application deployment, application updates, application control such as start and stop, application monitoring by instrumenting the applications to emit events, and so on. Declarative models of applications are processed and realized onto a target environment, after which they can be executed, controlled, and monitored.
US08443345B2
Development using the JavaScript programming language can be limited since JavaScript code is interpreted. Compiling code at a client may interfere with the dynamicity and portability of web pages. Dynamicity and portability of web pages can be preserved while providing the features of a compiled programming language. A compiled programming language code can be embedded within an interpreted programming language code. The embedded compiled programming language code can be extracted and compiled with resources of a server to deliver the robustness and flexibility of the compiled programming language without burdening a client with compiling.
US08443342B2
Systems, methods, and computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that facilitate static software program analysis using an interactive tool and/or a disassembly integration tool are provided. An interactive tool enables a user to view alternative error paths in association with an error such that the user can identify any valid errors within program code. A disassembly integration tool provides source code that is interleaved with an intermediate representation of such source code.
US08443330B2
A technique for a delay measurement system to measure the skews in a clock distribution network is presented. It uses the principle of sub-sampling to measure and amplify small clock skews and determine an estimate of clock skew by further manipulation if these sampled measurements. The technique can be applied to measure clock skew on a computer chip, between bit-line of a communication bus, or between elements connected by an electronic or optical interconnect.
US08443327B2
Techniques for reassembling scattered logic blocks in an integrated circuit (IC) are provided. The techniques include identifying a virtual memory block to be reassembled in an IC design. The virtual memory block is formed by a plurality of memory blocks that are connected by a plurality of logic circuitry. The plurality of memory blocks and the plurality logic circuitry that connect the memory blocks within the virtual memory block are identified. The identified logic circuitry and memory blocks are removed from the virtual memory block. The virtual memory block is replaced with a custom memory block that is functionally comparable to the plurality of connected memory blocks in the virtual memory block.
US08443325B1
A method for designing a system on a programmable logic device (PLD) is disclosed. Routing resources are selected for a user specified signal on the PLD in response to user specified routing constraints. Routing resources are selected for a non-user specified signal on the PLD without utilizing the user specified routing constraints.
US08443319B2
This disclosure describes a method illustrated in FIG. 7 to prepare re-architected digital logic designs for sequential equivalence checking. This method initially begins with a description of an electrical design module that includes a plurality of ports, and a description of an electrical reference model that comprises a hierarchy of one or more reference modules where each said reference module comprises a plurality of internal signals. In addition, this method includes a configuration file with additional initial information. The method then processes 100 a configuration file. Then, the method 105 computes one or more output files. Finally, the method 110 writes the output files.
US08443316B1
In a method for increasing coverage convergence during verification of a design for an IC, symbolic elements can be generated for the variables and the variable expressions in the hardware code of the design and a test bench. Simulation semantics can be modified and local multi-path analysis can be provided to expand symbolic property collection and symbolic element propagation. Modifying simulation semantics can include transformation of conditional statements, flattening of conditions, avoidance of short circuiting logic, and/or symbolic triggering of events. Symbolic elements are propagated through the design and the test bench during multiple simulation runs to collect symbolic properties. Coverage information from the multiple simulation runs is analyzed to identify coverage points to be targeted. For each identified coverage point, the constraints resulting from the collected symbolic properties are solved to generate directed stimuli for the design. These directed stimuli increase the coverage convergence.
US08443306B1
A multi-operation mode application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) implemented in fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FDSOI) includes an ASIC implemented in FDSOI having a plurality of operating modes, plurality of power rails, and a power supply that provides voltages for the first and second rails corresponding to the plurality of operating modes. The power rails include at least one VDD rail, at least one Vss rail, a first rail for biasing a NGP region of PMOS transistor devices in the ASIC, and a second rail for biasing a PGP region of NMOS transistor devices in the ASIC.
US08443301B1
In one embodiment, a visual reporting system generates a 3-dimensional (3D) interactive vehicle inspection report comprising 3D model data and inspection data for a particular vehicle. The inspection data, such as recommended repair items, are associated with graphical vehicle sections in the 3D model. Further, additional inspection data, such as instructional videos or inspection photographs, can be provided to a user desiring additional detail. By providing an interactive visual representation of inspection data, the 3D inspection report provides a report that can be customized to provide different levels of detail to different users. In addition, the 3D model can provide a visually compact summary of the inspection data by marking on the 3D model the repair items for the vehicle. Use of the 3D inspection report can raise the likelihood that the vehicle owner understands the need for repair, leading to more repair orders for repair facilities.
US08443293B2
Embodiments are directed to presenting multiple data items with multiple attributes simultaneously. In an embodiment, a computer system accesses a plurality of data items, where each data item includes data item features and data item attributes for each feature. The computer system arranges the accessed data items in a customizable pattern that visually shows each data item's features and associated attributes. The pattern includes slices that designate the data items' features and rings that designate the data items' attributes. The computer system also presents the arranged data items on a circular base that includes multiple slices and rings, so that each data item is displayed in an appropriate slice and ring, according to the data item's corresponding features and attributes.
US08443284B2
A storyboard presentation is generated by launching a scene design tool that includes actor and camera placement tools. Using the actor and camera placement tools, a first actor icon and a first camera icon are added on a scene layout, the first actor icon representing a first actor that will appear in a scene and the first camera icon representing a first camera that will film the scene. The user is enabled to control a location and orientation of the first actor icon using the actor placement tool and a location and orientation of the first camera icon relative to the first actor icon using the camera placement tool. Based on the location and orientation of the first actor icon and the first camera icon, a first projection of the scene featuring the first actor as seen from the first camera is generated.
US08443283B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and method for viewing electronic documents. Briefly described, one embodiment of the system, among others, includes an electronic viewer application to display contents of an electronic document; and a visual indicator logic configured to display at least one visual indicator on the electronic display, each visual indicator indicating a portion of the contents that are to be subsequently displayed on the electronic display in response to a navigation command. Other systems and methods are also provided.
US08443282B2
An information processing apparatus for generating a template in which is arranged a plurality of areas where content data can be inserted, includes a setting unit configured to associate the areas with one another, a determination unit configured to determine based on the content data whether the areas are to be arranged in a vertical direction or in a horizontal direction as an arrangement direction, a layout unit configured to arrange the areas in the arrangement direction determined by the determination unit, an input unit configured to input the content data into the areas arranged by the layout unit, and an output unit configured to output the areas where the content data is inserted by the input unit.
US08443274B2
The present invention relates to a checker circuit for a handshake protocol. The checker circuit detects common errors that occur when two communication unit on execute the handshake protocol. The checker circuit is characterized by a compact circuit design that is associated with reduced susceptibility to circuit errors and a significantly reduced spatial requirement. The invention also relates to a method for checking the execution of the handshake protocol.
US08443269B2
A receiver apparatus can identify a plurality of patterns corresponding to scrambled synchronization bytes of a transport stream in a number of successive signal frames containing FEC code blocks, determine a pattern distribution into which most of the patterns identified in the successive signal frames map, and generate a synchronization signal locked to a distribution of the FEC code blocks associated with the pattern distribution. With this synchronization signal, FEC code blocks can be timely handled in a reliable manner through a FEC decoder, making the receiver apparatus more efficient and robust. In other embodiments, methods of handling FEC code blocks in a receiver apparatus are also described.
US08443264B2
Disk array apparatus, a disk array apparatus control method and a program for a disk array apparatus
A disk array apparatus includes a plurality of magnetic disks, and a RAID controller that generates redundancy data for host data received from a host apparatus by a primitive polynomial of Galois extension field, generates a redundancy code for the host data and the redundancy data, the redundancy code is a cyclic code calculated by a generating polynomial identical to the primitive polynomial, and writes the host data and the redundancy data to the plurality of magnetic disks.
US08443259B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for storing information in a storage device that includes multi-level memory cells. The method involves storing data that is written to the storage device in the LSBs of the multi-level memory cells, and storing audit data in the MSBs of the multi-level memory cells. The audit data can be read separately from the data and used to determine whether or not there has been any unintended drift between states in the multi-level cells. The audit data may be used to correct data when the errors in the data are too numerous to be corrected using error correction code (ECC). The audit data may also be used to monitor the general health of the storage device. The monitoring process may run as a background process on the storage device. The storage device may transition the multi-level memory cells to operate as single-level memory cells.
US08443238B2
A method tests hard disk ports located on a motherboard of a computing device. Each of the hard disk ports connects to a respective serial port of a test fixture. The test fixture includes a group of serial ports, a multiplexer and a storage device. Each of the hard disk ports is selected to be tested during the process of hard disk ports test. A data transmission path is formed by building a connection between the storage device and a channel of the multiplexer corresponding to the hard disk port. Data are written to the storage device and read from the storage device through the data transmission path. The hard disk port is working normal if the written data are identical to the read data. The hard disk port is not working normally if the written data are not identical to the read data.
US08443230B1
Methods and systems for redundant operation of a first and second processor are provided. A set of instructions is executed in parallel on the first and second processors. In response to a first access transaction for a peripheral device being issued from execution of an instruction by the first processor, the first processor suspends operation. In response to the first access transaction being a write transaction, the write transaction is not issued to the peripheral device until the second processor executes the instruction and issues a second access transaction that is equal to the write transaction. In response to the first access transaction being a read transaction, the read transaction is not issued to the peripheral device until the second processor executes the instruction.
US08443219B2
A mechanism for reducing the power consumption of virtual machine host servers is disclosed. A method for a virtual machine (VM) power reduction agent (PRA) hosted by a VM may include identifying a user activity associated with the VM, determining that the VM is inactive based on the user activity associated with the VM, and notifying a host of the VM that the VM is inactive to facilitate application of a power reduction policy to the VM based on specific power reduction settings associated with the VM.
US08443198B2
Documents and other items can be delivered electronically from sender to recipient with a level of trustedness approaching or exceeding that provided by a personal document courier. A trusted electronic go-between can validate, witness and/or archive transactions while, in some cases, actively participating in or directing the transaction. Printed or imaged documents can be marked using handwritten signature images, seal images, electronic fingerprinting, watermarking, and/or steganography. Electronic commercial transactions and transmissions take place in a reliable, “trusted” virtual distribution environment that provides significant efficiency and cost savings benefits to users in addition to providing an extremely high degree of confidence and trustedness. The systems and techniques have many uses including but not limited to secure document delivery, execution of legal documents, and electronic data interchange (EDI).
US08443192B2
This invention provides a method for allowing the recipient of a message 2 to confirm the identity of the sender. In the message 1 the sender provides a web address that comprises an identifying code uniquely assigned to that message. The sender also provides a document 4 at that web address that comprises confirmatory information already known to the recipient.
US08443191B2
A system and method for securing information associates a party with a node that communicates messages over one or more channels based on a channel access privilege. One or more authorities sign a cryptographic authorization permit (CAP) to authorize the channel access privilege, which can be a write privilege or a read privilege. In one embodiment, the authorization for the channel access privilege is based on a public key issued by an authority and the CAP comprises a cryptographic certificate digitally signed by the authority.
US08443181B2
Securing network authentication information at a data processing device includes determining a boot source from which to boot the device and comparing the boot source to an expected source. If the boot source is not the expected source, access to the network authentication information is inhibited, such as by disabling access to the portion of memory that stores the network authentication information. Further, if the boot source is the expected source, boot code authentication information is retrieved from memory and verified during the boot sequence. If the boot code authentication information is not authenticated, access to the network authentication information is inhibited. Accordingly, access to the network authentication information is allowed only if the data processing device is booted from an expected source, and only if the boot code is authenticated, thereby reducing the likelihood of unauthorized access to the network authentication information.
US08443169B2
A Wings array system for communicating between nodes using store and load instructions is described. Couplings between nodes are made according to a 1 to N adjacency of connections in each dimension of a G×H matrix of nodes, where G≧N and H≧N and N is a positive odd integer. Also, a 3D Wings neural network processor is described as a 3D G×H×K network of neurons, each neuron with an N×N×N array of synaptic weight values stored in coupled memory nodes, where G≧N, H≧N, K≧N, and N is determined from a 1 to N adjacency of connections used in the G×H×K network. Further, a hexagonal processor array is organized according to an INFORM coordinate system having axes at 60 degree spacing. Nodes communicate on row paths parallel to an FM dimension of communication, column paths parallel to an IO dimension of communication, and diagonal paths parallel to an NR dimension of communication.
US08443168B2
A microcontroller includes a plurality of primary registers, a secondary register and a central processing unit (CPU). The primary registers store a plurality of primary data respectively. Each primary data has a first width. The secondary register includes the plurality of primary registers and stores a secondary data having a second width. The secondary data includes a combination of the plurality of primary data. The CPU executes a first instruction in a first mode in which a primary data is fetched for operation and executes a second instruction in a second mode in which the secondary data is fetched for operation.
US08443166B2
Systems and methods for tracking changes and performing backups to a storage device are provided. For virtual disks of a virtual machine, changes are tracked from outside the virtual machine in the kernel of a virtualization layer. The changes can be tracked in a lightweight fashion with a bitmap, with a finer granularity stored and tracked at intermittent intervals in persistent storage. Multiple backup applications can be allowed to accurately and efficiently backup a storage device. Each backup application can determine which block of the storage device has been updated since the last backup of a respective application. This change log is efficiently stored as a counter value for each block, where the counter is incremented when a backup is performed. The change log can be maintained with little impact on I/O by using a coarse bitmap to update the finer grained change log.
US08443162B2
Techniques for controllably allocating a portion of a plurality of memory banks as cache memory are disclosed. To this end, a configuration tracker and a bank selector are employed. The configuration tracker configures whether each memory bank is to operate in a cache or not. The bank selector has a plurality of bank distributing functions. Upon receiving an incoming address, the bank selector determines the configuration of memory banks currently operating as the cache and applies an appropriate bank distributing function based on the configuration of memory banks. The applied bank distributing function utilizes bits in the incoming address to access one of the banks configured as being in the cache.
US08443157B1
The operation of a data storage system is controlled by determining dimensions of a situational state space characterizing operating conditions of the data storage system, associating policy sets with respective states of the state space, monitoring system operation in the state space, selecting a particular one of the policy sets based on an identified current state in the state space, and controlling the operation of the system in accordance with the selected policy set. These operations are performed by a processing device incorporated in or otherwise associated with the system, with the processing device implementing a situational analysis framework comprising a learning module coupled to a production module. The situational analysis framework may be part of a policy engine. The dimensions of the situational state space in an illustrative embodiment may comprise two or more dimensions selected from one or more dimension categories such as load, performance, time and event state.
US08443155B2
An object storage system comprises one or more computer processors or threads that can concurrently access a shared memory, the shared memory comprising an array of equally-sized cells. In one embodiment, each cell is of the size used by the processors to represent a pointer, e.g., 64 bits. Using an algorithm performing only one memory write, and using a hardware-provided transactional operation, such as a compare-and-swap instruction, to implement the memory write, concurrent access is safely accommodated in a lock-free manner.
US08443140B2
A apparatus for controlling a first storage and a second storage, has a controller for receiving a write command and a read command sent out from a host and for sending out the write command and the read command to the first storage and the second storage, a determining unit for sending out a request corresponding to the write command to the first storage and the second storage, for receiving a first response corresponding to the request from the first storage and a second response corresponding to the request from the second storage, and for determining one of the storages on the basis of each of response times, a first writing unit for writing data into the determined storage, and a second writing unit for writing the data written in the determined storage into the other storage after writing the data into the determined storage by the first writing unit.
US08443137B2
The is provided a storage system comprising a plurality of disk units adapted to store data at respective ranges of logical block addresses (LBAs), said addresses constituting an entire address space, and a storage control grid operatively connected to the plurality of disk units and comprising a plurality of data servers. The method of operating the storage system comprises: a) configuring a first data server to have a primary responsibility over a certain range of LBAs, b) configuring a second data server to have a secondary responsibility over said certain range of LBAs and to overtake the primary responsibility over said certain range of LBAs if the first server fails; c) responsive to a request to one or more LBAs within said certain range of LBAs, generating a primary cache object in the first data server and generating a redundancy object in the second data server; d) deleting said redundancy object upon successful permanent storing of data and/or metadata corresponding to said request, said storing provided by the first data server, e) if operation d) fails, using said redundancy object by the second server for providing permanent storing said data and/or metadata when overtaking primary responsibility, wherein said redundancy object is derivation of the primary cache object and need to be reconstructed in order to enable overtaking the responsibility.
US08443132B2
A system and method of operating a cascade of a plurality of memory devices connected in series is disclosed. In one aspect, there is a memory controller operatively connected to the memory cell and a cascade circuit configured to enable a subsequent memory device in a cascade of memory devices.
US08443131B2
Operational information read out by a read-out sense amplifier (19) is transferred via the data line DB to a volatile memory section. The volatile memory section is configured with the volatile memory section (21) having a SRAM configuration and the second volatile memory section (23) configured with latch circuits, both sections respectively connected in parallel with the data line DB. The operational information, which may be provided depending on an operation state of the write-protect information and other information stored in the non-volatile memory cell MC selected by the word line WLWP, is written and read out with respect to the first volatile memory section (21) in response to the identification information linked with the operational information. The operational information which must be constantly accessible, is written into the second volatile memory section (23). Thus, the operational information is available in response to attributes of the operational information.
US08443129B1
A data bus interface channel controller circuit for an N-bit data bus is described. A FIFO command queue is coupled to receive and buffer one or more commands formatted for M-bit transactions. A FIFO data queue is coupled to receive and buffer N-bit formatted data packets. A first translation circuit is coupled to the FIFO command queue and configured to translate the each commands into a selected one of a plurality of transaction formats. A transmission control circuit is coupled and configured to receive and transmit commands removed from the FIFO command queue. The transmission control circuit is configured to track a number of outstanding transmitted commands and, in response to receiving a command having a transaction format different from the previously received command, delay transmission of commands on the N-bit data bus until the number of outstanding transmitted commands equals zero.
US08443120B2
The present invention discloses a method for accessing multiple card slots and an apparatus for the same, which relate to data communication field. The method comprises establishing a connection from a CCID to a host, declaring at least a pair of IN/OUT endpoints used for implementing a response pipe and a command pipe as BULK-IN and BULK-OUT endpoints, declaring at least one IN endpoint used for implementing an event notification pipe as an interrupt endpoint, and declaring, by the CCID, the CCID itself as a device compliant with a CCID standard and the number of card slots supported by the CCID to the host; accessing the CCID by the host; receiving, by the CCID, a BULK-OUT packet and determining, by the CCID, a type of a CCID command issued by the host according to the BULK-OUT packet; in case the CCID command is a channel extension command, determining if it is a channel switch command; and if so, parsing the channel switch command and activating a card slot the host tries to access.
US08443115B2
A presence attribute information server and manager application, and corresponding method is provided for managing access to presence attribute information. In addition to the presence attribute information entries, access authorization entries associated with at least some of the presence attribute information entries are provided which define conditions in which access to the presence attribute information is authorized. Generally, the defined conditions can include temporal and/or spatial requirements associated with either the user requesting the presence attribute information or the person/item associated with the presence attribute information, for purposes of establishing authorization to access the presence attribute information.
US08443110B2
A system for discovering devices on a common bus without direct communication. Each device on the bus has a unique identification. One of the devices or a computer may be a master or a host. The host may broadcast a request asking every device with an identification value in a particular range to respond. If no device or one device exists on the bus in this particular range, then there is no or one response, respectively. If multiple devices exist within the range, then multiple responses may be received by the host. In a case of multiple responses, the host may re-transmit its request to one or more half ranges. If multiple responses are again received, then the host may again re-transmit its request where the half range or ranges are again split in half. This approach of half-range reduction may be repeated until no more collisions occur.
US08443108B2
A method and mobile device are presented for centrally controlling backup functionality, so that parties such as backup devices will efficiently be informed how data content should be backed up from or restored to the mobile device. The mobile device exposes to a party rules for backing up or restoring data content, and those rules are not just for the party, but also are for other parties including the mobile device itself. The rules are contained in a list formatted in extensible markup language (XML). If the party is an external party, the mobile device provides an object exchange protocol (OBEX) capability object in response to the party fetching that object. The OBEX capability object describes capabilities of the mobile device, and is for use by the external party in order to access the list of rules via the mobile device exposing those rules to the external party.
US08443103B2
A routing system utilizes a layer 2 switch interconnecting several routers to intelligently forward multicast packets throughout an internet exchange carrying multicast content. The layer 2 switch performs protocol snooping to extract a lookup key that is based on network layer protocol information. The lookup key is uniquely formulated to support either shared or explicit source distribution trees. The lookup key is used to query a forwarding memory that returns an outgoing port index. The outgoing port index points to one or more outgoing ports that are eligible to receive the multicast packet. The outgoing ports are also connected to the neighboring device(s) that are designated to receive the multicast packet. The routing system also supports real time maintenance and updating of the forwarding memory based on the periodic exchange of control messages. The routing system is configured to support PIM routers operating in PIM SM or PIM SSM modes. However, the routing system can also support other multicast protocols and/or standards.
US08443102B1
A packet processor includes a memory and a programmable compute pipeline. The memory stores microcode that specifies respective sets for the packet types, and the respective set for each type specifies packet fields. The programmable compute pipeline includes a sequence of stages beginning with an initial stage. The initial stage includes an operand selector that extracts a data vector from each packet. The operand selector is programmable to extract the data vector that includes each field specified in the respective set for the type of each packet. Each stage except the initial stage inputs a first version of the data vector and each stage outputs a second version of the data vector. Each stage except the initial stage generates the second version of the data vector that replaces a part of the first version of the data vector with a result that the stage computes from the part.
US08443101B1
A method and system for steganography and steganalytic techniques are provided for effecting embedded communications in a variety of communication environments. One aspect may include an embedded transmitter for inserting embedded data into a packet and an embedded receiver for receiving the packet via, for example, a packetized communication network such as the Internet. Various aspects of the present invention provide robust communications with optimized throughput and may include various error handlers to maximize performance and ensure transfer of incorrupt data. A method for identifying and blocking embedded communications is also provided.
US08443093B2
In one embodiment a computing system comprises one or more processors, a display device coupled to the computing system, a connection client module, at least one remote access client module, a memory module communicatively connected to the one or more processors and comprising logic to; receive a service request from a user via a remote connection client coupled to the connection server, wherein the service request comprises at least one user credential, authenticate the at least one user credential, retrieve at least one user profile associated with the user, connection data for at least one remote system and at least one policy associated with the at least one user profile, transmit the at least one user profile, at least one remote system and the connection data for at least one remote system and at least one policy associated with the at least one user profile from the connection server to the remote connection client.
US08443089B2
A method and apparatus for providing an integrated communication services (ICS) network that permits data subscribers to share information on a hospital campus using wireless or wireline local area networks, or to seamlessly tap into the facility's central database while in transit away from the hospital. The central database, referred to as the integrated communications clearinghouse (ICC) is adapted to store a communication profile for every network server on the ICS network. The ICC also maintains a Global Patient Profile (GPP), consisting of a patient profile for every patient on the network. The GPP provides the ICC with the capability of providing aggregated data and demographic information, creating “live” public health statistics through a single query to a central server. The actual selection of a particular channel to access the ICS will be service-dependent and a function of user whereabouts, desired quality of the connection, and costs of the connection.
US08443081B2
Multimedia content is featured on user pages of an online social network using embed codes that are generated using a configuration file associated with the source ID for the multimedia content and a content ID for the multimedia content. The configuration file, the source ID and the content ID are stored locally by the online social network so that any changes to the embed codes can be made by changing the configuration file associated with the source and regenerating the embed codes. By managing multimedia content in this manner, greater control can be exercised by the online social network over the multimedia content that are featured on its user pages.
US08443080B2
A method and a system are disclosed for determining application dependency paths in a data center. The method and the system captures application traffic volume data on the servers with switches and monitoring agents; generates an application traffic matrix of all the components of the applications based on the application traffic volume data; estimates the number of the applications in the data center from the traffic matrix with a Rank Estimation via Singular Value Decomposition or Power Factorization Residue Errors process; and decomposes the traffic matrix into a first matrix and a second matrix with a non-negative matrix factorization process using the estimated number of applications. The first matrix represents a set of the components belonging to each of the applications and the second matrix represents the amount of traffic generated by each application over time. Any noise in the first and second matrices is removed with a concurrent volumes ratios based correlation process.
US08443070B2
A system and method support the exchange of media between friends, family members, and 3rd party media providers over a closed and secure media exchange network. The media may include, for example, digital video, digital audio, digital images, digital data, or any form of digital information.
US08443067B2
The invention relates to a method for identifying an order of users of a network, whereby the network contains a multitude of nodes and each of the nodes has a number of connections by which the nodes and the users can be interconnected. Disclosed embodiments of the method include: a) identifying the node connected to one of the users; b) determining the number of connections of this node and a predetermined hierarchy of the connections; c) determining, for these nodes, the connection with which the user is connected to this node and; d) determining, for the nodes, other connections that are connected to other nodes or to other users; e) establishing a relationship between users of the network based on the hierarchy of the connections that is predefined for node and on the determined connections that are connected to users or to other nodes.
US08443066B1
A networked computing system is taught that may be operated as one or more provisioned servers, each of the provisioned servers including capabilities as identified by a corresponding set of specifications and attributes, according to various embodiments. Typically the specifications (or constraints) and attributes are specified with a Server Configuration File. The networked computing system may be provisioned into any combination and number of servers according to needed processing and I/O capabilities. Each of these servers may include distinct compute, storage, and networking performance. Provisioned servers may be managed similar to conventional servers, including operations such as boot and shutting down.
US08443063B1
A network control system to determine alternative networks for a wireless communication device comprises a processing system and a communication transceiver. The processing system is configured to determine an identifier of a first wireless access node in communication with a first communication network serving the wireless communication device, and process the identifier of the first wireless access node with a network data structure to determine a second communication network for the wireless communication device based on the identifier. The communication transceiver is configured to transfer the network data associated with the second communication network for delivery to the wireless communication device, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to initiate a handoff to a second wireless access node in communication with the second communication network based on the network data associated with the second communication network.
US08443057B1
Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, devices and systems associated with peer-to-peer communications are disclosed.
US08443055B2
A device control service providing system includes a service request receiving unit that receives, via a network, a device control service request for controlling a group of electronic devices, and a process execution requesting unit that requests respective device control servers to execute device control processes for controlling an operation of the electronic devices in the group based on the request received, where one of the device control servers executes the device control processes corresponding to one group of the electronic devices.
US08443051B2
Disclosed are systems and methods for reclaiming posted buffers during a direct memory access (DMA) operation executed by an input/output device (I/O device) in connection with data transfer across a network. During the data transfer, the I/O device may cancel a buffer provided by a device driver thereby relinquishing ownership of the buffer. A condition for the I/O device relinquishing ownership of a buffer may be provided by a distance vector that may be associated with the buffer. The distance vector may specify a maximum allowable distance between the buffer and a buffer that is currently fetched by the I/O device. Alternatively, a condition for the I/O device relinquishing ownership of a buffer may be provided by a timer. The timer may specify a maximum time that the I/O device may maintain ownership of a particular buffer. In other implementations, a mechanism is provided to force the I/O device to relinquish some or all of the buffers that it controls.
US08443034B2
Techniques are generally described for selecting input vectors that reduce or minimize leakage current for a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs) with the same design, but that differ due to manufacturing variability. In various embodiments, the techniques include determining at least one starting input vector that reduces leakage current in a respective one of N instances of the ICs, and selecting from the determined at least one starting input vector of each respective one of the N instances, a set R of representative input vectors. Some of the embodiments then use each of the representative input vectors in the set R to determine at least a particular input vector to apply to input terminals of an IC in the plurality of ICs to reduce or minimize leakage current in the IC. Additional variants and embodiments may also be disclosed.
US08443028B2
An exponentiation circuit for computing an exponential power of a finite field element includes combinatory logic circuits that map input digits of a multi-digit field element β to output digits of an output multi-digit field element β2m. The exponentiation circuit is capable of computing a power of a field element without performing any multiplication operations and requires only exclusive-OR logic operations to generate the output exponential field element. A circuit for generating a multiplicative inverse of a finite field element can be constructed from a set of parallel exponentiation circuits, with each of the parallel exponentiation circuits generating a different multi-digit field element β2m directly from the input field element β. Multiplier circuits multiply together the outputs of the parallel exponentiation circuits to generate the multiplicative inverse of the field element β.
US08443027B2
A method, computer-readable medium, and an apparatus for implementing a floating point weighted average function. The method includes receiving an input containing 2N input values, 2N weights, and an opcode, where N is a positive integer number and each of the input values corresponds to one of the weights. Furthermore, the method also includes using existing dot product circuit function to generate 2N addends by multiplying each of the input values with the corresponding weight. In addition, the method includes generating a sum value by adding the 2N addends, where the sum value includes an exponent value, and generating the weighted average value based on the sum value by decreasing the exponent value by N. In this fashion, the same circuit area may be used to carry out both dot product and weighted average calculations, leading to greater circuit area savings and performance advantages.
US08443022B2
A random number generating apparatus and method for generating a metastable state signal by using logic gates include a metastable state generating unit generating and outputting a metastable state signal; an amplifying unit receiving the metastable state signal from the metastable state generating unit, amplifying the received metastable state signal, and outputting the amplified metastable state signal; and a sampling unit receiving the amplified metastable state signal and a sampling clock, and sampling and outputting the amplified metastable state signal according to the sampling clock.
US08443020B2
A pseudo-random number generator 100 generates a pseudo-random number by the following operation. At C.2, S1[B41] is determined from B41 set in a second internal memory, and S2[B40] is determined from B40. Then, R[J] is generated from S1[I], S1[B41], and S2[B40]. At C.3, S1[I] is newly generated based on S1[B41] and S2[B40]. At C.4, B4 is updated from S2(I). In the above, the relationship between R[J] and S2(I) is cut off, which makes difficult to estimate S2(I) from R[J], and security is increased. Further, since S1[I], S1[B41], S2[B40], etc. have 4 bytes, the processing speed is high.
US08443018B2
A mobile terminal and its unit conversion method are disclosed. When a unit conversion function is selected through a menu manipulation by a user, the selected unit conversion function is executed, and then, when a unit conversion factor for a unit conversion is selected, a reference unit related to the selected unit conversion factor is converted into two or more different units and the converted information is displayed in the form of a unit scale. The unit conversion factor includes volume, area, distance, speed, currency, mass, weight, dimension, and the like.
US08443013B1
A computer-implemented method includes obtaining a database table, the table including multiple rows and multiple columns, in which one or more rows are missing at least one column value, executing a script, using a script engine, in response to obtaining the table, in which executing the script causes one or more values from the rows to be provided as input data to a first predictive model, and processing, using the first predictive model, the input data to obtain output data, the output data including a predicted value for at least one of the missing column values, and populating one or more of the missing column values with the output data to provide a revised database table.
US08443011B2
A method and system for visually displaying and navigating a computer storage system are disclosed. The storage system can be graphically browsed to select a particular entity in the storage system. A graphical timeline of events relating to the selected entity is displayed. Selecting an event from the timeline displays a graphical representation of the storage system at a time relating to the selected event or additional graphical detail about the selected event. Based on the selected event, configuration information for the entity in the storage system that experienced the event can be displayed and compared against the configuration of the entity at a different time or against a predefined template.
US08443009B2
The invention relates to a data processing system with an improved provision of services for providing functionalities. The data processing system comprises at least one first service for activating at least one second service, whereby the services are configured as Web services.
US08443007B1
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing devices capable of the reception and playback of one or more crafted media channels transmitted over an intermittent connection. The one or more channels may be customized by the end user to bias the programming towards individual tastes or moods. The channels may be delivered over an intermittent, unidirectional link, for example a Satellite Radio receiver in a home or car. Content may also be delivered over an intermittent, bidirectional link, for example to a portable media player via a wireless 802.11 or other networked connection.
US08443004B2
A computer system and method is to manage business data and logic in a uniformed manner. It is based on the theory of total recursive functions. As a result, it is a monolith consolidating the multiple-component architecture of traditional technologies in the fields of programming language and database management. Secondly, the properties of the theory of total recursive functions are uniquely demonstrated by a set of built-in operators of the system. Therefore, it offers novel approaches to many challenges in the fields of artificial intelligence and knowledge management facing the traditional technologies.
US08442999B2
An apparatus and method are described for the discovery of semantics, relationships and mappings between data in different software applications, databases, files, reports, messages, or systems. In one aspect, semantics and relationships and mappings are identified between a first and a second data source. A binding condition is discovered between portions of data in the first and the second data source. The binding condition is used to discover correlations between portions of data in the first and the second data source. The binding condition and the correlations are used to discover a transformation function between portions of data in the first and the second data source.
US08442994B1
A system includes a server to store content and a content searching system. The content search system includes an application programming interface to receive user-selected metadata uploaded from a first user, where the metadata includes data that describes content stored at a server. The content searching system further includes an indexer to index the metadata to produce a metadata search index, a search engine to search the metadata search index based on a search query received from a user to produce metadata search results, and a delivery engine to send the metadata search results, and a link to the remote server, to the user to permit the user to access the content stored at the remote server.
US08442991B2
An information access device is disclosed comprising an interface for connecting the information access device to a network; a further interface for providing the information access device with a string of information request indicators; an interpretation layer for extracting an information source from the string and for generating an instruction for triggering a different application of the device to retrieve the information from the information source; and a processor for executing the generated instruction.
US08442990B1
Techniques are described herein to allow a query and one or more associated actions to be registered as an “event selector”, and to have the one or more actions of the event selector invoked when an event occurs on a target that matches the query. According to one aspect, a selector string representing the query and one or more actions associated with the selector string are obtained. In response to obtaining an event, a target of the event is obtained and it is determined whether the target matches the selector string. If the target matches the selector string, then the one or more actions associated with the selector string are invoked. By doing so, events may be indirectly routed to actions through queries on event targets.
US08442989B2
The invention concerns a method for assigning parts of multimedia files to distributed storage devices, the number of said devices being an integer n, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a step consisting in dividing each multimedia file in windows, which represent data for contiguous playback of a given duration; a step consisting, for each multimedia file, in determining a number k so that any original window of file can be recovered from any k distinct symbols; a step consisting, for each window of each said multimedia files, in assigning n corresponding symbols to said devices, one to each device, the n distinct symbols being created using erasure coding; and a step consisting in partially or totally filling the storage memory left on each device after said first steps with prefix windows of said multimedia files.
US08442987B2
An example of a method includes identifying a formulated query and at least one past query associated with an input query. The method also includes determining a first similarity score between the input query and the formulated query. Further, the method includes updating the first similarity score based on a second similarity score between the input query and the at least one past query, and based on a third similarity score between the formulated query and the at least one past query. Moreover, the method includes extracting one or more contents based on the formulated query if updated first similarity score is greater than a first threshold. The method also includes providing the one or more contents.
US08442984B1
Systems and methods relating to website quality rating are disclosed. Websites are rated, relationships between ratings and website signals are identified, models are generated and modeled ratings are assigned to unrated websites by applying the models to the website signals of the unrated websites.
US08442981B2
A method of and apparatus for storage and retrieval of résumé images in a manner which preserves the appearance, organization, and information content of the original document. In addition, summaries or “outlines” of résumé images, broken down into multiple fields, are stored, and can be searched field by field. A user interface is provided which is based on a familiar paper-based method already in common use, thus reducing the training required to effectively use the system.
US08442980B2
Embodiments of the invention provide for applying multiple attribute changes to components of a dataset. According to one embodiment, coalescing changes can comprise reading a definition of the dataset. For example, the definition can comprise an identity and a context for each of the plurality of components. A component tree can be generated representing the data set and based on the context and identity. An indication of one or more changes to the components of the data set can be received and the changes can be classified based on a type of each of the changes. For example, the type of the changes can comprise one or more of a single component change, a cross-component change, and a cross-component change the affects the identity of at least one of the components The changes can be coalesced based on the type of the changes.
US08442968B2
This invention relates to an advertisement machine which provides advertisements to a user searching for desired information within a data network. The machine receives, from a user, a search request including a search argument corresponding to the desired information and searches, based upon the received search argument, a first database having data network related information to generate search results. It also correlating the received search argument to a particular advertisement in a second database having advertisement related information. The search results together with the particular advertisement are provided by the machine to the user.
US08442967B2
Biometric search methods, apparatus, and systems using operator input for an operator-assisted iterative biometric search are provided. In certain embodiments, a set of candidate records is received at a computing device. At least a first portion of the set of candidate records is displayed. An indication that a first candidate record in the set of candidate records is not a match to the probe record is received. A first search of the set of candidate records using the first candidate record is performed. A score assigned to a second candidate record in the set of candidate records is modified when the second candidate record is more likely to be a match to the first candidate record than a match to the probe record. At least a second portion of the set of candidate records is displayed.
US08442962B2
A computer-implemented method, a computer-readable medium and a system are provided. A transaction master for each of a plurality of transactions of a database is provided. Each transaction master is configured to communicate with at least one transaction slave to manage execution of a transaction in the plurality of transactions. Each transaction master configured to perform generating a transaction token to specify data to be visible for a transaction on the database, the transaction token including a transaction identifier for identifying whether the transaction is a committed transaction or an uncommitted transaction, receiving a request to commit the transaction, initiating, based on the request, a two-phase commit operation to commit the transaction. The two-phase commit operation includes preparing for committing the transaction, writing a committed transaction to a memory, optimizing the two-phase commit operation by omitting a phase of the two-phase commit operation, generating an acknowledgement of the committed transaction. The plurality of transactions of the database are executed with each transaction master.
US08442961B2
A solution is proposed for facilitating accessing resources of a data processing system with distributed architecture by a data processing entity of the system (with each resource that is accessible via a corresponding address). A set of bookmarks are provided for corresponding resources. Each bookmark is associated with a stored address of the corresponding resource—for accessing the corresponding resource in response to a selection of the bookmark. In the solution according to an embodiment of the invention, a signature identifying the corresponding resource is associated with each bookmark. Each bookmark is updated by verifying accessibility of the resource at the stored address matches the signature. The resource matching the signature is then located via a search engine in response to the non-accessibility of the resource. It is then possible to replace the stored address with a new address of the located resource.
US08442960B1
A computer-implemented method for elevating privileges for a process may comprise: 1) determining that the process requires elevated privileges for proper execution, 2) attempting to elevate privileges for the process, 3) determining whether privileges for the process were elevated, and 4) concluding execution of the process. In one example, each step of the method may be performed by the process itself. Corresponding systems and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08442954B2
In a method of linking to information in a deduplication data sequence, a branching point is identified. The branching point is a place where a branch data sequence diverges from a parent data sequence that has been previously stored in a data deduplication process. A signature value associated with a subsequence of the information represented in the branch data sequence is determined. A branch location where the information of the branch data sequence begins is identified. Link information is stored in association with the branching point. The link information is stored in a computer memory. The link information comprises a link to the branch location and also comprises a portion of the signature value.
US08442948B2
Example apparatus, methods, and computers prevent a split brain scenario in a pair of high availability servers by maintaining single writer access to a resource. One example method includes monitoring control of an arbitration (ARB) block by an active file system manager (FSM). An active file system portmapper (FSMPM) simultaneously requests permission from a standby FSM to restart a dead-man timer. The active FSM attempts to maintain control of the ARB block before expiration of the dead-man timer. If the active FSM is unable to maintain control of the ARB block before expiration of the dead-man timer, a hardware reset of an apparatus running the active FSM is forced. Therefore, the active FSMPM and standby FSM negotiate for additional time to maintain control of the ARB block to maintain single writer access and avoid unnecessary hardware resets.
US08442939B2
Provided is a computer system including a plurality of computing hosts, which constructs a shared file system dynamically so that job execution efficiency is improved. In the computer system which includes the plurality of computing hosts and executes a job requested, in a case where the job is executed by the plurality of computing hosts, each computing host which executes the job is configured to: share a file necessary for executing the job; access the shared file to execute the requested job; and cancel the sharing of the file after execution of the requested job is completed.
US08442934B2
The metadata-based intermediation between two data sources. A computing system accesses a query message (e.g., a query or a query response). The query message is structured to be compatible with the first data source. The computing system uses metadata either directly, or indirectly through the execution of code referenced by the metadata to convert the query message into a semantically equivalent query message that is compatible with the second data source. If the query message were a query, then a query response may be acquired and the metadata may perhaps be used again to convert the query response into a form that is compatible with the first data source. In one embodiment, the conversion using the metadata is performed with the assistance of a framework, making changes to the conversion process as simple as perhaps just editing the metadata itself.
US08442931B2
Computer based systems and methods for searching data transiting a network using a graph-based search model. A set of rules that describe strings or patterns of data to be identified in the data set, is expressed as a graph. As blocks of the data set are obtained for processing, the state of the graph is updated based upon the value of the received data block. The transition to the next state depends upon both the current state and the received data block. As blocks of data are received and processed, the graph is traversed until one of the rules is identified.
US08442929B2
Two items are determined to be similar to each not only based on previous actual user behavior, but also based on the observed relatedness of the characteristics of those two items. A first characteristic and a second characteristic are determined to have some affinity for each other if a high proportion of users who select items having the first characteristics also select items that have the second characteristic, and vice-versa. Two items having characteristics with high affinity for each other are determined to have some similarity to each other, even if very few or no users who selected one of those items ever selected the other of those items. A first item that is determined to be sufficiently similar to second item in this manner may be recommended to a user who has selected the second item as potentially also being of interest to that user.
US08442920B1
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for providing an electronic document processing system, an electronic document generation mechanism, an encrypted digital certificate generator, a tool for coordinating the processing of electronic documents, a packaging mechanism for finalizing and authenticating electronic documents, a tracking log for recording relevant electronic document information, and a transferring protocol for transferring the ownership of electronic documents. The present disclosure also is directed to an electronic authentication system including an electronic document authentication watermark seal or signature line for confirming a document's signing within the view. The present disclosure also is directed to a system, software program, and method for generating electronic documents, coordinating the signing of electronic documents, digitally authenticating and certifying electronic documents, and organizing electronic documents for retrieval and transfer in a mortgage closing and/or other financial services application.
US08442917B1
A retail energy provider system comprising a market transaction manager, business rules and requirements processor, usage rater, customer analysis and quality control auditor, customer billing processor and collection manager, customer payment processor, third party sales and marketing application programming interface, customer acquisition and residual income interface, having a wholesale forecaster, interactive voice response system, intranet web services, internet web services and network based external customer service and executive management systems and financial services functions, all said functions and systems interacting with a robust SQL database engine for which the novel database schema is taught herein.
US08442916B2
A method and system for managing use of items having usage rights associated therewith including a point of capture system adapted to generate content of a future event when the event occurs, a content distributor adapted to generate a rights label having usage rights associated with content of the future event before the content is created, the rights label having a distribution key for encrypting the content as the content is generated, the distribution key being encrypted with a public key. The system also includes a license server adapted to generate a license associate with the content from the rights label before the content is generated, the license including the distribution key encrypted with the public key, and a content distributor adapted to distribute the license before the content is generated.
US08442914B2
Methods and apparatus for operating a virtual wallet system are described. In an embodiment, the process includes receiving, at a virtual wallet server, a virtual wallet account number and payment transaction details that includes a payment amount, and then mapping the virtual wallet account number to at least one funding account associated with a consumer. The method also includes validating the consumer and the payment transaction details, generating a standard purchase authorization request message and routing it to an issuer of the at least one funding account, and receiving an authorization response approving the payment transaction. The process further includes loading the consumer's virtual wallet account in real time to match the payment amount, and routing an authorization approval message to an originating acquirer. Such a virtual wallet system with automatic-loading capabilities substantially improves the operation of decoupled debit payment account schemes. In addition, the use of a virtual wallet account assigned to a consumer by virtue of a virtual wallet account number (which can be described as a pseudo-primary account number (pseudo-PAN)) allows the consumer to fund payments for multiple PSP accounts from a single funding account while simultaneously protecting personal data and protecting against identity theft.
US08442913B2
A computer apparatus is provided that comprises processor and a computer-readable medium coupled to the processor. The computer readable medium comprises code executable by the processor for implementing a method that comprises receiving a first indication at a computer apparatus that an evolving token has been used in a first transaction. Use of the evolving token in the first transaction provides a first benefit. The method further comprises that in a subsequent transaction after the first transaction, the evolving token changes so that it is associated with a payment account and the evolving token can be used to make payments.
US08442895B2
Reports are automatically created of securities class action lawsuits customized to show potential monetary claims resulting from the lawsuits for securities purchased or acquired by one or more financial entities. Further, a database stores a plurality of loss charts. Each loss chart is related to a particular security for a particular financial entity and is assigned a unique identifier. The report includes a selection process, such as the selection of a hyperlink on the report, that allows a user to input the unique identifier to the loss chart directly from the report so that the loss chart can be retrieved from the database and presented to the user. A plurality of sets of loss charts are provided wherein each set of loss charts is related to a particular security for a particular financial entity. Each set of loss charts includes a Summary Chart and a FIFO and LIFO loss chart.
US08442890B2
System and method for trading and displaying market information in an electronic trading environment
A system and method for trading and displaying market information along a static axis are described to ensure fast and accurate execution of trades. The static axis, whether is a straight axis or a curved one, can be oriented in any direction. Regardless of how the axis is oriented, a first region may display price levels that are arranged along the static axis. A second region, which overlaps the first region, may display one or more indicators for highlighting one of the price levels associated with the lowest offer and one of the price levels associated with the highest bid. Moreover, a third region, which overlaps the first region, may be included for initiating placement of an order to buy or an order to sell the tradeable object through an action of a user input device. Other overlapping regions may also be displayed so that additional market information may be viewed by a trader.
US08442873B2
An order processing system, method, and program product that generates an order receipt based on an order request. The system, method, and program product include a plurality of request handlers for processing different types of order requests. One of the plurality of request handlers is selected to process the order request based on the type of order request. Once processing is complete, an order receipt is generated.
US08442871B2
According to the present invention, there is provided a method to facilitate propagating a plurality of transaction listings to a network-based transaction facility. An input interface is presented at a seller application to receive from a user, a plurality of transaction listings, each transaction listing including an associated start time. Also, a data file is composed at the seller application to include the plurality of transaction listings. Moreover, the data file is propagated, using the seller application, from the client computer to the network-based transaction facility.
US08442869B2
A method is disclosed for optimizing a business transaction between a selling vendor and a shipping vendor. The method includes receiving a query from a selling vendor. The query includes customer order data. The method also includes identifying at least one possible shipping vendor based on the customer order data and determining shipping information for each of the at least one possible shipping vendors. The method further includes selecting a preferred shipping vendor from among the at least one possible shipping vendors and completing the transaction between the selling vendor and the shipping vendor.
US08442868B2
Systems and methods are disclosed herein which that enable a first party, such as a child, to selected one or more items offered by an online retailer and to send a request to a second party, such as a parent or guardian, to request that the second party purchase the item or items for the first party. The systems and methods provide the second party with the ability to view requests received from the first party, to set limits on the number of requests and the amounts of the requests that the first party may make. The second party may also designate the parties to whom the first party may submit purchase requests. The child may also submit request to one or more non-parental contributors who may contribute money toward the purchase the one or more items for the child.
US08442867B2
An announcement distributor distributes, or auctions an opportunity to distribute, an announcement to an announcement recipient such as a consumer, issuer, merchant, or acquirer within a payment processing system. The announcement is formed when there has been a satisfaction of an announcement condition, such as the consumer being determined to be located within a predetermined spatial zone. The content of the announcement may, in turn, facilitate a subsequent cashless transaction for resources of merchants. Implementations describe various permutations of the content of the announcement, the announcement condition, and the announcement recipient.
US08442861B2
A system and method are provided. The method includes establishing a current belief about the multidimensional distribution of buyers' valuations for at least one item, and, based on the current belief, proposing at least one pricing mechanism, each pricing mechanism establishing a price for the at least one item. Observed buyers' responses to at least one of the set of proposed pricing mechanisms are stored. Region censored updates to the belief about the multidimensional distribution of buyers' valuations are conducted, based on the observed responses, to generate a new belief about the multidimensional distribution of buyers' valuations. Based on the new belief, a pricing mechanism establishing a price for the at least one item is proposed, that is expected to improve a seller's welfare under the new belief, relative to the originally proposed mechanism or mechanisms.
US08442855B2
The present invention discloses a methodology and device for predicting the cost of construction of a facility for use especially in conception stages of a project. The method proceeds by identifying a process application to be housed within the facility, identifying specified process equipment, minimum size of the facility, the support utility infrastructure required for all systems which will provide for the needs of the identified process application, and determining associated costs. A variety of other factors may also be examined in determining cost, and by identifying a project budget, the cost or budget itself may be adjusted.
US08442853B2
An operating strategy for effectively operating a system, such as a boiler system, is provided by quantifying operation of the system based on failure characteristics modeled in a computer processor performing failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) to forecast damage mechanisms from operational parameters. One method includes determining operational consequences from inherent damage impact of fixed operational parameters, enabling instruments for operation with the processor for monitoring and diagnosing potential damage mechanisms, forming a graphic component map sufficient for user review of preselected system locations, and developing macroscopic in-service and out-of-service condition monitoring plans for the system. Detailed condition monitoring plans are then created from the macroscopic plans by the processor classifying each damage mechanism as one of active, incipient, incidental and passive, and processing each classified damage mechanism based on industry and local historical data for providing yield indices and propensities as reference for the FMEA.
US08442847B1
A computerized method of allowing insurance customers to make better informed insurance purchases. The invention allows customers, who may be unfamiliar with the chances that various types of losses will occur and/or the true costs associated with these losses, to enter in various insurance loss scenarios and scenario parameters into a computer database which also contains information on various insurance plans. The invention outputs comparative information as to how adequately the various insurance plans perform according to the various customer selected scenarios, and comparative plan costs. The method can be implemented using computerized servers and client devices communicating using standard internet protocols over the internet. The invention may be used for any type of insurance product, and is particularly well suited for situations where consumers may have an unusually low amount of information regarding risks and associated costs, such as online purchase of various foreign coverage medical insurance plans.
US08442845B2
According to some embodiments, a current net amount at risk associated with a life insurance policy is determined. The life insurance policy may, for example, have been previously issued to a consumer for a given face death benefit amount. At least one applicable cost of insurance rate may then be automatically selected based at least in part on the determined net amount at risk. The applicable cost of insurance rate can then be applied to the current net amount at risk for the policy. For example, a first cost of insurance rate may be applied to a first portion of the current net amount at risk, and the applicable cost of insurance rate may be applied to a second portion of the current net amount at risk.
US08442844B1
The present invention relates to product claims management solutions, and in particular, to methods and systems for maintaining purchase records and product repair, replacement, and refund claims processing. The user experience in performing claims management is simplified and enhanced over existing methods.
US08442843B2
An apparatus and method for controlling a warming therapy device (e.g., incubator, warmer, etc.) is described. In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a Graphical User Interlace (GUI) coupled to the warming therapy device for monitoring patient medical information, and for controlling various aspects of the warming therapy device accordingly.
US08442837B2
A method for processing an audio signal including classifying an input frame as either a speech frame or a generic audio frame, producing an encoded bitstream and a corresponding processed frame based on the input frame, producing an enhancement layer encoded bitstream based on a difference between the input frame and the processed frame, and multiplexing the enhancement layer encoded bitstream, a codeword, and either a speech encoded bitstream or a generic audio encoded bitstream into a combined bitstream based on whether the codeword indicates that the input frame is classified as a speech frame or as a generic audio frame, wherein the encoded bitstream is either a speech encoded bitstream or a generic audio encoded bitstream.
US08442836B2
Embodiments of the invention provides a method and device for assigning bitrates to a plurality of channels in a scalable audio encoding/truncation process. Different bitrates are assigned to different channels in the scalable audio encoding/truncation process.
US08442833B2
Computer implemented speech processing is disclosed. First and second voice segments are extracted from first and second microphone signals originating from first and second microphones. The first and second voice segments correspond to a voice sound originating from a common source. An estimated source location is generated based on a relative energy of the first and second voice segments and/or a correlation of the first and second voice segments. A determination whether the voice segment is desired or undesired may be made based on the estimated source location.
US08442824B2
Device, system, and method of liveness detection using voice biometrics. For example, a method comprises: generating a first matching score based on a comparison between: (a) a voice-print from a first text-dependent audio sample received at an enrollment stage, and (b) a second text-dependent audio sample received at an authentication stage; generating a second matching score based on a text-independent audio sample; and generating a liveness score by taking into account at least the first matching score and the second matching score.
US08442821B1
A method and system for multi-frame prediction in a hybrid neural network/hidden Markov model automatic speech recognition (ASR) system is disclosed. An audio input signal may be transformed into a time sequence of feature vectors, each corresponding to respective temporal frame of a sequence of periodic temporal frames of the audio input signal. The time sequence of feature vectors may be concurrently input to a neural network, which may process them concurrently. In particular, the neural network may concurrently determine for the time sequence of feature vectors a set of emission probabilities for a plurality of hidden Markov models of the ASR system, where the set of emission probabilities are associated with the temporal frames. The set of emission probabilities may then be concurrently applied to the hidden Markov models for determining speech content of the audio input signal.
US08442812B2
The invention enables creation of grammar networks that can regulate, control, and define the content and scope of human-machine interaction in natural language voice user interfaces (NLVUI). The invention enables phrase-based modeling of generic structures of verbal interaction to be used for the purpose of automating part of the design of such grammar networks. Most particularly, the invention enables such grammar networks to be used in providing a voice-controlled user interface to human readable text data that is also machine-readable (such as a Web page, a word processing document, a PDF document, or a spreadsheet).
US08442808B2
The present invention provides methods and compositions for identifying a subject in a fatigued state, a subject recovering from a fatigued state and/or a subject having an increased likelihood of performing a physical activity at a sufficient level by detecting and/or quantitating, in a sample from the subject, one or more biomarkers associated with fatigue and/or physical performance capability.
US08442798B2
A pointing device includes accelerometers and rotational sensors that are coupled to a processor. The processor samples the accelerometers and rotational sensors to detect gravity and pointing device motion and uses algebraic algorithms to calculate roll compensated cursor control signals. The processor transmits the cursor control signals to a receiver that is coupled to an electronic device that moves the cursor on the visual display.
US08442793B2
A method for improving a position sensing system which measures a rotating object is presented. In one embodiment, the method outputs the position of the rotating object while the object is rotating, and the method follows an external command on the sensor output line when the object is not rotating to output information other than the position information.
US08442784B1
A method and system of adaptive power control based on pre package characterization of integrated circuits. Characteristics of a specific integrated circuit are used to adaptively control power of the integrated circuit.
US08442782B2
Method for determining and/or monitoring a process variable of a medium, and corresponding apparatus
A method for determining and/or monitoring a process variable of a medium, wherein a mechanically oscillatable unit is supplied with an exciter signal wherein a received signal coming from the mechanically oscillatable unit is received, and wherein the exciter signal is produced in such a manner, that a phase difference between the exciter signal and the received signal equals a predeterminable phase value. A criterion for judging the determining of the phase difference between the exciter signal and the received signal, or a signal dependent on the exciter signal or on the received signal, is established; in the case, in which the criterion for judging the determining of the phase difference is fulfilled, tuning of the phase difference is closed-loop controlled; and, in the alternative case, tuning of the phase difference is open-loop controlled. An apparatus associated with the method is also disclosed.
US08442780B2
The distributive elastic properties in nonlinear structures is characterized using an inverse elastostatic approach of stress analysis using assumed elastic models without knowing the realistic material parameters. Stress distributions are computed independently of strain measurements. A database of pointwise stress and strain data in regions of the nonlinear structure permits the elastic properties of the structure to be characterized point-by-point to provide the property distribution.
US08442776B2
The structure of C3c in complex with the complement inhibitor, compstatin, and use of this information for rational design or identification of complement-inhibiting drugs are disclosed.
US08442773B2
A method and a device are disclosed for monitoring the synthesis of proteins by the ribosome, wherein the ribosome is bound to a first label, for example a donor fluorophore, and a tRNA and/or amino acid are is bound to a second label, for example an acceptor fluorophore, wherein the first and second labels together from a FRET pair. As the ribosome mechanism processes the mRNA and tRNA molecules and synthesizes a polypeptide chain, a light source illuminates the ribosome, exciting the donor fluorophores and thereby the acceptor fluorophores whenever these are in sufficient proximity to a donor. The resulting signals are detected and used as a key for database searching and identification of the protein being synthesized.
US08442772B2
Disclosed are compositions and methods for classifying stem cells. The disclosure provides a way to define cells using a computational analysis.
US08442771B2
Methods and data processing apparatus for normalization of mentions of subcellular entities, such as proteins and/or genes, in a natural language biomedical text document, in which the species of the individual mention of a subcellular entity is determined before an identifier is assigned to the individual mention of a subcellular entity and the identified species is taken into account when assigning an identifier to the said individual mention of a subcellular entity.
US08442767B2
A method of operating a navigation system to provide a route guidance message for traveling a route is disclosed. A preferred name of a feature visible from a road segment is obtained from a geographic database associated with the navigation system. A guidance message stating the preferred name of the feature visible from the road segment is determined. The preferred name includes at least one visible descriptor selected from a group consisting of a color of the identified feature, a building material of the identified feature, a shape of the identified feature, an architectural style of the identified feature, and a decorative element of the identified feature.
US08442761B2
There is provided a navigation device having a current location detection unit for detecting a current location, a current location correction unit for correcting the current location detected by the current location detection unit using map matching and a display unit for displaying a map, switches an operation mode between a normal mode, which is an operation mode based on in-vehicle use, and a pedestrian mode, which is an operation mode based on use when moving on foot, displays the map of the current location by the display unit by arranging a mark indicating the current location based on the current location corrected by the current location correction unit in the normal mode, and displays the map of the current location by the display unit by arranging the mark indicating the current location based on the current location detected by the current location detection unit in the pedestrian mode.
US08442755B2
Systems and methods for preventing a motor vehicle side door from coming into contact with an obstacle are provided. One system includes an outside rear view mirror, a camera coupled to the outside rear view mirror, and a controller coupled to the camera. The camera is configured to detect the obstacle and determine the distance between the side door and the obstacle, and the controller is configured to disable the side door if the obstacle is within a threshold distance of the side door. Another system replaces the camera with an ultrasonic sensor to detect the obstacle and determine the distance between the side door and the obstacle. A method includes determining the distance between a plurality of motor vehicle side doors and the obstacle, and automatically disabling each motor vehicle side door that is within a threshold distance of the obstacle.
US08442753B2
The gradient of a road surface is estimated with a change in the attitude of a vehicle also taken into consideration. As a result, the gradient of the road surface can be estimated with high accuracy, and this enables the vehicle to stably stop and travel independently of the gradient of the road surface. The vehicle has a drive wheel rotatably mounted on a vehicle body and also has a vehicle control device for controlling the attitude of the vehicle by controlling drive torque applied to the drive wheel. The vehicle control device estimates the gradient of the road surface based on the attitude of the vehicle and corrects the drive torque based on the gradient.
US08442748B2
A method for improving starting of an engine that may be repeatedly stopped and started is presented. In one embodiment, the method disengages a starter in response to a first predicted combustion in a cylinder of the engine. The method may reduce one-way clutch degradation of a starter. Further, the method may reduce current consumption during engine starting.
US08442744B2
To partially supplant the use of fossil fuels in diesel engines, oxygen-containing fuels, such as biodiesels, are proposed as blending agents in diesel fuel. Engine calibration coefficients to control EGR rate, timings and quantities of fuel injection pulses, turbocharger boost, etc, can be determined to compensate for the lower energy content of such oxygenate blends compared to diesel fuels. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the fuel quantity of each of multiple injection pulses is increased proportionally to compensate for the impact of oxygenates. An adjustment in the fuel injection quantity is performed in response to a new tank of fuel and the adjustment is applied for that tank of fuel. A fuel compensation factor (FCF) can be determined based on the actual amount of fuel injected compared to the expected amount of diesel fuel at the present operating condition.
US08442742B2
The prevention of the occurrence of a shock during acceleration is enabled without impairing acceleration response as to a control apparatus for a vehicle driving unit. By changing a control amount of a specific one or specific ones of the plurality of the control elements when a torque-up request is issued, the output torque of the vehicle driving unit is increased toward a target output torque. In this case, a torque gradient upon changing the control amount of the specific one or the specific ones of the control elements is estimated and calculated on the basis of a current output torque of the vehicle driving unit according to a calculation rule formulated in advance. The control amounts of the respective control elements including the specific one or the specific ones of the control elements are set such that the estimated torque gradient coincides with a predetermined target torque gradient.
US08442737B2
A method for operating a vehicle braking system for motor vehicles including a hybrid or electric drive and hydraulically actutable wheel brakes on the front axle, wherein the wheels associated with the rear axle are driven at least partially by an electric motor that can be operated as a generator to recover braking energy and, in generator mode, exerts a braking force on the vehicle wheel associated with the respective axle, thereby generating a drag torque including the braking torque and the regeneration torque of the electric drive, the drag torque being separately regulatable on the front and rear axles. To prevent overbraking of the rear axle and a loss of driving stability of the vehicle, a regeneration torque acting on the rear axle is controlled or regulated such that the drag torque acting on the rear axle does not exceed a maximum drag torque value associated with that axle.
US08442734B2
A control assist method for a vehicle including a power train connected to drive wheels by a clutch. The method updates a clutch curve which connects a position of a clutch pedal and a maximum torque that can be transmitted by the corresponding clutch, as a function of reliability thereof, the reliability being lower when the vehicle is first used and increasing with use of the vehicle.
US08442726B2
A method and device are provided for lessening the consequences of an accident affecting a vehicle occupant in the event of a collision of the vehicle with an obstruction. Before the collision, the absolute speed of the vehicle occupant relative to the obstruction is reduced independently of the traveling speed of the vehicle by way of a reduction of the vehicle occupant's speed relative to the vehicle, without the vehicle occupant experiencing a first displacement movement against the vehicle movement direction beyond his initial destination-related traveling position.
US08442721B2
A steering controller for a movable robot is provided. The steering controller drives a plurality of motors, each of which is connected to a wheel. The wheels are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction with respect to an axis of a body of the movable robot. The steering controller comprises an input unit, an output unit and a conversion unit. The input unit receives steering signals including velocities of the movable robot according to the moving directions. The output unit outputs driving signals including rotational velocities of the motors. The conversion unit converts the steering signals to the driving signals. The use of the steering controller enables an operator to intuitionally steer the movable robot, making the movable robot convenient to use.
US08442715B2
An apparatus is provided for diagnosing the state of health of a vehicle and for providing the operator of the vehicle with a substantially real-time indication of the efficiency of the vehicle in performing an assigned task with respect to a predetermined goal. A processor on-board the vehicle monitors sensors that provide information regarding the state of health of the vehicle and the amount of work the vehicle has done. In response to anomalies in the data from the sensors, the processor records information that describes events leading up to the occurrence of the anomaly for later analysis that can be used to diagnose the cause of the anomaly. The sensors are also used to prompt the operator of the vehicle to operate the vehicle at optimum efficiency.
US08442714B2
An autonomous mobile device has its movement controlled by a control device and includes a first sensing unit for sensing an obstacle. The control device includes a first storage unit for storing information as to a temporary positional fluctuation of the obstacle and sets as a virtual obstacle region a region where it is predicted that the obstacle sensed by the first sensing unit travels following a predetermined time passage based on the information as to the temporary positional fluctuation of the obstacle stored in the first storage unit.
US08442688B2
A system for monitoring plant equipment is provided. Another aspect provides an automated analysis system wherein software instructions operably compare sensor data to predefined valves and determine mechanical problems in multiple machines. In another aspect, a cement manufacturing system includes sensors for sensing movement conditions of cement making machines. A further aspect provides a central computer connected to vibration sensors associated with cement making machines, where software instructions perform real-time comparisons and machine performance determinations, based at least in part on sensed signals.
US08442684B2
A control system for achieving high-speed torque for a joint of a robot includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having a collocated joint processor and high-speed communication bus. The PCBA may also include a power inverter module (PIM) and local sensor conditioning electronics (SCE) for processing sensor data from one or more motor position sensors. Torque control of a motor of the joint is provided via the PCBA as a high-speed torque loop. Each joint processor may be embedded within or collocated with the robotic joint being controlled. Collocation of the joint processor, PIM, and high-speed bus may increase noise immunity of the control system, and the localized processing of sensor data from the joint motor at the joint level may minimize bus cabling to and from each control node. The joint processor may include a field programmable gate array (FPGA).
US08442683B2
A cleaning robot including a roller unit, a sensing unit, a first control unit and a second control unit is disclosed. The roller unit includes a plurality of rollers. The sensing unit receives a reflection signal and generates a detection signal according to the reflection signal. When the detection signal is less than or equal to a reference signal, the first control unit controls the traveling direction of the rollers according to the detection signal such that a distance between the cleaning robot and a wall is equal to a first distance. When the detection signal is larger than the reference signal, the second control unit controls the traveling direction of the rollers according to the detection signal such that a distance between the cleaning robot and a wall is equal to a second distance larger then the first distance.
US08442682B2
A method of charging a robotic device using a charging station is provided. The method includes signaling a controller of the charging station to actuate a moveable barrier of the charging station from a closed configuration to an open configuration. The charging station is recessed into a wall, ceiling and/or floor. The moveable barrier is actuated from the closed configuration to the open configuration thereby exposing an electrical contact of the charging station configured to engage a charging contact of the robotic device for a charging operation.
US08442678B2
A robotic device includes a first link portion, a second link portion that moves relative to the first link portion, a first contact load detecting portion that detects a contact load in a contact area of the first link portion, a second contact load detecting portion that detects a contact load in a contact area of the second link portion, and a first link portion control target setting portion that sets a control target for the first link portion. The first link portion control target setting portion sets the control target for the first link portion such that the difference between the detection value of the contact load of the first contact load detecting portion and the detection value of the contact load of the second contact load detecting portion decreases.
US08442674B2
Methods and apparatus describing a convenience beverage vending machine and its operation are described. An embedded computer interface allows consumers to create their own drinks or choose from a menu of drinks. Drinks are dispensed in a re-usable container. The beverages may be made from hot water, cold water or carbonated water that is mixed with various flavors of syrup, sweeteners and nutritional supplements. Identification may be presented and the computer recognizes the consumer and pulls up that consumer's account to determine funds available and previous drink selections and mixtures. The machine may incorporate an automatic cleaning cycle for both the valves and the dispense area.
US08442663B2
Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to test process control systems are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes obtaining user inputs to a first process control system, obtaining process inputs and first process outputs of the first process control system, providing the user inputs and the process inputs to a second process control system to operate the second process control system, obtaining second process outputs of the second process control system operated with the user inputs and the process inputs, and comparing the first and second process outputs to determine whether the second process control system is implemented as intended.
US08442658B2
An implantable cardiac electrotherapy lead is disclosed herein. The lead may include an electrode on a distal portion of the lead, a conductor extending proximally through the lead from the electrode, and a crimp connector coupling a distal end of the conductor to the electrode. The connector may include a body with an outer surface, an inner surface, proximal and distal ends, a cavity, and at least one splice opening. The inner surface defines the cavity, the proximal and distal ends respectively define proximal and distal openings leading to the cavity, and the at least one splice opening extends from the outer surface to the inner surface and is oriented generally transverse to an axis extending between the proximal and distal openings.
US08442645B2
A lower esophageal sphincter tightening device for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease which includes an insertion device, an energy source, and an energy transmitting device. The insertion device, by insertion through a body opening, positions the energy transmitting device in the proximity of the lower esophageal sphincter. The energy source generates and transmits energy via the insertion device to the energy transmitting device which directs the transmitted energy onto the lower esophageal sphincter which is comprised largely of collagen. The energy source transmits energy at a level sufficient to cause heating of the sphincter's collagen resulting in a shrinkage of the collagen and a tightening of the sphincter.
US08442642B2
A cochlear implant processing strategy increases speech clarity and higher temporal performance. The strategy determines the power spectral component within each channel, and dynamically selects or de-selects the channels through which a stimulation pulse is provided as a function of whether the spectral power of the channel is high or low. “High” and “low” are estimated relative to a selected spectral power, for example. The selected spectral power can be estimated by signal average or mean, or by other criteria. Once a selection of the channels to stimulate has been made, the system can decide that only those channels are stimulated, and stimulation is removed from the other channels. The selected channels are the ones on which the spectral power is above the mean of all the available channels. Fewer channels are stimulated at any time and the contrast of the stimulation is enhanced. Also, the temporal resolution increases as the number of channels that must be stimulated on a given frame decreases. This way, the channels which are presented to the patient are fewer in number and contain more temporal information.
US08442632B2
A method and apparatus for affecting the autonomic nervous system of a subject using stimuli based on separate analysis of the sympathetic and/or parasympathetic branches of the subject's autonomic nervous system. The present invention also relates to a method and apparatus for affecting the autonomic nervous system, wherein stimuli is applied in coordination with cyclical activities of the subjects body such as respiration or cardiac cycle.
US08442617B2
A patient table for a common imaging system including Magnetic Resonance and X-Ray retains the patient stationary in position prior to, during and subsequent to the imaging and includes a base, a patient support portion cantilevered from the base and a mattress. A safety system is provided for controlling the operation of the magnet and MR system and the X-Ray systems to allow effective safe operation and controls the movement of the magnet to the table and the movement of the X-Ray imaging systems to and from the table to locations where they do not interfere with the MR imaging.
US08442616B2
In a device for monitoring a radio-frequency transmit device of a magnetic resonance system, having a transmitter antenna system that has a number of transmit channels, a reference scattering parameter matrix of the transmitter antenna system is determined in the unloaded state with no subject present, and a subject-specific scattering parameter matrix of the transmitter antenna system is determined in a state loaded with the subject. time-dependent transmitter amplitude vectors are determined that represent the radio-frequency voltage amplitudes on the individual transmit channels. From the subject-specific scattering parameter matrix, the reference scattering parameter matrix, and the transmit amplitude vectors, radio-frequency power values absorbed at particular transmit times in the subject are determined, from which monitoring values are formed that, when reached, cause operation of the radio-frequency transmit device to be limited during acquisition of magnetic resonance data.
