US08467071B2

Measuring with a system having retroreflector targets and a laser tracker includes storing a list of nominal coordinates for three targets and at least one added point; capturing on a photosensitive array of the tracker a portion of the light emitted by a light beam and reflected off the three targets; obtaining spot positions on a photosensitive array of a tracker camera from light reflected off the three targets; determining a correspondence between three spot positions on the tracker photosensitive array and the nominal coordinates of the three targets; directing a beam of light from the tracker to the three targets based at least in part on the nominal coordinates of the first target and the first spot position; measuring 3-D coordinates of the three targets with the tracker; determining 3-D coordinates of the at least one added point based at least in part on the measured 3-D coordinates of the three targets and the nominal coordinates of the at least one added point.
US08467068B2

A laser gyro includes a cylindrical solid amplifier bar having an axis of revolution. The laser gyro also includes: an annular piezoelectric element for exciting said solid amplifier element at a predetermined frequency f, along said axis of revolution, said annular piezoelectric element being mounted fixed on one of the two end cross sections of the cylindrical solid amplifier bar so that its axis of revolution coincides with said axis of revolution of said cylindrical solid amplifier bar; and an annular dynamic counterweight mounted fixed on the free end cross section of said annular piezoelectric element so that its axis of revolution coincides with said axis of revolution of said cylindrical solid amplifier bar; said cylindrical solid amplifier bar being dimensioned so as to be considered nondeformable at said excitation frequency f.
US08467067B2

There is provided a dynamic light-scattering measuring apparatus including: a Mach-Zehnder interferometer; and a low-coherence light source. Further, there is provided a method for measuring light-scattering intensity of particles in a medium, including the steps of: providing a Mach-Zehnder interferometer; and measuring light-scattering intensity from light emitted from a low-coherence light source, in accordance with a dynamic light-scattering intensity measuring process.
US08467065B2

A reflective optical sensor detects a position and/or a toner density of the toner pattern. The reflective optical sensor includes an illuminating system that has at least three light-emitting units, a light-receiving system that has at least three light-receiving units and receives light output from the illuminating system and reflected by the toner pattern, and an illuminating optical system that includes at least three illuminating condenser lenses individually corresponding to the at least three light-emitting units and that guides the light output from the illuminating system to the toner pattern. The at least three light-emitting units and the at least three light-receiving units are both arranged in equal distance with respect to one direction. Optical axes of the at least three illuminating condenser lenses are off-center in parallel to an axis passing through a center of and perpendicular to the corresponding light-emitting unit.
US08467058B2

A lens testing device includes a light source assembly, a pattern plate, and an imaging sensor. The light source assembly includes a transparent base plate, a light guide plate, and a number of illuminants. The light source assembly uses the light guide plate to uniformize a light come from the illuminants and emit the light onto the pattern plate. The imaging sensor is placed beneath the transparent base plate to sense the light passing through the pattern plate and focused by a lens.
US08467049B2

Methods and apparatuses for inspecting manholes or other voids and collecting data in a comprehensive, repeatable, and measurable manner. A sensor head is suspended and lowered into a manhole or other void. The sensor head collects data related to the condition of the manhole or void walls, and locations of defects, damage, or lateral pipe openings. The data can then be processed to provide a three-dimensional model of the manhole or void, and can be compared to previous or future data.
US08467042B2

A lens shape measuring apparatus measures a peripheral shape of a lens in order to measure the peripheral shape of the lens accurately according to a non-contact technique. The lens shape measuring apparatus includes: a lens holding mechanism section for holding the lens with the holding axis from the side of a lens surface; and a laser displacement meter for measuring a lens peripheral shape by irradiating a laser beam to the periphery of the lens and receiving a reflected light thereof. The laser displacement meter is installed such that a light projecting section for projecting a laser beam and a light receiving section for receiving a laser beam are aligned in a direction perpendicular to an axis line of the holding axis. The lens shape measuring apparatus causes the lens holding mechanism section to change a lens holding position without changing the axial direction of the holding axis, and causes the laser displacement meter to irradiate a laser beam to the lens periphery at each lens holding position and to measure the peripheral shape of the lens.
US08467031B2

An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.
US08467029B2

A liquid crystal display element of a dot matrix structure comprises a liquid crystal panel constituted by a first substrate equipped with a first electrode, a second substrate equipped with a second electrode, and a liquid crystal layer furnished between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises a support column of a wall structure possessing adhesiveness, wherein a part of each of the support columns has a wider part.
US08467025B2

Disclosed is a liquid crystal display capable of high quality image and bright display. Gate signal lines are curved at near switching elements of the liquid crystal display. A pixel area is defined by the gate signal lines and their intersecting data signal lines. Pixel electrodes and common electrodes are disposed along a longitudinal direction of a pixel. A pixel signal and a common signal line is connected to the pixel electrode and the common electrode respectively. A storage capacitor may be formed in the middle of a longitudinal direction of the pixel, or where generally a texture may arise during display. One half of the pixel may be symmetrical with the other half with respect to the storage capacitor. A common signal line may be parallel with the data signal line and be disposed nearer to the data signal line than a pixel signal line. The pixel may be disposed symmetrically with respect to the data signal line therebetween. The pixel shape may also be repeated in the direction of the gate signal line.
US08467020B2

The present invention provides a color filter substrate and a liquid crystal display device which enable easy color design for a liquid crystal display panel, can suppress both a switching domain and disclination, and can also suppress a decrease in the aperture ratio. The color filter substrate of the present invention has a structure in which adjacent color filters have respective projections that project toward each other and are in contact with each other on a light-shielding member; a structure in which color filter regions for same-color dots adjacent to each other are partially connected on the shielding member; or a structure in which the above structures are combined.
US08467019B2

Displays using a low cost method to implement switching element point inversion driving schemes while using integrated circuits that are designed to implement switching element row inversion or switching element column driving schemes are described. In one display, a first color dot is on a first side of a control line and a second color dot is on a second side of the control line. A first switching element is coupled to the first control line and the first color dot and a second switching element is coupled to the second color dot and the control line. Thus the control line controls color dots on two different rows or two different columns.
US08467016B2

A liquid crystal display panel includes first and second substrates bonded to each other, a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, a plurality of first polarization wire grids formed on the first substrate, and a plurality of second polarization wire grids formed on the second substrate.
US08467007B2

A display device includes a screen having first and second overlapping lenticular screen structures. The first overlapping lenticular screen structure is a series of columns having a negative slope and the second overlapping lenticular screen structure is another series of columns having a positive slope. The display provide three dimensional views in horizontal and vertical dimensions and maintains three-dimensional capabilities even when viewers tilt their heads.
US08466999B2

A display includes a display panel and an image capture apparatus. The display panel has a display region, a peripheral region surrounding the display region, and a through hole located in the peripheral region. The image capture apparatus is assembled to the display panel. The image capture apparatus includes a signal transmission device and an image capture device located in the through hole, and the image capture device is connected to the signal transmission device.
US08466997B2

An optical sensor package has a transparent substrate with a redistribution layer formed on a face thereof, which includes a window and a plurality of electrically conductive traces. A semiconductor substrate, including an optical sensor and a plurality of contact terminals on a face thereof, is positioned on the transparent substrate in a face-to-face arrangement, with the optical sensor directly opposite the window, and with each of the contact terminals electrically coupled to a respective one of the electrically conductive terminals. The transparent substrate has larger overall dimensions than the semiconductor substrate, so that one or more edges of the transparent substrate extend beyond the corresponding edges of the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of solder balls are positioned on the face of the transparent substrate, each in electrical contact with a respective one of the electrically conductive terminals. The solder balls and the semiconductor substrate are at least partially encapsulated in an encapsulating layer formed on the face of the transparent substrate, which has been planarized to expose upper portions of the solder balls, as contact pads of the optical sensor package.
US08466995B2

A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel section in which pixels performing photoelectric conversion are arranged in a matrix shape; and a pixel signal reading section that has an AD conversion section which reads pixel signals through pixel units from the pixel section and performs analog digital (AD) conversion. The pixel signal reading section includes comparators each of which compares a reference signal, which is a ramp wave, with read analog signal potentials of pixels in a corresponding column, counter latches each of which is disposed to correspond to each of the comparators, is able to count a comparison time of the corresponding comparator, stops the count when an output of the corresponding comparator is inverted, and retains a corresponding count value, and an adjustment section that performs offset adjustment on the reference signal for each row on which the AD conversion is performed.
US08466988B2

An image pickup apparatus that is capable of changing a zoom speed in a wide range in accordance with an amount of movement of a zoom lever without oversizing the zoom lever, and has excellent operability of the zoom lever. An amount of change of zoom speed relative to an amount of movement of the zoom lever during when the zoom lever is operated from a first neutral position in a first or second direction differs from that during when the zoom lever is operated from a second neutral position in the first or second direction. Thus, the zoom speed can be varied in a wide range according to the amount of movement of the zoom lever, while ensuring the operability of the zoom lever.
US08466982B2

Techniques to provide a replica bias circuit for a high speed and low voltage common mode driver. In an embodiment, a pre-driver is coupled to provide driver input voltages to the driver, which driver includes a set of circuit elements coupled to provide, based on the driver input voltages, an output signal of a differential output. In another embodiment, a regulator circuit is coupled to provide regulated power to the pre-driver and driver, where the regulator circuit includes a scale replica circuit having a replica of the first set of circuit elements.
US08466978B2

There is provided a digital image processor. An exemplary digital image processor comprises a pre-processor arranged to pre-process received digital images having a first resolution into a lower resolution to form pre-processed digital images. The pre-processor may be arranged to output the pre-processed digital images to a display independently from the received digital images being stored for subsequent post-processing. The exemplary digital image processor may also comprise a post-processor arranged to post-process received digital images that have been stored for post-processing.
US08466965B2

A wall plate assembly having a television channel select switch, a channel display, and a signal strength display. A circuit board on the rear of the wall plate includes a television antenna connector, a television output connector, and control electronics. The control electronics displays the selected channel in the channel display, determines the signal strength for the selected channel in any signal on the television antenna connector and displays it in the signal strength display. The control electronics delivers the signal for the selected channel to the television output connector.
US08466960B2

Disclosed is a liquid droplet recognition apparatus for detecting liquid droplets attached to a front surface of a transparent member. The apparatus includes an image pickup apparatus that picks up a vertically polarized light image and a horizontally polarized light image at the front surface of the transparent member from a side of a rear surface of the transparent member; and a signal processing unit that determines whether the liquid droplets are attached to the front surface of the transparent member based on a polarized-light image ratio composed of the vertically polarized light image and the horizontally polarized light image picked up by the image pickup apparatus.
US08466948B2

An optical scanning device includes a plurality of light sources, at least two securing units provided for each of the light sources, and a substrate for driving the light sources. The components are arranged such that the direction “A” in which the light sources are arranged has an upward slant with respect to a lateral direction (i.e. X direction) of the substrate, and the direction “B” in which the at least two securing units provided for each of the light sources are arranged has a downward slant with respect to the lateral direction of the substrate. Accordingly, a compact optical scanning device can be provided.
US08466942B2

A thermal print head includes a substrate, an electrode layer supported on the substrate and provided with a plurality of mutually spaced-apart portions, a resistor layer provided with a plurality of heating portions arranged along a primary scanning direction, the heating portions lying across the spaced-apart portions, and a protective layer configured to cover the resistor layer, the protective layer including a first layer made of glass matrix and a plurality of alumina grains mixed into the glass matrix.
US08466922B2

This invention relates to a method of processing a plurality of graphical programs on a centralized computer system whereby the images produced by the programs are compressed and transmitted to remote processing devices where they are decompressed. Compression assistance data (CAD) is produced by inspecting instructions outputted by the programs and the CAD is then used in the compression step.
US08466910B2

A display pixel including a light-emitting element and a drive element for supplying current flowing in a current path to the light-emitting element is applied with a detection voltage based on a predetermined unit voltage. Based on a value of current flowing in the current path of the drive element, a specific value corresponding to an element characteristic of the drive element is detected. A gradation voltage corresponding to a luminance gradation of display data is generated. Based on the specific value and the unit voltage, a compensated voltage is generated. By compensating the gradation voltage based on the compensated voltage, a compensated gradation voltage is generated. And the compensated gradation voltage is supplied to the display pixel.
US08466903B2

An image generating unit of a display apparatus generates a determination image based on first and second light reception images obtained from light reception cells in a light-emission period and in a non-light-emission period, respectively. An image determining unit determines whether or not an image of an object to be detected is included in the determination image, stores data corresponding to the determination image as initial data into a storage when the object image is not included in the determination image, and stores the data corresponding to the determination image as detection data into the storage when the object image is included in the determination image. A position determining unit determines at least an object position based on an image represented by the detection data in the storage and an image represented by the initial data in the storage.
US08466898B2

An input device includes an insulation layer having a first main surface, and a second main surface positioned on the opposite side of the first main surface, a first detection electrode pattern provided on the first main surface of the insulation layer and arranged along a first direction, a second detection electrode pattern arranged along a second direction and having an intersection region provided on the second main surface of the insulation layer so as to intersect with the first detection electrode pattern in a plan view, and a detection region provided on the first main surface of the insulation layer, and a conductive electrode provided on the second main surface of the insulation layer, in which the conductive electrode has an opening, and the intersection region of the second detection electrode pattern is positioned in the opening.
US08466895B2

A positioning method and a driving apparatus for a touch panel having a plurality of sense electrodes in an axis direction are disclosed. The driving apparatus detects the sense electrodes to obtain a plurality of sensed values. The driving apparatus counts the number of multiple candidate electrodes, wherein the candidate electrode is an electrode having a sensed value larger than a first threshold value. The first threshold value is increased and the number of the candidate electrodes is counted again if the number of the candidate electrodes is larger than a second threshold value. At least one electrode is selected as a positioning electrode from the candidate electrodes if the number of the candidate electrode is not larger than the second threshold value. A position of a touch point on the touch panel in the axis direction is calculated based on the position and sensed value of the positioning electrode.
US08466889B2

A method includes detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display, determining when a touch value associated with the touch meets a first touch threshold, determining a first period of time between detecting the touch and when the touch value meets the first touch threshold, and providing a first tactile feedback when the first period of time is meets a first time threshold.
US08466888B2

An input device includes a contact sensing surface having at least one key region and a controller. The controller includes: a position-detecting unit configured to detect the position on the contact sensing surface contacted by an object, a memory unit configured to store at least one functional data each corresponding to a key function, a key-triggering unit configured to read out the functional data in the memory unit and activate the corresponding key function without a sliding into the key region, a key function setting unit configured to change the functional data based on the direction and distance of the object sliding within the key region. With this arrangement, the key function setting unit can reduce the number of the keys regions virtually provided on the contact sensing surface, thereby providing an intuitive operation of key functions for a user.
US08466880B2

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for simultaneously tracking multiple finger and palm contacts as hands approach, touch, and slide across a proximity-sensing, multi-touch surface. Identification and classification of intuitive hand configurations and motions enables unprecedented integration of typing, resting, pointing, scrolling, 3D manipulation, and handwriting into a versatile, ergonomic computer input device.
US08466874B1

A system for rendering point primitives for output to an electronic display includes electronics configured to determine a position of a point primitive within a sub-pixel grid. The electronics configured to determine a size of the point primitive and to determine a positional relationship between a pixel and the sub-pixel grid. The system includes a storage circuit configured to determine a first sample bit mask based on the size and based on the position of the point primitive. The system includes at least one set of selector circuits configured to select a second sample bit mask the size of the pixel based on the first sample bit mask and based on the positional relationship between the pixel and the sub-pixel grid. The second sample bit mask indicates which sub-pixels are to be illuminated on the electronic display to represent the point primitive.
US08466873B2

The invention relates to a set of interaction techniques for obtaining input to a computer system based on methods and apparatus for detecting properties of the shape, location and orientation of flexible display surfaces, as determined through manual or gestural interactions of a user with said display surfaces. Such input may be used to alter graphical content and functionality displayed on said surfaces or some other display or computing system.
US08466872B2

An input apparatus includes a case, an operation body stored rotatably in the case, a magnetic body fixed to the operation body, a magnet provided around the operation body, a magnetic detection element for detecting a magnetic flux from the magnetic body, and a frame for retaining the case. The magnetic detection element faces the operation body with a predetermined space therebetween. The frame includes depression sections for causing the magnetic detection element to elastically contact the lower surface of the case. This input apparatus can accurately detect a rotation angle.
US08466869B2

A display apparatus including: a liquid crystal panel for displaying left and right images; a liquid crystal driver for writing an image signal into the liquid crystal panel; a backlight source for radiating light to the liquid crystal panel; and a controller for controlling the backlight source so that it emits the light during first emission periods which are set for a left viewing periods while a left image is viewed with a left eye and right viewing periods while a right image is viewed with a right eye, respectively, wherein the controller controls the backlight source so that it emits the light during a second emission period within a non-viewing period, during which no image is viewed, and sets a turn-off period during which the backlight source is turned off between the first and second emission periods.
US08466861B2

A liquid crystal display device displays an image by stacking a plurality of liquid crystal panels, and by controlling a light transmittance with voltage application to liquid crystal of each panel, wherein during execution of voltage application to the liquid crystal of one of the panels, a voltage to the liquid crystal of the other panel serves as a non-display voltage. No image is displayed simultaneously on the two or more stacked liquid crystal panels. In the liquid crystal panel to which no voltage is applied and on which no image is displayed, the longitudinal axial direction of liquid crystal molecules coincides with the polarizing axial direction of polarizers, or is orthogonal to the polarizing axial direction; therefore, no influence is exerted on the overall double refraction, and the overall voltage-transmitted light intensity characteristic corresponds to the sum of the voltage-transmitted light intensity characteristics of the respective panels.
US08466859B1

A digital video display response time compensation system and method are presented. A digital video display response time compensation system and method are utilized to direct adjustments in a display presentation. A test pattern response time compensation value determination process for establishing appropriate adjustment levels for a display is performed. A test pattern is displayed; user input on compensation to the test pattern display is received; pixel value calibration settings are determined based upon the user input; and the test pattern display appearance is altered based upon the pixel value calibration settings. After the appropriate pixel illumination adjustment values are establish a pixel value is received. The pixel value is adjusted in accordance with the response time compensation value and a response time compensated pixel value is output.
US08466855B2

A pixel, for displaying an image of desired brightness, includes an organic light emitting diode (OLED); a first transistor for controlling an amount of current supplied from a first power source to the organic light emitting diode; a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to a first node as a gate electrode of the first transistor; a plurality of second transistors coupled between a second node as a second terminal of the capacitor and a data line and turned on when a scan signal is supplied to a scan line; another capacitor having a terminal coupled to the second node; and for compensating inferiority of the OLED in displaying an image of desired brightness, a compensator coupled to the plurality of second transistors and a predetermined power source and turned off when a light emission control signal is supplied to a light emission control line.
US08466851B2

A flexible display device (50, 51) employs a discontinuous frontplane (60, 64) and a continuous backplane (70, 74). The discontinuous frontplane (60, 64) includes a primary frontplane region (61), a secondary frontplane region (63), and a spatial frontplane region (62) spatially separating the primary frontplane region (61) and the secondary frontplane region (63). The continuous backplane (70, 74) includes a primary backplane region (71), a secondary backplane region (73), and an interconnection backplane region (72) electrically interconnecting the primary backplane region (71) and the secondary backplane region (73). The primary frontplane region (61) and the primary backplane region (71) constitute a primary display (61, 71). The secondary frontplane region (63) and the secondary backplane region (73) constitute a secondary display (63, 73). The interconnection backplane region (72) defines the secondary display (63, 73) as an extension of the primary display (61, 71).
US08466847B2

A microwave system comprises an antenna, antenna feed, a radio transceiver, and appropriate cabling among the aforementioned. Cost, performance and reliability improvements are achieved with further integration of these elements and with design improvements in the antenna feed. One improvement is the integration of the radio transceiver with the antenna feed. This improvement has many benefits including the elimination of RF cables and connectors. Another improvement is the utilization of the digital cable to power the integrated radio transceiver and a center fed parabolic reflector. One embodiment is disclosed for a radio gateway supporting OSI layers 1-7 supported by an Ethernet cable. Another embodiment is a radio with a client controller suitable for supporting OSI layers 1-3, and supported by a USB cable.
US08466843B1

An integrated antenna system is disclosed which may include a first antenna sub-system. The integrated antenna system may further include a second antenna sub-system. The first antenna sub-system may be a Ku-band antenna sub-system. The second antenna sub-system may be one of: an L-band antenna sub-system or a C-band antenna sub-system. The second antenna sub-system may be tightly/seamlessly integrated with the first antenna sub-system, thereby providing a system with integrated antenna bands which provides omni-directional coverage.
US08466831B2

An optical modulator comprising an input suitable to receive an optical carrier, and two Mach-Zender modulators in parallel, which constitute two different optical paths, the whole circuit constituting a third Mach-Zender modulator, the optical modulator being characterized in that: the first Mach-Zender modulator is provided with an electrode suitable to carry two signals, each obtained by the sum of the two tones fR and fD, of equal power but dephased of π/2, and with an electrode for realizing a Single Side Band modulation of the tones fR and fD; the second Mach-Zender modulator is biased by means of a DC electrode; the third Mach-Zender modulator comprising an electrode suitable to realize the reversal of the optical carrier phase of the signals deriving from the first and the second Mach-Zender modulator, so as to suppress the optical carrier and thus obtaining only the tones fR and fD in the optical spectrum.
US08466826B2

A device and method for estimation of the transmission characteristics of a Radio Frequency system are provided. The device and method calculate a predicted receive power at a given location using a propagation and scenario model. Then a measured receive power at the given location is used to determine a correction value equal to the difference between the calculated and measured receive powers. The correction value and the propagation model are then used with a heuristic method to refine estimates of propagation and scenario parameters. The refined parameter set is used to produce a refined prediction of receive power, which is used to create a refined correction factor. The refined correction factor is used to determine predicted receive powers at a plurality of locations.
US08466825B2

An electromagnetic wave absorber is provided which has an outstanding electromagnetic wave absorption property with a return loss of 20 dB or greater in a wide frequency band of 30 MHz to 20 GHz. A combined electromagnetic wave absorber includes a magnetic absorber plate, a crossed electromagnetic wave absorber disposed on the magnetic absorber plate, and a compact electromagnetic wave absorber disposed in a space defined by the dielectric loss plates of the crossed electromagnetic wave absorber on the magnetic absorber plate. When viewed in the direction perpendicular to the magnetic absorber plate, the compact electromagnetic wave absorber is configured in a multilayer structure having a plurality of electromagnetic wave absorbent layers with a low dielectric layer interposed therebetween.
US08466811B2

Provided are a thimble-type intermediation device and a method for recognizing a finger gesture using the same. The thimble-type intermediation device includes: a motion sensing unit sensing a motion of a user's finger and generating the sensed result as motion data; a tactile sensing block sensing a tactile behavior of the user's finger and generating the sensed result as tactile data; a control unit recognizing the gesture and tactile behavior of the user's finger on the basis of the generated motion data and tactile data, and outputting the recognition result as recognition result information; and a wireless communication unit transmitting the recognition result information to a robot system.
US08466808B2

An optical sensor based parking guidance system using visual indicators to guide a driver into an optimal position to park a vehicle. The optical sensors create a safe parking envelope and provide visual indicators to the driver in the event the vehicle leaves the established safe area. The invention also indicates the appropriate stopping position within a parking space.
US08466798B2

A system includes a first sensor that provides an output indicative of a sensed temperature of a liquid refrigerant line that is within or extending from an outlet of a condenser coil of an air conditioner or heat pump unit. The system includes a second sensor that provides an output indicative of a sensed pressure in the liquid refrigerant line. A controller is configured to determine at least one target pressure value from the output indicative of the sensed temperature of the liquid refrigerant line. The controller is configured to determine if the level of refrigerant charge is at, above or below an acceptable level based on a comparison of the output indicative of sensed pressure to the at least one target pressure value. The system includes a display that displays an indication of whether the level of refrigerant charge is at, above or below an acceptable level.
US08466793B2

A device supports an electronic tag to extending neck of a bottle where the extending neck includes a perimetrical undercut thereabout. The device includes a housing formed of a pair of matable housing portions for attachment about the neck of the bottle. At least one of the housing portions supports an electronic tag. A rim portion is formed on each housing portion. The rim portions are mutually aligned. The rim portions form a housing rim which is seatable in the undercut of the neck to prevent longitudinal movement of the mated housing portions along the neck.
US08466787B2

A service method of gas appliances includes: Detecting the gas appliances at the client ends to generate detecting signals. Transmitting the detecting signals to a service end. Identifying which client end the detecting signals come from. Examining the detecting signals to find whether the gas appliance has an abnormal condition; and informing the client end when the abnormal condition is found. After all, the service end may monitor the gas appliances at the client end, and inform the client for repair when the gas appliance has detected an abnormal signal or has damaged parts.
US08466785B2

A method and apparatus are provided for finding fires. The method includes providing a plurality of reference locations within a facility where each of the reference locations is associated with a readily identifiable feature of the facility, detecting a fire within the facility, receiving a fire location request from a monitoring location within the facility and dynamically generating a routing map from the monitoring location to a location of the fire and from the fire to a fire exit of the facility using at least some of the plurality of reference locations based upon the request.
US08466784B2

An alarm device includes: a wireless circuit section which wirelessly exchanges event signals with an other alarm device; an alert section which outputs an alarm; an operation section which accepts predetermined operations; a sensor section which issues an abnormal condition detection signal when an abnormal condition occurred is detected within a monitoring area; an abnormal condition monitoring section which, upon receiving the abnormal condition detection signal from the sensor section, outputs an abnormal condition alarm as a linkage source from the alert section, and transmits an event signal indicating an abnormal condition to the other alarm devices, and conversely, upon receiving an event signal indicating an abnormal condition from the other alarm device, outputs an abnormal condition alarm as a linkage destination from the alert section; a communication test transmission processing section which, at a predetermined timing, transmits an event signal indicating a communication test to the other alarm device and; a communication test reception processing section which, upon receiving an event signal indicating a communication test from the other alarm device, announces the reception status of this event signal.
US08466782B2

An inflation pressure sensor is mounted in a wheel of a vehicle and determines a tire inflation pressure. A wheel-side communication device transmits a detected tire inflation pressure to a body-side communication device at a predetermined interval. An inflation pressure storing unit stores, as an after-travel inflation pressure, a tire inflation pressure after start of travel of the vehicle. A comparing unit compares the after-travel inflation pressure with a lowest reference pressure. The lowest reference pressure is a tire inflation pressure immediately after start of the vehicle or a predetermined recommended inflation pressure. A reference pressure setting unit sets the after-travel inflation pressure as a reference pressure of tire inflation pressure determination when the after-travel inflation pressure is higher than the lowest reference pressure, and sets the lowest reference pressure as a reference pressure of tire inflation pressure determination when the after-travel inflation pressure is equal to or lower than the lowest reference pressure. When the tire inflation pressure becomes below an alarm pressure threshold obtained from the reference pressure, an alarm unit generates an alarm.
US08466781B2

In at least one embodiment, an apparatus for recording events in a vehicle based on driver status of a driver is provided. The apparatus comprises a vehicle interface device. The device is configured to receive a driver status signal indicative of the driver being one of a primary driver and a secondary driver. The device is further configured to receive at least one vehicle event signal corresponding to vehicle events in response to the driver status signal indicating that the driver is the secondary driver and to store the at least one vehicle event signal to record the vehicle events. The device is further configured to generate a report indicating the recorded vehicle events for transmission to at least one of the primary driver and the secondary driver.
US08466779B2

A vehicular exterior rearview mirror system includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly and a mirror reflective element sub-assembly having a mirror reflective element. A display indicator has a light source that is activatable to emit light. The light source is disposed behind the reflective element and light emitted by the light source passes through the reflective element to be viewed by the driver of the vehicle. The display indicator is associated with a blind spot detection system of the vehicle and the light source of the display indicator is activated responsive to sensing by a sensor of the blind spot detection system of an object in a blind spot at a side of the vehicle. During daytime operation of the vehicle and when the light source is activated, the display indicator, as viewed by the driver of the vehicle, has a luminance of at least about 5,000 nits.
US08466775B2

An electronic label authenticating method is provided, the method includes: the electronic label receives an accessing authenticating request group sent by a reader-writer, the group carries a first parameter selected by the reader-writer; the electronic label sends a response group of the accessing authenticating to the reader-writer, the response group of the accessing authenticating includes the first parameter and a second parameter selected by the electronic label; the electronic label receives an acknowledgement group of the accessing authenticating feed back by the reader-writer; the electronic label validates the acknowledgement group of the accessing authenticating. An electronic label authenticating system is also provided, the system includes a reader-writer and an electronic label.
US08466773B2

A method for granting access to restricted areas such as computers, doors, vehicles, or other areas to which access by a user is controlled. An access code is transmitted from a central computer via radio waves to a user's radio terminal, such as a mobile telephone. The radio terminal transmits the access code over a short-range radio link to a communication device at the restricted area. The communication device transmits the access code to the central computer, which compares the received code with the code that the computer transmitted to the radio terminal to determine whether access should be granted.
US08466766B2

An inductor core device, and method of forming same, that has at least a first inductor core section and typically has a second inductor core section, both formed of stacked layers of conductive material. The second core section may be positioned relative to the first core section to define an air gap therebetween and the sections are preferably profiled between their respective end faces and broad surfaces to reduce the eddy current losses induced in the core section(s) near the air gap. Various embodiments, “profile” shaping configurations, and core section arrangements are disclosed.
US08466761B2

A polarized electromagnet has a spool around which an exciting coil is wound; a movable plunger penetrating the spool; an interior yoke fixed on an outer side of the spool; an exterior yoke disposed to maintain a predetermined interval on an outer side of the interior yoke; and a permanent magnet disposed between the interior yoke and exterior yoke. The exterior yoke has a pair of end plate portions opposing two ends of the spool, and a linking plate portion linking the pair of end plate portions. The interior yoke has a first opposing plate portion opposing the linking plate portion of the exterior yoke, and second opposing plate portions opposing one end plate portion of the exterior yoke, and the first opposing plate portion and the second opposing plate portion are linked without coming close to the exterior yoke.
US08466756B2

A method and an arrangement for matching the antenna of a radio device in transmitting condition. The antenna impedance in the output of the power amplifier of a transmitter is adjusted by means of a π-shaped reactive matching circuit, the component values of which can be selected from a relatively wide array of the alternatives. The component values are selected using multiple-way switches, which only are located in the transverse branches of the matching circuit. The switches are set by the control unit, input variables of which being the SWR value provided by the directional coupler, the operating band used each time and a value of the transmitting power. The matching is based on an adjusting process to be executed at regular intervals, in which process the control unit tries different combinations of the switch states and finally selects the combination, which brings the lowest SWR value.
US08466723B2

A data processing system comprises a plurality of sub-circuits, a clock generator provided with a control circuit, a pool of oscillator circuits comprising at least three oscillator circuits, and a multiplexing circuit coupled between the pool and clock inputs of the sub-circuits. The multiplexing circuit has a control input coupled to a control output of the control circuit. The multiplexing circuit is configured to couple any selectable one of the oscillator circuits in the pool to a clock input of each of the sub-circuits. The control circuit is configured to set the frequencies of respective ones of the clock circuit by controlling the multiplexing circuit to supply clock signals derived from selected ones of the oscillator circuits to the sub-circuits.
US08466719B2

An input unit receives input of a clock signal having a voltage that varies continuously. A supply unit supplies a constant reference voltage. A selector outputs a clock signal having voltage that is changed alternately each time the voltage of the clock signal input from the input unit shifts across the reference voltage supplied from the supply unit. A calculating circuit outputs the exclusive-OR of the clock signal input from the input unit and a clock signal output from the selector.
US08466718B2

Disclosed is a semiconductor device having an output driver and a driver replica. The output driver is based on a scalable low-voltage signaling technology and capable of operating on low power and making automatic adjustments of output characteristics in accordance with the magnitude of a reference current. The driver replica, which is a duplicate of the output driver, adjusts the magnitude of the reference current in accordance with the difference between its own output and a reference voltage and outputs the adjusted current to the output driver.
US08466714B2

A semiconductor apparatus includes an arithmetic circuit that executes a program based on an operating clock signal input through a clock transfer node, an internal oscillator that generates an internal clock signal to be used internally, a watch dog timer that counts the internal clock signal, detect that a count value reaches a predetermined value of an execution time of the program in the arithmetic circuit and output a notification signal, and a clock monitor circuit that detects presence or absence of the operating clock signal in response to the notification signal.
US08466713B2

Phase detection techniques in which an input signal is sampled to obtain several samples at different points in time with respect to a clock, said different points in time comprising an earliest point and latest point. The detection techniques further include generating a phase control signal obtained from the several samples of the input signal.
US08466708B2

A state detection device for power supply system comprises: a measurement unit that obtains current, voltage, and temperature at a chargeable and dischargeable power storage unit as measurement values; a storage unit that stores property information of the power storage unit; an arithmetic unit that uses different methods to calculate first and second states of charge for the power storage unit based upon the measurement values and the property information; a conflict detection unit that detects a conflict in an event that a difference between the first state of charge and the second state of charge is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold; and a correction unit that corrects the property information during charging or discharging of the power storage unit in response to the conflict having been detected by the conflict detection unit.
US08466700B2

A system including a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit includes analog components configured to receive an input signal and provide an output signal based on the input signal. The second circuit is configured to measure characteristics of the output signal to test the first circuit. At least one of the output signal and another output signal is fed back to provide the input signal and generate an oscillation in the output signal.
US08466699B2

A storage device transporter is provided for transporting a storage device and for mounting a storage device within a test slot. The storage device transporter includes a frame that is configured to receive and support a storage device. The storage device transporter also includes a conductive heating assembly that is associated with the frame. The conductive heating assembly is arranged to heat a storage device supported by the frame by way of thermal conduction.
US08466688B2

A device for checking the attachment of a circuit board on a carrier, in particular a housing, has on each attachment point a pair of mutually associated electrically conductive contact surfaces and an electrically conductive connecting arrangement, which connects the circuit board mechanically to the carrier and at the same time connects the electrically conductive contact surfaces of the respective pair electrically to each other. At least one of the electrically conductive contact surfaces of a pair is situated on the circuit board. The other contact surface may likewise be situated on the circuit board or, for an electrically conductive carrier, even on the carrier. The respective pairs of conductive contact surfaces and the electrically conductive connecting arrangement form an electric circuit, which may be connected in a series circuit or a parallel circuit. An evaluation circuit checks whether the electric circuit thus formed is closed.
US08466674B2

A magnetic testing apparatus has a magnetizing device applying a rotating magnetic field to a material to be tested, a testing signal detecting device, and a signal processing device applying signal processing to the testing signal. The signal processing device has a first synchronous detecting device detecting a testing signal by using the first current as a reference signal, a second synchronous detecting device detecting an output signal of the first synchronous detecting device by using the second current as a reference signal to extract a candidate flaw signal, and a testing image display device displaying a testing image in which each of pixels has a gray level corresponding to an intensity of the candidate flaw signal at each of positions of the material to be tested, and a phase of the candidate flaw signal at each of the positions is capable of being identified.
US08466671B2

A multimeter includes a case defining an interior cavity in which components of the multimeter are located. The case has a top portion defining a plurality of first button apertures. A rotary selector knob is also provided for selecting a multimeter function. The multimeter further includes a separate front panel juxtaposed to the top portion of the case. The front panel has a plurality of second button apertures in respective register with at least some of the first button apertures. The top portion of the case may define a recess in which the front panel is received. The multimeter may also include a flexible keypad located between the top portion of the case and the front panel.
US08466666B2

A multi-stage voltage regulating circuit and method with automatic temperature compensation comprises a plurality of charge-pumps, a temperature compensator, a comparative unit and a control logic circuit; wherein, the temperature compensator detects the ambient temperature and outputs a reference voltage related to the ambient temperature, the comparative unit compares the voltage of the output power source to the reference voltage output by the temperature compensator and outputs a comparative signal based on the comparison, and the control logic circuit controls the charging/discharging operations of the charge-pumps based on the comparative signal and voltages of input power sources connected to said charge-pumps to automatically regulate the voltage of the output power source.
US08466654B2

Improved battery-charging system for a vehicle. Primary and secondary coils are located in places where the vehicle can receive power from the primary coil by pulling into a parking space, for example. The parking space may have a coil embedded in the ground, or may have an array of coils embedded in the ground. A guidance system is disclosed. Fine positioning is also disclosed. The secondary coil in the vehicle can also be raised or lowered to improve coupling.
US08466652B2

This invention utilizes the power electronics of a switched reluctance motor controller and the phase windings of a switched reluctance motor to make up a single stage boost converter capable of charging a battery with power factor correction (PFC) in the AC line.
US08466649B2

An electrical machine having a rotor component configured to rotate with respect to a stator component includes a sensing arrangement to sense electrical, magnetic, and/or mechanical machine parameters during machine operation. The electrical machine also includes a fluid sprayer coupled to a cooling controller. The cooling controller activates the fluid sprayer to spray cooling fluid on a portion of the electrical machine in response to in response to the sensed electrical, magnetic, and/or mechanical machine parameters.
US08466646B2

The position of a rotor of a motor is determined. The motor includes a stator having a plurality of coils. The rotor includes at least one rotating magnetic field device. When the rotor is moving below a threshold speed, the current in the coils is measured. A pre-programmed data structure is accessed. The data structure stores stator currents associated with predetermined rotor positions. A first absolute position of the rotor is determined from the data structure according to the measured current from each of the coils. When the rotor is moving above the threshold speed, one or more rising or falling edges of magnetic field strength associated with the at least one rotating magnetic field device are sensed. At least one timing aspect of the rising and falling edges of magnetic field strength are compared to determine a second absolute position of the rotor.
US08466643B2

A motor drive device includes a drive controller for generating drive signal “trq”, a limiter for limiting a value of drive signal “trq” within a range, a limit value generator for generating limit value “lmt”, and a drive output section for generating an energizing signal in response to an output signal from the limiter. The limit value generator generates a comparison signal by adding offset value “ofs” to drive signal “trq” and updates limit value “lmt” based on a size relation between a value (trq+ofs) of the comparison signal and limit value “lmt”.
US08466641B2

The invention relates to a method for decelerating a drive movement of a power tool and to a power tool suitable for carrying out the method, having a drive driven by a motor, an energy supply device for the provision of electrical energy, a controller having a motor controller for activating the motor and an operating-state recognition module which is to detect at least one operating-state variable and, as a function of this, to output a brake signal, the controller being designed to initiate, as a function of the brake signal, a braking procedure in which brake cycles are provided which have a first time segment, in which the motor is short-circuited, and a second time segment in which current is fed to the motor opposite to its original direction of rotation.
US08466640B2

A method is disclosed for slowing-down control of an asynchronous machine, wherein the value of a start energy is determined and stored while the asynchronous machine is being run up from being stationary to the operating rotation speed. The asynchronous machine is braked, in the reversing mode, with braking energy which corresponds to the start energy multiplied by a correction factor wherein the correction factor assumes a value between 0 and 1. In at least one embodiment, the asynchronous machine is braked further by DC braking after braking has been carried out in the reversing mode.
US08466639B2

A motion control system including components such as an accelerometer for detecting zero force positions and for self-calibrating the motion control system. The motion control system may be implemented in an active seat suspension.
US08466637B2

A method, computer readable medium, and apparatus for controlling a moveable element includes generating and providing with a control device one or more driving signals to one or more positioning actuators to move the moveable element towards a target position based on a target travel distance and a calibration value. The control device determines when a post-movement position of the moveable element is outside of a tolerance range of the target position. The control device recalibrates the calibration value when the post-movement position is determined to be outside of the tolerance range. The control device repeats the generating, the determining, and the recalibrating as open loop steps until the post-movement position is within the tolerance range or until a limit, if any, on attempts is reached.
US08466634B2

A driver circuit, and light emitting system and method are provided. The driver circuit includes possibly a controller and a phase detector coupled to produce an intermittent output proportional to a value of an input relative to upper and lower threshold values, and a difference between the input signal, which is the intermittent output signal, and a reference value. The light emitting system can include a switch and at least one light emitting device coupled to the switch. The driver circuit can be coupled to forward the intermittent output signal to the switch that is active in proportion to current level through the light emitting device, rising and falling between the modifiable upper and lower threshold values.
US08466630B2

A discharge lamp lighting apparatus includes a capacitor, a charge circuit for charging the capacitor, a switching element, a gate driving circuit that controls ON and OFF states of the switching element, a simmer current supply circuit for passing simmer current through a discharge lamp, a starting circuit that impresses high voltage to a starting electrode, and an electric discharge sequence control circuit that generates the gate signal and the starting signal. When lighting the discharge lamp, a sequence of the gate signal corresponding to an alternating repetition of the ON and OFF states of the switching element is generated. Before outputting the starting signal, the switching element is ON as a stand-by state. Then the sequence starts when the starting signal is outputted.
US08466628B2

A load control circuit, such as a light-emitting diode (LED) driver, for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load, such as an LED light source, comprises a regulation transistor adapted to be coupled in series with the load, and a feedback circuit coupled in series with the regulation transistor, whereby the load control circuit is able to control the magnitude of a load current conducted through the load from a minimum load current to a maximum load current, which is at least approximately one thousand times larger than the minimum load current. The feedback circuit generates at least one load current feedback signal representative of the magnitude of the load current. The regulation transistor operates in the linear region to control the magnitude of the load current conducted through the load in response to the magnitude of the load current determined from the load current feedback signal.
US08466626B2

A lighting control system is disclosed. The lighting control system is electrically coupled to a load circuit for controlling indoor and/or outdoor lighting. The lighting control system includes a control module with a night light for providing low-level night light illumination and one or more sensors for operatively controlling the indoor and/or outdoor lighting and the night light in response to measured light levels and/or detected motion. The system is preferably configured to provide low-level night light from the night light when measured light levels and detected motion are below threshold values and to automatically turn on the indoor and/or outdoor lighting and simultaneously turn off the night light when measured light levels and detected motion are above the threshold values.
US08466607B2

A spark plug for internal-combustion engines includes a housing, an insulator, a center electrode, and an earth electrode. A gas guiding sections equipped with slopes that slope inwardly as they approach toward a tip side from a circumference surface of the housing and guide surfaces that are disposed on both sides in a circumferential direction of the slopes are formed in a tip part of the housing. The gas guiding sections are formed in the circumferential direction within a 90-degree range measured relative to the center of the earth joint section, which is a junction of the housing and the earth electrode, in the circumferential direction. When the spark plug is mounted to the engine, it is constituted so that the gas guiding sections are projected into a combustion chamber.
US08466604B2

A vibration actuator module is disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the vibration actuator module includes a vibrated body, a vibrating plate, which is coupled to the vibrated body and has a smaller elastic modulus than the vibrated body, and a driver, which is coupled to the vibrating plate.
US08466588B2

A heat dissipating device of an electromotor is a composite cooling device driven in a powerless manner and used for stirring a cooling liquid applied on a surface of a casing of the electromotor. The heat dissipating device includes a pair of bearings fitted on the casing, and a roller disposed at outer ring seats of the pair of bearings. The roller has a sealed chamber therein, the chamber covers a surface of the casing located in a disposition region of the bearings, and at least one outer blade is disposed outside the roller. Thereby, composite heat dissipating of liquid cooling and air cooling of the electromotor is implemented with a cooling liquid injected into the chamber of the roller and a wind force applied on the outer blade.
US08466586B2

A vehicle includes a high-voltage (HV) energy storage system (ESS), an HV device having HVIL source and return (SR) pins and an HV receptacle, an HV cable, and an HV terminal assembly. The assembly includes a tray portion and retainer for aligning the HV cables with the HV receptacle. An HVIL jumper device is connected to the tray portion and electrically connectable to the HVIL SR pins. The assembly includes a cover portion removably mountable to the tray portion to provide a suitable EMF shield and weather seal. The cover portion includes an HVIL shorting plug. HV electrical energy is supplied from said ESS to the HV device only when all three of the HVIL components, i.e., the HVIL SR pins, the HVIL jumper device, and the HVIL shorting plug, are electrically interconnected to form a closed HVIL circuit, while at the same time the HV cable is properly connected.
US08466583B2

A mobile wireless receiver for use with a first electromagnetic resonator coupled to a power supply includes a load associated with an outdoor lighting unit that draws energy from the load to power a light source associated with the outdoor lighting unit, and a second electromagnetic resonator configured to be coupled to the load and moveable relative to the first electromagnetic resonator, wherein the second electromagnetic resonator is configured to be wirelessly coupled to the first electromagnetic resonator to provide resonant, non-radiative wireless power to the second electromagnetic resonator from the first electromagnetic resonator, and wherein the second electromagnetic resonator is configured to be tunable during system operation so as to at least one of tune the power provided to the second electromagnetic resonator and tune the power delivered to the load.
US08466576B2

A generator (20) for in situ fluid-driven production of electric energy and also a method of making the generator (20), which comprises a stator and a rotor. The stator is formed as a turbine housing (1) having at least one internal cavity (2) within which at least one independent rotor body (3) is arranged without a fixed mechanical support in the turbine housing (1). The turbine housing (1) comprises at least one supply channel (8) and at least one discharge channel (9) connected to the cavity (2) for throughput of a generator-driving fluid (13). The cavity (2) is of a circular shape along at least one path of rotation therein, whereas the rotor body (3) is of a rotary-symmetrical shape for allowing rotation thereof along said path of rotation. The turbine housing (1) is provided with at least one coil (5) at the periphery of the cavity (2), whereas the rotor body (3) is provided with at least one permanent magnet (4) at the periphery of the rotor body (3).
US08466570B2

A low-profile, surface mount vehicle energy harvester including a low-profile, surface mount subunit having an upper surface forming a roadway surface; a vehicle activated treadle on the subunit, the vehicle activated treadle moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface; a generator that generates power in response to movement of the vehicle activated treadle; and an entry ramp at a first end of the harvester roadway surface; and an exit ramp at a second end of the harvester roadway surface.
US08466560B2

A method of forming dummy structures in accordance with the golden ratio to reduce dishing and erosion during a chemical mechanical polish. The method includes determining at least one unfilled portion of a die prior to a chemical mechanical planarization and filling the at least one unfilled portion with a plurality of dummy structures, a ratio of the dummy structures to a total area of the unfilled portion being in the range of 36 percent and 39 percent. A die formed in accordance with the method may include a plurality of metal levels and a plurality of regions at each metal level, each region having a plurality of dummy structures formed as golden rectangles.
US08466553B2

The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a semiconductor package having the same. The semiconductor device includes a conductive element. The conductive element is disposed on a protruded conductive via and liner, and covers a sidewall of the liner. Whereby, the conductive element can protect the protruded conductive via and liner from being damaged. Further, the size of the conductive element is large, thus it is easy to perform a probe test process.
US08466550B2

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a first support structure, a plurality of chips formed on the first support structure and a reinforcing structure formed on the first support structure, the reinforcing structure including an outer surrounding element which surrounds the plurality of chips and extends from a surface of the first support structure to a height higher than each of the plurality of chips. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor structure is also provided.
US08466546B2

A semiconductor package including a conductive clip preferably in the shape of a can, a semiconductor die, and a conductive stack interposed between the die and the interior of the can which includes a conductive platform and a conductive adhesive body.
US08466545B1

A stackable semiconductor package includes a substrate with a first side surface that includes circuit patterns. Each circuit pattern includes a pad. A semiconductor die is electrically coupled to the circuit patterns. An encapsulant covers the semiconductor die and the first side surface of the substrate inward of the pads. A layer of a solder is fused to each of the pads. A lateral distance between immediately adjacent pads is selected to be greater than a lateral distance between sidewalls of the encapsulant and immediately adjacent pads, and a height of the solder layers relative to the first side surface is selected to be less than a height of the sidewalls of the encapsulant, so that misalignment of a semiconductor package stacked on the solder layers/pads is self-correcting when juxtaposed ones of the solder layers and respective solder balls of the second semiconductor package are reflowed and fused together.
US08466540B2

The reliability of a semiconductor device is prevented from being reduced. A planar shape of a sealing body is comprised of a quadrangle having a pair of first sides, and a pair of second sides crossing with the first sides. Further, it has a die pad, a controller chip (first semiconductor chip) and a sensor chip (second semiconductor chip) mounted over the die pad, and a plurality of leads arranged along the first sides of the sealing body. The controller chip and the leads are electrically coupled to each other via wires (first wires), and the sensor chip and the controller chip are electrically coupled to each other via wires (second wires). Herein, the die pad is supported by a plurality of suspending leads formed integrally with the die pad and extending from the die pad toward the first sides of the sealing body. Each of the suspending leads has an offset part.
US08466534B2

The construction of this invention includes an active matrix substrate, an amorphous selenium layer, a high resistance layer, a gold electrode layer, an insulating layer and an auxiliary plate laminated in this order. In one aspect of the present invention, the insulating layer has an inorganic anion exchanger added thereto in order to provide a radiation detector which prevents void formation and pinhole formation in the amorphous semiconductor layer and carrier selective high resistance film, without accumulating electric charges on the auxiliary plate. The inorganic anion exchanger adsorbs chloride ions in the insulating layer, thereby preventing destruction of X-ray detector due to the chloride ions drawn to the gold electrode layer.
US08466523B2

A MEMS differential pressure sensing element is provided by two separate silicon dies attached to opposite sides of a silicon or glass spacer. The spacer is hollow. If the spacer is silicon, the dies are preferably attached to the hollow spacer using silicon-to-silicon bonding provided in part by silicon oxide layers. If the spacer is glass, the dies can be attached to the hollow spacer using anodic bonding. Conductive vias extend through the layers and provide electrical connections between Wheatstone bridge circuits formed from piezoresistors in the silicon dies.
US08466522B2

An element array comprises a plurality of elements having a first electrode and a second electrode with a gap therebetween; the first electrode is separated for each of the elements by grooves, an insulating connection substrate is bonded to the first electrode, and wirings are provided from the respective first electrodes through the connection substrate to the side opposite to the first electrodes.
US08466520B2

In a transistor, a strain-inducing semiconductor alloy, such as silicon/germanium, silicon/carbon and the like, may be positioned very close to the channel region by providing gradually shaped cavities which may then be filled with the strain-inducing semiconductor alloy. For this purpose, two or more “disposable” spacer elements of different etch behavior may be used in order to define different lateral offsets at different depths of the corresponding cavities. Consequently, enhanced uniformity and, thus, reduced transistor variability may be accomplished, even for sophisticated semiconductor devices.
US08466519B2

A mask-defined read-only memory array is formed on a substrate, and includes a first ROM bit and a second ROM bit of opposite polarities. The first ROM bit has a first MOS transistor and a first block layer formed over a first region of the substrate. A second source/drain region of the first MOS transistor and a first diffusion region are formed in a first region of the substrate on opposite sides of the first block layer. The second ROM bit includes a second MOS transistor.
US08466513B2

In one embodiment, a vertical insulated-gate field effect transistor includes a feature embedded within a control electrode. The feature is placed within the control electrode to induce stress within predetermined regions of the transistor.
US08466500B2

The present invention discloses a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same, and relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing. According to the present invention, the semiconductor device comprises: a semiconductor substrate; a gate region located above the semiconductor substrate; S/D regions located at both sides of the gate region and made of a stress material; wherein a concentrated stress region is formed between the gate region and the semiconductor substrate, and the concentrated stress region comprises an upper SOI layer adjacent to the gate region above, and a lower stress release layer adjacent to the semiconductor substrate below. The present invention applies to the manufacturing of a MOSFET.
US08466493B2

Field Effect Transistors (FETs), Integrated Circuit (IC) chips including the FETs, and a method of forming the FETs and IC. FET locations are defined on a layered semiconductor wafer. The layered semiconductor wafer preferably includes a III-V semiconductor surface layer, e.g., Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), and a buried layer, e.g., Aluminum Arsenide (AlAs). Portions of the buried layer are converted to dielectric material, e.g., Aluminum Oxide (AlO), at least beneath FET source/drain regions. The converted dielectric material may extend completely under the FET. Source/drain contacts are formed to FETs above the dielectric material in the buried layer.
US08466492B1

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body including a first surface, an inner region and an edge region, a first doped device region of a first doping type in the inner region and the edge region, a second device region forming a device junction in the inner region with the first device region, and a plurality of at least two dielectric regions extending from the first surface into the semiconductor body. Two dielectric regions that are adjacent in a lateral direction of the semiconductor body are separated by a semiconductor mesa region. The semiconductor device further includes a resistive layer connected to the second device region and connected to at least one semiconductor mesa region.
US08466490B2

By forming MOSFETs on a substrate having pre-existing ridges of semiconductor material (i.e., a “corrugated substrate”), the resolution limitations associated with conventional semiconductor manufacturing processes can be overcome, and high-performance, low-power transistors can be reliably produced. Ridges on the corrugated substrate can be created using high precision techniques that are not ordinarily suitable for device production. MOSFETs that subsequently incorporate the high-precision ridges into their channel regions will typically exhibit much more precise and less variable performance than similar MOSFETs formed using optical lithography-based techniques that cannot provide the same degree of patterning accuracy. Additional performance enhancement techniques such as pulse-shaped doping, “wrapped” gates, epitaxially grown conductive regions, epitaxially grown high mobility semiconductor materials, high-permittivity ridge isolation material, and narrowed base regions can be used in conjunction with the segmented channel regions to further enhance device performance.
US08466479B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for fabricating a semiconductor light-emitting diode (LED) device by forming an n-doped gallium nitride (n-GaN) layer on the LED device and roughening the surface of the n-GaN layer to extract light from an interior of the LED device.
US08466476B2

Electronic devices that use desiccants for protection from moisture. The electronic devices comprise a substrate (12) and an electronic organic element (22) disposed over the top surface of the substrate. The substrate has one or more voids (14) which store desiccants (24). The voids penetrate partially or completely through the thickness of the substrate. An environmental barrier (20) is disposed over the electronic organic element and the voids. Also provided are methods for making electronic devices that use desiccants.
US08466470B2

A display device includes a wire substrate including a wire unit for driving the display device, an integrated circuit chip mounted at the wire substrate, and a pad unit extended from the wire unit to be disposed between the wire substrate and the integrated circuit chip. The pad unit is connected to the integrated circuit chip. The pad unit includes a first conductive layer extended from the wire unit, and a second conductive layer disposed on the first conductive layer. The hardness of the second conductive layer is less than the hardness of the first conductive layer.
US08466465B2

Disclosed is a thin film transistor which has an oxide semiconductor as an activation layer, a method of manufacturing the same and a flat panel display device having the same. The thin film transistor includes an oxide semiconductor layer formed on a substrate and including a channel region, a source region and a drain region, a gate electrode insulated from the oxide semiconductor layer by a gate insulating film, and source electrode and drain electrode which are coupled to the source region and the drain region, respectively. The oxide semiconductor layer includes a first layer portion and a second layer portion. The first layer portion has a first thickness and a first carrier concentration, and the second layer portion has a second thickness and a second carrier concentration. The second carrier concentration is lower than the first carrier concentration.
US08466459B2

An organic light emitting display device having a uniform thin film in a sub-pixel region, and a method of manufacturing the organic light emitting display device. The organic light emitting display device includes a substrate, a pixel electrode disposed on the substrate, and a pixel define layer disposed on the substrate and exposing the pixel electrode. The surface of the pixel electrode is saw toothed or rough in shape.
US08466441B2

The objective is to eliminate the effect of the hysteresis of a scanning electromagnet and resume high-accuracy beam irradiation from an irradiation position where it has been interrupted, even in the case where emergency-stop processing is performed during therapy. There are provided an irradiation management apparatus that controls a scanning electromagnet; and an interlock information inputting device that generates an interlock signal for stopping irradiation of the charged particle beam, when a contingency occurs. When irradiation of the charged particle beam is resumed, the irradiation management apparatus performs idle operation in which the scanning electromagnet is controlled, with the charged particle beam unirradiated, from a start step, which is situated prior to a stop step and is different from the initial step in actual irradiation, to the stop step, and then irradiates the charged particle beam from the desired irradiation position coordinates corresponding to the stop step.
US08466439B2

An electron beam lithography apparatus includes a storage for storing data on a drawing pattern assigned a rank based on an accuracy required for a device pattern, a drawing pattern adjustment unit to generate data on divided drawing patterns based on the rank, a settlement wait time adjustment unit to determine a settlement wait time based on the rank, and a controller to draw the device pattern while irradiating an electron beam based on the data on the divided drawing patterns and the settlement wait time. The drawing pattern adjustment unit determines upper limits on the long-side length of a divided drawing pattern or on the area of the divided drawing pattern based on the rank, and divides the drawing pattern based on the upper limits.
US08466433B2

Introducing ultraviolet (UV) light to alter the environment inside a shoe or other footwear destroys microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Visible light can also be used to prevent further growth. Introducing forced air flow through the footwear removes dampness in and thereby deodorizes the footwear. A preferred embodiment comprises an adjustable shoe tree equipped with a UV germicidal light source and electronic safeguards that prevent appreciable leakage of UV radiation outside the shoe.
US08466427B2

A method of generating light is disclosed. The method comprises irradiating a substance with first optical field of a first frequency and second optical field of a second frequency. The second frequency being higher than a cutoff frequency of a harmonics generation spectrum characterizing the interaction of the substance with the first optical field.
US08466425B2

A chalcogenide glass radiation sensor comprising a chalcogenide glass layer coupled to at least two electrodes and a metal source, and a method using the same are disclosed. The chalcogenide glass layer has a resistivity and the at least two electrodes are configured to facilitate the measurement of the resistivity of the chalcogenide glass layer. The coupling of the metal source and the chalcogenide glass layer is such that the resistivity of the chalcogenide glass layer changes upon exposure to ionizing radiation. The metal source is configured to be external to an electric field that may form between the at least two electrodes as the resistivity of the chalcogenide glass layer is measured.
US08466414B2

An ion mobility spectrometer has a reaction region separated from a drift region by an electrostatic gate. A doping circuit supplies a dopant to the reaction region but the drift region is undoped. Two high field ion modifiers are located one after the other in the drift region. One ion modifier can be turned on to remove dopant adducts from the admitted ions, or both ion modifiers can be turned on so that the ions are also fragmented. In this way, several different responses can be produced to provide additional information about the nature of the analyte substance and distinguish it from interferents.
US08466408B2

Provided is a surface film for a polarizing plate in which transparent patterns having a non-visible light reflective regularity are printed on a surface of a substrate and in which a reflection preventive layer or an antiglare layer is formed thereon or on a back side thereof, wherein an ink constituting the above transparent patterns contains a material reflecting a non-visible light. Capable of being provided is a surface film which can suitably be used for providing additional informations to an image display medium in such a manner that data are input by handwriting directly on a display device and in which the function described above is built-in from the beginning without making it necessary for the user to stick later a sheet having the above function.
US08466405B2

A photodetector arrangement with a photoreceiver which comprises a photodiode, a blocking capacitor for high frequency and a terminal resistance lying at the signal output of the photodiode, is suggested. The photodiode is connected to a first bias connection for the supply with a blocking voltage, and a second bias connection is connected to the terminal resistance for the control of the potential at the signal output. A further blocking capacitor is provided for the high-frequency-technological earthing of the terminal resistance.
US08466402B2

An imaging system may include imaging pixels. Each imaging pixel may include floating diffusion metal lines associated with a floating diffusion node in that imaging pixel, pixel output metal lines associated with a pixel output, and additional metal lines. The floating diffusion metal lines node may be at least partially surrounded by the pixel output metal lines. Because the floating diffusion metal lines are at least partially surrounded by the pixel output metal lines, the parasitic capacitance between the floating diffusion metal lines and the additional metal lines may be reduced. A source-follower transistor in each imaging pixel may provide a gain between the floating diffusion metal lines and the pixel output metal lines. Due to the Miller effect, the gain induced by the source-follower transistor may reduce the parasitic capacitance between the floating diffusion metal lines and the pixel output metal lines.
US08466399B1

An automated method to monitor performance and adjust the programmed motion of a terrestrial solar cell array tracking the sun. The solar cell system includes two motor drives that adjust a position of the array along different respective axes with respect to the sun. A software algorithm predicts the position of the sun during the course of the day, and a kinematic model with adjustable encoding parameters controls the motor drives. Sampled data taken periodically may be used to update and modify the encoding parameters of the kinematic model in order to improve accuracy of the position of the array as it moves during the course of the day due to changes in mechanical or foundational positions supporting the array that may occur over the course of time.
US08466398B2

An object moving towards a target with a velocity can be accurately estimated and targeted based on keeping the object within a field of diffraction, the object being disturbed by effects caused by noise.
US08466392B2

A material comprises: a first component having a first positive temperature coefficient of resistance characteristic; and a second component having a second positive temperature coefficient of resistance characteristic, the second positive temperature coefficient of resistance characteristic being different from the first positive temperature coefficient of resistance characteristic, the proportions of the two components being such that the material has a positive temperature coefficient of resistance characteristic which is a combination of the first and second positive temperature coefficient of resistance characteristics of the first and second components.
US08466390B2

A heater control structure for an ice protection system is disclosed that includes a first multi-role logic block having a first scheduler to schedule the operation of an array of heaters and a first controller to control a first group of heaters within the array of heaters, wherein the first scheduler communicates with a first private data bus and the first controller communicates with a second private data bus, and wherein the first scheduler and the first controller communicate with one another over a first pair of inter-channel data busses. The structure further includes a second multi-role logic block having a second controller to control a second group of heaters within the array of heaters and a second scheduler to schedule the operation of the array of heaters, wherein the second controller communicates with the first private data bus and the second scheduler communicates with the second private data bus, and wherein the second controller and the second scheduler communicate with one another over a second pair of inter-channel data busses.
US08466382B2

A switch assembly is provided for a steering wheel. The assembly comprising a steering wheel, a steering wheel hub, a steering column and a switch unit. The switch unit is arranged at the steering wheel hub in such fashion that it may either be operated in the synchronous mode, in which it follows the rotation of the steering wheel when the latter is rotated, or in the fixed mode, in which it remains in a fixed position, even when the steering wheel is rotated.
US08466376B2

An enclosure of an electronic device includes a ventilation plate. The ventilation plate is a grid including a number of crisscrossed connection bars and a number of through holes defined by the connection bars. A tab is formed at each of the connection bars bounding each of the through holes. The tabs are substantially angled from a plane of the grid to elongate a path electromagnetic signals must travel to pass through the ventilation plate. The enclosure with the shields can shield the electronic device from EMI.
US08466374B2

A base of circuit board, a circuit board, and a method of fabricating thereof are provided. The circuit board includes a substrate, a plurality of elastic bumps and a patterned circuit layer. The elastic bumps arranged in at least an array are located on the substrate. The patterned circuit layer is located on a portion of the elastic bumps and a portion of the substrate. The base of the circuit board and the method of fabricating thereof are also included in the present invention.
US08466372B2

A wiring board with a built-in electronic component includes a core substrate having a penetrating hole formed in the core substrate, an electronic component accommodated in the penetrating hole in the core substrate, a conductive pattern layer formed on a first surface of the core substrate and including a first conductive pattern and a second conductive pattern, and an interlayer insulation layer formed over the conductive pattern layer and the first surface of the core substrate. The second conductive pattern is formed adjacent to a periphery of the penetrating hole and contoured such that a sheet for positioning the electronic component in the penetrating hole is laminated horizontally with respect to the first surface of the core substrate over the penetrating hole.
US08466360B2

A device for facilitating the stringing of a guitar is provided. More specifically, a device is provided that includes a head portion with at least one member for contacting and maintaining a first end of a guitar string around a cylindrical axle of a guitar bridge while the other end of the string is being interconnected to the tuning pegs of the instrument. Thus, the tool facilitates the stringing of a guitar by, for example, allowing the use of both hands to interconnect a second end of the guitar string to the tuning peg.
US08466359B2

A pedal device includes a pedal chassis 9 provided in a pedal case 8, a pedal 10 that moves by rotating in the up-down direction with respect to the pedal chassis 9, and a rotation holding mechanism 11 that holds the back portion of the pedal 10 to the pedal chassis 9 such that the back portion of the pedal 10 is movable in the up-down direction. Therefore, when the pedal 10 is depressed, the back portion of the pedal 10 is moved downward by the rotation holding mechanism 11, according to the rotational movement of the pedal 10.
US08466358B1

A novel maize variety designated PH18G6 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH18G6 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH18G6 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH18G6 or a locus conversion of PH18G6 with another maize variety.
US08466355B1

The present invention provides an inbred corn line designated NPDC6326, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line NPDC6326 with plants of another corn plant. The invention further encompasses all parts of inbred corn line NPDC6326, including culturable cells. Additionally provided herein are methods for introducing transgenes into inbred corn line NPDC6326, and plants produced according to these methods.
US08466351B1

A novel maize variety designated PH18KJ and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH18KJ with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH18KJ through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH18KJ or a locus conversion of PH18KJ with another maize variety.
US08466345B2

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for transforming soybean, corn, cotton, or canola explants using spectinomycin as a selective agent for transformation of the explants. The method may further comprise treatment of the explants with cytokinin during the transformation and regeneration process.
US08466334B2

[Subject] To obtain a body fluid absorbent article with the perfect protection against the body fluid leakage.[Means for Solving Problem] In the body fluid absorbent, the body fluid retainable absorbent member 53A is disposed under the face sheet 51. Then, the body fluid permeable absorbent member 52, which include the assembly of fibers in tows, is disposed between the face sheet 51 and the body fluid retainable absorbent member 53A.
US08466328B2

Disclosed is a process for the extractive recovery of a homogeneous ruthenium catalyst from the reaction product of the hydrogenation of glycolic acid, glycolate esters, and/or glycolic acid oligomers with an extractant comprising a hydrophobic solvent and an optional hydrophilic solvent. The ruthenium catalyst, which can include 1,1,1-tris(diaryl- or dialkylphosphinomethyl)alkane ligands, can be recovered from the hydrophobic extract phase by back extraction with a hydrophilic solvent and recycled to a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol by the hydrogenation of glycolic acid and glycolic acid derivatives.
US08466327B2

Aldehyde-functionalized polyethers containing thiomethylaldehyde groups are described. Also described is a method of preparing the aldehyde-functionalized polyethers. These functionalized polyethers may be useful for protein conjugation, surface modification, and for the formation of hydrogel adhesives and sealants which are useful for medical applications.
US08466326B2

Disclosed are a production method for a ubiquinone powder for use in preparations, including Step 1 of compression molding a ubiquinone crystal powder at a linear molding pressure of from 0.6 to 2.5 tons/cm to obtain a compressed fragment; and Step 2 of grinding the compressed fragment obtained in Step 1 to obtain a powder; and a ubiquinone powder for use in preparations, which is obtained by the subject production method. According to the subject production method, it becomes possible to provide a ubiquinone powder for use in preparations for medicines and health foods, which has a high bulk density, a small angle of repose and excellent handling properties and fluidity, without using an additive such as an excipient, a binder and the like.
US08466321B2

There are provided a 4-(trichloromethylthio)aniline represented by the general formula (II): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R2 each independently represents a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or a perfluoroalkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R3 represents a formyl group, an acetyl group, or a trifluoroacetyl group, and m represents an integer of 0 to 4, a method for producing the same, and a method for producing a 4-(trifluoromethylthio)aniline derivative using the 4-(trichloromethylthio)aniline. It becomes possible to produce a 4-(trifluoromethylthio)aniline with a high yield by using raw materials that can easily be obtained industrially and using general purpose production facilities.
US08466320B2

The invention relates to a process for recovering acids from product streams of organic syntheses, which comprises the steps a) neutralization of the acid with a base, b) removal of the base by means of adsorption, c) recovery of the acid.
US08466317B1

A method for preparing an insensitive bis(2,2-dinitropropyl)nitramine (BDNPN) as a fine powder which exhibits desirable insensitive munitions (IM) characteristics for use alone or compounded with other energetic materials such as RDX.
US08466315B2

A urea granulation process and the apparatus suitable for operating that process integrates a method for reducing ammonia emissions from a urea granulation plant which is emitted by a urea production process by scrubbing the off-gas and recovering the scrubber bleed and integrating it into the granulation process so that ammonium salts are completely contained by the process.
US08466314B2

An additive obtained from the reaction product obtained by reacting glutaraldehyde and at least one type of compound selected from hydrocarbon compounds containing a hydroxyl group, and at least one type of compound selected from amine compounds, as well as a tin or tin alloy plating solution containing this additive.
US08466312B2

The process relates improving terephthalic acid purge filtration rate by controlling % water in filter feed slurry and to the recovery of a metal catalyst from an oxidizer purge stream produced in the synthesis of carboxylic acid, typically terephthalic acid, while utilizing pressure filtration.
US08466310B2

Disclosed is a process for producing α-substituted norbornanyl acrylates efficiently on an industrial scale while suppressing the formation of by-products derived from intramolecular cyclization, excessive addition to acrylic acid etc. The α-substituted norbornanyl acrylates are useful as norbornene resist monomers. In the disclosed process, an α-substituted acrylic acid is directly reacted with a substituted norbornene in the presence of at least one acid catalyst selected from methanesulfonic acid and camphorsulfonic acid. It is possible in this reaction to suppress the formation of the by-products derived from intramolecular cyclication, excessive addition of the acid to the reaction product etc.
US08466303B2

A novel process for producing a polyfunctional epoxy monomer is provided that facilitates separation of an aqueous layer catalyst from a reaction solution and has satisfactory hydrogen peroxide efficiency by reacting an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution with a polyolefin without using an organic solvent and under mild conditions. The process in the present invention is a process for producing a corresponding epoxy compound by reacting an organic compound having a carbon-carbon double bond with hydrogen peroxide present in an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution to epoxidate the double bond, wherein a tungsten compound and tertiary amine are used as reaction catalysts.
US08466301B2

An organic dye used in a dye-sensitized solar cell is described, having general formula (1): wherein Ar1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted arylene group, Ar2 and Ar3 each independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, Sp1 represent a single bond or a spacer group allowing conjugation between Ar1 and the furan moiety, Sp2 represent a single bond or a spacer group allowing conjugation between the furan moiety and Ac, Ac represents an acceptor group, and Y represents an anchoring group.
US08466300B2

A process for making a hydrogenated product includes providing a clarified DAS-containing fermentation broth; distilling the broth under super atmospheric pressure at a temperature of >100° C. to about 300° C. to form an overhead that includes water and ammonia, and a liquid bottoms that includes SA, and at least about 20 wt % water; cooling the bottoms to a temperature sufficient to cause the bottoms to separate into a liquid portion in contact with a solid portion that is substantially pure SA; separating the solid portion from the liquid portion; recovering the solid portion; hydrogenating the solid portion in the presence of at least one hydrogenation catalyst to produce the hydrogenated product including at least one of THF, GBL or BDO; and recovering the hydrogenated product.
US08466299B2

The process relates to a process for preparing delta-valerolactone (VLO) in the gas phase by catalytic dehydrogenation over at least two different catalysts.
US08466286B2

Small Molecule Metabolite Reporters (SMMRs) for use as in vivo glucose biosensors, sensor compositions, and methods of use, are described. The SMMRs include boronic acid-containing xanthene, coumarin, carbostyril and phenalene-based small molecules which are used for monitoring glucose in vivo, advantageously on the skin.
US08466283B2

This invention relates to novel 2,3-dihydroimidazo[1,2-c]quinazoline compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and the use of those compounds or compositions for phosphotidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibition and treating diseases associated with phosphotidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) activity, in particular treating hyper-proliferative and/or angiogenesis disorders, as a sole agent or in combination with other active ingredients.
US08466275B2

The present invention is a method for preparing 2-halo-6-aminopurines, and more specifically for preparing the clinical agent cladribine (2-chloro-2′-deoxyadenosine, CldAdo, 4), a drug of choice against hairy-cell leukemia and other neoplasms, from 2-amino-6-oxopurines, which are readily obtained from the naturally occurring compound 2′-deoxyguanosine. According to the methods of the present invention, the 6-oxo group of a protected 2′-deoxyguanosine (1) is converted to a 6-(substituted oxy) leaving group, or alternatively to a 6-chloro leaving group, the 2-amino group is replaced with a 2-chloro group, the 6-(substituted oxy) leaving group, or alternatively the 6-chloro leaving group, is replaced with a 6-amino group or, alternatively, a 2,6-dichloro substituted compound is selectively replaced with a 6-amino group, and the protecting groups are removed.
US08466272B2

Provided is a probe set that is useful for identifying each allele of HLA individually, and a method of identification of an allele of HLA by the use thereof for each type.The probe set is composed of probes that cover all of the partial sequences that contain a unique base to each allele. Using this probe set HLA contained in a specimen is identified.
US08466264B2

The invention provides crystal structures of neuropilin 1 (Nrp1) and neuropilin 2 (Nrp2) fragments alone and in complex with anti-neuropilin antibodies, and method for their use. The invention further provides anti-Nrp antibodies and methods for their therapeutic applications.
US08466256B2

A polymer, an organic photoelectric device, and a display device, the polymer including a repeating unit represented by the following Chemical Formula 1:
US08466253B1

A method of purifying a capped poly(phenylene ether) includes mixing a poly(phenylene ether) capping reaction mixture comprising a capped poly(phenylene ether), a capping agent, a capping byproduct, a capping catalyst, and a poly(phenylene ether) solvent, and first washing solvents comprising a C1-C4 alkanol and water to form a first liquid phase comprising the capped poly(phenylene ether) and poly(phenylene ether) solvent, and a second liquid phase comprising C1-C4 alkanol and water; and separating the first liquid phase from the second liquid phase. Capped poly(phenylene ether) having reduced levels of residual capping agent, capping byproduct, and capping catalyst is produced from poly(phenylene ether) capping reaction mixtures by this method.
US08466249B2

Silicone polycarbonate block copolymers are disclosed that have a high elongation before yield, are clear, and have elastomeric properties. Generally, the silicone blocks are very short (less than about 50 organosiloxane repeat units) and the silicone blocks are substantially isolated from each other by bisphenol carbonate spacers.
US08466248B2

The invention relates to emulsifier systems comprising organomodified siloxane block copolymers, their use, in particular the preparation of cosmetic, dermatological or pharmaceutical formulations, and of care and cleaning compositions, and also the products themselves prepared with the help of emulsifier systems.
US08466246B2

Polymerization process comprising the steps of: (a) reacting an aqueous suspension comprising initiator, vinyl chloride, and optionally one or more co-monomers in a continuous stirred tank reactor; and (b) further reacting the resulting suspension in at least one second reactor; wherein the conversion level of vinyl chloride in the continuous stirred tank reactor of step (a) is from 10 to 60 wt %.
US08466235B2

Polypropylene resin compositions are provided that are useful in the production of thermoformed articles and biaxially oriented polypropylene films (BOPPs), tapes and fibers. The resins of the present invention are blends of high crystalline (low solubles) polypropylene homopolymer and an ethylene/propylene random copolymer (RCP). These blends can be used to replace standard high solubles BOPP grade polypropylene homopolymers. In addition, the use of high crystalline polypropylene homopolymers in the blends imparts improved stiffness to the finished films while maintaining good processability of the blends. Such polypropylene compositions are effectively produced by in-reactor blending of a high crystalline propylene homopolymer and a propylene/ethylene random copolymer.
US08466226B2

There is provided an adhesive composition comprising (i) at least one film forming polymer, (ii) at least one crosslinker selected from the group consisting of polynitroso compounds, polynitroso precursors, and mixtures thereof, and (iii) at least one oxidizer, wherein the molar ratio of oxidizer to crosslinker is from 0.3 to 2.0. Also provided is a method of bonding substrates together using such a composition, and an article made using such a method.
US08466215B2

The present invention relates to a thermoplastic molding composition comprising (A) as component A, particles composed of at least one oxidatively crosslinked vegetable oil as core, encapsulated by at least one thermoplastic, (B) as component B, at least one further thermoplastic compatible with the at least one thermoplastic present in the shell of component A, (C) as component C, at least one resin compatible with the at least one thermoplastic present in the shell of component A, (D) as component D, at least one filler, and (E) as component E, if appropriate, further additives, and also to a process for the production of the thermoplastic molding composition.
US08466214B2

Processes for making a core and core-shell copolymers are provided herein. Processes for making crosslinked elastomeric core particles includes emulsion polymerizing, in the presence of a radical polymerization initiator, a polymerization mixture containing at least one ethylenic elastomeric monomer, at least one crosslinking agent, and at least one sulfur-containing additive of the formula I below, where R and Z are defined herein. The core-shell copolymers formed are useful for example as additives in polymer matrices such as for modifying impact strength and improving optical properties.
US08466202B2

This invention relates compositions containing compounds of formula (I) below: Each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, and R8 is defined in the specification.
US08466201B2

Compounds of formula (I) and pharmacologically acceptable salts and pro-drugs wherein: Ar1 and Ar2=aryl or heteroaryl; a=0 to 5; R1=alkyl, halogen, haloalkyl, alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl, amino, monalkylamino, dialkylamino, nitro, acylamino, alkoxycarbonylamino, alkylsulphonyl, alkylsulphonylamino and cyano and, where a is >1, each R1 is the same or different; b=0 to 5; R2=alkyl, halogen, haloalkyl, alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyl, hydroxyl, amino, monalkylamino, dialkylamino, nitro, acylamino, alkoxycarbonylamino, alkylsulphonyl, alkylsulphonylamino and cyano and where b is >1, each R2 is the same or different; V=(CR3aR3b)pSO2N(R3b)X and (CR3aR3b)pN(R3b)SO2(X); W=NR4a, O, S, S═O, SO2 and C(R4aR4b)2; X=hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, haloalkoxyalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, polyalkylene glycol residues, aminoalkyl, monoalkylaminoalkyl, dialkylaminoalkyl and alkyl groups substituted with ≧1 NR8R9 groups wherein R8 and R9+nitrogen atom form a saturated or partially unsaturated heterocyclic group which is optionally further substituted by ≧1 substituents selected from alkyl, halogen, haloalkyl, alkoxy, alkoxycarbonyl, carboxyl, nitro, amino, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino and hydroxyl; Y and Z each ═(CR5aR5b)n1, C═O, SO2, C(═O)NR5a, C(═O)NR5aSO2 or C═O(R5aR5b)n2; R3a, R3b, R4a, R4b, R5a and R5b each=hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl; n1 and n2 each=0 to 2; and p=0 to 2; are excellent selective modulators of potassium ion flux through KCNQ2, KCNQ3 and/or KCNQ2/3 channels, making them of use in treating and preventing a number of conditions including pain and lower urinary tract disorders.
US08466198B2

The invention relates to compositions (e.g., nutritional supplements) comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of a creatine bicarbonate, and to methods of making and using said compositions.
US08466195B2

Disclosed herein, inter alia, are methods and compositions for treating a complication of diabetes or a vascular disease using a 5-desoxy-flavone and/or 5-desoxy-flavonol.
US08466192B2

Methods and compositions for controlling plant pests, particularly weeds and/or plant phytopathogens using sarmentine and/or analogs thereof are disclosed.
US08466188B2

This invention is directed to methods of using spiro-oxindole compounds of formula (I): wherein k, j, Q, R1, R2a, R2b, R2c, R2d, R3a, R3b, R3c, and R3d are as defined herein, as a stereoisomer, enantiomer, tautomer thereof or mixtures thereof; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or prodrug thereof, for the treatment and/or prevention of hypercholesterolemia, benign prostatic hyperplasia, pruritis and cancer.
US08466178B2

Provided herein are ready-to-use premixed pharmaceutical compositions of nicardipine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt and methods for use in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions.
US08466170B2

Novel 7-azaindole derivatives of the formula (I), in which U, L, R, Y, X1, X2 and X3 have the meanings indicated in Claim (1), are kinase inhibitors and can be used for the treatment of diseases and conditions such as diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome (dyslipidaemia), systemic and pulmonary hypertonia, cardiovascular diseases and kidney diseases, generally in any type of fibroses, inflammatory processes, tumors and tumor diseases.
US08466168B2

The invention relates to antibacterial compounds of formula I wherein R1 is alkoxy or halogen; W is CH or N; A is O or NH; B is CO or (CH2)q; G is a group having one of the three formulae below wherein Q represents O or S, Z represents CH or N, R2 represents halogen and R3 represents alkyl; m is 0 or 1; and n is 1 or 2; p is 0 or 1, provided m and p are not each 0; and q is 1 or 2; and salts of such compounds.
US08466146B2

Methods of using compounds which are progesterone receptor agonists for contraception and the treatment of progesterone-related maladies alone or in combination with an estrogen receptor agonist or progesterone receptor antagonist are provided. These compounds have the structure: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, and Q1 are defined herein.
US08466137B2

The present invention relates to an improved transdermal hydroalcoholic testosterone gen formulation that provides, among other things, a desirable pharmacokinetic hormone profile, and methods of use.
US08466134B1

The present invention provides compositions containing corticosteroid compounds as active agents for the treatment of ailments and diseases of the respiratory tract, particularly the lungs, by way of nasal and pulmonary administration. The corticosteroid compounds are present in a dissolved state in the compositions. The compositions can be formulated in a concentrated, essentially non-aqueous form for storage or in a diluted, aqueous-based form for ready delivery. In a preferred embodiment, the corticosteroid composition contains an ethoxylated derivative of vitamin E and/or a polyethylene glycol fatty acid ester as the high-HLB surfactant present in the formulation. The compositions are ideally suited for inhaled delivery with a nebulizer or for nasal delivery.
US08466133B2

The present invention provides compositions and methods relating to polylactides which may be used for drug delivery (e.g., parenteral delivery), wherein an organic solvent is not required.
US08466130B2

The inventions disclosed include methods of treating cancers and related neoplasias, especially prostate cancer, with pharmaceutically acceptable salts comprising lipophilic cation moieties linked to nitroxide or linked to hydroxylamine anti-oxidant groups.
US08466129B2

The present invention relates to methods of preventing airway remodeling using A2B adenosine receptor antagonists. This invention finds utility in the treatment and prevention of asthma, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, emphysema, and other pulmonary diseases. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions for use in the method.
US08466128B2

The present invention provides compositions suitable for topical administration to a mammalian subject including sodium hyaluronate and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. The present invention also provides methods for malting and using the same.
US08466121B2

The present invention features methods for decreasing the size and density of amyloid plaques, decreasing cognitive decline associated with amyloid pathology, and treating Alzheimer's disease by selectively inhibiting the activity of Acyl-CoA:Cholesterol Acyltransferase 1, but not Acyl-CoA:Cholesterol Acyltransferase 2.
US08466109B2

A method for reducing the formation of and/or treating skin stretchmarks is described. The method is characterized in that a composition is applied to the areas of skin liable to form or comprising stretchmarks, including skin of the thighs, abdomen, and/or breast. The applied composition includes a soya peptide, a tripeptide consisting of the amino acids glycine, histidine, and lysine, and/or mixtures of the soya peptide and tripeptide in a suitable application vehicle. The composition displays good skin tolerance.
US08466105B2

The present invention is drawn to methods of stimulating or enhancing angiogenesis in a patient comprising, administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of an endorepellin protein, wherein said endorepellin protein has an amino acid sequence of domain V of perlecan or fragments or derivatives, analogs thereof; and stimulating or enhancing generation of blood vessels. The present invention is drawn to compositions for enhancing angiogenesis.
US08466101B2

Pharmaceutical, dental and/or cosmetic composition consisting of purified Enamel Matrix Derivative (EMD) proteins which have a molecular weight between 1 and 55 kDa, formulated in a suitable pharmaceutical carrier. The composition is depleted of proteins which have a molecular weight between 56 and 160 kDa and an iso-electric point between 3-10. The purified Enamel Matrix Derivative (EMD) proteins are depleted of proteinase inhibitors, such as α1-antichymotrypsin and/or Fetuin A. The composition is preferably used for promoting and/or inducing regeneration of hard tissue, tissue mineralization, bone growth and/or bone regrowth, regeneration of dentin, cementogenesis, and/or binding between parts of living mineralized tissue, for bonding of a piece of living mineralized tissue to a bonding site on a piece of other living tissue, for endorsing binding between hard tissues, and/or for filling a mineralized wound cavity and/or tissue defect following from a procedure and/or trauma.
US08466095B2

The invention relates to a composite material including a metal matrix in which synthetic lamellar phyllosilicated mineral particles are distributed, characterized in that the lamellar phyllosilicated mineral particles are particles also called synthetic phyllosilicated nanoparticles (6) that are mineral, silico/germano-metal, lamellar, synthetic and hydrophilic, and have an average size of between 10 nm and 1 nm. The invention also relates to a substrate that comprises a lubricating coating consisting of such a material, and to an electrolytic deposition preparation method.
US08466093B2

Use of two different methods, either each by itself or in combination, to enhance the stiffness, strength, maximum possible use temperature, and environmental resistance of thermoset polymer particles is disclosed. One method is the application of post-polymerization process steps (and especially heat treatment) to advance the curing reaction and to thus obtain a more densely crosslinked polymer network. The other method is the incorporation of nanofillers, resulting in a heterogeneous “nanocomposite” morphology. Nanofiller incorporation and post-polymerization heat treatment can also be combined to obtain the benefits of both methods simultaneously. The present invention relates to the development of thermoset nanocomposite particles. Optional further improvement of the heat resistance and environmental resistance of said particles via post-polymerization heat treatment; processes for the manufacture of said particles; and use of said particles in the construction, drilling, completion and/or fracture stimulation of oil and natural gas wells are described.
US08466081B2

Disclosed are halogenated amide esters that are suitable as internal electron donors in procatalyst compositions. Ziegler-Natta catalyst compositions containing the present procatalyst compositions exhibit improved catalyst activity and/or improved catalyst selectivity and produce propylene-based olefins with broad molecular weight distribution.
US08466077B2

A sputtering target for forming a ZrO2—In2O3 based protective film for an optical storage medium, has a component composition made of ZraInbAcO100-a-b-c where “A” represents one, two, or more of Si, Cr, Al, Ce, Ti, and Sn, “a” represents an amount greater than 5 atomic percent and less than 23 atomic percent, “b” represents an amount greater than 12 atomic percent and less than 35 atomic percent, and “c” represents an amount greater than 0 and less than 30 atomic percent, wherein 90% or more of Zr that is included in the sputtering target for forming the protective film for the optical storage medium is in an oxidative product phase in which Zr and In are combined, and is dispersed in a base material of the target.
US08466070B2

A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming an opening in a substrate. A dielectric layer is formed and substantially conformal to the opening. A sacrificial structure is formed within the opening, covering a portion of the dielectric layer. A portion of the dielectric layer is removed by using the sacrificial structure as an etch mask layer. The sacrificial structure is removed.
US08466066B2

A method for forming a micro-pattern in a semiconductor device includes forming a hard mask layer and a sacrificial layer over an etch target layer, forming a plurality of openings having a hole shape in the sacrificial layer, forming spacers over inner sidewalls of the openings to form first hole patterns inside the openings, etching the sacrificial layer outside of the sidewalls of the openings using the spacers in a manner that the sacrificial layer in a first area remains partially and the sacrificial layer in a second area is removed to form second hole patterns, wherein the first area is smaller than the second area, and etching the hard mask layer using the remaining sacrificial layer and the spacers including the first and second hole patterns.
US08466058B2

The invention discloses a method for cleaning residues from a semiconductor substrate during a nickel platinum silicidation process. Post silicidation residues of nickel and platinum may not be removed adequately just by an aqua regia solution (comprising a mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid). Therefore, embodiments of the invention provide a multi-step residue cleaning, comprising exposing the substrate to an aqua regia solution, followed by an exposure to a chlorine gas or a solution comprising dissolved chlorine gas, which may further react with remaining platinum residues, rendering it more soluble in aqueous solution and thereby dissolving it from the surface of the substrate.
US08466043B2

An internal gettering process for a Czochralski silicon wafers comprises: (1) heating a Cz silicon wafer to 1200-1250° C. at a heating rate of 50-100° C./s under a nitrogen atmosphere, maintaining for 30-150 seconds, cooling the Cz silicon wafer to 800-1000° C. first at a cooling rate of 5-50° C./s, and then cooling the Cz silicon wafer naturally; (2) annealing the Cz silicon wafer obtained in the step (1) at 800-900° C. under an argon atmosphere for a period of 8-16 hours. The present invention only involves two heat treatment steps which require lower temperature and shorter time comparing to the conventional processes. The density of the bulk microdefects and the width of the denuded zone can be easily controlled by the temperature, duration and cooling rate of rapid thermal processing in the first step.
US08466040B2

The method may include providing a first substrate, the first substrate including a sacrificial layer, an active layer having an image sensor circuit portion and an interconnection layer electrically connected to the image sensor circuit portion sequentially stacked; performing an edge-trimming process with respect to the first substrate to form an interconnection layer pattern, an active layer pattern and a sacrificial layer pattern; adhering the first substrate to a second substrate; removing the sacrificial layer pattern to expose the active layer pattern; and forming a transillumination layer to provide light to an image sensor portion on the active layer pattern.
US08466034B2

A method of manufacturing a finned semiconductor device structure is provided. The method begins by providing a substrate having bulk semiconductor material. The method continues by forming a semiconductor fin structure from the bulk semiconductor material, depositing an insulating material overlying the semiconductor fin structure such that the insulating material fills space adjacent to the semiconductor fin structure, and planarizing the deposited insulating material and the semiconductor fin structure to create a flat surface. Thereafter, a replacement gate procedure is performed to form a gate structure transversely overlying the semiconductor fin structure.
US08466032B2

Systems and methods are disclosed to form a resistive random access memory (RRAM) by forming a first metal electrode layer; depositing an insulator above the metal electrode layer and etching the insulator to expose one or more metal portions; depositing a Pr1-XCaXMnO3 (PCMO) layer above the insulator and the metal portions, wherein X is between approximately 0.3 and approximately 0.5, to form one or more self-aligned RRAM cells above the first metal electrode; and depositing a second metal electrode layer above the PCMO layer.
US08466026B2

A semiconductor device having an MOSFET serving as an element to be protected, and an electrostatic protection MOSFET element mounted on the same substrate is produced with the small number of steps while implementing a high protection ability. Low concentration regions and gate electrodes are formed and then an insulation film is formed on a whole surface. Then, etching is performed using a resist pattern as a mask to leave the insulation film in a region from a part of the gate electrode to a part of the low concentration region in each of regions A1 and A3, and on a side wall of the gate electrode in a region A2. Then, a high concentration ion implantation is performed using the gate electrodes and the insulation films as masks, and then a silicide layer is formed.
US08466019B2

A semiconductor device fabricating method is described. The semiconductor device fabricating method comprises forming an epitaxial layer on a substrate, wherein the epitaxial layer is the same conductive type as the substrate. A first doped region having the different conductive type from the epitaxial layer is formed in the epitaxial layer. An annealing process is performed to diffuse dopants in the first doped region. A second doped region and an adjacent third doped region are formed in the first doped region. The second doped region is a different conductive type from that of the first doped region, and the third doped region is the same conductive type as that of the first doped region. A gate structure is formed on the epitaxial layer covering a portion of the second and the third doped regions.
US08466010B2

A backside illuminated imaging sensor with a seal ring support includes an epitaxial layer having an imaging array formed in a front side of the epitaxial layer. A metal stack is coupled to the front side of the epitaxial layer, wherein the metal stack includes a seal ring formed in an edge region of the imaging sensor. An opening is included that extends from the back side of the epitaxial layer to a metal pad of the seal ring to expose the metal pad. The seal ring support is disposed on the metal pad and within the opening to structurally support the seal ring.
US08466009B2

A method of fabricating a semiconductor package. In one embodiment the method includes forming a mold cavity about a portion of a first major surface of a leadframe, including about a mold lock opening extending through the leadframe between the first major surface and a second major surface. A spacer is inserted to fill at least a portion of the mold lock opening. The mold cavity is filled with an encapsulating material including filling a portion of the mold lock opening not occupied by the spacer.
US08466006B2

A memory cell structure and method for forming the same. The method includes forming a pore within a dielectric layer. The pore is formed over the center of an electrically conducting bottom electrode. The method includes depositing a thermally insulating layer along at least one sidewall of the pore. The thermally insulating layer isolates heat from phase change current to the volume of the pore. In one embodiment phase change material is deposited within the pore and the volume of the thermally insulating layer. In another embodiment a pore electrode is formed within the pore and the volume of the thermally insulating layer, with the phase change material being deposited above the pore electrode. The method also includes forming an electrically conducting top electrode above the phase change material.
US08465999B2

In a manufacturing method for an image sensor integrated circuit, a plurality of pixel regions each having a photodiode are arranged on a silicon substrate. A light-transmissive conductive film is formed over the silicon substrate. A protective film is formed on the light-transmissive conductive film while holding a potential of the light-transmissive conductive film at the same potential as that of the silicon substrate.
US08465998B2

A thermoelectric conversion module includes a laminated body including a plurality of thermoelectric components laminated therein. Each of the thermoelectric components includes an insulating layer, and a thermoelectric conversion element section in which a plurality of p-type thermoelectric conversion material layers and a plurality of n-type thermoelectric conversion material layers are arranged on the insulating layer in a series connection. A step eliminating insulating material layer is arranged to eliminate a step between the thermoelectric conversion element section and a vicinity thereof, in a region between the insulating layers adjacent to each other in a laminating direction, around the p-type thermoelectric conversion material layers and n-type thermoelectric conversion material layers constituting the thermoelectric conversion element section. The thermoelectric conversion element section has a serpentine shape. Thicknesses of the p-type and n-type thermoelectric conversion material layers constituting the thermoelectric conversion element section are greater than the thickness of the insulating layer.
US08465990B2

The present invention provides a manufacturing method of a magneto-resistance effect element, in which the step coverage of a formed film can be enlarged and also the film can be deposited in a low temperature range. In an embodiment of the present invention, an insulating protective layer is formed on a multilayered structure by a plasma CVD apparatus in which a plasma source and a film deposition chamber are separated from each other by a partition wall plate. According to the present method, it is possible to deposit the protective layer without inviting the degradation of a magnetic characteristic and also to perform low temperature film deposition even at a temperature lower than 150° C. Hence, it is possible to deposit the protective layer while leaving resist and also to reduce the number of steps in the manufacturing of the magneto-resistance effect element having a multilayered structure.
US08465978B2

Methods and devices for conducting platelet aggregation analysis. A method for conducting platelet aggregation analysis by a cartridge device, including providing a blood sample in the cartridge device, stirring the blood sample within the cartridge device, measuring the electrical impedance between electrodes to obtain measured electrical impedance values, comparing measured electrical impedance values, discarding and repeating the measurements of the electrical impedance in case a variation of the measurements is outside a predetermined threshold range, or reporting the measured electrical impedance values in case the variation of the measurements is within the predetermined threshold range. Reported measured electrical impedance values indicate platelet aggregation in a blood sample.
US08465975B2

Motor neuron progenitor (MNP) cells and populations of MNP cells, are provided, in particular, populations of human late stage MNP cells having a purity of greater than about 65% late stage MNP cells and high-purity populations of MNP cells having greater than 95% viable cells, as well as method of making and using the same, including deriving late stage MNP cells from pluripotent embryonic stem cells, producing high-purity populations of late stage MNP cells, producing populations of viable MNP cells, transporting viable MNP cells, and transplanting MNP cells.
US08465970B2

The invention provides, in various embodiments, systems, devices and methods relating to ex-vivo organ care. In certain embodiments, the invention relates to maintaining an organ ex-vivo at near-physiologic conditions.
US08465962B2

The present invention relates to a microorganism having an enhanced L-valine productivity and a method for producing L-valine using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a Corynebacterium glutamicum mutant strain that has resistance to L-valine and derivatives thereof so as to have an enhanced L-valine productivity, and a method for producing L-valine using the same.
US08465958B2

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having endoglucanase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.
US08465955B2

Described are methods for electrical treatment of biological cells, in particular using electrical field pulses, involving the steps: arrangement of the cells (1) on apertures (2) of a solid planar carrier element (3) which divides a measuring chamber (10) into two compartments (11, 12); and temporary formation of an electrical treatment field which permeates the cells, wherein an alternating-current impedance measurement takes place on the carrier element (3), and from the result of the alternating-current impedance measurement, a degree of coverage of the carrier element and/or healing of the cells after electrical treatment are/is acquired. Also described are devices for implementing the methods.
US08465952B2

The present invention relates to a microorganism producing L-methionine precursor, O-acetylhomoserine, and a method of producing L-methionine precursor using the microorganism.
US08465945B2

The present invention includes a method to produce a recombinant mite Group 1 protein in a methyltrophic yeast or an Escherichia coli microorganism. The present invention also relates to a recombinant mite Group 1 protein obtained by such a method, such a recombinant protein being able to selectively bind IgE or cause proliferation of a T cell that proliferate in response to a native mite Group 1 protein. Also included in the present invention is the use of such a recombinant mite Group 1 protein to detect mite allergy or to reduce an allergic response to a mite Group 1 protein. The present invention also includes novel mite Group 1 nucleic acid molecules, proteins, recombinant molecules, and recombinant cells, as well as uses thereof.
US08465938B2

The present invention relates to a method for producing Cypridina luciferase labeled with hydrophilic biotin, characterized in that a biotin reagent containing a polyalkylene glycol structure as a spacer is reacted with Cypridina luciferase, and biotin-labeled Cypridina luciferase wherein a sugar chain in Cypridina luciferase has been biotinylated.
US08465926B2

A method and device for real time electrochemically or electrically monitoring and detecting nucleic acid amplification products, i.e. after each polymerase chain reaction cycle, utilizes electrochemically active or electrically conductive reporter materials. An electric voltage is applied and electric signals are measured during a PCR amplification process to the electrodes that is suitable for quantifying the amplified products of a sample's nucleic acid(s) produced. This technique is suitable for point-of-use applications, e.g. detecting bioanalytes in remote locations.
US08465922B2

Methods and systems for monitoring reactions by observing signals deriving from those reactions, using signal processing that allows differentiation between signals that are otherwise optically overlapping by conventional detection methods. Centroid determination is used to identify signal sources that are presenting confounding overlapping signals due to their physical proximity, and/or to identify discrete signals from different reaction centers.
US08465910B2

Lithographic Method. The method fabricates complex structures and includes depositing a photoresist onto a substrate, the photoresist including a predominantly thermal band of optical absorption possibly due to the incorporation of a doping agent. A three-dimensional pattern is generated within the resist using a first wavelength of light to effect activation of a photoinitiator to produce a latently photostructured resist. Focused laser spike annealing of the photostructured resist with a second wavelength of light selected to be absorbed by the thermally absorbing band to accelerate the photoinduced reaction in the resist is provided. Three-dimensional direct writing may be performed within the resist to define features not part of the interference pattern and the resist is developed to produce the complex structure.
US08465907B2

There is disclosed a manufacturing method for exposure mask, which comprises acquiring a first information showing surface shape of surface of each of a plurality of mask substrates, and a second information showing the flatness of the surface of each of mask substrates before and after chucked on a mask stage of an exposure apparatus, forming a corresponding relation of each mask substrate, the first information and the second information, selecting the second information showing a desired flatness among the second information of the corresponding relation, and preparing another mask substrate having the same surface shape as the surface shape indicated by the first information in the corresponding relation with the selected second information, and forming a desired pattern on the above-mentioned another mask substrate.
US08465894B2

A red toner for electrostatic image development, includes: a binder resin; a coloring agent; and a release agent, wherein the red toner for electrostatic image development satisfies the following formulae: 0.3
US08465873B2

Positive electrode active materials are described that have a high tap density and high specific discharge capacity upon cycling at room temperature and at a moderate discharge rate. Some materials of interest have the formula Li1+xNiαMnβCoγO2, where x ranges from about 0.05 to about 0.25, α ranges from about 0.1 to about 0.4, β ranges from about 0.4 to about 0.65, and γ ranges from about 0.05 to about 0.3. The materials can be coated with a metal fluoride to improve the performance of the materials especially upon cycling. Also, the coated materials can exhibit a very significant decrease in the irreversible capacity lose upon the first charge and discharge of the battery.
US08465872B2

The positive electrode active material sintered body for a battery of the present invention is a positive electrode active material sintered body for a battery satisfying the following requirements (I) to (VII): (I) fine particles in a positive electrode active material are sintered to constitute the sintered body; (II) a peak pore diameter which provides a maximum differential pore volume value in a pore diameter range of 0.01 to 10 μm in a pore distribution is 0.3 to 5 μm; (III) a total pore volume is 0.1 to 1 cc/g; (IV) an average particle diameter is not less than the peak pore diameter and not more than 20 μm; (V) any peak, which provides a differential pore volume value of not less than 10% of the maximum differential pore volume value, is not present on a smaller pore diameter side than the peak pore diameter in the pore distribution; (VI) a BET specific surface area is 1 to 6 m2/g; and (VII) a full width at half maximum of a strongest X-ray diffraction peak is 0.13 to 0.2.
US08465866B2

A battery module, battery pack, and electric vehicle, the battery module including a plurality of unit battery cells; a pair of end plates coupled together in a spaced relationship for receiving the unit battery cells therebetween; and a pressure control unit between the unit battery cells and the at least one end plate.
US08465865B2

A cable-type secondary battery is disclosed. The cable-type secondary battery includes electrodes, each of which includes a current collector having a horizontal cross section of a predetermined shape and an active material layer formed on the surface of the current collector. The electrodes extend in the lengthwise direction and are arranged in parallel. The current collector includes a polymer core and a metal coating layer formed on the surface of the polymer core. The use of the metal-coated polymer current collectors having high flexibility and conductivity makes the secondary battery highly flexible while maintaining the performance of the secondary battery. In addition, the cable-type secondary battery can be reduced in weight.
US08465863B2

An exemplary embodiment includes a method of sealing battery cooling plates.
US08465857B2

A proton exchange membrane comprises a hybrid inorganic-organic polymer that includes implanted metal cations. Acid groups are bound to the hybrid inorganic-organic polymer through an interaction with the implanted metal cations. An example process for manufacturing a proton exchange membrane includes sol-gel polymerization of silane precursors in a medium containing the metal cations, followed by exposure of the metal-implanted hybrid inorganic-organic polymer to an acid compound.
US08465855B2

Encapsulated particles and methods for manufacturing encapsulated particles and structures are described. Such particles may have a length no greater than 40 nm, and include at least one material selected from the group consisting of ferromagnetic materials and ferrimagnetic materials. A polymeric encapsulant surrounds the particle, the polymeric encapsulant including a phase-separated block copolymer including a glassy first phase and a rubbery second phase, the glassy first phase positioned between the particle and the second rubbery phase. The glassy first phase includes a hydrophobic copolymer having a glass transition temperature of at least 50° C. The rubbery second phase includes a polymer having at least one of (i) a glass transition temperature of no greater than 30° C., and (ii) a tan delta peak maximum of no greater than 30° C. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08465852B2

An oxide film, an oxide film coated material and a method for forming the oxide film, which oxide film is more excellent in wear resistance than existing aluminum oxide-based oxide films are provided. The oxide film of the invention is an oxide film consisting of (Zr1-a-b-cAlaMgbYc) (O1-xNx), characterized in that the following formulas (1)-(5) are satisfied (first invention) 0≦a≦0.7  formula (1) 0≦b≦0.15  formula (2) 0≦c≦0.15  formula (3) 0
US08465851B2

A device is provided, having an anode, a cathode, and two adjacent organic layers disposed between the anode and the cathode. One organic layer is a phosphorescent emissive material. The other organic layer may comprise an aromatic hydrocarbon material, comprising an aromatic non-heterocyclic hydrocarbon core optionally substituted, and wherein the substituents are the same or different, and each is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroalkyl, substituted aryl, substituted heteroaryl and heterocyclic groups. The second organic layer may comprise a material having a molecular dipole moment less than about 2.0 debyes, such that the device has an unmodified external quantum efficiency of at least about 3% and a lifetime of at least about 1000 hours at an initial luminance of about 100 to about 1000 cd/m2.
US08465845B2

An apparatus for preserving wood product comprising, in one embodiment, a treatment space sealable in medium-tight manner; a vacuum pump connected to the treatment space; a steam source connected to the treatment space; a heating device which is in thermal contact with the treatment space; a dispenser for adding predetermined amounts of either a base or an acid to the treatment space; pH measuring device for determining the pH value of steam in the treatment space; and measuring and control equipment adapted to monitor at least the pH temperature and pressure inside the treatment space and to control the vacuum pump, the steam source and the heat source, and the pH by dispensing either a base or an acid. Also disclosed is a method for preserving wood. The preservation process has a relatively short process time, wherein a good preservation is realized while the mechanical strength of the wood is largely retained. The amount of waste wood material is greatly reduced.
US08465843B2

The present invention relates to a method for applying a crack resistant coating on a surface, where the crack resistant coating increases resistance to high vertical and horizontal movements and high shear stresses on the surface. The method comprises the steps of applying a binding material to the surface and applying an aggregate mixture within 15 seconds of applying the binding material to the surface, where the aggregate mixture comprises aggregate particles and an asphalt solution and where the aggregate mixture has a plurality of air voids, and where the binding material fills at least 15% of the air voids in the aggregate mixture (AVFA).
US08465842B2

The present invention relates to a biaxial oriented polyester film and process for preparing the same, the said film is having an average ellipticity of not more than 0.6, Poisson ratio of not more than 0.7 (at elongation greater than 25%) all along the width of web and residual enthalpy in the range of 12% to 20%, a continuous reduction in residual film area up to an elongation of 100%.
US08465838B2

The present teachings provide a fuser member. The fuser member includes a substrate layer comprising a polyimide polymer and an alkylthiophosphate.
US08465836B2

Provided is a method for producing single-hole hollow polymer particles which have an extremely uniform outside diameter and inside diameter, and thus do not require a classifying operation. Further provided are single-hole hollow polymer particles produced by such a method for producing single-hole hollow polymer particles.The invention relates to a method for producing single-hole hollow polymer particles, which includes: preparing a dispersion of swollen particle droplets by mixing a seed particle dispersion obtained by dispersing uncrosslinked polymer-containing seed particles in a water-containing dispersion medium, with a radical polymerizable monomer, an oil-soluble solvent and an oil-soluble polymerization initiator, and causing the radical polymerizable monomer, the oil-soluble solvent and the oil-soluble polymerization initiator to be absorbed in the seed particles; and polymerizing the radical polymerizable monomer in the swollen particle droplets. The relationship between the SP value of a polymer obtained by polymerizing the radical polymerizable monomer (SPp) and the SP value of the oil-soluble solvent (SPs) satisfies formula (1) below: 2.1≦SPp−SPs≦7.0  (1).
US08465833B2

Microparticles that encapsulate a fire extinguishing agent or combination of fire extinguishing agents, methods for preparing these microcapsules, methods for using such microcapsules, and articles of manufacture including at least one of such microparticles either in a coating or in a matrix that makes up a structural component of the article of manufacture are disclosed.
US08465812B2

A hard, transparent coating for a substrate and associated method for coating is disclosed. The coating includes alternating layers of a soft coating and a hard coating. The coating further includes a sensor. The electrical resistivity of the sensor may be measured to determine if the coating has been degraded. The coating may further include a hydrophobic outer layer.
US08465806B2

A method for hot dip galvanizing of advanced high strength or ultra high strength steel strip material, such as dual phase steel, transformation induced plasticity steel, transformation induced plasticity assisted dual phase steel and twinning induced plasticity steel strip material. The strip material is pickled and thereafter heated to a temperature below the continuous annealing temperature before the strip material is hot dip galvanized.
US08465804B2

A coated panel may include a substrate and a decorative top layer provided on the substrate. A method for manufacturing the panel may involve forming at least a portion of the top layer by printing on the substrate to provide a structure on the substrate. The structure may include protrusions formed by two or more prints provided on top of each other.
US08465801B2

A system and method for mixing a plurality of gases for an atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactor. The mixer is configured to mix the plurality of gases while minimizing the potential for re-circulation within the mixer. The mixer is further configured to maintain the flow velocity of the plurality of gases as the gases pass through the mixer.
US08465800B2

The invention is to provide a leather-like sheet having a fine image drawn by an inkjet printing method, etc., on its surface and having practically sufficient physical properties. This invention includes a leather-like sheet including (i) a fibrous substrate and (ii) a porous layer thereon, the porous layer having a surface having open pores with a diameter of 1 μm or more and the porous layer having the surface having an image whose definition is 5 dots/mm or more, and a process for the production thereof.
US08465796B2

A method of manufacturing a unit cell of a solid oxide fuel cell using a decalcomania process, in which an anode, electrolyte, cathode and interconnect are deposited on a substrate using the decalcomania process when the unit cell of the solid oxide fuel cell having a variety of shapes, such as a planar type, a horizontal pipe type, a tubular type, a segmented type, and the like, is manufactured. In manufacture of solid oxide fuel cells having a variety of shapes according to lamination and arrangement of unit cells, the components of each unit cell, such as the anode, the cathode, the electrolyte, the interconnect, and the like, may be deposited in a desired shape using the decalcomania process through deposition or coating, so that the components of the unit cell having a large scale or a complicated structure can be deposited without limit in size and shape, the thickness of the components of the unit cell can be easily controlled depending on the number of stacked transfer paper sheets, and a coating film can be formed on a substrate at a lower cost.
US08465793B2

A process for preparing a shaped substrate suitable in the production of coated conductors which process allows the deformation of a textured substrate onto which a textured buffer layer has been already grown.
US08465792B2

A spray monitoring device analyzes images obtained from a beam passing through a spray pattern applying a spray to a substrate, and identifies discontinuities in the image as indicative of a discontinuity in a spray pattern. The spray pattern is produced by a plurality of nozzles spaced apart across the substrate for applying a suitable coating thereto. The beam is produced by a laser, that preferably has a collimator for distributing the beam intensity. The beam is imaged by a camera that provides a constant image to a computers where the scattering of beam light by the spray pattern is processed by image processing software and optionally provided to a user interface for analysis. Discontinuities detected by the user or software indicate faulty spray nozzles and may trigger remedial action.
US08465784B2

The invention related to a method and a device for thawing food products that comprises using at least one microwave radiation applicator in a chamber through which said products are passing, characterized in that before the insertion into the chamber or a first inlet area of the chamber, all the surfaces of the product are covered with a homogenous film of carbon dioxide snow in the form of electrostatically charged microparticles.
US08465781B2

The present invention relates to the preparation of an enriched and equilibrated plant extract from Solanum glaucophyllum with an enriched content of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 glycosides and flavonols, particularly quercetin glycosides. The present invention particularly describes a method for preparation of such a plant extract either in industrial or in laboratory scale. The present invention furthermore describes the use of such a plant extract or similar (synthetic) compositions for the prevention and treatment of bone mass reduction-related diseases, such as Osteopenia or Osteoporosis, for the prevention and treatment of Tibial Dyschondroplasia, preferably in poultry, for the treatment of milk fever, and as a dietary supplement for human or veterinary use.
US08465776B2

The present invention relates to granules comprising oxycodone, as well as to orally disintegrating tablets including same and optionally acetaminophen.
US08465767B2

The invention relates to an oral administration form for pyridin-2-ylmethylsulfinyl-1H-benzimidazoles and their salts, which comprises the active compound together with tablet disintegrants and is provided with a film coating customary per se for sustained-release compositions.
US08465766B2

Aqueous wound and mucous membrane disinfectant containing a) octenidine dihydrochloride, and b) one or more active ingredients selected from the group ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, undecylene amidopropyl trimonium methosulfate, 3-(4-chlorophenoxy)-1,2-propanediol and/or sodium hydroxymethylglycinate and c) glycerin and/or 1,2-diols having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, and d) optionally surfactants, emulsifiers, solubilizers, pH regulators, dyestuffs, perfumes and/or thickeners, the agent being free of phenoxyethanol, phenoxypropanol, phenoxyisopropanol and organic acids.
US08465765B2

An oral methylphenidate powder which is reconstitutable into a final oral aqueous sustained release formulation containing at least about 50%, or at least about 80% by weight water based on the total weight of the suspension, is provided. The powder is a blend containing a combination of an uncoated methylphenidate-ion exchange resin complex, a barrier coated methylphenidate-ion exchange resin complex-matrix, and a water soluble buffering agent such that upon formed into an aqueous liquid formulation, the formulation has a pH in the range of about 3.5 to about 5, or about 4 to about 4.5. Following administration of a single dose of the oral aqueous methylphenidate suspension, a therapeutically effective amount of methylphenidate is reached in less than one hour and the composition provides a twelve-hour extended release profile.
US08465755B2

The present invention relates to a recombinant bacterium that is capable of eliciting an immune response against at least two enteric pathogens, without substantially inducing an immune response specific to the serotype of the bacterium. The invention also relates to methods of making such a bacterium and vaccines and methods of using such a bacterium.
US08465752B2

Sympathetic nerves run through the adventitia surrounding renal arteries and are critical in the modulation of systemic hypertension. Hyperactivity of these nerves can cause renal hypertension, a disease prevalent in 30-40% of the adult population. Hypertension can be treated with neuromodulating agents (such as angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II inhibitors, or aldosterone receptor blockers), but requires adherence to strict medication regimens and often does not reach target blood pressure threshold to reduce risk of major cardiovascular events. A minimally invasive solution is presented here to reduce the activity of the sympathetic nerves surrounding the renal artery by locally delivering neurotoxic or nerve-blocking agents into the adventitia. Extended elution of these agents may also be accomplished in order to tailor the therapy to the patient.
US08465749B2

Methods for synthesis and manufacture of polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines at high yield are provided. The methods involve reaction of a hydrazide group on one reactant with an aldehyde or cyanate ester group on the other reactant. The reaction proceeds rapidly with a high conjugation efficiency, such that a simplified purification process can be employed to separate the conjugate product from the unconjugated protein and polysaccharide and other small molecule by-products.
US08465742B2

A method of constructing a VHH library from an immunized camelid, using whole venom or an extract thereof There is also provided VHH antibody fragments isolated from a library produced in hyperimmunized llama These VHH antibody fragments were sequenced, and specifically bind α-cobratoxin.
US08465740B2

The present invention relates to novel regulatory T cell proteins. One protein, designated PD-L3, resembles members of the PD-L1 family, and co-stimulates αCD3 proliferation of T cells in vitro. A second, TNF-like, protein has also been identified as being upregulated upon αCD3/αGITR stimulation. This protein has been designated Treg-sTNF. Proteins, antibodies, activated T cells and methods for using the same are disclosed.
US08465739B2

This invention is directed to a stable liquid pharmaceutical formulation comprising a high concentration, e.g. 50 mg/ml or more, of antibody in about 20-60 mM succinate buffer or 30-70 mM histidine buffer, having pH from about pH 5.5 to about pH 6.5, about 0.01-0.1% polysorbate, and a tonicity modifier that contributes to the isotonicity of the formulation. This liquid formulation is stable at refrigerated temperature (2-8° C.) for at least 1 year, and preferably 2 years. This liquid formulation is suitable for subcutaneous injection. The preferred antibodies include Daclizumab, a humanized anti-IL-2 receptor monoclonal antibody; HAIL-12, a humanized anti-IL-12 monoclonal antibody; HuEP5C7, a humanized anti-L selectin monoclonal antibody; and Flintozumab, a humanized anti-gamma interferon monoclonal antibody.
US08465736B2

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical combination product for cancer therapy. The combination product comprises the two active ingredients glutaminase and 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON). The invention further relates to the use of such a combination product for the treatment of cancers.
US08465735B2

The present invention relates to genetically modified proteins with uricolytic activity. More specifically, the invention relates to proteins comprising truncated urate oxidases and methods for producing them, including PEGylated proteins comprising truncated urate oxidases.
US08465734B2

The present invention relates to highly conjugated proteins and methods for making such proteins. In particular, the present invention relates to methods for linking additional sites to a protein for conjugation with activated polyethylene glycol (PEG) linkers, without denaturing the protein. The invention also relates to highly conjugated proteins with decreased immunogenicity and increased circulating half-life.
US08465732B2

The present invention relates to adenovirus E4ORF 1 gene and to endothelial cells engineered to express the E40RF 1 gene. The present invention also relates to uses of the E40RF 1 gene, and cells expressing the E40RF1 gene, and to compositions comprising the E4ORF 1 gene, or comprising cells expressing the E4ORF 1 gene.
US08465728B2

An air treating composition for eliminating airborne malodors and/or sanitizing air in combination with a spray valve and actuator and spray performance parameters providing maximum dispersion of the composition 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 malodors and to provide quick absorption of malodors and/or bacteria. The particle size of the composition is controlled through the valve and actuator dimensions, as well as the formulation requirements of the composition. The air treating composition includes water, a low molecular weight polyol, and a propellant. The composition may also include one or more adjuvants such as an emulsifier, a co-solvent, a fragrance, a corrosion inhibitor, a pH adjusting agent and the like.
US08465727B2

Methods for determining the onset of ALS in a subject are provided. One method includes analyzing a sample obtained from the subject for the presence or amount of one or more biomarkers indicative of ALS. In a preferred embodiment, the biomarkers are one or more of the following: C-reactive protein (CRP), cystatin c, plasminogen, complement C3, CysGly-transthyretin, and phosphorylated neurofilament heavy chain (pNFH). The sample is typically cerebral spinal fluid (CSF). The levels or concentrations of the biomarkers can be used to determine the onset of ALS, monitor the progression of ALS, or monitor the progression of a treatment for ALS.
US08465725B2

A manufacturing process for the preparation of radiolabeled compounds of formula (I) includes reacting compounds of formula (II) with a source of radionuclide of a halogen in the presence of an oxidant under acidic condition, wherein: *I is 123I, 124I, 125I or 131I; R is lower alkyl, optionally substituted with one or more fluorine atoms; Q is C(O), O, NR′, S, S(O)2, C(O)2, (CH2)p; Y is C(O), O, NR′, S, S(O)2, C(O)2, (CH2)p; R′ is H, C(O), S(O)2, C(O)2; Z is H, C1-C4 alkyl, benzyl, substituted benzyl or trialkylsilyl; m is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5; n is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6; and p is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6.
US08465717B2

A process for preparing a nanoparticle powder of a lithium transition metal phosphate includes mixing lithium, a transition metal and a phosphorus-containing salt as starting materials, adding an additive to the starting materials in an amount of greater than 0 at % and less than 10 at % to obtain a mixed raw material powder, subjecting the mixed powder to a first heat treatment at a temperature of 250° C. to 400° C. under a gas atmosphere for 2 to 10 hours; and subjecting the first heat-treated product to a second heat treatment at a temperature of 400° C. to 700° C. for 2 to 24 hours to uniformly form crystalline nuclei so as to induce growth of nanocrystalline particles. The additive may be any one element selected from the group consisting of sodium (Na), potassium (K), lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), samarium (Sm), gadolinium (Gd) and erbium (Er).
US08465712B2

A method and system for desulfurization comprising first and second metal oxides; a walled enclosure having an inlet and an exhaust for the passage of gas to be treated; the first and second metal oxide being combinable with hydrogen sulfide to produce a reaction comprising a sulfide and water; the first metal oxide forming a first layer and the second metal oxide forming a second layer within the walled surroundings; the first and second layers being positioned so the first layer removes the bulk amount of the hydrogen sulfide from the treated gas prior to passage through the second layer, and the second layer removes substantially all of the remaining hydrogen sulfide from the treated gas; the first metal oxide producing a stoichiometrical capacity in excess of 500 mg sulfur/gram; the second metal oxide reacts with the hydrogen sulfide more favorably but has a stoichometrical capacity which is less than the first reactant; whereby the optimal amount by weight of the first and second metal oxides is achieved by utilizing two to three units by weight of the first metal oxide for every unit of the second metal oxide.
US08465710B2

There is provided a radial flow reactor having a multi-pass structure in which loading and unloading of granular packing are easy and which does not impair the reaction performance. The reactor includes, in an upright tubular reactor vessel: a packing region for housing a continuous packed bed of granular packing; and an outer and an inner passages disposed outside and inside the packing region, respectively, allowing a fluid to flow in the axial direction. The reactor is configured so that the fluid can pass between the packing region and the outer passage and between the packing region and the inner passage.
US08465700B2

The evaporator (10) efficiently evaporates solvent and/or introduces gases to multiple samples. The evaporator (10) contains a top plate (20) and a bottom plate (30). The top plate (20) is mated to the bottom plate (30) to define a main chamber (130) for distribution of gas. An input port (80) is defined within the bottom plate (30) of the evaporator (10) is in fluid communication with a gas distribution channel (100). The gas distribution channel (100) has a series of gas distribution ports (110A-C) increasing in diameter, in proportion to a distance from the input port (80), that provide for an even distribution of gas into the main chamber (130). Gas exits the main chamber (130) through exit ports (120A-C) defined within the bottom plate (30). Screws (50) respectively control gas flow to exit ports (120A-C) for delivery to an array of nozzles (90) on the bottom plate (30).
US08465688B2

A method for taking a nozzle of a valve gated runner apparatus includes releasably attaching a valve pin to a movable part of an actuator for moving the valve pin between an open position and a closed position and detaching the valve pin from the actuator by moving the movable part of the actuator towards the open position when the valve pin is immobilized. The valve pin and the movable part valve pin may be releasably attached by a magnetic force. The step of detaching the valve pin from the actuator may be accomplished by overcoming the magnetic force. A valve pin plate can be provided for a plurality of valve pins to be releasably attached to the actuator.
US08465687B2

Devices and methods for making hollow concrete elements are disclosed. A device includes a drum mold having a tubular mold wall. The mold wall has a first and a second end flange each with an inner periphery smaller than the inner periphery of the mold wall at each respective end. The device further includes a compaction roller positionable inside the mold wall. The compaction roller has a profile that defines the interior shape of the concrete element. The compaction roller is supported by a hydraulically height adjustable supporting mechanism that is operable to independently adjust the distance of each end of the compaction roller with respect to the inner periphery of the mold wall.
US08465685B2

Device for taking an impression of a subject's ear minimizes risk of damage on the eardrum when the impression is made. The device comprises a nozzle having a first essentially tubular part that has a centre axis and a side wall. The first tubular part has also a first end intended to be inserted into a subject's ear, a first opening for the outlet of impression material, and a second end connected to a supply member for impression material to the tubular part.The first opening has a centre axis that is essentially perpendicular to the centre axis of the first tubular part at the point where the two centre axes intersect each other, alternatively has a direction, as seen from the centre axis of the first tubular part through the side wall, from said first end. The first opening is preferably arranged in the side wall of the tubular part.
US08465682B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductive rubber belt wherein a variation in the electric resistance is decreased, in particular, in the belt circumferential direction so that high-quality images can be formed, and a process for producing the same. In order to achieve the object, in a case where on any single straight line extended in the belt circumferential direction, the maximum value of the molecular orientation ratio correction value MOR-C of the semiconductive rubber belt, the minimum value thereof, and the average thereof are set to satisfy a specified relationship.
US08465678B2

The present invention relates to a class of luminescent and conductive polymer compositions having chromophores, and particularly solid films of these compositions exhibiting increased luminescent lifetimes, quantum yields and amplified emissions. These desirable properties can be provided through polymers having rigid groups designed to prevent polymer reorganization, aggregation or π-stacking upon solidification. These polymers can also display an unusually high stability with respect to solvent and heat exposures. The invention also relates to a sensor and a method for sensing an analyte through the luminescent and conductive properties of these polymers. Analytes can be sensed by activation of a chromophore at a polymer surface. Analytes include aromatics, phosphate ester groups and in particular explosives and chemical warfare agents in a gaseous state. The present invention also relates to devices and methods for amplifying emissions by incorporating a polymer having an energy migration pathway and/or providing the polymer as a block co-polymer or as a multi-layer.
US08465675B2

Disclosed are encapsulation materials including an 80 to 99.5 weight percentage (wt %) of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA) and a 0.5 to 20 weight percentage(wt %) of a photoluminescent polymer, wherein the EVA and the photoluminescent polymers are evenly blended. The encapsulation materials can be applied to packaging solar cells, and the encapsulating structure may protect the EVA from UV damage and enhance light utilization efficiency of the solar cell.
US08465672B2

The invention relates to mesogenic tetrahydropyran compounds having at least four rings, of the formula I in which R1, A1, A2, X1, L1, L2, m and n have the meanings indicated in Claim 1, and to a process for the preparation thereof, to the use thereof in liquid-crystalline media, to liquid-crystalline media comprising at least one compound of the formula I, and to electro-optical displays containing a liquid-crystalline medium of this type.
US08465667B2

The invention is directed towards methods and compositions for treating piles of low-rank coal to inhibit its spontaneous combustion. The method involves applying to the low-rank coal a composition containing VAE and crude glycerin. The composition prevents water from evaporating out of the low-rank coal. This prevents the formation within the low-rank coal of hollow openings which are a huge factor in causing its spontaneous combustion. The composition has better performance than its ingredients do alone. In fact it is so effective that certain cumbersome low-rank coal-handling methods, such as FIFO recordkeeping and inventorying, not using pinch points, or only using elbow-free equipment can be disregarded when the composition is used.
US08465650B2

Strong acid cation resins used alone or in combination with zeolite-based ion exchange resins are encapsulated in various water permeable polymer fabric bags of various geometries and thicknesses to reduce the calcium hardness levels during swimming pool and spa water fills. The resin bags are strategically placed in the pool or spa to allow water under pressure to flow through the ion exchange media to exchange calcium or magnesium ions with sodium or other harmless cations.
US08465646B2

To provide an apparatus for treating a nitrate waste liquid that includes a denitrification tank (12A) which accommodates active sludge that adsorbs or takes in the radioactive substance in a nitrate waste liquid (11) and in which an anaerobic microorganism that reduces the nitric acid to nitrogen gas grows, and a reaeration tank (14) in which a denitrification-treated liquid (24) treated in the denitrification tank (12A) is aerated and mixed with active sludge. A pH adjuster (21), a first carbon source (22A) and a second carbon source (22B) different in type from each other, and nitrogen gas (N2) are supplied to the denitrification tank (12A) so as to separate a denitrified liquid into a solid content and the denitrification-treated liquid (24) by using a first solid-liquid separating film (25), and the denitrification-treated liquid (24) treated with the active sludge in the reaeration tank (14) is reaerated and separated into a solid content and a reaeration-treated liquid (27) by using a second solid-liquid separating film (28).
US08465645B2

A renewable energy microgeneration system is disclosed. The system comprises one or more portable containers that include a plurality of small holding tanks that are configured to perform at least one of pasteurization and thermophilic anaerobic digestion on waste, a large holding tank that is configured to perform mesophilic anaerobic digestion on the waste after at least one of pasteurization and thermophilic anaerobic digestion is performed, and a de-watering unit that is configured to dry what remains of the waste after mesophilic anaerobic digestion is performed. The system further comprises a controller for automatically moving the waste between the plurality of small holding tanks, the large holding tank, and the de-watering unit as required to facilitate mesophilic anaerobic digestion in the large holding tank. Further, the portable containers are configured to be transported to a site and placed in fluid communication with each other at the site.
US08465643B2

A filter and filter element is provided that incorporates a valve member for preventing priming fluid from contaminating a clean fluid side of the filter or filter element. The filter may incorporate a replaceable filter element or be replaceable itself. The valve member is preferably formed as an annular flange of a grommet mounted to an end cap of the filter element. The annular flange sealingly engages with the end cap and closes a clean fluid outlet port in a relaxed state and opens the clean fluid outlet port in a deformed state.
US08465635B2

The system includes: an assortment (10) of sensors (10a, 10b, 10c), wherein the working electrode (14a) of each sensor is covered with a specific reagent of a given proteolytic enzyme, including a substrate capable of releasing leaving groups (LG) via the action of the enzyme; a measuring apparatus (20) having an electronic circuit imposing a current, whose intensity or voltage may or may not be variable, between the electrodes, and for receiving in return a signal representative of the release of the LG; and an electronic apparatus (30) for processing the transmitted signal and displaying, on a display screen (32), an indication representative of the release of the LG as a function of time. The system may be used to determine, in a plasma or whole blood sample, factors responsible for a coagulation anomaly.
US08465628B1

A solar energy conversion and distillation apparatus floats on a body of saltwater and includes a matrix of buoyant distillation modules that produce and collect distilled water for on-shore usage. The distillation modules and other buoyant structures are mutually joined within a peripheral seawall to form an atmospheric barrier, and each distillation module includes a submerged energy absorber layer to form an energy conversion chamber that confines a shallow volume of solar-heated seawater. Water vapor in the air above the confined water condenses on chilled heat exchanger conduits, and the energy absorber layer is water permeable so that confined water lost to evaporation and condensation is replenished with water from a thermal reservoir underlying the energy conversion chamber. Buoyant mistifier units in each distillation module enhance the evaporative surface area of the water vapor subject to condensation.
US08465626B2

This invention relates to a coking oven in flat-type construction, a non-recovery or heat-recovery coking oven, which has at least one measuring apparatus for measuring the concentration of gaseous constituents of the coke oven retort, the coke oven hearth and/or the off gas duct, and in which, on the basis of these data, a process control computer determines and regulates the optimal supply of primary and/or secondary air. Also embraced by the invention is a coking method employing a coking oven of this kind.
US08465623B2

The invention provides a method of improving dewatering efficiency, increasing sheet wet web strength, increasing sheet wet strength and enhancing filler retention in a papermaking process The method improves the efficiency of drainage aids or wet web strength aids or wet strength aid by coating at least some of the filler particles with a material that prevents the filler materials form adhering to a those additives. The drainage additive or wet web strength additive or wet strength aid holds the cellulose fibers together tightly and is not wasted on the filler particles.
US08465614B2

The present disclosure is directed to a process for recycling film materials, and is particularly directed to collecting spent release liners for labels and constructing new release liner stock from the spent materials. In order to use the waste film, the film is subjected to a process for increasing the intrinsic viscosity. In addition, a coloring agent may be incorporated into the film in order to mask yellowing. In one embodiment, a multilayered composite film is formed.
US08465608B1

A method for forming a metastable intermolecular composite (MIC) includes providing a vacuum level of <10−8 torr base pressure in a deposition chamber. A first layer of a first material of a metal that is reactive with water vapor is deposited, followed by depositing a second layer of a second material of a metal oxide on the first layer. The first and second material are capable of an exothermic chemical reaction to form at least one product, and the first and second layer are in sufficiently close physical proximity so that upon initiation of the exothermic reaction the reaction develops into a self initiating chemical reaction. An interfacial region averaging <1 nm thick is formed between the first layer and second layer from a reaction of the first material with water vapor. In one embodiment, the first material is Al and the second material is CuOx.
US08465602B2

This invention relates to thermally sprayed coatings having an amorphous-nanocrystalline-microcrystalline composition structure, said thermally sprayed coating comprising from about 1 to about 95 volume percent of an amorphous phase, from about 1 to about 80 volume percent of a nanocrystalline phase, and from about 1 to about 90 volume percent of a microcrystalline phase, and wherein said amorphous phase, nanocrystalline phase and microcrystalline phase comprise about 100 volume percent of said thermally sprayed coating. This invention also relates to methods for producing the coatings, thermal spray processes for producing the coatings, and articles coated with the coatings. The thermally sprayed coatings of this invention provide enhanced wear and corrosion resistance for articles used in severe environments (e.g., landing gears, airframes, ball valves, gate valves (gates and seats), pot rolls, and work rolls for paper processing).
US08465600B2

According to the present invention, there is provided a high strength steel sheet, which has, for example, a tensile strength of 590 to 980 MPa or more, which has favorable workability, and which is useful for an automobile, etc. The high strength steel sheet of the present invention comprises 0.03 to 0.20% C (% by mass in chemical compositions; hereafter, the same holds true), 0.50 to 2.5% Si, 0.50 to 2.5% Mn, and further, preferably 0.02 to 0.2% Mo. Moreover, its metal structure includes ferrite and low temperature transformation phase. The mean grain size of the low temperature transformation phase is 3.0 μm or less. Further, grains whose size is 3.0 μm or less occupy 50% or more by area ratio of the low temperature transformation phase, and an average aspect ratio of the low temperature transformation phase is 0.35 or more.
US08465599B2

A method of providing sulfidation corrosion resistance and corrosion induced fouling resistance for a heat transfer component is disclosed. The heat transfer component includes a heat exchange surface formed from a chromium-enriched oxide containing material formed from the composition δ, ε, and ζ, wherein ζ is a steel containing at least about 5 to about 40 wt. % chromium, ε is a chromium enriched oxide (M3O4 or M2O3 or mixtures thereof) formed on the surface of the steel ζ, wherein M is a metal containing at least 5 wt. % Cr based on the total weight of the metal M, and δ is a top layer formed on the surface of the chromium-enriched oxide ε, comprising sulfide, oxide, oxysulfide, and mixtures thereof. The top layer δ comprises iron sulfide (Fe1-xS), iron oxide (Fe3O4), iron oxysulfide, iron-chromium sulfide, iron-chromium oxide, iron-chromium oxysulfide, and mixtures thereof. The metal M of the chromium enriched oxide (M3O4 or M2O3 or mixtures thereof) may comprise Fe, Cr, and constituting elements of the steel ζ. The steel ζ may be selected from low chromium steels, ferritic stainless steels, martensitic stainless steels, austenitic stainless steels, duplex stainless steels and precipitation-hardenable alloys.
US08465598B2

A vacuum carburization processing method includes a preparatory heating step of increasing the temperature of a workpiece in a heating chamber to a first temperature, a carburizing step of carburizing the workpiece by supplying carburizing gas into the heating chamber from a state where the pressure inside the heating chamber is reduced to an extremely low pressure, a diffusing step of terminating the supply of the carburizing gas and making carbon diffuse from a surface of the workpiece into its internal part, and a quenching step of abruptly cooling the temperature of the workpiece from a state where the temperature of the workpiece is at a second temperature; and also includes, between the diffusing step and the quenching step, a normalizing step of reducing the temperature of the workpiece so that the temperature history of the workpiece from the first temperature to a predetermined temperature satisfies predetermined conditions, a post-normalization maintaining step, performed after the normalizing step, of miniaturizing crystal grains of the workpiece by maintaining the workpiece at the predetermined temperature for a predetermined time so that the entire workpiece reaches the predetermined temperature, and a reheating step, performed after the post-normalization maintaining step, of increasing the temperature of the workpiece to the second temperature.
US08465594B1

Motor vehicle jumper cables comprising an integral wire brush mounted on an interior portion of the clamp assemblies is herein disclosed. The jumper cables with the wire brush are to be motioned to remove battery terminal corrosion, thereby providing for a better electrical connection. The device resembles a standard pair of jumper cables used to aid in jump-starting a motor vehicle with a dead battery and comprises a small wire brush located inside of each jaw area. The bristles are made of conductive steel or copper of a sufficient stiffness to clean any corrosion from the battery terminals as the clamps are being installed. Due to the conductive nature of the bristles, current will flow through the bristles as well as the clamp body, thus improving charging and starting ability.
US08465591B2

A disclosed film deposition apparatus includes a turntable having in one surface a substrate receiving portion along a turntable rotation direction; a first reaction gas supplying portion for supplying a first reaction gas; a second reaction gas supplying portion for supplying a second reaction gas; a separation area between a first process area where the first reaction gas is supplied and a second process area where the second reaction gas is supplied, the separation area including a separation gas supplying portion for supplying a first separation gas in the separation area, and a ceiling surface opposing the one surface to produce a thin space; a center area having an ejection hole for ejecting a second separation gas along the one surface; and an evacuation opening for evacuating the chamber.
US08465580B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a black ink composition by which a recorded matter in which a fine surface defect on a recorded matter is effectively suppressed, can be obtained. For this object, the present invention is a black ink composition containing water, carbon black, and a water-soluble polyurethane resin, wherein when a content of carbon black is not less than 0.4% by weight and less than 1.5% by weight, a content of a solid matter of the water-soluble polyurethane resin is not less than 0.67-fold and not more than 2.5-fold a content of the carbon black and, when a content of the carbon black is less than 0.4% by weight, a content of a solid matter of the water-soluble polyurethane resin is not less than 7.5-fold a content of the carbon black.
US08465569B2

A gas separation unit 102, 200, 300 for permeating a gas out from a pressurized feed mixture includes an input manifold 104, 204, an exhaust manifold, 106, 206 and a permeate assembly 108, 208, 303. The permeate assembly supports one or more permselective foils 130, 132, 218, 232, 318 over a hollow cavity 134, 272, 306 supported by a microscreen element 142, 144, 228, 230, 326. The microscreen element includes non-porous perimeter walls 190, 192, 278 supported on a frame surface and a porous central area 194, 280 supported over the hollow cavity. A porous spacer 138, 140, 174, 234 disposed inside the hollow cavity structurally supports the entire microscreen surface spanning the hollow cavity while also providing a void volume for receiving fluid passing through the porous central area and for conveying the fluid through the hollow cavity.
US08465564B2

The present invention relates to a method for the manufacture of a multilayered filter medium whose air permeability is at least 500 l/m2sec and a multilayered filter medium obtainable by said method which, when charged with 5 mg/cm2 SAE-dust of the class “fine”, exhibits a pressure increase of no more than 100 Pa.
US08465559B2

The present invention is a process and apparatus for forming various bio-products from cellulosic plant material. The plant material is subjected to a pulping step in which lignin is extracted from the material by an aqueous lignin solvent to form a lignin-solvent mixture and purified cellulose. The lignin-solvent mixture can be separated from the water to form a high energy density fuel that can be used independently or combined with biodiesel. The purified cellulose can be used in conventional processes, e.g., paper making, or can be converted to fermentable sugars with a cellulase enzyme to produce other bio-products depending on the operating conditions of the fermenter. The bio-products produced by the fermenter can include the solvent that may be recycled for use in extracting the lignin.
US08465557B2

A reactive distillation process is disclosed for converting aquatic biomass to a bio-oil. In the process a slurry of aquatic biomass is contacted with a particulate inorganic material. The mixture is heated to or above its boiling point. During the heating step biomass is converted to bio-oil. In a preferred embodiment water vapors emanating from the slurry are collected and condensed. The fresh water obtained may be used for irrigation, in human domestic uses, and for human consumption.
US08465550B2

A line of cotyloid implants of different sizes including a cup intended to be fastened in a cotyloid cavity and including a substantially hemispherical polar portion and an equatorial portion extending the polar portion, the polar portion and the equatorial portion delimiting a substantially hemispherical inner cavity, an insert pivotally mounted in the inner cavity delimited by the polar and equatorial portions of the cup, the insert delimiting an inner cavity having an inner spherical surface portion and intended to pivotally and retentively mount a prosthetic femoral head, where the height of the equatorial portions of the cups of the various cotyloid implants belonging to the line varies in a decreasing manner as a function of the increase in the size of the cotyloid implants.
US08465547B2

Methods and devices for spacing vertebral members using modular intervertebral devices and insertion tools. The devices may include opposing first and second endplates, and an intermediate member configured to fit between and support the endplates. The insertion tool may include an elongated handle and a distracter. A method of inserting the device using the tool may include inserting the endplates positioned on opposing sides of the handle into the intervertebral space and positioning the endplates in the intervertebral space relative to first and second vertebral members. The method may include deploying the distracter and increasing a distance between the endplates. Another step may include inserting the intermediate member into the intervertebral space and between the endplates and supporting the endplates with the intermediate member. The insertion tool may then be removed from the intervertebral space.
US08465542B2

A modified polyurethane including a lipid substituent pendant from at least one urethane nitrogen and/or at least one carbon atom of the modified polyurethane, methods of preparing modified polyurethanes and the use thereof as an implantable biomaterial.
US08465536B2

A stent deployment system includes a handle and a flexible sheath coupled the handle. A flexible tube extends from the handle through the sheath. A tapered flexible extension is coupled to the flexible tube, the tapered flexible extension has a taper angle of between about 5 degrees and 15 degrees towards the handle. A bead of adhesive can be supplied at an end of the tapered flexible extension. A thrust block is coupled to the flexible tube, and an endoluminal prosthesis is positioned around the flexible tube between the thrust block and the tapered flexible extension with a space situated between the endoluminal prosthesis and the thrust block.
US08465522B2

Self-reinforcing mechanical systems with application to biological fixation of a first tissue (for example, soft tissue) to a second tissue (for example, bone). As a repair construct is stressed, there is a feedback mechanism (self-reinforcing) against failure that is initially triggered by early failure. The construct “detects” its early/impending failure and utilizes the potentially destructive force to reinforce itself.
US08465508B2

An apparatus for the treatment of venous stasis includes an elongated intraluminal member shaped and dimensioned for passage through vessels of a subject. The intraluminal member includes a proximal end and a distal end. A conduit extends from proximate the proximal end of the intraluminal member to proximate the distal end of the intraluminal member. The conduit is shaped and dimensioned for fluid communication between the proximal end of the intraluminal member and the distal end of the intraluminal member. The distal end of the intraluminal member includes disruption means proximate thereto for ablating a predetermined vessel wall. A method is also provided for the treatment of venous stasis. The method is achieved by advancing an elongated intraluminal member through a vein to a treatment site, activating the intraluminal member for ablation of the treatment site and injecting sclerosant into the vein at the treatment site.
US08465504B2

A machine, and method of using, constructed and configured for automatic continuous suturing for reduced or minimized scarring and reduced suturing time, including a helical shaped needle, a hook, and a holding arm. The needle is used to provide for substantially planar stitching adjoining edges side by side. The hook is used to manipulate the stitching in automatic coordination with the needle so as to allow for continuous stitching. The holding arm is used in automatic coordination with the hook. The coordination and synchronization of these components provide for continuous planar stitches which adjoin edges side by side.
US08465493B2

A system for installing a vertebral stabilization system. The system includes an installation tool including a handle portion and a shaft extending distally from the handle portion. The shaft includes a conduit and a staple mechanism. The system also includes a flexible implant member extending along the conduit configured to be advanced out from a distal end of the shaft, and a staple housed in the staple mechanism. The staple is configured to secure the flexible implant member to a vertebra. The handle portion is configured to selectively advance the flexible implant member from the shaft and to selectively actuate the staple mechanism.
US08465492B2

Devices are described relating to the retaining of surgical tools within the chuck of a reciprocating surgical instrument, such as a reciprocating saw. A securing chuck is disclosed for securing a surgical tool to a reciprocating surgical instrument that comprises a shaft and a securing member. The shaft defines an axis and has a cylindrical bore extending along the axis. The bore is shaped to receive a substantially rounded tool shank. A pair of transverse slots extends into the shaft along a plane passing through the axis for receiving a substantially flattened tool shank. The transverse slots intersect with the cylindrical bore. The securing member is carried by the shaft and is radially movable relative to the bore both inwardly and outwardly to secure the surgical tool in the chuck.
US08465487B2

The present invention relates to a plasma-generating device comprising an anode, a cathode, and intermediate electrodes. The intermediate electrodes and the anode form an elongate plasma channel that extends from a point between the cathode and the anode and through the anode. The plasma channel has a throttling portion with a throat having the smallest cross-sectional area of the entire plasma channel. As a plasma flow passes through the throttling portion, the plasma flow's speed is increased while its pressure is decreased. By varying the position of the throttling portion in the plasma channel properties of the discharged plasma can be changed. Plasma flows with different properties can be used for various applications, especially, medical procedures.
US08465486B2

Methods and devices for treating reversible chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are disclosed, which include a device for delivering energy to a wall of an airway in a human lung. The device includes a flexible elongate body with a proximal portion, a distal portion, a distal end, and a lumen extending therebetween. The device also includes a deployment member having an electrically conducting wire extending from the proximal portion of the elongate body and extending through the lumen and terminating at a distal tip distal to the distal end of the elongate body. The device further includes an expandable basket having a plurality of curved electrode legs and a temperature sensing element coupled to the expandable basket.
US08465483B2

The supply circuit for the electrodes comprises a series resonant filter and a parallel resonant filter, tuned to admit the fundamental signal of the input signal and simultaneously and exponentially attenuate the remaining harmonics by increasing the frequency thereof, in such a way that the input signal with harmonics only passes the fundamental signal without attenuation to the output, while the harmonics causing interferences are increasingly attenuated as their frequency is raised.
US08465471B2

An endoscopically-guided intra-abdominal fat aspiration system for performing fat aspiration operations, including an endoscopy subsystem for capturing and recording captured digital video images of the intra-abdominal region of a patient, and a twin-cannula powered fat aspiration subsystem having a powered hand-supportable fat aspiration instrument provided with a bipolar electro-cauterizing twin-cannula assembly.
US08465466B2

A method and system for non-vascular sensor implantation. An implant unit is implanted in an area of a body and a foreign body capsule is allowed to form around the area of the implant unit. The sensor may be directed into a body cavity such as, for example, the peritoneal space, subcutaneous tissues, the foreign body capsule, or other area of the body. A subcutaneous area of the body may be tunneled to place the sensor. The system may include an implant unit such as, for example, for delivering drug to a human body and a sensor for detecting a physiological parameter. The sensor may be separate from and connectable to the implant unit and may be placed in a non-vascular area of the human body.
US08465465B2

A dynamic, reduced-pressure treatment system generates reduced pressure and a wave experienced at a tissue site where the wave may have a frequency in the range of from 0.5 Hertz to 20 Hertz. The system includes a manifold for delivering reduced pressure to the tissue site, a sealing member forming a fluid seal over the tissue site, a reduced-pressure source for providing reduced pressure, a reduced-pressure delivery member for delivering reduced pressure from the reduced-pressure source to the manifold, and a wave generator associated with the reduced-pressure delivery member for imparting a wave to the reduced pressure developed by the reduced-pressure source. A reduced-pressure delivery member with liquid-impermeable-and-gas-permeable element may be applied to help reduce blockages and to facilitate ease of treatment. Other systems, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed.
US08465462B2

A rapid exchange balloon dilation catheter includes a catheter shaft with a proximal tubular member defining a proximal inflation/deflation lumen for conveying fluids therethrough with a distal portion of the bore of proximal tubular member filled with a fluid-impervious barrier, a distal body extending from the fluid-impervious barrier to the distal end of the shaft, a plurality of distal tubular members defining distal inflation/deflation lumens in fluid communication with the proximal inflation/deflation lumen and extending through the fluid-impervious barrier and the distal body to the distal end of the shaft distal portion, a guidewire tubular member having a bore extending from a side aperture formed in the distal body through the distal body alongside the distal tubular members in a multi-lumen arrangement, and a plurality of stiffening members extending from within the fluid-impervious barrier into the distal body to a point within the shaft distal portion.
US08465455B2

A cartridge insertion assembly including apparatus with a pathway formed therein, a cartridge insertable into the pathway, the cartridge including a cartridge coupling element connectable to an activation mechanism disposed in the apparatus operative to cause a substance contained in the cartridge to be metered out of the cartridge, and a door pivoted to the apparatus that includes a door coupling element arranged with respect to the cartridge such that when the door is in a fully closed position, the door coupling element couples the cartridge coupling element with a coupling element of the activation mechanism.
US08465454B2

A matrix infusion cassette for use with an intravenous (IV) pump is disclosed. The matrix infusion cassette includes a body configured to attach to the IV pump, the body having one or more inlet ports, an outlet port, and a plurality of pumping chambers, and a plurality of fluid conduits connecting the inlet ports to at least one pumping chamber, interconnecting the pumping chambers, and connecting at least one pumping chamber to the outlet port.
US08465450B2

A vertically hand palm pressing suction device for a piston breast pump includes a casing and a piston suction member. The device is provided with a pressing handle, which goes through the casing and is fixedly connected with a gear shaft mounted on a base. A piston of the piston suction member is connected to a toothed rack. The pressing handle and the toothed rack are operatively connected through a gear member, wherein the connection converts up-and-down movement of the pressing handle into forth-and-back movement of the piston.
US08465436B2

An implant centering system includes a sensor connected to a hollow cylindrical anchor via at least two struts. The hollow cylindrical anchor is transformable between a radially compressed configuration for delivery and a radially expanded configuration for lodging against a vessel wall. The struts longitudinally relocate the sensor between a first position in which the sensor is longitudinally spaced apart from the radially compressed anchor, and a second position in which the sensor is at least partially within a lumen of the radially expanded anchor and radially centered within vessel. In one embodiment, the struts are heat-set into a curved configuration and an externally applied force longitudinally relocates the sensor until the struts lock over center into their heat-set configuration. In another embodiment, radial expansion of the anchor longitudinally relocates the sensor without an externally applied force.
US08465433B2

Disclosed is an ultrasound assembly. The ultrasound assembly includes a garment configured to be affixed to a portion of a living body, and at least one ultrasound transducer having a fixed position on the garment and configured to provide at least one of: produce and receive, ultrasound signals that pass through the living body. The ultrasound assembly further includes an ultrasound processing unit operatively associated with the at least one ultrasound transducer and configured to process the ultrasound signals following passage through the living body, and an ultrasound operator-interface unit operatively associated with the ultrasound processing unit and configured to provide information with respect to the ultrasound signals following passage through the living body.
US08465432B2

In an example embodiment, a method for bidirectional signal propagation comprises: a) sensing a voltage level of a first signal at a first port; b) coupling the first port to an output of an amplifier with a solid state switch if the voltage level of the first signal is less than a threshold voltage, whereby a second signal applied to a second port coupled to an input of the amplifier is propagated in a first direction from the second port to the first port; and c) bypassing the amplifier if the voltage level of the first signal is greater than the threshold voltage such that the first signal is propagated in a second direction from the first port to the second port.
US08465431B2

To generate information representing a volume, co-arrays or synthetic transmit aperture process is performed in one dimension and beamforming is performed in another dimension. For example, a transmit aperture focuses in azimuth, but is unfocused or divergent in elevation. A multi-dimensional array receives reflected echoes. The echoes are beamformed for sub-arrays for focus in azimuth. The resulting partial beamformed information is provided to an imaging system from the probe housing for completion of beamforming at least in elevation.
US08465421B2

A medical device includes an insertion tube, having a proximal end and a distal end, which is configured for insertion into a body cavity of a subject. An optical assembly is contained in the distal end and configured to form an image of a target region in the body cavity. A working channel passes through the insertion tube and is configured to convey a fluid from the proximal to the distal end. The working channel has a segment adjacent to the distal end that is narrowed so as to cause the fluid to exit the working channel into the target region in a diverging cone.
US08465419B2

The present invention is an endoscope system comprising an endoscope provided with a distal end inserted into a subject body and a proximal end having a site capable of being held by a physician and provided with an endoscope insertion unit having a first flexible portion arranged on the distal end thereof and a second flexible portion coupled to the proximal end of the first flexible portion and provided with a site having an outer diameter larger than a site having the maximum outer diameter of the first flexible portion; and an endoscope insertion assisting device, in which the inner diameter of a distal opening of an insertion hole through which the endoscope insertion unit is inserted is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the second flexible portion.
US08465408B2

Described are methods, devices, and systems for a novel, inexpensive, easy to use therapy for treatment of coma, post-traumatic stress disorder, Parkinson's disease, cognitive performance, and/or amblyopia. Described are methods and devices to treat coma, post-traumatic stress disorder, Parkinson's disease, cognitive performance, and/or amblyopia that involves no medication. Methods and devices described herein use alternating magnetic fields to gently “tune” the brain and affect symptoms of coma, post-traumatic stress disorder, Parkinson's disease, cognitive performance, and/or amblyopia.
US08465407B2

Described here are conformable brachytherapy applicators. The conformable brachytherapy applicators generally follow the contour of tissue surfaces so that distances between radiation sources and target tissues can be precisely determined and radiation dose clouds can be readily shaped. Systems and methods for using the conformable brachytherapy applicators are also described.
US08465404B2

A container insert, and an apparatus and a method of producing the container insert. The container insert is formed as a deformable pouch adapted to be received in an interior of an associated container. The pouch has a closed lower end, an open upper end, and spaced apart sealed edges. The lower end of the pouch includes two leg portions. The pouch is manipulatable to generally conform to the interior of the contained and form a hollow interior space therein for receiving an object and providing a lining for the interior of the container. The apparatus and the method for producing the insert provides for a substantially automatic and continuous production of the insert from a roll of material.
US08465403B2

An improved exercise bench for effectively and efficiently training the core portion of the user's body. The core training bench comprises a bench having an upper section and a separate lower section, a frame for supporting the bench above a surface, leg members interconnecting the frame and the bench and pivoting mechanisms interconnecting the leg members and the bench or the frame to allow the sections of the bench to pivot or tilt relative to the leg members. In the preferred embodiment, the upper section is able to pivot independent of the pivoting lower section so the user can place the bench in any one of a plurality of different tilt positions so he or she may selectively exercise different muscle groups at his or her core. The core training bench can include an oblique stand, grip bar, tension cable hooks and/or a removable section for an AB ball.
US08465400B1

A linearly adjustable multi resistance ratio exercise apparatus provides at least two linearly adjustable flexible connector ends which can be pressed or pulled for functional and strength training exercises. The flexible connector ends may be interconnected with resistance wherein the pressing or pulling of one flexible connector end will provide the user a different ratio of resistance than the pressing or pulling of an alternate flexible connector end. The user can select a flexible connector end which will provide less resistance and will provide more flexible connector travel for functional training exercises. The user can select a flexible connector end which will provide more resistance and will provide less flexible connector travel for strength training exercises. Some flexible connector ends may share the same swivel pulley assembly. One handle assembly may be attached to multiple flexible connector ends to obtain additional ratios of resistance.
US08465392B2

A method of operating a vehicle hybrid drive train comprising an internal combustion engine and electric machine whose torque is applicable to a drive output of the drive train. The drive train comprises a clutch arranged between the internal combustion engine and electric machine, an oil pump connected in the drive train downstream of the clutch in relation to the internal combustion engine, and the oil pump can be driven by the internal combustion engine and the electric machine, and a transmission which comprises a shifting elements for producing various gear ratios and which is supplied with hydraulic fluid by the oil pump in an operating-status-dependent manner. The speed of the electric machine is set independently of the speed of the internal combustion engine, in order to supply the transmission with a flow of a volume hydraulic fluid required for the operating point of the transmission present at the time.
US08465386B2

The present disclosure provides a semi-power split transmission with multiple Electric Variable Transmission (EVT) modes and fixed gears for use in hybrid electrical vehicles (HEV). The present disclosure utilizes two electric motors (“E-motors”), an engine, and two planetary gear sets. The planetary gear sets can include a dual-sun Ravigneaux-type gear set (DS-RGS), a dual-ring Ravigneaux-type gear set (DR-RGS), a three-sun Ravigneaux-type gear set (TS-RGS), and a normal planetary gear set (PGS). The E-motors can be placed at the front end of the transmission, with one E-motor at the front and one in the middle between the gear sets, and with both E-motors in the middle between the gear sets.
US08465380B2

A hollow golf club head includes a sole, a crown, a skirt, and a striking face. The golf club includes a junction interconnecting the sole, crown, and skirt to the striking face, the junction including at least one stiffening member.
US08465370B2

Various application-centric user interface techniques are described. A user can easily launch, add, or update applications. An application-centric activity center can be presented as part of a user interface for an operating system shell. A file defining metadata for an application can be defined. The techniques can be applied to game-related software.
US08465365B2

For a playing experience in a computer game that more accurately captures the experience of professional football or another sport, it would be advantageous to be able to hide from an opponent a selected player formation and play selection until the play actually begins. Similarly, in other computer games such as war games and role-playing games, it is desirable to be able to hide from other players certain properties—e.g., equipment, disposition of forces, etc.—held by each player while making this information available to the player holding these properties. In the present invention, a signal processor is inserted in the link between the game console and the television set and auxiliary displays are provided that are visible only to individual players. The signal processor detects certain frames containing information that should not be displayed to all players, removes that information from the signal to the television set and displays it instead on the appropriate auxiliary display.
US08465363B1

A networked gaming system and method for offering interactive games with a theoretical return or payback to the player exceeding 100% of the amount wagered on the game over time by awarding the player with non-cash awards such as merchandise or services, or vouchers to purchase merchandise or services that have been purchased in bulk by the gaming website or game operator. The gaming system and method are offered and deployed on internet connected devices such as general purpose computing devices, tablet computers, mobile telephones, smartphones, personal computers and dedicated gaming devices such as an “Xbox” or “PSP.”
US08465362B2

A method and apparatus of wagered mechanical, electromechanical or video symbol play for individual or networked gaming machines is disclosed. The method comprises a base game, a time-based bonus element scheme that may provide a bonus event, and a time-based window of opportunity in which the bonus element scheme may be accepted by a qualified player. Upon a triggering event in the base game, or alternately a random event, the player is afforded a specific period of time in which to choose a bonus element scheme comprised of at least one but preferably two bonus elements (i.e., cash, credits, casino player points, free spins, multipliers, and the like) that are each available for a predetermined and/or random time interval. The chosen bonus element scheme provides the parameters of a bonus round game.
US08465352B2

A plane defining unit (241) defines a horizontal plane in the field of view, within whose bounds an own character exists. A block division unit (242) divides the defined plane into a plurality of blocks. An aiming position selecting unit (243) randomly selects a predetermined number of aiming positions, which are arbitrary positions in each of the blocks thus divided. An reaching determining unit (244) determines whether a bullet can reach each of the target positions thus selected, based on a positional relationship with an opponent character, who conducts shooting, and the like. An aiming position deciding unit (245) randomly decides one target position from among the target positions determined to be reachable. An image generating unit (250) generates a game image including the own character attacked by a bullet shoot at the decided target position.
US08465351B2

A modular air delivery system for supplying treated air to plural individuals wearing ventilation cooling garments. These garments are formed of comfortable and flexible air permeable inner layer and an air impermeable outer layer to define a plurality of air channels therebetween. In one disclosed embodiment, a flexible channel support is disposed between the inner and outer layer to prevent the layers from collapsing together during use.
US08465343B2

This invention relates to a mobile floor levelling vehicle for levelling an undulating floor surface, which comprises a vehicle body with front and back displacement means for moving the vehicle body. To carry out the levelling operation the floor levelling vehicle comprises at least one grinding tool which is provided and driven to remove an amount of material from the floor, and at least one additional polishing device provided at a position behind the back displacement members in moving direction of the levelling vehicle.
US08465326B1

A card connector includes a first insulating housing, a second insulating housing mounted above the first insulating housing, a plurality of electrical terminals assembled in the first insulating housing and the second insulating housing, and a shielding shell enclosing the first and the second insulating housings. The first insulating housing defines a first receiving room and a second receiving room abreast arranged with each other, and the second insulating housing defines a third receiving room located over the first and the second receiving rooms. So the card connector forms a structure combining a juxtaposition arrangement and a stratiform arrangement for the receiving rooms to reduce the space occupied by the card connector on an external circuit board. Such structure contributes to the miniaturization of digital products.
US08465320B2

A connector has a housing and two edge card-receiving slots disposed in a stacked arrangement on a first face of the housing. The housing supports a plurality of wafers, each wafer supporting a plurality of terminals and including two grooves, the grooves aligned with the terminals supported by the wafer. The housing may be positioned in a cage that includes receptacles on a front face of the cage. A light pipe may extend toward the front face of the cage.
US08465309B2

A detection switch for detecting when a card is inserted in to a connector. The detection switch includes a housing, a shell, a card receiving passageway, and a detection switch. The shell is disposed on and covers the housing. The card receiving passageway is arranged between the housing and the shell. The detection switch detects when the card is inserted into the card receiving passageway and disposed along a side of the card connector. The detection switch includes a fixed contact secured to the housing, and a movable contact extending from the shell and configured to (1) contact the fixed contact when the card is not inserted in the card receiving passageway and (2) release from contact with the fixed contact when the card is inserted into the card receiving passageway.
US08465304B2

A connector mechanism includes a base and a casing. An opening is formed on a side of the base and the casing. The connector mechanism further includes a circuit terminal installed on the base, and a sliding socket connected to the base in a slidable manner and disposed on a side of the circuit terminal. The connector mechanism further includes a contacting terminal installed on the sliding socket for contacting with the circuit terminal. The connector mechanism further includes a sliding cover pivoted to the sliding socket, and at least one resilient component. The resilient component drives the sliding cover to separate from the sliding socket when the sliding socket slides to a position relative to the base where the casing does not constrain the sliding cover so as to generate a distance between the sliding cover and the sliding socket greater than a height of the opening.
US08465302B2

A connector housing includes a plurality of wafers containing terminal dedicated to either ground signals or differential signals. Terminals in adjacent wafers can be arranged to provide broadside coupled differential signal pairs. Terminals dedicated for use as ground terminals can be wider than the signal terminals to provide shielding between adjacent differential signal pairs. The signal terminals of each differential signal terminal pair can a constant width from their contact portions to a location proximate their tail portions and the terminals diverge from broadside alignment and increase in their width until they end at the terminal tail portions.
US08465300B2

A cable installation assembly includes a connector, a power wire, a ground wire and two signal wires. The connector includes a base, having a plurality of terminal containing grooves formed in the base and arranged separately adjacent to each other. The power wire includes a power core and a power terminal electrically coupled to power core, and each power terminal is plugged into each corresponding terminal containing groove. The ground wire includes a grounding core and a grounding terminal electrically coupled to the grounding core and plugged into the terminal containing groove. The signal wire includes a signal core and a signal terminal electrically coupled to signal core, and the two signal terminals are plugged into the terminal containing grooves respectively and not arranged adjacent to each other, so that signals can be transmitted without interfering with one another.
US08465299B2

An electrical connector comprises a housing, a plurality of first, second and third terminals and a shield fitting over an exterior of the housing. The housing comprises a base and a tongue with a front end; the base is provided with a base wall and an assembly slot that receives the tongue. The tongue can include a U-shaped flange that mates to the assembly slot and extends convexly forward from the base wall to support the posterior of the tongue. Each first terminal is provided with an elastic contact which is exposed on the top surface. Each second terminal is provided with a second contact exposed on the top surface and closer to the front end of the tongue than the elastic contacts. Each third terminal is provided with a third contact that is exposed on the bottom surface.
US08465294B2

A heart compression simulation device featuring a base; a resistance means disposed on the base; and an actuator operatively connected to the resistance means. The actuator can move between at least a starting position wherein the actuator is positioned at a starting position above the base and an end position wherein the actuator is pushed down near or contacting the base. The actuator is biased in the starting position caused by the resistance means. A tear effect providing mechanism provides resistance when moving the actuator from the starting position to the end position a first time. A lock-out mechanism is adapted to disengage the tear effect providing mechanism after the actuator has been moved from the starting position to the end position such that subsequent movements of the actuator between the starting position and the end position are not hindered by the tear effect providing mechanism.
US08465285B2

A dental fulcrum composed of soft material, such as foam, containing a slit for the insertion of incisors, and used as a pivot for scaling, or other treating, teeth by an oral hygienist or dentist. The dental fulcrum protects the fingers of an oral hygienist or dentist from calluses, or loss of sensitivity over time, while at the same time providing friction to reduce the risk of injury caused by fingers slipping on wet incisors. The device may be disposable or reusable, depending on the material used. Foam provides the additional benefit of absorbing saliva to further reduce the risk of slippage.
US08465284B2

Methods and compositions including an aqueous liquid that includes an acid-sensitive dye are disclosed for use in dental and orthodontic procedures. The aqueous liquid can be useful for providing a visible color change to indicate contact with acidic materials including, for example, etching compositions, self-etching adhesives, and self-adhesive compositions.
US08465283B2

The invention provides dental implants for fixed and removable prosthetic devices, and for other devices such as orthodontic devices, and has application to single tooth replacement, e.g., caps and crowns, and multiple tooth replacement using one or more implants, e.g., bridges, and multiple implants for full and partial prosthetic devices. Dental implants according to embodiments of the invention comprise a post or posts inserted into the jawbone and a base that is loaded, in the general area of the gum line, against the jawbone using the post or posts. According to some embodiments, the base is secured to each post, loaded against the jawbone, by a fastener system.
US08465282B2

An oral implant system and method. The system includes a positioning tool, a transfer band, a transfer screw, and a transfer drill to provide for accurate placement of a dental implant parallel to other implants and or existing teeth and at predetermined depths. A model is made of the patient's maxilla and mandible. The model is marked for implant position, depth and size. Holes are drilled in the model for implant analogs using the positioning tool. The analogs are installed into the model using the positioning tool and a surveyor. Transfer bands are coupled to the analogs and a surgical stent portion is fabricated. The surgical stent is fitted to the patient's occlusion, secured, and then utilized to accurately drill apertures into the patient's maxilla or mandible. The implants are installed into the apertures and the surgical stent is removed. A final restoration is secured to the implants.
US08465276B2

Disclosed is a method for operating a burner for fluid fuels. According to said method, the fluid fuel is mixed with an oxidizer before the fluid fuel is burned. The inventive method is characterized in that a liquid fuel that is used as a fluid fuel is mixed with a gaseous or vaporous carrier flow before being mixed with the oxidizer while the carrier flow containing the liquid fuel is mixed with the oxidizer in order to mix the liquid fuel with the oxidizer.
US08465275B2

A candle with a smooth exterior surface is configured so that it has a size and shape to substantially fill a hollow interior of the receptacle. The receptacle has an open mouth and a hollow interior having a smooth surface. The smooth exterior surface of the candle and smooth interior surface of the receptacle are in contact and slide past each other upon inserting the candle into the hollow interior to seat the candle on a moveable platform that is near a base end of the receptacle. After the candle is partially burned so an outer end thereof is burned away and displaced from the open mouth of the receptacle, the platform is advanced inward to move the outer end of the candle towards the open mouth to reposition the displaced outer end nearby the open mouth of the receptacle.
US08465272B2

Apparatus and methods for fabricating food items include extruding a first hot plastic food mass through multiple passages (14) and co-extruding a second hot plastic food mass through a feed stem (22) received in each of the multiple passages (14) and through nozzles (42). Each nozzle (42) includes a first portion (42b) in communication with the feed stem (22) but not the passage (14) and a second portion (42a) in communication with the passage (16) but not the feed stem (22). The nozzles (42) are rotatable in gearing relation with the drive gear (70) of a servomotor (72). The co-extruded ropes are conveyed at a linear speed rate less than or equal to the discharge speed from the nozzles (42), cooled, and cut into individual pieces in the form of peelably separable strands.
US08465264B2

A jet pump apparatus for mixing a higher pressure gas and a lower pressure gas, includes an inlet section, an outlet section, a diffuser section and a mixing section. Inlet section includes a higher pressure inlet and a lower pressure inlet. Mixing section includes a plurality of separated mixing chambers. The diffuser section includes diffusers for receiving mixed gases from the mixing chambers. The outlet section receives mixed gases from the diffuser section and conveys those gases to an outlet. The inlet section includes a higher pressure inlet which receives higher pressure gas, and a lower pressure gas inlet which receives lower pressure gas. Each of the mixing chambers has a primary nozzle for introducing primarily higher pressure gas from to a respective mixing chamber, and a secondary inlet for introducing primarily lower pressure gas to each of the mixing chambers.
US08465235B2

The present invention provides an apparatus (100) for forming circumferential grooves (14) in the exterior surface of a linear member (10), such as a tube. The grooves are formed by rotating a cylindrical cutting element (120) around the tube such that cutting means in the cylindrical cutting element form the grooves. One rotation of the cylindrical cutting element causes multiple grooves to be formed in the surface of the tubes.
US08465232B2

A cutting tool includes a coolant conveying member, to provide coolant fluid to a cutting area during a cutting operation. The coolant conveying member includes a member body having a fluid passage formed therein, and a nozzle to convey and to jet out the coolant fluid therethrough. The nozzle is shiftable relative to the member body, between a first, extended position and a second, retracted position. In the extended position, for example, assumed during the cutting operation—the nozzle extends out and forwardly from the member body, stabilized by the continuous flow of coolant fluid therethrough, forcing the nozzle forwardly. In the retracted position, for example, assumed when the when the coolant fluid does not flow through the coolant conveying member, or flows at a very low rate, the nozzle may be at least partially accommodated in the fluid passage, to allow, for example, indexing or replacing of the cutting insert.
US08465231B2

An geotextile silt fence has an increasing permittivity with increase in height thereby allowing larger storm events to flow through the fence without overtopping. A stiffening device is provided at the top of the silt fence to reduce sagging and improper overtopping. This stiffening device may be a mono-directional extruded geogrid structure that is a higher mil thickness than the geotextile monofilament structure of the silt fence and which is affixed to the geotextile continuously throughout the silt fence length. An overflow preferential pathway may be provided at the top of the silt fence through large voids within the geogrid providing controlled overflow of impounded water which mitigates structural failure of the silt by eliminating the typical overtopping failure mechanism.
US08465230B1

A silt fence support base comprised of a porous casting made of stone, cement and water, and having a half-moon shape. Each casting may have one or more openings for the insertion of posts, which provide a frame for holding porous, filter material. Silt fence filtering material may be anchored under the bases.
US08465211B2

A compact wheel end (A) serves to couple a road wheel (B) to a suspension system component (C) on an automotive vehicle and to transmit torque from a CV joint (D) to the road wheel. The wheel end includes a housing (2) that is attached to the suspension system component and a hub (4) provided with a drive flange (18) on which the road wheel is mounted and a spindle (20) that extends through the housing. The hub rotates relative to the housing on a double row tapered roller bearing (6), the raceways (40, 42, 44, 46) of which are surfaces on the housing and hub spindle. The wheel end also has a coupler (8) that is engaged with the hub spindle and the CV joint through mating splines (32, 72, 76, 94) and further provides a rib face (52) that backs the rollers (62) of the inboard row. The CV joint has a small diameter stub shaft (92) that extends through the hub to secure the CV joint to the hub, but does not transmit torque. The tapered roller bearing and coupler enable the wheel end to assume a radial size smaller than conventional wheel ends.
US08465205B2

A trash bag includes a bag body being formed of plastic material and a tying element. The bag body includes a first bag sheet overlain with to a second bag sheet. A cavity is formed between the first and second bag sheets, and a top opening is formed along top edges of the first and second bag sheets. The tying element is impermanently integrated with the bag body. After the use of the bag body, said tying element is torn from the bag body to tie a knot around the top opening of the bag body and to seal the cavity. More specifically, the tying element includes a first tying band and a second tying band integrated with the first and second bag sheets of the bag body respectively, which forms the double-layer tying structure to enhance the tying strength of the tying element.
US08465204B2

A biopsy apparatus includes a biopsy needle for insertion into an object to be examined in order to sample tissue of a biopsy region in the object, and a spatial range measuring section, which measures a spatial range within which the biopsy needle is capable of sampling the tissue of the biopsy region, based on an image of a phantom that simulates the object, which is captured after the biopsy needle has been inserted into the phantom and a portion of the phantom has been extracted.
US08465174B2

A light box defined with a peripheral portion and a display portion is provided. The peripheral portion has four margins, and the opposing margins being defined with equal widths. The display portion is surrounded by the peripheral portion and is rectangular. The light box comprises at least two sets of electrode pads and an outer frame. The at least two sets of the electrode pads are disposed on at least two of the margins, respectively, and each set of the electrode pads comprises a connector electrode pad, disposed at the corresponding margin. With the arrangement of the at least two sets of the electrode pads, the light box can be panelized with one or more lighting panels.
US08465168B2

This lighting unit can control luminance in a plurality of block areas independently, and minimize luminance unevenness caused by discretely arrayed light sources, with a reduced number of parts. The lighting unit comprises: a light guide plate having a first and a second grooves formed therein; a first light source group accommodated in the first groove; and a second light source group accommodated in the second groove; the light guide plate having a first light mixing area, a first light emitting area and a second light mixing area; in the first light mixing area, the thickness of the light guide plate progressively increasing away from the first light source group; in the second light mixing area, the thickness of the light guide plate progressively increasing away from the second light source group; and in the first light emitting area, the light guide plate being flat-plate-like.
US08465166B2

The invention relates to a white emitting light source with an improved luminescent material of the formula (AEN2/3)*b (MN)*c (SiN4/3)*d1 CeO3/2*d2 EuO*x SiO2*y AlO3/2 wherein AE is an alkaline earth metal chosen of the group of Ca, Mg, Sr and Ba or mixtures thereof and M is a trivalent element chosen of the group of Al, B, Ga, Sc with d1>10*d2. In combination with a UV to blue light generating device this material leads to an improved light quality and stability, especially an improved temperature stability for a wide range of applications.
US08465163B2

An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having compass circuitry having a multi-axis sensor and associated circuitry. At least a portion of the compass circuitry is established on a semiconductor substrate using CMOS technology. The multi-axis sensor comprises at least first and second magnetoresponsive sensing elements. The magnetoresponsive sensing elements may be disposed in the mirror casing and move in tandem with the mirror casing and the reflective element when the mirror casing is adjusted by the driver of the vehicle. Processing of an algorithm by a microprocessor of the interior rearview mirror system determines a directional heading of the equipped vehicle responsive to a sensing of a magnetic field by the magnetoresponsive sensing elements and automatically compensates for a deviating magnetic field. An information display may display the directional heading of the equipped vehicle.
US08465162B2

An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly and an information display. The display is disposed in the interior rearview mirror assembly rearward of a transflective mirror reflector of an electrochromic reflective element of the mirror assembly. Information display intensity of the display is adjustable responsive to determination of a light level at the mirror assembly by a photosensor of the mirror assembly. The display is operable to display information for viewing by the driver of the vehicle, and the information at least includes video images captured by a camera of the vehicle. A control of the mirror assembly is in communication with a network bus of the equipped vehicle when the mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle. A reflectance level of the electrochromic reflective element is controlled at least responsive to a determination of a light level by the photosensor.
US08465161B2

An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a reflective element, a bezel portion positioned around the perimeter of the reflective element, and a user input module disposed at the bezel portion. The bezel portion has a recess established at its surface that faces generally toward a driver of a vehicle when the mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle. The user input module is attached to the bezel portion at the recess and is at least partially received in the recess. The user input module includes at least one user input that is actuatable by a user to engage and actuate electronic circuitry of the user input module.
US08465160B2

A liquid tank, a viewing device for under-liquid observation, and an optical film are disclosed, each excellent in visibility and durability and being easy to clean. In at least one embodiment of the present invention is directed to a liquid tank having a transparent wall, including, on an internal surface of the wall, a first moth-eye layer having a moth-eye structure, and a protective layer covering the moth-eye structure, in this order from the wall side, and preferably, further including, on an external surface of the wall, a second moth-eye layer having a moth-eye structure, and the second moth-eye layer being disposed in a region facing the first moth-eye layer.
US08465155B2

A method for forming, onto a linear array light modulator, a line of illumination that extends in a linear direction, the method includes forming a first linear beam array and a second linear beam array, both linear beam arrays comprising a plurality of laser beams; forming a mixed illumination by aligning the first linear beam array and the second linear beam array in the linear direction and directing the first and second linear beam arrays along a propagation path; magnifying the mixed illumination from the propagation path in the linear direction and relaying the magnified mixed illumination toward the linear array light modulator; and focusing the mixed illumination in the cross-array direction that is orthogonal to the linear direction onto the linear array light modulator.
US08465152B2

An ophthalmological photographic apparatus includes an observation moving-image photographic unit configured to photograph an observation moving image of a subject's eye, a still-image photographic unit configured to photograph a still image of the subject's eye, an image display unit configured to display at least one of the observation moving image and the still image, and a display content control unit configured to cause the image display unit to display one of the observation moving image and the still image when the still-image photographic unit photographs a still image.
US08465143B1

Systems, methods and apparatuses are described for a continuous line process of printing a digital continuously variable image on a textile. The systems and methods provide for accomplishing all tasks associated with printing a textile simultaneously for multiple textiles at varying stages of the printing process without interruption.
US08465139B2

An inkjet printhead having a drop ejector array, an ink passageway for providing ink to the drop ejector array, and a thermally actuated degassing unit. The degassing unit itself includes a body enclosing an air chamber, a check valve configured to allow air to vent from the air chamber to ambient when the pressure in the air chamber exceeds ambient air pressure by a predetermined amount. The thermal degassing unit includes a thermally-induced pressure build-up time to increase the pressure in the air chamber. The air chamber is allowed to cool which causes internal pressure to drop below ambient and draws gas out of the ink.
US08465135B2

The liquid container has a fixing lever, a first surface, a second surface, a third surface, and a corner. The fixing lever engages with a designated portion of the liquid consuming device, thereby fixing the liquid container in the liquid consuming device. The fixing lever is provided on the first surface. A liquid supply port for supplying liquid to the liquid consuming device is provided on the second surface. The third surface corresponds to a surface facing opposite the second surface or to a top surface of the liquid container in a state with the liquid container mounted on the liquid consuming device. The corner has a cutout in contact with the first surface and the third surface.
US08465133B2

A bidirectional sealless ink pumping system used in an inkjet printing device includes a liquid ink reservoir and a pump. The pump moves ink from the reservoir through a pumping chamber to supply ink to printheads in the printer, and moves ink from a recirculation receptacle through the pumping chamber to the reservoir. A portion of the ink in the pumping chamber is drawn out of the pumping chamber to lubricate the moving member and is filtered before returning to the pumping chamber.
US08465132B2

An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes the pressure adjusting valve including a movable member movably disposed in the pressure adjusting valve, a first throttling part; and a second throttling part, wherein the second throttling part is formed as a gap between an internal wall of the frame of the pressure adjusting valve and the movable member, an internal fluid resistance of the pressure adjusting valve varies in response to the flow rate of the liquid, and when the liquid is discharged from the nozzle, the liquid is fed from the liquid tank to the recording head by the liquid feeding unit in a state where the recording head is in fluid communication with the liquid tank via the pressure adjusting valve.
US08465131B2

A fluid distribution system having a first fluid container having a fluid outlet, a second fluid container having a fluid inlet, a fluid line interconnecting the outlet of the first container and the inlet of the second container, an inverted umbrella valve between the fluid line and the inlet, the valve arranged to allow fluid flow from the first container to the second container via the fluid line and a restrictor for restricting the allowed fluid flow through the fluid line.
US08465123B2

A waste liquid recovery apparatus includes a container body; a liquid absorbing body which is accommodated in the container body and absorbs liquid discharged as a waste liquid; and a sealing member which seals the container body, wherein a first space into which liquid is discharged from a liquid ejecting head and a second space which links with the outside through a ventilation hole formed in the sealing member are formed in a space closed by the container body and the sealing body, and the first space and the second space are connected with each other at the ventilation hole side.
US08465122B2

A liquid jetting apparatus includes: a liquid jetting head which has a liquid jetting surface being formed with a nozzle to jet a liquid to a recording medium; a wiper which makes contact with the liquid jetting surface to bend and wipes away the liquid adhered to the liquid jetting surface; a movement mechanism which moves the wiper relative to the liquid jetting surface in a wipe direction along the liquid jetting surface; a movement controller which stops the wiper, which has wiped away the liquid adhered to the liquid jetting surface by moving relative to the liquid jetting surface in the wipe direction, at a predetermined stop position; and a separating mechanism which separates the wiper stopped by the movement controller from the liquid jetting surface in a separating direction intersecting the liquid jetting surface.
US08465112B2

A droplet ejecting component of the present invention includes an ejecting component having a charge and discharge characteristic, an applying component being provided with a transistor, and an increasing component. The ejecting component ejects a droplet. When a control signal is inputted, the applying component applies an application voltage to the ejecting component, and the increasing component increases the impedance of the transistor.
US08465106B2

A method for producing a vehicle wheel and wheel cover assembly comprising the steps of: (a) providing a wheel cover having an inner surface and an outer surface; (b) selectively applying at least one shot of a first adhesive material to a portion of the inner surface of the wheel cover to define a predetermined masked area; (c) providing a vehicle wheel having an outboard face; (d) positioning the wheel cover and the vehicle wheel relative to one another whereby at least one cavity is formed between the inner surface of the wheel cover, the outboard face of the vehicle wheel, and the masked area of the wheel cover defined by the first adhesive material; and (e) selectively applying a second adhesive material to the cavity to secure the wheel cover to the vehicle wheel.
US08465096B2

A stowable vehicle seat includes a seat supporting portion that supports one end portion side of a seat cushion movably in a front-and-rear direction, a seat back that can be folded to a seat cushion through a reclining mechanism, a link mechanism that is connected to the reclining mechanism and is movable, and a strap connected to the reclining mechanism through the link mechanism. The link mechanism has a fourth link member that prohibits return from a moved position to an initial position after movement by the strap, and since an unlocked state of the reclining mechanism is maintained even if a pulling operation of the strap is stopped, the seat back can be reliably folded and stowed.
US08465093B2

An automotive seat cover is provided which allows a person to change the appearance of the seat cover without removing the seat cover from the seat. The seat cover includes panels which are removably attachable to the seat cover to alter the functionality or the visual appearance of the seat cover.
US08465083B2

In a vehicle whose tire is wholly covered from the left, right and back, a negative pressure area to the rear of the vehicle is reduced. In a vehicle including a left trunk and a right trunk in a rear portion of the vehicle, a rear fender continuous with respective rear faces of the left and right trunks is provided, and a plane formed of the respective rear faces of the left and right trunks and the rear fender is provided with negative pressure correction holes.
US08465081B2

A convertible top having a cover and a headliner interconnected by transverse bows having fore and aft slots that are connected to either the cover or the headliner by flexible welts. A method of making a convertible top with welts that are assembled to the bows by sliding first and second welts lengthwise into fore and aft slots formed on the bows. The bows are assembled to the top stack after the cover and headliner are attached to the bows. One or more bows may include a central portion and two end portions that are assembled to opposite ends of the central portion in a range of predetermined positions. A method is disclosed for making a bow by extruding the central portion of the bow and molding the right and left end portions of the bow in a thixotropic molding process.
US08465080B2

A covering system for vehicles and trailers having a narrow pivot assembly with a moveable arm to help deploy the covering system. The pivot assembly has a gear assembly combined with a spring assembly having the power of multiple springs, which are preferably spiral torsion springs, regarding movement of the arm. The pivot assembly may in turn be mounted in a sliding mechanism for covering various heights of detachable containers.
US08465076B1

A console assembly having a first storage area and a second storage area, wherein access to the first storage area is possible without having to remove articles supported on the outer surface of the console assembly is provided. The console assembly includes a slidable support is operable to slide between a covered position and a retracted position. In the covered position the slidable support covers the first storage area, and in the retracted position the slidable support is disposed within the second storage area, between each of the pair of second side walls.
US08465071B2

Disclosed is multiple-unit indexing, mechanical scissor clamp for handling one or more modular segmental retaining wall units, also called “SRW blocks” having opposite ends each provided with a vertical groove. This clamp allows the user to move SRW blocks from a shipping pallet to a wall. The clamp and blocks are lifted using traditional construction machinery such as a backhoe, crane, bobcat, etc. The significant innovation of this clamp/block system is the ability to lift and place more than one large segmental retaining wall block with each installation cycle, substantially increasing installation efficiency.
US08465068B1

A grill panel removal tool includes a handle that has a first end and a second end. A mount is coupled to the second end of the handle and the mount has a first side and a second side. A pair of holding members extends forwardly from the mount. Each holding member has a proximal end relative to the mount that is attached to the mount. Each of the holding members extends outwardly from the mount away from the handle. Each of the holding members has a curved medial section positioned between a distal section relative to the mount and a proximal section extending from the mount. The holding members engage and lift a grill panel that has spaced parallel bars.
US08465066B2

The invention relates to a swivel bearing for a pressing mechanism of a closing device. In order to create a swivel bearing that is easy to mount and inexpensive to produce, the pivotable unit is connected to the base plate by a journal located on the pivotable unit.
US08465063B1

The invention relates to a device and methods for installing and using a gate latch apparatus to protect and enclose livestock. The latching device may or may not be permanently installed, and it can be installed on gates in both a horizontal and vertical fashion. The gate latch apparatus can be opened with one hand of a person. The apparatus includes a pair of latch plates with two chain-grasping slots. The ability to double latch the gate is possible by sliding the chain into both the first and second slots of an L-shaped slot and wrapping the chain across the fitted member and then slipping the chain into a U-shaped slot. The gate latch of this invention can also be used to attach two gates together and to attach free standing fence panels together.
US08465062B2

A latch, latching system and other components are disclosed that are particularly well suited for use with the heavy doors of armored military vehicles. Some component embodiments are usable in normal and emergency modes to provide access, entry, egress and rescue through vehicle door openings. Included among the disclosed components are latches having separate operating components that can be used to retract spring projected latch bolts and that usable advantageously in pairs and readily reconfigurable for use on left, right, front and rear doors of a vehicle at locations where door thicknesses differ. Also disclosed are operating linkages intended to extend exteriorly of door armor to turn shafts to operate latches situated interiorly of the door armor.
US08465059B1

A swivel coupling is provided for a waste disposal system having a first waste disposal component and a second waste disposal component. The swivel coupling comprises a first coupling portion having a first end and a second end, the second end being configured for connection to the first waste disposal component, and a second coupling portion having a third end and a fourth end, the fourth end being configured for connection to the second waste disposal component. The first end is rotatably connected to the third end such that when the second end is connected to the first waste disposal component and the fourth end is connected to the second waste disposal component, the first and second coupling portions are rotatable relative to one other.
US08465053B2

A protective shield for a vehicle is provided. The protective shield may include a plurality of shield panels configured to shield particular areas of a vehicle from damage, and a connecting member that connects the shield panels. The shield panels may be adjustable along a length of the connecting member. The shield panels may each include a planar main body, and at least one opening that extends through the planar main body, configured to receive the connecting member threaded therethrough. At least one magnet may be embedded in the planar main body of the panel shield, configured to magnetically adhere the shield panel to the vehicle. A clasp member may be disposed at each end of the connecting member. The connecting member may extend through each shield panel at least twice.
US08465050B1

An integrated safety net system for a recreational vehicle having a chassis with a step-through door opening. They safety net system includes a door having a forward end and a rearward end, and a hinge coupled between the rearward end of the door and the chassis of the vehicle. Upper and lower safety nets are coupled to the door forward of the hinge and coupled to the chassis of the vehicle on or rearward of the rearward side of the door opening. The safety net and the door are collectively and cooperatively movable as the rear-hinged door moves to the open position or closed position. The door includes a latch at the forward end of the door to provide one operational step to release or secure the door and the integrated safety nets to the chassis upon ingress or egress of the vehicle.
US08465026B1

A safe roller shoe structure contains a body and a base, the base includes four rollers, characterized in that a pedal is lower than an upper periphery of each roller to lower a gravity center of legs in exercise; the pedal includes the four seats four integrally formed and extending from two sides thereof to correspond to the four rollers.
US08465014B2

A feeding device includes: a sheet housing unit; a sheet conveying unit having an endless belt member, which faces a topmost sheet of sheets stacked in the sheet housing unit, and a suction unit disposed inside the belt member; a sheet lifting unit that lifts the topmost sheet to a position where the topmost sheet is attracted on a surface of the belt member by a negative pressure generated by the suction unit; and an external device sheet conveying unit that conveys a sheet fed from another feeding device connected to the feeding device to a gap between the topmost sheet in the sheet housing unit and the belt member. In feeding the sheet fed from the other feeding device to the subsequent step, the sheet lifting unit is stopped while the suction unit, the belt member, and the external device sheet conveying unit are operated.
US08465008B2

A complex wave spring, or Beer Spring™, for electrically coupling opposed electrical contact surfaces or generating a relatively constant force. The spring includes a first wave portion shaped to define a first upward undulation and a first downward undulation, and a second wave portion fixedly arranged relative to the first wave portion. The second wave portion is shaped to define a second upward undulation proximate to the first downward undulation, and a second downward undulation proximate to the first upward undulation. The spring may be formed of electrically conductive material suitable for electrically coupling electrical contact surfaces when the spring is in contact between the surfaces. The complex spring provides unusually constant spring forces over a relatively wide range of compression distances.
US08464994B2

A folding tool stand includes a platform connected to a base frame. The platform is pivotally and slidingly connected at a first side thereof to the base frame and is pivotally connected at a second side thereof to links that are pivotally connected to the base frame. A leg support is pivotally connected to the base frame. A locking device is provided to maintain the platform in an extended position. In the collapsed position, the platform is guided by the links to be positioned along the base frame. In the extended position, the links guide and support the platform in a position spaced from the base frame. In a first embodiment, spring members bias the platform into the extended position. In an alternate embodiment, a driving device is used to provide support to the second side of the platform during the expansion and collapse of the folding tool stand.
US08464989B2

A backer strip load distribution device 10 includes a load distribution member 12 for disbursing a load imparted upon the device 10 over an area of the wall portion 6 engaged by a back wall 14 of the distribution member 12. The device 10 also includes an alignment member 16 for disposing a support structure 4 (prior art) upon a preselected portion of the load distribution member 12.
US08464987B1

An adjustable conduit clamp to secure a conduit to a structure has a clampback and a strap that interfits therewith. The clampback has sidewalls configured to be placed against a structure and a portion of each sidewall configured to support a conduit. A first spacer is positioned between the sidewalls at a first region of the sidewalls and a second spacer positioned between the sidewalls at a second region. A cantilever member extends from the second spacer and is positioned between the first and second sidewalls, the cantilever member having a free end movable relative to the sidewalls and spaced from an end of the first spacer so as to form an opening therebetween for passage of the strap. The strap has a first end portion shaped to contact a conduit and a second end portion dimensioned for passage through the opening in the clampback.
US08464980B2

The present invention relates to a power plant (10) having a single engine (13) together with both a main gearbox (MGB) suitable for driving the rotary wing (3) of a helicopter (1) and a tail gearbox (TGB) suitable for driving an anti-torque rotor (4) of a helicopter (1). The power plant (10) also includes a first electric motor (11) mechanically connected to said main gearbox (MGB) in order to be capable of driving said main gearbox (MGB), and a second electric motor (12) mechanically connected to said tail gearbox (TGB) in order to be capable of driving said tail gearbox (TGB).
US08464972B2

A concrete pulverizer adapted for mounting on an arm of an excavator including a lower jaw having a first pivot pin mechanism and a crushing surface. The crushing surface on this jaw is formed with concrete waste apertures. An upper jaw has a rear end section connectible to an end of the arm and has crushing teeth mounted on a lower side. This jaw is pivotably connected to the lower jaw by the pivot pin mechanism. The upper jaw is pivotably connected to a hydraulic cylinder actuator on the arm and can be pivoted between an upper position and a crushing closed position. There is a power mechanism for pivoting the lower jaw between a horizontal scooping position and a dumping position and this mechanism can hold the lower jaw in a crushing position while the upper jaw is being pivoted by the hydraulic cylinder actuator.
US08464968B2

A system for spraying liquid (100) for a windshield (111) of an aircraft including a spray-liquid supply circuit (101), a pressurized-gas supply circuit (102) designed to purge the spray-liquid supply circuit, and at least one nozzle (114) disposed downstream from the circuits and designed to spray the spray liquid and pressurized gas on a windshield, characterized in that the system includes an auxiliary means of compression (107) ready to compress gas designed to circulate in the pressurized-gas supply circuit, the auxiliary means of compression being positioned near the nozzle. Also, an aircraft cockpit provided with at least such a spray system.
US08464963B2

A system for supplying supplemental heat to a vehicle, particularly a vehicle with a diesel engine, A driven viscous plate with different viscous clutch faces on either side is provided between the engine and the coolant pump. One side clutches to the engine structure (ground) to generate heat, and the other side clutches to the coolant pump to vary the pump drive. The two sides are controlled by a valve operated by signals from the engine computer. The valve varies the supply of viscous fluid from a common reservoir independently to both sides of the driven viscous plate. The signal from the engine control unit is based on the instantaneous desired supplemental heat and coolant flow. In another embodiment, two separate viscous clutches are utilized and positioned on opposite sides of the coolant pump.
US08464953B2

Network and device configuration systems and methods are described. In an embodiment, a first user interface configured to receive from a user configuration information regarding a first network provided. Program code stored in computer accessible memory is configured to generate a barcode that includes information related to the first network configuration information, wherein the barcode can be scanned by a device having a barcode scanner and a network interface to configure the network interface to access the first network.
US08464930B2

A system for decoding machine-readable graphical codes is provided. The system includes a graphical code reading device configured to read a graphical code and generate reference encoded source data. The reference encoded source data includes a first reference identifier and a second portion. The system also includes a computing device in electronic communication with the graphical code reading device. The computing device also includes a reference decoder configured to effect conversion of the reference encoded source data into source data. The source data includes first affiliated data in place of the first reference identifier. The first affiliated data may be longer in length than the first reference identifier. The source data also includes the second portion. The computing device also includes a software application configured to use the source data.
US08464929B2

Disclosed are systems and methods that time correlate input at a point of entry of consumer data of least two identifications for products, prescriptions, vouchers, or codes, uses positive correlation determinations for triggering output of predetermined information. The time correlation of identifications may be used to build a time correlation database, and thereafter use that database for targeted communications. Related inventions include an intelligent Y cable or the like to filter data transmitted from a scanner at a point of entry of consumer data, and a novel POS CS configured to receive bar codes that would otherwise cause the POS CS to enter an error condition.w
US08464925B2

A surgical stapler includes first and second tissue clamping members and a reservoir configured to hold a tissue treatment composition. The first tissue clamping member is configured to receive a plurality of staples. The second tissue clamping member comprises an anvil configured to form the staples. The reservoir may be provided in a handle portion of the surgical stapler, and a fluid conduit may be used to communicate the tissue treatment composition from the reservoir. An end effector lumen may selectively communicate with the fluid conduit. The lumen may also be in communication with openings to further communicate the tissue treatment composition to tissue or to a scaffold material positioned adjacent to tissue. A reservoir may alternatively be provided in one of the clamping members. A knife member may pierce a housing defining the reservoir, and a resilient member may then urge a tissue treatment composition from the housing.
US08464917B2

A tap with a dosing chamber for dosing liquids, in particular for dosing high and medium density liquids, including a body equipped with a connecting part to a container of liquid to be delivered through a liquid delivering passage and a valve that opens and closes the liquid delivering passage with an elastic button that actuates the valve and an air circulating tank in order to vent the liquid container when liquid is dispensed.
US08464916B2

The invention relates to a so-called “anti-drip” cap (10) for a flexible bottle (12) including a base (16), in communication with the bottle, covered by a cover (26), including an outlet opening (30), the cover (26) being movable between a bottom blocking position and a top dispensing position, characterized in that the cover (26) is mobile between a first angular position associated with the bottom blocking position and a second angular position, in which the cover (26) is mobile under the pressure of a product feeding the base, between an intermediate position for venting the bottle (12) and the top dispensing position, an elastic return element (38) with a predetermined stiffness being inserted in the second angular position between the cover and the base.
US08464913B2

A detergent container cradle including a seating surface for supporting a detergent container having an outlet for discharging detergent therefrom, and sidewalls provided at opposite edges of the seating surface to apply pressure to an outside circumferential surface of the detergent container having no outlet provided thereto.
US08464911B2

A container is disclosed which segregates at least two types of seed during storage and blends the at least two types of seed together when emptied from the container. The container has a first compartment and a second compartment, the first compartment storing a first type of seed and the second compartment storing a second type of seed. A method is disclosed for blending at least two types of seed together.
US08464910B2

The present disclosure is drawn to a multi-component container system and related methods for storing and mixing fluids and associated methods of use. The system provides individual component packaging which increases the shelf-life and usefulness of the multi-component system while reducing or eliminating hazards associated with increased component concentration. Specifically, the system can provide a multi-chamber container system for storing and mixing fluids in which at least one chamber is substantially encapsulated within another chamber.
US08464903B2

A system for providing an iced alcoholic beverage such as iced beer or carbonated soft drink includes a source of chilled coolant (16), and a beverage line (10) for supplying the beverage. A heat exchanger (20) is disposed in the beverage line (10) for cooling the beverage by heat transfer to the chilled coolant. A restriction (22) or orifice forming a venturi is provided in the beverage line (10) downstream from the heat exchanger. A chilled font (18) for further cooling the beverage is provided downstream from the orifice. The font (18) includes a dispenser tap (30) capable of dispensing the beverage at a relatively low dispense rate and at a relatively higher dispense rate. In use the beverage is first dispensed at a relatively low dispense rate through a smaller orifice of a narrow diameter at a preset low flow rate of beverage, and becomes ice or slush (40). After a period of time the liquid beverage, which may contain ice in the form of flakes, slush, crystals or the like is dispensed at a faster rate, typically through a larger diameter orifice.
US08464901B2

An apparatus for dispensing solid articles includes a housing and a gate system. The housing defines a dispensing channel and a portal through which articles can flow along a dispensing pathway. The gate system includes a gate member positioned in the dispensing pathway. The gate member is selectively positionable between an open position and a closed position. When the gate member is in the open position, the gate member permits the articles to pass through the portal and, when the gate member is in the closed position, the gate member blocks the articles from passing through the portal. The gate system is configured such that the gate member is passively transitionable between the open and closed positions.
US08464896B2

The invention is a container or container lid, including but not limited to a container or lid or container-lid combination of the kind commonly used to distribute bulk-dispensed beverages that features an integrated component used for attaching and holding a straw vertically to the outside of the container. The integrated component may be made a part of the container or a part of the lid, and may take any of a variety of shapes as described in the specification.
US08464894B2

A structure is injection molded onto a group of panels to form a container. The container has a tray and an injection-molded feature. The tray has a plurality of side panels that extend at least partially around, and at least partially define, a cavity of the container. The tray has a plurality of multi-part flanges with at least one of the multi-part flanges including a lower flange portion and an upper flange portion. The injection-molded feature has band that is injected molded onto the lower flange portion and the upper flange portion. An injection-molded strip extends along and at least partially defines the corner of the container. The strip extends downward from the inner portion of the band in the elongate corner of the container. A tool is also disclosed for forming the container.
US08464889B1

A transportable pastry container comprises a modular system of portable containers which comprises a lid portion and a storage portion. The lid portion comprises a flat, rectangular lid with a handle located centrally on a top surface. The storage portion comprises a rectangular bottom surface of as well as integral side walls which extend perpendicularly upward from the sides of the bottom surface. The top edges of the side walls further comprise a plurality of fasteners which extend above the top of the walls. The bottom edges of the side walls and the sides of the lid portion are further comprised of corresponding fasteners which selectively attach or detach the lid portion to the top of a storage portion. In a preferred embodiment, one (1) side wall of each storage portion further comprises a hinged door for selective accessibility.
US08464888B2

Provided is the lid of a beverage container consisting of synthetic resin similarly to the container and constituted in such a manner that a straw can easily run through the lid, and the content, i.e. the beverage, does not leak even if shock is applied. The lid of a beverage container consists entirely of synthetic resin (R), wherein a substantially circular straw sticking region (20) is provided in a part (e.g. the center) of the lid, a plurality of cuts (Hc) having a depth equal to ¼-½ of the thickness of the synthetic resin material are formed in the straw sticking region (20), and the straw sticking region (20) has a diameter of 8.0 mm or less and the cut (Hc) has a length of 3.0 mm or less.
US08464887B2

The invention covers a number of alternative improvements to the prior art pull-tab used to open container such as soda cans. One improvement is by forming the nose of the pull tab at a certain angle to the body of the tab, thus allowing the user to tilt the tab thus lifting the pull tip higher and providing more room for the user to insert the finger tip under the pull tip thus making it easier to open the container. Another improvement is by rotating the pull tab a certain angle and making it follow a caming surface thus lifting the pull tip and again providing more room to insert the finger tip and making it easier to open the container.
US08464886B2

A container closure includes a body that is adapted to mount on an underlying container to cover a mouth opening into an interior region formed in the container. The container closure further includes flip-top caps mounted for movement relative to the body to open and close dispensing apertures formed in the body. The container closure also includes a tamper band coupled to the flip-top caps and to the body until a consumer opens the flip-top caps for the first time.
US08464879B2

A display stand for sheet goods such as desk chair mats has a pair of upright side members and a base coupled to the side members. The base can have an upper surface to support a lower edge of sheet goods in a standing position. A protrusion can define an arcuate front lip along the retaining well. The arcuate front lip can be configured to impart a curvature to facilitate standing of the sheet goods. The upper surface of the base can be configured to have different elevations. A back member can be coupled to the upright side members, and can swing, slide, or both, between an open position to provide access to the sheet goods and a closed position to retain the sheet goods within the display. Signage panels can be coupled between the side members along a tie member to attract customers to the displayed goods.
US08464874B2

In general terms, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatuses for cleaning, grooming, and otherwise maintaining sand and sandy surfaces. For example, some embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for cleaning a sandy surface, where the sandy surface includes unsifted sand, and where the unsifted sand includes sand and unwanted material. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes: (a) one or more frames; (b) a conveyor carried by the one or more frames and including a first portion and a second portion, where the conveyor is configured to transport the unsifted sand from the first portion towards the second portion; (c) at least one paddle carried by the one or more frames and configured to direct the unsifted sand from the sandy surface towards the conveyor; and (d) a sifter carried by the one or more frames and configured to: (i) receive the unsifted sand from the conveyor; (ii) prevent the unwanted material from passing through the sifter; and (iii) allow the sand to pass through the sifter.
US08464869B2

A multi-function tool case includes a housing body having a wall extending from a first end to a second end. The wall includes an exterior surface and an interior surface. A cavity is defined by the interior surface and extends from the first end toward the second end. An extension member extends from the exterior surface adjacent the second end and defines a socket oriented along a tool axis for receiving a first portion of an accessory for retaining a tool bit. A cover assembly is coupled to the first end. The cover assembly includes a cap portion and a first lid member rotatably coupled to the cap portion. The cap portion and the lid member are configured to substantially enclose the cavity.
US08464868B2

A cleaning article holder is provided which is capable of fitting within a cabinet drawer and supports in a nonvertical position one or more cleaning articles having a neck that extends between a cleaning head and an elongated handle.
US08464863B2

A drive roller assembly for cutting machinery is connected to a drive motor via a drive train to drive a drive belt within the machinery, and the drive roller assembly is configured such that, when the drive belt needs to be changed, the entire assembly can easily be removed and replaced without having to dismantle the assembly or disturb any other mechanisms in the vicinity of the drive roller assembly, as the drive roller assembly includes a drive shaft that has a first end and a second end, a split ring located on the first end of the shaft between a first bearing and the first end of the shaft, the split ring having a conical surface that fixes the first bearing relative to the first end of the shaft, on the second end of the shaft a second bearing is provided that is retained within a housing, and the housing is removably mounted on the machinery.
US08464855B2

Circuitry to control reflective optical sensors is provided that reduces false detections due to ambient light without compromising the performance of the optical sensors to detect dark materials. A reflective optical sensor includes an emitter LED and photo-detector arranged to receive light from the LED that is reflected by an object being detected. A first input of a comparator is coupled to the output of the photo-detector. A second input of the comparator is coupled to the output of the photo-detector through a filtering circuit. The filtering circuit operates to filter the detector's output and adaptively adjust the trigger threshold of the comparator, thereby enabling the photo-detector to be sensitive enough to detect dark mail pieces, i.e., those mail pieces that are minimally reflective, while being immune to repeated false triggers due to excessive ambient light.
US08464854B2

A money handling system includes a plurality of money handling machines that are configured to recognize and count money. A management device is provided to assign first and second recognition information for respectively recognizing a transaction of money and for recognizing a group that is created by dividing the money for one transaction. In addition, each money handling machine receives the second recognition information, counts the money of the group corresponding to the second recognition information, and associates the count result with the second recognition information, whereupon the associated count result and second recognition information is transmitted to a management device. The management device manages the count result for each group based on the association between the first recognition information and the second recognition information, as well as on the count results and second recognition information, respectively received from the plurality of money handling machines.
US08464846B2

Wheel restraints for restraining vehicles at loading docks are described herein. An example wheel restraint includes a restraining arm to anchor a wheel chock to a fixed point at the dock. When in a blocking position, the chock rests directly upon the dock's driveway without the chock having to engage additional hardware that could be an obstruction to snow removal. In some examples, the wheel chock automatically swings between its blocking and release positions in response to the arm simply lowering or raising the chock.
US08464844B2

A control assembly is mountable to a handlebar. The control assembly features a housing mountable to the handlebar and a brake actuation mechanism including a brake lever pivotally connected to a housing. The brake lever defines a fluid cavity inside the brake lever such that the fluid cavity pivots with the lever relative to the housing. A piston is provided in the fluid cavity and also pivots with the lever relative to the housing. Actuation of the lever causes the piston to move in the fluid cavity to provide compressive force to a fluid. The fluid cavity is in fluid communication with a hydraulic line.
US08464840B2

An exemplary method of controlling a plurality of elevator cars includes determining that there is a security violation condition involving at least one of the elevator cars at a landing. That elevator car is prevented from moving from the landing until the condition is resolved. The other elevator cars are controlled such that they do not provide elevator service to or from the landing until the condition is resolved.
US08464839B2

In a car door apparatus for an elevator, a closing-plate supporting portion is provided at a car-door front surface, the closing-plate supporting portion supporting the closing plate so that the closing plate is slidable along a direction in which the car door is opened and closed. A door-pocket cover is provided with a closing-plate engagement portion brought into engagement with the closing plate at the time of a door-closing operation to restrict displacement of the closing plate in a door-closing direction relative to the cover front-surface portion.
US08464827B2

A utility vehicle includes a vehicle body frame including a main frame to which an engine is mounted, the main frame including a round pipe having a circular cross-section and a rectangular pipe having a rectangular cross-section.
US08464806B2

The tool comprises an engine for propelling a piston including a shaft for driving a fastening member into a supporting material and through a pin guide, with means for adjusting the depth of drive of the piston shaft outside the pin guide at the end of the propulsion and at the stop of the piston in abutment against stop means. The pin guide is mounted free in translation and the depth of drive adjusting means comprise an adjustment knurl with a knurl shaft arranged so as to be in abutment against the pin guide and to push the pin guide forwards under the rotation action of the knurl.
US08464801B2

A turf collecting machine capable of automatically collecting laid artificial athletic turf, separating the infill and tufted backing components of the collected turf, and then depositing those separated components into separate storage containers. The apparatus also includes mechanisms for cleaning the infill particles collected.
US08464800B2

A method of forming a downhole apparatus comprises the steps of providing a body having a longitudinal axis and forming an expanding portion on the body from multiple layers of a partially or substantially cured material around the longitudinal axis of the body. The material is selected to increase in volume on exposure to at least one predetermined fluid, such as a wellbore fluid. Apparatuses formed by the method include wellbore packers.
US08464797B2

A method for assembling a control module having a fixed part and a removable section. The method includes configuring the fixed part of the control module to be attached to a pressure supply line for receiving a fluid under pressure; providing in the fixed part a valve manifold that houses a hydraulic activated valve; detachably attaching the removable section of the control module to the fixed part; fluidly connecting an electrically activated valve of the removable section to the hydraulic activated valve such that the electrically activated valve controls the hydraulic activated valve; and configuring the electrically activated valve to electrically connect to a control section.
US08464793B2

A technique enables long-lasting control over fluid flow in a wellbore. The technique employs a base pipe, a flow control device, and a sand control screen. The sand control screen is coupled to the flow control device and mounted over the base pipe. Additionally, the sand control screen comprises longitudinal ribs positioned along the base pipe and a filter media positioned along the longitudinal ribs. A protective shroud is mounted over the filter media and cooperates with the other components of the system to provide a simple but durable system and method for controlling fluid flow.
US08464790B2

Temperature and pressure measurements that are made downhole are used to predict a compressional wave velocity for pure water under downhole conditions. The predicted velocity and a measured compressional velocity of a formation brine are used in a non-iterative method to estimate a value of the formation brine salinity that is between 0 and 1.
US08464785B2

A pipe shear ram assembly has a housing having a bore extending vertically therethrough for the passage of a pipe string. Ram blocks have blades positioned such that one slides over the other when the first and second ram blocks are moved toward each other to shear a well pipe. A pair of guide arms extend from one of the rams. The guide arms have tips protruding a greater distance than the blade. Each of the guide arms has an inboard wedge surface beginning at the tip and extending along a line that intersects the longitudinal axis for guiding the pipe string toward a bore axis of the bore in the event the first and second ram blocks are moved to the closed position.
US08464783B2

The present invention relates to a method and arrangement of optimizing the level of anti freeze agent in a heat transfer fluid in a heat exchange system The method comprises determining (305) a wanted level of anti freeze agent at least partly based on the temperature of the media to which the heat exchange system will deliver heat, controlling (310) the current level of the anti freezing agent in the heat transfer fluid. Anti freezing agent is added 315:1 to the heat transfer fluid if the current level is a predetermined amount lower than the wanted level, and removed 315:2 from the heat transfer fluid if the current level is a predetermined amount higher than the wanted level.
US08464782B2

A communication plate extends along and is sandwiched between cylindrical communication manifolds of a first heat exchanger assembly and a second heat exchanger assembly. The communication plate includes a saddling surface arcuate in one direction and a saddling surface arcuate in the opposite direction for engaging in saddle-like fashion the cylindrical shape of the manifolds. The communication plate defines a plurality of communication plate orifices disposed along the communication plate and aligned co-axial with a plurality of communication orifices disposed along the manifolds to seal the communication orifices of the manifolds and establish distributed and sealed fluid communication between the heat exchanger assemblies.
US08464777B2

A method for forming a turbine or compressor wheel from a semi-solid material uses a die assembly that has an inner cartridge made up from a plurality of segments and an outer die. The semi-solid material is injected under pressure and high temperature into the die so that it flows into blade cavities defined between the segments of the cartridge. The cartridge is removed from the outer die and the segments are then separated to release the wheel.
US08464772B2

A dispensing apparatus for labeling machines for applying labels, which are supplied via a carrier belt carrying a plurality of labels, to bottles and in particular to bottle necks, has a dispensing arm and a dispensing head which is arranged on the dispensing arm and has a dispensing edge for deflecting the carrier belt in order thereby to detach a respective label, wherein the dispensing edge and/or the dispensing head is pivotable in order to adjust a movement direction of the labels being detached from the carrier belt.
US08464770B2

The tread portion 2 is divided in the tire widthwise direction into five regions comprising the center tread region A, respective shoulder tread regions C, and respective intermediate tread regions B. A curved length in the tire widthwise direction of a tread surface of the center tread region A is in the range of 10 to 35% of the curved length in the tire widthwise direction of the entire tread surface, and the whole curved length in the tire widthwise direction of a tread surface of the shoulder tread regions C is in the range of 5 to 35% of the curved length in the tire widthwise direction of the entire tread surface. 100% Mod, i.e. the modulus at 100% elongation, of tread rubber forming the intermediate tread region B is larger than 100% Mod of tread rubber forming the center tread region A, and loss tangent of each shoulder tread region C is larger than loss tangent of the center tread region A.
US08464769B2

A proper balance between ride comfort, steering stability, and road noise is achieved. A pneumatic tire (1) has a band layer (9) comprising a band ply (9A) where band cords are arranged at an angle of not more than 5 deg. with respect to the circumferential direction of the tire on the radially outer side of a belt layer (7). The band ply (9A) comprises a first ply piece (9a) covering only one side of end portions of the belt layer (7) and a second ply piece (9b) disposed adjacently to the first ply piece (9a), covering continuously the central portion of the belt layer (7) and another side of the end portions, and having a width larger than that of the above-mentioned first ply piece (9a). And, the band cords of said first ply piece (9a) and band cords of said second ply piece (9b) are different in modulus.
US08464765B2

A machine for filling bottles with solid forms of pharmaceutical products is provided with a conveying device for continuously moving forward a sequence of bottles along a given path, and a vibrating distribution plate, which is mounted along the path itself so as to continuously rotate around its own longitudinal axis, and has a plurality of feeding channels, each of which is wound in a helix around and along said longitudinal axis, and is moved forward in phase with a corresponding bottle to feed a given number of solid forms in the bottle itself.
US08464755B2

A hydraulic control system for controlling a variable fluid volume flow to a consumer (6, 60, 94, 126, 146, 162), for example a flow of cooling oil to a wet-operating clutch, with a hydraulically pilot-controlled control valve connected to a fluid supply. The first control valve (2, 56, 90, 122, 142) is designed such that, in the absence of any pilot control pressure (pVST), the valve delivers a specified initial volume flow (Q1) and, as the variable pilot control pressure (pVST) increases, the valve delivers a continuously increasing volume flow (QK). At least one second, independent, also hydraulically pilot-controlled valve (170) is designed such that this valve is activated in a specified range (55, 88, 120, 132, 140, 152) of the variable pilot control pressure (pVST).
US08464743B2

An inline dispersal valve that can be used with or without a base. One embodiment includes a rotatable member that is rotatable from a fluid stream obstructing condition to an out-of-the-way condition to prevent fluid diversion into the dispersal valve. Another embodiment includes a lever handle for quickly setting the amount of fluid being diverted into the inline dispersal valve. Another embodiment includes an indicator that can be viewed from a position above the inline dispersal valve. Another embodiment includes a cap that can be secured or removed without the aid of tools. Another embodiment includes a clip that allows one to disassemble the inline dispersal valve for servicing. Another embodiment includes a dispensing valve that can be reversed and still properly divert fluid into a dispersant chamber. Another embodiment includes an inline dispersal valve with a bleed valve positioned to allow one to bring the air volume in the dispersant chamber to the proper level.
US08464735B2

An elongated solution injection bar operable in a cleaning system as a combination dry vacuum and fluid carpet cleaner. The elongated solution injection bar having an upper solution distribution and pressure equalization chamber in fluid communication with a lower solution discharge chamber through a solution flow restrictor structured for distributing hot liquid cleaning solution in a substantially uniform flow along substantially the entire length of a cleaning head operating surface. The hot liquid cleaning solution being discharged from the lower solution discharge chamber at a volumetric flow rate of or about 1 gallon per minute (gpm) or less, so that the liquid cleaning solution is discharged to the operating surface as a flood under pressure.
US08464726B2

A cigarette includes lighting and mouth ends. It may include a smokable segment disposed at the lighting end. It also includes a mouth-end segment; an aerosol-generation system disposed between the lighting and mouth ends, which includes (i) a heat-generation segment adjacent the smokable segment, including a heat source configured to be activated by combustion of a smokable material and an insulation layer of a non-glass material that is woven, knit, or both, and (ii) an aerosol-generating segment with aerosol-forming material disposed between, but physically separate from, each of the heat generation segment and the mouth end; a piece of outer wrapping material that provides an overwrap around at least a portion of the aerosol-generating segment, the heat-generation segment, and at least a portion of the smokable segment; those segments being connected together by the overwrap to provide a cigarette rod; that is connected to the cigarette rod using tipping material.
US08464725B2

The present invention is directed to a hookah bowl with a central spire and a hookah bowl system with the hookah bowl and a coal plate. The coal plate fits about the spire and may be retained upon the hookah bowl via multiple means. The spire assists transportation, attachment, use, and removal of the hookah bowl.
US08464722B2

An equipment drape (1000) is made from an elongated drape body (1401) that includes an equipment opening (1041). The elongated drape body (1401) is telescopically folded (1403) to form a telescopic drape body (1404). An accordion fold (1501) is then applied to form a rectangular shape (1503). The distal edges (1011,1012) are then folded back over the rectangular shape (1503) to meet at a longitudinal part (1511). Insertion indicators (1043,1044) can be attached to the equipment opening (1041). A user can easily and quickly insert their hands into the equipment opening (1041) to deploy the equipment drape (1000) with a single motion without having to first fumble with and unfold the drape.
US08464703B2

A top burner and a cooker having the top burner are provided. A flame transfer slit for guiding the flame formed by the combustion of the mixed gas at an outer burner to an inner burner. A shielding member is provided to shield the flame transfer slit. Therefore, the object to be heated is uniformly heated and the flame transfer from the outer burner to the inner burner can be effectively realized.
US08464702B2

This invention is to be used primarily to convert a traditional charcoal grill into a multifaceted smoker with wet and dry smoking capabilities. Furthermore, novel racks within the invention allow the user to utilize all of the space within the smoker providing for more food cooked over a given time frame. The invention also included a removal tray allowing access to the fuel and liquid pan with only negligible heat loss and no risk of damage to the contents of the smoker or the surface upon which the smoker is placed when removed from the primary heat source.
US08464695B2

A plasma equipment comprising a microwave oscillator for generating a predetermined microwave band, a microwave resonant cavity for allowing the predetermined microwave band to resonate, and microwave radiation means for radiating the microwave into the microwave resonant cavity, wherein the microwave radiation means is a microwave radiation antenna having the shape and the size so as to form a strong electric field of the microwave in a plasma generation field formed by the microwave.
US08464693B2

A fuel pump module including a reservoir and a sender gauge. The reservoir includes an outer wall, an inner wall spaced radially inward from the outer wall, a floor connecting the inner and outer walls, and N sets of supports fixed to the floor and disposed between the inner and outer walls and around the inner wall. The sender gauge is supported and retained by one of the N sets of supports, wherein N is an integer greater than one.
US08464678B1

The present invention may be used for vehicle engines having bores in which roller valve lifters reciprocate. A roller valve lifter may have a body with two opposed subtending spaced apart legs. A cam follower roller bearing having a press fit inner sleeve bushing may be rotatably mounted on the pin. Each of the legs may have an oil feed hole that traverses from an exterior surface to an interior surface adjacent to the inner sleeve bushing. The body in an upper portion may have a key device or an attached vertical guide bar to maintain proper orientation of the roller valve lifter to a cam lobe.
US08464669B2

Cooling circuit for an internal combustion engine 2, having an internal combustion engine with at least one cylinder head and one crankcase, a coolant pump, a primary heat exchanger, and a heat exchanger for an operating medium of the internal combustion engine, the cooling circuit 1 downstream of the coolant pump being divided between a branch site A and a connection site B so that at least one cylinder head is incorporated in a cylinder head branch circuit and the crankcase is incorporated in a crankcase branch circuit and the heat exchanger for an operating medium being located in the cylinder head branch circuit downstream of the at least one cylinder head.
US08464655B2

Methods clean a gripping device (5) of a milking station (1) for milking animals. Methods include initiating (21) a gripper device cleaning procedure, moving (22) the gripper device (5) to a cleaning position, and carrying out (23) the gripper device cleaning procedure. Efficient and automatic cleaning of gripper devices is provided. Milking systems also include apparatuses for cleaning a gripper device.
US08464654B2

An installation for the hardened galvanization of a continuously-moving rolled steel strip, includes a coating tank receiving a liquid metal mixture containing, for example, zinc and aluminum to be deposited on the strip which is immersed in the mixture. The liquid mixture is permanently circulated between the coating tank and a preparation device, in which the temperature of the liquid mixture is deliberately lowered in order to reduce an iron solubility threshold and is sufficiently high for initiating fusion of at least one ingot containing a zinc-aluminum Zn—Al alloy in a so-called fusion zone of the preparation device, in an amount necessary to compensate for the liquid mixture used for deposition on the strip. The installation includes a loop for circulating the liquid mixture that is thermally optimized.
US08464648B2

Installation kit for equipping a case (11) as a multifunctional, portable security system (10), and case (11). The installation kit comprises a receptacle area for valuables (13), having an access opening, a cover (12.2), and a protection system. The protection system comprises an electrically triggerable igniter (14) having membrane, an ink module (17) having a liquid for inking the valuables (13), which has a connection for a pressurized connection to the igniter (14) and an outlet area for discharging the liquid, a one-piece distributor plate (18) having at least one integrated liquid channel and multiple outlet openings for the liquid, the distributor plate (18) being connectable to the outlet area of the module (17), a pressurized gas cartridge (15) connectable to the igniter (14), the activated igniter (14) penetrating the membrane, upon which gas flows from the pressurized gas cartridge (15) into the ink module (17) and thus conveys this liquid into the distributor plate (18) and from there through in the direction of the valuables (13) in order to ink them.
US08464638B2

A printing press includes at least one exchangeable cylinder (10, 12) that is rotatably supported in a machine frame, a movable bearing member (18) forming part of a bearing (44) for the exchangeable cylinder (12), and a sensor head (26, 28, 30) that is capable of receiving signals from a signalling device (22, 24, 32) that is mounted on one of the cylinders (10, 12) of the printing press, and the sensor head (26, 28, 30) is mounted on the movable bearing member (18) and is arranged to receive the signals from a signalling device (22, 24, 32) at least when the bearing member (18) is in a predetermined position.
US08464636B2

A sheet-fed rotary printing machine includes at least two electric drive motors acting on a gearwheel train which mechanically connects a plurality of printing units to one another. A device for controlling the printing machine includes a control loop for each electric drive motor having a higher-frequency control element. At least one control loop has a low-frequency control element supplying an output signal picked up at the control loops in a predetermined ratio. A sheet-fed rotary printing machine having the device is also provided.
US08464634B2

Popcorn machines having topping dispensing systems are disclosed herein. A popcorn machine configured in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure includes a popping kettle or other popping apparatus positioned in a cabinet. The popping apparatus is configured to heat un-popped corn kernels and pop the corn kernels. After popping, the corn is held in the cabinet. The popcorn machine of this embodiment further includes a topping outlet positioned in the cabinet and a topping pump. The topping outlet is operably connectable to a topping container, and the topping pump is configured to move topping from the topping container through the topping outlet and onto a serving portion of popcorn in response to operator activation of the pump.
US08464630B2

A cartridge for extracting a beverage from a particulate substance contained therein by means of water under pressure, the cartridge comprising: a main body comprising a cup portion and a lid portion, the cup portion comprising a base, a sidewall and a rim opposed to the base, the lid portion being fixedly attached to the rim of the cup portion so as to define an internal volume of the cartridge, the internal volume of the cartridge housing the particulate substance comprised within filtering means for retaining the particulate substance and for percolating fluid substances therethrough, the lid portion comprising a lid port defining a first passage for percolation fluid substances, the base of the cup portion comprising a cup port defining a second passage for percolation fluid substances, wherein the base comprises a plurality of ridges directly formed thereon and protruding towards the internal volume of the cartridge, so as to support the filtering means and the particulate substance and to define a fine canalization between the filtering means and the cup port.
US08464626B2

The armor tile system embodying the principles of the present invention comprises one or more hybrid tiles which can be connected together to cover a protected structure. Various arrays of material layers may be utilized (1×1, 2×2, 4×4, 2×8, etc) within a hybrid tile system and multiple hybrid tiles may be mounted on the area to be protected. Each hybrid tile comprises one or more material layers stacked within a single metal matrix casting. Each material layer within a hybrid tile includes at least one reinforcement insert arranged along a common surface. The reinforcement inserts comprise material types suitable for containment, structural support, and projectile deflection and destruction. The armor tile system of the present invention is created utilizing a molten metal infiltration process. In the preferred embodiment, the reinforcement inserts are arranged along a common surface within each material layer and further positioned within the mold cavity to create a controlled inner seam between adjacent reinforcement inserts to keep the reinforcement inserts from shifting during metal infiltration. The outer periphery of the material layer(s) and the mold cavity inside periphery has a space defining an outer seam. Both the outer and inner seams may further contain a reinforcement material to enhance the effectiveness of the armor system if desired. The mold cavity is infiltrated with liquid metal which solidifies within the materials open porosity thereby binding the layers together to create a coherent integral structure.
US08464624B2

A blast treatment method and an apparatus, which can perform the blast treatment of a treatment subject by using and securely initiating a blasting explosive having fluidity. The blast treatment method includes: a blasting preparation operation of housing a blasting explosive having fluidity in a container and placing the blasting explosive around a treatment subject as well as attaching an initiation device to the container; a housing operation of housing the container, the blasting explosive, and the treatment subject in a chamber; a decompression operation of decompressing the inside of the chamber; and a blasting operation of initiating the blasting explosive and blasting the treatment subject with the blasting explosive. In the decompression operation, the inside of the chamber is decompressed while a gas vent portion regulates the escape of the blasting explosive to the outside of the container and permits the escape of gases in the container to the outside.
US08464615B2

A safety pipe wrench includes a Y-shaped handle having a stem extending from a first end of the handle towards a second end of the handle. The stem bifurcates into a first arm and a second arm at a location between the first end and the second end of the handle. The first arm and the second arm extend to the second end of the handle. A slot is defined between the first arm and the second arm. A first gripping insert is mounted on the first arm. A nut is rotatably retained in the slot. A jaw has a shank terminating in a jaw head. The shank is movably engaged with the nut. A second gripping insert is mounted on the jaw head.
US08464603B2

An actuating device includes a base link, a first link, a second link, a translating link, a shaft, and a drive. The base link includes a base plate, a first joint, and a second joint. The base plate extends between the first joint and the second joint. The first link is mounted to the first joint to allow rotation of the first link relative to the base plate at the first joint. The second link is mounted to the second joint to allow rotation of the second link relative to the base plate at the second joint. The drive includes an arc surface and is mounted to the translating link such that, when operating the actuating device, a position of the arc surface is fixed relative to the translating plate. The shaft is mounted to the arc surface to cause translation of the translating link as the shaft rotates.
US08464601B2

An actuating device for selecting gear steps in a gearshift transmission. The actuating device comprises a selector lever that can be moved between at least two drive-setting positions and a locking mechanism for restricting the movement range of the lever and locking certain positions or for locking the selector lever. The locking mechanism comprises a locking recess connected to the selector lever and a blocking cam that can be rotated by an actuator. The cam engages in the locking recess. Complex locking tasks are possible with the simplified actuating device. In addition, the range of movement of the selector lever can be freely positioned largely variably and its width can be changed. Furthermore, the selector lever of the actuating device is movable by the actuator or locked in a desired position.
US08464600B2

The invention relates to a device for shifting changes in the transmission ratio of a vehicle transmission. The device comprises at least one axially movable and/or rotabale shifting element and an electrical position identification of the shifting element. At least one magnet which generates position signals in combination with a stationary sensor is disposed on the shifting element. In order to create a device that is advantageous regarding production and design, the magnet is formed directly by a magnetic area on the shifting element.
US08464598B2

A torque measurement device including: a power shaft transmitting rotary torque about the axis of the power shaft; a first wheel carrying angle marks, the wheel being secured to the power shaft; a reference shaft including a second wheel carrying angle marks; and a sensor placed facing at least one of the wheels to determine the torque transmitted by the power shaft. The first wheel includes first and second series of angle marks and the second wheel includes third and fourth series of angle marks. The marks of the first and third series are mutually parallel, while the marks of the second and fourth series are mutually parallel and are inclined relative to a first axial plane containing the axis, the marks of the first series being inclined relative to the marks of the second series, whereby the signal supplied by the sensor is representative of temperature of the power shaft.
US08464596B1

Vortex-shedding flow meters provide an output signal having a frequency representative of fluid flow rate. At high flow rates the vortices are larger and easier to detect. Adjusting the gain of an output amplifier responsive to the output frequency extends the operating range, or turndown ratio, of a vortex flow meter.
US08464595B2

A plastic is manufactured on the basis of at least four starting components (A, B, C, F) of which at least a first primary component (A) and a second primary component (B) can react with one another. A chemical reaction of the two primary components (A, B) is accelerated in such case by addition of at least one secondary component (C) serving as a catalyst. Additionally, according to the method, a tertiary component (F) serves as a filler, especially a color-giving filler. Initially a first multicomponent system (BF; CF; BCF), especially also a storable system, serving as an intermediate component, is formed, which contains, at least in part, both the secondary component (C) as well as also the tertiary component (F). Additionally, on the basis of the first multicomponent system (BF; CF; BCF) a flowable, especially liquid, second multicomponent system (ABCF) is formed, which contains the four starting components (A, B, C, F) in concentrations enabling the chemical reaction of the primary components (A, B). The plastic is finally formed by means of the second multicomponent system in that the therein contained primary component (A) and the therein contained second primary component (B) are allowed to react, at least partially, with one another. By applying the second multicomponent system (ABCF) onto an inner wall of a support tube, especially a metal support tube, serving as a component of an in-line measuring device, a liner internally coating the support tube can be formed from this plastic in simple manner.
US08464594B2

A gas nozzle measurement apparatus comprises a controllable gas source to provide across a gas plate having gas nozzles, a flow of gas at a constant pressure or constant flow rate, and a sensor plate sized to cover an area comprising at least a portion of the front face of the gas plate. The sensor plate comprises gas flow sensors arranged in locations that correspond to positions of individual gas nozzles of the gas nozzles of the gas plate such that each gas flow sensor can measure a pressure, flow rate, density, or velocity of a gas stream passing through the individual gas nozzle that faces the gas flow sensor, and generate a signal indicative of, or display, the pressure, flow rate, density, or velocity of the gas stream passing through the individual gas nozzle.
US08464587B2

A sensor for examining a document of value in a detection range of the sensor has at least one electrical component for converting electrical energy into sound waves and/or electromagnetic fields, in particular optical radiation, for examining the document of value and/or for detecting sound waves and/or magnetic or electromagnetic fields, in particular optical radiation, from the document of value to generate detection signals. Additionally, the sensor has a holder for the component, having a recess or a hole for at least partially accommodating the component, in which the electrical component is held, and on or in which at least one conductive path extends to contact with at least one electrical contact of the electrical component.
US08464584B2

A beverage dispenser (20) has a double-walled tubular, preferably cylindrical, sensor (22) that is immersed in liquid (23), such as coffee or tea, within an opaque, stainless steel container, or beverage dispenser (25) has a double-walled tubular sensor connected via two conductive paths (24, 26) to two inputs (28, 30), respectively, of a resistance measuring circuit (32) that measures the resistance between the two inputs (28, 30) to produce an electrical, direct current, resistance output signal that varies with changes in the instantaneous resistance between the two inputs (28, 30) The resistance output signal is connected to an input (34) of an electronic controller (40) The electronic controller (40) calculates the depth of the liquid (23) based on the magnitude of the resistance output signal applied to the input (34). The sensed and calculated level is then converted to display control output signals produced on a controller output terminal and connected to electronic display (44) to provide a visual indication of the level or quantity of beverage within the dispenser (20). Alternatively, resistance is measured between the interior of the beverage dispenser (20) and a sensor tube.
US08464581B2

A passive liquid flow monitoring system includes a monitoring device made of a liquid-soluble material in which coded transponders are releasably retained. The monitoring device may be deployed proximate a region of interest in a hydrocarbon-producing well. Characteristics of a liquid flow in the region of interest may be determined based upon detection of transponders that are released from the monitoring device when the monitoring device is exposed to the liquid flow.
US08464577B2

To provide a quartz sensor capable of detecting a sensing target with high sensitivity also in measurement in a liquid phase in which a difference in Q values at the time of measurement in the liquid phase and in a vapor phase is small. In a quartz sensor 1 including an AT-cut quartz plate 11 having a capture layer (absorbing layer) 12 formed on one surface (XZ′ surface) thereof and detecting a sensing target based on an amount of change in a frequency of a quartz resonator 10 caused when the sensing target is absorbed by the capture layer 12, there are formed electrodes 13 for oscillating the quartz plate 11 on end faces (XY′ surfaces) mutually opposite in a Z′ direction of the surface of the quartz resonator 10 on which the capture layer 12 is formed (XZ′ surface).
US08464573B2

A flow path from outer gas introduction apertures 144a to inner gas introduction apertures 134a has a narrower-width flow passage formed by an inner wall member 150. This structure effectively lowers the probability that a liquid, such as water, entering from the outer gas introduction apertures 144a passes through a gas inflow chamber 122 and reaches a sensor element 110, compared with a structure without the inner wall member 150. The inner wall member 150 is formed as a solid member that is capable of storing the surrounding heat. Even if there is a certain event that has the potential of causing a temperature decrease of the sensor element 110, for example, an abrupt change in flow rate of an object gas, the heat stored in the inner wall member 150 effectively prevents a temperature decrease of the sensor element 110. This structure prevents the occurrence of cracking in the sensor element 110, compared with a conventional sensor structure having a double-layered protective cover.
US08464570B2

A method of making an S-shaped bent edge component comprising: placing in order an upper layer of metal base plate and a lower layer of metal base plate as well as a middle layer of heat-isolating materials in between; fixing the metal base plates with the heat-isolating materials; forming J-shaped edges on the base plates by stamping, and the J-shaped edges of the base plates are perpendicular to a horizontal portion of the metal base plates; each of the J-shaped edges of the base plates has an outwardly bent curve with a crown and a curve end; by means of a stamping step performed by an upper mold M1 with a concave surface and a flat surface and a lower mold M2 with a flat surface, the concave surface of the mold M1 exerts lateral force onto the curve ends so that the J-shaped edges of the base plates inwardly bend towards the upper metal base plate.
US08464558B2

The subject of the invention is a process for manufacturing red glass containing copper that comprises the steps consisting in: obtaining a mass of colorless molten glass, free of sulfides, the iron oxide weight content of which is between 0.01 and 0.15%; then conveying said mass of molten glass in a feeder channel, in which copper oxide and tin oxide are added to said mass of molten glass, the partial pressure of oxygen in said mass of molten glass being between 10−7 and 10−4; then forming glass objects, especially bottles or flasks from said mass of molten glass; then subjecting said glass objects to a heat treatment so as to develop a red tint.
US08464551B2

A method for liquefaction using a closed loop refrigeration system, the method comprising the steps of (a) compressing a gaseous refrigerant stream in at least one compressor; (b) cooling the compressed gaseous refrigerant stream in a first heat exchanger; (c) expanding at least a first portion of the cooled, compressed gaseous refrigerant stream from the first heat exchanger in a first expander to provide a first expanded gaseous refrigerant stream; and (d) cooling and substantially liquefying a feed gas stream to form a substantially liquefied feed gas stream in a second heat exchanger through indirect heat exchange against at least a first portion of the first expanded gaseous refrigerant stream from the first expander, wherein the first expanded gaseous refrigerant stream exiting the first expander is substantially vapor.
US08464543B2

An ice level detection device of a refrigerator includes an ice level detection arm and an ice storage container detection arm, the ice level detection arm operatively connected to a mechanical motor for movement between an ice sensing position with the ice level detection arm extending at least partially into the ice storage container and an ice harvest position with the ice level detection arm being clear of the ice storage container, the ice storage container detection arm abutting the ice storage container while the ice storage container is mounted at the door. The ice level detection arm transitions from the ice sensing position to the ice harvest position for ice harvest by the ice maker. Opening the door disables ice harvest by the ice maker. Upon removal of the ice storage container the ice level detection arm transitions to the ice harvest position and disables ice harvest.
US08464540B2

A plant produces electrical energy from municipal solid waste without exhausting a carbon dioxide or other carbon based gas to the atmosphere. The plant includes a source of artificial light powered by electrical energy, and a reactor into which the municipal solid waste is fed and which is operated under temperature, pressure and flow rate conditions to produced a syngas. An electrical energy generating station at which the syngas is burned produces the electrical energy and a flue gas comprising carbon dioxide and other products of combustion. At least a portion of the electrical energy is used to power the artificial light source. A carbon dioxide collector separates the carbon dioxide from the other products of combustion in the flue gas to provide a clean carbon dioxide suitable as a nutrient for microorganisms, and a farm of the microorganisms is illuminated essentially constantly, alternately with sunlight and artificial light from said source.
US08464539B2

A nozzle assembly (10) comprising a first inlet tube (14), a second inlet tube (15), and a nozzle (16). The nozzle (16) is formed from a stack of plates (20-38) which are joined together in face-to-face contact. The plates (20-38) collectively have openings which define a nozzle outlet, a first inlet, a second inlet, a first circuit from the first inlet to the nozzle outlet, a second circuit from the second inlet to the nozzle outlet, and a fluid-outlet chamber through which both the first circuit and the second circuit pass. The nozzle assembly (10) can be used as a fuel injector for a gas turbine engine, with jet fuel being supplied to the first circuit during start-up and low power conditions and jet fuel being supplied to both the first circuit and the second circuit during high power conditions.
US08464536B2

A gas turbine combustion chamber is provided. The gas turbine includes a combustion chamber interior and a combustion chamber wall which has a substantially rotationally symmetrical cross-section, wherein on the side of the combustion chamber wall facing away from the combustion chamber interior there is arranged over the entire cross-sectional circumference of the combustion chamber wall a corrugated component which, in combination with the combustion chamber wall, embodies a plurality of separate resonance chambers and wherein openings are incorporated in the combustion chamber wall in such a way that a fluidic connection is established in each case between the combustion chamber interior and one of the resonance chambers and wherein the corrugated component has two locking rings which are connected to the combustion chamber wall in order to seal off the resonance chambers.
US08464522B2

An exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine is provided with an upstream side three-way catalyst capable of purifying exhaust gas and a particulate filter (PM filter) for trapping particulate matter PM contained in exhaust gas. Catalyst warm-up control is exercised for the purpose of warming up mainly the upstream side three-way catalyst at cold start. Filter regeneration control for removing the particulate matter PM accumulating on the particulate filter from the filter is exercised at the cold start after the catalyst warm-up control is exercised.
US08464513B2

A system comprises a fuel system for delivering fuel to an engine for combustion and a reductant storage system for delivering reductant to the exhaust stream for an SCR catalyst for NOx reduction. The fuel system further comprises a water separator for separating water-based fluid from fuel in the fuel tank, and a separation reservoir to collect the separated water-based fluid. Based on readings of a water-in-fuel sensor positioned within the reservoir, a type of degradation (e.g., water build-up, high-water-content fuel, mis-filling of the reductant, etc.) may be determined and indicated.
US08464509B2

In an example embodiment, a continuous baler includes a round baler and an adjustable conveyor for providing crop to the round baler. The adjustable conveyor may include a conveyor belt and a controller for manipulating the conveyor belts. In one example embodiment, the speed of the conveyor is adjusted in accordance with the operation of the baler.
US08464507B2

A walk-behind lawn mower includes a cutter and a housing covering the cutter for allowing rotation of the cutter to cut grass. The housing includes a front wall portion covering a front part of the cutter and a portion other than the front wall portion. The front wall portion extends laterally of the housing. The front wall portion has a thickness more than twice a thickness of the portion other than the front wall portion. The front wall portion has a downwardly convex bottom surface, and serves as a handle for use in lifting up the lawn mower.
US08464498B1

The present embodiments are directed to a medicinal extractor that may open and empty pharmaceutical capsules of variable sizes. The medicinal extractor may have a cover that swings open to expose an interior chamber for a powder-filled medication capsule to be dropped into, and the cover may then be closed. The medicinal extractor may have squeezable side depressors on each side for manually squeezing or holding the capsule in place horizontally. Once closed, the cover may be pushed down to compress two components of the medicinal extractor that are moveable with respect to each other. As the moveable components compress, the cover may press the capsule downward onto a hollow piercing element. The hollow piercing element may puncture the capsule to allow medication within the capsule to fall through the hollow piercing element and into a collection chamber or onto a surface below the medicinal extractor for collection.
US08464494B2

In an anchor for use in a construction panel which includes upper and lower cover plates, wherein the anchor includes a cylinder body, a displacement body and a cement container provided with desired rupture locations and installed in the cylinder body and the cylinder body is provided with engagement elements for extending behind the upper cover plate, the cement container includes at least two chambers separated by an intermediate wall and is provided with an upper and a lower opening each closed by a thin-walled rupturable foil, with the intermediate wall being also rupturable by the displacement member upon movement thereof into the cylinder body.
US08464487B2

A modular system for a façade structure for a building comprising panels and panel retaining elements for mounting the panels to the building and method for producing said facade.
US08464480B2

A modular fenestration system includes a collection of standardized functional units such as double hung window units, casement window units, picture window units, transom units, and the like. The functional units all share common sightlines, common glass set-back, common interfaces, common design language, and are sized according to a unique modular or incremental sizing grid. The sizing grid specifies individual window units in terms of the rough opening size in which they are designed to be installed. Individual functional units are easily combinable in a vast array of combinations to create a large number of possible composite window units. The above attributes of the functional units ensures that the composite window units are architecturally pleasing and appear as though they were custom crafted. The system also includes a collection of interior and interior trim units in various architectural styles that can be attached to installed standardized functional units via the common interfaces to match the architecture of a particular home or building. A collection of matching architectural grilles and hardware also are provided, and the trim units, grills, and hardware are all historically and period accurate to represent a wide variety of architectures both past and present. Exterior and interior trim can be built up from a limited number of standard components that can be combined in a large number of ways to create a wide variety of trim profiles.
US08464478B2

A system and method for mounting photovoltaic solar panels onto a roof. The system includes first and second strut rails spaced from the roof employing a series of standoffs, the strut rails having a length, cross section, a base and side walls, side walls terminating with first and second turned in edges. First and second mounting fixtures are attached to the photovoltaic solar panels which are of a type and geometry enabling the solar panels to be removably appended to the strut rails. The first and second mounting fixtures can be applied to the photovoltaic solar panels before being elevated to a roof.
US08464468B2

A drive unit for a door includes a guiding device comprising guide rail and a guide element extending in a movement direction of the door. A drive device arranged inside a carriage moves back and forth along the guide rail and is engaged in the guide element. The drive unit is supplied with power via the guide rail and the guide element. Electrical plug connectors are provided on an external power source for the electrical connection of the guide element and the guide rail.
US08464466B1

A counterbalance system for a window assembly having a window sash that moves in a guide track. The counterbalance system has a first stop mounted in the guide track. A spring housing is placed in the guide track above the first stop. The spring housing holds the counterbalance spring that provides the counterbalance force. The spring housing is free to move along the guide track above the first stop. The spring housing is incapable of passing the first stop and traveling below the first stop. A brake shoe is positioned in the guide track. The counterbalance spring has a free end that extends from the spring housing to the brake shoe. The brake shoe is capable of moving in the guide track past the first stop. In this manner, the brake shoe can be raised above the first stop.
US08464464B2

An edging guide may include an anchor and a retailer that may be rotatably mounted to the anchor. The anchor may be buried in the ground during use and may include a post portion and a support portion. The retailer may be rotatably mounted to the support of the anchor and may function to secure hold one or more lengths of edging material.
US08464463B1

A plant screening apparatus is provided for preventing pest damage to a plant while permitting access to light, water and nutrients. The plant screening apparatus includes a base member for positioning on a support surface. The base member has a central opening for positioning the base member around a plant. A screen is coupled to the base member and a support assembly is coupled to the base member. The screen is supported by the support assembly such that the screen is positioned to enclose an interior space designed for containing the plant.
US08464460B1

A trailer mounted shooting bench with a storage container and a detachable target apparatus provides a portable shooting station which is placed in a safe shooting area, with the target apparatus detached from the shooting bench and placed in a selected location prior to the placement of the shooting bench at a selected shooting location. The trailer mounted shooting bench and storage container may also be used while hunting, with the target apparatus remaining attached or set aside. The shooting bench has a storage container built within and upon which the shooting platform is hingeably attached, the shooting bench having one or more seats available for a right handed or left handed shooter to sit while the shooting platform provides a flat level surface, including an arm rest, for a shooter to position themself while shooting at the target apparatus. The storage compartment provides transport storage for firearms, target accessories, ammunition, camping supplies.
US08464436B2

A tape measure with a utensil holding device for holding a variety of elongated utensils for cutting, scoring, marking and scribing incorporating a quick release clamping cam and a threaded adjustment means with a substantially forceful tape brake utilizing a lever and cams to securely lock the tape at a specified measurement. The utensil holding device and tape brake are so configured as to be assembled with the parts on either side of the tape measure to accommodate individual preferences; the utensil being available on one side of the tape or the other; the tape brake lever on either side of the tape measure housing.
US08464434B1

A method and apparatus for measuring diameters of holes and countersinks. A tip of a countersink measurement system may be moved to engage a countersink for a hole. A diameter of the countersink may be measured in response to the tip of the countersink measurement system engaging the countersink. A probe may be moved through the tip of the countersink measurement system into a channel for the hole, while the tip is engaged with the countersink. A number of diameters for the channel may be measured as the probe moves in the hole.
US08464433B1

A human-portable MEMS azimuth sensing unit and method that determines the azimuth of a target. There is a spinning support structure, with at least a gyroscope carried by the support structure. The gyroscope has an input axis and an output signal. There is an angle resolver that measures the spin angle of the support structure relative to a reference direction and that has an output signal. Circuitry determines the target azimuth based on the phase difference between the output signals of the gyroscope and the angle resolver. The phase difference can be based on the time between zero crossings of the sinusoidal gyro and angle resolver signals. An accelerometer can also be carried by the support structure, in which case its output can be used to level the unit.
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