US08659070B2
The semiconductor memory device of the present invention includes a plurality of memory strings having a plurality of electrically reprogrammable memory cells connected in series, the memory strings having a column shaped semiconductor, a first insulation film formed around the column shaped semiconductor, a charge accumulation layer formed around the first insulation film, a second insulation film formed around the charge accumulation film and a plurality of electrodes formed around the second insulation film, a bit line connected to one end of the memory strings via a plurality of selection transistors, and a conducting layer extending in two dimensions and in which the plurality of electrodes of the memory strings and the plurality of electrodes of different memory strings are shared respectively, wherein each end part of the conducting layer is formed in step shapes in a direction parallel with the bit line.
US08659062B2
A lower electrode film is formed above a substrate. A ferroelectric film is formed above the lower electrode film. An amorphous intermediate film of a perovskite-type conductive oxide is formed above the ferroelectric film. A first upper electrode film comprising oxide of at least one metal selected from a group of Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, Ru, and Os is formed on the intermediate film. The intermediate film is crystallized by carrying out a first heat treatment in an atmosphere containing an oxidizing gas after the formation of the first upper electrode film. After the first heat treatment, a second upper electrode film comprising oxide of at least one metal selected from a group of Pt, Pd, Rh, Ir, Ru, and Os is formed on the first upper electrode film, at a temperature lower than the growth temperature for the first upper electrode film.
US08659056B2
An insulator is formed on the upper surface of a first semiconductor layer on at least a part of a portion above which a second semiconductor layer is not formed due to an opening. In the opening, a source electrode is formed to cover an insulator. The source electrode is formed to be in contact with an interface between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer.
US08659036B2
A first device is provided. The first device includes an anode, a cathode and an emissive layer disposed between the anode and the cathode. The emissive layer includes a first organic emitting material having a first peak wavelength and a second organic emitting material having a second peak wavelength. The emissive layer has a homogenous composition. The second peak wavelength is between 0 and 40 nm greater than the first peak wavelength.
US08659027B2
A voltage equal to the threshold value of a TFT (106) is held in capacitor unit (109). When a video signal is inputted from a source signal line, the voltage held in the capacitor unit is added thereto and a resultant signal is applied to a gate electrode of the TFT (106). Even when a threshold value is varied for each pixel, each threshold value is held in the capacitor unit (109) for each pixel. Thus, the influence of a variation in threshold value can be eliminated. Further, holding of the threshold value is conducted by only the capacitor unit (109) and a charge does not move at writing of a video signal so that a voltage between both electrodes is not changed. Thus, it is not influenced by a variation in capacitance value.
US08659026B2
A high-speed flat panel display has thin film transistors in a pixel array portion in which a plurality of pixels are arranged and a driving circuit portion for driving the pixels of the pixel array portion, which have different resistance values than each other or have different geometric structures than each other. The flat panel display comprises a pixel array portion where a plurality of pixels are arranged, and a driving circuit portion for driving the pixels of the pixel array portion. The thin film transistors in the pixel array portion and the driving circuit portion have different resistance values in their gate regions or drain regions than each other, or have different geometric structures than each other. One thin film transistor has a zigzag shape in its gate region or drain region or has an offset region.
US08659023B2
A monocrystalline layer having a first lattice constant on a monocrystalline substrate having a second lattice constant at least in a near-surface region, wherein the second lattice constant is different from the first lattice constant. Lattice matching atoms are implanted into the near-surface region. The near-surface region is momentarily melted. A layer is epitaxially deposited on the near-surface region that has solidified in monocrystalline fashion.
US08659021B2
An organic light-emitting display device is manufactured via a simple process and has an improved aperture ratio. The organic light-emitting display device comprising: a substrate; an auxiliary electrode formed on the substrate; a thin film transistor (TFT) formed on the auxiliary electrode, the TFT comprising an active layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode; an organic electroluminescent (EL) device electrically connected to the TFT and formed by sequentially stacking a pixel electrode formed on the same layer by using the same material as portions of the source and drain electrodes, an intermediate layer comprising an organic light emission layer (EML), and an opposite electrode disposed to face the pixel electrode; and a contact electrode formed on the same layer by a predetermined distance by using the same material as the source and drain electrodes, and electrically connecting the auxiliary electrode and the opposite electrode.
US08659008B2
The present invention provides a composite material in which an organic compound and an inorganic compound are composited, which is superior in conductivity, a composite material which is superior in a property of injecting carriers to an organic compound, and a composite material having low resistance with metal. Further, the present invention provides a light emitting element operating at a low drive voltage by applying the composite material to a current excitation type light emitting element, and a light emitting device consuming low power by manufacturing a light emitting device using the light emitting element. The present invention provides a composite material including metal oxide and an organic compound having an oxidation peak potential with respect to an oxidation-reduction potential of ferrocene in dimethylformamide (DMF) at room temperature within the range of 0 V and 1.5 V (vs. Fc/Fc+), preferably within the range of 0.1 V and 1.0 V (vs. Fc/Fc+).
US08659006B1
A nanowire FET device includes a SOI wafer having a SOI layer over a BOX, and a plurality of nanowires and pads patterned in the SOI layer, wherein the nanowires are suspended over the BOX; an interfacial oxide surrounding each of the nanowires; and at least one gate stack surrounding each of the nanowires, the gate stack having (i) a conformal gate dielectric present on the interfacial oxide (ii) a conformal first gate material on the conformal gate dielectric (iii) a work function setting material on the conformal first gate material, and (iv) a second gate material on the work function setting material. A volume of the conformal first gate material and/or a volume of the work function setting material in the gate stack are/is proportional to a pitch of the nanowires.
US08659005B2
A light emitting device comprising a staggered composition quantum well (QW) has a step-function-like profile in the QW, which provides higher radiative efficiency and optical gain by providing improved electron-hole wavefunction overlap. The staggered QW includes adjacent layers having distinctly different compositions. The staggered QW has adjacent layers Xn wherein X is a quantum well component and in one quantum well layer n is a material composition selected for emission at a first target light regime, and in at least one other quantum well layer n is a distinctly different composition for emission at a different target light regime. X may be an In-content layer and the multiple Xn-containing a step function In-content profile.
US08659004B2
Disclosed is a light-emitting diode, which has a red and infrared emitting wavelength, excellent monochromatism characteristics, and high output and high efficiency and excellent humidity resistance. The light-emitting diode is provided with: a light-emitting section, which includes an active layer having a quantum well structure and formed by laminating alternately a well layer which comprises a composition expressed by the composition formula of (AlX1 Ga1-X1) As (0≦X1≦1) and a barrier layer which comprises a composition expressed by the composition formula of (AlX2 Ga1-X2) As (0<2≦1), and a first clad layer and a second clad layer, between both of which the active layer is sandwiched, wherein the first clad layer and the second clad layer comprise a composition expressed by the composition formula of (AlX3Ga1-X)Y1 In1-Y1 P (0≦X3≦1, 0
US08659002B2
A phase change memory element and method of forming the same. The memory element includes a phase change material layer electrically coupled to first and second conductive material layers. A energy conversion layer is formed in association with the phase change material layer, and electrically coupled to a third conductive material layer. An electrically isolating material layer is formed between the phase change material layer and the energy conversion layer.
US08659001B2
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a resistive switching nonvolatile memory element that is formed in a resistive switching memory device that may be used in a memory array to store digital data. The memory element is generally constructed as a metal-insulator-metal stack. The resistive switching portion of the memory element includes a getter portion and/or a defect portion. In general, the getter portion is an area of the memory element that is used to help form, during the resistive switching memory device's fabrication process, a region of the resistive switching layer that has a greater number of vacancies or defects as compared to the remainder of resistive switching layer. The defect portion is an area of the memory element that has a greater number of vacancies or defects as compared to the remainder of the resistive switching layer, and is formed during the resistive switching memory device's fabrication process. The addition of the getter or defect portions in a formed memory device generally improves the reliability of the resistive switching memory device, improves the switching characteristics of the formed memory device and can eliminate or reduce the need for the time consuming additional post fabrication “burn-in” or pre-programming steps.
US08658993B2
A self-powered ‘near field’ lithographic system 100 includes three primary components, namely, a thin film or emitter substrate 110 including a radioactive material (e.g., a radioisotope 112), a target substrate 120 which carries an energy-modifiable layer 122 (e.g., photo-resist) and a stencil (e.g., 130) that is either positioned between the emitter and target substrates fabricated upon and defined in the emitter substrate. The stencil is made from a material capable of blocking particles emitted through radioactive decay from the radioisotope of the emitter substrate. The stencil includes openings or vias 132 patterned to permit selective transmission of the particles emitted through radioactive decay from the radioisotope of the emitter substrate 110, and the stencil is preferably placed up against (or very close to) the target substrate 120.
US08658985B2
The present invention provides a drawing apparatus including a blanker including a plurality of deflectors configured to respectively deflect the plurality of charged particle beams, and a controller configured to transmit a control signal to the blanker, wherein the blanker includes a storage configured to store pattern data, a generator configured to generate, based on pattern information which is included in the control signal and designates the pattern data, and position information which is included in the control signal and designates a drawing position corresponding to the pattern information, a blanking signal for drawing a pattern corresponding to the pattern data stored in the storage at a position on a substrate corresponding to the position information, and a driving device configured to drive the plurality of deflectors in accordance with the generated blanking signal generated.
US08658981B2
A method is provided for image detection. The method includes measuring a temperature of an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter of an imaging system during an imaging scan of an object, and correcting a gain of the A/D converter based on the measured temperature of the A/D converter.
US08658971B2
A method of processing mass spectral data is disclosed comprising digitising a first signal output from an ion detector to produce a first digitised signal. A first set of peaks in the first digitised signal is detected and the arrival time To and peak area So of one or more peaks in the first set of peaks are determined thereby forming a first list of data pairs, each data pair comprising an arrival time value and a peak area value. One or more data pairs from the first list are then filtered out thereby forming a second reduced list, wherein a data pair is filtered out, attenuated or otherwise rejected from the first list if the peak area value of a data pair in the first list is determined to be less than a threshold peak area.
US08658962B2
An optical switch having a housing, a light source and a light detector. The light source and light detector are located remote from the housing. The light source is connected to the housing with a first light guide, and the light detector is connected to the housing with a second light guide. The first and second light guide cables have distal ends positioned through the housing and a part of the activator housing is a glowable diffuse reflector. The switch includes a moveable member that moves in a path in the switch body between an optical path present state and an optical path absent state.
US08658961B2
A submount is used for disposing an illuminant element or a light-receiving element having an optical axis. The submount is disposed at a plane and has a main body. The main body includes a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is approximately parallel to the plane and far away from the plane. The second surface is approximately parallel to the plane and adjacent to the plane. A disposing part of the first surface is tilted with respect to the second surface at a predetermined angle. The illuminant element or the light-receiving element is disposed on the disposing part. The optical axis of the illuminant element or the light-receiving element is tiled with respect to a normal of the second surface at the predetermined angle.
US08658960B2
A method and apparatus for excess signal compensation in an imaging system is described. In one particular embodiment, the invention provides for non-linear background, offset (due to time dependent dark current) and/or lag (including constant, linear and non-linear terms, due to image persistence) corrections of large area, flat panel imaging sensors.
US08658959B2
An ADC includes a single circuit for generating reference voltages that are constant and then decreasing over time. The ADC includes a constant current source and a resistive bridge connected to the current source. A voltage source produces a decreasing voltage on a node of the bridge. The ADC also includes a contact breaker for the connection of the voltage source to the node. The ADC also includes a digitization circuit which includes a means for comparing a voltage, a means for selecting a reference voltage, a means for counting, and a means for storing on the one hand, a reference associated with the constant reference voltage which is immediately lower than or equal to the voltage for conversion, and on the other hand, the number of counted time units.
US08658957B2
A sensor circuit or a display apparatus from which a highly accurate sensor output can be obtained includes a photodiode, a capacitor that is connected to the photodiode via an accumulation node and accumulates charges according to an electric current in the photodiode; a sensor switching element transistor that causes the accumulation node and an output line to be conductive with respect to each other in response to a readout signal and outputs an output signal according to the potential of the accumulation node to the output line; a variable capacitor that is provided between the accumulation node and an input electrode, and whose capacitance varies when a pressure is applied by a touching operation; and a control switching element transistor to which a control signal for switching conduction and non-conduction between the variable capacitor and the accumulation node is input.
US08658956B2
An image sensor provides high scalability and reduced image lag. The sensor includes a first imaging pixel that has a first photodiode region formed in a substrate of the image sensor. The sensor also includes a first vertical transfer transistor coupled to the first photodiode region. The first vertical transfer transistor can be used to establish an active channel. The active channel typically extends along the length of the first vertical transfer transistor and couples the first photodiode region to a floating diffusion.
US08658954B2
A microwave oven including an extendable/retractable hood assembly is provided. The microwave oven draws contaminated air through intake ports that are provided in a hood casing and a hood. The hood is slidably received in the hood casing. Thus, the hood is retracted or extended from the hood casing to more efficiently perform an air exhaust function.
US08658949B2
A layered heater is provided that comprises at least one resistive layer defining a circuit configuration, the circuit configuration comprising at least one resistive trace oriented relative to a heating target and comprising a material having temperature coefficient characteristics such that the resistive trace provides power commensurate with demands of the heating target In one form, resistive traces of the resistive layer are an NTC material having a relatively high BETA coefficient and are oriented approximately parallel to a primary heating direction.
US08658942B2
A method and system to determine optimum operating parameters for the startup phase of a welding-type process based on user-desired operating parameters of the post-startup or welding phase of the welding-type process are disclosed. While applicable to a number of welding-type processes, the method and system are particularly configured to determine an optimum wire feed speed for Gas Metal Arc Welding of aluminum using pulse spray transfer.
US08658939B2
A laser annealing apparatus used in a crystallization process of an amorphous silicon thin film. The laser annealing apparatus includes a laser beam generation unit generating a laser beam, an optical system dividing the laser beam into a plurality of linear laser beams and including a focusing lens focusing the linear laser beams and projecting the focused linear laser beam on a substrate to be processed, and a focusing lens adjustment device adjusting a perpendicular distance and a rotation angle of the focusing lens relative to the substrate.
US08658936B2
A method and apparatus for processing metal bearing gases involves generating a toroidal plasma in a plasma chamber. A metal bearing gas is introduced into the plasma chamber to react with the toroidal plasma. The interaction between the toroidal plasma and the metal bearing gas produces at least one of a metallic material, a metal oxide material or a metal nitride material.
US08658931B2
A three-phase vacuum interrupter switch assembly for power distribution systems comprises an outer case having at least one window, a plurality of internal disconnect switch assemblies, and a plurality of vacuum interrupter bottle switch assemblies within the case. Each vacuum interrupter bottle switch is coupled in electrical series with a corresponding internal disconnect switch assembly. Because the open/closed state of a bottle switch is not directly observable owing to its sealed interior, a direct visible indication of the state of the three-phase vacuum interrupter switch assembly is provided by a visually detectable contact rod for each internal disconnect switch that is visible through the case window. To prevent potentially serious damage caused by arcing between the contacts of the internal disconnect switch, the internal disconnect switch is prevented from opening or closing when the bottle switches are closed. The case interior is preferably free of oil and/or SF6 gas.
US08658929B2
A switch according to various embodiments of the disclosure comprises a mechanical actuator configured to control a function associated with the switch and a face coupled to the actuator. The face is configured to depress in response to a force applied to at least a portion of the face, whereby depression of the face engages the actuator to control the function associated with the switch. The face includes a plurality of segments, each segment for controlling a respective additional function associated with the switch. A respective capacitive touch sensor is coupled to each respective segment of the plurality of segments, wherein each capacitive touch sensor is configured to control the function associated with its respective segment in response to detecting human skin in contact with the segment.
US08658928B2
A switch has a housing, a contact mechanism having a movable contact piece disposed in the housing, an operating element that operates the movable contact piece, a spring member of the contact mechanism that operates the movable contact piece to open and close a contact, and a regulating mechanism that suppresses vibration of the spring member arranged at a position contacting the spring member.
US08658926B2
Accessories such as headsets for electronic devices are provided. A headset may be provided with a button controller assembly that has user-actuated buttons and a microphone. The microphone may be formed by mounting a microphone transducer on a printed circuit board. A housing may be mounted over the transducer to form a sealed cavity for the transducer. Circuitry may be mounted on portions of the printed circuit board that extend beyond the edges of the microphone housing. The button controller assembly may have dome switches. The dome switches may have a housing that encloses dome switch components and that forms a structural internal part for the button controller. The dome switch housing structure may have tabs or other engagement features that mate with corresponding engagement features in a button member. The button member may be pressed by a user to actuate a desired dome switch.
US08658925B2
A keypad assembly including a dome configured to operatively engage a switch sensor; a dome overlay guide operatively coupled by to the dome; a key corresponding to the dome and configured to operatively engage the dome; and a light emitting source, configured to emit light. The dome overlay guide is configured to receive the light emitted by the light emitting source and direct the received light toward the keys.
US08658923B2
A rotary electrical switch comprises a housing having a first rotary contact space for accommodating a rotary contact and a plurality of stationary contact spaces for selectively accommodating at least one stationary contact. The housing comprises one or more closing elements for closing one or more of the stationary contact spaces not in use for accommodating a stationary contact. Another aspect comprises a locking spring member having a first portion being a resilient spring member configured for releasably engaging a locking member, while a second portion is configured for mechanically coupling to a spindle portion for imparting a rotational force on at least one rotary contact of the switch.
US08658915B2
The configurations of a two way wiring device are provided in the present invention. The proposed device includes a case having a first side, a second side opposite to the first side, a third side formed between the first side and the second side and an open bottom passing therethrough a first conducting wire, wherein the third side includes a first side segment, a second side segment and a middle segment located between the first and the second side segments, and a conducting wire guiding pathway formed on the case and the first conducting wire passing the pathway and wired out of the case through one of the first side segment and the second side segment.
US08658911B2
Example multi-layer printed circuit boards (‘PCBs’) are described as well as methods of making and using such PCBs that include layers of laminate; at least one via hole traversing the layers of laminate, and a via conductor contained within the via hole, the via conductor comprising a used portion and an unused portion, the via conductor comprising copper coated with a metal having a conductivity lower than the conductivity of copper.
US08658910B2
A circuit board includes a core substrate portion, an insulating layer, a second wiring, and a via to be a cured product of a via paste. The via paste has a first latent curing agent and a second latent curing agent, an uncured resin mixture, and a conductive particle. Both a softening temperature of the first latent curing agent and that of the second latent curing agent are equal to or higher than 40° C. and are equal to or lower than 200° C., and a difference between the softening temperature of the first latent curing agent and that of the second latent curing agent is equal to or higher than 10° C. and is equal to or lower than 140° C.
US08658906B2
A dummy trace portion is provided in a region between at least a suspension board with circuit on one end side and a support frame of a suspension board assembly sheet with circuits. A base insulating layer is formed on a support substrate in the dummy trace portion. A plurality of conductor traces are formed on the base insulating layer, and a cover insulating layer is formed on the base insulating layer to cover each conductor trace. At least one of the base insulating layer and the cover insulating layer in the dummy trace portion has a groove.
US08658905B2
In a wiring laminate portion of a multilayer wiring substrate, a solder resist layer having a plurality of openings is disposed on a main surface side of the laminate structure, and connection terminals are embedded in an outermost resin insulation layer in contact with the solder resist layer. Each of the connection terminals comprises a copper layer and a metallic layer formed of at least one type of metal other than copper. A main-surface-side circumferential portion of the copper layer is covered by the solder resist layer. At least a portion of the metallic layer is located in a recess in a main-surface-side central portion of the copper layer. At least a portion of the metallic layer is exposed via a corresponding opening.
US08658902B2
An electrical transmission line for transmitting electricity is made of a composite material in which aluminum and a plurality of carbon nanotubes are combined, and a weight ratio of the carbon nanotubes to the aluminum is 0.5 to 3 wt %. The carbon nanotubes are oriented at an angle within 30° along a length direction of the electrical transmission line.
US08658891B2
A stop joint for a superconducting cable is provided to maintain superconducting properties by installing the stop joint on a long distance line in which a long distance superconducting cable has to be installed and unitizing a circulation path of a cooling fluid.
US08658888B2
A solar energy utilization device wherein the surface of the incident light side of the transparent base material 1 is covered by water-and-oil-shedding transparent fine particles 5 being bound and fixed to the surface. A method for manufacturing a solar energy utilization device comprising process A of manufacturing reactive transparent fine particles 9 with the first functional group at one end; process B of manufacturing reactive transparent base material 4 with the second functional group at one end forming a covalent bond with the first functional group; process C of manufacturing transparent base material 10 by reacting the reactive transparent fine particles 9 with the reactive transparent base material 4 for binding and fixing the reactive transparent fine particles 9 to the surface; and process D of forming water-and-oil-shedding coating 16 on the surface of the transparent fine particles 5 being bound and fixed to the surface of the transparent base material 10.
US08658884B2
A solar cell includes a backside reflection layer containing a high-k dielectrics. The backside reflection layer includes a reflection film containing HfO2 or ZrO2 and a backside passivation layer containing of HfSixOy, ZrSixOy or SiO2, which are formed on a rear side of a substrate onto which solar rays are input. Thus, the solar cell exhibits excellent optical trapping for solar rays and low recombination rate of carriers on the rear side. Also, since the reflection film and the backside passivation layer have excellent thermal stability, it is possible to form electrodes by applying various processes such as thermal treatment.
US08658879B2
A method of making musical sounds from a musical instrument may include amplifying musical sounds from vibrations of a vibrating element when a musical instrument is played, sensing forces between the musical instrument and the vibrating element and altering the forces applied to the vibrating element in response to the sensed forces to emulate musical sounds produced by a musical instrument having different musical characteristics, for example, to emulate an acoustic guitar. Piezoelectric material or magnetic material may be used to apply forces along one or more than one axis of vibration and may be controlled by a replaceable element and/or in response to user adjustments. The applied forces may be adjusted to control relative phase between the sensed and applied forces to avoid unwanted musical effects, such as unwanted sustained oscillation, in response to a fundamental period of the vibrations or random number generation to change the vibration waveform.
US08658874B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV451078. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV451078, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV451078 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV451078 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV451078.
US08658867B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1026434. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1026434. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1026434 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1026434 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08658859B2
A cowpea cultivar designated Mississippi Pinkeye 2 Purplehull is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of cowpea cultivar Mississippi Pinkeye 2 Purplehull, to the plants of cowpea cultivar Mississippi Pinkeye 2 Purplehull, to plant parts of cowpea cultivar Mississippi Pinkeye 2 Purplehull and to methods for producing a cowpea plant produced by crossing cowpea cultivar Mississippi Pinkeye 2 Purplehull with itself or with another cowpea cultivar. The invention also relates to methods for producing a cowpea plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic cowpea plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to cowpea cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from cowpea cultivar Mississippi Pinkeye 2 Purplehull, to methods for producing other cowpea cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from cowpea cultivar Mississippi Pinkeye 2 Purplehull and to the cowpea plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid cowpea seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing the cowpea cultivar Mississippi Pinkeye 2 Purplehull with another cowpea cultivar.
US08658852B2
The present disclosure relates to disposable absorbent articles including a topsheet; a backsheet; a liquid acquisition layer; and a substantially cellulose free absorbent core; wherein the liquid acquisition layer and the absorbent core are located between the topsheet and the backsheet; wherein the topsheet and liquid acquisition layer include corresponding discrete indented regions and unindented regions. The liquid acquisition layer comprises a first density, D1, below the unindented regions of the topsheet and comprises a second density, D2, below the discrete indented regions of the topsheet.
US08658847B2
In the present invention, a biofuel composition and processes for the incorporation of biologically-derived ethanol into gasoline are disclosed. The present invention discloses ways to use biologically-derived ethanol in gasoline while simultaneously enabling the blending of products from saturation of benzene. In addition, the present invention also discloses ways to use this ethanol with other volatile compounds from petroleum such as isopentane.
US08658833B2
A method of producing polysulfides comprising the step of adding elemental sulphur to an allicin-containing plant extract. In preferred embodiments, the plant extract is mechanically treated members of the genus Allium, especially garlic. In further preferred aspects of the invention, the plant extract and sulphur mixture is heated, and the pH is controlled to allow manipulation of the polysulfide chain length. The addition of organic bases, containing nitrogen lone pairs, allows further control of polysulfide chain length.
US08658818B2
Methods of forming a nitrate ester include combining at least one nitrate salt and sulfuric acid to form a nitrating solution and adding an aliphatic polyol to the nitrating solution. Nitrate esters formed by this method may be, for example, triethylene glycol dinitrate (TEGDN), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), diglycerol tetranitrate (DGTN), 1,1,1-tris(methylol)ethane trinitrate (TMETN), 1,2,4-butanetriol trinitrate (BTTN), nitroglycerin (NG), diethylene glycol dinitrate (DEGDN), ethylene glycol dinitrate (EGDN), metriol trinitrate (MTN), nitrocellulose (NC), or 1,2-propanediol dinitrate (PDDN).
US08658811B2
Described is a process for preparing docetaxel 1, including the following steps: a) hydroxyl acylation reaction of compound 2 and 3 to obtain compound 4; b) deprotection group R1 of the hydroxyl group of compound 4 obtained from step a to prepare compound 5; c) removing one tert-butoxycarbonyl of compound 5 obtained from step b to prepare compound 6; d) removing one acetyl of compound 6 obtained from step c to prepare compound 1; wherein, R1 represents tert-butyl dimethyl silyl, triethylsilyl, ethoxyethyl, tetrahydropyranyl, trichloroethoxycarbonyl or methoxymethyl, Boc is tert-butoxycarbonyl, Ac is acetyl, and Ph is phenyl. Also disclosed are intermediates of docetaxel and methods for preparation thereof.
US08658800B2
The present invention relates to novel ortho-substituted arylamide derivatives of the general formula (I) in which R1, R3, R4, R5, Qx, A, Qy, X, L and n have the meanings given in the description, to their use as insecticides and acaricides for controlling animal pests, also in combination with other agents for activity boosting, and to a plurality of processes for their preparation.
US08658798B2
Triazolylpyridine ketones expressed by the following formula (I) and use thereof as herbicides.
US08658795B2
Novel pyridinium salts functionalized with boronic acid and methods of making them are disclosed. When combined with a fluorescent dye, the compounds are useful in the detection of polyhydroxyl-substituted organic molecules.
US08658791B2
6-Amino-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acids having alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl substituents in the 5-position and 4-aminopicolinic acids having alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl substituents in the 3-position, and their amine and acid derivatives, are potent herbicides demonstrating a broad spectrum of weed control.
US08658784B2
Efficient sequence specific gene silencing is possible through the use of siRNA technology. By selecting particular siRNAs by rational design, one can maximize the generation of an effective gene silencing reagent, as well as methods for silencing genes. Methods, compositions, and kits generated through rational design of siRNAs are disclosed including those directed to nucleotide sequences for APP.
US08658776B2
Methods for preparation of 2′,3′-dideoxynucleotides support structures, such as 2′,3′-dideoxyguanosine, 2′,3′-dideoxyadenosine, and 3′-deoxythymidine support structures are disclosed. Various methods of using such structures are also provided, such as their use for automated DNA synthesis and pyrophosphorolysis activated polymerization.
US08658773B2
Disclosed are methods, compositions and uses of high concentration antibody or immunoglobulin formulations for subcutaneous, intramuscular, transdermal or other local (regional) administration, in a volume of than 3, less than 2 or less than 1 ml. Preferably, the formulation contains a high concentration formulation (HCF) buffer comprising phosphate, citrate, polysorbate 80 and mannitol at a pH of about 5.2. The formulation more preferably comprises at least 100, 150, 200, 250 mg/ml or 300 mg/ml of antibody. The methods for preparing the high concentration formulation include ultrafiltration and diafiltration to concentrate the antibody and exchange the medium for HCF buffer. Other embodiments concern use of non-G1m1 (nG1m1) allotype antibodies, such as G1m3 and/or a nG1m1,2 antibodies. The nG1m1 antibodies show decreased immunogenicity compared to G1m1 antibodies.
US08658760B2
Formulations based on anionically stabilized aqueous polymer dispersions, containing polychloroprene, to which carbon dioxide (CO2) has been added, to a process for their preparation, to a device for increasing the carbon dioxide content of formulations based on anionically stabilized aqueous polymer dispersions, and to the use thereof in the production of adhesives, sealants, large-volume parts or coatings.
US08658750B2
Disclosed herein is a method for separating from the reactor effluent of an olefin oligomerization procedure those catalyst materials and polymeric by-products which can cause difficulties in the downstream processing of such effluent. Polymer by-products and catalyst in the effluent are separated from reaction products by flash vaporization utilizing an in-situ hot solvent which is contacted with the effluent and serves as the heating medium to promote this flash vaporization step. Subsequent processing of a liquid portion of the effluent which is left after flash vaporization involves recovery of catalyst and polymeric by-products therefrom in a steam stripping vessel. Also disclosed is a multiple reactor system which can be used for continuous trimerization of ethylene to 1-hexene while at the same time washing polymeric by-products from one of the reactors in the series using a wash oil solvent.
US08658749B2
Biocompatible polymers are manufactured to include an ammo acid mimetic monomer and one or more hydrophobic acrylate monomers. The amino acid mimetic monomers are selected to mimic the side chain of the amino acids asparagine or glutamine. The amino acid mimetic monomer can be a methacryloyl or acryloyl derivative of 2-hydroxyacetamide, 3-hydroxypropionamide, alaninamide, lactamide, or glycinamide. These amide functional groups offer the advantage of moderate hydrophilicity with little chemical reactivity. The amino acid mimetic monomer can be copolymerized with one or more hydrophobic acrylate monomers to obtain desired coating properties.
US08658748B2
Silicone hydrogel contact lenses having ophthalmically acceptable levels of energy loss are described. The lenses are derived from a polymerizable composition including a first siloxane monomer represented by formula (1): wherein m of formula (1) represents one integer from 3 to 10, n of formula (1) represents one integer from 1 to 10, R1 of formula (1) is an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and each R2 of formula (1) is independently either a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; the lenses also include units derived from a second siloxane monomer which is a dual-end methacrylate end-capped polydimethylsiloxane having a number average molecular weight of at least 7,000 daltons. The average energy loss of the silicone hydrogel contact lenses is from about 30% to about 45% when the lenses are fully hydrated. Batches of silicone hydrogel contact lenses and methods of making silicone hydrogel contact lenses are also described.
US08658742B2
The present invention relates to a stable aqueous dispersion of thermoplastic polymer particles imbibed with a thermosettable compound. The polymer particles are characterized by having a sufficient concentration of anti-agglomerating functional groups to stabilize the latex against agglomeration. The dispersion is useful as one part of a two-pack formulation.
US08658735B2
The graft copolymer comprises a polymerizable monomer (A1) represented by general formula (III) and a polymerizable monomer (B1) containing a pyridyl group, and a ligand can be bonded via the functional group at the terminus of R3a. In the formula, R1a represents a polymerizable group, R2a represents an alkylene group having a carbon number of 2-5, R3a represents an organic group having at a terminus a functional group selected from among an azide group, a phenyl azide group, a carboxyl group, a primary to quaternary amino group, an acetal group, an aldehyde group, a thiol group, a disulfide group, an active ester group, a trialkoxysilyl group, and a polymerizable group, and n represents any integer from 5 to 20,000.
US08658731B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a resin composition in which a surface resistivity and a volume resistivity actually measured in an antistatic region and an electrostatic diffusion region are equivalent to each other, and a remolded product produced by reutilizing a molded product which can hold the above properties. Specifically, disclosed is a resin composition comprising: 100 parts by weight of (a) a thermoplastic resin; 20 to 80 parts by weight of (b) a nonconductive fibrous inorganic filler having an average fiber diameter of not more than 15 μm; and 10 to 70 parts by weight of the total of (c1) a graphite and (c2) a graphite in which (c) graphite having an average particle diameter of 1 μm to 50 μm wherein each kind thereof has a different particle diameter; and at least one of differences in average particle diameter between two kinds thereof is not less than 5 μm.
US08658727B2
The object of the present invention is to provide an elastomer composite creating a molded article having excellent heat resistance, anti-leakage and needle retaining properties. To attain the object, the present invention provides an elastomer composite comprising 100 parts by mass of a block copolymer mixture containing 10 to 90 parts by mass of a block copolymer A, and 90 to 10 parts by mass of a block copolymer P, with the total amount of said block copolymers A and P being 100 parts by mass, 100 to 300 parts by mass of a softener B, having a kinetic viscosity in the range of between 50 and 500 centistokes (cSt) at 40° C., 1 to 50 parts by mass of a propylene polymer C, having a modulus in bending in the range of between 1000 and 3000 MPa, and 1 to 50 parts by mass of an aromatic polymer D.
US08658724B2
What are described are a solution comprising a terpolymer formed from the monomers of components A, B and C, the total amount of which adds up to 100% by weight, a) 5 to 60% by weight of lactams as component A, b) 5 to 60% by weight of equimolar amounts of adipic acid and one or more aliphatic diamines as component B, c) 10 to 70% by weight of equimolar amounts of adipic acid and 4,4′-diaminodicyclohexylmethane (dicycan) as component C, in an aromatics-free solvent system comprising 50 to 100% by weight of C1-4-alkanol, 0 to 50% by weight of water and not more than 10% by weight of further aromatics-free solvents, where the total amount of the solvent system adds up to 100% by weight, and a terpolymer formed from the monomers of components A, B and C, the total amount of which adds up to 100% by weight, a) 15 to 40% by weight of lactams as component A, b) 20 to 45% by weight of equimolar amounts of adipic acid and one or more aliphatic diamines as component B, c) 25 to 60% by weight of equimolar amounts of adipic acid and 4,4′-diaminodicyclohexylmethane (dicycan) as component C, excluding terpolymers formed from 30 to 40% by weight of component A, 30 to 40% by weight of component B and 30 to 40% by weight of component C.
US08658717B2
An asphalt paving material comprises an asphalt binder present in an amount of from about 3 to about 8 weight percent of the asphalt paving material. The asphalt binder comprises base asphalt and oxidized polyolefin that is present in an amount of from about 0.25 to about 10 weight percent of the base asphalt. Aggregate is present in an amount of about 92 to about 97 weight percent of the asphalt paving material. The oxidized polyolefin effectively adheres the asphalt binder to the aggregate so as to resist stripping of the asphalt binder from the aggregate caused by moisture.
US08658711B2
Methods for synthesizing a methacrylate-derivatized type-I collagen in which methacrylic acid is reacted with a carboxylic acid activating reagent in the presence of a carbodiimide to form a methacrylic acid with an activated carboxylic acid group, which is then reacted with free amino groups on type-I collagen to form a collagen methacrylamide. Methacrylate-derivatized collagen, cross-linked collagens formed therefrom and products containing the cross-linked collagen are also disclosed.
US08658706B2
One embodiment includes methods of adding two sulfonic acid groups to molecules having at least two cyclic groups.
US08658701B2
Foaming alcohol compositions with selected dimethicone surfactants are disclosed. The dimethicone surfactants are PEG-8 to PEG-12 linear dimethicone surfactants and in particular PEG-10 linear dimethicone surfactant. The compositions are useful as antimicrobial products and in particular handcare or skincare products.
US08658686B2
Novel therapeutic agents for myeloma are provided.A therapeutic agent for multiple myeloma containing a pyrazole compound represented by the formula (1): wherein R1 is C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkyl substituted with R17, C1-C6 haloalkyl, phenyl, phenyl substituted with a R11's or the like, R2 is a hydrogen atom, C1-C6 alkyl, phenyl or phenyl optionally substituted with e R21's or the like, R3 is a hydrogen atom or the like, X is a single bond or —(CR6R7)n—, each of R4 and R5 is independently C1-C6 alkyl or the like, R6 and R7 are hydrogen atoms or C1-C6 alkyl, R8 is phenyl, phenyl optionally substituted with k R81's or the like, a tautomer of the compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, as an active ingredient.
US08658681B2
The present invention relates to diarylhydantoin compounds, including diarylthiohydantoins, and methods for synthesizing them and using them in the treatment of hormone refractory prostate cancer.
US08658673B2
Compounds of formula in free or salt or solvate form, where Ar is a group of formula Y is carbon or nitrogen and R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, X, n, p, q and r are as defined in the specification, their preparation and their use as pharmaceuticals, particularly for the treatment of obstructive or inflammatory airways diseases.
US08658672B2
The present invention relates to a HIF-lα activator containing clioquinol and its derivatives as an active ingredient. Clioquinol and its derivatives of the invention inhibit HIF-1α(hypoxia-inducible factor-lα) ubiquitination in normoxic cells and thus accumulate HIF-lα. In the meantime, CQ inhibits FIH-I activity and thereby induces transcription activity of the accumulated HIF-lα, resulting in the induction of expressions of HIF-lα target genes VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) and EPO (erythropoietin). Therefore, clioquinol and its derivatives can be effectively used as a therapeutic agent for ischemic disease.
US08658671B2
The invention provides a crystalline hydrochloride salt of 1-isopropyl-2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylic acid {(1S,3R,5R)-8-[(R)-2-hydroxy-3-(methanesulfonyl-methyl-amino)propyl]-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-3-yl}amide or a solvate thereof. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising such crystalline salt forms, methods of using such crystalline salt forms to treat diseases associated with 5-HT4 receptor activity, and processes useful for preparing such crystalline salt forms.
US08658670B2
Methionyl tRNA synthetase inhibitors (MetRS) are provided for use in therapy as antibacterial agents in Clostridium based infection.
US08658666B2
Imidazoquinolines and imidazonaphthyridines with a substituent containing a functional group, e.g., an amide, sulfonamide, urea, or heterocyclyl group, at the 6, 7, 8, or 9-position, pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds, intermediates, methods of making and methods of use of these compounds as immunomodulators, for inducing cytokine biosynthesis in animals and in the treatment of diseases including viral and neoplastic diseases are disclosed.
US08658664B2
The present invention provides compositions and methods for modulating smoothened-dependent pathway activation. The present invention provides highly water-soluble analogs of cyclopamine that are potent, hedgehog signaling inhibitors less toxic than cyclopamine. The compounds of the present invention are particularly useful in treating cancers associated with hedgehog signalling.
US08658661B2
The present invention relates to compound of formula (I): or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein R1-R5 are as defined herein. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds, methods of using these compounds in the treatment of various diseases and disorders, processes for preparing these compounds and intermediates useful in these processes.
US08658659B2
The present invention relates to novel compounds selected from substituted oxazole derivatives of formula (I) that selectively modulate, regulate, and/or inhibit signal transduction mediated by certain native and/or mutant tyrosine kinases implicated in a variety of human and animal diseases such as cell proliferative, metabolic, allergic, and degenerative disorders. More particularly, these compounds are potent and selective c-kit, bcr-abl and Flt-3 inhibitors.
US08658655B2
Compounds, compositions, and methods for specific inhibition of activated cdc42-associated kinase 1 (Ack1) are provided.
US08658650B2
Compounds useful as allosteric potentiators/positive allosteric modulators of the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 4 (mGluR4) and methods of using the compounds.
US08658649B2
The invention is directed to a compound of formula (I): and the prodrugs, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and solvates of such compounds and their prodrugs. Such a compound has valuable pharmaceutical properties, in particular the ability to inhibit protein kinases.
US08658640B2
This invention relates to a method of treating and/or preventing endometriosis comprising administering a JNK inhibitor. The JNK inhibitor can also be administered combined with a hormonal suppressor. The invention further relates to the treatment of endometriosis.
US08658638B2
The present invention provides a compound of the formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; pharmaceutical compositions comprising Compound (I) in combination with a suitable carrier, diluent, or excipient; and methods for treating physiological disorders, particularly congestive heart failure, hypertension, diabetic nephropathy, or chronic kidney disease, comprising administering Compound (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US08658636B2
The present invention relates to quinoline analogs, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as TRPV4 antagonists.
US08658628B2
A hormone delivery system and method are provided for administering bio identical human hormones using a combination of modalities for the treatment of human physiological conditions.
US08658627B2
The present invention relates to pregnancy hormone combinations and methods of treatment for autoimmune diseases having at least two hormonal components, a pregnancy hormone (such as estriol), and a gestagen (such as levonorgestrel or norethindrone) thereby providing for the continuous, uninterrupted administration of pregnancy hormones for the treatment for autoimmune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis.
US08658621B2
A means is provided to make the capsules of cirrhotic or fibrotic livers relatively impermeable to liver tissue fluid or lymph in humans or other mammals suffering from severe chronic ascites or refractory ascites by application of collodion. The means will be useful to decrease the need for liver and combined liver and kidney transplantations.
US08658618B2
Methods for improved administration and dosing of DPD inhibitors in combination with 5-FU and/or 5-FU prodrugs are provided, comprising first administering to a patient in need thereof a DPD inhibitor that substantially eliminates activity of the enzyme in both nervous and non-nervous tissues within the patient and thereafter administering 5-FU or a 5-FU prodrug, wherein the level of 5-FU or 5-FU generated from a prodrug is in substantial excess of DPD inhibitor in the patient.
US08658614B2
An isolated nucleic acid molecule that selectively binds to an E-selectin protein comprises a contiguous 29-30 nucleotide sequence that includes at least one monothiophosphate or a dithiophosphate modified nucleotide. Also disclosed are methods of inhibiting an E-selectin mediated interaction with a natural E-selectin ligand, and methods of targeting an imaging agent or therapeutic agent to a target tissue bearing E-selectin.
US08658613B2
Specific DNA sequences for binding various clinically relevant analytes from the human body are described. Each of these sequences or their linear, two- and three-dimensional linked sequences can function in varying assay and sensor formats with varying degrees of success. Linkage of the whole or partial DNA sequences (putative binding sites) can be used to enhance specificity and affinity towards complex targets, thereby improving assay selectivity and sensitivity in many instances. In addition, a FRET-based quantitative method is described for normalizing analyte data by assessing urine creatinine and urea levels. Finally, a method is described for removing creatinine or urea by size-exclusion chromatography prior to a FRET-based aptamer assay to avoid the denaturing effects of these compounds.
US08658606B2
Compounds having antibacterial activity are disclosed. The compounds have the following structure (I): including stereoisomers, pharmaceutically acceptable salts and prodrugs thereof, wherein Q1, Q2, Q3, R1, R2 or R3 are as defined herein. Methods associated with preparation and use of such compounds, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, are also disclosed.
US08658588B2
A composition for cleaning hard surfaces which is self-adhering to a wet or dry hard surface through a plurality of flows of water thereover. The composition is a gel having a viscosity of about 600,000 cP to about 1,500,000 cP and is capable of being manually applied, i.e., in absence of an applicating dispenser, to a hard surface. The gel composition with high viscosity provides for continuous cleaning until depletion, or may be used for one-time cleaning at any time between application of the composition to a hard surface and depletion of the gel composition.
US08658587B2
A container has: a) a collapsible receptacle, the wall of which is designed flexibly such that the internal volume of the receptacle is adapted to the volume of a liquid contained therein, and which has an outlet with an outlet valve; and b) in the receptacle a disinfectant composition in the form of a solution with a content of aliphatic alcohol of at most 20% by weight. It is possible that the disinfectant composition is not contaminated with spores or other germs also after the container has been opened, even upon repeated discharge from the container.
US08658584B2
A cleaning composition including a sulfosuccinate functionalized alkyl polyglucoside, a water conditioning agent and water. In one embodiment, the cleaning composition is substantially free of alkyl phenol ethoxylates. The cleaning composition is capable of removing soils including up to 20% proteins. The cleaning compositions include a biorenewable, environmentally friendly alternative to nonyl phenol ethoxylates and exhibit superior cleaning of food and oily soils.
US08658577B2
The present invention provides an anti-wear compound selected from phosphorus compounds as represented by the following General Formula (2) or metal salts thereof as represented by the following General Formula (3).
US08658563B2
The object of the invention is method and apparatus for sorbent production. The method comprises the steps of saturating a moisture-absorbent, wettable organic support material with the aqueous solution of a water-soluble ferric salt, then filtering it and drying it to constant weight; saturating the support material with a stoichiometric quantity (computed relative to the iron content of the support material) of oxalic acid and/or water-soluble salt of oxalic acid, then filtering it and drying it to constant weight, while converting the iron ions to insoluble ferric oxalate; converting the saturated support material to activated carbon by anaerobic heating, then subjecting said saturated support material to anaerobic cooling, while the ferric oxalate is decomposed into iron and carbon dioxide; preoxidizing iron particles of the activated carbon by a water-soluble peroxide compound, filtering the activated carbon, and rinsing it to completely remove salt therefrom, then filtering it again and drying it; converting the iron hydroxide formed on the surface of the iron particles into magnetite by anaerobic heating of the activated carbon, and subsequently cooling in an anaerobic manner the thus produced sorbent to room temperature.
US08658561B2
A solid sorbent for the capture and the transport of carbon dioxide gas is provided having at least one first layer of a positively charged material that is polyethylenimine or poly(allylamine hydrochloride), that captures at least a portion of the gas, and at least one second layer of a negatively charged material that is polystyrenesulfonate or poly(acryclic acid), that transports the gas, wherein the second layer of material is in juxtaposition to, attached to, or crosslinked with the first layer for forming at least one bilayer, and a solid substrate support having a porous surface, wherein one or more of the bilayers is/are deposited on the surface of and/or within the solid substrate. A method of preparing and using the solid sorbent is provided.
US08658559B2
A metal oxide-supported nickel catalyst includes a matrix containing a metal oxide and catalytic sites distributed throughout the matrix and having an intricate interface with the matrix, in which the catalytic sites are selected from the group consisting of nano-nickel(0) domains and nano-nickel(0)-A(0) alloy domains. Also disclosed are a method for preparing this catalyst and a method for using it to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen by partial oxidation of a C1-C5 hydrocarbon.
US08658556B2
This invention relates to a method to polymerize olefins comprising contacting olefins with a catalyst system comprising a transition metal catalyst compound and: 1) at least two NCA activators represented by the formula: Zd+ (Ad-), where Z is a Bronsted acid or a reducible Lewis acid, Ad- is a boron containing NCA, d is 1, 2, or 3, and where Z is a Bronsted acid and Z is a reducible Lewis acid in the first and second NCA activators, respectively; or 2) at least two NCA activators, one as described in Formula I and one not as described in Formula I; or 3) two NCA activators as described in Formula I except that the N in the second NCA in the ArNHal is at a different position in the nitrogen containing aromatic ring than the N in the first NCA.
US08658554B2
A catalyst support which may be used to support various catalysts for use in reactions for hydrogenation of carbon dioxide including a catalyst support material and an active material capable of catalyzing a reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction associated with the catalyst support material. A catalyst for hydrogenation of carbon dioxide may be supported on the catalyst support. A method for making a catalyst for use in hydrogenation of carbon dioxide including application of an active material capable of catalyzing a reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction to a catalyst support material, the coated catalyst support material is optionally calcined, and a catalyst for the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide is deposited on the coated catalyst support material. A process for hydrogenation of carbon dioxide and for making syngas comprising a hydrocarbon, esp. methane, reforming step and a RWGS step which employs the catalyst composition of the present invention and products thereof.
US08658535B2
The present disclosure provides a thermo-mechanically reliable copper TSV and a technique to form such TSV during BEOL processing. The TSV constitutes an annular trench which extends through the semiconductor substrate. The substrate defines the inner and outer sidewalls of the trench, which sidewalls are separated by a distance within the range of 5 to 10 microns. A conductive path comprising copper or a copper alloy extends within said trench from an upper surface of said first dielectric layer through said substrate. The substrate thickness can be 60 microns or less. A dielectric layer having interconnect metallization conductively connected to the conductive path is formed directly over said annular trench.
US08658516B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a silicon wafer and a method of producing an epitaxial wafer, which enable easily forming a gettering site in a relatively short period of time and effectively suppressing occurrence of dislocation induced by internal stresses. Specifically, the present invention provides a method of producing a silicon wafer, comprising: irradiating a first laser beam having a relatively long wavelength and a second laser beam having a relatively short wavelength onto a portion of a silicon wafer located at a predetermined depth measured from a surface of the silicon wafer, wherein the first laser beam is concentrated at a portion located at a predetermined depth of the wafer to form a process-affected layer for gettering heavy metals thereat, the second laser beam is concentrated at a beam-concentration portion in the vicinity of the surface of the wafer to melt the beam-concentration portion, the beam-concentration portion is then recrystallized.
US08658506B1
Methods and apparatus for selectively improving integrated circuit performance are provided. In an example, a method is provided that includes defining a critical portion of an integrated circuit layout that determines the speed of an integrated circuit, identifying at least a part of the critical portion that includes at least one of a halo, lightly doped drain (LDD), and source drain extension (SDE) implant region, and performing a speed push flow process to increase performance of the part of the critical portion that includes the at least one of the halo, the LDD, and the SDE implant region. The resultant integrated circuit can be integrated with a mobile device.
US08658501B2
In one embodiment, the invention is a method and apparatus for flatband voltage tuning of high-k field effect transistors. One embodiment of a field effect transistor includes a substrate, a high-k dielectric layer deposited on the substrate, a gate electrode deposited on the high-k dielectric layer, and a dipole layer positioned between the substrate and the gate electrode, for shifting the threshold voltage of the field effect transistor.
US08658499B2
A monolithic three dimensional NAND string includes a vertical semiconductor channel and a plurality of control gate electrodes in different device levels. The string also includes a blocking dielectric layer, a charge storage region and a tunnel dielectric. A first control gate electrode is separated from a second control gate electrode by an air gap located between the major surfaces of the first and second control gate electrodes and/or the charge storage region includes silicide nanoparticles embedded in a charge storage dielectric.
US08658498B1
A method for fabricating vertical surround gate structures in semiconductor device arrays. The method includes forming pillars separated by vertical and horizontal trenches on a substrate. Forming a gate layer over the pillars and trenches such that the gate layer forms gate trenches in the horizontal trenches. The method includes forming fillers within the gate trenches, and planarizing the gate layer and fillers. The method also includes successively etching a first portion of the gate layer, removing the fillers, and etching a second portion of the gate layer.
US08658497B2
A method of forming an NVM cell and a logic transistor uses a semiconductor substrate. A metal select gate of the NVM cell is formed over a high-k dielectric as is metal logic gate of a logic transistor. The logic transistor is formed, including forming source/drains, while the metal select gate of the NVM cell is formed. The logic transistor is protected while the NVM cell is then formed including forming a charge storage region using metal nanocrystals and a metal control gate over a portion of the metal select gate and a portion of the charge storage region over the substrate. The charge storage region is etched to be aligned to the metal control gate.
US08658494B2
Contact elements of sophisticated semiconductor devices may be formed for gate electrode structures and for drain and source regions in separate process sequences in order to apply electroless plating techniques without causing undue overfill of one type of contact opening. Consequently, superior process uniformity in combination with a reduced overall contact resistance may be accomplished. In some illustrative embodiments, cobalt may be used as a contact metal without any additional conductive barrier materials.
US08658491B2
A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The disclosed semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a device isolation structure for delimiting an active region, the active region being recessed and grooves being defined in channel forming areas of the active region; gates formed in and over the grooves; gate spacers formed on both sidewalls of the gates over portions of the recessed active region which are positioned on both sides of the gates; an LDD region formed in the active region under the gate spacers; junction areas formed in the active region on both sides of the gates including the gate spacers; and landing plugs formed on the junction areas.
US08658486B2
A method of forming a semiconductor structure on a substrate is provided. The method may include preparing a continuous active layer on a region of the substrate and depositing a first raised epitaxial layer on a first region of the continuous active layer. A second raised epitaxial layer is also deposited on a second region of the continuous active layer such that the first raised epitaxial layer is in close proximity to the second raised epitaxial layer. A mask may be used to etch a trench structure into the continuous active layer at both the first and the second raised epitaxial layer, whereby the etched trench structure is filled with isolation material for electrically isolating the first raised epitaxial layer from the second raised epitaxial layer.
US08658485B2
There is provided a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to the present invention comprises: forming a transistor structure including a gate, and source and drain regions on a semiconductor substrate; carrying out a first silicidation to form a first metal silicide layer on the source and drain regions; depositing a first dielectric layer on the substrate, the top of the first dielectric layer being flush with the top of the gate region; forming contact holes at the portions corresponding to the source and drain regions in the first dielectric layer; and carrying out a second silicidation to form a second metal silicide at the gate region and in the contact holes, wherein the first metal silicide layer is formed to prevent silicidation from occurring at the source and drain regions during the second silicidation.
US08658484B2
Semiconductor carbon nanotubes functionalized by hydrogen and a method for fabricating the same, wherein the functional hydrogenated semiconductor carbon nanotubes have chemical bonds between carbon and hydrogen atoms. The semiconductor carbon nanotube fabricating method includes heating carbon nanotubes in a vacuum, dissociating hydrogen molecules in hydrogen gas into hydrogen atoms, and exposing the carbon nanotubes to the hydrogen gas to form chemical bonds between carbon atoms of the carbon nanotubes and the hydrogen atoms. The conversion of metallic carbon nanotubes into semiconductor nanotubes and of semiconductor nanotubes having a relatively narrow energy bandgap into semiconductor nanotubes having a relative wide energy bandgap can be achieved using the method. The functional hydrogenated semiconductor carbon nanotubes may be applied and used in, for example, electronic devices, optoelectronic devices, and energy storage.
US08658478B2
A method of forming a shadow mask vapor deposited transistor includes shadow mask vapor depositing a semiconductor segment. An electrically conductive drain contact is shadow mask vapor deposited on a first part of the semiconductor segment and a first insulator is shadow mask vapor deposited on the drain contact. An electrically conductive source contact is shadow mask vapor deposited on a second part of the semiconductor segment spaced from the drain contact and a second insulator is shadow mask vapor deposited on the source contact. A third insulator is shadow mask vapor deposited over at least part of each of the first and second insulators and the semiconductor segment between the drain contact and the source contact. An electrically conductive gate contact is shadow mask vapor deposited on the third insulator and in spaced relation to the semiconductor segment between the drain contact and the source contact.
US08658473B2
A method of forming a buried die module includes providing an initial laminate flex layer and forming a die opening through the initial laminate flex layer. A first uncut laminate flex layer is secured to the first surface of the initial laminate flex layer via an adhesive and a die is positioned within the die opening of the initial laminate flex layer. A second uncut laminate flex layer is secured to the second surface of the initial laminate flex layer via an adhesive and the adhesive between each pair of neighboring layers is cured. A plurality of vias and metal interconnects are formed in and on the first and second uncut laminate flex layers, with each of the metal interconnects extending through a respective via and being directly metalized to a metal interconnect on the initial laminate flex layer or a die pad on the die.
US08658472B2
A module including a carrier and a semiconductor chip applied to the carrier. An external contact element is provided having a first portion and a second portion extending perpendicular to the first portion, wherein a thickness of the second portion is smaller than a thickness of the carrier.
US08658463B2
A method of making a memristor having an embedded switching layer include exposing a surface portion of a first electrode material within a via to a reactive species to form the switching layer embedded within and at surface of the via. The via is in contact with a first conductor trace. The method further includes depositing a layer of a second electrode material adjacent to the via surface and patterning the layer into a column aligned with the via. The method further includes depositing an interlayer dielectric material to surround the column and providing a second conductor trace in electrical contact with the second electrode material of the column.
US08658451B2
Methods of performing fast thermal annealing in forming GaN light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are disclosed, as are GaN LEDs formed using fast thermal annealing. An exemplary method includes forming a GaN multilayer structure having a n-GaN layer and a p-GaN layer that sandwich an active layer. The method includes performing fast thermal annealing of the p-GaN layer using either a laser or a flash lamp. The method further includes forming a transparent conducting layer atop the GaN multilayer structure, and adding a p-contact to the transparent conducting layer and a n-contact to the n-GaN layer. The resultant GaN LEDs have enhanced output power, lower turn-on voltage and reduced series resistance.
US08658440B2
A nitride semiconductor light emitting device is formed by: forming a resist pattern on a first nitride semiconductor layer formed on a substrate, the resist pattern having a region whose inclination angle relative to a substrate surface changes smoothly as viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the substrate surface; etching the substrate by using the resist pattern as a mask to transfer the resist pattern to the first nitride semiconductor layer; and forming an light emitting layer on the patterned first nitride semiconductor layer. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device can emit near-white light or have a wavelength range generally equivalent to or near visible light range.
US08658431B2
A method and kit for determining whether an animal is not pregnant, or is pregnant following a breeding. The level of expression of a pregnancy induced protein is determined in an animal for which pregnancy status information is desired and the level is compared to that of the level in animals that are not pregnant.
US08658424B2
A method of differentiating embryonic stem cells into oligodendroglial precursor cells and oligodendroglial cells by culturing a population of cells comprising a majority of cells that are characterized by a neural tube-like rosette morphology and are Pax6+/Sox1+ into a population of cells that are PDGFRα+.
US08658422B2
The present invention pertains to a culture plate, and in particular to a culture plate comprising a lid wherein the peripheral side wall of the lid is formed at least partially of at least one filter element made of a filter material. This enables lateral, uniform ventilation of the culture plate even in a stacked arrangement of the culture plate, avoiding at the same time significant loss of culture medium by evaporation.
US08658417B2
The present disclosure provides an automated sample processing system that can receive samples in different first and second formats and process both sample formats. The disclosure also provides a human papillomavirus testing apparatus. The apparatus has a first input to receive first test specimens in the form of pre-processed cervical samples, and a second input to receive unprocessed cervical samples. A first subsystem prepares second test specimens from the unprocessed cervical samples, and a second subsystem selectively processes and tests first specimens, second test specimens, or first and second test specimens to determine the presence of one or more human papillomavirus indicators.
US08658416B2
Methods are provided for reducing a level of one or more antibiotics from an antibiotic-contaminated substance. An organism that can utilize the one or more antibiotics as a carbon source is cultured in the presence of the antibiotic-contaminated substance for a sufficient amount of time to reduce the level of one or more antibiotics from the antibiotic-contaminated substance.
US08658413B2
Mutant delta-5 desaturases, having the ability to convert dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid [DGLA; 20:3 omega-6] to arachidonic acid [ARA; 20:4 omega-6] and/or eicosatetraenoic acid [ETA; 20:4 omega-3] to eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA; 20:5 omega-3] and possessing at least one mutation within the HPGG (SEQ ID NO:7) motif of the cytochome b5-like domain and at least one mutation within the HDASH (SEQ ID NO:8) motif are disclosed. Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding delta-5 desaturases, along with a method of making long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids [“PUFAs”], are also disclosed.
US08658412B2
Methods and compositions are provided wherein microorganisms are used to alter the interface of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon-coated surfaces to increase oil recovery, for improved bioremediation and/or pipeline maintenance.
US08658409B2
The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having acetyl xylan esterase 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.
US08658397B2
A real time Taq-Man PCR assay for detecting multiple serotypes of human papillomavirus (HPV) wherein the number of serotypes detected exceeds the number of colorimetric channels for detection. A biological sample is combined with three oligonucleotide primer/probe sets such that the probes and primers anneal to a target sequence. Each primer/probe set is at least preferential for a specific serotype of an organism. The first and second primer/probe sets are degenerate with respect to each other. The third primer/probe set is not degenerate with respect to the first and second primer/probe sets and discriminates for a third serotype. The third primer/probe set has a signal moiety that emits signal at a wavelength that is the same or different from the wavelength emitted by the signal moiety of the degenerate primer/probe set probes. The target sequences, if present, are amplified and detected.
US08658396B2
A method for screening for variant peptides uses mass spectrometry (MS). A system and a kit may be used for performing the method. Proteins in a sample are digested to form a defined series of peptides. The defined series of peptides are ionized. The ionized species are subjected to collision induced dissociation. Species of known mass/charge ratio are detected to confirm the presence of the protein variant in the original sample.
US08658383B2
[Object] An object of the present invention is to provide a sweet taste receptor-expressing construct which can functionally stably express both of a sweet taste receptor (T1R2+T1R3) and a G protein α subunit at a high expression efficacy, and a stable expression cell body expressing the construct.[Solution] The sweet taste receptor-expressing construct of the present invention is such that respective genes encoding sweet taste receptor subunits T1R2 and T1R3, and a G protein α subunit are inserted into the same plasmid. The cell body of the present invention is such that the sweet taste receptor-expressing construct of the present invention is gene-introduced into a 293 cell in which an FRT (Flippase Recognition Target) sequence is incorporated into one place in a genome, to express sweet taste receptor subunits T1R2 and T1R3, and a G protein α subunit simultaneously.
US08658377B2
Methods for detecting cancer in a subject are disclosed. The method includes detecting the level of expression of one or more cancer markers in a biological sample obtained from the subject; and comparing the level of expression of the one or more cancer markers in the biological sample to a normal level of expression of the one or more cancer markers. The one or more cancer markers comprise CCL25 or CCR9 or both CCL25 and CCR9.
US08658376B2
The present invention is directed to a method of detecting DEK protein in a urine sample. Methods and compositions are provided herein for detecting and diagnosing bladder cancer by chemical-induced precipitation of urine proteins, followed by filtration-induced concentration and Western blot analysis to specifically detect DEK protein. The present method permits specific detection of DEK protein in urine as a biomarker for bladder cancer in humans.
US08658356B2
The invention is directed to compositions and methods for selectively reducing the expression of a gene product from a desired target gene in a cell, as well as for treating diseases caused by the expression of the gene. More particularly, the invention is directed to compositions that contain double stranded RNA (“dsRNA”), and methods for preparing them, that are capable of reducing the expression of target genes in eukaryotic cells. The dsRNA has a first oligonucleotide sequence that is between 25 and about 30 nucleotides in length and a second oligonucleotide sequence that anneals to the first sequence under biological conditions. In addition, a region of one of the sequences of the dsRNA having a sequence length of at least 19 nucleotides is sufficiently complementary to a nucleotide sequence of the RNA produced from the target gene to trigger the destruction of the target RNA by the RNAi machinery.
US08658348B2
Methods for modification of tissue using covalent chemistry. Tissue can be modified through direct alkylation, reduction followed by alkylation, or oxidation followed by condensation to covalently attach small organic molecules or appropriately modified proteins. The modification can be spatially limited to desired regions of the tissue surface.
US08658344B2
A resist material and methods using the resist material are disclosed herein. An exemplary method includes forming a resist layer over a substrate, wherein the resist layer includes a polymer, a photoacid generator, an electron acceptor, and a photodegradable base; performing an exposure process that exposes portions of the resist layer with radiation, wherein the photodegradable base is depleted in the exposed portions of the resist layer during the exposure process; and performing an developing process on the resist layer.
US08658343B2
A resist composition including a base component (A) which exhibits changed solubility in a developing solution under the action of acid, and an acid generator component (B) which generates acid upon exposure, wherein the base component (A) contains a polymeric compound (A1) having a structural unit (a5) represented by general formula (a5-1). In formula (a5-1), R represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or a halogenated alkyl group, X represents single bond or divalent linking group, W represents a cyclic alkylene group which may include an oxygen atom at arbitrary position, each of Ra and Rb independently represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group which may include an oxygen atom at arbitrary position, or alternatively, Ra and Rb may be bonded to each other to form a ring together with the nitrogen atom in the formula, and p represents integer of 1 to 3.
US08658338B2
A toner includes a resin having an unsaturated double bond, a thiol compound having a bi- or more-functional thiol group, and a polymerization initiator.
US08658337B2
The presently disclosed embodiments relate generally to layers that are useful in imaging apparatus members and components, for use in electrophotographic, including digital printing, apparatuses. More particularly, the embodiments pertain to an improved electrophotographic imaging member comprising an overcoat layer which prevents image quality issues such as deletion. The overcoat layer comprises a phenolic triarylamine charge transport molecule, an aminoplast and a triamino triphenyl compound.
US08658336B2
Some embodiments include methods for correcting for variation across substrates. A difference map is created to indicate differences between a desired pattern that is to be formed across the substrates utilizing photolithographic processing and a signature pattern representing the actual pattern formed with an initial setting of illumination optics. Modifications to the illumination optics are determined for improving problematic regions identified in the difference map, and the illumination optics are then modified. Substrates are photolithographically processed utilizing the modified illumination optics.
US08658315B2
A reduced puffing needle coke is formed from decant oil, which includes a lesser amount of nitrogen within the coke so that carbon articles produced from such coke experience minimal expansion upon heating to graphitization temperatures.
US08658308B2
A secondary battery may include an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly including first and second electrode plates and a separator interposed between the electrode plates; a battery case, the battery case including an accommodating part and a sealing part formed along an edge of the accommodating part, the accommodating part accommodating the electrode assembly; an insulating member attached to the sealing part, the insulating member covering and insulating the sealing part; and an alignment mark on at least one region of the sealing part, the alignment mark identifying a position on the sealing part at which a predetermined portion of the insulating member is aligned, wherein a non-insulating part of the sealing part extends past the insulating member.
US08658306B2
A conductive electrode terminal connecting member configured to electrically connect plate-shaped secondary battery cells (‘battery cells’) constituting a battery module to each other is provided. The electrode terminal connecting member includes a left-wing connection part to which electrode terminals of left-side battery cells are connected so as to achieve electrical connection in series or in series and in parallel between the battery cells, and a right-wing connection part to which electrode terminals of right-side battery cells are connected so as to achieve electrical connection in series or in series and in parallel between the battery cells. The left-wing connection part is provided with slits through which the electrode terminals of the respective battery cells are inserted, and the right-wing connection part is provided with slits through which the electrode terminals of the respective battery cells are inserted.
US08658303B2
A middle or large-sized battery pack case having a plurality of stacked battery cells, a coolant inlet port and a coolant outlet port, and a flow space (‘coolant introduction part’) extending from the coolant inlet port to the battery module and another flow space (‘coolant discharge part’) extending from the battery module to the coolant outlet port, an upper end inside of the coolant introduction part facing the top of a unit cell stack is configured to have an inclined plane inclined from the end opposite to the coolant inlet port toward the coolant inlet port at a positive angle of 3 to 8 degrees to the top of the unit cell stack, and the coolant inlet port is inclined at an angle of 20 to 80 degrees.
US08658302B2
The present invention discloses a battery latch structure, wherein a battery slot for receiving a battery is located on the main body, a first end of said battery is latched to a first end of said slot through a first clamp structure, and a second end of said battery is latched to a second end of said slot through a second clamp structure. The second clamp structure includes a second fixed clamp located on the left and right sides of the second end of said slot, and a battery latch, a spring and two battery lock members located at the second end of said battery. The battery latch is located at the second end of the battery and may be slid upwards and downwards to be moveably connected with the two battery lock members. The spring is located between the two battery lock members. The said spring can push the two battery lock members protruding leftwards and rightwards respectively to insert into the second clamp. The said battery latch can be moved upwards by the action of outside force, to release the two battery lock members from the second clamp. The advantages of the present invention are simple in structure and convenient for operation.
US08658300B2
A fuel gauge circuit detects a residual quantity of a battery 1 and is disposed on a substrate 20 together with a protection circuit 40 which protects charging/discharging of the battery 1. The fuel gauge circuit includes a voltage monitor terminal T1 disposed on a side facing a positive power-supply terminal 21 of the substrate and connected to each of the positive power-supply terminal 21 and a voltage sensor 31 disposed in the circuit, a voltage through terminal T6 disposed on a side facing the protection circuit, opposite to the side facing the positive power-supply terminal 21, and connected to a voltage monitor terminal T11 of the protection circuit, and a wiring 32 disposed within the circuit to connect the voltage monitor terminal T1 of the fuel gauge circuit to the voltage through terminal T11.
US08658297B2
A cap assembly and a secondary battery having the same which can prevent current from flowing out of the battery by preventing contact of a broken vent member with a cap. The vent member is broken due to an internal pressure of the secondary battery greater than a predetermined level. The cap assembly includes a vent member having a plurality of notches formed in a radial direction from the center of the vent member and a plurality of reinforcement parts formed between the notches. The cap assembly may include a vent member having a plurality of notches formed between two adjacent notches so that the vent member folds when the internal pressure of the secondary battery is too great.
US08658296B2
A rechargeable battery includes a battery case surrounding an electrode assembly. The battery case may include a cap plate having a vent hole, the cap plate being attached to the battery case, a vent plate disposed over and covering the vent hole, and a member protruding from an area of the cap plate surrounding the vent hole, the vent plate being on the member.
US08658292B1
Systems and methods for controlling the damping of magnetic media for magnetic recording are described. One such system includes a magnetic media structure for magnetic recording, the media structure including at least one base layer including an interlayer, a bottom magnetic recording layer positioned on the interlayer, and an exchange coupling layer positioned on the bottom layer; and a capping magnetic recording layer positioned on the at least one base layer, the capping recording layer including a first material configured to increase a damping constant of the capping recording layer to a first preselected level.
US08658278B2
Provided is a film which can be industrially coated easily and exhibits excellent gas barrier performance without being subjected to a high-temperature heat treatment. The film exhibits good gas barrier performance immediately after the production, and maintains the excellent gas barrier performance while exhibiting excellent hot water resistance and printing resistance. More specifically, provided are: a gas barrier laminated film including a resin layer on an inorganic thin film formed on at least one surface of a support film, the resin layer being formed by applying: (1) an aqueous dispersion containing polyvinyl alcohol (a), an ethylene-unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer (b), and inorganic particles (c); (2) an aqueous dispersion containing an ethylene-unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer (b), inorganic particles (c), and/or a cross-linking agent (d); or (3) an aqueous dispersion containing polyvinyl alcohol (a), an ethylene-unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer (b), inorganic particles (c), and a cross-linking agent (d), to the inorganic thin film surface; and a method of producing the gas barrier laminated film.
US08658274B2
A thermoplastic laminate plank is described wherein the thermoplastic laminate plank comprises a core, a print layer, and optionally an overlay. The core comprises at least one thermoplastic material and has a top surface and bottom surface wherein a print layer is affixed to the top surface of the core and an overlay layer is affixed to the top surface of the print layer. Optionally, an underlay layer can be located and affixed between the bottom surface of the print layer and the top surface of the core. In addition, a method of making the thermoplastic laminate plank is further described which involves extruding at least one thermoplastic material into the shape of the core and affixing a laminate on the core, wherein the laminate comprises an overlay affixed to the top surface of the print layer and optionally an underlay layer affixed to the bottom surface of the print layer.
US08658255B2
Methods of making components having calcium magnesium aluminosilicate (CMAS) mitigation capability involving providing a component; applying an environmental barrier coating to the component, the environmental barrier coating having a separate CMAS mitigation layer including a CMAS mitigation composition selected from rare earth elements, rare earth oxides, zirconia, hafnia partially or fully stabilized with alkaline earth or rare earth elements, zirconia partially or fully stabilized with alkaline earth or rare earth elements, magnesium oxide, cordierite, aluminum phosphate, magnesium silicate, and combinations thereof.
US08658254B2
The invention relates to a new method of coating substrates with an aqueous emulsion of a reactive silicone-based composition and a method of preparing said aqueous emulsion of said reactive silicone-based composition.
US08658252B2
The present invention has for its object a prefabricated sealing membrane formed by a support, coated on at least one surface, and preferably impregnated throughout, with a modified bitumen base composition, characterized in that the thermoplastic bituminous composition for coating and/or impregnation is a bituminous binder modified by a thermoplastic polyurethane having the following weight proportion: 40 to 90% bitumen, 10 to 50% thermoplastic polyurethane, 0 to 10% aromatic oil, 0 to 50% filler, 0 to 0.5% catalyst.
US08658249B2
The present invention provides a process for the deposition of a iridium containing film on a substrate, the process comprising the steps of providing at least one substrate in a reactor; introducing into the reactor at least one iridium containing precursor having the formula: XIrYA, wherein A is equal to 1 or 2 and i) when A is 1, X is a dienyl ligand and Y is a diene ligand; ii) when A is 2, a) X is a dienyl ligand and Y is selected from CO and an ethylene ligand, b) X is a ligand selected from H, alkyl, alkylamides, alkoxides, alkylsilyls, alkylsilylamides, alkylamino, and fluoroalkyl and each Y is a diene ligand, and c) X is a dienyl ligand and Y is a diene ligand; reacting the at least one iridium containing precursor in the reactor at a temperature equal to or greater than 100° C.; and depositing an iridium containing film formed from the reaction of the at least one iridium containing precursor onto the at least one substrate.
US08658241B2
A bi-polar electrode having ion exchange polymers on opposite faces of a porous substrate is formed using a method that includes providing an electrode substrate with activated carbon layers on opposite faces of the electrode substrate, wherein said faces have an outer perimeter band void of the activated carbon layers. The electrode substrate is placed in a thermoplastic envelope formed by a pair of polyethylene films. A Mylar sheet is placed in each side of the envelope against the electrode substrate, and the envelope is thermally sealed to the outer perimeter band of the electrode substrate void of activated carbon to form a first pocket on one side of the electrode substrate and a second pocket on the opposite side of the electrode substrate. The method also includes inserting a first polymerizable monomer mixture having an anion exchange group into the first pocket of the envelope and inserting a second polymerizable monomer mixture having a cation exchange group into the second pocket of the envelope. The first and second polymerizable monomers mixtures are then polymerized in an oven.
US08658239B2
The present invention relates to compositions which are suitable for selective filling or selective coating of folds of a folded balloon, and especially relates to compositions of a contrast agent and an active agent in a solvent for filling of folds of a folded catheter balloon as well as to methods for selective filling or selective coating of folds of a folded catheter balloon and to filled or coated folded catheter balloons which can be obtained according to one of these methods.
US08658231B2
The invention relates to a process for improving the flavor of roasted Robusta and Arabica quality coffee and is characterized by modifying roasted coffee flavor precursors in aqueous extracts of green coffee beans.
US08658230B2
An oil-free, non-dairy, shelf-stable liquid whitening composition having a whitening agent and a stabilizing system is disclosed. The stabilizing system includes a hydrocolloid component, preferably of a blend of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and carrageenans, in an amount sufficient to suspend the whitening agent both in the liquid whitening composition and in an aqueous media to which the liquid whitening composition is added; and a buffer to ensure sensory quality. The stabilizing system maintains the liquid whitening composition in a homogeneous state in the composition for at least about 9 months at ambient temperatures, and further maintains the whitening composition in suspension when added to the aqueous media.
US08658227B2
A formulation and method of mitigation of symptoms of patients suffering from a neurocutaneous pain syndrome by topical application of the formulation. The formulation is obtained by steeping the bark of a tree from the genus Betula in an aqueous acidified solution and then subsequent filtering, packaging and sterilization.
US08658218B2
A composition for treating damaged tissue and promoting healthy tissue growth, healing and tissue regeneration, wherein the composition comprises an extracellular matrix compound, a surface-active lipid, one or more enantiomericaily pure L-amino acids or glycine, a hydrophilic surfactant with a high HLB, as well as vitamins, minerals or trace elements. Not only does it maintain good health, but the components are non-intrusive, bio-safe, non-coalescent and can mimic normally occurring stem-cells within a body. When applied to diseased tissues, the subject compositions can stimulate, facilitate, and accelerate protein synthesis for the regeneration of diseased organs and tissues. The healing efficacy of these tissue components gives us further appreciation of the protective action of human tissue over and above and other than the immune protective system or perhaps an integral component part of the immune system.
US08658215B2
The present invention relates to elastic, hydrophilic and substantially spherical microspheres useful for dermal augmentation and tissue bulking. The invention provides injectable compositions comprising the microspheres and a biocompatible carrier for use in dermal augmentation. The present invention further provides methods of dermal augmentation and tissue bulking, particularly for the treatment of skin contour deficiencies, Gastro-esophageal reflux disease, urinary incontinence, and urinary reflux disease, using the injectable compositions.
US08658204B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a liposome which is excellent in intrapulmonary delivery controllability of drugs or genes and is suited for pulmonary administration.By modifying the surface of a liposome using a terminal hydrophobized polyvinyl alcohol and/or chitosan, retention of drugs or genes encapsulated in the liposome on the surface of lung tissue and transfer of drugs or genes into lung tissue can be properly modulated, and thus in vivo behavior can be controlled.
US08658203B2
The present invention provides liposome compositions containing substituted ammonium and/or polyanion, and optionally with a desired therapeutic or imaging entity. The present invention also provide methods of making the liposome compositions provided by the present invention. The present invention also provides for the methods and kits for the delivery of liposomal compositions to the brain.
US08658198B2
There is provided pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of pain comprising a pharmacologically-effective amount of an opioid analgesic, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, presented in particulate form upon the surfaces of carrier particles comprising a pharmacologically-effective amount of an opioid antagonist, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, which carrier particles are larger in size than the particles of the opioid analgesic. The compositions are also useful in prevention of opioid abuse by addicts.
US08658197B2
Described is a medically useful article comprising a three-dimensional body including one or more implantable substances, wherein the body defines one or more reservoirs for receiving amounts of a biocompatible wetting liquid. In certain embodiments the body is disruptable upon wetting with the biocompatible liquid to form a conformable implantable material such as a putty, paste or more flowable wetted implant material. Also described are methods for manufacturing such medical materials, and methods for using such medical materials to treat patients.
US08658190B2
The addition of alcohol plus acetate salts unexpectedly enhanced the tuberculocidal activity of glutaraldehyde, and decreased the fumes of glutaraldehyde from the formula of a high-level disinfectant.
US08658174B2
The invention is a method and composition for the prevention and treatment of type I and type II diabetes in a subject. The composition comprises an IgG-Fc fusion protein where the fusion protein comprises GLP-1, mutant GLP-1, or exendin-4.
US08658172B2
The present invention relates to the use of an anti-EpCAM antibody for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. The present invention further relates to a method of treating metastatic breast cancer comprising administering said anti-EpCAM antibody.
US08658169B2
The present invention relates to IL-25 antibody VH domains and target binding members (e.g., antibodies) that comprise such antibody VH domains and bind IL-25. The invention also relates to compositions comprising target binding members {e.g., antibodies) that bind IL-25, methods of producing such target binding members, and uses of such target binding members for the treatment or prevention of diseases and conditions (e.g., asthma, inflammatory bowel disease).
US08658168B2
This invention discloses monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) which have little or no signaling activity as monomers become potent anti-tumor agents when they are converted into homoconjugates. The homoconjugates exert anti-growth activity by signaling G0/G1 arrest or apoptosis, depending upon which cell surface molecule they bind. This activity is specific and does not require an Fc portion. These conjugates are potent, anti-tumor agents.
US08658163B2
A therapeutic agent for the treatment of toxemia, preeclampsia and eclampsia and a method for preparing the therapeutic agent is disclosed. The therapeutic agent is a stable pharmaceutical preparation containing, but not limited to, digestive/pancreatic enzymes. The therapeutic agent may be manufactured by a variety of encapsulation technologies. Delivery of the therapeutic agent may be made orally, through injection, by adherence of a medicated patch or by other methods. Further, a method of using the presence of chymotrypsin in the maternal GI tract as a biomarker to determine the likelihood of developing preeclampsia, a pregnancy induced hypertension, and eclampsia/toxemia is disclosed.
US08658162B2
The invention relates to dose escalation enzyme replacement therapy using acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) for the treatment of human subjects having acid sphingomyelinase deficiency (ASMD), and, in particular, patients with non-neurological manifestations of Niemann-Pick Disease (NPD), and in certain embodiments, NPD type B.
US08658158B2
The present invention relates to a method of increasing the sensitivity of neoplastic cells to chemotherapeutic agents by using a virus, a method of treating proliferative disorders with a virus and chemotherapeutic agents, and a method for preventing a neoplasm from developing drug resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. The virus is preferably a reovirus.
US08658157B2
New strains of Lactobacillus that have been selected for their capability of improved reduction the number of Streptococcus mutans in the mouth of mammals through inhibiting activity in combination with better binding to the oral mucins and dental plaque, thereby preventing, reducing or treating dental caries, and products derived from said strains, including agents for treatment or prophylaxis of caries for administration to humans.
US08658156B2
The use of probiotic bacteria in the manufacture of a composition for administration to a woman in at least the third trimester of pregnancy for prevention of gestational diabetes, normalizing plasma glucose concentration and/or increasing insulin sensitivity.
US08658154B2
Genetically modified non-human animals and methods and compositions for making and using them are provided, wherein the genetic modification comprises a deletion of the endogenous low affinity FcγR locus, and wherein the mouse is capable of expressing a functional FcRγ-chain. Genetically modified mice are described, including mice that express low affinity human FcγR genes from the endogenous FcγR locus, and wherein the mice comprise a functional FcRγ-chain. Genetically modified mice that express up to five low affinity human FcγR genes on accessory cells of the host immune system are provided.
US08658153B2
New bacterium GC61 belonging to the genus Bifidobacterium, probiotic compositions comprising said bacterium, particularly food products, and use of said bacterium in the treatment of diseases, such as gastrointestinal diseases.
US08658146B2
The present invention relates to a water-absorbing composition comprising water-absorbing polymer structures, on the surface of which is at least one tannin fraction which has a number-average molecular weight, determined in accordance with the test method described herein, of at least 1,000 g/mol, which has a weight-average molecular weight, determined in accordance with the test method described herein, of at least 1,000 g/mol, or which is a hydrolysable gallotannin.The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of a water-absorbing composition, the water-absorbing composition obtainable by this process, a composite, a process for the production of a composite, the composite obtainable by this process, chemical products, such as, for example, hygiene articles, the use of a water-absorbing composition or of a composite and the use of a tannin fraction.
US08658145B2
A cosmetically acceptable composition comprising from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent, based on polymer solids, of a water-soluble ampholyte polymer comprising: from at least 1 to as much as 95 weight percent of the nonionic monomer acrylamide; from at least 5 to as much as 80 weight percent of the cationic monomer dimethyldiallylammonium chloride; from at least 1 to as much as 75 weight percent of the anionic monomer acrylic acid, is disclosed. The application of these polymers to a keratinous substance is also disclosed. In addition, a method of treating a keratinous substance comprising applying a cosmetically acceptable composition comprising from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent, based on polymer solids, of an ampholyte polymer produced by the following process: (1) preparing a monomer solution containing: from at least 1 to as much as 95 weight percent of the nonionic monomer acrylamide; from at least 5 to as much as 80 weight percent of the cationic monomer dimethyldiallylammonium chloride; from at least 1 to as much as 75 weight percent of the anionic monomer acrylic acid; (2) providing a reactor and water to said reactor; (3) optionally charging said reactor with a sequestering agent, a chain transfer agent or a combination thereof; (3) purging said reactor to remove oxygen from said reactor; (4) heating the contents of said reactor; and (5) feeding said monomer solution and initiator solution into said reactor, is disclosed.
US08658133B2
Methods and compositions relating to Alzheimer's disease are provided, including proteins that are differentially expressed in Alzheimer's disease as compared to the normal state. Further provided are methods, particularly experimental paradigms, for the identification of differential expressed proteins that are potential molecular targets for compounds to treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease. Also provided are methods for the identification and therapeutic use of compounds for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
US08658132B2
A method for producing a radioactive diagnostic imaging agent containing a radioactive 18 fluorine-labeled organic compound represented by the following formula (1): as an effective ingredient in which radiolysis of the effective ingredient is inhibited, involves providing a solution containing the radioactive 18fluorine-labeled organic compound represented by the above formula (1), adding an acid to the solution obtained in the first step in an amount sufficient for the solution to be kept within a pH of 2.0-5.9 in the following third step, and diluting the solution obtained in the second step in order to adjust the solution to a desired radioactive concentration within a pH of 2.0-5.9.
US08658129B2
The present invention relates to agents capable of binding to myelin basic protein in a subject. Also provided are methods for the detection of myelin-associated neuropathy comprising identifying a subject at risk of or diagnosed with a myelin-associated neuropathy, administering to a subject an agent that binds specifically to myelin basic protein, and determining myelination in the subject by detecting the agent present in the subject. A kit containing the agent or its derivatives for use in detecting myelin basic protein is also provided.
US08658126B2
Nanomaterials of the JT phase of the titanium oxide TiO2-x, where 0≦x≦1 having as a building block a crystalline structure with an orthorhombic symmetry and described by at least one of the space groups 59 Pmmn, 63 Amma, 71 Immm or 63 Bmmb. The nanomaterials are in the form of nanofibers, nanowires, nanorods, nanoscrolls and/or nanotubes and are obtained from a hydrogen titanate and/or a mixed sodium and hydrogen titanate precursor compound that is isostructural to the JT crystalline structure. The titanates are the hydrogenated, the protonated, the hydrated and/or the alkalinized phases of the JT crystalline phase that are obtained from titanium compounds such as titanium oxide with an anatase crystalline structure, amorphous titanium oxide, and titanium oxide with a rutile crystalline structure, and/or directly from the rutile mineral and/or from ilmenite.
US08658120B2
Disclosed is a non-thermofusible phenol resin powder having an average particle diameter of not more than 20 μm and a single particle ratio of not less than 0.7. This non-thermofusible phenol resin powder preferably has a chlorine content of not more than 500 ppm. This non-thermofusible phenol resin powder is useful as an organic filler for sealing materials for semiconductors and adhesives for semiconductors. The non-thermofusible phenol resin powder is also useful as a precursor of functional carbon materials such as a molecular sieve carbon and a carbon electrode material.
US08658117B2
A method for production of ammonium phosphates includes providing (210) of a phosphorus-loaded water immiscible liquid phase, adding (212) of anhydrous ammonia to the water immiscible liquid phase, precipitating (214) of mono-ammonium phosphate and/or di-ammonium phosphate from the water immiscible liquid phase and extracting (218) of the precipitated mono-ammonium phosphate and/or di-ammonium phosphate from the water immiscible liquid phase. The method further includes controlling (216) of a temperature of the water immiscible liquid phase during the adding (212) and precipitating (214) to a predetermined temperature interval.
US08658116B2
A method of producing sulfur dioxide is provided. A feed gas stream comprising at least 5% by volume hydrogen sulfide is provided. The feed gas stream is separated into a hydrogen sulfide stream and a hydrocarbon gas stream. An oxidant stream is provided and is combusted with the hydrogen sulfide stream to produce thermal power and a combustion stream containing sulfur dioxide and steam. Sulfur dioxide is separated from the combustion stream.
US08658096B2
Provided is a rack transport system that horizontally slides a rack tray holding and storing a plurality of specimen containers, allowing the rack tray to be safely placed on a rack tray set section. For this purpose, a rack transport system (8) using a rack tray (10) having a rack dropout-preventing mechanism (10b) includes a rack tray set section (8A) that has a lock canceling mechanism (8i) of the rack dropout-preventing mechanism and on which the rack tray that arranges and holds a plurality of racks (9) supporting a plurality of specimen containers (9a) is placed, and a projection section (8h) serving as a lock canceling button of the rack dropout-preventing mechanism is formed at a position where the rack tray that holds and stores the plurality of racks supporting the plurality of specimen containers is slid to be able to be set in the rack tray set section.
US08658093B2
System and methods for detecting analytes such as pathogenic cells are described. The methods allow for the direct measurement of analytes such as pathogenic organisms without the need for sample preparation and/or PCR. The devices can be used individually as point-of-use sensors for airborne pathogens and other pathogenic organisms in foods and agriculture products.
US08658081B2
Stents and methods of manufacturing a stents with enhanced fracture toughness are disclosed.
US08658080B2
A method for blow molding containers in blow molds of a device operated with the recovery of air from the blow molds, where operation is accomplished consecutively in a preblow stage with a low pressure and at least two further blow stages with respective higher pressures, and where subsequently, in a recovery phase with several pressure stages, air is fed from the respective blow mold, air from the blow mold is first fed into the volumes allocated to the preblow stage, with priority over a feeding at least into the volume allocated to the pressure stage following the preblow stage. Further, a blow control and a control means for the pressure in the volume, where the blow control has a program section for primarily feeding air first into the volume, and possibly for limiting the pressure in the volume to a multiple of the pressure.
US08658078B2
A method is provided, by which a three-dimensional object is manufactured by a subsequent solidification of layers of a building material in powder form at the positions in the respective layer that corresponds to the cross-section of the object by means of the action of a laser or another energy source,wherein as building material in powder form a material is used which contains the old powder that has remained as unsolidified powder in the manufacturing of one or more previously formed objects and a proportion of new powder that has not been used before in any manufacturing process, characterized in that the building material in powder form is mechanically consolidated when a layer is applied.
US08658074B2
The present invention relates to an automatic elastomer extrusion apparatus and method. An apparatus 400 for in-situ extrusion of an elastomeric coating 410 on a profiled helical surface 450 can include a template (100, 200) forming a gap between the profiled helical surface 450 and an adjacent profiled helical surface (102, 202) of a template (100, 200) itself to extrude an elastomer therethrough. A tracking mechanism 302 and/or carriage 300 can allow a template to follow the contours of the profiled helical surface 350. The apparatus can include means for providing relative movement between the profiled helical surface and the template. The apparatus (500, 600) can include a cleaning module (502, 602), an adhesive application module (504, 604), an elastomer deposition module (506, 606), and/or a curing module (508, 608). Each module can further include a template (100, 200) and/or a tracking mechanism 302.
US08658063B2
Disclosed are new compound semiconductors which may be used for solar cells or as thermoelectric materials, and their application. The compound semiconductor may be represented by a chemical formula: InxMyCo4-m-aAmSb12-n-z-bXnTez, where M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Ca, Sr, Ba, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd, Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu; A is at least one selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir and Pt; X is at least one selected from the group consisting of Si, Ga, Ge and Sn; 0
US08658061B2
The present invention relates to electrically conductive polymer compositions, and their use in organic electronic devices. The electrically conductive polymer compositions include (i) an intrinsically conductive polymer having at least one monomer unit which is a pyridine-fused heteroaromatic and (ii) a fluorinated acid polymer.
US08658058B2
The present invention relates to liquid-crystal emulsion for the use in a thermo-optical matrix to an early diagnosis of mammary gland neoplasmic lesions. It contains a mixture of thermotropic liquid crystals and polyvinyl alcohol. The liquid-crystal emulsion contains 14 to 48% by weight (on a dry matter basis) of the thermotropic compounds mixture and 50 to 86% by weight (on a dry matter basis) of polyvinyl alcohol. The present invention also relates to a method for preparing liquid-crystal emulsion.
US08658057B2
A liquid crystal polyester resin composition for camera modules is used, the composition including, based on 100 parts by mass of the composition as a whole, (A) 49.5 to 69.5 parts by mass of a liquid crystal polyester, (B) 30.0 to 50.0 parts by mass of an irregular form or spherical powder having a Mohs hardness of 5 or higher and a primary particle diameter of 5 μm or less, and (C) 0.5 to 5.0 parts by mass of carbon black. The use of the resin composition allows a reduction in the amount of dust generated (particles falling off) during the production of the camera, the use of the camera, and the operation of the camera modules. The resin composition has high surface hardness, is excellent in balance between heat resistance, stiffness, moldability, and resistance to falling of particles off a surface, and causes no malfunction during autofocus control.
US08658055B2
Solid-state hydrogen fuel with a polymer matrix and fabrication methods thereof are presented. The solid-state hydrogen fuel includes a polymer matrix, and a crushed mixture of a solid chemical hydride and a solid-state catalyst uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrix. The fabrication method for the solid-state hydrogen fuel includes crushing and mixing a solid chemical hydride and a solid-state catalyst in a crushing/mixing machine, and adding the polymer matrix into the mixture of the solid chemical hydride and the solid-state catalyst to process a flexible solid-state hydrogen fuel. Moreover, various geometric and/or other shapes may be formed and placed into suitable vessels to react with a particular liquid and provide a steady rate of hydrogen release.
US08658053B2
Disclosed is an etchant composition employed for selectively etching a metallic material in production of a semiconductor device, which is an aqueous solution containing a fluorine compound, and a chelating agent having, in the molecular structure thereof, a phosphorus oxo-acid as a functional group; or is an aqueous solution containing a fluorine compound, a chelating agent having, in the molecular structure thereof, a phosphorus oxo-acid as a functional group, and an inorganic acid and/or an organic acid. Also disclosed is a method for producing a semiconductor device employing the etchant composition.
US08658049B2
A method for manufacturing a touch panel includes the following steps. A mother plate is provided. A plurality of adhesive materials are formed on the mother plate. A plurality of cover glasses are disposed on the adhesive materials respectively. The adhesive materials are cured, whereby the cover glasses are attached to the mother plate. A plurality of circuit units are formed on the cover glasses respectively. The cover glass having the circuit unit is removed from the mother plate, wherein the bonding strength of the cured adhesive material is within a range about between 5 g/25 mm and 600 g/25 mm, whereby the adhesive material provides enough adhesive force between the cover glass and the mother plate, and the adhesive material cannot be stayed on a surface of the cover glass during a removing process.
US08658022B2
A process for cracking a heavy hydrocarbon feed comprising a vaporization step, a hydroprocessing step, and a steam cracking step is disclosed. The heavy hydrocarbon feed is passed to a first zone of a vaporization unit to separate a first vapor stream and a first liquid stream. The first liquid stream is passed to a second zone of the vaporization unit and contacted intimately with a counter-current steam to produce a second vapor stream and a second liquid stream. The first vapor stream and the second vapor stream are cracked in the radiant section of the steam cracker to produce a cracked effluent. The second liquid stream is reacted with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst to produce a hydroprocessed product. A liquid hydroprocessed product is fed to the vaporization unit.
US08658021B2
The present invention relates to a multistage reforming process to produce a high octane product. A naphtha boiling range feedstock is processed in a multi-stage reforming process, in which the process involves at least 1) a penultimate stage for reforming the naphtha feedstock to produce a penultimate effluent 2) a final stage for further reforming at least a portion of the penultimate effluent 3) a regeneration step for the final stage catalyst. The severity of the penultimate stage can be increased during final stage catalyst regeneration in order to maintain the target RON of the reformate product and avoid reactor downtime.
US08658017B2
Methods and apparatus relating to very large scale FET arrays for analyte measurements. ChemFET (e.g., ISFET) arrays may be fabricated using conventional CMOS processing techniques based on improved FET pixel and array designs that increase measurement sensitivity and accuracy, and at the same time facilitate significantly small pixel sizes and dense arrays. Improved array control techniques provide for rapid data acquisition from large and dense arrays. Such arrays may be employed to detect a presence and/or concentration changes of various analyte types in a wide variety of chemical and/or biological processes. In one example, chemFET arrays facilitate DNA sequencing techniques based on monitoring changes in hydrogen ion concentration (pH), changes in other analyte concentration, and/or binding events associated with chemical processes relating to DNA synthesis.
US08658015B2
A water treatment system, comprising a plurality of pipes, each of the plurality of pipes formed of a rare earth metal alloy and configured for water passage therethrough in a water flow direction wherein excitation of electrons in the rare earth metal alloy of at least one pipe in the plurality of pipes forms an electric field along the at least one pipe, the electric field having a direction perpendicular to the water flow direction in the at least one pipe, and a plurality of permanent magnets configured to create a magnetic field along the at least one pipe, the magnetic field having a direction perpendicular to the water flow direction of the at least one pipe, wherein the electric field and the magnetic field are configured to break at least some hydrogen bonds between water molecules of water passing through the at least one pipe.
US08658012B2
The biosensor has an electrode system for electrochemically measuring 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) and a reagent layer formed on said electrode system. The reagent layer contains an enzyme for measuring 1,5-anhydroglucitol, phenothiazine compounds, a stabilizer selected from a group of compounds comprising metal salts, organic acids, and amino acids, and an acidic polymer compound as an optional ingredient. The biosensor has excellent storage stability and can electrochemically measure 1,5-anhydroglucitol unaffected by the hematocrit contained in a whole blood sample.
US08658004B2
A system includes a collimated beam source within a vacuum chamber, a condensable barrier gas, cooling material, a pump, and isolation chambers cooled by the cooling material to condense the barrier gas. Pressure levels of each isolation chamber are substantially greater than in the vacuum chamber. Coaxially-aligned orifices connect a working chamber, the isolation chambers, and the vacuum chamber. The pump evacuates uncondensed barrier gas. The barrier gas blocks entry of atmospheric vapor from the working chamber into the isolation chambers, and undergoes supersonic flow expansion upon entering each isolation chamber. A method includes connecting the isolation chambers to the vacuum chamber, directing vapor to a boundary with the working chamber, and supersonically expanding the vapor as it enters the isolation chambers via the orifices. The vapor condenses in each isolation chamber using the cooling material, and uncondensed vapor is pumped out of the isolation chambers via the pump.
US08658001B2
A method and control system are provided for depositing a layer in a sputter-deposition system having a target cathode. A first dependence relationship of a deposition rate of the layer on an operating parameter, selected from cathode voltage, cathode current, and cathode power, is provided prior to deposition of the layer. A second dependence relationship of the operating parameter on time is measured during deposition of the layer, while a different operating parameter, also selected from cathode voltage, cathode current, and cathode power, is held substantially constant. On the basis of the first and second dependence relationships, a deposition time for the layer is dynamically determined during deposition of the layer.
US08657999B2
A method for producing a fuel composition from a feedstock which may contain biomass and municipal solid waste is described. The method includes the step of pyrolyzing the feedstock in the presence of a transition metal, using microwave energy, so that the level of oxygen in at least one product of the pyrolysis is reduced. An integrated process is also described, in which the transition metal can be regenerated. Moreover, pyrolysis products such as bio-oils can be upgraded to liquid fuel compositions. Related systems for producing fuel compositions are also described.
US08657998B2
An apparatus for removing particulate-carrying air from a moving web. The moving web has a first side and a second side. The apparatus includes a NACA duct positioned in a non-contacting relationship on a first side of the moving web, and at least partially submerged in a particulate-carrying boundary layer of the moving web. The NACA duct can have an intake opening and an exhaust opening such that when the intake opening is submerged in the boundary layer at least a portion of the particulate-carrying air from the boundary layer enters the intake opening and exits the exhaust opening, thereby scavenging particulate-carrying air from said boundary layer.
US08657996B2
A method is provided for controlling deposit-forming contaminants that comprise pitch or other fiber components which can interfere with the processing of the fibers, reduce paper quality, or both in papermaking systems. The method includes contacting fibers with a lipase and at least one peroxide source-free oxidant, and optionally nonionic surfactant, to liberate the organic contaminants from the fibers. Paper products of the method are also provided.
US08657993B2
A process of manufacturing a solar cell module, the process comprising: (i) providing a solar cell pre-laminate assembly comprising a solar cell component comprising one or a plurality of solar cells and an encapsulant film or sheet consisting essentially of a non-neutralized acid copolymer composition prepared from (a) non-neutralized acid copolymer of an alpha olefin and about 15 to about 23 wt % of alpha,beta-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbons, based on the total weight of the acid copolymer, wherein the acid copolymer has a Melt Index of greater than 100 to about 600 g/10 min, and (b) about 0.01 to about 10 wt %, based upon the total weight of the acid copolymer composition, of organic peroxide; and (ii) laminating the pre-laminate assembly to form the solar cell module by subjecting the assembly to heat and, optionally, vacuum.
US08657983B2
The disclosed pre-lamination core and the method of making such a pre-lamination core includes an electronic component or a non-electronic component, a bottom cover sheet, a top cover sheet, and a layer of thermosetting material between the bottom and top cover sheets. The pre-lamination core can be used in the manufacture of cards while using conventional equipment to apply top and bottom overlays to the pre-lamination core.
US08657982B2
The steps of a method for fabricating a proximity sensing module that is adapted to be attached to a mobile device, include: (a) patterning an upper conductive film to form a patterned conductive film which includes an upper connective pad that is adapted to be electrically connected to a respective contact on a circuit board of the mobile device, and an induced circuit pattern that is electrically connected to the upper connective pad; (b) adhering an adhesive sheet to the patterned conductive film; and (c) forming a through hole in the adhesive sheet such that the upper connective pad is exposed from the through hole.
US08657978B2
A method for forming a longitudinal edge region of a transport/drive belt having at least two layers of a thermoplastic material and at least one layer of a woven fabric web includes positioning a mat at one longitudinal edge of the transport/drive belt. The method further includes transferring heat and pressure to the transport/drive belt so as to melt and merge at least a region of the at least two layers of thermoplastic material without adding any additional material, solidifying the at least two layers of thermoplastic material, and removing the mat.
US08657973B2
Magnesium-based alloy wire excelling in strength and toughness, its method of manufacture, and springs in which the magnesium-based alloy wire is utilized are made available. The magnesium-based alloy wire contains, in mass %, 0.1 to 12.0% Al, and 0.1 to 1.0% Mn, and is provided with the following constitution. Diameter d that is 0.1 mm or more and 10.0 mm or less; length L that is 1000d or more; tensile strength that is 250 MPa or more; necking-down rate that is 15% or more; and elongation that is 6% or more. Such wire is produced by draw-forming it at a working temperature of 50° C. or more, and by heating it to a temperature of 100° C. or more and 300° C. or less after the drawing process has been performed.
US08657972B2
A bainitic steel with simultaneous high yield strength and high fracture toughness includes at least 5 volume percent austenite as well as iron, carbon, and silicon. The silicon is present in an amount of at least 1.5 weight percent of total weight of the bainitic steel. A method of forming the steel by austempering is also provided.
US08657968B2
This method of manufacturing a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet includes, between a cold rolling process and a winding process, a groove formation process of irradiating the surface of a silicon steel sheet with a laser beam multiple times at predetermined intervals in a sheet passing direction, over an area from one end edge to the other end edge, in a sheet width direction of the silicon steel sheet, thereby forming a groove along a locus of the laser beam.
US08657965B2
A method for controlling a dishwasher includes sequentially performing a first main washing step, a second main washing step, and a third main washing step. The first main washing step includes supplying washing water, which is heated by a sump heater, to a washing chamber. The second main washing step includes selectively performing a steam spraying action for supplying steam to the washing chamber, and performing a water supplying action for supplying washing water to the washing chamber. The third main washing step includes supplying washing water, heated by the sump heater, to the washing chamber.
US08657964B2
A method for dispensing a liquid or pasty cleaning agent and a liquid or pasty bleaching agent into a wash tub of a household dishwasher that includes a housing and a dispensing system disposed in the housing. The dispensing system separately stores and discharges the cleaning agent and bleaching agent. The method includes providing the dispensing system with respective reservoirs for each of the cleaning agent and the bleaching agent that have different capacities from each other. Each of the capacities are larger than needed for a single wash cycle. A first quantity of the cleaning agent and a second quantity of the bleaching agent are dispensed during a wash cycle, and the ratio of the dispensed quantities corresponds to the ratio of the capacities of the respective reservoirs.
US08657962B2
Small tweezers having a pair of arms openable and closable is moved closer to a sample and grips a particle attached on a surface of the sample and carries it onto an adhesion member to attach it thereto. The small tweezers are opened to release the particle and brought away from the adhesion member to leave the particle on the adhesion member. A particle removing device includes small tweezers having a pair of arms openable and closable; an opening/closing driving unit that drives the arm or arms to open/close the small tweezers; a stage mounting an adhesion member that attaches thereto a particle to withdraw the particle; and a moving mechanism that moves the small tweezers between the sample and the adhesion member mounted on the stage. Also, an atomic force microscope and a charged ion beam apparatus that include the particle removing device are disclosed.
US08657959B2
An apparatus for atomic layer deposition of a material on a moving substrate comprises a conveying arrangement for moving a substrate along a predetermined planar or curved path of travel and a coating bar having at least one precursor delivery channel. The precursor delivery channel conducts a fluid containing a material to be deposited on a substrate toward the path of travel. When in use, a substrate movable along the path of travel defines a gap between the outlet end of the precursor delivery channel and the substrate. The gap defines an impedance Zg to a flow of fluid from the precursor delivery channel. A flow restrictor is disposed within the precursor delivery channel that presents a predetermined impedance Zfc to the flow therethrough. The restrictor is sized such that the impedance Zfc is at least five (5) times, and more preferably at least fifteen (15) times, the impedance Zg. The impedance Zfc has a friction factor f. The restrictor in the precursor delivery channel is sized such that the impedance Zfc has a friction factor f that is less than 100, and preferably less than 10.
US08657956B2
Provided is a production method and a production apparatus using a method for producing a solid product by a reaction of gaseous raw materials with a plurality of components including a step of conducting the reaction using a reactor disposed in a vertical direction; a step of feeding the gaseous raw materials with a plurality of components from the upper part of the reactor; a step of, in the lower part of the reactor, forming a seal gas layer composed of a gas having a high density and fed continuously from the lower part of the reactor; a step of discharging an exhaust gas containing a by-product gas generated by the reaction and unreacted gaseous raw materials from somewhere in the upper part of the formed seal gas layer; and a step of accommodating a solid product in the seal gas layer of the lower part.
US08657944B2
The present invention pertains to an aqueous inkjet ink comprising pigment stabilized to dispersion with anionic dispersant, wherein cations present in the ink comprise a mixture, in a certain molar ratio, of lithium and one or more of sodium, potassium, rubidium and/or cesium. The inks exhibit greatly extended latency.
US08657939B2
An air dryer cartridge for a compressed air treatment system of a vehicle, in particular for a commercial vehicle, has a spring cover and a support element, which together define a volume of the air dryer cartridge in the assembled state of the air dryer cartridge. A desiccant box arranged inside the volume and filled with a desiccant is provided. The spring cover and the carrier element can be coupled via a snap connection.
US08657938B2
Disclosed is a system for supplying breathing air to a work space, which adopts a triple air-supply structure including a main air-supply unit for compressing, drying and filtering air supplied from the atmosphere so that breathing air is supplied to the work space, a plant air-supply unit for supplying industrial air used in a process plant to the work space, and an emergency air-supply unit for supplying breathing air to the work space in an emergency, wherein the operation of respective air-supply units is organically controlled, thus increasing the reliability of the air supply.
US08657935B2
A method and system for expanding, separating, and compressing a multi-phase fluid. An expander receives and expands the multi-phase fluid to generate a lower-pressure fluid which can more efficiently be separated in a separator. Expanding the fluid also drives a main shaft adapted to drive at least the separator and a compressor coupled thereto. The separator receives the lower-pressure fluid, separates any higher-density components from the lower-density components disposed therein, and provides a substantially dry gas to the compressor to be re-compressed and discharged from the system.
US08657931B2
A gearbox that includes an inlet configured to receive a mixture of air and oil from an external source and a deoiler. The deoiler includes a shaft including an outlet passage formed on an inner portion of the shaft, a separator unit coupled to and surrounding a portion of the shaft and including an inlet port, and a synchronizer including one or more blades and that is coupled to the shaft proximate the inlet port.
US08657930B2
The invention relates to a separation system comprising a flow inlet (16). The separation system comprises a swirl valve (100), arranged to receive and control the flux of a fluid flow via the flow inlet (16) and to generate a swirling flow, swirling about a central axis (11). The separation system further comprises a separation chamber (40) positioned downstream with respect of the swirl valve (100) to receive the swirling flow from the swirl valve (100), wherein the separation chamber (40) comprises a first and second flow outlet (41, 42). The first flow outlet (41) is positioned to receive an inner portion of the swirling flow and the second outlet (42) is positioned to receive an outer portion of the swirling flow.
US08657929B2
Presented is a method and apparatus for treating an exhaust gas. A series of filters and conditioning units are used to separate and extract various substances from the exhaust gas, typically originating from an industrial process. In an exemplary embodiment, a cyclone filter, a ceramic filter, a baghouse filter, and a pair of gas conditioners are used to initially separate and extract iron-rich dust from an exhaust gas and then extract zinc from the gas.
US08657926B2
A device for condensing water includes a container with a plurality of openings and a heat transfer zone arranged in an interior of the container. The heat transfer zone includes a bulk material layer and/or a fiber layer and/or a textile layer and/or a grid layer and/or a lattice layer and/or a perforated plate. The interior of the container is subdivided by the heat transfer zone into a first zone and a second zone. Further, the heat transfer zone has at least in sections an open porosity and/or channels through which process gas can flow from the first zone to the second zone and through which a further process gas in the form of cooling gas can flow in a reverse direction. A permeable region of the heat transfer zone partially includes materials which have a thermal conductivity of more than 20 W(mK)−1 in a temperature range up to 300° C.
US08657921B2
A shell-and-tube heat exchanger, for removing volatile substances from a polymer solution by degasification, includes a bundle of tubes arranged vertically and parallel to each other in a shell chamber through which a fluid heat-transfer medium flows. The upper end of each tube is fixed in an upper tube sheet and the lower end of each tube is fixed in a lower tube sheet, and the polymer solution flows through the tubes in the direction of gravity. One feature is that a multilayer woven wire fabric is attached to the top of the upper tube sheet. The finest meshed layer of the fabric has a mesh width of 50 μm to 1000 μm. The invention also relates to a method for removing volatile substances from a polymer solution by degasification in a shell-and-tube heat exchanger and use of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger.
US08657917B2
A method for recycling metals from waste molybdic catalysts, comprises steps of leaching, by soaking a waste molybdic catalyst into a highly oxidized acid and conducting a reaction between sulfur in the waste molybdic catalyst and the acid to obtain sulfide and vaporizer, wherein metals in the waste molybdic catalyst are dissolved and oxidized by the acid to obtain a first solution and dregs; and refining, by further dissolving metals in the dregs into a second solution, and extracting metals in the waste molybdic catalyst from the first and second solution; wherein, the vaporizer obtained from the step of leaching is converted into highly oxidized acid and recycled in the step of leaching.
US08657915B2
The present invention provides a metal powder composed of tantalum or niobium that achieves both sinterability and fluidity and the manufacturing method thereof. The present invention also provides a tantalum or niobium powder that enables the manufacturing of an anode for a solid electrolytic capacitor in which holes are formed for a conductive polymer-containing solution to pass through, without using a hole molding material or pore forming material. Furthermore, the present invention provides an anode for a solid electrolytic capacitor that enables the manufacturing of a high-volume and low ESR solid electrolytic capacitor. The present invention further provides a manufacturing method of a metal powder that allows the manufacturing of a metal powder of a given diameter range from a raw powder at high yield, without requiring a lot of work and time.
US08657914B2
There is provided an exhaust gas purifying filter, which includes an inflow surface into which exhaust gas including particulate matter flows, an exhaust surface from which purified gas is exhausted, and a filter substrate which is constructed of a porous body, the filter substrate including a porous partition and a gas passage which is enclosed by the porous partition, a porous film which includes silicon carbide is provided on a surface of the porous partition, and in a pore diameter distribution of the porous film, pores with the pore diameter of 0.01 μm or more and 3.0 μm or less are 70% or more of total volume of the pores, and pores with the pore diameter of 0.01 μm or more and 0.3 μm or less are 5% or more and 90% or less of total volume of the pores.
US08657904B2
A cyclonic separation apparatus for a vacuum cleaner, the cyclonic separation apparatus comprising: a first cyclonic separating unit comprising a hollow cylindrical dirt container with a central axis and an air inlet port arranged tangentially to the dirt container; and a second cyclonic separating unit comprising a plurality of cyclones arranged in a circular array about the central axis, wherein each cyclone has an air inlet port and an air outlet port, wherein the second cyclonic separating unit receives air flow downstream from the first cyclonic separating unit and wherein the second cyclonic separating unit has a higher separation efficiency than the first cyclonic separating unit, wherein the second separating unit is located within the dirt container. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a main body, a motor coupled to a fan and the cyclonic separation apparatus.
US08657899B2
Disclosed is a dust collector provided with a dust-removing unit. The disclosed dust collector comprises: a first centrifugal separating tube defining a first centrifugal area for separating dust from air suctioned in through a first inlet; a first dust box for collecting dust separated in the first centrifugal area; a first detaching portion having a first exhaust pipe unit for exhausting the air from the first centrifugal separating tube and the first dust box to the outside; and a handle unit for maintaining the first centrifugal separating tube and the first dust box coupled together, or for releasing the coupling thereof.
US08657896B2
A separator is disclosed. The separator includes a gas/liquid separator vessel, an enclosure, a coalescer and a demister. The gas/liquid separator vessel has a first end, a second end, a first inlet, a first outlet, and a first separation chamber. The first inlet can be adjacent to the first end. The enclosure is positioned within the first separation chamber of the liquid separator vessel. The enclosure has a second inlet, a second outlet, a drain positioned therebetween, and a second separation chamber. The second inlet can be directed towards the first end of the gas/liquid separator vessel. The second separation chamber defines a flow path for a gas stream in which the flow path passes sequentially through the second inlet, second separation chamber and the second outlet. The coalescer is positioned in the second separation chamber to intercept the flow path of the gas stream. The demister is positioned in the second separation chamber between the coalescer and the second outlet to intercept the flow path of the gas stream.
US08657885B2
Methods, devices and systems facilitate intermittent and/or partial obstruction of a pyloric valve. Devices generally include a support portion for preventing the device from passing through the pyloric valve and a tissue engagement portion for contacting tissue adjacent the pyloric valve to obstruct the valve. Some embodiments also include a positioning member extending from the tissue engagement portion for helping position the device for obstructing the valve. A retaining member may optionally be included on the distal end of the positioning member for further maintaining a position of the device in the stomach. Some embodiments are deliverable into the stomach through the esophagus, either by swallowing or through a delivery tube or catheter. Some embodiments are fully reversible. Some embodiments self-expand within the stomach, while others are inflated or otherwise expanded.
US08657883B2
Valve implant systems positionable within a flow passage, the systems having an inlet, an outlet, and a remotely activatable valve between the inlet and outlet, with the valves being operable to provide intermittent occlusion of the flow path. A remote field is applied to provide thermal or magnetic activation of the valves.
US08657880B2
A surgical tensioning assembly providing a means to apply a variable and selective force to tissues, such as replacement ligaments, during a ligament reconstruction surgery. The assembly provides a means to apply a selective, measurable and a generally balanced force on multiple tissues. One embodiment of the tensioning assembly includes a set of subassemblies, namely an engagement subassembly, a variable force subassembly and an equalizing subassembly. These subassemblies are operably connected to each other such that they are able to provide tension on tissues connected to the assembly. In one embodiment the tensioning assembly further includes a mounting subassembly that provides a means to connect the tensioning assembly to a person's body. Methods of use of the surgical tensioning assembly are also disclosed to include novel methods of cycling and conditioning tissue used in a knee ligament replacement surgery.
US08657870B2
Implant release apparatus includes a connector connecting a lead having an electrolytically erodible portion and a restraint that restrains the implant. In one embodiment, the connector can include or comprise a nonconductive member.
US08657865B2
A bifurcated catheter assembly has an undeployed state and a deployed state. The assembly comprises a bifurcated inflation shaft defining a shaft inner lumen, a first balloon defining a first balloon lumen, and a second balloon defining a second balloon lumen. The inflation shaft has a first inflation shaft defining a first lumen and a second inflation shaft defining a second lumen. The first balloon defines a first balloon lumen which is in fluid communication with the first lumen. The second balloon defines a second balloon lumen which is in fluid communication with the second lumen. The second balloon has a conical shape.
US08657861B2
A gas mist pressure bath device includes a living-body cover member for covering the living-body's skin or the mucous membrane and forming a space for sealing the gas mist from the gas mist generating device inside of the living-body cover member, and a pressurizing member integrally formed with the living-body cover member pressurizing the gas mist in the living-body cover member. The pressurizing member is in a form of a ring, a hollow gas collection part, or a shielding film.
US08657856B2
Spinal rods are provided that transition from one diameter to another without an extended transition region to which coupling devices may not be attached, allowing coupling devices for mounting the spinal rod to the spine to be secured almost anywhere along the rod's length without having a weakened transition point.
US08657853B2
A surgical incision closure device and method for using the same, having first and second elements adapted for positioning on first and second sides of the incision respectively. The first element is substantially flat and includes a first longitudinal portion extending in a longitudinal direction, and at least first and second arm portions each extending substantially perpendicularly outward from the first portion and spaced apart from one another. The second element is substantially flat and includes a second longitudinal portion extending in the longitudinal direction, and at least third and fourth arm portions extending substantially perpendicularly outward from the second portion and spaced apart from one another.
US08657845B2
A balloon catheter device of the present invention includes an elongate catheter shaft comprising multifilar cable tubing having a proximal portion and a distal portion. The proximal portion includes a coating that allows the shaft to provide a patent fluid passage, and a part of the distal portion inside a balloon may be uncoated or otherwise open to the balloon lumen, allowing for passage of fluid through the shaft into the balloon lumen.
US08657838B2
A vascular graft includes a flexible conduit including a sidewall defining a cavity extending between a first end and a second end. The first end includes an opening that is oriented substantially perpendicular to a centerline axis of the conduit. The second end includes a end wall and a tapered portion extending from the sidewall to the end wall such that the cavity includes a first diameter defined at the first end and a second diameter defined at the second end that is smaller than the first diameter. A lateral opening extends through the sidewall and is oriented substantially parallel to the centerline axis. The lateral opening positioned near the second end and is sized to provide flow communication between the cavity and a blood vessel.
US08657835B2
An intraocular lens injection device comprises a tubular housing with a plunger longitudinally disposed within the tubular housing. An electric drive system longitudinally translates the plunger so that its tip engages an insertion cartridge to fold and displace an intraocular lens disposed within and to inject the folded lens into the lens capsule of an eye. A control circuit is configured to start translation of the plunger, responsive to user input, to detect at least one fault condition based on a counter-electromotive force produced by the electric motor, and to stop translation of the plunger assembly responsive to the detected fault condition, which may comprise excessive resistance to forward or rearward translation of the plunger or insufficient resistance to forward translation of the plunger.
US08657824B2
Instruments for use in anterior approach total hip arthroplasty. Instruments according to certain embodiments of the invention connect to a shaping member such as a broach, reamer or osteotome that is used to prepare the intramedullary canal of a desired femur or other bone for total hip arthroplasty. Such an instrument according to such embodiments can be configurable to allow operation on either the left or right leg, and in doing so to provide lateral offset and anterior offset of the instrument handle relative to the shaping member so that the patient's gut, musculature or other bodily portions may be avoided while still providing desired leverage and control over the shaping member to prepare the intramedullary canal.
US08657823B2
A rongeur has an elongated shank having a distal end and a proximal end. An elongated crossbar, which moves between a retracted position and a tissue capturing position position, has a distal end and a proximal end and reciprocates axially with respect to the shank. A first tip is selectively connected to the shank. The first tip has a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end has a reduced diameter post. In the selectively connected position, the reduced diameter post of the first tip is received in a bore of the shank. A second tip is selectively connected to the crossbar. The second tip has a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end has a reduced diameter post. In the selectively connected position, the reduced diameter post of the second tip is received in a bore of the crossbar.
US08657818B2
A surgical instrument includes an elongated tube having a proximal end and a distal end, a handle coupled to the proximal end of the tube, and a tool that is rotatable and translatable relative to the tube, wherein the handle includes a control for rotating the tool relative to the tube, and wherein the control is coupled to the tool such that a movement of the control through an angle θc rotates the tool relative to the tube by an angle θt that is greater or less than θc, and wherein the angle θc is variable as determined by a user.
US08657814B2
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for the ablation of tissue. Embodiments include an ablation catheter that has an array of ablation elements attached to a deployable carrier assembly. The carrier assembly can be constrained within the lumen of a catheter, and deployed to take on an expanded condition. The carrier assembly includes multiple electrodes that are configured to ablate tissue at low power. Systems include an interface unit with a visual display that provides a visual representation of the geometry of the ablation elements and/or provides selection means for selecting an icon provided on the display.
US08657812B2
A method and an apparatus according to an embodiment includes a distal end portion of an optical fiber disposed inside a lumen defined along a curved path within a capillary. The distal end surface of the optical fiber can be substantially flush with a portion of an outside surface of the capillary that defines a transmissive portion. The distal end portion of the optical fiber and the curved path can be collectively configured to direct laser energy through the transmissive portion in a lateral or side-fired direction that is offset from a longitudinal axis or centerline of the capillary. In some embodiments, more than one optical fiber can be disposed along the curved path. In other embodiments, more than one curved path can be defined within the capillary such that a distal end portion of an optical fiber can be disposed along each of the curved paths.
US08657806B2
A device for carrying on the body of a user to generate a vacuum for medical applications, having a vacuum-producing device and a disposable vessel, with a suction tube connection leading to Ihe body, wherein the vacuum-producing device is disposed in a first housing part of the device and the vessel forms a second housing part of the device, and the housing parts are separably fixed one against the other, the device having body fastening means. The housing pans can be separably fixed to each other by a positive-action locking mechanisms and the locking mechanism having a manually operable operating element. The first and/or second housing part is constituted for manual gripping so that the device or the first or second housing part can be gripped and separated from the other housing part, and the manually operable operating element is provided in the region of the manual gripping.
US08657803B2
A device for providing sterilized or cleaned fluid to a receptacle and thereby facilitate conveyance of a substance out of the receptacle, comprising a connector and a container which form an integrated unit. The connector is provided with a first means for connection to a receptacle. Sterilized or cleaned fluid is transferred from the container to the receptacle.
US08657799B2
An ostomy appliance includes a translucent receptacle for releasably securing to the stoma flange with the gathered ostomy pouch located within the receptacle. No or negligible pressures are applied to the stoma which remains clear and healthy. The user may use the receptacle during times of physical or personal activity when additional discreteness is desired. The pouch may be made of a material having a thermochromatic ink which changes color with heat such that the user may visually inspect and identify when waste is present in the pouch.
US08657797B2
The invention relates to a hair removal device (1) having a hair removal unit (30) and a skin cooling unit (10), wherein the skin cooling unit (10) has a skin contact surface (11), and the skin cooling unit (10) is equipped to apply an application substance (80) onto the skin by way of the skin contact surface (11) during use of the hair removal device. In addition to the cooling of the skin by means of contact cooling, a further cooling effect may also be achieved in such a hair removal device in that an application substance is applied, which contributes to the cooling of the skin, for example, by means of evaporation. The hair removal device may comprise a removable attachment, which also comprises at least the skin.
US08657793B2
A syringe assembly includes a syringe barrel defining a chamber and having a stopper disposed within the chamber, a sleeve having a first end and a second end and extending at least partially about the syringe barrel, and a cap associated with a second end of the sleeve. The syringe assembly also includes a plunger rod having a first end associated with the cap and a second end, wherein the plunger rod is transitionable from a pre-use position, in which at least a portion of the second end of the plunger rod extends along a portion of a barrel sidewall, to a ready-to-use position in which the plunger rod is aligned with the stopper. Upon proximal movement of the sleeve in a direction away from a first end of the barrel, the plunger rod is configured for lateral movement with respect to the cap into the ready-to-use position.
US08657785B2
An interventional catheter assembly comprising a catheter for insertion and guidance to a target site in a body lumen or a cavity and an operating head mounted in proximity to a distal end of the catheter and comprising a system for removing obstructive material from the target site is provided. In certain embodiments, the catheter assembly includes at least one aspiration port located proximal to the operating head that communicates with a first sealed lumen for withdrawing fluids and obstructive material from the target site, together with at least one liquid infusion port penetrating the catheter and located proximal to the at least one aspiration port that communicates with a second sealed lumen for supplying fluid to a location in proximity to the target site.
US08657783B2
A container of an injectable solution is disclosed herein including various sensors, electrodes, a memory device, and other features that monitor the process of extraction or injection of the content of the container to ensure it is completed successfully in an automated manner, such as in an automatic injecting device.
US08657770B1
A spinal stretching and decompression device (10) that is effective for treating a plurality of spinal disorders or lower back conditions, such as sciatica. The device (10) is worn around a person's mid-section, and encompasses the person's buttocks and crotch region, during an exercise or stretching session. There are two embodiments of the device (10) with both embodiments comprising a base support belt (12 or 112), a lower support unit (44) that is attached to the base support belt (12 or 112), a first side support belt (72) and a second side support belt (92). The two side support belts pass through loops on the base support belt (92) and each belt is secured together around a person's waist. The difference between the two embodiment is that the first embodiment elements are integrally attached, and the second embodiment elements are removably attached by multiple buckles.
US08657763B2
A vacuum assisted lancing system for blood extraction can include a tubular body having a vacuum chamber, a lancing mechanism configured to removably couple with a lance, a vacuum mechanism including a piston slideably coupled within the body, a release mechanism for selectively holding the vacuum mechanism in an energized state, and an opening for allowing fluid communication between the vacuum chamber and an atmosphere surrounding the vacuum chamber. The system can include structure for selectively commencing dissipation of the vacuum and a fixed or adjustable depth controller. A method of manipulating a surface for blood extraction can include coupling the lancing system to the surface, blocking the opening, creating a vacuum, moving the lance coupler from a first position distal from the surface to a second position proximal to the surface, maintaining the vacuum for a period of time, and commencing dissipation of the vacuum by unblocking the opening.
US08657740B2
An instrument access device comprises first, second and third instrument seals for sealing around instruments extended through the device. The seals have respective connector sleeves. Each sleeve connects a base to one of the instrument seals. The device also comprises two insufflation/desufflation ports. Each of the ports comprises a connector extending from the base, a tube extending from the connector, a luer connector and a removable cap. The luer connector is used for connection to any suitable supply line for insufflation gas or for discharge if insufflation gas. In use, the insufflation/desufflation ports facilitate independent control of insufflation and desufflation as may be required during a surgical procedure. Access sleeve at the proximal end is cut-off, folded over the inner proximal ring and is held in place between the base and the inner proximal ring when the base is fitted. The proximal end of the sleeve that is generated when the sleeve is pulled upwardly to retract an incision is removed from the field of use.
US08657738B2
In an endoscope system, a light guide for conducting illumination light from a light source to an endoscope distal end consists of a first fiber bundle and a second fiber bundle. Optical fibers of the first fiber bundle have a smaller numerical aperture than optical fibers of the second fiber bundle. A light volume control mechanism is controlled to project the illumination light only from the first fiber bundle in a close-up inspection mode. In an ordinary inspection mode, the illumination light is projected only from the second fiber bundle. When the volume of light projected from the second fiber bundle toward a target site is insufficient in the ordinary inspection mode, the light volume control mechanism is controlled to let the illumination light be projected from the first fiber bundle.
US08657731B2
The inventive technique includes a system, method and device for treating a patient. The device includes a magnetic device having a core created by a binder process having a relatively low temperature. The device further includes a conductor in electrical communication with the core.
US08657726B2
A weightlifting system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a first frame member that extends along a longitudinal axis, at least one pair of openings disposed along the longitudinal axis. The at least one pair of openings are generally L-shaped and include a first opening and a second opening. A front face is mounted to the first frame member and extending along the longitudinal axis.
US08657722B2
In a control apparatus of an internal combustion engine having an electronic throttle system driving an actuator so that a throttle valve provided in the internal combustion engine is at a target opening according to driving conditions, a throttle opening is turned to a limp home opening when abnormality is detected in the driving conditions so as to allow retreat traveling of a vehicle. The control apparatus of the internal combustion engine includes a brake operation detecting unit detecting a brake operation, in which when a brake operation is added subsequently while the accelerator pedal is operated, the control apparatus sets the target opening to the limp home opening based on occurrence of a sequence of the operations, and drives the actuator so that the throttle opening turns to the limp home opening, regardless of whether abnormality is detected or not.
US08657710B2
A hockey puck for use on both ice and non-ice surfaces. The puck has a plurality of conically shaped apertures extending at an angle from the top to the bottom of the puck to provide a stabilized cushion of air when the puck is in motion. The cushion of air reduces the friction between the puck and the surface, enabling the puck to remain at a high speed for a longer time period. The puck can be manufactured in a standard weight of 6 ounces for regular use or a lighter puck in the range of 4 to 4.25 ounces for junior hockey, street hockey or roller-hockey use. The annular side surface of the puck can be knurled or dimpled to enhance controllability and aerodynamics. Additionally, the corners of the puck can be rounded to reduce the effect of snow-plowing.
US08657704B2
Golf ball wherein, at all points Pa included in zone “A” away from the central point of its core at a distance of ≧1 mm and <5 mm, this mathematical expression is satisfied: Ha2−Ha1<5, wherein Ha1 and Ha2 each represents hardness at a point located respectively inside a point Pa and outside the point Pa. Also, at any point Pb included in zone “B” away from the central point of its core at a distance of ≧5 mm and ≦10 mm, this mathematical expression is satisfied: Hb2−Hb1≧5, wherein Hb1 and Hb2 each represents hardness at a point located respectively inside a point Pb and outside the point Pb. This hardness distribution provides a golf ball with reduced energy loss when hit with a driver, and with excellent control performance when hit with a short iron.
US08657703B2
This invention provides a hollow golf club head including a face portion, a crown portion, and a sole/side portion including a sole portion and a side portion. This golf club head includes a rib which extends from the toe side to the heel side in the sole portion, and a weight portion which is provided in the sole portion on the side of the face portion with respect to the rib or the back side with respect to the rib, and increases the amplitude of vibration of the sole portion.
US08657695B2
The present invention relates to an area suitable for equestrian use. The area comprises an upper, equestrian surface layer, and a sub-surface support layer which includes a plurality of laterally arranged load bearing structural modules. Each module comprises a top wall and a bottom wall spaced therefrom by one or more supporting elements so as to define an interior volume between the top and bottom walls, and is provided with at least one aperture to permit the flow of water into and out of the volume. There is a system for retaining water within at least some modules in the sub-surface support layer. A water permeable layer that is impermeable to solid particles of the upper, equestrian surface layer is provided between the structural modules and the equestrian surface layer. A wicking system is in fluid communication with the interior volumes of at least some of the modules and have portions extending upwardly to transfer water to the upper, equestrian surface layer from the sub-surface support layer.
US08657686B2
Synthetic environment character data sharing is described, including retrieving data from a first computer configured to interact with a synthetic environment by a game server, the first computer and the game server being in data communication with each other and configured using a client-server network topology, determining one or more attributes associated with the first computer relative to the synthetic environment in real-time or substantially real-time by accessing a file updated by the first computer, the file being stored on the game server, and generating a display on a second computer using the data, the display being presented using a synthetic environment mapping application, including at least a location and a login status associated with the first computer relative to the synthetic environment.
US08657680B2
Systems and methods for incorporating online user generated media content (e.g., videos) into an interactive video gaming environment are provided. Media assets that are associated with different measures of quality generated by users are stored on a remote server. A player action is received by the remote server. A determination is made as to which one of the plurality of levels of the interactive video gaming environment corresponds to the action. One of the videos associated with one of the measures of quality is selected based on the determination of the level corresponding to the action. The selected video is transmitted to the player.
US08657671B2
Systems and methods provide time control aspects for a wagering game. A first portion of a wagering game may be presented at a first rate of motion through time and a second portion may be presented at a second rate of motion through time. Further, some graphical object may be displayed according to first rate of motion through time while other graphical objects are simultaneously display according to a second rate of motion through time. Additionally, a portion of a wagering game may be replayed from a previous point in time.
US08657669B2
An operating system for a gaming system includes a data producer which generates non-reproducible data relating to a transaction carried out in respect of the gaming system. A data consumer is in communication with the data producer for storing data relating to the non-reproducible data. A game controller is in communication with the data producer and the data consumer which effects communications between the data producer and the data consumer by means of a transaction-based protocol. The invention also relates to the use of data storage device for a gaming system that includes a local power supply.
US08657651B2
An apparatus for grinding a continuously cast slab having a longitudinal axis and a rectangular cross-sectional shape with two opposite wide faces and two opposite narrow faces apparatus has a frame, two transversely spaced grinders carried on the frame, and a holder having two transversely spaced grippers engageable with the opposite faces of the slab in a vertical position with the wide faces of the slab vertical for grinding of the wide faces of the slab by the grinders and in a horizontal position offset by 90° to the vertical position with the wide faces of the slab horizontal for grinding of the narrow faces of the slab.
US08657647B2
A device for polishing centrifugal impellers for a turbomachine including a vat configured to be filled with a polishing agent, and an impeller support configured to make the impeller rotate around its axis and move it along its axis such that all of points of the impeller have a helical movement whereof the pitch is close to that of the helix from which the general shape of the airflow channels of the impeller comes, delimited by the blades of the impeller.
US08657643B2
A nursing bra comprising a mesh fabric pocket formed inside of a bra cup for receiving a pad of absorbent material, the pocket interior member having an opening proximate the weaver's breast nipple permitting direct contact between the nipple and pad.
US08657638B1
In systems and methods for determining oil level in a marine outboard motor having an internal combustion engine, a control circuit determines whether oil has drained back into a sump from the internal combustion engine. An oil sensor senses an oil level in the sump. The control circuit calculates a characteristic of the actual oil level of the outboard motor based upon the oil level after the oil has drained back into the sump and based upon a trim position of the outboard motor.
US08657634B2
The present invention relates to a connector assembly comprising a connector unit mounted in a housing. The connector unit has a mounting portion, at least one electrical terminal and a body portion having a locking tab. The housing has a first longitudinal axis X1 and the body portion has a second longitudinal axis X2. The first longitudinal axis X1 and the second longitudinal axis X2 are offset from each other to enable the tip of the locking tab to be radially inset. An axial press tool can be used to mount the connector unit mechanically in the housing. The present invention also relates to a method of assembling a connector assembly.
US08657630B1
A system and method for connecting an advanced electronic module to a legacy chassis is presented. In one embodiment, a connector plate comprises a plate bracket, a module connector, at least two chassis connectors and route logic. The plate bracket has a front side, a back side and an opening. The module connector connects to an electronic module within the opening. The at least two chassis connectors are located on the back side of the bracket plate and are configured to be connected to a legacy chassis or and advanced chassis. The legacy chassis and the advanced chassis do not expect signals from the same number chassis conductors. The routing logic routes signals from the module connector to each of the at least two chassis connectors.
US08657625B2
A connector includes a signal terminal, an insulating member, a ground terminal and an enclosure. The signal terminal has a main body extending in one direction, and a contact arm provided on each side of the main body for contacting another conductor. The insulating member encloses the main body. The ground terminal has a cylindrical main body enclosing the insulating member, and a contact arm provided on each side of the cylindrical main body for contacting another conductor. The cylindrical main body includes first and second semi-cylindrical parts, each having semi cylindrical shapes. The semi-cylindrical parts make a cylindrical shape as a whole by both end parts of the circumferential direction being assembled so as to mutually overlap. An insertion hole is formed in the enclosure where an assembly of the signal element, the insulating member and the ground terminal are inserted.
US08657624B2
A waterproof connector configured such that parts constituting the connector can be assembled together in a work site and can be assembled easily. The waterproof connector is provided with a terminal (40) joined by crimping to a conductor (121) of a cable (12), a retaining sleeve (60) mounted so as to extend from the vicinity of the rearward end of the terminal (40) and across an outer casing (122) of the cable (12), a body housing (70) having formed therein a tubular bore (71) for containing the retaining sleeve (60), and a fastening nut (90) mounted on the rearward end side of the body housing (70). When a substantially half of the forward end side of the retaining sleeve (60) is inserted into the tubular bore (71) in the body housing (70) and the fastening nut (90) is engaged with a male thread portion (76) formed on the exterior of the tubular bore (71), an end of the retaining sleeve (60) is reduced in diameter by being pressed by constricting tapered portions (75, 92), and as a result, the terminal (40) and the outer casing (122) of the cable (12) are held watertight.
US08657622B1
A connector assembly includes a connector and a fixing plate. The connector includes a block, a connector body formed on a front surface of the block, a protrusion extending from a top of the block. The fixing plate defines an opening through which the connector body extends, and a notch communicating with the opening for the protrusion extending through. A resilient piece slantingly extends toward a first end of the opening from a second end of the opening opposite to the first end. The connector pushes the resilient piece toward the fixing plate, and then the connector is slid along the opening toward the first end of the opening, to allow the protrusion to engage with a front surface of the fixing plate. The resilient piece is restored and abuts an end wall of the block.
US08657615B2
A lamp tube socket structure includes a base, an elastic element, an abutting element, a cover and a metal clip, and the base has an actuating portion, a support pillar extended transversally from the actuating portion and comprised of two wings, and an elastic element is contained in the support pillar, and the abutting element is passed and installed to the two wings of the support pillar and pushed by the elastic element, and the cover has a covering portion, an embedding hole formed on the covering portion, and the cover is combined with the base, and a metal clip containing portion is formed between the covering portion and the actuating portion.
US08657612B2
A socket for selectively mounting on a board includes a housing and a latch. The housing includes a first side plate and a second side plate parallel to the first side plate. The first and second side plates define an elongated slot therebetween for reception of the board. The latch includes an axle, a body and a fastening portion. The axle is pivotably coupled to the housing at one end of the slot. The body has one end joined to the axle and the other end to the fastening portion. The fastening portion is constructed for engagement with the board. In addition, the lateral width of the body of the latch in the direction along the width of the first side plate is smaller than that of the axle in the same direction.
US08657601B2
An implant (10) has one or more surfaces (10a, 10b) with a basic or starting surface structure (1a) derived from mechanical working. A topographic modification of the surface structures is arranged on said surface structure or surface structures. The topographic modification can be formed, for example, by means of shot-peening, etching, plasma spraying, chemical action, etc. The topographically modified surface structures support bone-growth-stimulating agent. In a method for producing the implant, three subsidiary methods are used for carrying out the mechanical working, the topographical modification, and the application of the bone-growth-stimulating agent. An important niche in the demand which exists in the field of implants is thus covered in an advantageous manner.
US08657594B2
A punch of a compression molding machine is configured to be assembled with no use of any tool and achieves reduction in time necessary for the assembling process. The punch includes a punch tip member, a holder provided, at a distal end thereof, with a projection projecting radially outward, a cap having a disengagement inhibiting portion engaged with the projection of the holder so as to inhibit the projection from inserted thereinto and extracted therefrom in the axial direction, and a rotation inhibiting member engaged with the holder and the cap attached with the punch tip member so as to inhibit axial rotation of the cap relative to the holder.
US08657593B2
The present invention is aimed at providing a sintered magnet production system that can prevent the influences of a leaking magnetic field in an orienting process. A sintered magnet production system according to the present invention has a filling means 11 for filling an alloy powder into a filling/sintering container, a sintering means 13 for sintering the alloy powder, and an orienting means 12 with an air-core coil for producing a magnetic field for orienting the alloy powder in the filling/sintering container after the filling process and before the sintering process, the axis of the air-core coil being displaced from a straight line connecting the filling means 11 and the sintering means 13. The magnetic field leaking from the orienting means 12 is strongest on the extended line of the axis of the air-core coil and relatively weak in the direction perpendicular to the extended line. By displacing the axis of the air-core coil from the aforementioned straight line, the magnetic field leaking from the orienting means 12 is weakened at the positions of the filling means 11 and the sintering means 13, so that a magnet with high characteristics can be obtained.
US08657591B2
An engine pump assembly (1), particularly a main coolant pump, composed of a housing (4) of a rotary pump with delivery elements arranged therein, a heat barrier part (6), a motor part (5) which drives the delivery elements, and force transmitting connecting elements (7) between a housing flange (8) of the housing (4) of the rotary pump and a flange (21) of the engine part (5). For faster and more reliable assembly and disassembly, the housing flange (8) is provided with receptacles (12) over at least half of its periphery for the arrangement of screw heads (13, 15) of the connecting elements (7), which screw heads (13, 15) are held in a bayonet-like manner in the receptacles (12).
US08657587B2
Detection of end of stroke for an electromagnetic pump may be performed using, for example, a calculated first flux derivative. Further, inductance of a coil that can be energized to produce a pump stroke may be calculated (e.g., the pump may include an actuator moveable in response to the energization of the coil). For example, the inductance may be calculated as a function of sense coil current and source electrical potential when the actuator is not moving for use in determining position of the actuator.
US08657581B2
A blade comprises a lightweight core, a composite material disposed on the core, and a skin located on the composite material. The composite material comprises fibers incorporated into a thermoplastic resin matrix in the form of a prepreg sheet or wet layup. The rotor blade may also comprise a front edge member attached along at least a portion of a leading edge of the core, a rear edge member attached along at least a portion of a trailing edge of the core, and a skin located over the core, the front edge member, and the rear edge member. The rotor blade may also comprise a spar extending through the core along a longitudinal axis of the rotor blade, and a skin located over the core and the spar. The edge members and the spars may be fabricated from thermoplastic material.
US08657569B2
A gas turbine engine comprising a nacelle and a breather duct. The breather duct provides communication between a component of the engine within the nacelle and the exterior of the nacelle and opens at an exhaust port on the external surface of the nacelle. There is at least one clean air outlet bounding the exhaust port and arranged to expel, in use, a vortical flow of clean air to form an aerodynamic barrier between the external surface of the nacelle and a flow of breather air expelled from the exhaust port.
US08657553B1
A loading device and method hydraulically support or move rollers, in order to deal with loading unloading bulky or heavy objects, such as a boat from a trailer.
US08657552B1
A support rack has spaced vertical rails and horizontal upper, lower and intermediate rails. The horizontal rails are coupled to the vertical rails. A pivotable locking bar is between the horizontal rails. Side plates with rearward ends are attached to the vertical rails adjacent to the lower rail. The side plates have forward ends forwardly of the vertical rails. A rectangular ramp/platform has a forward edge extending forwardly of the vertical rails and a rearward edge extending rearwardly of the vertical rails and having parallel side edges. Hinges pivotally couple the ramp/platform adjacent to its forward edge to the side plates adjacent to their forward edges for movement between raised and lowered orientations. A cross support bar has ends attached to the ramp/platform adjacent to the side edges parallel with and rearwardly of the horizontal lower rail. The cross support bar is spaced above the ramp/platform.
US08657550B2
A crucible handling shuttle includes a pair of opposed dual crucible-gripping arms mounted on a rotatable head. The shuttle is removably plugged into a sliding block of a carriage to move between a furnace and a crucible loading station. The carriage includes mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic plugs or sockets which couple to mating sockets or plugs of the shuttle. A linear actuator extends between the carriage and the furnace base to raise and lower the carriage and shuttle coupled thereto.
US08657548B2
A fastener for use in fastening insulation to a substrate, comprising a fastener body having a head for engagement with an outer face of the insulation, a tubular stem extending inwardly from the head for penetration through the insulation into engagement with the substrate, the stem having a pointed tip portion remote from the head for penetration of the insulation and the stem being hollow to receive a fastening pin having a pointed end fully enclosed within the stem adjacent the tip, the interior of the stem being adapted to receive a fastener guide of a fastening tool operative to drive the pin into the substrate by means of a driving piston propelled along the fastener guide by gas pressure on firing of the tool, the fastener being mounted to the fastener guide prior to penetration of the insulation whereby penetration of the insulation by the stem occurs by manual pressure applied by an operator to the tool prior to firing of the tool to drive the pin into the substrate, the external surface of the stem including an array of fins extending generally axially of the stem to ensure uniform displacement of the insulation material during penetration.
US08657538B2
A cutter includes a cutter body, a first cutting portion and a second cutting portion. The first cutting portion is used for primary machining. The second cutting portion is used for precision machining, and is formed between the cutter body and the first cutting portion.
US08657536B2
A riser tensioner system for tensioning a riser at an offshore vessel includes a frame adapted to affix to the vessel. An elongate riser joint is provided for coupling into the riser. The riser joint has an axial flange portion projecting laterally outward therefrom from and extending axially along a length of the riser joint. Ram pistons are arranged about the frame to couple to the riser and to support the riser in tension. Centralizer arms are arranged on the frame to extend into proximity to the flange portion of the riser joint when the riser joint is received through the frame.
US08657532B2
A method of elevating the deck area of a marine platform (e.g., oil and gas well drilling or production platform) utilizes a specially configured sleeve support to support the platform legs so that they can be cut. Once cut, rams or jacks elevate the platform above the cuts. The sleeve support is then connected (e.g., welded) to the platform leg and becomes part of the structural support for the platform. In one embodiment, two sleeves are employed. In another embodiment, the jacks or rams elevate in two stages including a first stage wherein one sleeve elevates and the other sleeve does not elevate and a second stage wherein both sleeves elevate together.
US08657529B2
At a location where unevenness 1000 is present, the condition of a seabed 200 is investigated in advance to examine the respective numbers of large filter units 51 and small filter units 52 to be used, and the position where the large filter units 51 and the small filter units 52 are to be installed. Based on the investigation result, the small filter units 52 are installed on the bottom of the unevenness 1000. The large filter units 51 are installed on the upper surface formed by the installed small filter units 52, and are leveled so that the upper surface formed by the installed large filter units 51 becomes flush with the seabed 200.
US08657527B2
The invention relates to a screed arrangement for a road finisher with a basic screed and two extending screeds arranged in front of the basic screed in the laying direction of travel of the road finisher and movable transversely to the laying direction of travel relative to the basic screed. A deflection member is fitted to the basic screed and/or to at least one of the extending screeds and is movable relative to it.
US08657525B2
In one embodiment, a safety trailer has semi-tractor hitches at both ends and a safety wall that is fixed to one side of the trailer. That side, however, can be changed to the right or left side of the road, depending on the end to which the truck attaches. A caboose can be attached at the end of the trailer opposite the tractor to provide additional lighting and impact protection. Optionally, the trailer can be equipped with overhead protection, lighting, ventilation, onboard hydraulics, compressors, generators and other equipment, as well as related fuel, water, storage and restroom facilities and other amenities.
US08657520B2
A ball seat made of a resin material having a recessed spherical surface and an external peripheral surface, a stud ball having a spherical head portion that engages with the recessed spherical surface in a rotatable manner, and a housing that accommodates the ball seat which is inserted from an opening portion toward a bottom surface, and comprises a ball seat insertion unit where an inner peripheral surface is engaged with an external peripheral surface of the ball seat are provided, wherein an external diameter of the external peripheral surface increases from the bottom surface toward the opening portion, and an internal diameter of the inner peripheral surface increases from the bottom surface toward the opening portion.
US08657518B2
An interproximal squirt brush, includes a solution container having a solution chamber for containing a solution and a hollow nozzle head having an opening communicating with the solution chamber; and a brush head having an elongated retention portion replaceably coupling at the opening of the nozzle head and a brush portion extended from the retention portion, wherein a clearance is formed between the opening and the retention portion of the brush head for enabling the solution from the solution chamber being discharged to the brush portion of the brush head along the retention portion.
US08657509B2
The present camera mounting device is designed as an paintball marker or gun accessory. It can be used with either still or video cameras. It is comprised a bracket and an adjustable clamp. The bracket is comprised of a horizontal member and a vertical member that are connected at ninety degree angles to each other. The clamp is attached to the vertical member of the bracket with a screw. To use the mounting device, a camera is either top mounted or bottom mounted to the horizontal member via a thumbscrew. The adjustable clamp fits onto the barrel of a paintball marker, gun or rifle. The diameter of the clamp is adjusted by releasing a lock on the locking clamp screw on the clamp and turning the screw either clockwise or counter clockwise.
US08657501B2
Method, pad and bearing device for oil redistribution. The bearing device includes a ring having at least one retaining head, at least one pad disposed inside the ring and having a bottom recess portion configured to receive the at least one retaining head, an oil distribution mechanism configured to inject oil at a leading edge of the at least one pad to flow towards a trailing edge of the at least one pad, and an oil redistribution mechanism on the at least one pad configured to redistribute the oil from the trailing edge of the at least one pad to the leading edge of the at least one pad. The leading edge is a first edge and the trailing edge is a second edge of the at least one pad encountered when traveling along a circumference of the ring in a direction of rotation of a rotor supported by the at least one pad.
US08657498B2
Bearing assemblies, apparatuses, and motor assemblies using the same are disclosed. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly includes a plurality of superhard bearing elements distributed circumferentially about an axis. At least some of the superhard bearing elements may include a first end surface, a second end surface generally opposite the first end surface, a first side surface extending between the first end surface and the second end surface, a second side surface generally opposite the first side surface, and a bearing surface extending between the first end surface, the second end surface, the first side surface and the second side surface. Such superhard bearing elements may also include a ramped feature negatively sloping away from the bearing surface. The bearing assembly may further include a support ring that carries the plurality of superhard bearing elements.
US08657497B2
A slide-rail stabilizing structure includes a sliding-rail frame, a sliding seat, an adjusting seat and elastic members. The sliding-rail frame includes a first sliding rail and a second sliding rail. The sliding seat provided with two sliding-seat moving objects is slidably moved along the first sliding rail. The adjusting seat has an adjusting-seat moving object abutted against the second sliding rail. The elastic members are respectively disposed between the sliding seat and the adjusting seat, so that the adjusting-seat moving objects linked by the linked adjusting seat retains an elasticity to abut against the second sliding rail, forming the sliding seat to stably assemble with and to smoothly slide on the sliding-rail frame. Meanwhile, the adjusting-seat moving object exerts a driving force on the sliding seat when the adjusting-seat moving object slides to the curved portion, thus attaining labor saving at the terminal of the sliding process.
US08657495B2
The bag includes a draw tape that may be used to cinch closed the opening of the bag. The draw tape is multilayer with a polypropylene core and propylene-ethylene copolymer or other suitable polymers in the outer layers.
US08657493B2
A radiographic image detection apparatus includes a detection panel and a housing for containing the detection panel. The housing consists of a front surface member, a back surface member, and a carbon plate attached so as to cover an opening formed in the front surface member. The carbon plate is faced to the detection panel. To the carbon plate is adhered a transparent sheet having transmissivity to radiation and visible light. A first index and a second index are printed on an inner surface of the transparent sheet. The first index is a square-frame shaped index showing a radiation detection range of the detection panel. The second index is a cross-shaped index showing a center position of the radiation detection range. The first and second indices are formed of nonmetallic UV curable ink having no radiation shielding properties.
US08657492B2
An electronic thermometer that is inexpensive, has fast thermal response, and suppresses bending and directional misalignment of the lead of the temperature sensor during assembly. The electronic thermometer includes: a thermistor that includes a temperature sensing unit that measures the body temperature of a measurement subject and a lead having one end that is fixed to the temperature sensing unit; a hollow housing that houses the lead, and in which the temperature sensing unit is arranged on the tip side; a printed circuit board to which the other end of the lead is fixed; an assembly that includes the printed circuit board and is housed in the housing; and a plate-shaped member that is attached to the assembly and is arranged on the tip side of the housing relative to the assembly. The plate-shaped member has adhesive characteristics on a top face that opposes the lead.
US08657485B2
An agricultural mixer includes a hydraulic drive system. The mixer includes an automatic jam-resolving feature, whereby if an auger becomes jammed, the drive system will cause the auger to rotate in a reverse direction for a period of time to resolve the jam. The hydraulic drive system will maintain a speed of rotation of the auger at a relatively constant rate during mixing while choosing an efficient displacement setting for the hydraulic motor. The auger is maintained at a constant speed during a discharge mode by maintaining the motor in a maximum displacement setting. A clean-out mode is provided wherein the auger is rotated at a maximum speed to aid in cleaning out the last remaining feed mixture in the mixer.
US08657483B2
The present disclosure relates to apparatus designed to impregnate a sorbent. In some embodiments apparatus of the disclosure may comprise a mixing vessel having either a conical mixing chamber or an cylindrical mixing chamber designed to increase the contact surface area and/or contact/residence time of a sorbent and impregnant to produce compositions comprising an impregnated sorbent. Apparatus of the disclosure may also comprise one or more atomizers operable to produce atomized droplets of impregnant. The disclosure also provides methods for impregnation of a milled sorbent or an un-milled sorbent. Methods of the disclosure provide several technical advantages and may be cost effective. Impregnant sorbent compositions produced by methods and/or apparatus of the disclosure may have higher concentrations of an impregnant, a more uniform distribution of an impregnant and may have a greater sorbent efficiency.
US08657481B2
A syringe-to-syringe mixing apparatus comprises first and second syringes adapted to be coupled at their respective outlets to fluidly connect the syringes. The first syringe includes a plunger having a hollow plunger barrel and a distal end defining a lumen therethrough. The lumen is initially closed by a septum, which in one embodiment is an elastomeric stopper mounted over the end of the plunger. The mixing apparatus further includes a third syringe slidably disposed within the plunger barrel. The third syringe includes a hollow needle adapted to pierce the septum to allow fluid from the third syringe to be injected into fluid within the coupled first and second syringes.
US08657480B2
A display apparatus includes a display panel which displays images, a light source unit which generates and emits a light, a reflective sheet disposed below the display panel, and a plate disposed between the reflective sheet and the display panel. The reflective sheet includes a light diffusion pattern provided on an upper surface thereof facing the display panel, which diffusely reflects the light, to guide the light provided from the light source unit toward the display panel. The plate is spaced apart from the reflective sheet by a predetermined distance and includes a plurality of prisms provided on a lower surface thereof facing the reflective sheet to selectively reflect and transmit the light, which is provided from both the light source unit and the reflective sheet, according to an incident angle of the light.
US08657477B2
An illumination unit includes LEDs and a tabular light guide plate having a light emitting surface for emitting light from the LEDs as planar light, wherein a recessed portion is formed in the opposite surface of the light emitting surface of the light guide plate, and the LED is provided in the recessed portion so that the optical axis of the LED becomes parallel to the light emitting surface of the light guide plate. Here, a dimming pattern is provided at a location corresponding to the LED of the light emitting surface of the light guide plate, and furthermore a first light guide pattern is provided on the light emitting surface of the light guide plate and a second light guide pattern is provided on a rear surface that is a reflective surface.
US08657472B2
A light redirecting film (100) includes a first major surface (110) that includes first microstructures (150) that extend along a first direction and a second major surface (120), which may form part of a matte layer, the second major surface being opposite to the first major surface and including second microstructures (160). The second major surface has an optical haze that is not greater than about 3% and an optical clarity that is not greater than about 85%. The light redirecting film has an average effective transmission that is not less than about 1.75. The light redirecting film (100) may comprise particles. The second microstructures may have a slope distribution.
US08657444B2
A visual function testing device includes: a visual target image presentation unit that presents a visual target image; a visual target image rendering unit that renders the visual target image to be presented on the visual target image presentation unit; a visual function test item selection unit that selects a visual function test item; a visual target image generation unit that generates a visual target image corresponding to the test item selected by the visual function test item selection unit; a viewpoint distance input unit that inputs a distance between the visual target image presentation unit and a viewpoint of an observer; and a visual angle input unit that inputs an angle to be made by the visual target image and the viewpoint of the observer. Based on the viewpoint distance and the visual angle, a display size and display position of a visual target image are calculated.
US08657442B2
The invention relates to ophthalmic spectacles for characterizing the direction of gaze of a wearer. Each lens of the spectacles is provided with output sections for directing a radiation towards the ocular areas of the wearer, in which different portions of an ocular limbus of the wearer are in motion. The lens is further provided with input sections for collecting the portions of said radiation reflected in said ocular areas. A computing unit is also combined with the spectacles in order to determine the direction of gaze of the wearer from detection signals measuring the portions of the radiation that are simultaneously collected by the input sections of the two lenses.
US08657440B2
This invention can generate a high-resolution, low-noise tomogram while minimizing the influences of the flicks of the eyeballs, the movement of the head, and the like. The invention is an image processing apparatus which processes a tomogram of an eye to be examined and includes detection units to detect the motion amount of the eye by using a signal obtained by capturing the tomogram, and a decision unit to decide the number of scanning lines for capturing of the tomogram based on the motion amount detected by the detection units.
US08657436B2
A conveyance device has a roll rotating unit that rotates a roll of sheet medium forward and in reverse, and a conveyance path along which is an upstream roller and a downstream roller for conveying the medium and cooperate in a reverse and rewind operation. A control unit controls driving of the upstream roller, the downstream roller, and the roll rotating unit, such that, during the reverse and rewind operation, the control unit (i) drives the upstream roller and the roll rotating unit, (ii) stops driving the upstream roller while continuing to drive the roll rotating unit, first slack being created as a result of (i) or (ii), (iii) causes the medium to be nipped at the downstream roller, and (iv) drives the upstream roller while the medium is nipped at the downstream roller to create second slack.
US08657434B2
A matting liquid coating section supplies a matting liquid to an outer peripheral surface of a pressing roller. At the matting liquid coating section, a web, that is a non-woven fabric or the like and in which is seeped a matting liquid formed from a liquid (silicon oil or the like) in which matting agent particles are dispersed at a predetermined concentration, is trained around a first rod and a second rod, and is made to abut an outer peripheral surface of the pressing roller while running along the outer peripheral surface. The matting liquid is transferred once to the outer peripheral surface of the pressing roller, and the matting agent particles that adhere to the roller surface are again transferred onto a surface of a recording medium.
US08657426B2
An ink tank that is mountable to a printhead, the ink tank includes a tank body including a first wall including an ink outlet configured to supply ink to the printhead; a slider guide disposed on an exterior surface of the tank body, wherein the slider guide is proximate the first wall; and an ink reservoir including interior surfaces of the tank body; and a film that is adhered to a sealing area surrounding the ink outlet.
US08657421B2
An image forming apparatus includes a recording head, a liquid tank, a head tank, a liquid supply passage, a liquid supply passage, a liquid intake port, a valve member, and a lock unit. The lock unit is disposed in the head tank to lock and unlock the valve member in response to a change in pressure within the head tank. In a locked state, the valve member closes the liquid intake port in immovable state to constantly stop flow of the liquid into the head tank. In an unlocked state, the valve member is movable to open and close the liquid intake port in response to a change in pressure within the head tank to regulate the flow of the liquid into the head tank.
US08657410B2
A liquid discharging nozzle of the present invention includes (i) a liquid reservoir for reserving a discharging liquid and (ii) a discharging tube connected to a bottom part of the liquid reservoir. A water-repellent layer is provided on an inner surface of the discharging tube, on an inner surface of the discharging tube, and on an inner surface of the liquid reservoir, and is a fluorinated water-repellent layer. An aluminum oxide layer and a silicon oxide layer are used as foundation layers of the fluorinated water-repellent layer. The aluminum oxide layer, the silicon oxide layer, and the fluorinated water-repellent layer, which are stacked together, have a combined thickness of not more than 25 nm. The fluorinated water-repellent layer alone has a thickness of 1 nm to 4 nm.
US08657392B2
A refrigerator (1) has one or more movable members (6) which are contactlessly powered for activating a power consuming device (14). The refrigerator (1) according to the invention includes a cabinet (2) provided with a primary electrical circuit (7) connected to a main alternate voltage power supply and a movable member (6) associable to the cabinet (2) provided with a secondary electrical circuit (11). The secondary circuit (11) is powered contactlessly by the primary circuit (7) and supplies electrical energy to a power consuming device (14).
US08657389B2
A cooperative traction control system wherein individualized control over each wheel's longitudinal slip and/or lateral skidding is provided. The system uses a combination of an existing traction and stability module linked with a drive torque actuator capable of modulating the amount of drive torque at a given wheel on a specified axle. The system permits drive torque at the slipping and/or laterally skidding wheel to be controlled, either alone or in combination with brake actuation and throttle angle control, to reduce or control wheel slip and/or lateral skid and/or vehicle motion.
US08657388B2
A brake system for motor vehicles having a brake master cylinder that can be operated by a brake pedal, a fluid reservoir assigned to the brake master cylinder, a hydraulic booster stage which is operatively connected to the inlet side of the brake master cylinder, with a booster piston which is subjected to a hydraulic boost pressure supplied by a pressure source and which in all operating modes allows a direct mechanical action by the brake pedal on a hydraulic piston of the brake master cylinder, and having an electrically controllable pressure regulating valve arrangement for metering the boost pressure. In order to provide a brake system of simple design, which is cost-effective to produce and which functions reliably, the pressure regulating valve arrangement can be hydraulically controllable.
US08657385B2
An assembly is disclosed including a holder block, a cutting pick, and an optional hollow sleeve, wherein the shank of the cutting pick is inserted into the holder block or, where present, into the hollow sleeve. When assembled, surfaces of the components meet at an interface. At least one of the first interface and the second interface includes one or more sets of wear elements including cemented carbide bodies press fit into recesses in the forwardly oriented surfaces meeting at the interfaces. The wear elements mitigate direct contact between the opposing surfaces of the components at the interfaces and prevents excessive wear from repetitive impact because the harder wear elements, e.g., cemented carbide, are contact points between the opposing surfaces of the components at the interfaces. A machine incorporating the assembly and a method of manufacturing the assembly are also disclosed, particularly a machine for mining, excavating, tunneling, road planing and/or construction.
US08657374B2
There is provided a chair (101) comprising: a seating portion (102) for occupation; a base portion (103) for location upon a support surface; and a connecting portion (104) connectedly extending between said seating portion (102) and said base portion (103); wherein said connecting portion (104) is configured to provide a degree of freedom of the position of said seating portion (101) relative to said base portion (103), such that said seating portion (102) is movable between a default unloaded position relative to said base portion (103) and each of a plurality of available loaded positions relative to said base portion (103), whereby when unoccupied, said seating portion (102) is in said default unloaded position relative to said base portion (103), and when occupied, said seating portion (102) is in one of said plurality of available loaded positions relative to said base portion (103), whereby said chair is configured to dynamically respond to changes in the posture of an occupant.
US08657367B2
A vehicle lower structure is equipped with a brace. The brace is configured to include an extension portion that extends in a vehicle width direction, and link portions that are provided at both ends of the extension portion respectively and have a generally V shape in a bottom view in such a manner as to be convex forward or rearward with respect to a vehicle body. The vehicle lower structure also has a body portion that is fastened to mounting portions, which are provided on both sides of a lower portion of a vehicle respectively, by the link portions.
US08657365B2
A vehicle body front structure of an electric vehicle includes a first side frame, a second side frame, a unit frame, and a bending inducing bracket. The unit frame includes a rear frame portion. The bending inducing bracket is provided in a substantially central area of the rear frame portion and protrudes from the rear frame portion toward a rear of the electric vehicle. The bending inducing bracket is spaced apart from a wall member of a vehicle cabin in a front-rear direction. The bending inducing bracket is provided to come into contact with the wall member when an impact load is input from a front side of the electric vehicle.
US08657359B2
A folding top (3) for a convertible is disclosed, with at least two roof segments (7), which can be moved by means of a folding top linkage (11) between a closed position covering a passenger compartment (10) and an open position uncovering at least some areas of the passenger compartment (10), and with an interior ceiling (15) facing the passenger compartment (10), which has at least one zone (18) that is loosely guided relative to at least one roof segment (7). At least one wire-type shaping element (19) cooperates with the interior ceiling (15) in order to shape the interior ceiling (15).
US08657356B2
A seating system for a vehicle includes a first seat configured for supporting a driver of the vehicle and a second seat disposed adjacent the first seat and configured for supporting a passenger of the vehicle. The second seat includes a collapsible bin configured for storing one or more articles.
US08657354B2
The invention provides techniques for diagnosing medical conditions and providing appropriate treatment at a patient's home residence. A mobile x-ray team can be dispatched to the patient's home residence. A technical team reviews patient data to determine a proper therapy plan. A mobile radiation therapy apparatus is dispatched to the patient's home as required by the therapy plan. The mobile radiation therapy apparatus includes a radiation source and shielding, and is capable of superficial radiation therapy and/or High Dose Rate (HDR), Low Dose Rate (LDR), and Medium Dose Rate (MDR) implant therapy and/or particle therapy. For HDR, LDR and MDR therapy, the mobile radiation therapy apparatus itself is a specialized radiation vault which the patient will enter. The technical team adjusts the therapy plan based on the additional analysis, and the mobile radiation therapy apparatus is dispatched in accordance with adjusted therapy plan.
US08657345B1
A safe linkage lockset has a holding box, wherein a left and a right driving seat are assembled into its internal holding space parallelly and reversely. A linkage member is set rotatably between the driving seats. A door handle assembling portion is formed on the middle of the linkage member. The assembling portion could be provided with a door handle. When pressing the door handle, the linkage member will be driven so that the driving seats are driven close to each other. When pulling up the handle, the driving seats are driven far away from each other. Two bolt bars are separately located into the assembly hole of the driven end on left and right driving seats, and the action end of bolt bar is protruded out of the holding box. Hence, this could adapt to common users locking and unlocking habit.
US08657344B2
An adjustable coupling assembly and drain inlet combination for adjusting the height of the drain inlet for draining a fluid from an area is disclosed. The assembly includes a first tubular cylinder having a first end which is constructed to be attached to the inlet of drain tile, and a second tubular cylinder having a first end which is constructed to be attached to the discharge of the drain inlet. One of the tubular cylinders has an end which is constructed to extend into the other tubular cylinder. A spiral groove on one of the tubular cylinders extends over a substantial portion of the length of that cylinder, and at least one projection is positioned on the other tubular cylinder and is positionable to extend into the spiral groove whereby when one of the tubular cylinders is rotated relative to the other tubular cylinder, the projection moves along the spiral groove, to adjust the total combined length of the first and second tubular cylinders and the height of the drain inlet. The drain inlet is attached to the upper tubular cylinder.
US08657333B2
The disclosure provides an inflator device for a passive restraint device, like an airbag. In certain aspects, a fuel-rich gas generant grain is located in actuating proximity to an initiator device. The grain has at least one flow channel through which a shock wave generated by the initiator device passes. The shock wave opens a burst disc between the inflator housing and downstream airbag to permit gases to flow into the airbag. A chamber storing pressurized gas (having at least one oxidant, e.g., O2) is also disposed within the inflator. Upon initiator actuation, the oxidant can react with combustion products of the initiator and the fuel-rich gas generant and flow into the airbag for rapid inflation. Methods of inflating airbags and improving airbag deployment reliability are provided. Such inflators are particularly suitable for large volume (greater than 60 liter) airbags.
US08657323B2
The present invention relates to a transport system for transporting a large element having a longitudinal extension, such as a wind turbine nacelle. The transport system comprises a transport means having a first and a second transport unit, a base structure having a first and a second side and being adapted for supporting and connecting with the large element to be transported, and transport equipment having a first part adapted to be connected to the first side of the base structure and to the first transport unit and a second part adapted to be connected to the second transport unit. The first part engages with the second part. The invention also relates to a transport method.
US08657316B1
A rear axle support assembly includes a swing arm assembly, a second axle tube, and a rear final gear assembly. The swing arm assembly includes a first support arm, a second support arm laterally spaced from the first support arm, a first axle tube attached to the first support arm, and an axle support bracket attached to the second support arm. Each of the first and second axle tubes is configured to receive an axle therewithin. The second axle tube includes an axle tube mount flange. The first axle tube is releasably attached to the rear final gear assembly. The axle tube mount flange is positioned laterally between, and is releasably attached to each one of, the axle support bracket of the swing arm assembly and the rear final gear assembly, and in direct, contacting engagement with the rear final gear assembly.
US08657315B2
A suspension having a frame attachment portion having an opening with a spring mount positioned therein, and a first shear spring positioned between a wall of the spring mount and a side wall of the opening, and a second shear spring positioned between another wall of the spring mount and another wall of the opening. The first spring mount comprises an inboard part and an outboard part with a first through-hole positioned therein adapted to allow passage of a first connecting rod therethrough, wherein the first connecting rod connects the inboard and outboard parts together, and wherein the first shear spring is compressed between a wall of the spring mount and a wall of the opening, and wherein the second shear spring is compressed between a wall of the spring mount and a wall of the opening.
US08657313B2
The present disclosure relates to a rear wheel steering system for vehicles and vehicle comprising said system which allows rotating the rear wheels by means of a single actuator without increasing the suspended masses, comprising an independent suspension assembly for each rear wheel, wherein each independent suspension assembly comprises a suspension arm having a first end operatively connected to an axle of a wheel, each suspension arm having two second ends which are articulated to a fixed part of the vehicle, each suspension arm being able to rotate with respect to a rotation shaft where the two second ends of each suspension arm are articulated; the system comprising a synchronization device comprising at least one synchronization rod the ends of which are connected by means of sliding carriages to the rotation shafts, each sliding carriage being operatively connected to the axle of each wheel by means of a transmission rod.
US08657308B2
A pushing vehicle is described for transporting at least one child, including: a wheeled chassis including a chassis frame and a plurality of wheels that are rotatably mounted relative to the chassis frame to support the chassis frame above a ground surface and which enable the chassis to be moved along the ground surface; a passenger support for supporting a child; wherein the passenger support is attachable to the frame in a mounting position by a single tool-less attachment mechanism for attaching an underside of the passenger support to the chassis frame, to support the passenger support generally above the wheeled chassis. Also described are related modular seating systems and a supporting compartment.
US08657304B1
A shopping cart includes an expandable cargo compartment having opposite first and second ends, a frame to which the cargo compartment is attached, a handle disposed proximate the first end of the cargo compartment, and a foldable child seat disposed proximate the second end of the cargo compartment, wherein folding the child seat increases a capacity of the cargo compartment and wherein the child seat comprises a seat back pivotally attached to the frame. In another aspect, a shopping cart comprises a frame, a cargo compartment attached to the frame, a handle attached to the frame, and a foldable child seat. The foldable child seat comprises a rod pivotally attached to the frame, a seat back attached to the rod, a sleeve configured to slide upon the rod, and a seat bottom hingedly attached to the sleeve.
US08657296B1
A radial shaft seal for a radial shaft is formed with a casing having an exterior-facing surface opposite from an interior-facing surface, and a sleeve positioned radially inwardly of the casing that rotates with respect to the casing. A sealing ring is connected to the casing, and has an extending portion that interacts with the sleeve to form a labyrinth seal barrier.
US08657283B2
There are provided a sheet stacking apparatus capable of stably stacking a large number of sheets and an image forming apparatus. The sheet stacking apparatus configured to stack sheets includes a plurality of discharge units disposed to an apparatus main body in a vertical direction and configured to discharge sheets, a plurality of sheet stacking units disposed to be independently elevatable on a side surface of the apparatus main body corresponding respectively to the plurality of discharge units and configured to stack thereon the sheets discharged from the discharge units, and an alignment unit disposed between the plurality of sheet stacking units and configured to sequentially align a position in a width direction perpendicular to a discharging direction of the sheets stacked on a lower sheet stacking unit among the plurality of sheet stacking units.
US08657281B2
A sheet feeding apparatus has a sheet accommodating unit for accommodating a sheet, the sheet accommodating unit being detachably mountable to the apparatus; a feeding unit for feeding the sheet from the sheet accommodating unit; a press-contact device for press-contacting the sheet in the sheet accommodating unit to the feeding unit; a guiding member provided in the sheet feeding apparatus for guiding the sheet accommodating unit such that sheet accommodated in the sheet accommodating unit is not contacted to the feeding unit when the sheet accommodating unit is mounted to the apparatus; a moving device for moving the guiding member to bring the sheet into contact to the feeding unit after the sheet accommodating unit is mounted to the apparatus.
US08657279B2
A suction wheel attracts sheets by suction and transports them. The suction wheel contains a suction wheel body rotatable about an axis of rotation and provided with a plurality of suction openings formed in the circumferential surface of the suction wheel body. Accordingly, the suction wheel body is of a non-circular shape. In particular, the suction wheel includes an attraction area for attracting a sheet, a retaining area for retaining and conveying a sheet, and a release area for releasing a sheet. A sheet feeder ideally incorporates such a suction wheel.
US08657277B2
An image forming system including a control section provides control in such a way that, the ring binder of the size determined for the first set of copies is adopted so that ring binding is performed for a second set of copies or copies thereafter in a case of executing a job for ring binding of a plurality of copies. When at least one of a status change in the sheet feed section, a main power source being turned off, or a change in a job ticket is occurred from a suspension to a resumption of the job, since the thickness of a bundle of sheets may change, the thickness measuring section is caused to measure the thickness of the bundle in a first set of copies subsequent to resumption. And the control section judges continuation or suspension of a job.
US08657276B2
A sheet processing apparatus capable of high-speed and accurate detection of a lateral displacement and a skew of a sheet. A motor laterally shifts the sensors during sheet conveyance by a conveying motor, to determine first and second positions of the sheet lateral edge detected respectively by first and second sensors. A finisher controller determines a third position of the lateral edge of the sheet closer to a sheet trailing edge, based on the first and second positions and an amount of conveyance of the sheet from when the first position is detected to when the second position is detected. A lateral displacement of the sheet is corrected by laterally shifting the sheet according to the third position of the sheet lateral edge.
US08657263B2
A gas supply passage is connected to a decontamination liquid supply passage at a tail end portion side from a delivery device, and an on-off valve which opens and closes the gas supply passage is provided. A controller stores a housed weight of the decontamination liquid between a connection point at which the above described gas supply passage is connected to the decontamination liquid supply passage and the above described tail end portion. When a weight of the decontamination liquid is reduced by a total value of a predetermined weight W which should be supplied to the downstream side equipment and the above described housed weight as a result of starting supply of the decontamination liquid to the above described downstream side equipment, the controller opens the above described on-off valve to return the decontamination liquid at the upstream side from the connection point.
US08657246B2
In a further embodiment, a method of controlling a base assembly can be provided. An actuation member can be pumped to deploy one or more wheels to lift a base assembly on said wheels. Further, a pin can be received in a holding portion on a semi-planar contoured surface in response to the pumping of the actuation member. The wheels can be held in a deployed position via the pin being held in the holding portion. Further pumping of the actuation member can separate the pin from the holding portion and retract the wheels from the deployed position.
US08657245B2
A method and apparatus include attaching a lighted cup holder to a seating arrangement. The lighted cup holder includes a cup holder body and a light-producing light source, with the cup holder body being attached to the seating arrangement and having a cup receptacle therein, the light-producing source being disposed within the cup receptacle for illuminating the receptacle. A light-sensitive element operatively connected to the light source selectively controls production of light by the light source in such a manner that illumination of the cup holder is provided only under conditions where visibility is reduced to the point that it becomes difficult to locate the cup holder. The light-sensitive element is mounted on a master lighted cup holder and controls illumination of the master lighted cup holder and one or more slave lighted cup holders operatively connected to the master lighted cup holder.
US08657243B2
An operating table has a movable base which is provided with four casters, wherein the casters are each pivotable via a pivot lever. The pivot levers are connected to one another by a common drive and a linkage.
US08657242B2
A fixing device for circuit boards with different thickness includes a base board, a number of posts protruding from the base board, a number of resilient brackets for mounting to the posts, and a number of fasteners inserted through one of the circuit boards and the resilient brackets to engage with the protruding posts, thereby urging the deformation of the resilient brackets according to the thickness of the particular circuit board.
US08657239B2
A Krueger, or leading edge flap, deployable from a lower aerodynamic surface of an aircraft main wing element so as to form a slot between the Krueger and the main wing element when deployed, the deployed Krueger having a leading edge, a trailing edge and upper and lower aerodynamic surfaces extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge, and a flow deflector which provides an effectively divergent flap profile thickness in the downstream direction at or adjacent the Krueger trailing edge so as to direct airflow away from the lower aerodynamic surface of the deployed Krueger towards an upper aerodynamic surface of the main wing element. Also, aircraft wing assembly including a main wing element and the Krueger.
US08657236B2
Aircraft are provided with a perforated blade seal at the lower and/or upper side edges of a control surface contour, such as a flap, with the purpose of acting as a vortex generator, thereby making it difficult for the lower vortex system to move upwards and merge with the upper vortex system. The perforated blade seals are preferably arranged on the inboard and outboard edges of high lift flaps.
US08657223B2
A webbing take-up device that can regulate displacement of a held part such as clutch while suppressing or preventing a drop in the assembility of the held part such as clutch. A projection is formed on a bridge portion in a wall portion on the opposite side of a holding portion side. When a cover plate is attached to a frame, a base portion of the cover plate contacts a distal end of the wall portion, but at the portion where the projection is formed, the based portion presses the projection and bends the bridge portion. By the bridge portion bending, a touching surface of the holding portion contacts a base portion of a clutch plate and regulates displacement of the clutch plate. Moreover, in a state where the bridge portion is not bending, a clearance is formed between the touching surface and the base portion when the clutch plate is disposed, so the clutch plate can be also be easily attached.
US08657202B2
In a card reader having a card pulling-preventing function, provided is a card reader that can achieve energy savings. More specifically, a card reader 1 is equipped with a card moving passage 6 in which a card is moved, a pulling-preventing member 9 which is configured to be capable of turning to a closed position to close the card moving passage 6 and to an open position to open the card moving passage 6 and which prevents the pulling of the card at the closed position, an urging member 10 for urging the pulling-preventing member 9 to the closed position, a turning-regulating member which regulates the turning of the pulling-preventing member 9 by abutting on the pulling-preventing member 9 at the closed position, and a solenoid 12 which moves the turning-regulating member 11 to a turning-regulating position at which the turning of the pulling-preventing member 9 is regulated and to a turning position at which the turning of the pulling-preventing member 9 is enabled.
US08657189B2
Systems and methods for generating, reading and transferring identifiers are disclosed. In one embodiment, a handheld system for associating a selected audio content with an object includes an identifier applied to a surface of the object and having a predetermined graphical format that is configured to encode the selected audio content, and a handheld device operable to encode the identifier and further operable to detect an audio content associated with the identifier.
US08657181B2
Disclosed is a wedge bonder, comprising a wedge for bonding a wire to surfaces to form an electrical interconnection therebetween, a cleaning device for cleaning the wedge, and a positioning device to which the wedge is mounted. In particular, the positioning device is operative to move the wedge to the cleaning device for cleaning. A method of cleaning a wedge of a wedge bonder is also disclosed.
US08657180B2
For selecting suitable bonding parameters for forming wire bonds onto bond pads of a substrate, one or more indentations are made onto at least one bond pad of the substrate with an indentation tool by applying a series of predetermined forces onto the at least one bond pad with the indentation tool. A depth-force profile of the substrate is measured comprising a relationship between each predetermined force that is applied and a resultant depth of the indentation made by the indentation tool. An appropriate set of bonding parameters suitable for forming wire bonds on the substrate is determined based on the measured depth-force profile.
US08657178B2
Disclosed is a disposable surgical stapling unit configured for use with an actuation device that has an elongated shaft assembly. The disposable surgical stapling unit may include a housing assembly and a staple cartridge carrier configured to operably support a staple cartridge, and a drive member operably supported within the staple cartridge carrier. The drive member may comprise a cutting edge to cut tissue and a proximal end configured for operable engagement with a control member operably supported within the elongated shaft assembly. The disposable surgical stapling unit may further include articulation joints operably supported between the housing assembly and the staple cartridge carrier for selectively articulating the staple cartridge carrier about multiple articulation axes.
US08657175B2
The invention is a medical device comprising an insertion shaft having an articulation section located near its distal end. The medical device comprises one or more alignment systems to assist in bringing two portions of the insertion shaft that are located on opposite sides of the articulation section into alignment. The alignment systems are selected from the following: a) a mechanical system comprising one or more alignment pins or screws and two or more locking screws located in one of the portions and a corresponding number of funnels and receptacles into which the alignment pins and the locking screws can be inserted or advanced respectively located in the other of the portions; b) an ultrasound system comprising an ultrasound reflecting mirror having one or more steps located on one of the portions and a ultrasound transmitter/receiver located on the other of the portions; and c) an optical system comprising one or more light sources that emit light from one of the portions and an image sensor located on the other of the portions.
US08657172B2
A device for dispensing an individual plastic fastener from a supply of fastener stock includes a motor-driven head assembly adapted to receive the supply of fastener stock, sever an individual fastener from the supply and in turn eject the severed fastener. The head assembly includes a pair of needle block assemblies that retain corresponding hollow needles, each needle block assembly being shaped to define a feed channel that transitions a side rail for the fastener stock into axial alignment behind its corresponding needle. In addition, at least one needle block assembly includes a rearward shelf and a forward bowing plate. In use, the lowermost cross-links of the fastener stock fittingly align between the shelf and the bowing plate. In this manner, the lowermost cross-links are limited to distort uniformly upward within the single plane defined by the pair of feed channels, thereby optimizing feed reliability of the device.
US08657162B2
A recharge insert, for use with a spray dispenser device, is made of a matrix material impregnated with a chemical composition that is made dry-to-the-touch and is held in place by a porous three-dimensional polyethylene film that prevents direct skin contact, while allowing the chemical composition to be dissolved in solution with a diluent fluid such as water. When the spray bottle is filled with water, sealed, and shaken, the fluid penetrates into the matrix material, and the chemical composition becomes dissolved in solution, thereby creating a cleaning, sanitizing or disinfectant solution that will remain stable and fully active in use. The recharge insert may be engaged with an insert locating adapter as may be desired.
US08657151B2
A hand protection barrier dispenser for dispensing disposable sanitary barriers for temporarily covering the hand and providing complete hand protection is disclosed which dispenses the hand protection barriers in a manner so that they may easily be donned by a user thereof. The hand protection barrier operates to open each of the hand protection barriers into a position to be readily donned and dispensed. The hand protection barrier dispenser dispenses only a single hand protection barrier at a time.
US08657149B2
A resealable, thin-walled packaging having snap-in closure wherein the packaging sheath has an, open plug-in collar that receives a snap-in closure with a form-shaping support part that extends into the collar.
US08657144B2
A tray for use during painting includes a stair adaptor for leveling the tray along stairs and maintaining the tray on a workbench. The tray body has at least one utility recess defined therein for situating paint cans, paint stirrers, and paint brushes. A roller tray is further defined within the tray body. A front cut-out is defined along the front which is well-suited to allow the tray to be secured to a workbench by way of workbench swivel pegs. Slots are defined within the underside traveling an entire width of the tray body. A stair adaptor is adapted to engage the slots. As a result, upon placement of the tray body on an upper step of a stairway the stair adaptor levels the tray while the base of the stair adaptor rests on an adjacent lower step.
US08657141B2
The cartridge includes a storage chamber for the reception of one or more filler materials and a neck which contains a discharge passage for each filler material. A shock absorbing element extends about the neck and is connected at one end to the neck. A closure cap is connected to the shock absorbing element or cartridge by a hinge to selectively open and close the discharge passage(s). When in the closure position over the discharge passage(s), the closure cap is recessed within and spaced from the shock absorbing element to avoid being loosened by an impact force.
US08657134B2
The present disclosure relates to a hoisting limit switch for limiting the maximum allowed hoisting height of a hoisting cable, wherein the hoisting limit switch includes a read-write device for reading and writing data, and a means from which the operating condition of the hoisting limit switch can be read out by the read-write device.
US08657131B2
Expandable framework with attachable plant-support trays installable within an interior window frame
An expandable framework, with attachable plant-support trays, is provided for installation within an interior window frame. One embodiment of the framework is expandable to a fixable height in a vertical direction and expandable in a horizontal direction via upper and lower telescoping tube pairs to accommodate a range of common window sizes. A pair of spacer sticks are provided, which can be cut to appropriate lengths so that one spacer stick and an associated coil spring can be inserted within each telescoping tube pair so that the frame assembly can be biased against opposed vertical portions of the window frame in the interior of a building. A plurality of tray support arms, each of which has a square aperture or receptacle, can be rotationally locked onto each telescoping tube pair for the support of a plant support tray.
US08657122B2
A media retainer assembly for retaining filter media in a filter assembly includes a top plate for supporting the filter media, the top plate having a top surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of openings extending therethrough; a bottom plate having a top surface and a plurality of openings extending therethrough; and scouring media, the scouring media being adapted to abrade the surfaces of the top and bottom plates. The top plate is connected to the bottom plate such that the top surface of the bottom plate is spaced from the bottom surface of the top plate to define at least one chamber between the top plate and the bottom plate. The top surface of the top plate is in fluid communication with the chamber via the openings in the top plate. The scouring media is supported by the bottom plate within the at least one chamber.
US08657120B2
Trapping structures are provided for particle separation devices that make use of traveling wave fluid flow. These trapping structures are operative to capture and collect separated particles and present them for extraction. The extraction can be accomplished in conventional manners, such as through the use of suitable sized pipettes.
US08657118B2
The invention relates to a collector for the separation by flotation of carbonates contained in non-sulfurous minerals, particularly phosphoric rock, comprising at least one phosphoric ester of formula (I) wherein, R1 represents H, CH3 or C2H5, R2 represents a linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl group containing between 4 and 10 carbon atoms, R3 represents H or a suitable cation, selected from an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, ammonium, alkyl ammonium, alkanol ammonium or glucammonium, k represents a number comprised between 1 and 2, and n represents a number comprised between 0 and 4.
US08657115B2
An arrangement having a plurality of moistened cosmetic pads based on nonwovens which are piled into a closable packaging container in order to distribute to the final consumer and to prevent evaporation. The pads have, on average, a moisture content of at least 200% of the dry weight thereof in the arrangement, the pads have a fiber structure made of staple fibers, are individually moistened and have a homogeneous moisture content such that the difference of the average moisture content of the pads which are arranged in the upper and in the lower quarter of the stack is, at a maximum, 30% of the average moisture content of all of the pads.
US08657105B2
A system and method are disclosed for controlling a conveyor belt condition monitoring system, and for automatically providing user alarms and system trips when sensed conditions exceed acceptable values. The system may use sensors to measure magnetic disruptions (“events”) in belt components and an algorithm may be used to monitor changes in these disruptions over time. The magnitude of these changes can then be used to predict when belt failures will occur. The system may also be used to sense when imminent failure of the belt will occur and to automatically stop the belt before failure occurs. An integrated display provides detailed information on the measured belt events and enables the user to customize alarm/trip levels and to assess problem as conditions via a virtual private network or the Internet while the belt is operating. The system is modular so that its features may be selectively integrated into existing facility-wide monitoring systems.
US08657102B2
A conveyor apparatus for conveying objects (6) along a path, the path including an upstream portion (17) and a curved portion (13), the upstream portion (17) defining a direction of entry into the curved portion (13), the curved portion (13) defining a radially outward direction transverse to the direction of entry into the curved portion; the conveyor apparatus comprising suspension means (4) adapted to travel along the path and to carry an object (6) to be conveyed suspended at the suspension means (4); and deflection means (10) arranged to deflect an object (6) suspended at the suspension means (4) in the radially outward direction when the suspension means (4) travels along the upstream portion (17) towards the curved portion (13).
US08657090B2
The present invention relates to a clutch actuated by initial limit-torque sliding damping capable of controlling a clutch device to perform operations of coupling or releasing with the driving torque, characterized in that a relay transmission structure assembly (104) is installed between a rotary prime motive end (101) and an output-end clutch structure (1052), the relay transmission structure assembly (104) is installed with a relay coupling structure (204) having an active side of relay coupling structure and a passive side of relay coupling structure, and a limit-torque sliding damping device (106) is installed between the relay transmission structure assembly (104) and the output end (102).
US08657084B2
The present invention provides a rotary damper in which both yields and braking characteristics can be enhanced. The rotary damper of the invention includes a valve mechanism which comprises an operating chamber 7 through which fluid can pass, a valve body 8 which forwardly moves from a natural state position when the valve body 8 receives fluid pressure and which can forwardly moves in the operating chamber 7, and a first spring 9 capable of giving a resistance to the forward movement of the valve body 8. The valve mechanism can reduce a flow rate of fluid which passes through the operating chamber 7 by a flow path 14 formed between the valve body 8 and a peripheral wall 7a of the operating chamber 7. A reducing amount of fluid can be increased as a moving distance of the valve body 8 which forwardly moves in the operating chamber 7 is increased.
US08657082B2
The invention relates to a brake disc (BS) for a vehicle, comprising a main body (G) that is made of a metal material, particularly gray cast iron, which has friction surfaces (R) having a coating (B) made of a hard material.According to the invention, the coating (B) is formed from carbides, ceramics, cermet or metals.
US08657077B2
A cantilever brake of bicycle is provided with a triangular cable stop including first, second and third corner attachments and a wheel between the first and second corner attachments; a first pivot member including a first trough; a first cable passing through the first corner attachment, the wheel, and the second corner attachment to be fastened at the first pivot; a second pivot member including a second trough; a second cable having one end fastened in the third corner attachment and the other end fastened in the second pivot member; a first brake arm releasably pivotably secured to the first trough and including two opposite first projections and a spring actuated first adjustment knob distal the first projections; and a second brake arm releasably pivotably secured to the second trough and including two opposite second projections and a spring actuated second adjustment knob distal the second projections.
US08657076B2
An elevator car sliding guide includes a shoe configured to slide on one or more rails, a first bracket connected to the shoe, a second bracket for connecting to a car assembly, and a plurality of elongated elastomeric members arranged generally from a first end of the sliding guide to a second end of the sliding guide and connected between the first bracket and the second bracket. The shoe and the first bracket are substantially surrounded on three sides by the second bracket. Each of the plurality of elongated elastomeric members is configured for deflection under loads of increasing magnitude.
US08657075B2
The invention relates to a lift guide with a symmetry axis OY, consisting of a mushroom-shaped element and two flanges, each side of the mushroom element being provided with a side braking and guiding surface for the lift-braking and -guiding elements. The invention is characterized in that the mushroom element includes a head which limits movement of the braking and/or guiding elements along the axis. The head of the mushroom element has: two side braking and/or rolling surfaces, on either side of the symmetry axis, which converge toward one another in the direction of the interior or exterior of the mushroom element; and larger dimensions along the OX axis than the side braking/guiding surfaces.
US08657073B2
A power transmission apparatus is capable of easily passing lubricant toward a seal arranged between a higher shat and an opening of a case of the apparatus. The apparatus includes the higher shaft, i.e., a hollow connecting shaft that faces the outside of the transfer case through the opening of the transfer case. The oil seal is arranged between the hollow shaft and the opening of the transfer case. The hollow shaft meshes, through helical spur gears, with an intermediate transferring shaft that is positioned lower than the hollow shaft. A lubricant guide is arranged to receive lubricant splashed up by the ring gear and helical spur gear of the intermediate shaft and guide the received lubricant toward the oil seal and a ball bearing.
US08657070B2
A ladder step attachment made of a single, unitary piece of extruded aluminum having no moving parts. The attachment has a horizontal standing surface improved with a gripping surface, the standing surface having two notches for engaging the rails of a ladder and extending partially between the ladder rails. A lip connected to the standing surface presents a resilient member to abut the back side of the rung. A substantially tube-shaped support has a tube wall. One part of the tube wall shares a portion of the standing surface and another part of the tube wall engages the ladder's rails. A bend at the top of the rail engaging tube wall separates that portion of the tube wall from a substantially vertical portion of tube wall above the bend to facilitate removal.
US08657066B2
A noise dampening enclosure includes a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, a carbon material layer disposed between the first and second insulating layers, a metal shield layer disposed between the first and second insulating layers, and a third insulating layer disposed between the carbon material layer and the metal shield layer. The carbon material layer can include resin-impregnated woven carbon fiber fabric. Strands of the carbon material can be orientated in various configurations, including layering the strands at different angles. Noise dampening bulkhead material provides additional shielding between circuit boards or other electronic components contained within the enclosure. In addition, a noise dampening boot can be placed over cable connections and assemblies to decrease the influences of unwanted electromagnetic noise.
US08657057B2
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus, in particular a construction machine configured as a mobile excavator or a transfer apparatus, having an undercarriage carrying a chassis and having a superstructure connected thereto, wherein the superstructure is made up in a modular manner of at least two modules which can be releasably coupled to one another, and wherein at least one drive module is provided which forms an operable unit of a machine drive and a machine cooling system and at least one further module includes one or more superstructure components.
US08657055B2
A vehicle comprising a frame, an electromotive drive and a control unit for controlling the electromotive drive. In a method for assembling an electric motorcycle in which at least one energy source is inserted into a frame. In order to ensure easy and quick assembly of the electric motorcycle, said motorcycle comprises an auxiliary pedal drive and the frame is designed as a diamond frame with at least one upper tube, at least one lower tube and at least one seat tube, wherein said upper tube comprises a receiving shaft for at least one energy source that includes at least one tube end with a push-in opening through which the energy source can be pushed into said receiving shaft. In the method according to the invention at least one energy source is inserted through an open tube end into an upper tube of said frame.
US08657053B2
The group of inventions relates to aviation and to transport means having (static and dynamic) air discharge, in particular to self-stabilizing wing-in-ground-effect craft of types A, B and C. The following technical results are achieved: increased flight safety and maneuvering safety, increased load-bearing capacity and flight height in ground effect mode, reduced dimensions, improved take-off and landing characteristics, as well as amphibian characteristics and economic efficiency, increased functionality and a wider range of operational alignments, and greater ease of use and maintenance. This result is achieved by simultaneously applying the methods for generating a system of aerodynamic forces, the structural solutions and the piloting methods conceptually linked therewith which are proposed in the present group of inventions to “flying wing” or “composite wing” design layouts.
US08657051B2
A distensible fuel tank included in a vehicle is provided. The distensible fuel tank includes a housing enclosing a lattice structure substantially spanning a portion of an interior defined by the housing, the lattice structure including a plurality of intersecting wall members, at least two of the wall members having an unequal thickness.
US08657042B2
A steerable walking machine is described which comprises a leg mechanism that provides a means for locomotion of the machine across a surface and a head rotatably mounted upon the leg mechanism. The rotational position of the head upon the leg mechanism acts to defines a direction of locomotion of the machine across the surface. The steerable walking machine can therefore walk in any direction without requiring the leg mechanism to turn and so can maneuver in more confined spaces than those devices known in the art. A first motor is employed to control the leg mechanism while a second motor controls the rotation of the head upon the leg mechanism. The functionality of the steerable walking machine is therefore achieved through the employment of only two motors thus significantly reducing the manufacturing costs involved.
US08657040B2
A percussion drilling assembly includes an outer tubular, an inner tubular coupled within the outer tubular at a threaded region, a drill bit slideably disposed within the inner tubular, and a locking system located proximate the threaded region. The locking system is actuatable by translation of the drill bit relative to the locking system, whereby the locking system is configured to prevent rotation of the inner tubular relative to the outer tubular in at least a first direction.
US08657036B2
A tubing shoe is disclosed with a body adapted to be connected to a section of tubing to be emplaced in a wellbore and a nose provided on the body, wherein the nose includes a failure guide structure for controlling break-up of the nose upon being drilled out from inside the nose. The failure guide structure typically controls break up by limiting the maximum size of pieces of the nose broken off upon drill out, for example, by defining weakened areas of the nose which are prone to failure upon drilling. The failure guide structure can include discontinuities such as slots or bores formed or drilled into the outer surface of the nose. The failure guide structure controls the break up of the nose in a consistent and predictable manner, and typically at a predictable stage during the drill-out process.
US08657033B2
In a grinder, a terminal plate is projectingly provided on an upper surface of a controller. A connection portion, which accommodates a female terminal and includes a slit into which the terminal plate enters, is projectingly provided on a lower surface of a main body portion of a switch block. At the time of assembling of the switch block and the controller, the terminal plate that enters into the connection portion from the slit is inserted into and connected to the female terminal. First and second projections that cover a formation surface of the slit in the connection portion when the connection portion is inserted with and connected to the terminal plate are formed on the upper surface of the controller.
US08657032B2
An electric tool includes a housing accommodating a motor, and a break device and an operational member to turn on and turn off a drive switch of the motor. The brake device includes a brake plate fixed to an output shaft of the motor, a brake member is capable of moving toward and away from the brake plate during rotation, and an urging unit urging the brake member toward an abutment position where the brake member abuts on the brake plate. The operational member is provided with a press member that comes into abutment on the brake member through an operation of turning on the drive switch of the motor and rotates the brake member in such a rotational direction as to move away from the brake plate against the urging of the urging unit.
US08657029B2
A power tool is provided with a prime mover which causes the tool to rotate and a housing which houses the prime mover. In a back-end face that is positioned on an opposite side on the housing from a tool side, a back-end groove, into which a user can position his/her web between his/her thumb and forefinger, is formed. A pair of side-face grooves, into which the user can place the thumb and forefinger, are formed in both side faces of the housing. A depth changing portion is formed in at least one of the side-face grooves, such that the depth is reduced toward the back-end face of the housing. According to this structure, even when the housing is gripped directly from the back-end face, the user can easily draw up or raise the power tool.
US08657025B2
A folding frame for an agricultural implement such as a wheel rake. The frame includes ground engaging wheels and two toolbars foldable for operation and for transport. The folding frame is provided flexibility to conform to uneven surfaces, yet stability against the torques and forces of operation. A slidable tongue provides folding action between the transport position and the operating position. A spacing between rear ends of the two toolbars may be altered hydraulically for wider or narrower windrows. A novel caster wheel provides support for the toolbars and is located so that the implement's transport position is narrower than the prior art's.
US08657023B2
A self-compensating multiple-section agricultural implement is disclosed. The agricultural implement includes a first ground-engaging tool coupled to a first frame section. A lift device in fluid communication with a hydraulic controller is coupled to the first frame section. The lift device is configured for raising and lowering the first frame section to move the first ground-engaging tool between a first ground-engaging tool transport position and a first pre-selected operating depth. A second frame section is coupled to the first frame section forward of the first ground-engaging tool. A second ground-engaging tool is coupled to the second frame section. An extendable and retractable cylinder is in fluid communication with the hydraulic controller and is coupled to the first frame section and the second frame section. The extendable and retractable cylinder is configured to move the second ground-engaging tool between a second ground-engaging tool transport position and a second pre-selected operating depth.
US08657015B2
Apparatus and methods for completing, treating, and/or producing a wellbore are provided. The apparatus can include a tubular body defining an inner bore, one or more injection inflow control devices, and one or more production inflow control devices. The one or more injection inflow control devices can include one or more first check valves in fluid communication with the inner bore, with each first check valve being configured to allow fluid to flow therethrough from the inner bore to a region of the wellbore, and to substantially block a reverse fluid flow therethrough. The one or more production inflow control devices can include one or more second check valves coupled to the tubular body, each second check valve being configured to allow fluid to flow therethrough from the wellbore to the inner bore and to substantially block a reverse fluid flow therethrough.
US08657012B2
A riser for use in subsea operations that is parked subsea deployed as needed onto wellheads disposed proximate where the riser is parked. A base anchored into the seafloor provides a pedestal for parking the riser. The riser emits a beacon signal so it can be located when needed. When parked, the riser can be kept in a vertical orientation by a buoyancy module mounted on an upper portion of the riser. A workboat, or other vessel, attaches to the parked riser and positions it onto a designated wellhead. An extension connects the riser to platform or other vessel above the sea surface.
US08657003B2
Methods of controlling fluid loss, providing fluid diversion, or plugging a portion of a well bore using a treatment fluid including relatively insoluble borate material particulates that are placed into a subterranean formation to provide the desired action and then degrade over time in the subterranean formation in the presence of an aqueous fluid such as water.
US08657002B2
A method for minimizing the amount of metal crosslinked viscosifier necessary for treating a wellbore with proppant or gravel is given. The method includes using fibers to aid in transporting, suspending and placing proppant or gravel in viscous carrier fluids otherwise having insufficient viscosity to prevent particulate settling. Fibers are given that have properties optimized for proppant transport but degrade after the treatment into degradation products that do not precipitate in the presence of ions in the water such as calcium and magnesium. Crosslinked polymer carrier fluids are identified that are not damaged by contaminants present in the fibers or by degradation products released by premature degradation of the fibers.
US08656999B2
The present method produces treated water from a direct steam generator. The method begins by injecting water into a direct steam generator. The injected water is then vaporized with the direct steam generator to produce steam and an effluent stream. The combustible water impurities in the water are then combusted inside a chamber in the direct steam generator and the solid particles are removed from the effluent stream to produce a treated stream.
US08656996B2
Methods and systems for enhanced oil recovery from a subterranean formation are provided. An exemplary includes separating fluid produced from the subterranean formation into a first fluid stream that includes an aqueous stream containing multivalent ions. At least a portion of the multivalent ions in the first fluid are removed to form a second fluid stream and the second fluid stream is injected into the subterranean formation. The first fluid stream and the second fluid stream have substantially the same interfacial tension with a hydrocarbon and substantially the same kinematic viscosity, and the second fluid stream has a total concentration of ions greater than about 100,000 ppm.
US08656967B2
A cover for a boat motor is provided. The cover is for a boat motor of the type having an upper portion having a housing for containing an engine, and a lower portion having a cavitation plate, a propeller for providing propulsion, a skeg for providing directional stability under propulsion, and a transom. The cover includes a first panel and a second panel. Each panel has a shape that generally approximates the lower portion. A first fastener is carried on a substantial length of a periphery of the first panel. A second fastener is carried on a periphery of the second panel and is mutually engageable with the first fastener. The first and second panel are positioned on opposing sides of the lower portion and fastened to each other by the first and second fasteners to form an enclosure for covering the lower portion of the boat motor.
US08656940B2
A housing at each end of a conduit defines a valve seat. A connector is connected to a valve body in each housing and holds the bodies away from the seats until the conduit fails, after which each body moves into contact with the corresponding seat. A compression zone between each body and the corresponding seat is sufficiently large to reduce heat generated thereat from adiabatic compression of the fluid flowing therethrough. In a variation, two heat-dissipating ribs are externally positioned on each housing adjacent the compression zone. In another variation, the connector is a generally helical spring within the conduit and sized to be in contact with an interior wall of the conduit so that the spring provides structural strength thereto. In another variation, a third housing is employed as a one-way check valve.
US08656932B2
A smokeless cigarette for e.g. anti-smoke purposes includes a part that can deliver or distribute nicotine to the skin of a user. The cigarette includes a mouthpiece part having an inner porous body permeable to air, designed substantially as a filter of a filter cigarette. The front part that corresponds to the tobacco part of a filter cigarette can be made to include an inner portion of for example an air permeable material impregnated with a fragrant or refreshing substance. The inner bodies are secured to each other by and surrounded by a surface layer of a material that in a region in the mouthpiece part is impregnated with nicotine. The surface layer can have perforations in its area adjacent to the front part in the case where the inner portion of the front part of the cigarette is not permeable to air. Before use, the whole cigarette is enclosed by a thin protective film that has to be removed before use. By the impregnation with nicotine, the nicotine can when using the cigarette, in the contact with a user's skin, penetrate the skin into the blood and hence give stimulation.
US08656931B2
A dermatological treatment method includes directing laser energy having a wavelength of 2.79 μm onto skin. According to disclosed methods, the energy can function to ablate a first portion of epidermal tissue, coagulate an underlying second portion of epidermal tissue, and promote collagen formation in tissue of the underlying dermis. In an exemplary treatment apparatus, a laser using a YSGG gain medium is mounted in a handpiece. The handpiece may include a two-axis scanner to allow for uniform scanning of the energy over the tissue surface.
US08656929B2
Medical procedure trays and related methods are provided to accommodate joining a first non-sterile medical device with a second sterile medical device and maintaining required sterilization of the second sterile medical device to perform an associated medical procedure. One example of such medical procedures includes biopsy of a bone and/or associated bone marrow using a non-sterile powered drive and a sterile biopsy needle or biopsy needle set. Medical procedure trays and related methods may also be provided for use during aspiration of bone marrow and/or stem cell transplant procedures. Each medical procedure tray may include a containment bag or sterile sleeve. A coupler assembly, one or more sharps protectors, a biopsy sample ejector and/or associated ejector funnel may also be included. Some medical procedure trays may allow engaging a non-sterile powered driver with one end of a coupler assembly and sealing the non-sterile powered driver in a sterile sleeve or containment bag without compromising sterility of other components in the medical procedure tray.
US08656923B2
An oral orthosis includes a holder in the shape of a mouthpiece, including a curved arcuate trough-like upper section which receives a formable material. The formable material does not occupy the entire trough but rather includes voids between the formable material and the inner surfaces of trough of the holder to allow expansion of the formable material into the voids during the molding process when tooth pressure is placed on the formable material. This design results in elimination of the excess formable material which otherwise would require removal by trimming. Additionally, the formable material is placed in the trough in a configuration which includes indexing indentations along the centerline of the material, such that, during the molding process, the mouthpiece containing the formable material is easily centered along the edges of the user's teeth to provide a precise fitting.
US08656922B2
An oral device for improving airway patency includes a tongue constraint and a negative pressure source. The tongue constraint engages the patient's tongue to maintain a clear region below the palate in an oral cavity. By applying a negative pressure in the clear region, an airway behind the soft palate or tongue of the patient can be maintained. The tongue constraint is usually connected to an anchor. The anchor may be held between the patient's teeth or may engage the inferior surface of the palate. Another oral device for improving airway patency includes a lateral tongue structure and a negative pressure source.
US08656921B2
The current invention provides an adjustable soft palate support and an implantation method. The adjustable soft palate support is a flat implant including a hard palate connecting end and a support. The support is a flat implant connected to the hard palate connecting end and is inserted into the soft palate. The hard palate connecting end is connected to the hard palate and includes a connecting structure and an adjustment mechanism. The connecting structure is configured to affix the support to the hard palate, and the adjustment mechanism is configured to control the movement or the curvature of the support or the lifting degree of the soft palate. The adjustment mechanism may be set to be in an on state to reduce interference with swallowing or to an off state to enlarge an airway during breathing, thereby treating snoring and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).
US08656920B1
A device to alleviate snoring is disclosed. It is an appliance that fits into the mouth, is held against the roof of the mouth by means on the upper premolars, and presses against the soft palate, preventing the soft palate from descending into the airway of the user.
US08656911B2
There is provided an actuation counter comprising a driver feature having one or more driver elements, which driver feature is arranged for drivable movement in response to an actuation; and a count member including one or more drive receipt elements arranged thereon for receipt of drive from said one or more driver elements of the driver feature for drivable movement of the count member. The driver feature includes one or more brake elements arranged to selectively interact with the count member to prevent overrun thereof when registering a count of an actuation. The actuation is suitably arranged for use with a drug dispenser device.
US08656909B2
A nozzle, for use in a fluid dispensing device, having a body defining a fluid flow channel which is shaped to impart acceleration and angular momentum to fluid passing therethrough, an inlet port formed in the body and defining an inlet to the channel, and an outlet port formed in the body and defining an outlet from the channel, wherein the fluid flow channel includes a swirl chamber having a plurality of swirl chamber segments, the swirl chamber being located between the channel inlet and the channel outlet, wherein the body is comprised of a mating assembly of a plurality of like component parts, each of the component parts providing one of the swirl chamber segments; wherein the fluid flow channel includes a plurality of inlets to the swirl chamber for feeding fluid into the swirl chamber and wherein each of the component parts provides one of the swirl chamber inlets; wherein the swirl chamber inlets are positioned to feed fluid into respectively different swirl chamber segments and wherein the swirl chamber segments are fed from one of the swirl chamber inlets provided by another of the component parts; and wherein each swirl chamber inlet is connected to the channel inlet by separate branches of the fluid flow channel.
US08656890B2
A system and method for controlling an injection time of a fuel injector. The system includes a drive circuit configured to output a drive signal having a pulse width, wherein the injection time is influenced by the pulse width and a closing electrical decay of the fuel injector. A controller is configured to determine the closing electrical decay of the fuel injector and adapt the pulse width based on the closing electrical decay to control the injection time. The closing electrical decay includes a closing response. The controller determines the closing response based on an injector signal, such as a coil voltage of the fuel injector. By determining the closing response, the pulse width can be adjusted to compensate for fuel injector part-to-part variability, fuel injector wear, variations in fuel pressure received by the fuel injector, dirt in the fuel injector, and the like.
US08656884B1
A gas powered internal combustion engine in which the gas is provided from pressurized liquid gas in an LPG container and in which the LPG container is rigidly mounted adjacent to the internal combustion engine at a preselected angle to be in conductive heat transfer relationship to the internal combustion engine and in vibration receiving relationship to the internal combustion engine whereby the liquified gas in the LPG container is heated and the effective surface area thereof is increased.
US08656883B2
An engine includes an engine cover, a blower fan, and a recoil starter having a cover. The engine cover includes an inlet aperture and is configured to house working components of the engine. The blower fan is configured to disperse air received through the inlet aperture to cool the working components of the engine. The recoil starter cover has an opening for air to pass through and is fastened to the underside of the engine cover.
US08656878B2
A cam follower for actuating a gas exchange valve of an internal combustion engine. The cam follower has a housing and a cam roller mounted in a recess of the housing for disengaging a cam of a camshaft. The cam roller is mounted radially on a bearing journal by a needle bearing that extends in the bearing bore thereof. The width of the needle bearing is significantly greater than the width of the cam roller in the region of the cam disengagement. The width of the needle bearing is also significantly greater than the width of the cam roller in the region of the bearing bore and significantly greater than the clear space between roller contact surfaces which delimit the recess and on which the cam roller runs axially with the end faces thereof.
US08656877B2
A vehicle engine includes: a cylinder head; a cam housing fixed to a top of the cylinder head; a cam cap fixed to a top of the cam housing; a camshaft rotatably supported between the cam housing and the cam cap, the camshaft supporting a cam; a rocker arm configured to be pushed by the cam; and a valve configured to operate by being pushed by the rocker arm; and an oil pipe that is formed integrally with the cam cap. Lubricant oil is supplied through the oil pipe to a contact point between the cam and the rocker arm.
US08656875B2
A cellular wheel of a device for variably setting control times of gas exchange valves of an internal combustion engine, which has a cylindrical circumferential wall, a driving wheel that is arranged on an outer surface area of the circumferential wall, with a sealing cover that extends from an inner surface area of the circumferential wall radially inward, and a plurality of projections that extend from the inner surface area of the circumferential wall radially inward and from the sealing cover in an axial direction.
US08656874B2
An electronic control unit (100) detects the position of an output shaft (221) by counting a position count value based on pulse signals generated from position sensors (S4, S5) in accordance with rotation of a motor (210). The electronic control unit (100) determines that the motor (210) is in a predetermined rotational phase, based on the pulse signals generated from the position sensors (S4, S5). The electronic control unit (100) determines the number of revolutions that have been made by the motor (210) when the determination is made, based on the magnitude of current applied to the motor (210) when the determination is made, and updates the position count value based on a reference count value stored in association with the predetermined rotational phase.
US08656860B2
The present disclosure presents a chemical vapor deposition reactor having improved chemical utilization and cost efficiency. The wafer susceptors of the present disclosure may be used in a stackable configuration for processing many wafers simultaneously. The reactors of the present disclosure may be reverse-flow depletion mode reactors, which tends to provide uniform film thickness and a high degree of chemical utilization.
US08656859B2
A mask assembly includes a frame including an opening part; and unit masks that are disposed on the opening part and having both ends of each of the unit masks supported by the frame in the state where tensile force is applied in one direction, each of the unit masks including: pattern opening parts disposed in the one direction; and a first groove disposed adjacent to the pattern opening parts and between the pattern opening parts and an edge of the unit mask, and formed to be depressed from a surface of the unit mask.
US08656858B2
A device and a method for chemically or electrolytically treating work pieces (1) are proposed in an effort to avoid irregular contours of finest conductive structures, pads and lands as well as bridges (shorts) on the one side or breaks on printed circuit boards on the other side. The device comprises processing tanks (2) for the treating of work pieces and a conveyor system for the transport thereof. The conveyor system comprises at least one transport carriage (18), at least one holding element (14, 25) and at least one connection means (12, 13, 35) between the transport carriage(s) and the holding element(s). The processing tanks adjoined with a clean room zone (3). The work pieces are conveyed through the clean room zone using the conveyor system.
US08656848B2
The seed distribution tower of an air seeder splits a single, primary stream of conveying air and seeds into a plurality of secondary streams for delivery to openers that deposit the seeds into the ground as the seeder advances. As seeds enter the head of the tower in an upward vertical direction through an inlet at the bottom of the head, they are scattered 360° in a horizontal direction by an inverted, overhead distribution cone. The inlet through which the seeds enter the distribution head has an eased configuration to reduce turbulence and promote laminar flow within the head during the dramatic transition from vertical to horizontal movement. Sensitive components such as tram line valves, solenoid actuators, and blockage sensors are protectively housed within the interior of the distribution head to avoid exposure to hostile environmental elements.
US08656845B2
A multi-component dye unit for use in a system to protect valuables. The unit comprises at least two reservoirs arranged in an external container or housing. The reservoirs are filled with different agents A and B, and connected to a spraying device capable of staining the contents of a secured container. The reservoirs are preferably made of flexible material and the contents thereof may be expelled by gas pressure in said external container. Advantageously, the external container may be made of two parts clippable together.
US08656838B1
A gas generating system includes a first chamber activatable to provide a first quantity of gas and a second chamber activatable independently of the first chamber to provide a second quantity of gas. A single opening enables fluid communication between the second chamber and the first chamber. A barrier seals the opening to prevent fluid communication between the first and second chambers prior to activation of the second chamber.
US08656830B2
A method and apparatus are provided for applying preservative to agricultural crops during baling. More particularly, a baler has a preservative application system and a bale size sensor. The preservative application system has a preservative storage container, a preservative transfer device and an applicator device. The preservative transfer device is in communication with both the storage container and the applicator device to transfer a preservative stored in the storage container to the applicator device. The bale size sensor is in communication with the transfer device so that the transfer device and therefore the application of preservative to the crop can be controlled in response to a bale size sensed by the bale size sensor.
US08656825B2
The present invention is a telescopic composite cylinder that functions as a hydraulic hoist incorporating multiple cylinders formed of composite materials. The walls of the multiple cylinders may be formed of pultruded composite material, or a combination of composite materials. The cylinders of the hydraulic hoist may incorporate a plurality of piston and sleeve assemblies that are mounted so as to invoke a telescopic relationship between the multiple cylinders. The materials that the cylinders are formed of may create walls having a smooth surface that can eliminate problems facing hoists formed of other materials, for example, such as a honing process, fluid leakage and seal wearing problems. The hoist may be run on diesel fuel drawn from the tank of a vehicle. Additionally, the present invention may be releasably attached to a surface by way of a saddle mounting system.
US08656822B1
A ballistic floor blanket is adapted for use in a military vehicle. The floor blanket includes top and bottom assembly covers, and an interior ballistic fabric composite intermediate the top and bottom assembly covers. The fabric composite incorporates a plurality of overlying structural ballistic layers. The ballistic layers include high-performance fibers having a tensile strength greater than about 2000 MPa and an elastic modulus greater than about 60 GPa. A retention assembly having a plurality of peripherally spaced floor anchors is adapted for attaching the floor blanket to the military vehicle.
US08656818B2
A device for three-sided trimming of products has a cutter lifting assembly that is operable in a lifting movement that determines a machine cycle of the device. Several cutters, at least for head trimming, foot trimming, and front edge trimming of the products, are mountable on the cutter lifting assembly. The device has a lateral alignment configuration, which is movable at least on one side, for performing a pushing movement against the product, by way of which the product can be brought into a cutting position. The device further includes a device for initiating and/or terminating the pushing movement of the alignment configuration in such a way that the time of initiation and/or the pushing duration of the pushing movement within the cycle duration of the device is independent of the lifting movement of the cutter lifting assembly.
US08656807B2
A tuned damper for the input shaft on a rotary encoder includes a mounting plate and a mass plate having a plurality of mounting flanges each having mounting apertures. Fastening elements couple the mass plate to the mounting plate, and resilient elements or donuts each having a central aperture are positioned on either side of each mounting flange. The diameter of the fastening elements is smaller than the diameter of the mounting apertures and the holes in the resilient donuts so that the fastening elements do not touch the body of either the resilient elements or the mounting flange and the mass plate does not directly contact the mounting plate in order to isolate the mass plate from the mounting plate. The mass plate dampens torsional vibration which may exist in the input shaft of the encoder.
US08656805B2
A pedal covering having an elastic covering cap. The pedal covering includes a plurality of protuberances, a plate including a base that is disposed on the elastic covering cap and which includes a plurality of holes in which the protuberances are inserted. The plate has at least one main projection including a first segment that extends continuously from the base and a second segment continuous to the first segment, the maximum width of the second segment being greater than the maximum width of the first segment. In addition, the elastic covering cap includes, for each main projection, a housing with a groove, the width of the groove being smaller than the maximum width of the second segment, and the groove being passed through by the main projection, with the result that the second segment comes up against the elastic covering cap once it has passed through the groove.
US08656800B2
A harmonic drive according to the present invention comprises a plurality of internal gears; a band type of flexible gear provided with teeth engaged with each of the internal gears on its outer circumferential surface, the flexible gear having a pitch circumference length shorter than that of said internal gears; and a wave generating part disposed on an inner side of said flexible gear, the wave generating part generating a plurality of harmonic motions by deforming said flexible gear as the wave generating part rotates. Further, said flexible gear is formed integrally to engage with said plurality of internal gears so that the plurality of harmonic motions are overlapped, and one or more of said plurality of internal gears and said flexible gear are formed of profile shifted gears.
US08656798B2
A linear actuator is provided which is able to simplify its structure by adding a stopper function, too, to a detent mechanism and to prevent generation of radial load. The linear actuator comprises a ball screw mechanism, to which a rotational driving force is transmitted, for converting a rotational motion into a linear motion. The ball screw mechanism comprises radially projecting guide projections provided in a linear motion component, and a guide groove arranged in a securing portion facing the linear motion component and is engaged with the guide projections to guide the guide projections in an axial direction. The guide projection has a projection projecting by the predetermined length, while engaging into the guide groove, at a stroke end of the linear motion component and a locking portion provided in a rotary motion component is locked to the projection of the guide projection.
US08656789B2
An adapter assembly that works with a standard utility meter to wirelessly transmit data about consumption. The adapter assembly generates information about consumption by cooperating with a pointer of an index of a utility meter. In some embodiments, the adapter assembly includes an upper portion and a clip that interface together. The upper portion and the clip are configured to maintain alignment with the pointer and not create stress on the index.
US08656785B1
The present invention relates to a pressure sensor comprising multiple flexible diaphragms to which are affixed, within which are embedded, or which themselves constitute part of transducer elements that are connected together electrically, providing greater sensitivity and allowing the diaphragms to be made smaller, thereby increasing burst pressure to operating pressure ratio. This multi-diaphragm pressure sensor can therefore be used to accurately measure small changes in dynamic pressure in a fluid of overall high static pressure, for example, in a flow inventory control system as may be used in a fire suppression system, or for control of nuclear reactor systems.
US08656783B2
The disclosed embodiments include a method, system, and device for conducting ultrasound interrogation of a medium. The novel method includes transmitting a non-beamformed or beamformed ultrasound wave into the medium, receiving more than one echoed ultrasound wave from the medium, and converting the received echoed ultrasound wave into digital data. The novel method may further transmit the digital data. In some embodiments, the transmitting may be wireless. The novel device may include transducer elements, an analog-to-digital converter in communication with the transducer elements, and a transmitter in communication with the analog-to-digital converter. The transducers may operate to convert a first electrical energy into an ultrasound wave. The first electrical energy may or may not be beamformed. The transducers also may convert an echoed ultrasound wave into a second electrical energy. The analog-to-digital converter may convert the electrical energy into digital data, and the transmitter may transmit the digital data.
US08656782B2
A method for the non-destructive material testing of a test object at least solid in some regions by subjecting the test object to ultrasonic waves and capturing the ultrasonic waves reflected within the test object. The method includes the steps, computer-supported dividing of the test object into a prescribed number of volume elements, subjecting the test object to ultrasound on a plurality of surface elements while probing the surface or at least one surface segment of the test object, capturing the sound waves reflected at the volume element while probing the plurality of surface elements on the surface or at least the surface segment of the test object, and in-phase addition of the sound waves reflected at the same volume elements and captured at various surface elements of the surface of the test object. Angle-dependent amplitude distribution is used in the sound field of the test head.
US08656778B2
A system for determining in-plane acceleration of an object. The system includes an in-plane accelerometer with a substrate rigidly attached to an object, and a proof mass—formed from a single piece of material—movably positioned a predetermined distance above the substrate. The proof mass includes a plurality of electrode protrusions extending downward from the proof mass to form a gap of varying height between the proof mass and the substrate. The proof mass is configured to move in a direction parallel to the upper surfaces of each of the plurality of substrate electrodes when the object is accelerating, which results in a change in the area of the gap, and a change in capacitance between the substrate and the proof mass. The in-plane accelerometer can be fabricated using the same techniques used to fabricate an out-of-plane accelerometer and is suitable for high-shock applications.
US08656777B2
An electronic component analyzing apparatus is provided with a fixing part configured to hold a substrate to which an electronic component is soldered; a gripper configured to grip the electronic component; a transmission part coupled to the gripper, and configured to transmit an external force to the gripper as a force acting in a direction away from the substrate; and a support part configured to pivotally support the transmission part.
US08656764B2
A converting map for an area of a backward air-flow is set based on a relationship between an output and a flow-rate, which are obtained in an air flow in which pulsation including the backward air-flow is generated. The backward air-flow has a dynamic property. The converting map of the present disclosure has a conversion characteristic, which is close to a characteristic in the backward air-flow. Accordingly, it is not necessary to correct the converting map by complicated processes and thereby accuracy of measurement for the area of the backward air-flow is increased.
US08656763B2
The present invention is intended to provide a technique which is capable of improving detection accuracy at the time of performing failure detection of a particulate filter by the use of a PM sensor. In the present invention, the PM sensor is arranged in an exhaust passage at the downstream side of the particulate filter. Then, the presence or absence of a failure in the particulate filter is determined by making a comparison between an output value of the PM sensor at the time when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the execution of PM removal processing to remove the particulate matter deposited on the PM sensor is completed, and a predetermined threshold value. At this time, the threshold value is set based on an average value of an amount of intake air in an internal combustion engine during the passage of the predetermined period of time.
US08656762B2
A method for detecting a first rotation angle of a first shaft of an engine is provided, whereby a first marking carrier with sensor-readable markings is provided, whereby the markings form a first marking pattern that has marking sections having at least one first and a second marking section. The first marking carrier is scanned by a first sensor and a first sensor signal is generated. The first sensor signal is modulated by the markings on the marking carrier. A correlation between a time course of the first sensor signal and a time signal is made by a computing unit. A first marking section is recovered from the first sensor signal by the computing unit, and then, a first exclusion criterion for excluding the first stored marking section is determined from the recovered first marking section. The first stored marking section is then excluded by the first exclusion criteria.
US08656758B2
Approaches for a testing apparatus for evaluating a cover of a hard-disk drive. The testing apparatus may detect whether the cover has a defect that prevents the cover from being sufficiently airtight. The testing apparatus includes a base structure that comprises a concave recess shaped to receive the cover to be tested. When the cover is disposed within the concave recess, the cover forms a first chamber in the concave recess between the cover and the base structure. The testing apparatus also includes a removable lid. When the removable lid covers the concave recess with the cover disposed therein, the removable lid forms a second chamber in the concave recess between the cover, the base structure, and the removable lid. The testing apparatus also includes a means for introducing helium gas to one of the chambers and a means for detecting how much helium gas leaks from that chamber.
US08656757B2
The applanation system on air permeated screen (1) of this invention is a versatile instrument for measurement of tissue firmness generated by cell turgor pressure of leaves and organs segments with thin and elastic cell wall of several stalk, leaves, fruits and roots. It is composed by an air source with adjusted maximum flow (6), a porous element (2) inserted on a screen (1), by which air flows, and a device for compression application (4). For measurements, the organ is progressively pressed against the screen until reversible interruption of the air flow crossing the porous element (2) is indicative of adequate applanation of the leaf against the screen. In this condition, one takes the firmness measurement reading as the applanation pressure (5). This firmometer enables postharvest quality evaluation and measurements for ecophysiology studies and irrigation management procedure benchmarking.
US08656755B2
A measuring device for detecting the amount of moisture in and the temperature of a flowing medium is disclosed. Flow-directing elements which mix the flowing medium and direct it in a desired direction are arranged in the measuring device. The average temperature of the medium can thus be detected using a suitably arranged temperature sensor. In addition, the moisture sensor may be arranged in such a manner that a selective amount of moisture in the medium is detected.
US08656753B1
A sleeve unit for preparing a sample for gas chromatographic analysis comprises an inlet liner having a bore therein, an inlet to the bore, and an outlet from the bore, and an inlet liner insert located with the bore. The inlet liner insert extends across the bore to cause a sample being prepared for gas chromatographic analysis to flow through the inlet liner insert. The inlet liner insert comprises an arrangement of wire, the arrangement creating a restricted pathway for the sample as the sample flows through the bore of the inlet liner to the outlet of the bore, and the wire having a surface having a high thermal conductivity and being substantially chemically inert to the sample.
US08656751B2
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for manufacturing an implant having a screw thread on an inner peripheral surface or an outer peripheral surface thereof by die-casting or pressing an amorphous alloy. The apparatus for manufacturing an implant using an amorphous alloy includes: a heating unit for heating a pre-form formed of an amorphous alloy into a semi-solid state; a forming unit for forming a screw thread in the heated pre-form by using a pressing mold; and a cooling unit for cooling the pre-form having the screw thread.
US08656749B2
Tube expanding method for heat exchanger tubes and tube expanding apparatus for heat exchanger tubes
The present invention solves a problem with conventional tube expanding method for heat exchanger tubes that is susceptible, when carrying out tube expansion on U-shaped heat exchanger tubes that have a narrower diameter than in the past and forming flare portions in opening portions that have been subjected to tube expansion, to a buckling phenomenon at boundaries between straight portions and hairpin portions of the heat exchanger tubes or a vicinity thereof.Opening portions of U-shaped heat exchanger tubes 56 that pass through a fin layer 54 protrude from an upper end surface of the fin layer 54, hairpin portions 56b of the heat exchanger tubes 56 protrude from a lower end surface of the fin layer 54, and tube expanding billets 22 are inserted into each opening portion of the heat exchanger tubes 56 to carry out primary tube expansion that expands the diameter of each straight tube portion 56a of the heat exchanger tubes 56 to integrate the heat exchanger tubes 56 and fins 50. The primary tube expansion ends with each tube expanding billet 22 inserted into a boundary between the straight tube portion 56a and the hairpin portion 56b of a heat exchanger tube 56 or the vicinity thereof. The tube expanding billets 22 are then held at the positions where the primary tube expansion ended and flare punches 24 are inserted into the opening portions of the heat exchanger tubes 56 that have been subjected to the primary tube expansion to form flare portions 60 in front end portions of the heat exchanger tubes 56.
US08656747B2
A kit for a master keying system includes a plurality of replacement master racks. A rack removal key is provided for insertion into a keyway. The rack removal key has a first cut defining a first lift amount. A rack removal tool is provided for insertion into the keyway. The rack removal tool has a second cut defining a second lift amount, wherein the second lift amount is greater than the first lift amount.
US08656746B2
A lock cylinder including a cylinder core rotatably supported about a cylinder axis in a cylinder housing; locking pin which blocks the cylinder core against a rotational movement in a radially outer blocking position and which releases the cylinder core for a rotational movement in a radially inner release position; tumbler disks rotatably supported between a latch position and an unlatch position, wherein each tumbler disk has a central reception opening for receiving a key and at least one peripheral cut-out for receiving the locking pin in the release position, wherein the locking pin can only be displaced into the release position when all the tumbler disks are in their unlatch position; and intermediate disks arranged along a cylinder axis in the cylinder core. A respective intermediate disk is arranged between two mutually adjacent tumbler disks, the intermediate disks having a predefined rotational play relative to the cylinder core.
US08656741B2
An apparatus for manufacturing strengthened glass containers, and more particularly the construction and operation of a base cooling nozzle in an apparatus for thermally strengthening glass containers in a glass container manufacturing line at a location intermediate the hot end and the cold end. Glass containers formed at an I.S. machine are conveyed through a special tempering Lehr that heats them uniformly to a high temperature that is short of temperatures at which they may become deformed. Subsequently, the glass containers are rapidly thermally strengthened in a cooling station in which the outer and inner surfaces including all areas of the glass containers are simultaneously cooled to a temperature below the Strain Point of the glass used in the glass containers, with the base cooling nozzles being used to cool the bottoms of the glass containers.
US08656730B2
A refrigerator dispenser includes an ice dispensing actuator, an ice dispensing chute, an ice dispensing housing positioned within a refrigerator door cavity and configured to define an ice dispensing cavity through which ice dispensed by the ice dispensing chute passes, a liquid dispensing chute positioned closer to a front surface of a refrigerator door than the ice dispensing housing, and a liquid dispensing actuator positioned on the ice dispensing housing and configured to receive input to inspire dispensing of liquid through the liquid dispensing chute.
US08656724B2
An engine that oxidizes aluminum with water to produce electrical and/or mechanical power. The engine can include a fuel made at least partly from aluminum powder that flows like liquid under high pressure. The engine can also include a steam supply system, a combustor, a fuel feed system, a fuel injection system, and a water supply system.
US08656714B2
Actuation assemblies for and methods of activating a thermally actuated active material actuator utilizing wireless transmissions of energy.
US08656709B2
The present invention provides dual-layer to flange weld joint for an exhaust manifold assembly. The manifold includes an inner assembly connected to a flange, and an outer shell spaced apart from the inner assembly to allow for an air gap between the shell and the inner assembly. The outer shell further includes a gap between the end portion of the outer shell and the flange. This gap allows a single exterior weld joint to connect the inner assembly and outer shell to the flange.
US08656700B2
A failure of a filter is detected with a higher degree of accuracy. There are provided a filter that is arranged on an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine for collecting a substance contained in an exhaust gas, a substance amount detection part that is arranged on the exhaust passage at a downstream side of the filter for detecting an amount of substance in the exhaust gas, a flow speed detection part that detects or estimates a flow speed of the exhaust gas which passes through the filter, and a determination part that makes a determination that the filter is in a failure, when the higher the flow speed of the exhaust gas passing through the filter, the larger a ratio of an amount of change in the amount of substance to an amount of change in the flow speed of the exhaust gas becomes.
US08656698B1
A device and system for monitoring and controlling the flow media through a flow circuit, for example, the flow of coolant through a coolant circuit of a turbine engine fuel system, measures flow rates at the supply and return sides of the circuit and compares the measured flow rates against a threshold flow rate difference to detect the presence of a flow leak condition. Upon detecting a leak condition, the controller automatically operates a flow control valve to shut off flow to the flow circuit for repair of the leak or other low flow condition. The controller can also include components for measuring the temperate of the flow media at one or both of the supply and return sides of the circuit. The measured temperature signals can be processed to detect a high or low temperature condition. Upon detecting a low temperature condition, the controller automatically reduces the flow rate of the flow media until the condition has been corrected.
US08656692B2
Methods for improving the agriculture of sesame, an Improved Non-Dehiscent (IND) sesame class and methods for breeding IND are disclosed. The IND sesame holds its seed in capsules for four or more weeks after ideal harvesting time, during extended adverse weather conditions, thus offering the grower flexibility as to when to harvest. The methods also improve current agricultural methods for growing sesame by allowing growers to leave the crop in the field for a longer period of time without the loss of seeds and concomitant reduced yield. The grower is able to reduce the ratio of combine harvesters required for mechanical harvest of sesame crops. Further, a method of growing crops in geographical areas previously unsuitable for sesame agriculture is disclosed. IND allows ready release of seed from the capsule during mechanized harvesting with minimal broken seed.
US08656689B2
A process for making a multi-compartment water-soluble pouch having at least three compartments and wherein at least one of the compartments contains a composition in liquid form, the process comprising the steps of: a) providing a mold with at least two recesses; b) drawing a first film into the mold to form at least two open compartments in the at least two recesses; c) filling the open compartments; d) pin-pricking the first film to create a pin-hole; e) drawing a second film over the open compartments to close those compartments and to form a new open compartment, wherein the second film directly covers the pin-hole; f) filling the open compartment formed from the second film; and g) placing a closure film over the new filled open compartment to close it.
US08656684B1
A metal door comprising exterior and interior panel members secured together so as to create a thermal insulating air gap between the back side of the exterior panel member and the front side of the interior panel member.
US08656681B1
A pair of relatively spaced apart frame-engaging plates are provided on the anchoring end of the bracket. An elongated body extends downwardly from the anchoring end and spans a gap between the roof frame member to which the anchoring end is attached and the exterior brick. An elongated opening extends between panel facing edge portions of the elongated body and into an insert receiving recess. A frieze panel adapted to cover the gap between the roof frame member and the brick is mounted on the bracket by nailing it to a wooden insert mounted in the recess.
US08656679B1
An interconnectable refractory anchor for receiving moldable refractory material together and creating a protective ceramic refractory lining minimizing erosion and increasing the useful life of refractory linings in reactors and vessels. The interconnected anchoring system comprises a plurality of interconnectable refractory anchors for use in a high temperature severe duty environment. The steps of the method comprise interconnecting a plurality of refractory anchors, fastening the interconnected anchoring system to a vessel, fitting a moldable refractory material into the spaces, and curing the moldable refractory material to service temperature creating a protective ceramic refractory lining for the vessel.
US08656678B2
Wall blocks, veneers, veneer connectors, walls, and methods of constructing walls are provided. More particularly, the invention relates to constructing walls in which a veneer panel is attached to a wall block with a connector and in which the front faces of the veneers have a desirable texture.
US08656676B2
A laminated, plate-shaped element with at least a first and a second substrate, which are joined together at least indirectly by adhesive bonding, and also with at least one support element associated with the first substrate to fasten the laminated element to an infrastructure and active position fastening of the second substrate at least in the event of failure of the bonded joint. The position fastening is active only between the first and second substrates and is placed a certain distance from the edge of the second substrate. The active position fastening is particularly applicable in laminated elements placed in an inclined or vertical mounting position, for example in solar modules with incorporated solar cells.
US08656672B2
A system for revitalizing an existing structure and a method of using the system are disclosed. The system includes an insulating panel that has a body and reinforcing metal strips. The system also includes at least one fastening strap coupled to the insulating panel, the fastening strap has at least one recess having a hole. The system also has at least one fastening device that passes through the hole in the recess of the fastening strap and secures the at least one fastening strap and the insulating panel to the existing structure. The recesses of the fastening strap are positioned so that the fastening devices engage the body of the insulating panel.
US08656662B2
Modular floor tiles and modular floors are described herein. A modular floor tile may include a top surface layer, a plurality of edge surfaces, an interlocking mechanism for attachment to adjacent tiles, and a support system. The support system may additionally include a first rigid level and at least one resilient support member disposed under the top surface layer, the at least one resilient support member extending to a distance further from the top surface layer than the first rigid level. The at least one resilient support member may be compressible toward the top surface layer. A modular floor may include a plurality of interlocking tiles connected to one another. A method of forming a modular floor that includes an interlocking modular tile is also disclosed.
US08656660B2
An interlocking system for photovoltaic and other roof-mounted panels is disclosed. One use is for a photovoltaic module which comprises a photovoltaic laminate. The laminate has an upper side which faces the sun during normal operation, and a lower side. The module also comprises a base coupled to the lower side of the photovoltaic laminate. The base also has an outer perimeter and comprises a first engagement site and a second engagement site. The first engagement site comprises a first protrusion having a hemispherical surface, an opening extending through the hemispherical surface, and wherein the first protrusion extends in a first direction and the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the outer perimeter. The second engagement site comprises a second protrusion having a cylindrical surface, the protrusion extending in a second direction, and the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the outer perimeter.
US08656655B2
A modular containment wall system provides secondary containment about one or more liquid storage tanks in a storage area using panel members connected with series to form a perimeter wall about the storage area together with a barrier member spanning the area surrounding by the perimeter wall. Each panel member has a main wall portion and a brace including a triangular gusset panel and a foot panel along a bottom side in which the gusset panel and foot panel of the brace are pivotal together relative to the main wall portion between a working position in which the gusset panel is substantially perpendicular to the main wall portion and a storage position in which the gusset panel is substantially parallel to the main wall portion.
US08656654B2
The invention relates to a top part for a shaft, having an access part and a shaft cone which is connected to an access part and, with a connecting element on that side of the shaft cone that lies opposite the access part, can be mounted onto a further shaft element, the shaft cone having a substantially convex basic shape, characterized in that, in the region of the shaft dome, stiffening structures are disposed on the inner surface of this shaft dome, which extend substantially radially or parallelly, angularly or concentrically from one or more imaginary points or lines within or outside the dome downwards over the curved shape of the shaft cone.
US08656652B1
A safety anchor post system mountable to a pre-set anchor embedded in concrete for protecting a user from falling while working in precarious areas is provided. The system comprises a tubular post having a first end and a second end with a coil rod extending from the tubular post. A first sleeve is mounted at the second end of the post. A second sleeve is mounted between the first sleeve and the first end of the post with at least one rail member receivable within each sleeve. A clamping mechanism tightens against the rail members to releasably maintain the at least one rail member within each sleeve. A tie off device is mounted to the post. Upon releasably securing the at least one rail member within each sleeve and tying off to the tie off device, a worker is inhibited from falling from the support structure.
US08656647B2
A gutter protector is provided that has a top surface defining a front edge and a back edge. The protector also has a first side extending from the front edge to the back edge and extending at an angle α from the top surface and having a gutter contacting first edge, a second side extending from the front edge to the back edge and extending at an angle β from the top surface and having a gutter contacting second edge. A notch is provided in the front edge adapted to engage a complementary notch in an article to couple the gutter protector to the article, thereby allowing protectors to be engaged and pushed collectively down a gutter course to facilitate installation.
US08656631B2
A sight assembly for a shotgun is provided and may include a housing. A light-collecting fiber may be supported by the housing and may extend along a longitudinal axis of the housing. A lens may be supported by the housing and may receive light from the fiber to display an aiming point. The lens may be spaced apart and separated from a distal end of the fiber by a predetermined distance.
US08656626B1
An apparatus is disclosed for holding a gun, the apparatus cooperates with a support member. The gun has an upper receiver having an pivot pin lug, and a lower receiver having a pivot pin. The apparatus includes a support beam which has a proximal end and an opposite distal end. The proximal end of the support beam is connectable to the support member so that the support beam is horizontally cantilevered from the support member. An upper receiver attachment pin is connected to said support beam, the upper receiver attachment pin being shaped and dimensioned to connect to the pivot pin lug so that the upper receiver hangs from the upper receiver attachment pin. A lower receiver attachment lug is connected to the support beam, the lower receiver attachment lug is shaped an dimensioned to connect to the pivot pin.
US08656625B2
A device for mounting more than one accessory to a weapon includes a clamp, a circular opening, and a weapon mount. The clamp receives a first accessory and the circular opening receives a second accessory. The clamp has a yoke and a strap securable around the first accessory. The circular opening is spaced laterally from the clamp such that the first accessory and the second accessory can be received in a parallel configuration. The weapon mount is located centrally between the clamp and the circular opening for attaching the device to the weapon.
US08656617B2
A variety of configurations are disclosed for modular tradeshow display systems that can be assembled without the use of tools or other specialized machinery.
US08656613B2
The invention is a shoe with an upper and a sole member. The sole member has multiple individual pieces connected to each other by connectors. The connectors are placed below the top surface of the sole member and above the bottom surface of the sole member. The connectors may connect the individual pieces of the sole member laterally and longitudinally.
US08656607B2
This invention relates generally to footwear such as a shoe, including an athletic shoe, with a shoe sole, including at least two computer controlled compartments, each compartment containing a fluid. At least a part of each of said at least two computer controlled compartments is located in a single frontal plane cross-section of the sole when the sole is upright and in an unloaded condition. The sole also includes a duct providing fluid communication between each of said at least two computer controlled compartments. The sole may include fiber and/or an internal sipe and the computer controlled compartments may be encapsulated by fiber or an internal sipe.
US08656601B2
A measuring and cutting device, ergonomically designed, comprising a user interface with a plurality of user depressible option selection members and a user readable display. A cutting device is tethered to the apparatus base by a continuous fiberous member, wherein the distance that the cutting device has moved away from the apparatus base is continuously measured. The device provides several modes in which users may make their measurements as well as various alert options to inform users when a certain distance has been measured. The various embodiments of this invention envision several cutting apparatuses and power sources.
US08656599B2
A cutting tool for cutting out a thin-walled wall section from a container and for receiving the cut-out wall section in the cutting tool. The cutting tool can be used to cut thin-walled container walls of sheet metal or polymer.
US08656598B2
A handheld jigsaw, such as a compass saw (10), is disclosed that comprises a housing (12, 13) and a lifting rod (20) having a pendulum mechanism (38). The pendulum mechanism includes a pendulum lever (40) with which a pendulum stroke can be given during sawing to a saw blade (28) carried by the lifting rod (20). The lifting rod (20) is arranged such that it can rotate about its own axis (21) thereof and pivot transversely to the axis (21), and wherein the pendulum mechanism (38) can rotate about the axis (21).
US08656593B2
Method for assembling a part of a metal material and a part of a composite material using a fastener
A method for assembling a part of a metal material and a part of a composite material, the junction of the two parts being achieved through a fastener having a substantially constant section and received in a first hole formed in the part of a metal material and a second hole formed in the part of a composite material. According to the disclosed embodiments and before assembling the aforementioned parts, the method includes: an expansion step for generating a field of compression stresses at the periphery of the first hole and locally in the material constituting the part of a metal material using an expansion tool; a single boring step for making the first hole and the second hole with a diameter Øfinal substantially larger than the diameter of the fastener in order to leave a gap between the inner walls of the holes and the outer surface of the fastener; and an assembling step for placing the fastener inside the holes for maintaining together the metal part and the composite part.
US08656578B2
An ultrasound transducer includes an array of PZT elements mounted on a non-recessed distal surface of a backing block. Between each element and the backing block is a conductive region formed as a portion of a metallic layer sputtered onto the distal surface. Traces on a longitudinally extending circuit board—preferably, a substantially rigid printed circuit board, which may be embedded within the block—connect the conductive region, and thus the PZT element, with any conventional external ultrasound imaging system. A substantially “T” or “inverted-L” shaped electrode is thereby formed for each element, with no need for soldering. At least one longitudinally extending metallic member mounted on a respective lateral surface of the backing block forms a heat sink and a common electrical ground. A thermally and electrically conductive layer, such as of foil, transfers heat from at least one matching layer mounted on the elements to the metallic member.
US08656569B2
A device for the assembly of a motor vehicle clutch (99), has a pretensioning device (1) for clamping a plate spring (102), which is arranged in a clutch cover (100) of the motor vehicle clutch (99) together with a pressure plate (104) and by which the pressure plate (104) is pressed against a carrier plate (119) of the clutch (99) during operation. The clutch cover (100) is mounted stationarily during operation by a plurality of mounting bolts on a driven plate (97) and wherein the pretensioning device (1) has a base plate (2) with a central pressing screw (6), which is axially adjustable centrally through the base plate (2) against the plate spring (102) for pretensioning the plate spring (102). To securely and concentrically attach the pretensioning device (1), centering bolts (3, 4, 5) are provided, which can be replaced with individual mounting bolts of the clutch cover (100) and which can be screwed stationarily into the mounting threads (90) of the driven plate (97) through the mounting holes (101) of the clutch cover (100). The centering bolts (3, 4, 5) engage adjusting slots (13, 14, 15) of the base plate (2). The slots extend radially in relation to the pressing screw (6), wherein the base plate (2) can be fixed to the centering bolts (3, 4, 5) in the axial direction via tightening nuts (16, 17, 18).
US08656562B2
A structure of assembling a plastic locking device with a surface material includes a plastic locking device. A surface material forms holes. The plastic locking device is placed to have through-holes defined therein overlapping the holes of the surface material. Rivet fastener elements are respectively put through the through-holes of the plastic locking device and the holes of the surface material to be subjected to a riveting and fixing operation. The rivet fastener element includes a male button that is made of zinc and forms a pillar and a female button that is made of zinc and forms a hollow tube. Pressurizing equipment is used to couple the pillar and the hollow tube through interference fitting between the pillar and an inner wall of the hollow tube. Locking blocks are formed on the inner wall of the hollow tube to provide a tight interference fitting with respect to the pillar.
US08656559B2
An improved hinge structure is disclosed. The improved hinge structure comprises two fixed bases, a linkage structure, a pushing member, and a buffering damper. The buffering damper is located on the fixed base, wherein the buffering damper has a friction-resistant soft structure acting as a prop for the support of one end of the linkage structure, whereby the collapse caused by the force generated from the pushing member between furniture or components of the hinge can be avoided, therefore noises and damages caused by the collapse can be indirectly overcame while in use.
US08656557B2
An example hinge assembly includes a movable insert that supports a gate. The insert includes a bearing assembly that is movable relative to support structure to provide for alignment and adjustment of the gate structure. An adaptor is supported by the bearing assembly and provides for attachment of a gate component. The adaptor may be configured to insert within a hollow interior portion of a plastic or vinyl fence component. The adaptor may also include features for mounting traditional materials such as wood or steel.
US08656550B2
A floor-cleaning robot includes a wheeled housing having a perimeter, a motor drive operably connected to wheels of the housing to move the robot across a floor surface, and a bumper responsive to obstacles encountered by the robot. A controller is in electrical communication with both the bumper and the motor drive and is configured to control the motor drive to maneuver the robot to avoid detected obstacles across the floor surface during a floor-cleaning operation. A driven cleaning brush, rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to an underside of the housing, is disposed substantially across a central region of the underside and is positioned to brush the floor surface as the robot is moved across the floor surface. Additionally, a driven side brush extending beyond the perimeter is positioned to brush floor surface debris from beyond the perimeter toward a projected path of the driven cleaning brush.
US08656537B2
Some embodiments of disclosed pillow comprise a first sleeve within which is retained a plurality of loose pieces of filler material, a second sleeve in which the first sleeve is received, and a unitary piece of foam retained between the first and second sleeves. In some embodiments, the unitary piece of foam comprises viscoelastic foam, and can be elongated to run along a side of the first sleeve, can be substantially flat to cover a face of the first sleeve, or can take other shapes and be located in other positions as desired. Also, in some embodiments the unitary piece of foam is shaped to mate with the first sleeve. Additional unitary pieces of foam can be located adjacent the first sleeve and can be retained between the first and second sleeves to provide pillows having other support and cushioning characteristics.
US08656536B1
A device for supporting a breast during treatment. The device includes a support arm having one or more indexed joints for repeatably positioning the device relative a patient's breast. The device includes a scoop for wedging against the patient's breast for forming the breast to a preferred shape during treatment.
US08656530B2
The adjustable mechanism for changing floor height of a play yard according to the present invention comprises at least a foldable frame, a first bed floor, a flexible envelope and an adjustable mechanism. The foldable frame has an upper border portion and a base support assembly. The first bed floor is connected to the base support assembly. The flexible envelope has a second bed floor and a shading periphery connected with the second bed floor, the shading periphery is folded to form an indigitation length exposed outside the foldable frame thereby adjustably hanging on the upper border portion. The adjustable mechanism is operatively mounted on the foldable frame and connected with the lower end of the indigitation length for adjusting the second bed floor relative to the first bed floor in distance and height.
US08656525B2
A sanitary ware of environmental protection including a sanitary ware body; wherein a sewage cavity is provided at the bottom of the sanitary ware body, and a sewage draining exit is arranged on the bottom of the sewage cavity; a liquid channel and a foam channel that are not in communication with each other are provided on the sanitary ware body, and the liquid channel and the foam channel are ceramic structure integrally formed in the sanitary ware body; the sanitary ware body is further provided with a water inlet and a foam inlet, the water inlet is in communication with the liquid channel; the liquid channel is provided with liquid outlets; a deodorizing device adapted to be closed and opened is provided at the bottom of the sewage draining exit.
US08656522B2
A toilet mounting hinge includes post holders; an elongate post secured to and extending downwardly from each of said post holders; a post receptacle; and said elongate posts passing through and beyond said post receptacles and configured to permit a toilet seat to be slidably elevated above a toilet bowl to a maintenance position, and having a distal end configured to engage the receptacle in the maintenance position and to releasably support the elongate post in said maintenance position; wherein each of said post receptacles comprises a receptacle head, a threaded sleeve, and an insert liner.
