US09116321B2

An optical fiber cord includes an optical fiber cord main body with a round sectional form, the optical fiber cord main body including a core which has an optical fiber ribbon in which N (N is an even number of 4 or larger) coated optical fibers are arranged in parallel, and a sheath which covers the core. In the optical fiber ribbon, connected parts and non-connected parts are intermittently formed in a longitudinal direction between the adjacent coated optical fibers.
US09116315B2

Embodiments of a barrel for use with fiber optic connections and method of manufacturing are disclose herein. In one embodiment, a barrel comprises a first portion. The first portion having a wedge protruding from a distal end of the first portion at an angle and a component cavity for receiving an opto-electric component therein. The barrel further comprises a second portion having a fiber cavity for receiving one or more fiber cables therein, wherein the second portion is moldably coupled onto the distal end of the first portion around the wedge. The second portion may further comprise a panel interface for mounting the barrel within a panel.
US09116313B2

A pluggable light source device connects in a plug-in engaging manner with an optical modulating device that includes an optical modulator component. The pluggable light source includes a light generator to generate an optical signal to be output from the light source device, and a connection member disposed at a connecting end of the light source device. The connection member includes an optical connector, where the optical connector of the light source device is configured to engage with a corresponding optical connector of the optical modulating device when the connecting end of the light source device is connected via a plug-in engagement with a connection member of the optical modulating device so as to facilitate input of optical signals from the light generator to the optical modulator component.
US09116308B2

An optical fiber connector includes a housing and a clamping element. The housing defines a receiving space including an inner bottom surface. The inner bottom surface defines first grooves and first receiving grooves aligned with the first grooves, and includes two clamping holes. The clamping element is received in the receiving space and includes a cantilever beam and two hooks extending from the cantilever beam. The cantilever beam includes a bottom surface defining a second receiving grooves. The two hooks are received into the two clamping holes to fix the clamping element to the housing. The first receiving grooves and the second receiving grooves cooperatively define receiving holes to receive optical fibers.
US09116307B2

A sleeve for an optical connector into which a ferrule arranged to hold an optical fiber is to be inserted, and by which an optical connector in which the sleeve is to be housed can be reduced in size in a direction that the optical connector is fitted into a counterpart optical connector. A sleeve for an optical connector includes a portion having a tube shape, into which a ferrule is to be inserted, and a hook portion at one end of the sleeve, the hook portion protruding in a diameter direction of the tube-shaped portion.
US09116303B2

The present invention provides a hologram which forms a light intensity distribution on a predetermined plane by using incident light. The hologram includes a plurality of cells configured to control both a phase of a first polarized light component in a first polarization direction of the incident light and a phase of a second polarized light component in a second polarization direction perpendicular to the first polarization direction, to form a phase difference distribution between phase distributions for the first and second polarized light components. The plurality of cells are designed so that a number of phase difference levels of the phase difference distribution is less than a number of phase levels of the phase distribution of the first polarized light component.
US09116288B2

An optical instrument of the present invention comprises a ring member which is arranged to be rotatable with respect to a lens barrel, and also to slide in an optical axis direction to a first position and a second position, a rotation position detection section for outputting a preset distance that has been set by a rotation operation, when the ring member is at the second position, and a control section for, when the ring member has been subjected to a slide operation between the first position and the second position, moving a photographing lens at a first speed or a second speed up to a distance corresponding to an operation position.
US09116269B2

A microoptical device, and a method for forming cavities of the microoptical device, including: (a) forming, on the planar surface of a support substrate (10), a layer (12) of a sacrificial material, b) forming walls (6) of said cavities, the bottom of said cavities (4) being formed by said layer of sacrificial material, c) conformally depositing a layer (30) of absorbing, on tops (60) of the walls, on flanks (61, 62) of the walls, and on the bottom (4′) of the cavities, d) etching the sacrificial layer (12), and removing the material of this layer and the material of the layer (30) of absorbing material being present at the bottom of the cavities (4).
US09116267B2

Electronic devices may include displays. A display may include backlight components such as a light guide plate that distributes light from a light source across the display. The light source may include a plurality of light-emitting diodes mounted on a printed circuit substrate. A portion of the light guide plate may be attached to the printed circuit substrate using adhesive. The adhesive may be a supported adhesive that includes a lining of reflective material. A reflective coating such as a layer of white coverlay may be formed on the surface of the printed circuit substrate and may be configured to reflect light into the light guide plate. The reflective coating may serve as a solder mask. The printed circuit substrate may be attached to a metal display chassis using adhesive. A shim may be used to raise the height of the light source relative to the printed circuit substrate.
US09116266B2

A light-emitting element includes: a light source; a light guide member having a columnar shape and comprising a plurality of side surfaces containing a pair of parallel total reflection principal surfaces and other surfaces than the total reflection principal surfaces, an upper bottom surface disposed so that light from the light source reaches the total reflection principal surfaces, and a lower bottom surface disposed opposite to the upper bottom surface; clad portions provided on the other side surfaces of the light guide member than the total reflection principal surfaces, the clad portions having a smaller refractive index than that of the light guide member; and a light extraction portion provided on one part of the total reflection principal surfaces.
US09116262B2

An illumination system includes a light source, an optical waveguide that has a proximal end and a distal end such that the proximal end is arranged to receive light from the light source and the distal end is suitable to illuminate an object of interest; and an optical coupler constructed and arranged to couple light from the light source into the optical waveguide. The optical coupler includes a reflective surface that reflects at least some light diverging from the light source to be coupled into the optical waveguide.
US09116260B2

Techniques described herein generally relate to optical devices and methods of manufacturing optical devices. An example optical device includes a first substrate having a first optical element, a second substrate coupled to the first substrate, and cured resin. The first substrate has a first optical element. The second substrate has at least one supporting structure and a second optical element supported by the at least one supporting structure. The at least one supporting structure has at least one receptor. The cured resin is arranged in the at least one receptor of the at least one supporting structure effective to position the second optical element relative to the first optical element.
US09116258B2

A method, apparatus, and program product increase the computational efficiency of a multipoint geostatistics method by parallelizing the simulation process to concurrently simulate sets of unassigned cells in a simulation grid. Values of unassigned cells in the neighborhood of the unassigned cells being simulated are predicted, and a plurality of threads are used to simulate the set of unassigned cells using the predicted values. Simulation results are used to verify predictions, and mispredicts cause ongoing simulations of other cells to be restarted using the simulation results in lieu of mispredicted values.
US09116251B1

A method on a server for logging and recalling data gathered from a buried asset location procedure is disclosed. The method includes receiving a group of buried asset data points corresponding to a particular buried asset, receiving at a different time a portable transmitter hookup definition associated with the group of buried asset data points, searching for buried asset data points that match, within predefined parameters, the portable transmitter hookup definition, storing the portable transmitter hookup definition in association with the matching points, creating a buffer zone around the portable transmitter hookup, and transmitting to a mobile device the buffer zone for the portable transmitter hookup.
US09116250B2

A radiation detector includes a housing to contain a radiation detecting gas. The housing has a first thermal expansion over an operating temperature range. An elongate electrode extends within the housing and has opposing first and second ends, with the first end secured to adjacent portion of the housing. The elongate electrode has second thermal expansion over the operating temperature range defining a difference with respect to the first thermal expansion. A temperature compensator is coupled between the second end of the elongate electrode and an adjacent portion of the housing. The temperature compensator has a third thermal expansion over the operating temperature range to maintain a tension on the elongate electrode within a desired range over the operating temperature range.
US09116247B2

A neutron detector circuit for a neutron detector is disclosed that includes a scintillator having a plurality of wavelength shifting optical fibers. A first detection circuit is connected with a first PMT output that is configured to generate a first detection circuit output in response to a first neutron event. A second detection circuit is connected with a second PMT output that is configured to generate a second detection circuit output in response to a second neutron event. A coincidence detection circuit is included that has inputs connected with the first and second detection circuit outputs that is configured to generate a neutron event count output pulse in response to coincident signals being received by the coincidence detection circuit from the first and second detection circuit outputs.
US09116246B2

A thermal neutron detector and method employ Gd-containing nanoscintillators. Thermal neutron radiation is detected by observing scintillation events from the nanoscintillators.
US09116241B2

In the method for detecting precipitation using a radar sensor, the radar sensor emits a transmission signal, whose frequency is varied periodically in successive modulation ramps. Signals received by the radar sensor are analyzed to determine precipitation on the basis of two different criteria. In the method, a first criterion relates to signals which are received during a pass-through of a modulation ramp, and a second criterion relates to a comparison of signals which are received during a pass-through of at least two successive modulation ramps.
US09116236B1

A multi-function avionics system that includes, but is not limited to, a combined traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) and directional measuring equipment (DME) system that utilizes a multi-function directional antenna for both functions. The multi-function system utilizes the same directional antenna for TCAS and DME functions, which typically utilize the same communication frequency band. The multi-function antenna may include four antenna elements that discriminate the direction of the DME ground station squitter. The DME system establishes a bearing to the ground station from the squitter and uses this information to determine which directional beam to use for the DME interrogation. Directional DME interrogation reduces the power requirements relative to that required for omni-directional DME interrogation. The integration of DME and TCAS enables the removal of antennas and feeder cables from the aircraft, saving weight, drag and cost.
US09116235B2

A Mode S anti-reflection method for eliminating false tracks due to reflected replies in ground radar systems, wherein the information contribution of the replies (at the level of raw video) is analyzed with the aim of calculating the position of the reflectors. The possible presence of ADS-B reports can be used, otherwise it will be effectuated a geometrical analysis of the distribution of the replies and will be compared with the plot(s) extracted by the radar sensor. The possibility of correlating along time the moving of the plots, their place of origin and average duration of the tracks generated by them will allow to understand whether the plot is relevant to a reflection or not. In the case of “reflection”, a reflectors map is updated automatically in order to avoid the enabling of the initialization of the track in that area.
US09116233B2

A method, system, and computer program product to provide accurate positioning of a vehicle while conserving power is provided. The system includes a receiver configured to receive a positioning signal that determines a position of the vehicle and an auxiliary sensor configured to provide data to supplement the positioning signal so as to provide the position of the vehicle more accurately than with using solely the positioning signal. The system also includes an auxiliary controller coupled to the auxiliary sensor. The auxiliary controller is configured to generate a first signal to power-up the auxiliary sensor if the vehicle is proximate to entering an area that reduces accuracy of the positioning signal, and calibrate the auxiliary sensor prior to the vehicle entering the area; and generate a second signal to power-down the auxiliary sensor if the vehicle is proximate to exiting the area.
US09116229B2

The invention provides a novel method of transmit beamforming, which allows compact analog implementation of complex digital algorithms without compromising their features. It is aimed to support envelope shaping, apodization, and phase rotation per channel and per firing. Each of three embodiments represents a complete transmit channel driven by pulse-width modulated (PWM) waveforms stored in a conventional sequence memory. PWM signals controls the transmit pulse envelope (shape) by changing the duty cycle of the carrier. Beamformation data are loaded prior to a firing via serial interface. Under the direction of a controller, the circuitry allows high precision (beyond sampling rate) phase rotation of the carrier. It also provides transmit apodization (aperture weighting), which maintains an optimal trade-off among low sidelobe level and widening of the mainlobe. Implementing such an IC, the manufacturing cost of a high-end ultrasound system can be reduced. Equally, the proposed solution makes the benefits of digital transmit beamformers available to midrange and entry-level machines since it merely requires a modified programming of the sequence memory.
US09116228B2

A low-latency centralized RTK system utilizes an RTK server to perform matched updates using base station GNSS measurements from one or more base stations and GNSS measurements from one or more rovers, and the one or more rovers produce RTK solutions based on the results of the matched updates. The RTK server includes one or more processors that perform the matched updates and a transmitter that transmits at least the ambiguities to the rovers. The respective rovers, which have processing power that is sufficient to quickly calculate RTK baselines, utilize the received ambiguities, the base station GNSS measurements received from either the RTK server or the base stations, known base station positions and instantaneous GNSS measurements at the rovers to readily determine and update their RTK baselines and their precise positions.
US09116224B2

Provided is an electronic device including a modulation unit (22) that modulates a sound signal to a modulation wave for a parametric speaker; an oscillator (12) to which the modulation wave is input; an equalizer (26) that corrects a frequency characteristic of a sound wave that is demodulated by the modulation wave; and a control unit (20) that selects a carrier frequency of the modulation wave and changes setting of the equalizer (26) on the basis of the selected carrier frequency. Thus, it is possible to provide the electronic device capable of correcting the frequency characteristic of the sound wave that is demodulated, for each carrier frequency of the modulation wave.
US09116219B1

A system and methods for high-speed functional magnetic resonance imaging using multi-slab echo-volumar imaging (EVI), specifically a combination of multi-slab excitation and single-shot 3D encoding with parallel imaging to reduce geometrical image distortion and blurring, and to increase blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) sensitivity compared to conventional echo-planar imaging (EPI).
US09116216B2

An apparatus combines magnetic resonance (MR) and nuclear imaging of human breast for cancer diagnosis. An MRI system including an MR breast RF coil is combined with a nuclear imaging system having a detector disposed or disposable within the MR breast RF coil arranged and configured for the performance of simultaneous or sequential coregistered breast MRI and nuclear imaging. A selectively controlled compression mechanism for lightly compresses the breast being imaged. The remotely controlled compression mechanism is integrated with the MR breast RF coil.
US09116208B2

An address and command port interface selectively enables JTAG TAP domain operations and Trace domain operations within an IC. The port carries TMS and TDI input and TDO output on a single pin and receives a clock signal on a separate pin. The addressable two pin interface loads and updates instructions and data to the TAP domain within the IC. The instruction or data update operations in multiple ICs occur simultaneously. A process transmits data from an addressed target device to a controller using data frames, each data frame comprising a header bit and data bits. The logic level of the header bit is used to start, continue, and stop the data transmission to the controller. A data and clock signal interface between a controller and multiple target devices provides for each target device to be individually addressed and commanded to perform a JTAG or Trace operation.
US09116203B2

A test structure including an array of microbumps electrically connecting a chip and a substrate, wherein a width of each microbump of the array of microbumps is equal to or less than about 50 microns (μm). The test structure further includes an interconnect structure connected to the array of microbumps. The test structure further includes an array of test pads around a periphery of the array of microbumps, wherein a test pad of the array of test pads is connected to a corresponding microbump of the array of microbumps through the interconnect structure. A width of the test pad is greater than a width of the corresponding microbump, and the test pad is adapted to be covered after circuit probing by a passivation material to prevent particle and corrosion issues.
US09116202B2

In an embodiment, a chuck to support a solar cell in hot spot testing is provided. This embodiment of the chuck comprises a base portion and a support portion disposed above the base portion. The support portion is configured to support the solar cell above the base portion and to define a cavity between a bottom surface of the solar cell and the base portion that thermally separates a portion of the bottom surface of the solar cell from the base portion.
US09116197B2

A device is provided. The device may include a first electrical connector, a second electrical connector, an interconnect, and a magnetic field detector. The interconnect is mounted in electrical contact with the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector and includes a loop. The magnetic field detector is located in proximity to the loop of the interconnect. The magnetic field detector is located to detect a current flowing in the interconnect when the current flows in the interconnect.
US09116191B2

A voltage-drop testing system, including a voltage-drop control apparatus, and a voltage-drop testing method adapted for the voltage-drop testing system based on LABVIEW department platform. When the LABVIEW department platform 12 is running, different groups of test data may be transferred to the PLD tester 20, when the PLD tester 20 finishes the testing based on all groups of test data, the PLD tester 20 feeds back the test results to the LABVIEW department platform 12, and the LABVIEW department platform 12 creates the voltage-drop testing graphic frame displaying the test results for the electronic device under test 2 for the convenience of a user.
US09116175B2

An electrical testing apparatus for testing an electrical test sample. The apparatus includes a conductor substrate which is electrically connected via a contact spacing converter to a test head. The conductor substrate is mechanically connected to a first stiffening device and is thereby stiffened. At least one spacer which penetrates the conductor substrate is mechanically connected to the contact spacing converter and is held on the first stiffening device via at least one tilt adjusting arrangement.
US09116172B2

A connector includes a support and an arm. The support is to support a to-be-test workpiece. The arm is rotatably connected to the support and includes a number of probes. Pinheads of the probes faces the support. When the arm is rotated to a predetermined position relative to the support, the pinheads of the probes contacts with a flexible printed circuit (FPC) of the to-be-tested workpiece.
US09116171B2

What is disclosed is a current measuring apparatus comprising: a mains connector, such as a plug, for connecting to a wire of a mains supply; an apparatus connector, such as a socket, to provide for electrical conduction to an electrical apparatus; a coil in series between the mains connector and the apparatus connector; and a measurement circuit that is operative to measure a voltage drop across the coil. In particular the coil is one present to also filter the mains signal. Also disclosed is a mains voltage powered consumer product, a network and an adaptor utilizing the current measuring apparatus.
US09116170B2

An automatic aligning apparatus for aligning aligning components of a first object with aligning components of a second object includes first and second aligning mechanisms. The first aligning mechanism carries the first object and has a guiding groove. The second aligning mechanism has a carrying component that carries the second object, two rear holding plates, and two connecting components, each extending through a through hole in a corresponding rear holding plate and having two clamping parts that clamp a corresponding rear holding plate. The carrying component is movable between an initial position and an aligning position where a guiding stud of the carrying component extends into the guiding groove.
US09116164B2

A pseudo-differential accelerometer resistant to EMI is disclosed that includes a device with a sensor core connected to an integrated circuit including a chopper, differential amplifier, and dummy core. The chopper swaps input to output connections during different states. The dummy core is coupled to a dummy chopper input. Three bond wires coupling the sensor output to a sensor chopper input, a first chopper output to a first sensor input, and a second chopper output to a second sensor input can connect the sensor and integrated circuit. The device can include a dummy pad and dummy bond wire connecting the dummy pad to the dummy chopper input. This configuration requires four bond wires connecting the sensor and integrated circuit. A neutralization core can be connected to the sensor chopper input. The chopper can change states to smear noise across a wide range, or away from a band of interest.
US09116156B2

An in vitro method aiding in the assessment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The disclosure further relates to a method for assessing COPD from a sample, derived from an individual, by measuring the protein ASC in said sample in vitro.
US09116142B2

A method of nondisruptive loading of reagents in a body fluid workstation including a plurality of analyzers, including: receiving application information to a first analyzer which needs loading of a reagent; loading the reagent into the first analyzer; controlling the first analyzer to pause dispensing of the reagent at a determined time; and controlling one or more other analyzers in the body fluid workstation to continue testing, wherein controlling the one or more other analyzers includes adjusting a test sequence of one or more sample racks in the one or more other analyzers subsequent to the first analyzer, and dispatching the one or more sample racks according to the adjusted test sequence.
US09116140B2

An apparatus and method for non-destructively diagnosing crop growth using terahertz waves are provided. The apparatus includes an information extractor configured to extract status information on a crop from information on an image of the crop taken using terahertz waves, a database configured to store growth-stage-specific information on the crop, and a status determiner configured to compare the status information on the crop extracted by the information extractor with the growth-stage-specific information stored in the database, and determine the degree of growth of the crop.
US09116122B2

An optical biosensor is provided for detecting a bio-molecular sample by Goos-Hänchen (GH) enhancement of Aharonov-Albert-Vaidman (AAV) amplification to a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) detector. The sensor includes pre- and post-selection polarizers respectively upstream and downstream of a right-isosceles prism with a metal film and a liquid medium disposed on a diagonal side of the prism. Laser light passes through the first polarizer, reflects at the film, passes through the second polarizer and is detected with a shift determined by a pointer estimator to indicate the sample.
US09116116B2

Provided is an optical analyzer which can promote enhancement of measurement sensitivity, cost reduction, size reduction, structural flexibility, disturbance resistance, and the like, at the same time. A laser device to be used in such optical analyzer is also provided. An optical analyzer comprises a laser light source (2); a wavelength selection element (3) for selecting and leading out light having a wavelength substantially equal to the absorption wavelength of an analysis object from among light outputted from the laser light source (2); an optical detection means (5) for detecting the intensity of light red out from the wavelength selection element (3); and a drive current control means (6) for increasing or decreasing the drive current of the laser light source (2) near a specified current value thereof for outputting light of the absorption wavelength, and setting the drive current at such a current value as the intensity of light detected by the optical detection means (5) has a peak value. The laser light source (2), the wavelength selection element (3), and the optical detection means (5) are mounted on a single substrate (11) which can regulate the temperature to a constant level.
US09116110B2

This invention employs an object information acquiring apparatus including a probe for receiving, as a received signal, an acoustic wave which is generated within an object irradiated with light and propagates on an object surface, and a processor for generating object information, which is information based on an internal optical characteristic value of the object, by using intensity of the received signal. The processor corrects the intensity of the received signal by using the reflectance upon the acoustic wave entering the probe which is calculated based on the angle of the acoustic wave entering the probe, and on the acoustic impedance and acoustic velocity of the object and the probe.
US09116093B2

A blood analyzer, a blood analysis method, and a computer program product that can distinguishably detect abnormal lymphocytes, blasts, and atypical lymphocytes are provided. A blood analyzer prepares a first measurement sample from a first reagent containing a hemolyzing agent, a second reagent containing a fluorescence staining dye, and the blood specimen, and prepares a second measurement sample from a third reagent containing a hemolyzing agent, a fourth reagent containing a fluorescence staining dye, and the blood specimen. The blood analyzer measures each of the measurement samples, and distinguishably detects abnormal lymphocytes, blasts, and atypical lymphocytes in a blood specimen based on the measurement data.
US09116085B2

The present invention is a mist testing device having a freezing chamber 30 (a mist-freeze unit) that freezes a mist particle injected from a injection valve 12, a tray 40 (a frozen-mist-hold unit) that holds a frozen mist particle 42 frozen by the freezing chamber 30, and an analyze unit 86 that analyzes the frozen mist particle 42 held by the tray 40.
US09116081B2

An improved electrical equipment housing which includes an oil sample valve and a gas port assembly which are contained within the electrical equipment housing, yet are separated from electrical contacts and may be accessed without exposure to the electrical contacts.
US09116075B2

A method for checking a function of an outlet valve of an internal combustion engine includes sensing an exhaust gas pressure in an exhaust section of the internal combustion engine. The sensed exhaust gas pressure is compared with a comparison value so as to provide a comparison result and the function of the outlet valve is evaluated as a function of the comparison result.
US09116068B2

A wind tunnel device defines a cyclical tunnel to receive continuous airflow. Airflow is delivered through the tunnel to a testing region that includes a first portion carrying an arm including a spray tip configured to spray particulates in the testing region at an angle, and a second portion including an enlarged cutout region configured to receive the angled sprayed particulates. As airflow carries the angled spray particulates into the second portion, the enlarged cutout region enables the spray particulates to pass through and exit the second portion of the testing region. Analysis in the second region may be conducted through transparent walls free of openings to minimize exposure of the spray particulates to the exterior of the device. A scrubber is adapted to extract spray mist from the airflow as the airflow exits the testing region and is re-circulated through the cyclical tunnel.
US09116065B2

An ionization vacuum measuring cell has: a) an evacuatable housing (10) with a measuring connection (8) for the vacuum to be measured, b) a first outer and a second inner electrode (3, 4) which are coaxially arranged in an interspaced manner with a common axis (7), whereby a measuring chamber (20) is formed between the two electrodes, the measuring chamber communicating with the measuring connection (8), c) a voltage source (16) which is connected to the electrodes (3, 4), d) a current measuring mechanism (17) for analyzing a discharge current generated between the electrodes (3, 4), and e) at least one permanent magnet ring (1) which surrounds the coaxial electrode (3, 4) arrangement, has a magnetizing direction (13) directed radially to the axis, and has a soft-magnetic yoke (2) that surrounds the permanent magnet ring (1).
US09116064B2

A built-in self-test structure for a pressure tester and a method thereof are provided. The built-in self-test structure includes a substrate, a plurality of membrane layers, a fixing portion, an electrical heating unit and a sensing circuit unit. The membrane layers are formed on the substrate. The fixing portion is configured on the membrane layers and includes a notch. The notch and the membrane layers define a cavity. The electrical heating unit is configured on one membrane layer, and the sensing circuit unit is configured on another membrane layer. The electrical heating unit heats up to increase the pressure in the cavity according to an input voltage, so that the membrane layers have a small deformation. The sensing circuit unit outputs a test signal according to the small deformation.
US09116063B2

A sensor unit may include a ceramic member including a first face and a second face opposite to each other with a predetermined interval, a sensor part mounted on the first face, a plurality of metal pins fixed to the second face, a plurality of internal wirings passing through the ceramic member, each of the plurality of internal wirings connecting the sensor part with one of the plurality of metal pins, and a metal member formed on a circumferential end of the second face and joined with a housing by welding.
US09116062B2

Provided is a test system capable of stable torque control. A test system is provided with: an excitation torque command calculation unit which calculates an excitation torque command value; a shaft torque command calculation unit which defines a value obtained by adding up a base torque command value and the excitation torque command value as a torque command value; a controller which determines a first control input value such that a shaft torque detection value becomes the shaft torque command value; a feedforward input calculation unit which defines a value obtained by removing components equal to or less than a predetermined frequency from the shaft torque command value as a second control input value; and an addition unit which defines a value obtained by adding up the first and second control input values as a torque current command value.
US09116061B2

An exemplary embodiment of a testing device for testing a pulling force includes a shell having a test platform, a load sensor mechanism, a control system, a drive and transmission mechanism and a material clamping mechanism. Two portions of a test object are clasped by the load sensor mechanism and the clamp. When the load sensor mechanism is driven to move further away from the clamp via the drive and transmission mechanism, a pulling force perpendicular to the test platform is generated between the two portions of the test object. The load sensor mechanism detects the pulling force and feeds back the detection to the control system.
US09116051B2

An actively cooled turbine sensor assembly is designed to withstand post-combustion gas-path conditions of gas turbine engines. The housing forms part of a cooling system and includes an elongated tubular structure that may be inserted into the hot flow path. The distal end portion of the sensor assembly is contoured to minimize heat transfer. The housing also includes leading and trailing plenums for flowing cooling air through the housing and out through the distal end portion. Additional side cavities may also be provided for active cooling of the sensor and reducing possible heat conduction paths to the sensor.
US09116047B2

Systems and methods for controlling the optical path length between a feedback enabled laser and a cavity, and hence the optical feedback phase. A phasor element, positioned along an optical path between the laser and the cavity coupling mirror, includes a gas medium within a volume defined by the phasor element. The phasor element is configured to adjust or control an optical path length of the laser light between the laser and the cavity coupling mirror by adjusting or controlling a density of the gas medium within the phasor volume.
US09116038B2

An integrated illumination reference source for generating an illumination reference signal may include an optical element having a first outer surface and a second outer surface, such that the first and the second outer surface are substantially opposing. The optical element receives an incident optical signal at the first outer surface and projects the incident optical signal from the second outer surface onto a surface. A reflective device that is located on a region of the second outer surface is offset from an optical axis of the optical element. The reflective device includes a reflective surface that reflects a portion of the incident optical signal from the second outer surface back through the first outer surface, whereby the reflective surface of the reflective device is encapsulated between the first outer surface and the second outer surface of the optical element.
US09116031B2

A weighing cell based on the principle of electromagnetic force compensation and having an optoelectronic position sensor that includes a light source, a light receiver, and a shutter vane. The light receiver functions to generate a position sensor signal corresponding to a deflection of the shutter vane from a zero position which occurs as a result of placing a load onto a load receiver of the weighing cell. A controller functions to regulate compensation current in response to the position sensor signal in such a way that the shutter vane and the movable parts of the weighing cell connected to the shutter vane are returned to the zero position by the electromagnetic force between a coil and permanent magnet system of the weighing cell.
US09116008B2

A method of providing route guidance to a vehicle user via a telematics unit comprises reading geo-coded route data from a removable medium at the telematics unit, the geo-coded data comprising a list of location and events associated with respective actions. The system senses the vehicle location and event status during the course of a trip. If the vehicle location matches a vehicle location listed in the geo-coded route data, the system executes an action associated in the list with that location and if a sensed event status indicates the occurrence of an event listed in the geo-coded route data, the system executes an action associated in the list with that event.
US09116003B2

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to systems, methods, etc. for creating a routing graph based at least partly on building information. For certain example implementations, a method includes obtaining building information descriptive of at least a portion of a building structure. A grid of points may be superimposed onto the building information. At least one routing graph may be created based at least in part on the superimposed grid of points and the building information. Other example implementations are also described.
US09115999B2

A digital video camera is placed on a vehicle. The video camera is attached to the vehicle and is directed to a surface at a certain angle to the surface. The camera angle can change while vehicle is in motion. The camera angle is constantly measured by angular sensor (i.e., inclinometer). Images of the surface are projected onto a video matrix and transformed into a sequence of digital frames that are formed at a pre-set time interval. A speed of the video camera relative to the surface is calculated as a ratio of an off-set between the adjacent frames and the time interval between the frames. Then a known relative speed of the vehicle can be corrected by multiplication of the height of the camera (above the surface) by a coefficient that equals a ratio of the known vehicle speed and the measured camera speed.
US09115979B2

A web thickness measuring equipment and a method of measuring a web thickness. A web thickness measuring equipment includes: a roller that is rotatable and configured to wind a web; a detection unit that detects a light amount on an outer circumferential surface of the roller or an external surface of the web wound on the roller, and detects a magnetic field of an internal surface of the web opposite to the external surface; and a processor unit configured to obtain a thickness of the web by generating profile data of the outer circumferential surface of the roller, generating displacement amount data of a target external surface of the web, generating displacement amount data of a target internal surface of the web, and comparing the displacement amount data of the target external surface of the web with the displacement amount data of the target internal surface of the web.
US09115971B2

A measuring apparatus includes an optical frequency comb source configured to emit an optical frequency comb in which a plurality of frequency components are arranged at equal frequency intervals, a beam splitter configured to split a beam emitted from the optical frequency comb source into a test beam to be irradiated onto a test surface and a reference beam to be irradiated onto a reference surface, an optical path difference changing element configured to change an optical path difference between the reference beam and the test beam, an image sensor configured to capture an interference pattern formed by interference between the test beam and the reference beam, and an analyzer configured to calculate a position of the test surface based upon a signal of the interference pattern captured while the optical path length difference is being changed by the optical path difference changing element.
US09115956B2

A fire-control system including a housing and a light channel, through which a user may directly observe a target and receive visually displayed information simultaneously. The light channel includes partially reflective optics. The fire-control system also includes a light source for visualization of a reticle to the user via the partially reflective optics and means for receiving a measure of the distance to the target. The fire-control system further includes a processor for determining the adequate position of the reticle based on the distance to the target and for controlling the light source to emit light so that the reticle is visualized at the adequate position. The light source is an array capable of selectively emitting light in well-defined locations on its surface.
US09115945B2

A device for cleaning the barrel of a firearm comprising a longitudinal central member having a leading end and a trailing end; a tubular woven sheath surrounding said central member; and a radial protrusion formed of a polymer disposed about said central member and under the tubular woven sheath. The radial protrusions are overmolded thermoplastic that distends the sheath radially to the internal diameter of gun barrel. The central member may include a fitting for attachment to various auxiliary tools or a T-handle. The surface of the polymer is provided with helical pattern of protrusions formed to urge the sheath against the lands of barrel rifling. The sheath is woven of primarily a natural fiber such as cotton. Luminescent, abrasive or heat resistant threads may also be woven into the sheath. A sponge material may be disposed between the sheath and the central member.
US09115941B2

A straight pull bolt action system for use with a firearm includes a bolt, an action bar, a locking pin and a locking lug. The locking lug front end is pivotally moveable between an up position and a down position, the bolt and action bar are longitudinally moveable between forward and rearward positions. The bolt has a lower locking surface that locks with the locking lug front end when the bolt is in the forward position and the locking lug front end is in the up position. The locking pin has one portion slidably disposed in an opening in the bolt and another portion slidably disposed in an L-shaped opening in the action bar.
US09115929B2

A refrigerator includes a fixed frame in which an electric wire cable drawn from one sidewall of a storage chamber is disposed to form a loop, a sliding frame slidably coupled to the fixed frame, and an electric wire cable housing fixed to the sliding frame to surround a portion of the electric wire cable. The electric wire cable is prevented from being damaged upon insertion and drawing of a drawer type door.
US09115928B2

A home appliance, e.g., a refrigerator, includes a body; a door connected to the body with a hinge; a transfer element provided between the body and the door; and a guiding device guiding the transfer element between the body and the door. The guiding device includes a body element fixed to the body; a door element fixed to the door; and at least one bridge element pivotally connected to the body element and the door element as compatible with the movement of the hinge and guiding the transfer element between the body element and the door element.
US09115923B2

A shield for an ice dispensing assembly of a cooling compartment. The shield has at least one side member that increases in width along its length downwardly from a top of the shield. The shield blocks ice from falling directly from an ice maker into an ice chute of the cooling compartment.
US09115919B2

The disclosure is directed to an energy efficient thermal protection assembly. The thermal protection assembly can include three or more thermoelectric unit layers capable of active use of the Peltier effect; and at least one capacitance spacer block suitable for storing heat and providing a delayed thermal reaction time of the assembly. The capacitance spacer block is thermally connected between the thermoelectric unit layers. The present disclosure further relates to a thermoelectric transport and storage devices for transporting or storing temperature sensitive goods, for example, vaccines, chemicals, biologicals, and other temperature sensitive goods. The transport or storage device can be configured and provide on-board energy storage for sustaining, for multiple days, at a constant-temperature, with an acceptable temperature variation band.
US09115915B2

A support assembly for supporting photovoltaic panels includes a plurality of support units connected one by one. Each of the plurality of support units includes a support beam, a pair of standing posts, a strengthening bar and at least one horizontal beam. The pair of standing posts, the strengthening bar and the at least one horizontal beam are pivotably mounted on the support beam via connecting members. When used, the strengthening bar rotates relative to the support beam and collectively constitutes a triangle with the support beam and one of the pair of standing posts to avoid distortion. When packaged, the pair of standing posts and the strengthening bar rotate relative to the support beam to be received in the receiving groove respectively, and the at least one horizontal beam rotates relative to and is disposed in parallel to the support beam.
US09115912B2

The present invention relates to a fluid heating device which can instantaneously heat a fluid which is flowing for the purpose of supply or circulation. It comprises: a ceramic heater in the form of a flat plate having terminal lead wires for applying a power source; partition plates, to top and bottom of the ceramic heater, which allow the fluid which is to be heated to move towards the ceramic heater and which said partition plates have horizontal-movement fluid pathways such that fluid which has been heated by means of the ceramic heater is discharged; a flow path forming plate having a fluid through path such that the fluid on the horizontal-movement fluid pathways can move vertically to the fluid pathway of the next layer; an upper cover having an inlet hole for the supply of a fluid for heating the outside surface of the uppermost partition plate; and a final lower cover having an outlet hole for discharging the heated fluid onto the outside surface of the lowermost partition plate.
US09115911B2

A direct-fired heater suitable for connection to duct work is provided. The heater comprises a combustion chamber defined by a combustion chamber wall, a burner plate at one end proximate a fan blade and an exhaust plate at an opposite end, the burner plate having openings therein for allowing airflow into the combustion chamber and the exhaust plate have an opening therein for allowing exit of heated exhaust from the combustion chamber, the combustion chamber wall extending past the burner plate. A first airflow zone exists between the outer shell and the combustion chamber allowing airflow between the fan blade and the outlet in the outer shell. An injector for injecting gas into the combustion chamber in proximity to the openings in the burner plate is used. The heater also comprises a nose cone between the outlet in the outer shell and the exhaust plate.
US09115907B2

A ventilation system for a building in some cases includes a main HVAC blower for moving temperature-conditioned air through the building plus a smaller ventilation blower for providing fresh air. A controller regulates the ventilation blower's speed to provide a target ventilation flow rate regardless of changes in the pressure differential between the indoor and outdoor air. To ensure that the target rate is appropriate for a particular building, the target flow rate is determined based on a ventilation setting that reflects a specified number of bedrooms and a specified amount of floor space of the building.
US09115905B2

A steam-baking oven includes a baking chamber, an element for heating the air in the baking chamber, and a steam generator connected to a water supply controlled by shut-off means. The steam generator has a pipe for spraying water onto the heating means; its operation is controlled according to the humidity in the baking chamber according to a first parameter PX1 and a second parameter PX2. The parameters are preset so as to maintain the steam quality substantially constant with respect to a predefined value. The oven further includes a control interface operatively connected to control means and comprising a control device for selectively varying the steam quality with respect to the predefined value through the variation of the second parameter PX2, which controls the actuation of the shut-off means and corresponds to the duration of water inflow from the water supply toward the steam generator.
US09115899B2

A gas turbine combustor stably burns low-BTU gases, such as blast furnace gases, that are heavily laden with CO2. The gas turbine combustor includes a double-swirling burner with an inner swirler and an outer swirler, the burner having a configuration with gas fuel injection holes and air injection holes arranged at alternate positions in the inner swirler and with gas injection holes arranged in the outer swirler. In addition, fuel injection holes for enhancing flame stability are provided at positions radially inward of the inner swirler. An inner flame by the inner swirler and an outer flame by the outer swirler interact with each other to stably burn the low-BTU gas. In the inner swirler, the gas injection holes and air injection holes arranged at alternate positions contributes to raising a temperature of the inner flame to a level required for flame stabilization.
US09115877B1

A mounting apparatus for a light emitting diode module provides a support structure for attaching a light emitting diode module directly to a light bulb in a lighting system. A bulb bracket includes a bulb clip that can be mechanically attached to a conventional bulb such as a fluorescent, neon or incandescent light bulb. A light emitting diode module can be secured to the bulb bracket using a module clip or another attachment disposed between the bracket and the module. Additional light emitting diode support structures include a mounting bar securable directly to a light bulb or other structure in a lighting system such as a sign box wall. An expandable support bracket is also provided for supporting one or more light emitting diode modules.
US09115876B1

An improved light-emitting diode (LED) light fixture can include a circuit board, multiple LED clusters, and a master power controller. The LED clusters can be arranged on the circuit board and can include at least seven LEDs electrically connected in series and a regulator circuit. The LEDs of an LED cluster can be arranged such that one LED is located at a central point of the LED cluster and the remaining LEDs are arranged in a circular geometry around the center LED. The master power controller can be coupled to the circuit board and can be configured to control power provided to the LED clusters.
US09115872B2

A lighting device includes a base, a light source, an optical color wheel, and a lens. The base has a plurality of fins for heat dissipation. The light source is disposed in the base, and the optical color wheel is disposed above the light source and in contact with the base. The lens is movably disposed on the base. The Light from the light source passes through the optical color wheel to form colored light. The colored light passes through the lens to form a light beam. Heat generated by the light source and the optical color wheel is dissipated by the fins.
US09115867B2

The present invention provides an illuminator system comprising a dual reflector system and a linear light source. The dual reflector system comprises a primary and secondary generally cylindrical reflector, which collimate light from a linear light source in two planes. The linear light source may comprise many light emitting devices, and may emit light in a strobe or continuous fashion. The reflectors may be of many cylindrical shapes, and may include additional mirror segments to capture light otherwise not collimated. Further, the reflectors may be in various configurations of position and orientation with respect to one another, and may be adjustable in this respect. The system is more efficient than existing illuminators, is compact, all reflective (no color), lightweight, simple and inexpensive to manufacture. The system has applications to many fields including machine vision, surveillance, spectroscopic inspection of materials, and converting linear light sources into rectangular beam spot lights.
US09115863B2

An optical compound sheet for a backlight module includes a base layer formed of a transparent material, a plurality of structured patterns formed on the base layer at a predetermined interval, a light-condensing layer which includes a surface coating including nano-particles distributed on the surface of the structured patterns at the thickness of 0.01 μm to 1 μm, and an anti-scratching layer which is coated under the base layer at the thickness of 0.1 μm to 3 μm by using the UV-curable bond containing nano-particles. While improving the anti-scratching performance by using the surface coating and the anti-scratching layer containing the nano-particles, the wet-out and Moire phenomena are greatly reduced by the finely separate coating of the nano-particles, thereby achieving both the light-condensing function and light-diffusing function.
US09115858B2

An extended length flexible LED light strip system for extending the length of a flexible LED light strip. The extended length flexible LED light strip system generally includes a protective covering having a passage, a light strip extending within the passage of the protective covering, a first power bus and a second power bus within the protective covering, and a plurality of connectors electrically connecting the light strip to the power buses at selected lengths. A power coupler is provided that includes a pair of prongs that extend into the protective covering and electrically contact the power buses to provide DC power to the power buses.
US09115857B2

A landscape lighting system includes a light engine slug, an LED secured to a leading end of the light engine slug, an LED driver for controlling operation of the LED, wherein the LED driver is spaced from the LED, and conductive wires electrically interconnecting the LED driver and the LED. The lighting system includes a plurality of interchangeable light diverting elements adapted to be secured over the LED. Each of the light diverting elements has a unique light diversion angle associated therewith, whereby only one of the light diverting elements is secured over the LED at any one time. The landscape lighting system includes a light intensity controller in communication with the LED driver. The light intensity controller includes a control element that enables an operator to selectively increase and decrease the intensity of the light generated by the LED.
US09115853B2

A lighting device includes at least one light source arranged in contact with an electrically conducting layer, and mechanically secured to an electrically insulating heat sink element.
US09115846B2

A holding element, in particular for a hydraulic unit of a slip-controllable block vehicle braking system, includes at least one side wall which, at one end, has a receptacle for holding the hydraulic unit. The holding element further includes at least one fastening element for fastening the holding element to a support part, wherein the holding element is at least substantially designed as a single piece. The holding element is manufactured at least substantially from plastic and the side wall is provided with at least one stiffening rib which runs in a radial or radiated manner with respect to the receptacle.
US09115838B2

A rapid-connect gas coupler is shown and described herein. In an embodiment, the rapid-connect gas coupler includes a spring-loaded probe within a probe cavity, which is defined by a housing and one or more latch segment. The probe can engage with a gas connector, which causes the latch segment to engage and couple with the gas connector.
US09115835B2

An apparatus includes a fitting having an inner surface defining a passageway, an outer surface, and at least one aperture extending from the outer surface to the inner surface. A plug extends into the passageway and has a plug surface defining at least one hole. A retaining member extends through the aperture and into the hole to retain the plug with respect to the fitting. A locking member is operatively connected to the fitting and the plug, and is positioned such that the locking member restricts movement of the retaining member out of said at least one hole.
US09115827B2

A clevis hanger has an upper strap and a lower strap. The upper strap can be supported by a hang rod or the like. The lower strap and the upper strap can be snapped open and snapped closed such that the lower strap can be secured to the upper strap without additional hardware.
US09115825B2

A cage for a control valve trim assembly includes a cage body having an opening at one end and a wall extending from the opening, a plurality of cage openings disposed in the wall, and a pressure relief mechanism disposed in the cage wall.
US09115824B2

A fluid control valve for high pressure surges, that has a controlled pressure drop box inside, arranged on a block seat and through whose core a cylindrical plug can be moved. The box is formed by a number of disks grooved on both sides, fluid flows through the grooves. The grooves are arranged in a spiral, curved clockwise or counterclockwise and crossways to the grooves of the adjacent disks, forming a number of chambers at the intersections between the contact faces of two side-by-side disks. A dynamic mixture of the incoming fluid veins through each groove is produced in each of the chambers, with the ensuing creation of local turbulence and loss in kinetic energy as heat prior to evacuation through the protruding course of the outlet grooves. The successive chambers in the course of the grooves are arranged in tiered annular spaces of gradual and controlled pressure loss.
US09115820B2

A fluidic control element includes a housing having a fluid space formed between at least two housing parts. First and second flow channels may each have a sealing seat that opens into the fluid space. The fluidic control element may further include a two-armed lever which is configured to swivel in the fluid space. Each arm of the lever may be configured to open and close one of the flow channels in a corresponding end position. Additionally, a valve body may have a load-carrying core including a shaft mounted in the housing. The shaft may be rounded at least in the region in which it is embedded in a sealing ring that surrounds the lever arms.
US09115813B2

This invention provides a fluid control device which is capable of visually recognizing its opening and closing states with a simple configuration. The casing 3 is formed so as to be opened upward. The piston 8 is disposed at an upper end portion of a valve rod 7 such that a piston upper end portion is exposed from an opening of the casing 3 when the valve rod 7 is located at the upper position.
US09115811B2

A flow control device is provided with a first body having a first port through which pressure fluid is supplied, and a second body which is installed on the first body. A valve mechanism which controls the circulation state of the pressure fluid that circulates from the first port to a second port is provided inside this first body. Furthermore, a first connecting section of the first body is inserted into and engaged with the inside of a second connecting section formed at the upper end of the second body, resulting in the first body and the second body being integrally connected together.
US09115807B2

A piston for an air pump has a connecting rod and a sealing valve. The connecting rod has a seat. The seat has a groove and a retaining surface. The groove is defined in an outer surface of the seat. The retaining surface is adjacent to the groove. The sealing valve movably engages the seat of the connecting rod and has an engaging ring and a sealing part. The engaging ring has an inwall which extends into the groove and has an engaging surface facing the retaining surface. The sealing part is connected with the inwall of the engaging ring and sealingly covers the through hole. The sealing valve is not prone to deformation and warpage during the operation of the piston to prevent any operating noise problem.
US09115802B2

A drive sprocket for driving a modular belt having a plurality of belt modules with intercalated link ends connected by transverse pivot members to form hinges. The belt modules may have transverse ribs. The drive sprocket is driven by a shaft. The drive sprocket has a central opening for receiving the shaft. The body has a plurality of teeth disposed in pairs along a periphery of the body. The body has a first opening formed between adjacent pairs of teeth and extending toward the center of the sprocket to provide access to the hinge area, when the belt engages with the sprocket, for application of cleaning fluid.
US09115796B1

In a differential device, first and second bearing bosses aligned on a same axis to be rotatably supported by a transmission case are integrally formed on one and another side portions of an integrated differential case housing a differential gear mechanism. Paired sleeves rotatably supported by the bosses are connected liquidtightly to paired left and right side gears of the mechanism. A tube portion is integrally protruded from an outer end of a hub of each gear. The sleeve is screwed and fastened onto an outer periphery of the tube portion. In the gear and sleeve, first and second sealing surfaces are formed respectively to closely adhere to each other by such screwing and fastening, thereby shutting off communication between an inside of the differential case and a screwed portion between the tube portion and sleeve.
US09115794B2

An integrated drive generator includes a pump plate having first and second parallel faces defining a first thickness. A passage extends between the first and second faces through the pump plate. Webbing is provided in the passage having a second thickness less than the first thickness. The webbing provides a first volume and the passage provides a second volume. A ratio of the second volume to the first volume is 20.8.
US09115793B2

A transmission for rotatably coupling an input shaft with an output shaft about a longitudinal axis is disclosed, which may include a continuous variable transmission and an output torque sensing control mechanism. The continuous variable transmission may be a toroidal disc continuous variable transmission. The output torque sensing control mechanism may include a spring and an intermediary output shaft rotatably connected with an output rotating member of the continuous variable transmission, and the output shaft may be externally threaded and matable with an internally threaded portion of the intermediary output shaft.
US09115789B2

A transmission having two clutches connected between a drive and respective transmission input shafts, one being hollow which supports the other within. A hollow countershaft which supports another countershaft therein. A main shaft arranged coaxially between the inner input shaft and an output shaft. Shifting elements can engage a variety of transmission connections in which transmission elements of the main group couple transmission elements of the range group which can couple the output shaft. The hollow countershaft has three fixed wheels which engage respective loose wheels, and the countershafts are rigidly coupled by a shifting element. With respect to this shifting element: an adjacent loose wheel rotates on and can rigidly couple the main shaft; a remote loose wheel rotates on and can rigidly couple the inner input shaft; and a central loose wheel rotates on and can rigidly couple at least one of the inner input and main shafts.
US09115788B2

In a ring-type tensioner, a resilient ring that cooperates with external grooves formed on a plunger to restrict retracting movement of the plunger in a tensioner housing, is formed with manipulation parts that extend through a cut-out portion in the housing and have bulged portions that are spaced by gaps from opposed walls of the cut-out portions. A rod-shaped tool inserted into one of the gaps cooperates with the bulged portion and the wall on opposite sides of the gap to expand the ring. The manipulation parts can be formed with tool-holding portions.
US09115785B1

A drive mechanism effects a rotary power output in a selected one of opposite first and second power output directions in response to a reciprocating power input resulting from substantially linear forces applied to the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism includes input bevel gears meshed with corresponding output bevel gears coupled to a common power output shaft through clutches that effect a rotary power output at the power output shaft in response to the reciprocating power input from the substantially linear forces. Opposite crank arms are coupled with the input bevel gears such that each crank arm is advanced by an applied substantially linear force, and is retracted upon advancement of the opposite crank arm. A selector enables selection of either one of the opposite directions of rotation of the power output shaft, without requiring a change in the manner in which the linear force input is applied.
US09115784B2

The invention provides a transmission belt that can suppress lowering in transmission efficiency and has improved durability. A rubber layer adhered to core wires is formed to have a durometer hardness (shore A) of not less than 72 and not more than 85, or have a tensile stress of not less than 0.5 MPa and not more than 1.7 MPa when stretched 10% in the belt longitudinal direction at 25° C., and the rubber layer is formed to have a weight increase of 90% or less after immersed in light oil for 48 hours at 25° C. or have a weight increase of 80% or less after immersed in toluene for 48 hours at 25° C. Alternatively, the rubber layer adhered to the core wires is formed to have a storage modulus of not less than 10 MPa and not more than 50 MPa and a tan δ of not more than 0.15 as measured by dynamic viscoelasticity measurement under conditions at a static load of 3 kgf/cm2, a dynamic strain of 0.4%, a frequency of 10 Hz and a temperature of 25° C. in a tensile mode in a belt longitudinal direction.
US09115781B2

A device for springing a mass including a fluid spring and a frame, in which the fluid spring is arranged between the mass and the frame in such a way that the mass is mounted on the frame in a sprung and/or damped manner. An add-on-fluid volume device for providing an additional fluid volume for the fluid spring includes at least two fluid volume chambers that can be fluidically connected to one another and which have a common, displaceable chamber wall.
US09115776B2

The present invention is concerned with a flexing arrangement with a wide range of applications. The arrangement has at least one leaf spring structure having a plurality of reusable leaf springs connected together. At least one of the leaf springs is made of essentially of an alloy of nickel and titanium, and the alloy has a nickel content of substantially 50.1-55 at % and a titanium content of substantially 45-49.9 at %.
US09115775B2

Internally vented brake disk rotors have a form of a cylindrical slab with an annular geometry and have an axis of circular symmetry for its outer circumference and its inner circumference and a center hole which is symmetric with regard to the axis. The brake disk contains at least two parallel ring disks which are connected with each other by a repeating series of ribs, the configuration of the brake disk rotor is symmetric with regard to different sense of rotation of the brake disk, i.e. symmetric to at least one plane spanned by the axis of rotation of the brake disk and one radius of the cylindrical brake disk.
US09115774B2

A mechanical mechanism is used to prevent a rotor of an aircraft from rotating when the rotor is not in use. The mechanical mechanism disengages when the speed of the rotor exceeds a speed threshold and the mechanism reengages when the speed of the rotor is below the speed threshold.
US09115770B2

A variable capacity hydraulic machine has a rotating group located within a casing and a control housing secured to the casing to extend across and seal an opening in the casing. The control housing accommodates a control circuit and a pair of sensors to sense change in parameters associated with the rotating group. One of the sensors is positioned adjacent the barrel on the rotating group to sense rotational speed and the other senses displacement of the swashplate. The control housing accommodates a control valve and accumulator to supply fluid to the control valve.
US09115761B2

A ball bearing assembly can include an outer race that includes an inner surface; an inner race that comprises an outer surface that includes an imperfection and a shoulder disposed at a shoulder angle where the imperfection is disposed at an angle in a range from about 50% of the shoulder angle to about 100% of the shoulder angle; and balls disposed between the inner surface of the outer race and the outer surface of the inner race. Various other examples of devices, assemblies, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
US09115754B2

A support device and method for fixing a bearing on a bearing shield of a housing of an electric machine. Rotatably mounted in the support device is a rotor with a shaft. The support device is substantially flat and comprises a plurality of fastening openings that are grouped about a central opening. The support device comprises at least one design break point that acts to provide a local limit to the excess stress in the material of the support device.
US09115752B2

A bearing assembly includes a tubular outer housing and a tubular inner mandrel. The outer housing has an exterior surface and an interior surface defining an interior bore. The inner mandrel has an exterior surface and an interior surface defining an interior mud flow channel. The inner mandrel is journaled for rotation within the interior bore of the outer housing. Pairs of diamond bearings having opposed curved bearing surfaces are disposed between the outer housing and the inner mandrel. One of each pair of opposed curved bearing surfaces being convex and being secured to one of the inner mandrel or outer housing and another of each pair of opposed curved bearing surfaces being concave and secured to another of the inner mandrel or outer housing. The opposed curved bearing surfaces accommodate limited relative misalignment and provide radial and axial support between the inner mandrel and the outer housing.
US09115749B2

A ball joint 10 includes a first member 12 having a ball section 14 and a second member 15 having a socket 16. Ball section 14 is accommodated and supported inside socket 16. A pair of dies 20, 30 sandwich a wall 18 surrounding an opening 17 of the socket 16, and are configured to approach each other gradually, utilizing small repetitive vibrations that include an approaching and separating action, thereby intermittently pressing the wall in an inward radial direction. During each interval of the intermittent pressing action, a supporting and rotating device 40 rotates socket 16 (second member 15) in small increments about a central axis C2 of socket 16. Consequently, dies 20 and 30 successively press against a multitude of points on the circumference of the outer surface of wall 18 of the socket, thereby bending wall 18 inward so as to reduce the diameter thereof.
US09115747B1

An articulating grease shield has a plurality of ring members, wherein each ring member has a central opening through which an axle is positioned through, the central opening allowing for each of the ring members to move freely with articulation of the axle and to form a barrier to keep a lubricant within a constant velocity joint.
US09115746B2

A screw (10) and a connection produced therewith of a thin metal sheet forming a substructure (40) to a plastics component (30) having a through-bore (32) and having a seal (50) located between the substructure (40) and the component (30). The screw (10) has a shank (13) having a thread-cutting thread (16) and a tip (12) in the form of a boring part, and also a lower thread section (18) having a first thread outside diameter (D18) and an upper thread section (19) having a second, larger thread outside diameter (D19) and having a conically narrowing transition section (22) between the two thread sections (18, 19). The upper thread section (19) has a thread pitch (P2) which is smaller than the thread pitch (P1) of the lower thread section (18). During the production of the connection, the upper thread is screwed into the through-bore (32), wherein a form-fit is produced in the component (30) between the latter and the screw (10) and the material of the component (30) rests in a sealing manner around the upper thread section (19). This produces a combination of a seal without a sealing washer and with a defined distance between the component and the substructure by defined compression of the seal (50).
US09115739B2

An adapter for releasably gripping the end of a long-handled tool handle. The adapter including a plurality of grippers threadably mounted around a tubular body. An engagement plug having both male and female threaded ends is removable secured to the end of the tubular body for engaging a tool's work head.
US09115736B2

A fluid heating system for a work vehicle includes a pressurized fluid circuit having a pump for providing pressurized fluid to the fluid circuit. A control module for controlling a first control device is in fluid communication with the fluid circuit, the first control device operable between a first position and a second position. The first position of the first control device permits a load sense pressure to be applied through the first control device, thereby preventing pressurized fluid from the pump flowing to a pressure return tank for heating the pressurized fluid. The second position of the first control device prevents the load sense pressure from being applied through the first control device, thereby permitting pressurized fluid from the pump flowing to a pressure return tank and resulting in heating of pressurized fluid of the fluid circuit.
US09115733B2

The present invention relates to a servo-control (1) provided with at least one body (2) defining an inside space (10) together with a slider element (11) having a control piston (12) suitable for sliding in said inside space (10), said control piston (12) subdividing said inside space (10) into a retraction chamber (4) and an extension chamber (3). The servo-control (1) has at least one limit force detector device (20) comprising a casing (21) secured to said body (2) and defining a detection space (22). Furthermore, a movable member (50) subdivides said detection space (22) into a first detection chamber (26) opening out to said inside space (10) and a second detection chamber (27). Finally, the device includes detector means (29) for detecting the position of said movable member (50) in said detection space (22).
US09115732B1

An actuator including a housing and a force sensing mechanism positioned within an interior of the housing and in operable communication with the actuator, the force sensing mechanism capable of measuring the various forces exerted by or on the actuator without losing any of the energy being transmitted by the actuator. A high precision position sensing mechanism can also be included with the actuator.
US09115724B2

A blade structure and ceiling fan having the same are disclosed. The blade structure includes a blade root, a blade tip, and a first vertex and a second vertex between the blade root and the blade tip. The blade bends from blade root to the first vertex, the blade tip and then bends from the blade tip to the second vertex and back to the blade root to form a hollow structure. The ceiling fan with the blade structure not only provides air modulating function but also has unique modeling.
US09115723B2

A cooling fan includes a hub and an impeller. The hub includes a circular wall and an annular wall. The annular wall has a position end opposite to the circular wall. The impeller includes a blade ring and a plurality of blades integrally extending outwards from an outer circumferential surface of the blade ring. The blade ring receives the hub and has a first mounting end and a second mounting end opposite to the first mounting end. When the position end abuts the second mounting end of the blade ring, the blades extend aslant from the blade ring toward a counterclockwise direction relative to the circular wall. When the position end abuts the first mounting end of the blade ring, the blades extend aslant from the blade ring toward a clockwise direction relative to the circular wall.
US09115721B2

The present invention provides a turbofan and a graphics card with the turbofan. The turbofan comprises: a turbofan assembly which admits air in an axial direction and dispenses air in a radial direction; an inlet fan assembly disposed at an inlet of the turbofan assembly and disposed coaxially with the turbofan assembly; and a driving means for driving the turbofan assembly and the inlet fan assembly to rotate. The turbofan provided by the invention gathers the ambient air to the inlet through the inlet fan assembly disposed at the inlet of the turbofan assembly, so as to change a negative pressure state at the inlet. Consequently, the cooling efficiency of the turbofan is improved effectively and the noise of the turbofan is reduced.
US09115719B2

A scroll fluid machine having: a compressor body including a fixed scroll and an orbiting scroll opposed to the fixed scroll, the orbiting scroll orbiting; a drive shaft connected to the orbiting scroll; a cooling fan provided on another side of the drive shaft opposite to the orbiting scroll, the cooling fan generating a cooling wind; and a cooling wind passage surrounded by walls in all directions, the cooling wind passage sending the cooling wind of the cooling fan to the compressor body, when the cooling wind passage being disposed left and the drive shaft being disposed right when seen from a direction in which the drive shaft extends, a size of the cooling wind passage in the left and right directions being smaller in upstream than downstream of the cooling wind passage.
US09115714B2

Providing a screw compressor 1 having a lubricating oil system, the compressor being provided with a plurality of radial bearings 5 and a plurality of thrust bearings 6, a rotor shaft 2a or 3a is supported rotation-freely by each bearing, wherein at least one radial bearing 5 or at least one thrust bearing is provided with a hole space 25 or 34 with a bottom, the hole space being bored in the radial bearing and the thrust bearing so that a temperature-detecting terminal 26 is inserted in the hole space 25 or 34; at least one penetrating hole 28 or 35 is provided at the casing wall 1c of a casing that houses the radial bearing 5, so that the outside of the casing communicates with a space s1 for inserting the radial bearing, through the penetrating hole, the space s1 28 or 35 being formed inside of the casing wall; the temperature-detecting terminal 26 together with a sheath tube 27 is led into the space s1 through the penetrating hole 28 or 35.
US09115710B2

The present application relates generally to pumps, and more particularly to piston type pumps having increased energy efficiency, systems incorporating such piston type pumps, and methods of operating piston type pumps.
US09115707B2

An inverter module and an integrated-inverter electric compressor using the same, which can eliminate noise interference, noise leakage, and the like attributable to a smoothing capacitor accommodated therein and which can be reduced in size and weight is provided. An inverter module (11) includes a resin module case (17); a power system board (15) provided on a bottom side of the module case (17); and a control board (19) provided on an upper side of the module case (17). A smoothing capacitor (18) connected to a power supply line for the power system board (15) is incorporated into the module case (17), and the smoothing capacitor (18) is electromagnetically shielded with respect to the power system board (15) and the control board (19).
US09115699B2

A rotor blade for a wind turbine is disclosed. The rotor blade may generally include a body extending between a blade root and a blade tip. The body may include a pressure side and a suction side extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. In addition, the rotor blade may include a nozzle mounted on or within the body. The nozzle may include an inlet, an outlet and a converging section between the inlet and the outlet. The converging section may be configured to accelerate a flow of air through the nozzle such that an ultrasonic sound emission is produced.
US09115698B2

A wind turbine including a nacelle and a rotor hub is disclosed. The nacelle may extend between a hub end and an aft end and may define a nacelle shaft opening and a nacelle access port at the hub end. The rotor hub may extend between a first end and a second end, with the second end being disposed adjacent to the hub end of the nacelle. The rotor hub may also define a hub shaft opening at the second end and a hub access port generally adjacent to the hub shaft opening. In addition, the wind turbine may include an access bridge configured to extend between the nacelle and the rotor hub so as to provide access between the nacelle access port and the hub access port.
US09115696B2

A direct drive wind turbine has a a rotor and a generator. The rotor includes a hub and a plurality of blades rotatably mounted on a frame. The generator includes a generator rotor and a generator stator. There are one or more dampers arranged between the rotor and the generator rotor and extending at least partially in an axial direction.
US09115693B2

A device for establishing admittance and transport of cargo to and from a wind turbine construction above ground level and having a part which can be raised and/or lowered by wires and winches located at ground level and connected with snatch blocks attached to a part so that it can be raised and/or lowered in relation to the construction. The part has a number of travelling crabs according to the numbers of winches and the travelling crabs are guided of the wires between the winches and the snatch blocks, and that the part with the travelling crabs is displaced upwards or downwards by the wires. Advantageously, the wires are used for both hoisting the part and as guide for the travelling crabs.
US09115692B2

A system and method for a piezoelectric-based vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) are disclosed. The piezoelectric-based VAWT may generate electricity in response to a deformation (e.g., a stretching or bending) of piezoelectric material. For example, the piezoelectric material may be included on or within a wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blade may be struck by an object or may hit an object. Such an action may cause the wind turbine blade to vibrate and subsequently cause the piezoelectric material to deform and generate electricity.
US09115683B2

A ring gear to be coupled to a crankshaft of an engine; a starter motor for starting the engine; a pinion gear for transmitting rotation of the starter motor to the ring gear; pinion-gear meshing-engagement unit for moving the pinion gear to achieve meshing engagement with the ring gear; rpm-difference acquiring unit for acquiring an rpm difference between the pinion gear and the ring gear; and restart control unit for allowing the pinion gear to be moved by the pinion-gear meshing-engagement unit when the rpm difference between the pinion gear and the ring gear, which is acquired by the rpm-difference acquiring unit, becomes smaller than a threshold value are provided. The restart control unit includes threshold-value setting unit, and the threshold value corresponding to a characteristic to be input to the threshold-value setting unit is preset.
US09115678B2

Systems and methods for a permanently magnetized valve mechanism and/or valve mechanism seat for a fuel injector are disclosed. In one example approach, a fuel injector comprises a valve mechanism and a valve mechanism seat, wherein at least one of the valve mechanism and the valve mechanism seat is permanently magnetized; an injector driver circuit for actuating the valve mechanism; and a spring biasing the valve mechanism in a closed position against the valve mechanism seat. For example, a first amount of current may be supplied in a first direction to the injector driver to lift a permanently magnetized injector valve mechanism from the injector valve mechanism seat, and a second amount of current may be supplied in a second direction to the injector driver to close the permanently magnetized injector valve mechanism onto the injector valve mechanism seat.
US09115670B2

The opening of a solenoid valve is automatically adjusted after an engine is started and before actual work is performed for an appropriate air-fuel ratio, whereby it is possible to attain a good and stable driving of the engine without any delay even for an abrupt change in load. After the engine is started, when a rotation speed enters a “fuel flow rate adjusting rotation speed range” in which a definite load is applied to the engine in a working rotation speed range of the engine in which a throttle valve is opened to a definite opening, a detected rotation speed is fed back to a target rotation speed, and the opening of the solenoid valve is controlled to adjust a fuel flow rate, so that the combustion state in the engine is optimized at the valve opening so determined.
US09115664B2

A system comprising an air actuator configured to control air delivered to an engine; a fuel actuator configured to control fuel delivered to an engine; and a controller configured to: actuate the air actuator in response to a first torque signal; and actuate the fuel actuator in response to a second torque signal.
US09115659B2

A method for reducing the particle emissions of a spark-ignition, direct-injection internal combustion engine is provided. The method comprises operating at least one cylinder superstoichiometrically, responsive to an injector coking level and sufficiently high cylinder temperature, for a duration to increase oxidation of coking residues.
US09115656B2

A control system for an internal combustion engine having a throttle valve disposed in an intake passage of the engine. A target intake air amount of the engine is calculated, and an intake pressure of the engine is estimated. A wide-open intake air amount is calculated according to the engine rotational speed, and a theoretical intake air amount is calculated according to the wide-open intake air amount and the intake pressure. The wide-open intake air amount is an intake air amount corresponding to a state where the throttle valve is fully opened, and the theoretical intake air amount is an intake air amount corresponding to a state where no exhaust gas of the engine is recirculated to a combustion chamber of the engine. further, an exhaust gas recirculation ratio is calculated using the theoretical intake air amount and the target intake air amount, and a target output torque of the engine is calculated using the target intake air amount and the exhaust gas recirculation ratio. The engine is controlled using the target output torque.
US09115650B2

A turbine engine includes a fan section including a plurality of fan blades, a turbine section, and an epicyclic gear train coupled between the turbine section and the fan section for providing a speed reduction between turbine section and the fan section. The epicyclic gear train includes a plurality of intermediate gears. A carrier supports the plurality of intermediate gears. A sun gear meshes with the plurality of intermediate gears and a ring gear surrounding and meshing with the plurality of intermediate gears. The ring gear includes first and second portions that each have an inner periphery with teeth. The first and second portions of the ring gear have an outer circumferential surface opposite the teeth that provides a first thickness, a second thickness greater than the first thickness and axially inward from the first thickness, and a flange extending radially away from the axis. An epicyclic gear train for a turbine engine and method of designing an epicyclic gear train are also disclosed.
US09115649B2

A gas turbine engine includes a spool, a turbine coupled to drive the spool, a propulsor coupled to be rotated about an axis by the turbine through the spool, and a gear assembly coupled between the propulsor and the spool such that rotation of the turbine drives the propulsor at a different speed than the spool. The propulsor includes a hub and a row of propulsor blades that extend from the hub. Each of the propulsor blades has a span between a root at the hub and a tip, and a chord between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The chord forms a stagger angle α with the axis, and the stagger angle α is less than 15° at a position along the propulsor blade that is within an inboard 20% of the span.
US09115647B2

A detection method of a breakdown of a pressure relief valve of a fuel injection circuit for a turbomachine, the injection circuit including a low pressure stage and a high pressure stage, the low pressure stage having an inlet and an outlet, the high pressure stage having an inlet and an outlet, the low pressure stage being connected to the high pressure stage, the pressure relief valve being connected in parallel with respect to the high pressure stage, the injection circuit further including a recirculation loop including an inlet connected to the outlet of the high pressure stage and an outlet connected to the outlet of the low pressure stage, the method including measuring a differential pressure in the injection circuit.
US09115636B2

A device for evacuating and filling a vehicle cooling system includes a housing having an interior chamber. A service port extends into the housing and connectable with the vehicle cooling system, a supply port extends into the housing and connectable with a source of coolant fluid, and an evacuation port extends into the housing. A valve is disposed at least partially within the housing chamber and is adjustable between a first configuration in which the service port is fluidly coupled with the evacuation port and a second configuration in which the service port is fluidly coupled with the supply port.
US09115627B2

A catalytic converter for use in motor vehicle exhaust systems includes a housing and a catalytic substrate disposed in the housing. The housing includes a central shell fixed to an inlet end cone and an outlet end cone. The catalytic substrate includes a primary body section is disposed in an internal chamber and has a plurality of skewed flow channels through which the hot exhaust gas flows. The skewed flow channels create turbulent flow to assist in improved light-off and improved purification efficiency.
US09115625B2

An exhaust emission control device with a particulate filter and a selective reduction catalyst (exhaust purification catalyst) incorporated in an exhaust pipe such that the former and the latter are arranged on downstream and upstream sides, respectively, has a burner for generating high-temperature exhaust gas by combustion, an exhaust distribution pipe capable of guiding the exhaust gas from the burner to entry sides of the filter and the catalyst, respectively, and valves as a path switcher in the pipe for selectively sorting the exhaust gas from the burner any one of the entry sides of the filter and the catalyst.
US09115618B2

Method for the regeneration of a carbon particulate filter 5 in a combustion engine arrangement 1 with a combustion engine 2 and an exhaust-gas aftertreatment device 3, wherein the combustion engine arrangement 1 is switched to a heating operation for increasing the exhaust-gas temperature, which is suitable, to heat the exhaust-gas to a carbon particulate ignition temperature. By means of the operation conditions of the combustion engine arrangement 1, the necessary energy input per carbon particulate mass (specific energy input) is determined and monitored for the regeneration. When falling below a threshold value for the specific energy input, the heating operation for the regeneration of the carbon particulate filter 5 is started.
US09115616B2

A method of heating an exhaust gas in an exhaust aftertreatment system including a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) and a diesel particulate filter (DPF) is provided. The method includes heating the exhaust gas to a predetermined temperature to increase NO2 generation in the DOC when the DPF is not actively regenerated, and heating the exhaust gas to reduce an exhaust temperature gradient when the DPF is actively regenerated. The exhaust temperature gradient is reduced by providing more heat proximate a wall of an exhaust conduit and less heat proximate a center of the exhaust conduit.
US09115607B2

A dual body rocker arm comprises an outer arm, an inner arm, a substantially cylindrical pivot axle, a pivot foot and a first and second pivot foot retaining ring. The inner arm is disposed between side arms of the outer arm. The pivot axle is mounted to both the inner and outer arm. The pivot foot has a cylindrical axle interfacing surface and a valve tip interface. Retaining rings mount the pivot foot to the axle, allowing partial rotation of the pivot foot about the axle. Interfering protrusions on the retaining rings limit the range of motion of the pivot foot. A pivot foot having at least one interfering block is configured to restrict motion of the pivot foot by interfering with at least one interfering tab.
US09115605B2

Embodiments provide a power generation device that utilizes a working fluid containing carbon dioxide within a working fluid circuit having high and low pressure sides. Components of the device may include a heat exchanger configured to be in thermal communication with a heat source whereby thermal energy is transferred from the heat source to the working fluid, an expander located between the high and low pressure sides of the working fluid circuit and operative to convert a pressure drop in the working fluid to mechanical energy, a recuperator operative to transfer thermal energy between the high and low pressure sides, a cooler operative to control temperature of the working fluid in the low pressure side, a pump operative to circulate the working fluid through the working fluid circuit, and a mass management system configured to control an amount of working fluid mass in the working fluid circuit.
US09115604B2

A power system includes a Rankine cycle local generator having a capacity greater than a maximum anticipated power level. One or more control devices are operatively connected to the local generator for regulating active and reactive power generated by the generator. Detectors are provided to sense active and reactive voltages. The controller directs the control devices to regulate the generator such that the active power and reactive power are sufficient to satisfy the active and reactive load conditions.
US09115594B2

An axial flow compressor for a gas turbine engine is disclosed having a casing treatment that includes a shrouded rotor and an airflow member disposed in a passage between a casing and the shrouded rotor. In one form the airflow member is stationary with the casing and in another the airflow member is coupled to rotate with the shrouded rotor. The airflow member can have an airfoil shape in some embodiments. A passage inlet that extracts working fluid and provides it to the passage can be formed between a leading edge of the rotor and a trailing edge. A passage outlet can be formed upstream of the leading edge of the rotor.
US09115587B2

Cooling air is provided from a source of cooling air through a cooling air circuit in a turbine section of a gas turbine engine. A first portion of cooling air is provided from the source along a first path of the circuit to a plurality of blades associated with a stage of the turbine section. A second portion of cooling air is provided from the source along a second path of the circuit. The second path includes a turbine disc bore where the cooling air provides cooling to a radially innermost portion of at least one turbine disc that forms a part of a rotor of the engine. The second path is independent from the first path such that the second portion of cooling air bypasses the stage and is not mixed with the first portion of cooling air in the circuit after leaving the source.
US09115568B2

A downhole measurement tool includes at least one regular receiver and at least one reference receiver externally deployed on a tool body. The reference receiver is configured to be acoustically isolated from the borehole, for example, via an isolation structure including a high-impedance cap and a low-impedance gap. The reference receiver may be deployed in a linear array with the regular receiver(s) and may be substantially identical to the regular receiver(s) such that it has substantially the same sensitivity to tool mode signals and internal drilling noise as do the regular receivers. Received waveforms may be processed so as to remove tool mode arrivals and/or drilling noise.
US09115566B2

A system and method for hydrocarbon production forecasting which includes creating an integrated production model representative of at least two interconnected subsurface tanks, at least one well, and a surface network, wherein the surface network comprises multiple components including at least one pipeline; parameterizing a subsurface part of the integrated production model by using material balance to characterize the at least two interconnected subsurface tanks; parameterizing a well part of the integrated production model based in part on well geometry; parameterizing the surface network based on the multiple components of the surface network; combining the parameterized subsurface part, the parameterized well part and the parameterized surface network into an improved integrated production model; forecasting hydrocarbon production based on the improved integrated production model and displaying the input, output and intermediary products.
US09115564B1

A loading apparatus features a hollow barrel that can be threaded to one end of the stuffing box of a pump. A plunger having an enlarged piston can axially push the contents of the barrel into the stuffing box. The apparatus can be used to install replacement packing elements, such as seals, into the stuffing box. The barrel and the stuffing box can be coaxially engaged by mating threads. A retrieval apparatus is formed from a body have an internally threaded axial bore at one end and a transverse bore at the other. The retrieval apparatus can be used to recover a pump rod that has been retracted while packing elements are being replaced.
US09115563B2

Systems for accessing a well bore including a BOP stack with a universal intervention interface are disclosed. In some embodiments, the system includes a BOP stack and a valve assembly. The BOP stack has a throughbore and is installable on a well such that the throughbore is in fluid communication with the well bore. The valve assembly is coupled to the BOP stack and includes a fluid flowpath in fluid communication with the BOP stack throughbore, two valves connected in series and disposed along the fluid flowpath, the valves operable to control flow through the fluid flowpath, and a ROV panel including ports accessible by a ROV for operation of the two valves.
US09115562B2

A ball launcher system is provided. In one embodiment, such a system includes a ball launcher having a rotatable sleeve installed within an internal bore of a hollow body. The hollow body has ball chutes extending from an external surface to the internal bore. The rotatable sleeve has one or more holes that can be sequentially aligned with the ball chutes by rotation of the sleeve to enable balls within the ball chutes to pass sequentially into a well through the one or more holes. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.
US09115560B2

A seal assembly for sealing an annulus between inner and outer wellhead members includes an energizer ring formed of a high strength elastic material having inner and outer legs. An annular inner recess with grooves on its base is formed on an inward facing surface of the inner leg. An inner diameter seal ring formed of an inelastic material engages the grooves of the inner recess. An annular outer recess with grooves on its base is formed on an outward facing surface of the outer leg. An outer diameter seal ring formed of an inelastic material engages the grooves of the outer recess. When the energizer ring is coaxially inserted in the annulus, the inner diameter seal ring is compressively and permanently deformed into sealing contact with the inner wellhead member, and the outer diameter seal ring is compressively and permanently deformed into sealing contact with the outer wellhead member.
US09115559B2

An elongated inflatable collar is securely attached to the exterior surface of a coiled tubing string before the tubing is lowered into the well for subsequent positioning at a predetermined subterranean location in the well casing. Upon inflation, the inflatable collar seals the annulus between the coiled tubing string and the well casing. A liquid injected from the surface creates sufficient hydraulic pressure on the upper surface of the inflated collar to advance the collar and the attached coiled tubing string and overcome frictional drag forces with the surrounding wall that caused the coiled tubing string to lock-up. The inflatable collar of the present invention can also be used to free a section of coiled tubing that is jammed in the formation due to buckling, by injecting a pressurized liquid into the wellbore downstream of the inflated collar to thereby apply a force to the downhole surface of the collar.
US09115537B2

A battery-powered roller shade system can include a housing that is configured to be coupled to a structure, and can include a housing body that defines an internal cavity and an access opening that extends through the housing body and into the internal cavity. The system can further include a roller tube rotatably mounted in the internal cavity, a roller shade windingly received around the roller tube, and a battery compartment positioned within the internal cavity. The battery compartment can further define an access aperture that is aligned with the access opening, such that at least one battery is removable from the battery compartment through the access aperture and through the access opening without moving the roller shade to a lowered position and without decoupling the housing from the structure.
US09115535B2

A sliding screen door mechanism (100) includes a bottom channel (122), top channel (124) and side channel (126). The bottom channel (122) has a web (132) and a bottom mount (134) which is screw fastened to a surface surrounding an entry door (112). The top channel (124) includes a top web (152), top door track (156) and top mount (154).
US09115534B2

A mounting (28) for a side panel (26) of a weighing machine (10) has two rails (30, 32) which lie opposite one another and extend substantially parallel to each other. The side panel (26) is guided between the rails and thereby moves between a closed position and an open position. A stop (46) on the first rail (30) co-operates with the side panel (26), such that the completely open position is defined, and the second opposite rail (32) lies opposite the first rail (30) with such a spacing that the side panel (26), when being located in the open position, can be moved away by lifting of the rear edge (29) of the side panel (26) over the stop (46), but the opposing front edge (27) of the side panel (26) cannot be lifted or can only be lifted insignificantly.
US09115531B1

A covering of a building opening includes a rail, a first sash, and a second sash. The rail has a first end and a second end at opposite ends, wherein the rail is straight from the first end to the second end. The first sash is connected to a first axle, wherein the first axle is adjacent to the first end of the rail. The second sash is hinged with the first sash, and connected to a second axle, wherein the second axle is engaged with the rail to reciprocate along the rail. The first axle is not on a moving path of the second axle, nor an extending line of the moving path of the second axle. The covering further includes an adjustable assembly for adjusting a vertical position and a horizontal position of the first sash.
US09115522B2

A side load constant force window balance assembly is disclosed. The balance assembly has a spring member, a spring housing, and a carrier module. The spring housing and carrier module are coupled to the spring member. The carrier module is configured to support a portion of a window sash and has an engagement feature configured to selectively engage the window frame.
US09115509B2

An adjustable button apparatus of a lock includes an adjusting sleeve, a transmission rod, a driving plate and a positioning pin, the adjusting sleeve is movable between a positioning position and an adjusting position. When the adjusting sleeve is located at the positioning position, the adjusting sleeve presses the positioning pin and makes the positioning pin engaged with the transmission rod and the driving plate, when the adjusting sleeve is located at the adjusting position, the positioning pin separates apart from the driving plate to make the driving plate transversely movable in the transmission rod. Via the positioning pin inserted at various positions of the driving plate for adjusting a joint length formed by jointing the transmission rod and the driving plate, the lock is applicable for installation in doors of various door thicknesses.
US09115505B2

A bleacher seating system provides a seatback locking and release mechanism that allows for rapid simultaneous repositioning of the seat back portions in each row of seating to aid in setting up and collapsing sets of seating rows. The locking and release mechanism may be actuated to substantially simultaneously unlock all seat back portions in a row from a single location. The bleacher seating system may be readily set up or collapsed by a single operator, such as by manually or remotely unlocking and locking the seat back portions in rows so that the seat backs may be pivoted between raised and lowered positions. In addition, deck nosemount clamps allow for increased walking space behind the seats and a particularly compact seating storage configuration.
US09115499B2

Vertical stairs include a bearing structure 2, which is arranged between a first station “A” and at least one second station “B”, and at least one board 3, which can slide by at least one slide 31 along at least one guide 41 in a mechanical system 4, adapted to move the at least one board 3 along the guide 41. The mechanical system 4 allows the at least one board 3 to be moved along a vertical axis “Z” as a function of the distribution of the weight of at least one user “U” on at least one portion of the at least one board 3, and as a function of the direction in which the user “U” wants to move along the vertical axis “Z” between the stations.
US09115490B2

Attenuating element consisting of a head part, neck part and base part. The neck part is narrower compared to the head part and neck parts of adjacent attenuating elements form a continuous channel. Via the head parts, this channel is connected so that the cross-sectional area of the head parts is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the base parts. In this way, a water-control structure, sound-attenuating wall and the like can be provided. Such attenuating elements can be produced in a very simple manner by dividing them vertically and producing each of the vertical parts from concrete in a mould.
US09115478B2

A helical screw pile includes a longitudinal shaft having a top end and a bottom end with a plurality of helical plates arranged on the shaft in increasing diameter from the top to the bottom. The largest diameter helical plate is located toward the bottom of the shaft. A second helical plate having a diameter smaller than that of the first plate is located above the first helical plate. A smaller third helical plate is located above the second helical plate so that the smallest is located toward the top of the shaft. The helical plates can be spaced apart along the shaft or coupled together in an end-to-end manner to form a continuous helix.
US09115474B2

A bollard covering formed from a body, a body connector, a first center, a second center, a bottom, and a top is disclosed. The body connector and bottom further comprise post guide surfaces. In order to secure the bollard covering to the post, one or more holes are provided within the bottom, threaded to accommodate a set screw, or the like. Bollard covering elements are joined by welding, bonding, or mechanical fastening. Bollard coverings may be formed from standard inventory elements in order to create a standard inventory or a customized bollard covering product that may be economically configured on an individual bollard covering basis, or on small or large scale runs, with as much variation in optional components, features, and conveniences as may be required by the marketplace.
US09115473B1

A system and method for the application of friction-modifying coatings to roadways, walkways, pathways and other areas subject to vehicular, human or animal traffic, the system and method comprising the controlled, simultaneous application of binder and filler to a surface of a substrate, using a mobile device which passes over the substrate as the binder and filler are being applied. Both the binder and the filler are precisely and accurately metered onto the substrate, ensuring uniform coating thickness and performance. The method of this invention also enables the use of different binding systems and precise control over mixing ratios for multi-component binders.
US09115470B2

The disclosure provides a paper slurry comprising a treated inorganic particle having reduced photoactivity and improved anti-microbial properties, wherein the treated inorganic pigment comprises: an inorganic core particle; a first treatment of a silicon compound, wherein the silicon compound is added in a single step; and a second treatment comprising a co-precipitated zinc oxide and alumina.
US09115467B2

A method including: (a) contacting lime with an extract including an S1 solvent carrying a contaminant load to form a lime treated extract; and (b) reducing the contaminant load by removing solids.
US09115458B2

The present invention relates to washer/dryer (1) comprising a drum (3) having a high strength. The washer/dryer (1) of the present invention comprises a connector (9) that supports the drum (3) from the sides and distributes the forces acting on the flange (7) to the elements of the drum (3).
US09115457B2

A method for warning of a residual amount of liquid detergent includes: calculating a total use amount of liquid detergent by adding up a use amount of liquid detergent whenever a washing process is performed; and comparing the total use amount of liquid detergent to a reference amount, and warning of a residual amount of liquid detergent according to the comparison result. Accordingly, a user does not need to frequently check the residual amount of liquid detergent, and may easily fill up a container with the liquid detergent. Furthermore, since a sensor for sensing the residual amount of liquid detergent is not installed, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the washing machine and to prevent a user from getting an electric shock from a current leaking to the container.
US09115454B2

A method and apparatus for determining the amount of detergent in water used in a washing machine and to supplementing such water as needed for a wash load is provided. The amount of detergent present in grey water that is reused for washing, as well as the amount released from clothes or other articles to be washed, can also be determined.
US09115442B2

Coating bath compositions and processes useful in depositing organic polymeric coatings on metal substrates at low voltages are provided, the baths comprising one or more dispersed organic film forming polymers; and an etchant; wherein the principle film forming polymer is stabilized in the bath by the presence of anionic surfactant, but can be readily anodically deposited under low voltage. The invention also relates to processes of depositing a coating and metal substrates coated using the baths and processes of the invention.
US09115441B2

The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for a fine grain surface copper foil with the low roughness, high peeling strength, high chemical resistance, high heat resistance, high resistance to moisture absorption and good etching properties, and applicable to all kinds of printed circuit boards. The technical characteristics are that the adhesion surface of copper foil is electroplated in an electroplating bath composed of copper sulfate, sulfuric acid, tungsten compounds to obtain a roughening treatment layer which is then treated with a electroplating copper foil method for anti-rust and thermoresistance known to the art to get a Zn alloy thermoresistant layer.
US09115436B2

A system to confine a space above an electrolyte in a metal electrowinning cell and to evacuate aerosols of two or three phases that are generated in the space, wherein the system confines in a compartmentalized manner a space above the level of the electrolyte adjoining cathode guides attached to a support structure, the cathodes within their guides, an anodic confiner for each anode, which are mounted directly around them, via their central groove of a length equal to the width of the anode, a pair of flexible projections and a pair of angle profiles of rigid material each of which is located on either side of the anodic confiner, wherein all these elements are linked by a multiplicity of coupling elements.
US09115429B2

A dry non-plasma treatment system and method for removing oxide material is described. The treatment system is configured to provide chemical treatment of one or more substrates, wherein each substrate is exposed to a gaseous chemistry under controlled conditions including surface temperature and gas pressure. Furthermore, the treatment system is configured to provide thermal treatment of each substrate, wherein each substrate is thermally treated to remove the chemically treated surfaces on each substrate.
US09115425B2

Provided is a thin film depositing apparatus. The thin film depositing apparatus includes: a loading chamber loading a plurality of substrates; a first process chamber connected to the loading chamber and including a plurality of sputter guns inducing a first plasma on the plurality of substrates; a buffer chamber connected to the other side of the first process chamber facing the loading chamber; and a substrate transfer module simultaneously passing the plurality of substrates between the plurality of sputter guns during a process using the first plasma and transferring the plurality of substrates from the first process chamber to the buffer chamber.
US09115423B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring and controlling silicon rod temperature. One example is a method of monitoring a surface temperature of at least one silicon rod in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor during a CVD process. The method includes capturing an image of an interior of the CVD reactor. The image includes a silicon rod. The image is scanned to identify a left edge of the silicon rod and a right edge of the silicon rod. A target area is identified midway between the left edge and the right edge. A temperature of the silicon rod in the target area is determined.
US09115418B2

Provided is a method of unevenly distributing a specific element in a copper phase out of platinum group elements that exist in the copper phase, including further adding copper into a molten copper phase containing the platinum group elements including at least rhodium, thereby increasing a distribution ratio of rhodium in the molten copper phase.
US09115414B2

A retort furnace for heat and/or thermochemical treatment designed for technological process in protective gas atmosphere, process gas atmosphere or in vacuum, and used inter alia for annealing pipes made of austenitic alloys, having among other things: a cylindrical outer body with a lid equipped with an active thermal barrier, a cylindrical retort, thermal insulation, a heating system located in the thermal insulation, a cooling system of the furnace. The active thermal barrier constitutes the radiation screens, in the form of at least two metal boards, installed on brackets located at the lid inside the retort. Additionally, radiation caulking rings are located in the extreme areas of the brackets and, circumferential sealing rings are permanently fixed in the casing of the retort.
US09115410B2

Target-specific hybrid capture (TSHC) provides a nucleic acid detection method that is not only rapid and sensitive, but is also highly specific and capable of discriminating highly homologous nucleic acid target sequences. The method produces DNA:RNA hybrids which can be detected by a variety of methods.
US09115405B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel tumor marker and use thereof. In more detail, the present invention provides a novel tumor marker, a method for measuring said tumor marker and a measurement kit, a method for detecting cancer using the same, a kit for detecting cancer, a method for screening a preventive and/or therapeutic agent for cancer, as well as a medicament such as cancer vaccine. According to the present invention, a method for measuring an alternative splicing variant of OATPIB3 mRNA in a sample to be examined is provided. Said measurement method comprises measuring mRNA comprising a nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 in the sequence listing table in a sample to be examined isolated from living organism with differentiation from a mRNA comprising a nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2. Said measurement method is useful for detecting cancer or screening a preventive and/or therapeutic agent.
US09115399B2

The invention relates to methods and materials for diagnosing an autoimmune disease such as SLE, Type 1 diabetes, and the like. More particularly, the invention relates to methods and materials for assessing the frequency of recombination sequence (RS) rearrangement as a novel marker for an autoimmune disease. Such an assay can allow clinicians to diagnose an autoimmune disease based on the RS rearrangement frequency in an autoimmune patient as compared to an otherwise healthy control. In addition, the method includes identifying individuals who are at increased risk of developing autoimmunity. The method may also be helpful in directing the type of therapy and monitoring the effects of therapy in patients with autoimmune or non-autoimmune conditions.
US09115392B2

A method of detecting at least one gene modification such as a mutation in a gene includes carrying out an asymmetric polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with a combined use of at least one detectable mutation-specific hybridization probe (sensor probe) and at least one wild-type specific blocking agent which inhibits a binding of the at least one detectable mutation-specific hybridization probe (sensor probe) to a wild-type gene so as to provide at least one of a selective intensification and an amplification of a detection of a gene segment of a mutation gene having a gene modification.
US09115391B2

The present invention provides a method for detecting a mutation capable of detecting a mutation with high sensitivity and high reliability in one reaction system. Using primers (Xmt) and (Xwt), a target nucleic acid sequence whose objective base to be detected is a mutant-type is amplified with amplification efficiency higher than a target nucleic acid sequence whose objective base to be detected is a normal-type. The (Xmt) is a primer that is complementary to a region including a mutant-type base in the template nucleic acid and has a base complementary to a mutant-type base at a 3′ region, and the (Xwt) is a primer that is complementary to a region including a normal-type base in the template nucleic acid and has a base complementary to a normal-type base at a 3′ region. It is preferable that amplification efficiency by the (Xmt) with reference to a mutant-type template nucleic acid is higher than that by the (Xwt) with reference to a normal-type template nucleic acid. Then, a signal value that shows a molten state of a hybridization product between the thus obtained amplification product and the probe is measured, and the presence or absence of the mutation of the objective base site is determined from a change in the signal value accompanying a change in the temperature.
US09115387B2

The invention generally relates to methods for analyzing nucleic acids. In certain aspects, methods of the invention involve obtaining a sample including a nucleic acid template. A plurality of molecular inversion probes are tiled across a portion of the template. The probes are designed such that immediately adjacent probes hybridize to opposite strands of the nucleic acid template and probes on the same strand hybridize to the template in an overlapping manner. A region between targeting arms of a plurality of the molecular inversion probes is filled-in with nucleotides, and the filled-in region of a plurality of the probes is analyzed to obtain sequence information about the nucleic acid template.
US09115380B2

The present invention relates to kits and methods for efficiently generating 5′ capped RNA having a modified cap nucleotide and for use of such modified-nucleotide-capped RNA molecules. In particular, the present invention provides kits and methods for capping RNA using a modified cap nucleotide and a capping enzyme system, such as poxvirus capping enzyme. The present invention finds use for in vitro production of 5′-capped RNA having a modified cap nucleotide and for in vitro or in vivo production of polypeptides by in vitro or in vivo translation of such modified-nucleotide-capped RNA. The invention also provides methods and kits for capturing or isolating uncapped RNA comprising primary RNA transcripts or RNA having a 5′-diphosphate, and methods and kits for using a capping enzyme system and modified cap nucleotides for labeling uncapped RNA comprising primary RNA transcripts or RNA having a 5′-diphosphate with detectable dye or enzyme moieties.
US09115375B2

The present invention relates to methods for degrading or converting a cellulosic material and for producing substances from the cellulosic material.
US09115371B2

Methods of inhibiting metastasis in cancer patients are provided, wherein the methods comprise reducing TGFβ signaling, for example, by reducing TGFβ receptor II expression in myeloid cells. Vectors comprising a TGFβ receptor II RNAi nucleic acid sequence operably linked to a myeloid specific promoter also are provided. A method of diagnosing cancer in an individual by determining TGFβ receptor II expression in myeloid cells in the individual is provided. Additionally, a method of modulating TGFβ activity in myeloid cells in a cancer patient comprising administering a regulator of at least one of the GSK3 and PI3K pathways to the patient is provided.
US09115368B2

Transgenic seed for crops with improved traits are provided by trait-improving recombinant DNA where plants grown from such transgenic seed exhibit one or more improved traits as compared to a control plant. Of particular interest are transgenic plants that have increased yield. The invention also provides recombinant DNA molecules for expression of a protein.
US09115364B2

The present invention relates to a method of producing a target protein, which method comprises expressing said protein in a host cell which contains a nucleic acid molecule which encodes a chimeric protein, said chimeric protein comprising a signal peptide from a non-mammalian bulk-secreted protein and said target protein; nucleic acids, vectors, host cells and kits for carrying out the method are also described.
US09115358B2

The methods and compositions described herein relate to the identification, isolation, and characterization of genes which encode proteins useful for the biosynthesis of transglycosylase inhibitors such as moes. The methods and compositions also relate to the production of such proteins, and their use in the synthesis of moes, the expression of moes, and the production of modified moes.
US09115355B2

Provided herein are exonuclease resistant polynucleotides and related constructs, compositions, methods and systems.
US09115353B2

A method of inhibiting light-induced degradation of nucleic acids includes irradiating a portion of the nucleic acids in the presence of a detection solution comprising a polyphenolic compound. A method of detecting a nucleic acid having a fluorescent tag includes irradiating at least a portion of the nucleic acid with light of a suitable wavelength to induce a fluorescence emission and detecting the fluorescence emission. Optionally, the polyphenolic compound is gallic acid, a lower alkyl ester thereof, or mixtures thereof. A kit includes one or more nucleotides, an enzyme capable of catalyzing incorporation of the nucleotides into a nucleic acid strand and a polyphenolic compound suitable for preparing a detection solution.
US09115345B2

Compositions and methods for inducing the formation of an induced pluripotential stem (iPS) cell from a somatic cell are disclosed. The compositions comprise miR 302-367 cluster and valproic acid. Further disclosed are methods for treatment of a disease or condition in a subject through the use of the compositions.
US09115343B2

This invention provides a method for testing a factor for cardiogenicity which comprises differentiating human embryonic stem (hES) cells to cardiomyocytes in the presence and absence of the factor wherein the human embryonic stem (hES) cells are cultured under a serum free condition comprising co-culture in the presence of END-2 cells or serum-free extracellular medium therefrom, and measuring the differentiation in the presence and absence of the factor. This invention also provides a method for identifying a cardiogenic factor, which comprises differentiating human embryonic stem (hES) cells to cardiomyocytes in the presence or absence of the factor wherein the human embryonic stem (hES) cells are cultured under a serum free condition comprising co-culture in the presence of END-2 cells or serum-free extracellular medium therefrom, and identifying the factor that affects the differentiation of human embryonic stem (hES) cells to cardiomyocytes in the presence or absence of the factor.
US09115342B2

An object of the present invention is to develop a method for purify cardiomyocytes at a high degree of purification and at a high yield from a cell mixture comprising cardiomyocytes derived from fetuses and stem cells using various features which have not been previously expected to be used for purification of cardiomyocytes or which are newly found, wherein said method is carried out without undergoing any genetic modification or without adding any special proteins or biologically active agents.
US09115339B2

The present invention provides novel fatty acid desaturases genes used for synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially delta-9 desaturases (FADS9-I). The present invention also provides nucleic acid sequence coding the above-described desaturases, expression vector of the above-described desaturases and recombinant microorganism expressing above-described desaturases.
US09115335B2

The invention relates to phosphoric acid esters of polyether-modified alkyl alcohols, to their preparation and to a use of phosphoric acid esters of polyether-modified alkyl alcohols for generating shine on a surface.
US09115331B2

The present invention is directed to novel 3,3-diethyl-alkyl-2-oxa-spiro[4.5]dec-7-ene compounds and a method of improving, enhancing or modifying a fragrance formulation through the addition of an olfactory acceptable amount of these novel compounds.
US09115329B2

The present invention relates to the use as perfuming ingredient of a compound of formula in the form of any one of its stereoisomers or a mixture thereof, and wherein each R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group and at least one of said R1 is a hydrogen atom; R2 represents a linear or branched C3-8 alkyl group or unsaturated groups; and R3 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; in particular to impart odor notes of the violet leaves type optionally together with green odor notes.
US09115325B2

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for producing, storing and using alcohol fuels. In one aspect of the disclosed technology, a method to provide a fuel for an engine includes mixing an alcohol with water to produce a wet alcohol, adding a fuel constituent in the wet alcohol to form a liquid fuel, the fuel constituent being soluble in the wet alcohol, and converting, in a container having an interior formed of an armored material, the liquid fuel into a gaseous fuel substance using at least one of heat energy or electrical energy to pressurize the liquid fuel, the gaseous fuel substance exhibiting a higher pressure and lower density than that of the liquid fuel.
US09115323B2

A gasification reactor including a gasifier having a tubular gastight wall with a discharge channel or dip tube at its lower end leading into a lower slag collection bath. The gastight wall and the slag collection bath are arranged within a pressure vessel. An annular space between the pressure vessel and the gasifier with the discharge channel is separated in a high pressure top section and a low pressure lower section by a sealing arrangement having a damper. The damper can for instance be a hydraulic lock, or a lower seal at a distance below an upper seal.
US09115312B2

A flame retardant comprising a) at least one sulfur compound of the formula (I) A1-(Z1)m—(S)n—(Z2)p-A2  (I) where the definitions of the symbols and indices are as follows: A1 and A2 are identical or different, being C6-C12-aryl, cyclohexyl, Si(ORa)3, a saturated, partially unsaturated, or aromatic, mono- or bicyclic ring having from 3 to 12 ring members and comprising one or more heteroatoms from the group of N, O, and S, where the system is unsubstituted or has substitution by one or more substituents of the group of O, OH, S, SH, COORb, CONRcRd, C1-C18-alkyl, C1-C18-alkoxy, C1-C18-thioalkyl, C6-C12-aryl, C6-C12-aryloxy, C2-C18-alkenyl, C2-C18-alkenoxy, C2-C18-alkynyl, and C2-C18-alkinoxy; Z1 and Z2 are identical or different, being —CO— or —CS—; Ra is C1-C18-alkyl; Rb, Rc, and Rd are identical or different, being H, C1-C18-alkyl, C6-C12-aryl, or an aromatic, mono- or bicyclic ring having from 3 to 12 ring members and comprising one or more heteroatoms from the group of N, O, and S; m and p are identical or different, being 0 or 1, and n is a natural number from 2 to 10, and b) at least one halogen-free organophosphorus compound having phosphorus content in the range from 5 to 80% by weight, based on the phosphorus compound, is particularly suitable for protecting foams based on styrene polymers.
US09115311B2

An oxide ceramic fluorescent material is provided comprising a polycrystalline ceramic sintered body of Y3Al5O12, Lu3Al5O12, (Y,Lu)3Al5O12, (Y,Gd)3Al5O12, or Al2O3 in which a rare earth element selected from Ce, Eu and Tb has been diffused from its surface as fluorescent activator. The concentration of the rare earth element is 1 wt % at a depth of 50-600 μm as measured from the sintered body surface and at least 1 wt % at any position nearer to the sintered body surface.
US09115310B2

A fluorescent material and a light emitting device using the same are provided. The fluorescent material has a general formula of ((LumA1-m)zCe1-z)3Q5O12, wherein 0
US09115308B2

A liquid crystal medium composition of liquid crystal display includes: a negative liquid crystal material, reactive monomer, an initiator, and a stabilizer. The initiator functions to induce photo polymerization of the reactive monomer. The initiator has a molecular structure comprising aromatic rings, carbonyl groups connected to the aromatic rings, and substituted moieties connected to the aromatic rings. The initiator lowers the activation energy of chain initiation reaction of the polymerization of reactive monomer to allow the photo polymerization of the reactive monomer to take place in a wider wavelength range of 200-450 nm, so as to reduce the required intensity and luminance of ultraviolet light and to speed up the reaction of the reactive monomers and also to provide a uniform result of reaction, to reduce the destruction that the ultraviolet light causes on the material of alignment layer and the liquid crystal material, and to improve stability of the panel.
US09115307B2

A soil adherent pellet is detailed that includes a soluble calcium ion source, a magnesium ion source, or both present in an amount ranging from 15% to 99.9% by weight of a total dry weight of the pellet and a binder present in an amount ranging from 85% to 0.1% by weight of the total dry weight of the pellet. The pellet having a mean pellet domain size and a pellet surface. The soil adherent pellet is well suited for flocculating clay within the soil and delivery of an active ingredient with reduced runoff compared to prior art broadcast particles. A soil adherent pellet is also provided having a soluble calcium and/or magnesium ion source that is polycrystalline and carries therewith an active ingredient.
US09115304B2

A wellbore servicing composition comprising a filter cake positioned within a wellbore, the filter cake comprising an invert emulsion fluid, the invert emulsion fluid comprising an oleaginous fluid, a non-oleaginous fluid, and an acid-sensitive surfactant, and an emulsion reversing fluid positioned within the wellbore in contact with the filter cake, the emulsion reversing fluid comprising an acid precursor, wherein the acid precursor is not an acid.
US09115303B2

The present invention is directed to monoester-based drilling fluid compositions and the method of drilling a borehole with said compositions. In some embodiments, the methods for making such monoester-based lubricants utilize a biomass precursor and/or low value Fischer-Tropsch (FT) olefins and/or alcohols so as to produce high value monoester-based drilling fluids. In some embodiments, such monoester-based drilling fluids are derived from FT olefins and fatty acids. The fatty acids can be from a bio-based source (i.e., biomass, renewable source) or can be derived from FT alcohols via oxidation.
US09115302B2

It has been found that the chemical reactivity of the metal surface of heat exchangers with coolants in presence of nitrites can be reduced by the addition of additives such as phosphonates or phosphinates. Aluminum, other Group III metals, as well as other metals commonly used in cooling systems, such as those of automobile engines, may thus be effectively protected.
US09115300B2

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide sacrifical polymer compositions and methods for fabricating electronic devices using such sacrifical polymer compositions where such methods include (1) providing a tacky sacrifical polymer composition that holds components in a desired alignment to one another, (2) providing solder fluxing for effecting electrical coupling; and (3) thermal decomposition or depolymerization of the sacrificial polymer composition to provide essentially residue free surfaces.
US09115297B2

An adhesive composition of this invention includes a hydrocarbon resin and a solvent for dissolving the hydrocarbon resin, the solvent containing a condensed polycyclic hydrocarbon. Thus, an adhesive composition having excellent product stability is provided.
US09115293B2

Provided is a coating material comprising a crosslinker component and a catalyst component, the coating material curing at temperatures of 10 to 80° C., to the use of the coating materials to coat a variety of substrates and to coating compositions comprising coating material.
US09115290B2

The present invention provides a photocurable ink composition for ink jet recording with excellent curability. The photocurable ink composition for ink jet recording includes polymerizable compounds, a photopolymerization initiator, and a colorant, wherein the polymerizable compounds include a vinyl ether group-containing (meth)acrylate represented by general formula (I): CH2═CR1—COOR2—O—CH═CH—R3  (I) (wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2 is a divalent organic residue having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, and R3 is a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic residue having 1 to 11 carbon atoms) and phenoxyethyl (meth)acrylate.
US09115280B2

Composition containing a polyethylene powder having: (a) a specific density of 930 kg/m3 or less; (b) a melt index MI2 greater than 0.5 g/10 min; (c) a ratio of HLMI/MI2 of less than 25, where HLMI is high load melt index measured under a load of 21.6 kg; (d) a bulk density of at least 350 kg/m3; and (e) a d50 greater than 500 μm, and absorbed within said powder at least 1 wt % of a liquid additive. The polyethylene powder has a porosity of at least 0.04 cm3/g for pores smaller than 2μm.
US09115274B2

The present invention relates to cable covering compositions (insulation or jacket) for wires and cables that are fire and water resistant. Significantly, the composition contains no significant amount of lead, halogen, and antimony; and is flame retardant (UL 1685 Cable Tray burn test); and has excellent mechanical and water resistance properties. The covering composition contains (a) a polyolefin; (b) a maleic anhydride modified polyolefin; (c) a butadiene-styrene copolymer; (d) a non-halogen flame retardant; and (e) a silane compound.
US09115270B2

A tyre repair sealing composition having: 30 to 80% natural latex, 5 to 35% synthetic latex, and 10 to 60% ethylene glycol, and wherein the diameter of the synthetic latex particles advantageously has a mean particle-size distribution of 0.04 to 0.5 μm.
US09115269B2

The present invention discloses a polycarbonate resin composition and molded article thereof with excellent flame resistance, no problem with clouding, and excellent haze properties and color tone values. The flame retardant polycarbonate resin composition wherein (B) a metal salt of an organic sulfonic acid and (C) a compound with inclusion capability are contained in (A) a polycarbonate resin, and a flame retardant for a polycarbonate resin comprising an inclusion compound in which (B) a metal salt of an organic sulfonic acid is enclosed by (C) a compound with inclusion capability.
US09115267B2

Herein are disclosed wall repair compounds comprising at least one or more polymeric binder latex emulsions, one or more inorganic fillers, and comprising an amount of organic polymeric thickener that is less than about 0.1 percent by weight based on the total weight of the wall repair compound. In certain embodiments, the wall repair compound comprises an inorganic filler system selected such that such that synthetic inorganic fillers comprise essentially 100 percent of the inorganic filler used. In certain embodiments, the wall repair compound comprises one or more glycol ether smoothing agents.
US09115257B2

The present invention provides a method for producing a rubber composition containing a rubber component (A) of at least one selected from natural rubbers and synthetic dienic rubbers, a filler containing an inorganic filler (B), a silane coupling agent (C) and at least one vulcanization promoter (D) selected from thiurams, dithiocarbamate salts, thioureas and xanthate salts, wherein the rubber composition is kneaded in multiple stages, and in the first stage of kneading, the rubber component (A), all or a part of the inorganic filler (B), all or apart of the silane coupling agent (C) and the vulcanization promoter (D) are kneaded. The production method enables production of a rubber composition having a low-heat-generation property while successfully enhancing the coupling function activity of the silane coupling agent.
US09115249B2

The present disclosure relates to processes and methods of generating hydrogen via the dehydrocoupling of amine boranes using ligand-stabilized homogenous metal catalysts. The amine-borane is shown by the formula (I), R1R2N—BHR3R4. A process is also shown for the preparation of a linear, branched or cyclic polymer which comprises a repeating unit of the formula (II), —[R1R2N—BR3R4]-n, by reacting HR1R2N—BHR3R4 in the presence of at least one ligand-stabilized metal catalyst.
US09115247B2

The present invention relates to a polyamide obtainable by polymerizing an (a) dicarboxylic acid comprising at least 50 mol % of an alicyclic dicarboxylic acid and a (b) diamine comprising at least 50 mol % of a diamine having a substituent branched from a main chain.
US09115241B2

A crosslinkable, branched polyester prepared by free radical polymerization of unsaturated polyester prepolymers, wherein the polymerization occurs primarily by reaction of the unsaturation is disclosed. Coatings comprising the same are also disclosed, as are substrates coated at least in part with such coatings.
US09115235B2

A water absorbing agent includes water absorbent resin particles which are obtained by polymerizing a water-soluble ethylenic unsaturated monomer and which internally include a cross-linked structure, wherein a pressurized void average radius index is 140 or more. As a result, it is possible to provide a water absorbing agent which essentially includes water absorbent resin particles and is suitable for use in a sanitary material. Specifically, it is possible to improve not only a performance for absorbing and retaining aqueous liquid without pressure or under pressure but also (i) a performance for quickly absorbing aqueous liquid with a great help of a performance of a fibrous material, (ii) a performance for dispersing the aqueous liquid after absorbing the aqueous liquid, and (iii) a performance for retaining the aqueous liquid after absorbing the aqueous liquid.
US09115234B2

To provide a water/oil repellent composition which can give water/oil repellency to a surface of an article and has excellent durability (wash durability and heavy-rain durability), a method for producing such a composition, and an article which has water/oil repellency and is less susceptible to deterioration of water/oil repellency when it is washed or in heavy rain. A water/oil repellent composition which comprises a copolymer having polymerized units derived from monomer (a), polymerized units derived from monomer (b) and polymerized units derived from monomer (c). Here, monomer (a) is a compound represented by the formula: (Z—Y)nX; wherein Z is a C1-6 perfluoroalkyl group or the like; Y is a bivalent organic group or a single bond; n is 1 or 2; and X is a polymerizable unsaturated group; monomer (b) is a (meth)acrylate having no polyfluoroalkyl group and having an C20-30 alkyl group; and monomer (c) is vinylidene chloride.
US09115232B2

The invention relates to comb polymers made from maleic acid or derivatives thereof, allyl ethers, and vinyl acetate, and the preparation thereof by free-radical polymerization at a reaction temperature of 10° C. to 50° C. The invention relates further to the use of such comb polymers to improve the workability of hydraulically setting compositions.
US09115231B2

A method for preparing a functionalized polymer, the method comprising the steps of: (i) polymerizing monomer to form a reactive polymer; and (ii) reacting the reactive polymer with a protected hydrazone compound containing an acyl group.
US09115229B2

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a particulate polyethylene product in a loop reactor, wherein the polymerization catalyst applied in the polymerization process comprises a particulate metallocene-alumoxane catalyst immobilized on a porous silica support; and whereby said metallocene-alumoxane catalyst is heterogeneously distributed on said porous silica support.
US09115227B2

The invention relates to a method for producing a polymer using a chain transfer agents. In particular, the invention relates to a process for polymerizing a polymer in the presence of a mixture of at least two chain transfer agents, which mixture comprises a polar chain transfer agent (polar CTA), and a non-polar (non-polar CTA).
US09115226B2

A method of making a heterogenously supported catalyst useful in dimerization, oligomerization or polymerization is provided in which a catalyst precursor containing a metal and an aromatic group are alkylated onto an oligomeric support having at least one terminal unsaturated group by Friedel Crafts alkylation.
US09115225B2

Catalyst compositions containing N,N-bis[2-hydroxidebenzyl]amine transition metal compounds are disclosed. Methods for making these transition metal compounds and for using such compounds in catalyst compositions for the polymerization or oligomerization of alpha olefins also are provided.
US09115222B2

A method is provided for making nanoparticles, including the steps of: combining a hydrocarbon solvent and an aprotic, polar co-solvent, a mono-vinyl aromatic monomer, polymerization initiator, a solution stabilizer, and a first charge of a cross-linking agent. Subsequently, a second charge of cross-linking agent is added. The nanoparticles have an average diameter of 5 nanometers to about 10,000 nanometers. Spherical nanoparticles are also provided that include a cross-linking agent comprising 30% to 60% by weight of the combined weight of a mono-vinyl aromatic species and the cross-linking agent. The spherical nanoparticles also meet the following equation: 0.90≦(D1/D2)≦1.1 wherein D1 is a first diameter of a nanoparticle and D2 is a second diameter of the nanoparticle, and D1 and D2 intersect at right angles.
US09115219B2

A process of degrading nitrile rubbers comprises subjecting them to a metathesis reaction in the presence of specific catalysts with increased activity.
US09115218B2

Anionic polysaccharide derivatives partially functionalized by at least two vicinal hydrophobic groups, the hydrophobic groups, which are identical or different, being carried by an at least trivalent radical or spacer, a method of synthesis of the functionalized polysaccharides, and pharmaceutical compositions having one of the polysaccharides and at least one active principle are provided.
US09115217B2

The invention relates to a dry or slurry process to prepare phosphate-crosslinked cellulose ethers from a cellulose starting material comprising the steps of adding an alkalizing agent to the cellulose starting material to achieve mercerization, adding an etherifying agent to the reaction mixture to achieve etherification of the cellulose, and adding a crosslinking agent to the reaction mixture to achieve crosslinking of the cellulose, wherein at least part of the alkalizing agent is added to the cellulose starting material before the etherification and/or crosslinking reactions take place to obtain alkalized cellulose; the crosslinking agent and the etherifying agent are added one after the other in random order or simultaneously; the crosslinking agent is an alkali metal thmetaphosphate; and the crosslinking and etherification steps are performed at an elevated temperature. Additionally, the invention relates to crosslinked cellulose ethers obtainable by the above process having a viscosity and/or water absorption capacity higher than their non-crosslinked equivalents and the use thereof.
US09115216B2

There is provided a method for producing alkali cellulose comprising efficiently removing cellulose particles which are introduced by a pulp and have accumulated in a circulating alkali metal hydroxide solution. More specifically, there is provided a method for producing alkali cellulose, comprising at least the steps of bringing a pulp into contact with an alkali metal hydroxide solution to obtain a contact product, draining the contact product by a drainer, reusing an alkali metal hydroxide solution recovered in the step of draining for contact with a pulp, and adjusting an amount of cellulose particles in the recovered alkali metal hydroxide solution to 0.5% by weight or less prior to reusing for contact with the pulp.
US09115206B2

A nucleic acid expression construct which encodes a fusion protein includes a reporter protein and a protein with a wild-type destruction signal. A sequence encoding the fusion protein is operably linked to a non-endogenous promoter. The fusion protein localizes during a cell cycle progression to subcellular structures selected from a cell cortex, a contractile ring, and a midbody.
US09115203B2

Isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides and recombinant DNA constructs particularly useful for altering root structure of plants, compositions (such as plants or seeds) comprising these recombinant DNA constructs, and methods utilizing these recombinant DNA constructs. The recombinant DNA construct comprises a polynucleotide operably linked to a promoter functional in a plant, wherein said polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide useful for altering plant root architecture.
US09115201B2

Antibodies against influenza neuraminidase, compositions containing the antibodies, and methods of using the antibodies are provided herein.
US09115194B2

The invention features methods for preventing or treating CGRP associated disorders such as vasomotor symptoms, including headaches (e.g., migraine, cluster headache, and tension headache) and hot flushes, by administering an anti-CGRP antagonist antibody. Antagonist antibody G1 and antibodies derived from G1 directed to CGRP are also described.
US09115186B2

Disclosed herein are trimeric polypeptide pharmaceutical compositions comprising three monomers, each monomer comprising a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of the N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR or HR1) or C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR or HR2) of the transmembrane glycoprotein of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and a trimerization motif.
US09115183B2

Recombinant proteins capable of inducing platelet aggregation and uses thereof.
US09115177B2

The method of the preparation of micafungin sodium comprises the step of mixing the weak base and the aqueous solution containing micafungin acid (the structure is illustrated by formula I) or the mixed aqueous solution containing the compound of formula I and organic solvent in order to obtain the sodium salt of micafungin (the structure is illustrated by formula II).
US09115172B2

The present application discloses compositions and methods of synthesis and use of 18F- or 19F-labeled molecules of use in PET, SPECT and/or MR imaging. Preferably, the 18F or 19F is conjugated to a targeting molecule by formation of a complex with a group IIIA metal and binding of the complex to a bifunctional chelating agent, which may then be directly or indirectly attached to the targeting molecule. In other embodiments, the 18F or 19F labeled moiety may comprise a targetable construct used in combination with a bispecific antibody to target a disease-associated antigen. The disclosed methods and compositions allow the simple and reproducible labeling of molecules at very high efficiency and specific activity in 30 minutes or less. In preferred embodiments, the bifunctional chelating agent bound to 18F- or 19F-metal complex may be conjugated to the molecule to be labeled at a reduced temperature, e.g. room temperature.
US09115168B2

The invention relates to the use of compounds to ameliorate or treat a condition such as a cystic fibrosis, neutropenia or other exemplified conditions. Exemplary compounds that can be used include 7β-hydroxy-17-(3-pyridyl)-androst-4,16-diene-3-one and other androst-4,16-diene compounds substituted at the 17-position with a heterocycle moiety and at the 3- and 7-positions with a hydroxyl, ester, ether or other disclosed moiety.
US09115161B2

The complex of the present invention containing an onium salt and a central Lewis acidic metal has a high catalytic activity at a high temperature for the copolymerization of an epoxide and carbon dioxide to produce a high molecular weight polycarbonate.
US09115157B2

The invention relates to a mono-substituted phosphinic acid and to the use thereof as a regulator in radical polymerization. Such regulators do not result in the formation of poorly soluble salts, and in addition, the polymers produced with the regulators according to the invention are characterized by a uniform polymerization degree having a narrow size distribution. In addition, the invention relates to a method for producing such mono-substituted phosphinic acids.
US09115151B2

The invention provides a compound of Formula (I) pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pro-drugs, biologically active metabolites, stereoisomers and isomers thereof wherein the variable are defined herein. The compounds of the invention are useful for treating immunological and oncological conditions.
US09115144B2

Compounds useful as agents for the prevention or treatment of a disease associated with abnormal serum uric acid level and the like. Fused heterocyclic derivatives represented by the following formula (I) having xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities and useful as agents for the prevention or treatment of a disease associated with abnormality of serum uric acid level, or prodrugs thereof, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. In the formula (I), ring U represents C6-10 aryl or the like; R1 independently represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxy group, C1-6 alkyl or the like; m represents an integral number from 1 to 2; ring Q represents 5-membered heteroaryl; n represents an integral number from 1 to 3; R2 independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, C1-6 alkyl or the like.
US09115135B2

5-Substituted-8-alkoxy[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidin-2-amines are manufactured from 4-amino-2,5-dialkoxypyrimidines in an improved process in which the generation of gaseous by-products is controlled by the continuous addition of hydroxylamine as a free base.
US09115134B2

The disclosure relates to compounds of formula (I): wherein , A, W, X, and Ra are as defined in the disclosure, and salts thereof, and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising said compounds, to processes for preparing them, and to their use as medicaments, in particular as MET inhibitors.
US09115131B2

Compounds of Formula (I), their preparation and use in preventing or treating bacterial infections are disclosed.
US09115117B2

The present invention is directed to compounds of Formula I: wherein X is CR1 or N; Y is CR2 or N; Z is NH or O; R1 is alkoxy, triazolyl, oxazolyl, isoxazolyl, oxadiazolyl, or pyrimidinyl; R2 is H, alkyl, or halo; R3 is H, alkyl, alkoxy, halo, triazolyl, oxazolyl, or pyrimidinyl; R4 is alkyl; R5 is pyridyl; benzoxazolyl; pyrimidinyl; pyridazinyl; quinoxalinyl; pyrazinyl; or quinazolinyl; wherein the pyridyl; benzoxazolyl; pyrimidinyl; pyridazinyl; quinoxalinyl; pyrazinyl; or quinazolinyl is optionally substituted with one or two substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, halo, or phenyl; and R6 is H or alkyl. Methods of making the compounds of Formula I are also described. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of Formula I. Methods of using the compounds of the invention are also within the scope of the invention.
US09115115B1

3-(3-chloro-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine is prepared by cyclizing 3-hydrazinopyridine-•dihydrochloride with a dialkyl maleate to provide an alkyl 5-oxo-2-(pyridin-3-yl)pyrazolidine-3-carboxylate, by chlorinating to provide an alkyl 3-chloro-1-(pyridin-3-yl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxylate, by oxidizing to provide an alkyl 3-chloro-1-(pyridin-3-yl)-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxylate, by converting the ester to the carboxylic acid by hydrolysis to provide 3-chloro-1-(pyridin-3-yl)-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxylic acid hydrochloride, and by removing the carboxylic acid by a decarboxylation reaction.
US09115108B2

Abexinostat tosylate of formula (II): and its crystalline form I characterized by its X-Ray powder diffraction diagram, its Raman spectrum and its solid-state 13C CP/MAS NMR spectrum. Medicinal products containing the same which are useful in the treatment of cancer.
US09115099B2

The present invention encompasses phenoxazine derivatives and methods of use thereof.
US09115097B2

Surface-modified nanoparticles are produced by associating ligand interactive agents with the surface of a nanoparticle. The ligand interactive agents are bound to surface modifying ligands that are tailored to impart particular solubility and/or compatibility properties. The ligand interactive agents are crosslinked via a linking/crosslinking agent, such as hexamethoxymethylmelamine or a derivative thereof. The linking/crosslinking agent may provide a binding site for binding the surface modifying ligands to the ligand interactive agents.
US09115096B2

The present disclosure relates to compounds that are sodium channel inhibitors and to their use in the treatment of various disease states, including cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. In particular embodiments, the structure of the compounds is given by Formula I: wherein Q, R1, X1, X2, Y and R2 are as described herein, to methods for the preparation and use of the compounds and to pharmaceutical compositions containing the same.
US09115095B2

Provided herein are ruthenium complexes of Formula I, and processes of preparation thereof. Also provided are methods of their use as a metathesis catalyst.
US09115094B2

Substituted 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-N,N′,N″-triacetic acid and 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclcododecane-N,N′,N″,N′″-tetraacetic acid compounds with a pendant amino or hydroxyl group, metal complexes thereof, compositions thereof, and methods of making and use in diagnostic imaging and treatment of cellular disorders.
US09115088B2

The present invention relates to a novel class of quinolone-4-carboxamide Pf3D7 inhibitors of general formula (I) (Formula (I)) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8 and X are as defined herein, to their use in medicine, and in the treatment of malaria in particular, to compositions containing them, to processes for their preparation and to intermediates used in such processes.
US09115085B2

The present disclosure relates to crystalline solid forms of [(4-hydroxy-1-methyl-7-phenoxy-isoquinoline-3-carbonyl)-amino]-acetic acid, the process of preparing the forms, and pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use thereof.
US09115081B2

Methods for the preparation of stereoisomerically substantially aminocyclohexyl ether compounds such as trans-(1R,2R)-aminocyclohexyl ether compounds and/or trans-(1S,2S)-aminocyclohexyl ether compounds as well as various intermediates and substrates are disclosed.
US09115075B2

To provide a method for the production of a hydroxycarboxylic acid derivative, by which a hydroxycarboxylic acid derivative, which can be reused in various applications, can be obtained from a polyamide at a high yield without consuming a large amount of energy. A method for the production of a hydroxycarboxylic acid derivative, which is characterized by including allowing an alcohol in a supercritical state to act on a polyamide in the presence of a carboxylic acid derivative to depolymerize the polyamide to obtain the hydroxycarboxylic acid derivative.
US09115071B2

Acetic acid is produced while inhibiting an increased concentration or production of hydrogen iodide in a carbonylation reactor or corrosion of the carbonylation reactor.A production process of acetic acid comprises a reaction step for continuously allowing methanol to react with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a metal catalyst (e.g., a rhodium catalyst), an ionic iodide (e.g., lithium iodide), and methyl iodide in a carbonylation reactor; and in the process, (i) the concentration of the metal catalyst is maintained at not less than 860 ppm on the basis of weight, the concentration of water is maintained at 0.8 to 15% by weight, the concentration of methyl iodide is maintained at not more than 13.9% by weight, and the concentration of methyl acetate is maintained at not less than 0.1% by weight, in a whole liquid phase in the reactor, and/or (ii) the concentration of the metal catalyst is maintained at not less than 660 ppm on the basis of weight, the concentration of water is maintained at 0.8 to 3.9% by weight, the concentration of the ionic iodide is maintained at not more than 13% by weight, the concentration of methyl iodide is maintained at not more than 13.9% by weight, and the concentration of methyl acetate is maintained at not less than 0.1% by weight, in a whole liquid phase in the reactor.
US09115069B2

In the hydroformylation of olefins having 6 to 20 carbon atoms in the presence of a cobalt catalyst in the presence of an aqueous phase with thorough mixing in a reactor, a hydroformylation products-containing first stream is withdrawn at the top of the reactor and an aqueous phase-containing second stream is withdrawn from the bottom of the reactor. The flow rate of the second stream is controlled in accordance with a temperature which is measured at a point in the bottom of the reactor or in a line leading out of the bottom of the reactor. The yield of crude hydroformylation product is increased as a result of stable sustained operation.
US09115058B2

The invention relates to a process for preparing optically active α-aminoacetals by resolution of a racemic mixture or of a mixture of enantiomers via the formation of diastereoisomeric salts, and also novel intermediates in the form of diastereoisomeric salts.
US09115057B2

Disclosed are a gene carrier in which polyethyleneglycol is conjugated with polyethyleneimine and a method for the synthesis thereof. The gene carrier is useful in transferring DNA, siRNA and negatively charged peptides.
US09115053B2

The present invention provides compounds of Formulae (A), (B), (C), and (D), pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, hydrates, polymorphs, co-crystals, tautomers, stereoisomers, isotopically labeled derivatives, and prodrugs thereof, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and kits thereof. The present invention further provides methods of using the compounds to treat or prevent neurological disorders. In one aspect, the methods include administering to a subject in need of treatment for a neurological disorder a therapeutically effective amount of DAC-001, DAC-002, DAC-003, DAC-009, or DAC-012, or a compound of Formula (A), (B), (C), or (D).
US09115052B2

The present invention relates to a process for separating an enantiomer mixture of (R)- and (S)-3-amino-1-butanol optionally protected on the oxygen atom, and to a process for preparing essentially enantiomerically pure (R)-3-amino-1-butanol which optionally bears a protecting group on the oxygen atom.
US09115049B2

A process for obtaining pure aniline contains catalytically hydrogenating nitrobenzene, to obtain a reaction mixture, separating the reaction mixture into a gas phase containing hydrogen and a liquid phase, liquid/liquid phase separating the liquid phase to obtain an aqueous phase and also crude aniline containing water as an organic phase, distillatively pre-purifying the crude aniline by removing the water via an overhead stream of a first distillation column to obtain a first bottom stream, feeding the first bottom stream as a feed stream to a pure column from which a pure aniline stream is taken off at the top and a second bottom stream containing high boilers is taken off, and passing the second bottom stream to incineration, by pumping the second bottom stream through heated pipelines and by adding methanol, ethanol, propanol, and/or acetone to the second bottom stream.
US09115045B2

A method and system for producing methanol that employs both an oxygen transport membrane (OTM) based reforming system together with a more traditional steam methane reforming (SMR) and/or autothermal (ATR) synthesis gas production system is disclosed. The dual mode system and method for producing the synthesis gas in a methanol production process optimizes the efficiency and productivity of the methanol plant by using the OTM based reforming system as an independent source of synthesis gas. The disclosed methods and systems are configurable either as a retrofit to existing methanol production facilities or as an integrated package into newly constructed methanol production facilities.
US09115041B2

A reforming process using a medium pore zeolite under conditions to facilitate the conversion of C8 paraffinic compounds to para-xylene is provided. Para-xylene is produced at greater than thermodynamic equilibrium concentrations using the process.
US09115039B2

Process for the preparation of olefins comprising reacting an oxygenate and/or olefinic feed in a reactor in the presence of a molecular sieve catalyst to form a mixture which comprises olefins and at least partially coked catalyst; passing at least partially coked catalyst to a regenerator; introducing into the regenerator an oxygen-containing gas to regenerate the at least partially coked catalyst, thereby producing a gaseous mixture and at least partially regenerated catalyst; separating at least partially regenerated catalyst and at least part of the gaseous mixture; analysing the composition of the gaseous mixture to control the burning rate of the coke present on the at least partially coked catalyst in the regenerator by adjusting the mass flow rate of the oxygen-containing gas on the basis of the analysis of the gaseous mixture; and passing at least part of the at least partially regenerated catalyst back to the reactor.
US09115035B2

An organic fertilizer and method for making the same. The organic fertilizer comprises a slow release nitrogen source, a nitrogen source, a phosphorous source, a potassium source, a chelator, and a binder. The fertilizer is made by mixing the dry ingredients with water to form a wet mixture. Thereafter the wet mixture is extruded through an extruder and cut to form a pellet. The pelletized fertilizer allows the fertilizer to be more accurately applied.
US09115032B2

This disclosure relates to a method of densifying a lanthanide chromite ceramic or a mixture containing a lanthanide chromite ceramic. The method comprises mixing one or more lanthanide chromite ceramics with one or more sintering aids, and sintering the mixture. The one or more lanthanide chromite ceramics are represented by the formula (Ln1-xAEx)zCr1-yByO3-δ, wherein Ln is a lanthanide element or yttrium, AE is one or more alkaline earth elements, B is one or more transition metals, x is a value less than 1, y is a value less than or equal to 0.5, and z is a value from 0.8 to 1.2. The sintering aids comprise one or more spinel oxides. The one or more spinel oxides are represented by the formula AB2O4 or A2BO4 wherein A and B are cationic materials having an affinity for B-site occupancy in a lanthanide chromite ceramic structure, e.g., ZnMn2O4, MgMn2O4, MnMn2O4 and CoMn2O4. This disclosure also relates in part to products, e.g., dense ceramic structures produced by the above method.
US09115029B2

An object of the invention is to provide, in porous thermal insulating firebricks formed by molding and drying bubble-containing slurry obtained by foaming slurry containing a fire resistant powder and water, a thermal insulating firebrick superior in thermal insulating property in spite of the same composition and porosity.A porous thermal insulating firebrick formed by molding and drying bubble-containing slurry obtained by foaming slurry containing a fire resistant powder with a heat resistant temperature of 1,000° C. or higher and water has the porosity of 60% or more, and 80% or more volume with respect to a total pore volume of the inside of the thermal insulating firebrick consists of pores having a pore size of 200 μm or less.
US09115027B2

A joint compound or wall repair composition and the method of making the same is disclosed that reduces the amount of airborne dust emitted during traditional sanding processes. Generally, such a reduction can be achieved by combining a first binder that has a high glass transition temperature and a second binder that has a low glass transition temperature with conventional joint compound compositions.
US09115026B2

A cementitious matrix in which the development of early strength is fast, the hydration heat temperature is small, and the amount of shrinkage during curing is small, while keeping the fluidity when concrete is fresh, is provided. The cementitious matrix is characterized by comprising 100 parts by weight of Portland cement, 5 to 30 parts by weight of silica fume, 5 to 25 parts by weight of limestone powder, 30 to 80 parts by weight of at least one of ground blast furnace slag or fly ash, at least one chemical admixture, water, and 70 to 150 parts by weight of aggregate having a largest aggregate diameter of 1.2 to 3.5 mm.
US09115020B2

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a low melting point nano glass powder. The method includes the steps of: preparing a bismuth-based low melting point glass powder precursor of a micro size, having bismuth (Bi) as the main ingredient; injecting the glass powder precursor into a reaction chamber of a plasma treatment device; applying thermal plasma via a direct current power source to the glass powder precursor injected into the reaction chamber, to vaporize the glass powder precursor; and generating nano glass powder having a nano size by quenching the gas generated by vaporizing the glass powder precursor.
US09115019B2

Provided is a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible for pulling a silicon single crystal which can suppress melt surface vibration of silicon melt filled therein and has a long lifetime. The crucible includes a peripheral wall portion, a curved portion and a bottom portion, and has a plurality of micro recesses on the specific region of the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion.
US09115018B2

In a known drawing method for producing a cylindrical component from quartz glass, a quartz glass strand (2) is continuously drawn off from a softened quartz glass composition (13) vertically downwards in the drawing direction (3), a piece (15) with a weight G is detached from the free end of the strand at a time t1 and the cylindrical component is produced from the piece (15). When the piece (15) is detached, there may be a sudden reduction in weight, which leads to fluctuations in the thawing-off control. To counteract this, it is proposed according to the invention that a weight compensating force which acts counter to the drawing direction (3), increases over time and completely or partially compensates for the weight G of the piece (15), is applied to the piece to be detached at a time t0 before t1.
US09115016B2

The invention relates to a method for heating a charge using a flame generated by a lance and/or a burner, characterized in that, in a first phase, the flame is directed towards the charge and in that, in a second phase, the flame is directed more or less parallel to the charge.
US09115007B2

The present invention is directed to an assembly and a method of treating rainwater to produce potable water. A compact and easy-to-install apparatus is achievable as a result of a simple, yet highly effective sanitization method. Rainwater is entrained with a gas, and the entrained rainwater is irradiated with an ultraviolet (UV) light to fully sanitize the rainwater. The UV light is used during the irradiation of the entrained water and is also used to form a gaseous bactericide which is used to entrain the rainwater. None of the disadvantages of the prior art systems apply to any rainwater treatment systems which use this method. All of the connections between the component parts may be already provided for in this rainwater treatment unit, and consequently both installation and maintenance costs will be significantly reduced in comparison to the rainwater treatment systems which are known from the prior art.
US09114994B2

Embodiments described herein generally relate to the separation of carbon nanotubes by reversible gelation.
US09114991B2

Described is an organotemplate-free synthetic process for the production of a zeolitic material having an LEV-type framework structure comprising YO2 and optionally comprising X2O3, wherein said process comprises:(1) preparing a mixture comprising seed crystals and one or more sources for YO2; and(2) crystallizing the mixture obtained in step (1);wherein Y is a tetravalent element, and X is a trivalent element, wherein the zeolitic material optionally comprises one or more alkali metals M, and wherein the seed crystals comprise zeolitic material having an LEV-type framework structure. Also described is a zeolitic material having an LEV-type framework structure obtainable by said process, as well as an organotemplate-free zeolitic material having an LEV-type framework structure comprising YO2 and optionally comprising X2O3, wherein Y is a tetravalent element, and X is a trivalent element, wherein the zeolitic material optionally comprises one or more alkali metals M, wherein said zeolitic material is non-calcined.
US09114984B2

In one embodiment, a system for upgrading a hydrocarbon material may include a black wax upgrade subsystem and a molten salt gasification (MSG) subsystem. The black wax upgrade subsystem and the MSG subsystem may be located within a common pressure boundary, such as within a pressure vessel. Gaseous materials produced by the MSG subsystem may be used in the process carried out within the black wax upgrade subsystem. For example, hydrogen may pass through a gaseous transfer interface to interact with black wax feed material to hydrogenate such material during a cracking process. In one embodiment, the gaseous transfer interface may include one or more openings in a tube or conduit which is carrying the black wax material. A pressure differential may control the flow of hydrogen within the tube or conduit. Related methods are also disclosed.
US09114977B2

MEMS device for low resistance applications are disclosed. In a first aspect, the MEMS device comprises a MEMS wafer including a handle wafer with one or more cavities containing a first surface and a second surface and an insulating layer deposited on the second surface of the handle wafer. The MEMS device also includes a device layer having a third and fourth surface, the third surface bonded to the insulating layer of the second surface of handle wafer; and a metal conductive layer on the fourth surface. The MEMS device also includes CMOS wafer bonded to the MEMS wafer. The CMOS wafer includes at least one metal electrode, such that an electrical connection is formed between the at least one metal electrode and at least a portion of the metal conductive layer.
US09114976B1

Among other things, one or more semiconductor arrangements and techniques for forming such semiconductor arrangements are provided herein. A semiconductor arrangement comprises a cap wafer, a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) wafer, and a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) wafer. The cap wafer comprises a first spring structure and the MEMS wafer comprises a second spring structure. The first spring structure and the second spring structure relieve stress as portions of the semiconductor arrangement, such as a membrane and a poly layer, move. An ambient pressure chamber is formed between the CMOS wafer and the MEMS wafer as a thermal insulation air gap to protect the MEMS wafer from heat originating from the CMOS wafer. The ambient pressure chamber is connected to ambient air, such as for CMOS outgassing relief.
US09114965B2

In an embodiment of the present invention, a socket device comprises a sleeve portion for engaging the rotatable driveshaft and a socket portion for use with an impact hammer. The sleeve portion further comprises opposing openings to engage a locking mechanism, such as a pin-lock, nut and bolt, cotter pin, or other locking device appreciated by those with skill in the art.
US09114960B2

A safety device is disclosed for a gantry crane configured to lift containers from a truck driven chassis. The safety device estimates truck movement when the gantry crane lifts the container and sends an alert to avert lifting the truck when the container fails to decouple from the chassis. Motion sensors are disclosed that are configured to coupled to a trolley of a gantry crane and used to create an estimate of the front or back region near a container being lifted. A processor may use the motion sensor signals to avert lifting the truck and/or to avert an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) system reporting a container identification failure when a hatch cover is lifted off of a ship. In various embodiments, the processor may be included in the safety device and/or in the OCR system.
US09114957B2

Disk-shaped pulleys 6 arranged on entrance side IN and exit side OUT and rotated around a horizontal axis, an expansion link chain 8 endlessly wound between the disk-shaped pulleys, and a flexible handrail belt member 10 connected outside the expansion link chain and extendable/retractable in a traveling direction are provided. The expansion link chain comprises expansion links 82 connected in series. The expansion link is flexibly extendable/retractable in length direction and has a pivot 84. An acceleration/deceleration device 12 accelerates/decelerates the pivot, and has a first track chain 122 endlessly guided along a predetermined first track and a first pressing fitting 128 having a rod shape extending outwards swingably attached to the first track chain. A tip of the first pressing fitting is detachably engaged with the pivot to accelerate/decelerate the pivot by continuously changing distance between the pivots by change of swing angle of the first pressing fitting.
US09114956B2

An elevator modification work apparatus for disposing a coupling shaft mounting aperture on an end surface of a motor shaft includes a positioning member on which a recess portion is disposed into which the motor shaft is fitted. Displacement of the positioning member relative to the motor shaft in a direction that is perpendicular to the axis of the motor shaft is restricted by fitting the end portion of the motor shaft into the recess portion. A motor shaft positioning aperture that passes through the positioning member in a direction that intersects a bottom surface of the recess portion is disposed on the recess portion. A position at which to dispose the coupling shaft mounting aperture on the end surface of the motor shaft is specified by a position of the motor shaft positioning aperture when the end portion of the motor shaft is fitted into the recess portion.
US09114948B2

A determination device that determines the mounted state of the roll body on which the medium is wound in a roll shape, includes a roll motor that rotates a rotating member on which the roll body is mounted; a transportation roller that transports the medium fed from the roll body, in a transportation direction; a storage unit that stores information which is capable of specifying a pulling-out direction of the roll body mounted on the rotating member; a sensor that detects a rotation of the transportation roller; and a determination unit that detects whether or not the roll body corresponding to the information is mounted normally. The determination unit determines that the roll body is not mounted normally, in a case where the sensor detects the rotation of the transportation roller is rotating, when the roll motor is rotated in a direction corresponding to the pulling-out direction.
US09114946B2

Provided is a recording apparatus which includes a recording portion which performs recording on a medium, a transport path which extends to the recording portion, a feeding mechanism which sends the medium to the transport path, a manual feeding path which meets the transport path in such a manner that an extending direction of the manual feeding path changes to intersect the transport path and, a guide portion which is disposed in a meeting portion between the transport path and the manual feeding path. When the medium is sent back by the feeding mechanism, the guide portion does not move and, when the medium is inserted into the manual feeding path, the guide portion moves in a direction in which the guide portion is broadened.
US09114944B2

A sheet supply device includes a medium loading part that includes a medium loading surface on which medium is loaded; and a medium supply part that is arranged facing the medium lading surface, and sandwiches the medium with the medium loading part applying a pressure to the medium, and sends the medium loaded in the medium loading part in a predetermined carrying direction. The medium loading part includes a first friction member arranged in a position facing the medium supply part so that the first friction member contacts the medium supply part when there is no medium on the medium loading part, and a second friction member arranged on an upstream side of the first friction member in the carrying direction, and a friction coefficient (μd) between the second friction member and the medium is larger than a friction coefficient (μc) between the first friction member and the medium.
US09114940B2

A basic idea of the present application is that in case of determining a position of the object on the surface, it is possible to also use transport mechanisms for the transport of the object on the surface which leads to less reproducible transport movements as the regulation may be executed directly on the basis of the observed movement as compared to the desired movement. Embodiments using compressed air, magnetism and/or bending waves are described.
US09114935B2

The present invention provides a plate member conveying apparatus configured such that an occupied area is small, and a plate member is unlikely to be damaged. A plate member conveying apparatus according to the present invention includes a feed device having a conveying portion and a pressurizing portion. The conveying portion includes a belt configured to contact one of surfaces of a plate member in a vertical state to feed the plate member in a conveying direction. The pressurizing portion applies pressure of a fluid to the other surface of the plate member in the vertical state in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the plate member to press the plate member toward the belt. Then, the plate member in the vertical state is conveyed while being held by sandwiching the plate member between the belt of the conveying portion and the fluid of the pressurizing portion.
US09114926B2

A container (101) has a constant wall thickness vessel (102) with a valve (103) crimped on at a neck (104) in the vessel. The valve has a dispensing stem (105). The vessel is circularly cylindrical and formed with an groove (106) extending parallel with the length of the vessel, from a base (107) to the neck (104). When the container is lain on its sidewall (108), it will roll, changing its orientation, until the groove (106) is at the surface as shown in FIG. 7, with the groove in effect floating on the surface of the liquid, providing an indication of the actual quantity of content in the container.
US09114923B2

A protective cover for an electronic device that has an interactive control panel and one or more electrical contacts includes a protective shell having a first member and a second member. The first member has a first coil arranged to convey electromagnetic energy with respect to a second, external coil. The second member is configured to join with the first case member to at least partially cover the electronic device. An aperture defined by the protective shell is aligned with the interactive control panel when the electronic device is at least partially enclosed by the protective shell. An electrical connection attached to the protective shell is configured to directly or indirectly convey electrical power received at the first coil to at least one of the electrical contacts of the electronic device to provide an electrical connection to the electrical source when the electronic device is received by the first member.
US09114920B1

An beverage and snack consumption enhancing lid. The lid includes at least one of a snack receiving receptacle and at least one beverage flavoring capsule receptacle. A snack ejector is installed or integrated into the snack receiving receptacle. A snack is packaged within the snack receiving receptacle and retained therein by a snack cover. A beverage flavoring capsule is placed in each at least one beverage flavoring capsule receptacle and retained therein by a seal. The snack cover can multi-function as the capsule seal. The snack ejector would raise the snack from the snack receptacle when the cover is opened. The capsule can be compressed against a piercing element integrated into the capsule receptacle. Flavoring from within the capsule would be dispensed into the beverage to enhance the beverage flavor.
US09114915B2

Disclosed herein are disinfecting caps that can be used to cover and disinfect both a male medical connector and needleless injection site when not in use or when disconnected from each other. The caps contain a disinfecting agent.
US09114914B2

A storage bag has first and second closure profiles that include interlocking members configured to seal an opening of the bag. A textured area is provided on the first closure profile adjacent to the interlocking member and adjacent to an end of the first closure profile. The textured area provides a visual cue to indicate that the process of sealing the interlocking members should begin at the end of the first closure profile and move towards a center of the bag.
US09114910B1

A container which includes a first container member having a second container member selectively removably positioned therein. The first container member has a liquid therein such as soda. The second container member has a liquid therein such as liquor. The bottom of the second container member opens when the second container member is pulled upwardly and outwardly of the first container member so that the liquor mixes with the soda.
US09114908B2

A packing box (1, 2) with a bottom wall (15) and adjoining side and end walls (3-8) and at least one closure lid (9, 10) is provided. Several roughly identical packing boxes (1, 2) may be joined to each other at their mutually adjacent side walls (4, 5) and may swivel about a breakable film hinge (17) and at least one breakable connection cam (14) spanning the film hinge which is arranged between the mutually adjoining side walls (4, 5).
US09114907B2

A transport device for shock sensitive packages maintains an object in a near zero gravity spatial orientation to reduce or eliminate potentially harmful mechanical shock and or vibration to a body, object or device needing protection. This device has active impact cancellation, and is controlled by a computer via attached sensors that return positional data and reduce or eliminate the deceleration rate of the protected body via programmed algorithms, and rapidly compensating linear actuators.
US09114906B2

A mold for molding an injection molded article comprises a mold cavity with a non-symmetrical portion. At least one flow leader in the non-symmetrical portion of the cavity may produce a symmetrical flow boundary in a multilayer flow downstream of the non-symmetrical portion of the mold cavity. The at least one flow leader may be a variable thickness flow leader. The multilayer flow comprising an inner layer, an outer layer, and an interior layer. Co-injection molding apparatus and methods that may use the foregoing mold are disclosed. Similarly, co-injection molded articles and containers that may result from the foregoing mold, apparatus, and methods are disclosed.
US09114903B2

A squeeze container includes a container body having flexibility, and a press restriction member that is provided inside the container body and that restricts, from inside the container body, deformation of the container body due to pressing of a side surface of the container body from outside thereof. A content liquid of the container is discharged by pressing the side surface of the container body from outside thereof. The squeeze container has, on the side surface of the container body, measurement scale markings arrayed in the vertical direction. The inner diameter of the container body within an arrayed range in which the measurement scale markings are arrayed in the vertical direction is formed to have a smaller diameter than an upper portion and/or a lower portion of the container body. Further, there is a corresponding relationship between a position, in the vertical direction, on the array of the measurement scale markings and a discharge amount when that position is pressed.
US09114874B1

Aircraft hubcap structure for attachment to a wheel of an airplane wheel and tire assembly includes a dome-shaped hubcap and a bushing attaching the hubcap and the wheel.
US09114867B2

Disclosed is an air vehicle mounted or mountable transmitting and/or receiving equipment including a transmitting and/or receiving turret allowing at least a forward field of view, the device being mounted or mountable on a fuselage such that it extends away from the fuselage to which it is mounted; and a fairing mounted to the fuselage adjacent the device at a rearward side of the device for reducing aerodynamic drag, the fairing being retractable by, for example, an electrically driven mechanism, to afford the device a rearward (arrow R), or more effective rearward, field of view for transmitting and/or receiving.
US09114864B2

A hull seal assembly securing a drive unit within an opening in a boat hull may include a lower housing section, an upper housing section and an intermediate housing section of the drive unit, with the intermediate housing section having an outwardly extending retention portion. The hull seal assembly further includes a hull support ring mounted to a bottom of the boat hull and surrounding the opening and a clamp ring installed around the drive unit. with the hull support ring having a downwardly facing support ring surface; and fastened to the hull support ring and having an upwardly facing clamp ring surface. The outwardly extending retention portion may be disposed between a downwardly facing support ring surface and an upwardly facing clamp ring surface to retain the outwardly extending retention portion of the drive unit within the hull support ring.
US09114861B2

A personal watercraft is provided which includes a body including a deck and a hull having a water intake on a bottom portion thereof; a water jet pump configured to suction water through the water intake and eject the water through an outlet port of an ejecting nozzle; an engine for actuating the water jet pump; an ejecting direction adjusting device for adjusting an ejecting direction of the water ejected from the water jet pump; a driver seat section provided on the deck and configured to accommodate a driver seated in a straddle state; a passenger seat section provided on the deck behind the driver seat section and configured to accommodate a passenger seated in a straddle state; a sensor for detecting the passenger seated on the passenger seat section; and a controller for controlling the engine to reduce an engine driving power, if the sensor detects the passenger.
US09114845B2

In a mobile vehicle 1A having a front wheel 3f and a rear wheel 3r, the steered wheel 3f can be steered by an actuator 8. A control device 15 controls the actuator 8 so as to stabilize the inclination angle φb in the roll direction of the vehicle body 2 and the steering angle δf of the steered wheel 3f. The control device 15 causes the sensitivity of the steering of the steered wheel 3f to the change in observed value of the inclination angle φb to be changed in accordance with the steering angle of the steered wheel 3f.
US09114839B2

A vehicle trim assembly is provided having a beverage retainer formed in a storage compartment on the door of an automotive vehicle. The trim assembly includes a storage receptacle and a trim component such as a trim panel arranged to define at least a portion of the storage receptacle. The trim panel includes a base portion connected to a beverage retainer portion via a living hinge. The beverage retainer portion is pivoted about the living hinge into position within the storage receptacle. The trim assembly may include a trim component assembled onto a pillar and pivoted about the living hinge between a use position and a stored position.
US09114836B1

A vehicle assembly includes a roof structure having a roof panel formed of aluminum or an aluminum-based alloy and a vehicle body formed of steel or a steel alloy supporting the roof structure. The vehicle body includes a pair of laterally spaced side panels, a front roof rail and a rear roof rail. A bracket formed of steel or a steel alloy secures the roof structure to the vehicle body. The bracket has a first portion fastened to the roof panel and a second portion extending away from the roof structure and welded to the vehicle body. An adhesive located inward of the connection of the vehicle body and second portion of the bracket bonds the second portion to the vehicle body. The adhesive seals the connection of the roof panel and bracket first portion and reduces thermal distortion of the attached roof panel relative to the vehicle body.
US09114830B2

The invention relates to a steering axle (1) for a vehicle, wherein steering levers (31, 32) are articulated to both sides of an axle body (2) and each of the steering levers (31, 32) is operatively connected to a track arm (41, 42), and a tie rod (5) is hingedly connected at both ends at attack points (61, 62) to the track arms (41, 42). It is proposed to provide the track arms (41, 42) with an adjustment device (71, 72) for changing the position of the attack points (61, 62).
US09114829B2

Construction is achieved wherein a steering wheel can displace smoothly in the forward direction during a secondary collision, even when an electric motor 13a of an electric power steering apparatus protrudes to the side. The distances from the center axis of the steering column 6c to the connecting sections between the installation plate sections 17e, 17f and a portion 34 fastened to the vehicle body are different from each other on both sides of the steering column 6c, such that the distance Le for the installation plate section 17e located on the side where the electric motor 13a is located is shorter than the distance Lf for the installation plate section 17f that is located on the opposite side from the electric motor 13a. The ratio of a separation load that is applied to the installation plate section 17e on the side where the electric motor 13a is located is made to be large. The tendency for the dropping away toward the front on the side where the electric motor 13, having a large inertial mass, is located, being difficult, is cancelled out by the ease of the dropping away of the installation plate section 17e.
US09114828B2

When adjusting the forward-backward position of a steering wheel, together with reducing any uncomfortable feeling experienced by the driver, a support bracket is prevented from breaking away toward the front due to an extremely large force applied during the adjustment operation. Elastic sleeves 35 are mounted inside the long holes 25a in the forward-backward direction, and an adjustment rod 19a is inserted through the inside of the elastic sleeves 35. Gaps 36 located between the outer circumferential surface of both end portions in the forward-backward direction of the elastic sleeves 35 and the inner circumferential surface of the both end portions in the forward-backward direction of the long holes 25a in the forward-backward direction. When adjusting the forward-backward position the steering wheel, the adjustment rod 19a forcibly displaces toward the end portions in the forward-backward direction of the long holes 25a in the forward-backward direction, and when forcibly colliding with the inner circumferential surface of the end portions in the forward-backward direction of the elastic sleeves 35, the gaps 36 reduce the impact that is applied to the inner circumferential surface of the end portions of the long holes 25a in the forward-backward direction from the adjustment rod 19a by increasing the amount that the end portions of the elastic sleeves 35 elastically deform.
US09114827B2

A riding yard maintenance vehicle may include a frame, a steering assembly, and a cable. Wheels of the riding yard maintenance vehicle may be attachable to the frame. The steering assembly may include a steering apparatus operably coupled to front wheels of the riding yard maintenance vehicle via a cable system. The cable system may include the cable, which may be wrapped around at least a portion of the steering shaft. The cable may terminate at respective ends thereof at corresponding portions of a turn magnification assembly that indirectly couples the cable to the front wheels. The turn magnification assembly may be configured to approximate Ackermann geometry steering of respective ones of the front wheels based on movement of the cable responsive to rotation of the steering shaft.
US09114807B2

To improve the drivability of an automobile at the time of transmission which restricts a torque of an engine, a hybrid automobile is structured which performs transmission control for performing control so that an output restriction is temporarily released in a step of restoring a torque that is reduced once in neutral at the time of transmission during the output restriction by an output restriction control unit and a torque by a motor is added to the torque of the engine.
US09114806B2

A system and method for controlling battery power in a hybrid vehicle for a given driver demand that balances battery state of charge and battery capacity limits while operating the engine at a system efficient engine power. Predictive information may be used to predict battery energy usage during a future time window that indicates a charging opportunity (excess power will be absorbed by the battery) or a boosting opportunity (battery power will be discharged). Based on this information and the current state of charge of the battery, an associated battery power for a given driver demand is determined.
US09114799B2

A brake system is provided for a vehicle equipped with a continuously variable belt transmission (hereafter a “CVT”) having a CVT input shaft and a CVT output shaft. The CVT functions as a clutch-disengagement action for isolating rotation of the CVT output shaft from the CVT input shaft when a rotary speed of the CVT input shaft is reduced to a certain level. The vehicle is equipped with a prime mover driving the CVT input shaft so that an output rotary speed of the prime mover defines the rotary speed of the CVT input shaft. The vehicle includes an accelerator manipulator for controlling the output rotary speed of the prime mover. The brake system can cause a resistance against the rotation of the CVT output shaft using the accelerator manipulator to reduce the output rotary speed of the prime mover to make the CVT function as the clutch-disengagement action.
US09114796B2

Methods and systems are provided for diagnosing an intake air temperature sensor in a hybrid electric vehicle. An engine temperature is compared to each of an intake air temperature sensed before an engine start but after sufficient engine soak, as well as an intake air temperature sensed after selected vehicle operating conditions have elapsed since the engine start. Based on discrepancies between the air temperature and the engine temperature, degradation of the sensor is determined.
US09114787B2

A pressure generating device generates a hydraulic pressure as a result of a tensile or compressive load. The device has connections, one of which can be rigidly connected to a frame by way of a mechanism for introducing a mechanical tensile or compressive load, a pressure cylinder and a piston unit extending at least partially and flexibly in the pressure cylinder and bounding a hydraulic chamber filled with hydraulic fluid jointly with the pressure cylinder. The chamber has a simple and inexpensive construction. The connections are connected to the pressure cylinder or the piston unit by way of a coupling device that is configured such that the same hydraulic chamber has pressure applied thereto under tensile load and under compressive load.
US09114785B2

Braking system with master cylinder (100), decoupled from the brake pedal and hydraulic brake booster (200), comprising a boost chamber (206) in which the rear of the piston (110) of the master cylinder (100) is inserted, supplied in a controlled manner by a high-pressure unit (300), supplying brake fluid under high pressure on command to the boost chamber in order to act on the piston (110) of the master cylinder (100), and an actuator chamber (209) receiving an actuator piston (220) connected to the control rod (230) of the brake pedal. A controlled hydraulic link (320, 321) connects the boost chamber (206) and the actuator chamber (209) and a further controlled hydraulic link (310, 311) connects the actuator chamber (209) to the chamber of a brake simulator (270).
US09114780B2

A piston for a pretensioner device (10) for a motor vehicle seat belt system of a type having a gas generator (17) with the piston (21) guided in a tube (16) that closes a pressure space (20) in the tube (16). The pressure space (20) can be pressurized by the gas generator (17), driving the piston (21) to undergo pretensioning operation transmitted to the seat belt system by a force transmission means. The piston has a dome shaped front side adapted to engage a force transmission element and a skirt forming a sealing lip oriented toward the pressure space. At least one slot is formed in the outer surface of the piston extending axially from the sealing lip. The slot can be enlarged by the material erosion caused by the pressure and/or pressure conditions in the pressure space produced by gas from the gas generator.
US09114776B2

A vehicle and an airbag assembly are disclosed. A bladder includes a first expandable region defining a first maximum width between first and second sides of the first expandable region along a first axis when in a deployed position and a second expandable region defining a second maximum width between first and second sides of the second expandable region along the first axis when in the deployed position. A tether faces the second side of the first expandable region. The tether is attached to the bladder such that the first side of the second expandable region and the second side of the first expandable region partially overlap each other in the deployed position to cause the first expandable region to deploy outwardly in front of the second expandable region to define a total width along the first axis greater than one of the first and second maximum widths.
US09114771B2

The disclosed apparatus, systems and methods relate to a quick release grill guard further comprising at least one latching system configured for the quick release and pivot of the grill guard away from the vehicle grill face. In certain embodiments, the quick release grill guard further comprises a grill guard coupling portion, a vehicle coupling portion, a latching portion a hinge, a quick release bar; and a clasping member. In certain embodiments, the grill guard coupling portion is capable of being freely pivoted relative to the hinge by actuation of the clasping member by way of the quick release bar. In exemplary embodiments, the quick release bar is in operable communication with multiple latching systems so as to release the grill guard in a plurality of locations simultaneously.
US09114759B1

A carrying device for attachment to a vehicle includes a carrying section configured to receive the full diameter and at least more than half of the length of a golf bag, an opening at its upper extremity configured to allow the golf bag to enter the carrying section, and a plurality of sidewall openings configured to visually expose the golf bag through the sidewall openings more than to visually enclose the golf bag through the carrying section. The first vehicle coupler is configured to be coupled to a vehicle and includes a first receiver having a first substantially rectangular cuboidal cavity and a second receiver having a second substantially rectangular cuboidal cavity. A first connector couples the carrying section to the first vehicle coupler through the first substantially rectangular cuboidal cavity. A second connector couples the carrying section to the second vehicle coupler through the second substantially rectangular cuboidal cavity.
US09114758B1

A hitch receiver mounted cargo carrier has a series of mount stations onto which various accessories can be removably attached. A handle, either manual or attachable to another vehicle, is received within the hitch mountable receiver tube. Vertical members, which can hold, grills, fishing rods or act as rails, etc., are attached within gaps between grid blocks located on either end of the carrier. A pair of latitudinal channels, which are part of holding rails of the top surface of the carrier, can support horizontal members, such as canopy rails. Landing gear, with or without wheels attached can be pivotally mounted proximate either end of the carrier.
US09114749B2

A fastening device having a body portion made of an elastomeric material. The fastening device further includes first and second ends configured with retainer rings into which various end attachment can be formed. End attachments are further configured to engage each other, to engage holes formed in the body portion of the fastener, or to engage other objects.
US09114747B2

The heating elements of a seat heater are used to warm the occupant seated on the seat and also used to detect the occupant. The configuration eliminates the need to dispose, in the vicinity of the seating surface of the seat, both a heater unit used for warming the occupant and a sensor for detecting the occupant. As a result, the structure of the seat is simplified to prevent deterioration in seating comfort, and at the same time, the occupant can be accurately detected and the heating elements can be efficiently utilized.
US09114734B2

A collection bin for use in a vehicle has a body defining an interior space and an opening top rim, the rim being substantially rigid so as remain open without force to overcome a closure, and having a hanging flap attached to an edge of the opening rim which depends towards a bottom of the body such that the hanging flap can be received in a seat back pocket of a vehicle seat, wherein the hanging flap attachment is substantially along the full length of an edge of the opening rim. Optionally, the hanging flap may depend a full depth of the body, and may have break-way sections to shorten it.
US09114731B2

A vehicle seat according to the present invention may include a seat cushion that is composed of a stationary cushion portion and a movable cushion portion, in which the movable cushion portion is capable of being tilted so as to be low in a getting in/out side while being raised with respect to the stationary cushion portion, and a cushion tilting mechanism that is disposed under the seat cushion and is configured to tilt the movable cushion portion while raising the same with respect to the stationary cushion portion.
US09114728B2

An electric vehicle comprises a motor controller for controlling an electric motor to execute a control routine to perform torque control when the driving power transmission path is detected to be in the driving power transmission state, and executes a control routine to perform rotational speed control, when the driving power transmission path is detected to be in the driving power cut-off state; wherein in the rotational speed control, an angular velocity of an upstream rotary member gets close to an angular velocity of a downstream rotary member; wherein when shifting from the driving power cut-off state to the driving power transmission state, the motor controller switches the rotational speed control to the torque control after performing predetermined transit control; and wherein a change rate of the torque output is made less in the transit control than in the torque control.
US09114727B2

A system and a method of assisting a driver in driving an electric vehicle in a more environmentally efficient manner are disclosed. In particular, an information collecting section collects information operating the electric vehicle and a control logic section generates control logic and models related to route calculation to a destination and operation of the electric vehicle based on the collected information. A route setting section calculates a plurality of travel routes based on the control logic and the model related to the route calculation and sets an optimum travel route having the highest energy efficiency among the plurality of travel routes. A vehicle driving controller monitors the vehicle state and controls driving of the electric vehicle based on the control logic and the model related to the driving of the electric vehicle when the electric vehicle travels along the optimum travel route set by the route setting section.
US09114724B2

A control method of a vehicle having a motor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can include confirming that a speed of the motor is not 0 and an output torque thereof is 0 in a condition that the vehicle is being operated, confirming that a voltage of the motor converges to a regular value, and accumulating control data for the motor and processing the control data to calculate an offset value of a resolver. Accordingly, the control method of a vehicle effectively determines whether the offset of the resolver is to be compensated without affecting the drivability of the vehicle.
US09114720B2

A system for positioning a vehicle over a wireless charging station. The system includes a plurality of ultra wideband transceivers (UWBX) installed on the vehicle and the wireless charging station, and a controller configured to determine various distances between the various UWBXs.
US09114713B2

An energy management device includes an energy transfer unit, and a control unit that generates a control signal based at least on a residual electric quantity of each of high power and high energy storage devices of a vehicle, whether the energy transfer unit is coupled to an external energy source, and a position of the vehicle. The energy transfer unit performs, based on the control signal, energy transfer among the external energy source, the high power and high energy storage devices, and at least one energy load of the vehicle.
US09114712B2

A method for determining state variables of an electric motor for driving a motor vehicle, comprising the procedural steps: measuring (102, 104) data (103, 105) which comprise information about a current state of vehicle components (10, 12, 30, 40); converting (110) the measured data (103, 105) into data (111) related to the electric motor (10) using a vehicle model of the motor vehicle (1); evaluating (120) the data (111) related to the electric motor (10) using a machine model of the electric motor (10) for determining at least one first state variable (121) of the electric motor (10); determining (130) at least one second state variable (131) of the electric motor (10) using a sensorless method; comparing and assessing for plausibility (140) the at least one first and the at least one second state variable (121, 131).
US09114700B2

A hybrid transmission of a vehicle may include a first input shaft receiving power from an engine through a first clutch, a second input shaft disposed substantially in parallel with the first input shaft and receiving power from the engine through a path different from the first input shaft, an output shaft disposed substantially in parallel with the first input shaft and the second input shaft, a common shift module including a plurality of shift gears and a plurality of synchronous apparatuses, a motor connected to the first input shaft, and first and second planetary gear apparatuses.
US09114699B2

In a hybrid drive apparatus, a first planetary gear mechanism transmits rotation of a first main shaft to which the engine driving force is inputted to a main speed-changing part at an equal speed due to engagement of a first clutch, and transmits the rotation of the first main shaft to the main speed-changing part and a first motor/generator at an increased speed due to engagement of a second clutch. This enables the range of gear ratios of the transmission to be extended and the degree of freedom in setting a gear ratio or a step ratio to be increased, and enhances the power generation efficiency by rotating the first motor/generator at a high speed without using a special speed increase device.
US09114698B2

When a vehicle collision is detected, a electric connection between a power supply and an input stage of an inverter is switched to the disconnected condition. Then, when a rotation speed of an alternating current motor is higher than an allowable rotation speed or a terminal voltage of a storage unit provided at the input stage is higher than an allowable terminal voltage, an exciting current command value is set at a value other than zero and a torque current command value is set at zero, and when the rotation speed is equal to or lower than the allowable rotation speed and the terminal voltage is equal to or lower than the allowable terminal voltage, both command values are set at zero. An exciting current component and a torque current component of an alternating current supplied from the inverter to the motor are controlled according to the set command values.
US09114691B2

A protector with a sensor is installed on a sliding door for detecting an alien substance by touch between two core wires in a hollow part. In a terminal part of the protector with the sensor, the core wires drawn out are connected with leads joined with a control unit, an insert fills up a space and the terminal part is die molded. Materials of the insert and the die molding material have compatibility with each other.
US09114690B1

A modular roof assembly includes a pair of side rails configured for attachment to longitudinal roll bar members of a vehicle frame by at least one fastener. The side rails extend a direction along a length of the vehicle frame and include at least one guideway to slidably receive transverse tensioning bows and a track car for a soft top and include at least one attachment member adapted to latchably receive at least one hard top panel.
US09114689B2

A side panel of a cover which can be folded out through a roof opening in a vehicle roof, said side panel being adjustable between a lowered starting position when the cover closes the roof opening and a raised covering position when the cover is folded out, wherein provision is made according to the invention that the side panel, in the lowered starting position thereof, is arranged below a boundary or contact region between a side edge of the cover and a roof part adjoining the roof opening and at a distance from the cover.
US09114688B2

Slider unit for mounting a movable roof member to a vehicle roof. A sliding block has at least two sliding faces and a carrier member, which is designed for coupling to the movable roof member and for mechanical coupling to the sliding block. The carrier member has a first tab and a second tab which are arranged substantially centrally in the carrier member relative to a displacement direction (V) of the slider unit. The first tab is in engagement with a recess in the sliding block to fix its position in relation to the fixed part of the vehicle roof. The second tab engages with the recess of the sliding block and is designed in such a manner that the sliding block is pretensioned in relation to the vehicle-fixed part in the mounted state of the slider unit.
US09114670B2

A multifunction receiver shared by an electronic key system and a tire pressure monitoring system. The electronic key system verifies an electronic key with a verification control unit of a vehicle body through wireless communication, and the tire pressure monitoring system monitors tire pressure of a tire by transmitting a tire pressure signal from a sensor arranged on the tire to the vehicle body through wireless communication. The multifunction receiver includes a trigger signal generation unit that generates a trigger signal when a level shift occurs in at least one of a first operation mode switch signal and a second operation mode switch signal from the verification control unit. A mode setting unit sets an operation mode based on the first operation mode switch signal and the second operation mode switch signal in response to the trigger signal received from the trigger signal generation unit.
US09114668B2

Disclosed is a pneumatic tire comprising (A) reinforcing layer comprising a plurality of reinforcing cords or wires coated with a rubber composition, wherein (B) a film layer, (C) an elastomer layer, and (D) a film layer comprising ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer are sequentially laminated on the tire inner surface side of reinforcing layer (A), and the product of Young's modulus Eb (MPa) and thickness Gb (mm) of film layer (B) is equal to or more than 5 kN/m, wherein the reinforcing layer having improved durability.
US09114665B2

Disclosed is a transfer member including a permeable layer, a pigment layer formed on the permeable layer by an ink jet method, and an adhesive layer having adhesivity formed on the pigment layer, wherein a dispersion medium of an ink containing a pigment to form the pigment layer permeates into the permeable layer.
US09114664B2

A mosaic concrete product, methods of creating the same, and methods of fabricating a module for use in creating the mosaic are provided. The methods of installing the mosaic upon an uncured concrete surface utilize the module. The module may be fabricated by mapping out tile in a design corresponding to the mosaic; adhering the tile to a template utilizing an adhesive, the tile being positioned thereon corresponding to the design; and allowing the adhesive to set. The module may define upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface including the tile adhered thereto. The methods of installing the mosaic comprises: positioning the module upon the uncured concrete surface; embedding the tile into the concrete surface; massaging the tile into the concrete surface to interpose a quantity of cement/fines paste between the adjacent tiles; and finishing the concrete surface.
US09114659B2

A self-standing desktop calendar having first and second rigid metal panels and a plurality of pages therebetween all being rotatably connected by a spiral ring through a plurality of apertures in the each of the panels and the pages. A planar base is included having opposing parallel sidewalls with slots for receiving the bottoms of the panels to enable the calendar to stand upright on a desk. The sidewalls of the base fit around the bottom of the panels when the calendar is in a closed configuration.
US09114625B2

Methods and systems are provided for color printing onto nonwhite substrates and articles. For example, a method of color printing is provided, including printing multiple layers of ink each including a combination of a white ink and at least one color ink, and each printed layer having a ratio of white ink to color ink, wherein the ratio may be the same or may vary as a function of the number of layers and the color printed.
US09114621B2

A liquid container that allows liquid remaining in a liquid containing portion to be reduced is provided. An ink container includes an ink bag, and an ink outlet portion in communication with an internal portion of the ink bag. The internal portion of the ink bag is provided with an ink outlet tube, one of the ends of which is connected to the ink outlet portion, and the other end of which extends in the ink bag to the side opposite from the side where the ink outlet portion is formed. The ink outlet tube is made of a material having a specific gravity larger than that of the ink contained in the ink bag.
US09114619B2

In a stand-by state, when an instruction unit issues the printing instruction, a control unit is switched in a maintenance state, in the maintenance state, the control unit closes an air valve and operates a first pump, and when a sensor detects that the ink of a second tank is reduced by discharging the ink from a nozzle by the pressure of a second tank, the control unit opens the air valve to be switched in a printing state, and when a predetermined time elapses after an operation of the first pump before the sensor detects the reduction of the ink of the second tank, the control unit excludes the solidified ink from the nozzle, and in the printing state, the control unit is switched in the stand-by state when the ink is discharged from the nozzle of the head based on a printing instruction.
US09114614B2

A liquid ejection head has an element substrate constituted of a substrate body having a plurality of energy generating elements for liquid ejection and a nozzle plate having a plurality of ejection ports arranged corresponding to the respective energy generating elements so as to form a plurality of ejection port rows each extending in a first direction, the rows being arranged side by side so as to expand in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The nozzle plate has also a groove section, or a plurality of hollow sections arranged to form a hollow section row, as extending in the first direction, at least between one of the opposite edges as viewed in the second direction of the nozzle plate and the ejection port row arranged close to the same edge.
US09114610B2

A corrector performs designating a target pixel belonging to a pixel array corresponding to an ejection port, the target pixel being designated sequentially as one of pixels arranged in an array direction, the pixel array being formed with the pixels in the N-value image data corresponding to dots formed by the ejection port respectively, allocating a corresponding one of N representative tone values out of L tone values of L tones to a tone value of the target pixel of the N-value image data, adding the correction value to a representative tone value of the target pixel, thereby obtaining a corrected tone value of the target pixel, quantizing the corrected tone value of the target pixel to N tones; and diffusing an error generated in quantizing the corrected tone value to the corrected tone value of an adjacent pixel adjacent to the target pixel in the array direction.
US09114607B2

Provided are an inkjet printing apparatus, whereby pulse drive periods and a pause period can be adjusted so as to fall within predetermined periods, while the volume of ink to be ejected is ensured, and a heat generating element driving method therefor. For the inkjet printing apparatus, a pulse signal drive period for a pulse driven previously, a pulse signal drive period for a pulse driven subsequently and a pause period are set to perform ejection of ink droplets one time. When the ejection period exceeds the threshold value, the pulse signal drive period for the pulse driven subsequently and the pause period are reduced to adjust the ejection period to be equal to or lower than a threshold value.
US09114599B2

A reinforcing sheet for a resin molded article includes a constraining layer and a reinforcing layer laminated on the constraining layer to be then heated at 80° C. or more to bring the reinforcing sheet into close contact with the resin molded article. The constraining layer may be formed from at least one of a glass cloth, a resin impregnated glass cloth, a non-woven fabric, a metal foil, a carbon fiber or a polyester film. The reinforcing layer is formed of an adhesive composition containing styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene copolymer or styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene copolymer, a tackifier and a filler. When the reinforcing sheet is attached to a polypropylene plate having a thickness of 2.0 mm and is heated at 80° C. for 10 minutes, the bending strength at a displacement of 1 mm of the resulting sheet after the heating is 3N or more and the maximum bending strength thereof is 30N or more, and a high-temperature adhesion retention ratio R is 80% or more, wherein R=(Adhesive force A1000h after heating at 100° C. for 1000 hours/Adhesive force A1h after heating at 100° C. for 1 hour)×100.
US09114586B2

A caul system for a composite structure having one or more core elements includes a lattice grid hard caul selectively locatable at a portion of the composite structure without core elements. The caul system further includes a soft caul selectively locatable at a portion of the composite structure having a core element. A method of forming a composite structure with one or more core elements includes locating a first laminate in a tool and locating one or more core elements over the first laminate. A second laminate is located over the one or more core elements. A lattice grid hard caul is placed over the second laminate, avoiding locations having core elements of the one or more core elements disposed thereat. A soft caul is located over the one or more core elements, thereby preventing deformation of the one or more core elements.
US09114585B2

The invention relates to a method for inserting inserts (cores) into female molds of a rotary tableting press. The inserts are inserted individually into one female mold each of a rotating rotor of the rotary tableting press by separating the inserts from a nonspecific quantity by means of a feeder mechanism, feeding them to a core distributor and aligning them from there with the female molds in a precisely defined position and delivering the inserts to the female molds in this position.
US09114569B2

A fitment tape machine for forming a roll of tape having fitments for use in a flexible pouch is provided. The machine includes a conveyor operable to feed a bottom sheet of material along an axis from upstream the conveyor to downstream the conveyor. A cold press having a head is disposed above the sheet of material and operable to engage the sheet of material so as to urge the head into the sheet of material and form a detent operable to hold a sidewall of a fitment. A fitment dispensing device disposed downstream the cold press is operable to insert a fitment into the detent. A top film dispenser, disposed downstream the fitment dispensing device is operable to apply a top film of material onto the fitment so as to place the fitment between the top film of material and the bottom sheet of material.
US09114550B2

In the process of forming a wood pulp fiber and thermoplastic polymer composition the step of decreasing the exit area of the mixing device to 40 to 60% of the cross-sectional area of the mixing device.
US09114542B2

Implementations of a method for determining a degree of dirtiness of a cutting tool that is driven in a back and forth motion by an electric motor include evaluating a parameter that corresponds to the motion of the cutting tool and that is used for controlling the electric motor. The degree of dirtiness is determined based on the parameter.
US09114530B2

A robot arm system for controlling a motion of a robot arm includes an order determining section for determining an order of teaching information based on at least one or more pieces of perceptual information about circumference environment of the robot arm used by a person to operate the robot arm and change the motion of the robot arm that is sensed by the person, reaction time information as time information from a time when the person receives the perceptual information to a time when the person operates robot arm, and dispersion information about a dispersion level between at least one or more pieces of the teaching information or the perceptual information, and creates motion information about the robot arm based on the teaching information and the order determined by the order determining section.
US09114526B2

The invention relates to an industrial robot having an apparatus for driving an attachable/detachable four-bar link mechanism, comprising: a base frame having a rotating joint for a robot body; a pivot frame which is coupled to the rotating joint and which has a rotating joint; a column frame which is coupled to the rotating joint of the pivot frame, and which has a straight-line joint; a motor arranged in the pivot frame to rotate the column frame; a decelerator attachably/detachably mounted on the rotating joint of the pivot frame or directly on the pivot frame to receive driving force from the motor; and a four-bar link installed between an output shaft of the decelerator and the column frame.
US09114523B2

Tools for inserting containers into ice are disclosed herein. An embodiment of a tool includes a first end and a second end. A ring is located proximate the first end. The ring has a hole, wherein a container is receivable in the hole. The tool has a first state when no container is received in the hole and a second state when a container is received in the hole. At least one sheet extends between the ring and the second end, the sheet forms a substantially conical shape when the tool is in the first state and a less conical shape when the tool is in the second state. An opening is located proximate the second end, wherein the container exits the tool via the opening.
US09114516B2

A combustion-powered fastener-driving tool includes a combustion-powered power source including a cylinder head and a combustion chamber defined by the cylinder head, a valve sleeve and an upper surface of a reciprocating piston, the valve sleeve reciprocable relative to the cylinder head between a rest position and a pre-firing position. A lockout device is associated with the trigger and has an actuated position configured for preventing the reciprocation of the valve sleeve away from the pre-firing position until the trigger is released.
US09114507B2

A holding apparatus for holding an object, includes a support mechanism, a driven mechanism slidably coupled to the support mechanism and slidable between a first position and a second position, a driving mechanism slidably coupled to the support mechanism and adapted to drive the driven mechanism to slide between the first position and the second position, and a clamping mechanism rotatably secured to the driven mechanism and the support mechanism. When the driven mechanism is slid to the second position, the clamping mechanism moves inwards to clamp the object, and the driven mechanism clamps the support mechanism to prevent the driven mechanism from moving relative to the support mechanism so the clamping mechanism can hold the object firmly. When the driven mechanism is slid to the first position, the clamping mechanism expands out to allow the object to be released.
US09114505B2

A sheet of sandpaper includes a backing layer having opposed first and second major sides, an adhesive make coat on the second major side, abrasive particles at least partially embedded in the make coat, thereby defining an abrasive surface, and an exposed fibrous non-slip layer on the first major side. Methods of making and using such sandpaper are also provided.
US09114504B2

A method for making polycrystalline diamond material comprises providing a plurality of diamond particles or grains, coating the diamond particles or grains with a binder material comprising a non-metallic catalyst material for diamond, consolidating the coated diamond particles or grains to form a green body, and subjecting the green body to a temperature and pressure at which diamond is thermodynamically stable, sintering and forming polycrystalline diamond material.
US09114496B2

A method of grinding the tip of a blade which forms part of a rotor for a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes mounting a plurality of blades in a disc to provide a blade assembly; mounting the blade assembly in a grinding apparatus; aligning the plurality of blades in a predetermined position using compressed fluid; and, grinding the blade tips.
US09114489B2

This disclosure provides a method of adjusting capacities of combustion chambers of a multi-cylinder engine having a cylinder head with recessed parts that partially form the combustion chambers and a mating surface for mating with a cylinder block, which includes casting a cylinder head material having flat reference surfaces on top of the recessed parts of the cylinder head, machining the cylinder head material to form the mating surface, measuring distances in a height direction from the mating surface to the reference surfaces, respectively, and adjusting machining margins of machining portions of the reference surfaces of the recessed parts based on the measured height direction distances.
US09114479B2

A method and apparatus are provided for treating a substrate. The substrate is positioned on a support in a thermal treatment chamber. Electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to anneal a portion of the substrate. Other electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to preheat a portion of the substrate. The preheating reduces thermal stresses at the boundary between the preheat region and the anneal region. Any number of anneal and preheat regions are contemplated, with varying shapes and temperature profiles, as needed for specific embodiments. Any convenient source of electromagnetic radiation may be used, such as lasers, heat lamps, white light lamps, or flash lamps.
US09114464B1

A fixture for cutting thin substrates, such as films, wafers, semiconductor layers and the like, using a blade holder assembly joined to a substrate clamp assembly. Each assembly has a plurality of members with the substrate clamp having a base plate that introduces a vacuum environment and a substrate support plate that uses the vacuum to secure the substrate in place. The blade holder assembly has interlocking projections in interleaving sheet members sandwiched between two bracket members that define slots for supporting a knife. Multiple slots allow the blade to be positioned in different positions and different orientations for cutting thin substrates held with vacuum pressure in the substrate clamp assembly.
US09114462B2

A drill includes a drill bit, an intermediate part, and a shaft. The drill bit is made from a sintered carbon-containing hard metal. The intermediate part is made from steel and arranged along an axis between the drill bit and the shaft. An activity of carbon in the steel of the intermediate part is greater at a temperature ranging from 1100° C. to 1450° C. than an activity of carbon in the sintered hard metal at the temperature.
US09114459B2

A machine tool tier machining a bar-shaped workpiece loaded in a first orientation includes first and second chucks, first and second driving parts, a machining tool and a control part. Each of the first and second chucks has a workpiece drop opening that opens toward the outside in a radial direction from a middle portion of the first or second chuck. The first and second driving parts are respectively provided to rotate the first and second chucks. The machining tool is configured to machine the workpiece clamped by at least one of the first and second chucks. The control part is configured to control clamping of the workpiece by the first and second chucks and to control rotation angles of the first and second chucks by the first and second driving parts to change an orientation of the workpiece from the first orientation to a second orientation.
US09114455B1

An improved shot sleeve for high pressure die casting of low-iron Aluminum Silicon alloys and a method of making the shot sleeve, the shot sleeve includes a top portion including a pouring hole and a bottom portion including an impingement site on an inner surface of the bottom portion opposite the pouring hole. The impingement site is constructed of an erosion resistant material. The erosion resistant material is selected from: titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, ruthenium, tantalum, niobium, chromium vanadium, zirconium, hafnium or a secondary, tertiary or quaternary alloy formed from combination thereof. An erosion resistant insert located at an impingement site of a shot sleeve may accomplish the construction. The insert may be introduced into an internal surface of a conventional shot sleeve or replace a bottom portion of a conventional shot sleeve.
US09114453B2

The disclosure provides a containerless casting forming machine, including: a multi-axis motion system which at least includes an X-axis motion system, a Y-axis motion system and a Z-axis motion system, and a workbench which is below the multi-axis motion system; and further includes: a moving platform system below the workbench, including a moving bracket which can reciprocate along the direction parallel to the X axis, a lifting device provided on the moving bracket, which is used for lifting and supporting the workbench to enable the linkage between the workbench and the moving bracket. The containerless casting forming machine of the disclosure can move the workbench without a lifting tool, and machine a casting mold with a large size and a complex cavity, and causes little pollution to the environment.
US09114441B2

A handheld nozzle cleaning device includes a cylinder and piston disposed within the cylinder. The piston is movable between a latched position, in which air is compressed, and an unlatched position, in which air is drawn into the cylinder. The handheld nozzle cleaning device also includes a valve and a nozzle disposed at one end of the cylinder. Manual operation of the piston, defined by linear movement of the piston in a first direction, both releases the piston from the latched position and draws air into the cylinder. The compressed air flows out of the cylinder through the nozzle when the valve is opened. Also, manual operation of the piston in a second direction opposite the first direction both compresses air within the cylinder and secures the piston in the latched position.
US09114437B2

A manway is provided that can be used with food processing equipment. The manway may be provided at an intersection of a top wall and an end or side wall of the food processing equipment. The manway may extend angularly with respect to the food processing equipment so that a passage extending through the manway extends into an inside space of the food processing equipment at an angle. A nozzle may be mounted so as to position an opening(s) of the nozzle in a direction that faces the passage of the manway, and the nozzle may deliver a cleaning fluid so that the manway can be automatically cleaned in place.
US09114436B2

The invention concerns a method and a sorting apparatus for sorting potato products that are moved in a product flow through a detection zone, whereby irregular products are detected in the product flow and are separated from the product flow, characterized in that a light beam having a wavelength of in between 350 and 450 nm is directed towards said products in said detection zone and wherein the intensity of the light that is irradiated by the products is detected in a detection band from 460 nm to 600 nm, wherein a product is qualified as an irregular product and is separated from the product flow when said intensity is below a predetermined value. Further, the invention also concerns a method and a device for detecting the presence of solanine in potato products by means of fluorescence.
US09114435B2

The invention relates to a system for storing objects, such as surgical instruments, in predetermined storage containers (4). The system includes a conveyor (1) for transporting objects (3) placed on the conveyor to a camera (12) for recognizing the objects by reading an identification code provided on each object, and a device (6) for transporting each object (3) from the conveyor to the storage container for which it is intended. The system is characterized in that it includes a device (5) for transferring each recognized object (3) from the conveyor (1) into a box (8) for transporting the object into the container for which it is intended, and a device for supporting this transport box (8), which is movable according to a stepwise movement.
US09114432B2

According to one embodiment, the guide roller, which faces the sorting gate mediated by the conveyor belt and guides the travel of the conveyor belt, and the position determination unit, which gives an elastic bias to the guide roller and positions it to the predefined position, are provided. The guide roller receives a pushing pressure from documents that are held and conveyed by the conveyor belts and then retracts from the predefined position while resisting the bias of the position determination unit.
US09114430B2

A piezoelectric valve stably supplies gas even for a long gas ejection time, with a high responsivity to opening the valve, is provided. The piezoelectric valve, including a gas-pressure-chamber for receiving a compressed gas supplied from outside, a gas-discharge-channel through which the compressed gas is discharged from the gas-pressure-chamber, comprises: a valve body disposed in the gas-pressure-chamber and opens/closes the gas-discharge-channel; a piezoelectric element for producing a driving force to move the valve body as a displacement; a displacement-enlarging-mechanism for enlarging the displacement of the piezoelectric element to act on the valve body; and a driving unit having a signal-generating-unit for generating a signal comprising a pre-pulse and a main pulse and provides the signal generated by the signal-generating-unit to a driving circuit as an input signal to apply a driving voltage to the piezoelectric element to make the piezoelectric element expand and drive the valve body open.
US09114427B2

An acoustic antenna includes an array of elementary submarine transducers, each elementary transducer including, between a counterweight and a horn, at least one ceramic. Each elementary transducer is mounted on a printed circuit so that the printed circuit is clamped between the ceramic and counterweight thereof. The printed circuit includes conductors for connection to electrodes of the respective ceramic for individual control of the elementary transducers. The weight of each element of the elementary transducer is set to minimize cross-talk between channels.
US09114425B2

A process for manufacturing a mask having submillimetric openings, in which: for a masking layer, a solution of colloidal nanoparticles that are stabilized and dispersed in a first solvent is deposited, the particles having a given glass transition temperature Tg, the drying of the masking layer is carried out at a temperature below the temperature Tg until a mask having a two-dimensional network of submillimetric openings is obtained with substantially straight mask area edges, in a zone referred to as a network mask zone, a zone free of masking is formed on the face by mechanical and/or optical removal of at least one peripheral portion of the network mask zone. The invention also relates to the network mask and the grid with an electroconductive solid zone that are thus obtained.
US09114417B2

A nozzle for forming a jet stream in a tank filled with a liquid, including a first injection hole for obliquely generating a first jet stream with respect to a bottom of the tank and a second injection hole for generating a second jet stream at an angle shallower than an angle at which the first jet stream is generated with respect to the bottom of the tank.
US09114411B2

Disclosed is a drizzle type spray apparatus, especially a wetting drizzle spray apparatus, that is configured to attach an adjustable member onto an erectable ground-based tube, the adjustable member is made of adjustable units having rotatable angles, and works to operatively make up a sprinkle head, so as to allow change in the spray direction of the sprinkle head.
US09114408B2

Centrifuges are useful to, among other things, remove red blood cells from whole blood and retain platelets and other factors in a reduced volume of plasma. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) and or platelet poor plasma (PPP) can be obtained rapidly and is ready for immediate injection into the host. Embodiments may include valves, operated manually or automatically, to open ports that discharge the excess red blood cells and the excess plasma into separate receivers while retaining the platelets and other factors in the centrifuge chamber. High speeds used allow simple and small embodiments to be used at the patient's side during surgical procedures. The embodiments can also be used for the separation of liquids or slurries in other fields such as, for example, the separation of pigments or lubricants.
US09114405B2

The Present teachings provide, in part, methods of separating two-dimensional nanomaterials by atomic layer thickness. In certain embodiments, the present teachings provide methods of generating graphene nanomaterials having a controlled number of atomic layer(s).
US09114404B2

A discharge electrode using carbon fibers, nanofibers and/or nanotubes to generate the corona discharge. The invention contemplates carbon fiber electrodes with or without a polymer matrix to form a composite, and a supporting configuration in which the fibers are wrapped helically around a supporting rod that extends along the length of the electrode. Another supporting configuration includes the fibers stretched across the gas flow path. Yet another supporting configuration includes mounting the fibers along the length of the support rod substantially parallel to the rod.
US09114397B2

The present invention relates to a method for reducing cross-contamination in continuous amplification reactions in channels of microfluidic devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to the use of specific materials continuously flowing in the channels to reduce adsorption of MgCl2 and the concomitant adsorption of nucleic acid template to the channel surface, thereby reducing cross-contamination. This reduction of cross-contamination improves the efficiency and reproducibility of the amplification reaction, e.g., PCR.
US09114396B2

A method of making a flowcell structure, the method comprising forming a first structure, forming a second structure and bonding the first structure to the second structure. Further, forming the first structure comprises forming one or more first bio-chemicals in a first substrate and printing a first glue layer on the first substrate. Forming the second structure comprises forming one or more second bio-chemicals in a second substrate.
US09114392B2

An apparatus and method of loading reagent in a specimen handling device is disclosed. Fluids including specimen samples and reagents are moved between tubes during processing without directly passing over tubes which the reagents could contaminate. The apparatus may also include a head adapted to carry selected fluids in pipettes and a reagent receptacle adapted to permit entry of the head.
US09114391B2

Provided is a practical method for dry-separating arsenic compounds from a used NOx removal catalyst contaminated with arsenic. The method for removing arsenic compounds comprises heat-treating a NOx removal catalyst contaminated with arsenic compounds at a predetermined temperature in a reducing atmosphere while exposing the catalyst to hydrocarbon compounds (except CH4) or oxygen-containing carbon compound.
US09114390B2

An organocatalyst for oxidizing alcohols in which a primary alcohol is selectively oxidized in a polyol substrate having a plurality of alcohols under environmentally-friendly conditions. The organic oxidation catalyst has an oxygen atom bonded to a nitrogen atom of an azanoradamantane skeleton and at least one alkyl group at positions 1 and 5. The oxidation catalyst has higher activity than TEMPO, which is an existing oxidation catalyst, in the selective oxidation reaction of primary alcohols, and better selectivity than AZADO and 1-Me-AZADO. This DMN-AZADO can be applied to the selective oxidation reaction of primary alcohols that contributes to shortening the synthesizing process for pharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical raw materials, agricultural chemicals, cosmetics, organic materials, and other such high value-added organic compounds.
US09114388B2

A process for handling an active catalyst includes introducing a mixture of active catalyst particles and a molten organic substance, which is at a temperature T1, and which sets at a lower temperature T2 so that T2
US09114384B2

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an exhaust gas purification catalyst which can decrease a NOx reduction temperature and comprises rhodium and gold. An exhaust gas purification catalyst which carries two-element microparticles each comprising rhodium and gold, said catalyst being characterized in that the rhodium and the gold are phase-separated from each other and the content ratio of the rhodium to the gold (i.e., rhodium:gold) is (30-99.9 at. %):(70-0.1 at. %) in the two-element microparticles.
US09114381B2

The present invention relates to a super absorbent polymer. According to the present invention, provided is a super absorbent polymer which includes (meth)acrylated polyalkylene glycol on an internally crosslinked polymer inside a surface modified layer, thereby exhibiting more improved absorbency and retention capacity.
US09114365B2

A shut-off valve for use in a reverse osmosis filtering system including a housing defining an interior in fluid communication with a water inlet, a water outlet, and a permeate inlet, the housing having a fluidic network with a flowpath that connects the water inlet and the water outlet, a diaphragm plate forming a portion of the fluidic network within the interior, a piston within the interior for selectively opening and closing the flowpath, and at least one diaphragm coupling to the piston and the diaphragm plate such that as permeate pressure changes occur at the permeate outlet, the piston rocks between opening and closing the flowpath based on deflection of the at least one diaphragm in response to the permeate pressure changes.
US09114363B2

A catalyst system may include a three-way catalyst that may receive exhaust gases from an engine and convert the exhaust gases to first converted exhaust gases. An ammonia slip catalyst may receive the first converted exhaust gases and convert the first converted exhaust gases to second converted exhaust gases. A hydrocarbon oxidation catalyst may receive the second converted exhaust gases and convert the second converted exhaust gases to third converted exhaust gases.
US09114360B2

Provided is a process for controlling heavy metal (e.g., mercury) emission in SO2-containing flue gas, comprising passing a stream of the flue gas (2) through a wet scrubber (1) where it is brought into contact with a liquid absorbent (8) comprising an ionic liquid, an oxidizer (11) and polar protic organic solvent, wherein the amount of said organic solvent is adjusted such that the SO2 absorption is minimized while operating said wet scrubber at a temperature lower than the normal working temperature that would be used in the absence of said solvent. The process may be preceded by an initial stage where a fluoride-containing liquid is used for reducing the amount of sulfur dioxide in the flue gas stream; the sulfur dioxide can be subsequently desorbed from the fluoride-containing liquid upon the addition of a polar solvent.
US09114357B2

A method for removing nitrogen oxides in stationary source combustion flue gas streams includes introducing a reagent or a mixture comprising carbamide peroxide and water as a reducing agent.
US09114347B2

An air treatment system and method that uses inertial moisture separators in two stages for removing moisture present in intake air entering the air treatment system, thereby increasing the effectiveness and lifespan of high efficiency filters that otherwise may become clogged by accumulating moisture.
US09114342B2

A filter insertable into an air filter enclosure includes a flexible support member, a filter media layer, and a pair of end caps. The filter media layer is attached to the support member. Side edges of the filter media layer are folded over edges of the support member to form filter cushions, such that the filter media layer covers the edges of the support member. The filter cushions are designed to conform to the air filter enclosure to ensure an effective seal between the enclosure and the filter.
US09114341B2

A flexible filter retainer and a holding frame assembly having a flexible retainer are provided. In one embodiment, the flexible filter retainer for the holding frame comprises a flat body extending from a first end to a second end. The body comprises a bowed shaped retaining portion disposed at the first end and comprises a first strip and a top face. The body also comprises a fixed portion disposed at the second end and comprises a second strip. The first and second strips are linearly aligned and laterally offset from the top face. In another embodiment, a filter holding frame assembly comprises a holding frame and flexible filter retainers coupled to the holding frame. Each retainer comprises a flat body extending from a first end to a second end. The body comprises a retaining portion disposed at the first end and a fixed portion disposed at the second end.
US09114326B2

A device being in the form of a predetermined animal having a light emitting feature. The animal has at least a head and body. A plurality of light emitting members of varying colors being placed within the body, and a plurality of apertures being formed through the top surface of the body. Each aperture being in the shape of a star, and the placement of the apertures forming the pattern of a predetermined constellation. The light emitting members and apertures being formed in a manner such that light shines through the apertures and projects outwardly when the light emitting members are turned on.
US09114317B1

A patient hospital room system comprises a room computer uniquely associated with a patient in a hospital room. The room computer is connected to a hospital network including a media server. The room computer is configured to download preselected media files from the media server when a patient is assigned to the room. A touch screen display is operably connected to the room computer and the room computer is configured to enable the touch screen display to function as a remote controller for playing the media files. A game console is operably connected to the room computer. A monitor is connected to the game console. An IR transmitter is connected to the room computer for transmitting commands from the touch screen display to the game console. An IR receiver is operably connected to the game console for receiving the commands from the IR transmitter. The room computer and the game console are configured such that the preselected media files are playable from the room computer and displayable on the touch screen or the monitor.
US09114316B2

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to the use of game modifiers between game stages of a game played on a gaming device. According to some embodiments, a gaming device is configured to play a multi-stage game of chance. After a first stage is completed and a result for the first stage is determined, a game modifier is altered and applied to a second stage of the game when a predefined criterion is satisfied. The game modifier may modify prizes associated with the second stage of the game by, for example, applying a multiplier to prizes associated with a second stage result, the modifier may alter an aspect of the second stage of the game by, for example, adding or replacing one or more game elements used in evaluating the second stage outcome for prizes, or the modifier may trigger a bonus event.
US09114306B2

Braking device for a touring ski comprising a brake (1) and a blocking device able to occupy a blocking configuration in which the brake (1) is immobilized by the blocking device in the position of non-braking and a non-blocking configuration in which the brake is able to brake the ski in a braking position, characterized in that the blocking device is mounted with the ability to move in sliding with respect to the brake (1) so as to occupy the blocking configuration or non-blocking configuration.
US09114304B2

A system of attaching a ski binding to a ski allowing quick interchange of bindings to other skis, and without the use of any hand tools. A first fastener is permanently attached to a ski, while the binding is permanently attached to a binding carrier plate that includes a mating, second fastener. The first and second fasteners are engaged by a quick release mechanism that is longitudinally shorter than a typical direct mounting system for a binding, resulting in reduced scrub area at the mounting to the ski. The binding mounting plate can extend longitudinally beyond the binding to provide mounting area for vibration dampers and camber adjusters.
US09114296B2

A lower leg sensing device including a housing, a leg attachment member and real time data providing member. The housing includes a position angle sensor and a foot contact sensor. The leg attachment member is configured to facilitate attachment of the housing to the lower leg of a user. The real-time data providing member provides data, in real-time, pertaining to the angle of a lower leg of a user relative to a line of gravity upon contact with an outside surface by a leg of a user. A method of providing data to a user that is running or walking is also disclosed.
US09114294B2

This application generally relates to sets of golf clubs including at least one adjustable club to provide a set with no distance gap. The adjustable club may include a loft-adjustment mechanism and a mechanism to prevent unintended face-angle change. The club is reliable for shots covering the full range of distances associated with multiple loft settings. Thus, an adjustable club can be included in a golfer's golf bag and can play double-duty in terms of the ranges of shot distances it is reliably useful for. In this way, the golfer's bag can contain fourteen clubs that cover all desired ranges between the putter and the driver.
US09114293B2

A golf club head with multi-component construction. The golf club head includes heel and toe portions that generally provide ground contacting surfaces and a raised central region. A portion of a club head wall is spaced away from a second portion of the club head wall by a less than about 2 cm.
US09114290B2

A golf cup guard for placement on a golf cup. The body portion is conical and shaped to prevent material from entering a golf cup. There is a handle to assist in placement and removal of the golf cup guard. The golf cup guard may prevent excess paint, fertilizer, sand, or other materials from falling into the golf cup.
US09114283B2

A golf ball includes a lattice reinforced layer, which is a layer made of at least two materials with different properties. The materials are interlocked with each other, where one material forms a grid with pores while the other material protrudes through the pores. In some embodiments, the lattice reinforced layer is manufactured using a shutoff molding technique so that the entire lattice reinforced layer is molded in the same mold. The lattice layer is provided to alter the properties of a layer, such as increasing the durability, toughness, or strength of the layer.
US09114275B2

An exercise assembly has a frame, a pair of elongated foot pedal members, a pair of elongated coupler arms, a pair of crank members, a pair of elongated rocker arms, and a front cross-shaft. The pair of foot pedal members are each movable along user-defined paths of different dimensions. Each crank member is rotatable in a circular path and is freely rotatable along the circular path in a first direction and restrained from rotation along the circular path in a second, opposite direction.
US09114273B2

An exercise apparatus for the performance of tricep dip exercise and the like. The apparatus comprises first and second elongate members, which are adapted to be brought into fixed positional arrangement relative to each other. The first upper end of each member is adapted to be brought into engagement with a substantially horizontal member of a pull up or chin up bar, while the second, lower end of each tubular member is adapted to form, or is conjoined to, a hand grips means. The hand grip means is provided in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the main body of the first and second member. A third member is conjoined to the first and second members about their lower ends.
US09114267B2

A combined trigger and concealing device for an automatic fire protection sprinkler includes a first plate attached to a second plate by a heat fusible material. Each plate is formed with an aperture which receives an actuator depending from the bottom of the sprinkler. The trigger device depends a preselected distance from the bottom of the sprinkler body and includes a cover which has an outer dimension which conceals the internal components of the sprinkler from view. The cover includes openings and is dimensioned and positioned to permit heat energy to be received by the inner and outer surface of the trigger device. Conduction of heat energy from both the inner and outer surface of the trigger device permits the heat fusible material to be expeditiously raised to the preselected separation temperature. This construction minimizes response time of the sprinkler while maintaining a highly aesthetic appearance.
US09114262B2

An implantable device (11) for evaluating autonomic cardiovascular drive in a patient (10) suffering from chronic cardiac dysfunction is provided. A stimulation therapy lead (13) includes helical electrodes (14) configured to conform to an outer diameter of a cervical vagus nerve sheath, and a set of connector pins (28) electrically connected to the helical electrodes (14). A neurostimulator (12) includes an electrical receptacle (25) into which the connector pins (28) are securely and electrically coupled. The neurostimulator (12) also includes a pulse generator configured to therapeutically stimulate the vagus nerve through the helical electrodes (14) in alternating cycles of stimuli application and stimuli inhibition (90) that are tuned to both efferently activate the heart's intrinsic nervous system and afferently activate the patient's central reflexes by triggering bi-directional action potentials. The neurostimulator (12) includes a recordable memory (29) storing a baseline heart rate.
US09114255B1

A device includes a brace that may be used in conjunction with neuromuscular electrical stimulation to induce isometric contractions in one or more muscles of a subject's limb muscles by way of a series of stimulation cycles. The device may include a controller for stimulating the leg muscles, and for autonomously adjusting the stimulation based on a measured force exerted by the leg on the brace. The controller may adjust the stimulation based on the measured force from a previous cycle as compared with a goal force. Additionally, the adjustment may be based on the comparison of the measured force within that cycle to the goal force, analyzed on a continuous basis within that cycle.
US09114251B2

A medical implantable lead of the type being adapted to be implanted into a human or animal body and attached with a distal end to an organ inside the body, has a helix of a helical wire in the distal end which is adapted to be screwed into the organ. In addition to the first helix, the lead also has a second helix of a helical wire, the second helix having the same diameter, the same pitch and being intertwined with the helical wire of the first helix and which, upon rotation of the first helix, will be rotated and screwed into the tissue. The first helix is electrically non-conductive whereas the second helix is electrically conductive. In a method for attaching a medical implantable lead to an organ inside a human or animal body, such a medical lead is employed and fixed to tissue in vivo.
US09114250B2

The invention describes a cuff electrode assembly and method for implanting that includes a resilient cuff body configured to be disposed about a nerve. The cuff body includes a first end portion and a second end portion. The cuff body can be pre-formed to define a closed configuration having a generally annular cross-sectional shape such that, in the closed configuration, the cuff body extends helically with the first and second end portions overlapping on different planes. The cuff electrode assembly includes a first arm member and a second arm member, each projecting radially outward from the cuff body and spaced from one another along the cuff body. The cuff body can be configured such that force applied to urge the first and second arm members toward one another causes relative deflection of the first end portion and the second end portion to define an open configuration of the cuff body.
US09114245B2

Ultrasound surgical apparatus are disclosed, including: medical ultrasound handpieces with proximally mounted ultrasound radiators configured to create a distally-focused beam of ultrasound energy, in combination with distal guide members for control of focal point depth; medical ultrasound handpieces with proximally mounted ultrasound radiators configured to create a distally-focused beam of ultrasound energy, in combination with distal rolling members for manipulability and control of focal point depth; medical ultrasound handpiece assemblies with coupled end effectors providing a probe with a probe dilation region configured to have an average outside diameter that is equal to or greater than the average outside diameter of a probe tip and neck; as well as junctions to an ultrasonically inactive probe sheath; medical ultrasound handpiece assemblies with coupled end effectors having positionable, ultrasonically inactive probe sheath ends slidably operable to both cover and expose at least a probe tip; and ultrasound transducer cores including a transducing structure affixed to a longitudinally elongated, generally planar, single crystal or polycrystalline material waveguide.
US09114241B2

A flushable catheter assembly having features to enable selective activation of fluid flow through the catheter assembly is disclosed herein. A septum is placed within the catheter adapter of the catheter assembly and includes a pathway that is closed prior to being biased open via a septum activator also positioned within the catheter adapter. A plurality of air vent channels is interposed between the septum and the inner surface of the catheter adapter to permit “flashback” of blood during insertion of the catheter into a patient. The septum activator is advanced through the pathway of the septum as a coupler is attached to a proximal opening of the catheter adapter.
US09114238B2

In an aspect of the invention, an array of microprotrusions is formed by providing a mold with cavities corresponding to the negative of the microprotrusions, casting atop the mold a first solution comprising a biocompatible material and a solvent, removing the solvent, casting a second solution atop the first cast solution, removing the solvent from the second solution, and demolding the resulting array from the mold. The first solution preferably contains an active ingredient.
US09114235B2

The invention provides a system and method for localized application of therapeutic substances within a biological lumen and to the wall of the lumen. In various embodiments, a biodegradable tubular prosthesis comprising a plurality of pores is deployed within a biological lumen. Subsequent to, or in conjunction with, the deployment of the prosthesis, a drug-eluting balloon comprising at least one therapeutic agent is expanded within the lumen of the tubular prosthesis, thereby releasing the agent(s) from the balloon and delivering them to the prosthesis pores. The at least one therapeutic agent is then allowed to diffuse through the pores to the lumen wall.
US09114232B2

An elongate medical device may overcome be configured both for manual manipulation by a physician and for automatic manipulation by a remote catheter guidance system. Such an elongate medical device comprises a shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, a pull wire disposed in the shaft and affixed to the distal portion of the shaft, and a handle coupled with the proximal portion of the catheter shaft. The handle comprises a first mechanism configured for manual actuation of the pull wire so as to deflect the distal portion of the shaft, a second mechanism configured for remote actuation of the pull wire so as to deflect the distal portion of the shaft, and a mechanical interface configured to provide a remote catheter guidance system with a functional connection to the second mechanism.
US09114229B2

A dual braided catheter shaft includes an inner helical braid and outer helical braid than encapsulate an axially extending steering wire there between. In one embodiment, the shaft includes an inner polymer jacket, an inner braid formed on the inner jacket, a steering wire disposed along an outside surface of the inner braid, an outer braid formed over the inner braid and steering wire assembly and an outer jacket formed on the outer braid. The braiding parameters of the inner and outer braids can be varied along the length of the catheter to provide varying mechanical properties.
US09114227B2

A dilator system for insertion of a catheter or other elongate device into a body of a patient includes a catheter having a lumen that initially defines a first inner diameter. The catheter includes a swellable material that swells after insertion into the body. A dilator includes an elongate body that is initially disposed in the catheter lumen and a tapered head extending from a distal end of the catheter lumen. The dilator head defines an outer diameter that is larger than the first inner diameter of the catheter lumen. After insertion of the dilator head and a distal portion of the catheter into the body, the catheter swells such that the lumen defines a second inner diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the dilator head. This enables the dilator to be proximally removed from the body via the catheter lumen defining the second diameter.
US09114224B2

A device for the introduction of a fluid into a human's airway. The air so introduced has a carefully modulated envelope of pressure vs. time. The envelope generally includes sequences of pressurized air packets of controlled frequency and pressures. The device produces the packets using pressurized air occluded by a shutter action that “chops” and interrupts the fluid stream. The vibrations induced by the device within human organs have been shown to have beneficial effects on various bodily systems, such as an increase in heart rate variability, an increase in absorbed oxygen, and a decrease in absorbed CO2.
US09114222B2

A respiratory therapy system that includes a gas delivery device enabled to deliver a quantity of oxygen-enriched gas and a quantity of insufflation gas is disclosed. The respiratory therapy system further provides a transtracheal catheter coupled to the gas delivery device. Additionally, the gas delivery device is enabled to deliver the quantity of insufflation gas during a first portion of a breathing cycle of a patient and to deliver the quantity of oxygen-enriched gas during a second portion of the breathing cycle.
US09114205B2

The preservation liquid addition system of the present invention enables a chemical liquid to be added to a blood cell component both easily and in a short period of time. The preservation liquid addition system is able to be placed on a centrifugal separator. The preservation liquid addition system has a blood bag, a preservation liquid bag, a mixed liquid bag, a first flow path and a static mixer. A blood component in the blood bag and a preservation liquid in the preservation liquid bag are sent to the static mixer through the first flow path, and a mixed liquid mixed by the static mixer is sent to the mixed liquid bag by centrifugal force of the centrifugal separator.
US09114197B1

Antimicrobial metal ion coatings. In particular, described herein are coatings including an anodic metal (e.g., silver and/or zinc and/or copper) that is co-deposited with a cathodic metal (e.g., palladium, platinum, gold, molybdenum, titanium, iridium, osmium, niobium or rhenium) on a substrate so that the anodic metal is galvanically released as antimicrobial ions when the apparatus is exposed to a bodily fluid. The anodic metal may be at least about 25 percent by volume of the coating, resulting in a network of anodic metal with less than 20% of the anodic metal in the coating fully encapsulated by cathodic metal.
US09114196B2

Methods are provided for producing a bioscaffold from natural tissues by oxidizing a decellularized tissue to produce a bioscaffold having pores therein. The pore size and porosity is increased to better accommodate intact cells so that live cells can better infiltrate and inhabit the bioscaffold. The bioscaffold may be freeze-dried or lyophilized, sterilized and (optionally) aseptically packaged for subsequent use. A further aspect of the present invention is a bioscaffold produced by the processes described herein. Methods of treatment using the bioscaffold as a graft or as a biomedical implant for implantation are also provided. Also provided are methods of seeding a bioscaffold with mammalian cells, wherein the seeding carried out either in vitro or in vivo, and wherein a bioscaffold produced as described herein is utilized for said seeding.
US09114186B2

A sterilization process challenge device comprising a solid body comprised of walls which define a space, wherein the space can fully contain a sterilization indicator and a volume of gas of at least 5 cubic centimeters and not more than 1000 cubic centimeters; a flow restrictor associated with the solid body such that any flow of the gas out of the space and any flow of a sterilant into the space is restricted; wherein the sterilization indicator indicates whether or not it has been contacted by the sterilant for a time and at a temperature sufficient to sterilize an article; and wherein the walls of the solid body are impervious to the sterilant and have a thickness of at least 0.3 centimeter, methods of using the device and a kit including the device are disclosed.
US09114181B2

A dual-mode autoclave for sterilizing a battery is disclosed including a controller and an environmental system in operative communication with the controller and configured sterilize a battery contained within the dual-mode autoclave in response to a command from the controller. The environmental system configured to reduce a temperature of the battery to a first, pre-cooled temperature during a first operational phase and configured to increase the temperature of the battery to a second, autoclaving temperature during a second operational phase.
US09114180B2

This disclosure relates to a malodor neutralizing composition containing (1) a cyclohexanone substituted with C1-C5 branched or unbranched alkyl or an unsaturated alicyclic ketone of formula (I) and (2) an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, undecylenic acid, and an acid of the formula (VIII). Formulas (I) and (VIII) are defined in the specification.
US09114179B2

The present invention provides an immunoconjugate formulation that is substantially free of particles, the immunoconjugate formulation comprising: an immunoconjugate and one or more excipients selected from the group consisting of: sucrose, polysorbate 20, polysorbate 80, cyclodextrin, dextrose, glycerol, polyethylene glycol, mannitol, sodium chloride, and an amino acid, wherein the formulation is a buffered aqueous solution having a pH of 4.5 to 7.6. The present invention also provides an immunoconjugate formulation that is substantially free of aggregates, the immunoconjugate formulation comprising: an immunoconjugate and one or more excipients selected from the group consisting of histidine, sucrose, glycine and sodium chloride, wherein the formulation is a buffered aqueous solution having a pH of 4.5 to 7.6. The present invention further provides an immunoconjugate formulation that is substantially free of both particles and aggregates.
US09114165B2

Pharmaceutical composition of ibuprofen for injection that comprises an aqueous solution of ibuprofen and trometamol. These compositions display a minimal loss of active principle and acceptable increase of impurities after autoclaving, properties that have been demonstrated in various types of containers, such as containers made of plastics such as polypropylene, PVC and polyethylene, as well as in glass containers. These compositions, after undergoing autoclaving, still comply with all the relevant technical specifications of the European Pharmacopoeia and of the USP.
US09114158B2

Provided herein is the compound RK-33, or a salt, solvate, stereoisomer, or derivative thereof, which is shown to be an inhibitor if the DEAD box helicase DDX3, in mammalian cells. RK-33 is also provided herein for use as a radiation dose sensitizer in a subject suffering from a proliferative disease and undergoing radiation therapy. Methods of treatment of proliferative diseases, such as cancer with a combination of RK-33 and radiotherapy methods such as stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) are also provided.
US09114155B2

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating Parkinson's disease, which comprises, as an active ingredient, a Rhodotypos scandens extract obtained by extracting the stem of Rhodotypos scandens with an organic solvent, and a food additive showing the effect of preventing or treating Parkinson's disease, the food additive comprising Rhodotypos scandens extract as an active ingredient. The Rhodotypos scandens extracts of the present invention may prevent or treat Parkinson's disease without producing any particular side effects, and therefore can be widely used for more safely treating Parkinson's disease.
US09114151B2

Method for modulating or controlling sodium channel current of a cell includes inducing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the cell.
US09114147B2

This invention relates to a low cost rapid response diagnostic system to determine cortisol levels in patients selected as potential candidates for GCR (glucocorticoid receptor) antagonist therapy utilizing a GCR antagonist, such as ORG 34517. The rapid, sensitive, and inexpensive test can be used to determine patients who have non-normal cortisol production or disordered circadian rhythms as a method for selecting subjects for GCR antagonist therapy for whom it is likely to have beneficial and/or therapeutic effects, and can also be used to monitor changes in cortisol levels in response to treatment.
US09114146B2

Estrogen and progesterone replacement therapies are provided herein. Among others, the following formulations are provided herein: solubilized estradiol without progesterone; micronized progesterone without estradiol; micronized progesterone with partially solubilized progesterone; solubilized estradiol with micronized progesterone; solubilized estradiol with micronized progesterone in combination with partially solubilized progesterone; and solubilized estradiol with solubilized progesterone.
US09114145B2

Estrogen and progesterone replacement therapies are provided herein. Among others, the following formulations are provided herein: solubilized estradiol without progesterone; micronized progesterone without estradiol; micronized progesterone with partially solubilized progesterone; solubilized estradiol with micronized progesterone; solubilized estradiol with micronized progesterone in combination with partially solubilized progesterone; and solubilized estradiol with solubilized progesterone.
US09114144B2

Methods are described for preventing or reducing ischemia, e.g., cerebral ischemia, and/or reperfusion injury, e.g., reperfusion injury associated with cerebral ischemia, in a patient.
US09114142B2

A composition of matter comprises a shelf stable, super critical, CO2 fluid extracted seed oil derived from a cracked biomass of perilla frutescens, the seed oil comprising from about 60 to about 95 percent w/w of PUFAs in a ratio of from about 4:1 to about 6:1 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) to linoleic acid (LA) and a mixture of selected antioxidants.
US09114135B2

A salt compound, and methods for mitigating neurodegeneration, effecting neuroprotection and/or effecting cognition enhancement in a subject using the salt compound are described. Neurological or cognitive conditions are treated by administering to a subject an effective amount of a therapeutic salt compound comprising a nitrate ester.
US09114133B2

A method of treating, preventing, reversing, or ameliorating diastolic dysfunction includes reducing S-glutathionylated myosin binding protein-C (MyBP-C) level by administering to a host in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4).
US09114130B2

Aspects of the invention pertain to chemical compounds, therapeutic compositions, and methods for treating neurodegenerative diseases, in particular, neurodegenerative diseases associated with abnormal accumulation of protein tau.
US09114124B2

According to some embodiments, a method of treating a subject having diabetes or symptoms associated with diabetes is provided. The method includes delivering a neuromodulation catheter within a vessel (e.g., hepatic artery) having surrounding nerves that innervate the liver (e.g., sympathetic nerves of the hepatic plexus). The method may also include modulating (e.g., disrupting, ablating, stimulating) the nerves by mechanical compression, energy delivery, or fluid delivery.
US09114121B2

The present invention relates to a shield for radiation attenuation. The shield includes a carrier suitable for topical application on human tissue, such as skin. The carrier includes an active ingredient that is homogenously dispersed throughout the carrier. The active ingredient includes an element suitable for attenuating radiation and having a high atomic number.
US09114116B2

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for neuroprotection. In particular, provided herein are compositions (e.g., hepatocyte secretory factors) for alleviating and/or protecting against neuronal damage (e.g., resulting from stroke), and methods of use thereof.
US09114103B2

Disclosed are high loading, controlled-release dosage forms for oral administration of magnesium salts. For example, an oral dosage form can comprise from about 80% to about 95% magnesium lactate and one or more components. As another example, an oral dosage form can comprise at least about 50% magnesium salt and exhibit a controlled release dissolution profile. Also disclosed are methods for making controlled release dosage forms for oral administration of a therapeutically effective amount of magnesium salt to a mammal. Also disclosed are methods for treating a disorder characterized by magnesium deficiency and methods for preventing or alleviating low magnesium levels.
US09114101B2

Described are particular fragments of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p16 capable of increasing IFN-γ secretion of T cells or inducing proliferation of T cells and the use of said fragments for immunizing an individual against HPV-associated or other p16INK4a expressing carcinomas, preferably advanced carcinomas.
US09114096B2

Provided are body corrective cosmetic formulations and methods of use thereof.
US09114095B2

Oral compositions containing a polyorganosilsesquioxane particle, preferably polymethylsilsesquioxane particles, an oxidizing agent and an orally-acceptable carrier. Method of using such compositions for the cleaning and polishing of dental enamel, such methods including the step of applying such oral care compositions to the teeth of a user.
US09114090B1

A capsular design is disclosed for self-administered delivery of a pre-determined amount of liquid medication. The capsular design can be constructed as having either a single piece or two piece capsular wall construction where a portion of the liquid medication contained within can be administered sublingually and the remaining portion can be subsequently swallowed for gastro-intestinal absorption.
US09114085B2

Modified release oral pharmaceutical compositions of dexlansoprazole or pharmaceutically acceptable salts or hydrated forms thereof in the form of a bilayer tablet and processes for the manufacture of the tablet composition and its use in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.
US09114083B2

Disclosed are improved granular pharmaceutical preparations, together with improved methods and apparatus for preparation of granules for use in such preparations. Such methods are especially useful for making granules for solid oral dose pharmaceutical preparations, and are particularly suited to the production of granules comprising 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. The granules exhibit a more sharply peaked length distribution, and hence aspect ratio distribution, and have a consequently much sharper dissolution profile after further processing.
US09114073B2

Oral dosage forms as a biodegradable, water soluble film for delivering pharmaceutically active agents, to patients through insertion into the mouth of patient and methods for administering pharmaceutically active agents to patients by insertion into the mouth to provide selective uptake of said agents through the mucosa and thus avoiding the gastrointestinal tract.
US09114070B2

The invention provides a liposome for delivery to the posterior segment of the eye, comprising (A) a phospholipid, (B) a charged substance, and/or (C) a membrane-reinforcing substance; the liposome having a rigidity that provides the liposome with cell membrane permeability, and having a mean particle diameter of 1 μm or less; and a pharmaceutical composition for a disease in the posterior segment of an eye, comprising a drug encapsulated in the liposome. The liposome is delivered to the posterior segment of the eye by instillation, and is non-cytotoxic; and the pharmaceutical composition for a disease in the posterior segment of the eye comprises the liposome.
US09114068B2

Methods of treating a patient in need thereof, comprising administering to the critically ill patient an intravenous pharmaceutical composition comprising ibuprofen in an amount effective to treat at least one condition in the patient chosen from pain, inflammation, and fever and to provide a clinically relevant effect on mean arterial pressure of the patients during the dosage interval comprising no increase or no statistically significant increase in mean arterial pressure.
US09114066B2

A fistula catheter which can be inserted and withdrawn without the use of a replacement tool such as a syringe or an extension tool and a fistula catheter that is sparingly invasive for the fistula are disclosed.The fistula catheter can have a substantially cylindrical catheter part; a rod-like bumper part; a guide part provided with a flexible peripheral wall which is bent in such a way that it can overlap the outer peripheral surface of the catheter part and the outer peripheral surface of the bumper part, wherein a catheter insertion opening into which the catheter part can be inserted is formed in said peripheral wall; a flexible first connecting part for connecting the catheter part and the bumper part in such a way as to extend in the axial direction; and a flexible second connecting part for connecting the bumper part and the guide part in such a way as to extend in the axial direction.
US09114065B2

Systems and methods for monitoring nutritional uptake of an individual are disclosed. The method can include monitoring microflora intestinal gas concentration levels associated with a patient and adjusting the volume of nutrient provided by the patient with an artificial feeding device based at least in part on the microflora intestinal gas levels associated with the patient. A microflora intestinal gas sensor can be used to monitor the microflora intestinal gas associated with the patient. The microflora intestinal gas sensor can monitor the microflora intestinal gas in a patient's exhaled breath or in the patient's digestive tract. The microflora intestinal gas sensor be included as part of an enteral feeding system at the distal end or outside end of an enteral feeding tube. Systems and methods for monitoring nutritional uptake of an infant based on microflora intestinal gas levels associated with the infant are also disclosed.
US09114061B1

A liquid medication reminder assembly stores liquid medication and provides a reminder when to take the medication. The assembly includes a container having a bottom portion and a cap. The bottom portion defines an interior space configured for holding a medication. A top edge of a perimeter wall of the bottom portion defines an opening into the interior space. The cap is coupled to the bottom portion of the container. Each of plurality of indicia is positioned on the container corresponding to a unique time period. A band is coupled to and extends around the container over the indicia. An opening extends through the band. The band is movably coupled to the container wherein the opening is alignable with a selectable one of the indicia on the container such that the selectable one of the indicia is visible through the opening.
US09114060B2

An interface system for a tub system comprises a screen plate adapted to be mounted to a tub wall. The screen plate has keys representing functions of the tub system, and being made of a material allowing light to pass therethrough. Lights are positioned in register with the keys of the screen plate and concealed from a visible surface of the tub. A controller is adapted to receive commands from a user of the tub to actuate any selected function of the tub system. A light actuator actuates the lights to light up the keys associated with the selected function to visually indicate actuation of the selected function of the tub system through the keys.
US09114058B2

A mechanized dildo, including a motor driven coaxial plurality of longitudinally spaced drive cams, and corresponding sets of passive cams that operate within an elastic phallic sleeve to locally cyclically expand a girth of the sleeve. Optional vibratory elements are positioned proximate a distal extremity of the sleeve, and in a laterally extending arm that is formed for clitoral stimulation. A battery powered control handle provides multiple operating modes and speeds.
US09114053B2

Pneumatic compression devices and methods for using the same are disclosed. A pneumatic compression device may include a compression pump, a fill/exhaust valve, a transducer, a plurality of cell valves, and a controller. The compression pump may output a pressurized fluid via an output. The fill/exhaust valve may connect one or more cell valves to the compression pump when in an open state and to the atmosphere when in a closed state. The transducer may sense a pressure level. Each cell valve may correspond to a cell and may connect the fill/exhaust valve to the corresponding cell when in an open state. The controller may determine a state (either open or closed) for each of the fill/exhaust valve and the plurality of cell valves based on at least the pressure level sensed by the transducer.
US09114041B2

A method for production of disposable hygienic absorbent articles (12) in which each article has a substantially homogenous elastic laminate web (14) having a maximum elastic extensibility in a first direction of at least 40%, preferably at least 60%, and most preferably at least 80%, under a peak load Fp, and an absorbent core (16) attached to the elastic laminate web. The method including the steps of providing a continuous length of the elastic laminate web (14); advancing the continuous length of the elastic laminate web in a direction of travel (A) corresponding to the first direction; attaching individual absorbent cores (16) to the continuous length of the elastic laminate web at spaced intervals, and forming individual articles (12) from the thus assembled individual absorbent cores and the continuous length of said elastic laminate web. The continuous length of the elastic laminate web (14) is maintained under a tensioning load Ft in the direction of travel during the advancing, with the tensioning load Ft satisfying the condition: 0.03 Fp≦Ft≦0.25 Fp.
US09114037B2

An improved tubular structure adapted to increase in diameter upon application of axial force is provided. Increase in diameter is achieved by constructing the tube from multiple layers of material that move relative to each other during axial elongation of the tube. The tube of the present invention can be used both to avoid problems in “necking” found in many prior tube devices, and to provide additional benefits that increases in diameter of the tube during axial elongation can provide. As such, the tube of the present invention may be useful as a manufacturing aid, as a deployment sheath (for example, to deliver medical devices), and in other applications that may benefit from easier tubular sheath removal.
US09114011B2

A method for fabricating an artificial bone by multi-pass extrusion, includes: a first extrusion process of forming roll-shaped filaments having sheets of calcium phosphate/calcium phosphate-(t-ZrO2)/t-ZrO2; a second extrusion process of arranging the prepared roll-shaped filaments circularly and extruding the same; and a third extrusion process of forming an external shell of hydroxyapatite (HAp). The method for fabricating an artificial bone allows fabrication of an artificial bone having the biocompatibility and mechanical strength of the natural bone and may be utilized variously in biomedical engineering, medicine and other applications.
US09114003B2

Surgical tools, kits, and methods for breast implants are provided. One surgical tool is a rigid or semi-rigid form that matches the size and shape of a corresponding breast implant. The form may be employed to determine skin tension when inserted into a breast. The form may also be employed to mark a fixation suture line for attachment between an acellular dermal matrix and the chest wall of a patient in some instances. However, in other instances a breast implant template surgical tool may be employed to mark one or more fixation suture lines. The breast implant template may be thin and flexible, and define a perimeter matching the size and shape of a footprint of a corresponding breast implant. Marking around the perimeter of the form or the breast implant template allows for convenient selection of fixation suture lines which may result in desirable overall breast symmetry.
US09114002B2

A stent graft for placement in a lumen of a patient is disclosed. The stent graft comprises a main body including a main lumen and having a distal end terminating in a bifurcation. It also comprises first and second legs extending from the bifurcation, the first and second legs having respective first and second leg lumens and the first and second leg lumens being in fluid communication with the main lumen; and a side arm extending from the first leg, the side arm having a side arm lumen. The side arm lumen is in fluid communication with the first leg lumen at a position adjacent to the bifurcation. A combined lumen is formed. The combined lumen is between the main lumen and a distal portion of the first leg lumen and is bounded laterally by a portion of the side arm located adjacent to the bifurcation.
US09113998B2

A patellofemoral brace or support has a main substrate, a hinge located on at least one of the lateral and medial sides, and a support system coupled to the main substrate and the hinge. The support system has a compression element removably securable over the main substrate and a cable having a first end anchored to a pivoting element connected to the hinge and a second end anchored to the compression element. The cable engages the hinge such that articulation of the hinge from an extension position to a flexion position pulls the compression element toward the hinge to exert a generally medial force over the main substrate.
US09113994B2

An intraocular shunt can be manufactured using a system that includes a liquid bath and a wire, which is moved through the bath. When moved through the bath, the wire is coated with a material, such as gelatin. For example, the liquid bath can have a top layer, including water, and a bottom layer, including gelatin. The coated wire passes through an aperture formed in a plate component of the system. The gelatin can be dried on the wire in a humidity-controlled space, thereby forming the shunt.
US09113992B2

A surgical implant for treating female urinary incontinence includes a suburethral support, first and second soft tissue anchors, and first and second elongated members connecting the first and second soft tissue anchors to first and second ends of the suburethral support. The first soft tissue anchor includes a central portion, a plurality of projections extending from the central portion, and a plurality of deflection-limiting features. The plurality of projections extends from the central portion, each of the projections being inclined away from a longitudinal axis of the first soft tissue anchor and configured to be deflected inwardly toward the longitudinal axis during delivery. The plurality of deflection-limiting features is configured to limit deflection of the plurality of projections outwardly away from the longitudinal axis beyond a desired angle.
US09113991B2

An anchor is provided for anchoring a bodily implant within a body of a patient. The anchor includes an implant engaging portion for engaging the bodily implant, wherein the implant engaging portion is disposed on a lateral portion of the anchor. The anchor further includes a distal end portion configured to pass through a passageway in the patient's body, the passageway defining a first axis and a proximal end portion disposed longitudinally opposite to the distal end portion on the anchor. The anchor defines a second axis extending from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion. The anchor is configured to rotate when a force is applied to the bodily implant such that the second axis defined by the anchor forms an angle with the first axis defined by the passageway.
US09113988B2

An extractable device is used to insert a medicinal filling into an animal tissue. The device comprises a filling member and a pasty medicine. The filling member is made of a flexible and hermetic wall and is provided with a holding portion and an injection port via which the pasty medicine is injected into the holding portion after the filling member is inserted into the animal tissue. The holding portion is provided with an opening which is releasably lashed by one end of one or more threads so as to make the opening leakproof. Upon completion of solidification of the pasty medicine in the holding portion of the filling member, other end of the thread is pulled to unlash the opening of the holding portion, thereby enabling the filling member to be extracted from the animal tissue so as to leave only the medicine in the animal tissue.
US09113987B2

An oral hygiene implement is provided. The oral hygiene implement includes a housing; a movably mounted functional element; a fixation element that is secured at the housing and that essentially locks the functional element at the housing; and an axle that is supported by the fixation element. The functional element is arranged for movement around the axle and the fixation element extends through a cut-out or recess provided in a carrier element of the functional element, such that pulling the functional element out of the housing along the longitudinal axle extension direction is inhibited.
US09113985B2

A method of treating a dental patient includes performing a dental procedure, conducting muscle response testing for identifying a location for treatment, placing a magnetic device over the location identified during the muscle response testing, and aligning the magnetic device over the location for influencing energy flow in the patient. The magnetic device includes a set of four magnetic discs arranged in an array including two having negative magnetic poles lying in a first plane and two having positive magnetic poles lying in the first plane. The two magnetic discs having negative magnetic poles extend along a first diagonal line and the two magnetic discs having positive magnetic poles extend along a second diagonal line that crosses the first diagonal line. A housing for maintaining the magnetic discs in the array has an alignment marker for aligning the magnetic device on the dental patient.
US09113980B2

An instrument for drilling dental root canals, includes a tapered rod having on at least an active part of its length, at least one helical flute defining at least one helical cutting edge. The instrument also has a helical hollow on a portion of the active part extending as far as the point of the rod. At least one of the edges defined by the helical hollow is coincident with the cutting edge, the hollow reducing the cutting angle of the cutting edge. Any cross-section of the active part has at least one convex side belonging to the helical flute. The closer the cross-section in question is to the point of the rod, the more the curvature at any point of the convex side increases and tends to approximate the curvature of the circumscribed circle of the cross-section and passing via the cutting edge defined by the helical flute.
US09113979B2

Dental implant devices, kits, and methods for implantation or use in a bone cavity, are disclosed. A dental implant can include a body portion, extending from a proximal end to a distal end along a longitudinal axis, including a central bore extending from the proximal end to a termination point, located proximal of the distal end. The dental implant can further include and one or more channels extending between the central bore and an exterior surface of the body portion. A kit can include a set of different sized dental implants, a set of slugs including a resorbable material, and optionally, an injection tool. A method can include inserting the dental implant into a bone cavity, introducing a resorbable material into the central bore of the body portion, and permitting the resorbable material to flow from the central bore, through the one or more channels, and into the bone cavity.
US09113978B2

An implant for insertion into the jawbone, the implant including a helical body for receiving at least part of a prosthetics pillar, the prosthetics pillar configured for insertion into the implant, the prosthetics pillar comprising a screw section with an external thread, and the prosthetics pillar further configured to carry an artificial tooth.
US09113968B2

A dynamic bone plate and method of bone compression is disclosed. The dynamic bone plate comprises a first bone plate component and a second bone plate component. The first bone plate component comprises at least one hole configured for receiving bone screws for attachment to a first bone segment; and a male component. The second bone plate component comprises at least one hole configured for receiving bone screws for attachment to a second bone segment; and a female component configured for mating with the male component of the first bone plate component. The male component is adjustable after mating with the female component to adjust a position of the first bone plate component with respect to the second bone plate component and wherein the male component is locked into place with respect to the female component by at least one bone screw inserted through the at least one hole of the second bone plate component causing compression between the first bone segment and the second bone segment to form a corrective construct.
US09113959B2

Methods of correcting a spinal deformity include securing a first rod on a first side of a spine, securing a second rod on a second side of the spine, and securing a lateral coupling between the first rod and the second rod to facilitate derotation and translation of the spinal deformity and further provide stabilization of the corrected spine.
US09113955B2

Systems and methods for crossing stenosis, partial occlusions, or complete occlusions within a body lumen. The systems generally include an elongate member such as a hollow guidewire that houses a rotatable and translatable drive shaft. The drive shaft typically has a distal portion that is advanced to create a path in the occlusive material that is large enough to allow the hollow guidewire to cross the occlusive material.
US09113950B2

Methods and device are provided for delivery of biologics to an intervertebral disc. Device described herein include a needle assembly and handle assembly that optimize biologic delivery parameters to a target location within a disc. The needle assembly includes the capability of advancing into the disc at pre-configured pathways that allow for minimized damaged and maximized positioning of the biologic.
US09113947B2

A surgical apparatus includes a housing member having leading and trailing ends that define a longitudinal axis. One or more ports longitudinally extend between the leading and trailing ends, and are configured and adapted to receive a surgical instrument therein in a substantially sealed relation. At least one cleaning port longitudinally extends between the leading and trailing ends, and is configured and adapted to receive a cleaning device therein. The cleaning device is configured and adapted to clean surgical instruments positioned within the one or more ports without necessitating removal of the surgical instruments from the one or more ports.
US09113940B2

A forceps includes an end effector assembly including first and second jaw members, a blade, a lever member operably coupled to the end effector, a trigger member operably coupled to the blade and defining an actuation path therealong. A trigger safety member is pivotably coupled to the lever member such that, when the lever member is disposed in an initial position, the trigger safety member is disposed in a position blocking the trigger member. When the lever member is disposed in a compressed position, the trigger safety member is disposed in a position, wherein the trigger safety member is displaced from the actuation path to permit movement of the trigger member, wherein the safety member rotates relative to the lever member as a function of movement of the lever member to block/unblock the trigger member.
US09113938B2

An end effector assembly is presented including a pair of first and second jaw members configured to move from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to a second position for grasping tissue therebetween. The end effector assembly further includes an actuation mechanism configured to actuate the first and second jaw members relative to an elongated shaft attached to a flexible catheter having a longitudinal axis defined therethrough. Additionally, a spring mechanism is disposed between a supporting member and a distal most end of the elongated shaft, the spring mechanism configured to apply constant sealing pressure between the first and second jaw members irrespective of angular displacement of the elongated shaft.
US09113936B2

An intravascular snare device for use in capturing debris found in blood vessels. The snare device is fabricated from a tube and includes longitudinally and circumferentially extending members. The snare device specifically embodies structure that provides enhanced radial opening and angular resistance to collapse.
US09113931B2

A method of repairing an inner vessel wall includes the step of inserting at least a portion of a microwave ablation device into a vessel. The microwave ablation device includes an inner conductor disposed within an outer conductor and defines a longitudinal axis. The method also includes the steps of inserting a repairing sealant into the vessel such that the repairing sealant is disposed between an inner vessel wall and the outer conductor and expanding at least a portion of the outer conductor relative to the longitudinal axis to force at least a portion of the repairing sealant into the inner vessel wall. The method also includes the step of delivering energy to at least one of the inner conductor and the outer conductor to activate the repairing sealant to repair the inner vessel wall.
US09113928B2

The present invention provides surgical apparatus for liposuction in which microwave energy is delivered from a probe into a treatment region to perform a fat liquefying function or a haemostasis function. The apparatus is arranged such that an output microwave field automatically adopts a configuration suitable for the fat liquefying function or haemostasis function depending on the type of tissue encountered by the probe in the treatment region. In particular, by suitable selection of the frequency of the microwave energy, the difference in skin depth of the microwave energy in fat and blood may enable the microwave field to automatically switch its configuration between one suitable for fat liquefying and one suitable for haemostasis without any change required to the amount of microwave power or the energy profile delivered to the probe.
US09113927B2

An electrosurgical apparatus is provided. The electrosurgical apparatus includes a cannula insertable into a patient and positionable adjacent abnormal tissue. The electrosurgical apparatus includes a microwave antenna that includes a distal end having a radiating section receivable within the cannula and positionable within a patient adjacent abnormal tissue. The microwave antenna is adapted to connect to a source of electrosurgical energy for transmitting electrosurgical energy to the radiating section. A portion of the radiating section substantially encompasses a portion of the abnormal tissue and may be configured to apply pressure thereto. The microwave antenna is actuated to electrocautery treat tissue to reduce blood flow to the abnormal tissue.
US09113926B2

A dielectric spacer for use during microwave ablation of tissue is disclosed. The dielectric spacer includes a housing having a predetermined thickness and a skin-contacting bottom surface. The housing is configured to be filled with a dielectric material having a predetermined dielectric permittivity. The housing is further configured to be placed on the tissue in proximity with at least one microwave antenna assembly, wherein the thickness and the dielectric permittivity are configured to shift a maximum voltage standing wave ratio of the at least one microwave antenna assembly.
US09113923B2

A method of positioning a femoral cutting guide on a distal end of a femur establishes at least a first reference plane to perform a distal femoral planar cut. The method includes inserting a mounting member into an intramedullary canal of the femur and coupling a bridge member to the mounting member. The method also includes placing a cutting guide member over a medial anterior portion of the distal femur. The cutting guide member has a first channel that establishes the first reference plane. The bridge member has a bridge channel. A wall of the bridge channel is inserted into the first channel of the cutting guide member. A mounting mechanism generates resistance between the bridge member and the cutting guide member. The resistance is overcome by positioning the cutting guide member relative to the femur.
US09113921B2

Disclosed herein are methods, compositions and tools for repairing articular surfaces repair materials and for repairing an articular surface. The articular surface repairs are customizable or highly selectable by patient and geared toward providing optimal fit and function. The surgical tools are designed to be customizable or highly selectable by patient to increase the speed, accuracy and simplicity of performing total or partial arthroplasty.
US09113920B2

A method and apparatus for performing an open wedge osteotomy utilizing a keyed, wedge-shaped implant for disposition in a keyed, wedge-shaped opening created in a bone. The keys may be disposed in vertical or horizontal arrangements. In addition, a shear rib key hole may be formed adjacent the wedge-shaped opening in the bone.
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