US09201620B2

A device management terminal includes: an imaging section that images an electronic device placed at an installation location; a specific information acquisition section that acquires, from a server, specific information for specifying the electronic device that is being imaged; a status information acquisition section that acquires status information from the electronic device that is being imaged based on the specific information; and a display section that displays, on a screen, the acquired status information together with the electronic device that is being imaged.
US09201617B2

A control device includes a recording control unit, a detection unit, a port selection unit and a communication control unit. The recording control unit configures a logical port for data communication according to an interface standard. The detection unit detects a recording device wirelessly communicable with the control device. The port selection unit links a virtual port corresponding to the detected recording device with the logical port. The communication control unit opens the virtual port linked to the logical port and the recording device for wireless data communication with the recording device according to a wireless communication standard.
US09201601B2

A storage system which is connected to a host computer, includes a storage device; a first controller which controls data transfers between the storage device and the host computer; a second controller connected to the first controller and controls data transfers between the storage device and the host computer; a non-volatile memory; and a battery device. The first controller includes a first volatile memory and the second controller comprising a second volatile memory. Upon a power outage, the battery device starts supplying electric power to the first controller and the second controller, and wherein the second controller copies data which is stored in the first volatile memory to the second volatile memory and, after copying is complete, stops operation of the first controller, stops the power supply from the battery device to the first controller, and copies data.
US09201598B2

A method for allocating resources of a storage system including at least a first and second group of storage devices. The method identifies a first set of resources to be reserved for use by the first group of storage devices, identifies a second set of resources to be reserved for use by the second group of storage devices, and identifies a third set of resources The method then allocates resources from the third set of resources to the first group of storage devices or the second group of storage device according to an allocation algorithm, and restricts use of the first set of resources to the first group of devices and use of the second set of resources to the second group of devices.
US09201597B2

A shared counter resource, such as a register, is disclosed in the hardware, where the register representing how much free space there is in the command queue is accessible to one or more processing elements. When a processing element reads the “reservation” register, the hardware automatically decrements the available free space by a preconfigured amount (e.g., 1) and returns the value of the free space immediately prior to the read/reservation. If the read returns 0 (or a number less than the preconfigured amount), there was insufficient free space to satisfy the request. In the event there was insufficient space to satisfy the request the reservation register may be configured to reserve however much space was available or to not reserve any space at all. Any number of processing elements may read these registers and various scenarios are described where the input and output queues are accessible via various processing elements.
US09201595B2

A memory array for process variation tolerant bypass operation. The memory array may utilize normal read operation data path of a memory I/O module. Accordingly, the speed at which the bypass operation may be executed may be increased. Furthermore, a potential for false read operations introduced by the utilization of the normal read operation data path of the memory I/O module may be reduced using a protect mechanism operable to block the output of false reads from the memory array.
US09201587B2

A portable apparatus and an operation method thereof are provided. The portable apparatus has a screen and a touch pad, and a touch area of the touch pad is mapped to a display area of the screen. In the operation method, a first touch operation is detected by using the touch pad, and a cue area is displayed at a first display position on the screen mapped to a first touch position of the first touch operation. A second touch operation is detected by using the touch pad, and whether a second display position on the screen mapped to a second touch position of the second touch operation is within the cue area is determined. If the second display position is within the cue area, an operation function is executed on an object within the cue area. Otherwise, the cue area is moved to the second display position.
US09201586B2

A mobile terminal provides a guide and feedback for a lock release operation to implement a gesture for a lock release operation at an arbitrary location and in various directions. A method of releasing a user interface lock state in a mobile terminal having a touch sensing display according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include setting the mobile terminal to a user interface lock state; detecting a contact with the touch sensing display at an arbitrary location on the touch sensing display; displaying a lock release region corresponding to the arbitrary location while maintaining a contact with the touch sensing display; displaying the movement of the contact in the lock release region; and switching the mobile terminal into a user interface lock release state when the movement of the contact in the lock release region satisfies a predetermined condition.
US09201584B2

A user interface for an audio/visual device includes a touch sensor in which the touch sensor is vibrated by an actuator coupled thereto to provide a user with a virtual texture for a corresponding menu on which the user is provided with the impression that menu item have textures, where the menu may extend about the periphery of a display element so as to at least partially surround a display area in which a visual portion of an audio/visual program may be played and possibly in a manner corresponding to how a surface defined on the touch sensor at least partially surrounds another manually-operable control.
US09201580B2

Sound alignment user interface techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a user interface is output having a first representation of sound data generated from a first sound signal and a second representation of sound data generated from a second sound signal. One or more inputs are received, via interaction with the user interface, that indicate that a first point in time in the first representation corresponds to a second point in time in the second representation. Aligned sound data is generated from the sound data from the first and second sound signals based at least in part on correspondence of the first point in time in the sound data generated from the first sound signal to the second point in time in the sound data generated from the second sound signal.
US09201571B2

Logging of data about events occurring during an activity is used in video production to reduce the cost of production of video for local audiences. A logging tool is configured to capture data according to a kind of activity, such as a basketball game, football game or other activity of local interest. The logging tool can be preconfigured with information about a specific activity, such as the date, time, venue, and participants, such as teams and players. Data entered for an event occurring during an activity is time stamped. This data is associated and synchronized with video for the event. The time stamped data can be used to generate clips of the video from the activity, based on synchronization between the logged data and the video, and the time stamps of the logged data.
US09201570B2

A parameter adjusting method includes a step (S1) of determining whether or not a predetermined manipulation of an icon with a pointer occurs on a screen; a step (S2) of displaying an auxiliary indicator used for adjustment of a predetermined parameter in the vicinity of the icon on the screen in the case where it is determined that the predetermined manipulation of the icon with the pointer occurs; and a step (S3, S4) of adjusting the parameter by manipulating the auxiliary indicator by manipulation of the pointer.
US09201565B2

A method is presented for value specification in a responsive interface control. The method includes displaying the interface control in a section of a user interface on a display device. The interface control is an interactive interface element configured to set an interface value. The method also includes detecting a size of the section of the user interface. The method also includes automatically setting an interface control mode by selecting one of a plurality of predetermined interface control modes to specify an appearance of the interface control and a function of the interface control based on the size of the section of the user interface.
US09201557B2

A method for managing services and resources across a plurality of deployment architectures is described. The method begins by defining a profile corresponding to a deployment architecture. Each profile is defined according to a meta-model. The meta model comprises a service object representing a service that is accessible over a network, resource objects representing resources consumed by the service, inter-relationships between the service and resources, inter-relationships between the resources. For each profile, a topology is generated based on the profile. The topology includes the resources used to perform a task.
US09201548B2

A material-discerning proximity sensor is arranged to include an antenna that is arranged to radiate a radio-frequency signal. A capacitive sensor is arranged to detect a change in capacitance of the capacitive sensor and to receive the radio-frequency signal. An electrical quantity sensor is arranged to detect a change of the received radio-frequency signal.
US09201540B2

Techniques for operating a touchscreen display are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the touchscreen display device includes power regulation circuitry that supplies a first set of voltages to a display panel using high and low supply rails during a display period. During the blanking period following the display period, the high and low supply rails may be adjusted to a second set of voltages that provide for proper operation of touch-sensitive elements in the touchscreen display. Following the end of the blanking period, a portion of charge from the low supply rail is recycled by transferring the charge from the low supply rail back to the high supply rail to bring the high and low supply rails back to the first set of voltages for the next display period.
US09201538B2

Methods and devices for providing a user input to a device through sensing of user-applied forces are described. A user applies forces to a rigid body as if to deform it and these applied forces are detected by force sensors in or on the rigid body. The resultant force on the rigid body is determined from the sensor data and this resultant force is used to identify a user input. In an embodiment, the user input may be a user input to a software program running on the device. In an embodiment the rigid body is the rigid case of a computing device which includes a display and which is running the software program.
US09201536B2

A touch-sensitive vehicle display device is disclosed. The touch-sensitive vehicle display device comprises a body having a display including a touch panel on a surface thereof, whereby a screen operation is performed on the surface of the display by a touch-screen operation; an operation plate provided along the surface of the display; and a controller controlling information to be indicated on the display. The operation plate includes an opening section to indicate a switch provided to face the touch panel, and a plurality of touch-sensitive switch-confirmation portions provided on an end portion of the opening section for switch indication, and the controller controls a switch-indication portion to be inside the opening section to indicate switching in the display, and controls a plurality of selection-switches to be in the switch-indication portion to correspond to the plurality of switch-confirmation portions.
US09201535B2

Embodiments of the invention disclose a color filter substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, a display device with touch function and a driving method thereof. The color filter substrate comprises: a base substrate, a sense layer and a color filter layer disposed on the base substrate. The color filter layer includes a black matrix and a plurality of color filter patterns separated from each other by the black matrix. The sense layer and the color filter layer are disposed on a same side of the base substrate. The sense layer includes a plurality of sense regions, and a drive line and a sense line are provided side by side in a same layer in each of the sense regions.
US09201534B2

In response to an instruction with respect to a rotation button (B1) that is an operation target, an example information processing apparatus (10) displays an expanded rotation button (B1′) as an operation region for performing a slide operation, and performs information processing using a parameter that continuously changes in accordance with a slide operation in the operation region.
US09201531B2

A touch display device is provided. A bottom surface of a substrate of a touch panel has a touch area and a connection area. A set of touch electrodes are disposed on the touch area, and a connecting pad is disposed on the connection area to connect the set of touch electrodes. A glue layer is disposed between the surface of the display panel and the touch area. A gap is formed between the surface of a display panel and the connection area. A connecting part of a flexible circuit module is connected to the connecting pad. A bending part has a first end connected to the connecting part and a second end connected to an extension part. The extension part extends out of the gap from the second end. A portion of the extension part, the connecting part, and the bending part are located within the gap.
US09201523B1

A smart pen is configured to communicate with a computer peripheral device. The smart pen includes an external assembly comprising a pen upper body connected to a pen middle body. A curved touch screen display is attached to the pen upper body. A microcontroller is housed in the pen upper body and communicatively coupled to the curved touch screen display with a controller configured to determine where the curved touch screen display is touched. A dual mode Bluetooth circuit is housed in the pen upper body and communicatively coupled to the central processing unit and configured to send data to and receive data from the computer peripheral device. The central processing unit is connected to memory configured to load processing instructions for touching the curved touch screen display to select at least one executable icon to execute at least one software application.
US09201521B2

The disclosure is directed to storing trace information. An aspect includes determining whether or not a pen is within a threshold distance of the touchscreen, storing trace information generated by a user's touch in a touch buffer if the pen is not within the threshold distance of the touchscreen, and clearing the touch buffer and storing trace information generated by the pen in the touch buffer if the pen is within the threshold distance of the touchscreen.
US09201520B2

A “Motion and Context Sharing Technique” uses a pen or stylus enhanced to incorporate multiple sensors, i.e., a “sensor pen,” and a power supply to enable various input techniques and gestures. Various combinations of pen stroke, pressure, motion, and other sensor pen inputs are used to enable various hybrid input techniques that incorporate simultaneous, concurrent, sequential, and/or interleaved, sensor pen inputs and touch inputs (i.e., finger, palm, hand, etc.) on displays or other touch sensitive surfaces. This enables a variety of motion-gesture inputs relating to the context of how the sensor pen is used or held, even when the pen is not in contact or within sensing range of the computing device digitizer. In other words, any particular touch inputs or combinations of touch inputs are correlated with any desired sensor pen inputs, with those correlated inputs then being used to initiate any desired action by the computing device.
US09201516B2

A forward pointing direction associated with a handheld device is estimated or determined by, for example, calculating a center of rotation of the device. A resultant combined or selected bias estimate may then be used to compensate the biased output of the sensor in, e.g., a 3D pointing device.
US09201512B1

Disclosed is a technique that can help to detect a blink of an eye and a direction along which the eye is oriented before, after, or during the blink. To this end, light data can be received from at least one light sensor. The light data indicates at least one characteristic of light reflected from an eye area. A blink event can be detected based on the light data. A gaze direction can be determined based on the blink event. At least one computing action can be performed based on the gaze direction.
US09201510B2

A method for providing visual cues rendered on a display is provided. The method comprises: detecting a touch input associated with a user interface element rendered on the display; determining an input direction of the touch input; and displaying on the display a visual cue associated with the user interface element, wherein the visual cue is located at a position based on the input direction of the touch input.
US09201508B2

A glove-based key entry apparatus and method for are provided. The apparatus includes at least one pair of gloves, a plurality of sensors disposed on a first side of the at least a pair of gloves, and at least two screens disposed on each side of the gloves, the second side of the at least one glove being opposite to the first side of the at least one glove.
US09201507B2

A data inputting system includes a communication device and user-activated control or input device, both coupled to a processor. Data and a focus indicator are displayed or otherwise communicated to a user through the communication device. The position of the focus indicator relative to the displayed data indicates a changeable portion of the displayed data. Changes to the displayed data are made by activating the input device, which may include one or more sets of up and down scroll keys. Each set of scroll keys may be used to change different portions of the displayed data. The processor automatically adjusts the position of the focus indicator based on predetermined criteria, thereby allowing changes to different portions of the displayed data. An associated method is disclosed wherein the focus indicator's position is adjusted after a predetermined time has elapsed from which the input device is deactivated.
US09201502B2

An operating device of a motor vehicle has at least one display unit for displaying changeable information. Gaze detection is used to check whether the operator's gaze is directed at the at least one display unit. An input command in a first group of input commands is not executed if the operator's gaze is not directed at the at least one display unit for a certain time period during the input command. For a second group of input commands, the input command is executed irrespective of gaze detection.
US09201496B2

An image forming apparatus includes a display control unit that displays a user interface screen based on web page data that is received from a web server, using a web browser that communicates with the web server within the image forming apparatus, a task monitoring unit that operates independently of the web server, monitors a state of a task on the web server, and acquires status information on the task, a determination unit that determines whether or not the web server is accessible, based on the status information, and a notification unit that, in response to the determination that the web server is inaccessible, notifies an operating user of the fact that the web server is inaccessible by changing a display content of the user interface screen.
US09201492B2

The present disclosure provides techniques for translating input camera commands to device-specific commands. Camera commands may be translated by a translation engine located separately from the camera and then transferred to the camera. The translated commands may be less complex than input commands. By translating the commands, older cameras may be capable of supporting newer commands which are not natively supported.
US09201488B2

Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for sharing power load in a network. The method includes identifying a first device to serve as an AP of the network in a next time interval, providing network information from a second device that presently serves as the AP to the first device. When the first device starts to serve as the AP of the network, the second device can be configured to enter into a power save state in order to reduce power consumption by the second device in the next time interval.
US09201466B2

A portable computer includes a base, a display module, a support element and a cam structure. The base comprises a first area and a second area. The display module includes a connecting end and a display face. The support element includes a first end connected pivotally to a portion of the display module other than the display face and a second end connected pivotally to the rear end of the base. Two ends of the cam structure are connected pivotally to the base and the support element. Accordingly, the support element is connected indirectly and pivotally to the base. When the display module is slid and rotated relative to the base to change a notebook state or a tablet state, the support element does not interfere the movement of the display module and keep the flatness of the whole appearance of the portable computer.
US09201465B2

An information handling system converts from a closed position to a tablet position by rotating a lid with a display 360 degrees about a hinge having synchronized and continuous motion. The hinge has first and second axles held distal by a spacer. A synchronizer translates motion of each axle to the other to provide fluid movement of the lid relative to the housing. For instance, first and second cables translate rotational motion with the disposition of a discontinuous figure eight between the first and second axles.
US09201462B2

A portable computer includes a computer body and a keyboard. The keyboard includes a plurality of keys and a space bar. The space bar includes a base frame, a touch pad, an elastic element and a key switch. The touch pad is elevatably disposed on the base frame, and one surface of the touch pad can provide a cursor of the portable computer. The elastic element is disposed between the base frame and the touch pad, and elastically supports the touch pad. The key switch is disposed on the other surface of the touch pad. When one of the keys is clicked, the computer body disables the touch pad and enables the key switch.
US09201460B2

An electronic device with touch function includes a back casing, a front casing, a display panel and a touch panel. The front casing is combined with the back casing so as to form an accommodating space. The display panel is disposed in the accommodating space. The touch panel is fixed to the front casing and the touch panel is departed from the display panel with a predetermined distance.
US09201458B2

A device can include a processor; a display operatively coupled to the processor; a battery having a battery length; a chassis that includes a bay having a bay length, the bay length being of sufficient length to allow translation of the battery along the bay length; a translation mechanism to translate the battery in the bay; and communication circuitry operatively coupled to the processor and the translation mechanism. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
US09201451B2

A holding structure adapted to an electronic device is provided. The holding structure includes a base, at least one positioning assembly and a position-limiting component. The positioning assembly is disposed on the base. The position-limiting component is pivoted to the base. When the electronic device is placed on the base, the position-limiting component is pushed by the electronic device to move to a second position from a first position. When the position-limiting component is located at the second position, the positioning assembly positions the position-limiting component and the position-limiting component limits the electronic device at the base.
US09201450B2

A first module including a first port to connect to a second module including a second port. The first port including an attraction field to attract a second port if the second port was within the attraction field. A flexible member can be connected to the first port and a first edge can apply a force to the first port.
US09201445B2

A gate driving circuit and a display, the gate driving circuit comprises a plurality of shift register connected in cascade. The shift register comprises: a signal outputting circuit (32), a signal inputting circuit (31), an inverting circuit (33) and a logic circuit (33). The signal outputting circuit (32) receives a forward direction clock signal from an external circuit and comprises a clock transistor and a level transistor. The signal outputting circuit outputs the forward direction clock signal when the clock transistor is turned on and outputs a constant-low level signal when the level transistor is turned on. The signal inputting circuit (31) receives an output signal from a previous shift register, and turns on the clock transistor when the received output signal of the previous shift register is valid. The inverting circuit (33) receives an inverse direction clock signal from the external circuit, turns off the clock transistor and turns on the level transistor at the same time when the inverse direction clock signal is valid. The logic circuit (33) holds the clock transistor as being turned on before the level transistor is turned on. The gate driving circuit has low power consumption, strong capability of anti-interference and a stable output wave.
US09201444B2

A memory controller includes a clock generator to generate a first clock signal and a timing circuit to generate a second clock signal from the first clock signal. The second clock signal times communications with any of a plurality of memory devices in respective ranks, including a first memory device in a first rank and a second memory device in a second rank. The timing circuit is configured to adjust a phase of the first clock signal, when the memory controller is communicating with the second memory device, based on calibration data associated with the second memory device and timing adjustment data associated with feedback from at least the first memory device.
US09201435B2

In accordance with an embodiment, a method of controlling a power supply node includes measuring a voltage of the power supply node, determining a first current based on the measuring, determining a first current and a second current based on the measuring, and summing the first current and the second current at the power supply node. Determining the first current includes operating a first controller having a first bandwidth, and determining the second current includes operating a second controller having a second bandwidth greater than the first bandwidth.
US09201428B2

A system and method for providing a substantially constant volume exhaust or ventilation air terminal system is shown for controlling exhaust and/or return airflow rates in a system having a central fan or ventilator. The system and method permits zone-by-zone or area-by-area airflow regulation or control in non-demand areas in response to a demand or call for ventilation in demand areas. In one embodiment, the system employs at least one constant airflow controller or regulator situated in a damper. Another embodiment shows a combination of a first constant airflow controller or regulator situated or mounted on a damper with a second constant airflow controller or regulator situated in a duct associated with the damper. In still another embodiment, a constant airflow controller or regulator is provided in a duct, and used in combination with a solid damper.
US09201405B2

A display assembly includes a display selectively displaying human-readable indicia on a face thereof and a cover disposed over the display. The cover has a homogeneous surface over the entire face of the display. The display assembly is controllable between an inactive state and an active state. In the inactive state, the face of the display is not viewable through the cover, and in the active state, the indicia are viewable through the cover.
US09201403B2

Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of generating a frequency reference using a solid-state atomic resonator formed by a solid-state material including an optical cavity having color centers. A device may include a solid-state atomic clock to generate a clock frequency signal, the solid-state atomic clock including a solid state atomic resonator formed by a solid-state material including au optical cavity having color centers, which are capable of exhibiting hyperfine transition, wherein the solid-state atomic clock may generate the clock frequency signal based on a hyperfine resonance frequency of the color centers.
US09201402B2

A device for displaying multiple times, includes a first time-displaying member (1) and a second time-displaying member (2) constituting first elements, and a first indicator for indicating at least one time on the first time-displaying member (1) and a second indicator for indicating at least one time on the second time-displaying member constituting second elements, wherein the first (1) and second (2) time-displaying members have a common axis. The first and/or second indicator for indicating at least one time is arranged between the first time-displaying member (1) and the second time-displaying member (2), and the first and/or second indicators are mounted so as to be rotatable about the axis relative to each other at the same rotational speed, wherein the time that can be displayed on the first time-displaying member (1) is different from the time that can be displayed on the second time-displaying member (2).
US09201399B2

A timepiece regulating member including a balance wheel oscillating about an axis subjected to a torque exerted by a torsion return mechanism. The balance includes an attachment mechanism causing it to oscillate integrally with a torsion wire forming the torsion return mechanism specific to the balance, a largest dimension of the cross-section of a useful part of the torsion wire which is subjected to torsion is less than 100 micrometers, a smallest dimension of the cross-section of the useful part is less than 50 micrometers, a total length of the torsion wire is less than 6 millimeters, and the regulating member includes a mechanism tensioning the torsion wire.
US09201384B2

A connection mechanism includes a protrusion, a plate section, and a movable section. The protrusion has a distal end, which has a spherical surface and a tapered surface, and a support that supports the distal end. The plate section is provided with a hole for positioning the protrusion when the support is inserted thereto. The movable section faces a side of the hole where the tapered surface of the distal end exists, and moves along the plate section by being pressed by the tapered surface of the distal end as the distal end is inserted through the hole.
US09201378B2

A cleaning unit, which is included in a process cartridge or an image forming apparatus, includes a brush rotary body to remove toner, a toner collecting rotary body to collect the toner, a toner collecting blade to scrape the toner, and a cleaning blade to scrape the toner falling from the brush rotary body. The image carrier, the brush rotary body, and the toner collecting rotary body rotate in the same direction. The cleaning blade, the brush rotary body, and the toner collecting rotary body are located to cause a tangential line passing through a contact area of the brush rotary body and the toner collecting rotary body on an outer peripheral circle around a shaft of the brush rotary body to have an intersection point intersecting a non-contact surface of the cleaning blade disposed opposite to a contact portion of the cleaning blade with the image carrier.
US09201375B2

Provided is an image forming apparatus including a first image forming unit that forms a first image on a front surface of a transported medium with a developer including toners and non-volatile oils, a removing unit that heats non-volatile oils on the front surface of the medium to remove the oils, a second image forming unit that forms a second image on a back surface of the medium with a developer including toners and non-volatile oils, a removing section that heats non-volatile oils on the back surface of the medium to remove the oils, and a fixing unit that fixes the first image and the second image on the front surface and the back surface of the medium.
US09201364B2

To provide an elastic member for image forming apparatus, which contains: a base; and an elastic layer provided on the base, wherein the elastic layer contains a polymer having a structure derived from terpene and a structure where a main chain contains a silicon atom.
US09201361B2

Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a heater heating a fixing member; an acquisition unit acquiring, when an image for one page includes a coded identifier image, information on a range of formation of the coded identifier image on a recording sheet in a sheet-passing direction; a target temperature switching unit switching a target temperature at which temperature of the fixing member is to be maintained at least between a first fixing temperature and a second fixing temperature higher than the first fixing temperature; a controller controlling the heater so that the temperature of the fixing member is maintained at the target temperature, wherein the target temperature switching unit switches the target temperature at a timing such that the temperature of the fixing member is equal to the second fixing temperature while a toner image in the range of formation of the coded identifier image is being fixed.
US09201346B2

A powder transport device includes a transport path having a supply port. Powder supplied through the supply port together with old powder already contained in the transport path is transported through the transport path. The powder transport device also includes a transport member, which is rotatably disposed in the transport path and includes a rotational shaft and a spiral blade disposed on the rotational shaft. The powder supplied through the supply port and the old powder are transported toward a downstream side in a powder transporting direction and mixed with each other by rotation of the transport member. The transport path includes a regulating portion regulating transportation of powder that is a mixture of the powder supplied through the supply port and the old powder toward the downstream side. The transport member includes an accumulation portion that opposes the regulating portion and causes the powder to accumulate.
US09201345B2

An image-forming apparatus and toner container installation structure used in the image-forming apparatus, includes: a toner container with a toner container body, being attached to a fitting section in a body of the image-forming apparatus in a detachable manner. There is a latent image-bearing member, a developing unit, for developing the latent image with a toner supplied from the toner container body; an ID chip provided in the toner container, having a plurality of through-hole electrodes; and a substrate provided in the fitting section, having a plurality of pin electrodes. The pin electrodes are fitted into the through-hole electrodes when the toner container is attached to the fitting section.
US09201338B2

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and a controller. The image forming unit forms an image on each medium with a metallic toner. The controller controls the image forming unit such that, in the formation of an image on each medium of plural media different in reflectance, the metallic toner has a toner weight according to the medium.
US09201335B2

According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided methods of dynamically focusing an LED print bar or printhead using piezoelectric stacks. The stack is mounted on either end of the LED bar to adjust the focus of the bar against the photoreceptor surface. The piezo level could be either controlled through active feedback of some description such as optical or electrical, or as a service or manufacturing input. With electronic control, focus adjustments can be made by the machine, and dynamically, if needed. In one embodiment, a flextensional cell structure is employed to amplify the movement of the piezo stack to move the LED bar in the order of >50 microns closer or away from the photoreceptor surface.
US09201334B2

An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic photoreceptor that bears a latent image, an electrostatic charging unit that negatively charges the electrophotographic photoreceptor uniformly with electricity, and a latent image writing unit that writes a latent image on the electrophotographic photoreceptor. A one-component developing unit renders the latent image visible by developing thereof. A transfer device transfers the toner image from the electrophotographic photoreceptor onto a transfer medium. The inequality C×V
US09201332B2

A charger to apply a charge to an object is provided. The charger includes an electron emitter including an electroconductive substrate; and a layer of n-type hexagonal boron nitride codoped with magnesium and oxygen atoms, which is located on the electroconductive substrate, wherein the concentration of oxygen atoms in the layer of n-type hexagonal boron nitride codoped with magnesium and oxygen atoms is higher than the concentration of magnesium atoms in the layer.
US09201318B2

The disclosure provides a flexible electrophotographic imaging member comprising a single novel polymer binder in the formulation of the imaging layers. In particular, the present embodiments provide multi-layered electrophotographic imaging members prepared by using the same polymer binder in the two contiguous imaging formation layers to improve mechanical and photoelectrical performance. The embodiments also include a process for making and using the imaging member.
US09201316B2

A cylindrical member includes aluminum, and has an average area of crystal particles of an outer circumferential surface which is smaller than an average area of crystal particles of an inner circumferential surface.
US09201311B2

A method of measuring a phase difference between two regions in an aberration function: Reference structures are produced on a substrate using illumination that minimizes effects of phase aberration. A grating is produced on the substrate using a phase-shift grating reticle to produce, in the exit pupil, a pair of diffracted non-zero orders, while forbidding other diffracted orders and produces interference fringes formed by interference between the pair. The interference contributes to a first grating on the substrate. Overlay error is measured between the grating and the reference structure using diffraction-based or image-based overlay measurements. A phase aberration function for the exit pupil of the lithographic apparatus can then be determined from the measured overlay errors.
US09201307B2

The present invention provides a novel low pH developing solution which does not contain an inorganic strong alkali component. The present invention is directed to an alkali developing solution composition for producing a lithographic printing plate, comprising: (A) an alkali agent, (B) a compound represented by the formula (I) shown below, (C) a metal salt of Group 2 elements of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and (D) a polymer comprising carboxylic acid or a salt thereof:
US09201303B2

A photoresist composition comprising: a resin which shows an increase in solubility in an aqueous alkali solution by an action of an acid; an acid generator; a plasticizer; and a solvent the amount of which is from 40 to 75% by mass of the total amount of the photoresist composition.
US09201302B2

Negative-working lithographic printing plate precursors have improved bakeability and good shelf life and can be imaged using either UV or infrared radiation. These precursors have a negative-working imageable layer that has a unique polymeric binder comprising a polymeric backbone and further comprising at least (a) and (b) pendant groups distributed in random order along the polymeric backbone. The (a) pendant groups are ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable groups, and the (b) pendant groups are defined by Structures (I), (II), and (III) described in the disclosure.
US09201295B2

An optical light engine (100) includes one or more light-emitting diode (LED) panels (101, 102, 103) that are combined into a common path and directly imaged onto panel device to provide a source of light to a microdisplay panel (109). Preferably, the LED panel (101, 102, 103) is shaped such that the aspect ratio of light propagating the LED panel is substantially equal to the light received at the microdisplay panel (109). An aspect ratio of 4:3 or 16:9 is typically selected in view of the sizes of the LED panels used in the light engine.
US09201283B2

A display panel is provided that includes a plurality of pixel units, each having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and comprising an electrophoretic gel part with a shape tapered in a direction from the first surface to the second surface, wherein a top surface of the electrophoretic gel part forms the first surface and electrophoretic particles are provided in the electrophoretic gel part; a light guiding part with a shape tapered in a direction from the second surface to the first surface, wherein the light guiding part and the electrophoretic glue part match in shape and abut with each other, and a bottom surface of the light guiding part forms at least a portion of the second surface; and a light-emitting device provided on the bottom surface of the light guiding part and operable to emit light toward the first surface.
US09201279B2

A display device includes an upper substrate, a lower substrate, and a display medium layer. A displaying region, a first bonding region, and a second bonding region are defined in the upper substrate. The first and second boding regions are positioned at two sides of the displaying region. First upper bonding pads and second upper bonding pads are disposed in the first boding region and the second boding region respectively on the bottom surface of the upper substrate. Each first upper boding pad and each second upper boding pad connect with a corresponding odd strip-shaped electrode and a corresponding even strip-shaped electrode in the displaying region respectively. First and second lower bonding pads are disposed on the top surface of the lower substrate, each of which is electrically connected to one corresponding first upper bonding pads or one corresponding second upper bonding pads.
US09201278B2

The embodiments of the present invention disclose an array substrate and a display device. The array substrate comprises a substrate and a first transparent conductive layer, an insulating layer and a second transparent conductive layer sequentially formed on the substrate, wherein the second transparent conductive layer has a plurality of slit structures, the first transparent conductive layer has a plurality of protrusions corresponding to the plurality of slit structures, and a height of the plurality of protrusions is smaller than a distance between the first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer.
US09201268B2

A liquid-crystal-lens type light-modulating apparatus and a liquid crystal display having the same are disclosed. The liquid-crystal-lens type light-modulating apparatus comprises: a first light-transmissive substrate, with a first electrode layer and a first alignment layer being provided sequentially on an upper surface thereof; a second light-transmissive substrate located over the first substrate, with a second electrode layer and a second alignment layer being provided sequentially on a lower surface thereof; and liquid crystal sandwiched between the first and second alignment layers, wherein at least one from the first and second electrode layers is formed as a patterned electrode, and the patterned electrode comprises: a plurality of electrode light-transmissive regions and a plurality of light-shielding regions, arranged at an interval therebetween; and the liquid-crystal-lens type light-modulating apparatus further comprises a shielding sheet provided above the second substrate, and the shielding sheet comprises: a plurality of shielding sheet light-transmissive regions and a plurality of shielding sheet light-shielding regions, arranged at an interval therebetween; and each of the shielding sheet light-shielding regions is located over one of the electrode regions in the patterned electrode, and has an area less than the area of an electrode region corresponding to it.
US09201261B2

A liquid crystal display device having a touch sensor embedded therein is disclosed. The present invention includes a liquid crystal layer between first and second substrates, a pixel on the second substrate to apply a horizontal electric field to the liquid crystal layer, a touch sensor on the second substrate, the touch sensor detecting a touch by forming a touch capacitor with a touch object for touching the first substrate, and a readout line outputting a sensing signal from the touch sensor. The touch sensor includes a sensing electrode on the second substrate to form the sensing capacitor with the touch object, first and second sensor gate lines, a first sensor thin film transistor supplying a sensing driving voltage to the sensing electrode in response to a control of the first sensor gate line, and a second sensor thin film transistor supplying electric charges of the sensing electrode as the sensing signal in response to a control of the second sensor gate line.
US09201256B2

A three-dimensional display and method for manufacturing the same are provided. The three-dimensional display includes a display panel, a liquid crystal layer, an aligning layer and an adhesive layer. The liquid crystal layer is disposed on a side of the display panel. The aligning layer formed from a curable resin is disposed on a side of the liquid crystal layer opposite to the display panel and comprises a plurality of first aligning regions and a plurality of second aligning regions. The adhesive layer is disposed between the display panel and the liquid crystal layer, wherein the display panel and the liquid crystal layer are adhered by the adhesive layer. Wherein the pencil hardness of the aligning layer is in the range of 1B to 4H, and the adhesion of the adhesive layer is in the range of 50 gf/25 mm to 1500 gf/25 mm.
US09201255B2

Apparatus including a first liquid crystal layer configured to receive at least a portion of an image and to provide the portion of the image across an angular viewing range; first substantially transparent electrodes positioned adjacent the first liquid crystal layer, the first electrodes being configured to have at least a first configuration in which a first subset of the electrodes provide electric fields across the first liquid crystal layer to form first transparent regions and first opaque regions in the first liquid crystal layer to provide a first angular viewing range, and a second configuration in which a second subset of the electrodes provide electric fields across the first liquid crystal layer to form second different transparent regions and second different opaque regions in the first liquid crystal layer to provide a second angular viewing range, having a different angular viewing range to the first angular viewing range.
US09201251B2

The assembly for attaching a side shield to an eyewear temple includes a temple having an outer side and an inner side. A locking member is connected to the inner side of the temple. A side shield, having a complementary locking member to the locking member on the inner side of the temple is removably connected thereto. The side shield is attached to the inner side of the temple to avoid obstruction or distortion of the outer ornamental side of the eyewear temple by the side shield while still providing superior eyewear protection.
US09201247B2

Disclosed is an image display apparatus, including a display device displaying right-eye images and left-eye images. A light-modulating device attached to the display device; and a temperature sensor monitoring the light-modulating device temperature. The light-modulating device deflects the right-eye and left-eye images to an observer's right and left eyes respectively without a temperature variation in the temperature sensor.
US09201242B2

Disclosed herein is an optical position adjustment method of a head mounted display, the head mounted display including (a) an eyeglass type frame worn on the head of a viewer, and (b) two image display devices for the right and left eyes attached to the frame, and each of the image display devices including (A) an image forming device, and (B) an optical device adapted to receive, guide and emit light emitted from the image forming device, wherein the optical position adjustment method includes the step of: controlling an image signal that is supplied to the image forming device making up at least one of the image display devices so as to control the position of the image displayed on the optical device making up at least one of the image display devices and adjust the mutual positions of the two images.
US09201236B2

A display apparatus includes a plurality of electromechanical systems (EMS) devices disposed on a first surface defined by a face of a substrate. Each EMS device includes a component which is movable in a plane that is substantially parallel to the first surface. The apparatus also includes a second surface positioned proximate to the substrate such that the plurality of EMS devices are located between the first surface and the second surface. In addition, each EMS device includes at least one anti-stiction projection positioned between the movable component and the second surface.
US09201232B2

An autofocus apparatus includes, in one embodiment, a light source; a splitter; a fiber optic circulator; an optical collimator; a balance detector; and a microprocessor. The fiber optic circulator couples one of the split light signals at a first port, to the optical collimator at a second port, and to the balance detector at the third port. The optical collimator directs the light beam from the fiber optic circulator onto a sample through a Dichroic mirror and a microscope objective. The balance detector uses another one of the split light signals as an input, and converts a light signal, reflected off of a substrate the sample is placed on, into an analog voltage signal. The microprocessor processes the output of the balance detector and position feedbacks from an adjustable microscopy stage to generate a command for moving the position of the adjustable microscopy stage to achieve a desired focus.
US09201230B2

Systems and methods for facilitating focusing of an image scanner, such as a confocal microscope, are disclosed. Measurement of optical characteristics in certain areas of a test sample are compared to stored or baseline optical characteristic profiles to determine an appropriate correction to properly focus the scanner. In one aspect, the method includes obtaining a dynamic profile at a current detection region of a test sample and associating the dynamic profile to a profile selected from a set of stored baseline profiles. Each of the stored baseline profiles is associated with a correction.
US09201227B2

The optical system includes: a first optical group which performs a zoom function using a first movable lens, a second optical group which performs a focus function using a second movable lens, and a third optical group which performs a wide angle function by reflecting light passing through the first optical group and the second optical group, wherein a first intermediate image is formed between the first optical group and the second optical group.
US09201222B2

An imaging system includes n or more photographing optical system having an imaging optical system having a full angle of view A (degree) larger than 360/n where n is a natural number of 2 or more and a two-dimensional imaging element configured to convert light condensed by the imaging optical system into an image signal, wherein in the imaging optical system of each of the imaging optical systems, a magnification per unit angle of view monotonically increases from 0 to 360/n-degree angle of view, and an increase rate of the magnification monotonically decreases to the full angle of view A (degree) after the 360/n-degree angle of view.
US09201220B1

An all-refractive optical system that images a scene at two different fields of view or FOVs, with switching between FOVs enabled by switchable lens elements is disclosed. The two fields of view vary in focal length by a factor of three. The wide FOV images broad-band Short Wave InfraRed SWIR radiation at an f/number of 1.7, while the narrow FOV images narrow-band illuminated SWIR at f/4.9. A voltage change across the switchable lens elements generates an optical power change between finite focus and infinite focus. Situated among static optical elements, the switching elements enable FOV changes with no mechanical movement. The given f/numbers at each FOV are a result of a fixed aperture in the system. The smaller throughput in the narrow FOV mode is augmented by narrow-band illumination of the scene to maintain equivalent sensor response between the two FOVs.
US09201219B2

A close-distance correcting lens system includes a positive first lens group and a negative second lens group, wherein traveling distances of the first lens group and the second lens group toward the object side differ from each other when carrying out a focusing operation on an object at infinity to an object at a close distance. The first lens group includes a positive first sub lens group, a negative second sub lens group, a diaphragm, and a positive third sub lens group, in that order from the object side. The second sub lens group includes an image-stabilizing lens group which is arranged to move in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis to change an imaging position of the object image to thereby correct any image shake of the object image.
US09201215B2

An optical image capturing lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has a convex object-side surface. The second lens element has negative refractive power. The third lens element has negative refractive power. The fourth lens element with negative refractive power has a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface. The fifth lens element with refractive power has a concave image-side surface, wherein the fifth lens element has at least one inflection point formed on at least one surface thereof. Both of the object-side surface and the image-side surface of the fourth and fifth lens elements are aspheric. The optical image capturing lens assembly has a total of five lens elements with refractive power.
US09201200B2

An optical assembly comprising: (a) a crystalline substrate having a top planar surface and a crystalline plane angle; (b) at least one groove defined in the top planar surface and having side walls extending from an edge of the substrate to a terminal end, the groove having a first facet at the terminal, the first facet having a first angle relative to the top planar surface, the first facet being reflective; (c) an optical conduit having an optical axis and an end face optically coupled with the first facet; (d) a waveguide; and (e) a diffractive optical element (DOE) disposed above the first facet and configured to couple light between the waveguide and the optical conduit as reflected by the first facet.
US09201192B2

In one aspect of the invention, the bend insensitive single-mode optical fiber includes a core layer and cladding layers having an inner cladding layer, a trench cladding layer and an outer cladding layer sequentially formed surrounding the core layer from inside to outside. For the core layer, the diameter is 7-7.9 μm, and the relative refractive index difference Δ1 is between 4.6×10−3 and 6.5×10−3. For the inner cladding layer, the diameter is 16.5-20 μm, and a relative refractive index difference Δ2 is between −3×10−4 and 3×10−4. For the trench cladding layer, the diameter is 33-40 μm, and the relative refractive index difference Δ3 is between −2.9×10−3 and −7.3×10−3, changes in a gradient manner and increases gradually from outside to inside, where a relative refractive index difference Δ32 at an outermost interface is smaller than a relative refractive index difference Δ31 at an innermost interface.
US09201188B2

A backlight unit and a liquid crystal display device having the same which may facilitate control of output light through a light guide plate, improve light concentration effect, and reduce moire. The backlight unit includes light sources generating light, a light guide plate guiding light through an incidence surface opposite the light sources, emitting the light through an emission surface, and having lower patterns of a prism shape formed on the lower surface of the light guide plate opposite the emission surface by inclined surfaces and sub-inclined surfaces, and at least one optical sheet stacked on the emission surface.
US09201185B2

Various embodiments are disclosed that relate to display panel backlight systems that output light with a narrower angular intensity distribution than a diffuse backlight. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a backlight system comprising a wedge-shaped light guide comprising a thin end and a thick end, the thick end of the wedge-shaped light guide comprising a linear reflector with plurality of facets, and wherein the backlight system also comprises a plurality of light sources arranged along the thin end of the wedge-shaped light guide.
US09201180B2

A color filter array and image obtaining apparatus are provided. The color filter array includes at least one unit cell having a predetermined array of pixels, and the predetermined array including the color pixels and transparent pixels. Each 2×2 array of pixels in the unit cell includes one transparent pixel and three color pixels and at least one transparent pixel is located in each row or in each column of the unit cell. The image obtaining apparatus generate an electrical image signal corresponding to sensed light that has passed through the color filter array.
US09201179B2

A method of manufacturing a blazed diffractive grating includes a first step of forming a first groove having a first surface and a second surface by moving, in the first direction at a first position in the second direction, a cutting tool having a first cutting blade and a second cutting blade to cut the object; a second step of forming a second groove by moving, in the first direction at a second position separated from the first position in the second direction by a grating pitch, the cutting tool to cut the object; and a third step of forming a blazed surface of the first groove using the first cutting blade by moving, in the first direction at a third position between the first position and the second position, the cutting tool to cut the first surface of the first groove.
US09201178B2

A planar collimator has first and second sections each intersecting at a junction between a first axis and a second axis normal to the first axis. Each of the first and second sections have geometries configured to receive light from a source point located on the first axis and collimate the light at respective positive and negative tilting angles relative to the second axis. The first and second sections direct the collimated light to respective first and second sides of a focusing mirror and away from a gap between the first and second sides of the focusing mirror.
US09201177B2

Provided is a safety confirmation mirror whereby a blind spot near a corner of a passageway can be easily seen more clearly. The safety confirmation mirror includes, as a reflective surface (2), a portion of a Fresnel mirror (3) offset to one side of the widthwise center (C1). Accordingly, when the safety confirmation mirror is installed on a wall surface of a passageway at a T-shaped, L-shaped, or cross intersection, the reflective surface 2 reflects the blind spot of a passageway in one direction that a person is going to turn, and the person can see the conditions thereof. Moreover, the reflective surface 2 does not reflect the conditions in the unnecessary direction. Accordingly, the person looking at the safety confirmation mirror (1) is not confused by the unnecessary image and can easily see the blind spot near the corner of the passageway more clearly.
US09201174B2

A method of fabricating a liquid lens array creates an array of through holes of axisymmetric cross-section through a central plate, forms conductive traces on the side walls of each of the through holes and on a portion of the top and bottom surfaces of the central plate contiguous with each through hole, and bonds the bottom surface of the central plate around each through hole to the top surface of a transparent base plate, forming an array of cavities. The method applies an insulating layer to the side walls of each cavity, portions of the top surface of the base plate lying within each cavity, and portions of the top surface of the transparent central plate surrounding each cavity, introduces a polar liquid and a non-polar liquid into each cavity; and bonds the top surface of the central plate to the bottom surface of a transparent top plate.
US09201160B2

Systems, methods and devices for evaluating an earth formation intersected by a borehole. The method includes using a first radiation responsive component to detect gamma rays having an energy below a threshold energy; using a second radiation responsive component configured to detect gamma rays that traverse the first radiation responsive component; generating a reduced-Compton gamma ray spectrum by generating an anticoincidence gamma ray spectrum indicative of the gamma rays detected by the first radiation responsive component and the gamma rays detected by the second radiation responsive component. The anticoincidence gamma ray spectrum represents those gamma rays of the gamma rays detected by the second radiation responsive component that are not detected in coincidence with the gamma rays detected by the first radiation responsive component.
US09201155B2

Sensors, systems and methods for downhole electromagnetic field measurement, including a downhole micro-opto-electro-mechanical system (MOEMS) electromagnetic field sensor that includes a first surface that is at least partially reflective, a second surface that is at least partially reflective and suspended by one or more flexible members to define an optical cavity having a variable distance between the first and second surfaces, a first conductive layer attached to the first surface, and a second conductive layer attached to the second surface. The first and second conductive layers have an electrical potential proportional to an electromagnetic field within a formation surrounding the sensor. The electrical potential produces an electric field that displaces the second surface to alter the variable distance and cause a spectrum variation in light exiting the sensor.
US09201154B2

Computing device, computer instructions and method for denoising marine seismic data recorded with first and second seismic sensors. The method includes receiving first seismic data recorded with the first sensor in a time-space domain; receiving second seismic data recorded with the second sensor in the time-space domain, calculating with a processor models of the first and second seismic data in a transform domain that is different from the time-space domain; calculating in the transform domain an energy related to a down-going energy based on the models of the first and second seismic data; determining a noise in the transform domain corresponding to the second seismic data based on the calculated energy; reverse transforming the noise from the transform domain into the time-space domain; and denoising the second seismic data by subtracting the noise in the time-space domain from the second seismic data.
US09201151B2

A method of determining directionality of radiation is disclosed which comprises dividing the tensioned metastable fluid liquid volume adjacent to a radioactive source into a plurality of sectors, determining the opposing sector ratio of the respective sector and determining the direction of the radiation based on the opposing sector ratios of the plurality of sectors. The method further comprising determining directionality of incoming radiation from the tension pressure assisted elongation of bubble shapes pointing towards direction of radiation particles that interacted with nuclei of tensioned metastable fluid detector system. A device capable of carrying out these methods is also disclosed.
US09201147B2

Methods and apparatus for processing of GNSS data derived from multi-frequency code and carrier observations are presented which make available correction data for use by a rover located within the region, the correction data comprising: the ionospheric delay over the region, the tropospheric delay over the region, the phase-leveled geometric correction per satellite, and the at least one code bias per satellite. In some embodiments the correction data includes an ionospheric phase bias per satellite. Methods and apparatus for determining a precise position of a rover located within a region are presented in which a GNSS receiver is operated to obtain multi-frequency code and carrier observations and correction data, to create rover corrections from the correction data, and to determine a precise rover position using the rover observations and the rover corrections. The correction data comprises at least one code bias per satellite, a fixed-nature MW bias per satellite and/or values from which a fixed-nature MW bias per satellite is derivable, and an ionospheric delay per satellite for each of multiple regional network stations and/or non-ionospheric corrections. Methods and apparatus for encoding and decoding the correction messages containing correction data are also presented, in which network messages include network elements related to substantially all stations of the network and cluster messages include cluster elements related to subsets of the network.
US09201126B2

A current sensor includes a first magnetic sensor and a second magnetic sensor which are configured to detect an induced magnetic field from target current to be measured flowing through a current line. The first and second magnetic sensors each include a magnetoresistive element that includes a free magnetic layer and a hard bias layer applying a bias magnetic field to the free magnetic layer. The bias magnetic field in the magnetoresistive element of the first magnetic sensor is oriented opposite to the bias magnetic field in the magnetoresistive element of the second magnetic sensor.
US09201121B2

One embodiment of the invention includes a battery sense system. The system includes a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of a battery and a memory configured to store predetermined data associated with steady-state and transient behaviors of the battery relative to a depth of discharge (DOD) of the battery. The system also includes a controller configured to measure a voltage of the battery and to calculate a state of charge (SOC) of the battery based on the voltage, the predetermined data, and the temperature.
US09201117B2

An IO structure, method, and apparatus are disclosed for using an IEEE™ 1149.1 boundary scan latch to reroute a functional path. The method for a chip using IEEE™ 1149.1 boundary scan latches may include using the IEEE™ 1149.1 boundary scan latches for testing IO on the chip in a test mode. The method may also include using information stored in the IEEE™ 1149.1 boundary scan latches to route signals around a failing path in a functional mode.
US09201106B1

A self-shielding capacitive sensor array may include a first plurality of sensor elements and a second plurality of sensor elements, where each of the second plurality of sensor elements intersects each of the first plurality of sensor elements, such that each of the first plurality of sensor elements may be capacitively coupled with each of the second plurality of sensor elements. The first plurality of sensor elements may be configured to shield each of the second plurality of sensor elements from a noise source.
US09201098B2

A high frequency probe card includes at least one substrate having at least one first opening, an interposing plate disposed on the at least one substrate and having at least one second opening corresponding to the at least one first opening, a circuit board disposed on the interposing plate and having a third opening corresponding to the at least one first and second openings, and at least one probe module including at least one ground probe and at least one high frequency signal probe passing through the corresponding substrate, the interposing plate and the third opening and being electrically connected with the circuit board. Each high frequency signal probe includes a signal probe and a first conductor corresponding to the signal probe and being electrically connected with the ground probe. An insulation layer is disposed between the first conductor and the signal probe.
US09201094B2

A wafer examination device includes a probe, a fusion section and a measurement section. The probe is made of a metal which reacts with silicon carbide to produce silicide. The fusion section fuses the probe to a silicon carbide wafer as an examined object. The measurement section measures an electrical property of the silicon carbide wafer through the fused probe.
US09201091B2

An accelerometer open loop control system comprising a variable capacitance accelerometer having a proof mass movable between fixed capacitor plates, drive signals applied to the capacitor plates, a charge amplifier amplifying an accelerometer output signal representing applied acceleration, and an autoranging facility for monitoring the output signal, and for adjusting the drive signals in dependence on the output signal in order to restrict the amplitude of the accelerometer output signal, thus maintaining sensitivity of the accelerometer while permitting response to a wide range of g values. Corrections are applied by means of look up tables to compensate for inaccuracies arising from movement of the proof mass and temperature variations.
US09201087B2

Device for measuring speed of oblong products moving along feed direction and emitting radiations, in particular rolled metal products in rolling line, including two radiation sensors, disposed reciprocally at close distance respectively defining an optical observation window, at pre-arranged distance from each other. Each window covers the image of an advancing product determinate portion equal to relative window width, irrespective of portion's movements transverse to feed direction. Sensors observe the presented product portion, on each occasion, in correspondence with associated windows consecutively along feed direction, and measure continuously intensity of radiation from the product portion in correspondence with the windows. Electronic processing unit determines, by processing electric signals associated with detected radiation intensity and arriving from sensors, using algorithms based on the correlation principle, time taken by the product portion to transit from first window to second, successive window, and then, based on distance between windows, calculates product speed.
US09201081B2

The present invention generally relates to the field of biomarkers. In particular, the present invention relates to biomarkers such as PC-O 44:6 that can be used, for example for detecting and/or quantifying visceral adiposity and/or changes in visceral adiposity. This biomarker may also be used to diagnosing the effect of a change in lifestyle on visceral adiposity in a subject.
US09201080B2

The present invention inter alia provides a method, and use thereof, of predicting severe CVD complications such as AMI or CVD death by detecting the lipid concentrations or lipid ratios of a biological sample and comparing it to a control and has identified specific lipid markers that are more specific and sensitive in predicting these CVD complications than currently utilized clinical markers. Also provided is an antibodies towards said lipids, and the use thereof for predicting, diagnosing, preventing and/or treating CVD complications. The invention additionally relates to kits comprising lipids and/or an antibody thereto, for use in the prediction and/or diagnosis of CVD complications.
US09201078B2

The invention relates to low wash Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) immunoassays using an ELISA sandwich assay having limited or no wash step between the antigen capture, detection antibody addition and substrate introduction steps. This invention exhibits low cross reactivity with biologically similar interfering cross reacting species, such as Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Chorionic Gonadotropin (CG).
US09201074B2

Provided is a monoclonal antibody, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, that binds to c-Met. Such antibodies, or antigen-binding fragments thereof, are useful in in vivo, ex vivo or in vitro immunochemical and other imaging methods for detecting cell surface c-Met receptor levels for diagnostic, prognostic and predictive purposes, and for optimizing therapeutic regimens in patients harboring tumors in which c-Met is implicated in pathogenesis.
US09201066B2

The present invention relates to processes for the rapid detection, semi-quantification and quantification of live microorganisms in solutions or suspensions using immunomagnetic particles, without requiring pre-enrichment through culture of the microorganism. The invention also relates to kits for carrying out said processes and to the quantification of the microorganisms detected by means of automated biosensor equipment.
US09201065B2

The invention relates to agglutination assays and related kits, reagents and devices. In particular methods of assaying small analytes having few epitopes are disclosed, by means of using hub moieties to which multiple analytes may be bound by a first epitope, together with a further moiety capable of binding a second analyte epitope and which is also capable of binding to a detectable particle. Stable agglutinated complexes may be so formed, which may used as the basis for various assay formats.
US09201064B2

Using NMR/MS based metabonomics and targeted lipidomics approaches the inventors have explored the metabolic phenotypes of aging and longevity in a cohort including centenarians, elderly and young adults. The inventors have identified biomarkers for a reduced risk of developing ageing related chronic inflammatory disorders and propose an in vitro method of diagnosing a lifestyle that allows delaying and/or avoiding ageing related chronic inflammatory disorders using phenylacetylglutamine (PAG) as biomarker.
US09201061B2

Provided is a method of decreasing the stability of HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) in a cell or individual comprising administering an effective amount of an expression or activity inhibitor of KRT19 (cytokeratin 19) to the cell or individual.
US09201058B2

An apparatus and method for sensing time varying ionic current in an electrolytic system having a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber separated by a barrier structure is provided, wherein the barrier structure includes thick walls and a substrate having an orifice therein, with the first and second fluid chambers being in communication via the orifice. A potential is applied between electrodes in respective first and second fluid chambers, thus driving an electrical current between them and through the orifice. Total capacitance of the system is less than 10 pF. Analytes are added to one of the first and second fluid chambers and time varying ionic current that passes across the orifice is measured. An amplifier proximal to the barrier structure and electrodes amplifies the ionic current signal.
US09201056B2

The present invention relates to an apparatus and process for measuring a property of a material such as the moisture content of cotton fiber. An embodiment is specifically adapted for determining an absolute value of the moisture content of the cotton fiber while being conveyed through ducts such as the ducts of the ginning machine. The embodiment combines large area capacitor plates with light detectors.
US09201055B2

In a state determination method for determining the state of degradation of lubricating oil in a speed reducer and the state of breakage of the speed reducer, white light emitted by a white LED is transmitted through the lubricating oil, causing an RGB sensor to detect the color of the light transmitted through the lubricating oil by the white LED. The brightness of the color detected by the RGB sensor is calculated. A color component maximum difference that is the difference between a maximum value and a minimum value among the R value, G value, and B value of the color detected by the RGB sensor is calculated. The states on the basis of the calculated brightness and the calculated color component maximum difference are determined.
US09201046B2

A system and method for measuring various weld characteristics is presented. The system and method can comprise a means to measure penetration depth of butt welds in thin plates, for example, using laser generated ultrasounds. Superimposed line sources (SLS) can be used to generate narrowband ultrasounds. A signal processing procedure that combines wavenumber-frequency (k-ω) domain filtering and synthetic phase tuning (SPT) is used to reduce the complexity of Lamb wave signals. The reflection coefficients for different wavelengths corresponding to each wave mode can be calculated. Regression analysis that can include stepwise regression and corrected Akaike's information criterion (AIC) can be performed to build prediction models that use the reflection coefficients as predictors.
US09201036B2

Methods and systems for monitoring fluid levels and electrolyte levels used in a dialysis machine. A receptacle, configured to receive a container, comprises a plurality of curved side panels and a base to form a cylindrical shaped cavity for receiving a container. Each panel includes a conductive material on its inner surface and, optionally, a shielding on its outer surface. An electronics component housed within, or near, the receptacle drives the capacitive process and interprets generated data to determine fluid levels and compositions. An alternate receptacle includes one or two coils wrapped about the container and uses induction to determine fluid level.
US09201034B2

Methods and devices for determining sensing device usability, e.g., for self-monitoring and point of care devices. In one embodiment, the invention is to a method of determining device usability, comprising the steps of providing a device comprising a first electrical pad; a second electrical pad; and a humidity-responsive polymer layer contacting at least a portion of the first and second electrical pads; applying a potential across the first and second electrical pads; measuring an electrical property associated with the humidity-responsive polymer layer; and determining whether the measured electrical property associated with the humidity-responsive polymer layer has exceeded a humidity threshold level associated with the device usability.
US09201033B2

A water-concentration detection device is configured to detect a water concentration of insulating gas filled in a gas-insulated device. The water-concentration detection device includes: a gas chamber in which the insulating gas introduced from the gas-insulated device is enclosed; electrodes that are porous and are arranged to face each other within the gas chamber; a solid electrolyte membrane that is hydrogen-ion conductive and is held between and fixedly attached to the electrodes; an impedance measurement unit that measures an alternating-current impedance between the electrodes by applying an alternating-current voltage to the electrodes; a water-concentration detection unit that detects the water concentration of the insulating gas based on the alternating-current impedance measured by the impedance measurement unit; and a drying unit that removes water from an atmosphere in the gas chamber before the insulating gas is introduced into the gas chamber from the gas-insulated device.
US09201028B2

An X-ray backscatter imaging system uses frequency modulated X-rays to determine depth of features within a target. An X-ray source generates X-ray radiation modulated by a frequency-modulated bias current. The X-ray radiation impinges upon and is backscattered from multiple depths within the target. A scintillating material receives the backscattered X-rays and generates corresponding photons. A photodetector, having gain modulated by the frequency modulation signal from the local oscillator, receives the photons from the scintillating material and generates an analog output signal containing phase delay information indicative of the distance travelled by the X-rays backscattered from multiple depths within the target. The analog output signal is sampled by an analog-to-digital converter to create a digital output signal. A computer processor performs a discrete Fourier transform on the digital output signal to provide target depth information based on the phase delay information.
US09201024B2

An X-ray imaging apparatus includes an image combining unit configured to sequentially combine divided and transmitted images, a mode selection unit configured to select one of a speed priority mode and a resolution priority mode, and a control unit configured to, if image enlargement is instructed before all the images are received, perform control to change a combining method used for the image combining unit depending on the mode selected by the mode selection unit.
US09201022B2

In one embodiment, a method for extracting systematic defects is provided. The method includes inspecting a wafer outside a process window to obtain inspection data, defining a defect pattern from the inspection data, filtering defects from design data using a pattern search for the defined defect pattern within the design data, inspecting defects inside the process window with greater sensitivity than outside the process window, and determining systematic defects inside the process window. A computer readable storage medium, and a system for extracting systematic defects are also provided.
US09201020B2

A specimen viewing device includes an enclosure, a specimen mounting system arranged on the enclosure for receiving the specimen and holding the specimen relative to the enclosure, and a background color control system arranged on the enclosure and configured for controlling a background color of the enclosure. A method of viewing a specimen is also provided.
US09201014B2

A compound of structural formula (I): The values and alternative values are as defined herein. The invention also includes biosensors comprising nanoparticles functionalized with a compound of structural formula (I). Also described is a method for labeling a biomolecule using a compound of structural formula (I) and a method of detecting a target biomolecule using a compound of structural formula (I) or a biosensor of the invention.
US09201013B2

Metal nanoparticles associated with a spectroscopy-active (e.g., Raman-active) analyte and surrounded by an encapsulant are useful as sensitive optical tags detectable by surface-enhanced spectroscopy (e.g., surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy).
US09201006B2

Apparatus for inspecting an article comprising: a controller configured to generate a drive signal having a periodic amplitude variation; a source, the source being operable by the controller to emit a source beam thereby to irradiate an article, the source beam comprising a beam of electromagnetic radiation having a periodic amplitude variation corresponding to that of the drive signal; and a detector, the detector being configured to detect a portion of the source beam that has been transmitted through at least a portion of the article, and to generate a detector signal having an amplitude variation corresponding to the amplitude variation of said portion of the source beam, the controller being further configured to generate a difference value corresponding to a difference between the amplitude of the detector signal and the amplitude of a reference signal.
US09201005B2

Flow cytometer systems are provided having intermediate angle scatter detection capability. In some aspects, systems are provided that include an intermediate angle scatter (IAS) light detector positioned to measure intermediate angle scatter emitted from a flow cytometer. The system further includes a mask disposed across a portion of the IAS light detector and positioned between the flow cell and the IAS light detector to cover at least a central portion of the IAS light detector so as to block a diffraction pattern observed at the detector. In some instances, the diffraction pattern is created by a flat beam profile irradiating the sample. Methods are also provided for configuring a flow cytometer to block a diffraction pattern created by (1) a flat laser beam profile irradiating a flow cytometer liquid sample, or (2) a mismatched index of refraction between a sheath fluid and a liquid sample in a flow cytometer.
US09200995B2

A method and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring accumulation of dirt on an air filter of a ventilation system including the filter and a fan controlled by a frequency converter. An initial value for an operating parameter is determined. A present operating point is determined based on a characteristic curves, and the mechanical power and rotational speed of the fan. A present value for the operating parameter is determined based on the present operating point, and accumulation of dirt is determined on the air filter based on the initial and present values of the operating parameter.
US09200989B2

A method for three-dimensional microdissection for separating defined structures in the sub-millimeter range by cold laser ablation or multi-photon absorption, whereby exposure of the structures to be separated is performed using directional information in all spatial directions. Also, a 3D microdissection system for separating defined, three-dimensional structures from a sample, having: a control unit (5); an ablation chamber (1) with a sample holder, on which the sample to be processed is mounted and which is movable along a linear axis V and rotatable about a rotary axis R. The sample holder has positioning devices connected to the control unit. The positioning devices move the sample holder along another linear axis H and rotate it about rotary axis R, and a laser device (6) is introduced into the ablation chamber at least partially through a laser window (3) in the ablation chamber. The ablation chamber is connected to the control unit and has an adjustable optic, such that the laser beam is focused near the sample.
US09200980B2

A method for analyzing the condition of a machine having a rotating shaft, including: generating an analog electric measurement signal (SEA) dependent on mechanical vibrations emanating from rotation of the shaft; sampling the analog measurement signal at a sampling frequency (fS) so as to generate a digital measurement data signal (SMD) response to the received analog measurement data; performing a decimation of the digital measurement data signal (SMD) so as to achieve a digital signal (SRED) having a reduced sampling frequency (fSR1, fSR2); wherein the decimation includes the step of controlling the reduced sampling frequency (fSR1, fSR2) such that the number of sample values per revolution of the shaft (8) is kept at a substantially constant value; and performing a condition analysis function (F1, F2, Fn) for analyzing the condition of the machine dependent on the digital signal (SRED) having a reduced sampling frequency (fSR1, fSR2).
US09200978B2

Methods, systems, and devices for establishing a wear state of a cutting nozzle of a laser processing machine. An actual state of the cutting nozzle shape is established by a three-dimensional evaluation performed by a nozzle shape sensor and an associated controller. The established actual state of the cutting nozzle shape is compared to a desired state of the cutting nozzle shape, and the wear state of the cutting nozzle is established based on a result of the comparison.
US09200976B2

A wheel servicing machine such as a wheel balancer includes an acoustic transducer configured to measure energy of one or more reflected acoustic waves after the waves have bounced off a material boundary surface such as a wheel assembly. In some embodiments, a return energy index signal representative of the measured energy is generated by a transducer and is further processed by a processor to control operations of the machine. The acoustic transducer also measures distance between the transducer and the wheel assembly surface in some embodiments. One or more values in a sample queue of acquired distance data may be flagged, or indexed, based on variation in the magnitude of the return energy signal. Methods of measuring wheel width using sonar measurement of both distance and reflected energy are also provided.
US09200973B2

A semiconductor package having an air pressure sensor and methods to form a semiconductor package having an air pressure sensor are described. For example, a semiconductor package includes a plurality of build-up layers. A cavity is disposed in one or more of the build-up layers. An air pressure sensor is disposed in the plurality of build-up layers and includes the cavity and an electrode disposed above the cavity. Also described are various approaches to fabricating a semiconductor package having a hermetically sealed region.
US09200951B2

A device includes an image sensor and a circuit for controlling the sensor. The control circuit is configured control the device in a first operating mode and second operating mode. In the first operating mode images acquired by the sensor are output. In the second operating mode, no images are provided, but a selected subassembly of pixels of the image sensor are read and image data therefrom is processed to provide an ambient luminosity value.
US09200948B2

A tomographic scanning apparatus for scanning an object under test and retrieving projection-related data of the object with a light/radiation source and a detector operating in conjunction therewith includes an object carrier, a light/radiation source carrier, a detector carrier, a control module, a processing module, and a rail system (or rotating arm). The object carrier is disposed at a center of the rail system or a center of rotating tracks of the rotating arm. The light/radiation source carrier and the detector carrier move along a rail of the rail system or along the rotating tracks of the rotating arm. The carriers have a rotating mechanism, moving mechanism, and/or height adjusting mechanism for performing rotation, horizontal movement, and/or height adjustment. Accordingly, the tomographic scanning apparatus operates in various ways to suit various applications, respectively.
US09200947B2

Systems and methods which use penetrating radiation to obtain novel type of information about objects of interest. This information may be represented as novel type of image. In the present embodiments, penetrating radiation is directed through the object of interest. The attenuated radiation emerging from the object of interest is detected by at least one detector. A plurality of measurements is collected. At least one statistical parameter describing variations of the measurements may be calculated and used for reconstructing an image representing fluctuations of the attenuation of the penetrating radiation in the object of study. At least one other statistical parameter representing the mean attenuation image, the error of the fluctuation image, or the error of the mean attenuation image may also be calculated and used to reconstruct images of the object of interest.
US09200943B2

An acoustic sensing system for a motor vehicle includes a strain gauge mounted at a motor vehicle surface, and a sensing circuit operatively coupled to the strain gauge. The sensing circuit is configured and disposed to detect acoustic responses in a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle through the strain gauge.
US09200942B2

A liquid consumption device includes a replaceable liquid container, a sensor, a fault finding section, an estimation section and a determination section. The sensor detects whether or not liquid has reached a predetermined amount. The fault finding section finds whether there is a fault in the sensor. The estimation section calculates an estimated value of a consumption amount of the liquid. The determination section carries out determination based on the estimated value of the liquid container and a threshold value which is specified based on threshold value information when a fault in the sensor has been found. The determination section carries out the determination based on the sensor when a fault in the sensor has not been found and to calculate the threshold value information based on the estimation value when the sensor detects that the liquid has reached the predetermined amount.
US09200940B2

A fuel consumption display apparatus for a crane includes: standby state determining means for determining whether or not a crane is in a standby state; fuel consumption detecting means for detecting fuel consumption of the crane; standby accumulated fuel consumption calculating means for calculating standby accumulated fuel consumption by accumulating the fuel consumption after the standby state determining means determines the crane to be in the standby state: the standby duration calculating means for calculating standby duration by measuring a time period after the standby state determining means determines the crane to be in the standby state; and a monitor for displaying the standby accumulated fuel consumption and the standby duration. An operator of the crane can therefore recognize how much fuel is wasted, thus facilitating an operation for reducing fuel consumption.
US09200937B2

A sensor assembly (200) for a vibrating meter (50) is provided. The sensor assembly (200) includes one or more conduits (103A, 103B). The sensor assembly (200) also includes one or more sensor components including one or more of a driver (104), a first pick-off sensor (105), and a second pick-off sensor (105′) coupled to the one or more conduits (103A, 103B). A flexible circuit (201) can be provided that includes a body (202) and one or more sensor component flexures (210-212′). The one or more sensor component flexures can extend from the body (202) and be coupled to a sensor component (104, 105, 105′) of the one or more sensor components.
US09200936B2

A control and measurement system for a coriolis flowmeter having a flowtube, a driver adapted to vibrate the flowtube, and a pair of sensors adapted to generate signals indicative of movement of the flowtube when it is being vibrated by the driver, wherein the sensors are positioned relative to one another so the signals from the sensors are indicative of a mass flow rate of fluid through the flowtube. A digital drive signal generator is adapted to generate a variable digital drive signal for controlling operation of the driver. The digital drive signal generator can be adapted to cause the driver to resist motion of the flowtube during a first time period and amplify motion of the flowtube during a second time period. The digital drive signal generator can also be adapted to initiate motion of the flowtube by sending one or more square wave signals to the driver.
US09200932B2

A system for measuring flow of process fluid through process piping, includes a flow restriction in the process piping generating a differential pressure between an upstream side of the restriction and a downstream side of the restriction. The differential pressure is related to flow of the process fluid. First and second upstream pressure transmitters are coupled to the process piping on the upstream side of the flow restriction and measure respective first and second upstream pressures. First and second downstream pressure transmitters are coupled to the process piping on the downstream side of the flow restriction and measure respective first and second downstream pressure of the process fluid. Flow rate of the process fluid is calculated based upon at least one upstream pressure and one downstream pressure. Further, degradation in at least one of the pressure transmitters is identified based upon at least two pressure measurements.
US09200926B1

To provide a displacement detecting device capable of achieving an improvement in a measurement range without being restricted by an origin mark or an origin signal. A displacement detecting device 1 includes a scale 2, scale marks, a displacement detecting section 9, a displacement calculation section 4, a movement detecting section 10, a movement amount calculation section 5, a comparison/calculation section 6, and an absolute position calculation section 7. The comparison/calculation section 6 differentiates, when the displacement detecting section 9 or scale 2 moves in a track direction Y1, a displacement amount calculated by the displacement calculation section 4, thereby calculating a second-order differential amount in the track direction Y1. The absolute position calculation section 7 calculates an absolute position in a measurement direction X1 with respect to the scale 2, based on the second-order differential amount calculated by the comparison/calculation section 6, and outputs the absolute position.
US09200919B2

Methods, systems and apparatus are described to selectively obtain map image data according to virtual camera velocity. Embodiments may display a map view of a map using a virtual camera. Some embodiments may detect a velocity of the virtual camera. Embodiments may then determine map image data for the map view of the map according to the velocity of the virtual camera and obtain the determined map image data. In at least some embodiments, a level-of-detail may be specified for map image data according to the velocity. Map image data may be obtained corresponding to this level-of-detail from a map service or from accessing local storage.
US09200918B2

Apparatuses and methods relating to navigation and calendar integration are described. In one implementation, confidence ratings are calculated for one or more destinations. Each destination has an associated confidence rating and confidence ratings are based on a match between the current time and time data for each destination. A destination is selected based on confidence rating and displayed. A calendar event is created based upon the selected destination.
US09200917B2

A vehicle control device that controls a vehicle, including a route detecting unit configured to detect a route to a destination, a travel load calculating unit configured to calculate travel load information of the route, and a travel plan calculating unit configured to calculate a travel plan including a drive mode of each section of the route based on the route and the travel load information of the route, wherein the travel load calculating unit changes a level of detail of the section which is used for calculating the travel load information according to a distance from a present location to the destination.
US09200908B2

In a method for operating a navigation system for a motor vehicle having an offboard data memory, spatially separated from the motor vehicle, having data packets of visual map information, divided by region, as well as a display arranged in the motor vehicle, a selection of data packets provided for transmission to the motor vehicle and/or their sequence occur as a function of the resolution of the display, the location of the motor vehicle, an assumed route of the motor vehicle and/or the bandwidth of a communication connection provided for the transmission, the selected data packets being transmitted to the motor vehicle (e.g., in the selected sequence), and visual map information from data packets transmitted to the motor vehicle being represented by the display.
US09200907B2

A method for determining whether a vehicle was washed at a carwash includes recording navigation data for a vehicle. The method further includes identifying whether the vehicle was located at a carwash based on the recorded navigation data, identifying at least one indication that the vehicle was washed while located at the carwash, and determining that the vehicle was washed at the carwash if the vehicle was located at the carwash and at least one indication is identified that the vehicle was washed while located at the carwash.
US09200905B2

A system for handling errors in map data Dmap. Information I related to map data Dmap is determined by a determination unit. An identification unit then identifies at least one error in the map data Dmap on the basis of the information I determined. Thereafter a storage unit stores data D related to the at least one error identified in map data Dmap. A data providing unit can then at least partly disregard the map data Dmap including the error, when supplying map data Dmap, so that the stored data D may instead be used in decision making. The risk of decisions being based on erroneous map data Dmap may thus be minimized.
US09200903B1

A method or apparatus to provide a map display is disclosed.
US09200886B2

A method and a corresponding system for optical coherence tomography acquires a first image in a region of a first plane of an object by optical coherence tomography equipment, and the first image is displayed on a display device. To facilitate a reliable and time-saving examination with straightforward handling, a second plane of the object is selected on the basis of the first image that is displayed on the display device, wherein the second plane of the object is different from the first plane of the object, and a second image is acquired in the region of the selected second plane of the object by the optical coherence tomography equipment.
US09200871B2

A carrying system with a ballistic protective vest is described, and which includes a front part, and a back part, and a means for attaching the carrying system to a person's upper body; a waist belt having a lateral support; a coupling to releasably attach a carrying means to the rear side of the back part, and wherein the lateral support can be attached to the carrying means.
US09200859B2

A shooting rest includes first and second poles each having a length, and a gun rest assembly for holding the first and second poles in selected angular relationships and at selected locations along the lengths thereof. The gun rest assembly includes a swivel connecting a first rest component mounted to the first pole for reciprocal movement along the length thereof, and a second rest component mounted to the second pole for reciprocal movement along the length thereof. A first clamp assembly is carried by the first rest component and a second clamp assembly is carried by the second rest component. The first and second clamp assemblies are configured for independently locking and releasing the respective first and second rest components relative to the respective first and second poles.
US09200858B2

A gun rest includes a support assembly adapted to hook over a window sill and brace against a wall of a game blind. A universal joint on the support assembly provides a mount for a gun support to hold a long firearm. In one embodiment, the gun support includes spaced yokes to support, in a stable manner, a forestock and a stock butt enabling the hunter to look through a scope on the firearm without having to continuously grasp the firearm. In other embodiments, a single yoke, camera, spotting scope, binoculars or other device may be attached to the mount. In other embodiments, one or more of the yokes may be vertically adjustable and flexible straps may be affixed to one or more of the yokes to secure the weapon to the gun support.
US09200856B2

A bolt assembly with improved rotating locking head, comprising a rotating locking head associated with a bolt body and movable with respect to the bolt body with a combined rotary and translational motion; the rotating locking head having at least two working positions: a closed position, wherein the rotating head closes the breech of the firearm, and an open position, wherein the rotating head is at a distance from the breech; the bolt assembly has an auxiliary pusher that biases the rotating head from the open position to the closed position.
US09200852B2

An evaporator may include an outer enclosure and a wick within the outer enclosure. The wick may have an outer lateral side surface positioned adjacent to the outer enclosure and may comprise a plurality of circumferential grooves formed in the outer lateral side surface of the wick and a plurality of channels fluidly connected to the plurality of circumferential grooves. The evaporator may include an outer enclosure and an end cap bonded directly to the outer enclosure, contacting the wick, and having a thermal conductivity that is less than the thermal conductivity of the outer enclosure.
US09200850B2

A closed-loop heat equalization system includes a heat gaining device installed within a natural thermal energy storage body, and a heat releasing device having multiple flowpaths, the heat gaining and releasing devices being connected by pipeline structures to form a closed-loop flowpath for a heat exchange fluid. An outwardly expanded arc-shaped structure may be included at one or more turning locations in the pipeline structures. The pipeline structures may include an operation port and sealing plug at a top corner of the closed-loop flowpath, and an auxiliary heating/cooling device or fluid pump controlled by a sensing device and an electric energy control unit.
US09200846B2

The invention relates to a method for opening and closing a tapping opening of a metallurgical smelting vessel in particular of an electric arc furnace, in the bottom region of which a wall section having an opening is arranged, wherein a device for moving block elements in a direction (T) perpendicular to the surface normal of the wall section in the area of the opening is arranged below the opening, wherein the device holds the block elements on the wall section in such a way that the block elements lie against the wall section in a sealing manner. In order to achieve wear free and reliable opening and closing of the tapping opening it is provided that, in order to close the tapping opening, a block element free of passage openings is moved under the opening by the device and that, in order to open the tapping opening, a block element having at least one passage opening is moved under the opening by the device, such that liquid metal an drain from the smelting vessel through the passage opening in the block element. The invention further relates to a metallurgical smelting vessel.
US09200841B2

A clothes dryer is provided. The clothes dryer may include a main body having a drum rotatably installed therein, a circulation channel formed in the main body, the circulation channel defining a path of air that flows through the drum to dry an object to be dried, and a heat pump system having an evaporator, a compressor, an expansion apparatus, and a condenser, the heat pump system cooling and heating air that flows through the circulation channel. The evaporator may be mounted in the circulation channel, and a ‘U’ trap may be positioned below the evaporator in the circulation channel.
US09200839B2

A storage space device for the transport and/or storage of nuclear materials, comprising a main structure defining at least one housing intended to contain the nuclear materials and includes a mobile heat conduction structure forming at least one portion of a side outer surface of the storage space device. The mobile structure has at least one mobile heat conduction component mounted on the main structure so as to be displaceable reversibly from a retracted position to a deployed position while moving away from the structure.
US09200834B1

A continuous drying kiln (CDK) design, in which two sets of carriages carrying spaced stacks of lumber travel in opposite directions through a sequence of chambers in which green lumber is exposed to heated air to dry the lumber to desired conditions. The continuous drying kiln using fans in each chamber to circulate air across the stacked lumber on the two sets of carriages, orthogonal to the direction of carriage travel, in either a first circulation direction or in a second circulation direction. As a carriage moves from chamber to chamber, the circulation direction is reversed.
US09200826B2

A cooling system can control a coolant temperature with a simple configuration. The cooling system 90 includes a vaporization vessel 80, a first fluid source 92, a first flow rate control unit 91, and a pressure control unit 99. The vaporization vessel 80 has a space, a supply opening 80a and a discharge opening 80b through which the coolant is supplied and discharged, respectively. The first fluid source 92 stores a first fluid having a vapor pressure higher than that of the coolant. The first flow rate control unit 91 connects the first fluid source 92 to the vaporization vessel 80 and controls a first fluid supply amount into the vaporization vessel. The pressure control unit 99 controls an internal pressure within the vaporization vessel to be higher than the vapor pressure of the coolant and equal to or lower than that of the first fluid.
US09200824B2

A stand alone ice making appliance or an ice maker within an appliance is provided including a water inlet, a water inlet valve disposed within the water inlet configured to allow water passage when in an open position and configured to prevent water passage when in a closed position, a reservoir in fluid communication with the water inlet, a water level sensor disposed in the reservoir, and a control unit in electrical communication with the water level sensor and the water inlet valve. The control unit is configured to calculate a fluid flow rate using the time between the water inlet valve opening and the water level sensor communicating when a first predetermined water level has been reached within the reservoir, and use the calculated flow rate to calculate a total water inlet valve open time to fill the reservoir to a second predetermined water level.
US09200822B2

Provided is an evaporator including a flow part having a refrigerant flow therein, separately from a first compartment and a second compartment to improve a refrigerant channel structure, in a double evaporator in which a refrigerant flows in a first column and a second column, respectively, thereby reducing the number of four inlets and outlets that is disposed in the first column and the second column, respectively.
US09200821B2

A solar air conditioning system and method of superheating working fluid is provided. The solar air conditioning system superheats the working fluid using radiant energy from the sun, and then delivers the working fluid as a superheated and higher-pressured gas to a condenser within the solar air conditioning system. The solar air conditioning system includes a solar collector within which the working fluid is superheated.
US09200819B1

A system and a method for operating the system is provided to optimize heat exchange between a geothermal loop and a heat pump load loop for heating and cooling a structure. In the method, the flow rate through the earth loop is adjusted based on current thermal demand of a heat pump array, so as to reduce the electrical demand of the earth loop circulator when thermal demand from the heat pump loop is low. The method adjusts the speed of the earthloop circulator as required for the operating conditions of the heat pumps and earth loop, thereby permitting efficient laminar flow whenever possible, as long as thermal demand is met.The system of this invention provides a compact module containing a suitable digital data receiver and controller programmed to receive temperature and flow data and to calculate the needed flow in each loop to meet the thermal demand of the heat pump or pumps, and to signal the earthloop pump, and optionally a load loop pump, to operate at the necessary flow speed. Specifically, if flow in the earth loop transitions from turbulent to laminar, this method insures that the current thermal demand of the heat pumps is met, and if not, increasing the earth loop circulator speed to deliver the current thermal demand of the heat pumps.
US09200818B2

Fluid delivery systems and related structures and processes are provided, such as for use with water, treated water, and/or a cleaning solution, for any of cleaning, cooling or any combination thereof, for one or more solar panels in a power generation environment. Enhanced coatings are provided for the incident surface of solar panels, such as to avoid build up of dirt, scale, or other contaminants, and/or to improve cleaning performance. Reclamation, filtration, and reuse structures are preferably provided for the delivered fluid, and seal structures may preferably be implemented between adjoining panels, to minimize loss of the delivered water or cleaning solution. The fluid delivery system may preferably be linked to an automated control system, such as but not limited to integrated DMPPT modules and related systems.
US09200814B2

The present invention relates to a ventilating apparatus which minimizes the flow resistance of air flowing into a blower fan, and which reduces the noise generated by the air being discharged from the ventilating apparatus, thereby minimizing the noise generated inside the ventilating apparatus.
US09200813B2

Distribution data indicating the distribution of the temperatures and airflows in an air-conditioned space are calculated through forward analysis of the state of the air-conditioned space through a distributed system heat flow analysis technique by the heat flow forward analysis processing portion based on spatial condition data and state data comprising boundary condition data and heat emitting object data, and setting data comprising this distribution data that has been obtained and the target data that indicate the target temperatures at the target locations is generated by the setting data generating portion, and new air-conditioning operating quantities are back-calculated from the new blowing speeds and blowing temperatures for the conditioned air at the blowing vents through reverse analysis of the distributions of the temperatures and airflows in the air-conditioned space, and the air-conditioning system is controlled based on the new air-conditioning operating quantities obtained thereby.
US09200803B2

A system includes a gasification feed injector that includes a tip portion with a first threaded portion, a coolant chamber disposed in the tip portion, and a coolant fluid conduit having a second threaded portion. The coolant fluid conduit is coupled to the tip portion adjacent to the coolant chamber via screwing of the second threaded portion into the first threaded portion.
US09200802B2

A heater assembly can be used with a gas appliance. The gas appliance can be a dual fuel appliance for use with one of a first fuel type or a second fuel type different than the first. The heater assembly can include at least one pressure regulator, a housing, and an actuation member. The housing has a first fuel hook-up for connecting the first fuel type to the heater assembly, and a second fuel hook-up for connecting the second fuel type to the heater assembly. The actuation member can control a setting of the pressure regulator based on whether the first or the second fuel hook-up is used.
US09200801B2

A valve assembly can include a housing, which can define a first fuel input for receiving a first fuel from a first fuel source and a second fuel input for receiving a second fuel from a second fuel source. The housing can define a first fuel output for directing fuel toward a control valve, and can define a third fuel input for receiving a portion of either the first fuel or the second fuel from the control valve. The housing can define a first egress flow path and a second egress flow path, each for directing fuel to the burner. In certain embodiments, the apparatus includes a valve body configured to selectively permit fluid communication between the first and second inputs and the output and between the third input and the egress flow paths.
US09200800B2

A method and system for steam generation and purification is presented. The method includes receiving a fuel stream, a water stream, and an oxidant stream in a direct contact steam generation (DCSG) apparatus; and generating a gas mixture stream comprising steam and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the DCSG apparatus. The method further includes receiving at least a portion of the gas mixture stream in a membrane separator, and separating at least a portion of the steam from the gas mixture stream to generate a permeate stream. The method further includes recirculating at least a portion of the permeate stream to the DCSG apparatus; monitoring a CO2 content in the gas mixture stream; and discharging at least a portion of the gas mixture stream at an outlet of the DCSG apparatus as a product stream if the CO2 content is lower than a determined value.
US09200774B2

A lamp reflector assembly (10) includes a lamp reflector (100) and circuit board holder plate (300). The lamp reflector (100) and the circuit board holder plate (300) each include guide ribs (115, 315) to hold a lamp circuit board (200) in place in the reflector assembly (10). The board holder plate (300) provides X, Y, Z location of the circuit board (200) as well as visual position verification of the circuit board (200) held in the reflector assembly (10). Finger tabs (210) protruding from the circuit board (200) through slots (320) in the board holder plate (300) permit repositioning the circuit board (200) so that the lamp circuit board (200), the board holder plate (300), and the lamp reflector (100) are properly positioned relative to each other prior to securing the board holder plate (300) to the reflector (100).
US09200773B2

There is provided an inclination sensor device. The inclination sensor device includes: a substrate which mounts an inclination sensor configured to calculate an inclination angle of a vehicle; a case which accommodates the substrate; a first positioning mechanism which positions the substrate relative to the case in a first direction that is substantially parallel to a first main surface of the substrate; and a second positioning mechanism which positions the substrate relative to the case in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first main surface of the substrate.
US09200770B2

A solar light assembly including an expandable bladder and a solar rechargeable light assembly.
US09200769B2

A decorative system that provides malleable decorative rods that bend, illuminate, and extend from an electrical base to form a decorative object, such as a Christmas tree. The malleable properties of the rods provide sufficient flexibility to bend and manipulate until a desired shape and dimension is achieved. The rod comprises at least one protrusion to help enhance a desired decorative effect such as pine needles that provide the look and feel of garlands. The rod also includes at least one illumination for illuminating the system. A base portion, from which the at least one rod extends, provides power to the rod. The base portion includes a threaded metal base that joins with a matching electrical socket, similar to an Edison base screw. At least one aperture and a cover provide a foundation into which the rods may be secured.
US09200765B1

A light source, for example a light emitting diode, can emit light and have an associated optical axis. The source can be deployed in applications where it is desirable to have illumination biased laterally relative to the optical axis, such as in a street luminaire where directing light towards the street is beneficial. The source can be coupled to an optic that comprises a cavity. A first region of the optic can receive light from the source and emit light towards the area to be illuminated. A second region of the optic can comprise two reflective surfaces. The first reflective surface can receive light from the source and reflect the received light towards the second reflective surface. The two reflective surfaces can be used to direct light away from one side of the optic.
US09200764B2

A light emitting diode (LED) lamp includes a substrate, a plurality of LED elements arranged on the substrate, and a reflector arranged on the substrate. The reflector includes a plurality of reflecting sheets obliquely extending upward and outward from a center of the substrate. A projection of each of the reflecting sheets covers one LED element. Each of the reflecting sheets corresponding to the LED element defines a perforation. Part of light from the LED element directly radiates out via the perforation, and part of light from the LED package is reflected to a lateral periphery of the substrate by the reflecting sheet.
US09200763B2

Flexible lighting assemblies (100) are disclosed. Specifically, flexible lighting assemblies that are made up of a flexible cable (102), a plurality of light emitting diodes (112), and a plurality of transparent light distribution segments (116) that distribute light along the length of the cable by deflectors positioned over the light emitting diodes. The lighting assembly allows for flexible lighting without the glare and non-uniformity problems often associated with flexible lighting.
US09200759B2

A lamp has a plurality of LEDs which are arranged behind one another in the lamp's longitudinal direction and in LED spacing by means of an LED carrier. Each LED emits light in a certain solid angle area around a beam center direction. The solid angle area is directed towards a lamp reflector for indirect light emission of the lamp. The number of LEDs and/or the LED spacing is selected in such a way that the solid angle areas of all LEDs after reflection at the light reflector overlap at least partially at an illumination surface distance from an underside of the lamp of at least 0.2 to 2.5 times the distance between the LEDs that are spaced the farthest apart from each other.
US09200754B2

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods of controlling gas flow in etching chambers. The methods generally include splitting a single process gas supply source into multiple inputs of separate process chambers, such that each chamber processes substrates under uniform processing conditions. The method generally includes using a mass flow controller as a reference for calibrating a flow ratio controller. A span correction factor may be determined to account for the difference between the actual flow and the measured flow through the flow ratio controller. The span correction factors may be used to determine corrected set points for each channel of the flow controller using equations provided herein. Furthermore, the set points of the flow ratio controller may be made gas-independent using additional equations provided herein.
US09200750B2

A wall stand comprising a column, a detector box, a support arm configured to support the detector box, a rotary shaft mounted on the support arm, a rotary bracket attached to the detector box, wherein the rotary bracket is rotatable around the rotary shaft, and a drive mechanism configured to move the detector box on a plane supported by the rotary bracket in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the rotary shaft.
US09200747B2

An outer-hanging touch apparatus is hanged on a display apparatus. The display apparatus has a front surface, a top surface, and a rear surface. The outer-hanging touch apparatus includes a touch module and a hanging assembly. The hanging assembly includes a hanging member, an adjusting member, and a driving member. The hanging member is fixed to the touch module and extends to the rear surface. The hanging member includes a guiding structure. The adjusting member is slidably engaged with the guiding structure. The adjusting member abuts against a junction between the top and rear surfaces. The driving member is engaged with the hanging member and the adjusting member for moving the adjusting member relative to the hanging member. When the adjusting member moves toward or away from the touch module along the guiding structure, the hanging member correspondingly moves away from or toward the top surface.
US09200744B2

A tracking system for use with a pipeline includes a scraper having signal generation capability for generating acoustic signals, a plurality of acoustic pressure sensors positioned at intervals along the path traveled by the scraper, and a plurality of local processors positioned at intervals along the path traveled by the scraper. Each of the local processors is in communication with a respective acoustic pressure sensor. A central processor is in communication with the local processors and determines the location of the scraper using time-stamped acoustic signals received by the pressure sensors and a speed of sound in a fluid within the pipeline.
US09200735B2

A dielectric tubular fitting for dissipating electrical energy, while providing fluid flow therethrough, the fitting including a non-metallic reinforced hose extending between and fluidly interconnecting spaced metallic tubes, and a means within the hose for providing controlled electrical resistance to dissipate positive charge of fluid flowing through the fitting. A dielectric cover is provided surrounding and encapsulating the hose, and at least partially encapsulating each of the tubes.
US09200734B2

An apparatus for blocking discharge from a flanged pipe coupling, including a strap configured to surround, and cover a gap between flanges. The apparatus includes a tensioning mechanism with a lever pivotally coupled to the strap, a clamp pin mounted on the opposing end of the strap, and an adjustment pin on a side of the clamp pin opposite the lever. Holes extend through ends of the clamp and adjustment pins. The tensioning mechanism includes a bolt having ends, and a mid-portion looped around the lever, so that portions of the bolt on opposing ends of the mid-portion are generally parallel and project through the holes. A fastener is mounted onto each bolt end on a side of the adjustment pin opposite the clamp pin. When the lever pivots away from the clamp pin, contact between the lever and bolt urges the ends of the strap together, increasing tension therein.
US09200733B2

A splicing ring for tubular high-pressure fluid conduits includes an inner metal ring formed of two independent and identical band halves having side edges. The side edges are folded downwards at a right angle and are configured as positioning and retaining elements of an O-ring. The O-ring rests upon the ends of the two tubular conduits to be spliced.
US09200732B2

A pipe has a tubular body with a male end and a female end. The male end has an external surface with a first engagement groove. The female end has an internal surface with a second engagement groove, and an aperture extending from an outer surface of the tubular body to the second engagement groove. The female end receives the male end of another pipe such that the first engagement groove of the male end axially aligns with the second engagement groove of the female end to establish a spline engagement groove having a groove length, LG. A flexible spline is located in the spline engagement groove to lock the pipes together and establish a pipe assembly. The flexible spline has a spline length, LS, and LS≦LG.
US09200730B2

The disclosed manufacture method for a length of tubing can produce a length of fatigue resistant tubing that has relatively high fatigue resistance and relatively low strip-to-strip welding length. The Fatigue resistance is calculated from experimental settings with controlled parameters and/or simulations reproducing similar material properties and loading conditions. A high fatigue resistance means certain product characteristics (e.g., low plasticization, low hydrostatic stress levels and free of imperfections welds) can be retained with an adequate bias weld design at low values after a specific test number of cyclic loading. The relatively low strip-to-strip welding length is an advantage for reducing probabilities of having cracks initiated and/or propagated at weld locations, where imperfections and localized differences of mechanical properties commonly cause failure. Low strip-to-strip welding length can also reduce the costs for welding.
US09200720B2

A variable flow valve having an externally threaded valve body, a valve element and an actuator that includes coil and a plunger assembly. The coil can be operated to move the plunger assembly to drive the valve element into engagement with a seat surface on a valve seat in the valve body.
US09200713B2

A transmission fluid circuit includes a transmission, a cooler, and a valve. The valve includes a housing, a spool and an actuator. The spool is movable inside the housing between a first position and a second position. The actuator includes a smart material configured to be activated in response to the temperature of the fluid exhibiting at least a first temperature such that the actuator is in a first state. The smart material is configured to be deactivated in response to the fluid being a sufficient number of degrees less than the first temperature such that the actuator is in a second state. The fluid flows from the housing to the transmission and from the transmission the cavity when the spool is in the first position. The fluid flows from the housing to the cooler and from the cooler to the transmission when the spool is in the second position.
US09200712B2

This valve is integrated into a fluid distribution network and enables selective interruption or authorization of the circulation of a fluid. The valve includes a fluid blocking member driven in rotation by an actuator device of the valve and at least one journal, a hollow body inside which the blocking member is mobile and which defines at least one bore for receiving the journal, and a bearing disposed around each journal and inside the bore of the body enabling support of the journal and guidance thereof in rotation relative to the bore, thereby centering the journal. The valve further includes a device for immobilizing and sealing for maintenance the journal relative to the body of the valve. This immobilization device is disposed on the same side of the bearing as the internal volume of the hollow body and is maneuverable via the bearing to go from a non-clamped first configuration to a clamped second configuration in which it immobilizes the journal in the bore and vice versa.
US09200705B2

In an automotive servo-assisted mechanical transmission, an electro-hydraulic actuation group has an actuation unit, a power unit able to provide hydraulic pressure to the actuation unit and an electronic control unit, the actuation and power units being equipped with respective components that are all mounted on a hydraulic casing of the actuation unit so as to define with one another a single assembly structurally separated from the electronic control unit, at least part of the components being equipped with respective electrical connectors that are arranged in a manner such that they can all be engaged by a same multiple electrical connector device.
US09200700B2

A motion control system is provided where a rotatable driven gear is held by bearings. The bearings are held inside a rotatable cam, where the cam has eccentricity between the outside and inside diameter. The outside diameter is held in a case that contains a driving gear. The backlash of the system is controlled by rotating the cam, which adjusts the center to center distance between the driving and driven gear.
US09200698B2

In a roller-type friction transmission unit, outer peripheral surfaces of first and second rollers are pressed in a radial direction into pressing contact with one another, to allow frictional power transmission between the first and second rollers. The first roller is connected to a driveline to main driving wheels of a four wheel drive vehicle. The second roller is connected to a driveline to auxiliary driving wheels of the four wheel drive vehicle. The transmitted torque capacity between the first roller and the second roller is controlled by changing a distance between rotation axes of the first and second rollers. The outer peripheral surfaces of the first and second rollers are shaped to allow the outer peripheral surfaces of the first and second rollers to be in contact with one another at a plurality of spots arranged in an axial direction.
US09200693B2

In a piston valve assembly for a shock absorber, a main piston partitions a cylinder into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. Compression passages and rebound passages penetrate the main piston in a vertical direction. A first compression value forms a first compression chamber, and a top surface of a lower retainer is opened toward the upper chamber. Bypass passages are formed on an outer peripheral surface of the piston rod. A guide assembly surrounds an outer peripheral surface of the compression valve and the bottom surface of the compression valve, tightly contacts the bottom surface of the compression valve in a high-frequency section, and moves down toward the lower retainer in a low-frequency section. A lower disk assembly forms a second compression chamber in the lower retainer while covering the opened top surface of the lower retainer, communicates the second compression chamber with the lower chamber in the high-frequency section, and blocks the communication between the second compression chamber and the lower chamber in the low-frequency section due to the downward movement of the guide assembly.
US09200691B2

For an elastic coupling member for a three (or more) point connection of a vibration absorber mass, like a gas generator for an airbag, to a motor vehicle part exposed to vibrations or oscillations, like a steering wheel structure, comprising a sleeve-shaped spring body firmly connectable to the vibration absorber mass and the motor vehicle part and having an axial direction, it is provided that the spring body has a different shape in its first radial sectional plane, in particular a vertical radial sectional plane, compared to a second, in particular horizontal radial section plane circumferentially offset from the first one.
US09200682B2

A synchronization unit for a positive dual clutch. The synchronization unit has a sleeve carrier that is axially and rotationally fixed to an output shaft and a shifting sleeve that is rotationally fixed and axially displaceable relative to the sleeve carrier. The synchronization rings of a synchronization clutch on the sleeve carrier side and the sleeve carrier comprise axially interlocked circumferential segments.
US09200678B2

A gear coupling includes first and second inner cylinders, first and second outer cylinders, and first and second closing plates interposed between the first and second inner cylinders and closing inner end faces of the first and second outer cylinders. In the first closing plate, one or a plurality of through-holes communicating with a device outer side of the first closing plate from a first grease chamber surrounded by the first inner cylinder, the first outer cylinder, and the first closing plate are formed. In the second closing plate, one or a plurality of through-holes communicating with a device outer side of the second closing plate from a second grease chamber surrounded by the second inner cylinder, the second outer cylinder, and the second closing plate are formed. Plugging members closing the through-holes are fitted to the through-holes.
US09200672B2

Methods and apparatus for preloading a bearing are provided. These methods and apparatus include preload monitoring devices whereby the mechanic can accurately monitor and regulate the preload on a bearing or bearing assembly. Aspects of the invention may also be used to adjust the endplay on a bearing or a bearing assembly. In one aspect, the preload on the bearing is transmitted through a housing having a fluid pressure that can be detected and monitored. An apparatus for precisely rotating a nut and a tool for precisely rotating a nut are also provided. A bearing retaining nut arrangement that permits the loading or evaluating of a bearing inner race is also provided. The bearing retaining nut arrangement includes a first load-setting nut, a lock washer, and a second jam nut that secures the arrangement to a shaft.
US09200669B2

A vehicle wheel bearing forming a double row angular contact ball bearing of back-to-back duplex bearing type has an outer member formed, on its inner circumference, with outer raceway surfaces with each having a circular arc longitudinal section. A pair of inner rings are each formed, on its outer circumference, with an inner raceway surface having a circular arc longitudinal section arranged opposite to one of the outer raceway surfaces. The end of a smaller diameter side of one inner ring abuts against an end of a smaller diameter side of the other inner ring. Double row balls are contained between the outer and inner raceway surfaces, respectively, of the outer member and inner rings and are held by cages. Seals are mounted in annular openings formed between the outer member and inner rings. The outer member and the inner rings are made by plastically deforming pipe members, The outer and inner raceway surfaces, cylindrical portions of the outer member forming fitting portions of the seals and/or shoulder portions of the inner rings forming land portions are formed with predetermined dimensions and are ground for accuracy.
US09200660B2

A quarter turn fastener includes a deflectable head and part in assembly legs for securing the fastener in a subassembly with one component positioned between the deflectable head and the part in assembly legs. Cooperating lock arms on the fastener and lock ribs on the component secure the fastener against unintended rotation for loosening. Stop ribs on the component limit the distance the fastener can be rotated. Main body legs are provided for securing a second component with the subassembly. Cooperating structures of the fastener and the components limit the fastener to rotate only in the lock direction from the unlocked position and in the unlock direction from the locked position.
US09200658B2

An improved joint member, e.g., a gusset, is provided and is formed from a fiber-reinforced pultruded material. The improved gusset is more lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture than conventional gussets. Furthermore, the fiber-reinforced material is strong enough to provide the structural support needed in most platform-type systems.
US09200642B2

An abrasive handling submersible pump assembly diffuser is described. An electric submersible pump assembly stage comprises a rotatable impeller, and a co-axially mounted diffuser comprising a diffuser bowl, the diffuser bowl comprising a plurality of diffuser bowl wedges having a blunted pie-shape, each of the plurality of diffuser bowl wedges protruding axially from a diffuser bowl floor into a cavity between the rotatable impeller and the co-axially mounted diffuser such that each of the plurality of diffuser bowl wedges protrudes into a path of pumped solid-laden fluid, wherein the blunted pie-shaped wedges extend radially between an inner wall and an outer wall of the diffuser bowl and a thickness of the blunted pie-shaped wedges in a circumferential direction increases towards the outer wall.
US09200637B2

The described embodiments relate generally to cooling fans and more specifically to a method for balancing an impeller assembly included in a cooling fan. In one embodiment, a balancing ring with an asymmetric shape can be included in an impeller assembly and rotated to correct an unbalance in the impeller assembly. In another embodiment, a balancing ring assembly can be provided including an inner balancing ring and an outer balancing ring. The size and shape of the inner balancing ring can be modified to better correct any unbalance in the impeller assembly.
US09200632B2

A screw compressor includes a casing having low and high pressure spaces, a screw rotor inserted in a cylinder part of the casing, and a slide valve disclosed in the cylinder part. The screw rotor has a plurality of helical grooves forming a compression chamber. The slide valve is moveable along an axis of the screw rotor and faces an outer periphery of the screw rotor to form a discharge port to communicating the compression chamber with the high pressure space. Fluid in the low pressure space is sucked into the compression chamber, compressed, and then discharged to the high-pressure space when the screw rotor rotates. The slide valve includes a sealing projection located on a back surface of the slide valve opposite to the screw rotor, and separating the low and high pressure spaces from each other when the sealing projection is in slidable contact with the casing.
US09200630B1

A sump pump that is powered by electricity or water pressure. During storms when electrical power is lost the pump can operate on water pressure until electrical power is restored. The sump pump is comprised of a venturi 101, electric pump 102, float operated valve 104, and level switch 105, 205, or level controller/sensor 305/314 depending on the type of level sensing used.
US09200628B2

A peristaltic pump squeezes a hose between squeezing rollers and a counter bearing to move fluid through the hose. To compensate for production tolerances and non-uniformities in hose thickness, and to also keep the mechanical loading of the hose as low as possible during the operation of the pump, the spacing between the squeezing rollers and the active surface of the counter bearing can be varied. The counter bearing has a conical or cone-shaped adjusting surface which is supported against a complementarily shaped support surface on the pump housing. The spacing between the squeezing elements and the active surface of the counter bearing can be adjusted by moving the counter bearing relative to the support surface.
US09200626B2

A high pressure fuel pump with improved lubrication characteristics includes a plunger configured to pressurize fuel supplied to a high pressure chamber formed within a housing at a high pressure to discharge the fuel while being lifted and dropped in the high pressure chamber within the housing, a tappet body configured to support a lower end of the plunger, a cam configured to lift and drop the plunger while rotating, and a roller configured to be installed in a roller shoe pressed in a lower portion of the tappet body and rotate in a state of being in contact with the cam, the fuel supplied to the high pressure chamber passes the roller shoe through at least one lubrication passage and is supplied to a contact area between the roller and the cam or a contact area between the roller shoe and the roller.
US09200623B2

A method for controlling a drive unit mechanically connected to a reciprocating linear-motion double-acting pump includes the use of speed-regulating control during the phase in which the piston is moving in just one direction, ascent (109) or descent (102), and the use of torque-regulating control immediately after the reversal (107, 114) of the direction of travel. The method is applicable to a control device and to a drive unit mechanically connected to a reciprocating linear-motion double-acting pump.
US09200612B2

The invention relates to a direct-connected low-speed small mixed flow type water turbine applied in a hydrodynamic energy-saving cooling tower, which comprises a water inlet scroll case (1), a seat ring (2) provided with single column of guide vanes annularly, a runner (12), a straight tapered water outlet pipe (9) and a side water outlet box (10), wherein the seat ring (2) is mounted on the inner side of the scroll case (1), a water outlet among the guide vanes in the seat ring (2) is communicated with a water inlet formed among curved surface blades (4), the water outlet formed among the curved surface blades (4) is communicated with the water inlet of the straight tapered water outlet pipe (9), the water outlet of the straight tapered water outlet pipe (9) is communicated with the water inlet of the side water outlet box (10), and the direct-connected low-speed small mixed flow type water turbine is characterized in that a bearing seat (6) is mounted on the runner (12), a shaft (7) is mounted in the bearing seat (6), and blades of a cooling fan are directly mounted on the shaft (7); and the value of unit rotational speed n 11 = nD 1 H is 28-42, in the formula, n is the rated rotational speed of the blades of the cooling fan, D1 is the diameter of the water inlet of the runner (12), and H is the inlet water pressure. The invention has the advantages of small size, high efficiency and low noise.
US09200611B2

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and is intended to carry out ignition to a mixture in a more stable manner in a multi-fuel internal combustion engine. In the control apparatus for a multi-fuel internal combustion engine which is able to be operated by mixed combustion of a plurality of kinds of fuels, a mixing ratio of the plurality of kinds of fuels is controlled by a mixing ratio control unit, and ignition timing of a spark plug is controlled by an ignition timing control unit, in such manner that a required discharge voltage is made equal to or less than a voltage which is lower by a fixed value than a voltage to be applied to said spark plug (S104, S108).
US09200606B2

An electronically controlled fuel injection valve can independently control the time to inject fuel and the amount of fuel to be injected in response to a control signal sent from the operating condition of an engine unlike a traditional mechanical fuel injection valve, and employs a control method for fuel injection that increases the force of lifting up a cutoff needle of an injection controller by delivering high-pressure fuel to a lower pressure chamber via a control needle, thereby rapidly controlling fuel injection. The electronically controlled fuel injection valve prevents a nozzle part from being constantly subjected to high pressure due to the nozzle part being not supplied with fuel when fuel is not injected, prevents a large amount of fuel from leaking into a combustion chamber when a part such as a needle is damaged, and simplifies the structure of a second flow path, thereby facilitating fabrication.
US09200602B2

A pressure regulator is connected to a fuel pipe to which fuel is supplied by a feed pump. There is formed a fuel channel in the pressure regulator for returning fuel from within the fuel pipe to the fuel tank. In the pressure regulator, there are also formed a stopper and a valve body which collectively reduce the fuel flow area of the fuel channel as a result of an increase in the fuel pressure within the fuel pipe. This makes the fuel within the fuel pipe less likely to be released through the aforementioned fuel channel. For this reason, it is possible to correspondingly increase the fuel pressure within the fuel pipe in an efficient manner by increasing operating rate of the feed pump under conditions where the fuel pressure within the fuel pipe is high.
US09200600B1

A fuel management system for a marine propulsion device provides a series of intermediate venting commands to a canister purge valve which controls the pressure decay within a fuel supply module in such a way that both the lift pump and high pressure pump within the module are provided with appropriate pressures to allow them to operate satisfactorily.
US09200594B2

A fan portion of a dual flow turbojet engine including a plurality of fan blades, a disk supporting the blades and configured to be rotated relative to a stator portion of the fan, along a longitudinal axis of the fan, and a system for setting the angle of attack associated with each fan blade, the systems configured such that the angle of attack of each blade varies according to a same setting law according to the angular position of the blade relative to the stator portion, along the longitudinal axis, the same setting law being periodic with a period of P=360°/n, where n is an integer at least equal to 1.
US09200588B2

A method for monitoring the signal value of a vacuum sensor of a vacuum system in a vehicle, wherein a vacuum generator and a brake booster are provided in the vacuum system, an upper error threshold (−p_vac_errorthreshold) is calculated as a function of the operating states of the vacuum generator and of the brake booster, and wherein an error is identified when the signal value of the vacuum sensor exceeds the current value of the error threshold.
US09200580B2

In a method for operating an injection valve having a longitudinal axis, an injection needle, a control valve and an actuator embodied as a solid body actuator, wherein the actuator acts on the control valve and the control valve acts on the injection nozzle, various pre-defined quantities of electrical energy are supplied to the actuator in a plurality of adaptation flows in order to modify an axial length of the actuator. This electrical energy is defined such that an axial position of the injection nozzle remains unchanged. In correlation with the respective adaptation flow, and following the energy supply associated with the respective adaptation flow, a first and second voltage value are detected and a voltage differential value is then determined which is compared with a pre-defined threshold value and, on the basis of the comparison, at least one control of the actuator is adapted to the injection of fluid.
US09200577B2

A vibration damping control device that controls driving power of a vehicle to suppress pitch vibration or bounce vibration includes: a vibration damping control unit that controls a driving torque of an engine so as to suppress the amplitude of the pitch vibration or bounce vibration on the basis of a wheel torque generated at a contact portion between a wheel of the vehicle and a road surface; and a compensating component regulating unit that varies the magnitude of a compensating component, which is calculated by a vibration damping control unit and which compensates the wheel torque for vibration damping control, on the basis of a change of characteristic, such as a wear state quantity of a movable portion of a throttle valve of the engine.
US09200572B2

Methods and devices for anticipating a surge in a gas turbine engine. Controlled pressure signal(s) may be compared with reference pressure signal(s), each of the controlled pressure signal(s) and reference pressure signal(s) having an associated time value. If the controlled pressure signal(s) are less than the reference pressure signal(s), a controlled pressure curve may be fitted through a predetermined number of points based on the controlled pressure value(s) and associated time value(s). A reference pressure curve may be fitted through the predetermined number of points based on the reference pressure value(s) and associated time value(s). A time to compressor surge may be estimated based on an intersection of the controlled pressure curve and the reference pressure curve.
US09200571B2

A fuel nozzle assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a flange and a pre-mix tube. The flange includes a first end that is configured to couple to an end cover of the combustor, and a second end that is opposite said first end. The pre-mix tube is coupled at a first end to the flange second end. The flange and the pre-mix tube are fabricated to operate at a natural frequency that is different from an operating frequency of the gas turbine engine.
US09200564B2

A system and method for providing a variable compression ratio internal combustion engine is disclosed. The system can include a crankshaft pivotally coupled to a standard engine block using a plurality of pivoting main bearing caps. The system can pivot the main bearing caps, and thus the crankshaft, to increase or decrease the compression ratio of the engine. The system can also include a plurality of actuators to move one end of the main bearing caps. The crankshaft can comprise one or more flexible joints to enable the crankshaft to move, while the output(s) of the crankshaft remain stationary to enable conventional sealing and power take-off. The compression ratio can be varied continuously during use and can be included in an overall engine management system.
US09200563B2

An internal combustion engine including a pilot subchamber, a pilot fuel injector having a tip in communication with the pilot subchamber, an ignition element positioned to ignite fuel within the pilot subchamber, and a main fuel injector spaced apart from the pilot fuel injector. The engine includes a common rail in fluid communication with the main fuel injector and with the pilot fuel injector and a pressure regulating mechanism in fluid communication with the common rail for regulating a fuel pressure therein. A method of combusting fuel in an internal combustion engine is also provided.
US09200560B2

A gaseous fuel engine combines the efficiencies associated with high compression ratio engines with the attractiveness of fueling with natural gas. Each engine cylinder has an associated fuel injector positioned for direct injection and supplied with gaseous fuel from a high pressure common rail. A separate ignition prechamber is also supplied with natural gas and includes an ignition device. Hot gas generated by igniting a mixture of gaseous fuel and air in the prechamber are used to ignite a much larger charge of gaseous fuel injected into the engine cylinder from the fuel injector. The engine has a compression ratio greater than 14: to 1.
US09200559B2

Provided is a combustion chamber applied in a gas engine including: a main combustion chamber including, at a central portion of its ceiling, an auxiliary combustion chamber; and a piston. A peripheral portion of a top surface of the piston is a flat surface. A raised portion, which has a curved surface and which is a solid of revolution, is formed at a central portion of the top surface, the raised portion being joined to the flat surface of the peripheral portion via a curved surface. When the piston is positioned at a top dead center, nozzle holes of the auxiliary combustion chamber jet out flame jets to a portion at which the raised portion of the top surface of the piston and the flat surface of the peripheral portion of the top surface of the piston are joined together.
US09200556B2

Embodiments as described herein provide a simplified turbo recharger for an efficient, reliable, low-cost system that delivers good performance for improving efficiency of a vehicle using electric power. Embodiments as described herein may be used with electric motor, combustion engine hybrid vehicles to improve the fuel efficiencies of such vehicles. A turbine may be positioned in an exhaust stream of a vehicle that is coupled to a generator to recharge the battery of a vehicle. The turbine may include a wastegate to permit the exhaust stream to enter or bypass the turbine depending on the charge of the battery, the rate of rotation of the turbine, pressure within the turbine, the speed of the engine, or a combination of the above.
US09200554B2

A modular locomotive UC storage system includes: at least one cabinet section in a locomotive; a plurality of vertical stacks of UC modules housed within each cabinet section, each UC module including a plurality of UC cells; wherein each UC module within each of the vertical stacks of UC modules is connected in parallel to the UC modules within the vertical stack; wherein each of the vertical stacks of UC modules are connected in series with the other vertical stacks of UC modules within each cabinet section; wherein the connections between the UC modules and between the vertical stacks of UC modules are made by bus bars located such that the UC modules electrically connect with the bus bars in an appropriate combination of series and parallel connections when the UC modules are located in position within the cabinet sections.
US09200553B2

A power system and a method for energizing an electrically heated catalyst are provided. The system includes a battery outputting a first voltage, and a generator outputting a second voltage greater than the first voltage in response to a first signal. The system further includes a controller that generates a second signal to set a first switching device to a first operational state to apply the second voltage to the electrically heated catalyst to increase a temperature of the catalyst, if a first temperature level of the catalyst is less than a first threshold temperature level. The controller generates a third signal to induce the generator to output a third voltage, and generates a fourth signal to set a second switching device to a second operational state to apply the first voltage to the catalyst, if the first temperature level is greater than the first threshold temperature level.
US09200541B2

Systems and methods for actuating engine valves for positive power and engine braking operation are disclosed. The systems may include a self-lashing hydraulic piston slidably disposed in a fixed or rocker arm housing. The hydraulic piston may have an internal cavity in which a motion absorbing piston is disposed. A hydraulic fluid source may communicate with the hydraulic piston bore. A check valve which may be incorporated in a control valve may controls hydraulic fluid supply from the hydraulic fluid source to the hydraulic piston to provide self-lashing operation of the valve actuation system.
US09200532B2

An assembly can include a turbine housing that includes a bore, a wastegate seat and a wastegate passage that extends to the wastegate seat; a bushing configured for receipt by the bore; a rotatable wastegate shaft configured for receipt by the bushing; a wastegate arm extending from the wastegate shaft; and a wastegate plug extending from the wastegate arm where the wastegate plug includes a contact portion that contacts the wastegate seat to cover the wastegate passage in a closed state and a shell portion that extends into the wastegate passage in the closed state and that defines a clearance with respect to the wastegate seat in an open state. Various other examples of devices, assemblies, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
US09200518B2

A turbocharger including a turbine wheel having a hub-to-tip ratio of no more than 60% and blades with a high turning angle and a curved leading edge, a turbine housing forming an inwardly spiraling primary-scroll passageway that significantly converges to produce highly accelerated airflow into the turbine at high circumferential angles, and a two-sided parallel compressor. The compressor and turbine each produce substantially no axial force, allowing the use of minimal axial thrust bearings.
US09200512B2

In-situ formation fluid evaluation methods and apparatus configured to measure a first resonance frequency of a first fluid using a first densimeter downhole, wherein a first density of the first fluid is known; measure a second resonance frequency of a second fluid using a second densimeter downhole, wherein the second fluid is a formation fluid received by the second densimeter downhole, and wherein a second density of the second fluid is unknown; and determine the second density of the second fluid using the first and second resonance frequencies and the known first density.
US09200511B2

A computer implemented method for determining reservoir pressure in a shut-in well, the method comprising: determining the initial physical characteristics of the well; determining properties of gas bubble throughout the well; calculating a dynamic mass transfer rate for the gas bubble over a period of time; calculating the physical fluid movement along the well: calculating a rate of fluid influx from the reservoir; determining a corrected pressure gradient along at least part, or all, of the profile of the well using the determined dynamic mass transfer rate, fluid movement and rate of fluid influx; and determining the reservoir pressure from a measure, or determination, of the well head pressure and the calculated pressure.
US09200510B2

A system for measuring directional characteristics of a downhole tool includes: at least one bending moment (BM) measurement device disposed at a downhole component, the at least one BM measurement device configured to generate bending moment data at at least one depth in the borehole, the bending moment data including a bending vector of the downhole tool, a bending moment representing an amplitude of the bending vector, and a bending tool face (BTF) angle representing an orientation of the bending vector; and a processor in operable communication with the BM measurement device and configured to receive bending moment data from the BM measurement device, calculate a dogleg severity (DLS) from the bending moment and a well tool face (WTF) angle from the BTF angle, and calculate at least one of a change in inclination and a change in azimuth based on the DLS and the WTF angle.
US09200507B2

A system and method to determine a length of a fracture induced from a borehole are described. The method includes isolating a portion of the borehole, the portion of the borehole including an end of the fracture at the borehole wall, increasing fluid pressure in the portion of the borehole, deploying a low-frequency source in the portion of the borehole, and varying a frequency of the low-frequency source to generate resonance oscillations at a resonance frequency in the fracture. The method also includes determining the length of the fracture based on the resonance frequency.
US09200506B2

A device for transporting and upgrading a hydrocarbon resource may include a pair of pipeline segments configured to transport the hydrocarbon resource therethrough and a radio frequency (RF) upgrading device. The RF upgrading device may include an RF applicator comprising an inner tubular dielectric coupler between the pair of pipeline segments, and an electrically conductive outer housing surrounding the inner tubular dielectric coupler. The RF upgrading device may also include an RF source coupled to the electrically conductive outer housing and having an operating frequency and power to upgrade the hydrocarbon resource.
US09200504B2

System and method of well space provision for forming a geologic testing space for proving an operation of an unproven downhole apparatus (78, 92), generally referred to as new technology, within an aged geology, during the rig-less abandonment of an aging well to, in use, reallocate operation of said unproven downhole apparatus from unproven to proven operation within a proximally similarly aged geology of said aging well, another aging well (79), a new well (80), or a field of said wells (79, 80) generally referred to as Brownfields and Greenfields, wherein said unproven downhole apparatus comprises a hydrodynamic bearing boring apparatus (1A, 1E, 1BM, 9AA, 92D) or a bore hole piston apparatus (1A, 1AF, 92A-92C, 92E-92G).
US09200503B2

A method of cleaning a well face during formation testing at a drill site is disclosed. A collection chamber disposed in a formation tester tool may be at least partially filled with cleansing fluid. The formation tester tool may be introduced into a wellbore and the cleansing fluid may be ejected through a probe coupled to the formation tester tool. The collection chamber may then be at least partially filled with a formation fluid sample. A face of the probe may be contacted by a retractable cleaning mechanism coupled to the formation tester tool.
US09200498B2

A completion system is provided for completing downhole wells, comprising an upper polished bore receptacle incorporated into an intermediate casing of the downhole well and formed with a honed inner bore. A bottom packer for supporting a completion string within the intermediate casing has a first sealing assembly for sealing engagement against the inner bore of the upper polished bore receptacle. A lower polished bore receptacle is further incorporated into the intermediate casing and formed with a honed inner bore. A flow control hanger in the form of a hollow mandrel hangs a production liner in the intermediate casing and has a second sealing assembly for sealing engagement against an inner bore of the lower polished bore receptacle. A further completion system is provided comprising a polished bore receptacle (PBR) and a latch down packer having a lower end to which the PBR is connected.
US09200497B1

A sensing system for use with a subsea actuator has an actuator with a cylinder having a piston therein, and a piston rod extending outwardly of the cylinder, a magnetic member connected to or cooperative with an end of the piston rod, and a magnetic field sensor positioned over the magnetic member so as to sense magnetic field changes in relation to a movement of the magnetic member relative to the magnetic field sensor. A data acquisition system is cooperative with the magnetic field sensor for receiving a signal from the magnetic field sensor. A housing is positioned over the magnetic field sensor and over the magnetic member. The magnetic member moves through the housing in relation to a movement of the piston rod.
US09200496B2

A pressure compensating device for compensating fluid pressure within a sealed enclosure comprises a cylinder divided into a first chamber and a second chamber by a piston, wherein: the first chamber communicates with the enclosure and the second chamber communicates with the environment; the piston is arranged to adjust the relative volumes of the first and second chambers in response to a difference in pressure between the said chambers by moving within the cylinder; and the piston is arranged to allow fluid communication between the enclosure and the environment when the piston is in at least one position within the cylinder.
US09200488B2

A bearing assembly for use in an apparatus having a housing and a shaft which is rotatably connected with the housing. A shaft extension extends from the interior of the housing at a first housing end. The shaft extension defines a first bearing shaft surface. The bearing assembly includes a first thrust bearing for transferring a first axial load between the shaft and the housing. The first thrust bearing is located axially between the first housing end and the first bearing shaft surface.
US09200484B2

A superabrasive-impregnated earth-boring rotary drill bit includes cutting features extending outwardly from a bit body in a nose region of the drill bit. The cutting features comprise a composite material including superabrasive particles embedded within a matrix material. The cutting features extend from an outer surface of the bit body by a relatively high average distance. Methods of forming a superabrasive-impregnated earth-boring rotary drill bit include the formation of cutting features that extend outwardly from a bit body of a drill bit in a nose region of the drill bit. The cutting features are formed to comprise a particle-matrix composite material that includes superabrasive particles embedded within a matrix material. The cutting features are further formed such that they extend from the outer surface of the bit body by a relatively high average distance.
US09200480B2

A security door that impedes or resists the penetration of bullets or other projectiles is provided, which may be used to protect the occupants in a room from threats outside the room by providing a bullet resistant entry door for the room. The preferred embodiment of the bullet resistant security door includes a threat-side outer surface or layer, a first core layer, bullet resistant ballistic layer, a second core layer, an armor layer, and a safe side outer surface or layer and is sufficient to meet the requirements of the Level 3 Protection Level of the UL 752 standard.
US09200478B2

A latch mechanism is provided comprising a latch and a cover arranged for attachment to the latch. The latch includes a latch body and a projection extending therefrom wherein, when the latch and cover are attached to one another, the projection extends from an inner surface of the cover. The latch mechanism further comprises a docking area located on a device, the docking area being arranged to receive the latch such that the cover may be securely fixed to the device. When the cover is placed over the docking area, a sliding movement of the cover causes actuation of the latch to secure the cover to the docking area. When the cover is secured in the docking area, further sliding movement of the cover is prevented.
US09200475B2

A lock mechanism is disclosed, the lock mechanism having a rotary latch configured for rotation between a locked position and an unlocked position, the rotary latch rotating in a first plane and the rotary latch is retained in the locked position after it has been rotated into the locked position from the unlocked position, the rotary latch being spring biased into the unlocked position by a biasing member; and a first lock mechanism for retaining the rotary latch in the locked position after rotation of the rotary latch into the locked position, the rotary latch being capable of being manipulated back into the unlocked position from the locked position after actuation of the first locking mechanism into a release position, wherein actuation of the first lock mechanism is in a second plane that is not parallel to the first plane.
US09200473B2

A rekeyable lock cylinder and a padlock with a rekeyable lock cylinder includes a cylindrical core formed to receive a key and an outer casing formed around the core. The cylinder core may be provided with one or more reconfiguration channels. Pins and springs mounted in openings formed in a spring holder connected to the casing can be removed through the one or more reconfiguration channels when the reconfiguration channels in the core align with assembly openings in the casing and the pin openings in the spring holder, thereby allowing the adaptation of the number of pins mounted in the lock cylinder to the number of cuts provided in the key.
US09200472B2

Provided is a push-pull door lock capable of selecting a lever work direction which may be installed without needing to coincide a door opening direction with the lever work direction by driving a driving unit during both a push operation and a pull operation of a lever coupled to each of housings of a front surface and a rear surface of a door to unlock a lock mechanism received in the door. The push-pull door lock includes: a lever that is provided on a front surface of each of housings, which are respectively coupled to an inside and an outside of a door by supports, to pivot in a front-and-back direction and has a protruding portion protruding toward a door; and a selection member that is provided on a rear surface of the housing and limits a pivoting range of the protruding portion in order to select a push operation or a pull operation of the lever.
US09200460B2

A floor covering made of floor elements which have at least at two opposite sides a male coupling part and a female coupling part. The coupling parts allow two of the floor elements to be interconnected at their respective sides by pushing one of the floor elements with the male coupling part, by means of a downward movement, into the female coupling part of the other floor element. At least one of the coupling parts, either the male coupling part or the female coupling part, is made as least partially in a filled synthetic material composite.
US09200450B2

A ridge cap includes a lower surface adapted to be placed in contact with a roof of a building, a weather protective upper surface, and first and second side sections connected to each other. The first side section is disposed at one side of a longitudinal axis and the second side section is disposed at the other side of the longitudinal axis. The ridge cap further includes an elastomeric strip and a metal strip. The elastomeric strip extends along the longitudinal axis and connects the first side section and the second side section to be of unitary construction with the first and second side sections. The metal strip backing extends along the longitudinal axis and supports the elastomeric strip.
US09200445B2

A deck plank readily attaches to an engagement clip when force is applied generally from the upper surface down on the plank. When a plurality of clips are attached to underlying surface, and a plurality of deck planks are oriented to the clips and urged into engagement, a secure deck structure is provided. The deck plank surface extends laterally beyond the outside vertical supporting panel (32) and turns downward to form downward facing supporting leg (45). The opposite side of the deck plank between outside supporting leg (35) and outside vertical supporting panel (34) forms a water resistant cavity that does not get penetrated by fasteners due to the underside clipping means. The deck plank and clipping system allows the individual repair of deck planks without removing the adjacent deck planks.
US09200438B2

A multilayer sound-absorbing covering includes (a) a support layer made of an organic polymer foam having an open porosity between 0.50 and 0.995, (b) a surface layer formed by a glass textile, having a static air flow resistance, measured according to the standard ISO 9053, between 105 N·s·m-4 and 106 N·s·m-4, (c) at the interface between the support layer (a) and the surface layer (b), a discontinuous adhesive layer having a surface density between 17 and 60 g/m2. There is also provided a process for manufacturing such a covering and the use of such a covering for improving the acoustic comfort of a room or of a building.
US09200436B2

An overflow system in the bathtub has an overflow port and has a drain pipe in connection with the overflow port. A threaded flange has a stub shoulder on one end which is fitted into a circular sleeve on the overflow port. The threaded flange has exterior threads on its outer surface and a thin diaphragm secured to the end thereof opposite to the stub shoulder. A large internally threaded nut is threadably mounted on the outer end of the threaded flange. A decorative cap is frictionally snapped into engagement with protrusions on the outer surface of the nut. The cap can be removed when needed to permit the plumber to gain access to the diaphragm to cut it open for fluid flow after the system has been tested for leaks, or put in place after the cut takes place.
US09200431B2

A hydraulic drive system for a construction machine has a travel detection device which detects whether or not the operation mode is a traveling operation and a setting changing device. The setting changing device sets the target differential pressure of load sensing control at an absolute pressure Pa when the operation mode is not a traveling operation, and sets the target differential pressure of the load sensing control at an absolute pressure Pa′ rather than the absolute pressure Pa. In this way, in the actuator operation other than traveling, a necessary actuator speed can be obtained and supplied with the necessary maximum flow rate. In addition, during the combined operation, a flow rate in accordance with the opening area ratios of flow control valves can be distributed to actuators different in load pressure from one another; and energy efficiency is enhanced due to less energy loss during traveling operation.
US09200429B2

A work vehicle includes a front axle, a rear axle, a chassis, a cab pivotally coupled to the chassis, a boom movably mounted on the chassis, and a boom cylinder for raising and lowering the boom. A rear suspension member raises and lowers the cab with respect to the rear axle. A front suspension member raises and lowers the chassis and the cab with respect to the front axle. An operator controlled command unit generates boom raise and lower signals. An electronic control unit (ECU) is connected to the front suspension member, the rear suspension member and the command unit. If vehicle speed is below a threshold speed, the ECU automatically operates the front and/or the rear suspension members to raise and lower the cab to improve visibility of the loader from the cab in response to the command unit operating the boom.
US09200424B2

A boom apparatus comprises a first boom, a second boom, and a monolithc knuckle body. The knuckle body is included in a clevis attaching pivotally the first boom and the second boom.
US09200420B2

A railcar mover is provided that is configured for use on a railroad track and has a frame, a plurality of traction wheels, and a traction enhancing system. Included in the traction enhancing system is an air nozzle associated with at least one of the traction wheels, mounted directly or indirectly relative to the frame so that an outlet of the air nozzle is directed at a corresponding rail of the railroad track for emitting high pressure air for removing at least one of unwanted debris and moisture. In addition, a scraper blade is associated with the nozzle and mounted relative to the nozzle so that the scraper blade contacts debris on the track before the high pressure air, in a direction of travel of the mover.
US09200418B2

For a V-plow having a pair of blades hinged together along inboard ends of the blades at a hinge, a gauge on a lower end of the hinge having a spacer, the spacer having a thickness in a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the V-plow corresponding to a desired minimum spacing between inboard ends of a pair of cutting edge plates to be installed on the blades, a method of installing the cutting edge plates on the blades is provided. The method comprises positioning one of the cutting edge plates along a lower edge of one of the blades so that the inboard end of the one cutting edge plate abuts one side of the spacer, securing the one cutting edge plate to the one blade, positioning the other cutting edge plate along a lower edge of the other blade so that the inboard end of the other cutting edge plate abuts the other side of the spacer, and securing the other cutting edge plate to the other blade.
US09200408B2

The disclosure is directed toward methods for delivering a pigment dispersion and an inverted retention aid emulsion to a papermaking process. The method comprises injecting the pigment dispersion and the inverted retention aid emulsion into a process line of the papermaking process. The pigment dispersion comprises titanium dioxide, and the retention aid may comprise an anionic flocculant. The process line is located downstream from a screen and upstream from a headbox. The methods may incorporate the use of one or several nozzle devices.
US09200405B2

The invention relates to cord (20) comprising a number of filaments twisted together. The peripheral surface of the cord (20) is at least partially coated with an adhesion promoting coating (24). The adhesion promoting coating (24) comprises at least a first layer comprising a silicon based coating, a titanium based coating, a zirconium based coating or a combination thereof. The invention further relates to a composite material comprising such a cord (20) embedded in a polymer material. Furthermore the invention relates to a method to manufacture such a cord (20).
US09200399B2

Provided is a washing machine including a main body having an opening and a door assembly disposed at the opening, wherein the door assembly includes a door that opens and closes the opening and an auxiliary washing unit having an auxiliary washing space in which hand-washing can be performed, and provided to pivot about one side of the door in an inside of the door. Through this configuration, separated washing spaces can be provided and separate hand-washing can be performed. Also, pressure of washing water supplied into the washing machine can be regulated so that water supply efficiency can be improved and a flow rate of the washing water can be adjusted.
US09200388B1

A spool for use in a wire braiding machine, for example, which has a “bi-tapered” design including a central cylindrical section and a pair of tapered (e.g., frusto-conical or parabolic) flanges having surfaces that slope inwardly toward the cylindrical section. In this manner, the spool provides a progressively widening wire fill area, as measured along a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the bobbin, as the wound wire advances progressively radially outwardly from the cylindrical section. This widening wire fill area aids in preventing the formation, propagation and buildup of wire winding defects, such that the wire is more likely to unspool or pay-out from the spool without losing tension, snagging or breaking.
US09200387B2

The present invention relates to a thread separating apparatus (11) for separating a thread (15) from a thread layer (13) comprising a first spindle (17) which is rotatable about an axis of rotation (18), in the circumference whereof a first helical guide track (27) is provided. The first spindle (17) during rotation is suitable for transporting a plurality of threads in the first helical guide track (27) along the first spindle (17). Located upstream of the first spindle (17) is a deflecting part (25) which provides for a deflection of the threads (15) from the first plane (16) into a second plane (35). At the rear end (33) of the first spindle (17), a first release edge (31) is provided for the release of the threads (15) from the second plane (35) into a third plane (39).
US09200376B2

A device for simultaneous coating of a plurality of workpieces is described, the plurality of workpieces being situated in a shared flow shaft through which an electrolyte flows, and each workpiece being connected electrically conducting to at least one component electrode and being electrically insulated in relation to at least one bath electrode, and a plurality of flow channels and a flow distributor for distributing the electrolyte stream to the plurality of flow channels further being situated in the flow shaft, the at least one bath electrode being situated in one of the flow channels.
US09200374B2

A device for high temperature electrolysis of water, including: at least one elementary electrolysis cell formed from a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte intermediate between the cathode and the anode; a first device forming an electric and fluid interconnector including a metallic part delimited by at least one plane, the metallic part including two internal chambers, superposed one on the other, and a plurality of holes distributed around the surface, approximately perpendicular to the plane and divided into two groups, one of the groups of holes opens up onto the plane and directly into the adjacent chamber and the other group of holes opens up onto the plane and also in a furthest chamber through channels, the plane of the first interconnector being in mechanical contact with the plane of the cathode.
US09200373B2

An alkane gas is supplied to an interface between an activated surface of a platinum or palladium working electrode and an ionic liquid electrolyte. The alkane adsorbs at or near an interface complex formed at the interface. The ionic liquid electrolyte is selected from a group consisting of 1-ethyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-propyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-pentyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-hexyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-heptyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-octyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-nonyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, and 1-decyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, and combinations thereof. While the alkane gas in the presence of oxygen is supplied to the interface, positive electrode potential is applied to the platinum or palladium working electrode, which causes oxidation of the adsorbed alkane to form a reaction product. A concentration of the alkane is quantified using an alkane anodic current or current density at the positive electrode potential. The alkane is used as an internal standard to calibrate oxygen detection.
US09200369B2

An apparatus and method for treating a thin film on a substrate is presented. The substrate is loaded on a fixed stage adapted to receive the substrate. An energy source is aligned through a space in a gas shield so as to face a thin film on the substrate to be repaired after the substrate is loaded. A protective insulating layer is removed by radiation from the energy source, a reaction gas is supplied to the space, and an open and/or short circuit in the thin film is repaired. The energy source and/or gas shield is moved during the repair, rather than the stage. If the energy source and gas shield are both moved, they are moved in opposite directions, either independently or dependent on each other, by first and second operating units, respectively.
US09200363B2

Disclosed is AA′ graphite with a new stacking feature of graphene, and a fabrication method thereof. Graphene is stacked in the sequence of AA′ where alternate graphene layers exhibiting the AA′ stacking are translated by a half hexagon (1.23 Å). AA′ graphite has an interplanar spacing of about 3.44 Å larger than that of the conventional AB stacked graphite (3.35 Å) that has been known as the only crystal of pure graphite. This may allow the AA′ stacked graphite to have unique physical and chemical characteristics.
US09200360B2

Provided is an arc evaporation source wherein film-forming speed is increased by inducing magnetic lines in the substrate direction. The arc evaporation source is provided with: at least one outer circumferential magnet (3), which is disposed such that the outer circumferential magnet surrounds the outer circumference of a target (2) and that the magnetization direction thereof is in the direction orthogonally intersecting the surface of the target (2); and a rear surface magnet (4) disposed on the rear surface side of the target (2). The rear surface magnet (4) has a non-ring-shaped first permanent magnet (4A) wherein the polarity thereof faces the same direction as the polarity of the outer circumferential magnet (3) and the magnetization direction of the rear surface magnet (4) is in the direction orthogonally intersecting the surface of the target (2).
US09200355B2

An austenitic steel sheet excellent in resistance to delayed cracking, the composition of said steel comprising, in weight: 0,35%
US09200349B2

A molten metal refining wire (11) comprises a metal sheath (12) encapsulating a core (14) of refining material, such as pure calcium powder, wherein the core (14) is sealed within the sheath (12) in a fluid-tight manner. A corresponding method of manufacturing the molten metal refining wire (11) is disclosed, as well as a method of refining molten metal by injecting the refining wire (11) into the molten metal.
US09200344B2

A steel sheet including C at 0.05 to 0.15%, Si at 0.2 to 1.2%, Mn at 1.0 to 2.0%, P at not more than 0.04%, S at not more than 0.0030%, Al at 0.005 to 0.10%, N at not more than 0.005% and Ti at 0.03 to 0.13%, the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities, includes surface regions having an area fraction of bainite of less than 80% and an area fraction of a ferrite phase with a grain diameter of 2 to 15 μm of not less than 10%, the surface regions extending from both surfaces of the steel sheet each to a depth of 1.5 to 3.0% relative to a total sheet thickness, as well as an inner region other than the surface regions having an area fraction of a bainite phase of more than 95%, and has a tensile strength of not less than 780 MPa.
US09200342B2

A hot-rolled steel sheet according to the present invention is a steel sheet containing a predetermined components, and satisfying O
US09200341B1

A method of cavitation peening a workpiece is provided. The method includes discharging a flow of fluid towards the workpiece at a pressure and a flow rate that facilitates forming a plurality of cavitation bubbles, monitoring a feedback parameter associated with the plurality of cavitation bubbles, and determining a peening intensity of the plurality of cavitation bubbles based at least partially on a value of the feedback parameter.
US09200337B2

Methods and systems are disclosed for the hydrolysis of mixed biomass. The methods include forming a mixture of at least two modified biomass feedstocks to achieve various benefits, such as maximizing sugar yields and minimizing the formation of degradation products.
US09200335B2

A bioreactor that combines the steps of recombinant expression and separation of a biological product by binding the secreted biological product with a resin, discarding the nutrient medium and eluting the biological product as a concentrated solution, eliminating the steps of sterile filtration and volume reduction. The method also allows loading of resin for column-purification, eliminating all steps of perfusion process and maintaining a sink condition of a toxic product in nutrient medium to optimize productivity of host cells. The instant invention also allows harvesting of solubilized inclusion bodies after the cells have been lysed and refolding of proteins inside the bioreactor.
US09200311B2

The present invention provides methods and compositions for performing illuminated reactions, particularly sequencing reactions, while mitigating and/or preventing photodamage to reactants that can result from prolonged illumination. In particular, the invention provides methods and compositions for incorporating photoprotective agents into conjugates comprising reporter molecules and nucleoside polyphosphates.
US09200307B2

Recombinant DNA techniques are used to produce oleaginous recombinant cells that produce triglyceride oils having desired fatty acid profiles and regiospecific or stereospecific profiles. Genes manipulated include those encoding stearoyl-ACP desturase, delta 12 fatty acid desaturase, acyl-ACP thioesterase, ketoacyl-ACP synthase, and lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase. The oil produced can have enhanced oxidative or thermal stability, or can be useful as a frying oil, shortening, roll-in shortening, tempering fat, cocoa butter replacement, as a lubricant, or as a feedstock for various chemical processes. The fatty acid profile can be enriched in midchain profiles or the oil can be enriched in triglycerides of the saturated-unsatturated-saturated type.
US09200303B2

The present invention describes a process for preparing ultrapure (≧95%) galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), starting from GOS at lower purities by using sequential microbiological purifications involving Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Streptococcus thermophilics.
US09200296B2

Methods for producing an isoprenoid are provided. A plurality of bacterial or fungal host cells is obtained. These cells comprise a heterologous nucleic acid encoding one or more enzymes of a mevalonate pathway for making isopentenyl pyrophosphate. Expression of the one or more enzymes is under control of at least one heterologous transcriptional regulator. The mevalonate pathway comprises (i) an enzyme that condenses acetoacetyl-CoA with acetyl-CoA to form HMG-CoA, (ii) an enzyme that converts HMG-CoA to mevalonate, (iii) an enzyme that phosphorylates mevalonate to mevalonate 5-phosphate, (iv) an enzyme that converts mevalonate 5-phosphate to mevalonate 5-pyrophosphate, and (v) an enzyme that converts mevalonate 5-pyrophosphate to isopentenyl pyrophosphate. The host cells are cultured in a medium under conditions that are suboptimal as compared to conditions for the maximum growth rate. Temperature is maintained at a level below that which would provide for a maximum specific growth rate for the host cells.
US09200295B2

The present invention provides a method and DNA molecules that when expressed in a plant produces transgenic plants with improved abiotic stress tolerance. The invention includes plant expression vectors comprising the DNA molecules, and plants containing such DNA molecules.
US09200290B2

The invention relates to isolated DNA or RNA molecules comprising at least ten contiguous bases having a sequence in a pancreatic islet microRNA. In another embodiment, the invention relates to isolated single stranded pancreatic islet microRNA molecules or anti-pancreatic islet microRNA molecules.
US09200288B2

Provided herein are metabolically-modified microorganisms useful for producing 1,4-butanediol.
US09200285B2

A method for providing antisense therapy which reduces the expression of clusterin to provide therapeutic benefits in the treatment of cancer comprising administering from 40 to 640 mg anti-clusterin antisense oligonucleotide to a patient in need of treatment for a cancer expressing clusterin is provided. The method may include administering chemotherapeutic agent or agents, radiotherapy, and/or hormone ablation therapy. The invention also encompasses pharmaceutical compositions formulated to provide a dosage of 40 to 640 mg, and use of antisense in formulating a medicament.
US09200283B2

It is disclosed a method for the treatment of hepatitis B (HBV) infection or HBV/hepatitis D (HDV) co-infection, the method comprising administering to a subject in need of treatment a first pharmaceutically acceptable agent that removes the hepatitis B surface antigen from the blood and a second pharmaceutically acceptable agent which stimulates immune function.
US09200278B2

Provided is a novel nucleic acid molecule that can be produced easily and efficiently and can inhibit the expression of a gene. The nucleic acid molecule is a single-stranded nucleic acid molecule including an expression inhibitory sequence that inhibits expression of a target gene. The single-stranded nucleic acid molecule includes: a region (X); a linker region (Lx); and a region (Xc). The linker region (Lx) is linked between the regions (Xc) and (Xc). The region (Xc) is complementary to the region (X). At least one of the regions (X) and (Xc) includes the expression inhibitory sequence. The linker region (Lx) has a non-nucleotide structure including at least one of a pyrrolidine skeleton and a piperidine skeleton. According to this single-stranded nucleic acid molecule, it is possible to inhibit the expression of the target gene.
US09200275B2

In one aspect, a method is provided of inhibiting proliferation of a mammalian cell comprising introducing into said cell an effective amount of at least one at least one small interfering RNA agent (iRNA), wherein said iRNA comprises a nucleotide sequence of at least 15 nucleotides, wherein the nucleotide sequence comprises a seed region consisting of nucleotide positions 1 to 12, wherein position 1 represents the 5′ end of the iRNA nucleotide sequence and wherein said seed region comprises a nucleotide sequence of at least six contiguous nucleotides that is complementary to six contiguous nucleotides within positions 1 to 12 of a nucleotide sequence, wherein position 1 represents the 5″end of the nucleotide sequence, wherein the nucleotide sequence is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7 and SEQ ID NO:8. In some embodiments, the method comprises introducing at least one iRNA that inhibits the expression of at least one miR-16 responsive gene selected from TABLE 5 into the mammalian cell.
US09200274B2

A method having steps of (a) providing nucleic acids having a tag sequence (N1)n(N2)n . . . (Nx)n, wherein N1, N2 and Nx are nucleotides that complement different nucleotides, respectively, wherein n is an integer that can differ for N1, N2 and Nx; (b) detecting the nucleic acids individually and under conditions to distinguish signal intensities for (N1)n sequences having different values for n, (N2)n sequences having different values for n and. (Nx)n sequences having different values for n; and (c) distinguishing the tags based on the signal intensities.
US09200256B2

The invention provides methods for propagation of multipotent stem cells from human skin fibroblast samples using an appropriate medium, such as an amniotic fluid medium (AFM), and subsequent differentiation of the cells into cells of any of the three germ layers. The invention also provides methods of differentiating and making various tissues from multipotent cells in skin fibroblasts cultures that are capable of in vitro differentiation and that the cells are useful as a source of in vivo gene and/or autologous cell therapy. Isolated multipotent stem cells, cultures of multipotent stem cells, and differentiated cells derived from the cultures of multipotent stem cells that are obtained by the methods disclosed herein also are provided. The methods, cells, cultures, media, banks, batches, and collections so provided can be used for various medical, research, diagnostic and therapeutic uses.
US09200255B2

The invention provides methods and compositions for differentiating stromal cells from adipose tissue into cells having osteoblastic properties, and methods for improving a subject's bone structure. The methods comprise culturing stromal cells from adipose tissue in β-glycerophosphate and ascorbic acid and/or ascorbate-2-phosphate for a time sufficient to allow differentiation of said cells into osteoblasts. Such methods and compositions are useful in the production of osteoblasts for autologous transplantation into bone at a surgical site or injury. The compositions comprise adipose stromal cells, a medium capable of supporting the growth of fibroblasts and amounts of β-glycerophosphate and ascorbic acid and/or ascorbic-2 phosphate sufficient to induce the differentiation of said stromal cells into osteoblasts.The invention further provides methods of identifying compounds that affect osteoblast differentiation. Such compounds are useful in the study of bone development and in the treatment of bone disorders, including bone fractures and osteoporosis.
US09200254B2

The present invention has an object of providing a method for producing specific cells by amplifying cells in a desired differentiation stage. The present invention provides a method for producing specific cells by inducing differentiation of cells, wherein an oncogene is forcibly expressed in cells in a desired differentiation stage to amplify the cells in the desired differentiation stage. The present invention also provides a method for producing specific cells, wherein oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) which is induced by the oncogene expressed in the cells in the desired differentiation stage is suppressed.
US09200252B2

Disclosed is a composition for inducing the proliferation of retinal cells or the differentiation of retinal progenitor cells into retinal cells. The composition, similar to in vivo conditions for development during embryogenesis, induces stem cells to differentiate into a multitude of photoreceptor cells at high yield within a short period of time, without an additional gene transfer. In addition, the differentiated photoreceptor cells are useful in cellular therapy because they, when transplanted into degenerated or injured retinas, can be engrafted and fused within the retinas to prevent or cure retinal degeneration.
US09200250B2

The present invention relates to a method for producing a dry yeast containing S-adenosyl-L-methionine using a yeast having production capability of S-adenosyl-L-methionine, the method containing: adding a cyclodextrin compound to a yeast concentrate obtained from a fungus culture liquid of the yeast; and then drying the concentrate, an SAMe-containing dry yeast obtained by the production method, and a composition formed by molding the dry yeast. According to the present invention, a dry yeast containing S-adenosyl-L-methionine, which is useful as an aqueous physiologically active substance, in a high concentration excellent in storage stability and a composition obtained by molding the dry yeast can be produced conveniently and economically and can be brought into the market.
US09200242B2

The present invention relates to a thickener comprising at least one cationic polymer and at least one activator. The at least one cationic polymer is preparable by polymerization of a) at least one water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer comprising at least one cationic monomer, optionally at least one anionic monomer and/or optionally at least one nonionic monomer, b) at least one ethylenically unsaturated associative monomer, c) optionally at least one crosslinker, and d) optionally at least one chain transfer agent. The ratio of activator to cationic polymer is >10 to 100 [% by weight/% by weight].
US09200240B2

A colored laundry detergent is provided that brightens on exposure to light.
US09200232B2

A method is provided to determine the predisposition of a polymer to form network or gel in a lubricating oil which comprises obtaining a composition of a polymer in a diluent, measuring the shear stress as a function of shear rate, determining the yield stress using the Herschel-Bulkley equation and assessing the yield stress. A method is also provided to determine the predisposition of a polymer to form network or gel in a lubricating oil which comprises obtaining a composition of a polymer in a diluent, determining at least one of (i) the storage modulus G′ and loss modulus G″ of the composition by subjecting the composition to sinusoidal (oscillating) stress or strain of certain amplitude and frequency, (ii) the phase lag (angle) of the response strain or stress δ, or (iii) the tangent (tan) δ, and (c) assessing at least one of the G′, G″, δ, or tan(δ) determined.
US09200231B2

Provided is a lubricating oil composition for round die rolling, which is obtained by blending a base oil with: (A) 0.5 to 40 mass % of a monoester having 13 to 48 carbon atoms (a-1) and/or 0.5 to 30 mass % of a fatty dicarboxylate having 13 to 34 carbon atoms (a-2); (B) 0.01 to 10 mass % of a thiadiazole compound; (C) 0.01 to 15 mass % of a thiophosphite; and (D) 0.01 to 5 mass % of a triazole compound. The lubricating oil composition for round die rolling shows excellent processing performance without using any chlorine-based compound, and is able to improve lubricity in a bearing to lengthen the life of the bearing.
US09200224B2

The present application provides a slurry concentration system for concentrating a flow of slurry. The slurry concentration system may include a boiler for producing a flow of steam, a first evaporator for concentrating the flow of slurry with the flow of steam and creating a first flow of water vapor, and a second evaporator positioned downstream of the first evaporator for further concentrating the flow of slurry with the first flow of water vapor and creating a second flow of water vapor.
US09200220B2

For an in-line gasifier having a liquid cooled cooling jacket it is proposed to lead the inlet connectors and the outlet connectors for the cooling liquid through the side of the cylindrical pressure vessel, below the mounting flange for the vessel cover. This achieves a simplification in the mounting of the pressure vessel cover. Particular embodiments concern the bringing together of the upper ends and of the lower ends of several pipe runs coiled in parallel, in each case into a collector pipe which has a connector bush for cooling water.
US09200216B2

The invention provides a catalyst system composed of: a) a support material selected from at least one of the following materials: silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide and mixed oxides thereof, carbon nanotubes; b) an ionic liquid; c) a catalytically active composition comprising nickel; d) an activator selected from the group of Lewis acids with alkylating properties. Additionally provided is the use of the catalyst systems of the invention in the oligomerization of unsaturated hydrocarbon mixtures.
US09200214B2

Methods and systems for improved catalytic reforming are disclosed. A method of catalytic reforming includes feeding a feedstream comprising C6-convertibles to one or more reactors; contacting the feedstream with a reforming catalyst; selecting values for a LHSV, a H2/HC ratio, and a conversion of C6-convertibles from a deactivation kinetic model so as to maximize a net present amount of benzene produced over a run-length of the reforming catalyst; operating the one or more reactors at the selected LHSV, the selected H2/HC ratio, and the selected conversion of C6-convertibles; and recovering an effluent from the reactor, wherein the effluent comprises at least about 40 wt % benzene.
US09200212B2

A method for desulfurization of heavy fuel oil using ferrate compounds by mixing fuel oil containing sulfur compounds with a solvent and forming a fuel oil solvent mixture, dissolving the sulfur compounds present in the fuel oil solvent mixture. Adding a liquid ferrate solution to the fuel oil solvent mixture produces oxidized sulfur compounds, in solution. An absorbing agent is added to remove the oxidized sulfur compounds from said solution.
US09200210B2

The method for stopping operation of a reactor is provided with a stop step of stopping supply of a synthesis gas containing a carbon monoxide gas and a hydrogen gas into the reactor; a slurry discharge step of discharging slurry from the reactor; a steam supply step of supplying steam higher in temperature than the decomposition temperatures of metal carbonyls into the reactor, thereby discharging gaseous matters inside the reactor; and a carbon monoxide gas detecting step of detecting an amount of carbon monoxide gas contained in the gaseous matters discharged from the reactor. In the steam supply step, supply of the steam is stopped when an amount of the detected carbon monoxide gas continuously declines to be lower than a predetermined reference value.
US09200208B2

Crude algae oils produced by practical extraction techniques comprise a wide range of molecular species that can be characterized by advanced analytical techniques. The algae oils comprise a complex mixture of a large number of molecules having varying sizes and therefore varying boiling points, and comprise high nitrogen, oxygen, and fatty acid content, but low sulfur, saturated hydrocarbons, and triglyceride content. Hydrogen/carbon molar ratios are typically greater than 1.6. The wide range of molecular species in the crude algae oils, while unusual compared to conventional refinery feed stocks and vegetable oils, may be upgraded into fuels by conventional refining approaches such as hydrotreating and thermal treatment. Unusual behavior of the algae oils in thermal processing and/or hydrotreatment may provide a high quality product slate, with the flexibility to adjust the product slate due to enhanced cracking behavior exhibited by these algae oils.
US09200206B2

Methods are provided for making asphalt from crude oils derived from mined oil sands that have been subjected to a solvent froth treatment as part of the process for making a crude oil that is suitable for pipeline transport. A froth treatment is used that preserves a greater percentage of the asphaltene content of the crude oil derived from the mined oil sands.
US09200193B2

An agent for oilfield applications capable of being dispersed in water is nanofibrillar cellulose. The nanofibrillar cellulose mixed in water gives shear-thinning behavior to the composition, which is pumped to a subterranean oil-containing formation to aid in oil recovery.
US09200192B2

A well treatment composition is well-designed for the simultaneous enhancement of the production of both liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons from the same reservoir on a non-selective basis. The well treatment composition includes a first surfactant and a second surfactant, wherein the second surfactant is selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated alkylene amines, ethoxylated alkyl amines, propoxylated alkylene amines, propoxylated alkyl amines, ethoxylated-propoxylated alkylene amines and ethoxylated-propoxylated alkyl amines. The well treatment composition also includes a first solvent, a second solvent and water. Methods for using the well treatment composition include the steps of emplacing the well treatment composition into wells having high and low gas-to-oil ratios.
US09200173B2

A modified polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) coated film used for printing and a preparation method thereof are provided. Said film comprises a coating layer, a primer layer and a substrate in turn. Said coating layer comprises acrylic coating layer and modified PVA coating layer in turn. Said modified PVA coating layer contacts with the primer layer. Said modified PVA coated film has the properties of higher barrier and moisture-proof and is suitable for the printing of most of printing inks. Said film can be not only directly used to package nuts or the likes, but also used to form a composite compound with other materials suitable for packaging cookie, cake or the likes.
US09200169B2

An inkjet recording ink, including: water; a wetting agent; a colorant; and polymer microparticles, wherein the polymer microparticles are each a copolymer of a monomer represented by the following structural formula (1) or the following general formula (2), a monomer represented by the following general formula (3), and a macromonomer represented by the following general formula (4): where “R1” is an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, where “Rs” are independently an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, where “l” is the number of repeating units, and an integer of 1 to 100.
US09200163B2

Surface treatment agent with high photocatalytic and sanitary effects based on TiO2 nanoparticles comprising 10 to 500 g of TiO2 nanoparticles per 1 liter of water, and binding ingredient A, which is an inorganic binder selected from the group comprising ZnO, MgO, CaO, Ca(OH)2, Mg(OH)2, CaCO3, MgCO3, Na2CO3, K2CO3 in the amount of 0.1 to 10% by weight related to the N weight of TiO2. Agent for treatment of surfaces for application on surfaces, which comprise a minimum of 50% of substances selected from the group formed by CaCO3, MgCO3 ZnO, MgO, CaO, Ca(OH)2, Mg(OH)2 or their mixtures, where the agent contains 10 to 500 g of TiO2 nanoparticles per 1 liter of water, and optionally contains a minimum of 0.1 wt % H2CO3 related to the weight of TiO2.
US09200154B2

The present invention provides porous resin particles made of a polymer of a monomer mixture, wherein the monomer mixture contains, as monomers, at least methyl methacrylate and a (meth)acrylic-based cross-linkable monomer, a content of the methyl methacrylate in the monomer mixture is 1 to 50% by weight, a content of the (meth)acrylic-based cross-linkable monomer in the monomer mixture is 50 to 99% by weight, the porous resin particles have a specific surface area of 130 to 180 m2/g, a pore volume of 0.3 to 0.7 ml/g, and an average pore size of 13 to 16 nm, an amount of unreacted methyl methacrylate remaining in the porous resin particles is 20 ppm or less, and the porous resin particles have a thermal decomposition starting temperature of 260° C. or more.
US09200145B2

The present invention relates to a coupling agent for rubber/carbon black, containing a sulfide compound represented by the following chemical formula (I): (in the formula, each A represents O, S, NH or NR; each R represents a linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a cyclic alkyl or alkenyl group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms, and when A is NR, the plurality of R's on a condensed aromatic heterocyclic ring may be the same as or different from each other; n represents an integer from 1 to 6; and x represents an integer from 1 to 4).
US09200142B2

The invention provides a compound conforming to the structure of Formula (C) The invention also provides a thermoplastic polymer composition comprising a polyolefin polymer and a compound conforming to the structure of Formula (C) as a nucleating agent.
US09200135B2

The present disclosure relates to a polymerization initiator and a modified conjugated diene polymer prepared using the same, and more particularly to a polymerization initiator which is a compound represented by the following formula 1, and a modified conjugated diene polymer prepared using the same: wherein R1 to R5 are each independently hydrogen or a C1-10 alkyl group or its carbanion; n− represents the number of negative charges of the carbanion and is 1− to 5−; M is a metal; and n is equal to the number of carbanions in R1 to R5.
US09200133B2

Disclosed is a liquid curable epoxy resin composition which includes a cycloaliphatic epoxy compound (A) having at least one alicyclic skeleton and two or more epoxy groups per molecule; a silica (B); and a phosphite ester (C). The liquid curable epoxy resin composition preferably includes, for example, 5 to 80 parts by weight of the cycloaliphatic epoxy compound (A) having at least one alicyclic skeleton and two or more epoxy groups per molecule; 20 to 95 parts by weight of the silica (B); and 0.001 to 5.0 parts by weight of the phosphite ester (C), per 100 parts by weight of the total amount of the components (A) and (B).
US09200132B2

Polyurethane elastomers having solids contents greater than 40% by weight are produced from a sprayable polyurethane-forming system composed of an isocyanate component and an isocyanate-reactive component. The isocyanate component has a solids content of from 40 to 80 wt. %, based on total weight of isocyanate component and is made up of at least one aromatic polyisocyanate having an NCO content of from 24 to 33%, a functionality of from 2 to 3 and at least one solid filler. The isocyanate-reactive component has a solids content of from 40 to 80 wt. %, based on total weight of the isocyanate-reactive component and is composed of at least one polyether polyol having a hydroxyl number of from 25 to 40 and a functionality of from 2 to 4, and at least one solid filler.
US09200131B2

The invention is directed to a method of making a neutralized polymer composition (“NPC”) suitable for a golf ball component comprising the steps of: providing an acid copolymer composition; soaking the acid copolymer composition in an organic acid to form a soaked polymeric composition wherein substantially all of the organic acid is absorbed within the acid copolymer composition; providing a cation source in an amount sufficient to neutralize the acid copolymer and organic acid; and melt processing the soaked polymeric composition and cation source to form a neutralized polymer composition. The invention also relates to a method of making a golf ball incorporating the NPC made according to the inventive method and to the resulting golf ball.
US09200130B2

An economical and environmentally friendly method for producing waxes. In particular, the methods use thermolytic degradation concurrently with a distillation process to obtaining distilled waxes from recycled polyethylene. The resulting waxes have desirable properties, such as reduced molecular weight and narrow polydispersity, that makes the waxes useful in various applications.
US09200119B2

A silicon-containing copolymer which includes zwitterionic linking groups with the general structures —N+(Y−)(Z)— or —N(Z*)— and repeating groups which can be divalent silicone moieties, divalent hydrocarbons or divalent polyethers. The copolymer can be used in personal care products, fertilizers and other agricultural products, pesticides, antifouling agents, and various waterborne coating formulations.
US09200116B2

A water soluble binder composition for preparing an electrode of a rechargeable battery includes a binder and a conductive agent, the binder including a water soluble polyamic acid having an acid equivalent of about 300 to about 600 g/eq.
US09200113B2

The invention relates to multi-amine functional oligomers and multi-oxime functional oligomers in addition to a method for producing the same by means of the co-polymerization of carbonyl carriers such as olefins or dienes, reaction with hydroxylamine and a subsequent selective catalytic hydrogenation.
US09200112B2

The present invention relates to a composition comprising a semi-crystalline, absorbable copolymer formulation wherein the first component is hydroxy-capped polycondensation product of diglycolic acid and a mixture of two idols, diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG), with DEG added in larger molar amount, and wherein the second component, glycolide is incorporated during the subsequent ring-opening polymerization. The resulting hydrophilic resin has low crystallinity level, glass transition temperature, Tg, slightly below room temperature, and may be particularly useful for making monofilaments, multifilaments, microspheres, or melt blown nonwoven constructs or other medical devices where fast hydrolysis rates and superior mechanical properties are desirable.
US09200103B2

In one aspect the invention provides a melt process for preparing a functionalized olefin multiblock interpolymer, said process comprising grafting onto the backbone of the olefin multiblock interpolymer at least one compound comprising at least one “amine-reactive” group to form a grafted olefin multiblock interpolymer, and reacting a primary-secondary diamine or an alkanolamine with the grafted olefin multiblock interpolymer, without the isolation of the grated olefin multiblock interpolymer.
US09200102B2

Fluorinated polymers having first divalent units independently represented by formula (I) or formula (II) and second divalent units containing quaternary ammonium groups. Compositions containing the fluorinated polymer and solvent, methods of treating hydrocarbon-bearing formations using these compositions, and articles treated with the fluorinated polymers are disclosed. A method of making a composition containing the fluorinated polymer is also disclosed.
US09200101B2

An oxo-nitrogenated complex of lanthanides having general formula (I) or (II). Said oxo-nitrogenated complex of lanthanides having general formula (I) or (II) can be advantageously used in a catalytic system for the (co)polymerization of conjugated dienes.
US09200100B2

Catalysts comprising long-bridged salen ligands comprising an imino-phenylene-alkylene-imino or an imino-napthalenylene-alkylene-imino bridged salen compound. Also, catalyst systems comprising the catalyst and an activator; methods to prepare the ligands, catalysts and catalyst systems; processes to polymerize olefins using the catalysts and/or catalyst systems; and the olefin polymers prepared according to the processes.
US09200095B2

The present invention is concerned with a polypropylene composition comprising a polypropylene base resin, the polypropylene composition having—a XHU content of less than 1.25 wt. %;—a F30 melt strength of at least 30 cN, determined in the Rheotens test at 200° C.; and—a melt extensibility v30 of at least 200 m/s, determined in the Rheotens test at 200° C. In another aspect the present invention is concerned with a polypropylene composition having an MFR (2.16 kg, 230° C., ISO 1133) of 1.0 to 5.0 g/10 min comprising a polypropylene base resin, the polypropylene base resin being obtainable by producing an intermediate polypropylene having an MFR (2.16 kg, 230° C., ISO 1133) of 0.5 to 2.5 g/10 min in the presence of an asymmetric catalyst; mixing the intermediate polypropylene with peroxide and at least one diene at a temperature of 20 to 90° C. for at least 2 minutes to form a pre-mixed material; melt mixing the pre-mixed material in a melt mixing device at a barrel temperature in the range of 180 to 300° C., whereby the melt mixing device is a melt mixing device includes a feed zone, a kneading zone and a die zone, whereby an initial barrel temperature T1 is maintained in the feed zone, a barrel temperature T2 is maintained in the kneading zone and a die barrel temperature T3 is maintained in the die zone, whereby the barrel temperatures T1, T2, and T3 satisfy the following relation: T1
US09200094B2

The present invention relates to catalysts component for the polymerization of ethylene and its mixtures with olefins CH2═CHR, wherein R is an alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl radical having 1-12 carbon atoms, comprising Ti, Mg, halogen, and electron donor belonging to 1,2-diethers as internal electron donor compound. The catalyst of the invention is suitably used in (co)polymerization processes of ethylene to prepare (co)polymers having narrow Molecular Weight Distribution (MWD) and high bulk density.
US09200092B2

The invention relates to η5:η1-cyclopentadienylidene-phosphorane constrained geometry complexes of rare earth metals, abbreviated to η5:η1-CpPC-CGC, method for production and use of same. The η5:η1-CpPC-CGCs correspond to the general formula (1), wherein SE=Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb or Lu; X=independently of one another, a mono-anionic diorganoamido-, bistrimethylsilylamido-, halogenido-, alkyl-, aryl-, alkoxo-, aryloxo- or alkylaluminate (AlR4−) substituent; L=neutral ligand (PR3, NR3, pyridine), solvent molecule (THF, ether, DMF, DMSO, HMPT, tetrahydropyran THP, tetrahydrothiofuran THT); R=alkyl with up to 1-10 C atoms or mono- or polycyclical aryl with 6 to 20 C atoms; R1, R4=independently of one another H or methyl; R2, R3=independently of one another, H or methyl or tertiary butyl or together a substituted cycloalkyl group; R5, R6=methyl, n-butyl, tertiary butyl or phenyl; R7, R8=independently of one another H, trimethylsilyl, alkyl with 1-10 C atoms or mono- or polycyclical aryl with 6 to 20 C atoms, and m=0, 1, 2 or 3.
US09200083B2

The present invention provides therapeutic agents and compositions comprising elastin-like peptides (ELPs) and therapeutic proteins. In some embodiments, the therapeutic protein is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, insulin, or Factor VII/VIIa, including functional analogs. The present invention further provides encoding polynucleotides, as well as methods of making and using the therapeutic agents. The therapeutic agents have improvements in relation to their use as therapeutics, including, inter alia, one or more of half-life, clearance and/or persistance in the body, solubility, and bioavailability.
US09200072B2

The invention provides anti-LRP5 antibodies and methods of making and using the same.
US09200071B2

The present invention relates to methods of treating cancer in general, and leukemia in particular, using Notch1 and Notch3 antagonists singly or in combination. Compositions and methods for the treatment and diagnosis of Notch-associated cancers are also provided.
US09200061B2

The present invention provides methods for using recombinant antigen-binding regions and antibodies and functional fragments containing such antigen-binding regions that are specific for CD38, which plays an integral role in various disorders or conditions. These methods take advantage of newly discovered antibodies and surprising properties of such antibodies, such as the ability to bind CD38 of minipig origin and the ability to induce, by cross-linking, specific killing of cells that express CD38. These antibodies as well as the methods for using those antibodies can be used to treat, for example, hematological malignancies such as multiple myeloma.
US09200060B2

The invention relates to monomeric Fc polypeptides and methods of making and using such polypeptides. The polypeptides comprise substitution of one or more hydrophobic interface residues in the CH3 region with a polar amino acid.
US09200058B2

The present invention relates to TNFR2-IL21R fusion protein acting as a double-antagonist to TNF-alpha (α) and IL-21. The composition containing the double antagonist to TNF-α and Il-21 (TNFR2-IL21R fusion protein), known as major causes of autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis, one of autoimmune diseases, can reduce the secretion of inflammatory cytokine, increase the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokine, and suppress the differentiation of osteoclasts better than single proteins such as TNFR2-Fc and IL21R-Fc. The TNFR2-IL21R fusion protein of the present invention has not only excellent treatment effect on arthritis in CIA mouse model not also excellent treatment effect on autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis by increasing the expression of Treg, the immune suppressive cells. Therefore, the TNFR2-IL21R fusion protein of the present invention can be effectively used as an active ingredient for the composition for the prevention and treatment of autoimmune disease.
US09200057B2

The present invention relates to methods of inducing a T-cell response against a EGFRvIII in a subject. These method comprise administering to a subject a composition which expresses at least one immunogenic polypeptide, the amino acid sequence of which comprise a plurality of EGFRvIII polypeptide sequences, the sequence of which each comprise EEKKGNYV (SEQ ID NO: 3), and/or administering the polypeptide itself.
US09200056B2

The invention provides methods of reducing or decreasing a size of a tumor or eliminating a tumor or inhibiting, decreasing, or reducing neo-vascularization or angiogenesis in a tumor in a patient by administering an adenovirus comprising a nucleic acid construct comprising a FAS-chimera gene operably linked to an endothelial cell-specific promoter. Also provided is a homogeneous population of an adenovirus comprising a FAS-chimera gene operably linked to an endothelial cell-specific promoter and its uses thereof.
US09200053B2

An insulin analog comprises a B-chain polypeptide incorporating a halogenated phenylalanine at position B24, B25 or B26. The halogenated phenylalanine may be ortho-monofluoro-phenylalanine, ortho-monobromo-phenylalanine, ortho-monochloro-phenylalanine, or para-monochloro-phenylalanine or penta-fluoro-Phenylalanine at position B24 alone or in combination with an acidic substitution (Aspartic Acid or Glutamic Acid) at position B10. The analog may be of a mammalian insulin, such as human insulin. A nucleic acid encodes such an insulin analog. The halogenated insulin analogs retain significant activity. A method of treating a patient comprises administering a physiologically effective amount of the insulin analog or a physiologically acceptable salt thereof to a patient. Halogen substitution-based stabilization of insulin may enhance the treatment of diabetes mellitus in regions of the developing world lacking refrigeration.
US09200047B2

The invention describes HLA class II binding peptides encoded by the SSX-2 tumor associated gene, as well as nucleic acids encoding such peptides and antibodies relating thereto. The peptides stimulate the activity and proliferation of CD4+ T lymphocytes. Methods and products also are provided for diagnosing and treating conditions characterized by expression of the SSX-2 gene.
US09200046B2

The NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a key transcriptional regulator of antioxidant defense and detoxification. To directly monitor stabilization of Nrf2 we fused its Neh2 domain, responsible for the interaction with its nucleocytoplasmic regulator, Keap1, to firefly luciferase (Neh2-luciferase). It is shown herein that Neh2 domain is sufficient for recognition, ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of Neh2-luciferase fusion protein. The novel Neh2-luc reporter system allows direct monitoring of the adaptive response to redox stress and classification of drugs based on the time-course of reporter activation. The novel reporter was used to screen a library of compounds to identify activators of Nrf2. The most robust and yet non toxic Nrf2 activators found—nordihydroguaiaretic acid, fisetin, and gedunin-induced astrocyte-dependent neuroprotection from oxidative stress via an Nrf2-dependent mechanism.
US09200043B2

The invention provides a biocatalytic process for oxidation of organic compounds with the aid of an alkL gene product, and microorganisms used in this process.
US09200038B2

Analogs of cyclosporin-A are disclosed comprising modifications of the substituents as the positions of amino acids 1 and 3, according to the following Formula. The disclosed compounds include compounds having affinity for cyclophilin, including cyclophilin-A, and reduced immunosuppressivity in comparison with cyclosporin-A and analogs thereof modified solely at position 1.
US09200033B2

The present invention belongs to the biomedicine field and specifically concerns an enzyme-degradable polymer and the application thereof. To solve the problem of low sensitivity of the existing assay reagents, the present invention provides an enzyme-degradable polymer and the related application of the polymer. The present invention also provides hydrogels, nano-particles, fluorescent dye-labeled enzyme substrates and kits (packages) for detection or activity-analysis of biological enzymes based on the enzyme-degradable polymer. The formula of the enzyme-degradable polymer is P1-(aa)N-(AA)n-X X=[formula 1] wherein, (aa)N is a non-enzyme substrate domain, the N aa may be different (no correlation), and N is a non-negative integer; (AA)n is an enzyme substrate domain, the n AA may be different, and n is a non-negative integer; P1 is a protecting group of α-amino or functional group; P2 is a protecting group of α-amino; P3 is —NH2, a small molecule compound or a fragment of a polymer.
US09200032B2

A process for obtaining an IgG composition involves heat treatment. This process obtains an IgG composition from an IgG solution partly purified from human plasma, in which by applying intermediate heat treatment and without using reagents to precipitate high molecular weight aggregates/polymers and/or proteins virtually total elimination of the IgG polymers generated during the process is achieved. Furthermore this process offers high productivity, lower production costs and is easy to implement in comparison with the processes of the know art. In addition to this, by using this process stability is imparted to the final product in liquid.
US09200017B2

Fibrin-specific imaging agents that contain at least two imaging reporters are described, as well as methods of making and using the contrast agents.
US09200013B2

Solid silanol salts are produced by drying an alkali siliconate solution in a fixed bed dryer containing solids.
US09200000B2

The present invention relates to compounds of the Formula and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, to processes for the preparation of, intermediates used in the preparation of, and compositions containing such compounds and the uses of such compounds as a method for the treatment of a disease or condition selected from the group consisting of central nervous system disorders, cognitive disorders, schizophrenia, dementia and other disorders in a mammal.
US09199997B2

The purinone derivative 6-amino-9-[(3R)-1-(2-butynoyl)-3-pyrrolidinyl]-7-(4-phenoxyphenyl)-7,9-dihydro-8H-purin-8-one hydrochloride has Btk-selective inhibitory activity and, in addition to having excellent metabolic stability, it is a compound that exhibits a high level of solubility and absorption with respect to the free base and can be crystallized, hence it can serve as a therapeutic agent for diseases involving B cells and mast cells.
US09199993B2

The invention provides 8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octyl-2-hydroxybenzamide compounds of formula (I): wherein R2, R7, and m are defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, that are antagonists at the mu opioid receptor. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, methods of using such compounds to treat conditions associated with mu opioid receptor activity, and processes and intermediates useful for preparing such compounds.
US09199989B2

The present invention relates to novel N-(imidazolidin-2-ylidene)quinoline derivatives, processes for preparing them, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as pharmaceuticals.
US09199988B2

The present invention encompasses compounds of general formula (I) wherein the groups R1 to R4 and A1 to A5 have the meanings given in the claims and in the specification. The compounds of the invention are suitable for the treatment of diseases characterized by excessive or abnormal cell proliferation pharmaceutical preparations containing such compounds and their uses as a medicament.
US09199987B2

The present invention relates to a compound having the general formula (V), optionally in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, polymorph, codrug, cocrystal, prodrug, tautomer, racemate, enantiomer, or diastereomer or mixture thereof, which are useful in treating, ameloriating or preventing a viral disease. Furthermore, specific combination therapies are disclosed.
US09199977B2

An object is to provide means for improving the solubility of luliconazole. Disclosed is a crystal of luliconazole wherein the crystal has such a crystal habit that (021) plane is a specific crystal growth plane.
US09199972B2

The present invention relates to organic electroluminescent devices which comprise fluorene derivatives and spiro bifluorene derivatives as matrix material for phosphorescent emitters.
US09199971B2

The present invention relates to ethynyl derivatives of formula I wherein R1 is hydrogen or halogen; R2 is C1-3-alkyl or —(CH2)n—O—CH3; n is 2 or 3; m is 1 or 2; or to a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt, to a racemic mixture, or to its corresponding enantiomer and/or optical isomer and/or stereoisomer thereof. It has been found that the compounds of general formula I are allosteric modulators of the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGluR5) with improved properties for the treatment of schizophrenia, cognitive diseases, fragile X syndrome or autism.
US09199969B1

A series of new 6-piperazinyl-3,4-dihydroquinazolin-2(1H)-ones have been synthesized. The compounds are structurally related to adoprazine, a potential atypical antipsychotics bearing potent D2 receptor antagonist and 5-HT1A receptor agonist properties. Buchwald-Hartwig coupling of suitably modified aryl bromides with tert-butyl piperazine-1-carboxylate afforded the advanced intermediate piperazinyl-3,4-dihydroquinazolin-2(1H)-one. The reductive amination of the latter with appropriately designed biarylaldehydes accomplished the synthesis of these compounds.
US09199952B2

A method for producing a composition containing fucoxanthin includes a first step of adding a water-soluble solvent containing 0 to 80% by weight of water to seaweed to obtain a seaweed component extract, and then adding water and/or a water-soluble solvent to the seaweed component extract in such a manner that the concentration of the water-soluble solvent is 20 to 45% by weight and also adding a diluent thereto to obtain a diluent-containing extract, and a second step of stirring the diluent-containing extract, and then collecting a substance aggregating into the diluent-containing extract as a composition containing fucoxanthin by separation.
US09199945B2

The present invention provides novel cycloalkyl-substituted pyrimidine dione compounds that are useful for the treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and conditions associated with left ventricular hypertrophy or diastolic dysfunction. The synthesis and characterization of the compounds is described, as well as methods for treating HCM and other forms of heart disease.
US09199940B2

The present invention relates to processes for preparing phenyl-pyrazoles of Formula (I) and salts and pharmaceutical compositions thereof, useful as modulators of 5-HT2A serotonin receptor activity. The present invention also relates to intermediates used in the processes, and their preparation. The present invention also relates to crystalline forms of 5-HT2A serotonin receptor modulators, compositions thereof and methods of using the same.
US09199932B2

Novel forms of [R—(R*,R*)]-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-β,δ-dihydroxy-5-(1-methylethyl)-3-phenyl-4-[(phenylamino)carbonyl]-1H-pyrrole-1-heptanoic acid hemi calcium salt designated Form XX, Form XXI, Form XXII, Form XXIII, Form XXIV, Form XXV, Form XXVI, Form XXVII, Form XXVIII, Form XXIX, and Form XXX, characterized by their X-ray powder diffraction, solid-state NMR, and/or Raman spectroscopy are described, as well as methods for the preparation and pharmaceutical composition of the same, which are useful as agents for treating hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, osteoporosis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and Alzheimer's disease.
US09199924B2

The invention relates to a method for producing urethanes or ureas or mixtures of urethanes and ureas by oxidative carbonylation of organic amines in the presence of carbon monoxide, oxygen and a catalyst, where the catalyst used is a transition metal complex containing the structural feature: [Mn+(O˜N˜O)2−](n−2)+(L)m(Z−)n−2 and the method is carried out under halogen-free reaction conditions. The invention further relates to transition metal complexes containing said structural feature and also to the use of such transition metal complexes as catalysts in the production of urethanes or ureas or mixtures of urethanes and ureas.
US09199922B2

The present invention relates to dihalophenoxyphenylamidines of the general formula (I), to a process for their preparation, to the use of the amidines according to the invention for controlling unwanted microorganisms and also to a composition for this purpose, comprising the phenoxyamidines according to the invention. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for controlling unwanted microorganisms by applying the compounds according to the invention to the microorganisms and/or their habitat.
US09199920B2

Compounds, methods and pharmaceutical compositions for treating viral infections, by administering certain novel compounds in therapeutically effective amounts are disclosed. Methods for preparing the compounds and methods of using the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions thereof are also disclosed. In particular, the treatment and prophylaxis of viral infections such as caused by hemorrhagic fever viruses is disclosed, i.e., including but not limited to, Arenaviridae (Junin, Machupo, Guanarito, Sabia, Lassa, Tacaribe, and Pichinde), Filoviridae (Ebola and Marburg viruses), Flaviviridae (yellow fever, Omsk hemorrhagic fever and Kyasanur Forest disease viruses), and Bunyaviridae (Rift Valley fever).
US09199918B2

Small molecule inhibitors of AGBL2 are provided, as well as methods of using the inhibitors to treat or prevent cancer and neurologic disorders.
US09199911B2

Provided herein are estolide base oils and oligomeric compounds prepared from processes that include cross metathesis. Exemplary processes include the preparation of terminally-unsaturated fatty acids by cross metathesis, and the subsequent oligomerization of terminally-unsaturated fatty acids to provide estolide compounds, such as the process set forth below:
US09199908B2

This invention pertains generally to prostacyclin formulations and methods for their use in promoting vasodilation, inhibiting platelet aggregation and thrombus formation, stimulating thrombolysis, inhibiting cell proliferation (including vascular remodeling), providing cytoprotection, preventing atherogenesis and inducing angiogenesis.
US09199907B2

A method of producing an ethylenically unsaturated, typically, an α, β ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or ester is described. The method comprises the steps of contacting formaldehyde, or a source of formaldehyde, with a carboxylic acid or ester in the presence of a catalyst and optionally in the presence of an alcohol. The catalyst comprises barium phosphate leaf or plate shaped/like crystals, or a source thereof. A catalyst system is also described. The catalyst system comprises a crystalline barium phosphate catalyst and optionally a catalyst support.
US09199900B2

A method for converting farnesol to nerolidol in the presence of alpha-bisabolol including providing or preparing a mixture of alpha-bisabolol, farnesol, and one or more catalysts for selective isomerization of farnesol to nerolidol in the presence of alpha-bisabolol, and converting at least a portion of the farnesol to nerolidol.
US09199899B2

Processes for the production of chlorinated alkanes are provided. The present processes comprise catalyzing the addition of at least two chlorine atoms to an alkane and/or alkene with a catalyst system comprising one or more nonmetallic iodides and/or lower than conventional levels of elemental iodine and at least one Lewis acid. The present processes make use of sulfuryl chloride, or chlorine gas, as a chlorinating agent.
US09199884B2

The present invention provides improved solvent systems for the preparation of liquid formulations of urease or nitrification inhibitors, specifically NBPT, comprising alkylene glycol alkyl ethers. The solvent systems provided good solubility of the urease inhibitor as well as at least one of improved stability, lower flammability, lower toxicity, improved cold temperature storage, improved handling, improved adsorption onto and/or solubility with solid media such as UFP or urea. Methods of making and using the compositions are also provided.
US09199882B2

An embodiment of the present invention provides a scheelite microwave dielectric ceramic material. For example, a structure expression of the scheelite microwave dielectric ceramic material can be Bi(V1-xInx/3Mo2x/3)MoO4. In this embodiment, 0.06≦x≦0.12 An embodiment of the present invention further provides a method for preparing a scheelite microwave dielectric ceramic material.
US09199878B2

A process for manufacturing phosphorous trichloride, phosphorous pentachloride and cement comprising of heating at elevated temperature of 1100° C. to 1500° C. pulverized mixture of phosphate ores, carbonaceous substances, silica and/or alumina and treating the resultant gaseous products with chlorine in the ratio of 1 to 5 moles of chlorine per mole of phosphorous oxide contained in the phosphate ores while maintaining the temperature between 400° C. to 1000° C. by cooling and thereafter firstly separating gaseous mixture of primarily phosphorous trichloride and phosphorous pentachloride, from cement and later separating phosphorous trichloride and phosphorous pentachloride, both separations by known methods.
US09199876B2

A thin lithium-aluminosilicate glass is provided. The glass is suitable for three dimensional precision molding and suitable for toughening, wherein after toughening, the glass has a center tension smaller than 50 Mpa, a surface compressive stress of 600-1200 Mpa, and a bending strength of up to 500 MPa. The glass also has a transition point lower than 550° C.
US09199872B2

The method of environmentally friendly melting and refining a glass melt of a crystallizable glass, which is used for making a lithium aluminum silicate (LAS) glass ceramic, includes the steps of providing a glass batch with a main batch composition within a lithium aluminum silicate (LAS) glass system, in which 0.1-<0.6% by weight of tin oxide has been added as main refining agent, but which does not contain arsenic oxide and/or antimony oxide as refining agent, formulating a raw material mixture for the glass batch, so that less than 40% by weight of the raw material mixture is quartz sand and then refining a glass melt formed from the glass batch at temperatures of at least 1600° C.
US09199864B2

Technologies are generally described about a water sterilizing apparatus. In some examples, a water sterilizing apparatus may include a surface water collection apparatus configured to collect surface water; a pipe operably coupled to the surface water collection apparatus and configured to allow water collected by the surface water collection apparatus to flow through the pipe; and a multiple number of UV lamps arranged along an inner wall of the pipe. Further, the water flowing through the pipe is sterilized by UV light from the multiple number of UV lamps.
US09199859B2

A water purification device includes a housing including a first chamber in communication with a second chamber, a first filtration stage, and a second filtration stage. The first chamber has the first filtration stage and the second filtration stage. The filtration stages and chambers are arranged in a serial relationship to another filtration stage and chamber, respectively. The first filtration stage includes particles and the second filtration stage includes a biocide. At least 95 percent of the particles will pass through about 20,000 micron screen and at least 95 percent will not pass thru about 20 micron screen. The particles have a cation exchange capacity of 1 to 200 milli-equivalents per 100 grams. The particles will become charged and have a charge of about 1 to about 500 millivolts with ions from the biocide when the device is filled with water.
US09199856B2

The invention relates to a method for obtaining magnetite using red mud, which is produced by the method used by Bayer for the manufacture of aluminum. The method according to the invention comprises at least the reduction of hematite and/or goethite to form magnetite using at least one reductant, said reductant containing at least one vegetable oil and/or a fat and/or carbon.
US09199855B2

The invention provides methods and compositions for improving the rheology of red mud removed from Bayer Process liquor. The method includes adding a flocculant and a cross-linked polysaccharide to the liquor. This combination separates the red mud from the liquor but also prevents the red mud from becoming too thick. By preventing excessive thickness, the method allows for the formation of extremely dense amounts of red mud even in primary settlers because the dense red mud can still flow. As a result a user can simultaneously enjoy both easy handling of red mud and also high recovery rates of valuable alumina and caustic from the red mud.
US09199850B2

The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a LiFePO4 cathode electroactive material for a lithium secondary battery by recycling, and a LiFePO4 cathode electroactive material for a lithium secondary battery, a LiFePO4 cathode, and a lithium secondary battery fabricated thereby. The present invention is characterized in that a cathode scrap is heat treated in air for a cathode electroactive material to be easily dissolved in an acidic solution, and amorphous FePO4 obtained as precipitate is heat treated in an atmosphere of air or hydrogen so as to fabricate crystalline FePO4 or Fe2P2O7. According to the present invention, a cathode scrap may be recycled by using a simple, environmentally friendly, and economical method. Further, a lithium secondary battery fabricated by using a LiFePO4 cathode electroactive material from the cathode scrap is not limited in terms of performance.
US09199842B2

Light-emitting quantum dot films, quantum dot lighting devices, and quantum dot-based backlight units are provided. Related compositions, components, and methods are also described. Improved quantum dot encapsulation and matrix materials are provided. Quantum dot films with protective barriers are described. High-efficiency, high brightness, and high-color purity quantum dot-based lighting devices are also included, as well as methods for improving efficiency and optical characteristics in quantum dot-based lighting devices.
US09199822B1

Systems and methods for folding a stack of substrate sheets are provided. The system may include a roller assembly and a positioning mechanism. The roller assembly is configured for folding the stack of substrate sheets and the positioning mechanism is configured to position the substrate or stack for entry into the roller assembly. The positioning mechanism includes an upper curved form and a lower curved form to guide the stack of substrate sheets into a curved position for folding. The positioning mechanism further includes a folding blade positioned to extend through the gap between the upper and lower curved forms. The roller assembly can move the folded stack of substrate sheets in at least two directions.
US09199805B2

According to one embodiment, a processing system includes a storage section, a processing section, a mounting section, a first transport section, and a second transport section. The mounting section includes a plurality of holding sections with a first spacing in a stacking direction. The first transport section is configured to transport the workpiece between the storage section and the mounting section and to enter the mounting section at a first position in the stacking direction. The second transport section is configured to transport the workpiece between the processing section and the mounting section and to enter the mounting section at a second position different from the first position in the stacking direction. The first position is provided at two sites in the stacking direction across the second position. The first transport section and the second transport section are enabled to enter the mounting section around a same time.
US09199801B2

Embodiments of techniques and systems for log stability determination are described. A log position optimizer may be configured to identify one or more rest positions for a log to be conveyed on a sharp chain. The rest positions may be identified based on identification of contact points where the sharp chain may contact the log that have no intervening contact points that prevent stable contact between the log and the sharp chain. A preferred rest position may be selected out of the identified rest positions. The preferred rest position may be selected based on determination of which contact points are stable or unstable. This determination may be made for each contact point in a cross-sectional plane of the log. The log position optimizer may then control a log positioning mechanism to position the log in the selected rest position. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US09199797B2

The invention relates to a module for a modular conveyor, comprising a body part extending transversely to a direction, having a substantially closed, flat top surface and a bottom. On the top surface, a receiving provision is provided for coupling a mounting frame. The receiving provision is provided with one or more stop elements projecting relative to the top surface, with each stop element provided with a flange. The mounting frame is provided with one or more wings, with each wing configured to engage under a respective flange upon placement of the mounting frame on the receiving provision. The receiving provision and the mounting frame are configured for placement of the mounting frame on the module and removal from the module, respectively, in an insertion direction which is directed substantially transversely to the directions.
US09199796B2

The device for the transfer of piece goods (70) to a conveying installation (1) comprises at least one goods piece receiver (51) for positioning a goods piece (70) in a transfer zone (Z) of the conveying installation (1). The conveying installation (1) comprises a plurality of conveying elements (10) which are moveable along a conveying path and are for conveying the taken-over piece goods (70). The device moreover comprises a slide mechanism (52) with a slide element (53), by way of which a goods piece (70) can be moved in a push movement out of the goods piece receiver (51) to the conveying element (10) and can be transferred to the conveying element (10).
US09199779B2

Describe are food packages having features such as multiple containers in a single package and multiple pieces for a package; the packages can contain multiple food products including (for example) cereal and milk, for consumption together in a convenient manner.
US09199776B1

A theft resistant product packaging has a rear shell, a middle shell, and a front shell for containing a product. The front and rear shells have cut resistant contours for resisting cuts therethrough. The middle shell abuts the rear shell such that they may contain the product therebetween. The front shell covers the middle shell such that cut resistant contours of the front shell nest within the cut resistant contours of the middle shell, thereby cooperating to prevent cutting through the front shell to remove the product.
US09199770B2

Provided is a portable container system for holding and dispensing a quantity of fuel. The container includes an attachment for attaching the container to a support area, such as a belt loop, and a self-closing dispensing cap for dispensing the gasoline contained within the container. Additionally, the container is constructed of an approved material for storing gasoline, is painted bright red, and includes a warning that indicates the contents of the container. The internal volume of the container holds between 16-32 ounces of fuel, which provides extended use of conventional lawn equipment while being light enough to attach to a belt loop or other support area for hands-free use.
US09199764B2

A pallet including a deck, a frame and one or more elements. The deck is for carrying cargo. The frame is about a perimeter of the pallet and is formed of horizontally extending tubular portions. The elements support the frame above a support surface to overlie one or more openings for receiving the tines of a lifting device. The tubular portions include lengthwise corrugations.
US09199762B1

A packaging assembly comprises a bulk box having a shock absorber to dampen a kinetic energy of product being dispensed from a conveyor system. The shock absorber may be a rectangular sheet shock absorber disposed diagonally in the bulk box, a shuttle tray shock absorber disposed in an opening of the bulk box, a deflector net disposed in an opening of the bulk box, or a inflatable bag shock absorber disposed in the bulk box, for example.
US09199754B2

An accumulator device (1) for the tying wire of a tying machine used in pulp production has a drive (3) at the inlet to the accumulator device and another drive (7) at the outlet from the accumulator device. By means of the accumulator device (1) according to the invention and the two drives (3, 7), it is possible to store the entire length of wire required for one tying cycle temporarily and then to remove the wire from the accumulator for the tying cycle. In this way, a dynamic accumulator volume is created for the tying wire in the accumulator device (1).
US09199752B2

An apparatus for producing wrapped bales comprises a wrapping device for circulating a web dispensing device in a first plane of rotation around a bale during a first wrapping stage. The surface of the web of wrapping material is kept substantially normal to the first plane of rotation. During a second wrapping stage, the bale may further be rotated by a rotating device in a second plane of rotation substantially normal to the first plane of rotation. Between the first and the second stages, the surface of the wrapping material web may be turned about 90° such that the surface of the web is always substantially normal to the planes of rotation in both stages. The first wrapping stage includes using a tunnel device, which makes it possible to produce both unbound wrapped bales and bound wrapped bales.
US09199748B2

Filling device (1) for filling packagings with counted bulk goods, comprising a dispenser (74) having several dispensing units (33) provided with a counter for counted dispensation of the bulk goods to the packagings and a conveying device (73) for transport of the packagings with respect to the dispensing units, wherein the conveying device is provided with several consecutive transport wheels (5) and a transport wheel drive for mutual opposite rotation of the immediately consecutive transport wheels, wherein the transport wheels each have a first axis of rotation and several packaging holders spread around the circumference, wherein the transport wheels with the axes of rotation parallel to each other and at the location of the packaging holders (51) are positioned in each other's vicinity for the transfer of packagings between packaging holders at a mutual transfer position between the immediately consecutive transport wheels during the opposite rotation for obtaining a meandering conveyance path of the packagings with respect to the dispensing units, which path is constituted of opposite arch segments.
US09199744B2

A method and a device (50) for issuing a terrain avoidance warning for a rotary wing aircraft (100) during which at least one bundle (N1, N2) of possible avoidance trajectories for said aircraft (100) is prepared in order to avoid a collision between said aircraft (100) and the relief (70) being overflown. A warning is then triggered as soon as said relief (70) being overflown is found to be at a distance from any one of said bundles (N1, N2) of possible avoidance trajectories that is less than a predetermined distance (Mv). Said avoidance trajectories are determined on the basis of a predetermined avoidance maneuver and on the basis of states of said aircraft (100), said predetermined avoidance maneuver being performed at a predetermined maximum power of said aircraft (100).
US09199735B2

An apparatus for processing and dispensing incendiary capsules is provided. The apparatus includes a hollow tube which serves as a cylinder within which is located a reciprocal piston or a plurality of co-axially mounted pistons driven by a cam. When this coordinated cycle begins with the piston assembly in its full-down position, and the cam assembly is then rotated 360 degrees, the piston assembly will proceed to its full-up position and then back to its full-down position. During this cycle, the following occurs in order: (1) an incendiary is received and enclosed within the piston assembly, that incendiary is then (2) pierced by a needle, then (3) injected with reactant, then (4) the needle is withdrawn from the incendiary, and finally (5) the incendiary is expelled from the cylinder. The feeder is operatively connected with the cam-piston assembly and feeds each individual incendiary into the piston assembly.
US09199730B2

According to one embodiment, a flapping lock for a rotor system includes a downstop, a flapping stop, and an actuator. The downstop is in mechanical communication with a shaft. The flapping stop is in mechanical communication with a rotor hub. The actuator is operable to move the downstop towards the flapping stop.
US09199718B2

A launchable device capable of autorotating flight. The device comprises a wing with two airfoils that induce this autorotating flight after launch and ascent.
US09199710B2

A water jet propulsion watercraft includes a hull having a sealed engine room, an engine installed in the engine room, a jet propulsion unit arranged to be driven by the engine so as to suck in water from around the hull and jet the water, a saddle type seat disposed above the engine room, a first exhaust pipe, an exhaust pipe cooling unit, and a catalyst unit. The first exhaust pipe is attached to a side of the engine inside the engine room, extends rearward from the side of the engine, and is arranged to guide exhaust gas discharged from the engine. The exhaust pipe cooling unit is arranged to cool the first exhaust pipe. The catalyst unit is connected to the first exhaust pipe, is disposed inside the engine room so as to oppose a rear surface of the engine, and is arranged to promote reaction of components contained in the exhaust gas.
US09199691B2

A hydraulic bicycle component kit includes a first hydraulic component and a hydraulic hose. The first hydraulic component has a first fluid path. The hydraulic hose is filled with hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic hose has a first end with a first opening and a first seal that seals the first opening. The hydraulic hose and the first hydraulic component are configured such that the first seal of the hydraulic hose is physically ruptured by a first seal rupturing structure.
US09199689B2

A wheel assembly quick release lever pivots against a thrust washer to apply a force along the length of an axle. The thrust washer is pressed toward a sleeve nut at the opposite end of the axle, which displaces the thrust washer relative to the axle, drawing the sleeve nut and a pair of compression rings toward one another deeper into conical cavities of dropouts. The radially outwardly facing surfaces of the compression rings firmly seat against the tapered cavities of the closed bore dropouts, and the radially inwardly facing surfaces of the compression rings firmly seat against the axle to provide resistance to rotational movement of the axle relative to the dropouts. The inboard surfaces of the dropouts seat against the load-bearing axle faces of the hub, which provides resistance to lateral movement.
US09199688B2

A bicycle control device is provided with a main support shaft, a first control unit and a second control unit. Each of the control units includes a wire takeup element, a positioning structure and an operating member. The wire takeup elements are both rotatably mounted on the main support shaft. The positioning structures are operatively coupled to their respective wire takeup elements to selectively maintain their respective wire takeup elements in one of at least two positions. The operating members are operatively coupled to their respective positioning structure to change a current position of their respective wire takeup element. The first wire takeup element is stationary when the second operating member is operated to change the current position of the second wire takeup element such that the current position of the first wire takeup element always remains the same in response to operation of the second operating member.
US09199686B2

The invention concerns an undercarriage (35) for a vehicle comprising a chassis, two front steering wheels (36D, 36G) and at least one rear drive wheel. The undercarriage comprises, combined with each wheel, a suspension system (39) suspending the wheel from said chassis, said system (39) comprising an upper suspension arm (40), a lower suspension arm (41) and a lateral arm (42), said arms being linked together by articulated means (43, 44, 45, 46) such that a lateral tilting of the undercarriage results in an equivalent tilting of the two front wheels, which remain parallel to each other. According to a feature of the invention, the undercarriage comprises a damper (50), integral with each front wheel, to at least partially cancel the oscillation frequencies of said front wheel.
US09199685B2

An inverted pendulum type vehicle includes a vehicle body frame; a main wheel including a plurality of rotatable driven rollers arranged to form a ring, and a pair of left and right driving disks supported for rotation on the vehicle body frame. Each of the driving disks includes a plurality of rotatable driving rollers, disposed for contact in a twisted relationship with the driven rollers. The vehicle also includes a pair of left and right driven pulleys provided on outer sides of the driving disks, and a pair of left and right driving units, attached to the vehicle body frame above the main wheel, and including motors having output power shafts to which driving pulleys are attached. Endless transmission members interconnect the driving pulleys and the driven pulleys. The left and right driving units are disposed in an vertically offset relationship from each other.
US09199680B2

A vehicle anti-theft device (60) is configured from: a box-like case body (132) having on the bottom (161) a hole (173) through which air comes in and goes out; a movement display member (170) of which the center is arranged along the perpendicular line extending from the center of the hole (173), and which is secured to the ceiling (162) of the case body by means of a tool (176) inserted from the hole (173) and transmits the movement, state to the outside of the case body (132); and a substrate (67) which is built into the case body (132) and on which electronic components for actuating the movement display member (170) are mounted.
US09199674B2

An outlet air guide is formed between a front skirt and a body shell undersurface of a vehicle. The guide has at least one outlet opening having an outlet gap configured so that an outlet air flow can be guided out parallel to the undersurface from a radiator.
US09199673B2

A drag reduction system is configured to be coupled to a rear frame assembly of a trailer including a rear swing door and a rear frame. The drag reduction system includes a main wall panel configured to be coupled to a vertical member of the rear frame to extend generally rearwardly of the trailer at least partially along a height of the trailer. The main wall panel is pivotable relative to the rear frame between a deployed position wherein the inner surface of the wall panel is spaced-apart from the outer surface of the rear swing door, and a stowed position wherein the inner surface of the wall panel is adjacent to and engaged with the outer surface of the rear swing door.
US09199672B1

A link unit for a foldable vehicle includes: a windshield part having a lower end hinge-coupled with a floor to rotate in a front and rear direction of a vehicle; a rear cabin part forming a dome-shaped cabin having a lower end hinge-coupled with the floor to rotate in the front and rear direction of the vehicle; a roof part having a rear end hinge-coupled with the rear cabin part and a front end provided with a slot in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle; a linear driver including a motor at an end of the slot, a ball screw extended along the slot, and a ball nut fastened with the ball screw to be slid along the slot; and a connection link having a front end hinge-coupled with an upper end of the windshield part and a rear end connected with the ball nut by a hinge pin.
US09199671B1

A folding unit for a foldable vehicle comprises a floor part configured including a front floor provided with a front wheel and a rear floor provided with a rear wheel. The front floor and the rear floor overlap each other or extend by being slid to each other to extend or contract a wheelbase of the vehicle. A rear cabin part is disposed at a rear side of the vehicle to form a dome shaped cabin and has a lower end hinge-coupled with the floor part to rotate in a front and rear direction of the vehicle. A folding driver includes a linear motor rotating while being hinge-coupled with the floor part. An operating rod is extended or contracted from the linear motor and has an end hinge-coupled with a lower end of the rear cabin part.
US09199668B2

A system and method for calculating a virtual target path that is used to calculate an evasive steering path around a target object, such as a target vehicle, stopped in front of a subject vehicle. The method includes determining a potential field using a plurality of scan points that is a summation of two-dimensional Gaussian functions, where each Gaussian function has center defined by target object scan points and other object scan points. The method identifies a mesh grid in an X-Y plane where the mesh grid includes mesh grid points at locations where X and Y plane lines cross. The method identifies a local minimum point of the potential field for each X-plane line at each mesh grid point along the Y-plane crossing that X-plane line, where the local minimum point is a curve point. The method then connects the curve points to define the target path.
US09199658B2

This invention involves a a folding mechanism of a baby stroller comprising: a pair of gear components, each gear component comprising at least one gear having a plurality of teeth along a majority of the outer circumference of the gear and being configured to protrude towards a central plane between the gear components, said gear components configured to couple together and rotate about a common axis of rotation, the first gear component connected to a front wheel support of the stroller; the second gear component connected to a push handle support of the stroller; a gear controller, said gear controller having a plurality of teeth correspondingly configured to constrain the movement of said gear components; and a locking mechanism, wherein said locking mechanism configured to constrain the movement of said gear controller.
US09199651B2

In a vehicle control apparatus, a system controller that overall controls an engine controller and a converter controller is provided. The system controller drives, through the converter controller, a generator with a generator-rotational-speed command value ωc_ref1 smaller than idling maintenance minimum rotational speed ωe_idol_min of an engine, starts, through the engine controller, fuel injection to the engine after elapse of a predetermined time, and, when the rotational speed of the engine reaches a predetermined rotational speed threshold ωe_th that is larger than the generator-rotational-speed command value ωe_ref and smaller than the idling maintenance minimum rotational speed ωe_idol_min, outputs, to a converter, a gate cutoff signal GSTOP for turning off energization to the generator.
US09199644B2

A working vehicle that uses the output of an internal combustion engine (30) as a working power and a traveling power includes an accelerator pedal (1) that increases a rotation speed of the engine (30) when depressed and a transmission (40) that shifts a rotation of the engine (30) and applies the shifted rotation to the traveling power. A speed ratio control device of the transmission (40) calculates a first target vehicle speed (Wne) according to the rotation speed of the engine (30), calculates a second target vehicle speed (Wu) according to a depression amount of the accelerator pedal (1), and controls the speed ratio of the transmission (40) on the basis of the smaller of these target vehicle speeds. As a result, a vehicle speed according to the depression amount of the traveling accelerator pedal (1) is obtained even when the internal combustion engine (30) rotates at high speed.
US09199642B2

Described embodiments include a system and a method. A system includes a surface evaluation circuit configured to determine a surface fraction characteristic of at least a portion of a driving surface of a possible collision avoidance path of a vehicle. The system includes a rating circuit configured to assign a risk value to the possible collision avoidance path responsive to the determined surface traction characteristic. The system includes a selector circuit having a rule-set configured to select a collision avoidance path from at least two possible collision avoidance paths in response to an evaluation of the respective assigned risk value for each of the at least two possible collision avoidance paths.
US09199639B2

Vehicular motion control system comprising controller that independently controls driving force and/or braking force of each of four wheels and a turning direction sensor that senses a turning direction, and with an acceleration/deceleration command generator that generates an acceleration/deceleration command based upon a sensed steering angle and sensed vehicle speed and a driving force/braking force distributor that determines the distribution of driving force or driving torque and/or braking force or braking torque of each wheel, and driving force/braking force distributor determines based upon the acceleration/deceleration command and the turning direction so that more driving force or more driving torque and/or more braking force or more braking torque are/is distributed to the inside front wheel in turning than the outside front wheel in turning and more driving force or more driving torque and/or more braking force or more braking torque are/is distributed to the outside rear wheel.
US09199638B2

A control apparatus for a vehicular drive system is provided with: a fluid-operated power transmitting device having an input rotary member configured to receive a drive force from an engine, an output rotary member from which the drive force is transmitted to drive wheels, and a lock-up clutch configured to mechanically connect the input rotary member and the output rotary member to each other; a first electric motor connected directly or indirectly to said input rotary member; and a second electric motor connected directly or indirectly to a power transmitting path between said fluid-operated power transmitting path and said drive wheels, the control apparatus comprising: a hybrid control portion configured to control said first electric motor and said second electric motor to generate an engine starting torque for starting said engine while a power transmitting path between said second electric motor and said drive wheels is placed in a power cutoff state or a restricted power transmitting state and while said lock-up clutch is given a torque capacity.
US09199633B2

A control device of a hybrid vehicle includes an engine, an electric motor configured to output power for running and power necessary for starting the engine, and a connecting/disconnecting clutch connecting/disconnecting a power transmission path between the engine and the electric motor, and the control device is configured to start the engine while the connecting/disconnecting clutch is controlled toward engagement during motor running for running by using only the electric motor as a drive force source for running with the connecting/disconnecting clutch released.When the engine is started in association with an increase in a drive request amount to the hybrid vehicle, if the drive request amount is large, the power for running from the electric motor during start of the engine is made smaller as compared to the case that the drive request amount is small
US09199629B2

An automatic transmission includes an input member, a planetary gear mechanism, a plurality of engagement mechanisms, an output member, a control unit, and a switching mechanism. The control unit is able to perform a backward preparation mode (step 3) which enables the rpm of an element fixed by the switching mechanism to be predetermined rpm or less by bringing the engagement mechanism into a connected state or a fixed state when the shift position is switched from a forward range to a backward range (step 1). The control unit switches the switching mechanism from a reverse-rotation preventing state to the fixed state (step 7) after the rpm of the element becomes the predetermined rpm or less (step 5) by performing the backward preparation mode.
US09199622B2

A hydraulic brake system for a vehicle in which a pressure of a working fluid supplied from a high-pressure-source device having a pump is adjusted by an electromagnetic pressure-increase linear valve and an electromagnetic pressure-decrease linear valve, and a brake device provided for a wheel generates a braking force whose magnitude depends on the pressure adjusted by the linear valves, the hydraulic brake system being configured to cope with fluid leakage in the pressure-increase linear valve that is beyond a set degree.
US09199608B2

A keyless entry assembly includes a carrier with an electrical conductor thereon, a light pipe having an indicator, and a controller. The light pipe is connected to the carrier such that the indicator and conductor are in alignment. The light pipe is operable for receiving light to illuminate the indicator. The carrier with the light pipe connected thereto is mountable to a user accessible portion of a vehicle. The conductor capacitively couples to an electrically conductive object proximal to the conductor while the conductor is driven with an electrical charge such that capacitance of the conductor changes due to the conductor capacitively coupling with the object. The controller is operable for driving the conductor with the electrical charge, measuring the conductor capacitance to determine whether an electrically conductive object is proximal to the conductor, and controlling a vehicle operation as a function of the object being proximal to the conductor.
US09199595B2

Embodiments of the present invention may include a center console having a box, a console door and a shock absorption portion. The box is installed on a floor in a vehicle interior. The console door is connected to an upper wall of a rear portion of the box via a hinge shaft, and rotates using the hinge shaft as a fulcrum so that an opening of the box upper is opened and closed. The shock absorption portion divides the rear portion of the box into the upper wall and a lower wall. The shock absorption portion connects the upper wall and the lower wall to each other with a step therebetween. The shock absorption portion is set to be thinner than the upper wall and the lower wall.
US09199594B2

The present disclosure provides an apparatus, a system for a under-run protection device for a vehicle comprising a first beam member extending laterally to the direction of the vehicle, wherein a partial portion of the first beam has a corrugated cross-section. A second beam member mounted on the first beam member positioned and adapted to absorb an impact from another vehicle by deforming when the impact force exceeds a predetermined level, further the partial corrugated cross-section of the first beam member enables reduction in construction/manufacturing material for the said second beam member. A plurality of brackets characterized by a L-shape, joined to the first beam member at one arm of the L-shape and with the vehicle at other arm of the L-shape.
US09199593B2

A bumper protecting apparatus for a vehicle includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a plurality of slidable panels. The front panel comprises a plurality of apparatus license plate mounting holes adapted to support a license plate. The rear panel is coupled to the front panel such that the front panel and the rear panel define a volume therebetween. Lastly, the plurality of slidable panels are adapted to slide into and out of the volume between the front and rear panels. In use, the bumper protecting apparatus may be configured to span the length of an automobile's bumper so as to protect that bumper from collision damage.
US09199591B2

A frame structure for a motor vehicle is disclosed which includes a side member, a bumper cross member, a first crash box arranged in extension of the side member and a second crash box, which obliquely branches off to the side from the arrangement of side member and first crash box. The bumper cross member protrudes over the first crash box towards the side, and an outer end of the second crash box is fastened to the bumper cross member.
US09199583B2

Described is a golf bag holding device adapted to be removably secured to a rear portion of a vehicle. The present invention includes one or more base plates on which a bottom of a golf bag can be positioned such that the golf bag is in an upright orientation. The base plates are secured to a base support which can be removably secured to a hitch of a vehicle via a vehicle attachment. An elongated bar extends vertically upward from the base support and includes a crossbar with one or more golf bag supports thereon. The golf bag supports include an adjustable strap for holding an upper portion of a golf bag so as to secure the golf bag to the golf bag holding device. Thus, the present invention provides a user with a means to transport golf bags without having to place the golf bag inside of a vehicle.
US09199582B2

The present device describes an elevated, accessory attachment assembly for a UTV (utility terrain vehicle) that attaches by way of the vehicle roll cage. The assembly comprises an elongated bar having a pair of clamps that match the roll cage, wherein the bar includes a plurality of retention slots allowing for the attachment of an elevated shelf that substantially increases cargo capacity of the vehicle without compromising the existing cargo area. The slots of the roll cage attachment bar are permanently fixed onto the upper and lower exterior of the attachment bar or removably attached within a slot insertion channel that permits the retention slots to be placed or slid into desired positions along the roll cage attachment bar.
US09199578B2

A tonneau cover device moves a tonneau cover, which is coupled to a hatchback door of a vehicle, between an extension position and a storage position. The tonneau cover device includes a detection unit and a controller. The detection unit detects whether a pre-operation for opening the hatchback door has been performed. The controller permits movement of the tonneau cover to the extension position when a courtesy switch, which is arranged in the vehicle, detects that the hatchback door is closed and the detection unit does not detect that the pre-operation has been performed. The controller restricts movement of the tonneau cover to the extension position when the courtesy switch detects that the hatchback door is closed and the detection unit detects that the pre-operation has been performed.
US09199570B2

A system for supporting a blade for a wind turbine, in particular a wind turbine blade having a curved portion is described. The system includes a first support arrangement with (a) a root support element adapted to support a root portion of the blade such that the root portion is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the blade, and (b) a root elevation element adapted to adjust a vertical position of the root support element. Further, a transport vehicle for transporting a blade for a wind turbine is provided. The transport vehicle includes (a) a front platform, (b) a rear platform, and (c) a system as described above, wherein the first support arrangement is mounted at the front platform and the second support arrangement is mounted at the rear platform. Furthermore, a method of transporting a wind turbine blade having a curved portion is described.
US09199566B2

A floor mat for a vehicle includes an adapter plate for engaging the vehicle's mat retaining system, a mat portion, and a fastener for securing the mat portion to the adapter plate. The configuration of the adapter plat allows the mat portion to be transversely, longitudinally, and rotationally aligned and secured to the vehicle's floor despite variations in the arrangements of different vehicles' mat retaining systems.
US09199563B2

A method for controlling the operation of an active suspension system for a motor vehicle passenger seat, where the active suspension system comprises an actuator that is constructed and arranged to place force on the seat in a first degree of freedom and a control system that is responsive to a sensor system that detects motor vehicle accelerations in at least the first degree of freedom, where the sensor system comprises an accident detection system that detects motor vehicle accident conditions, where the control system provides control signals that cause the actuator to exert a force on the seat in the first degree of freedom, wherein in normal active suspension operation mode the actuator is controlled to output forces that reduce acceleration of the seat so as to counteract motions of the seat in the first degree of freedom. In response to the detection of an accident condition, the control system is used to operate the actuator in a crash performance mode where the actuator is controlled to output a force that is proportional to the velocity of the seat in the first degree of freedom.
US09199560B2

A self-adjusting seat stiffness system that uses a tension member and tensioning device to maintain or increase tension in a seat component during a perceived vehicle dynamic event. The system may use an inertial latching spool for the tensioning device as an example of a way to maintain tension at a target acceleration of the spool by locking up the tension member, or may have a controller to control the tensioning member to provide variable tensions depending on varying perceived vehicle parameters. The tensioning of the tension member helps to avoid submarining of an occupant under a seatbelt due to unacceptable seat compression during a vehicle dynamic event.
US09199556B2

A hinge assembly for vehicle seat, comprising first, second, and third frames assembled to pivot, a hinge mechanism for adjusting an angular usage position of the first frame relative to the third frame, a first lock to immobilize the first frame relative to the third frame in said usage position, and a first control device for releasing the first lock is disclosed. It also comprises a second lock to immobilize the first frame relative to the second frame in a tilted position, a stop to immobilize the first frame in the tilted position, and a second control device for releasing the second lock.
US09199554B2

A locking mechanism (1) for a vehicle seat includes a latch (11) that is to be interlocked with an opposite element (B) and is mounted to be pivotable about a first bearing bolt (13), at least one securing element (25, 31) that secures the latch (11) in the locked state, and a movable unlocking handle (42). The unlocking handle (42) is directly hinged to one of the securing elements (25, 31) by means of a single pivot point (48).
US09199551B2

A lock device locks or unlocks a locking subject that relates to a power port and includes a lid. The lock device includes a detector that selectively generates a position detection signal at least corresponding to one of an open position where the lid is open, a closed position where the lid is closed, and a push position where the lid is pushed from the close position. A control unit controls locking or unlocking of the locking subject and a related device of the locking subject based on the position detection signal from the detector.
US09199549B2

A computationally implemented system and method that is designed to, but is not limited to: electronically receiving electric vehicle prospective use information associated with aspects indicating one or more future travel plans involving prospective use of an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle including one or more wireless electrical energy transfer receiving devices and one or more electrical energy storage devices; and electronically obtaining electrical energy transfer aspect information regarding wireless electrical energy transfer from one or more wireless electrical energy transfer imparting stations to the one or more wireless electrical energy transfer receiving devices of the electric vehicle for storage by the one or more electrical energy storage devices of the electric vehicle. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US09199548B2

A computationally implemented system and method that is designed to, but is not limited to: electronically assessing electricity provider detail information associated with providing electrical energy to one or more electric vehicle wireless electrical energy chargers configured for wirelessly charging one or more electric vehicles with electrical energy from the one or more electric vehicle wireless electrical energy chargers to the one or more electric vehicles, the one or more electric vehicles including one or more electric motors to provide motive force for directionally propelling the one or more electric vehicles. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US09199546B2

An electric vehicle battery recharging system is disclosed that is capable of generating an audible sound to indicate that the battery system of the vehicle is being recharged. The system includes an audible indicator that is connected or otherwise associated with a controller. The controller is configured to actuate the audible indicator in response to a voltage or current of a battery system rising a predetermined amount after recharging is initiated so as to provide audible confirmation to a recharging operator that the battery system is being recharged.
US09199540B2

The invention relates to a current collector strip (12) for a sliding contact device (10) which bears in a prestressed fashion against a contact wire (16), in particular in order to supply current to rail vehicles, having a sliding strip (14) which is arranged on a sliding strip carrier (13) and which has a carbon molding (18) and at least one metallic conducting device (23) which is arranged in the carbon molding and has the purpose of bringing about locally increased conductivity, wherein the conducting device is formed as at least one disc-shaped conducting device which extends transversely to a sliding direction (19) and in the direction of a prestressing force in a plane and which is connected to the sliding strip carrier and extends in a slot (22), formed in the carbon molding, as far as to a contact surface (21) of the sliding strip.
US09199530B2

A power transmission apparatus for a vehicle includes: a first clutch and a second clutch, a first input shaft receiving rotary power of the engine through the first clutch and having a plurality of input gears, a second input shaft receiving rotary power of the engine through the second clutch, a planetary gear set having first rotary element connected with the second input shaft, second rotary element connected with the first input shaft, and third rotary element being directly connected with a transmission housing, a first transmission outputting mechanism to output the rotary power transferred from the first input shaft and a second transmission outputting mechanism to output the rotary power transferred from the first input shaft, a motor/generator transferring the rotary power to the first and second transmission outputting mechanisms, and a final deceleration mechanism finally decelerating the rotary power transferred from the transmission outputting device.
US09199527B2

A drive train (1) of a purely electrically all-wheel drivable motor vehicle has a first axle (2) having a differential (23), a second axle (3) having a differential (26), and at least one electric machine (11, 32) for driving the two axles (2, 3). The at least one electric machine (11, 32) is arranged transversely to the direction of travel (4) of the motor vehicle and is connected to the first axle (2) of the drive train (1) via a spur gear (12). The first axle (2) and the second axle (3) each have a crown wheel (25). The crown wheels (25) are connected to each other via a shaft (27) that has pinions (28) at its respective ends, which engage into a respective crown wheel (25). The drive train allows retrofitting the drive train with simple construction, from an initial state with only one driven axle to all-wheel drive.
US09199524B2

A vehicle air suspension system includes one or more bellows assigned to an air spring of one or more vehicle axles. The bellows can be connected to a main pressure line and can be blocked off therefrom via a connecting line having a level control valve. The main line can be supplied with air via a supply line having a compressor and an air dryer, and can be vented via a vent line, which branches off between the compressor and the air dryer and has a discharge valve. A pressure reservoir can be connected to the main line and can be blocked off therefrom via a connecting line having a storage valve. To set different flow velocities when supplying and venting the bellows, the bellows of the air spring arranged on a vehicle axle or on a vehicle side is/are connected to the main line and blocked off therefrom via at least two parallel connecting lines, each having a level control valve.
US09199521B2

An electronic control unit used in, e.g., a towing vehicle includes a processing device configured to determine an initial electrical load of a trailer system, detect changes in the electrical load, and generate an alarm signal if the electrical load is substantially different from the initial electrical load. A method includes determining an electrical load of a trailer system prior to arming a vehicle alarm system, detecting changes in the electrical load after arming the vehicle alarm system, and triggering the alarm system if the electrical load is substantially different from the electrical load determined prior to arming the vehicle alarm system.
US09199504B2

The present invention discloses a method of making core-shell polymer particles, comprising forming a linking-group-containing polymer by derivatizing a hydroxy-group-containing polymer, comprising hydroxy groups on adjacent carbon atoms with a linking agent, that is a compound comprising both an aldehyde moiety and an amine moiety, wherein one or more acetal moieties are formed in the linking-group-containing polymer, each acetal formed by the reaction of the aldehyde moiety in the linking agent with two hydroxy groups in the linking-group-containing polymer, wherein the amine moiety then becomes a linking group pendent from the linking-group-containing polymer, wherein the linking group is capable of reacting with a precursor group in the precursor polymer. Also disclosed are compositions comprising insoluble core-shell particles made by the method.
US09199502B2

Device for the counterfeit protection of a banknote, a document of value or an article. The device includes a substrate (S), and on the substrate (S) a plurality of jointly visible zones of first (1) and of second (2) hardened coatings including oriented pigment particles (P1, P2) in a transparent binder (M1, M2), the first (1) hardened coating having a pigment orientation imitating a first curved surface and the second (2) hardened coating having a pigment orientation imitating a second curved surface different from the first curved surface. The device is characterized in that, along a linear section through the device, at least one zone of the second (2) hardened coating is contiguously located between two zones of the first (1) hardened coating. Method for producing the device, the use of the device, as well as security documents carrying said device.
US09199499B2

An apparatus detects inoperative inkjets during printing of three-dimensional objects. The apparatus includes a roll of substrate that extends to a take up roller. A printhead prints a test pattern on a portion of the substrate pulled from the roll and the portion with the test pattern is moved opposite a digital camera. The digital camera generates data of the test pattern on the substrate and these data are analyzed to identify inoperative inkjets in the printhead.
US09199495B2

A recording apparatus includes a support unit that supports a recording medium; a feed roller that feeds the medium by rotating in contact with the recording medium supported on the support unit; and a swing member that displaces the feed roller comes in contact with and separates from the recording medium, and is provided to support the feed roller and be able to swing with a swing shaft, in which the swing member includes a regulating portion that is able to attain a first state separated from the support unit in a state in which the feed roller is in contact with the recording medium, and a second state that regulates a number of recording media set on the support unit by relatively approaching the support unit more closely than in the first state in a state in which the feed roller is separated from the recording medium.
US09199494B2

A recording apparatus includes a recording head that ejects liquid onto a recording medium, a transporting device that transports the recording medium along a supporting surface of a supporting member, and a preheating device that preheats the recording medium to the upstream side of the recording head in a transporting direction of the recording medium. The preheating device includes a preheating unit that increases the amount of heat per unit time which is applied to the recording medium as the recording medium is moved toward the downstream side in the transporting direction. The supporting member includes the supporting surface and bending portions.
US09199483B2

Disclosed herein are a keyboard manufacturing apparatus and method that provide improved printing of at least one of a letter, a symbol, a number, and a pattern onto a keycap of a keyboard. The keyboard manufacturing apparatus includes a loader to load a keyboard, an unloader to unload the keyboard, a printing device provided between the loader and the unloader to print at least one of the letter, symbol, number and pattern onto the keyboard, wherein the printing device includes a support on which the keyboard is positioned, and an inkjet unit to print the at least one of the letter, symbol, number and pattern onto the keyboard, wherein the inkjet unit includes an inkjet head containing ink with a color identical to a specific color to be printed onto the keyboard, and a hardeners positioned on one side of the inkjet head to dry the ink.
US09199482B2

A stenographic machine including a housing, a stenographic processing unit in the housing, and a stenographic keyboard at the housing and operatively connected to the stenographic processing unit to record stenographic dictation by a user. The stenographic keyboard has a plurality of adjustable key assemblies pivotally connected thereto. Each key assembly has a key cap having a first removable securing portion and a stenographic keyboard key lever having a second removable securing portion cooperating with the first removable securing portion to removably hold the key cap thereat over a variety of different positions, a lever connection end having a pivoting connection attached to the stenographic keyboard to move between a steady-state raised position and a depressed lowered position, and an extension portion extending away from the second removable securing portion and to the lever connection end.
US09199479B2

An ink supply system for an ink jet printer, particularly a continuous ink jet printer, has a manifold assembly of two parts that are brought together at interfacing surfaces. At least one of the surfaces has a plurality of ink flow channels for conveying ink around an ink circuit between components. The other of the interfacing surfaces is configured to close and seal the channels. A plurality of ports is provided in fluid communication with the channels, the circuit components being connectable to the ports. The manifold assembly provides for a compact and neat arrangement free of many tubes and pipes. The lower number of connections significantly reduces the risk of leakage.
US09199470B2

In the present invention, an inkjet printing head cleaning device is provided, through droplet image information and feedback control technology in order to drive the nozzle without ejecting, the micro clogging technique is able to avoid the nozzle crimp and reduce the material cost.
US09199469B1

A maintenance method of an ink jet recording apparatus that performs recording of images on a recording medium using a non-aqueous ink, in which the ink jet recording apparatus includes a nozzle forming surface in which nozzles that discharge the non-aqueous ink are provided; and a wiping member with liquid absorbency, the method including wiping the nozzle forming surface with the wiping member using an impregnating solution, and in which the impregnating solution contains at least one organic solvent selected from a group consisting of compounds represented by the following General Formula (I), esters, and dibasic acid esters. R1—O—(R2—O)n—R3  (I) (in General Formula (I) shown above, R1 represents a hydrogen atom, an aryl group, or an alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon atoms, R2 represents an alkylene group with 2 to 4 carbon atoms, R3 represents an aryl group or an alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n represents an integer of 1 to 9).
US09199468B2

There is provided a liquid discharging apparatus which includes a discharge head that includes a nozzle forming surface on which nozzles for discharging liquid are formed; a wiping member that performs wiping by relatively moving on the nozzle forming surface while abutting on the nozzle forming surface; a cleaning liquid supply unit that supplies cleaning liquid provided for the wiping; and a control unit that performs reciprocating wiping control which performs the wiping by causing the wiping member for holding the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supply unit to perform a reciprocating operation in which, after relative movement is performed in a first direction along the nozzle forming surface, relative movement is performed in a second direction which is opposite to the first direction.
US09199449B2

A method for producing a pattern, in particular a wood pattern, on the face of a woodbased-material board. The pattern is preset with the aid of a digital data set and applied to the woodbased-material board via an intaglio printing process. The pattern is covered with at least one synthetic resin layer and pressed with the woodbased-material board. The digital data set is used to produce a sample print by use of an inkjet printing process, which print is used to compare with the pattern print on the woodbased-material board in terms of optical appearance. The materials and/or printing conditions used in the pattern printing and the sample printing are coordinated with one another.
US09199436B2

In the gas-barrier laminate having an inorganic thin layer formed on at least one surface of a substrate having a polyethylene naphthalate layer, provided by the present invention is a gas-barrier laminate having not only high water vapor barrier property and oxygen barrier property abut also excellent adhesion between the substrate and the inorganic thin layer. The said gas-barrier laminate, comprising: a substrate comprising a polyethylene naphthalate layer; a layer formed from a composition comprising an acryl polyol and an isocyanate compound on at least one surface of the substrate; and an inorganic thin layer, arranged in the stated order.
US09199423B2

The invention provides a method and a device for manufacturing a breaker ply package for a green tire, wherein a rubber band is supplied by a supply device (35) that can be moved between a first position and a second position, wherein the supply device can be moved between a first position in which the supply device is set for supplying the continuous rubber band at a supply direction which with the conveyance direction includes a first angle that equals the first cord angle, and a second position in which the supply device is set for supplying the continuous rubber band at a supply direction which with the conveyance direction includes a second angle that equals the second cord angle, wherein the second angle is not equal to the first angle.
US09199409B2

A stretching apparatus capable of optimally inhibiting neck-in of a film when the film is stretched in an MD (Machine Direction), has an advancing mechanism, a take-in mechanism, and film-holding unit placed at both end portions in a TD (Transverse Direction) of a transfer path of film between the mechanisms. The film-holding unit has a plurality of upper holding rollers placed in parallel at intervals in the MD of the film above the transfer path of film, and a plurality of lower holding rollers placed opposite to upper holding rollers below the transfer path of film such that the plurality of lower holding rollers work together with the plurality of upper holding rollers to sandwich the film vertically between the rollers. Upper holding rollers and lower holding rollers are rotatably supported such that their rotational axes are inclined outward in the TD of film toward a downstream side of the MD of film.
US09199408B2

A medical device-includes a scaffold crimped to a catheter having an expansion balloon. The scaffold is crimped to the balloon by a process that includes one or more balloon pressurization steps. The balloon pressurization steps are selected to enhance scaffold retention to the balloon and maintain a relatively uniform arrangement of balloon folds about the inner surface of the crimped scaffold so that the scaffold expands in a uniform manner when the balloon is inflated.
US09199392B2

A stone saw for sawing rod-like drilling samples. The stone saw comprises a circular blade rotated by means of a rotation axle. A sample is fed against the blade and flushing fluid is sprayed on a sawing site. The stone saw further comprises collection means for collecting sawing sludge formed during sawing.
US09199391B2

The probe can include a base and a resistance member extending from the base and onto which a resistance pressure is imparted by a rheological substance when the resistance member is submerged and moved therein. Rheological properties can be obtained using values indicative of the resistance pressure both in a low speed range and in a high speed range.
US09199390B2

A push block for a woodworking tool comprises at least heel member at an end of the push block and the heel member is passively actuatable to an extended position to engage a trailing end surface of a work piece to advance the work piece by a working element. The push block also includes a wall member along a first side of the push block to serve as a barrier between a cutting element and an operator's hand. In addition, the push block includes a handle that is disposed obliquely relative to first and second sides and a longitudinal axis of the push block.
US09199388B2

A label finishing station receives a web carrying printed images for labels arranged so there are a plurality of images formed in rows or ranks across the width of the web. The images are also arranged in longitudinal columns along the length of the web. A cutting station carries a plurality of cutter heads to cut out the plurality of labels forming each row or rank simultaneously. The web, with the label peripheries cut out, may be slit longitudinally and formed into finished rolls of labels.
US09199383B2

A blade of a reciprocating electric shaver includes a newly provided guide frame freely detachably held on a holding frame provided on a shaver body, in which, in the guide frame, there are provided: coupling portions to which an outer edge frame that fixes an outer edge thereto is coupled; and spring receiving portions which support lower ends of inner edge push-up springs.
US09199369B2

A pneumatic striking mechanism includes a guide cylinder in which a freely moving piston and an exciter piston are arranged movably along a striking axis. The guide cylinder has a plastic. The striking mechanism includes a pneumatic chamber sealed off by the guide cylinder, by the freely moving piston and by the exciter piston, as well as a drive for periodically moving the exciter piston, as a result of which the freely moving piston is excited to execute a periodical movement between the striking surface and the exciter piston.
US09199361B2

Disclosed herein are different embodiments of a fastening device. In particular, various embodiments of a fastening device are described herein for enabling fasteners of different types (e.g. shape and/or size, etc.) to be fastened using a common input drive. For example, different embodiments of the herein described fastening device comprise two or more output sockets in attending to the fastening of different fastener types, which output sockets are selectable in one example by reorienting the fastening device via activation of the input drive.
US09199360B2

An apparatus to allow a one-handed operation of mounting a vibration sensor to a mounting pad adhered to a machine. An attachment screw includes a recessed socket with a detent to releasably retain a ball-end hex driver such that the driver can remain coupled to the attachment screw without force being applied by the user. Also, a handheld device includes a driver having a handle portion and a driver shaft extending therefrom, the driver shaft having a driver portion at a distal end, and a vibration sensor support configured to support the vibration sensor such that the driver portion has access to an attachment screw threaded through the vibration sensor, and coupled to the driver such that the vibration sensor support is rotatable around a longitudinal axis of the driver shaft and slidable along a longitudinal portion of the driver shaft.
US09199357B2

Superabrasive tools and methods for the making thereof are disclosed and described. In one aspect, superabrasive particles are chemically bonded to a matrix support material according to a predetermined pattern by a braze alloy. The brazing alloy may be provided as a powder, thin sheet, or sheet of amorphous alloy. A template having a plurality of apertures arranged in a predetermined pattern may be used to place the superabrasive particles on a given substrate or matrix support material.
US09199343B2

An apparatus (1) for the surface treatment of objects (2), comprising a drum (3) having a peripheral zone (3b); a plurality of gripping elements (4) disposed in the peripheral zone (3b) of the drum (3) and configured to each receive a respective object (2) to be treated; printing means (5) associated with the drum (3) and comprising at least one print head (6), the head (6) being positionable in front of the gripping elements (4) in order to print on an object (2); the printing means (5) are configured to print on a lateral surface (2a) and on a base surface (2b) of the caps (2) on the same drum (3).
US09199337B2

Disclosed are a method and apparatus for determining acceptance/rejection of fine diameter wire bonding of semiconductor devices, LED devices, and the like, which has been impossible with conventional methods, such as the method by image processing, with high accuracy and with no contact. The apparatus includes a heating laser device 1 for spot-heating the bonding portion of a fine diameter wire; a two-wavelength infrared radiation thermometer 2 for measuring temperature at high speed on the basis of a minute amount of infrared rays radiated from the heated portion of the fine diameter wire with correction of the emissivity; and a correction computing and determining means 4 for correcting the result of measurement with the two-wavelength infrared radiation thermometer 2 to a temperature change with the reference heating power, and then determining acceptance/rejection of the bonding by comparing the corrected temperature change or a numerical value correlated to a bonding area obtained from that temperature change, with a temperature change indicated by an acceptable product as a comparison criterion that has been corrected to the reference heating power or a numerical value correlated to a bonding area obtained from that temperature change.
US09199331B2

A method of fabricating a single-piece part for a turbine engine by diffusion bonding, the method including making a blank for the part around a mandrel, the blank including a plurality of coaxial and superposed annular layers of independent rings of metal wire that are stacked on one another around the mandrel, and subjecting the blank to hot isostatic pressing to obtain a single-piece part, and optionally machining the part.
US09199321B2

A double-sided saw blade, such as a hack saw blade, comprising a blade body defining a first end and a second end; a first cutting edge located on one side of the blade body defining a first cutting tooth set pattern and a second cutting edge located on an opposite side of the blade body defining a second cutting tooth set pattern; wherein the first set pattern and the second set pattern are (i) timed with respect to one another or (ii) 180 degrees out of phase with respect to one another. A first tooth of the first set pattern may be indexed relative to a designated reference point along the blade body and a first tooth of the second set pattern may be equally indexed relative to the same designated reference point along the blade body.
US09199313B2

A clamping device having a high clamping force and operability when a cutting insert is attached/detached is provided. The clamping device has a guide hole, a screw hole, a clamp member having a clamp portion and arranged movably in the guide hole, and a screw member screwed with the screw hole and movable in first and second directions, wherein the screw member can be engaged with the clamp member in movement both in the directions and the guide hole has a first cam surface engaged with the clamp member and converting a force in the first direction received from the screw member into a force for moving the clamp member in a direction toward the cutting insert and a second cam surface converting a force in the second direction into a force for moving the clamp portion in a direction away from the cutting insert.
US09199312B2

A cutting insert incorporates a pre-formed discrete cutting tip which wraps around a curved cutting corner of the insert. The cutting tip includes a top layer and a bottom layer made of a relatively harder material than the top layer. In one embodiment, the bottom layer is made of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) or a polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (CBN) material and the top layer is made of cemented carbide. The cutting insert may further incorporate a chip control structure formed in the cutting tip including a plurality of facets formed on each side of a centerline for providing chip control during a cutting operation. The chip control structure can be formed in a two-step process to expose a portion of the bottom layer. The discrete cutting tip can be brazed to the cutting insert prior to forming the chip control structure.
US09199311B2

A coated cutting tool with improved abrasion resistance and chipping resistance in which a cemented carbine substrate has a coating film formed on a surface of the substrate by chemical vapor deposition. The coating film includes a lower film with the average film thickness of 2 to 15 μm, formed on the surface of the substrate, and an aluminum oxide upper film, with an average film thickness of 1 to 10 μm, formed on a surface of the lower film. The lower film is an alternate laminated film formed by alternately stacking TiN films; each having the average thickness of 10 to 300 nm, and TiCN films each having the average thickness of 0.1 to 0.5 μm.
US09199306B2

A support head capable of supporting a ladle shroud for casting liquid metal comprises a canal along which the metal can pass, extending essentially along an axis, the support head being designed for a tube handling device. Such a head comprises control means for controlling the angular orientation of the shroud with respect to the head, about an axis corresponding to the axis of the canal. A ladle shroud having defined control means is capable of collaborating with the support head.
US09199301B2

An apparatus (60) is provided for forming a trailing edge (52) of a wind turbine blade having first and second shells (40, 42). The first and second shells define a gap therebetween, and the apparatus has a first mold component (62) that is adapted to form the first or second shell, and an engaging element (77). The engaging element is configured to securely support a trailing edge component to be coupled to the first and second shells. The engaging element is coupled to the first mold component. The apparatus may additionally include a second mold component (64) that is adapted to form the other of the first or second shells and which is coupled to the first mold component. In this embodiment, the first and second mold components have a closed position in which the first and second shells are closed over one another so as to define a generally closed profile of the wind turbine blade.
US09199298B2

A method for the automatic and continuous construction and assembly of a complex three-dimensional reticular structure derived from electro-welded metal nets useable as reinforcements in concrete castings in anti-seismic construction projects, includes pre-assembling at least one cage in a zone located downstream of a folding assembly to allow continuous construction of the complex three-dimensional. The one cage is pre-assembled to include a structure that is folded one or more times. The method includes transporting the pre-assembled cage to the folding assembly for formation of an external enclosure cage. The method includes lifting the pre-assembled cage using automatic grippers from a sliding plane of an electro-welded metal net from which the external enclosure cage is to be folded, to allow the folding of the external enclosure cage and a definite closure thereof, thus encircling the pre-assembled cage with the folded external enclosure cage and forming the complex three-dimensional reticular structure.
US09199292B2

The invention relates to the field of steel processing and steel production, in particular the production of steel profiles. The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a steel profile, the method comprising the steps of: providing a workpiece (2, 44, 52), in particular a steel blank, preferably a steel strip blank, forming a weakened point (10) in the region of a planned bend in the workpiece (2, 44, 52) and bending the workpiece (2, 44, 52) to produce a bend in the workpiece (2, 44, 52). After bending, the weakened point (10) is reinforced by welding.
US09199291B2

An operation management device performs an operation management for electric resistance welding in which a strip-shaped metal plate is formed to have a cylindrical shape in such a manner that both end portions of the metal plate gradually face each other while the metal plate is conveyed, and a Vee convergence section, which is a portion at which both of the end portions butt against each other while facing each other, is welded. Furthermore, the operation management device includes: a measuring unit that measures a distance L [mm] between a first Vee convergence point at which both of the end portions of the metal plate geometrically come into contact with each other and a second Vee convergence point that is a contact point of both of the end portions of the metal plate, and a Vee convergence angle θ[°] at the first Vee convergence point on the basis of an image of an area including the Vee convergence section; and a determining unit that determines whether or not the distance L [mm] and the Vee convergence angle θ[°] satisfy the following equation (1). Lmin(θ/θst)−0.15≦L≦35  (1)
US09199287B2

A passive valveless gas vent for a landfill includes a sub-surface gas collection manifold for collecting sub-surface gas from beneath a geomembrane. The collection manifold includes a plenum for receiving sub-surface gas, and the plenum defines an interior volume. A conduit is connected to and extends upwardly from the plenum, with the conduit communicating with the interior volume of the plenum and having an upper discharge end. The conduit is adapted and provided for extending through an aperture in the geomembrane for communicating sub-surface gas from within the interior volume of the plenum through the geomembrane. A hood is positioned adjacent an upper portion of the conduit and defines a discharge chamber therein into which gas from the discharge end of the conduit is discharged. The hood also has a discharge outlet for venting gas from within the discharge chamber to atmosphere.
US09199281B2

A conveyor system and methods for conveying and unstacking flat and non-flat packages. The conveyor system includes an inclined conveyor belt delivering packages to a tilted conveyor belt that conveys flat packages along its length while non-flat packages tumble off its lower side edge to initially cull flat packages from a bulk flow of packages. Retention means, such as a high-friction outer conveying surface or a raised barrier along the length of the outer conveying surface of the tilted conveyor belt, holds flat packages on the tilted conveyor belt. The inclined conveyor belt has stop elements spaced apart along the belt's length and is advanced in stop-and-go fashion to help unstack piggy-backed packages as they are conveyed up the incline. The initially separated packages are more fully culled in a conveyor comprising a roller conveyor belt with package-supporting belt rollers rotated in a direction to push packages sidewise toward a culling element that extends along the length of the roller conveyor belt.
US09199275B2

A cooking item including a vitreous coating with improved impact-resistance properties, and a method for manufacturing such an item. The method for manufacturing includes optionally treating a concave internal side of a substrate having the end shape of the cooking item, the concave internal side being arranged on the side of the food to be introduced in said item, and a convex exterior side to be arranged on the heat source side, so as to obtain a treated internal side adapted to cause a hard base layer to adhere to the substrate, The method further includes preparing an adhering hard base layer on said internal side of the substrate, be it treated beforehand or not, and preparing a non-stick coating on the hard base layer.
US09199269B2

A substrate coating method may include: translating the substrate in a first direction through a spray zone while spraying a fluid coating on a first uncoated surface portion to produce a first coated surface portion; heating at least the first coated surface portion to form a first cured coating while translating the substrate through the heating zone in the first direction and a second, opposite direction; manipulating a second uncoated surface portion in a position to be spray-coated; spraying the fluid coating onto the second uncoated surface portion while translating the substrate in the first direction through the spray zone to produce a second coated surface portion; and heating at least the second coated surface portion to form a second cured coating while translating the substrate in the first direction through the heating zone. The method may thereby provide the substrate with the first and second cured coatings.
US09199267B2

An apparatus for spraying an oil, such as an MSDS exempt vegetable oil, onto a material handling surface to impede material from adhering to the surface. The apparatus comprises a platform comprising an elevated section configured to support a human operator, and spray equipment comprising a container for containing the oil, a hydraulic pump fluidly coupled to the container, and a spray wand and hose fluidly coupled to the pump. The spray equipment is mounted on the platform and configured to enable an operator to operate the spray wand from the elevated section of the platform.
US09199266B2

A paint roller shield comprising a plate with a planar surface configured to have a beveled periphery with at least one flat edge along the periphery and a nonplanar surface configured to attach to a paint roller device.
US09199265B2

A method for processing of granules, by forming at least one injection zone in a fluidized bed where a feed stream of seed particles is contacted or coated by a liquid product by simultaneous injection of the feed stream of the seed particles and a feed stream of the liquid product, forming at least one granulation zone in the fluidized bed where the contacted or coated seed particles may be at least one of dried, shaped, and cooled to form granules, extracting the granules from the at least one granulation zone and sorting the extracted granules into undersize granules, on-size granules, and oversize granules, passing the on-size granules to post-processing treatment, removing the oversize granules, and passing the undersize granules back into the feed stream of the seed particles, wherein the extracted granules are made to pass through at least one classifier located in the at least one granulation zone.
US09199259B2

An actuator with a self-contained light source may be designed to fit on any conventional pump dispenser or valve of a pre-pressurized dispenser in a completely conventional manner. As a result, the feature of light may easily be added to a conventional pump or aerosol valve dispenser, without having to customize the pump or valve. When a user depresses the actuator to dispense product, an electric lighting circuit within the actuator is completed. The light may be effective to activate a product as it is being dispensed.
US09199258B2

A pump dispenser includes a container whose top opening is closed off by a base structure of a pump module. The structure is shaped to guide air to an air pocket region adjacent the wall. This air pocket region communicates with the pump inlet opening so that air can be discharged. The pump may include a pump body and a plunger which incorporate respective different ones of a click projection and a click actuating formation, constituting a click indicator.
US09199255B2

Variable length flush nozzles for wire electric discharge machining (wire EDM) are provided. The variable length flush nozzle comprises an elongated body having an internal channel and a nozzle head having a pair of opposed slots formed therein. The nozzle head is coupled to the elongated body by a retention element dimensioned and configured for operative engagement with the pair of opposed slots such that the nozzle head is slidable relative to the elongated body between a fully extended position in which the variable length flush nozzle is at a maximum length and a fully retracted position in which the variable length flush nozzle is at a minimum length.
US09199247B2

The disclosure relates to a magnetic separation rack for isolating magnetically labeled particles from a non-magnetic medium comprising a body portion (1) and a foot portion (8). The body portion comprises an array of sample vessel retaining portions (2) and plurality of magnetizing portions (3). Each sample vessel retaining portion comprises at least one visible portion such that when a sample vessel is mounted in a sample vessel retaining portion at least one portion of the sample vessel is visible to a user. The magnetizing portions are arranged within the body portion (1) such that at least two magnetizing portions (3) are circumferentially spaced about each sample vessel retaining portion (2). The foot portion is pivotally coupled to the body portion such that the body portion is operatively tiltable with respect to the foot portion such that each sample vessel retaining portion may retain a sample vessel mounted therein in a tilted position with respect to the vertical. The disclosure further relates to a method of isolating magnetically labeled particles from a non-magnetic medium using the said magnetic separation rack.
US09199241B2

The invention relates to a grinding body for crushing and grinding of ores rocks or earth, inert and all other materials, in drum and other mills. It finds application in ore enrichment, production of construction materials, waste processing and other industrial branches. The grinding body comprises a spheroidal cone, whose forming curve is part of a circle or of some other geometrical curve and a vertex, and a base which is part of a sphere or of other three-dimensional figure, obtained by rotation of geometrical curves and an edge between them. In one of the versions the cone and the base are connected by a cylinder. For better producibility of the grinding body, a flat spot with circular or other shape is made on the surface of the base. In another version the flat spots are made on the surface of the cone and on the surface of the cylinder between the base and the cone. In a subsequent version the vertex of the cone is cut flat with its plane perpendicular or inclined towards the axis of the body. In other versions, more or less convex peripheral rings are made between the cone and the base. The cross section of these rings has the shape resembling a circle, a triangle or a rectangle. In a subsequent version on the base and on the flat cut vertex short cylinders with flat bases are protruding. All edges and the vertex of the body may be rounded along part of a circle, spiral or other geometrical figure. The grinding body has greater area than the spherical grinding body and greater density in a given space. The existence of an edge and a vertex increases milling productivity.
US09199240B2

This driving device for a grinder includes a toothed ring, at least two driving assemblies for the toothed ring. Each driving assembly includes an electric motor and a reduction gear unit. The driving device includes safety means suitable for preventing the starting of all the driving assemblies when at least one driving assembly is unavailable.
US09199229B2

The present invention is directed to a process for preparing CHA-type molecular sieves using a colloidal aluminosilicate in the presence of a octahydroindolium-based cationic structure directing agent.
US09199216B2

An apparatus for automatically conditioning a patch plate and a plenum of an electrophysiology measurement system is provided. An arm is linearly movable between a non-operative position and an operative position. An end effector mounted to one side of the arm is configured to condition the patch plate. Another end effector mounted to an opposite side of the arm is configured to condition the plenum. A linear actuator is coupled to the arm and is configured to drive movement of the arm between the operative position and the non-operative position. When the arm is positioned in the operative position, the arm is situated between the patch plate and the plenum.
US09199214B2

A membrane-integrated hydration reactor that is operable to produce an associated alcohol product from an olefin using water includes a solid acid olefin hydration catalyst in a production zone and a hydrophilic membrane operable to selectively permit pervaporation of water one-way and not permit pervaporation of the associated alcohol or permeation of the olefin at olefin hydration process conditions in a separations zone. The production zone is operable to form a production zone product mixture made of the associated alcohol and any unreacted water. The associated separations zone is operable to form and produce both the associated alcohol product and a pervaporated water product from the production zone product mixture. A method of olefin hydration for forming an associated alcohol product from an olefin using water uses the membrane-integrated hydration reactor at olefin hydration process conditions.
US09199213B2

The present invention is directed to an upwardly convex fixed-bed catalyst support for a hydroprocessing reactor. The catalyst bed support includes an upwardly convex annular-shaped plate having an outer end in communication with the reactor inner surface, and an inner end in communication with a horizontal hub assembly.
US09199212B2

Digestion units for processing cellulosic biomass can comprise a chamber having a height that is greater than its width, the chamber having an opening suitable for solids introduction located within the upper 20% of its height; one or more first fluid conduits connected to the chamber within the lower 20% of its height, at least one of the first fluid conduits extending into the chamber and being elevated above the bottom of the chamber; one or more second fluid conduits connected to the chamber within the upper 20% of its height, at least one of the first fluid conduits being fluidly coupled to at least one of the second fluid conduits; a porous medium located in the chamber within the lower 20% of its height; and a movable pressure isolation device covering the opening; wherein the digestion unit is operable to maintain a pressure of at least about 30 bar.
US09199195B2

A method of using a catalyst comprises exposing a catalyst to at least one reactant in a chemical process. The catalyst comprises copper and a small pore molecular sieve having a maximum ring size of eight tetrahedral atoms. The chemical process undergoes at least one period of exposure to a reducing atmosphere. The catalyst has an initial activity and the catalyst has a final activity after the at least one period of exposure to the reducing atmosphere. The final activity is within 30% of the initial activity at a temperature between 200 and 500° C.
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