US09235302B2
An input device includes a selection circuit that is connected to a plurality of electrodes provided on a capacitive touch panel and selectively connects the plurality of electrodes, a calibration resistor connected to the selection circuit, a constant current source for supplying constant current power to the plurality of electrodes and the calibration resistor, an A/D converter connected to the selection circuit to measure capacitance of the plurality of electrodes and a measured value measured when the calibration resistor is connected, and a control unit controlling the selection circuit to make the A/D converter measure the capacitance of one of the plurality of electrodes and the measured value measured when the calibration resistor is connected, and determining a contact coordinate of the touch object on a touch panel by calculating a ratio of the capacitance to the measured value.
US09235295B2
A vehicle graphical user interface arrangement is provided including a touch screen and a control unit. The graphical user interface arrangement is arranged to allow for at least two different modes of manipulation of control objects presented on the touch screen, including at least a first manipulation mode including a dragging of a control object across the touch screen, and at least a second manipulation mode including a dropping of a control object at a predetermined location at the touch screen. The control unit is further arranged to cause an acoustic unit to, in response to the second manipulation mode, emit a first acoustic signal. The present disclosure also relates to a touch screen unit including such arrangement and a vehicle comprising such arrangement.
US09235290B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for controlling an imaging area of a flexible display device. A method of controlling an imaging area in a display area of a flexible display device including a display unit for receiving a touch, and a display area overlapping the display unit and for displaying an image includes obtaining at least two input signals input to the display unit in response to a continuous touch in the form of a closed loop, setting an internal area of the closed loop as an imaging area based on the obtained at least two input signals, and controlling the image displayed on the display area to be moved and displayed onto the set imaging area. An area for displaying an image may be controlled appropriately for the shape of a flexible display device by using an input signal generated by a user's touch.
US09235288B2
A pointer detection apparatus includes a conductor pattern formed of intersecting first and second conductors. A signal supplying circuit generates transmission signals each comprised of a first code and a second code having an equal code length and having a predetermined relationship to each other, and supplies the generated transmission signals to the first conductors. A signal detection circuit is connected to the second conductors and detects reception signals, at least one of which corresponds to a variation of capacitance between the conductor pattern and a pointer. A correlation arithmetic operation circuit calculates, for each of the reception signals, first and second correlation values between the reception signal and first and second correlation value arithmetic operation signals corresponding to the first and second codes, respectively. A synthesis circuit calculates, for each pair of the first and second correlation values, a synthesis correlation value, based on which the pointer is detected.
US09235285B2
A pixel matrix including a first substrate, a plurality of pixel structures, a first electrode set and a common electrode is provided. The pixel structures are disposed on the first substrate in an array arrangement. Each of the pixel structures includes a pixel electrode. The first electrode set includes a plurality of first electrodes arranged along a first direction on the first substrate. Each of the first electrodes having a plurality of first openings arranged corresponding to the pixel electrodes and surrounding the corresponding pixel electrodes. The common electrode is disposed between the first electrodes and the first substrate and between the pixel electrode and the first substrate. A touch display device having the pixel matrix and the driving method thereof are also provided.
US09235284B2
Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for controlling a user interface having a touch screen which includes an input and output unit having a touch screen, a camera which is installed to be separated from the input and output unit, and obtains at least one of an image data corresponding to a space within a critical distance from a front of the touch screen, and a controller which verifies an expected touch position of an object when a movement of the object is detected in the space as a result of an analysis of the image data, and controls the input and output unit to enlarge and output an area corresponding to the expected touch position.
US09235279B2
An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a wake up method and an optical input device using the same. The method includes the following steps. A first image is captured and set as a reference frame when the optical input device enters a sleep mode. A second image is captured and set as a compare frame while the optical input device operates in the sleep mode. The second frame is further being compared with the reference frame to generate a histogram difference. Subsequently, whether a peak histogram value of the histogram difference is less than a predetermined threshold is determined. When the determined that the peak histogram value is less than the predetermine threshold, configures the optical input device to operate in an active mode.
US09235278B1
An electronic device can be configured to enable a user to provide input via a tap of the device without the use of touch sensors (e.g., resistive, capacitive, ultrasonic or other acoustic, infrared or other optical, or piezoelectric touch technologies) and/or mechanical switches. Such a device can include other sensors, including inertial sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, or a combination thereof), microphones, proximity sensors, ambient light sensors, and/or cameras, among others, that can be used to capture respective sensor data. Feature values with respect to the respective sensor data can be extracted, and the feature values can be analyzed using machine learning to determine when the user has tapped on the electronic device. Detection of a single tap or multiple taps performed on the electronic device can be utilized to control the device.
US09235276B1
A transaction automation and archival system is provided for controlling, real-time logging, and archiving complex commercial transactions such as the purchase and financing of an automobile. An electronic contract disclosure unit or ECDU includes a digitizing video display for imaging the various documents involved in the transaction and a digitizer for allowing participants to sign, indicate choices, and otherwise interact directly on documents and images presented on the display. A computer controls the progress of the transaction, controlling, for example, the order of presentation of documents to a vehicle purchaser, receiving signatures on the displayed documents, offering choices of various packages to the purchaser, and insuring that the transaction is carried out properly. The transaction is logged for future review which may include a video record. One or more fingerprint readers allow participants to select between options while simultaneously verifying the identity of the individual making the selection.
US09235275B2
An apparatus can include a processor; memory operatively coupled to the processor; a touchscreen display operatively coupled to the processor; a stylus that includes a first axial end, a second axial end and an axially translatable grip; and a housing that includes a stylus socket for docking the stylus. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
US09235274B1
The present invention is directed to a low-profile or ultra-thin navigational pointing device incorporating haptic feedback related to the hardware designs, and sensor optimization relative to the functionally of joysticks, computer mice, gaming equipment, cell phones, personal digital assistants, telecommunications equipment, entertainment equipment, and other electronic pointing devices requiring height profiles of 5 mm or less. In one embodiment, a device in accordance with the present invention includes a support structure component, a read component, a sensor component, and a capture enclosure component. The read component is coupled to the support structure, and the sensor component is coupled to the capture enclosure where it is positioned in close proximity to the read component by capture enclosure.
US09235273B2
A user interface device including a non-flexible part; at least one flexible part coupled to the non-flexible part; and at least one sensor, for detecting bending of a respective flexible part with respect to the non-flexible part, and for producing a command in response to sensing bending of the respective flexible part.
US09235272B1
A method includes receiving a first input through a hands-based input device. A prompt is then output, and input responsive to the prompt may be received through either of a hands-based input device or a hands-free input device. Responsive to receiving a second input through a hands-free input device, a determination that the second input is responsive to the prompt may be made, an operation based on the second input may be performed, and cessation of the output of the prompt may occur.
US09235269B2
A method for manipulating a user interface within a vehicle using finger valleys includes receiving, by a controller, a captured image and detecting finger valleys from the captured image. In addition a hand gesture is recognized by the controller using the finger valleys and a vehicle equipment operation that corresponds to the recognized hand gesture is selected. Accordingly, the passenger is able to manipulate a vehicle steering wheel with one hand and look forward while operating many in-vehicle electronic devices with simple motions of the other hand, thereby improving passengers' convenience and driving safety.
US09235267B2
Methods and systems for processing touch inputs are disclosed. The invention in one respect includes reading data from a multi-touch sensing device such as a multi-touch touch screen where the data pertains to touch input with respect to the multi-touch sensing device, and identifying at least one multi-touch gesture based on the data from the multi-touch sensing device and providing an appropriate multi-haptic response.
US09235265B2
A tactile feedback actuator includes a first electrode and a second electrode separated by a gap, and a surface layer above the first and second electrodes. The first electrode receives a first stimulus voltage at a first frequency and the second electrode receives a second stimulus voltage at a second frequency, and the first and second electrodes superimpose the first and second stimulus voltages to generate a total voltage that has a beat frequency less than a perception threshold frequency. An object in contact with a portion of the surface layer is caused to vibrate at the beat frequency. The first electrode and the second electrode may constitute an electrode array including a plurality of column electrode segments, and a plurality of row electrode segments. An object in contact with a portion of the surface layer above one or more electrode segments is caused to vibrate at the beat frequency.
US09235263B2
An information processing device includes a collecting unit that collects biological information of a first user and a second user. The information processing device includes a specifying unit that specifies an emotion of the first user toward the second user and an emotion of the second user toward the first user using the biological information acquired by the collecting unit. The information processing device includes a determining unit that determines whether or not to provide information on the second user to the first user based on respective emotions specified by the specifying unit.
US09235253B2
A power control system for saving power by powering on enough application servers to satisfy the current load workload as well as any required reserve capacity based on administrative settings is disclosed. As the load increases, more servers are powered on. As the load decreases some servers are powered off. The power control system provides a reasonable end user experience at the least cost based on power consumption of the servers.
US09235245B2
The various implementations described herein include systems, methods and/or devices used to protect data in a storage device. In one aspect, a method includes (1) powering a power control processor (PCP) (also sometimes called a storage-level microcontroller) using a first input voltage, (2) while the PCP is powered using the first input voltage: (a) operating the PCP in a first mode, and (b) enabling charging of an energy storage device, (3) after achieving a predefined internal state, which includes the energy storage device charged to a predefined level, powering the PCP using a power supply voltage distinct from the first input voltage, and (4) while the PCP is powered using the power supply voltage, operating the PCP in a second mode, where the PCP operates at a higher performance level in the second mode than in the first mode.
US09235243B2
Techniques are provided for optimizing performance of a processor. The techniques may be embodied as a method, an electronic device or a computer-readable storage media with instructions executable to perform the method. In summary, processing operations performed by a processor are identified. Each of the processing operations is evaluated to determine a resulting thermal profile associated with each of the processing operations. Based on the thermal profile associated with each of the processing operations, one or more of the processing operations are grouped in a set of processing operations to be performed together between idle times of the processor. The processing operations in the set are performed at a second speed that is higher than a first speed.
US09235242B2
A heat dissipating module having enhanced heat dissipating efficiency is disclosed. The heat dissipating module includes a heat dissipating member, a base and an air guiding member. The heat dissipating member is installed on a first electronic component for dissipating heat generated by the first electronic component. The base is installed on a side of the heat dissipating member, and the air guiding member is connected to the base. The air guiding member and the base cooperatively guide an air flow passing through the heat dissipating member to a second electronic component located on a side of the first electronic component.
US09235233B2
Methods and devices for selectively presenting a virtual keyboard are provided. More particularly, a change in the operating mode of a multiple screen device between a multiple screen operating mode and a single screen operating mode can be determined. Moreover, a change in the operating mode can effect a change in a presentation of a virtual keyboard. More particularly, a presentation of a virtual keyboard can be discontinued in response to a change in the operating mode of the device, where an application that had keyboard focus prior to the change is, after the change, no longer in view of the user.
US09235223B2
An adapter-converter assembly for use with an electrical outlet is disclosed including a main body having a first, second and third universal female outlets defining first, second and third outlet configurations, and a first male plug defining a first plug configuration. A second body has a fourth universal female outlet defining the second outlet configuration and a second male plug defining a second plug configuration. The second male plug is receivable in at least one of the female outlets and the fourth female outlet is configured to receive the first male plug. A third body has a fifth universal female outlet defining the third outlet configuration and a third male plug defining a third plug configuration. The third male plug receivable in at least one of the first, second and third female outlets and the fifth female outlet is configured to receive the first male plug.
US09235211B2
A method and arrangement are described for handover warning in a vehicle having autonomous driving capabilities and a vehicle controller configured to control unmanned autonomous travel. A processor may be configured to monitor if there is a need to transition from unmanned autonomous travel to manual control of the vehicle. A detecting arrangement may be configured to monitor a vehicle driver and evaluate the vehicle driver's readiness to assume the act of driving the vehicle. A warning arrangement may be configured to provide warning information when driver-handover is requested by the processor, which warning arrangement may be further configured to adapt warning information timing in respect to the evaluated vehicle driver's readiness to assume the act of driving the vehicle. A warning output system may be configured to output the time adapted warning information to a vehicle passenger compartment.
US09235199B2
Prior to machining a workpiece, a warm-up control device for a machine tool is activated to perform a warm-up in which a main shaft rotary drive part and axes drive parts are driven. The amount of displacement of heat that is generated upon starting of the warm-up and changes with time is calculated every predetermined time period. Whether to end the warm-up is determined based on the thermal displacement amount. Whether to restart the warm-up after the end of the warm-up is determined based on the thermal displacement amount. When it is determined to restart the warm-up, the warm-up is restarted.
US09235194B2
An elapsed time indicator (2), comprises an activator arrangement (25) comprising a fluid reservoir (20) and a conduit (22) configured to provide a predetermined flow rate of fluid (21) along the conduit (22). The elapsed time indicator (2) further comprises a visual display arrangement (18) configured to change appearance on exposure to the fluid (21). The conduit (22) connects the fluid reservoir (20) to the visual display arrangement (18). The activator arrangement (25) is configured to release fluid (21) from the fluid reservoir (20) in response to an activation event to permit the fluid (21) to flow.
US09235193B2
A temperature compensation-type balance includes a balance staff, and a balance wheel having a plurality of bimetal portions disposed in parallel to each other in a circumferential direction around a rotation axis of the balance staff. Connection members connect respective ones of the plurality of bimetal portions and the balance staff. Each bimetal portion is a layered body in which a first member and a second member are radially overlapped, and one end portion in the circumferential direction is a fixed end connected to a respective connection member and the other end portion in the circumferential direction is a free end. The first member is formed of a ceramic material, and the second member is formed of a metal material having a thermal expansion coefficient different from that of the first member.
US09235190B2
An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a fixing device, and a fan. The fixing device includes a heating member, a pressing member, and a frame. The heating member includes a heater configured to generate heat, a cylindrical member storing the heater therein, and first and second support terminals disposed at first and second ends of the heater, respectively, in a longitudinal direction of the heater, the first and second support terminals supporting the heater. The frame is made of resin, and includes a first support terminal supporting portion supporting the first support terminal of the heater and a second support terminal supporting portion supporting the second support terminal of the heater. The frame further includes a duct portion disposed proximate to the first support terminal supporting portion, the duct portion through which air flows to the fan.
US09235187B2
A removal device includes a scraping member extending in a crossing direction that crosses a movement direction in which a cleaning object moves, the scraping member scraping waste off a surface of the cleaning object at a contact portion of the scraping member that is in contact with the surface; and a pair of sealing members disposed on both outer sides of the scraping member in the crossing direction and sealing the both outer sides by contacting the surface. Each of the sealing members includes a protruding portion that protrudes beyond the contact portion upstream in the movement direction of the cleaning object. The protruding portion has a slit that extends diagonally from an edge of the protruding portion outward in the crossing direction and upstream in the movement direction, the edge facing inward in the crossing direction.
US09235185B2
An image forming apparatus includes a shield case in which a circuit board mounted with an electric circuit is contained. The shield case has an electrical conductive case main body and an electrical conductive lid member. The case main body has an aperture formed in a part of one face. The lid member has one end turnably supported by the case main body and the other end fastened to the case main body by a screw when the aperture is closed. The case main body and lid member have an engaged part and an engaging part engaged with each other when the aperture is closed. The engaging part is formed so as to clamp the engaged part. The shield case is configured so that contact force between the engaging part and engaged part is increased, if the screw is rotated in a fastening direction when the aperture is closed.
US09235180B2
A fixing device thermally fixes an unfixed toner image onto a recording sheet and includes: a rotatable heating element that is endless and includes a resistive heating layer that generates heat upon application of voltage; a power source for placing voltage across the resistive heating layer; an ammeter for measuring the electric current flowing through the resistive heating layer, and a controller for determining whether the resistive heating layer has a scratch by monitoring an amount of change between a value of electric current that flows through the resistive heating in absence of a scratch and a value of electric current actually measured by the ammeter. The resistive heating layer exhibits resistivity anisotropy satisfying R1
US09235173B2
A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring member, a pressing member, a guiding member, a cap member, an elastic member and a detecting mechanism. The pressing member includes a pressing face pressing the fixing belt to a side of the pressuring member. The fixing belt includes a bulging part arranged at the downstream side from a fixing nip in a conveying direction. The cap member includes a facing part facing to the bulging part. Before the pressuring member comes into pressure contact with the fixing belt, a gap is arranged between the bulging part and facing part. When the pressuring member comes into pressure contact with the fixing belt, the bulging part bulges toward an external diameter side of the fixing belt to fill up the gap and the cap member is held by an end part of the fixing belt via the elastic member.
US09235169B2
An image forming apparatus is provided in which an application of air for separating a sheet from a fixing section can be performed in a stable manner with an appropriate air quantity and air velocity. In the image forming apparatus, a control section sets, on the basis of an individual difference of a separation fan motor, a fan motor drive condition for a sheet passing period in which the sheet passes through a nip portion N, and the control section maintains the fan motor drive condition thus set throughout the sheet passing period.
US09235167B2
An image heating apparatus includes: a rotating mechanism for rotating a belt unit in a direction for returning a belt into a predetermined zone; a displacing mechanism for permitting a first supporting member to be displaced in a direction for substantially equalizing forces, from the first supporting member, urging the belt toward a rotatable heating member at opposite end portions of the first supporting member with respect to a belt widthwise direction and to permit a second supporting member to be displaced in a direction for substantially equalizing forces, from the second supporting member, urging the belt toward the rotatable heating member at opposite end portions of the second supporting member; and a limiting mechanism for limiting the amount of the displacement permitted by the displacing mechanism within a predetermined amount.
US09235166B2
A heater of the present invention includes jointed heat generating resistors having a positive temperature characteristic of resistance and provided between a first conductive element and a second conductive element on a substrate in a longitudinal direction of the substrate, and a plurality of heating blocks provided in the longitudinal direction, each of which is a set of the first conductive element, the second conductive element, and the heat generating resistor, and power supplied to at least one of the plurality of heating blocks can be controlled independent of other heating blocks.
US09235163B2
A development device includes a development case, a first agitating/conveying member and a second agitating/conveying member. The first agitating/conveying member is arranged below the second agitating/conveying member to convey the developer in a first direction. The second agitating/conveying member conveys the developer in a second direction as an opposite direction to the first direction to supply the developer to the developer carrier. The development case includes a first conveyance chamber, a second conveyance chamber, a first communicating portion communicating end parts of the first conveyance chamber and second conveyance chamber in the first direction, and a second communicating portion communicating end parts of the first conveyance chamber and second conveyance chamber in the second direction. The developer carrier has a first ferromagnetic area having magnetic force stronger than another area of the developer carrier, in which the first ferromagnetic area corresponds to the first communicating portion.
US09235125B2
A method of forming a patterned chemical epitaxy template, for orientation of a self-assemblable block copolymer including first and second polymer blocks, on a surface of a substrate, the method including applying a primer layer of a primer composition to the surface, the primer composition including a first polymer moiety having a chemical affinity with the first polymer blocks and a second polymer moiety having a chemical affinity with the second polymer blocks, selectively exposing the surface, the primer layer and any overlying layer to actinic radiation to provide exposed and unexposed regions, to render labile the first polymer moiety in the exposed region, and removing the labile first polymer moiety from the exposed region to deplete the primer layer surface in the exposed region of first polymer moiety to form the patterned chemical epitaxy template.
US09235114B2
A reflective mask includes a substrate and a multilayer reflective film formed on the substrate. An absorption pattern is formed on the multilayer reflective film. A recess is formed in the multilayer reflective film in a peripheral region of the absorption pattern.
US09235112B2
A projector and a method for operating the projector are provided, in which an optical module alternately emits first image information and second image information at intervals, and an optical path switch is installed to be switched on or off from a traveling path of the first and second image information emitted from the optical module.
US09235105B2
The present invention provides a tunable optical frequency converter based on a phase modulator, which comprises a laser, a first optical isolator and a circulating frequency shift module. Said circulating frequency shift module is composed of an optical coupler, a phase modulator, an optical amplifier, a second optical isolator, a first optical circulator, an optical fiber Bragg grating, a second optical circulator, a tunable filter and a tunable attenuator. Light outputted by said laser is inputted to said circulating frequency shift module to conduct frequency converting repeatedly after passing through the first optical isolator, and then separated by a tunable filter and a second optical circulator, then the frequency converted light is outputted from the port of the circulating frequency shift module. The frequency converter provided in the present invention has a compact volume and fewer optical components, which means it is easy to be integrated, a big frequency converting range, a high frequency converting efficiency and a high output power.
US09235099B2
Variable transmittance optical filters capable of transitioning from a light state to a dark state on exposure to UV radiation and from a dark state to a light state with application of an electric voltage are provided. The optical filters comprise a switching material that comprises one or more chromophores that have electrochromic and photochromic properties.
US09235091B2
Provided is a liquid crystal display device, including: a first substrate and a second substrate. On the second substrate, a plurality of gate signal lines, a plurality of data signal lines, a plurality of pixel electrodes provided correspondingly to a plurality of pixels, and a common electrode provided so as to be opposed to the pixel electrodes are formed. An interline pitch of the gate signal lines is smaller than an interline pitch of the data signal lines. In each of the pixels, the pixel electrode overlaps, in plan view, gate signal lines adjacent to the pixel electrode.
US09235087B2
An active matrix structure including a substrate, a plurality of active devices, and a plurality of pixel electrodes is provided. The active devices are disposed on the substrate. The pixel electrodes are respectively electrically connected to the active devices and arranged in an array. The active matrix structure has a display area, and each of the pixel electrodes has at least one slanted side inclined with respect to all sides of the display area. A liquid crystal display panel is also provided.
US09235086B2
In one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate arranged facing the first substrate with a gap. A plurality of pixels is arranged in a matrix of a first direction and a second direction orthogonally crossing the first direction. The length of the pixel along the first direction is shorter than that along the second direction. Each pixel includes a main pixel electrode formed on the first substrate extending in the second direction, and main common electrodes formed on the second substrate extending in the second direction and arranged so as to sandwich the main pixel electrode in the first direction. Further, each pixel includes a plurality of regions in which an inter-electrode distance between the main pixel electrode and the main common electrode in the first direction differs mutually in the respective regions.
US09235085B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes first and second substrates facing each other, each of the first and second substrates having a first substrate having a display region, a non-display region, and a seal pattern region disposed in the non-display region; a protection layer on the first substrate and having a first seal pattern groove in the seal pattern region; first and second dams on the second substrate and respectively disposed at both ends of the first seal pattern groove, the first and second dams configured to form a second seal pattern groove corresponding to the first seal pattern groove; a pixel electrode on the first substrate; a common electrode on one of the first and second substrates; a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates; and a seal pattern having one end inserted into the first seal pattern groove and the other end inserted into the second seal pattern groove.
US09235081B2
A display device includes a lens with an adjustable refractive index. The display device includes a display panel including a plurality of pixels, a backlight unit positioned at a back side of the display panel to emit light of a first color and light of a second color to the display panel at different times, the first color and the second color being different from each other; and a lens unit positioned at a front side of the display panel to form at least one lens in a 3D mode. The lens unit includes a plurality of electrodes for adjusting a refractive index of the lens, and a signal applied to the electrodes when the backlight unit emits the light of the first color is different from a signal applied to the electrodes when the backlight unit emits the light of the second color.
US09235077B2
A liquid crystal display includes: a first display panel, a second display panel having a lower surface that faces the first display panel and an opposing an upper surface of the second display panel, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first display panel and the second display panel, a first resistive layer disposed on the upper surface of the second display panel and extending in a first direction, a pressure sensing layer disposed on the first resistive layer, and a second resistive layer disposed on the pressure sensing layer and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction.
US09235068B2
A semiconductor electro-optical phase shifter may include a first optical action zone having a minimum doping level, a first lateral zone and a central zone flanking the first optical action zone along a first axis, doped respectively at first and second conductivity types so as to form a P-I-N junction between the first lateral zone and the central zone. The phase shifter may include a second optical action zone having a threshold doping level, and a second lateral zone flanking the second optical action zone with the central zone along the first axis doped at the first conductivity type so as to form a P-I-N junction between the second lateral zone and the central zone.
US09235062B1
The shooting headwear is constructed with a set of protective eyewear that is telescopically attached to a pair of protective earmuffs. The pair of protective earmuffs attach to one another via a tilting head strap that is rotatably engaged so as to adjust to the contours of the head of the end user. The earmuffs each include a set of detachable ear pads that enhance comfort and remove perspiration. The protective eyewear is placed across the ridge of the nose of the end user, and aids in securing the protective earmuffs directly onto the ears of the end user. The protective eyewear includes telescoping armatures that can adjust telescopically with respect to the protective earmuffs. Also, the telescoping armatures of the protective eyewear are able to pivot so as to adjust to the particulars of the end user.
US09235054B2
The present invention provides an optical surface which is able to mix different wavelengths into a light pattern which contains all wavelengths evenly distributed across the pattern. The novel optical surface extends in at least two Cartesian base dimensions (X, Y), whereby a cross-section of the surface taken in either of said two Cartesian base dimensions (X, Y) features a first plurality of protuberances which extend to the same direction in a third Cartesian dimension (Z). The cross-section of the optical surface also features a second plurality of protuberances which extend to the opposite direction as the first plurality of protuberances in the third Cartesian dimension (Z). The pluralities of protuberances form converging and diverging optical shapes for mixing different wavelengths scattering from the optical surface.
US09235048B2
The present invention relates to systems and methods for reducing fouling of a surface of an optically transparent element with a light source. According to one aspect, the invention is a system including an LED for emitting UV-C radiation, a mount for directing emitted UV-C radiation toward the optically transparent element, and control circuitry for driving the LED. The system may be used to remove a desired amount of biofilm.
US09235042B2
An eyepiece optical system substantially composed of a first lens having a positive refractive power with a convex surface on the eye point side, a second lens having a negative refractive power with a concave surface on the object side, and a third lens having a positive refractive power with an absolute value of radius of curvature of the eye point side surface being smaller than an absolute value of radius of curvature of the object side surface, disposed in order from the object side. The first lens to the third lens are all single lenses and, when the average refractive index of the first lens to the third lens is taken as NdH, the eyepiece optical system satisfies a conditional expression (1): 1.80
US09235036B2
A zoom lens includes a first lens group having positive refractive power, a second lens group having negative refractive power, a third lens group having positive refractive power, a fourth lens group which has negative refractive power and is configured with only a single lens, and a fifth lens group having positive refractive power, which are arranged in order from an object side to an image side. During zooming, at least the first lens group, the second lens group, the third lens group, and the fourth lens group are movable in an optical axis direction. Focusing from infinity to a close range is performed by the fourth lens group being moved in the optical axis direction. At least one of following conditional expressions (1) and (2) is satisfied. −11.0
US09235031B2
A wide-angle image taking lens system includes an aperture stop and an optical assembly including: in order from an object side to an image side: first, second, third, fourth and fifth lens elements, the system has a total of five lens elements with refractive power, wherein Abbe numbers of the first and fifth lens element are V1, V5, a distance along an optical axis between the first and second lens element is T12, a central thickness of the first lens element is CT1, focal lengths of the system, second and third lens elements are f, f2, f3, maximum effective diameters of an object-side surface of the first lens element and an image-side surface of the fifth lens element are CA11, CA52, satisfying: 1.5
US09235024B2
A lens barrel comprises an outer frame and an inner frame. The lens barrel has a first state, a second state, and a third state during operation in which the outer frame and the inner frame rotate relatively. In the first state, a first cam follower is guided by a first cam. In the second state, the first cam follower is guided by the first cam, and a second cam follower is guided by a second cam. In the third state, the second cam follower is guided by the second cam. In the third state, at least part of the first cam follower enters a space formed by a recess portion or a hole portion.
US09235016B2
The electronic device with cable includes a circuit substrate provided with a heat generating element mounted thereon, an electrical connector connected to one end of the circuit substrate, a cable that is connected to the other end of the circuit substrate, heat conducting sheets and disposed in the circuit substrate, a first metal housing including an accommodation portion accommodating the electrical connector and a pair of wall portions communicating with the accommodation portion, a second metal housing fitted to the first metal housing so as to cover a one-side opening of the pair of wall portions, and a third metal housing fitted to the second metal housing so as to cover the other-side opening of the pair of wall portions. The cable and the first metal housing are thermally connected to each other.
US09235015B2
A heat dissipation system and method are embodied in an optical subassembly (OSA) that mechanically couples with an electrical subassembly (ESA) of an optical communications module. When the OSA is coupled with the ESA, a heat dissipation block that is embedded in the OSA is spaced apart from components of the ESA by a small air gap. At least a portion of the heat that is generated by one or more of these components passes into the heat dissipation block, which extends through top and bottom surfaces of the OSA. Because the heat dissipation block never makes physical contact with the ESA or with components of the ESA, there is no risk of the block damaging the ESA or detrimentally affecting the electrical performance of the module.
US09235013B1
An optical communications module includes a receptacle with a stop member. The receptacle has a keyway and a latchway. The keyway is configured to receive and guide a body of the connector plug in a direction along a keyway axis. The latchway is defined by a total flexure range of the flexible latch arm between a fully flexed state and a fully relaxed state. The latchway is configured to receive and guide the flexible latch arm through a range of movement having a directional component perpendicular to the keyway axis. The stop member extends from a wall of the receptacle into the latchway. The stop member is configured to restrain the flexible latch arm in a latched state between the fully flexed state and the fully relaxed state.
US09235012B1
An optical communication module includes an optical transmitter, an optical coupling lens, and an optical fiber. The optical coupling lens includes a first surface, a second surface, a reflection surface, a first lens unit, and a second lens unit. An included angle between the first surface and the second surface is 82 degrees. An included angle between the first surface and the reflection surface is 45 degrees. The first lens unit is positioned on the first surface. The second lens unit is positioned on the second surface. The optical transmitter is positioned towards the first surface and aligned with the first lens unit. An optical fiber is positioned towards the second surface and aligned with the second lens unit.
US09235005B2
A method of fusion-splicing includes attaching a stab to a stub cap having a non-axisymmetric structure, positioning an embedded optical fiber to a fusion splicing working part by fixing the stub cap thereto; positioning an outside optical fiber to the fusion splicing working part; fusion-splicing the embedded optical fiber and the outside optical fiber; repositioning the embedded optical fiber to a reinforcing working part by fixing the stub cap thereto and repositioning the outside optical fiber to the reinforcing working part such that a relative positional relationship between the embedded optical fiber and the outside optical fiber becomes the same as that at the fusion splicing working part; and reinforcing a spliced portion between the embedded optical fiber and the outside optical fiber while a tension is applied to the embedded optical fiber and the outside optical fiber.
US09235004B2
A process and apparatus for cleaving an optical fiber are provided. The process includes window stripping the optical fiber using a laser source to create a window strip. The window stripped optical fiber is then scribed at a position within the window strip and tension is applied to the optical fiber. The cleaved optical fiber can be chamfered by applying a heat source to the cleaved end face. The above process and apparatus provide a high precision and inexpensive system for fiber cleaving and chamfering.
US09235003B2
Provided is a waveguide-type polarization beam splitter in which deterioration of a polarization extinction ratio due to temperature change and wavelength change is suppressed. A groove is formed to extend across a pair of optical waveguide arms and two quarter wave plates are provided in the groove to extend respectively across the arms. Polarization axes of the quarter wave plates are orthogonal to each other. A first optical coupler which gives a phase difference of 0° or 180° between coupled or split light beams and a second optical coupler which gives a phase difference of 90° or −90° between coupled or split light beams are used in combination.
US09234993B2
A backlight module includes a light source unit, an optical fiber, a diverging lens and a light guide unit. The light source unit includes a first light source emitting red light, a second light source emitting green light and a third light source emitting blue light. The optical fiber includes a first, second, and third incident branches and a light output portion. The three incident branches converge into the light output portion and are aligned with the three light sources to guide and mix red, blue, and green light to form white light. The diverging lens is aligned with the light output portion to receive and diverge the white light. The light guide unit faces the diverging lens to receive the white light.
US09234991B2
Highly-compliant polymer-based resonant diffraction gratings, and methods of use thereof, are provided. In one illustrative embodiment, an amount of pressure applied to a grating surface may be determined by straining a grating, adapted to move into a plurality of pitches, to an applied pitch in the plurality of pitches in response to an application of strain onto a surface adjacent the grating. Electromagnetic radiation comprising a plurality of wavelengths may be applied to the grating, and a resonance wavelength, in the plurality of wavelengths, may be identified while the strain is applied to the grating. The amount of strain applied to the grating surface may then be determined based on the resonant wavelength.
US09234983B2
A rain sensor equipped to a transparent substrate includes a light emitter emitting irradiation lights toward the transparent substrate, light receivers receiving reflected lights of the irradiation lights being reflected on the transparent substrate, a defining section defining an incident angle of each reflected light with respect to each light receiver, and a detection section detecting rainfall amount based on signals output from the light receivers. The light emitter emits the irradiation lights toward an irradiation region defined on the transparent substrate. The irradiation region is divided into multiple detection regions. The detection regions correspond to respective light receivers. The defining section defines the incident angle of each reflected light reflected on the detection region such that each reflected light enters corresponding light receiver. The detection section detects the rainfall amount based on the signals output from the light receivers corresponding to the irradiation regions.
US09234981B2
A method for communicating data in an offshore data communication system comprises measuring L/MWD data with a sensor disposed in a bottomhole assembly positioned in a subsea borehole. The bottomhole assembly is disposed along a drillstring extending through the subsea borehole. In addition, the method comprises communicating the L/MWD data from the bottomhole assembly to the seafloor with a telemetry signal. Further, the method comprises receiving the telemetry signal with at least one telemetry transducer positioned proximal the sea floor. Still further, the method comprises processing the telemetry signal at the seafloor to produce a processed signal. Moreover, the method comprises transmitting the processed signal from the sea floor to the sea surface.
US09234975B2
Computing device and method for determining primary and ghost components from recorded P-waves. The method includes receiving seismic data (R, V) with regard to the P-waves, wherein the seismic data includes vertical and radial components recorded with a buried two-component receiver; calculating with a processor a primary component (P) and a ghost component (G) from the vertical and radial components; and computing an image of a subsurface based on the primary and ghost components (P, G). The P-waves form a plane wave.
US09234974B2
Apparatus for identifying rock properties in real-time during drilling, are provided. An example of an embodiment of such an apparatus includes one or more acoustic sensors positioned to detect drill sounds emanating from the drill bit and the rock encountered during drilling operations, connected to select components of a drilling rig to maximally pick up the drill sounds of the drill bit engaging rock during drilling operations. The apparatus also includes an inductive telemetry, wireless telemetry, or wired transmitting system. The apparatus also includes a computer to analyze the acoustic signals received from the acoustic sensors through the respective transmitting system for lithology type and petrophysical properties.
US09234971B2
A monofrequency signal is used to record signature properties of subsurface reservoir formations. While recording conventional Vibroseis data after certain prescribed distances, the monofrequency signal is transmitted to evaluate the presence of reservoir rocks underneath that source location. When a compressional wave travels through a permeable and fluid-saturated reservoir formation, the Drag Wave travels through reservoir fluid interconnections at a slower velocity than the compressional wave in the rock matrix. Due to the Doppler Effect, a unique lower frequency is generated. This lower frequency becomes an indicator of the presence of reservoir formations. Its character depends on the tortuosity of pore interconnections, presence of pore fluids, and permeability. A transfer function is calculated to convert the swept frequency signal used for conventional seismic recording. This converted swept frequency signal is cross-correlated with the normally recorded signal. Only the presence of the reservoir formation is highlighted; non-reservoir formations are not displayed.
US09234963B2
A method of locating a weapon includes detecting a weapon firing event with an optical sensor, the detected weapon firing event indicative of a detected firing of the weapon and indicative of a detected time of the weapon firing event. The method also includes detecting a projectile fired from the weapon with a radar system. The method also includes calculating a state vector associated with the projectile detection. The method also includes identifying a location of the weapon by backtracking the state vector to the detected time of the weapon firing event time. The method also includes communicating the location of the weapon. A system that implements the method is also described.
US09234946B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a clock-signal control circuit controlling intensity-signal output, which is output from a signal processing circuit, to be stopped in at least a forward outage time and a backward outage time. The forward outage time is previous to an apex point of a triangular wave and having 1 to 5% of a triangular wave period. The backward outage time is subsequent to the apex point of the triangular wave and having 1 to 5% of a triangular wave period.
US09234943B2
A sensor for monitoring battery current includes a shunt and a current source. The shunt has a resistance with an actual value. The current source is configured to provide a known value of current through the shunt. A controller is configured to generate a measured value of the current through the shunt as a function of a measured value of voltage drop across the shunt caused by the current through the shunt and an assumed value of the resistance of the shunt. The controller is further configured to detect the assumed value of the resistance of the shunt as being different than the actual value of the resistance of the shunt when the known and measured values of the current differ.
US09234942B2
A method and apparatus for conducting a transition test of a source synchronous interface is disclosed. A system includes a source synchronous transmitter and source synchronous receiver. The source synchronous transmitter includes a first scannable flop having an output coupled to a data input of a second scannable flop in the source synchronous receiver. During a transition test, the source synchronous transmitter is configured to transmit data from the first scannable flop to the second scannable flop, along with a clock signal at an operational clock speed. The first scannable flop is coupled to feedback circuitry configured to cause transitions of the transmitted data. The second scannable flop may capture the transmitted data. The captured data may be subsequently used to determine if the desired transitions were detected by the second scannable flop.
US09234934B2
An inspecting device serves to inspect a solar cell. The inspecting device includes an irradiation part for irradiating with pulsed light and a detection part having a detector for detecting an electromagnetic wave pulse radiated from the solar cell depending on the irradiation with the pulsed light. The detector detects an electric field intensity of the electromagnetic wave pulse depending on irradiation with probe light emitted from a light source (a femtosecond laser) of the pulsed light. Moreover, the inspecting device includes a delay part for delaying a timing for detecting the electromagnetic wave pulse in the detector. Furthermore, the inspecting device includes an electromagnetic wave pulse analysis part for detecting a negative peak of the electric field intensity in a temporal waveform of the electromagnetic wave pulse.
US09234932B2
This technology is directed to a method and apparatus for monitoring or testing defects associated with an ion lens connected within a mass spectrometer. In some implementations, the testing mechanism monitors a connection of one or more ion lenses configured in the mass spectrometer to determine if voltage is effectively applied to the ion lens. The testing circuit of the present technology includes at least one Zener diode added to the voltage divider and monitoring a change in slope of the applied voltage versus the voltage at the read-back circuit. The change in slope may be easily measured.
US09234930B2
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to determination of physical connectivity status of devices based on electrical measurement. An embodiment of a method includes discovering a connection of a first device with a second device, and performing an electrical measurement of the second device by the first device via the connection between the first device and the second device, where performing the electrical measurement includes sensing by the first device of an element of the second device. The method further includes, if the sensing by the first device fails to detect the element of the second device and a predetermined condition for the electrical measurement is enabled, then determining by the first device that the connection with the second device has been lost.
US09234929B2
Monitoring method and system and integrated monitoring device for antenna oscillator of base station
Disclosed are a monitoring method and system and an integrated monitoring device for an antenna oscillator of a base station, which are used to monitor whether an anomaly occurs in the antenna oscillator of the base station. The monitoring method for an antenna oscillator of a base station in the present invention comprises: performing wave detection and analog-to-digital conversion on an obtained transmission signal of the antenna oscillator of the base station, to acquire a digital signal of a direct-current signal of the transmission signal; determining the amplitude of changes of the digital signal in a set time length, and when the amplitude of the changes is greater than a preset amplitude change threshold, determining that an anomaly occurs in the antenna oscillator; otherwise, determining that the antenna element is normal.
US09234927B2
A measuring device including a control device, at least two ports, at least two measurement channels and at least two display devices. The control device assigns ports to the measurement channels and connects the measurement channels to these ports internally, at least logically. In this context, one display device is assigned to every port. The display devices allocated to the ports display information, which relates to the present assignment and/or utilization of the respective ports.
US09234923B2
To provide a signal processing device which enable the user to rapidly repeat an operation of changing to a different resolution with a fingertip touch in the line of sight to a displayed graph. A display unit 31 that displays a graph, a touch panel 32 that is provided so as to correspond to a display screen 31a and includes a touch sensor for outputting positional information associated with a touch operation, and a parameter data table 44 that stores a plurality of processing parameters corresponding to each positional information item. A control unit 50 includes a processing parameter output unit 54 that reads the processing parameter corresponding to the positional information from the parameter data table 44 and outputs the processing parameter to the processing parameter setting unit 21, if the positional information is input.
US09234921B2
A storage device includes a first measurement unit, a second measurement unit, and a collection unit. The first measurement unit measures electric power consumed in each of a plurality of memory devices. The second measurement unit measures electric power consumed in a control unit controlling access from an information processing apparatus to the plurality of memory devices. The collection unit collects first information regarding the electric power measured by the first measurement unit and second information regarding the electric power measured by the second measurement unit.
US09234915B2
Apparatus are provided for use in testing circuit boards. A signal sensing device includes one or more probes. Each probe includes a length of rigid coaxial conductor configured to define a sensing pin at one end. A circuit board defines a number of through vias lined in metal and configured to receive the sensing pin of a corresponding probe. The signal sensing device also includes a ground pin. Electrical pathways extending away from adjacent pairs of the through vias can be tested for electrical impedance and other signal propagating characteristics by way of the signal sensing device.
US09234910B2
To determine a state of motion of a vehicle comprising an acceleration sensor, a vibration signal is determined as a function of a measurement signal of the acceleration sensor. The vibration signal is representative of vibrations of the vehicle. A determination is made as to whether the vehicle is at a standstill or whether the vehicle is moving, such determination made by comparing the vibration signal with at least one pre-determined threshold value.
US09234906B2
Provided herein is a carryover-reducing liquid handling probe for an analytical system, incorporating a rigid sheath and a polymer core that extends from the sheath to act as the fluid contact surface.
US09234898B1
A method for the detection of an early biomarker for assessing a change in renal status in a mammalian subject following a renal event. The method typically includes the steps of (a) providing a body fluid sample obtained from a mammalian subject; (b) analyzing the molecular weight of the proteins in the sample using proteome analysis; and (c) identifying the presence of a protein in the sample selected from the group consisting of a 6.4 kDa protein, a 28.5 kDa protein, a 33 kDa protein, a 44 kDa protein, a 67 kDa protein, and combinations thereof. The presence of one of these proteins can serve as an early biomarker for assessing a change in renal status. The levels of these proteins can be compared to predetermined levels, and thus provide a determination of the subject's renal status. The invention also includes a method of assessing the administration of aprotinin during cardio-pulmonary bypass surgery and provides for methods where the level of the 6.4 kDa biomarker in the subject's urine directs a caregiver's therapeutic decision regarding the intra-operative administration of aprotinin.
US09234885B2
Methods and assays for treating a subject with a filovirus infection using an agent that inhibits Niemann-Pick CI (NPCI), VPSII, VPSI6, VPSI8, VPS33A, VPS39, VPS41, BLOCISI, BLOCIS2, GNPTAB, PIKFYVE, ARHGAP23 or FIG4. Methods for screening for an agent that treats and/or prevents infection of a subject with a filovirus, where the methods comprise determining whether the agent inhibits one or more of Niemann-Pick CI (NPCI), VPSII, VPSI6, VPSI8, VPS33A, VPS39, VPS41. BLOCISI, BLOCIS2, GNPTAB, PIKFYVE, ARHGAP23 or FIG4, wherein an agent that inhibits one or more of NPCI, VPSII, VPSI6, VPSI8, VPS33A, VPS39, VPS41, BLOCISI, BLOCIS2, GNPTAB, PIKFYVE, ARHGAP23 or FIG4 is a candidate for treating and/or preventing an infection with a filovirus and wherein an agent that does not inhibit NPCI, VPSII, VPSI6, VPSI8, VPS33A. VPS39, VPS41, BLOCISI, BLOCIS2, GNPTAB, PIKFYVE, ARHGAP23 or FIG4 is not a candidate for treating and/or preventing an infection with a filovirus.
US09234884B2
Described herein are particular embodiments relating to a microfluidic device that may be utilized for cell sensing, counting, and/or sorting. Particular aspects relate to a microfabricated device that is capable of differentiating single cell types from dense cell populations. One particular embodiment relates a device and methods of using the same for sensing, counting, and/or sorting leukocytes from whole, undiluted blood samples.
US09234883B2
The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for analyzing sample fluids, in particular for analyzing blood samples, for example for the purpose of determining the glucose content, with the same apparatus. A cavity delimited by a carrier tape is hereby positioned above a sensor surface, sample fluid is received in the cavity, at least one value of the sample fluid is measured, the cavity containing the sample fluid is removed from the sensor surface, and a regeneration agent is supplied to the sensor surface by way of the carrier tape.
US09234881B2
A thin-layer chromatography plate and a thin-layer chromatography uses a thin-layer chromatography plate that has a first separating agent layer, which has the same optical response as the sample, and a second separating agent layer, which is disposed adjacent thereto and has an optical response that is different from the aforementioned optical response; carries out development of the sample in the first separating agent layer; thereafter carries out further development of the spots from the first separating agent layer toward the second separating agent layer; and detects the spots in the second separating agent layer through exposure to ultraviolet radiation or a color-development treatment with a coloring agent.
US09234879B2
Device including a substrate including at least one microelectronic and/or nanoelectronic structure (NEMS) having a sensitive portion and a fluid channel. The fluid channel includes two lateral walls, an upper wall connecting the two lateral walls, a lower wall formed by the substrate, and at least two openings in order to provide a circulation in the fluid channel, with the openings being defined between the two lateral walls, with the structure being located inside the fluid channel. Electrical connection lines extend between the structure and the outside of the fluid channel, with the connection lines being carried out on the substrate and passing under the lateral walls. The device also includes an intermediate layer having a planar face in contact with base faces of said lateral walls. The connection lines are at least partially covered by the intermediate layer at least immediately above base faces of the lateral walls. The lateral walls are made sealingly integral on the substrate by a sealing layer on the intermediate layer.
US09234874B2
Slab gel cassettes for use in electrophoretic analyzes of biologically-derived mixtures are equipped with features that prevent the plastic walls of the cassettes from bowing outward when gels retained within the cassettes swell, as gels typically do during casting, storage, or both. In certain embodiments, these features are incorporated into, or mate with, the comb-shaped inserts that form the sample wells as the gels are being cast. In other embodiments, these features are complementary features incorporated into both the comb and the cassette.
US09234863B2
A sensor utilizing a non-leachable or diffusible redox mediator is described. The sensor includes a sample chamber to hold a sample in electrolytic contact with a working electrode, and in at least some instances, the sensor also contains a non-leachable or a diffusible second electron transfer agent. The sensor and/or the methods used produce a sensor signal in response to the analyte that can be distinguished from a background signal caused by the mediator. The invention can be used to determine the concentration of a biomolecule, such as glucose or lactate, in a biological fluid, such as blood or serum, using techniques such as coulometry, amperometry, and potentiometry. An enzyme capable of catalyzing the electrooxidation or electroreduction of the biomolecule is typically provided as a second electron transfer agent.
US09234859B2
An integrated capacitive-type humidity sensor formed in a semiconductor chip integrating a sensing capacitor and a reference capacitor. Each of the sensing and reference capacitors have at least a first electrode and at least a second electrode, the first and second electrodes of each of the sensing and reference capacitors being arranged at distance and mutually insulated. A hygroscopic layer extends on the sensing and reference capacitors and a conductive shielding region extends on the reference capacitor but not on the sensing capacitor.
US09234858B2
Device and method for estimating the resistance of the ground connection for an electrical apparatus
A device and method for estimating resistance of a ground connection of an electrical apparatus connected to an electrical power network, also connected to ground by an additional resistance, and including at least one impedance disposed at an input of the electrical apparatus, a voltage generator connected to the impedance and connected to ground, a mechanism to measure current flowing to ground, and a calculation mechanism to estimate the resistance of the ground connection as a function of the current flowing to ground. The device and method can for example find application in estimation of resistance of a ground connection of a charger of an electric or hybrid traction motor vehicle.
US09234856B2
An apparatus for deriving X-ray absorbing and phase information comprises; a splitting element for splitting spatially an X-ray, a detector for detecting intensities of the X-rays transmitted through an object, the intensity of the X-rays changing according to X-ray phase and also position changes, and an calculating unit for calculating an X-ray transmittance image, and an X-ray differential phase contrast or phase sift contrast image as the phase information. The X-ray is split into two or more X-rays having different widths, and emitted onto the detector unit. And, the calculating unit calculates the X-ray absorbing and phase information based on a difference, between the two or more X-rays, in correlation between the changing of the phase of the X-ray and the changing the intensity of the X-ray in the detector unit.
US09234852B2
The repeatability of strobe illumination for image exposure is improved over a wide dynamic range in a machine vision system wherein a relationship between a camera integration period and a pulse duration of a strobe light generator control the effective exposure of a camera image during a timing overlap between a beginning of the camera integration period and an end of the pulse duration. To avoid noise in the illumination, the illumination pulse duration may start, the camera integration period may begin after a delay relative to that start and not later than the end of the pulse duration, the pulse duration may end, and the camera integration period may end not earlier than the end of the pulse duration. The timing overlap may also be synchronized with a periodic ripple component in the strobe illumination, to provide improved repeatability.
US09234846B2
The invention relates to a high-resolution microscope and to a method for determining the two- or three-dimensional positions of objects. The microscope and method includes the following: (a) The vertical (Z) position of imaged particles or molecules being determined from the orientation and shape thereof by means of an anamorphic lens, preferably a cylindrical lens, in the imaging, (b) the detection beam path being split into at least two partial detection beam paths having different optical path lengths, which are detected at an offset on a detector, (c) activation or switchover being performed by means of a multi-photon excitation process, preferably two-photon excitation. The following are also included: (d) a point-scanning activation or switchover, (e) a line-scanning activation or switchover, (f) the sample is excited and the sample light is detected in the wide-field mode, (g) manually or automatically predetermined sample regions are activated or switched over, (h) the activation or switchover is performed by means of AOTF or SLM or DMD, (i) laser pulses for activating or switching are spectrally split by means of a spectrally splitting element, preferably a grating, (j) an SLM or DMD in the beam path after the grating performs a controlled selection of split laser pulse fractions, (k) the laser wide-field excitation is guided by SLM or DMD, (l) ROIs are selected by SLM or DMD, (m) a multi-photon switching or activation is performed by means of a microlens array, preferably a cylindrical lens array, n) switching and/or excitation is performed by means of a line scanner, and (o) a line detection is performed by means of a spatially resolved sensor, wherein at least two sensor rows, each comprising a plurality of sensors, are illuminated with sample light by means of a slit diaphragm position.
US09234843B2
A monitoring system 100 comprising a material transport system 104 providing for the transportation of a substantially planar material 102, 107 through the monitoring zone 103 of the monitoring system 100. The system 100 also includes a line camera 106 positioned to obtain multiple line images across a width of the material 102, 107 as it is transported through the monitoring zone 103. The system 100 further includes an illumination source 108 providing for the illumination of the material 102, 107 transported through the monitoring zone 103 such that light reflected in a direction normal to the substantially planar surface of the material 102, 107 is detected by the line camera 106. A data processing system 110 is also provided in digital communication with the line camera 106. The data processing system 110 is configured to receive data output from the line camera 106 and further configured to calculate and provide substantially contemporaneous information relating to a quality parameter of the material 102, 107. Also disclosed are methods of monitoring a quality parameter of a material.
US09234840B2
An optical system and method for characterizing an object is provided. The system includes at least one light source configured to direct photons toward an object and an interferometer configured to receive photons from the object. The system also includes at least one detector system adapted to detect an optical signal at an output of the interferometer and to remove, from the detected optical signal, a signal portion representing first order photon correlations, when present. The system also includes a processor configured to receive data relating to second-order correlated photons from said at least one detector system, each photon or photon pair subject to at least two indistinguishable paths to a photon or photon pair, but differing in at least one of time and length. The processor is configured to characterize the object based on a self interference of the second-order correlated photons from a common location within the object.
US09234832B2
A method and an apparatus (1) for weatherability testing of a material sample (3) are disclosed. The material sample (3) is exposed to a testing atmosphere (12) in a testing chamber (2). The testing atmosphere (12) is formed by a plasma (10). Testing atmosphere (12) is withdrawn from the testing chamber (2) and resupplied to the plasma generation as a process gas (5G), after filtering and/or conditioning. At least one further substance (8S) may be added to a process gas (5G) for plasma generation, in order to obtain a desired chemical composition of the testing atmosphere (12). Parameters of the testing atmosphere (12) like temperature and chemical composition may be controlled. The material sample (3) may furthermore be exposed to UV light (25), which preferably is generated by an electric arc.
US09234830B2
A warehouse system and method for detecting air particles in a warehouse are disclosed. The warehouse system includes storage locations, air filters, a cartridge, and a control base. The air filters are correspondingly arranged on outer sides of each storage location. A detecting module of the cartridge detects the air particles on a surface of corresponding air filter of the abnormal storage locations. The detecting module further calculates a radius of the air particles and transmits the radius of the air particles to the control base. The control base determines if the corresponding air filter of the abnormal storage locations has leaked. The detecting process of the claimed invention is safer, more precise and convenient.
US09234821B2
The invention relates to a device (1) for monitoring sample-collection carried out using a piston pump (3, 8) such as a syringe, characterized in that said device includes a pressure sensor (11) close to the suction and/or delivery opening (6). Said device is in particular suited for use in an analysis automaton, in particular for analyzing a blood sample. Such a sensor guarantees that the liquid to be analyzed is properly sucked up, in particular that no air is sucked up and that neither the suction or delivery sides are blocked.
US09234817B2
Dust with various particle diameters entering a bypass passage, particularly, relatively large dust with a particle diameter of 100 to 200 μm or so, is reliably caused to collide with a first step-shaped part, a second step-shaped part and a plate-like member to be sufficiently decelerated and reach a flow rate detecting device with low collision energy. This can prevent the flow rate detecting device from being damaged by collision of dust. Furthermore, the placement position of the plate-like member is optimized to suppress air turbulence at a flow rate detecting part, which achieves a good balance between flow rate detection accuracy and dust tolerance.
US09234815B2
A torque measuring system is provided in a vehicle transmission including a clutch assembly having a two part, rotatable torque transmitting member, the two pans of the member being angularly movable relative to one another against the compression of at least one damper spring pack, and an actuator with a non rotatable cylinder for controlling the clutch. A device for radiating and receiving wave energy is arranged to irradiate the damper spring pack in order to receive a reflected modulation signal proportional to the current resonance frequency of the damper spring pack, and where the modulation signal is arranged to be converted to a torque value by a signal processing device, which torque value corresponds to the actual torque over the clutch.
US09234812B2
An inspection system for internal pipe inspection, comprises a feed cable (30), and a camera in the inspection head (32) at a remote end of the feed cable. Optional additional components include an ultrasound system (40), a steering arrangement with the guide roller (35) for the camera, a product release system (repair head 60), and a magnetic drive system.
US09234807B2
A measuring probe has a housing for receiving a sensor element. The measuring probe can be inserted in an opening of a device for carrying a medium. The housing has a curved outer circumference line perpendicular to the insertion direction of the housing in the device.
US09234802B2
An energy output measuring device including a main body having a light reflecting exterior and a window portion formed in the main body and produced from infrared-reflecting glass. At least one visible light sensor is disposed adjacent the window. The energy output measuring device is configured to pass through a heating device. An energy output of the heating device is determined from measurements taken by the heating device.
US09234800B2
A spectrometer recognizes a measurement target on the basis of the spectral data set of observed light detected by a spectral sensor capable of measuring wavelength information and light intensity information. The spectrometer is provided with a spectral data processor. Spectral data sets are detected at two different positions by the spectral sensor, and the processor subtracts a first spectral data set from a second spectral data set, or divides the first spectral data set by the second spectral data set to calculate one phase correlation spectral data set, which is correlated to the spectral data sets at the two different positions. The processor simultaneously identifies the measurement target corresponding to the two different positions on the basis of the correlation spectral data set.
US09234799B2
The invention relates according to a first aspect to an interferometric inversion method for measuring a characteristic variable of a radiation source and/or of a medium through which the radiation passes between the source and an interferometer, the interferometer being capable of generating an interferogram of the radiation by creating a finite number of optical step differences between two rays that have followed the same path between the source and the interferometer, characterized by the implementation of the steps whereby a quantity characterizing an improvement in the inversion is determined, step differences that contribute mainly to optimizing the quantity characterizing an improvement in the inversion are selected without sampling regularity constraints, and a free interferogram is generated using only the selected step differences. According to a second aspect, the invention provides an interferometer for implementing the method according to the first aspect of the invention.
US09234798B2
Provided are a system and a method for detecting a number of layers of few-layer graphene employing multispectral image reproduction process to provide rapid detection of numbers of layers of few-layer graphenes on transparent or non-transparent substrates. The application of the system and method in relevant industries expedites validation and/or verification of the number of layers of an FLG product and improves the quality control efficiency thereof.
US09234791B2
A light emission detection device having a flow path from which light to be detected is emitted is provided. The device includes a detection-side substrate having a joining surface and a detection surface provided opposite the joining surface, the joining surface having a depression and a light-shielding film provided over an area excluding the depression, the depression forming the flow path, the detection surface transmitting the light emitted from the flow path; and a wiring-side substrate having a joining surface and a conductive pattern provided with a varying thickness on the joining surface, the joining surface of the wiring-side substrate joining the joining surface of the detection-side substrate. In the area over which the light-shielding film is provided, adhesive is provided with a thickness corresponding to the varying thickness of the conductive pattern and the detection-side substrate and the wiring-side substrate are closely joined to each other with the adhesive.
US09234787B2
A combination weigher (100) comprises actuator units (19) for actuating weighing hoppers (14), and a body (17) having a side wall (17C) attached with the actuator units (19), and a casing member used to accommodate feeders (12) is formed by the side wall (17C).
US09234784B2
A radar level gauge and a method for measurement of a distance to a surface of a product in a tank are disclosed. The radar level gauge comprises transceiver circuitry configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic signals, the transceiver circuitry comprises a frequency stabilizing feedback loop configured to generate the electromagnetic transmit signal in the form of a frequency sweep. The frequency stabilizing feedback loop is configured to generate an oscillation, forming a sinusoidal modulation of the frequency sweep. The radar level gauge further comprises a second mixer configured to mix an intermediate frequency signal and an integer multiple of the frequency of the sinusoidal modulation to provide an adjusted intermediate frequency signal, and processing circuitry configured to determine the distance based on the adjusted intermediate frequency signal.By providing a frequency sweep comprising a sinusoidal modulation, an improved sensitivity is achieved by the radar level gauge and method.
US09234783B2
A method and apparatus for connecting a tube coaxially arranged around a measuring probe in a measuring probe unit of a fill-level measuring device comprising: a cable- or rod-shaped measuring probe and a tube coaxially surrounding the measuring probe. The measuring probe unit is connected to the container by means of a process connection element, wherein the measuring probe and the tube arranged coaxially around the measuring probe for the measuring probe unit are connected releasably to the process connection element. The coaxially arranged tube is connected releasably to the process connection element via a shape interlocking, threaded connection in a defined connection region, and the releasable, shape-interlocking, threaded connection of the coaxially arranged tube to the process connection element is secured by means of a radially directed deformation of the coaxially arranged tube in the defined connection region.
US09234782B2
Volume dimensioning employs techniques to reduce multipath reflection or return of illumination, and hence distortion. Volume dimensioning for any given target object includes a sequence of one or more illuminations and respective detections of returned illumination. A sequence typically includes illumination with at least one initial spatial illumination pattern and with one or more refined spatial illumination patterns. Refined spatial illumination patterns are generated based on previous illumination in order to reduce distortion. The number of refined spatial illumination patterns in a sequence may be fixed, or may vary based on results of prior illumination(s) in the sequence. Refined spatial illumination patterns may avoid illuminating background areas that contribute to distortion. Sometimes, illumination with the initial spatial illumination pattern may produce sufficiently acceptable results, and refined spatial illumination patterns in the sequence omitted.
US09234776B2
A multivariable process fluid transmitter module includes a base having a pair of recesses. A pair of pedestals is provided with each pedestal being disposed in a respective recess and being coupled to a respective isolation diaphragm. At least one line pressure assembly is mounted proximate one of the pedestals. The at least one line pressure assembly couples a respective isolation diaphragm to a line pressure sensor. A differential pressure sensor has a sensing diaphragm fluidically coupled to the isolation diaphragms by a fill fluid. At least one additional sensor is disposed to sense a temperature of a process fluid. Circuitry is coupled to the line pressure sensor, the differential pressure sensor, and the at least one additional sensor to measure an electrical characteristic of each of the line pressure sensor, the differential pressure sensor, and the at least one additional sensor. The circuitry is configured to provide an indication of fluid flow based on the measured electrical characteristic of each of the line pressure sensor, the differential pressure sensor and the at least one additional sensor.
US09234763B1
Systems and methods for identifying and selecting personalized waypoints for presentation on a map are provided. In particular, a user's data can be analyzed to identify a plurality of candidate waypoints. The candidate waypoints can correspond to locations at which the user has a scheduled event, reservation, or appointment. When the user performs a search query in a mapping application or geographic information system, the plurality of candidate waypoints can be obtained and scored according to a scoring formula. One or more candidate waypoints can be selected based on the determined scores and presented on a personalized map in addition to the result of the search query. An exemplary scoring formula takes a candidate waypoint and a point of interest search result as inputs and analyzes a distance between the two locations and a likelihood that a user wants directions between the two locations.
US09234758B2
A system and method for estimating position of a machine is disclosed. The method may include receiving, from a perception sensor, scene data describing an environment in a vicinity of the machine and estimating a first position of the machine based on the scene data. The method may include determining whether a first signal indicative of a location of the machine is received by the machine and estimating a second position of the machine when it is determined that the first signal is received. The method may include comparing the second position with the first position and estimating a third position of the machine using at least one of the first position and the second position.
US09234749B2
Processing images includes projecting an infra-red pattern onto a three-dimensional object and producing a first image, a second image, and a third image of the three-dimensional object while the pattern is projected on the three-dimensional object. The first image and the second image include the three-dimensional object and the pattern. The first image and the second image are produced by capturing at a first camera and a second camera, respectively, light filtered through an infra-red filter. The third image includes the three-dimensional object but not the pattern. Processing the images also includes establishing a first-pair correspondence between a portion of pixels in the first image and a portion of pixels in the second image. Processing the images further includes constructing, based on the first-pair correspondence and the third image, a two-dimensional image that depicts a three-dimensional construction of the three-dimensional object.
US09234743B2
An aircraft is provided and includes an airframe, first and second main rotors rotatably supported on the airframe to rotate about a rotational axis in opposite directions, first and second emitters disposed on an emitter blade of the second main rotor, each of the first and second emitters being configured to emit an emission toward a detector blade of the first main rotor, a detector disposed on the detector blade of the first main rotor, the detector being configured to detect the emissions of the first and second emitters and a flight computer which determines a clearance between the first and second main rotors in accordance with detections of the emissions by the detector.
US09234740B1
A method and apparatus for inspection of an object. The apparatus comprises an array of light sources and a support structure. The array of light sources is configured to generate beams of coherent light with a substantially uniform distribution of the beams of coherent light in an area on a surface of an object in the area that results in a number of speckle patterns in light reflected from the surface of the object in the area in response to the beams of coherent light in the area. The support structure is associated with the array of light sources.
US09234737B2
A method for measuring and aligning a rotary cylindrical or other rotationally symmetrical apparatus, such as a kiln or a drum. The apparatus to be measured and aligned has a shell and at least one supporting ring. As the rotary apparatus is rotating under process conditions, measurement points are measured on the surface of the rotating object's shell in the axial direction on both sides of each supporting ring on the same circumferential line. Regression circles are calculated from the measured points, center points are determined for the calculated circles and a straight line and its center point are determined between the center points of the circles calculated on both sides of each supporting ring. A reference straight line is calculated for the center line of the shell and the object's shell is aligned to be straight by transferring the determined center points of the shell to the calculated reference line.
US09234735B2
A linear position sensing system includes a sensor, a conduit and an enclosure. The sensor has a connector and a converting element, where the connector includes a first end attached to the converting element and a second end that passes through the conduit and is configured for attachment to a moveable element of an external device. The enclosure houses the sensor. The conduit includes a first end fitting that is attached to the enclosure and a second end fitting that is affixed at a port or other aperture of the external device. The second end of the connector is configured to be inserted in the port other aperture and attached to the moveable element without disassembly of the external device.
US09234730B1
A hand grenade comprising a detonator, an explosive charge having a periphery, a hollow shell having an inner surface and an outer surface, an electronic circuit, and a power source. The hand grenade has at least two environments of control.
US09234726B2
Feedback is provided to a marksman by placing a target graphic over a sensitive layer. As a result of a bullet penetrating the sensitive layer, the appearance of regions of the sensitive layer immediately around a bullet hole gradually change appearance. The regions first appear to have a first color and then gradually change to a second color within a predetermined length of time.
US09234723B2
According to the invention, the projectile (1) is provided with a strapdown homing device (2), said device having a lock-on phase during which the latter attempts to detect a target (C), and including an viewing direction (3), said viewing direction (3) being fixed with respect to the projectile (1) and extending along the longitudinal axis (4) of the latter, said projectile (1) further comprising control means (8) for automatically controlling said projectile (1) so as to cause the longitudinal axis (4) thereof, in flight and during the lock-on phase of the homing device (2), to trace a circle, the radius of which increases in time, until the target (C) is detected.
US09234719B1
A shooting bow includes pulleys, a string latch housing, bow riser, barrel, first limb, second limb, a first cam, and a second cam. The bow riser is enjoined with the barrel. The first and second limbs extend from the bow riser. The first and second cams are pivotally retained on the first and second limbs. A bowstring is retained by the first and second cams. A first pulley and a second pulley are retained on the barrel. Both cams have a string track and a cable track. One end of the string is coupled to the first cam and the other end is coupled to the second cam. As for both cables, one end is coupled to the first cam, the middle of the cable travels around a pulley or track, and the other end is coupled to the first limb, first cam axle or back to the cam.
US09234710B2
A heat exchanger is provided comprising a stack of heat exchanger plates (1, 1a, 1b, 1c) formed of sheet metal having a three-dimensional structured pattern (2, 3), each heat exchanger plate (1,1a, 1b, 1c) having a groove (10), a gasket (9) being arranged in said groove (10) and resting against an adjacent heat exchanger plate (1a), said groove (10) having a bottom inner surface (11), said inner surface bottom (11) having at least a protrusion (14, 15) directed to said adjacent heat exchanger plate (1a). It is intended to minimize the risk of a leakage. To this end in the region of said protrusion (14, 15) said gasket (9) is compressed more than in a region out of said protrusion (14, 15).
US09234703B2
An automatic charge hearth access door assembly for a melting furnace includes an access door movable between a closed position for covering a furnace opening located on a face of the furnace and an opened position for providing access to the furnace opening. A latch mechanism is configured to automatically secure the access door to the face of the furnace in the closed position. An open-and-close drive assembly includes a motor and arm operably connected to the motor. The open-and-close drive assembly is configured to automatically move the access door relative to the face of the furnace between the closed position and opened position and simultaneously move the access door relative to the arm.
US09234701B2
A crushing drying device includes an object-to-be-treated supply port from which an object is supplied into a main body, a crushing portion for crushing the object by hammers rotated on a drive shaft, and a classifying portion having a space for circulating the object to be treated at a position away from the crushing portion, the crushing portion has a dry gas supply port from which the heated air is supplied in a predetermined direction along an inner surface of the device main body, and the classifying portion has discharge portions from which the crushed object is discharged together with the heated air, and deviation plates for changing a flow of the object transferred to the classifying portion, so that the crushing drying device is one machine.
US09234699B2
An elongate flexible band may be formed into a self-adjusting closed loop for insertion into an opening in a garment. The loop expands against the sides of the garment opening, holding the garment open to enhance airflow into the garment. A loop connector limits the closed loop to a maximum preferred diameter. The flexible band includes an accessory connector for attaching accessories such as a scent container, holder, or electric fan. The accessory connector may include retaining posts or may alternatively include flanged retaining blocks. A scent container or other accessory may optionally include flanges, flanged retaining blocks, or other attachment means. An optional timer controls discharge from a spray container into a garment. An embodiment of the invention may optionally be provided together with garment such as a glove for a hand.
US09234687B2
A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator includes a main body including a compartment, an ice bank configured to store ice cubes, an ice maker configured to generate ice cubes and to move the ice cubes to the ice bank, the ice maker including an ice tray, a cover configured to isolate the ice bank and the ice maker from the compartment, the cover including a first opening and an ice shutter configured to prevent cold air flowing through the first opening of the cover into the ice maker from being introduced into the ice bank.
US09234682B2
A two-phase heat exchanger includes a hot side heat sink, a cold side heat sink, and one or more thermoelectric modules disposed between the hot side heat sink and the cold sink heat sink such that hot sides of the one or more thermoelectric modules are thermally coupled to the hot side heat sink and cold sides of the one or more thermoelectric modules are thermally coupled to the cold side heat sink. The two-phase heat exchanger is configured to be mounted at an angle from vertical.
US09234679B2
An on demand tankless water heater system that is capable of quickly delivering water within a desired temperature range. The tankless water heater provides a hybrid heating method that contains a primary heating system and a secondary heating system disposed in a buffer tank that cooperate to facilitate control of output water temperature during water usage. A pressure differential switch detects low flow demand and allows the secondary heating system to provide immediate heating to the water. This secondary heating system provides a faster temperature response and fine tuning of output water temperature.
US09234678B1
Water heater apparatus is provided with features that allow for a horizontally compact water heater installation comprising upper and lower vertically stacked electric individual water heaters served by a single electrical branch circuit. Each of the upper and lower water heaters has a water storage capacity not exceeding 55 gallons, and the combined water storage capacity of the upper and lower water heaters is greater than 55 gallons. The electric heating elements of the two water heaters are non-simultaneously controlled so that at no time do the two water heaters heat water at the same time.
US09234676B2
A hot water supply apparatus associated with a heat pump is provided. The hot water supply apparatus may employ a cascade heat pump including a two-stage cycle to perform a hot water supply operation. Refrigerants flowing through a heat side heat exchanger and a usage side heat exchanger may be heat-exchanged with water. Thus, the hot water supply operation may be continuously performed, without a defrosting operation, and hot water supply performance and heating performance may be improved.
US09234673B2
An air handling unit has a blower configured to selectively move air from an air inlet of the air handling unit to an air outlet of the air handling unit along an airflow direction extending from the blower to the air outlet, a heat exchanger disposed within the air handling unit between the inlet and the outlet, the heat exchanger has a thermal conductor, an evaporator tube thermally conductively joined to the thermal conductor, and a subcooler tube thermally conductively joined to the thermal conductor. An expansion device provides fluid communication between the evaporator tube and the subcooler tube and a drain pan disposed within the air handling unit upstream relative to the at least one subcooler tube and positioned in a geometrical footprint of at least a portion of the drain pan as the drain pan is viewed from an upstream position in the airflow direction.
US09234668B2
A user-friendly, network-connected learning thermostat is described. The thermostat is made up of (1) a wall-mountable backplate that includes a low-power consuming microcontroller used for activities such as polling sensors and switching on and off the HVAC functions, and (2) separable head unit that includes a higher-power consuming microprocessor, color LCD backlit display, user input devices, and wireless communications modules. The thermostat also includes a rechargeable battery and power-stealing circuitry adapted to harvest power from HVAC triggering circuits. By maintaining the microprocessor in a “sleep” state often compared to the lower-power microcontroller, high-power consuming activities, such as learning computations, wireless network communications and interfacing with a user, can be temporarily performed by the microprocessor even though the activities use energy at a greater rate than is available from the power stealing circuitry.
US09234665B2
An energy exchanger is provided. The exchanger includes a housing having a front and a back. A plurality of panels forming desiccant channels extend from the front to the back of the housing. Air channels are formed between adjacent panels. The air channels are configured to direct an air stream in a direction from the front of the housing to the back of the housing. A desiccant inlet is provided in flow communication with the desiccant channels. A desiccant outlet is provided in flow communication with the desiccant channels. The desiccant channels are configured to channel desiccant from the desiccant inlet to the desiccant outlet in at least one of a counter-flow or cross-flow direction with respect to the direction of the air stream.
US09234663B2
A hot water supply apparatus for combined use with an air conditioner is provided that may include an indoor unit having an indoor heat exchanger to heat exchange a first refrigerant with indoor air, and a cascade hot water heater connected to the indoor unit to receive the first refrigerant and to provide a second refrigerant to heat water. The cascade hot water heater may perform a heat exchange between the first refrigerant and a second refrigerant. The cascade hot water heater may include a capacity variable compressor to limit a maximum flowing amount of the second refrigerant and increase a flowing amount of the first refrigerant to flow to the indoor unit.
US09234661B2
A burner control system for improving burner performance and efficiency. The system may determine fuel and air channel or manifold parameters. Determination of parameters may be performed with a sensor connected across the air and fuel channels. A signal from the sensor may control the parameters which in turn affect the amounts of fuel and air to the burner via a controller. Parameter control of the fuel and air in their respective channels may result in more accurate fuel and air ratio control. One or more flow restrictors in fuel and/or air bypass channels may further improve accuracy of the fuel and air ratio. The channels may be interconnected with a pressure or flow divider. Byproducts of combustion in the exhaust, temperatures of gas and air, flame quality and/or other items may be monitored and adjusted with control of the fuel and air ratio for optimum combustion in the burner.
US09234652B2
A LED display module with a quick mounting-Dismounting structure comprising: a mask; a bottom shell; and an LED lamp board; the LED display module further comprises a quick mounting-dismounting unit, wherein the quick mounting-dismounting unit is adapted to be provided the LED display module to fixed to the frame of display screen or removed from the frame of display screen quickly.
US09234639B2
An improved compact searchlight utilizing the merging of multiple single beams to a concentrated light. This provides or light beam that is nearly constant illumination intensity across the beam of light. This reduces or eliminates bight and dim areas that are created from previous light systems that use desecrate lighting elements. The lighting elements includes an a power supply a light source and a lens projection system, wherein the lens projection system including a collecting lens, a negative lens, and a collimating lens such that the illuminance of an area illuminated by a beam and searchlight is projected by the improved light is homogeneous throughout the whole of the illuminated area.
US09234618B1
A light detection and ranging device associated with an autonomous vehicle scans through a scanning zone while emitting light pulses and receives reflected signals corresponding to the light pulses. The reflected signals indicate a three-dimensional point map of the distribution of reflective points in the scanning zone. A hyperspectral sensor images a region of the scanning zone corresponding to a reflective feature indicated by the three-dimensional point map. The output from the hyperspectral sensor includes spectral information characterizing a spectral distribution of radiation received from the reflective feature. The spectral characteristics of the reflective feature allow for distinguishing solid objects from non-solid reflective features, and a map of solid objects is provided to inform real time navigation decisions.
US09234616B2
The invention relates to a male connector for a liquid circuit, comprising: a distal connection piece comprising a tubular part that defines a passage; a proximal connection piece; a joining member extending in a fixed and co-axial manner in the tubular part of the distal connection piece, the joining member being formed by a tubular body on which is fixed, at a free end, a cylindrical valve which is elastically deformable and closed at a distal end by a valve thickness traversed by a slit; and a sliding ring mounted on the tubular body, the sliding ring being movable between an inactive position, in which it encapsulates the walls of the valve, leaving the distal end of the valve free, and a connection position, in which it is situated at a distance from the distal end of the valve and exposes all or part of the lateral walls of the valve.
US09234612B2
A threaded joint has a sealing ring radially positioned between a pin and a box and axially positioned on a portion of the pin on an opposite side of the threads of the pin from the nose of the pin. The sealing ring has two protruding annular lips positioned at a skewed angle to the longitudinal axis, two or more radial annular ribs on an external surface, an internal surface, and an at least partly embedded reinforcement ring. When the joint is made up, the sealing ring is in sealing contact with an annular groove of the box by the annular ribs and in sealing contact with the pin by the internal surface. The internal surface of the sealing ring can have a uniform diameter or have radially protruding annular ribs.
US09234607B2
A combination of a faucet handle and a control valve has a faucet, an ornament panel, a positioning plate, a sleeve and a handle; wherein: the faucet is insertable into an existing installation hole in a wall, a connecting section of the faucet is disposed through the installation hole, the connecting section having an outer thread formed on a peripheral surface thereof and a control rod protruding from a center position, the control rod connected to a control member of the faucet.
US09234602B2
The tank opening-closing device is realized with a simple constitution of the opening-closing mechanism equipped with a pressure adjustment valve for regulating the internal pressure of the fuel tank. The opening-closing mechanism is equipped with a gasket provided on the opening peripheral edge part of the inlet of the tank opening forming member, the valve opening-closing mechanism for opening and closing the inlet and also regulating the internal pressure of the fuel tank, and a retraction mechanism that selectively moves the valve opening-closing mechanism to the closing position and the fueling position in conjunction with the fueling gun, The valve opening-closing mechanism has a closing position for opening and closing the inlet and a fueling position retracted from the inlet for which it is possible to supply fuel.
US09234586B2
A linear actuator is used with a vacuum chamber in which plasma is generated. The linear actuator comprises a moving member extending between the exterior and the interior of the vacuum chamber through an opening provided in the vacuum chamber so as to be rectilinearly reciprocated, a drive section configured to reciprocate the moving member, a cover that covers the moving member, and a slide seal section that provides a seal between the interior and the exterior of the vacuum chamber while allowing the cover to slide thereon. The cover covers a range of the moving member which is moved into both of the interior and the exterior of the vacuum chamber while the moving member is reciprocated by the drive section, and an outer surface of the cover is smaller in the amount of gas adsorption per unit area than an outer surface of the moving member.
US09234580B1
A control device for an automatic transmission for a bicycle is provided. The control device comprises a controller configured to instruct the automatic transmission to shift among a plurality of speed stages, each speed stage having an associated cadence range, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a traveling resistance of the bicycle, and if the traveling resistance exceeds a predetermined threshold, the controller is configured to adjust at least one of the cadence ranges, and following the adjustment of the at least one cadence range, the controller is further configured to operate the automatic transmission to shift based upon the adjusted cadence range and a detected cadence.
US09234576B2
A gearbox system includes a gearbox having integrated therein a pump system, a plurality of fluid passages and a clutch control system. The pump system is in fluid communication with the clutch control system via the fluid passages to flow at least one pressurized stream. A first pressurized stream controls a first pressure-responsive device included in the clutch control system. The gearbox system further includes a hydro-mechanical control unit (HMCU) in fluid communication with the gearbox to receive a second pressurized stream and to generate at least one actuator control stream. The actuator control stream controls an actuator integrated in the gearbox.
US09234573B2
A spiral bicycle sprocket includes a first sprocket portion to rotate about a center axis and having a first number of teeth, a second sprocket portion to rotate about the center axis and having a second number of teeth, and a third sprocket portion positioned between the first and second sprocket portions and having a third number of teeth, wherein the third number of teeth form a conical and spiral thread that joins the first sprocket portion and the second sprocket portion.
US09234566B2
In a transmission, an input shaft connected to a startup clutch includes a first input shaft and a second input shaft. Drive gears are fixed to a first main shaft and a second main shaft, and driven gears are provided on an output shaft to be free to rotate relative thereto. The driven gears are connected to and disconnected from the output shaft by a gear switching mechanism. A shaft switching mechanism that switches a power transmission path between the first main shaft and the second main shaft is provided on the first main shaft, the second main shaft, and the second input shaft. A damping mechanism is provided between the first input shaft and the second input shaft in order to cut spike torque generated when the power transmission path is switched, to a set torque.
US09234558B2
A flow of hydraulic oil induced by sliding movement of a piston in a cylinder is controlled by a pilot-type main valve and a pilot valve, which is a pressure control valve, to generate a damping force. The pilot valve is adjusted in its valve-opening pressure with the thrust of a solenoid and adjusts the pressure in a back pressure chamber to control the valve-opening pressure of the main valve. A baffle plate is provided in a reservoir to isolate the surface of hydraulic oil in the reservoir from an inlet port through which the hydraulic oil flows into the reservoir from a damping force generating mechanism, thereby suppressing the occurrence of aeration and cavitation. The baffle plate is secured by inserting a connecting port through a positioning opening and holding a separator tube with a pair of arm portions.
US09234555B2
A spring seat member includes a seat body having a seat portion and a shaft portion extending from the seat portion, and attachment members attached to the seat body. The spring seat member is attached to a coil spring in a state where the attachment members are attached to the seat body. The shaft portion has a groove on the outer periphery thereof that extends in the circumferential direction. The attachment members are provided with engaging portions that engage with the groove of the shaft portion. The engaging portions are selectively and elastically deformable inward or outward in the radial direction of the shaft portion. The groove has an inner wall facing the seat portion. The inner wall has an inclined surface. The inclined surface is inclined radially outward of the shaft portion as the distance from the seat portion in an extending direction of the shaft portion increases.
US09234551B2
A transmission and a clutch assembly for a vehicle are disclosed. The clutch assembly includes a housing defining a cavity presenting an interior surface. The interior surface defines a pocket along a longitudinal axis. The clutch assembly further includes a piston disposed in the pocket and movable between an initial position and a final position relative to the pocket along the longitudinal axis. The piston includes a plurality of flanges extending outwardly away from the longitudinal axis. The clutch assembly also includes a biasing member attached to the interior surface of the housing and engaging the piston to continuously bias the piston toward the initial position. The biasing member abuts the flanges of the piston to prevent rotation of the piston about the longitudinal axis as the piston moves between the initial and final positions along the longitudinal axis.
US09234537B2
An automatically extensible telescopic apparatus includes a first tube inserted in a second tube. A positioning unit includes a ferrule, two fins, a shaft, a toothed wheel and a first detent. The ferrule is provided on the second tube. The fins extend from the ferrule. The shaft is supported on the fins. The toothed wheel is supported on the shaft and includes teeth for insertion in recesses defined in the first tube. The first detent is supported on the fins for engagement with the toothed wheel. A handle includes two blades and a second detent. The blades are placed between the fins and supported on the shaft. The second detent is supported on the blades for engagement with the toothed wheel. An elastic element compressed between the first and second tubes for extending the first tube from the second tube.
US09234528B2
A motor base includes a bottom plate and at least one vibration reduction unit. The bottom plate has opposite top and bottom surfaces. A shaft-coupling portion is arranged on the top surface. The at least one vibration reduction unit encloses the shaft-coupling portion. Each of the at least one vibration reduction unit includes at least one protrusion and at least one groove. The at least one protrusion is arranged on one of the top and bottom surfaces. The at least one groove is correspondingly arranged on the other one of the top and bottom surfaces.
US09234527B2
A motor-driven compressor includes a compression unit having a compression chamber, a rotation shaft, an electric motor having a coil, a motor driving circuit, a housing, and a shaft support. The coil includes a first coil end, which is relatively close to the motor driving circuit, and a second coil end, which is relatively close to the compression unit. The housing includes a first area and a second area. A refrigerant passage communicates the first area with the second area. The shaft support includes a guide wall that guides the refrigerant to flow along the radial outer surface of the second coil end. The refrigerant guided by the guide wall is drawn into the compression chamber from the second area through a first suction passage. The first suction passage and the refrigerant passage are arranged at opposite sides of the rotation shaft.
US09234526B2
A centrifugal compressor includes an asymmetric self-recirculating casing treatment that includes, on an inner face of a casing 10, a suction ring groove 1, a ring guide channel 2 and a back-flow ring groove 3 to form a self-recirculating channel. An axial-direction position Sr from an upstream end face of the suction ring groove to an impeller full blade leading edge 4 or a width br of the suction ring groove 1 is represented as A(α·D−β·D)2+A0 and is distributed in a parabolic shape in a circumferential direction. An initial phase angle θ0 is in a range of 0≦θ0≦2π. A circumferential angle α of the casing has a definition range of θ0≦α≦θ0+2π. In the expression, A denotes a parameter of the parabola in the axial-direction position Sr or the width br, and A0 denotes an extreme of the axial-direction position Sr or the width br when corresponding circumferential angle β and the α are equal at an extreme point of distribution of the parabola.
US09234521B2
A ring-type fan includes a frame having a receiving space defined between an air inlet and an air outlet thereof and being provided along an inner side of the air outlet with an inward projected wall portion; an impeller assembly rotatably mounted in the receiving space and including spaced impellers outward extended from a hub, and a ring member connected to radially outer ends of the impellers and externally provided with a circle of stop section, which and the projected wall portion together define an air passage between them; and at least one pressure relief section defining an airflow guide on the frame to communicate with the receiving space and the air passage. Any backflow can be guided out of the frame via the air passage and the pressure relief section without interfering with the inflow of air, allowing the ring-type fan to have upgraded heat dissipation performance.
US09234520B2
A pump for processing molten metal having an enlarged tubular body which houses a centrifugal pump at its bottom end. The bottom end has a concave curved shape whose shape is a function of the particular type of vortex to be created for the application at hand. This curved portion of the body receives the ejected molten metal from the impeller and forms an uplifting axial vortex within the tubular section of the body. The pump is designed to cooperate synergistically with said body such that the uplifting axial vortex to climb up the inner wall of the body up to and out of an outlet formed in the upper end of the body. A radial vane impeller is formed in the back plate of the impeller. When the impeller is rotated, solid particles introduced into the body are accelerated radially by the back plate impeller into the vortex.
US09234518B2
A disc pump system includes a pump body having a substantially cylindrical shape defining a cavity for containing a fluid, the cavity being formed by a side wall closed at both ends by substantially circular end walls, at least one of the end walls being a driven end wall. The system includes an actuator operatively associated with the driven end wall to cause an oscillatory motion of the driven end wall and an isolator is operatively associated with the peripheral portion of the driven end wall to reduce damping of the displacement oscillations. The isolator comprises a flexible printed circuit material that includes a strain gauge. The strain gauge measures data that may be used to determine the amount of pressure provided by the pump.
US09234514B2
A fluid pump for medical applications. The pump includes a flexible cassette containing two pump chambers of differing volume, each chamber having a dedicated piston. The first piston pushes fluid from the first chamber to the second, and the second piston pushes fluid from the second chamber and out of the pump. Three valves are coordinated with the action of the pistons to control fluid flow into and out of the pump chambers by applying and releasing pressure to and from specific points of the flexible cassette. A control system controls the operation of the pistons and valves and directs the pistons to be advanced according to a time-varying velocity profile. The first pump chamber passively fills and then rapidly expels the collected fluid into the second chamber at low pressure. The second chamber, once filled, expels the fluid downstream at high pressure, producing a pulsatile pressure profile.
US09234508B2
A method and system for providing an engine for producing mechanical energy through the absorption and evaporation of moisture uses a hygroscopic material in one or more configurations to do mechanical work. The hygroscopic material can include microbial spores, plant cells and cell materials, silk and hydrogel materials that absorb moisture and expand or swell when exposed to high relative humidity environments and shrink or return to nearly their original size or shape when exposed to low relative humidity environments wherein the moisture evaporates and is released. By exposing the hygroscopic material to a cycle of high relative humidity environments and low relative humidity environments, useful work can be done. One or more transmission elements can be used to couple the hygroscopic material to a generator that converts the mechanical energy to, for example, electrical energy. The hygroscopic material can be applied to flexible sheet materials that flex as the hygroscopic material absorbs or evaporates moisture. The hygroscopic material can also be applied to elastic conductive materials, such that the plates of a capacitor mechanically change the capacitance of the device.
US09234500B2
A method of producing a composite shell structure in the form of a wind turbine blade shell part having a reinforced fiber material embedded in a cured resin includes: providing a mold part having a contour defining the outer surface of the composite shell structure; providing a preform forming part shaped complementary to the mold part molding surface; forming a preform of dry fiber material on the surface of the preform forming part; arranging the mold part and the preform forming part in an assembled position with the mold part molding surface facing the preform forming surface; releasing the preform from the preform forming surface so that it is received on the mold part molding surface; removing the preform forming part from the mold part; forming a mold cavity by means of a second mold part arranged on the preform; providing resin in the mold cavity; and curing the resin.
US09234499B2
A split core for a composite structure is described. The split core includes a first core layer, a second core layer, and a functional interlayer disposed between the first and second core layers. The first core layer separates the functional interlayer from a functional layer of the composite structure and/or from an outer surface of the composite structure. The thickness of the first core layer is substantially uniform across the composite structure and the distance between the functional interlayer and the functional layer and/or the outer surface of the composite structure is substantially constant across the composite structure.
US09234497B2
A rotor blade for a wind turbine is provided. The rotor blade includes an elongate blade base body with a number of connecting elements each having at least one axially extending connecting portion adapted to be connected with at least one corresponding connecting portion of a rotor hub of a wind turbine, wherein the respective connecting elements are connected to at least two circumferentially extending connecting members with the connecting members being adjacently disposed in circumferential direction so as to build a ring-like shape. Further, a wind turbine with such a rotor blade is provided.
US09234489B2
In a method for operating a temperature-limiting device of an electrical unit activatable for a limited time period by way of an activation signal, the temperature-limiting device permits activation of the electrical unit upon occurrence of the activation signal only if a counter value is greater than or less than a reference value, the counter value being incremented or decremented by a determined temperature equivalence value upon each activation of the electrical unit.
US09234482B2
Engine system using alcohol Rankine heat recovery where the engine heat converts alcohol into hydrogen-rich gas which is then introduced into the engine cylinders. The engine system includes a source of liquid alcohol along with an internal combustion engine generating a high temperature exhaust. Structure is provided for introducing a first portion of the liquid alcohol into the engine and a series of heat exchangers forming a Rankine heat recovery cycle is provided to extract heat from the exhaust and transferring the heat to a second portion of the liquid alcohol, causing it to change phase to a gaseous alcohol. A heat exchanger/catalyst is heated by the exhaust to reform the gaseous alcohol into a hydrogen-rich reformate.
US09234475B2
A cold start control module for a direct injection engine includes a fuel flow determination module and a cylinder activation/deactivation module. The fuel flow determination module determines a requested fuel flow. The cylinder activation/deactivation module deactivates at least one of cylinders when the requested fuel flow exceeds a maximum fuel flow of the fuel pump during cold start.
US09234469B2
A method for providing air to a combustion chamber of an engine, the engine including an intake manifold selectably coupled to a boost tank. The method comprises pressurizing and storing air in the boost tank, discharging some of the air stored in the boost tank to the intake manifold, and releasing condensate from the boost tank.
US09234463B2
A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine includes a high pressure compressor rotor having a plurality of disks and a shaft; at least one forward cavity between a rim of at least one of the disks and the shaft and at least one aft cavity formed between a rim of at least one other of the disks and the shaft; a first flow of cooling air in the at least one forward cavity; and a second flow of cooling air in the at least one aft cavity.
US09234460B2
An inlet duct for an engine or multiple engines includes two or more joining duct legs and a pressure relief pathway located at each duct leg to condition inlet airflow from the duct legs. A method of operating an aircraft includes urging an inlet airflow into two or more duct openings disposed at a fuselage of the aircraft. The inlet airflow is urged through two or more converging inlet duct legs extending from the two or more duct openings toward an engine inlet. A portion of the inlet airflow is flowed from at least one inlet duct leg of the two or more inlet duct legs into a pressure relief pathway. An inlet duct for an engine or multiple engines includes one or more inlet duct legs and a bypass leg extending from an inlet duct leg of the one or more inlet duct legs through a bypass opening.
US09234459B2
A turbine housing of a turbocharger is formed by joining a scroll body with a base body. An exhaust passageway is formed between the scroll body and the base body. At the joint portion between the scroll body and the base body, an inside corner portion is formed by an inner peripheral surface of the scroll body that faces the exhaust passageway, and an outer peripheral surface of the base body that also faces the exhaust passageway. An inside fillet that is shaped to change the direction of exhaust gas along the inner peripheral surface of the scroll body to a direction along the outer peripheral surface of the base body is formed on the inside corner portion.
US09234458B2
A cylinder head of a stationary gas engine is provided with a cylinder internal pressure sensor. An engine frame is provided with an instrumentation device installation device. An amplifier for amplifying a signal detected by the cylinder internal pressure sensor is fixed to the instrumentation device installation device. The instrumentation device installation device includes a suspending tool formed of a fixing plate which is in contact with a horizontal plane and is fixed thereto by bolts, an extension plate bent at a right angle to the fixing plate, and a suspending plate bent at a right angle to the extension plate and arranged in parallel with the fixing plate, and a coil spring connected at one end thereof to the suspending plate, and connected at the other end thereof to a fixing band for holding the amplifier.
US09234452B2
The disclosure describes an engine system having liquid and gaseous fuel systems, each of which injects fuel directly into an engine cylinder. A controller monitors and controls engine operation in a normal mode, during which the engine produces rated power, and in a limp-home mode, which is used when an abnormal operating condition of the gaseous fuel system is present. During limp-home mode operation, the engine uses more liquid fuel and less or no gaseous fuel relative to the normal mode, and produces power that is less than rated power.
US09234446B2
A reduction in the accuracy of a failure determination of a filter due to a reduction in the detection accuracy of a PM sensor is suppressed. To this end, provision is made for an NOx selective reduction catalyst arranged in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine to reduce NOx by means of a reducing agent supplied thereto, a supply device to supply urea water as the reducing agent from an upstream side of the NOx selective reduction catalyst, a PM sensor to detect an amount of particulate matter in an exhaust gas at the downstream side of the NOx selective reduction catalyst, and a control unit to make an amount of production of intermediate products from the urea water supplied from the supply device to ammonia smaller when an amount of particulate matter is detected by the PM sensor than when not detected.
US09234443B2
An engine structure is provided that basically includes a cylinder block, an oil circulation pathway and a lubricating oil reservoir. The cylinder block has an upper end for receiving a cylinder head, a lower end for receiving an oil pan, and a crankshaft receiving portion. The oil circulation pathway is arranged to convey lubricating oil by gravity to at least an area located above the crankshaft receiving portion of the cylinder block for supplying lubricating oil to a crankshaft. The lubricating oil reservoir is arranged to store lubricating oil. The lubricating oil reservoir has an open top end for receiving downwardly flowing lubricating oil. The open top end of the lubricating oil reservoir is arranged relative to the oil circulation pathway such that lubricating oil spilling out of the open top end of the lubricating oil reservoir falls into the oil circulation pathway.
US09234435B2
An integrally bladed rotor for a gas turbine engine includes a hub, a plurality of blades radially extending from the hub and being integrally formed therewith. The hub having a rim from which the blades project and a pair of axially opposed split hub members extending at least radially inward from the rim. Each of the split hub members has a radially outer flex arm portion extending form the hub and a radially inner moment flange portion. At least one moment inducing element separately formed from the hub is mounted axially between the opposed split hub members and acts on the moment flange portions of the opposed split hub members to generate an inward bending moment on the flex arm portions of the opposed split hub members during rotation of the rotor, thereby deflecting the rim and the blades of the rotor radially inwardly.
US09234433B2
A biasing means is provided for securing a plurality of sealing components which are arranged to seal gaps between adjacent structural components in a turbine, the biasing means having three foot regions joined in a substantially linear fashion by two resilient curved arms, wherein each arm has securing means for securing the biasing means to one of said structural components such that when the biasing means is secured to said one of said structural components, each of said foot regions contacts one of said sealing components and the curved arms urge the sealing components towards one of said structural components so that the sealing components collectively create a seal over the gap between said structural components. An apparatus for sealing gaps between adjacent structural components which includes the biasing means is also provided as is a method of sealing gaps in a turbine.
US09234426B2
A method of monitoring a mine operation is disclosed. The method comprises collecting map data associated with a mine operation, the map data being indicative of at least one map representation associated with the mine operation, collecting mine equipment location data indicative of the location of at least one item of mine equipment relative to the mine operation, and facilitating selection and display of a map representation associated with a mine operation. When a map representation associated with a mine operation is displayed, a representation of at least one item of mine equipment on the map representation at a representative location relative to the mine operation.
US09234419B2
A gauge system and method for monitoring well pressure at temperatures in excess of 300° C. used in permanent monitoring of oil and gas wellbores. The gauge system includes an analogue output transducer and a long cable which is an extruded mineral insulated multi-core cable with a seam welded corrosion resistant metal outer sheath. The transducer is enclosed in a pressure tight corrosion resistant housing and the housing is pressure sealed to the metal outer sheath. The method includes applying signal conditioning and processing to the measurements to compensate for characteristics of the transducer, the cable and the environment and thereby provide continuous monitoring of the wellbore.
US09234414B1
Apparatus (10) permits injection of solid well treatment pellets into a producing well (25) having a positive well pressure. The apparatus (10) includes a water storage tank (12) connected to the input of a high pressure pump (14). The pump (14) generates a pressurized flow of water at a pressure greater than well pressure through a conduit (24) and/or through a container (30) holding the pellets to be injected. The pellets are entrained within the pressurized flow of water for well injection.
US09234412B2
A ported tubular is provided for use in casing a wellbore, to permit selective access to the adjacent formation during completion operations. A system and method for completing a wellbore using the ported tubular are also provided. Ports within the wellbore casing may be opened, isolated, or otherwise accessed to deliver treatment to the formation through the ports, using a tool assembly deployed on tubing or wireline.
US09234410B2
For controlling a hydrocarbons production installation, comprising at least one hydrocarbons production string activated by a gas injection using a gas injection choke, and a production choke on the string, a method comprises a production phase during which the position of at least one of the chokes is adjusted by cascaded control loops. The loops are driven according to continuously or sequentially developing setpoint parameters. The installation can be controlled more accurately and quickly than in the prior art, as a cascade control loop architecture makes it possible to simplify each of the loops in order to increase the speed of implementation, while still taking account of a greater number of setpoint parameters.
US09234409B2
Herein disclosed is an apparatus comprising an expandable tubular; and at least one section of the expandable tubular having a larger outer diameter than the remainder of the expandable tubular, forming at least one complete centralizing ring or at least one partial centralizing ring. In an embodiment, at least one complete centralizing ring or at least one partial centralizing ring is configured to centralize the expandable tubular when the tubular is in use; and wherein at least one complete centralizing ring or at least one partial centralizing ring has the same diameter as the expandable tubular after the tubular is radially expanded. Also disclosed herein are method of using and method of making the apparatus.
US09234408B2
An example method may include determining a first planned stimulation location within the formation. The first planned stimulation location may be based, at least in part, on a pre-determined model of a formation. A borehole in the formation may be drilled with a downhole tool. The first planned stimulation location may be adjusted based, at least in part, on data received at the downhole tool. Additionally, the downhole tool may stimulate the formation at the adjusted first planned stimulation location. A second stimulation location also may be determined based on data received at the downhole tool after stimulation of the formation at the adjusted first planned stimulation location.
US09234390B2
A bearing assembly is for a rotary drill, the drill including a base with a shaft and a bit. The bearing assembly includes a bearing having a central axis and including an inner member disposeable on the shaft and an outer member disposed about the inner member. The outer member is angularly displaceable about the axis with respect to the inner member and having an outer circumferential surface and a recess extending generally radially inwardly from the outer surface. At least one and preferably a plurality of retainer members are each disposed at least partially within the bearing outer member recess and is configured to engage with the bit so as to rotatably couple the bit with the shaft. Preferably, each retainer member includes a generally spherical ball rollable through a passage and into the bearing recess during installation into the recess.
US09234381B2
A supplemental window for fenestration suitable for use with existing windows. The supplemental window, in one embodiment, comprises a frame with plastic sheet material stretched across it. An attachment mechanism secured to the frame functions to fasten the supplemental window to an existing window. The attachment mechanism can be a suction cup or adhesive for example. A seal attached to the frame functions to trap a volume of air between the window pane and the plastic sheet material. An aesthetic covering and draft inhibiting mechanism are also provided. The supplemental window is configured such that the layer of trapped air is of an optimum thickness of 0.15 to 0.75 inches to maximize thermal insulation properties of the supplemental window.
US09234380B2
A composite frame member includes a pair of profile members extending in a longitudinal direction (Z) and held at connection regions thereof in a parallel, spaced apart relation by an insulating bridge member. The bridge member carries first and second head portions on opposite ends in a height direction (Y) wherein the head portions define outer planar surfaces and first and second inner planar surfaces. The first outer planar surface and the first and second inner planar surfaces of each head portion are mutually parallel and spaced apart in the height direction (Y). Opposed first and second flange members of each connection region are crimped inwardly and abut the outer planar surfaces and generate holding forces F exclusively in the height direction (Y) perpendicular to the longitudinal (Z) and transverse (X) directions.
US09234377B2
A powered garage door opener is provided for operating a garage door between an open and closed position. The powered garage door opener comprises a main housing mounted adjacent the garage door. An electric motor and gear train assembly is mounted within the main housing and coupled to the garage door to drive the garage door between the open and closed positions. A power supply is mounted within the main housing and electrically connected to the electric motor and gear train assembly. A control module is mounted within the main housing and electrically connected to the power supply and the electric motor and gear train assembly for controlling selective actuation of the electric motor and gear train assembly. The electric motor and gear train assembly includes a secondary housing, an electric motor sealed within the secondary housing, a worm gear coupled to and driven by the electric motor, a spur gear in meshed engagement with the worm gear, and a driven shaft mounted to the spur gear and coupled to garage door. The electric motor provides electrical power to drive the worm and spur gears, rotating the driven shaft, to provide power actuation of the garage door and the gear relationship between the worm gear and spur gear allows the spur gear to back drive the worm gear and provide manual actuation of the garage door.
US09234372B2
Disclosed are embodiments of apparatus, methods, and systems for securing articles, such as electronic articles (for example, laptop computers and the like) for theft deterrence or prevention. In some embodiments, theft deterrence is provided by securing the article(s) to an object that makes the task of removing the article more difficult for a would-be thief. Locking the article into the system or device often inhibits access to various fastening devices to further deter/prevent theft.
US09234367B2
A first and second of fence post bracket is provided that function together to secure a wire fence to a T-post fence post. The brackets comprise a complimentary bracket pair that secure a portion of wire fence to a T-post and utilize existing T-post lugs and T-post flanges as support. Each bracket comprises an upstanding portion having a fastener aperture, and a hook end with an open notch. The base of the bracket extends substantially perpendicular to the upstanding portion and includes a U-shaped fitting. The fitting is configured to wrap around the exposed outer edge of a T-post flange, while the upstanding portion is configured to extend away from the post between two T-post lugs. The two brackets are fastened together to provide an enclosed area between the bracket notches and the post, wherethrough a portion of the wire fence is supported.
US09234359B2
A tile floor adhesive spreader device and method of spreading tile adhesive in a defined pathway comprises a rectangular frame having a first and second set of roller wheels, removable side inserts, a rear trowel blade and a defined railway for guiding the second set of wheels along a straight pathway. The frame is one comprising four side panels having width adjustment, an open interior section for retaining pouring adhesive and upstanding posts for slideably retaining the frame side inserts and allowing the inserts to slide against and follow the subfloor surface. The rear trowel blade is adjustably mounted to the rear of the frame for defining the upper surface of the adhesive aft of the frame, while the first set of wheels rolls along a surface placed over installed tile and the second set of wheels travels along an upstanding portion of an L-shaped guide rail.
US09234355B2
Insulated wall and roof sheathing systems for use in building construction designed to provide moisture permeable wall panels that protect from bulk water, excess air, and thermal transfer.
US09234352B2
According to one embodiment, a roof membrane is provided. The roofing membrane includes a main body, a first adhesive material, and a second adhesive material. The first adhesive material is bonded to a top surface of the main body and positioned toward a first edge thereof. The second adhesive material is bonded to a bottom surface of the main body and positioned toward a second edge thereof. The second edge is positioned opposite the first edge such that the first and second adhesive materials are positioned toward opposite edges of the main body and on opposite surfaces thereof.
US09234351B1
A new adaptable grid or lattice structure identified by the coined term “polargrid” is disclosed. A polargrid may be designed or engineered to fill any space between two generally circular structures and where the ribs will intersect with both circular structures at a node. The intersection of a polargrid with a circular structure will not occur mid-rib. Rather, a polargrid can be designed to always have ribs terminate at an inner or outer circular structure at a node. Polargrids have particular applicability in cylindrical structures or when interconnecting concentric circular or cylindrical structures that may or may not be co-planar.
US09234349B1
A concrete panel system includes first, second, and third rectangular precast concrete panels, each defining a respective top edge, bottom edge, and first and second lateral edges. A first type connector is formed in the concrete material at least along the top edge of the first panel and along the first lateral edge of the first panel. A second type connector is formed in the concrete material at least along the second lateral edge of the second panel, and along the bottom edge of the third panel. The first type connector and the second type connector are configured to connect together, and a cavity is formed between the respective panel edges. This cavity extends along both the top edge of the first panel and the first lateral edge of the first panel to facilitate positioning reinforcing bar traversing a corner of the first or second panel.
US09234346B2
Provided is a cassette-vibration isolation device that is easy to upkeep (maintain) and that can cause a heavy structure to rise during an earthquake. The device is provided with an upper base and a lower base that are arranged so that the bottom surface of the upper base faces the upper surface of the lower base; a cavity, which is formed between the upper base and the lower base, and the inside of which is filled with fluid; sealing members, which are provided in an attachable/detachable manner along the inner walls of the cavity, and which maintain the state wherein the cavity is filled with fluid; and a valve, which connects the cavity and a fluid-supply source, and which supplies fluid to the inside of the cavity. During an earthquake, the upper base can rise from the lower base due to the supply of fluid via the valve to the inside of the cavity.
US09234344B2
The end of a transversely extending beam is joined to a wall structure by a self-releasing structural assembly. It has a first portion anchored to the wall. A second, fireproof and non-thermally degradable portion of the assembly sticks out from the wall. The assembly has a thermally degradable member mated to the second portion of the structural assembly. Both portions have slots for accepting beam fasteners. The beam fasteners squeeze the end of the beam, the support bracket seat, and the consumable, thermally degradable member in compression. When exposed to heat or flame the consumable, thermally degradable member softens, releasing the tension in the beam end fasteners, and releasing the compression in the structural sandwich of parts. The end of the beam is then able to translate away from the wall structure. The consumable member can be inspected without removing the beam end from the seat.
US09234340B2
A mounting assembly contains a plate including a first fringe, a second fringe, a third fringe, and a fourth fringe. The first fringe has a first raised portion, and the second fringe has a semi-circular groove. The plate includes a plurality of first adjusting apertures, at least one pair of second adjusting apertures, and at least one pair of third adjusting apertures. The at least one pair of third adjusting apertures is defined between the at least one pair of second adjusting apertures, a distance between the at least one pair of second adjusting apertures is equal to that of two opposite orifices, two supporting members are symmetrically connected with the third fringe and the fourth fringe, and each supporting member has a plurality of first eyelets so that the first bolt inserts through the through hole to screw with one of the plurality of first eyelets.
US09234335B2
A hose retractor for use with a pull-out dispensing unit of a faucet.
US09234329B2
An adaptive control system for a machine implement is provided. The adaptive control system includes a machine implement of a machine and an adaptive controller operatively coupled to the machine implement. The adaptive controller includes a processor configured to receive a position of the machine implement relative to a terrain from at least one position detection system, receive data regarding operating conditions of the terrain, compare the position with a target position stored in a memory, compare the data regarding the operating conditions with data stored in a reference model of the terrain stored in the memory, and adjust the position of the machine implement based upon the comparisons and based upon an updated reference model of the operating conditions of the terrain.
US09234327B2
A front loader arrangement includes a bracket, a mounting mast mounted on upper and lower bearings of the bracket, a loader arm which is articulated to a first pivot pin on the mast, a loader support articulated to a second pivot pin on the mast, and a locking device for locking the mast to the bracket. The locking device is arranged on the loader support. The locking device includes a pivoting locking bar which is mounted on a third pivot pin on the loader support, a pre-tensioning device which pre-tensions the locking bar depending on its position relative to the loader support into an open or a closed position, and an adjusting device arranged on the mast which can be brought into engagement with the locking bar, by which the locking bar can be moved into the closed position.
US09234320B2
In a road milling machine, in particular small milling machine, for working road surfaces, with a machine frame, with a milling drum supported in the machine frame and capable of being driven by a milling drum drive, where stud bolts for mounting the milling drum project from the milling drum drive, said stud bolts, in mounted condition, engaging with cut-outs arranged accordingly in a connecting flange of the milling drum, it is provided for the following features to be achieved: that the milling drum drive comprises, as a minimum, one mounting stud which engages with a corresponding opening adapted to said mounting stud in the connecting flange of the milling drum, wherein the mounting stud projects axially vis-à-vis the stud bolts to such an extent that the milling drum rests on the mounting stud prior to engaging with the stud bolts.
US09234319B2
In an automotive milling machine, with a machine frame with longitudinal axis, with a chassis with wheels or tracked travelling drive units which support the machine frame, with a controller for the travelling, steering and milling operation, with a height-adjustable working drum, with a slewable last or single transport conveyor of specified length arranged in front of or behind the working drum as seen in the direction of travel of the milling machine, where the transport conveyor is, as a minimum, slewable sideways about an essentially vertical first axis under a slewing angle, it is provided for the following features to be achieved: the controller comprises a detection and control system which, as a minimum, detects the steering angle of the steering controller for the chassis or, as a minimum, the steering angle of the steering controller and the distance traveled or the travel speed, and controls the slewing angle of the transport conveyor in accordance with this no less than one parameter.
US09234315B2
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus 10 for the application or removal of one or more railway track fasteners 12. The apparatus comprises a support frame assembly 14, a drive assembly 16 mounted to the support frame assembly 14, and a workhead 18 operatively coupled to the drive assembly 16. The workhead 18 includes a tool 20 designed for applying or removing the fasteners 12 wherein the drive assembly 16 is powered to activate the workhead 18 and the associated tool 20 which contacts the fastener 12 in a hammering action.
US09234312B2
A sizing agent for a reinforcement fiber is used for reinforcing thermoplastic matrix resins and spreads on the reinforcement fiber surface and imparts both excellent splittability and bonding performance to thermoplastic matrix resins. The sizing agent includes essentially an ester compound (A) having a vinyl ester group, acrylate group or methacrylate group bonded to at least one of the chain ends of the main chain of the ester compound (A), and of a polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether (B) which is an adduct between an alkylene oxide and a C4-14 monohydric alcohol. When water is added to the sizing agent thereby producing a mixture with a nonvolatile content of 1 weight %, the mixture exhibits a dynamic surface tension ranging from 40 to 55 mN/m determined by the maximum bubble pressure method when bubbles are blown into the mixture at the rate of one bubble per 100 milliseconds.
US09234306B1
A knitting loom is provided with a base having top and bottom, the base including a plurality of knitting pegs equidistantly projecting upward from the top of the base, each of the knitting pegs having a top hole and a vertical groove formed on an outer surface; a plurality of convex risers each formed on a joining portion of the knitting peg and the top of the base, a plurality of cavities formed on the top of the base, each of the cavities communicating with the vertical groove, and a plurality of wells equidistantly formed on the bottom of the base; and a plurality of pins each including a shank fastened in the top hole, and an enlarged head.
US09234299B2
A method for producing a group III nitride single crystal (ingot) includes providing a seed crystal comprising a first crystal face that is perpendicular to a growth direction of the single crystal and has a first predetermined area, and a second crystal face that is inclined to the growth direction and has a second predetermined area and growing the group III nitride single crystal on the first crystal face and the second crystal face by controlling a growth condition of the single crystal so as not to change the first predetermined area and the second predetermined area. A method for producing a group III nitride single crystal substrate includes further cutting the group III nitride single crystal substrate off from the grown group III nitride single crystal (ingot).
US09234298B2
A method for growing a single crystal in a chamber. The method includes heating raw material to form a melt for forming the single crystal. A crystal seed is then inserted into the melt and pulled from the melt to form a partial ingot, wherein the partial ingot radiates heat. An amount of gas is then introduced into the chamber which corresponds to a size of the partial ingot so as to provide a constant crystallization rate.
US09234296B2
The present invention is a semiconductor single crystal manufacturing apparatus including, within a growth furnace main body, a crucible, and a heater disposed around the crucible, wherein a heat insulating cylinder is disposed around the heater within the growth furnace main body, the heat insulating cylinder includes a step portion dividing the heat insulating cylinder into the upper part and the lower part at the inside surface thereof, the inner diameter of the lower part is larger than the inner diameter of the upper part, a heat insulating plate is disposed below the heater and on the inside of the lower part of the heat insulating cylinder within the growth furnace main body, and the diameter of the heat insulating plate is larger than the inner diameter of the upper part of the heat insulating cylinder and is smaller than the inner diameter of the lower part.
US09234291B2
Techniques for electrodepositing zinc (Zn)-containing films are provided. In one aspect, a method of preparing a Zn electroplating solution is provided. The method includes the following steps. The solution is formed from a mixture of at least one zinc salt, a sulfonic acid and a solvent. The sulfonic acid is quenched with a base. A pH of the solution is adjusted to be either less than about 3.5 or greater than about 8.0. The pH of the solution can be adjusted by adding additional sulfonic acid to the solution to adjust the pH of the solution to be less than about 3.5 or by adding a second base to the solution to adjust the pH of the solution to be greater than about 8.0. A Zn electroplating solution and an electroplating method are also provided.
US09234289B2
A method for manufacturing a molding core includes: providing a cylindrical roller having a circumference surface coated with a first film layer; coating a second film layer on the first film layer; coating a preprocessed molding film on the second film layer; engraving a number of molding patterns on the preprocessed molding film to obtain a molding film; separating the molding film from the roller and spreading out the molding film to be a flat plate; and manufacturing the molding core using the molding film by electroforming method.
US09234286B2
An aluminum production electrolytic cell (14) comprises a bath (20) with bath contents (18), at least one cathode electrode (22) in contact with said contents (18), at least one anode electrode (16) in contact with said contents (18), and a hood (36), defining interior area (36a), covering at least a portion of said bath (20). The electrolytic cell (14) is equipped for effluent gases to be drawn from said interior area (36a). The electrolytic cell (14) also comprises at least one heat exchanger (74) for cooling at least a portion of the gases drawn from interior area (36a), prior to circulation thereof to interior area (36a) through at least one distribution device (90).
US09234285B2
A method of using clathrate hydrates (including ammonia clathrates), in electrochemical transformations. Noted are converting clathrate guest molecules such as CO2, CH4, alkanes, and alkenes; and, optionally, the use of clathrates-promoting molecules such as tetra hydro furan, to produce higher value carbon molecules including propane and formic acid.
US09234282B2
Stable zero-valent metal compositions and methods of making and using these compositions are provided. Such compositions are useful as catalysts for subsequent metallization of non-conductive substrates, and are particularly useful in the manufacture of electronic devices.
US09234280B2
A susceptor support shaft for an epitaxial growth apparatus capable of forming a high quality epitaxial film by suppressing in-plane resistance variation of the epitaxial film due to deflection of a susceptor, wherein the susceptor support shaft supports a susceptor at an underneath portion of the susceptor in an epitaxial growth apparatus. The susceptor support shaft includes a support column located substantially coaxial with a center of the susceptor; a plurality of arms extending radially from the support column to positions under a peripheral portion of the susceptor; an arm connecting member connecting tips of the arms next to each other; and support pins extending from the arm connecting member, thereby supporting the susceptor.
US09234272B2
Disclosed are a gas barrier film obtained by forming a gas barrier layer on a base material, and a method for producing such a gas barrier film, in which the gas barrier layer contains at least oxygen atoms, silicon atoms and nitrogen atoms, and in connection with the amount of nitrogen, the amount of silicon and the amount of oxygen measured by an XPS analysis, the gas barrier layer includes a first region constituted in the order of the amount of oxygen>the amount of silicon>the amount of nitrogen; a second region constituted in the order of the amount of silicon>the amount of oxygen>the amount of nitrogen; and a third region constituted in the order of the amount of oxygen>the amount of silicon>the amount of nitrogen, from a surface side toward a base material side.
US09234271B2
A radiation imaging apparatus, comprising a sensor panel including a plurality of sensors arranged on a substrate and configured to detect light, and a scintillator placed over the sensor panel, wherein the scintillator having a concentric characteristics distribution having a center outside an outer edge of the scintillator.
US09234269B2
A method for processing parts for kitchen tools in order to protect the parts from scratches, includes sequentially: a nitridation step, optionally including a nitrocarburizing step, between 592 and 750° C. in order to promote the formation of a nitrogen austenite layer; and a processing step for promoting the conversion of at least a portion of the nitrogen austenite into a phase with reinforced hardness.
US09234268B2
The present invention provides a high-strength galvanized steel sheet with maximum tensile strength of 900 MPa or more. The high-strength galvanized steel sheet has an alloyed galvanized layer formed on a surface of a base steel sheet containing predetermined amounts of C, Si, Mn, P, S, Al, N, O with a balance being constituted of iron and inevitable impurities, in which in a structure of the base steel sheet, retained austenite is limited to 8% or less in volume fraction, kurtosis K* of the hardness distribution between 2% hardness and 98% hardness is −0.30 or less, a ratio between Vickers hardness of surface layer of the base steel sheet and Vickers hardness of ¼ thickness of the base steel sheet is 0.35 to 0.70, and a content of iron in the alloyed galvanized layer is 8 to 12% in mass %.
US09234255B2
Disclosed is a process for the heat treatment of metal strip material providing mechanical properties that differ over the width of the strip, wherein the strip is heated and cooled and optionally over-aged during a continuous annealing process. At least one of the following parameters in the process differs over the width of the strip: heating rate, top temperature, top temperature holding time, cooling trajectory after top temperature; or, when over-aging is performed, at least one of the following parameters in the process differs over the width of the strip: heating rate, top temperature, top temperature holding time, cooling trajectory after top temperature, over-aging temperature, over-aging temperature holding time, lowest cooling temperature before over-aging, re-heating rate to over-aging temperature. Also, at least one of the cooling trajectories follows a non-linear temperature-time path. Also disclosed is strip material thus produced.
US09234254B2
A seamless steel tube contains 0.15% to 0.50% C, 0.1% to 1.0% Si, 0.3% to 1.0% Mn, 0.015% or less P, 0.005% or less S, 0.01% to 0.1% Al, 0.01% or less N, 0.1% to 1.7% Cr, 0.4% to 1.1% Mo, 0.01% to 0.12% V, 0.01% to 0.08% Nb, and 0.0005% to 0.003% B or further contains 0.03% to 1.0% Cu on a mass basis and has a microstructure which has a composition containing 0.40% or more solute Mo and a tempered martensite phase that is a main phase and which contains prior-austenite grains with a grain size number of 8.5 or more and 0.06% by mass or more of a dispersed M2C-type precipitate with substantially a particulate shape.
US09234250B2
Methods are provided for the amplification of at least a first and a second target nucleic acid that may be present in at least one fluid sample using an internal control nucleic acid for qualitative and/or quantitative purposes.
US09234249B2
Methods for detecting the presence or absence of the swine H1N1 influenza A virus, seasonal H1 influenza A virus and/or seasonal H3 influenza A virus nucleic acids in biological samples are disclosed. Compositions that are target-specific nucleic acid sequences and kits comprising target-specific nucleic acid oligomers for amplifying in vitro the swine H1N1 influenza A virus, seasonal H1 influenza A virus and/or seasonal H3 influenza A virus nucleic acid and detecting amplified nucleic acid sequences are disclosed.
US09234242B2
The present application relates to the treatment and diagnosis of mood disorders, including bipolar disorder, major depression disorder and schizophrenia. The invention provides novel diagnostic markers and assays, as well as research tools for the development and discovery of agents and compounds which are useful for treating patients who suffer from mental illness.
US09234240B2
A precise measurement of the immunological receptor diversity present in a sample is obtained by sequence analysis. Samples of interest are generally complex, comprising more than 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 1010, 1011, 1012 or more different sequences for a receptor of interest. Immunological receptors of interest include immunoglobulins, T cell antigen receptors, and major histocompatibility receptors. The specific composition of immunological receptor sequence variations in the sample can be recorded and output. The composition is useful for predictive, diagnostic and therapeutic methods relating to the immune capabilities and history of an individual. Such predictions and diagnoses are used to guide clinical decisions.
US09234235B2
This invention provides novel compositions and processes for analyte detection, quantification and amplification. Nucleic acid arrays and libraries of analytes are usefully incorporated into such compositions and processes. Universal detection elements, signaling entities and the like are employed to detect and if necessary or desirable, to quantify analytes. Amplification of target analytes are also provided by the compositions and processes of this invention.
US09234234B2
This invention provides novel compositions and processes for analyte detection, quantification and amplification. Nucleic acid arrays and libraries of analytes are usefully incorporated into such compositions and processes. Universal detection elements, signaling entities and the like are employed to detect and if necessary or desirable, to quantify analytes. Amplification of target analytes are also provided by the compositions and processes of this invention.
US09234227B2
This disclosure provided methods of cloning a phage genome. Also provided are methods of making a recombinant phage genome. In some embodiments the phage genome is engineered to comprise a heterologous nucleic acid sequence, for example a sequence comprising an open reading frame. In some embodiments the phage genome is cloned in a yeast artificial chromosome. Recombinant phage genomes and recombinant phage are also provided. In some embodiments the methods are high throughput methods such as methods of making a plurality of recombinant phage genomes or recombinant phage. Collections of recombinant phage genomes and recombinant phage are also provided.
US09234209B2
The invention relates to the use of a gene of the Argonaute family, a transcript of said gene or the ORF of said gene in order to produce plants that are completely or partially apomictic. The invention can be used to control apomixis in cultivated species having sexual reproduction.
US09234208B1
DIG-13 insecticidal toxins, polynucleotides encoding such toxins, use of such toxins to control pests, and transgenic plants that produce such toxins are disclosed.
US09234201B2
The present invention is directed to an aptamer comprising or consisting of the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 1, SEQ ID No. 2, SEQ ID No. 3 and/or a nucleic acid sequence being at least 80% identical to one of SEQ ID No. 1, 2 and 3 for use in therapy and/or diagnosis of autoimmune diseases, wherein the autoimmune disease is cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), idiopathic cardiomyopathy, Chagas' cardiomyopathy, Chagas' megacolon, Chagas' megaesophagus, Chagas' neuropathy, benign prostatic hyperplasia, scleroderma, psoriasis, Raynaud syndrome, pre-eclamsia, kidney allograft rejection, myocarditis, glaucoma, hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, malignant hypertension, and/or Alzheimer's disease.
US09234191B2
Cytotoxic variants of human ribonuclease 1 (RNase 1) identified through analysis of the interaction between RNase 1 and the human ribonuclease inhibitor (hRI) as defined by the three dimensional (3-D) atomic structure of the RNase1 hRI complex are disclosed. Also disclosed is the 3-D structure of the hRI.RNase 1 complex and methods for designing and using the RNase 1 variants.
US09234190B2
The present invention provides a method for producing a hyperactive MuA transposase variant comprising at least one single-amino-acid change, the method comprising the steps of modifying the nucleic acid encoding wild type MuA transposase in at least one of the positions 59, 97, 160, 179, 233, 254, 258, 302, 335, 340, 345, 374, 447, 464, 478, 482, 483, 487, 495, 507, 539, 594 or 617 so that the modified nucleic acid encodes a MuA transposase variant comprising at least one single-amino-acid change in its amino acid sequence, wherein said single-amino-acid change results in higher enzyme activity of the variant when compared to the wild type MuA transposase. The present invention also provides hyperactive MuA transposases and kits comprising the same.
US09234184B2
A subgenomic replicon RNA (nucleic acid) having an excellent autonomously replicating ability and a fullgenomic replicon RNA (nucleic acid) having an excellent autonomously replicating ability and infectious HCV particle-producing ability, each derived from a novel HCV of genotype 1b, are provided. Particularly, a subgenomic replicon RNA (nucleic acid) and a fullgenomic replicon RNA (nucleic acid), each derived from an HCV genome of the NC1 strain which is a novel HCV genotype 1b isolated from a patient with acute severe hepatitis C, are provided.
US09234178B2
The present invention provides a method for increasing the expression of MAFA in cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage comprising the steps of culturing the cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage in medium comprising a sufficient amount of a cyclin-dependant kinase inhibitor to cause an increase in expression of MAFA.
US09234174B2
The present invention relates to a tolerogenic dendritic cell population (Tr-DC) capable of generating a population of T cells having regulatory activity, method of production and uses thereof. Furthermore, soluble HLA-G promotes the differentiation of a population of T cells with regulatory activity.
US09234157B2
The present invention provides a chromatographic separation process for recovering a polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) product from a feed mixture, which process comprises the steps of: (i) purifying the feed mixture in a first separation step in a simulated or actual moving bed chromatography apparatus having a plurality of linked chromatography columns containing, as eluent, an aqueous organic solvent, to obtain an intermediate product; and (ii) purifying the intermediate product obtained in (i) in a second separation step using a simulated or actual moving bed chromatography apparatus having a plurality of linked chromatography columns containing, as eluent, an aqueous organic solvent, to obtain the PUFA product; wherein (a) the first and second separation steps are carried out sequentially on the same chromatography apparatus, the intermediate product being recovered between the first and second separation steps and the process conditions in the chromatography apparatus being adjusted between the first and second separation steps such that the PUFA product is separated from different components of the feed mixture in each separation step; or (b) the first and second separation steps are carried out on separate first and second chromatography apparatuses respectively, the intermediate product obtained from the first separation step being introduced into the second chromatography apparatus, and the PUFA product being separated from different components of the feed mixture in each separation step.
US09234150B2
This invention is directed to ultra-low viscosity passenger car engine oil compositions with a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of from 4 to 6 cSt, and comprising in admixture 60 wt % to 90 wt % of a first base oil component, based on the total weight of the composition, the first base oil component consisting of a polyalphaolefin base stock or combination of polyalphaolefin base stocks, each having a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of from 3.2 cSt to 3.8 cSt; and 0.1 wt % to 20 wt % of a second base oil component, based on the total weight of the composition, the second base oil component consisting of a Group II, Group III or Group V base stock, or any combination thereof; wherein the composition comprises from 0 wt % to less than 0.25 wt % viscosity index improver, on a solid polymer basis.
US09234149B2
Steam generating gasification reactors for providing high-pressure and high-temperature steam for catalytic gasification of a carbonaceous feedstock can be based on oxygen blown gasification reactors adapted for processing a slurry feedstock comprising at least 40% water. The exhaust from the slurry gasifier comprises at least steam, carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The slurry composition and the oxygen to fuel ratio can be varied to control the ratio of carbonaceous gases in the generator exhaust. By directing substantially all of exhaust gases produced from the slurry gasification reactor through the catalytic gasifier and subsequent gas separation and sequestration processes, a greatly higher energy efficiency and decreased carbon footprint can be realized. The subsequent gas separation process produces a syngas stream which is recycled and directed into the slurry gasifier.
US09234139B2
A combined Direct Coal Liquefaction (DCL)/Fischer Tropsch (F-T) process and system for producing high Cetane diesel fuel by converting at least 70% of the feed coal by DCL operating at 50 to 70% conversion and gasifying the bottoms and between 0 and 30% of the feed coal to produce H2 for supply to the DCL and to upgrading and syngas for being converted to diesel by F-T. Diesel blendstocks produced by the DCL and the F-T in a ratio of 3 to 1 to 14 to 1 are blended to produce diesel fuel having a Cetane Number of at least 51 and a specific gravity of 0.845 or less.
US09234138B1
A waste plastic to fuel oil distillation vessel is disclosed. The distillation vessel can be a revolving cone with many traverse supporting tubes therein. This structure allows high temperature air or gas to go through the support tubes, which pass through the vessel, to increase the heating area and increase the temperature of the distillation vessel. Also disclosed is a method of converting waste plastic or rubber into fuel oil.
US09234133B2
Disclosed is an etching gas provided containing CHF2COF. The etching gas may contain, as an additive, at least one kind of gas selected from O2, O3, CO, CO2, F2, NF3, Cl2, Br2, I2, XFn (In this formula, X represents Cl, I or Br. n represents an integer satisfying 1≦n≦7.), CH4, CH3F, CH2F2, CHF3, N2, He, Ar, Ne, Kr and the like, from CH4, C2H2, C2H4, C2H6, C3H4, C3H6, C3H8, HI, HBr, HCl, CO, NO, NH3, H2 and the like, or from CH4, CH3F, CH2F2 and CHF3. This etching gas is not only excellent in etching performances such as the selection ratio to a resist and the patterning profile but also easily available and does not substantially by-produce CF4 that places a burden on the environment.
US09234130B2
A method of producing nanoparticles comprises effecting conversion of a nanoparticle precursor composition to the material of the nanoparticles. The precursor composition comprises a first precursor species containing a first ion to be incorporated into the growing nanoparticles and a separate second precursor species containing a second ion to be incorporated into the growing nanoparticles. The conversion is effected in the presence of a molecular cluster compound under conditions permitting seeding and growth of the nanoparticles.
US09234124B2
A fluid is provided including: (A) an aqueous phase; and (B) a dimer acid grafted polymer, wherein the dimer acid grafted polymer is at least sparingly soluble in water, wherein the polymer is dispersed, hydrated, or dissolved in the aqueous phase. The fluid can be used, for example, in a method of treating a well, including: (A) forming a fluid comprising a dimer acid grafted polymer, and (B) introducing the fluid into a treatment zone of a well.
US09234122B2
The invention relates to a primer, comprising a mixture dissolved or dispersed in one or more solvents, the mixture composed of a copolymer obtained through copolymerization, preferably free-radical copolymerization, of vinylcaprolactam and/or vinylpyrrolidone, and one or more of the following monomers: a) an acrylic acid ester of a linear primary alcohol containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms in the alkyl group of the alcohol, b) an acrylic acid ester of a branched, non-cyclic alcohol having 4 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl group of the alcohol, and c) acrylic acid; one or more organofunctional silanes; a dye or a pigment based on a metal complex or a metal oxide, wherein the metal oxide is of a spinel-type. Such primer provide reliable and excellent adhesion between pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes and hydrophilic surfaces, in particular glass, and ensures at the same time a good coloration of the primer, thereby producing an opaque primer layer.
US09234119B2
The invention relates to a thin-film solar cell (10) comprising a substrate (1) of metal or glass, a dielectric barrier layer (2) based on a polysilazane and a photovoltaic layer structure (4) of the copper-indium sulphide (CIS) type or the copper-indium selenide (CIGSe) type.
US09234118B2
The present invention provides a coating system for an article including a first component having a surface in frictional engagement with a surface of a second component, wherein at least a portion of at least one surface of the component(s) is coated with a coating prepared from a composition including a first, curable organopolysiloxane comprising at least two alkenyl groups; and a second, curable organopolysiloxane comprising at least two polar groups, the second organopolysiloxane being different from the first organopolysiloxane, which can provide low breakloose force when used in syringe assemblies.
US09234115B2
The present disclosure relates to a water-based amine curing agent which is a reaction product obtained from the reaction of an aqueous epoxy resin dispersion and a polyamine component. The water-based amine curing agent may be used as part of a two component coating system in the curing of modified or unmodified liquid or pre-dispersed curable resin.
US09234110B2
An ink for inkjet recording, which is used for recording on a paper having a concentration of an eluted Ca ion of from 1.0×10−4 to 5.0×10−4 g/g when dipped in pure water. The ink includes at least a pigment, a pigment dispersant, a water-soluble organic solvent and water. The pigment dispersant is a copolymer synthesized using at least (1) unsaturated ethylene monomer having a phosphoric acid group or a phosphonic acid group and (2) unsaturated ethylene monomer having an alkyl group having 12 to 22 carbon atoms.
US09234105B2
The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for making stable aqueous fluorinated silane dispersions.
US09234095B2
A resin composition includes (A) a thermally-conductive organic additive including a liquid crystalline thermoplastic resin which has a mainly-chain structure, wherein a main chain of the liquid crystalline thermoplastic resin contains mainly a repeating unit represented by the general formula (1): -M-Sp- (1) where M represents a mesogenic group and Sp represents a spacer, (B) a thermosetting resin; and (C) an inorganic filler.
US09234092B2
A liquid-crystal polyester resin composition according to the present invention contains 100 parts by mass of a liquid-crystal polyester (A), 50 to 150 parts by mass of a titanium oxide (B) having been subjected to an aluminum oxide treatment, a silicon oxide treatment and an organosiloxane treatment as surface treatments, and 0 to 50 parts by mass of an inorganic fibrous filler (C).
US09234091B2
A polymer composition that contains a liquid crystalline polymer and a pearlescent filler is provided. By selectively controlling the type and relative concentration of these components, the polymer composition and shaped parts formed therefrom can be achieved that have a pearly luster appearance similar to parts plated with metals, such as copper, brass, or bronze.
US09234073B2
A method of producing a molded article involving preparing a copolymer obtained by condensation of (i) 90 to 99.5 mol %, based on components i) to ii), of succinic acid; (ii) 0.5 to 10 mol %, based on components i) to ii), of 4 to 10 mol % sebacic acid; (iii) 98 to 102 mol %, based on components i) to ii), of 1,3-propanediol or 1,4-butanediol; (iv) 0.05 to 0.5% by weight, based on the total weight of components i) to iii), of a crosslinker; and (v) 0.35 to 2% by weight, based on the total weight of components i) to iii), of 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate. The copolymer is injection molded or blow molded to form a molded article having a wall thickness above 200 μm.
US09234068B2
A novel method for the preparation of an aqueous polyacrylate modified polyurethane dispersion is disclosed. The preparation method includes three main steps: a) preparation of polyacrylate polymer or copolymer emulsion; b) preparation of polyurethane prepolymer with carboxylic groups and neutralization treatment to the carboxylic groups; and c) dispersion and chain-extension of polyurethane prepolymer by adding the polyacrylate emulsion into the polyurethane prepolymer under vigorous agitation, or other mechanical operation. The aqueous polyacrylate modified polyurethane dispersion has self-crosslinkability when an unsaturated acetoacetoxy compound is used for the preparation of the polyacrylate emulsion.
US09234067B2
A novel material, forming supramolecular structures below its transition temperature, which contains at least one C═O and/or C═S group and at least one N—H, O—H and/or S—H group and wherein the material has the structure A(-X—B)n (1) wherein A, X, B and n are defined. Also a process for preparation of the material and uses thereof.
US09234064B2
Presently disclosed are processes for making acrylic acid and methacrylic acid along with their respective esters, from alkylene glycols such as ethylene glycol and propylene glycol. In particular, biobased acrylic acid and acrylic acid esters, methacrylic acid and methacrylic acid esters can be made starting with bioderived glycols from the hydrogenolyzis of glycerol, sorbitol and the like.
US09234059B2
An article comprises a substrate and a functional polymeric phase change material bound to the substrate. In some aspects the functional polymeric phase change material is chemically bound to the substrate and can be accomplished by at least one of covalent bonding or electrovalent bonding. The functional polymeric phase change material can comprise a reactive function selected from the group consisting of an acid anhydride group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an alkyl group, an aldehyde group, an amide group, an amino group and their salts, a N-substituted amino group, an aziridine, an aryl group, a carbonyl group, a carboxy group and their salts, an epoxy group, an ester group, an ether group, a glycidyl group, a halo group, a hydride group, a hydroxy group, an isocyanate group, a thiol group, a disulfide group, a silyl or silane group, an urea group, and an urethane group, and wherein the substrate comprises at least one of cellulose, wool, fur, leather, polyester and nylon. Methods of producing the articles are also disclosed.
US09234048B2
Methods for enhancing cellular uptake of cargo molecules by boronating the cargo molecule, particularly with one or more phenylboronic acid groups. Cellular uptake includes at least partial uptake into the cytosol. Boronation includes ligating, crosslinking or otherwise bonding one or more phenylboronic acids substituted to contain a reactive group to a cargo molecule. Boronation also includes ligating, crosslinking or otherwise bonding a phenylboronated oligopeptide to a cargo molecule. The phenylboronate groups are optionally conjugated to the cargo molecule via linking moieties that can be selectively cleaved, such cleavable linkers can allow the phenylboronate groups to be removed from the cargo molecule after the boronated cargo molecule is introduced into the cell. The invention includes certain phenylboronates which are boronation reagents, certain boronated oligopeptides and certain boronated peptides and proteins. The invention also includes kits for enhancing cellular uptake of cargo molecules by boronation with one or more phenylboronates or boronated oligopeptides.
US09234046B2
The present invention provides compounds and methods for the treatment and prophylaxis of renal disease and inflammation. In particular the invention provides methods for the treatment of kidney disease and failure through the administration of compounds which function as inhibitors of TLR2 function and expression.
US09234041B2
The present invention relates to antibodies and antigen-binding portions thereof that specifically bind to insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR), which is preferably human IGF-IR. The invention also relates to human anti-IGF-IR antibodies, including chimeric, bispecific, derivatized, single chain antibodies or portions of fusion proteins. The invention also relates to isolated heavy and light chain immunoglobulin molecules derived from anti-IGF-IR antibodies and nucleic acid molecules encoding such molecules. The present invention also relates to methods of making anti-IGF-IR antibodies, pharmaceutical compositions comprising these antibodies and methods of using the antibodies and compositions thereof for diagnosis and treatment. The invention also provides gene therapy methods using nucleic acid molecules encoding the heavy and/or light immunoglobulin molecules that comprise the human anti-IGF-IR antibodies. The invention also relates to gene therapy methods and transgenic animals comprising nucleic acid molecules of the present invention.
US09234037B2
The present invention provides a method for generating a functionally modifying antibody to an ion channel comprising immunizing a host with a cyclic peptide comprising at least part of an extracellular sequence of said ion channel.
US09234027B2
The present invention relates to fibronectin based scaffold domain proteins that bind PCSK9. The invention also relates to the use of the innovative proteins in therapeutic applications to treat atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia and other cholesterol related diseases. The invention further relates to cells comprising such proteins, polynucleotides encoding such proteins or fragments thereof, and to vectors comprising the polynucleotides encoding the innovative protein.
US09234025B2
The present invention relates to an extracellular binding domain for an allosteric inhibitor, whereby said binding domain is derived from a single membrane span tyrosine kinase receptor. More specifically, the invention relates to an extracellular domain derived from a Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR). It further relates to the use of this domain for the identification of similar domains in the extracellular part of other tyrosine kinase receptors, and to a screening method for identification of a small compound allosteric inhibitor.
US09234022B2
This application relates to recombinant human interferon-like proteins. In one embodiment a recombinant protein created by gene shuffling technology is described having enhanced anti-viral and anti-proliferative activities in comparison to naturally occurring human inteferon like alpha 2b(HuIFN-α2b). The invention encompasses a polynucleotide encoding the protein and recombinant vectors and host cells comprising the polynucleotide. Preferably the polynucleotide is selected from the group of polynucleotides each having a sequence at least 93% identical to SEQ ID: No. 1 and the protein is selected from the group of proteins each having an amino acid sequence at least 85% identical to SEQ ID No: 2. The proteins and compositions comprising the proteins can be used for treatment of conditions responsive to interferon therapy, such as viral diseases and cancer.
US09234018B2
This disclosure provides methods and compositions to inhibit or suppress tumor growth or to treat cancer by inhibiting VprBP kinase activity. Also provided are methods of determining the effectiveness of the methods and compositions to inhibit or suppress tumor growth or to treat cancer by inhibiting VprBP kinase activity, methods for detecting a cancer, and methods for screening potential agents that inhibit VprBP kinase activity.
US09234016B2
Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for treating trinucleotide repeat disorders.
US09234015B2
Reduced lysine chlorotoxin polypeptides that may be used to generate single species conjugates of chlorotoxin. Conjugates comprising such chlorotoxin polypeptides and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. Methods of using such compositions and/or conjugates.
US09234012B2
The present invention relates to a cobalamin acquisition protein, compositions containing the cobalamin acquisition protein, and the use of such compositions.
US09234011B2
The invention relates to a transport protein which can be obtained by modifying the heavy chain of the neurotoxin formed by Clostridium botulinum. The protein binds specifically to nerve cells with a higher affinity as the native neurotoxin. The invention also relates to a method for the production of transport protein, the nucleic acids coding for the transport protein, the transport protein containing pharmaceutical and cosmetic compositions and use thereof.
US09233994B2
Cis ruthenium complexes that can be used as catalysts are described. The complexes are generally square pyramidal in nature, having two anionic ligands X adjacent to each other. The complexes can be used as catalysts, for example in olefin metathesis reactions. Corresponding trans ruthenium complexes are also described, together with cationic complexes where one or both of the anionic ligands X are replaced by a non-co-ordinating anionic ligand.
US09233991B2
The invention provides a symmetric hyperbranched silicone-modified polymerizable compound comprises a compound represented by the general formula (1). There can be provided a symmetric hyperbranched silicone-modified polymerizable compound having a structure with chemically high flexibility at the branched chain, having good reactivity of the polymerizable functional group, and having a branched structure which is positionally and sterically symmetric and pure than the conventional ones. (RARB)2CHORCcRD (1) wherein RA represents a monovalent linear, branched or cyclic siloxane chain; RB represents —CH2CRb1Rb2(CRb3Rb4)n1OCH2—; RC represents a divalent linking group; “c” represents 0 or 1; and RD represents an unsaturated polymerizable functional group.
US09233983B2
The present disclosure provides hetero-bicyclic compounds of formula (I), their tautomers, polymorphs, stereoisomers, prodrugs, solvates, hydrates, N-oxides, co-crystals, pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and methods of treating conditions and diseases that are mediated by Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) activity, The disclosure also relates to the process of preparation of compounds of Formula (I). These compounds are useful in the treatment, prevention, prophylaxis, management, or adjunct treatment of all medical conditions related to inhibition of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk), such as inflammatory and/or autoimmune disorder, cell proliferation, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, transplant rejection, graft-versus-host disease, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, allergic diseases, asthma, type 1 diabetes, myasthenia gravis, hematopoetic disfunction, B-cell malignancies, systemic lupus, erythematosus or other disorders.
US09233978B2
The invention provides novel compounds having the general formula: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, X, Y, W and n are as described herein, compositions including the compounds and methods of using the compounds.
US09233977B2
Disclosed are compounds of Formula (I): and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein “A” is S—; —SO—, —SO2—, —O— or NRac—, wherein Rac is H, or C1-20 alkyl and R1 through R5 are defined herein. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical formulations comprising a compound of Formula I and methods of treating, managing, or ameliorating diseases amenable to treatment, management, or amelioration by inhibition of LRRK2 kinase activity, for example, Parkinson's disease.
US09233973B2
Pharmaceutical compositions that bind to a predicted FK506 Binding Protein 52 (FKBP52) interaction surface on the androgen receptor hormone binding domain, otherwise known as FKBP52 Targeting Agents (FTAs) are provided. These compositions of the present invention are found to specifically recognize the FKBP52 regulatory surface on the androgen receptor and inhibit FKBP52 from functionally interacting with the androgen receptor. Compositions comprising the pharmaceutical composition, as well as methods of use, treatment and screening are also provided.
US09233960B2
Compounds of Formula (I) can be selectively lethal toward a variety of different cancer cell types. The compounds are useful for the management, treatment, control, or adjunct treatment of diseases, where the selective lethality is beneficial in chemotherapeutic therapy.
US09233959B2
The present invention relates to new pharmaceutical compositions comprising benzoquinoline compounds, and methods to inhibit vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) activity in a subject for the treatment of chronic hyperkinetic movement disorders.
US09233951B2
The present invention relates to novel heterocyclic compounds, to processes for preparation thereof and to the use thereof for controlling animal pests, which include arthropods and especially insects.
US09233949B2
One aspect of the invention relates to compounds, compositions and methods for treating oxidative stress and/or hypertension. In certain embodiments, the invention relates to a mixture of tempol and an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) and the use of said mixture to treat oxidative stress and/or hypertension. In certain embodiments, the invention relates to a tempol/ARB adduct and the use of said adduct to treat oxidative stress and/or hypertension.
US09233945B2
A resin comprising a structural unit represented by formula (aa): wherein T1 represents a C3-C34 sultone ring group optionally having a substituent, X1 represents —O— or —N(Rc)—, Rc represents a hydrogen atom or a C1-C6 alkyl group, Z1 represents —X2— or —X3—X4—CO—X5—, where X2, X3 and X5 independently each represent a C1-C6 alkanediyl group, X4 represents —O— or —N(Rd)—, and Rd represents a hydrogen atom or a C1-C6 alkyl group, and R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a C1-C6 alkyl group optionally having a halogen atom.
US09233942B2
The present invention relates to an alumina support for silver catalyst, a process for preparing said alumina support, a silver catalyst made from said alumina support, and a use of said silver catalyst in the production of ethylene oxide by the oxidization of ethylene. According to the present invention, the silver catalyst made from the support prepared by potassium melt technology can have a high selectivity.
US09233941B2
The present invention relates to methods for reducing body weight in an animal in need thereof via administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a compound having a general tripartite structure A-B-C. In the tripartite structure A, B, and C are identical or non-identical structures, for example, but not limited to, heterocyclic, phenyl or benzyl ring structures with or without substitutions and are described in detail herein. The methods may utilize particular compounds, for example, having a piperidinyl, a pyrrolinyl or pyridinyl A ring, a thiazole B ring, and a phenyl C ring which may be further substituted independently. Also provided are methods for increasing thermogenesis without reducing lean body mass during weight loss in an animal by administering of a therapeutically effective amount of the compounds described.
US09233934B2
The present invention relates to phenyl amino pyrimidine compounds which are inhibitors of protein kinases including JAK kinases. In particular the compounds are selective for JAK2 kinases. The kinase inhibitors can be used in the treatment of kinase associated diseases such as immunological and inflammatory diseases including organ transplants; hyperproliferative diseases including cancer and myeloproliferative diseases; viral diseases; metabolic diseases; and vascular diseases.
US09233922B2
The present invention provides a process for effectively producing an N-(hetero)arylazole with high yield, which is useful as a medical or agrochemical product, an organic photoconductor material, an organic electroluminescent element material, or the like. The present invention relates to a process for producing an N-(hetero)arylazole, which includes reacting a (hetero)aryl (pseudo)halide with an NH-azole in the presence of: a catalyst including a palladium compound and a coordination compound; and a basic magnesium compound.
US09233918B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a process that enables isocyanate to be produced stably over a long period of time and at high yield without encountering problems of the prior art during production of isocyanate without using phosgene. The present invention discloses a process for producing an isocyanate by subjecting a carbamic acid ester to a thermal decomposition reaction, including the steps of: recovering a low boiling point component in a form of a gaseous phase component from a thermal decomposition reaction vessel in which the thermal decomposition reaction is carried out; recovering a liquid phase component containing a carbamic acid ester from a bottom of the thermal decomposition reaction vessel; and supplying all or a portion of the liquid phase component to an upper portion of the thermal decomposition reaction vessel.
US09233907B1
Processes for producing acetic acid wherein at least one process vent stream is treated in an absorber column that utilizes multiple scrubber solvents, e.g., a first absorbent comprising acetic acid and a second absorbent comprising methanol and/or methyl acetate.
US09233904B2
A method for producing polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether carboxylic acid or a salt thereof includes an oxidation reaction process of oxidizing polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether with oxygen by supplying an oxygen-containing gas to a suspension or a solution that has a depth of 200 mm or more and includes polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether. In the oxidation reaction process, a supply rate of the oxygen-containing gas is reduced in a period in which the conversion is greater than or equal to 50% and less than 70%.
US09233901B2
One or more embodiments of the invention are directed to the synthetic methods for making lepidopteran pheromones including navel orangeworm pheromones. The synthetic methods involve novel, efficient, and environmentally benign steps and procedures.
US09233900B2
There is provided a method for producing dipropylene glycol (DPG) and/or tripropylene glycol (TPG) including: (A) reacting a raw material liquid including propylene oxide and water to obtain a reaction liquid including unreacted water, propylene glycol (PG), DPG and/or TPG, and an alcohol compound excluding PG, DPG, and TPG; (B) separating, from the reaction liquid, a first liquid containing water and the alcohol compound and a second liquid containing the PG, DPG and/or TPG and optionally the alcohol compound; (C) removing a part of the alcohol compound from the first liquid to obtain a third liquid containing water and optionally a part of the alcohol compound; (D) separating, from the second liquid, a fourth liquid containing the PG and optionally the alcohol compound, and a fifth liquid containing the DPG and/or TPG and optionally the alcohol compound; and (E) recycling a part of the third liquid to step (A).
US09233898B2
The present invention is related to a novel synthetic procedure that provides a simple, safe and commercially valuable method for the preparation of 2-phenyl-1,3-propanediol. The process for the preparation of 2-phenyl-1,3-propanediol involves reducing diethyl phenylmalonate with sodium borohydride (NaBH4) in the presence of an alkali metal dihydrogen phosphate buffer or the hydrate thereof.
US09233893B2
A selective hydrogenation process that is particularly effective in selectively hydrogenating alkynl compounds, such as acetylene or methyl acetylene, over alkenyl compounds, such as ethylene, is described. The process utilizes a slurry conversion unit for heat efficiency purposes during the conversion of acetylene into ethylene.
US09233887B2
In a process for producing mono-cycloalkyl-substituted aromatic compound, benzene and cyclic monoolefin are contacted with a catalyst under alkylation conditions to produce an effluent containing mono-cycloalkyl-substituted aromatic compound. The catalyst comprises a molecular sieve.
US09233882B2
This invention is directed to systems, devices and methods for treating organic-containing sludges and converting such sludges to high value fertilizers containing both inorganic and organic fertilizer components, which creates an inorganically-augmented bioorganic fertilizer. The invention describes methods to create a thixotropic or paste-like material via the application of mixing energy to the organic sludge followed by an alkaline treatment and a subsequent ammoniation. The invention further describes a method to increase the plant nutrient content in the organic containing product to a level which permits the finished granular fertilizer product to compete in the commercial agricultural fertilizer marketplace. Further, the invention reduces odors associated with said organic-containing sludges.
US09233876B2
A hardening accelerator for mineral binder compositions, in particular for cementitious binder compositions, is provided. The hardening accelerator contains a combination of a) a first amino alcohol (A) including at least one primary alcohol group, and b) a second amino alcohol (E) including at least one secondary alcohol group.
US09233865B2
The invention relates to a bioreactor (1) comprising a reactor vessel (41) having a mixing chamber (3) separated by a partition (44) from a reaction chamber (2) located generally above the mixing chamber (3), the mixing chamber (3) having an inlet system (4) for influent or a mixture of influent and recycled material, wherein the inlet system (4) has an outlet opening (60-64) in the mixing chamber (3). In an embodiment the partition (44) has an opening (66) forming a connection between the mixing chamber (3) and the reaction chamber (2), wherein the outlet opening (60-64) of the inlet system (4) is directed at the opening in the partition. In an embodiment the mixing chamber (3) has a skeleton for reinforcing the mixing chamber.
US09233858B2
A system and method for treatment of a contaminated liquid is described. The system includes a high voltage supply device, a general capacitor bank, one or more general limiting member, such as general switch devices or general resister devices, coupled to the high voltage supply device and to the general capacitor bank. The system further includes one or more working capacitor banks coupled to the general capacitor bank through the general limiting member, and one or more working switches arranged in series with the corresponding working capacitor bank. The system also includes one or more potential electrodes and grounded electrodes immersed in the contaminated liquid and coupled to the working capacitor banks for providing an electric discharge through the contaminated liquid.
US09233854B2
A method of fabricating a metal oxide sheet having a polycrystalline structure includes mixing a metal precursor material, a base material, and distilled water with each other to fabricate a preparation solution; adding an anionic surfactant into the preparation solution to forming a precursor solution; forming metal oxide nanoparticles in the precursor solution, wherein each of the metal oxide nanoparticles comprises a metal cation and an oxygen anion; and fabricating a metal oxide sheet by coupling the metal oxide nanoparticles to each other, wherein, in an aspect of a plane, the metal oxide sheet has a hexagonal shape and a polycrystalline structure.
US09233851B2
The present invention relates to the method for manufacturing high quality graphene by heating carbon-based self-assembly monolayers, comprising the steps of: forming carbon source layers which are convertible into the graphene layer on the substrate; forming a metal catalyst layer on the carbon source layer; converting the carbon source layers into the graphene layer by heating the first part of the substrate using a local heating source, wherein the carbon source layers and the metal catalyst layers are formed; converting the carbon source layers into graphene by moving the local heating source and then heating the second part which is different from the first part; and removing the metal catalyst layer. The present invention also provides a substrate comprising a graphene layer manufactured by the above method and provides applications in semiconductor devices and electronic materials using the substrate.
US09233850B2
Disclosed is a nano-scaled graphene article comprising a non-woven aggregate of nano-scaled graphene platelets wherein each of the platelets comprises a graphene sheet or multiple graphene sheets and the platelets have a thickness no greater than 100 nm (preferably smaller than 10 nm) and platelets contact other platelets to define a plurality of conductive pathways along the article. The article has an exceptional thermal conductivity (typically greater than 500 Wm−1K−1) and excellent electrical conductivity (typically greater than 1,000 S/cm). Thin-film articles of the present invention can be used for thermal management in micro-electronic devices and for current-dissipating on an aircraft skin against lightning strikes.
US09233845B2
The invention comprises an optoelectronic platform with a carbon-based conduction layer and a layer of colloidal quantum dots on top as light absorbing material. Photoconductive gain on the order of 106 is possible, while maintaining de operating voltage low. The platform can be used as a transistor.
US09233843B2
A method is described for manufacturing a micromechanical structure, in which a structured surface is created in a substrate by an etching method in a first method step, and residues are at least partially removed from the structured surface in a second method step. In the second method step, an ambient pressure for the substrate which is lower than 60 Pa is set and a substrate temperature which is higher than 150° C. is set.
US09233840B2
A method for processing a structure. The structure is formed and includes a substrate, a substructure having a sidewall and disposed on the substrate, a first polymer structure disposed on the substrate, and a second polymer structure disposed on the substrate such that the first polymer structure is disposed between the sidewall and the second polymer structure. An aspect ratio of the first polymer structure, the second polymer structure, or both is reduced in a reducing step. One polymer structure (i.e., the first polymer structure or the second polymer structure) is selectively removed from the structure such that a remaining polymer structure (i.e., the second polymer structure or the first polymer structure) remains disposed on the external surface of the substrate after the one polymer structure has been selectively removed, wherein the aspect ratio of the remaining polymer structure was reduced in the reducing step.
US09233839B2
A method for forming a MEMS device is provided. The method includes the following steps of providing a substrate having a first portion and a second portion; fabricating a membrane type sensor on the first portion of the substrate; and fabricating a bulk silicon sensor on the second portion of the substrate.
US09233838B2
A micro-electromechanical (MEM) synthetic jet actuator includes a semiconductor substrate having a cavity extending therethrough, such that a first opening is formed in a first surface of the semiconductor substrate and such that a second opening is formed in a second surface of the semiconductor substrate. A first flexible membrane is formed on at least a portion of the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and extends over the first opening. The first flexible membrane also includes an orifice formed therein aligned with the first opening. The MEM synthetic jet actuator also includes a second flexible membrane that is formed on at least a portion of the second surface of the semiconductor substrate and that extends over the second opening, and a pair of actuator elements coupled to the flexible membranes and aligned with the cavity to selectively cause displacement of the first and second flexible membranes.
US09233832B2
Dummy Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) structures, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed. The method includes forming a bumper extending from a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) beam structure provided within a cavity structure. The method further includes forming a dummy landing structure on an opposing side of the cavity structure from the MEMS beam, which is laterally offset from the bumper when the MEMS beam is in a non-actuated state.
US09233822B2
A method for fabricating a funnel, a tool for carrying out the method, and a funnel of flat material, more particularly of plastic-coated paper. A receptacle for a pulverulent and/or liquid medium includes a funnel disposed in a pouring or discharging region. A blank of flat material is shaped to a funnel-shaped sleeve having an outlet opening, an inlet opening, and an opening angle, and the funnel shaped sleeve is swaged in at least one subregion to effect enlargement of the opening angle.
US09233819B2
An early warning system includes monitoring of the hydraulic pressure used to power the hydraulic motor used to raise a man lift during operation, and providing a prognostication algorithm coupled to the output of the sensor to predict based on data from the sensor when there will be a catastrophic failure of the lift.
US09233815B2
In one embodiment, an elevator controlling method includes calculating the positional value of an elevator driving motor the every first cycle; generating a control signal every third cycle to control the motor based on the calculated positional value and the rotational speed of the motor calculated every second cycle; and controlling the driving power source of the motor based on the generated control signal.
US09233812B2
Apparatuses and methods for dispensing magnetic stripe cards, smart cards, other cards, and/or other items from kiosks and other structures are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a card dispensing apparatus includes at least a first card hopper and a card transport assembly. The first card hopper is configured to hold a stack of cards that includes at least a first card stacked on a second card. The card transport assembly includes a card carrier configured to lift the first card off the second card and transfer the first card toward a card outlet. Methods are also disclosed for monitoring card stacks in a card dispensing apparatus and for prereading cards prior to sale to expedite dispensing operations. Devices are also disclosed for maintaining the alignment or levelness of top cards in stacks of cards having embossing or other raised features that cause uneven stacking.
US09233810B2
A sheet conveyance device including first to third conveyance units, independent driving unit, device driving unit, and control unit. The first conveyance unit includes a first holder that holds one edge of a sheet, and conveys the sheet. The second conveyance unit includes a second holder that holds one edge of the sheet, and conveys the sheet. The third conveyance unit is supported to be swingable between a reception position at which it receives the sheet from the first conveyance unit, and a transfer position at which it transfers the sheet to the second conveyance unit. The third conveyance unit includes a third holder that holds the other edge of the sheet conveyed by the first conveyance unit, and conveys the sheet held by the third holder. The independent driving unit drives the first conveyance unit. The control unit adjusts the speed at which the sheet is conveyed.
US09233809B2
To simplify control of a sheet feeding/conveying system while preventing a step-out phenomenon and saving power, provided is an image forming apparatus which detects a load angle of a first motor (M1) for conveying an n-th sheet (P) (where n is a natural number equal to or larger than 1). In accordance with the detected load angle, a current value for the first motor (M1) for conveying sheets (P) following the n-th sheet and a current value for a second motor (M2) for conveying the n-th and subsequent sheets (P) are set. Such control is executed when power is turned ON or the like.
US09233808B2
A paper feeder includes a document loading tray 2, a pickup roller 5 and an actuator. The actuator protrudes on a stacking face of the paper sheet stacking tray 2 and senses a paper sheet when touched, pushed and moved by a front edge thereof that is set. The actuator includes a first actuator 21 and a second actuator 22 that are fixed on a common swing shaft. The first actuator 21 is an actuator adapted for paper sheets of first sizes in width direction. The second actuator 22, disposed within business card width at an inner position than the first actuator 21 in width direction, is an actuator adapted for paper sheets of small sizes under normal paper sizes. An end on sensing side 221 of the second actuator 22 is located upstream in paper feed direction from an end on sensing side 211 of the first actuator 21.
US09233805B2
The present invention relates to an arrangement for handling of luggage of an aircraft container. The arrangement helps service stall transferring luggage Items from a conveyor belt into a container device, or transferring luggage items from a container device onto a conveyor belt. The arrangement comprises a frame structure having a vertical lever and a carrier mounted for slidable motion along said vertical lever, means for vertically adjusting the carrier along said vertical lever, aid a table oriented horizontally and telescopically mounted onto said carrier for enabling positioning of the table in the horizontal plane, where each luggage item can easily be transferred into the container device or transferred from said container device by vertically adjusting and horizontally position the table and sliding the luggage item on the table.
US09233803B2
A crossbelt sorter system and method of sorting articles includes a track assembly and a plurality of carriers attached to each other to travel along the track assembly. Each of the carriers includes at least front and rear corner portions thereof and a trolley at each of the front and rear corner portions. Each trolley is configured to travel along the track assembly. A hitch assembly joins adjacent ones of the carriers. A propulsion system propels the carriers along the track assembly. Each trolley is mounted to the associated carrier to pivot in at least two different directions. In this manner, the track assembly may have one or more spiral portions thereof. Each trolley is adapted to pivot in the two different directions to support the associated carrier as it moves through the spiral portion.
US09233793B1
An apparatus and method for easily and simply lifting and holding open residential size trash containers thereby allowing the user the use of both hands for hoisting and dumping the trash without having to touch the lid with bare or both hands. The device also holds the lid in an open position without having to rest the lid against a wall or abutment or having the lid completely flip to the back side of the receptacle through the hinge.
US09233791B2
The distribution of condition air into the cargo space of a temperature controlled container is improved. Conditioned air may be selectively distributed into the cargo space from a plenum beneath the cargo support floor through a plurality of longitudinally and laterally spaced apart openings through the cargo support floor. Side air ducts may be provided extending rearwardly along the side walls of the container for distributing conditioned air received from a pair of side air outlets in a refrigerant unit associated with the container. The side air ducts may have a plurality of air discharge openings and may discharge conditioned air into vertically extending recesses in the side walls. The side air outlets have a selectively variable flow area. The number, location and size of the openings through the cargo support floor, as well as the air discharge openings in the side air ducts, may be selectively varied so as to selectively distribute the conditioned air flow throughout the cargo space.
US09233785B2
A lid opening/closing mechanism switches a lid between a closed position closing an opening portion of a box-like base body, and an open position opening the opening portion. A distinct point is to include an arm allowing a tip side to turn to a front of the base body as a support point on a base end side pivotally supported at the base body by a first axis support portion, and connected to the lid turnably by a second axis support portion. The lid is turned in an opening direction or a closing direction in association with a turn of the arm.
US09233784B2
A metallic container end closure is provided that generally comprises a dispensing opening and a vent opening. The vent opening improves pourability through the dispensing opening and provides an alternative option for consuming the contents of the container. The end closure may include features to ease opening of the vent opening, such as stiffeners and/or vent form features. Additionally, the end closure may include various safety features, such as a safety fold. In some configurations, the container end closure does not include a pull tab for opening.
US09233781B2
Provided is a cartridge receiving case including a case section in which a cartridge is inserted and disposed, a lid section configured to be opened and closed with respect to the case section and to cover the cartridge disposed in the case section upon closing, and a rear plate section configured to connect the case section and the lid section. The case section, the lid section, and the rear plate section are integrally formed. A pair of parallel thin hinges are formed as curved portions when the lid section is opened and closed with respect to the case section. One of the thin hinges is formed at a position deviated with respect to a continuous portion between the rear plate section and the case section. The other thin hinge is formed at a position deviated with respect to a continuous portion between the rear plate section and the lid section.
US09233778B2
Stackable trays for bags containing liquids, stacked arrangements and stacking methods are disclosed. A tray has a first surface to support one or more bags containing liquid and could include a plurality of cells adapted to receive the bags. The tray has a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface transfers at least a portion of a load on the first surface to one or more bags containing liquid arranged below the second surface. A stacked arrangement includes multiple layers of bags containing liquid with a respective stackable tray between adjacent layers of the multiple layers. The trays could thus be used in stacking or otherwise arranging bags containing liquid in multiple layers.
US09233772B2
A screw-type bottle neck having areas of reduced wall thickness is provided. The bottle neck includes a neck opening having a neck opening axis, a neck interior surface, and a neck exterior surface. The neck exterior surface includes at least one spiral thread portion. The bottle neck has at least one area of first neck thickness having a first neck thickness, and at least one area of second neck thickness having a second neck thickness. The second neck thickness is greater than the first neck thickness. The difference between the first neck thickness and the second neck thickness allows for a substantial reduction in the amount of material required to manufacture the bottle neck.
US09233768B2
An in-line method of rejecting composition-filled pouches having a defect such as a leak comprises inspecting a first composition-filled pouch. If a leak is detected, that pouch is rejected from the manufacturing process. The pouch adjacent to the leak is also rejected.
US09233764B2
A system and method are provided for testing a vehicle entertainment (IFE) system, comprising: functionally replicating each of a plurality of IFE components selected from the group consisting of an aircraft interface unit, a content server unit, a network distribution unit, and a seat unit with a corresponding simulator unit model that simulates functions of the respective IFE component; providing each simulator unit model on a simulator server having a processor, the simulator server connecting to an IFE network that also connects at least one of actual or simulated seat units to at least one of actual or simulated content servers; providing a test controller that controls each simulator unit model; transmitting scenario information containing operation instructions to the simulator unit model; and executing the scenario information by the simulator unit model to perform operations corresponding to the operation instructions that cause the simulator unit model to communicate over the IFE network.
US09233760B2
The invention relates to an angle measurement probe on board an aircraft, which comprises a fin, which can move in rotation about an axis, at least one first optical encoder and one second optical encoder, each comprising at least one disk, each disk being fixed at right angles to the central axis and being provided with at least two circular tracks, each track being provided with alternate opaque and transparent zones, means for processing the output signal from each encoder.
US09233752B2
A drive system with harmonic drive designed to meet the high power and torque requirements required to drive an aircraft independently on the ground is provided. The drive system includes an electric motor driven by a harmonic drive assembly that may be configured to be integral with the motor. This drive system with harmonic drive can be effectively installed in an existing aircraft nose wheel or main wheel without changes to other components.
US09233751B2
A geodetic marking system for marking a known target point, having an automotive, unmanned, remotely controllable air vehicle and having a geodetic position determination arrangement for determining the external actual position of the air vehicle. The air vehicle also has a marking unit for marking the target point, and the marking system has a control unit such that the air vehicle can be positioned relative to the target point position on the basis of the external actual position, which can be determined continuously. The control unit is also configured in such a manner that it is possible to control the marking unit for marking the target point taking into account the actual position, the desired position and a defined marking direction from the marking unit to the target point, with the result that the target point can be marked with geodetic accuracy in the defined marking direction.
US09233749B1
A fixed compliant wing system is provided that is coupled to a rigid spar and a rigid stopper. The fixed compliant wing system includes an actuator and at least two compliant rib structures coupled to the rigid spar. The compliant rib structures include an outer compliant contoured structure, a drive member coupled to the outer compliant contoured structure where the drive member is in a sliding arrangement with the rigid stopper. The drive member is further connected to the actuator. The outer compliant contoured structure of the compliant rib structures is configured to deform when force is applied from the actuator to the drive member. The fixed complaint wing system further includes a skin encompassing the compliant rib structures.
US09233748B2
A roadable, adaptable-modular, multiphibious-amphibious ground-effect or flying, car-boat-plane or surface-effect motorcycle. A pivoting wing using the NACA 23112 airfoil provides longitudinal stability through changes in wing or power settings. The airfoil can also be “locked” in place to provide conventional aircraft type controls. The wings fold for driving mode or can be removed. Surface-effect sensor rods provide the automatic altitude control for operations in surface-effect mode. Horizontal stabilizer and elevator provide trim and balance to level the vehicle for passenger comfort and optimal landing attitude. The hull/fuselage consists of three main modules: The main central module (engine, transmission, passengers, wings and cargo storage), the forward module and the aft module which may include one or two wheels with or without a motor, engine, batteries or fuel and differential.
US09233743B2
An engine is housed in an engine case and a propulsion unit driven by the engine is provided outside the engine case. By a swivel bracket installed in a predetermined part of the engine case, the propulsion unit is pivotally supported around a steering shaft, and centers of a drive shaft driving the propulsion unit and of the steering shaft are matched.
US09233742B2
A fastening buckle for fastening a snorkel to swimming goggles includes a strip-holding member and a snorkel-holding member. The strip-holding member has a resiliently depressible hanging section and has an outer surface formed with an inclined plane. The snorkel-holding member has a gripping portion laterally formed with a socket for receiving the hanging section of the strip-holding member. The socket has an outer wall formed with a cut-away section for abutting against a bottom edge of the hanging section. The socket further has a resiliently depressible pressing button extending downward from a top thereof to hang over the cut-away section and abut against the inclined plane of the hanging section. When pressed, the pressing button presses the inclined plane to expel the hanging section downward from the cut-away section, allowing convenient disengagement between the snorkel-holding member and the strip-holding member.
US09233736B2
A system for anchoring to the ground, via chains, a floating platform, whose operating station includes: activatable/deactivatable stopper elements for each of the anchor chains, for locking in position the associated chain that ends by an upstream free strand including an end connection chain link, wherein the stopper elements are arranged side by side, along a same line, and are each associated with one housing-reservoir for storing the upstream free strand of the associated chain; and tensioning elements common to the different chains, and including a single tensioning winch, movably mounted above the stopper elements, wherein the tensioning winch includes a master chain strand, whose downstream end includes a downstream chain link adapted to be removably attached to the connection chain link of the upstream free strand of the anchor chains, and whose upstream end is stored in a container-reservoir.
US09233732B2
Adjustable planing device mounted midship on a pontoon boat to provide lift to the pontoon boat, reduce drag, and improve steering. Adjustable planing device includes a planing device having a connector member with a hinge that is rotatably attached to a midship region of the boat wherein the planing device is pivotable about the hinge by a powered actuator such that a portion of the planing device comprises a subsurface volume below water level. Optionally the planing device is buoyant. The planing device is adjustable vertically relative to the boat to vary the depth of water displaced by the planing device. The adjustable planing device is movable along a track mountable to the bottom of either the boat or cross-members wherein the longitudinal position of the planing device is adjusted. The cross-sectional shape of the planing device varies from a tapered shape in front to a flatter shape in rear.
US09233731B1
A bicycle rim brake basically has a first brake arm, a second brake arm and a link. The first brake arm has a first coupling portion configured to pivot about a first pivot axis and a first mounting portion. The second brake arm has a second coupling portion configured to pivot about the first pivot axis and a second mounting portion. The second mounting portion is configured to mount a second friction member. The link is pivotally coupled to the second brake arm about a second pivot axis that is offset from the first pivot axis. The link has a coupling structure configured to be coupled with a movable member and a contact portion contacting the first brake arm. The coupling structure is spaced from the second pivot axis. The contact portion pivots the first and second brake arms about the first pivot axis as the link pivots about the second pivot axis.
US09233724B2
A hull robot includes a robot body, at least one drive module for maneuvering the robot about the hull, an on-board power source, and a motive subsystem for the drive module powered by the on-board power source. A plurality of permanent magnet elements are associated with the drive module and each are switchable between a non-shunted state when adjacent the hull and a shunted state when not adjacent the hull.
US09233723B1
A hydraulic drive system may include a hydraulic motor and a drive sprocket. The hydraulic drive system may also include a torsional isolation member that is operably connected between the hydraulic motor and the drive sprocket. The torsional isolation member may be configured to operably disconnect the hydraulic motor from the drive sprocket when the drive sprocket reaches a predetermined torque load.
US09233714B2
A suspension member is coupled to a front side attachment portion and a rear side attachment portion of a front side member. A stabilizer bracket is secured to the section of the front side member between a front end portion of the front side member and the front side attachment portion. A reinforcement member that projects outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the front end portion is bonded to a vehicle width direction outside side wall portion of the front end portion. The reinforcement member makes the vehicle front and rear direction yield strength of the front side member higher at the front end portion than at the section between the front side attachment portion and the rear side attachment portion.
US09233709B2
An electric power steering apparatus has a first rolling bearing and a second rolling bearing rotatably supporting an output shaft. The first rolling bearing is provided between an inner peripheral surface of a through-hole of a gear housing and an outer peripheral surface of the output shaft. The second rolling bearing is provided between an inner peripheral surface of an intermediate plate press-fitted and fixed in an opening portion of the gear housing and the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft. An outer peripheral portion of the intermediate plate has alternately arranged large diameter portions and small diameter portions, and the large diameter portions are press-fitted in the gear housing.
US09233708B2
A vehicle such as a riding lawn care vehicle may include a frame and a steering assembly. Wheels of the vehicle may be attachable to the frame. The steering assembly may include a steering apparatus operably coupled to at least one of the wheels of the vehicle to provide steering inputs to the at least one of the wheels based on a position of the steering apparatus. The steering assembly may further include a steering column, a pinion assembly and a rack assembly. The steering column may extend from the steering apparatus to rotate responsive to movement of the steering apparatus. The pinion assembly may be disposed along the steering column and include at least two pinions of different sizes. The rack assembly may be operably coupled to the frame and the at least one wheel of the vehicle to translate steering inputs from the steering apparatus to the at least one wheel via the pinion assembly. The rack assembly may include at least two rack portions of different sizes.
US09233704B2
A jogging stroller frame with a front wheel automatic flattening folding mechanism is provided with a jogging stroller frame which can be folded into a substantially flattened configuration for compact storage by an associating of a linking rod. When the foldable jogging stroller frame is folded into the substantially flattened configuration, the seat support rack shall pull the front wheel set to rotate backward about a horizontal axis to the pair of rear struts through the linking rod, thereby converting the foldable jogging stroller frame into a successively smaller size for more compact storage.
US09233687B2
A method for initiating an operation under emergency conditions of a motor vehicle, the method including detecting a malfunction of a component of the motor vehicle; checking whether an operation under emergency conditions is possible; reporting the malfunction to the driver; initiating the operation under emergency conditions under predefined conditions, the operation under emergency conditions being initiated following an active confirmation by the driver.
US09233679B2
Systems and methods for supplying gaseous fuel to an internal combustion engine are presented. In one example, a gaseous fuel pump is selectively activated to extend a vehicle's operating range. The methods and systems may be useful for operating an engine that includes directly injected gaseous fuel.
US09233673B2
A brake fluid pressure electrically generated by a slave cylinder (23) in accordance with an operation amount by a brake pedal (12) is supplied via a VSA system (24) to wheel cylinders (16, 17; 20, 21) provided respectively for wheels. This enables smooth braking by the wheel cylinders (16, 17; 20, 21) by using a brake fluid pressure pressurized by the slave cylinder (23) and including little pulsation. When the VSA system (24) is to individually control the brake fluid pressures supplied respectively to the wheel cylinders (16, 17; 20, 21) to control vehicle behavior, the slave cylinder (23) generates a brake fluid pressure corresponding to a total of the brake fluid pressures required for the wheel cylinders (16, 17; 20, 21). This configuration allows the slave cylinder (23) to generate a brake fluid pressure in just proportion.
US09233664B2
The invention relates to a wiper blade for a windscreen wiper, comprising a wiper strip on which at least one support rail (312, 314) is disposed, wherein said support rail has a spring element (412, 415) provided with a plastic sheath (313, 315), and further comprising a base connection device (160), which includes plastic and is welded to plastic sheath (313, 315), wherein a flat weld seam (419, 421) is formed between the base connection device (160) and the at least one support rail (312, 314).
US09233661B2
An occupant protection system includes a seatbelt device mountable on a vehicle seat and an airbag device mountable in a vicinity of a fastening area of the seatbelt device where a buckle section of the seatbelt device buckles a tongue. The airbag device includes an airbag inflatable between a lap belt, a shoulder belt and an occupant seated in the seat. The airbag includes a front inflatable section extending forward and a rear inflatable section extending rear- and upwardly. The rear inflatable section is so configured as to ride over a vicinity of the fastening area and contact the front inflatable section when an occupant of the vehicle moves forward and pushes the rear inflatable section at an impact on a vehicle from the front of the buckle section.
US09233658B2
A sinusoidal crush can assembly for a bumper assembly includes a top wall, a bottom wall spaced from the top wall, and a pair of spaced side walls that extend between the top wall and the bottom wall to present a generally tubular and trapezoidal shape. The crush can assembly further includes a sinusoidal wave portion disposed along each of the walls from the rear end towards the front end. Each of the wave portions include peaks and troughs that define a sinusoidal wave depth, and the sinusoidal wave depth reduces gradually from the front end toward the rear end. Each of the peaks and the troughs are aligned with one another. The crush can assembly further includes a wave portion separator that extends angularly between adjacent ones of the wave portions to transition between each of the sinusoidal wave portions that are disposed along each of the walls.
US09233654B2
A wire harness routing structural part reduces the number of components for routing a wire harness within a door. The wire harness routing structural part includes a wire harness incorporating a main path wire and a different path wire, a portion of the wire harness being fixated to a body, and a protector placed on an interior of the door. The protector includes an accommodation part and a different path guide portion, the accommodation part having an extraction opening for extracting the wire harness to the interior of the door and accommodating the wire harness with a space enabling the wire harness to be redirected. The different path guide part guides the different path wire of the wire harness extracted through the extraction opening on a path different from that of the main path wire of the wire harness and following an outer surface of the accommodation part.
US09233650B2
A decorative coating (10) that is formed on a surface of a resin substrate F that is placed on a path an electromagnetic waves of a radar device, and the decorative coating (10) is composed of a layer (2) in which metal nanoparticles (1) are covered with an inorganic oxide material.
US09233649B2
A support and retention assembly for a portable electronic device has a support member with a front surface which defines a rest surface. The support member is connected to a structure of a dashboard so as to able to be moved between a retracted position and an extended position, in which it is locked by means of releasable locking devices. The assembly is provided with a rest element which projects from the front surface at a lower end of the support member and a clamp which is arranged over the rest element and may rotate upwards about a horizontal axis starting from a stowed position, in which at least part of the clamp is housed in a seat made in the front surface.
US09233643B2
An image generation device generates an output image based on input images obtained by image-taking parts. A coordinates correspondence part causes coordinates on a columnar space model arranged to surround a body to be operated to correspond to coordinates on input image planes on which the input images are positioned, respectively. An output image generation part causes values of the coordinates on the input image planes to correspond to values of the coordinates on an output image plane on which the output image is positioned through coordinates on the columnar space model, which is a combination of a plurality of space model parts each having a reference axis. The space model corresponds to a pair of adjacent image-taking parts among the image-taking parts, and an optical axis of each of the pair of image-taking parts intersects with the reference axis of a corresponding one of the space model parts.
US09233634B1
A detachable hitch mounting motorcycle transport caddy defining a powered elevated lift integrated with the towing vehicle electrical system, a wheel support frame, extending tie bars and an integrated electrical wiring system for connection to the motorcycle to apply transport signaling to the motorcycle from the tow vehicle, the wheel support frame lowered to the ground to load the motorcycle without requiring and ramp or lifting and raised into a transport position, placing the motorcycle rear wheel as the road contact wheel as the motorcycle is towed in a neutral position.
US09233632B2
Described is a system for restraining a head of a person. The system comprises headwear having an outer surface and an opening that exposes an interior surface configured to receive the head of a wearer of the headwear, a flexible restraining device having a first end and a second end, each of the first and second ends coupled to the headwear, and a central portion between the two ends, an opening between the restraining device and the headwear, and a vertical support member coupled extending through the opening. The restraining device accommodates the vertical support member holds the headwear in place relative to the vertical support member.
US09233630B2
A belt-positioning booster seat is adapted to be positioned on a passenger seat included in a vehicle and to support a child seated on the passenger seat. The belt-positioning booster seat includes a seat pad to elevate a child above a seat bottom of the passenger seat along with left and right belt guides adapted to receive a lap belt that extends over a child seated on the seat pad.
US09233625B2
An energy management system comprises an energy management module that electrically connects an energy storage system of a vehicle with a traction link of the vehicle, the traction link being electrically connected to a traction motor. The energy management module is configured to deliver electrical power from the energy storage system to the traction link during a haul route, according to a discharge rule that is selected by a comparison of predicted performance of a plurality of discharge rules to a baseline performance of the haul route, in which electrical power is not delivered from the energy storage system to the traction link, in order to obtain fuel savings, speed excess, or a combination of fuel savings and speed excess relative to the baseline performance.
US09233621B2
A battery system includes a central battery management controller and a plurality of battery modules, which each have a module controller, and a readout device configured to read information. Within a scope of a start initialization, start identification features of the module controllers are detected by the battery management controller and are provided to the module controllers as future reference for identifying an unauthorized battery module replacement, and information relating to an occurred unauthorized battery module replacement is read by the readout device, which is arranged outside of the battery system.
US09233619B2
A hybrid vehicle includes: a battery; a charging unit and an onboard cable for feeding electric power to the battery from a power supply located externally to the vehicle; an inner lid operated for a charging operation by means of the charging unit; and a harness mechanically coupled to the inner lid for making an electrical connection between the battery and the onboard cable. The harness is configured so that the electrical connection made by the harness between the battery and the onboard cable is severed in response to displacement of the inner lid that is caused when the lid is operated. Accordingly, the vehicle having a simple configuration and including a plurality of charging means for charging the power storage device can be provided.
US09233614B2
In an electric vehicle, an automatic transmission is provided between a differential unit and drive wheels. The differential unit includes a motor-generator and a power split device, and the motor-generator is cooled by lubricant of the automatic transmission. A battery charger is operable to charge a power storage device using a power supply outside the vehicle. When the temperature of the lubricant is lower than a predetermined temperature upon execution of charging of the power storage device using the charger, and the automatic transmission is in a neutral state, or a power cutting-off state, the controller rotates the motor-generator of the differential unit so as to perform warming control for raising the temperature of the lubricant.
US09233606B2
A vehicle drive device has an outer rotor type electric motor with a rotor disposed on an outer circumferential side of a stator including a first power transmission path coupling an inside of the rotor and drive wheels; and a second power transmission path coupling an outside of the rotor and the drive wheels, the first power transmission path and the second power transmission path having different gear ratios, one power transmission path of the first power transmission path and the second power transmission path being coupled to the drive wheels to make a gear change.
US09233600B2
A roof assembly for a vehicle comprises a stationary part and at least one rigid panel. The panel is movable between a closed position and a rear position. A downwardly extending side cover is connected to side edges of said panel and to the stationary part. The side cover hides an operating mechanism from a side view and has front and rear ends. The side cover is substantially stationary with respect to the stationary part and is slidably guided in a guide rail. The guide rail only starts at a distance from the front end of the cover when the panel is in its closed position. This distance is minimally Bmin and maximally: Amax=L−S−Bmin wherein: L=Length of side cover S=maximum sliding movement of guide rail of panel Bmin=Minimum overlap between side cover and guide rail in rear position of panel.
US09233592B2
A climate control system (26) for a cabin (22) of an electric vehicle (10) has at least one liquid-to-air heat exchanger (38) in heat exchange relation with air in the cabin and a set of control valves for selectively placing the climate control system in a cabin heating mode of operation in which hot liquid circulates through a hot liquid flow loop (42) and in a cabin cooling mode of operation in which cold liquid circulates through a cold liquid flow loop (44). An electric compressor motor (30M) is operated by electricity from a battery bank (16) for operating a refrigerant compressor (30C) to circulate refrigerant in a refrigerant loop that comprises a refrigerant-to-liquid hot side heat exchanger (32) that provides the hot liquid and a refrigerant-to-liquid cold side heat exchanger (36) that provides the cold liquid.
US09233591B2
A fiber composite component, in particular a torsion-bar stabilizer for a motor vehicle, having an elongate main body which has a plurality of tubular layers which are each formed from fibrous threads and casting resin, wherein the tubular layers are arranged in one another in the radial direction of the main body, and wherein the fibrous threads f the different layers are each oriented at different angles relative to a longitudinal direction of the main body, wherein the fibrous threads are braided together in order to form the different layers.
US09233583B2
A tire support apparatus includes a support plate for receiving a tire includes an optional inflatable inner tube for insertion into the tire cavity, and an upper plate having a hole for receiving a support member, the upper plate further includes a ring having an inner lip that seats against the bead region of the tire and a radially outer surface that seats against the lower sidewall region of the tire T.
US09233582B2
A self-inflating tire assembly includes an air tube connected to a tire and defining an air passageway, the air tube being composed of a flexible material operative to allow an air tube segment opposite a tire footprint to flatten, closing the passageway, and resiliently unflatten into an original configuration. The air tube is sequentially flattened by the tire footprint in a direction opposite to a tire direction of rotation to pump air along the passageway to a regulator device. The regulator device regulates the inlet air flow to the air tube and the outlet air flow to the tire cavity.
US09233577B2
A hub-bearing assembly (10) for a motor vehicle wheel is provided with a flanged hub (12), a disc brake rotor (40) and a disc-shaped sealing shield (50) having a radially inner mounting portion (51, 51′) mounted with radial interference on a cylindrical surface (30) of the stationary bearing ring (14), a shaped wall (52, 52′) extending radially from an axially inner end (53) of the mounting portion (51), and an outer, peripheral sealing edge (54) defining a labyrinth seal with a surface (46) of the disc brake rotor.
US09233574B2
A thermochromic writing instrument contains a thermochromic ink, wherein a writing body is accommodated in a barrel movably in a longitudinal direction, an operation portion is provided on the outer surface of the barrel, a pen tip of the writing body is constituted so as to be projectable/retractable from/into a front-end hole of the barrel by operating the operation portion, the thermochromic ink is contained in the inside of the writing body, the pen tip capable of ejecting the thermochromic ink is provided at the front end of the writing tool, and a friction portion capable of thermally changing the color of the handwriting of the thermochromic ink by the frictional heat generated when the handwriting is rubbed with the friction portion is provided on the outer surface of the barrel.
US09233568B1
Methods and systems print test patterns in different test pattern areas on print media using a printer to produce a printed item. The printer has a printing width in a cross-process direction, and each of the test pattern areas is in a different cross-process location of the printing width. The test pattern areas are distributed across the entire printing width, and each of the test pattern areas partially overlaps at least one other test pattern area in the cross-process direction. Next, these methods and systems individually scan the sections of the printed item using a scanner that has a scanning width that is less than the printing width. This produces individual scans of the test pattern areas. The widths of the test pattern areas are equal to or less than the scanning width. Then, these methods and systems can calibrate cross-process characteristics of the printer based on the scans.
US09233563B1
A method for evaluating a nip condition in a printer is provided. The method includes printing a print area with a uniform density of marking material on a substrate; moving the substrate along a process direction into a spreading position in a nip while the nip is in an open position; stopping movement of the substrate along the process direction while the substrate is in the nip in the open position; closing the nip where the nip exerts pressure on a spread portion of the print area and the substrate such that the spread portion is visibly different from a remainder of the print area outside of the spread portion; opening the nip; moving the substrate away from the spreading position and out of the nip; and analyzing the spread portion relative to the remainder of the print area to determine characteristics of the nip condition.
US09233562B2
A rotary cutter apparatus comprises a rotary body and a holding body. The rotary body is supported by a housing so as to rotate along a rotating direction. The holding body is supported by the housing. The rotary body has a rotary blade including a first edge portion. The holding body has a fixed blade including a second edge portion. The first edge portion is configured to be in contact with the second edge portion and to be rubbed with the second edge portion. The first edge portion and the second edge portion are configured to perform cutting of an object to be cut. The object is located in an introduction path. The rotary cutter apparatus further comprises a guide member configured to be in contact with the object and to guide it when the object is fed to an inside of a rotation trajectory of the rotary body.
US09233559B2
Apparatus for causing a vacuum force to be applied across a width of a print medium as it moves through a printing system and for determining whether the edge seals are positioned correctly is disclosed. A vacuum chamber is connected to a vacuum source which provides vacuum to the vacuum chamber. Spaced sealing rollers and the edge seals define an opening in the vacuum chamber, wherein the print medium passes over the opening and is guided by the sealing rollers. A sensor measures a vacuum level in the vacuum chamber. A controller stores a plurality of response curves for different known print media, produces first and second signals indicative of an activation level of the vacuum source and the vacuum level in the vacuum chamber, and compares the first and second signal to appropriate response curves to produce an error signal indicating whether the edge seals are correctly positioned.
US09233551B2
An inspection apparatus obtains a correction parameter for correcting the positional shift between a previously read image and a master image, and corrects one of a currently read image or a master image using the correction parameter for the previously read image, before comparing between the currently read image and the master image to detect the positional shift in the currently read image.
US09233550B2
An embodiment of this invention is directed to discriminating between an ink present state and a bubble state and accurately determining the presence/absence of ink in residual ink detection. A printing apparatus measures the voltage between two electrodes in an ink tank based on an electric current supplied to one of the two electrodes, and compares the measured voltage with a first threshold voltage. When the measured voltage is lower than the first threshold voltage, the measured voltage is compared with a second threshold voltage lower than the first threshold voltage. According to results of these two comparisons, control is performed to supply the electric current, re-measure the voltage between the two electrodes, and re-inspect a residual ink amount. In a case where accurate determination is suspected, the presence/absence of ink is determined by re-inspection.
US09233549B2
A recording apparatus includes a recording unit that has a head unit provided with a recording head in a movable manner in a scanning direction of the recording head, and a scanner unit that is provided on the upper side of the recording unit and is capable of opening and closing the upper side of the recording unit; the recording unit includes a flexible ink tube that guides ink which is sent from a ink holding unit for holding the ink to the head unit, a gap formation member configured to form between the recording unit and the scanner unit a gap through which the ink tube passes and the size of which is sufficiently large so as not to block an ink flow path in the ink tube, and a medium reception tray having a relief portion that is formed on the upstream side in a medium discharge direction so as to avoid a feeding unit.
US09233544B2
A head unit, in which unit head rows are formed by respectively arraying unit heads in parallel on both sides of a transmission substrate. The head unit includes a first liquid fluid channel that is disposed on a first side of the transmission substrate and a second liquid fluid channel that is disposed on a second side of the transmission substrate. The unit heads are provided with a flexible cable. A first head fluid channel sandwiches the flexible cable and is provided on a side that is opposite a transmission substrate side. A second head fluid channel is provided on the transmission substrate side. The first head fluid channel is in communication with a first liquid fluid channel on a surface side on which the unit heads are disposed. The second head fluid channel straddles the transmission substrate and is in communication with a second liquid fluid channel on a surface side that is opposite the unit heads.
US09233537B2
A method of manufacturing a liquid ejection head having a plurality of passage modules that have individual passages, actuator modules that include a plurality of actuators and a drive unit and the liquid ejection head produced by the method. The method comprising ranking the actuator modules according to a magnitude of a capacitance of the actuators, classifying the passage modules into a terminal region group and a central region group, fixing the actuator modules to the passage modules so that the actuator modules that having a capacitance not less than a predetermined capacitance correspond to the passage modules in the terminal group and so that the actuator modules having a capacitance less than the predetermined capacitance in the actuator module ranking correspond to the passage modules in the central region group.
US09233536B2
A liquid ejection head including: a recording element substrate provided with an element; an electric wiring substrate having a bent portion, a connecting portion provided on one side of the bent portion and connected with the recording element substrate, and an input portion provided on the other side of the bent portion; and a housing having a first surface, a second surface, a depression provided on the second surface, and a member separated from a bottom surface of the depression and extending into an opening of the depression, wherein part of the other side of the electric wiring substrate is disposed between the bottom surface of the depression and the member.
US09233534B2
Provided are a droplet-discharging head, a droplet-discharging device, and a method for positioning head modules of the droplet-discharging head in which the job of adjusting head module installation positions can be easily performed. In an ink jet head (200) configured by linking multiple head modules (210) together, each head modules (210) is mounted on a base frame (212) supported by a head module support unit provided on the base frame (212). The mounting positions of the head modules (210) in an X-direction mounted on the base frame (212) are individually adjusted by X-directional mounting position adjustment unit. The amounts of displacement of the head modules (210) here are detected by displacement detection unit.
US09233531B2
A flexographic printing system uses a flexographic printing plate to produce printed patterns on a substrate. An ink recirculation system is used to reduce variability in system performance resulting from ink viscosity changes. A recirculation pump moves ink through an ink recirculation line connected to an ink reservoir. A metering pump adds a controlled flow rate of solvent from a solvent replenishment chamber into the ink recirculation line, thereby providing replenished ink. The replenished ink is returned to the ink reservoir through a distribution tube that includes a plurality of supply ports at a plurality of spaced apart locations across a width of the ink reservoir. A control system is used to control the flow rate of solvent provided by the metering pump.
US09233530B2
According to a drive control method and apparatus, an offset printing section and an intaglio printing section are connected together by a gear train. Separately from an offset printing section prime motor for driving an entire sheet-fed printing press, an intaglio printing section auxiliary motor is provided in the intaglio printing section where load is heaviest and load variations are great. By so doing, the entire sheet-fed printing press is driven by the offset printing section prime motor and the intaglio printing section auxiliary motor. Moreover, the electric current value (driving torque value) of the intaglio printing section auxiliary motor is controlled in accordance with an electric current value (torque value) for driving the offset printing section prime motor, the torque distribution rate of the intaglio printing section auxiliary motor, and the rated electric current value of the intaglio printing section auxiliary motor.
US09233512B2
A method for manufacturing a diffraction grating having a plurality of grating grooves that extends in parallel in a direction includes a first cutting processing step of moving, in the direction, a work and a cutting tool having a first blade and a second blade relatively to each other, and of forming a first surface of the grating groove in the work through cutting processing using the first blade of the cutting tool, and a second cutting step of moving, in the direction, the work and the cutting tool relatively to each other after the first cutting processing step, so that the first blade does not contact the first surface formed by the first cutting processing step, and of forming a second surface of the grating groove in the work through cutting processing using the second blade of the cutting tool.
US09233509B2
A blown-film process for making a fiber-reinforced film comprises providing and melting at least one thermoplastic resin. The at least one thermoplastic resin is extruded through an extension die to form a film bubble. A plurality of fibers is introduced inside of the film bubble. The fibers are distributed inside of the film bubble. The film bubble is collapsed after introducing the plurality of fibers so as to form a fiber-reinforced film. The fiber-reinforced film has a first thermoplastic layer, a second thermoplastic layer, and a plurality of fibers dispersed therebetween. The film may be formed in a bag.
US09233508B2
Composite rigging, rigging terminals, methods of forming composite rigging, and methods of assembling the rigging terminals in a rigging system of a sailboat incorporate a sling of composite fibers having an equivalent cross-sectional profile and stretch resistance, but greater strength and less weight as compared to steel rigging. The rigging terminal includes a terminal fitting having a first opening, a second opening, and an interior space, and a terminal insert disposed inside the interior space. The terminal insert is formed with a first end disposed toward the first opening of the fitting, first and second posts disposed on the first end, and a second end having a shape tapered and disposed toward the second opening of the fitting. One or more composite fibers can be wound around the first end of the insert and held in a space between wall of the terminal fitting interior space and the terminal insert.
US09233505B2
Powder compositions and articles and methods of forming articles from powder compositions are provided. The powder compositions include at least one polymer powder and an amount of reinforcing particles having an aspect ratio of preferably at least about 5:1. In a preferred embodiment, the powder composition is capable of being formed, via a laser sintering process, into a three-dimensional article that exhibits one or more desirable mechanical properties in an elevated temperature environment.
US09233501B2
The linear friction welding (LFW) apparatus of this invention, in various embodiments includes a vibrating assembly or assemblies, which simultaneously vibrates both work pieces along the weld axis during the weld process. In one embodiment, separate vibrating assemblies are used to vibrate each work piece along the weld axis relative to each other. Each vibrating assembly has its own oscillator mechanism with motors and cams that can be moved into and out of phase with that of the other vibrating mechanism to generate the relative movement between the work pieces. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a vibrating assembly that uses a single oscillator and two sets of rocker arms supporting carriages operatively connected by a linkage mechanism to simultaneously vibrate both work pieces along the weld axis.
US09233491B2
In one aspect, the present invention features a machine for the production of a solid dosage form wherein the machine is adapted to form a dosage form between a first forming tool and a second forming tool within a forming cavity and wherein the first RF electrode and the second RF electrode are arranged within the machine such that when RF energy is applied between the first RF electrode and the second RF electrode, the RF energy passes through the portion of the forming cavity adapted to form the dosage form.
US09233486B2
A die and method for impregnating at least one fiber roving with a polymer resin are disclosed. In one embodiment, the die includes an impregnation section including an impregnation zone configured to impregnate the roving with the resin, the impregnation zone including a plurality of contact surfaces. The die further includes a perturbation positioned on at least one of the plurality of contact surfaces, the perturbation configured to interact with the roving. In one embodiment, the method includes coating a fiber roving with a polymer resin. The method further includes traversing the coated roving through an impregnation zone to impregnate the roving with the resin. The impregnation zone includes a plurality of contact surfaces. The method further includes interacting the coated roving with a perturbation positioned on at least one of the plurality of contact surfaces.
US09233485B1
A slag powder and cement production system capable of utilizing slag immediately after generation as a byproduct of a primary manufacturing process to recover thermal energy of slag concurrently with preparation of slag for cement in a powdered form to maximize energy recovery from primary manufacturing process and to minimize energy consumption to transform slag into a slag powder. Preferably the heat removed from the liquid slag as it solidifies is recovered for useful work, such as sustaining the primary manufacturing process or co-located cement production process and/or electric power production preferably through a supercritical CO2 thermodynamic cycle operating through a heat exchanger less transfer of thermal energy from the slag.
US09233476B2
A safety razor with a thin profile that can be easily transported on a person, without risk of injury or damage to the razor blades.
US09233465B2
A tool box includes a base, a button, a cover and two hinges. The button is located in a recessed area of the base and connected to a fixing member that is connected to the recessed area. The button has a resilient arm extending from each of two ends thereof, and each resilient arm has a protrusion which is engaged with the positioning hole of the fixing member. Two resilient piece extending toward each other from the top edge thereof and a flange extends from one side of the button. The cover is pivotably connected to the base by the two hinges. The cover has a locking member so as to be engaged with the flange of the button. The two resilient piece push the cover upward when the cover is unlocked from the base. The hinges are not loosened after frequent use.
US09233464B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus guides movement of a cutting instrument across a first surface of a work piece. The apparatus has a base, a tape-measure mount, and a fence. The base has a substantially-flat lower surface that abuts the first surface of the work piece. The tape-measure mount mounts a tape measure to the base on a first side of the apparatus. The fence is attached to the base, opposite the first side of the apparatus, and has a guiding surface that guides the movement of the cutting instrument across the first surface of the work piece. At least one movable component, other than a tape measure tape, is attached to the base to permit adjustment of a dimension of the apparatus that is used to calibrate the apparatus for use with the cutting instrument.
US09233460B2
An electric hand power tool includes a cylindrical device section, a control element displaceable about the cylindrical device section, and an electric scanning device disposed at the device section and configured to determine a rotary position of the control element. The scanning device is configured to optically scan the rotary position.
US09233456B2
A selectively one-way wrench includes a handle, a socket, a pawl and a switch. The handle includes a grip, a head in a plane other than that of the grip, a transient portion extending to the head from the grip, and a recess in the head near the transient portion. The socket includes a series of teeth placed in the head. The pawl includes two pawls placed in the head and a spring for interconnecting the pawls. Each of the pawls includes teeth for engagement with the teeth of the socket. The switch includes a sliding unit movable between two positions for engagement with the pawls and a finger-contacting element extending from the sliding unit. The finger-contacting element is placed in the recess except an upper end placed above the grip.
US09233455B2
A chucking device is disclosed. The chucking device includes plural protruding portions that support the central portion of a semiconductor substrate and that are provided on a base portion. The chucking device also includes a cylindrical peripheral portion that supports the outer peripheral portion of the semiconductor substrate, plural suction holes that chuck the semiconductor substrate, and a vacuum source that vacuum draws the plural suction holes at differing timings. A plurality of mutually independent vacuum drawable suction holes are provided in at least one portion of the protruding portions.
US09233433B2
A laser processing method of applying a laser beam to a workpiece having a plurality of members, thereby forming a laser processed groove on the workpiece. The laser processing method includes the steps of setting a plurality of processing conditions respectively corresponding to a plurality of different materials forming the plurality of members constituting the workpiece, detecting the wavelengths of plasma lights generated by applying the laser beam to the plurality of members constituting the workpiece, selecting any suitable one of the processing conditions corresponding to any one of the members corresponding to the wavelength of plasma lights detected above, and applying the laser beam under the processing condition selected above.
US09233429B2
Upper and lower wire guides in a wire-cut electric discharge machine are moved until a wire electrode contacts with a workpiece, and after the contact, the upper and lower wire guides are moved backward to a position A which is away from the contact point at a fixed distance. Then, the upper wire guide is moved until the wire electrode contacts with the workpiece and the upper wire guide is returned to the position A. Subsequently, the lower wire guide is moved until the wire electrode contacts with the workpiece and the lower wide guide is returned to the position A. A coordinate value on the position where the wire electrode contacts with the workpiece is calculated by using position detection values which are obtained in the above respective steps, and board thickness is calculated from the coordinate value.
US09233428B2
A saw grinding apparatus comprises a saw blade mount for mounting a saw blade thereto; a tool rack comprising multiple tool bays each for storing a grinding tool; and at least one computer numerically controlled (CNC) multiple axes grind wheel manipulator which uses each grinding tool to perform a saw grinding operation. The manipulator includes a spindle connectable to a grinding tool and is movable to a grinding position wherein a grinding operation can be performed on a saw blade mounted to the saw blade mount. The manipulator is also movable to a tool change position wherein the spindle can engage a grinding tool stored in a tool bay and can deposit a grinding tool in an empty tool bay.
US09233426B2
A cutting insert includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The top surface is generally octagonal in shape and the side surface includes eight sides and eight corners. Four edge portions are formed at an intersection of the top and side surface. A first end of each edge portion begins along one of the eight sides at a non-zero distance from any of the eight corners and a second end of the edge portion ends along another one of the eight sides that is non-consecutive to the one of the sides. Each edge portion has a wedge angle that changes from a first angle at the first end of the edge portion to a different angle at the second end of the edge portion. A cutting tool using such an insert is also disclosed.
US09233417B2
A diecasting machine casting unit includes a casting chamber body having a casting chamber with a casting material inlet and outlet. A casting piston is movable forward in a longitudinal direction in the casting chamber to discharge casting material from the casting chamber under pressure via the outlet, and is movable back, whereby casting material is feedable into the casting chamber via the inlet. The casting piston extends through a through-passage of the casting chamber body from outside into the casting chamber. An area of free space of the casting chamber is formed between an outer lateral surface of the casting piston and an inner wall surface of the casting chamber body transversely relative to the casting piston longitudinal direction by an outer cross section of the casting piston being appropriately smaller than an inner cross section of the casting chamber body.
US09233413B2
The invention provides a rolling forming method of wheel disc, which comprises the following steps: (1) Baiting a circular blank; (2) placing the circular blank in a cavity of a rolling explorator and adopting at least two rolling wheels symmetrically arranged along the circumferential direction of the rolling explorator to perform planar synchronous staggered rolling on the circular blank in the cavity of the rolling explorator; (3) performing trimming and sizing; and (4) stretch forming. The rolling forming method of wheel disc of this invention can precisely form various geometric sections with gradual deformation. The formed product has a uniform mass in the axial direction and the circumferential direction, and has a high dynamic balance precision. The invention can make the blank deform precisely, enhance the production efficiency, and reduce the cost, therefore the invention has good application and popularization prospect.
US09233408B2
A hot forging press machine includes a fixed lower die, a vertically movable upper die, a punching blade for punching, and a deburring blade. The deburring blade includes a deburring upper blade and a deburring lower blade to perform deburring. The deburring upper blade is fixed to a lower portion of the upper die, and the lower blade is fixed to an upper portion of the lower die. A lower sweeping plate urged upward by a spring is slidably fitted to an outer circumference of the lower blade to perform deburring, and an upper sweeping plate of the upper die presses an entirety of an upper surface of a flange portion of a pressed product to perform the discharging.
US09233400B2
In some embodiments, aggregated serialized goods may be loaded into the serialization/aggregation system via a conveyor, and the aggregated serialized goods may be scanned and authenticated. The aggregated serialized goods that are determined to be authentic may be diverted to at least one aggregation line, where the aggregated serialized goods may be bundled. The serialization/aggregation system may be adjustable, and may be easily converted to accept items of various shapes and sizes.
US09233396B2
A micromachined ultrasonic transducer (MUT) array includes a printed circuit board, an alignment plate formed on the printed circuit board, the alignment plate having a plurality of cavities formed therein and a plurality of protruding portions respectively formed between neighboring cavities of the plurality of cavities, and a plurality of MUT modules formed on the plurality of the cavities and the plurality of the protruding portions of the alignment plate. In the MUT array, each of the plurality of MUT modules includes an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) arranged on the alignment plate and an MUT arranged on the ASIC.
US09233390B2
A substrate is surrounded by an inner cup and an outer cup. A distance between an upper surface of an inner cup lower portion and a lower surface of an inner cup upper portion of the inner cup is gradually reduced outward from an outer periphery of the substrate. A clearance is formed between the upper surface of the inner cup lower portion and the lower surface of the inner cup upper portion at outer peripheries of the inner cup lower portion and the inner cup upper portion. A collection space is formed between the upper surface of the inner cup lower portion and the lower surface of the inner cup upper portion. A scatter capturing space that allows a processing liquid that has passed through the clearance to scatter and captures the scattering processing liquid is formed by an outer cup. An upper portion and an outer periphery of the scatter capturing space are covered by a lower surface and an inner side surface of the outer cup, respectively. The processing liquid that has passed through the clearance is led to the inner side surface by the lower surface of the outer cup.
US09233388B2
A force amplifying driver system including an actuator (12) with a powered actuating member (22) mounted for movement along a first distance “X”. A driven member (46) mounted for movement along a second distance or working distance “Y” which is less than the first distance “X”. The powered actuating member (24) is movable through a gap “Z” before being mechanically coupled with the driven member (46) and subsequently moves with the driven member (46) along the second distance “Y”. Energy is transferred from the powered actuating member (24) to the driven member (46) along the second or working distance “Y”. The force amplifying driver system may be used for actuating a fluid jetting dispenser (14).
US09233385B2
The invention described herein generally pertains to temperature-indicating foam gun nozzles and/or at least one temperature-indicating hose which employs at least one thermochromic material disposed within said foam gun nozzle and/or hoses.
US09233365B2
Catalytic complexes including a metal atom having anionic ligands, at least one nucleophilic carbene ligand, and an alkylidene, vinylidene, or allenylidene ligand. The complexes are highly stable to air, moisture and thermal degradation. The complexes are designed to efficiently carry out a variety of olefin metathesis reactions.
US09233364B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for multimetallic assemblies, methods of making a multimetallic assembly, methods of oxidizing water, methods of O-atom transfer catalysis, and the like.
US09233362B2
The invention relates to metal complexes of general formula (I) and to a method for the production thereof, in which M, R1, R2, R3, X and Y in addition to Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg, Rh can have the meanings defined in the claims. Said metal complexes form air-stable compounds and are suitable as pre-catalysts in the olefin metathesis.
US09233357B2
An exhaust gas purifying catalyst comprises: a plurality of catalyst units which contain anchor particles that support noble metal particles; and an enclosure material that internally contains the plurality of catalyst units and separates the catalyst units from each other. Both the anchor particles and the enclosure material contain an alkali element and/or an alkaline earth element. Due to this configuration, this exhaust gas purifying catalyst is capable of maintaining the exhaust gas purification performance by suppressing agglomeration of the noble metal particles even in cases where the ambient temperature is high.
US09233356B2
An exhaust gas purification catalyst including a catalyst support and bimetallic particles supported thereon, wherein said bimetallic particles include an at least partial solid solution of rhodium and iridium and have a diffraction peak at 40.66°<2θ<41.07° in X-ray diffraction with a CuKα ray. A method for producing an exhaust gas purification catalyst, includes heating a mixed solution containing a rhodium salt, an iridium salt and a reducing agent at a temperature sufficient to reduce rhodium and iridium, thereby producing bimetallic particles including an at least partial solid solution of rhodium and iridium; and supporting the produced bimetallic particles on a catalyst support.
US09233354B1
A regenerator for an FCC apparatus. The regenerator includes a riser inside of a shell. The riser includes a cone and a cone skirt. An annulus is formed between the riser and the shell. A sealing system for keeping catalyst out of a portion of the annulus comprises a first sealing element and a second sealing element disposed above the second sealing element. The second sealing element comprises a ring having one or more plates being movable to accommodate the thermal expansion of the riser.
US09233351B2
A pyrolytic hydrogen generator comprising a pressure vessel containing a plurality of cardboard receptacles for the thermally decomposable hydrogen generating material and an associated ignition system. Also, a modular pellet tray assembly for use in the generator comprises a plurality of trays having pellet holders and associated igniters and held in a stack by support rods that also provide electrical connectivity to the trays.
US09233350B2
The invention provides a start-up method for a reaction-regeneration unit for preparing light olefins from methanol, which comprises: (a) heating a regenerator with an auxiliary combustion chamber and a reactor with a start-up furnace; (b) charging a catalyst into the regenerator and reactor; (c) closing a spent catalyst slide valve and a regenerated catalyst slide valve after the reactor reaches about 350° C. or more; (d) feeding methanol to the reactor after the dense phase stage of the regenerator reaches about 350° C. or more; (e) opening the spent catalyst slide valve and introducing a carbon deposited catalyst from the reactor to the regenerator after the dense phase stage reaches about 400° C. or more and the average amount of carbon deposits on the catalyst in the reactor reaches about 2.5% or more; (f) raising the regenerator to above about 580° C.; and (g) stopping the start-up furnace and auxiliary combustion chamber.
US09233346B2
A substance mixing apparatus that is capable of uniformly mixing a certain amount of trace substances and also mixing minute particles. A substance mixing apparatus includes two or more flow paths (11, 12, 13) in which orifices (111, 121, 131), from which a fluid that flows therethrough is externally discharged, are formed, oscillation devices (112, 122, 132) that form droplets of the fluid discharged from each of the orifices (111, 121, 131) by oscillating at least the orifice (111, 121, 131) part of the flow paths at a predetermined oscillation frequency and discharge the droplets, and a device for causing the droplets (A, B, C) discharged from the orifices (111, 121, 131) of the flow paths (11, 12, 13) to collide with one another.
US09233336B2
A carbon dioxide recovery system includes a high-pressure 11, a boiler 15, a carbon dioxide recovery unit 24 that includes a carbon dioxide absorber 21 that absorbs and reduces carbon dioxide in flue gas G emitted from the boiler 15 using a carbon dioxide absorbent and an absorbent regenerator 23 that regenerates a carbon dioxide absorbent having absorbed the carbon dioxide using a regenerating superheater 22 to obtain a regenerated carbon dioxide absorbent, a high-temperature and high-pressure steam extraction line L11 that extracts the high-temperature and high-pressure steam 14 from the boiler 15 before the steam is introduced into the high-pressure turbine 11, an auxiliary turbine 32 that recovers power with the high-temperature and high-pressure steam 14, and a steam supply line L12 that supplies emission steam 33 emitted from the auxiliary turbine 32 to the regenerating superheater 22 to be used as a heat source.
US09233328B2
A cyclone separator has a cyclone arrangement with individual cyclones each provided with a cell tube and guide device. The guide device causes a gas stream passing through the cell tube to rotate. At least one particle discharge is positioned perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the cyclone separator and discharges separated particles that have been separated from the gas stream in the cyclone arrangement. The cell tubes, for a targeted discharge of the separated particles, each have at least one particle outlet opening that is facing the particle discharge. The particle outlet openings of at least some of the individual cyclones, neighboring each other in the direction of a first perpendicular line that is perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis of the cyclone separator, are displaced relative to each other in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the cyclone separator.
US09233318B2
A purification method of the compound represented by formula 1 is provided, which includes the following steps: (1) loading crude compound 1 on macroporous adsorbent resin, (2) washing the macroporous adsorbent resin with an aqueous solution, an organic solvent or a mixture solution of organic solvent and water, (3) eluting with an aqueous solution, an organic solvent or a mixture solution of organic solvent and water. The purified compound represented by formula 1 is obtained.
US09233314B2
A method and apparatus for controlling the position of a vehicle on a track so as to provide a slotless racing vehicle game is described. The method involves generating within a primary feedback loop a first input signal for a steering servo of the vehicle so as to minimize an error signal produced by comparing a measured lateral position of the vehicle on the track with its desired position. The method further comprises generating within a secondary feedback loop a second input signal for the steering servo so as minimize a measured angle of orientation of the vehicle on the track. It is found to be advantageous for the stability of the vehicle on the track if responsivity (Klf2) of the secondary feedback loop is set to be equal to the reciprocal of the responsivity (Kss) of the steering servo.
US09233309B2
Methods for playing a video game executed by a game cloud system are provided. One method includes generating a user interface for displaying game interactivity for playing the video game. The user interface includes controls for selecting a mode of play that includes a shadow mode. The method further includes detecting game play of the video game by a current user and identifying one or more previous plays of the video game by other users. After one of the other users is selected to be used in the shadow mode, for a set period of time, the shadow mode is enabled for the selected other user such that an image of the object controlled by the other user along a game sequence that is to be played by the current user of the video game is displayed.
US09233308B2
A method for delivering media from a server to a client device over a network is disclosed. An application running on the server generates a virtual 3D environment containing 3D models and sounds. The server checks the status of each 3D model or sound in a predetermined order, and then, only those 3D models and sounds which are not pre-stored in the client device will all be rendered by the server into a frame of 2D video stream with sound. The server then sends to the client device the frame and meta data of the 3D models and sounds which are pre-stored in the client device via the network. The client device uses the frame as a background for rendering the 3D models and sounds which are pre-stored in the client device so as to generate a mixed frame of video stream with sound for output.
US09233307B2
A fully automatic simulation system for an input device permits storage in advance of executable applications and associated simulation setting flies into a database, and then combination of the detection, automatic data searching and matching, transmission and conversion, enabling rapid and convenient operation by the users, whenever they operate various applications or whether they adopt a keyboard, mouse or joystick as the simulation controller.
US09233298B2
An apparatus is for shuffling a plurality of playing cards used in gaming. The apparatus includes a card support adapted to support the unshuffled cards on-edge. An exciter is also included, and is adapted to impart vibrational action to the supported cards. Cards drop in a random fashion such as by controlling the relative position of the cards and passage through one or more card slots in a card rest. In at least some of the apparatuses, a medial card receiver is adapted to receive at least one card dropped from the card support and to retain the at least one received card to substantially block the card slot to prevent further cards from dropping. A positioner is preferably included to change a relative position of the unshuffled deck and card slots though which the cards drop.
US09233294B1
A technology for playing baseball is provided. The technology enables real-time baseball gameplay between a first team associated with a first baseball field and second team associated with a second baseball field.
US09233281B1
An iron-type golf club head comprising a high strength face plate with a face support is disclosed herein. In particular, the face plate is affixed to a perimeter region and to a face support that extends upwards from the sole proximate a front opening. The face plate preferably is welded to the perimeter region and brazed to the face support to optimize the sound and feel of the golf club head while preserving the strength of the face.
US09233277B1
An exercise assembly includes a bench sized and configured to support the back of a supine person. In a first mode of operation, the bench is structurally supported in a fixed, upwardly facing orientation relative to an underlying floor surface. The structural support is selectively removed by the person to switch to a second mode of operation, in which the bench is tiltable laterally relative to the underlying floor surface. Left and right pivot poles are mounted on one end of the bench and selectively pivoted back and forth by the feet of the person lying supine on the bench.
US09233275B2
A muscle conditioning or muscle assessment apparatus comprises a load bearing component incorporating a proximal portion for engagement with at least part of a user's body, and a distal portion for securing said component to a fores applying apparatus or an operator; and a transducer located between said proximal and distal portions; said transducer being configured to derive signals representative of the tensile and/or compression forces applied to said load bearing component; wherein said apparatus further comprises means for determining one or more characteristics of position and/or displacement of said load bearing component; said apparatus being configured to output signals representative of said force and the direction of said force.
US09233274B2
A combination spirometer and PEP breathing exercise device is described. The device includes a spirometer with a volumetric air chamber having an atmospheric opening, an exhaust port, and an indicator of inhalation rate or volume; a breathing tube having a proximal end in communication with the exhaust port, a distal end with a mouthpiece, and a conduit between the proximal and distal ends; a one-way check valve adjacent the exhaust port allowing air to flow from the spirometer through the breathing tube to the mouthpiece, but preventing air from being exhausted through the spirometer; and a PEP valve in communication with the breathing conduit, whereby expiration of air from the mouthpiece into the breathing tube above a preset pressure causes the valve to oscillate.
US09233265B2
A water monitor includes a stationary portion having a fluid inlet. A movable portion has a first piece rotatably coupled to the stationary portion and a second piece rotatably coupled to the first piece. The first piece has a first sleeve and an opposing second sleeve configured to rotatably couple to the second piece. The second piece has an inlet portion and a fluid outlet. The inlet portion includes a fluid opening and is configured to extend through the first sleeve and the second sleeve. A fluid flow path extends between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet and is configured to communicate fluids from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. A power transmission is coupled to the inlet portion adjacent the first sleeve and the fluid flow path bypasses the power transmission. The movable portion is rotatable with respect to the stationary portion to position the fluid outlet.
US09233263B2
The composition comprises of a component A selected from a hydroxylated derivative of benzoic acid or of cinamic acid, their esters, amides or salts, a glycoside of a hexose, and their mixtures; and a component B selected from quinic acid, shikimic acid, their alkaline metal or alkaline earth salts, their methyl esters, and mixtures of the same. This composition is suitable for protecting the skin against ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun or artificial sources, such as those used in phototherapy units and in sun tanning rooms. For application in the field of dermatology and nutrition, and, in particular, in the photoprotection of the skin and mucosa, photo-ageing and photocarcinogenesis, including protection of the immune system associated with the skin.
US09233260B2
Various embodiments relate to a method of performing microbeam radiation therapy on a subject, including: producing a high-energy radiation beam in a first direction; producing planar microbeams using the high-energy radiation beam in the first direction, wherein the microbeams have a width, wherein the planar microbeams produce scattered electrons; and applying a magnetic field in a direction lying in a plane substantially parallel to the planar microbeams, wherein the strength of the magnetic field corresponds to the width of the microbeam.
US09233248B2
For terminating a high frequency arrhythmic electric state of a heart an electric signal representative of the present electric state of the heart is obtained. From the electric signal a dominant frequency of the present electric state is determined, and from the dominant frequency it is determined whether the present electric state of the heart is a high frequency arrhythmic electric state displaying at least one rotating wave. Further, a dominance level indicative of how dominant the dominant frequency is in the high frequency arrhythmic electric state is determined from the electric signal. Depending on the at least one dominant frequency, at least one series of electric pulses at intervals is generated. The electric pulses are applied to the heart starting at a point in time at which the dominance level exceeds a predefined threshold value for the heart being in a determined high frequency arrhythmic electric state.
US09233240B2
Techniques are provided for configuring filters for reducing heating within pacing/sensing leads of a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator that might occur due to induced currents during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedure or in the presence of other sources of strong radio frequency (RF) fields. In particular, techniques are provided for selecting inductors and capacitors for use in LC filters while taking into account the tolerances of the component devices, as well as the target impedance of the components and the particular RF frequencies to be filtered.
US09233235B2
A balloon catheter of novel configuration, which is capable of both efficiently heating a heating element by using a laser light and of ensuring durability by avoiding the laser light directly heating members other than the heating element. Provided is a balloon catheter with a balloon disposed in a distal end section of a shaft and wherein: a tightly wound coil shaped heating element is housed and arranged in the balloon; an optical fiber that irradiates a laser light inside the heating element is disposed; and a supply path that supplies a fluid to inside the balloon through an inside of the heating element and a discharge path that discharges the fluid from inside the balloon through a discharge port positioned on an outside of the heating element are disposed.
US09233234B2
A balloon catheter capable of delivering torque and pushing through obstructions includes a relatively weak balloon segment of a catheter and rotatable asymmetric tip. A reinforcement sleeve increases column strength and torque transmission to push the balloon and rotate the tip to facilitate passage through said obstructions. The tip is preferably asymmetric around its axis, usually being beveled, and the reinforcement slide includes a slide lock mechanism which increases shaft flexibility after balloon deployment.
US09233233B2
A catheter assembly includes an elongated main body defining two or more longitudinal lumens including distally positioned openings. One or more side-ports are defined in the main body communicating with at least one of the two or more longitudinal lumens. The catheter assembly also includes an inflatable balloon disposed around a portion of the main body. The inflatable balloon includes a distal end disposed substantially adjacent to a proximal side of one or more side-ports. The inflatable balloon in the inflated state is adapted to extend at partially over the one or more side-ports.
US09233230B2
The present invention relates to a valve assembly for sealing a through passage of a catheter introducing device, comprising a sealing unit having a movable closing member connected to a biasing means, and a seat member arranged with a sealing surface around the aperture of the through passage, wherein the biasing means is arranged to urge the closing member to sealably abut against the sealing surface, corresponding to a closed position, so as to prevent flow of fluid through the valve. The invention also relates to a catheter introducer assembly comprising a valve assembly.
US09233219B2
An airway device (14), that is used to maintain a clear airway in a patient, e.g. for artificial ventilation during surgery, comprises an inflatable cuff (26), which is inflated when in position in a patient's airway (24). The inflated cuff (26) provides a seal to maintain the device (14) in position in a patient's airway (24), and to prevent leakage of infected oropharangeal secretions into the patient's lungs. A method and apparatus (10) for monitoring and controlling the pressure in the inflatable cuff (26) is described, which, in one embodiment, controls the pressure about a setpoint pressure, while preventing loss of sealing pressure during a patient's respiratory cycle. In other embodiments, the method and apparatus monitors for: leaks in the pressure system of the device (14) that includes the cuff (26); blockage in the pressure system, and/or malpositioning of the airway device (14) during use.
US09233215B2
An auto-injector comprising an elongate housing arranged to contain a syringe and displacing medicament, wherein the syringe is slidably arranged with respect to the housing, spring capable of: pushing a needle from a covered position inside the housing into an advanced position, operating the syringe to supply a dose of medicament, and retracting the syringe with the needle into the covered position. Activating means is arranged to lock the spring in a pressurized state prior to manual operation and capable of, upon manual operation, releasing the spring for injection. The spring is a single drive spring arranged for advancing the needle and for injecting the dose of medicament via a plunger. A damper is arranged with the plunger by a spline so as to cause rotation of either the plunger or the damper at least during part of a translation of the plunger in proximal direction.
US09233211B2
The present invention relates to injectors, such as pen-type injectors, that provide for administration of medicinal products from a multidose-cartridge and permit a user to set the delivery dose. The injector may include a housing, a piston rod adapted to operate through the housing, a dose dial sleeve located between the housing and the piston rod, and a drive sleeve located between the dose dial sleeve and the piston rod. The dose dial sleeve may have a helical thread of first lead and the drive sleeve may have a helical groove of second lead. The first lead of the helical thread and the second lead of the helical groove may be the same.
US09233207B2
A device, system and method for treatment of tissue by direct application thereto of therapeutic substances in the form of a stream of therapeutic droplets carried in a high velocity gas. The high velocity gas is produced by accelerating a flow of gas through at least one gas discharge nozzle. At least one flow of therapeutic liquid is introduced into the high velocity gas through at least one liquid discharge nozzle, thereby fragmenting the at least one flow of therapeutic liquid into a stream of therapeutic droplets. The stream is accelerated to a velocity similar to the velocity of the gas discharge flow. The accelerated therapeutic droplet stream is then applied to a tissue mass for therapeutic treatment. The therapeutic substances are provided by containers mounted directly on the device. The containers contain predefined dosages and/or concentrations of the therapeutic substances.
US09233199B2
Control methods of a dialysis machine for allowing the dialysate-side detection of a recirculation in an arteriovenous shunt of a patient during ongoing hemodialysis are described. A sensor is arranged downstream of a dialyzer and detects a change of a physicochemical parameter PD of outflowing dialysis fluid. Control elements are provided to guide the dialysis fluid in a selected manner through the dialyzer or pass it by. Recirculation may be determined by passing the dialysis fluid by the dialyzer so that the dialysis fluid is guided unchanged along the sensor for calibration, switching the control elements after optional sensor calibration such that the dialysis fluid flows through the dialyzer, and adjusting a desired first blood flow value BF1 in the blood-side extracorporeal circulatory branch so that between an inlet of the extracorporeal circulatory branch and an outlet a recirculation R and, a first clearance K1 are adjusted and the parameter detected by the sensor adopts a corresponding value PD1, changing the first blood flow value BF1 to a second blood flow value BF2, wherein a second clearance K2 is adjusted, and accordingly at the sensor a new parameter value PD2 is provided and detected, and determining the recirculation R by the course of change from the parameter value PD1 to the parameter value PD2.
US09233197B2
A method for exchanging heat between a primary fluid (W) and a secondary fluid (X) and a heat exchanger for heat exchange as well as an arrangement and a kit comprising a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger comprises a first and a second fluid circuit extending through the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger further comprises a stack of fluid plates and a membrane arranged between each of the fluid plates where one interspace is formed between each fluid plate and membrane. The first and the second fluid circuit are each constituted by a passage extending through the fluid plates and membranes and along the fluid plates and membranes in at least two interspaces. A primary fluid (W) is passed through the first fluid circuit and a secondary fluid (X) is passed through the second fluid circuit such that the primary fluid (W) is passed along one side of a membrane and simultaneously the secondary fluid (X) is passed along the other side of the membrane. Heat is thus exchanged between the primary fluid (W) and the secondary fluid (X) over the membrane.
US09233195B2
An irrigation/aspiration needle has a rigid needle body over which an elastomeric sleeve is fitted. The elastomeric sleeve terminates in a smooth, relatively soft, rounded tip through which a passageway extends, communicating with a passageway in the sleeve which, in turn, communicates with passageways in the needle body and needle mount, forming a liquid flow path through the needle. The softness of the elastomeric sleeve and, particularly, the sleeve tip protects delicate eye tissue when the needle is used for aspiration from or irrigation of the eye during surgery.
US09233193B2
A fluid management system for use with a fluid reservoir includes an inflow pump and an outflow pump. The inflow pump is connectable to a probe for delivering a distention fluid to a body cavity. The outflow pump removes the distention fluid through the same probe, thus establishing a re-circulating volume of distention fluid within the body cavity. The removed fluid is filtered and returned to a fluid reservoir for eventual recycling to the body cavity. A controller adjusts the flow rates of the inflow pump and the outflow pump to maintain a pre-selected fluid pressure or volume within the body cavity.
US09233190B2
A culture medium includes a carbon nanotube structure and a hydrophilic layer. The culture medium is capable of culturing at least one neuron. The hydrophilic layer has a polar surface and is located on a surface of the carbon nanotube structure. The polar surface is located on a surface of the hydrophilic layer away from the carbon nanotube structure, and has a polarity attracted to a polarity of the at least one neuron.
US09233187B2
The present invention relates to a biodegradable suture-type cell delivery system, a preparation method thereof and a biodegradable suture comprising the same. The biodegradable suture-type cell delivery system has improved cell compatibility as a result of depositing a hydrophilic functional group-containing compound on the surface of a biodegradable suture yarn made of a biodegradable polymer, a portion of which has partially a bulky structure beneficial for the proliferation of cells or living tissue, so as to hydrophilically modify the surface, and then bonding a cell compatible material to the surface, and also functions as a cell culture scaffold, because the bulky structure is beneficial for the proliferation of cells. Accordingly, the biodegradable suture-type cell delivery system can improve the rate of engraftment of stem cells in vivo.
US09233186B2
The disclosed process for producing a water-absorbing resin comprising: a polymerization step of polymerizing an aqueous unsaturated monomer; a drying step of drying a particulated water-containing gel-liked crosslinked polymer, obtained in a finely crushing step during the polymerization or after the polymerization; a pulverizing step after the drying, a classification step after the drying, and a surface treatment step after the classification. In the process is, the surface-treatment step is interrupted with a heating treatment apparatus kept in a heated state and thereafter the surface treatment step is restarted.
US09233185B2
The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide an absorbent article that can be made smaller because the crown section continues to fit the wearer's excretory opening, which has a complex shape, both when dry before absorbing menstrual blood and when wet after absorbing menstrual blood, and with which leakage does not occur easily. This absorbent article is as follows: The absorbent article (1), which comprises a liquid-permeable top sheet (4), a liquid-impermeable back sheet, and a specified absorbent (7) between the liquid permeable top sheet (4) and the liquid-impermeable back sheet, is characterized in that: the absorbent article (1) has a crown section (2), which protrudes in the thickness direction of the absorbent article (1) in the region that is in contact with the excretory opening and comprises a specified cushion section; and in the central section, the crown section (2) has a compression workload (WC) of 10-50 (N·m/m2) and a compression resilience (RC) of 35-100%.
US09233184B2
An adhesive preparation comprising a stretchable support and an adhesive layer laminated on at least one side of the support, wherein the stretchable support comprises a interlock woven fabric subjected to crimping processing, the adhesive layer contains 10% by mass or more of methyl salicylate with respect to the total mass of the layer, the whole adhesive preparation has moisture permeability of 1 to 350 g/m2·24 hr measured at a temperature of 40° C. and a relative humidity of 90%, and the methyl salicylate has a plasma AUC0-24 ranging from 3.0 to 60.0 ng·hr/mL in terms of a mean±standard deviation, and salicylic acid as a metabolite of the methyl salicylate has a plasma AUC0-24 ranging from 5000 to 13000 ng·hr/mL in terms of a mean±standard deviation, when the adhesive preparation is applied to a human skin for 8 hours such that an application amount of the adhesive layer applied is 50 to 300 g/m2 and a contact area is 280 cm2.
US09233180B2
An aqueous disinfecting solution, a concentrated version of the solution, and a dry powdered composition which may be dissolved in water to provide the solution. The solution has a pH of from 0.6 to 7 and comprises (a) hydrogen peroxide in a concentration of from 0.01 to 6% w/w; and (b) at least one component chosen from cyclic carboxylic acids and aromatic alcohols, in a concentration of from 0.01 to 10% w/w, all based on the total weight of the solution. The cyclic carboxylic acids are preferably 2-furan carboxylic acid, benzoic acid and salicylic acid and the aromatic alcohol is preferably benzyl alcohol. Furthermore, the solution may contain surfactants, corrosion inhibitors, hydrotropes, cation sequestering agents, hydrogen peroxide stabilizers, solvents, thickeners, skin conditioning agents, antifoams, and pH buffers.
US09233177B2
Endohedral metallofullerene compounds, which in water has a relaxivity of about 30 mM−1 S−1 to about 300 mM−1 S−1 and forms a dispersion in water with entities having an average hydrodynamic radius of less than about 20 nm.
US09233166B2
Disclosed are nanoparticles, such as carbon nanotubes or other graphitic sheet materials having extended aromatic surfaces, which are used to deliver active agents such as drugs, labels or dyes (termed for convenience a “drug”) to the interior of cells. The nanoparticles are functionalized by a hydrophilic polymer or adsorption of an amphiphilic molecule to render them stable in suspension. The drug is therefore capable of release in the cell exterior. The drug is more rapidly released at lower pH, as found e.g., in tumor cells. The drug may also be linked to a branched chain hydrophilic polymer, so that each polymer molecule carries more than one drug bound by a cleavable linker.
US09233158B2
The present invention is directed toward respirable dry particles for delivery of divalent metal cation salts and/or monovalent cation salts to the respiratory tract and methods for treating a subject having a respiratory disease and/or infection.
US09233157B2
A method and composition for hyperthermally treating tumor cells in a patient under conditions that affect tumor stem cells and tumor cells.
US09233155B2
Provided is a method of combination therapy for prevention or treatment of a cancer including or consisting essentially of co-administering sorafenib and an anti-c-Met antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof to a subject. The method of combination therapy can achieve an excellent synergistic effect and lower the effective dose of the anti-c-Met antibody, thereby enabling a more effective cancer treatment.
US09233153B2
The invention provides an adenovirus or adenoviral vector characterized by comprising one or more particular nucleic acid sequences or one or more particular amino acid sequences, or portions thereof, pertaining to, for example, an adenoviral pIX protein, DNA polymerase protein, penton protein, hexon protein, and/or fiber protein.
US09233152B2
The present invention relates to murine monoclonal antibodies C, F and H which target major neutralizing epitopes of influenza H5 hemagglutinin of clade 2.3 and active fragments thereof. The present invention also relates to methods and compositions for the prophylaxis and treatment of H5N1 influenza using murine monoclonal antibodies C, F or H or active fragments thereof. The present invention additionally relates to methods and compositions for providing universal protection against H5 influenza viruses using murine monoclonal antibodies C, F or H or fragments thereof together with complementary murine monoclonal antibody or active fragments thereof. The present invention further relates to methods and compositions for the characterization and quantification of H5 expression using these murine monoclonal antibody or fragments thereof.
US09233145B2
The present invention provides methods of administering Factor IX; methods of administering chimeric and hybrid polypeptides comprising Factor IX; polynucleotides encoding such chimeric and hybrid polypeptides; cells comprising such polynucleotides; and methods of producing such chimeric and hybrid polypeptides using such cells.
US09233135B1
An oral dosage form or plurality of oral dosage forms comprising as active ingredients citric acid, magnesium citrate, phytin, pyridoxine, and musa is disclosed. The oral dosage form(s) is useful for inhibiting calcium oxalate crystal growth and for treating or inhibiting growth of kidney stones. Methods of inhibiting calcium oxalate crystal growth and of treating or preventing kidney stones are also disclosed.
US09233131B2
The present invention provides mutant adeno-associated virus (AAV) that exhibit altered capsid properties, e.g., reduced binding to neutralizing antibodies in serum and/or altered heparin binding and/or altered infectivity of particular cell types. The present invention further provides libraries of mutant AAV comprising one or more mutations in a capsid gene. The present invention further provides methods of generating the mutant AAV and mutant AAV libraries, and compositions comprising the mutant AAV. The present invention further provides recombinant AAV (rAAV) virions that comprise a mutant capsid protein. The present invention further provides nucleic acids comprising nucleotide sequences that encode mutant capsid proteins, and host cells comprising the nucleic acids. The present invention further provides methods of delivering a gene product to an individual, the methods generally involving administering an effective amount of a subject rAAV virion to an individual in need thereof.
US09233124B2
The invention relates to a biomaterial containing calcium phosphate, in particular hydroxyapatite or a material containing hydroxyapatite, such as biphasic calcium phosphates and calcium phosphate cements, and to the use thereof for the production of an implant or for fitting a prosthesis for the purpose of bone tissue regeneration.
US09233123B1
Ophthalmic compositions including lubricant agent, deturgescent agent, glycosaminoglycan, and water are used to preserve tissue in vitro; for example, ocular tissue, especially a cornea, thereby facilitating subsequent transplant, especially of a complete cornea. Preferably, the ophthalmic composition and tissue are stored at about 0° C. to about 40° C. The ophthalmic solution may be replaced on either a continuous basis or batch exchanged. The volume of ophthalmic solution per individual cornea being preserved would be from about 50 ml to about 500 ml.
US09233119B2
Elevated high mobility group A (HMGA) protein expression in human cancer cells, and especially human pancreatic cancer cells, is correlated with resistance to the chemotherapy agent gemcitabine. The present invention uses HMGA-targeted AT-rich phosphorothioate DNA (AT-sDNA) aptamers to suppress HMGA carcinogenic activity. Cell growth of human pancreatic cancer cells (AsPC-1 and Miapaca-2) transfected with AT-sDNA were monitored after treatment with gemcitabine. Significant increases in cell death in AT-sDNA transfected cells compared to non AT-rich sDNA treated cells were observed in both cell lines. The data indicates the potential use of HMGA targeted DNA aptamers to enhance chemotherapy efficacy in human cancer treatment, and in particular human pancreatic cancer treatment.
US09233110B2
The invention encompasses nanoparticle assemblies and methods for preparing nanoparticle and compositions comprising such nanoparticles for use in topical or skin applications. The invention further encompasses methods of complexing various molecular and cellular entities to the nanoparticles using the resulting nanoparticles of the invention as delivery devices. The nanoparticles can be used for a variety of applications, such as treating cancer, targeting tumors, reducing the toxicity of a drug in vivo, increasing the efficacy of a complexed agent in vivo, protecting a complexed agent against degradation, increasing skin penetration and retention of drugs, and enhancing the water solubility/dispersibility of a drug or other agent.
US09233107B2
The invention relates to compositions, methods, and kits for treating subjects infected by or at risk of infection with a DNA virus (e.g., a JC Virus or a BK virus). Aspects of the invention are useful to prevent or treat DNA virus associated conditions (e.g., PML) in subjects that are immunocompromised. Compositions are provided that inhibit intracellular replication of DNA viruses.
US09233105B2
The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising taste-masked immediate release microcapsules which comprise fexofenadine and a water-insoluble polymer coating. These microcapsules and the pharmaceutical compositions comprising them have suitable drug content and desirable pharmaceutical properties, including a quick dissolution rate of fexofenadine combined with a taste masking effect.
US09233102B2
This document provides methods and materials for treating cancers including renal cancer (e.g., renal cell carcinoma) as well as ovarian, breast, prostate, colon, pancreatic, bladder, liver, lung, and thyroid cancers and melanoma. For example, methods and material for using one or more inhibitors of an SCD1 polypeptide to treat renal cell carcinoma (e.g., clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)) or to increase the efficacy of a renal cell carcinoma treatment are provided. In addition, this document provides methods and materials for using elevated SCD1 expression levels in diseased tissues as an indication that an SCD1 inhibitor can be used as an appropriate therapeutic to ameliorate the disease.
US09233097B2
The present invention provides for a novel liquid formulation for solubilizing poorly soluble ST-246 in cyclodextrins and a novel process of making the formulation.
US09233093B2
By using a composition for preventing onset and/or recurrence of stroke which contains ethyl icosapentate as its effective component, onset and/or recurrence of stroke is prevented, or in particular, the onset and/or recurrence of stroke in a hyperlipidemia patient who has been treated with HMG-CoA RI, or in particular the recurrence of stroke in a patient who is beyond six months after the onset of stroke, is prevented.
US09233092B2
The present invention is related to novel oral compositions comprising an irreversible gastric H+/K+-ATPase proton pump inhibitor (PPI) as a gastric acid secretion inhibitor and one or more aliphatic carboxylic acid derivative molecules which activate parietal cells, wherein the derivatives possess delayed or sustained enhancement effect on the PPI activity compared to the non-derivatized acid molecules. The present invention further relates to a method of using such compositions to reduce gastric acid secretion in a mammal.
US09233089B2
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) can be prevented in persons susceptible to the diseases and PAH patients can be treated by administering an effective dose of a leukotriene inhibitor. Suitable inhibitors include leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H) inhibitors, leukotriene B4 receptor (BLT1/BLT2) antagonists, 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) inhibitors, and 5-lipoxygenase activating protein (FLAP) inhibitors.
US09233088B2
A method for obtaining improved bone quality in a vertebrate, including mammal and bird, the method comprising administering to a vertebrate, including mammal and bird, in a sufficient amount and/or at a sufficient rate to enable a desired effect, glutamate, glutamate derivatives or metabolites, glutamate analogues or mixtures thereof. Also contemplated is a method for modulating bone quality in a vertebrate, including mammal and bird, comprising administering to the vertebrate, including mammal and bird, in the need thereof, glutamate, glutamate derivatives or metabolites, glutamate analogues or mixtures thereof, for modulating the bone quality as well as a compositions for use in treatment.
US09233077B2
An enteric-coated bead dosage form of cysteamine, and related methods of manufacture and use, are disclosed.
US09233070B2
Biocompatible intraocular implants include a tyrosine kinase inhibitor and a biodegradable polymer that is effective to facilitate release of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor into the vitreous of an eye for an extended period of time. The therapeutic agents of the implants may be associated with a biodegradable polymer matrix, such as a matrix that is substantially free of a polyvinyl alcohol. The implants can be placed in an eye to treat or reduce the occurrence of one or more ocular conditions.
US09233062B2
Disclosed are compositions and methods for their use that can be used in cosmetic applications. The composition can include an effective amount of a Centella asiatica stem cells to reduce the activity of hyaluronidase in skin, an effective amount of tetradecyl aminobutyroylvalylamino butyric urea trifluoroacetate or Alpinia galanga leaf extract to promote the production of hyaluronic acid in skin, an effective amount of tripeptide-1 to promote the production of fibronectin and laminin in skin, and a dermatologically acceptable vehicle.
US09233060B2
The invention relates to the use of specific heterocyclic couplers which are 7-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline derivatives of formula (I) for dyeing keratin fibers such as the hair in which formula (I): R1 to R6, Ra to Rc and X are as defined in the description.
US09233059B2
Present invention relates to an aqueous oxidizing composition with improved stability. The object of the present invention is an aqueous composition comprising at least one oxidizing agent, salicylic acid and/or its salts and either acetaminophen or oxyquinoline and/or its salts and having a pH between 1 and 5.
US09233058B2
The present invention relates to bleaching composition for keratin fibres, especially human hair, comprising at least one compound with bleaching and/or highlighting effect and a specific chelating agent. The object of the present invention is a substantially water free bleaching and/or highlighting composition for keratin fibres, especially human hair, comprising at least one compound with bleaching and/or highlighting effect and a polyhydroxy carboxylic acid and/or its salt as a chelating agent. Suitable and most preferred is gluconic acid and its salts especially mono valent cation salts such as sodium, potassium and ammonium salts.
US09233057B2
The present invention relates to quinone direct dyes of formula (I) below, organic or mineral acid or base salts thereof, tautomeric forms, optical isomers or geometrical isomers thereof and/or solvates thereof: and also to the use thereof for dyeing keratin fibers, in particular human keratin fibers such as the hair. The invention also relates to a composition for dyeing keratin fibers, comprising such direct dyes in a suitable dyeing medium. Similarly, a subject of the present invention is a process for dyeing keratin fibers, using the said dye composition.
US09233042B1
A device to protect surgical tables that incorporates a horizontal base and a vertical flange that meet creating a vertex, where the vertex may have a radius. The horizontal base is supported by at least one foot providing a stable platform for the surgical table guard. The vertical flange is spaced away from the vertical base of the surgical table providing adequate clearance to the vertical base to allow the vertical base to compress in normal operation.
US09233036B1
A pressure release device and methods of using the same are disclosed. The pressure release device and/or related methods may be useful for alleviating and/or relieving pressure on skin tissue prone to developing pressure sores and/or tissue that has already developed pressure sores. The pressure release device generally includes one or more relays, logic configured to actuate the one or more relays, one or more motors, and a barrel rotatably connected to at least one of the motor(s) and having one or more straps retractably affixed thereto. Optionally, the pressure release device may be detachably or permanently connected to a surface or frame of a wheelchair.
US09233020B2
The conventional vacuum suction type urine collector may not be able to perform normal and automatic vacuum suction when contamination occurs between the electrodes acting as a sensor, and some users feel uneasy about the use of the urine collector as the case may be.In the controller for a vacuum suction type urine collector of this invention, the resistance between paired electrodes installed on the side of a urine receiver on a vacuum sucked-urine path extending from the urine receiver via a urine transport tube to a urine tank is measured by a controller to automatically detect urine, for actuating a vacuum suction device, wherein a detection resistor is connected in series to the abovementioned electrodes; and a manual operation switch is connected in parallel to the series circuit consisting of the electrodes and the detection resistor, to constitute a state detection circuit.
US09233019B2
An ostomy appliance for attachment to the stoma body comprising a soft adhesive wafer (1) having a tensile strength at 20% strain of less than 0.75N/4 mm and a collecting pouch attachable to an adhesive wafer, the wafer comprises a backing layer and a skin-facing adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive skin-facing surface of the wafer is provided with at least two release liners (3, 4) each covering at least a part of the adhesive surface and together covering the entire adhesive surface.
US09233012B2
In an embodiment, a stent is provided for use in blood vessels with blockage near or in a bifurcation. The stent includes a side aperture. The stent is inserted into one of the daughter branches of the bifurcation and positioned with the use of markers. The stent is then expanded so as to support the wall of the blood vessel while allowing the blood to continue to flow to both daughter branches.
US09233011B2
Systems and tools for inserting and securing an implant within the intervertebral space. An intervertebral disc implant with upper and lower bearing members with an articulation interface between the members for providing relative motion therebetween. The implant may be provided with various securing members for fixing the implant within the intervertebral space. A tool may be used to insert the implant, which includes a plurality of shiftable implant engaging members that are shiftable between non-engaging and engaging configurations to alternatively release or hold the implant.
US09233002B2
Systems, methods and devices for tensioning posterior crucial ligaments during cruciate or bi-cruciate ligament-sparing arthroplasty. Non-limiting examples of such systems may include at least one series of tibial inserts of equal size; the at least one series of tibial inserts having at least one set of tibial inserts of equal thickness. The at least one set of tibial inserts of equal thickness may include at least two tibial inserts having different geometries in a posterior portion, the different geometries being configured to change the tension in the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The different geometries in the posterior portions of the tibial inserts are configured so as to allow the posterior cruciate ligament to be tensioned or loosened independently of the tibial insert thickness and/or size. By providing different posterior geometries for each insert within a set of a series, a surgeon may be provided with more flexibility in choosing an insert that satisfies stability requirements in a non-invasive manner.
US09233001B2
The present disclosure relates to a method incorporating computer-implemented steps, a computing device, and a computer readable storage medium, for providing alignment information data for the alignment of an orthopaedic implant for a joint of a patient. The method comprises the computer-implemented steps of being responsive to patient specific information data for deriving patient data, where the patient specific information data is indicative of one or more dynamic characteristics, and being responsive to the patient data for providing the alignment information data for the alignment of the orthopaedic implant.
US09232997B2
Devices and methods to enhance the implantation, retreivability, or repositionability are provided. Embodiments of devices include pivotable sections providing the ability to maintain the device's engagement with a delivery system during implantation where the deliver system approaches an opening of the septum at an angle. Embodiments of devices also include configurations that allow for improved retrieval into a delivery system in the event that a malfunction or a problem with the patients physiology is detected.
US09232993B2
Methods and devices for altering the power of a lens, such as an intraocular lens, are disclosed. In one method, the lens comprises a single polymer matrix containing crosslinkable pendant groups, wherein the polymer matrix increases in volume when crosslinked. The lens does not contain free monomer. Upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation, crosslinking causes the exposed portion of the lens to increase in volume, causing an increase in the refractive index. In another method, the lens comprises a polymer matrix containing photobleachable chromophores. Upon exposure to ultraviolet radiation, photobleaching causes a decrease in refractive index in the exposed portion without any change in lens thickness. These methods avoid the need to wait for diffusion to occur to change the lens shape and avoid the need for a second exposure to radiation to lock in the changes to the lens.
US09232988B2
An orthodontic bracket having a slot formed by arm parts facing each other in the vertical direction, and an inner part, inserted into the slot, having a socket for holding a wire is disclosed. The shape of the socket is designed for applying desired forces to a tooth through the wire when the bracket is attached to the tooth. Forces can be changed simply by changing the inner part; replacing the bracket attached to the tooth. When the inner part is inserted into the slot, the inner part closes the slot and it is held in the position by the arm parts; enabling the wire to be securely held in its position.
US09232987B2
An apparatus for use with an image-guided system to calibrate a handpiece having a tip that is difficult to calibrate comprises a tip extension having an attachment end and a round end, the attachment end configured to fixedly attach to the tip of the handpiece. The attachment end may include a female component that mates with a correspondingly shaped male component of the tip of the handpiece. The tip extension may have a neck configured to allow rotation of the round end when the round end is in a round recess. A method of using an image-guided system to calibrate a handpiece having a tip may comprise fixedly attaching to the tip an attachment end of a tip extension, the tip extension also having a round end separate from the attachment end; and calibrating a center of the round end by contacting the round end to a calibration device.
US09232976B2
A magnetic drape comprises a drape body made of a flexible material. The drape body has a panel portion having an undersurface adapted to be laid on an uneven body and a top surface, and a given thickness between the undersurface and the top surface. A plurality of magnet units are within the flexible material of the drape body, with each said magnet unit comprising a shielding material in the shape of a cup oriented to have a bottom wall facing toward the undersurface of the drape body, and a magnet received at least partially in the cup. The magnet comprises two or more sections arranged to expose opposite polarity on a top surface of the magnetic drape, with each said section having opposite polarities oriented vertically.
US09232968B2
A spinal pedicle rod comprising an internally reinforced polymeric core that is at least partially encased within at least one polymeric coating. A dynamic stabilization device for bones in which flexible rods are combined with a pair of dynamic anchoring devices comprising i) a shank for anchoring into a bone or a vertebra, ii) a head connected to the shank, iii) a receiving part for the head and iv) a mobile element acting on the head.
US09232965B2
A coupling assembly that is configured to couple a surgical screw to another coupling assembly and another surgical screw is disclosed. The coupling assembly comprises a body that includes a receptacle configured to receive a head portion of the surgical screw and hold the head portion through an interference fit. The body further includes either a female member, a male member, or both, the female member and the male member configured to mate with a female member and a male member of the another coupling assembly and thereby join the coupling assembly to the another coupling assembly. Embodiments of the coupling assembly provide for adjustment of the distance between the coupling assemblies, as well as misalignment of various axes of the coupling assembly relative to the surgical screw and the male member. Exemplary embodiments provide fewer parts, greater flexibility during the surgical implantation, and a smaller profile than previous coupling mechanisms.
US09232960B2
Prostate treatment using fluid stream to resect prostate tissue, thereby relieving symptoms of conditions such as BPH, prostatitis, and prostatic carcinoma. A device having a fluid delivery element is positioned within a lumen of the urethra within the prostate. A fluid stream is directed outwardly from the fluid delivery element toward a wall of the urethral lumen. The fluid delivery element is moved to scan the fluid stream over the wall to remove a volume of tissue surrounding the lumen. The fluid may be combined with therapeutically active substances or with substances that increase resection efficiency. Fluid force may be adjusted to provide selective tissue resection such that soft tissue is removed while harder tissue is left undamaged. In order to gain a working space within the urethra, another fluid may be introduced to insufflate the urethra in the region of treatment.
US09232956B2
A system for removing a kidney stone from a ureter may include: an elongate, flexible, outer shaft having a distal end configured to be advanced into the ureter and a proximal end; an elongate, flexible, inner shaft extending through at least part of the outer shaft; an expandable stone retention member extending through at least part of the inner shaft and moveable along the longitudinal axis relative to the inner shaft; an elongate, flexible camera positioned coaxially within the retention member shaft, such that a distal end of the camera is located at or near a distal end of the inner shaft; and a handle coupled with the proximal end of the outer shaft, a proximal end of the inner shaft, and a proximal end of the retention member shaft.
US09232955B2
Surgical procedures, tools and implants are disclosed for both conventional and reverse shoulder implant surgeries. The improved procedures, tools and implants relate to humeral head resurfacing, humeral head resection for standard implants, humeral head resection for reverse shoulder implants, glenoid resurfacing for standard shoulder implants and glenoid resurfacing for reverse shoulder implants. 3D scans and x-rays are used to develop virtual models of the patient anatomy, identify patient specific landmarks for anchoring guide wire installation blocks, templates and drill guides. 3D scans are also used to design patient specific tools and implants for the shoulder implant procedures and to pre-operatively determine the appropriate inclination and retroversion angles.
US09232949B2
A saw for pivoting a blade in a sagittal plane. The saw includes a drive assembly with at least one drive member. The drive assembly is configured to both reciprocate the blade in the sagittal plane and to simultaneously pivot the blade around an axis that extends through the sagittal plane. The drive assembly is configured to reciprocate and pivot the blade at different frequencies. Consequently the teeth (186) of the blade travel in a loop pattern that crosses itself.
