US09424207B2

Consistent with embodiments of this disclosure, an information processing apparatus is provided. The information processing apparatus comprises an input terminal configured to receive a plurality of Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) descriptions from a plurality of external devices. The UPnP descriptions comprise grouping information indicating one or more groups to which the external devices belong. The information processing apparatus further comprises a processing unit configured to process the UPnP descriptions and assign the external devices to the one or more groups based on the grouping information.
US09424202B2

A database cache manager for controlling a composition of a plurality of cache entries in a data cache is described. Each cache entry is a result of a query carried out on a database of data records, the cache manager being arranged to remove cache entries from the cache based on a cost of removal factor which is comprised of a time cost, the time cost being calculated from the amount of time taken to obtain a query result to which that cache entry is related.
US09424192B1

A mechanism is provided for memory coherence in a multiple processor system. Responsive to a memory operation from a processing core of the multiple processor system resulting in a cache miss, the mechanism checks a private region table associated with the processing core. The memory operation attempts to access a memory region. Responsive to determining the memory region corresponds to an entry in the private region table, the mechanism performs a remote memory controller snoop of a remote memory controller without snooping the multiple processor system.
US09424191B2

An apparatus of an aspect includes a plurality of cores. The plurality of cores are logically grouped into a plurality of clusters. A cluster sharing map-based coherence directory is coupled with the plurality of cores and is to track sharing of data among the plurality of cores. The cluster sharing map-based coherence directory includes a tag array to store corresponding pairs of addresses and cluster identifiers. Each of the addresses is to identify data. Each of the cluster identifiers is to identify one of the clusters. The cluster sharing map-based coherence directory also includes a cluster sharing map array to store cluster sharing maps. Each of the cluster sharing maps corresponds to one of the pairs of addresses and cluster identifiers. Each of the cluster sharing maps is to indicate intra-cluster sharing of data identified by the corresponding address within a cluster identified by the corresponding cluster identifier.
US09424177B2

A clock switching method for a memory storage apparatus is provided. The method includes: setting a value of the clock as a first operation frequency when an operation mode is switched to an initial state; determining whether a first continuous accessing time of accessing continuously a rewritable non-volatile memory module is larger than a first setting value during a period in which the operation mode is at the initial state; re-setting the value of the clock as a second operation frequency, which is smaller than the first operation frequency, to switch the operation mode to a power saving state if the first continuously access time is larger than the first setting value; and re-setting the value of the clock as the first operation frequency to switch the operation mode to a general state during a period in which the operation mode is at the power saving state.
US09424174B2

A control apparatus which controls a memory having a plurality of banks, allocates the plurality of banks to a first region and a second region, wherein data transfer is performed by interleaving access in a plurality of banks in the first region, and data transfer is performed by non-interleaving access in at least one bank in the second region. The control apparatus sets a bank in the first region and a bank in the second region independently to a low-power state.
US09424173B2

In response to receiving a selection to override an existing memory allocation of one or more regions of an external memory device within a memory register for a particular bridge from among multiple bridges within an integrated circuit, wherein the multiple bridges connect to a shared physical memory channel to the external memory device, a remap controller of the particular bridge reads, from a super rank register, one or more super rank values specifying one or more relocation regions of the external memory device connected to an interface of the integrated circuit. The remap controller remaps the memory register for the particular bridge with the one or more super rank values specified in the super rank register to relocate memory accesses by the bridge to the one or more relocation regions of the external memory device.
US09424171B1

Automating testing of a software product under system resource constraints. One or more SQAs are received and, for each SQA, a confidence level and an importance are received. For one or more system resources, an amount of each system resource available for testing is received. Each amount of system resource available for testing is apportioned to the SQAs, based on the confidence level and the importance of each SQA. Each test in a set of tests is prioritized, based on the number of SQAs associated with the test and any previous results of the test. For each SQA, a subset of the set of tests is selected, based on the test priorities, an expected consumption of system resources by each test, and the apportionment of the system resources to the SQA; the selected subset of tests is executed; and the test results for the selected subset of tests is updated.
US09424170B2

A method captures diagnostic trace information in a computer system having a plurality of software images. Information is received that is associated with a first failure in a first one of the plurality of software images. The received information is distributed to others of the plurality of software images. Further information is captured that is associated with a second failure in another one of the plurality of software images. The information associated with a first failure in a first one of said plurality of software images is combined with the information associated with a second failure in another of said plurality of software images, and the combined information is analyzed in order to determine a cause of the first failure.
US09424164B2

A method for identifying code segments and associated software developers in a software development environment is disclosed. A software development tool detects a memory error in a first code segment. The software development tool associates the memory error with a first software developer that is associated with the first code segment. The software development tool identifies a second code segment related to the first code segment. The software development tool associates the memory error with a second software developer that is associated with the second code segment.
US09424158B2

A server system includes at least one server and a server cabinet. The at least one server includes a first connection port and a baseboard management controller which detects a connection state of the first connection port and according to the connection state, outputs a data signal or a warning signal. The server cabinet includes chambers for containing the at least one server, and the chamber includes a second connection port and a storage unit. The storage unit stores data. When the connection state specifies that the first connection port couples to the second connection port, the baseboard management controller reads the data stored in the storage unit, to output the data signal. When the connection state specifies that the first connection port does not couple to the second connection port, the baseboard management controller outputs the warning signal.
US09424153B2

An operating method is disclosed for a storage device configured to receive a command from an external device through a command pad, transmit a response to the external device through the command pad, and exchange data with the external device through a plurality of data pads. The operating method includes receiving a debug command through the command pad by the storage device and outputting internal information through the command pad in response to the debug command as the response by the storage device.
US09424150B2

Various embodiments of systems and methods for a fault tolerance based query execution are described herein. Queries are received from users, the queries including operators. A multi-query optimization is performed on the operators included in the queries to obtain a query plan. A fault tolerance degree is determined for the operators included in the query plan. Based on the fault tolerance degree of the operators, nodes are assigned to the operators included in the query plan. The assigned nodes execute the operators included in the query plan to execute the queries. In one aspect, the nodes simultaneously execute the operators included in the query plan.
US09424149B2

Apparatuses, systems and methods are disclosed for tolerating fault in a communications grid. Specifically, various techniques and systems are provided for detecting a fault or failure by a node in a network of computer nodes in a communications grid, adjusting the grid to avoid grid failure, and taking action based on the failure. In an example, a system may include receiving grid status information at a backup control node, the grid status information including a project status, storing the grid status information within the backup control node, receiving a failure communication including an indication that a primary control node has failed, designating the backup control node as a new primary control node, receiving updated grid status information based on the indication that the primary control node has failed, and transmitting a set of instructions based on the updated grid status information.
US09424143B2

Method, system, apparatus and/or computer program for achieving transparent integration of high-availability services for distributed application programs. Loss-less migration of sub-programs from their respective primary nodes to backup nodes is performed transparently to a client which is connected to the primary node. Migration is performed by high-availability services which are configured for injecting registration codes, registering distributed applications, detecting execution failures, executing from backup nodes in response to failure, and other services. High-availability application services can be utilized by distributed applications having any desired number of sub-programs without the need of modifying or recompiling the application program and without the need of a custom loader. In one example embodiment, a transport driver is responsible for receiving messages, halting and flushing of messages, and for issuing messages directing sub-programs to continue after checkpointing.
US09424138B2

Various embodiments relating to saving and recovering a hardware architecture state are provided. In one embodiment, during a first mode of operation, entries in a first portion of a random-access memory (RAM) are manipulated. A current version of less than all of the entries of the first portion is saved to a checkpointed version in response to a checkpoint event that triggers operation in a second mode of operation. During the second mode of operation, entries in a second portion of the RAM are manipulated. The checkpointed version of less than all of the entries of the first portion is recovered as the current version in response to a restore event that triggers resumption of operation in the first mode.
US09424136B1

A computer-implemented method for creating optimized synthetic backup images may include (1) transferring a backup image that represents a virtual machine at a specific point in time to a server that stores the backup image, (2) identifying a subsequent backup image that represents at least a portion of the virtual machine at a subsequent point in time, (3) creating a data stream that includes (i) at least one changed data block captured in the subsequent backup image and (ii) at least one reference that identifies where at least one unchanged data block is located within the backup image stored on the server, and then (4) transferring the data stream to the server to enable the server to create an optimized synthetic backup image of the virtual machine. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09424125B2

Disk-backed array techniques can, in some implementations, help ensure that the arrays contain consistent data. An alert can be provided if it is determined that the data in the array is, or may be, corrupted.
US09424121B2

Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method of determining the root cause of service degradation in a network, the method including determining a window of time; determining one or more abnormal Key Quality Indicators (KQIs) in the window; determining one or more abnormal Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the window; calculating a conditional probability that each of one or more KPIs is abnormal when a Key Quality Indicator (KQI) is normal; calculating a conditional probability that the each of one or more KPIs is abnormal when the KQI is abnormal; calculating a score for each KPI based upon a divergence of a Beta distribution for the conditional probability that each of one or more KPIs is abnormal when a KQI is normal and a Beta distribution for the conditional probability that the each of one or more KPIs is abnormal when the KQI is abnormal; and generating a representative root-cause list based upon the score for each KPI.
US09424120B1

A computer program product for prioritizing First Failure Data Capture (FFDC) data for analysis. A processor configured to: identify, by the processor, FFDC data in response to receiving an error message, the FFDC data comprising at least one of: a computer system event which may lead to system failure; a computer system event led to system failure; a computer system condition which may lead to system failure; a computer system condition which led to system failure; determine, by the processor, a relevancy rank for each data value in the FFDC data based on the error message received and a probability a given data value is relevant in resolving a cause of the error message; and send, by the processor, in order of relevancy, the data values of the FFDC data to a second server.
US09424119B2

An aspect of error handling includes a parsing block for pre-processing a document indexing application, a filtering block for discarding irrelevant documents, a transformation block to clean up and annotate input data by identifying a document language, and a processor configured for grouping inputs to collect documents for a same entity in a single spot. The processor processes a query operation. An aspect of error handling also includes a data package including a data result component that includes data generated based on successful completion of at least a portion of the query operation. The data package also includes an error information data component based on one or more errors encountered during processing of the query operation. An indicator separates the error information data from the data result. The system also includes a memory associated with a distributed file system for storing a final write output relating to the query operation.
US09424116B2

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system for processing a computer program for a distributed server environment executes the computer program in the distributed server environment in accordance with a configuration for the computer program. The computer program is generated within a development environment. The configuration indicates a type of server environment and is associated with one or more data sets for processing by the computer program. The system monitors execution of the computer program within the distributed server environment and provides a program status to the development environment. The system displays results produced by the computer program within the distributed server environment via the development environment. Embodiments of the present invention further include a method and computer program product for processing a computer program in substantially the same manners described above.
US09424114B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for processing an input/output (I/O) operation. An example system includes a kernel interface that receives a notification of a page fault. The page fault is responsive to an application attempting to perform an operation on a memory region that is set to a first access mode. When the memory region is set to the first access mode, the application does not have permission to perform the operation on the memory region. The system also includes a handler that responsive to the notification (i) sets the memory region to a second access mode and (ii) spawns a kernel thread to drain data from the memory region. When the memory region is set to the second access mode, the application has permission to perform the operation on the memory region. The system further includes an I/O module that stores the data in the memory region for processing.
US09424111B2

A system for sharing a physical display screen among multiple applications on a mobile platform includes an Internet-connected client device and software executing on the client device from a non-transitory physical medium, the software providing a first function assigning dominancy to one of the multiple running applications, a second function mitigating application background transparency among the multiple running applications, a third function establishing a messaging mechanism and protocol between the multiple running applications, and a fourth function enabling the dominant application to intercept digital input directed toward individual ones of the multiple running applications and to dispatch the input to the appropriate application.
US09424110B2

Embodiments described herein provide recovery placeholders within an application. Specifically, one approach includes providing an application operating on a client device, and generating a recovery placeholder that defines a current state of the application by analyzing a queue containing a set of messages, and identifying one or more selected events corresponding to the application from the queue. In one approach, the current state defines, at the time the recovery placeholder is generated, at least one of: a position within a window of the application, a current activity of the application, a position of the window within a display of a display device, and a placement order of the window of the application in relation to a stack of other cascaded windows. At a later point in time, the application may then be restored to the current state by accessing the recovery placeholder to replay the one or more selected events.
US09424103B2

A method for operating a lock in a computing system having plural processing units and running under multiple runtime environments is provided. When a requester thread attempts to acquire the lock while the lock is held by a holder thread, determine whether the holder thread is suspendable or non-suspendable. If the holder thread is non-suspendable, put the requester thread in a spin state regardless of whether the requester thread is suspendable or non-suspendable; otherwise determines whether the requester thread is suspendable or non-suspendable unless the requester thread quits acquiring the lock. If the requester thread is non-suspendable, arrange the requester thread to attempt acquiring the lock again; otherwise add the requester thread to a wait queue as an additional suspended thread. Suspended threads stored in the wait queue are allowable to be resumed later for lock acquisition. The method is applicable for the computing system with a multicore processor.
US09424100B2

A method for monitoring the coordinated execution of sequenced tasks by an electronic device including a main electronic card including at least one main processor synchronized to a main clock and at least one auxiliary electronic card including at least one auxiliary processor synchronized to an auxiliary clock, includes emitting by the main processor of a coordination marker to the auxiliary processor at the start of each main time period; emitting by the auxiliary processor of a response word formed on the basis of the last coordination marker received to the main processor at the end of each auxiliary time period; validating by the main processor of the response word received with respect to the first coordination marker emitted; and signaling by the main processor if the response word received is not valid so as to signal a defect of coordination of the auxiliary processor.
US09424099B2

Disclosed methods, systems, and computer program products embodiments include synchronizing a group of workitems on a processor by storing a respective program counter associated with each of the workitems, selecting at least one first workitem from the group for execution, and executing the selected at least one first workitem on the processor. The selecting is based upon the respective stored program counter associated with the at least one first workitem.
US09424098B2

Embodiments of the invention relate to a system and method for dynamically scheduling resources using policies to self-optimize resource workloads in a data center. The object of the invention is to allocate resources in the data center dynamically corresponding to a set of policies that are configured by an administrator. Operational parametrics that correlate to the cost of ownership of the data center are monitored and compared to the set of policies configured by the administrator. When the operational parametrics approach or exceed levels that correspond to the set of policies, workloads in the data center are adjusted with the goal of minimizing the cost of ownership of the data center. Such parametrics include yet are not limited to those that relate to resiliency, power balancing, power consumption, power management, error rate, maintenance, and performance.
US09424094B2

Server consolidation using virtual machine resource tradeoffs, is provided. One implementation involves assigning a virtual machine to a target physical server based on a plurality of virtualization parameters for maximizing utility of a plurality of virtual machines and physical servers. The assigning performs resource allocation for the virtual machine based on capabilities of the target physical server and a plurality of virtual machine resource requirements. Virtualization parameters include a reservation parameter (min) representing a minimum resources required for a VM, a limit parameter (max) representing a maximum resources allowable for the VM, and a weight parameter (shares) representing a share of spare resources for the VM.
US09424088B1

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques and mechanisms for providing a fast multi-level scheduler, implemented using a plurality of smaller schedulers, the plurality of smaller schedulers together performing the functions of a single conventional scheduler.
US09424085B2

A terminal device includes first storage, second storage, and a processor. The first storage is configured to store used resource information which indicates a set of one or more resources to be used by an application installed in the terminal device. The second storage is configured to store association information which associates each particular resource for which access is provided by a particular process, with the particular process. The processor is configured to recognize a process group which is related to the application, and includes a set of one or more particular processes each of which is associated by the association information with a resource included in the set of one or more resources indicated by the used resource information.
US09424077B2

Systems and methods for throttle control on cloud-based computing tasks are provided. An example method includes, obtaining a service request from a first user, in a plurality of users, of the computer system; in accordance with a first determination that placing the service request in a service queue associated with the first user would not cause an enqueue counter associated with the first user to be exceeded, causing the service request to be placed in the service quest to await execution. The method also includes, after the service request is placed in the service queue, in accordance with a second determination that executing the service request would not cause a dequeue counter associated with the first user to be exceeded, causing the service request to be executed.
US09424068B2

Described herein are techniques for automatically batching GUI-based (Graphical User Interface) tasks. The described techniques include automatically determining whether a user is performing batchable tasks in a GUI-based environment. Once detected, the described techniques include predicting the next tasks of a batch based upon those detected batchable tasks. With the described techniques, the user may be asked to verify and/or correct the predicted next tasks. Furthermore, the described techniques may include performing a batch and doing so without user interaction.
US09424055B2

A method, system and program product for executing a multi-function instruction in an emulated computer system by specifying, via the multi-function instruction, either a capability query or execution of a selected function of one or more optional functions, wherein the selected function is an installed optional function, wherein the capability query determines which optional functions of the one or more optional functions are installed on the computer system.
US09424050B2

Embodiments of parallelization and/or instrumentation in a producer graph oriented programming framework have been presented. In one embodiment, a request to run an application program is received, wherein object-oriented source code of the application program includes methods and producer dependency declarations, wherein the producer dependency declaration for a given method identifies a set of zero or more producers with outputs that are an input to the given method, wherein a producer is at least an instance and a method associated with that instance. Further, execution of the application program may be parallelized based on dependency between producers of the application program using the runtime. In some embodiments, the application program is instrumented using the runtime.
US09424048B2

Inductive peripheral retention device techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an apparatus includes a plug configured to removably engage a communication port of a device to form a communicative coupling with the device. The plug is securable to and removable from the device using one or more hands of a user. The apparatus also includes a peripheral securing portion connected to the plug and configured to removably engage a peripheral device via an inductive element formed as a flexible loop and configured to form a communicative coupling between the peripheral device and the device, which may be used to support charging of the apparatus.
US09424046B2

Systems and methods for load canceling in a processor that is connected to an external interconnect fabric are disclosed. As a part of a method for load canceling in a processor that is connected to an external bus, and responsive to a flush request and a corresponding cancellation of pending speculative loads from a load queue, a type of one or more of the pending speculative loads that are positioned in the instruction pipeline external to the processor, is converted from load to prefetch. Data corresponding to one or more of the pending speculative loads that are positioned in the instruction pipeline external to the processor is accessed and returned to cache as prefetch data. The prefetch data is retired in a cache location of the processor.
US09424038B2

A compiler-controlled technique for scheduling threads to execute different regions of a program. A compiler analyzes program code to determine a control flow graph for the program code. The control flow graph contains regions and directed edges between regions. The regions have associated execution priorities. The directed edges indicate the direction of program control flow. Each region has a thread frontier which contains one or more regions. The compiler inserts one or more update predicate mask variable instructions at the end of a region. The compiler also inserts one or more conditional branch instructions at the end of the region. The conditional branch instructions are arranged in order of execution priority of the regions in the thread frontier of the region, to enforce execution priority of the regions at runtime.
US09424037B2

A compare instruction of an instruction set architecture (ISA), when executed tests one or more operands for an instruction defined condition. The result of the test is stored as an operand, with leading zeros, in a general register of the ISA. The general register is identified (explicitly or implicitly) by the compare instruction. Thus, the result of the test can be manipulated by standard register operations of the computer system. In a superscalar processor, no special “condition code” renaming is required, as the standard register renaming takes care of out-of-order processing of the conditions.
US09424033B2

Apparatus and method for a modified, balanced throughput data-path architecture is given for efficiently implementing the digital signal processing algorithms of filtering, convolution and correlation in computer hardware, in which both data and coefficient buffers can be implemented as sliding windows. This architecture uses a multiplexer and a data path branch from the Address Generator unit to the multiply-accumulate execution unit. By selecting between the data path of Address Generator to execution unit and the data path of register to execution unit, the unbalanced throughput and multiply-accumulate bubble cycles caused by misaligned addressing on coefficients can be overcome. The modified balanced throughput data-path architecture can achieve a high multiply-accumulate operation rate per cycle in implementing digital signal processing algorithms.
US09424030B2

A trailing/leading zero counter includes a plurality of hardware logic blocks, each of which calculates one bit of the output value (i.e. the number of trailing/leading zeros depending on whether it is a trailing/leading zero counter). Each hardware logic block includes two blocks of section hardware logic which each receive a section of an input string and generate one or two outputs from this section of bits. Combining logic then combines the outputs of the section hardware logic to generate the bit of the output value. For hardware logic blocks which calculate bits other than the least significant bit of the output, the hardware logic blocks also include one or more OR reduction stages which reduces the length of the input string by pairwise combining of bits using OR gates before the resultant string is divided into two sections and input to the section hardware logic.
US09424018B2

Techniques for filtering and promoting application store applications are described that can be employed to provide filtered application information and/or application promotions to client devices. The filtering and promoting can be based at least in part upon system information that describes configurations and capabilities of the client devices. In one or more embodiments, various system information for a client device is detected. The detected system information for the client device is used to filter application data in an application catalog. Page information to be provided to the client device for interaction with the application catalog is then ascertained using the filtered application data. The page information is sufficient to enable the client device to render targeted application store pages having filtered application information and/or promotions that are selected based on the detected system information.
US09424017B2

A method and apparatus for the installation of a live operating system includes an installation module that automatically detects available portable removable storage devices. The installation module also automatically determines available operating systems for installation on the portable removable storage devices. The determination of available operating systems can include checking for available operating systems on remote servers. The installation module provides a user interface that is populated with the available installation options including the options to select a size of a persistent overlay and the use of encryption. The installation process installs the user selected operating system on the user designated portable removable storage device and validates the installation. The installation can be performed without generating a new partition on the portable removable storage device and without reformatting the device.
US09424009B2

Some embodiments include a processing subsystem that compiles program code to generate compiled program code. In these embodiments, while compiling the program code, the processing subsystem first identifies a pointer in the program code that points to an unspecified address space. The processing subsystem then analyzes at least a portion of the program code to determine one or more address spaces to which the pointer may point. Next, the processor updates metadata for the pointer to indicate the one or more address spaces to which the pointer may point, the metadata enabling a determination of an address space to which the pointer points during subsequent execution of the compiled program code.
US09424002B2

The present disclosure describes a meta-application framework that enables data to be associated with a class of applications called a meta-application. A meta-application entity may store attributes in common across multiple platforms. A platform entity may store attributes in common across multiple devices and/or operating systems. A device entity may be comprised by a particular set of hardware features and an operating system entity may be comprised of a particular set of software feature. Data associated with the meta-application framework may be accessed directly via data manipulation operations or alternatively by application operations via an application programming interface or via the aforementioned data manipulation operations. Applications may then identify application specific behavior at the appropriate level of detail.
US09423999B1

A method for representing a plurality of data samples is disclosed. The method generally includes steps (A) and (B). Step (A) may generate an exponent common to all of the data samples using a circuit. Step (B) may generate a plurality of mantissae based on the exponent. Each of the mantissae generally corresponds to a different one of the data samples.
US09423993B2

There is provided a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a communication program. The communication program is configured to cause a communication device to perform: judging a type of the external device based on information received from the external device by the near field communication protocol; generating the printing data, in a case that it is judged that the type of the external device is a first external device configured to execute printing; transmitting the generated printing data to the first external device by a communication protocol; and transmitting, in a case that it is judged that the type of the external device is a second external device to which the to-be processed data or an image data corresponding to the to-be processed data is transmitted, the to-be processed data or the image data corresponding to the to-be processed data to the second external device by the communication protocol.
US09423991B2

An information processing apparatus includes a process control unit that executes one or more process units with respect to input data in an order defined by definition information, an output unit that causes information to be output in a form changeable by a user when a first process unit of the process units is stopped, and an accepting unit that accepts changed information corresponding to the information output by the output unit that is changed by the user. The information output by the output unit includes output information of a process unit executed before the first process unit and/or input information set up in the definition information with respect to a process unit to be executed after the first process unit. The process control unit controls execution of the process unit to be executed after the first process unit based on the changed information accepted by the accepting unit.
US09423983B2

An intelligent storage controller operating in conjunction with a computer running an application that uses the data managed by the intelligent storage controller, and requires data transformation operations to be performed on the data. The intelligent storage controller is adapted to directly perform the data transformation operations on the data controlled by the controller, under the direction of the computer running the application, thereby offloading this processing entirely to the intelligent storage controller. The intelligent storage controller may also provide an application programming interface for the computer running the application to use in directing commands to the intelligent storage controller. To accommodate varying workloads on the intelligent storage controller, data transformation tasks may be load balanced between the intelligent storage controller, the computer running the application, and/or other hosts.
US09423973B2

A metadata object identifying a set of disk locations which have been written to during a consistency group is maintained. Backup data for the consistency group is written. Writing backup data for the consistency group includes identifying a disk location from the set of disk locations, generating a record containing the disk location, data stored at the disk location, and a consistency group value identifying the consistency group, and writing the record to tape storage. Records written to tape storage can be used to restore data to disk storage for a given consistency group.
US09423969B2

Methods for sensing, method for programming, memory devices, and memory systems are disclosed. In one such method for sensing, a counting circuit generates a count output and a translated count output. The count output is converted into a time varying voltage that biases a word line coupled to memory cells being sensed. Target data for each memory cell is stored in a data cache associated with that particular memory cell. When it is detected that a memory cell has turned on, the translated count output associated with the count output that is indicative of the voltage level that turned on the memory cell is compared to the target data. The comparison determines the state of the memory cell.
US09423968B2

Provided are a storage device, controller, and method for using host transfer rates to select a recording medium transfer rate for transferring data to a recording medium. A host transfer rate of data with respect to a buffer is measured. Provided are a plurality of recording medium transfer rates at which data is transferred between the buffer and the recording medium. A determination is made of an amount of decrease in the host transfer rate. The recording medium transfer rate is selected based on the amount of decrease in the host transfer rate. A transfer rate at which the storage device transfers data is set to the selected recording medium transfer rate.
US09423966B2

A memory stores first configuration information indicating a plurality of logical storage areas and a first condition defining a state of a storage apparatus as a trigger for the storage apparatus to move data. A CPU acquires: a second condition defining a state of a computer as a trigger for the computer to move a first object, which is stored in a first logical storage area among the plurality of logical storage areas and performed by the computer, to another one of the plurality of logical storage areas; second configuration information associating the first object and the first logical storage area; first state information indicating a state of the plurality of logical storage areas; and second state information indicating a state of the first object. If a state of performing data movement is set, the CPU identifies a cause of the state of performing the data movement.
US09423963B2

Embodiments of the invention relate to storage allocation in a storage system. One embodiment includes adaptively determining, by a storage device processor, a region height across disk spaces of a group of storage devices that is proportional to a number of connected storage devices. The storage device processor adaptively determines a region width across the disk spaces for the group of storage devices that is inversely proportional to a number of nodes sharing a particular storage device.
US09423961B2

An apparatus includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to communicate with a memory device. The processor is configured to send to the memory device, via the interface, a sequence of write commands that program multiple types of memory pages that incur respective different programming durations in the memory device, while inserting in the sequence suspension periods for permitting execution of storage commands that are not part of the sequence, such that at least some of the suspension periods are followed by write commands of types that do not have a shortest programming duration among the programming durations.
US09423959B2

An apparatus and method are described for store durability and ordering in a persistent memory architecture. For example, one embodiment of a method comprises: performing at least one store operation to one or more addresses identifying at least one persistent memory device, the store operations causing one or more memory controllers to store data in the at least one persistent memory device; sending a request message to the one or more memory controllers instructing the memory controllers to confirm that the store operations are successfully committed to the at least one persistent memory device; ensuring at the one or more memory controllers that at least all pending store operations received at the time of the request message will be committed to the persistent memory device; and sending a response message from the one or more memory controllers indicating that the store operations are successfully committed to the persistent memory device.
US09423953B2

A method, device, and/or computer program product operates a touch-screen device. A first touch at a location on a touch-screen is detected. A second touch on the touch-screen, which occurs simultaneously with the first touch on the touch-screen, is detected. A pressure of the detected second touch is calculated and assigned to the detected first touch. A specific touch-screen output is generated according to the location and assigned calculated pressure of the detected first touch.
US09423951B2

This document describes content-based snap points and techniques that use these snap points. In some embodiments, multiple content-based snap points are used to stop at points in content that are convenient, prevent overshooting of important parts in the content, and/or aid user's in manipulating and consuming the content.
US09423948B2

To provide an information processing device capable of ensuring not to execute processing not intended by a user in a case of stopping the ongoing operation after selecting an object (for example, in selecting again an object other than the object already selected, or the like). In a case where one of a user's designated position is included in a determination area based on the position of one of the plurality of objects displayed in a screen, an object moving unit (56) moves the one object based on the one designated position. In a case where the object moving unit (56) moves first and second objects, a collision determination unit (58) determines whether or not the first and second objects have collided. A processing executing unit (60) executes processing relevant to the first and second objects based on a result of determination by the collision determination unit (58).
US09423944B2

A method for adjusting the sound volume of media clips using volume adjuster lines is provided. The volume adjuster lines are individually set for each clip based on the intrinsic, or absolute, volume values of the clip. In some embodiments, the volume adjuster lines are set for each clip based on the peak value or a calculated loudness equivalent of the clip. A user can move the volume adjuster line to set the absolute sound level of a clip. The volume adjuster lines can be hidden in some embodiments. In these embodiments, dragging on any portion of a clip is treated as dragging on the volume adjuster line. Some embodiments provide a deformable volume adjuster line, or curve. In these embodiments, a single audio clip can have several different volume adjuster lines for different sections of the clip where the volume adjuster line for each section is individually adjustable.
US09423938B1

Methods and systems are described for navigating between visual components. A first visual component, of a first application in a plurality of applications, is detected in a first application region of a presentation space of a display device. A first navigation area is presented, in a first navigation region determined based on the first application region, for navigating to a second visual component, of a second application in the plurality, in a second application region in the presentation space. A user input corresponding to the first navigation area is detected. In response to the detected user input, navigation information is sent to navigate to the second visual component.
US09423921B2

A system for providing information to a user includes a screen for showing the information to the user, receiving means for receiving one or more values from a source of values on which values the information shown to the user is based, generating means for generating two or more data lines wherein each of said data lines comprises at least one data set, wherein the data sets comprise data which are based on said values and wherein the data sets are assigned to at least two data lines by predetermined or changeable criteria displaying means for simultaneously showing said two or more data lines to the user on said screen, and highlighting means for visually highlighting at least one data set out of said two or more data lines according to at least one criterion.
US09423916B2

An in-cell touch panel and a display device are configured to address mutual interference between touch signals and image display signals and increase opening ratio of the in-cell touch panel at the same time. The in-cell touch panel includes a color filter substrate and an array substrate disposed opposite to form a cell, a plurality of sub-pixel units arranged in matrix are disposed on said array substrate, and further includes: a plurality of touch sensing electrodes distributed in a column direction of said sub-pixel units on said color filter substrate, and a plurality of touch driving electrodes distributed in a row direction of said sub-pixel units on said array substrate, every two adjacent rows of sub-pixel units constituting a sub-pixel unit group and gate lines for providing gate signals to these two rows of sub-pixel units being disposed between these two rows of sub-pixel units; wherein said touch driving electrodes are located in non-display areas between said sub-pixel unit groups.
US09423910B2

A display device and method having a pattern are provided. The display device includes a plurality of color filters which correspond to one or more sub-pixels constituting a pixel of the display device; and a black matrix formed between the plurality of color filters, wherein the one or more sub-pixels include one or more position marks indicating an absolute position of each pixel of the display device and one or more error correction marks for correcting an error when the one or more position marks are detected.
US09423909B2

Provided herein are a method, apparatus and computer program product for interpreting user input and mitigating erroneous inputs on a device. In particular, methods may include receiving an indication of a first touch event, determining, by a touch mediation function, if the first touch event is an erroneous touch event, causing the first touch event to be sent to an application in response to the touch mediation function determining that the touch event is not erroneous; and causing the first touch event to not be sent to the application in response to the touch mediation function determining that the first touch event is erroneous. The first touch event may occur proximate a first capture area for the user interface and the method may further include causing the first capture area for the user interface to be adjusted in response to the first touch event.
US09423899B2

A display device includes a first pixel electrode corresponding to a first pixel area. The display device further includes a transistor electrically connected to the first pixel electrode. The display device further includes a plurality of gate lines extending in a first direction and including a first gate line, the first gate line being electrically connected to the transistor and being configured to transmit a first gate signal for controlling the transistor. The display device further includes a plurality of first-type sensors including a first first-type sensor, the first first-type sensor being configured to provide a first output signal according to at least the first gate signal. The display device further includes a processing part electrically connected to the first first-type sensor and configured to use the first output signal for determining a first coordinate value associated with a touch applied on the display device.
US09423897B2

A display may have a color filter layer and a thin-film transistor layer. A layer of liquid crystal material may be located between the color filter layer and the thin-film transistor layer. A transparent conductive shielding layer may be formed on the lower surface of the thin-film transistor layer. Grounding structures may ground the transparent conductive shielding layer to a ground. The ground may be formed form metal traces on a flexible printed circuit. The display may have a backlight unit. Light-emitting diodes may be used to provide backlight for the backlight unit. The light-emitting diodes may be mounted on the flexible printed circuit. The grounding structures may be formed from a rectangular ring-shaped conductive tape or other conductive structures.
US09423890B2

An aspect provides a method including: identifying one or more symbols input to a surface of a first device; determining, using at least one processor, an association for the one or more symbols; executing an action corresponding to the determined association for the one or more symbols; and storing the one or more symbols identified and the determined association therefor in a lexicon accessible to other devices. Other aspects are described and claimed.
US09423889B2

An ergonomic computer mouse includes a mouse body, left and right lug members, a palm resting body having a height-adjusting member, an actuator configured to be manually operable to deliver a rotational force, and a cam assembly. The height-adjusting member has a pivot portion pivoted to the mouse body and a liftable portion opposite to the pivot portion. The cam assembly is disposed to convert the rotational force to a translational force, and is configured to couple the actuator to the liftable portion such that the translational force is imparted on the liftable portion, to thereby move the liftable portion between upper and lower positions.
US09423888B2

An object navigating apparatus, which comprises: a sensing apparatus, for sensing an object; and a control unit, for computing at least one displacement that the object is relative to the sensing apparatus. The control unit increases the sensing resolution if the control unit detects the displacement is larger than a first predetermined value for continuous N times, or if the control unit detects the displacement is larger than the first predetermined time for at least N times in a first sensing time interval. The N is a positive integer larger or equals to 2.
US09423883B2

Provided are an electronic apparatus for determining validity of touch key input and a method and apparatus for determining validity of touch key input for the electronic apparatus. The method includes determining whether a touch key is input to perform a preset function, determining whether a dummy key used to determine validity of input of the touch key is input, if determining that the touch key is input, and determining validity of input of the touch key based on whether the dummy key is input. According to the present invention, by determining whether touch key input is intended by a user, it is possible to prevent a function undesired by the user from being performed.
US09423880B2

A head mountable display (HMD) comprises an infrared light source operable to illuminate foreground objects but not background objects greater than a threshold distance from the HMD; one or more cameras operable to capture infrared illuminated images and visible light illuminated images; and an image processor operable to detect, from the infrared illuminated images, foreground objects in the visible light illuminated images.
US09423879B2

Provided is a non-contact sensing device that comprises a sensor comprising a plurality of function key sensors. A function key sensor of the plurality of function key sensors has a field of view. The function key sensor is constructed and arranged to detect a hand gesture at the field of view and to generate a function key control signal in response to detecting the hand gesture at the field of view. A processor processes the function key control signal from the function key sensor and outputs a command to a remote apparatus in response to the processed control signal.
US09423878B2

A method includes displaying, on a display of an electronic device, an information element associated with an application and detecting a first gesture. In response to detecting the first gesture, at least a first part of a first image is displayed, including information associated with the application, while reducing display of the information element.
US09423877B2

Multi-dimensional gesture input to a computing device can be improved by providing a mechanism to lock or reduce the effects of motion in unintended directions. In one example, a user can navigate in two dimensions, then provide a selection action through motion in a third dimension. If a computing device analyzing the gesture is able to detect the selection action, the device can limit motion outside the corresponding third dimension in order to ensure that the proper selection action is performed. Various thresholds, values, or motions can be used to limit motion in one or more axes for any appropriate purpose as discussed herein.
US09423874B2

A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving, by a device comprising a processor, a first signal from a motion-sensitive component of the device; receiving, by the device, a second signal from a touch-sensitive interface of the device, detecting, by the device, from a combined signal comprising the first signal and the second signal, a selection of a portion of the device; and causing, by the device, a sensory feedback generator to provide a feedback signal in accordance with the combined signal. The feedback signal may comprise an audible sound, a visual effect, a tactile effect, or any combination thereof. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US09423869B2

An operation support device includes an operation part in which the operation input is performed by an operator, an action part to which a surgical tool is attached and which is driven by the operation input, a drive source that is provided in the operation part, and generates a driving force which adjusts the manipulation resistance at the time of the operation input, and a control unit that sets the magnitude and direction of the driving force, wherein the control unit sets the magnitude and direction of the driving force based on the operation input to the operation part.
US09423866B2

There are disclosed asynchronous computing devices and methods of operating asynchronous computing devices. An asynchronous computing device may include an asynchronous processor and a voltage regulator circuit that outputs an operating voltage to the asynchronous processor in response to a voltage request received from the asynchronous processor.
US09423861B2

Disclosed are a USB peripheral apparatus capable of reducing transmission power of a transmission terminal circuit by significantly increasing resistance values of terminations provided at the transmission terminal circuit and a reception terminal circuit as compared with a specific impedance value of a transmission line, and a transmission power reduction method thereof.
US09423857B2

The present invention relates to a job processing apparatus including an instruction unit configured to provide an instruction to shift a power supply to an OFF state, a setting unit configured to variably set a suspended time for shifting from a suspended state to the OFF state based on a threshold of the number of rewritable times calculated by a calculation unit and a number of writing times, and a control unit configured to shift the power supply to the OFF state after the suspended time set by the setting unit has lapsed.
US09423855B2

An electronic apparatus includes a chip, a memory and a switch unit. The chip works in a boot state. The memory coupled to the chip stores firmware and has a write-protection control end connected to the chip through a write-protection control path. In a standby state, when receiving an electric potential signal through the write-protection control end, the memory disables a write-protection function, so as to update the firmware. The switch unit is located on the write-protection control path and is controlled by a power-on signal related to the boot state. In the standby state, the switch unit is turned-off and the delivery of the electric potential signal to the chip through the write-protection control path is disabled. In the boot state, the switch unit is turned-on and the write-protection control way is conducted by the power-on signal so that the chip controls the write-protection function.
US09423853B2

Various embodiments of methods and systems for balancing user experience in a multimedia conferencing community are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment envisions a portable computing device (“PCD”) receiving data indicative of one or more visual multimedia parameter settings in a companion PCD of the community. Based on the received data, the PCD may determine an adjustment to the settings of one or more of its own visual multimedia parameters such that a multimedia output in the form of a data packet stream is adjusted. In this way, the PCD may conserve power consumption by avoiding unnecessary multimedia workload processing for encoding a multimedia output that would not benefit the quality of service (“QoS”) delivered by the companion PCD. Additionally, by optimizing the quality of the multimedia output in view of the companion device parameter settings, the PCD may allocate more of its power budget to improving its own QoS level.
US09423852B2

According to an embodiment, a power control device includes a storage unit, a monitor, a determining unit, and a controller. The storage device stores a look-up table, which includes relationship between needed power consumptions and start-up conditions of an electronic device including a plurality of modules. The start-up condition of the electronic device is determined from the needed power consumption in the look-up table and specifies a power on/off status of the modules in the electronic device. The monitor monitors a voltage or available power supplied by a power source when the electronic device is activated. The determining unit determines a start-up condition corresponding to needed power consumption, which corresponds to the voltage or available power monitored by the monitor, with reference to the table. The controller sets a start-up condition of the electronic device to start up the electronic device in the start-up condition determined by the determining unit.
US09423844B2

A consumer electronic system for holding and providing power to any number of consumer electronic devices has cradles and each of the cradles has a pair of folding support walls. The pair of folding support walls are separated by a gap, allowing for a device cable to be routed between the two sections so that, when a consumer electronic device is within the cradle and connected to a power port for charging or use (by the cable) the consumer electronic device sits properly. Since the device cable, passes through this gap, the device cable doesn't perturb the consumer electronic device (e.g., allowing for a stable containment of the consumer electronic device at a proper viewing angle).
US09423838B2

A flash drive that can utilize space behind a mobile device is disclosed. In some embodiments, a body of the flash drive has three portions, a front portion, a back portion, and an intermediate portion that runs from the front portion to the back portion. A mobile device connector extends from a first end of the front portion, and a second connector extends from a second end of the back portion. The intermediate portion is configured to cause, when the mobile device connector is connected to the mobile device, the second connector and part of the back portion of the body to be located behind and, in some embodiments, adjacent to the back of the mobile device. This can enable part of the body to fit in a gap that can form between the back of the mobile device and a user's palm when the user holds the mobile device.
US09423834B2

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a bezel area disposed on an edge of a display area, a first component, a second component which is spaced apart from the first component, and an electrical connection device electrically connecting the first and second components, wherein the electrical connection device is disposed through the bezel area. Therefore, the electrical connection device may be embodied in an existing space without a separate installation space, may be assembled easily, may prevent performance deterioration of other components due to interference and also may contribute to slimming and performance improvement of the electronic device.
US09423828B2

A leveling system includes a chassis and a first foot protruding from the chassis. The leveling system also includes a plurality of pressure sensors to measure pressure at a first location at the first foot and a second location separated from the first foot. In addition, the leveling system includes a processor that retracts or extends the first foot using an electroactive polymer (EAP) actuator to balance pressures at the first location and the second location.
US09423816B2

An electronic device may include a switching converter configured to convert an input voltage to an output voltage, and being selectively operable in a pulse skipping mode based upon a control signal. The switching converter may include a comparator having a first input configured to receive an error signal, a second input configured to receive a skipping mode reference signal, and an output configured to generate the control signal. A reference generator may be configured to generate the skipping mode reference signal as a function of a difference between the output voltage and the input voltage.
US09423803B2

Disclosed are systems and apparatus adapted to control a temperature of a process fluid in an instrument. In one aspect, the systems and apparatus are adapted to control fluid temperature provided to a feed tank. The feed tank may feed a metering system and metering line of an instrument such as a clinical analyzer. The fluid temperature control system includes a process fluid inflow, a process fluid outflow, a first fluid path fluidly coupled to the process fluid inflow and outflow, and at least one heat exchanger thermally coupled to the first fluid path, wherein the heat exchanger is adapted to extract heat for at least one heat-generating component of the instrument. Controlling a temperature of the process fluid at the feed tank improves metering accuracy. Methods of operating the system are provided, as are other aspects.
US09423795B2

An inverted pendulum type vehicle configured to enable a user to control the vehicle by selecting a single control mode, even while other control modes are not selected. One control mode out of plural control modes of the vehicle is selected based on a detection result of an inclination state of an occupant riding section by an inclination sensor that is a fundamental constituent of the vehicle. Motion of a first actuator device and a second actuator device is controlled according to the one control mode selected.
US09423794B2

The present invention relates to a control system for travel in a platoon (1), the platoon comprising a lead vehicle (L) and one or more following vehicles (F1, F2, . . . , Fi-1, Fi, . . . , Fn) automatically following the lead vehicle, the lead vehicle controlling the movement of the following vehicles, each of the following vehicles and the lead vehicle comprising communication means (10, 12), wherein the control system comprises a common time base, which allows a control command proposing an action to be communicated from the lead vehicle (L) to at least one of the following vehicles (F1, F2, . . . , Fi-1, Fi, . . . , Fn) in advance of a control point (tc). The invention further relates to the use of a common time base in a platoon and to a method to control travelling in a platoon.
US09423779B2

A facility employing systems, methods, and/or techniques for dynamically and adaptively configuring configurable energy consuming and producing devices (e.g., smart energy devices) based on user profiles and user presence information is disclosed. In some embodiments, the facility periodically detects the presence of users, and retrieves preference information for those users. For each of one or more configurable energy devices in the area, the facility generates a combined setting based on the preferences of each user present and adjusts the devices based on the combined settings. For example, if User A, User B, and User C are present in a room and User A's preferred temperature setting is 75° F., User B's preferred temperature setting is 68° F., and User C's preferred temperature setting is 70° F., the facility may generate a combined setting for a thermostat by taking the average value of the users in the room.
US09423776B2

A method for managing an operation for a watch to exit standby mode, the watch being provided with a dial having a digital display, and placed into a standby mode, in which the dial is off, includes storing, in a memory of the watch, an algorithm for detecting a transition sequence, the algorithm parameterized from a set of predetermined, fixed data indicative of a transition sequence; acquiring a set of variable data using a sensor including an accelerometer for measuring variable data on the acceleration of the watch in three directions, and/or a gyroscope for measuring variable data on the position of the watch in three directions; processing the variable data using the algorithm to obtain a concordance value of the set of processed variable data; and, if the resulting concordance value is higher than a threshold, triggering the exit of the dial having the digital display from standby mode.
US09423765B2

A developing cartridge includes a casing, a developer-carrying member, a supply member, a developing electrode, a supply electrode, and an insulating member. The casing is configured to accommodate therein developer. The developer-carrying member is configured to rotate about a rotational axis and carry the developer thereon. The supply member is configured to supply the developer to the developer-carrying member. The developing electrode is configured to be electrically connected to the developer-carrying member. The supply electrode is configured to be electrically connected to the supply member. The insulating member insulates the developing electrode and the supply electrode with each other. The developing electrode, the insulating member, and the supply electrode are overlapped in this order in an axial direction of the rotational axis.
US09423760B2

A developer accommodating container, comprising: an accommodating portion provided with a falling inlet; an optical portion which forms a light path inside the accommodating portion; a space portion which is provided in the middle of the light path and capable of accumulating the developer accommodated in the accommodating portion; a casing portion which has a cover portion covering the space portion not to flow in the developer to the space portion except a surface of the opposite side which is formed the falling inlet seeing from the space portion, and that has a introducing inlet which can introduce the developer to the space portion from upper position than at least a bottom of the space portion, and that has a discharge outlet which can discharge the developer at a lower position than the space portion.
US09423759B2

An image forming apparatus, including a body with an aperture, a processing unit movable between an inside position and an outside position, and a transfer unit, is provided. The processing unit includes first and second drum cleaners to remove waste toner from first and second photosensitive drums respectively; and a waste toner conveyer including a conveyer tube longitudinally extending in a movable direction of the processing unit, a port, a conveyer screw located inside the conveyer tube, and a shutter movable between an opening position and a closed position to open and close the port. The transfer unit includes a belt unit with a belt arranged to contact the first photosensitive drum and the second photosensitive drum, and a belt cleaner including a container with an opening which communicates with the port of the conveyer tube when the processing unit is in the inside position.
US09423758B2

The power supply apparatus includes a transformer that generates an AC voltage; a driving unit that drives a primary side of the transformer to set an output on a secondary side of the transformer to a predetermined value; a rectifying and smoothing unit connected to one end on the secondary side and adapted to rectify and smooth the AC voltage and output a DC voltage of a positive potential; a voltage generation unit connected to another end on the secondary side and adapted to generate a DC voltage to be superposed with the AC voltage; a control unit connected to the rectifying and smoothing unit and the voltage generation unit and adapted to control a current value according to the DC voltage output by the rectifying and smoothing unit and control the DC voltage generated by the voltage generation unit.
US09423755B2

A printing apparatus prints an image on a recording medium unwound by an unwinder. The recording medium is wound around a first winding shaft in order from a beginning edge to an ending edge of the recording medium. The wound recording medium is rewound, and the rewound recording medium is wound around a second winding shaft in order from the ending edge to the beginning edge of the recording medium.
US09423747B1

An image forming apparatus includes image forming sections each including a developing section having a developer bearing member and a developer supply unit and a transfer unit that transfers an image developed on a photoconductor by the developing unit onto a transfer body, a controller that controls a driving time of the developer bearing member so that developer is born on the developer bearing member during a period when image formation is not performed and the developer attached to the transfer body by the image forming sections does not overlap, a detector that detects the attached developer by each image forming section, and a specification unit that specifies the image forming section which attaches the developer to the transfer body, on the basis of a time from when the controller starts driving the developer bearing member to when the detector detects the developer attached to the transfer body.
US09423741B1

A fixing press member includes a substantially tubular thermal conductive layer containing a resin and a substantially scale-shaped filler having a higher thermal conductivity than the resin, and a surface layer disposed on an outer circumferential surface side of the thermal conductive layer.
US09423738B1

A heat generating unit includes a substrate; a heat-generating element that is provided on the substrate and generates heat by receiving electric power; and a thermal destruction element provided on the substrate and connected in series to the heat-generating element, the thermal destruction element having a positive temperature coefficient and causing thermal destruction due to self-heating when heated to a temperature higher than a certain temperature by the heat of the heat-generating element.
US09423726B2

A drive transmitter, which can included in a driving device and an image forming apparatus, includes a drive transmitter including a drive coupling and a driven coupling. The drive coupling is mounted on a drive output shaft to which a driving force is transmitted and includes a drive claw projecting in an axial direction. The driven coupling is mounted on a driven shaft, faces the drive coupling in the axial direction, and includes a driven claw projecting in the axial direction. A height of at least one of the drive claw and the driven claw in the axial direction gradually decreasing from one end to the other end in a rotation direction of at least one of the drive coupling and the driven coupling. The drive claw and the driven claw come into either one of line contact and point contact with each other in the axial direction.
US09423714B2

A toner has a toner particle that contains a binder resin and a charge control resin, wherein the charge control resin is a polymer that contains a unit A and a unit B, the unit A is a unit derived from 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid, the unit B is a unit derived from an electron donor compound that has a polymerizable unsaturated group, and a molar ratio between the unit A and the unit B is from 1.0 to 10.0.
US09423713B2

A positively chargeable electrostatic latent image developing toner includes a plurality of toner particles each including a toner mother particle and an external additive adhering to a surface of the toner mother particle. The external additive includes metal oxide particles and coat layers that are each disposed over a surface of a corresponding one of the metal oxide particles. The coat layers contain a nitrogen-containing resin. The metal oxide particles contain metal ions having an electronegativity of no greater than 11.
US09423707B2

The electrophotographic photoreceptor of the present invention includes a conductive support, a photosensitive layer disposed on the conductive support, and a surface protective layer disposed on the photosensitive layer. The surface protective layer contains a binder resin and a fine particulate material containing at least one compound selected from MgCu2O2, CaCu2O2, SrCu2O2, and BaCu2O2.
US09423702B2

An exposure apparatus and method exposes a substrate with an energy beam via a mask, and includes a substrate stage system that drives a movable body holding the substrate to move the substrate. A measurement system has an encoder system that irradiates a grating section with a beam and measures positional information of the movable body, and an interferometer system that measures positional information of the movable body. A control system controls a movement of the movable body based on measurement information of the measurement system. The positional information used for movement control of the movable body can be switched from the positional information of one of the encoder system and the interferometer system to the positional information of the other.
US09423692B2

Provided are a composition for forming a resist protection film for lithography and a method for forming a pattern of a semiconductor device using the same. The composition comprises a repeat unit having a fluorine-containing functional group on a side chain thereof and contains a polymer having a weight average molecular weight of 2,000-100,000 and a solvent. The solvent containing 10-100 parts by weight of a material has a Hildebrand solubility parameter of 12.5-22.0, based on 100 parts by weight of the total weight thereof.
US09423690B2

There is provided a pattern forming method, including: (a) forming a film by using an electron beam-sensitive or extreme ultraviolet ray-sensitive resin composition containing a resin (A) having a repeating unit represented by Formula (1-0) and a repeating unit represented by Formula (1-2); (b) exposing the film by using an electron beam or extreme ultraviolet ray; and (c) developing the exposed film by using a developer containing an organic solvent to form a negative pattern, wherein a content of the repeating unit represented by Formula (1-0) is 45 mol % or more based on a whole repeating units in the resin (A).
US09423682B2

An ultra high-resolution volumetric three-dimensional (3D) display system comprises an image chamber, and an addressing system to direct a beam of electromagnetic energy at a first wavelength to slice through the image chamber. The beam of electromagnetic energy slices the image chamber along a first axis to provide an image slice. The addressing system comprises a line generator to shape the beam into a line extended along a second axis. An imaging system delivers the electromagnetic energy at a second wavelength to an area within the provided image slice. The line is moved along a third axis to form a three dimensional (3D) image.
US09423678B2

A light emitting device includes: an active layer; and a first cladding layer and a second cladding layer that sandwich the active layer, wherein the active layer forms an optical waveguide that guides light, a traveling direction of the light guided in the optical waveguide changes at a first reflection part provided on a first side surface of the active layer, and the first reflection part is located outside of a region in which the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer are provided in a plan view.
US09423677B2

A cooling structure includes: a heat releasing unit configured to include a plurality of fins and to release heat by contacting a first cooling target; and an air blowing unit configured to blow air to the heat releasing unit, wherein the heat releasing unit includes a first region and a second region in which intervals of the fins are smaller than those of the first region, and a second cooling target that is different from the first cooling target is positioned downstream relative to the first region in a flow path of the air, and the air that has passed through the first region blows on the second cooling target.
US09423674B1

A system for projecting to a viewing surface includes an illumination source to project a first image onto the viewing surface along a beam path, an LCD, with at least one pixel having a polarization rotation profile that approaches zero at an edge, for placement in the beam path of the illumination source to the viewing surface to transmit the first image in a first polarization state through the LCD to the viewing surface and to propagate a second image in a second polarization state from the LCD to the viewing surface, and a first polarization filter to provide the first image in the first polarization state prior to the first image being transmitted through the LCD. At least one of the first image in the first polarization state and the second image in the second polarization state is in a non-detectable polarization state when illuminated upon the viewing surface.
US09423671B2

A modular accessory adapter configured to be selectively attachable to at least one of a communication device and a case for a communication device. The modular accessory adapter includes a first member configured to be rotatably coupled to a second member such that the first member is rotatable relative to the second member to move the modular accessory adapter between a first position and a second position. The modular accessory adapter further includes a mount for attaching at least one of a flash, tripod, battery, diffuser, microphone, and speaker. The modular accessory adapter includes an engagement member configured to engage with a portion of at least one of a communication device and a case for a communication device. In the first position, the modular accessory adapter is configured to be removably attachable to the at least one of a communication device and a case for a communication device.
US09423661B2

A liquid crystal display includes: a bottom chassis, a backlight assembly received in the bottom chassis, a liquid crystal display panel including a thin film transistor substrate and a counter substrate disposed opposite the thin film transistor substrate, with the liquid crystal display panel being disposed so that the counter substrate faces the backlight assembly. The liquid crystal display further includes a mold structure disposed between the bottom chassis and the liquid crystal display panel, and configured to fasten the liquid crystal display panel to the bottom chassis, a driving connection line connected to the thin film transistor substrate and a shield case configured to cover the driving connection line to protect the driving connection line, and including a lateral side disposed corresponding to an edge of the liquid crystal display panel or disposed inside the edge of the liquid crystal panel.
US09423660B2

A display panel is provided. The display panel has a display area and a peripheral area and includes a plurality of pixels, a plurality of data lines and a plurality of signal traces. The pixels are disposed on the display area and arranged in an array. The data lines extend from the display area to the peripheral area and are respectively electrically connected to a plurality of columns of pixel. The signal traces extend from the display area to the peripheral area and are parallel to the data lines. In addition, the data lines and the signal traces are respectively disposed between two columns of pixels, and the signal traces include a plurality of gate signal traces.
US09423656B2

A liquid crystal display includes a first display panel having a light-transmitting region and a light-shielding portion, a second display panel that faces the first display panel with liquid crystals interposed between the first and second display panels and that includes a TFT substrate, a pixel electrode on the TFT substrate, a passivation film on the TFT substrate and the pixel electrode, and a common electrode patterned on the passivation film, and a trench in the passivation film within the light-shielding region between the first and second display panels. The trench encloses the light-transmitting region, and the common electrode is on the trench.
US09423649B2

A backlight unit includes first and second light sources; first and second light guide bars positioned between the first and second light sources and each having a branch shape; and a mold frame accommodating the first and second light sources and the first and second light guide bars.
US09423645B2

Provided is a liquid crystal display device, including: a TFT substrate including a pixel electrode; a liquid crystal layer provided on the TFT substrate; and a color filter substrate provided on the liquid crystal layer. The color filter substrate includes a light non-transmitting layer made of a material that limits transmission of light. The light non-transmitting layer includes: a display region including a hole portion filled with a color resist that transmits light; and a frame-shaped non-display region surrounding the display region. The frame-shaped non-display region has a slit formed in one side thereof, along the one side, the slit passing through the light non-transmitting layer. The slit is filled with a member made of the same material as a material of the color resist.
US09423643B2

A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel is provided, including a lower substrate; an upper substrate disposed to face the lower substrate; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate; a lower polarizing layer with a structure of wire grid formed on one surface of the lower substrate and configured to provide polarizing-filtering of light radiated from a backlight; and an upper polarizing layer with a structure of wire grid formed on one surface of the upper substrate and configured to provide polarizing-filtering of the radiated light passing through the lower polarizing layer and the liquid crystal layer, at least one of the wire grid of the lower polarizing layer and the wire grid of the upper polarizing layer including a reflection layer configured to reflect the radiated light and an absorbing layer configured to absorb external light incident from the outside through the upper substrate.
US09423640B2

A liquid crystal display device 10 includes LEDs 17, a liquid crystal panel 11, a chassis 14, a frame 13, positioning ribs 23, opposed portions 25, and gel members 30. The liquid crystal panel 11 is configured to display using light from the LEDs 17. The chassis 14 is arranged on an opposite side of the liquid crystal panel 11 from a display surface 11c that is for display. The frame 13 is arranged on the display surface 11c side of the liquid crystal panel 11. The frame 13 holds at least the liquid crystal panel 11 and the LEDs 17 with the chassis 14 such that the liquid crystal panel 11 and the LEDs 17 are sandwiched between the frame 13 and the chassis 14. The positioning ribs 23 project from the frame 13 toward the chassis 14. The positioning ribs 23 include a peripheral surface opposite a peripheral surfaced of the liquid crystal panel 11 for positioning the liquid crystal panel 11. The opposed portions 25 are arranged at portions opposite the positioning ribs 23 of the liquid crystal panel 11. The gel members 30 have elastic properties and are arranged in gaps between the positioning ribs 23 and the respective opposed portions 25.
US09423639B2

Disclosed is a window for a display device that includes a first plastic substrate, a second plastic substrate disposed on one side of the first plastic substrate, and a bonding layer disposed between the first plastic substrate and second plastic substrate and bonding the first plastic substrate and the second plastic substrate, wherein the bonding layer has protrusions and depressions on a side in contact with the first plastic substrate.
US09423625B2

A display panel including a first substrate, a first polarizer sheet arranged on the first substrate, a second substrate, a second polarizer sheet arranged on the second substrate, a liquid crystal layer located between the first substrate and the second substrate, and further comprises a pixel electrode, a common electrode, a first alignment layer and a gate line formed on the first substrate, at least one of the pixel electrode and the common electrode is a comb-like electrode, a transmission axis of the first polarizer sheet is parallel with the line along which an alignment direction of the first alignment layer is located, and the transmission axis of the first polarizer sheet is perpendicular to a transmission axis of the second polarizer sheet, and the line along which the alignment direction of the first alignment layer is located is at a predetermined angle greater than 0° and less than 90° with the respect to the gate line. Such a display panel can obtain better angular characteristic of 3D visual sense.
US09423617B2

An HUD device includes a laser scanner that projects laser light carrying a display image, and a screen member that has a plurality of optical elements arrayed in the form of a grating, and diffuses laser light which emanates from the laser scanner and enters the optical elements toward a projection surface. The optical elements have curved surfaces, which take on a convexly curved form as a common curved form, formed as their faces, and diffuse laser light which is emitted to the projection surface from the curved surfaces. The optical elements are configured so that an element width differs in at least one array direction of the array of the grating between adjoining optical elements.
US09423614B2

Emitted light from first light sources cause a pair of first guide lights to be displayed on a combiner side by side at positions adjacent to a HUD display area. Emitted light from second light sources cause a pair of second guide lights to be displayed such that the pair of first guide lights are interposed between the pair of second guide lights. At least one of number of light sources to be lit, lighting cycle, and lighting order of the first and the second light sources is changed in accordance with a current vehicle speed and a change in shift position of a transmission of a vehicle.
US09423613B2

Provided is a vehicle display device including a base to be mounted to a vehicle, a reflection plate which protrudes from and retracts in the base, a projection unit for projecting a display image on the reflection plate, a cover body covering a front portion in a protruding direction of the retracted reflection plate, a drive unit provided to the base for driving the reflection plate to protrude and retract, a holding member holding the reflection plate and connected to the drive unit to be driven linearly, and a posture maintenance unit provided across the holding member and the base to maintain a posture of the reflection plate. The reflection plate is moved to protrude and retract along a movement plane tilted in the protruding direction toward an eye-point with respect to an orthogonal plane orthogonal to a direction of line of sight of a driver to the reflection plate.
US09423605B2

There is set forth herein an optomechanical device which can comprise a first mirror and a second mirror forming with the first mirror a cavity. In one aspect the first mirror can be a movable mirror. The optomechanical device can be adapted so that the first mirror is moveable responsively to radiation force.
US09423604B2

An optical instrument for light incoming along a principal optical axis includes a glass block and a subsurface object within the glass block. The subsurface object includes an arrangement of object marks. Each object mark includes a plurality of scattering layers stacked against the principal optical axis of the incoming light. First and second scattering layers of the plurality of scattering layers have different polarization responses.
US09423599B2

A projection zoom lens in which a magnification change operation is performed by moving three to four lens groups as moving groups, wherein a first lens group, which is a lens group on the most-magnification side, substantially consists of a moving group having a negative refractive power; a lens group on the most-reduction side is composed of a moving group having a positive refractive power; and the first lens group which is the lens group the most-magnification side substantially consists of two lenses. In this case, conditional formula (1) below is satisfied, where fw is the focal length of the entire system at the wide angle end and fm is the focal length of the lens group on the most-magnification side: −3.5
US09423586B2

A fiber optic connector includes a mechanical splice assembly and a connector body. The connector body has a first portion joined to a second portion. The first portion of the connector body includes first and second chambers. An opening on a front end of the connector body passes through the first chamber into the second chamber so that the mechanical splice assembly can be inserted into the first and second chambers. The second portion of the connector body includes cable retention arms that extend out from the rear end of the first portion and an opening that passes into the second chamber.
US09423581B2

The invention provides an optical system, in particular, a multi-channel parallel optical transceiver system with monitoring photodetectors and methods of forming the same. The multi-channel parallel optical system includes a substrate with at least one optical component mounted on the first side, at least one optical monitoring photodetector (mPD) fabricated on the first side of the substrate, a set of optical functional components disposed on the first side of the substrate to guide and reflect the light signal, an arrayed fiber placement structure fixing at least one optical fiber and having an exposed end to couple with the optical functional components to guide and diffract light from and to the optical components mounted on the first side of the substrate. The optical alignment of the optical placement structure, optical functional components, and the optical components mounted on the substrate is realized passively through the alignment holes and pins.
US09423576B2

The invention relates to a fiber optic cable connector (1), the fiber optic cable contact (1) having a hot forming zone (100) at a free longitudinal end portion (10) and, at a portion (11) of the fiber optic cable contact (1) remote from the hot forming zone (100), a thermal barrier zone (110), the thermal barrier zone (110) being configured in such a way that it prevents heat from passing from the hot forming zone (100) into a portion of the fiber optic cable contact (1) on the other side of the thermal barrier zone (110).
US09423569B2

A structure for aligning an optical element includes a baseplate including a set position for mounting at least one optical element, a first reference hole, and a second reference hole spaced by a first distance from the first reference hole. The set position is determined by a first baseline that passes the first reference hole and the second reference hole and a second baseline that intersects with the first baseline at a second distance from the first reference hole on an opposite side to the second reference hole with respect to the first reference hole. The second distance is shorter than the first distance.
US09423567B2

Provided are an optical module, an optical communication apparatus, and an information processing system including the same. The optical module includes a lower clad layer, an optical waveguide extended in one direction on the lower clad layer, an optical device on the optical waveguide, a prism disposed between the optical device and the optical waveguide and having a higher refractive index than the optical waveguide, a housing covering the prism and the optical device, and an electrode layer adjacent to the prism and disposed between the housing and the optical waveguide.
US09423564B2

An optical waveguide feedthrough assembly passes at least one optical waveguide through a bulk head, a sensor wall, or other feedthrough member. The optical waveguide feedthrough assembly comprises a cane-based optical waveguide that forms a glass plug sealingly disposed in a feedthrough housing. For some embodiments, the optical waveguide includes a tapered surface biased against a seal seat formed in the housing. The feedthrough assembly can include an annular gold gasket member disposed between the tapered surface and the seal seat. The feedthrough assembly can further include a backup seal. The backup seal comprises an elastomeric annular member disposed between the glass plug and the housing. The backup seal may be energized by a fluid pressure in the housing. The feedthrough assembly is operable in high temperature and high pressure environments.
US09423557B2

A backlight component includes a back plate, a fastening module, a light source and a light-guiding plate. The fastening module includes a first plate, a second plate and a third plate. The first plate, the second plate and the third plate define a receiving space. The light source is securely assembled at one side of the second plate and facing toward the receiving space. The light-guiding plate is slidably assembled in the receiving space of the fastening module, and sandwiched between the first plate and the third plate. Accordingly, when the thickness of the light-guiding plate is changed, only the second plate of the fastening module need be changed; additionally, the length of the fastening module can be normalized to apply for display devices with different sizes. Consequently, the manufacturing cost of display devices can be reduced, and the fastening module is applicable to different kinds of display devices.
US09423556B2

An optical assembly, a backlight module and a liquid crystal display are provided. The optical assembly includes a light guide plate and a frame. The light guide plate has at least one first circular-arc structure disposed on a side of the light guide plate. The frame is disposed around the light guide plate, in which the frame has at least one second circular-arc structure interlocked with the first circular-arc structure. A radius of the first circular-arc structure is substantially equal to a radius of the second circular-arc structure.
US09423545B2

Certain patternable reflective films are used as masks to make other patterned articles, and one or more initial masks can be used to pattern the patternable reflective films. An exemplary patternable reflective film has an absorption characteristic suitable to, upon exposure to a radiant beam, absorptively heat a portion of the film by an amount sufficient to change a first reflective characteristic to a different second reflective characteristic. The change from the first to the second reflective characteristic is attributable to a change in birefringence of one or more layers or materials of the patternable film. In a related article, a mask is attached to such a patternable reflective film. The mask may have opaque portions and light-transmissive portions. Further, the mask may have light-transmissive portions with structures such as focusing elements and/or prismatic elements.
US09423542B2

A polarizer includes a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin film in which iodine is oriented by adsorption, wherein an iodine orientation ratio, represented by the following Equation I, is about 20% to about 30%, Iodine ⁢ ⁢ orientation ⁢ ⁢ ratio = R I R PVA , ( I ) RI being an average in-plane retardation value of iodine in infrared regions of 845.1 nm, 903.3 nm, 952.1 nm, 1000.0 nm, 1046.5 nm, and 1092.7 nm, and RPVA being an average in-plane retardation value of a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin in infrared regions of 845.1 nm, 903.3 nm, 952.1 nm, 1000.0 nm, 1046.5 nm, and 1092.7 nm.
US09423533B2

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to patterned glass that can be used as a cylindrical lens array in a concentrated photovoltaic application, and/or methods of making the same. In certain example embodiments, the lens arrays may be used in combination with strip solar cells and/or single-axis tracking systems. That is, in certain example embodiments, lenses in the lens array may be arranged so as to concentrate incident light onto respective strip solar cells, and the entire assembly may be connected to a single-axis tracking system that is programmed to follow the East-West movement of the sun. A low-iron glass may be used in connection with certain example embodiments. Such techniques may advantageously help to reduce cost per watt related, in part, to the potentially reduced amount of semiconductor material to be used for such example embodiments.
US09423532B2

Embodiments provided herein describe coating formulations, such as those used to form optical coatings, panels having optical coatings thereon, and methods for forming optical coatings and panels. The coating formulation includes an aqueous-based suspension of particles. The particles have a sheet-like morphology and a thickness of less than about 10 nm. The coating also includes a polysiloxane or silane emulsion, a polysiloxane or silane solution, or a combination thereof.
US09423523B2

The present invention relates to a portal monitoring system that uses distributed sensing to detect metallic objects passing through the portal. The system comprises a length of fiber optic (102) comprising an optical fiber (106) mechanically coupled to a material (108) whose physical characteristics vary dependent on the applied magnetic field. The fiber optic (102) is arranged in the vicinity of a portal (200) and a fiber optic interrogator (104) is adapted to provide distributed sensing on the optical fiber to provide measurement data from a plurality of contiguous portions of said optical fiber at each of a plurality of times. A data analyzer processes the measurement data to detect signals characteristic of a disturbance in the magnetic field along the optical fiber. The system of the present invention is able to monitor multiple people passing though a portal at the same time and provide an indication of the location of metallic objects within the portal.
US09423520B2

Disclosed are rigid protracted geophysical equipment that comprise control surfaces and associated methods of use in marine geophysical surveys. An apparatus for use in a marine geophysical survey comprising: rigid protracted geophysical equipment having a ratio of length to a largest dimension of width or height of about 1000:1 or more, wherein the rigid protracted geophysical equipment comprises control surfaces for controlling movement of the rigid protracted geophysical equipment when towed through a body of water.
US09423516B2

A system and method for measuring and monitoring axial flux to determine subcriticality in a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant. In certain embodiments of this invention, one or more neutron detectors are operable to generate signals resulting from neutron interactions in the spent fuel pool, a counting device counts the signals which are generated by the one or more neutron detectors, a connecting means electrically connects the one or more neutron detectors to the counting device, a signal analyzer is used to determine reactivity of the fuel assemblies in the spent fuel pool based on the counted signals, a power supply provides power for the neutron detectors, the counting device and the system analyzer, and a software code containing an axial flux curve index is used to correlate the counted signals to determine the subcriticality of the spent fuel pool.
US09423514B2

Detection apparatus for detecting radiation The invention relates to a detection apparatus for detecting radiation. The detection apparatus comprises at least two scintillators (14, 15) having different temporal behaviors, each generating scintillation light upon reception of radiation, wherein the generated scintillation light is commonly detected by a scintillation light detection unit (16), thereby generating a common light detection signal. A detection values determining unit determines first detection values by applying a first determination process and second detection values by applying a second determination process, which is different to the first determination process, on the detection signal. The first determination process includes frequency filtering the detection signal. Since the scintillation light of the different scintilla-tors is collectively detected by the same scintillation light detection unit, detection arrangements with, for example, side-looking photodiodes for separately detecting the different scintillation light of the different scintillators are not necessarily required, thereby reducing the technical complexity of the detection apparatus.
US09423513B2

A radiation imaging apparatus includes pixels arranged to form an array, sensors including conversion elements dispersed in the array to monitor radiation, a processing circuit for processing signals from the sensors, first signal lines for transmitting a signal from at least one of the sensors to the processing circuit, and second signal lines extending in a direction parallel to the first signal lines and not directly connected to the pixels and the conversion elements or connected to at least one of the pixels and at least one of the sensors. The processing circuit determines a value of a signal generated by each sensor based on a difference between a value of a signal appearing on the first signal line and a value of a signal appearing on the second signal line.
US09423506B2

A method for improving an accuracy of a radio based navigation system by correcting the position given by the radio based navigation system with a correction vector derived from localization data stored in a map database. Position coordinates of the radio based navigation system are measured. A set of 3D map data is selected based upon the measured position coordinates of the radio based navigation system position coordinates. The actual position is determined from the selected 3D map data. The actual position data coordinates are retrieved from the 3D map data based upon the determined actual position. The correction vector is calculated from position difference between measured radio based navigation system position coordinates and retrieved actual position coordinates. The position given by the radio based navigation system is corrected with the correction vector.
US09423505B2

A mobile device may use one or more outlier detectors to detect likelihoods that an outlier condition exists for a satellite positioning system (SPS) position fix. In some implementations, an outlier detector may compare a computed position fix to an element of assistance data to generate an outlier likelihood. A decision to perform a recovery operation may be made based, at least in part, on a generated outlier likelihood. In some implementations, a computed reliability of the position fix may also be considered in making a recovery decision.
US09423502B2

A positioning system comprises a set of pseudolites distributed in a confined area, said pseudolites transmitting positioning signals characterized by their time desynchronization and their apparent Doppler frequency, said time desynchronization and/or said apparent Doppler frequency of the positioning signals transmitted by the pseudolites being configured so that there is no ambiguity concerning the location of the correlation peaks P1, P2, P3, P4, P5 in the matrix of ambiguities defined by the delay and the apparent Doppler frequency of the positioning signals acquired by the receiver.
US09423500B2

A method in an electronic device, the method includes projecting infrared (“IR”) light from a plurality of light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) disposed proximate to the perimeter of the electronic device, detecting, by a sensor, IR light originating from at least two of the plurality of LEDs reflected from off of a person, and carrying out a function based on the relative strength of the detected IR light from the LEDs.
US09423496B2

A wireless detection device is provided, comprising a voltage control oscillation unit, a transceiving unit, demodulation unit and processing unit. The voltage control oscillation unit generates different oscillation signals according to analog control voltages and corresponding injection signals. The transceiving unit outputs first wireless signals to a predetermined area according to the oscillation signals and receives second wireless signals generated by reflection of the first wireless signals to generate the injection signal. The demodulation unit demodulates the oscillation signals into first voltage signals. The processing unit subtracts the corresponding analog control voltages from the first voltage signals to generate second voltage signals, and when the variation of the second voltage signals exceeds a predetermined value on a target frequency in frequency domain, the processing unit calculates a real distance between an object and the transceiving unit.
US09423490B2

A noise source localization process that uses as few as four microphones in an antenna array. The process combines different averaging to the information from the various signals with non-linear (wavelet-based) filtering, cross-correlation and triangulation to more particularly locate a noise source relative to a target point. The process calculates a propagation time based on the distance from a target to each microphones, delays each of the signals according to the propagation time from the target, calculates a continuous wavelet transform for each of the signals to band-pass filter each of the signals according to a predetermined frequency of interest, determines the product of each pair of signals to produce correlation fringes, and locates the noise source based on the product of the pairs of signals.
US09423486B2

In a position calculating device of a moving object including a satellite positioning unit and an inertial positioning unit, a position calculation accuracy determining unit determines a position calculation accuracy and sets an influence level of measurement result 1 of the satellite positioning unit on measurement result 2 of the inertial positioning unit on the basis of the determined position calculation accuracy. The position of the moving object is calculated by performing a coupling process of coupling measurement result 1 and measurement result 2 on the basis of the set influence level.
US09423475B2

An elongate electrical lead assembly that reduces localized heating due to MR scanner-induced currents includes a first elongate electrical lead having a series of alternating single layer coil sections and multi-layer coil sections, a second elongate electrical lead having a series of alternating single layer coil sections and multi-layer coil sections, and a third elongate electrical lead having a coiled section that coaxially surrounds the first and second electrical leads. Each multi-layer coil section of the second electrical lead is coiled around a respective single layer coil section of the first electrical lead, and each single layer coil section of the second electrical lead is coiled around a respective multi-layer coil section of the first electrical lead.
US09423473B2

A method and structure for a three-axis magnetic field sensing device. An IC layer having first bond pads and second bond pads can be formed overlying a substrate/SOI member with a first, second, and third magnetic sensing element coupled the IC layer. One or more conductive cables can be formed to couple the first and second bond pads of the IC layer. A portion of the substrate member and IC layer can be removed to separate the first and second magnetic sensing elements on a first substrate member from the third sensing element on a second substrate member, and the third sensing element can be coupled to the side-wall of the first substrate member.
US09423469B2

Toroidal fluxgate current transducer comprising a ring shaped fluxgate sensing unit (6) comprising a ring-shaped support (40), a saturable magnetic core (38) mounted on the support (40), an excitation coil (44) wound around the support and saturable core and a magnetic shell (32) mounted around the excitation coil, ring-shaped support and saturable core. The support is ringed-shape and comprises terminals (50,48) fixed to the support, a first pair of said terminals connected to ends of the excitation coil, and a second pair of said terminals connected to ends of a secondary coil of the current transducer.
US09423468B2

A diagnostic system and method for a fuel cell stack that diagnoses the state and/or failure of the fuel cell stack. More specifically, the diagnostic control analyzer diagnoses and analyzes the state of the fuel cell stack by measuring the voltage and the current received from the fuel cell stack. To do this, an AC signal generator cogenerates a diagnostic AC signal according to the control upon receiving a control command form the analyzer, and an AC component driving element is then driven upon receiving the AC signal that is output from the AC signal generator in order to include a diagnostic AC component within the current of the fuel cell stack. In particular, the diagnostic control analyzer diagnoses the fuel cell stack based on a voltage and a current received from the fuel cell stack that includes the AC component via a load.
US09423465B1

A method of determining the state of charge of a battery during charging may include providing a charging current having a first magnitude to the battery for charging, and changing a magnitude of the charging current from the first magnitude to a second magnitude. The second magnitude may be equal to the magnitude of current discharged from the battery during the charging. The method may also include determining a voltage across the battery after the changing, and determining a state of charge of the battery as a function of the determined voltage from a battery characterization curve.
US09423460B2

Methods and systems for compensating for temperature variation in the performance of electronic circuits and systems are disclosed. In some embodiments, the systems are configured to store compensation parameters determined in calibration, where the compensation parameters are used by the systems to modify performance. In some embodiments, the systems are part of an automatic test equipment (ATE) system.
US09423457B2

A built-in self test (BIST) circuit and method is provided to test a first and a second DLL. The first DLL has a first delay input, a first clock input disposed to receive a clock input signal, and a first clock output that provides a first clock output signal delayed in comparison with the clock input signal. The second DLL has a second delay input, a second clock input disposed to receive the clock input signal, and a second clock output signal delayed in comparison with the clock input signal. The BIST circuitry provides a first delay amount over the first delay input creating a start offset between the first and second clock output signals. If the first DLL is functioning properly the start offset between the output signals should remain unchanged even after the BIST circuitry provides an additional common delay amount to the first and second delay inputs.
US09423450B2

Disclosed is a method for charge balancing in a charge storage arrangement having a plurality of charge storage cells connected in series, and a charge balancing circuit.
US09423449B2

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a display apparatus including dummy display elements that can be switched between being coupled to a test bus and a drive bus. When connected to the drive bus, the circuit components, including thin-film transistors, of the dummy display element experience exposure to typical operating signals. When connected to the test bus, the display apparatus can test the operating parameters of the dummy display element circuit components.
US09423428B2

The invention relates to a mixed current sensor comprising in a case: a current measurement device comprising a first coil; a magnetic current sensor having a second coil, electronic measurement means. Said sensor comprises: a first cassette comprising first linking means arranged to fix said cassette to the first coil by clip-fastening and second linking means arranged to secure the measurement device on the case; a second cassette comprising third linking means arranged to secure and fix both the magnetic sensor on the case and the first cassette and the measurement device by clip-fastening on said case.
US09423424B2

A current-diverting guide plate for use in a probe module is disclosed to include a plate body having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a plurality of through holes penetrating through the first and second surfaces. A conducting layer is provided at a periphery wall of each through hole of the plate body and electrically coupled to a probe slidably inserted through the through holes. A current-diverting circuit trace is disposed on the first surface of the plate body and electrically connected with the conducting layers for diverting the electric current flowing through probes. Thus, the current-diverting guide plate can be used to prevent the probes from possible damage due to an excessive instantaneous current.
US09423423B2

A probe card for circuit-testing comprising a testing PCB, a probe head, and a silicon interposer substrate is provided. The probe head has a plurality of probes provided with a fine pitch arrangement and held inside. The silicon interposer substrate is used for conveying signals between said probes and said test PCB. The interconnection of said silicon interposer substrate is formed by utilizing the through-silicon via process. A plurality of upper terminals and a plurality of lower terminals are respectively array-arranged on the top surface and the bottom surface of said silicon interposer substrate. The pitch between the upper terminals is larger than the pitch between the lower terminals and the pitch between adjacent lower terminals is equal to the fine pitch of the arrangement of probes.
US09423421B2

A testing head for a test equipment of electronic devices of the type includes a plurality of contact probes inserted into guide holes which are realized in at least an upper guide and a lower guide separated one another by an air zone. Each of such contact probes include at least a probe body having a substantially rectangular section and a projecting arm from the probe body which ends with a probe tip for contacting one of a plurality of contact pads of a device to be tested. The projecting arm projects outside the probe body so as to have a lug with respect to both faces of the probe body which converge in an edge in order to define a probe tip offset and external with respect to the probe body.
US09423414B2

A device and method measure an acceleration of a moving body. The device contains a solid body having a moving part and an internal cavity capable of allowing for a free movement of the moving part. The internal cavity has at least one wall forming a sloping track, the sloping track having a surface allowing for the free movement of the moving part on the sloping track between an initial position at rest and a distant position spaced from the initial position situated at an end of the internal cavity and reachable by the moving part during a variation in acceleration. The moving part moving from the initial position to the distant position in the internal cavity under an effect of the acceleration of the moving body. At least one detector is provide and is capable of detecting a presence of the moving part at the distant position.
US09423412B2

Unlike conventional reagent storing means of an analyzing unit having a cold-storage function, replacement reagent storing means having no cold-storage function requires reagent management of a higher order. An automatic analyzer is provided that manages the placing elapsed time for a reagent vessel in replacement reagent storing means 2, compares the placing elapsed time for the reagent with a permissible placing limit value stored as one of analysis parameters for each analysis item, and determines as to whether or not the placing elapsed time exceeds permissible limit value. In this way, the analyzer prevents the degradation of the reagent and automatically transfers the reagent to an analyzing section for performing measurement.
US09423410B2

A transport device for transporting a sample container along a transport surface is presented. The transport device comprises a permanent magnet, a holding unit and a receiving unit. This enables reliable transporting of sample containers by means of magnetic forces. A sample distribution system and a laboratory automation system are also presented.
US09423409B2

An articulated sample rack apparatus is disclosed. In one aspect, the articulated sample rack apparatus has a plurality of coupled rack components wherein at least some of the rack components have a receptacle having a bottom to receive a sample container, the rack having free ends and at least one hinge allowing articulation between at least some of the rack components. Conveyor systems and methods to convey sample racks are provided, as are other aspects.
US09423407B2

The invention relates to systems and methods for verifying complete analysis coverage in a steam generator tube inspection. The analysis is conducted by an automated analysis process. The process includes setup and analysis functions. Information is entered into the setup function to identify abnormalities to be inspected and to model the steam generator tubes. The verification includes employing a software verification program to detect and identify a gap within analysis coverage for a particular abnormality or set of abnormalities for which the steam generator tube is inspected, in a particular portion of the steam generator tube.
US09423406B2

The present invention inter alia provides a method, and use thereof, of predicting severe CVD complications such as AMI or CVD death by detecting the lipid concentrations or lipid ratios of a biological sample and comparing it to a control and has identified specific lipid markers that are more specific and sensitive in predicting these CVD complications than currently utilized clinical markers. Also provided are antibodies towards said lipids, and the use thereof for predicting, diagnosing, preventing and/or treating CVD complications. The invention additionally relates to kits comprising lipids and/or an antibody thereto, for use in the prediction and/or diagnosis of CVD complications.
US09423401B2

The invention provides sialylated glycans and antibodies that specifically bind to them. The invention's compositions and methods for using them are useful for early detection and diagnosis of cancer.
US09423397B2

The invention provides methods and devices for generating optical pulses in one or more waveguides using a spatially scanning light source. A detection system, methods of use thereof and kits for detecting a biologically active analyte molecule are also provided. The system includes a scanning light source, a substrate comprising a plurality of waveguides and a plurality of optical sensing sites in optical communication with one or more waveguide of the substrate, a detector that is coupled to and in optical communication with the substrate, and means for spatially translating a light beam emitted from said scanning light source such that the light beam is coupled to and in optical communication with the waveguides of the substrate at some point along its scanning path. The use of a scanning light source allows the coupling of light into the waveguides of the substrate in a simple and cost-effective manner.
US09423391B2

A system and a method for determining the relative value of a naphtha product includes reforming the naphtha into fractions at a predetermined constant research octane number (RON), conducting PIONA analysis on the reformate, after which modules or steps are performed to assign the feed quality, assign the total liquid yields, assign raw product yields, normalize the assigned raw product yields, assign a value to one or more fractions, and calculate a total value of the naphtha stream. The method is repeated on samples of different crude oils in order to provide relative values at the predetermined RON for comparison purposes.
US09423389B2

A fluorimetric system, apparatus and method are disclosed to measure an analyte concentration in a sample. A sensor reagent housing is also disclosed which comprises a channel and a porous medium having an analysis chemistry reagent, such as a nucleic acid analysis chemistry reagent. The apparatus and system are portable for field use, with an apparatus housing having a size adapted to fit into a user's hand. An apparatus also includes a sensing chamber and cover, a user interface, a light source; a photomultiplier tube, an amplifier, an A/D converter, a memory, and a processor. In various embodiments, the processor performs a data fitting, determines a sample reaction rate parameter, and determines the analyte concentration from a comparison of the sample reaction rate parameter with stored calibration data. The processor may also generate the calibration data and site-specific offset factors, and modify the calibration data using an offset factor.
US09423383B2

Certain embodiments described herein are directed to chromatography systems that include a microfluidic device. The microfluidic device can be fluidically coupled to a switching valve to provide for selective control of fluid flow in the chromatography system. In some examples, the microfluidic device may include a charging chamber, a bypass restrictor or other features that can provide for added control of the fluid flow in the system. Methods of using the devices and methods of calculating lengths and diameters to provide a desired flow rate are also described.
US09423374B2

Various embodiments for a method that allow for a more accurate analyte concentration with a biosensor by determining at least one physical characteristic of the sample and determining whether a counter or reference electrode is causing an error by monitoring the working electrodes and flagging an error if the signal outputs of the working electrodes do not meet certain thresholds.
US09423364B1

Methods of evaluating a superabrasive volume or a superabrasive compact are disclosed. One method may comprise exposing a superabrasive volume to radiation and detecting a response of the radiation when it interacts with the superabrasive volume. In one embodiment, a boundary may be perceived between a first region and a second region of the superabrasive volume in response to detecting the response of the radiation. In one particular embodiment, a boundary between a catalyst-containing region and a catalyst-diminished region of a polycrystalline diamond volume may be perceived. Additionally, a depth to which a catalyst-diminished region extends within a polycrystalline diamond volume of a polycrystalline diamond compact may be measured based on the monitored response of the radiation. In a further embodiment, a non-planar boundary between the two regions may be mapped. A system configured to evaluate a superabrasive volume is also disclosed.
US09423362B2

Techniques and systems for using cosmic ray-produced muons to inspect objects based on an initial scanning of all objects and an additional scanning of objects that are determined by the initial scanning to potentially include one or more suspect regions. In one implementation, a system can include a primary scanner for performing the initial or primary scanning and a smaller secondary scanner for the additional or secondary scanning to provide efficient and accurate inspection of objects while maintaining a desired throughput of the inspection. In another implementation, a single scanner can be used to perform both the initial scanning and the additional scanning while maintaining a sufficient throughput of a line of objects under inspection.
US09423343B2

A membrane potential change detection device is provided with a reflection interference measurement light source, a holder which holds a transparent member on which cells are mounted, a reflection interference detection camera which images light emitted from the reflection interference measurement light source and reflected from the cells through the transparent member, to generate a reflection interference image, and an analysis unit which calculates a parameter dI about adhesion between the cells and the transparent member from the reflection interference image and detects a change of membrane potential of the cells on the basis of a change of the parameter dI.
US09423341B1

GEO satellites and other space objects are studied in daylight, twilight and at night using IR cameras in clusters of no more than three with programs for pointing the instruments at known locations of the GEO objects and satellites and receiving weak near IR signals. Detection instruments have minimal optical surfaces and simple optical paths directing IR through Kshort and combined Kshort and H near IR band filters in cryogenic assemblies. Large focal ratios and large apertures reduce the effect of sky brightness, lower noise and improve the target signal, increasing the noise to signal ratio. Sky background noise is reduced by co-adding hundreds of pixels, allowing for the faint IR signal integration of one second or more. Results are read after integration.
US09423333B2

Methods that extend the utility of standard rotational rheometers for accurate and sensitive viscoelastic characterization of small or small irregularly shaped or small anisotropic samples and systems to implement those methods.
US09423320B2

In order to precisely calculate the rubber index of a tire, a rubber index calculating device: measures, by a frictional energy measuring device, frictional energies of a tire in plural tire input conditions applied to the tire on the basis of the shear force and the slippage of a tire contact patch; measures, by the frictional energy measuring device, frictional energies of a sample of the same material as the tire in sample input conditions that have been set on the basis of the frictional energies of the tire in the tire input conditions that were measured, and sets measurement conditions for measuring amounts of wear of the sample on the basis of the frictional energies of the tire in the tire input conditions that were measured and the frictional energies of the sample in the tire input conditions that were measured; measures, by an amount of wear measuring device, the amounts of wear of the sample in the measurement conditions that were set, and calculates the rubber index of the tire on the basis of the frictional energies and the amounts of wear of the sample that were measured.
US09423319B2

A rigid barrier system includes a base piece and a face piece. The face piece may be configured to be to be mounted to the base piece, such that the face piece is laterally movable while mounted to the base piece in an unfixed mode. Alternatively or additionally, the rigid barrier system may include a steel floor plate resting on a base layer. A mass of the base layer may be at least ten times a mass of the face piece and the base piece.
US09423317B2

A system and method disclosed may include a dynamic pressure sensor or probe having a wave guide and wave guide tube and a temperature sensor disposed therethrough in order to optimally install and position the temperature sensor to measure combustor flame characteristics. The dynamic pressure sensor is preferably positioned or mounted on the outer casing of the combustor. By taking advantage of the placement of an existing dynamic pressure sensor, a temperature sensor—for instance a fine wire temperature probe—can be disposed through the interior of the dynamic pressure sensor so that combustion flame characteristics can be measured near the combustion liner.
US09423313B2

A press machine braking performance verifying apparatus verifies performance of brakes applying braking to a slide. The press machine braking performance verifying apparatus includes a speed detecting component, a stopping instruction detecting component, a stopping time measuring component, a maximum stopping time calculating component and an evaluating component. The speed detecting component detects a slide driving speed. The stopping instruction detecting component detects if stopping of the slide is instructed. The stopping time measuring component measures a stopping time until the slide stops when a stopping instruction is detected. The maximum stopping time calculating component calculates predicted stopping time in a case where the slide is driven at a maximum driving speed based on the slide driving speed after detecting the stopping instruction and the stopping time. The evaluating component evaluates performance of the brakes by comparing the predicted stopping time and a threshold valve set in advance.
US09423311B2

A movement and expression sensor has a plurality of fiber Bragg gratings (FBG) disposed along the length of an optical fiber, and the optical fiber is placed in contact with a subject's skin surface. The sensors are interrogated for reflected wavelength, which is converted into a temperature or a strain. A series of such measurements can be made to determine the movement or position of the sensor location. A garment may be formed using the sensors and an elastomeric material, such that the sensors may be worn and removed, and the movements of the elastomer in the areas of sensors measured as a wavelength shift to characterize movement or estimate location. The elastomeric garment may be formed as a mask, or a sock, such as for use with a face, or foot.
US09423308B2

A sensing device for measuring force and/or torque includes a top part with a top electrode structure, a bottom part with a bottom electrode structure, and a support structure. The support structure includes spring elements for supporting the top part on the bottom part with the top electrode structure parallel to and facing the bottom electrode structure. The spring elements provide a gap between the top and bottom electrode structures and allow displacement of the top part relative to the bottom part in three orthogonal directions two parallel and one perpendicular to the bottom plate, and for rotation of the top part relative to the bottom part around three orthogonal axes, corresponding with the two parallel and one perpendicular directions. The displacement and/or rotation induce a change in distance between and/or overlap area of the top and bottom electrodes and a corresponding change of capacitance.
US09423304B2

An infrared ray detecting element includes: a substrate having a cavity; an infrared ray detecting portion including, sequentially stacked, a lower electrode layer, a detection layer, and an upper electrode layer; first and second support portions which support the infrared ray detecting portion above the cavity; and first and second external lead portions for leading electrical signals outputted from the infrared ray detecting portion, to the outside. The first support portion includes, sequentially stacked, a first upper wiring pattern, a first insulating layer, and a first lower wiring pattern. The upper electrode layer is connected to the first external lead portion via the first upper wiring pattern. The second support portion includes, sequentially stacked, a second upper wiring pattern, a second insulating layer, and a second lower wiring pattern. The lower electrode layer is connected to the second external lead portion via the second lower wiring pattern.
US09423302B2

A stray light ratio computation unit computes the stray light ratio at a specified wavelength based on the quantity of light at the specified wavelength computed by light quantity computation unit in a state where there is no sample having absorption in the light path and the quantity of light at the specified wavelength computed by light quantity computation unit when the light is transmitted through a sample having absorption at the specified wavelength. Stray light quantity computation unit computes the quantity of stray light at each wavelength through computations using the stray light ratio at the specified wavelength and different unique values for each wavelength (for example, different coefficients for each wavelength, stored in coefficient storage unit).
US09423296B2

The invention relates to a unit (1) for determining the dominant light source type in electromagnetic radiation (2) incident on the unit (1) and generated from a plurality of light sources of different types. The unit comprises at least one first photodiode (10) designed to detect electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectral range and to generate a first output signal (11). The unit comprises at least one second photodiode (20) designed to detect electromagnetic radiation in the infrared spectral range and to generate a second output signal (21). The unit comprises at least one calculation unit (30) designed to derive a quotient result (23) and a frequency result (13) from the first (11) and second (21) output signals. The frequency result (13) provides information about the presence or absence of signal components in a predetermined frequency range contained in the electromagnetic radiation. The unit comprises at least one evaluation unit (40) designed to derive the dominant light source type from the quotient result (23) and the frequency result (13).
US09423292B2

The invention relates to vibrating micro-systems, and notably but not exclusively to pressure, acceleration, or angular speed micro-sensors with a resonator in an evacuated cavity.The resonator (10) with a vibrating element is placed in an oscillating circuit controlled by a closed-loop control, the oscillating circuit supplying an oscillating signal y(t) at a resonance frequency Fp representing the measurement of a physical quantity. The resonance frequency is calculated by counting pulses over a time window. The sensor furthermore comprises means for calculating a continuity parameter Pc representing the variations in the result of the calculation of the resonance frequency over the course of the successive time windows, and means for comparing the parameter Pc with a threshold in order to deduce from this information on the degradation of the precision of the sensor.
US09423273B2

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for communicating with a radio frequency (RF) device. A hybrid method for collecting data may include a pushing method of collecting data and a pulling method of collecting data. The pushing method of collecting data may be configured such that a first node initiates data collection with a second node during a pushing period. The pulling method of collecting data may be configured such that the first node waits on the second node to initiate data collection during a pulling period. The pushing period and the pulling period may occur at different times.
US09423259B2

A marine navigation device comprises a location determining element, a display, a memory element, and a processing element. The location determining element determines a current geolocation of a marine vessel on a first body of water. The memory element stores sonar data for a plurality of bodies of water. The processing element is in communication with the memory element and is configured to access the sonar data from the memory element corresponding to the first body of water, calculate bottom hardness shading data based on the sonar data, generate a map representation of at least a portion of the first body of water corresponding to the current geolocation, the map representation including shading derived from the calculated bottom hardness shading data, and control the display to visually present the map representation.
US09423256B2

A method of calibration of a navigation and pointing system (10) including a navigation unit (11) integrally connected to a pointing device (12), the navigation unit being configured to measure the orientation of a navigation reference system (21), the pointing device (12) being configured to measure a signal in a pointing reference system (22). The calibration method includes the following steps: selecting a first planar surface (8) and a second planar surface (9); acquiring measurements via the system by directing the pointing direction towards the first planar surface (8), and respectively towards the second planar surface (9), according to a plurality of predetermined orientations; applying an algorithm for processing the measurements acquired at the previous step to extract therefrom the misalignment angles between the navigation reference system (21) and the pointing reference system (22).
US09423255B2

A system and method for mitigating an occurrence of a dry spot, the method may include: (1) predicting the occurrence of the dry spot by at least one of determining a location of the occurrence of the dry spot, determining a date of the occurrence of the dry spot, and determining a duration of the occurrence of the dry spot; (2) generating a visualization of the occurrence of the dry spot, and (3) modifying a star catalog to reduce an impact of the dry spot by at least one of generating a set of modification to modify the star catalog, generating a modification schedule for modifying the star catalog, and uploading the set of modifications to the star catalog.
US09423248B2

A visual error calibration method configured to calibrate visual positioning errors of a laser processing apparatus is provided. The method includes: providing an alignment mark having at least one alignment point; locating a preset point of the alignment mark at a first preset position of a working area, and locating a preset image point at a preset position of the visible area; locating the alignment point at one of the second preset positions in the working area; adjusting parameters of a scanning module to locate an alignment image point at the preset position; relatively moving the alignment image point to positions of the visible area in sequence; recording the positions of the alignment image point in the visible area, the positions of the alignment point in the working area and the parameters of the scanning module, so as to produce an alignment table.
US09423238B2

A clear image of a target to be measured is obtained by suppressing influence of a reflected beam from the surface of the target or a measurement target holding unit. A laser beam emitted from a light source is split into a signal beam, reference beam, and control beam. The signal beam is focused onto the target with an objective lens, so the target is irradiated with the signal beam. The amount of defocus of the control beam is controlled with a defocus control unit, and the phase of the control beam is controlled with a phase control unit. A signal beam reflected or scattered by the target is combined with the control beam to generate a controlled signal beam, and the controlled signal beam is combined with the reference beam. A plurality of interference beams with different phases are generated with interference optics, and phase diversity detection is performed.
US09423235B2

Measuring system having a plurality of probes for measuring lengths, each probe including a probe tip connected in removable fashion relative to a casing, a transducer supplying an electric signal that is representative of the position of said probe tip relative to the casing, a digital processing unit for sampling the signal from said transducer and transforming it into a digital representation of said position, and a bidirectional interface for a wireless communication network connecting said probes with a control unit. A method including a step during which the clocks of the digital processing units of the probes are synchronized through said bidirectional wireless interface and a step during which the control unit transmits commands determining the instant at which said electric signals are sampled.
US09423233B2

An apparatus, for example for a pitch change mechanism, includes a cylinder having a magnetic portion defining an annular array of features extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, the cylinder rotating in use and able to translate longitudinally. There is a sensing arrangement including a stationary magnetised core and two coils connected in series and wound around the core. In use, the cylinder rotates and current is induced in the coils. Monitoring equipment is arranged to calculate rotational speed of the cylinder from the frequency of the current and to calculate longitudinal position from the relative amplitude of the current in each coil. Also a method.
US09423231B2

A positioning device for positioning the saddle of a bicycle that includes a measuring pole and an adaptor positioned at an end of the measuring pole for coupling the end to the pedal crankshaft of the bicycle. The positioning device also includes a positioning assembly with a base that is configured to be supported on the saddle. An articulation assembly couples the base with the measuring pole. The base is slideable along the measuring pole and has a main plate that is capable of being supported on the saddle. The base includes a front stop adapted for abutting a front end of the saddle. The positioning device being adapted for incorporating an angle of inclination measuring device for measuring the angle of inclination of the measuring pole.
US09423227B2

A method for optically transmitting data into and from a casing of a projectile. The method including: transmitting, from an outside of the casing to an inside of the casing, a first optical signal containing first data through a first optical window disposed on the casing; manipulating the first data inside the casing of the projectile into second data; and transmitting, from the inside of the casing to the outside of the casing, a second optical signal containing the second data through a second optical window. The first and second optical windows can be the same optical window or different optical windows.
US09423218B2

The invention relates to a method for producing a ring-shaped or plate-like element, in particular for a metal-sealing material-feedthrough, in particular for devices which are subjected to high pressures, preferably igniters for airbags or belt tensioning devices, whereby a blank, especially in the embodiment of a wire-shaped material is provided and the blank is subjected to processing so that a feedthrough-opening can be incorporated into a ring-shaped or plate-like element created from the blank.
US09423216B2

A KeyMod quick mounting arrangement is arranged for detachably coupling an accessory at a firearm having a KeyMod mounting slot, wherein the arrangement includes a mounting body extended from the accessory, a positioning member protruded from a second side of the mounting body for detachably engaging with a narrow slot portion of the mounting slot, and a coupling head having a head portion outwardly protruded from said second side of the mounting body. In a securing position, the head portion of the coupling head is arranged for being disposed in an enlarged slot portion of the mounting slot so as to secure the accessory at the firearm. In a releasing position, the head portion of the coupling head is arranged for disengaging with the enlarged slot portion of the mounting slot so as to enable the accessory to be detached from the firearm.
US09423212B2

A battery compartment for a reflex sight is accessed via a pivoting lid that can be unlatched, opened, and closed by hand without tools and without removing the sight from its weapon. A button carried by the lid actuates a switch within the sight for changing a setting of the sight. Also disclosed is a reflex sight having mounting structures for accessories, such as an impact guard, a rain hood, or a rear iron sight for example. Positioning mechanisms for an LED or other aiming point display device of an aiming sight are also disclosed.
US09423208B1

A vertical foregrip pepper spray device is taught which consists of a hollow body having a base with an internal fluid conduit incorporated therein. The device has a picatinny rail female groove and a thumb opening containing a covered safety mechanism in the top portion. A pepper spray pressurized aerosol container is inserted within the hollow of the body and latched in place, such that an operator may safely discharge a non-lethal chemical irritant spray by manually depressing the top surface of the pressurized aerosol container. The device is removably mounted, with a quick release assembly, onto a picatinny rail positioned on the forearm underside of a modern sporting rifle or long gun.
US09423200B1

A preload bearing is provided for mounting into an orifice in a shock-inducing platform. The bearing includes a cylindrical housing insertable into the orifice of the platform with a housing axis oriented vertically in relation to the platform, the housing having a closed bottom end and an open top end; a scraper that attaches to the bottom end of the housing for receiving compressive load from underneath; a crown roller disposed to extend radially from the housing; a shaft coaxial with the crown roller disposed within the housing along a roller axis perpendicular to the housing axis; and a cap that covers the open top end of the housing.
US09423187B2

A plate type heat pipe includes a sealed tube, a chamber defined in the tube, and working medium received in the chamber. A mesh wick structure is attached to an inner wall of the tube. In one version of the plate type heat pipe, the wick structure defines a single opening. The opening communicates the chamber and thereby provides additional space for flow of vaporized working medium inside the tube. In other versions of the plate type heat pipe, the wick structure defines two or more openings.
US09423178B2

The present invention provides a compact device (that may be installed onto a mobile or stationary platform) for conversion of waste to sources of energy or fertilizer. The device includes multiple stages for efficient conversation and processing of waste into energy or fertilizer, including a first stage for reducing a size of received waste, a second stage for compressing the reduced sized waste into partially dehydrated waste, a third stage for grinding and further compression of received waste from second stage to pulverize the constituent parts into highly dense substantially dehydrated pellets or fertilizers, with a fourth stage for further drying of the received pellets or fertilizers and a final fifth stage for cooling the received pellets or fertilizers into highly dense pellets. The device of the present invention further includes a controller for controlling each operational stage.
US09423174B2

A system for removing acid gases from a raw gas stream the system includes a cryogenic distillation tower. The tower receives and separates the raw gas stream into an overhead methane stream and a bottom liquefied acid gas stream. Refrigeration equipment downstream of the cryogenic distillation tower cools the overhead methane stream and returns a portion of the overhead methane stream to the cryogenic distillation tower as liquid reflux. The system also may include a first molecular sieve bed upstream of the distillation tower and a second molecular sieve bed downstream of the distillation tower. The first molecular sieve bed adsorbs water while the second molecular sieve bed adsorbs additional acid gases from the cooled overhead methane stream.
US09423169B2

Disclosed is a defrosting system and a defrosting method of a refrigerator, the system including an evaporator configured to reduce an ambient temperature by heat exchange through movement of refrigerant, a frost monitoring camera by photographing a state of frost adhered to the evaporator, a controller configured to grasp changes of an image captured by the frost monitoring camera to determine a defrosting start time, and a heat-generating unit configured to emit heat in response to a signal applied from the controller to remove the frost, whereby an unnecessary operation of a heat-generating unit is prevented by appropriately coping with an environment that flexibly changes according to an inner situation of a refrigerator and by accurately determining, by the controller, a start time and a completion time of defrosting operation for removing frost adhered to the refrigerator.
US09423159B2

A multi-mode, bi-directional cascade heat pump system, according to some examples, includes at least two chillers each being part of a unidirectional refrigerant circuit. The system includes heat exchangers each of which are dedicated to operate as just a condenser or as just an evaporator, regardless of the system's operating mode. In some modes, a secondary fluid transfers heat between the condenser of one chiller and the evaporator of another chiller before the fluid returns to a secondary fluid source such as, for example, a geothermal borefield or a conventional water source. In some embodiments, fluid is withdrawn from a borefield by way of a pump having a speed that varies to maintain a desired fluid temperature and/or a desired heat transfer rate at the borefield. The heat pump system includes means for minimizing flow through the borefield and for minimizing unnecessary mixing of relatively high and low temperature fluid.
US09423155B2

A solar energy collector includes a first member having a cavity and a longitudinal axis. The first member has a longitudinal window forming a part thereof and a body forming another part thereof. The longitudinal window is made of a material adapted to be transparent to solar radiation. The body has an exterior absorptive surface and an interior reflective surface. A second member is located within the cavity of the first member and is generally parallel to longitudinal axis of the first member. The second member is adapted to carry an energy absorbing fluid. An insulative material fills the cavity between the first member and the second member. A solar energy collection system includes the form going solar energy collector and a solar energy transmitting device for directing solar energy through the window of the collector.
US09423148B2

A mounting device for removably supporting an overflow safety switch in operable position within a condensation collecting drain pan in HVACR equipment. The mounting device includes a clip member that is secured to the drain pan side wall and locked in place by a non-penetrating thumb screw. A bracket removably attaches to the overflow safety switch at several adjusted positions and is slidably adjustable on the clip member for adjustably positioning the overflow safety switch relative to a bottom of the drain pan. The overflow safety switch is easily removed from the bracket for adjustment and replacement while the bracket remains fitted to the clip member. Moreover, the bracket is easily removed from the clip member without removing the clip member from the drain pan side wall.
US09423142B2

A personal portable humidifier-type air cleaner includes: a portable case; a water tank formed in the case to store a certain amount of water; an intake channel for outside air, which is connected from outside to inside the case; an air discharge channel configured in continuation of the intake channel, for discharging the inside air to outside the case via a directional exit; a fan disposed on the intake channel, for forcing the air to flow from the intake channel to the discharge channel; and a vaporization kit composed of a plurality of moisture-containing filters that is maintained in a moisture-containing condition by being arranged on the air discharge channel and connected with the water tank by a wick.
US09423137B2

A gas turbine engine fuel injector is disclosed having a plurality of fuel injection circuits that are structured to deliver fuel to air passageways. In one non-limiting embodiment, one of the fuel injection circuits includes a plain jet airblast injector that delivers fuel to an air passageway. In some applications the plain jet can extend across the air passageway and deliver a fuel to an opposite surface to form a fuel film. The fuel film can then be sheared between an air in the air passageway and an air in a nearby air passageway. Another of the fuel injection circuits includes a fuel filmer structured to deliver fuel to an air passageway that can then be sheared by an air in the air passageway and an air in the air passageway that included the plain jet airblast injector.
US09423119B2

A device for securing a source of LED light to a heat sink includes an LED light source engaging surface that is arranged and configured to engage at least a portion of the source of LED light and which is provided with an integrated force applying spring. Further, the device may include a continuous metallic path extending between the sources of LED light and the surface.
US09423118B2

A light-emitting module includes a substrate, an LED chip arranged on a main surface of the substrate, a sealing member covering the LED chip on the main surface of the substrate and converting a wavelength of the light produced by the LED chip, and a heat transfer member thermally connecting the sides of the LED chip to the main surface of the substrate and dissipating heat produced by the LED chip to the substrate. The heat transfer member is made up of a silicone resin having particles dispersed therein, the particles being nanoparticles of ZrO2 and microparticles of MgO, which have higher thermal conductivity than the silicone resin.
US09423117B2

A light assembly fixture comprising a heat pipe to dissipate heat from the light emitting device, such as but not limited to a light emitting diode (LED). The assembly further comprises a housing including a front surface, a light emitting device on a first heat spreader remote from the front surface, a first end of a heat pipe in thermal contact with the first heat spreader and the heat pipe extending towards the front surface such that a second end of the heat pipe is in thermal contact with a second heat spreader that is disposed on the housing, wherein the first heat spreader, heat pipe and second heat spreader are configured to provide a thermal path to dissipate heat from the light emitting device.
US09423116B2

A modular lighting system has lamps that may be connected to one another such that current is carried between the lamps. The lamps include an enclosure that is at least partially optically transmissive. At least one LED is located in the enclosure that is operable to emit light through the enclosure when energized through an electrical path. A first electrical connector is provided for connecting the electrical path to a power source and a second electrical connector is configured to connect the electrical path to a second lamp.
US09423115B2

A lighting device includes a microwave sensor for adjusting its sensing range based on a range gate selected from multiple range gates. An active antenna module transmits first FMCW signal toward a target based on the selected range gate and for receiving second FMCW signal reflected from the target. The microwave sensor demodulates the first FMCW signal and the second FMCW signal to generate beat frequency signal. Then another demodulator demodulates the beat frequency signal to generate Doppler signal. The microwave sensor calculates a range between the microwave sensor and the target based on the beat frequency signal, calculates velocity of the target according to frequency of the Doppler signal, and determine whether to generate triggering signal according to the calculated velocity and the calculated range, when the object located within the range gate. The power module enables a lamp based on the triggering signal.
US09423106B2

Lighting systems having unique configurations are provided. For instance, the lighting system may include a light source, a thermal management system and driver electronics, each contained within a housing structure. The light source is configured to provide illumination visible through an opening in the housing structure. The thermal management system includes a plurality of synthetic jets. The synthetic jets are arranged within the lighting system such that they are secured at contact points.
US09423084B2

An indirect lighting apparatus includes a light-emitting device, a reflector disposed above the light-emitting device, and a wavelength conversion layer disposed on a surface of the reflector facing the light-emitting device and spaced apart from the light-emitting device. The wavelength conversion layer includes phosphors configured to change the wavelength of light emitted from the light-emitting device. The reflector is configured to reflect light emitted from the wavelength conversion layer, back towards the wavelength conversion layer.
US09423082B2

A lighting device may include: a carrier having a mounting surface, at least one luminescence diode chip having, at its side facing away from the carrier, a radiation exit surface, through which electromagnetic radiation generated in the luminescence diode chip during operation emerges at least partly, at least one optical body designed in a radiation-transmissive fashion, and a shaped body including a phosphor, wherein each luminescence diode chip is fixed to the mounting surface on the carrier, each optical body is fixed to the radiation exit surface of an assigned luminescence diode chip, the shaped body encloses each optical body in a positively locking manner at a side surface of the optical body, and the phosphor converts at least part of the electromagnetic radiation generated in at least one of the luminescence diode chips during operation.
US09423075B2

A device (1) monitors the state of a system (2), in particular safety switches for monitoring the closed state of safety equipment (2) of a machine (3). The device (1) is provided with a switch head (10) and an actuator (8), which can be brought into interaction with one another to control the device (1). The switch head (10) has an optical signaler (14) for optically signaling an operational state of the actuator (8) provided with a light-guide (28) having at least one entrance window (32) and at least one exit window (34, 36). In a state of the device (1) in which the switch bead (10) and the actuator (8) are interacting with one another, the light emitted by the signaler (14) enters, at least in part, via the at least one entrance window (32) and exits via the at least one exit window (34. 36).
US09423071B2

An electronic device which can be hung on a fixing member includes an enclosure and a wall hanging lock. The wall hanging lock includes a locking frame. The locking frame includes a pair of positioning legs and a pair of locking members. The positioning legs are inserted into the locking members to engage the locking members with each other to clamp onto the fixing member. The positioning legs can also be detached from the locking members to enable the locking members to disengage from each other to allow separation of the locking members from the fixing member.
US09423066B2

A support arm with a multiple degree of freedom locking device includes a support arm unit, an outer housing unit, a feed screw, a conical push block, and two conical baffles. When the feed screw rotates in a first direction, the conical push block and the conical baffle are driven are rotated to make the outer annular baffle slanting surface press against the inner surface of the pivot space and the first and second pivot portions, so that the lateral housing is unable to pivot with respect to the upper and lower housing, and the first and second pivot portions are positioned between the two ears in a non-rotatable manner, when the feed screw rotates reversely, the lateral housing will be able to pivot with respect to the upper and lower housing, and the first and second pivot portions are able to pivot with respect to the two ears.
US09423061B2

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an apparatus for a quick connect spray shield includes an inner sleeve having a first end, a second end, and a center axis that is parallel to an axis from the first end to the second end, wherein the inner sleeve has an inner surface that is contoured to position the inner sleeve relative to a female quick connect fitting; and an outer sleeve having a first end, a second end, and a center axis that is parallel to the center axis of the inner sleeve, wherein the outer sleeve has an inner surface contoured to position the outer sleeve relative to an actuating collar of the female quick connect fitting, wherein the actuating collar has an engaged position and a disengaged position.
US09423058B2

Formed hose configurations are provided which include an innermost elastomer layer, a first fiber-reinforcement region, and multiple second fiber-reinforcement regions. The first fiber-reinforcement region has a first fiber-reinforcement density, and is disposed, at least in part, at a bend region of the formed hose, and the multiple second fiber-reinforcement regions have a second fiber-reinforcement density, and are disposed at least at the first and second end regions of the formed hose. The second fiber-reinforcement density is greater than the first fiber-reinforcement density, and results in the first and second ends of the formed hose being less radially-deformable than the bend region of the hose. This facilitates providing a mechanical fluid-tight connection with a hose barb fitting when the formed hose is slid over the hose barb fitting, absent any clamp over the formed hose and hose barb fitting connection.
US09423049B2

A reading and adjustment tool for use with a valve having a pressure or flow setting adjustable to a plurality of pressure or flow settings is disclosed. The tool includes a signal generator and an excitation coil coupled to the signal generator. The signal generator includes an adjustment interface configured to generate an adjustment signal to adjust the pressure or flow setting and a reading interface to generate a reading signal to read the pressure or flow setting of the valve. At least one excitation coil is connected to the signal generator and configured to generate an oscillating electromagnetic field based on one of the adjustment signal and reading signal. A sense coil can include two portions positioned on either side of the at least one excitation coil to determine the pressure or flow setting of the valve.
US09423041B2

A one-way valve is connectable in fluid communication with a fluid-receiving chamber, such as a dilution chamber or a mixing chamber for diluting or mixing a perishable food product, such as a milk product or chocolate product, and forming a substantially fluid-tight seal therebetween. The valve comprises a relatively rigid valve seat, and a relatively flexible valve member overlying the valve seat and forming an axially-elongated, normally-closed valve opening therebetween defining an inlet at one end of the valve seat, an outlet at an opposite end of the valve seat, and an axially-extending seal therebetween that forms a fluid-tight seal between the inlet and outlet of the normally-closed valve opening. An axially-extending valve body is radially spaced relative to the valve member and forms a space therebetween allowing fluid-flow therethrough for cleaning the valve and the fluid-receiving chamber. A seal is engageable with the fluid-receiving chamber and forms a substantially fluid-tight seal therebetween to seal the valve outlet and fluid-receiving chamber with respect to ambient atmosphere. The valve member is movable radially away from the valve seat in response to substance at the inlet to the valve opening exceeding a valve opening pressure to flow into the normally closed valve opening, through the outlet, and into the fluid-receiving chamber.
US09423038B1

A switching structure for a faucet contain: a body, a stopping sleeve, a switch valve, and a rotatable control knob. The body includes a cold-water inlet, a hot-water inlet, a chamber, an outlet pipe, and an outlet connector. The chamber has a first opening and a second opening. The stopping sleeve includes a first hole, a second hole, a first close washer with a first aperture, a second close washer with a second aperture, a first face, and a second face. Between the switch valve and the body is defined a limiting structure to limit a rotation of the switch valve, the switch valve includes a channel, a coupling stem, a first vent, and a second vent. The first close washer has a first seal ring, and the second close washer has a second seal ring. The rotatable control knob is joined with the coupling stem of the switch valve.
US09423031B2

A key seal preferably includes a first circular seal portion, a second rounded seal portion and a third rounded seal portion. The first circular seal portion preferably has generally circular cross-section. The second rounded seal portion preferably has a bottom side which is connected to the first seal portion, and has a cross-section which is smaller than that of the first circular seal portion. The third rounded seal portion preferably has a top side which is connected to the first seal portion, and has a cross-section which is smaller than that of the first circular seal portion. The first, second and third seal portions may be integrally formed. They key seal may be installed in a hydroseal assembly around the pin section of a hydroseal, and between a seal and a block section of the hydroseal.
US09423027B2

The apparatus is configured to compare the calculated value (NDRCMDZ) of the desired input shaft rotational speed with the desired input shaft rotational speed upper limit (#NDRCMDMX) set in relation to an energy supply cut-off rotational speed (NEFC), determine the desired input shaft rotational speed upper limit (#NDRCMDMX) as the desired input shaft rotational speed (NDRCMD) when it is determined that the calculated value (NDRCMDZ) does exceed the desired input shaft rotational speed upper limit, and determine the calculated value (NDRCMDZ) as the desired input shaft rotational speed (NDRCMD) when it is determined that the calculated value does not exceed the desired input shaft rotational speed upper limit (#NDRCMDMX).
US09423025B1

A variable output assembly including a hydraulic pump disposed on a pump running surface located on a center section, end cap or other hydraulic mounting member. The pump may be a gerotor or other rotatable pump body. A support member is disposed between the pump running surface and the pump and includes a pump support surface having openings to permit fluid communication between the support member and the pump running surface. The support member is movable between neutral and a plurality of positions corresponding to forward and reverse directions of the output. In forward and reverse positions, the support member permits fluid communication between the pump and a first porting system, and in the neutral position the support member permits fluid communication between the pump and a sump through the support surface openings and a second porting system.
US09423021B2

A flap type electronic automatic transmission lever control method may include a step of turning on a start-up of a vehicle by control unit, a step of detecting a touch by a transmission stage recognition sensor, a step of detecting a touch by forward or backward rotation recognition sensor, a step of detecting the touch by a transmission stage recognition sensor when the forward rotation recognition sensor detects the touch, or detecting the touch by a transmission stage recognition sensor when the backward rotation recognition sensor detects the touch, a step of rotating the transmission stage flap and the upper transmission stage flap forward or rotating the transmission stage flap and the lower transmission stage flap backward by a step motor, a step of outputting transmission signal of the transmission stage corresponding to upper or lower transmission stage flap by the control unit, and a step of turning OFF the start-up.
US09423020B2

In a shift lever device, a width dimension of left ribs and right ribs is set larger than a diameter dimension of a left support shaft portion and a right support shaft portion. In the event of an impact load being imparted to a shift lever in different directions to a control lever axial direction, the left rib and the right rib are broken in this impact load direction since the left rib and the right rib are formed so as to face the whole diameter of the left support shaft portion and the right support shaft portion. Impact load can accordingly be absorbed even in the event that an impact load is imparted to the shift lever in different directions to a control lever axial direction. Namely, impact load can be absorbed for impact load directions within a range of a specific angle. Dependency on the impact load direction is accordingly suppressed when absorbing an impact load imparted to the shift lever.
US09423017B1

A transfer case and hydraulic clutch assembly for a motor vehicle driveline include a hydraulic fluid circuit in communication with a cavity disposed opposite a piston from a clutch pack for delivering pressurized fluid to the cavity for biasing the piston towards the clutch pack thereby activating the clutch. The transfer case and hydraulic clutch assembly also include a lubricant fluid circuit that is in communication with the chain that links the input sprocket to the output sprocket during use, as the chain rotates around the input sprocket and output sprocket, the lubricant fluid drips from or is sprayed from the chain. At least part of this released fluid is captured by a screen disposed above the hydraulic fluid reservoir. The screen removes any metal particles or debris and then passes the screen fluid into the hydraulic fluid reservoir thereby replenishing the hydraulic fluid reservoir without resorting to a time consuming and costly maintenance procedure.
US09423012B2

A ball screw device is provided in which a dust-proof member can be simply attached to a nut. The ball screw device (1) is a ball screw device (1) in which a concave portion (6) is formed in an inner circumferential end portion of a nut (4) through which a screw shaft (2) passes and the concave portion (6) is provided with a dust-proof member (5), wherein the dust-proof member (5) is formed of a cylindrical elastic member into which the screw shaft (2) is inserted and includes at least one protrusion (8) protruding in an outward diameter direction from an outer circumferential surface of the dust-proof member (5), and the concave portion (6) has a groove shape to which the dust-proof member (5) is fitted and is provided with a locking portion (7) to which the protrusion (8) is locked.
US09423002B2

A metal belt (300) is an endless belt formed of a strip body. The metal belt (300) includes a belt overlapping portion in which at least two ring pieces (310a, 320a) formed by deformation due to a compressive stress inherent in the belt doubly overlap in a ring radial direction in a natural state where no external force is applied. Further, the metal belt (300) has a cross-sectional shape convex radially outwardly in a cross-section perpendicular to a circumferential direction of the belt in a state reached by annularly spreading the belt in the natural state.
US09423000B2

A magnetically suspended vibration isolator with zero stiffness whose angle degree of freedom is decoupled with a joint ball bearing has a main body, in which a sleeve and a lower mounting plate are supported with a magnetically suspended thrust bearing, a piston cylinder and the sleeve are lubricated and supported with a cylinder air bearing surface, and the angle degree of freedom between a upper mounting plate and the lower mounting plate is decoupled with a joint ball bearing; a position close-loop control system comprising voice coil motors, displacement sensors, limit switches, a controller and a driver is introduced, and the relative position between the upper mounting plate and the lower mounting plate is precisely controlled.
US09422993B2

A rotor cover comprises a cover portion and a mounting portion. The cover portion is configured to at least partially cover a disc brake rotor mounted on a bicycle hub assembly. The mounting portion is configured to be mounted on the bicycle hub assembly.
US09422992B2

A disc brake includes brake pads (7), which are slidably received on either side of a brake disc within guide portions (6) of the disc brake, and including a spring arrangement (10) for spring cushioning the brake pads (7). Disc brakes of this type are frequently used in motor vehicles. To improve the spring cushioning of the brake pads, the spring arrangement (10) is equipped with at least one radial spring element (11) for radially clamping the brake pads (7) with respect to the guide portions (6), at least one axial spring element (22) for axially clamping the brake pads (7) in relation to each other, and at least one tangential spring element (18) for tangentially clamping the brake pads (7) in relation to the guide portions (6). The three spring elements (11, 18, 22) act in different spatial dimensions and can be embodied as separate components which are independent of each other.
US09422973B2

Provided is a ball joint capable of coupling a third mechanical element in a freely pivotable manner near a pivot center of a first mechanical element and a second mechanical element coupled to each other in a freely pivotable manner. The ball joint includes: a ball stud including: a shaft member configured to allow a first mechanical element to be coupled thereto; and a ball portion formed at a distal end of the shaft member; a holder including a fixing port ion configured to allow a second mechanical element to be coupled thereto, the holder being formed through casting with the ball portion being set as a core to cover a maximum diameter portion of the ball portion, the holder being configured to couple the first mechanical element and the second mechanical element in a freely pivotable manner with the ball portion defining a pivot center; and a pivot shaft that protrudes out of the holder in a direction of intersecting with the shaft member of the ball stud to define a second pivot center independently of the ball portion, and to serve as a coupling portion for a third mechanical element, the pivot shaft being integrated with the holder at the time of the casting of the holder.
US09422966B2

Shear member designs in various formats are presented with additional features for segment retention and subsequent removal after a shearing event and removal of the tool from a subterranean location. In some embodiments a portion of the shear member is retained by threads so that the segment stays in the part and then can be removed at the surface with putting a notch in the segment and removing it with a screwdriver. In another embodiment a retaining pin in an intersecting bore can hold onto a sheared remnant of the shear pin by pushing the remnant laterally in the bore that it is mounted. Another design for a shear ring uses a split design with the right angle portion of the ring that gets sheared appearing in segments so that the ring can be rapidly snapped into a groove at its outer periphery followed by a retaining cap facilitating removal.
US09422965B2

Methods and apparatus for an asymmetrical fastening system according to various aspects of the present invention include a driver and a fastener that are configured to have corresponding conforming surfaces suitably adapted to provide substantially complete engagement between a torque surface of the driver and a recessed socket area of the fastener. The driver and fastener may each be configured to include a driving surface that is aligned with a longitudinal axis and a removal surface that intersects a radial extending from the longitudinal axis at an oblique angle. The driver and fastener may further include corresponding tapering surfaces that allow the torque surface of the driver to wedge against the recessed socket area of the fastener.
US09422964B2

Fasteners for producing double blind joints where the fastener is not visible or accessible are provided. The fasteners comprise a shape memory polymer that may be used to fasten workpieces by heating the fasteners, inducing recovery of the original, permanent shape of the fasteners.
US09422952B2

The present invention discloses device that can generate a strong vortex in the vortex chamber which significantly enhances rate of reactions and effectiveness of waste water treatment. The present invention disclose vortex diodes with or without inserts/stabilizers as continuous flow reactors to induce cavitation to generate radicals which reduces Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), ammoniacal nitrogen and color of waste water effectively in effluent treatments.
US09422946B2

A replaceable antenna assembly for use with a piston accumulator configured for supplying fluid to a hydraulic cylinder is provided. The antenna assembly includes a hollow manifold for flow of fluid and an antenna connected into or onto the manifold for emitting and receiving electromagnetic waves. The hollow manifold is connectable to and configured to be in fluid communication with both the piston accumulator at one end and a pressure line at the other end. The pressure line is connectable to an external high pressure gas bank. The antenna assembly further includes at least one first bore for transferring signals to and from the antenna and at least two fluid channels symmetrically displaced around the circumference of the antenna, thereby ensuring that most of, or all, fluid flows on the radial outside of the antenna during use.
US09422944B2

An opening at a first carbon fiber sheet is provided, the opening extending through the sheet from a first major surface to a second major surface, the opening defining two sides and a first end of a rectangular flap, a second end of the flap remaining rooted in the first carbon fiber sheet. A piezoelectric transducer is bonded to the first carbon fiber sheet, the transducer proximate to the second end of the flap. A controller including a signal generator is coupled to the piezoelectric transducer, the piezoelectric transducer to excite sympathetic vibration of the flap.
US09422939B2

A pump housing, a fixing member and a holding member are assembled in the axis direction of an oil pump to fix a stator and a rotor of a brushless motor. The holding member is made of metal material and has a cylindrical shape that extends from its bottom portion toward one side in the axial direction. The fixing member is a cylindrical metal member. Stepped portions, extending in the circumferential direction, are formed in the outer periphery of the holding member and the inner periphery of the fixing member, and contact each other. The outer periphery of the holding member engages with the inner periphery of the fixing member. The outer periphery of the other end portion of the fixing member is fitted to the inner periphery of a flange portion projecting from the end face of the pump housing, which is adjacent to the brushless motor.
US09422914B2

A wind turbine component incorporating radar-absorbing material having increased compatibility with lightning protection systems is described. The radar absorbing material includes a ground plane having an electrical conductivity and/or a dielectric constant that is higher in the presence of an electric field having a frequency of 1 GHz and above than in the presence of an electric field having a frequency of 10 MHz and below. Suitable materials for the ground plane include ferroelectric and ferrimagnetic materials and percolating material combinations, all of which have frequency-dependent properties that can be tuned to make the ground plane highly reflective at radar frequencies and benign at lightning discharge frequencies.
US09422913B2

A ceramic glow plug equipped with a pressure sensor including a ceramic heater, a holding device, a housing sleeve, a housing, a movable member and a pressure sensor. A heat-generating main portion P whose resistance is 75% of the total resistance of the ceramic heater is located forward of the forward end of the holding sleeve.
US09422900B2

A method for closing a storage tank valve in response to leaks in a fuel line or fuel rail and emptying the tank of a vehicle when no leaks are detected is described. The method includes comparing a tank pressure to a fuel line or fuel rail pressure in order to detect leaks therein and further includes using a dedicated tank pressure sensor to measure the gaseous pressure of the storage tank, and thereby the amount of fuel remaining. In response to leaks in the fuel system, a controller may close an electronic solenoid valve, which reinforces a mechanical excess flow valve, to block the flow of fuel and prevent fuel loss from the gaseous storage tank.
US09422890B2

In a carburetor, three downstream body passages in the body communicate with three valve passages in the valve element, and the valve element rotates between a closed position and an opened position. The carburetor is a one-bore type carburetor in which the body passages and the valve passages are respectively partitioned with the body partitions and the valve partitions. When rotating the valve element from the closed position to the opened position, the second body passage and the second valve passage for mixture start to communicate in advance than the first and third body passages and the first and third valve passages for air.
US09422888B2

The invention relates to an actuating device (1) for moving a mobile cap of a thrust reverser, comprising: —an actuator comprising a first element (3), such as a screw, and a second element (4), such as a nut, collaborating with the first element in such a way that turning the first element causes the second element to move in a translational movement, —a locking piece (18) rotationally mobile between a locked position in which the locking piece prevents the first element (3) from turning, and an unlocked position in which the locking piece (18) allows the first element (3) to turn, and —an unlocking piece (25) rotationally mobile between an active position in which the unlocking piece (25) urges the locking piece (18) towards the unlocked position and a passive position in which the unlocking piece (25) allows the locking piece (18) to return to the locked position.
US09422880B2

A variety of methods and arrangements for determining conditions when an engine-decoupling friction interface may be locked-up during skip-fire operation of an internal combustion engine are described. In some embodiments, the engine-decoupling friction interface is the lockup clutch of a torque converter situated in a powertrain that transmits motive power from the engine to a wheel. Rotation of the wheel causes vehicle motion.
US09422876B2

A method and system for controlling safety of a bi-fuel vehicle may safely control the bi-fuel vehicle when it is in an accident. The method may include detecting a pressure of a vaporizer configured to decompress and vaporize liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) that is one fuel of the bi-fuel vehicle, determining whether the detected pressure of the vaporizer is equal to or higher than a predetermined high pressure, determining whether the detected pressure of the vaporizer is equal to or lower than a predetermined low pressure, determining whether an airbag has been inflated, and switching to a gasoline mode configured to use gasoline if at least one of the detected pressure is equal to or higher than the predetermined high pressure, the detected pressure of the vaporizer is equal to or lower than the predetermined low pressure, and/or the airbag has been inflated is determined to be true.
US09422872B2

It is an object to increase the reliability and durability by minimizing mixing/entry of foreign matter (contaminants) into a speed reducer. The speed reducer is provided for reducing rotation of an actuator of a variable compression ratio mechanism and for transmitting the reduced rotation to a control shaft of the variable compression ratio mechanism. The actuator and the speed reducer are attached to a sidewall of an engine main body with a housing therebetween. An oil filter, which removes contaminants from within lubricating oil, is attached to the housing with an oil-passage-forming body therebetween. A portion of the lubricating oil supplied from the oil filter immediately after having been filter-purified is supplied via a bypass oil passage, formed in the oil-passage-forming body and the housing, into a speed-reducer accommodation chamber of the housing.
US09422868B2

A simple cycle gas turbomachine includes a compressor portion, and a turbine portion having an outlet. At least one combustor is fluidically connected to the compressor portion and the turbine portion. An exhaust member includes an inlet, fluidically connected to the outlet of the turbine portion, a first outlet and a second outlet. A fuel conditioning system includes a heat exchange member provided with a first circuit having an exhaust gas inlet fluidically connected to the second outlet of the exhaust member and an exhaust gas inlet, a second circuit having an inlet fluidically connected to a source of fuel and an outlet fluidically connected to the at least one combustor. A conditioned fluid conduit is fluidically connected between a source of conditioned fluid and one of the combustor assembly and the first outlet of the exhaust member.
US09422843B2

In accordance with at least one embodiment: a muffler with a case (comprised of at least one inlet, at least one outlet, and a body), and elongated members comprised of material capable of a predetermined resonance. The elongated members have sufficient length after their final point of attachment to vibrate when exposed to flowing exhaust gasses. This vibration results in resonance that is noise canceling and/or sound enhancing. The muffler may also contain any combination of sound baffles, sound absorbent material, and other sound altering devices.
US09422841B2

An assembly for assisting with the pouring of fluid includes, among other aspects, a fill tube and a pop-up component disposed at least partially within the fill tube. The pop-up component assists with directing poured fluid into the fill tube.
US09422836B2

Bolts are respectively inserted through through-holes of a sun gear and are respectively threadably inserted into threaded holes of a driving-side rotatable body. The bolts are placed on an outer side of a first internally toothed portion of the sun gear in a radial direction and fix the sun gear and the driving-side rotatable body together. The sun gear includes press-fitting parts, each of which is press-fitted to a corresponding one of press-fitting projections of the driving-side rotatable body at a corresponding location that is located between corresponding adjacent two of the bolts in a circumferential direction, and open parts, each of which is placed at a corresponding location that overlaps with a corresponding one of the bolts in the circumferential direction, while a corresponding predetermined space is located adjacent to each of the open parts on an outer side of the open part in the radial direction.
US09422834B2

A roller lifter for internal combustion engines is provided, which has higher rigidity of the lifter body, prevents cocking in the cylinder, and can achieve a size reduction. The roller lifter includes a cylindrical lifter body having a sliding surface on an outer circumferential surface thereof and a roller rotatably attached to the lifter body via an axial support pin and making contact with a rotating cam lobe. The lifter body includes a pair of support portions supporting the axial support pin. The axial support pin is mechanically fastened to the pair of support portions, with both ends thereof inserted in support holes formed in the support portions. The lifter body includes an anti-rotation retainer extending radially outward from the sliding surface. The sliding surface is formed on both front and rear sides in the sliding direction of the anti-rotation retainer.
US09422832B2

A method for controlling a cooling process of turbine components of a steam turbine shaft, wherein an air flow mixed with a water mist is used to cool the turbine components during a mist cooling phase (P4) is provided. The mist cooling phase (P4) is preceded by an air cooling phase (P3), during which an air flow is used to cool the turbine components. A constant temporal temperature gradient is specified for the cooling process, wherein the air flow density is adjusted by the valve position of a controllable regulating valve and a switch is made from the air cooling phase (P3) to the mist cooling phase (P4) if the maximum air flow density is reached and in particular if the regulating valve is fully open.
US09422830B2

A washer of a combustion chamber tile of a gas turbine having a round disk-shaped basic body provided with a central recess and a flat contact surface arranged on a first side of the washer, wherein several groove-like air ducts are provided on a second side that extend from a circumferential rim of the washer radially relative to the center axis of the washer, and in the center area of the washer in the axial direction.
US09422825B2

A synchronization ring for a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a synchronization ring for a variable vane assembly. A plurality of rollers are attached to the synchronization ring for engaging a case on the gas turbine engine.
US09422824B2

Thermal control is provided for a gas turbine casing by supplying thermal control gas from a compressor to a space between an outer casing and an inner casing, and transferring the thermal control gas from the space through the opening in the inner casing via a plurality of holes defined through a plate attached to an outer surface of the inner casing. The holes are arranged with a predetermined non-uniform distribution corresponding to a desired preferential impingement pattern for providing non-uniform heat transfer. A gas turbine thermal control assembly includes structure providing preferential heat transfer from the inner casing during operation of the gas turbine via a thermal control gas flow path from radially outside of the inner casing into the interior of the gas turbine.
US09422823B2

A gas turbine having a device and a further device is provided. The device includes an outer casing, an inner casing and a seal ring. The outer casing and the inner casing are arranged in such a way that a cooling duct is formed between each other. The seal ring is arranged between the outer casing and the inner casing in such a way that the seal ring seals the cooling duct from an environment surrounding the outer casing. The device and the further device are mounted together such that working fluid is flowable from the further device to the device. Furthermore the device includes a rotatable shaft and the further device includes a further rotatable shaft, wherein the rotatable shaft and the further rotatable shaft are mechanically decoupled from each other, and wherein the seal ring exclusively abuts against the inner casing and against the outer casing of the device.
US09422813B2

The invention provides a motor-driven movement system for moving a movable element, the system comprising at least two actuators, each provided with means connecting it to the movable element and each dimensioned to be capable, on its own, of driving the movable element, a central control unit being connected to the two actuators in order to be capable of sending a position setpoint (Pos1, Pos2) to one or other of the actuators. According to the invention, the system further comprises control means for simultaneously controlling both actuators in terms of force in response to the position setpoint sent to one of the actuators. The invention also provides a method of driving such a system and a method of testing such a system.
US09422810B2

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for evaluating fluid saturation in an earth formation using complex dielectric permittivity. The method may include estimating fluid saturation using an estimated rate of change at a frequency of an imaginary part of permittivity relative to a real part of permittivity. The method may include performing dielectric permittivity estimates using an electromagnetic tool in a borehole. The apparatus may include the electromagnetic tool and at least one processor configured to store information obtained by the electromagnetic tool in a memory. The at least one processor may also be configured to estimate the fluid saturation.
US09422807B2

An apparatus having a transducer configured to generate acoustic energy, a buffer rod with a first end and a second end, the transducer in contact with the first end, a cylinder configured to define a volume, the second end of the buffer rod abutting the cylinder; and a piston within the cylinder.
US09422803B2

A method of drilling a well is disclosed. A first estimate is obtained of a location of the well with respect to a reference well at a selected depth. A magnetic measurement is obtained at the selected depth using a sensor. The obtained magnetic measurement is related to a residual magnetic charge distribution in the reference well. An expected value of the magnetic measurement at the selected depth is determined from the residual magnetic charge distribution. A second estimate is obtained of the location of the well using the first estimate of the location, the obtained magnetic measurement and the expected value of the magnetic measurement. A drilling parameter of the well is altered using the second estimate of the location.
US09422802B2

A housing defines a through passage along its length and is configured to support a group of electrical isolators surrounding the through passage to form an electrically isolating break in a drill string such that each isolator of the group of isolators is subject to no more than a compressive force responsive to extension and retraction of the drill string. The housing defines a housing cavity to receive an electronics package having a signal port and is configured for electrical connection of the signal port across the electrically isolating break. A housing lid can cooperate with a main housing body to define elongated slots for purposes of enhancing the emanation of a locating signal. A housing arrangement can support electrical connections from an electronics package to bridge an electrically isolating gap.
US09422801B2

An opto-acoustic subsystem is provided. The subsystem includes an optical transmitter and an actuator device. The optical transmitter can be positioned at a surface of a wellbore. The actuator device can be positioned in the wellbore and can respond to a modulated electrical signal generated from a modulated optical signal received from the optical transmitter by outputting a modulated acoustical signal into an environment of the wellbore.
US09422786B2

A hybrid-tieback seal assembly and methods for tying a well back to the surface or subsea well head are disclosed. A method to tie a well back to the surface or subsea well head comprises running a hybrid-tieback seal assembly into a wellbore, the hybrid-tieback seal assembly comprising one or more anchoring bodies, one or more packer seal assemblies; and a device for creating a pressure differential in a tieback string, wherein the tieback string is coupled to the hybrid-tieback seal assembly. The method further comprises landing a casing hanger in a well head, increasing pressure in the tieback string, setting the anchoring bodies and one or more packer seal assemblies within at least one of a previously installed liner hanger system and a host casing above a previously installed hanger system, and testing the hybrid-tieback seal assembly down an annulus between the host casing and the tieback string.
US09422781B1

A magnetic tool for use in removing metal debris from a well is disclosed, the tool having inserts that may be safely installed and removed by a method using a placement screw to prevent pinching. The inserts comprised of a sleeve with a lead end and a follow end. The inserts also containing a plurality of magnets.
US09422777B2

An elevator assembly such as, for example, a single joint elevator apparatus having a removable load supporting insert member for gripping the outer surface of a pipe section. The load supporting insert member has at least two different shoulder profiles; the load supporting insert member can be quickly and easily removed, inverted and re-installed to accommodate and facilitate gripping of pipe sections having different outer configurations (including, without limitation, outer configurations associated with threaded connection members).
US09422770B2

A method for making a diamond compact includes pre-heating a diamond body which includes a carbonate catalyst to convert at least a portion of the carbonate catalyst into an oxide, assembling the diamond body and a substrate, providing a braze material between the diamond body and the substrate to form a diamond compact, heating the braze material to melt the braze material and form a braze joint between the diamond body and the substrate, and cooling the braze material after increasing the pressure. A bit having a diamond compact including a carbonate catalyst and a metal oxide mounted thereon.
US09422765B2

A method for forming a flush architectural wooden door using at least one post-consumer material includes collecting a previously-used door from a collection site. The previously-used door includes a core having a first major surface, a second major surface opposite to the first major surface, and a perimeter extending around the opposing major surfaces. The core is extracted from the previously-used door. Rails and styles are applied to a perimeter of the extracted core. A first skin is applied over the first major surface of the extracted core and applied rails and styles. The extracted core, rails, styles, and first skin have a collective weight. The extracted core forms over half of that collective weight.
US09422760B2

A protector with a sensor is installed on a sliding door for detecting an alien substance by touch between two core wires in a hollow part. In a terminal part of the protector with the sensor, the core wires drawn out are connected with a resistor or leads joined with a control unit. A primary seal is formed by injection molding for coating wire connection parts and another end side of an insert and a secondary seal is formed by the injection molding for coating a part formed with the primary seal for forming an external shape of a product.
US09422759B2

A device for the operation of an electrical load is arranged in and/or on a movable transparent panel element. A supply and/or signal line is arranged between at least one energy source and the electrical load. The supply and/or signal line is arranged on a lever assembly, and can be guided by the lever assembly.
US09422756B2

An Anuba concealed hinge for rotatable moving a door, in particular a reinforced door, connected to a tubular support structure, which includes a rear counterframe anchored to a wall and a front frame anchored to the counterframe The hinge includes a lower fixed half-hinge and an upper movable half-hinge rotatably coupled to each other for rotating about a first longitudinal axis between an open position and a closed position. The lower fixed half-hinge includes a box-shaped hinge body to be concealedly inserted within the tubular support structure. The upper movable half-hinge includes a connecting plate connected to the door to extend from the tubular support structure in the open position and to concealedly retract within the tubular support structure in the closed position. The movable half-hinge includes a pivot defining the first axis unitarily connected to the connecting plate. The hinge body (11) includes a seat internally housing the pivot.
US09422755B2

Built-in lock that includes a handle with a lever and a spindle; an operating mechanism for converting the rotation of the handle into a translation of a locking slat and a base, whereby the operating mechanism is held fast by a clamping plate that is movable in the axial direction of the spindle, whereby the clamping plate is provided with a bearing for the rotation of the handle, whereby this bearing is held fast in the clamping plate in the axial direction and whereby this bearing is provided with a clip mechanism to lock the spindle in the axial direction with respect to the bearing in the mounted situation.
US09422753B2

A vehicular electric lock device is provided in which a magnet is provided in a slider which is operated linearly in response to rotation of an electric motor and is operatively linked to a lock member, and a magnetic sensor detects by means of a magnetic field of the magnet that the lock member is in at least one of a lock position and a unlock position, wherein the slider comprises a screw-fitting member that is formed from a ferromagnetic material having rigidity and has a threaded shaft screwed thereinto and a magnet retaining member that is formed from a paramagnetic material, covers the screw-fitting member and retains the magnet, and the magnet retaining member is coupled to the screw-fitting member while preventing a relative movement in the direction along an axis of the threaded shaft and relative rotation around the axis of the threaded shaft.
US09422749B2

An anti-off structure of a tool box is provided. The tool box includes a first cover and a second cover pivoted with and correspondingly coverable on each other on a side thereof. The first cover has a pivoting base, and the second cover has a clasping base. The anti-off structure includes an engaging member and a positioning member. The engaging member includes an engaging portion, and an end thereof is pivoted to the pivoting base via a pivoting connection mechanism; therefore, the engaging portion is buckleable with the clasping base when the first and second covers cover on each other. The positioning member is connected with the pivoting connection mechanism and the pivoting base to positionably restrict the pivoting connection mechanism.
US09422748B2

The present invention discloses a lock and the application thereof. The lock is applied on a base having an inner surface and an outer surface. The lock comprises a locking plate and a motion module. The motion module has a curved surface facing the locking plate. The curved surface has a first surface and a second surface. A main feature of the present invention is that the lock has a close status and a far status. The locking plate contacts with the first surface and has a first distance from the base in the close status, and contacts with the second surface of the base and has a second distance, which is greater than the first distance, from the base in the far status. The invention has the advantages of low cost and simplicity, and solves the long lasting problem of the prior arts.
US09422736B2

An entertainment venue can include one or more theaters, including a toroidal or other immersive display screen (which immerses the audience in a contiguous projection surface), a moving stage, and an audience area. Audience seating in the theater faces outwardly in an “inverted-theater-in-the-round” arrangement.
US09422733B2

A method and an article of manufacture are disclosed for reinforcing various structures, such as pipes, piles, walls, tanks, silos, chimneys, and the like, constructed from various materials including steel, concrete, masonry, wood, plastics, and the like. Some of the various structures may be used to transport water, gas, oil, and the like. One or multiple layers of various material sheets, each sheet having substantially the same or different properties, may be impregnated with resin and wrapped around or attached to the surface of a structure to be reinforced or to the surface of a spacer shell surrounding the structure and subjected to heat to cure the resin and to bond the reinforcement sheets to the structure or the spacer shell. The multiple layers together constitute a heat-cured structure reinforcement wrap (HRW) to reinforce the structure against external and internal loads, such as weight, impact load, blast load, internal pressure, ballistic load, and the like.
US09422730B2

The trim system is comprised of a J-trim component to be secured onto a surface such as a wall of a home, and a ledge component to be secured within said J-trim component. The ledge component is comprised of a slot along a longitudinal axis of the ledge member in order to mate with a hook portion of the J-trim component, and is also comprised of keyholes on the lower surface of said ledge member in order to secure it to the wall as well. The ledge member has two leader grooves located on opposite extremities of the slot in order to reduce the wear and tear of the ledge member's cast mold and therefore extend the life of the mold.
US09422729B2

Disclosed herein is a chip inlaid flooring material using a PLA resin. The chip inlaid flooring material includes a chip inlaid layer, a dimension stabilizing layer, and a base layer, from the top of the flooring material, wherein at least one of the chip inlaid layer and the base layer includes polylactic acid (PLA) resin as a binder.
US09422727B2

A joint for panels, the panels comprising a core, a decorative upper surface and edges provided with joining means for positioning the panels towards one another. Predetermined portions of the edges are provided with a layer of polymer. The panels are joined to one another by use of the joining means where the polymer forms a seal in the joint preventing penetration of water into the joint wherein a highly water resistant unit of a plurality of panels is formed.
US09422716B2

A composite action support structure for a bridge or other civil infrastructure includes an elongate member made of a plastic material and providing load bearing capability. A cover plate is made of a plastic material and extends along at least a portion of the length of the elongate member. A lower surface of the cover plate is mated to the upper surface of the elongate member. A plurality of panels made of a plastic material are arranged at an angle to the cover plate, and a lower surface of each of the panels mates with an upper surface of the cover plate. The elongate member, the cover plate and the plurality of panels form a structural unit. The plastic materials used can include virgin plastic, thermoplastic, recycled thermoplastic composite, recycled structural composite, combinations thereof, and the like.
US09422715B1

A louvered roof assembly includes a support frame and several panels mounted between the support frame. The panels are pivotally coupled to the support frame for rotation about an axis. Each of the panels has a first end and a second end. A linear drive mechanism is coupled to each of the panels. The linear drive mechanism is mounted within at least one of the beams of the support frame and includes an actuator arm mounted to one of the support members.
US09422710B2

A drain assembly includes a receptacle body with a first end and a second end defining a cavity therebetween, an adjustable collar, and a grate. The first end of the receptacle body forms an opening into the cavity and comprises a peripheral step with a connection flange extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom, and a peripheral flange with a substantially horizontal support portion extending away from the connection flange. The connection flange includes a series of vertical slots for accommodating horizontally-oriented fastening members, and the connection flange and the peripheral flange define a channel therebetween. The adjustable collar comprises a first flange positioned adjacent to the connection flange of the peripheral step, and a second flange extending substantially perpendicular from the first flange. The first flange includes a series of holes which align with the series of vertical slots in the connection flange.
US09422686B2

A facing element for reinforced soil structures and method of using same to build a reinforced soil structure, the facing element including a first facing sub-element with at least one connecting member to connect at least one reinforcement member to said first facing sub-element, a second facing sub-element, and a linking device. Wherein said first and second facing sub-elements are separated by a gap and are linked together by the linking device such that the first and second facing sub-elements have a constant relative position.
US09422685B2

The disclosure provides a system and method of reducing vortex induced vibration (VIV) with a plurality of tangentially disposed side plates having an open space on both faces transverse to a current flow of water. The side plates cause water separation around the plates with transverse VIV movement of the platform caused by the current flow against the platform, and the tangential side plates resist the VIV movement of the platform from the current. The side plates can be disposed tangentially around a periphery of an open truss structure below the hull of a spar platform. In another embodiment, the tangential side plates can be disposed tangentially away from a periphery of a hull to form a gap with an open space between the plates and the hull.
US09422682B2

The box broom sweeper with adjustable bottom surface attachment can include a box broom having a broom and a housing. The housing can include a top portion, a bottom portion having a guard, opposing front and rear ends, two opposing side walls connecting the top portion and the bottom portion, and an adjustable bottom surface attachment. The adjustable bottom surface attachment includes a plate and two opposing sides extending from the plate. The two opposing sides of the adjustable bottom surface attachment extend along corresponding side walls of the housing. The adjustable bottom surface attachment can be detachably coupled to the side walls of the housing to allow the adjustable bottom surface attachment to be detached when a front portion of the plate becomes damaged. The adjustable bottom surface attachment can be coupled to the box broom housing by welding.
US09422678B1

A cutting attachment apparatus and method comprise an attachment frame, and a host machine interface coupled with the attachment frame for coupling the attachment with a host machine. A cutting assembly is coupled with the attachment frame. A cut insertion depth assembly is coupled with the attachment frame and the cutting assembly for altering the insertion depth of a cut of the cutting assembly, and a cut angle assembly is coupled with the attachment frame and the cutting assembly for altering an angle of the cut of the cutting assembly.
US09422672B2

A device to be fitted to a guided vehicle moving on a track having a guide rail and two side rails parallel to and on each side of the guide rail maintains a trajectory of the vehicle upon derailment. The vehicle includes a guidance unit having guide wheels to be supported on the guide rail. The device includes a bar to be fixed to the guidance unit transverse to the track. The bar has a length L between a distance D mutually separating the side rails minus the width C of the head of the guide rail and the distance D mutually separating side rails, i.e. D−C
US09422663B1

A process for treatment of biomass materials is disclosed. The treatment comprises of applying mechanical rubbing and crushing action to the biomass materials that result in significant reduction in the biomass particle size. The treatment is carried out in a chamber where the biomass is subjected to the action of a plurality of rotating pins against channels disposed on the chamber interior wall. The maceration of the biomass is further aided by impact from a plurality of blocks and sand particles placed inside the treatment chamber that are hurled into motion inside the chamber through collision with the rotating pins. Chemical catalysts may be used to speed up the maceration. These include aluminum silicate, either an acid or alkaline pretreatment, gaseous urea or urea granules. The treatment produces materials that are beneficial in a variety of applications such as soil erosion prevention, biofuel manufacturing, plant growth substrates and animal bedding.
US09422659B2

A washing machine appliance and a method for operating a washing machine appliance are provided. The method includes monitoring a flow rate of fluid additive with a flow meter and measuring a volume of fluid additive dispensed after the flow rate of fluid additive substantially decreases. The method can assist with accurately and/or precisely dispensing fluid additive during operating of the washing machine appliance.
US09422658B2

The present invention relates to a home appliance, to a home appliance system, and to a method for operating same, wherein the home appliance and a mobile terminal are connected to one another to add or update data in the home appliance through the mobile terminal connected thereto, diagnose the state of the home appliance by means of the mobile terminal, and supplement the function of the home appliance by means of the mobile terminal, thus expanding the functions of the home appliance to enable the easy control of the home appliance, and more conveniently controlling the home appliance.
US09422656B2

A drum type washing machine includes a main tub having a main drum that rotates to wash laundry, a sub tub separate from the main tub and having a sub drum that rotates to wash laundry, and a clutch unit including a motor that provides a rotational force to at least one of the main drum and the sub drum.
US09422652B2

To provide a stretchable bulky nonwoven fabric having a high bulkiness and a good feeling; wherein a first fibrous layer including fibers (1) is laminated with a second fibrous layer including heat fusible fibers (2) and having a MD shrinkage ratio lower by 5% or more than a MD shrinkage ratio of the first fibrous layer, the first fibrous layer and the second fibrous layer are integrated by entanglement between the fibers (1) included in the first fibrous layer and fibers (2) included in the second fibrous layer, the first fibrous layer is shrunk to form a structure in which the second layer is raised in the thickness direction, and sonic bond processing is applied from a side of the second fibrous layer.
US09422651B2

A method for arranging nanotube elements within nanotube fabric layers and films is disclosed. A directional force is applied over a nanotube fabric layer to render the fabric layer into an ordered network of nanotube elements. That is, a network of nanotube elements drawn together along their sidewalls and substantially oriented in a uniform direction. In some embodiments this directional force is applied by rolling a cylindrical element over the fabric layer. In other embodiments this directional force is applied by passing a rubbing material over the surface of a nanotube fabric layer. In other embodiments this directional force is applied by running a polishing material over the nanotube fabric layer for a predetermined time. Exemplary rolling, rubbing, and polishing apparatuses are also disclosed.
US09422650B2

A medical balloon with a variable diameter that is reinforced with continuous fibers woven to form a fabric with a varying number of layers and fiber densities. Portions of the balloon having a relatively smaller diameter are reinforced with a fabric having a reduced fiber density and an increased number of layers to facilitate the placement of the layers. The fabric also includes a braiding pattern that facilitates the transition from a single layer fabric to a multiple layer fabric. Also described is a manufacturing method for the braiding and layering.
US09422636B2

A method for producing a single crystal of semiconductor material having material properties of a zone-pulled single crystal includes providing a vessel transmissive to high frequency magnetic fields and having a granulate of a granular semiconductor material disposed therein and a first conductor disposed externally thereto. A high frequency current is supplied to a planar inductor disposed above the vessel, the planar inductor having a turn and a slit as a current supply so as to produce an open melt lake on the granulate by a temperature field at a surface of the granulate produced by thermal power of the planar inductor and a heating action of the first inductor, the melt lake being embedded in unmelted material of the granular semiconductor material and not being in contact with a wall of the vessel. A single crystal is pulled form the melt lake of the semiconductor material upwards.
US09422631B2

The present invention relates to a method of operating an oxygen-consuming electrode as cathode for the electrolysis of alkali metal chlorides or hydrochloric acid, in an electrochemical cell, comprising feeding an oxygen-containing process gas to the electrode, wherein the oxygen-containing process gas is at least partly heated using a heat source from the electrolysis before contact with the oxygen-consuming electrode to a temperature which corresponds to not more than the temperature of the cathode space in the cell or is less than 50° C. below the temperature of the cathode space in the cell.
US09422628B2

The invention relates to a process for improving the electrical and optical performance of a transparent electrically conductive material having silver nanowires. The invention also relates to a process for manufacturing a film made of a transparent electrically conductive material, such as a transparent electrode, a transparent heating film, or a film for electromagnetic shielding. The process of the invention includes the following steps: a) a step of bringing silver nanowires into contact with an acid solution, this solution having a pH lower than 7, preferably lower than 3; and b) a step of eliminating the acid. The field of application of the invention is in particular the field of optoelectronics.
US09422626B2

This invention relates to a coated article including a low-emissivity (low-E) coating. In certain example embodiments, the low-E coating is provided on a substrate (e.g., glass substrate) and includes at least first and second infrared (IR) reflecting layers (e.g., silver based layers) that are spaced apart by contact layers (e.g., NiCr based layers) and a dielectric layer of or including a material such as silicon nitride. In certain example embodiments, the coated article has a low visible transmission (e.g., no greater than 50%, more preferably no greater than about 40%, and most preferably no greater than about 39%).
US09422618B2

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for forming a coating layer using a physical vapor deposition apparatus equipped with a sputtering apparatus and an arc ion plating apparatus, comprising: a first coating step of forming a Mo coating layer on a base material using a the sputtering apparatus and a Mo target and Ar gas; a nitrating step of forming a nitride film forming condition using an arc ion plating apparatus and Ar gas and N2 gas; a second coating step of forming a nano composite coating layer of Cr—Mo—N using the Mo target and Ar gas of the sputtering apparatus and the Ar gas, N2 gas and a Cr source of the arc ion plating apparatus at the same time; and a multi-coating step of forming a multi-layer having alternating Cr—Mo—N nano composite coating layers and Mo coating layers by revolving the base material around a central pivot.
US09422616B2

A material blend for deposition of an abrasion-resistant overlay onto a metal substrate comprising a first metal particle component, a second metal particle component, and a carbide particle component and a method for the application thereof, wherein the overlay process conditions and the homogeneity of tungsten carbide distribution in the overlay are improved.
US09422606B2

The present invention provides novel mutations of the CFTR gene related to cystic fibrosis or to conditions associated with cystic fibrosis. The mutations include duplication of exons including duplication of exons 6b through 10. Methods of identifying if an individual contains the exons 6b through 10 duplication are provided as well as nucleic acid fragments that contain the junction site of the duplicated segment. The detection of additional mutations in the CFTR gene are also provided.
US09422598B2

A method and kit for the prognosis of colorectal cancer where the method includes the steps of: a) obtaining a peripheral blood sample and extracting total RNA from the sample, b) contacting the total RNA with at least one reagent specific for at least one NK cell gene and no more than 25 specific reagents for 25 NK cell genes, c) determining the expression level of at least one and at most 25 NK cell genes to obtain an expression profile for the patient, d) analyzing the expression profile with expression profiles previously clinically classified as a good prognosis and as a poor prognosis, wherein if the expression profile is clustered with the poor prognosis profiles, then the patient is determined to have a poor prognosis, and if the expression profile is clustered with the good prognosis profiles, then the patient is determined to have a good prognosis.
US09422591B2

Methods and kits for determining if one or more animals have mastitis and for monitoring animals and the quality of the milk they produce are disclosed. Kits and test assays disclosed are used to determine the quantity of proteasomes and proteins thereof, the activity of proteasome enzymes, the quantity of proteasome bound and regulating proteins, and the quantity of ubiquinated protein. Components and reagents for use in the kits and assays are also disclosed.
US09422588B2

An apparatus for measuring bacteria includes a sampling device for processing fluorescently stained bacteria, a detector for detecting size information from the bacteria in the sample, and a detector for detecting fluorescence information expressing intensity of fluorescent light emitted by the bacteria. The apparatus further includes a processor and memory that includes programs for creating a scattergram representing a distribution of the bacteria based on the size information and the fluorescence information detected, analyzing the distribution of the bacteria in the scattergram, and determining whether the bacteria in the sample is bacillus or coccus based on a result of the analysis.
US09422587B2

Provided are methods for generating a microorganism with improved ability to convert glycerol to succinic acid. These methods comprise combining a microorganism with ability to convert glycerol to succinic acid and a medium containing glycerol to produce a fermentation mixture; allowing fermentation to occur such that succinic acid is produced; and assaying for an indication of glycerol metabolism. These latter two steps may be repeated as necessary. Also provided are microorganisms generated in this manner, particularly bacteria deposited at the NCIMB on 13 Apr. 2011 with the Accession Number NCIMB 41825. A method of producing succinic acid from glycerol is also provided, this method comprising: mixing a microorganism according to claim of the invention with a medium comprising glycerol to produce a fermentation mixture; and incubating the fermentation mixture, under conditions that promote fermentation to produce succinic acid, until succinic acid is produced. Succinic acid produced by such methods is also provided.
US09422561B2

An aspect of an embodiment of the invention relates to providing treatment of disease, in particular age-related disease, through increasing or decreasing the activity of SIRT6 protein. This may be accomplished through upregulation and downregulation of expression of SIRT6 in mammals. It has been found by the inventors that mice over-expressing SIRT6 have a longer lifespan in comparison to control mice, indicating that increasing SIRT6 expression can lengthen lifespan of mammals. Agents which modulate SIRT6 expression through, for example binding to 3′UTR region of human mRNA encoding SIRT6 or by blocking binding of agents to 3′UTR region of human mRNA encoding SIRT6, have been identified.
US09422546B2

The invention relates to novel polypeptides and cells comprising the polypeptides. The polypeptides and cells are used in methods to identify and/or isolate cells producing a protein with specific biological functions. In particular, the methods may be used for identifying, selecting, and isolating cells producing antigen-specific monoclonal antibodies.
US09422542B2

The present invention relates to a process for the parallel isolation and/or purification of RNA and DNA from the same fixed biological sample, the quantification and analysis of the nucleic acids isolated by the process according to the invention, to a kit for the parallel isolation and/or purification of RNA and DNA from a fixed sample and to the use of this kit for the diagnosis, prognosis, decision with respect to therapy and/or the monitoring of the therapy of a disease.
US09422541B2

An apparatus for the extracorporeal treatment of blood comprising an extracorporeal blood circuit (2), a pump (6) configured to provide fluid displacement within the extracorporeal blood circuit, and a reaction chamber (8) connected to the extracorporeal blood circuit and configured to receive blood or plasma from the circuit and treat the blood or plasma. The reaction chamber comprises an protease enzyme immobilized to a support, in which the protease enzyme is specific for, and capable of irreversibly cleaving, a human C5a present in the blood or plasma, wherein the abundance of the human C5a in the treated blood or plasma is less than that in the untreated blood or plasma. The apparatus finds utility in the extracorporeal treatment of blood from patients with inflammatory conditions, especially auto-immune disease and sepsis.
US09422536B2

The invention relates to polypeptides having glucanase, e.g., endoglucanase, mannanase, xylanase activity or a combination of these activities, and polynucleotides encoding them. In one aspect, the glucanase activity is an endoglucanase activity (e.g., endo-1,4-beta-D-glucan 4-glucano hydrolase activity) and comprises hydrolysis of 1,4-beta-D-glycosidic linkages in cellulose, cellulose derivatives (e.g., carboxy methyl cellulose and hydroxy ethyl cellulose) lichenin, beta-1,4 bonds in mixed beta-1,3 glucans, such as cereal beta-D-glucans or xyloglucans and other plant material containing cellulosic parts. In addition, methods of designing new enzymes and methods of use thereof are also provided. In alternative aspects, the new glucanases e.g., endoglucanases, mannanases, xylanases have increased activity and stability at increased pH and temperature.
US09422532B2

The gene encoding N-methylputrescine oxidase (MPO) and constructs comprising such DNA are provided, including methods of regulating MPO expression independently or with other alkaloid biosynthesis genes to modulate alkaloid production in plants and host cells. MPO genes or fragments thereof are useful for reducing pyrrolidine or tropane alkaloid production in plants, for increasing pyrrolidine or tropane alkaloid production in plants, and for producing an MPO enzyme in host cells.
US09422530B2

The present disclosure provides engineered ketoreductase enzymes having improved properties as compared to a naturally occurring wild-type ketoreductase enzyme including the capability of reducing 5-((4S)-2-oxo-4-phenyl (1,3-oxazolidin-3-yl))-1-(4-fluorophenyl) pentane-1,5-dione to (4S)-3-[(5S)-5-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-hydroxypentanoyl]-4-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one. Also provided are polynucleotides encoding the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, host cells capable of expressing the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, and methods of using the engineered ketoreductase enzymes to synthesize the intermediate (4S)-3-[(5S)-5-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-hydroxypentanoyl]-4-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one in a process for making Ezetimibe.
US09422520B2

System for generating the motion of a tool, in particular for the work on biological cell material, which includes an apparatus, the apparatus providing a tool section, at which a tool can be arranged, and at least one actuator element arranged to move the tool section, the system further comprising a system control device.
US09422511B2

A novel composition useful as a cleaner and/or freshener is provided comprising dilute acetic acid, pure vanilla extract, and optionally a natural scent component. A method of cleaning using the composition and a method of freshening using the composition is also provided.
US09422496B2

A process for treating a gas stream, such as natural gas, comprising a process design that prevents the formation of undesired sulfur and sulfates from the reaction of oxygen and sulfur is disclosed. After water is removed from the gas stream, a portion of the dried gas stream is sent through a cooled adsorbent bed that has a first layer to remove sulfur compounds and then a layer to remove oxygen. There may be additional layers of adsorbent to remove other contaminants. The gas stream that is then heated to regenerate an adsorbent bed no longer contains sulfur and oxygen and undesirable reactions of sulfur and oxygen are avoided.
US09422490B2

A rotating heat regenerator is used to recover heat from the syngas at it exits the reactor vessel of a waste or biomass gasifier. In some embodiments, three or more streams are passed through the heat exchanger. One stream is the dirty syngas, which heats the rotating material. A second stream is a cold stream that is heated as it passes through the material. A third stream is a cleaning stream, which serves to remove particulates that are collected on the rotating material as the dirty syngas passes through it. This apparatus can also be used as an auto-heat exchanger, or it can exchange heat between separate flows in the gasifier process. The apparatus can also be used to reduce the heating requirement for the thermal residence chamber (TRC) used downstream from the gasification system.
US09422489B2

A pressure equalizing structure that includes: a gasification furnace (3) for gasifying a carbon-containing fuel; a pressure vessel (5) housing the gasification furnace (3); an annulus section (7) filled with an inert gas and provided between the gasification furnace (3) and the pressure vessel (5). A pressure equalizing part (13), which is connected to the gasification furnace (3) to communicate between the inside of the gasification furnace (3) and the inside of the annulus section (7), is provided in a region where the in-furnace gas temperature inside the gasification furnace (3) is higher than the annulus temperature inside the annulus section (7).
US09422487B2

A process and apparatus for recovering cycle oil from FCC CSO is described. By feeding the additional cycle oil to a hydrocracking unit additional diesel, naphtha and petrochemical feedstock may be obtained. The additional cycle oil is obtained by vacuum separation of the CSO. The described process and apparatus can provide additional recovery for a refiner.
US09422482B2

Disclosed are processes for producing deasphalted bitumen and heavy bitumen compositions from oil sands and processes for upgrading the bitumen compositions. The processes for producing the deasphalted bitumen and heavy bitumen compositions involve a Phase I and/or Phase II extraction solvent. According to the Phase I process, a high quality oil sands-derived, deasphalted bitumen can be produced using a Phase I type solvent. According to the Phase II process, a substantial amount of the heavy bitumen on the oil sand can be extracted using a Phase II type solvent, while producing a relatively a tailings by-product that is non-harmful to the environment. The heavy bitumen from the Phase II type extraction process can be hydroprocessed for ready conversion into relatively high volumes of high quality transportation fuels.
US09422471B2

The invention provides a lighting unit comprising a light source, configured to generate light source light and a luminescent material, configured to convert at least part of the light source light into luminescent material light, wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED) and wherein the luminescent material comprises a phosphor comprising M2AX6 doped with tetravalent manganese, wherein M comprises monovalent cations, at least comprising potassium and rubidium, wherein A comprises a tetravalent cation, at least comprising silicon, wherein X comprises a monovalent anion, at least comprising fluorine, and wherein M2AX6 has the hexagonal phase.
US09422465B2

This invention relates to removable pressure sensitive adhesive compositions and constructions that contain an emulsion acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive copolymer of a plurality of acrylic monomers and at least one polymerizable acid. The invention further relates to labels, particularly removable polymeric labels for use on reusable containers.
US09422461B2

There is provided a pressure sensitive adhesive displaying sufficient adhesive force to the surface of PMMA under a wide range of temperatures including ambient, low, and high temperatures, and also an adhesive tape having an adhesive layer including the pressure sensitive adhesive. There is provided a pressure sensitive adhesive comprising a polymer obtained by polymerizing 100 mass parts of a monomer mixture comprising: a monomer component 1 comprising an acrylate mixture selected from an aliphatic alkyl(meth)acrylate having a carbon number of 4-6 and an aliphatic alkyl(meth)acrylate having a carbon number of 7-12; a monomer component 2 comprising an amide group-containing vinyl monomer; a monomer component 3 comprising an ester of a non-tertiary aromatic alcohol and (meth)acrylic acid, or an ester of a non-tertiary alicyclic alcohol and (meth)acrylic acid; and a monomer component 4 comprising (meth)acrylic acid.
US09422460B2

Provided is an adhesive film capable of being used to encapsulate or capsulate an OED. The adhesive film includes an adhesive layer whose surface has at least one groove for exhausting air.
US09422458B2

An improved approach toward the electrostatic deposition of activatable adhesive formulations is disclosed. The activatable adhesive formulations are formed for transforming from a dry powder precursor layer to a precursor layer film.
US09422454B2

A polishing composition of the present invention contains a water-soluble polymer and abrasive grains. The water-soluble polymer is an anionic compound having an acid dissociation constant pKa of 3 or less. Specific examples of such a compound include polyvinylsulfonic acid, polystyrenesulfonic acid, polyallylsulfonic acid, polyethyl acrylate sulfonic acid, polybutyl acrylate sulfonic acid, poly(2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid), and polyisoprenesulfonic acid. The abrasive grains exhibit a negative zeta potential at a pH of 3.5 or less. Specific examples of such abrasive grains include colloidal silica.
US09422452B2

A polymerized film forming method for forming a polymerized film on a target surface of a workpiece using a first raw material gas which contains a first monomer and a second raw material gas which contains a second monomer differing from the first monomer includes: supplying the first raw material gas wherein difunctional non-aromatic amine having a hydrolyzable group is used for the first monomer; and supplying the second raw material gas wherein difunctional acid anhydride is used for the second monomer.
US09422447B2

The invention is related to azetidinium-containing copolymers and vinylic monomers and their uses in formation of non-silicone hydrogel coatings on silicone hydrogel contact lenses.
US09422444B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards coating compositions comprising from 20 to 85 percent of an aqueous dispersion based on a total weight of the coating composition, a basic water composition, and a crosslinker, wherein the aqueous dispersion comprises a melt blending product of (a) a base polymer comprising a polyolefin, (b) a polymeric performance improving agent (c) a polymeric stabilizing agent, and (d) a polymeric coupling agent.
US09422435B2

The present invention relates to a coating composition that provides improved scratch and stain resistance. The coating composition includes a curable film-forming resin having at least two multi-functional (meth)acrylates and a plurality of particles dispersed within the resin, said particles comprising (i) inorganic nanoparticles and (ii) wear resistant mineral particles. The wear resistant mineral particles have an average particle size of greater than 3.5 microns.
US09422422B2

In order to provide a rubber composition having high transparency and toughness, the present invention can provide a crosslinked rubber composition, being substantially free of silica, comprising a first olefin polymer having refractive index of between 1.500 to 1.525 at 23 degree C.; and a second olefin polymer which is different from the first olefin polymer, wherein the composition has haze of 20% or less on 2 mm thick sheet, measured according to JIS K7136, and wherein the composition has Type A Durometer hardness (0 sec) of 35 or more, measured according to JIS K6253.
US09422410B2

Provided is a recyclable flame-retardant foamed styrene resin composition having high flame-retardancy and heat stability by adding little bromine-containing flame retardant. A flame-retardant foamed styrene resin composition containing (A) a styrene resin, (B) a mixture of (B1) tetrabromobisphenol A-bis(2,3-dibromo-2-methylpropyl ether) and (B2) another bromine-containing flame retardant, (C) zinc-modified hydrotalcite, (D) zeolite, and (G) a foaming agent, containing 0.005-0.08 parts by weight of (C) the zinc-modified hydrotalcite per 100 parts by weight of (A) the styrene resin.
US09422405B2

The present invention has its object to provide a liquid-form modified product of polyhedral polysiloxane which is excellent in moldability and transparency, and a composition produced using the modified product. In addition, the present invention can provide an easy-to-handle modified product and composition. The present invention provides a modified product of polyhedral polysiloxane which is obtainable by modifying a polyhedral polysiloxane compound (a) with a compound (b), and a composition containing the modified product. The polyhedral polysiloxane compound (a) has an alkenyl group and/or a hydrosilyl group, and the compound (b) has a hydrosilyl group and/or an alkenyl group each capable of hydrosilylation with the component (a).
US09422403B2

Water-absorbable silicone rubber particles which are particles of a silicone rubber, each of which has a particle diameter ranging from 0.1 to 1,000 μm and is elastic, wherein the silicone rubber is an organopolysiloxane having a polyoxyalkylene group, contains an oxyethylene unit represented by the formula —OCH2CH2— in an amount of 20 to 80 mass %, and can absorb water in an amount of 10 parts by mass or more relative to 100 parts by mass of the silicone rubber. The silicone particles according to the present invention can impart soft touch, a soft-focusing effect and the like to a make-up cosmetic such as a foundation or an antiperspirant when added to the make-up cosmetic or the antiperspirant. In addition, since the particles have high water absorption performance, the particles can absorb sweat and therefore is expected to exhibit an effect of reducing unpleasantness such as stickiness and greasiness, oiliness of the skin and make-up deterioration.
US09422399B2

A copolyester comprising repeating units derived from an aliphatic glycol, an aromatic dicarboxylic acid, and the monomer of formula (I): (Formula (I)) wherein n=2, 3 or 4, Z is S(═O)2, and wherein comonomer (I) constitutes a proportion of the glycol fraction of the copolyester; and films, fibers, molding compositions or molded articles comprising said copolyester.
US09422396B2

The present disclosure relates to biodegradable and biocompatible elastomeric polymers that are amorphous and have a glass transition temperature below both room temperature and body temperature, and which will homogenously degrade to water soluble by-products with no reported toxicity.
US09422386B2

A flame retardant acrylic/polylactic acid (PLA) copolymer is synthesized which contains a FR-PMMA block that includes either a poly(MMAP) block or a poly(MMA-co-MMAP) block, wherein MMA is methyl methacrylate and MMAP is a MMA-like monomer that is functionalized with a phosphorus-containing moiety. In some embodiments, the flame retardant acrylic/PLA copolymer is a diblock copolymer containing a PLA block and a FR-PMMA block. In other embodiments, the flame retardant acrylic/PLA copolymer is a triblock-graft copolymer containing a PLA block, a PMMA block and a FR-PMMA block.
US09422384B2

A silyl protected diacrylamide compound is described. A method of forming such a compound includes mixing a silylation reagent with a hydroxylated diamine compound under first reactive conditions to form a product in a first solution, separating the product from the first solution, and mixing the product with acryloyl chloride under second reactive conditions in a second solution to form a silyl protected diacrylamide compound.
US09422375B2

Provided is a non-cyclopentadienyl-based chromium-ligand complex, preferably a chromium-ligand complex of formula (J): LCr(RA)m(D)k (J), wherein L is a non-Cp monoanionic ligand; Cr (chromium) is in a formal oxidation state of +3 or +2; when Cr formally is Cr+3, either m is 1 and RA is hydrocarbylene (a hydrocarbylene chromium-ligand complex of formula (J)) or m is 2 and each RA independently is hydrocarbyl (a dihydrocarbyl chromium-ligand complex of formula (J)), wherein each hydrocarbyl or hydrocarbylene of RA independently is unsubstituted or substituted by from 1 to 5 RAS; each RAS independently is a neutral aprotic heteroalkyl, neutral aprotic heterocycloalkyl, neutral aprotic heteroaryl, or neutral aprotic aryl; when Cr formally is Cr+2, m is 1 and RA is hydrocarbyl (a hydrocarbyl chromium-ligand complex of formula (J)); k is an integer of 0 or 1; D is absent when k is 0 or D is a neutral ligand when k is 1; wherein the chromium-ligand complex of formula (J) is overall neutral and lacks a cyclopentadienyl-based (Cp-based) moiety. Also provided is a chromium catalyst comprising or prepared from the complex. Also provided is a process of making the catalyst and a process employing the chromium catalyst for polymerizing the olefin monomer, especially a straight chain 1-alkene, to prepare the polyolefin, especially a partially chain-straightened poly(1-alkene) or olefin block copolymer. Further provided is the partially chain-straightened poly(1-alkene) or olefin block copolymer prepared thereby. Also provided is a high throughput workflow.
US09422373B2

Covalently modified alginate polymers, possessing enhanced biocompatibility and tailored physiochemical properties, as well as methods of making and use thereof, are disclosed herein. The covalently modified alginates are useful as a matrix for the encapsulation and transplantation of cells. Also disclosed are high throughput methods for the characterizing the biocompatibility and physiochemical properties of modified alginate polymers.
US09422364B2

The present invention relates to an immunoglobulin preparation comprising immunoglobulin in a mass-volume percentage of at least 4%, wherein the concentration of oxygen dissolved in the preparation at room temperature is less than 40 μmol/l.
US09422362B2

Targeted coagulation factors comprising a coagulation factor linked with at least one domain that specifically binds to a membrane protein on a blood cell is provided. The disclosed targeted coagulation factors increase the efficiency of coagulation factors and prolong their duration of action and thus, are an improvement for the treatment of hematological diseases such as hemophilia A.
US09422361B2

There is described a chromatographic purification process that allows highly purified von Willebrand factor (vWF) and Fibronectin (Fn) to be obtained, starting from a biological fraction enriched in vWF and Fn and easily scaled up to industrial level. Chromatographic purification was obtained by a strong anionic exchange resin. The concentrates obtained have a high specific activity and, given the low content of contaminant proteins, are particularly suitable for therapeutic use.
US09422357B2

[Problem] To provide a glycosylated polypeptide having an affinity to somatostatin receptors, and, compared to somatostatins, having improved in-blood stability. [Solution] The glycosylated polypeptide is characterized by at least one amino acid in a somatostatin or an analog thereof being replaced with a glycosylated amino acid.
US09422353B2

This present invention relates to pharmacologically potent and stable human fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) variants, pharmaceutical compositions comprising FGF21 variants, and methods for treating type 2 diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, and/or metabolic syndrome using such variants.
US09422352B2

The present technology provides methods and compositions for the treatment of inflammatory and/or tissue damage conditions. In particular, the use of Smad7 compositions delivered locally or systemically to a site of inflammation and/or tissue damage is described. Other specific embodiments concern treatment or prevention of side effects caused by radiation and/or chemotherapy, including but not limited to oral and gastric mucositis. Also provided are codon-optimized nucleic acids encoding for Smad7 fusion proteins.
US09422350B2

Described are methods and compositions for preventing and/or treating HIV infection, as well as in vitro and in vivo methods of inhibiting HIV replication, inhibiting HIV viral transcription, inhibiting the viral Tat protein, and inhibiting HIV LTR expression. The methods involve administering a Target of Egr1 (TOE1) polypeptide, fragment or deletion mutant thereof, either to a subject in need of treatment or to a cell infected with an HIV virus. Compositions may comprise the described polypeptide, or an encoding polynucleotide thereof.
US09422333B2

The present invention provides compounds, pharmaceutically acceptable compositions thereof, and methods of using the same.
US09422332B2

Disclosed are compounds of Formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein R1, R2, R3, m, n and q are described in this application, and methods of using said compounds in the treatment of cancer.
US09422328B2

A series of multi-dimensional acoustic standing waves is set up inside a growth volume of a bioreactor. The acoustic standing waves are used to hold a cell culture in place as a nutrient fluid stream flows through the cell culture. Biomolecules produced by the cell culture are collected by the nutrient fluid stream and separated downstream of the cell culture.
US09422323B2

The present invention relates to compounds of the formula I: including any possible stereoisomers thereof, wherein R9 has the meaning as defined herein, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof. The present invention also relates to processes for preparing said compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use, alone or in combination with other HCV inhibitors, in HCV therapy.
US09422314B2

Described herein are compounds and compositions that modulate the activity of beta-lactamases. In some embodiments, the compounds described herein inhibit beta-lactamase. In certain embodiments, the compounds described herein are useful in the treatment of bacterial infections.
US09422313B2

Methods include formation of 4-chloro-2-fluoro-3-substituted-phenylboronic acid pinacol esters. The method comprises contacting a 1-chloro-3-fluoro-2-substituted benzene with an alkyl lithium to form a lithiated 1-chloro-3-fluoro-2-substituted benzene. The lithiated 1-chloro-3-fluoro-2-substituted benzene is contacted with an electrophilic boronic acid derivative to form a 4-chloro-2-fluoro-3-substituted-phenylboronate. The 4-chloro-2-fluoro-3-substituted-phenylboronate is reacted with an aqueous base to form a (4-chloro-2-fluoro-3-substituted-phenyl)trihydroxyborate. The (4-chloro-2-fluoro-3-substituted-phenyl)trihydroxyborate is reacted with an acid to form a 4 chloro-2-fluoro-3-substituted-phenylboronic acid. The 4-chloro-2-fluoro-3-substituted-phenylboronic acid is reacted with 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-butanediol to form 4-chloro-2-fluoro-3-substituted-phenylboronic acid pinacol esters . Methods of using 4-chloro-2-fluoro-3-substituted-phenylboronic acid pinacol esters to produce 6-(4-chloro-2-fluoro-3-substituted-phenyl)-4-aminopicolinates are also disclosed.
US09422310B2

GnRH receptor antagonists are disclosed which have utility in the treatment of a variety of sex-hormone related conditions in both men and women. The compounds of this invention have the structure: wherein R1a, R1b, R1c, R1d, R2, R2a, and A are as defined herein, including stereoisomers, esters, solvates and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. Also disclosed are compositions containing a compound of this invention in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, as well as methods relating to the use thereof for antagonizing gonadotropin-releasing hormone in a subject in need thereof.
US09422306B2

The present disclosure describes artemisinin compounds. The compounds can be synthesized using an Ugi synthesis reaction and can be used in the treatment of cancers, parasitic infections and yeast infections.
US09422303B2

Provided are compositions, methods of making the compositions, and methods of using the compositions. The compositions can be provided as pharmaceutical preparations for use in disease treatment, such as cancer therapy. The compositions include novel pharmaceutical preparations which contain effective concentrations of a chemical compound. One compound used is 10H-1,3-Dioxolo[4,5-g]pyrano[3′,4′:6,7]indolizino[1,2-b]quinoline-8,11(7H,12H)-dione, 7-ethyl-7-hydroxy-, (S)-. The invention also provides methodologies for preparing pharmaceutical preparations for use in intravenous and oral pharmaceutical preparations that contain drug compounds that are difficult to dissolve in water.
US09422298B2

The invention provides novel substituted pyridopyrimidines represented by Formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, polymorph, ester, tautomer or prodrug thereof, and a composition comprising these compounds. The compounds provided can be used as inhibitors of the phosphoinositide 3′ OH kinase family (PI3K) for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, allergy, asthma and autoimmune disorders.
US09422297B2

The present invention provides tricyclic compounds having cytostatic and cytotoxic activity in a single molecule having receptor tyrosine kinase(s), dihydrofolate reductase, thymidylate synthase and/or dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitory activity, which are useful as anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor agents. Also provided are methods of utilizing these inhibitors to treat tumor cells and other proliferative diseases and disorders.
US09422296B2

The present invention relates to 4-aryl-6-piperazin-1-yl-3-substituted-pyridazines that are fast dissociating dopamine 2 receptor antagonists, processes for preparing these compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds as an active ingredient. The compounds find utility as medicines for treating or preventing central nervous system disorders, for example schizophrenia, by exerting an antipsychotic effect without motor side effects.
US09422284B2

Compounds of the formula (I) useful as 11-Beta Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Inhibitors
US09422280B2

The invention relates to N-substituted hetero-bicyclic compounds of formula (I), to the enantiomers, diastereomers and salts thereof and to compositions comprising such compounds. The invention also relates to methods and uses of these N-substituted hetero-bicyclic compounds, and of compositions comprising thereof, for combating and controlling animal pests. Furthermore the invention relates also to pesticidal methods of applying such N-substituted hetero-bicyclic compounds.The N-substituted hetero-bicyclic compounds of the present invention are defined by the following formula I: wherein A, B, X, Het, R1, R2, W1, W2, W3 and W4 are defined as in the description.
US09422275B2

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide selected compounds having a molecular structure according to Formula 1: In Formula 1, Z is —CO—, —SO—, or —SO2—; Ar is phenyl, heteroaryl, or heterocycloalkyl; Het is heteroaryl; R is R″, X, or NR1R2; R′ is R3, or OR3; R″ is R4, or OR4; R1 and R2 are each independently H, alkyl, or acyl; R3 is H, heteroaryl, or alkyl; R4 is H, heteroaryl, or CnH2n+1 (n>2); and X is F, Br, I, CN, or NO2. In some embodiments, compounds having a molecular structure according to Formula 1 have the property of inhibiting a growth of a cell line selected from HeLa and MB468 with a sub-micromolar IC50.
US09422272B2

Compounds of formula (I): are described herein. Compounds of the disclosure are modulators of Kv3 channels and may be used in the prophylaxis or treatment of related disorders.
US09422262B2

The invention relates to the use of a compound of Formula I for the treatment of protease-activated receptor mediated diseases by the administration of a compound of Formula I or a prodrug or metabolite thereof.
US09422258B2

Methods of making reduced derivatives of hydroxymethyl furfural using metal catalysts are described. The derivatives may have tetrahydrofuran or furan nucleus with alkoxymethyl ether or ester moieties on the 5′ carbon and methanol on the 2′ carbon. Suitable metal catalyst include Raney nickel, a nickel catalyst with a zirconium promoter, a chromite catalyst with a barium, a palladium catalyst, such as palladium on carbon, or a ruthenium catalyst. Also provided are a new class of compounds, which are n-alkoxy hexane diols (i.e., 1,2 or 1,5 hexane diol ethers) and methods of making the same by reduction of furan or tetrahydrofuran derivatives.
US09422244B2

This invention relates to organic chemistry, in particular to processes for the preparation of pyrazoline carboxamidine derivatives of formula (I), known as potent 5-HT6 antagonists. The invention also relates to novel intermediates of these compounds. wherein the symbols have the meanings given in the description.
US09422224B2

The present invention is directed to BCAT inhibitors with the following formula: Wherein R1 is a linear alkyl group and X+ denotes a cation. These inhibitors are useful in treating autoimmune inflammatory diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease.
US09422222B2

Processes for the catalytic dehydration of hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof to acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof with high yield and selectivity and without significant conversion to undesired side products, such as, acetaldehyde, propanoic acid, and acetic acid, are provided.
US09422212B2

A process for producing methanol, where a hydrocarbon feedstock (1) is reformed and a make-up syngas is reacted in a synthesis loop, obtaining crude methanol which is further treated to obtain high-grade methanol, and where the carbon dioxide dissolved in the crude methanol is recycled to the reforming section in order to adjust the stoichiometric number of the make-up syngas. In a preferred embodiment, a flash gas (9) separated from the crude methanol (8) and light ends (10) coming from distillation are recycled to a compressor (106) and fed to a primary reformer (100); further carbon dioxide can be recycled from the flue gas (11).
US09422211B2

The present invention provides a process for producing 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, comprising the steps of producing 2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene by reacting anhydrous hydrogen fluoride with a specific chlorine-containing compound in a gas phase in the presence of a fluorination catalyst while heating; and producing 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene by reacting 2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene with anhydrous hydrogen fluoride in a gas phase in the presence of a fluorination catalyst while heating, the step of producing 2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene being performed after the step of producing 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene. According to the process, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene can be produced with reduced energy and equipment costs in an economically advantageous manner.
US09422206B2

Provided are processes for making hydrocarbons from renewable feed sources. In an embodiment, there is provided a method for producing a lube basestock including: contacting a compound of Formula (I) and a feedstock of biological origin with a catalyst component including a basic material: wherein R1 is selected from acyclic hydrocarbyl, cyclic hydrocarbyl, and aryl, wherein R1 has one or more optional substitutions selected from the group consisting of —Ra, —ORa, —C(O)Ra, and —C(O)ORa, wherein Ra is H or C1-C6 alkyl group; and n is 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5; and hydrogenating a ketone to a hydrocarbon with a catalyst including a hydrogenation catalyst and a hydrothermally stable binder.
US09422200B2

The invention relates to boron nitride agglomerates, comprising lamellar, hexagonal boron nitride primary particles, which are agglomerated with one another with a preferred orientation, the agglomerates formed being flake-shaped.The invention also relates to a method for producing said boron nitride agglomerates, characterized in that lamellar, hexagonal boron nitride primary particles are agglomerated in such a way that they line up with one another with a preferred orientation.The flake-shaped agglomerates according to the invention are suitable as filler for polymers for making polymer-boron nitride composites and for hot pressing of boron nitride sintered compacts.
US09422186B2

When drawing of a GRIN lens from a preform is started, wastage of the preform is reduced and the amount of time taken from the start of elongation of the preform to the start of winding is reduced. A preform, to a lower end of which a weight formed of silica is fused, is set in a heating furnace, and drawing of the preform is started by heating a fused portion where the preform and the weight are fused to each other. This can reduce wastage of the preform. Since an elongation speed of the preform is increased by the weight of the weight, the amount of time taken from the start of the elongation of the preform to the start of winding can be decreased.
US09422182B2

A water purifier system includes a base unit and a filter unit detachably connected to the base unit. The base unit is provided with a water inlet tube for guiding water to the filter unit and with a water outlet tube for guiding purified water from the filter unit. The filter unit includes a container surrounding a replaceable filter element and covered by a removable lid. The container is provided with a water inlet member for guiding unfiltered water from the water inlet tube into the container. The replaceable filter element is provided with a water outlet member for guiding purified water from the filter element to the water outlet tube of the base unit. The water outlet member extends through an opening in the removable lid that covers the container.
US09422181B1

Vehicle wash water reclaim system in fluid communication with settling tanks receiving used vehicle wash water, the system comprising: a control system, a self-cleaning vertical plane strainer, a pump controlled by the control system, and a cyclone assembly wherein the pump is in fluid communication with the self-cleaning vertical plane strainer for drawing vehicle wash water through the vertical plane strainer and pumping it through the cyclone assembly to a recirculation line feeding back to the underground settling tanks and to a vehicle wash line feeding vehicle wash equipment. The assembly comprising at least one first cyclone in continuous fluid communication between the pump and the recirculation and vehicle wash lines and at least one second cyclone selectively switched into parallel fluid communication with the at least one first cyclone. An ozone system and a hydrogen peroxide system comprising a screen filter bio-media combination are disposed in the recirculation line.
US09422179B2

Procedure using zeolite, clinoptilolite type in an upflow anaerobic reactor and sludge blanket (UASBs) in order to obtain granular active sludge, thereby improving the density of the sludge, and thereby, their settling properties, and increase of biomass within reactor by immobilizing microorganisms, to achieve an increase in the efficiency of the removal of organic material and the production of biogas (60-70% methane) in more than 20% over the same type reactor used so far without zeolite, enabling the use of such reactor for treating wastewater with a high concentration of proteins, amino acids and other nitrogen compounds and which prevents the accumulation of nitrogen, which is toxic to the process by allowing zeolite-clinoptilolite, the exchange with alkali and alkaline earth found in specific points of the crystal structure of clinoptilolite by ammonia nitrogen, and also preventing the development of filamentous bacteria, which are difficult to hold up within the reactor and reduces its efficiency.
US09422178B2

The systems and methods described provide for reducing sludge generation, and thus sludge wasting and handling, by including an anaerobic completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR) as a bioreactor in a side-stream. The CSTR provides a significant simplification of side-stream treatment design, enhanced sludge minimization, and enhanced removal of nitrogen and phosphorous without the need to add organic carbon. The described systems and methods provide generation of biogas including both hydrogen and methane from the activated sludge system. The described systems and methods avoid complex reactor designs for nutrient removal.
US09422169B2

The present disclosure provides a composition for purifying water comprising a magnesium oxide component and a binder. The magnesium oxide component includes magnesium oxide, a pH regulator, and an additional water purifying material. The binder can be an organic polymer, an inorganic binder, or a combination of both.
US09422168B2

Disclosed is a dissolved air flotation (“DAF”) device. The DAF device creates an elongated separation zone to permit agglomerated impurities to be more effectively removed from the influent. A header is included at the lower extent of the separation zone to collect the clarified effluent. In one possible embodiment, a collection channel with a series of intake apertures is connected to the header. In another embodiment, intake apertures are located along the header. In either embodiment, the header reduces the rate at which the effluent is collected and, thereby, reduces the inadvertent collection of agglomerated impurities.
US09422163B2

The present invention is related to a new scalable method of forming graphite oxide (only one or few layers of carbon atoms) of high purity (notably without metallic residues) and high oxidation degree from graphite flakes in a cost-effective and reduced environmental impact.
US09422157B2

Methods of forming MEMS resonators containing a first structural material and a second structural material to tailor the resonator's temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF). The first structural material has a different Young's modulus temperature coefficient than the second structural material. In one embodiment, the first structural material may be formed on substrate and patterned, and the second structural material may be formed over the first structural material and planarized to expose the first structural material. A resonator may be patterned that contains both the first and second structural materials.
US09422150B2

According to one embodiment, a pressure sensor includes: a support section; a film section; and a strain sensing element. The film section is supported by the support section and deformable. The film section includes a first film and a second film. The first film includes a first region located in a central part and a second region located in a peripheral part around the first region. The second film is provided on the first region. The strain sensing element is provided on part of the second region. The strain sensing element includes a first magnetic layer; a second magnetic layer; and an intermediate layer. Magnetization of the first magnetic layer changes in response to deformation of the second region. The intermediate layer is provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.
US09422149B2

Trapped sacrificial structures and thin-film encapsulation methods that may be implemented to manufacture trapped sacrificial structures such as relative humidity sensor structures, and spacer structures that protect adjacent semiconductor structures extending above a semiconductor die substrate from being contacted by a molding tool or other semiconductor processing tool in an area of a die substrate adjacent the spacer structures.
US09422148B1

An article for retaining a spray container having a spray nozzle for discharging contents stored in the spray container. The article includes an elongated spine, a base formed at one end of the spine which supports a spray container, a hand grip formed at an opposite end of the spine, the hand grip is rotationally coupled to the spine, and a mechanical finger positioned along the spine. The article further includes a trigger for remotely controlling the position of the mechanical finger relative to the spray nozzle of the spray container.
US09422146B2

In one aspect, the invention relates to a system for monitoring a fluid dispensing system having a storage tank and a piping system having a maximum output flow rate threshold. The system includes a dispenser configured to dispense fluid from the fluid dispensing system during a dispensing time interval, a metering device in fluid communication with piping system, the metering device configured to measure a plurality of sample flow rates over time in response to fluid passing through the metering device, a gauge for measuring a volume of fluid dispensed from the storage tank during the dispensing time interval and a processor for executing a monitoring application which generates an alert within a substantially real-time period in response to an event of interest, the monitoring application comparing the maximum output flow rate threshold to the plurality of sample flow rates over time to generate the alert when one of the sample flow rates exceeds the maximum output flow rate threshold.
US09422140B2

An endless cable winch includes a working cable, a housing, in which is mounted a driving cable pulley around at least a part of which the working cable is wrapped, and further includes a drive for driving the driving cable pulley, wherein the housing is mounted so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis, and a sensor is provided for detecting a pivoting movement of the housing for detecting an overload state of the working cable.
US09422133B2

An exemplary method is useful for controlling movement of an elevator car in an elevator system that includes a machine that selectively moves the elevator car and a machine brake that selectively resists movement of the elevator car. The method includes determining whether the elevator car is near a landing and determining whether a door of the elevator car is open. A desired operation includes desired movement of the elevator car while the elevator car is near the landing and the door is open. A determination is made whether the elevator car moves other than according to the desired movement. The machine brake is applied for stopping movement of the elevator car responsive to elevator car movement other than the desired movement while the elevator car is near the landing and the door is open.
US09422127B2

A sheet registration system is for use in connection with a finisher for a digital printing system. A scuffer carriage has omnidirectional scuffer wheels with a plurality of overlapping rollers to provide uninterrupted traction to move media sheets against a registration wall for process direction registration. A pair of opposed tamper plates will move toward one another pushing the media sheets together in the cross process direction. The freely rotating scuffer rollers will allow free movement of the media sheets in the cross process direction. Thus, cross process registration is achieved simultaneously with process direction registration, and registration time is minimized. Process direction registration is maintained by not lifting the scuffer from the media sheets during cross process registration.
US09422120B2

To provide a levitation air plate that can be easily manufactured and can float a substance being conveyed such as a glass while maintaining its high rigidity and controlling a floating amount in high accuracy. A levitation air plate 1 provided with: a top plate 2 in which a plurality of air ejection holes 2c and suction holes 2d penetrating from an upper surface 2a to a lower surface 2b are arranged in alternating fashion as viewed from the upper surface, the top plate 2 having a counter-bored portion 2e on the lower surface side of each of the plurality of air ejection holes; an orifice sheet 3 having a plurality of orifices 3c penetrating from an upper surface 3a to a lower surface 3b in positions corresponding to the counter-bored portions of the top plate, and having communicating holes 3d communicated one-to-one with the suction holes of the top plate and penetrating from the upper surface to the lower surface; and bottom side plates 4, 5 having an air supply channel 4c and an air supply hole 5c for supplying air to all of the orifices drilled in the orifice sheet, and an air suction channel 4d and a suction hole 5d for suctioning air from all of the communicating holes communicated with the suction holes.
US09422110B2

There is disclosed herein a guide device (1A) with a wedge sliding surface for bulk conveyors, said guide device being removably fixed to the head end of a lateral or central guide (4A) of a bulk conveyor; wherein said sliding surface is at least partially defined by a plurality of rolling bodies (5), which are idly mounted to a plurality of shafts defining axes of rotation substantially and/or generally parallel to one another and orthogonal to said axis of extension.
US09422107B1

The lawn debris collector with removable rigid supports is a kit that is adapted to be used to collect lawn debris. The lawn debris collector includes a tarp member and a plurality of removable rigid supports. The plurality of removable rigid supports is each securable to a perimeter of the tarp member. More specifically, a first and second of the plurality of removable rigid supports are inserted into sleeves provided on a first and second edge of the perimeter of the tarp member. A plurality of immovable flexible supports is permanently secured along a bottom surface of the tarp member. The plurality of immovable flexible supports is perpendicularly oriented with respect to the plurality of removable rigid supports. The plurality of removable rigid supports are removed in order to fold the tarp member in half with lawn debris collected on said tarp member.
US09422102B2

An apparatus for dispensing material through a refillable cartridge, comprising a container having a receptacle for receiving a refill cartridge, the container having a lid cooperating with the container to enclose the refill cartridge, the container further comprising an exit port and a channel for communicating material from the refill cartridge to the exit port, and a valve for controlling the flow of material out of the refill cartridge; and a reusable, refill cartridge sized to be received in the receptacle, the refill cartridge including compressed gas and material separated by a bi-conical thruster, the refill cartridge further comprising a first end having a material inlet and outlet manifold, and a second end having a compressed gas inlet. The system's performance can be improved by applying a surface treatment to the wetted surfaces of the system to change the physical properties at the fluid/vessel interface.
US09422099B2

A soft sided insulated container assembly includes a first portion having an insulated, soft sided external wall structure, and a second portion that defined a lid co-operable with the first portion. The lid includes an auxiliary access opening and closure member that are smaller than the main opening, and that can be operated one-handed. A rigid work surface is provided, typically immediately adjacent to the secondary closure member, the work surface providing a place for holding or mixing a drink or for preparing a snack. In some embodiments the work surface may be movable relative to the container, whether slidable in a co-planar or parallel planar manner in translation, or folding as in a foldable shelf. The entire container assembly may be foldable or collapsible to a storage condition, and the rigid member, whether fixed or movable, does not impede that folding or collapsing.
US09422097B1

A package cushioning material for liquid crystal glass includes an air sack sheet and scratch protection layers arranged between the air sack sheet and corners of a piece of liquid crystal glass. The air sack sheet is formed by connecting a plurality of air sacks. The package cushioning material uses an air sack sheet as a basic cushioning material that is protected from being damaged by the corners of the liquid crystal glass by being separated from the corners of the liquid crystal glass by the scratch protection layers.
US09422094B2

Packaging inserts for headphones include a unitary body having two or more integral portions configured to fold relative to one another so as to partially enclose, support, and retain a headphone within the folded unitary body between the integral portions. Methods of packaging headphones include positioning a headphone on such a unitary body, and folding the unitary body around at least a portion of the headphones. Packaged headphone assemblies include a headphone, and such a packaging insert folded around at least a portion of the headphone.
US09422089B2

Disclosed are devices and methods for sealing containers. The device can include a seal, a spring, and an eccentric or ramp. In a first position, the spring and the seal can be retracted enabling the device to be placed in the opening of a container. In a second position, the spring can expand the seal enabling it to seal against a sealing surface of the container. The device can create a replaceable bottle cap assembly that conforms to the top of a non-threaded beverage container. The device can provide a lid for a variety of storage containers, including food storage containers. The device can form a watertight or airtight seal. The device can be used to form a movable lid for a container or to join multiple containers together.
US09422087B1

A foldable crate includes a base platform, a pair of longitudinal sidewalls forming a hinged connection with the base platform and a pair of flanking sidewalls forming a hinged connection with the base platform. The flanking sidewalls accommodate a pair of rotary locking elements, as well as unlocking element.
US09422084B2

An inventory system includes a pallet and a base for palletizing or unpalletizing a mobile drive unit. The pallet has a set of openings corresponding with features of the mobile drive unit. The mobile drive unit features may extend into the pallet openings. The base includes protrusions corresponding to the pallet openings. Engaging the pallet and base can position the base protrusions in the pallet openings. Positioning the base protrusions in the pallet openings can displace the mobile drive unit features from the pallet openings and/or provide a surface upon which the mobile drive unit can navigate.
US09422082B2

Apparatus and methods for engaging and disengaging various members to each other are described herein. The preferred apparatus and methods reduce the number of components and/or sub-assemblies in hinged apparatus and methods and other applications, and simplify and improve the quality and efficiency of installation and removal of latches associated with the hinged elements or members. The latching/locking system and methods of the invention also enable selective relatively permanent engagement of the hinged elements or members to each other, and can permit selective transition between the foregoing hinged and locked relationships. Improved latches are disclosed, with interchangeability, keying to assist assembly, and other features. Methods of fabrication and assembly are disclosed.
US09422080B2

Peel-Reclose packaging material formed using an adhesive label in combination with laser scoring technology. The adhesive label is applied over laser scored material before or after the laser score forms a pattern smaller than the adhesive label. The adhesive label and laser scored packaging material can then be opened and resealed. In one embodiment the adhesive label in combination with the packaging material has tamper resistant features.
US09422077B2

A rectangular storage container comprises four parts, two of which are releasably coupled to each other to respectively form a bottom section and a top section such that, when assembled together, the bottom section and top section can move telescopically with respect to each other in a first dimension, and the respective two parts that are attached to form the bottom section and top section can additionally move with respect to each another in a second dimension, to enable adjustment of the volume of the storage container in two dimensions.
US09422075B2

Pressure pad for a heat-sealing device in a packaging machine, the heat-sealing device having a heat-sealing jaw and a counter-jaw adapted to seal together two surfaces of a packaging material when the jaws are pressed together. The pressure pad comprises a first portion, adapted to be mounted on the counter-jaw of the heat-sealing device, and a second portion, in use arranged towards the heat-sealing jaw of the heat-sealing device. A cross-section of said second portion, along the extension of the pressure pad, has a substantially constant arc-shape of the outer contact surface in use facing the heat-sealing jaw. The pressure pad is made up of a resilient material, and the cross-section of said arc-shaped outer contact surface has a radius of curvature of 15 mm±5 mm. The invention further relates to a heat-sealing device having such a pressure pad.
US09422063B2

In an aircraft including a gas turbine engine having a compressor including a compressor booster, a turbine, and a nacelle, a system for cooling compressor discharge air provided to the turbine to cool the turbine includes a heat exchanger provided in a nacelle compartment of the gas turbine engine configured to cool the compressor discharge air by exchanging heat from the compressor discharge air to a cooling fluid; and a cooling fluid circuit configured to circulate cooling fluid through the heat exchanger and a heat sink, wherein the heat sink is at least one of an inlet of the nacelle compartment, an inlet of the compressor booster, or outlet guide vanes of the gas turbine engine.
US09422060B2

A method and apparatus are disclosed for a turboprop-powered medium altitude long endurance (MALE) aircraft, having: a heat exchanger with a heat-storage material, for example a heat-storage wax; and an air recirculation path. The heat exchanger can be arranged to cool air recirculating around the air recirculation path which is arranged to provide cooling to the MALE aircraft, for example to an equipment bay. The heat-storage material may be cooled by ground-based cooling apparatus when the aircraft is on the ground and/or by ram air when the aircraft is in flight. The heat-storage material may have a melting point selected so as to be rendered solid during ground-based cooling and/or ram air cooling, and/or selected so as to undergo melting while cooling the air recirculating around the air recirculation path.
US09422048B1

An apparatus for securing a plurality of tendons to a balloon includes a first and second plate and a cable long enough to extend around a circumference of the first plate. The first plate has a plurality of slots and one more mating ports. Each slot is configured to allow a given tendon from the plurality of tendons to extend through the first plate by inserting a tendon within the slot. The second plate has a surface with one or more mating members attached. Each mating member is configured to connect the first and second plates together by mating with at least one of the one or more mating ports. The cable is configured to pass between the first and second plates so as to couple with each tendon within the plurality of slots in order to secure the tendons to a balloon structure.
US09422040B2

A computer 11 of a ship monitoring device 1 arranges one kind of transmission data between two consecutive start control codes and two consecutive termination control codes. The computer 11 also arranges information indicating a type of the transmission data between the transmission data and the start control codes and between the termination control codes and the transmission data. In this way, the transmission data is transmitted in form of packet data. Therefore, transmission data in information communication between ships and sensed information in information communication of fenders can be easily distinguished from each other. In addition, a type of information transmitted as the transmission data can be easily identified.
US09422038B2

A personal flotation device includes a hard outer shell, a seat, a centered leg straddle support, and a water ballast valve. The flotation device is fully submersible and has adjustable buoyancy that allows the user to sit upright on the device, floating at approximately armpit level in the water with the user's arms free and feet dangling down. The user can use his or her arms and legs to propel through the water, or perform other activities while floating because his or her hands are free to do so.
US09422034B2

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for a self-directed (i.e., autonomous), steerable gravity-embedded anchor. This anchor free-falls through the water column, accelerates due to gravity and uses its kinetic energy to embed itself into the seafloor so as to function as an anchor for mooring of both floating vessels and other underwater structures. Unlike existing gravity-embedded plate anchors, this device can steer itself to its intended target location on the seafloor, enhancing placement accuracy and allowing release directly from an installation vessel on the water surface, thereby greatly simplifying installation.
US09422030B2

A combination fishing pole holder and cleat has a bezel portion for affixing to a surface. The bezel portion has a first hole for accepting an object and a shaped indentation to accept and fit a cleat portion. The bezel portion has a pair of studs, each having a cavity formed there within. The cleat portion is shaped to fit within the shaped indentation and has a second hole, also for accepting the object. A pair of legs extends from the cleat portion and through respective studs. Each of the legs is terminated by a device/end that is wider than the cavity of the studs. A tubular portion extends from a side of the bezel and is aligned with both the first hole and the second hole for insertion of the object. The cleat portion moves between a retracted position and an extended position.
US09422025B2

A fork assembly having an external pipe closed on top with a first plug, an internal pipe slidably housed inside the external pipe, and a cartridge disposed inside the internal pipe and closed with a closing bush. The fork also has an electrovalve disposed in intermediate position between the closing bush of the cartridge and the first plug of the external pipe.
US09422024B2

Bicycle frame formed by a half-shell (1) made of a thermoplastic material. The half-shell (1) is fiber-reinforced at least in regions, and includes a cover element (2), which is, at least in regions, connected to the half-shell and preferably closes the half-shell.
US09422021B2

A collapsible skateboard includes an upright handle having lower portion on which is fixedly mounted a bracket, a connector having a curved slot having a lower end formed with a horizontal recess, an upper end formed with a vertical recess, and a circular hole under the vertical recess, an adjust pin inserted into the vertical recess of the connector and the elongated hole of the bracket, a pivot pin fitted through the circular hole of the connector and the circular hole of the bracket, a spring having an upper end connected to the adjust pin and a lower end to the pivot pin, and a platform on which is fixedly mounted the connector, whereby the skateboard can be easily folded up as desired.
US09422020B2

A driver protective device for a two-wheeled vehicle according to the present invention, includes: a main frame including a mounting frame which is mounted on a body of the two-wheeled vehicle, and a panel frame which is fixed to the mounting frame and has a front transparent panel installed therein; a storage box which is mounted on a rear portion of the two-wheeled vehicle; and an attachable protection panel including an upper panel which is attached to or detached from one end of the panel frame of the main frame, and a back panel which is attached to or detached from one side of the storage box, wherein the upper panel and the back panel are pivotly connected to each other.
US09422012B2

A motor vehicle for use in chauffeur operation, in particular a taxi or a limousine, has at least one driver's seat, at least one foot pedal and at least two front wheels. In order to design a vehicle to meet the specific requirements of short-distance chauffeur operation, the driver's seat is arranged between the front wheels in such a way that the foot pedal is positioned, viewed in the driving direction, between the axles, preferably in front of the front wheel axle.
US09422006B2

A bend initiating structure or contact member is provided on or as part of frame. A tie rod associated with a wheel is engaged and bending initiated during a front or offset vehicle crash event where the subframe has detached from the frame. This engagement turns the wheel, so that there is more stroke space with which to absorb energy in a crash event. Detachment of the subframe from the frame during the crash event reduces the energy absorption capacity of the vehicle system because the subframe is no longer carrying load, however, the energy absorption stroke of the frame is increased by turning the wheel to a toe out position.
US09422005B2

A chassis of a motor vehicle optimized for absorbing a frontal impact. The chassis includes a firewall separating a passenger compartment of the vehicle from a front portion of the chassis configured to hold an engine, and a mechanism for absorbing a frontal impact including two side rails mounted on at least the front portion of the chassis and arranged on either side of the chassis, each side rail including a front portion and a rear portion assembled to overlap at least partially. The side rails are arranged such that an overlap area is below the plane of the firewall, and the rear portion of the side rail includes a material which is less compressible than the front portion of the side rail.
US09421991B2

The present application relates to a device for supporting a child. The application also relates to a pushchair, a high chair and a child's bed provided with such a device. According to at least one embodiment of the invention, a relative rotation movement of the undercarriage and upper carriage of the device is converted by means of a transmission into a movement collapsing the undercarriage. The device can hereby also be reduced in size in a transverse direction.
US09421979B2

A vehicle system includes at least one sensor that collects infrastructure information in real time and outputs sensor signals representing the collected infrastructure information. A processing device processes the sensor signals, predicts a future road characteristic based on the infrastructure information, and controls at least one vehicle subsystem in accordance with the predicted future road characteristic. A method includes receiving infrastructure information collected in real time, processing the infrastructure information, predicting a future road characteristic based on the infrastructure information, and controlling at least one vehicle subsystem in accordance with the predicted future road characteristic.
US09421972B2

A method and arrangement are described for pick-up point retrieval timing in a vehicle having autonomous parking capabilities. The arrangement may include a communication interface arranged to receive data concerning a desired retrieval time. A processor may be arranged to monitor one or more parameters while the vehicle is performing autonomous driving along a route to a final slot until autonomous parking of the vehicle has been completed. The processor may be further arranged to calculate when to start autonomous return travel in order to be at the pick-up point at the desired retrieval time based on at least one monitored parameter. An actuator may be arranged to initiate autonomous travel to the pick-up point at the calculated return travel start time.
US09421967B2

A control device for a hybrid vehicle is configured to enter a driving mode in which a preset engine-start condition is met, and is configured to enter electric vehicle mode when a preset engine-stop condition is met, and includes an engine-start-condition-controlling device which, during travel in the electric vehicle mode, in the event that an electric vehicle travel zone expansion condition that has been set on the basis of vehicle speed VSP and torque demand information reflective of demand by the driver, and that expands the travel zone in the electric vehicle mode, is met, changes the engine-start condition from a baseline start condition, to an expansion engine-start condition for expanding the travel zone in the electric vehicle mode, doing so for the duration of a prescribed time thereafter.
US09421958B2

A braking system for a work vehicle may generally include a hydraulically actuated brake, a tank containing hydraulic fluid and a brake valve fluidly connected between the tank and the hydraulically actuated brake. The brake valve may be movable between an on position and an off position for controlling a flow of the hydraulic fluid from the tank to the hydraulically actuated brake. The brake valve may include a first solenoid coil and a second solenoid coil, with each of the solenoid coils being configured to be independently energized and de-energized for moving the brake valve between the on and off positions. The system may also include a first control device electrically connected to the first solenoid coil for energizing and de-energizing the first solenoid coil and a separate second control device electrically connected to the second solenoid coil for energizing and de-energizing the second solenoid coil.
US09421953B2

A control device is described for a brake system of a vehicle, having a valve control device that is designed to determine, at least taking into account a provided information signal relating to a generator braking moment of a generator that is currently being exerted or is to be exerted, a first target state of a first valve of the brake system that is connected to a master brake cylinder of the brake system and to a fluid storage device of the brake system in such a way that a brake fluid volume can be displaced out of the master brake cylinder into the fluid storage device via the first valve, which is controlled into an at least partly open state, and to output a first control signal, corresponding to the first target state, to the first valve, the first target state being determinable, by the valve control device, for a valve connected via at least one intake line to a brake medium reservoir of the brake system as fluid storage device, as first valve. In addition, a method is described for operating a brake system of a vehicle.
US09421950B2

The invention relates to a wiper blade (10) for the cleaning of vehicle windows, with a wiper blade body (12), which is able to be connected to a wiper arm (1) via preferably a wiper blade adapter (11) arranged approximately centrally on the wiper blade body (12), wherein the wiper blade body (12) has a wiper rubber (13) with a wiper lip (14), and wherein a receiving groove (16, 17) which is U-shaped in cross section is formed and in which a strip-shaped spring strip (18, 19) engages in the wiper rubber (13) on both longitudinal sides lying opposite each other. According to the invention, it is provided that the two spring strips (18, 19) are rigidly connected to each other by means of at least one reinforcing element (25), wherein the reinforcing element (25) engages over the wiper blade body (12) on the side facing away from the wiper lip (14) and is connected at least indirectly to the two spring strips (18, 19).
US09421947B2

A windshield wiper has a wiper arm with a window clearing blade and an ice scraper component located above the blade. The outer edges of the blade and scraper component are curved, so as to be configured to the shape of the windshield of the vehicle. Wing nut and screw attachment means allows the scraper component to be slideable between a position in which the scraper component is slid forward of the blade and contacts the windshield to perform its ice clearing function and a second position in which it is retracted away from the windshield of a vehicle to allow the blade to perform its water clearing function.
US09421935B2

A vehicle airbag device included: an airbag that is disposed at an inner side of an instrument panel, that receives a supply of gas from an inflator and inflates and deploys to an outer side of the instrument panel, and that comprises a first bag that inflates and deploys at a vehicle front side of an occupant, and a second bag that inflates and deploys at a vehicle width direction center side of the first bag; and a recess that is formed at a lower face of the second bag when inflated and deployed, that is open toward a vehicle lower side, and that covers an interior component installed at a vehicle width direction central portion of the instrument panel from a vehicle upper side.
US09421930B2

The present specification relates to an apparatus for protecting a vehicle passenger, and the apparatus for protecting a vehicle passenger according to an exemplary embodiment of the present specification includes: a front two-axis sensor; a first side two-axis sensor; a second side two-axis sensor; a control unit which determines whether the vehicle passenger is in a front collision situation, by calculating an average value of acceleration values, or determines whether the vehicle passenger is in a broadside collision situation, by calculating speed and a speed change of the first side two-axis sensor using the acceleration value obtained by the sensor unit and by calculating speed of the second side two-axis sensor; and a protection unit which protects the vehicle passenger based on the determination of the control unit.
US09421925B2

A power device possesses a built-in fuse function and can continue to normally operate after a short circuit failure. The power device includes a plurality of output cells, a plurality of bonding wires provided corresponding to the output cells, and a control terminal driving circuit. Each of the output cells includes an output transistor. First side electrodes of the output transistors are commonly coupled to a first power source. Each of second side electrodes of the output transistors is coupled to an output terminal through the corresponding bonding wire. The control terminal driving circuit supplies a drive signal to the control terminals of the individual output transistors to control the output transistors. Each of the bonding wires is designed to be fused and cut if the output transistor included in the corresponding output cell fails and is shorted.
US09421924B2

A safety system for vehicles for reducing the danger of an electric shock from a battery is described, wherein the safety system is arranged on the outside of the vehicle and has an operator control area and a charging plug-in location with an operating plug. It is characteristic that the operating plug and the charging plug-in location are combined with one another outside the vehicle and are embodied in such a way that removing the operating plug causes the voltage of the vehicle to be disconnected. In addition, the disclosure relates to a motor vehicle which contains such a battery and to a method for reducing the danger of an electric shock from a battery, which method serves to implement the battery according to the disclosure.
US09421912B1

An auxiliary rearview mirror mounting structure includes two support arms of angularly adjustable multi-segment design pivotally connected to an auxiliary rearview mirror, multiple hooks located at each support arm for hooking on the rim of a main rearview mirror, and tightening-up devices mounted in each support arm corresponding to one respective hook and rotatably movable inwards and backwards for abutting against the rim of the main rearview mirror to lock the hooks to the rim of a main rearview mirror.
US09421908B2

A vehicle seat assembly is provided. The assembly includes a bottom seat member and a haptic alert assembly. The haptic alert assembly includes a first actuator incorporated into the bottom seat member. The first actuator is configured to generate at least a first portion of a haptic alert.
US09421907B2

A level indicator device is disclosed for use in conjunction with a road vehicle such as a caravan, trailer, motor home or mobile crane and which comprises an electrically energized level sensor that is arranged to provide an output signal that is representative of a prevailing level of the sensor, a signal generator associated with the sensor and arranged in use to generate a signal that is representative of a substantially horizontal level when that level is sensed to prevail by the sensor. A radiofrequency signal transmitter is located in circuit with the signal generator and is arranged to transmit a radiofrequency signal that is modulated by the signal generated by the signal generator, and a remote receiver is provide and is arranged to receive and demodulate the radiofrequency signal. In one embodiment of the level indicator device the level sensor comprises a MEMS accelerometer that measures G-force in plural axes. Also disclosed is a vehicle level adjusting system for a road vehicle and which comprises a level indicator device as defined and a plurality of level adjusting devices, in the form of ramps or jacking actuators, that are arranged to effect levelling of the vehicle.
US09421905B2

A method for controlling a matrix beam headlamp (M) with adaptive light functions in which using non-glare lighting and/or targeted lighting of objects (O) with segments (S1-Sn) of the light distribution of the matrix beam headlamp (M). Different switch-on and switch-off boundaries are defined for the individual segments (S1-Sn).
US09421897B2

An assembly for receiving a heel of a user of a motor vehicle under a pedal and/or a footrest of a motor vehicle passenger compartment, including at least a thickness of acoustic felt resting on a floor of the vehicle, a receiving element resting on the acoustic layer and including at least a bearing and pivoting area for the heel, and a mat covering the element. The receiving element is formed from a hollow housing including at least a rigid rear transverse wall, which protrudes relative to the horizontal to form the bearing and pivoting area for the heel of the user and a horizontal transverse wall secured to the floor of the vehicle and configured to deform in event of an impact.
US09421890B2

A vehicle seat is provided in which a pressure-receiving member receiving the back of an occupant through an upper linking wire is supported on a seat back frame of a seat back, and an abutment member is provided on the pressure-receiving member, the abutment member restricting an amount of flexing of the pressure-receiving member by abutting against the upper linking wire when the amount of flexing exceeds a predetermined amount. This enables the amount of flexing of the pressure-receiving member for supporting the back of the occupant to be restricted, thereby stabilizing the support of the occupant.
US09421885B2

An adjustable seat cushion assembly is disclosed which exhibits a first seat element and a second seat element moveable relative to the first seat element. A cover piece straddles a variable gap between cushion parts of the first and second seat elements. The adjustable seat cushion assembly is configured to draw the cover piece into the gap when the seat cushion assembly is moved from an extended position into a retracted position. A hem is formed with the cover piece in an area between the two cushion parts, and is joined with the second seat element. A link rod extends in the seat width direction of the cover piece and engages into slots at opposite ends.
US09421882B2

The speed v of a motor driven body, the rotational speed ω and the actual torque value Tm generated by the motor are acquired. Subsequently, unit (741) estimates the slip rate X of the drive wheels based on the movement speed v and the rotation speed ω. Further, unit (742) estimates the drive torque Td based on the rotational speed w and the actual torque value Tm. Next, unit (743) calculates a limit value L for a torque command value Tc based on the slip rate X and the drive torque Td. Further, unit (744) limits the torque command value Tc using the limit value L, generates a torque setting value Ts, which is sent to a motor drive system (900). As a result, it is possible to quickly realize control in accordance with changes in the road surface state, thus allowing safe travel while ensuring the needed drive power.
US09421879B2

A vehicle system with a charging station and an autonomously movable, electrically powered vehicle dockable therewith, the vehicle system being mutually engageable at an inlet-side on the vehicle and an outlet-side on the charging station arranged to transport energy between the charging station and vehicle when engaged and further being provided with an inlet-side guiding member, an outlet-side guiding member, respectively, arranged to guide the inlet-side and outlet-side engagements from a non-charging position into a charging position upon engaging of the inlet- and outlet-sides when docking the vehicle to the charging station.
US09421868B2

A power transfer system transfers electric power from a power feeding device external to a vehicle to a power receiving device mounted on the vehicle in a contactless manner. The power feeding device includes a first reflective wall formed at a rear side of a transmitting coil with respect to a power transferring direction from the transmitting coil, to allow reflection of a magnetic flux output from the transmitting coil in the power transferring direction. The transmitting coil and the first reflective wall are arranged spaced apart from each other. The power receiving device includes a second reflective wall formed at a rear side of a receiving coil with respect to a power receiving direction from the transmitting coil, to allow reflection of a magnetic flux output from the transmitting coil to the receiving coil. The receiving coil and the second reflective wall are arranged spaced apart from each other.
US09421865B2

A motor vehicle has an engine compartment accommodating a powertrain and at least one strut, which is substantially parallel to an advancing longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle; the motor vehicle has a safety device configured so as to move the powertrain sideways during an impact, towards the side opposite to the one concerned by the impact; the safety device is provided with a beam having a first end, distanced from an end portion of the strut towards the outside of the engine compartment, and a second end fixed to the strut in a position which is horizontally beside the powertrain; the safety device is also provided with a restraining member fixed to the strut and having a protruding portion arranged behind a wall of the beam.
US09421860B2

A two-wheeled vehicle includes a frame, a plurality of ground-engaging members for supporting the frame, and an engine supported by the frame and operably coupled to the ground-engaging members. Additionally, the two-wheeled vehicle includes a windshield assembly operably coupled to the frame and an adjustment member operably coupled to the windshield assembly. A vehicle control unit is operably coupled to the adjustment member and is configured to automatically actuate the adjustment member for adjusting the position of the windshield assembly.
US09421853B2

A vehicle includes a vehicle structure that extends along a longitudinal axis. An engine includes a crankshaft that defines a crank axis disposed substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis. A transmission includes an output shaft that defines a transmission output axis substantially parallel with the crank axis. The transmission output axis is disposed nearer the forward end of the vehicle structure than the crank axis. The crank axis is disposed vertically above the transmission output axis a distance of about 140 mm. The engine includes at least one cylinder bore that defines a bore axis disposed perpendicular to and may intersect the crank axis. The bore axis may be angled toward the forward end of the vehicle structure to define an angle between the bore axis and a vertical plane. The angle between the bore axis and the vertical plane may be about 18°.
US09421851B2

A vehicle cargo box tonneau cover apparatus includes two or more hard panels. Adjacent panels are joined along their common edges by a hinge enabling transitioning the panels between a planer deployed position and a folded retracted position. An opposed pair of headed cantilevered striker pins, are carried with an inner surface of the opposed pair of box panels and extend inwardly within said cargo box for selective engagement with an associated rotary latch when an associated panel portion is in the deployed orientation. A release mechanism carried with the lower surface of each panel portion interconnect a single release member with both associated rotary latch mechanisms carried with said common panel portion, wherein release of a panel can only be effected by manual operation of the release member subsequent to release of an adjacent tonneau cover panel or cargo box panel.
US09421850B2

A tonneau cover system for a pickup truck cargo bed incorporates hinge assemblies to allow individual panels to open, close or fold over on top of each other. To provide individual compartments within a cargo bed, the main hinge assembly of a foldable tonneau cover system provides for a secondary hinge assembly for the addition of a pivoting lock in place isolation wall.
US09421847B2

A fault in a fan motor is detected on the vehicle side with simple wiring. Provided is a vehicle-cooling-fan control system including a fan control unit having a motor control unit that controls a three-phase motor for driving a cooling fan, a vehicle-side ECU that is provided superordinate to the fan control unit and that controls a vehicle, and an air-conditioning-system ECU that controls an air-conditioning apparatus of the vehicle, wherein the fan control unit, the vehicle-side ECU, and the air-conditioning-system ECU are connected so that information can be transferred therebetween via a vehicle network CAN, the fan control unit outputs fault information via a CAN driver in the case where a fault has been detected at a switching device, and the vehicle-side ECU exercises control via the vehicle network CAN to protect the fan control unit and the air-conditioning-system ECU in the case where the importance of the fault information is high.
US09421846B2

When there is a demand for a heating operation of a vehicle and when there is a remaining charging capacity in a main battery, an upper limit value of a charging state of the battery is changed to a level-up upper-limit value, which higher than an ordinary upper-limit value. And an operating mode of an engine is changed to an efficiency prioritizing mode. When there is no remaining charging capacity in the main battery, the upper limit value of the charging state is changed to the ordinary upper-limit value. And the operating mode of the engine is changed to a waste-heat prioritizing mode, an engine efficiency of which is lower than that of the efficiency prioritizing mode. According to such a control, it becomes possible to warm up the engine and the battery, even in the case that there is no remaining charging capacity because of high charging state in the battery.
US09421842B2

A method for controlling a suspension system includes controlling an electronic controlled suspension device (ECS) and an active roll stabilizer (ARS) of a vehicle based on an input sensor value and a driving operation of the vehicle, the input sensor value is based on a road condition and wherein the driving operation is one of a straight driving, a normal turning, and an urgent turning of the vehicle.
US09421839B2

A suspension system comprises an air supply unit and four air spring corner assemblies. The air supply unit including an ECU is fluidly connected to the air spring corner assemblies and is capable of independently adjusting the air spring corner assemblies from one another. A first pressure sensor is located at a valve block of the air supply unit. The pressure signal from the first pressure sensor is used to determine a vehicle load. A second pressure sensor proximate to at least one air spring to detect air pressure of the system at that air spring and to calibrate an air pressure for at least one of the other air springs.
US09421837B2

A golf cart vehicle is disclosed having a suspension that includes a single suspension device that provides for a plurality of functions. In one embodiment the single suspension device includes a plurality of transverse mounted leaf springs that are longitudinally spaced apart from one another to provide a spring and control arm combined effect. The leaf springs can be coupled to a wheel, such as through a steering knuckle via a ball and socket joint. The leaf springs can further be mounted to a chassis via clamps. In one embodiment the clamps are connected to the leaf springs through resilient bushings which can be spaced apart from one another to provide an anti-roll bar effect.
US09421833B1

A reinforced valve stem has two perpendicular tubes, a first tube generally inwardly of a rim and a second tube outwardly and perpendicular to a rim of a wheel. The first tube receives a valve stem and has a threaded inlet for connection to an air source. The second tube threadily connects to the first tube opposite the valve and has an internal smooth passage for providing air into a tire mounted upon a rim. The second tube has a threaded outlet that receives an umbrella nut. The second tube also has an exterior wedge and a truncated conical heel spaced slight above the wedge. The conical heel merges into a shoulder that rotates through the merge of the two tubes to a neck just before the inlet.
US09421827B2

A pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion provided with a circumferential shoulder main groove, shoulder lateral grooves extending from the shoulder main groove toward a tread edge, and middle lateral grooves extending from the shoulder main groove toward a tire equatorial plane, the shoulder main groove extending in a zigzag manner through an axially innermost and outermost points alternately, each middle lateral groove extending from each innermost point of the shoulder main groove with an angle of 50-75 degrees with respect to a tire axial direction, and each shoulder lateral groove extending from the shoulder main groove with the same inclination direction with the middle lateral groove at an angle of 10-25 degrees with respect to the tire axial direction, wherein the number of shoulder lateral grooves is larger than the number of middle lateral grooves.
US09421818B2

A bicycle hub includes a hub shell body and a plurality of spoke mounting projections. The spoke mounting projections are disposed at one end portion of the hub shell body. Each of the spoke mounting projections includes a first circumferential side and a second circumferential side. The first circumferential side has a first spoke outlet for a first spoke and a second spoke outlet for a second spoke. The second circumferential side is opposite to the first circumferential side.
US09421817B2

A wheel for at least partially muscle-powered vehicles and two-wheeled vehicles includes a hub and a rim having a plurality of spoke holes and a plurality of spoke systems for connecting the hub with the rim. A spoke system includes a spoke and a spoke nipple. A reinforcing unit with a through hole between the rim and the spoke nipple is provided. The reinforcing unit is a disk-type and is configured curved about at least one longitudinal axis. The reinforcing unit has a convex inner rim contact surface for bearing against a concave orientation area of the rim matched thereto. The reinforcing unit has a concave outside surface at which a nipple accommodation is provided at a depression having a concave nipple contact surface with a narrower curvature for accommodating a matching, convex supporting area of the spoke nipple.
US09421815B2

Simulated stone, clay, and transferware and jewelry blanks and ornaments and a process for their preparation using new or reclaimed low density polyethylene sheets such as bags and or other suitable materials. Some implementations can include inclusions. The process can include heating layers of low density polyethylene plastic (LDPE) or other suitable materials under about 100 lbs. of pressure with sheets of specifically treated plastic inclusions to replicate characteristics of stones such as, for example, turquoise and marble. Some implementations can replicate historic and prehistoric materials such as painted earthenware ceramics and porcelain transferware. Some implementations can include a processed craft material that may receive final processing by off-site craftspeople with a household iron. Final components may be cut manually or die-cut either manually or mechanically.
US09421812B2

A combination three-ring binder and hole punch is provided. The binder includes a housing upon which the rings are mounted and in which the punch assembly is mounted. A pivotal lever on the housing actuates the punch assembly which uses a slide cam to simultaneously punch three holes in one or more sheets of paper.
US09421810B2

A page-turning device turning a page of a book includes a turning unit and a blower. The turning unit holds the page at a departure position of the page of the book being opened and releases the holding of the page at a destination position of the page. The blower sends air above the page at the departure position to blow against the page at the destination position.
US09421807B2

An ink jet-printable composition, which comprises a compound having a reactive silyl group and which is suitable for printing on non-porous substrates such as a glass or ceramic, and a process of decorating non-porous substrates involving ink jet printing the composition onto the substrate, exposing the printed composition to actinic or electron beam radiation to initiate curing and heating the printed composition to a temperature of at least 100° C.
US09421794B2

A fluid application system and method having a support structure for guiding a plurality of pallets along a path of travel through the system. The plurality of pallets for arranging a medium that receives fluid during operation. The system further includes an application assembly for applying fluid and energy to a medium arranged on the plurality of pallets and a conveyance arrangement comprising first and second conveyors for transferring the one or more pallets through the fluid application system. The first and second conveyors have a dedicated trolley selectively coupled to one of the plurality of pallets during movement along a first direction of the path of travel and selectively decoupled from the one of the plurality of pallets during movement along a second direction of the path of travel.
US09421791B2

To provide a printing apparatus for enabling cards high in wear resistance and security properties to be prepared, the printing apparatus is provided with an image formation section and a transfer section, the image formation forms a UV image in an ink reception layer 46d of a first region R1 of a transfer film 46, and forms a YMC image in the ink reception layer 46d of a second region R2 of the transfer film 46, and the transfer section transfers the ink reception layer 46d of the first region R1 with the UV image formed and a protective layer 46c of the first region R1 of the transfer film 46 integrally in this order to a card Ca, and transfers the ink reception layer 46d of the second region R2 with the YMC image formed and the protective layer 46c of the second region R2 integrally in this order thereonto.
US09421786B2

A damper device that supplies ink supplied from a tank to a recording head while suppressing pressure fluctuation, and has a head-side chamber communicating with the recording head; a tank-side chamber communicating with the tank; a communicating passage communicating the head-side chamber and the tank-side chamber; a valve for opening or closing the communicating passage; a spring that biases the valve in a direction along which the valve closes the communicating passage; a pressure receiving plate that receives air pressure, and changes volume of the head-side chamber according to a change in a position of itself; a rod member arranged between the valve and the pressure receiving plate, and configured to transmit force received from one of the valve and the pressure receiving plate to the other thereof; and a bellows unit that supports the pressure receiving plate so that the position of the pressure receiving plate is changeable.
US09421780B2

An inkjet printer includes: an inkjet head including a nozzle configured to eject ink; a positive pressure tank configured to store the ink to be supplied to the inkjet head; a negative pressure tank configured to receive the ink not consumed by the inkjet head; an ink deliverer configured to deliver the ink from the negative pressure tank to the positive pressure tank; a pressure regulator configured to regulate pressures of the positive pressure tank and the negative pressure tank; and a controller configured to control the ink deliverer and the pressure regulator such that an ink delivery operation by the ink deliverer and a pressure regulation operation by the pressure regulator are performed separately in time.
US09421775B2

There is provided an inkjet printing apparatus capable of performing a printing operation to eject ink from an ejection port provided for a print head to a print medium while covering the ejection port with a capping portion in a standby state in which the printing operation is not performed, the apparatus including: a humidifying unit configured to perform a humidification operation to humidify a space formed between the capping portion and the print head in the standby state; and a control unit configured to cause the humidifying unit to perform the humidification operation on the space in the standby state, wherein the control unit suspends the humidification operation at a predetermined timing after performing the humidification operation multiple times.
US09421772B2

A method for forming a plurality of electrostatic actuator membranes for an electrostatically actuated ink jet printhead. The method can include forming a blanket actuator membrane layer on an etch stop layer, where the etch stop layer is interposed between the blanket membrane layer and a handle layer such as a semiconductor wafer. The blanket actuator membrane layer is patterned to form a plurality of actuator membranes. The plurality of actuator membranes is attached to a printhead drive assembly that includes circuitry for actuating the plurality of actuator membranes. Subsequently, the handle layer and etch stop layer are removed, thereby leaving the plurality of actuator membranes attached to the printhead drive assembly.
US09421771B2

A liquid ejection head includes a recording element substrate that ejects liquid, and an element-substrate support member to which the recording element substrate is bonded with an adhesive. A groove to be filled with the adhesive is provided in a bonding region of the element-substrate support member, at which the element-substrate support member and the recording element substrate are bonded together, along a part or an entirety of the outer circumference of the recording element substrate.
US09421769B2

A liquid ejecting head includes a liquid ejecting head main body that has a nozzle group that is formed by arranging a plurality of nozzles, which eject a liquid, in parallel, and that ejects a liquid from each nozzle, and a fixation member to which the liquid ejecting head main body is fixed. The fixation member has a fixation part to which the liquid ejecting head main body is fixed and a reference surface that is formed on a side opposite fixation part, and which includes a reference part serving as reference for a positioning the liquid ejecting head main body with respect to an installation target, and a position adjusting part adjusting the relative position between the reference surface and the nozzle group is provided between the liquid ejecting head main body and the fixation part.
US09421768B2

In accordance with one embodiment, an inkjet head comprises a plurality of groove-shaped pressure chambers formed on piezoelectric members of which the polarization directions are opposite, and a nozzle plate arranged at the lateral side of the pressure chambers across a lid section with high rigidity. A plurality of through holes connected to a plurality of nozzles formed on the nozzle plate is formed in the lid section. The inkjet head is set in a range of 10-25% before and after a center, that is, a length ratio where the relation between ejection voltage of ink ejected from the nozzles and a length ratio between the length of the through hole of the lid section in the longitudinal direction of the pressure chamber and the length of the pressure chamber in the longitudinal direction of the pressure chamber is minimized.
US09421764B2

A controller is for driving a nozzle of a fluid-jet printing device. The controller can select a waveform from a number of waveforms based at least on values for the nozzle. The controller can scale the waveform based on the values for the nozzle. The waveform drives the nozzle to cause the nozzle to eject fluid therefrom.
US09421762B1

Provided is a liquid ejecting apparatus including an ejecting unit that ejects liquid based on a drive signal; a comparison unit that includes a first comparator and a second comparator, receives an input signal and the drive signal, and outputs a first control signal based on a signal that is obtained by offsetting one of the input signal and the drive signal by a first voltage and a second control signal based on a signal that is obtained by offsetting one of the input signal and the drive signal by a second voltage; and a pair of transistors that is configured by a first transistor which is controlled based on the first control signal and a second transistor which is controlled based on the second control signal, and outputs the drive signal, in which the first voltage and the second voltage are variable.
US09421758B2

An aqueous sacrificial coating composition for an image transfer member in an aqueous ink imaging system is provided. The sacrificial coating composition may include at least one polymer, at least one selected from (i) at least one chain extender, or (ii) a reactive elastomeric latex, wherein the at least one chain extender comprises a species capable of linking linear chains or chain segments of the reactive elastomeric latex, at least one hygroscopic plasticizer, and at least one surfactant.
US09421756B1

A method for adjusting an extent of contact between a fountain roller mounted within a pivotable ink pan and an anilox roller in a flexographic printing system, the pivotable ink pan being adapted to pivot around a pivot axis disposed proximate to a first end of the pivotable ink pan. The pivotable ink pan is positioned to provide a predetermined gap between the anilox roller and the fountain roller by inserting a shim between the fountain roller and the anilox roller. The position of the pivotable ink pan is adjusted by adjusting a height of a distal portion of the pivotable ink pan by a predetermined amount that is known to close the predetermined gap to a desired extent. The position of the pivotable ink pan is then locked such that the distal portion of the pivotable ink pan is maintained at the adjusted height.
US09421743B2

The present invention relates to film structure suitable for use in stand up pouches comprising all polyethylene material. The film structure can be a monolayer film or a multilayer film structure having specific requirements for each layer. The combination results in a film structure having adequate stiffness to function as a stand-up pouch while also providing acceptable water vapor transmission rates and good tear resistance. Such films have improved sustainability characteristics as they should permit down-gauging of the films and, can more easily be recycled, at least for the preferred embodiment comprising only polyethylene resins.
US09421740B2

A zirconium alloy for use in nuclear fuel assemblies is provided, which provides increased resistance against oxidation and corrosion and also improved bonding with parent material, because pure metallic material such as silicon (Si) or chromium (Cr) is evenly coated on the surface of the parent material by plasma spraying. Because the plasma spray coating used to coat the pure metallic material on the zirconium alloy does not require vacuum equipment and also is not limited due to the shape of the coated product, this is particularly useful when evenly treating the surface of the component such as 4 m-long tube or spacer grip arrangement which is very complicated in shape. Furthermore, because the coated zirconium alloy confers excellent resistance to oxidation and corrosion under emergency such as accident as well as normal service condition, both the economic and safety aspects of nuclear fuel are improved.
US09421736B2

A hybrid pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) composition includes (i) a solvent phase comprising a first acrylic PSA dissolved in an organic solvent, an alcohol, and optionally water; and (ii) an emulsion phase comprising a second, emulsified acrylic PSA. In another aspect, a metalized film laminate includes a metalized film layer, a hybrid PSA layer, and an ink-containing polymeric film layer. The two-phase hybrid PSA system effectively addresses both metal tear and ink pick problems associated with conventional metalized film laminates.
US09421731B2

A panel structure includes a plate-like flat panel and a reinforcement panel in which a criterion plate portion and a plurality of truncated conic protrusions protruding from the criterion plate portion are formed. Apex portions of the plurality of truncated conic protrusions in the reinforcement panel are joined to the flat panel by an adhesive.
US09421724B2

In the method for manufacturing an uncured blank of a vehicle tire, a strip (30) of rubber is extruded and is made to pass between two members (18, 10) one of which forms a roller (18) for extruding the strip, such that the faces (21, 23) of the strip, forming one and the same section of the strip in a plane perpendicular to a direction of travel of the strip and pressing simultaneously against the respective members, are driven at linear speeds that differ from one another, and that the members (18, 10) stretch the strip between them.
US09421715B2

A printer (106) for building a three-dimensional model by sequential deposition of a plurality of cross-sectional layers by using a thermal print head (1) movable relative to a material bed (102) over a deposited layer. A protective sheet (3) is disposed between the thermal head (1) and deposited layer. Temperature control of the material bed (102) to prevent warping of the model is provided by an independently heatable cover (52, 58) in contact with the surface of the material bed (102) e.g. via the protective sheet (3).
US09421709B2

A method for forming a plastic container in which a heated end product is introduced into a heated preform to expand the preform into at least partial conform with the cavity surfaces of a mold, thereby forming a resultant container, of a first size, with a heated end product. The resultant container is then capped and shrunk to a second size, which is less than the first size. The shrinkage of the reluctant container is greater than the shrinkage of the end product thereby creating a positive pressure within the capped container.
US09421706B2

The invention relates to a method for producing an optical lens element (2), particularly for illumination purposes, particularly for producing a headlight lens (2) for a vehicle headlight, particularly for a motor vehicle headlight (1), wherein a blank (136) made of a transparent plastic is shaped in an injection molding tool (131, 132) by means of an injection molding method, and the blank (136) is subsequently pressed into the lens element (2) by means of a final shape mold (140, 141, 142), particularly in a polished manner.
US09421703B2

Polymer-based materials and processes suitable for producing panels, for example, panels for use in a fan shroud abradable seal of a turbofan engine. Such a process includes introducing constituents of an expandable foam material into a continuous forming apparatus that continuously compounds the constituents into a partially-cured compounded polymeric material, which is then continuously formed with the continuous forming apparatus to produce a continuous form having a constant cross-sectional shape transverse to a continuous forming direction of the continuous forming apparatus. A portion of the continuous form is then deformed to produce a preform, and the preform is cured within a restricted volume to cause the preform to expand and produce the panel.
US09421695B2

The invention comprises a method of forming a slab on grade. The method comprises placing a first layer of insulating material horizontally on the ground and placing plastic concrete for a slab on grade on the first layer of insulating material. The plastic concrete is then formed into a desired shape having a top and sides. A second layer of insulating material is placed on the top of the plastic concrete and the first and second layers of insulating material are left in place until the concrete is at least partially cured. The second layer of insulating material is then removed. The product made by the method is also disclosed. A slab on grade is also disclosed.
US09421694B2

A hole-saw assembly including a hole-saw having at one end a plurality of cutting teeth and at the other end a base having two holes therethrough. two shafts. The assembly includes a mandrel coaxially aligned with said hole-saw and including a body having two bores therethrough, and an annulus located on top of the body which is coaxially aligned with said mandrel and hole saw. The annulus includes two shafts co-axial with the mandrel bores, and is rotatable around its longitudinal axis from a first to a second position. In the first position the annulus shafts are aligned with the base holes allowing the shafts to be freely insertable and removable and in the second position the shafts are misaligned to lock the shafts to the base. In one embodiment the mandrel bores are shaped to accommodate rotation of the shafts, and in a further embodiment, the shafts are configures to rotate within circular mandrel bores. Such an arrangement allows the hole-saw and the mandrel to be easily and quickly mountable and demountable.
US09421687B2

A robot control apparatus controls a robot arm driven by transmitting drive forces to joints from respective electric motors so that the robot arm follows a specified trajectory, based on an instruction value instructed against the electric motors. A movable range of the robot arm is divided into multiple spaces, and constraint conditions including a constraint value of a jerk for each joint, which is determined so that a load torque applied to a transmitting component of the drive force falls within an allowable range in the multiple spaces, is calculated in advance. The constraint conditions are stored in a storage unit. A calculating unit generates the instruction values for the electric motors based on the trajectory by solving an optimization problem that uses the constraint conditions stored in the storage unit as an inequality constraint.
US09421686B2

A master device is provided to a master slave apparatus in which a hand mechanism opens/closes to grip a target object and a slave mechanism performs a task on a target article. The master device includes a hand manipulation mechanism for manipulating the hand mechanism. A person remotely manipulates the slave mechanism by a master mechanism and the hand manipulation mechanism manipulates to cause the hand mechanism to perform the task. In the hand manipulation mechanism, a hand manipulation portion having a pair of open/close manipulation portions manipulated by the person moves forward/backward on a slider, the pair of open/close manipulation portions is opened/closed to change the angle therebetween so that the hand mechanism is opened/closed. A master hand control device transmits, to the slave mechanism, motion information used for manipulating the hand mechanism based on a position of the hand manipulation portion relative to the slider or the angle.
US09421679B2

In a hand-held power tool having a housing and a tool holder, which is disposed on a drive shaft that is rotationally mounted in at least one first and one second ball bearing, the first ball bearing having a first inner ring and the second ball bearing having a second inner ring, a spring element is disposed between the first inner ring and the second inner ring in order to prestress the first ball bearing with respect to the second ball bearing.
US09421676B2

An extraction tool for a tangless spiral coil insert that is simple in structure and is also easy in manufacture and assemble as compared with a conventional tool, accordingly that allows reduction in manufacturing cost and besides that is excellent in operability is provided. An extraction tool 1 for a tangless spiral coil insert of the present invention has, for extracting the tangless spiral coil insert which has been attached to a work from the work, a mandrel 41 a leading end section of which is constituted as a screw shaft 45, and a pivotal claw 80 provided with an actuation section 82 which is a slender member and is provided at one end thereof with a claw section 81 engaging with a notch of an end coil section of the tangless spiral coil insert positioned on a surface side of the work and a support section 83 formed integrally with the actuation section 82.
US09421674B2

A ratchet driving tool includes a handle having a lateral aperture, a housing pivotally attached to the handle and having a hole aligned with the aperture of the handle, and two depressions formed in the housing and communicating with the hole of the housing, a ratchet driving mechanism is attached to the housing, a latch is slidably engaged in the through hole of the housing and the aperture of the handle, the latch includes a key slidably engageable with either of the depressions of the housing for anchoring the housing to the handle at a selected angular position and for allowing the ratchet driving tool to be easily actuated or operated by the user.
US09421671B2

Implementations of the present invention include infiltrated diamond tools with increased wear resistance. In particular, one or more implementations of the present invention include a body comprising at least 10% by volume diamond particles that are infiltrated with a binder. Implementations of the present invention also include drilling systems including such infiltrated diamond tool, and methods of forming and using such infiltrated diamond tools.
US09421666B2

A method of fabricating a polishing layer of a polishing pad includes determining a desired distribution of particles to be embedded within a polymer matrix of the polishing layer. A plurality of layers of the polymer matrix is successively deposited with a 3D printer, each layer of the plurality of layers of polymer matrix being deposited by ejecting a polymer matrix precursor from a nozzle. A plurality of layers of the particles is successively deposited according to the desired distribution with the 3D printer. The polymer matrix precursor is solidified into a polymer matrix having the particles embedded in the desired distribution.
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