US10474043B2
A method of measuring a property of a substrate, the substrate having a plurality of targets formed thereon, the method comprising: measuring N targets of the plurality of targets using an optical measurement system, where N is an integer greater than 2 and each of said N targets is measured Wt times, where Wt is an integer greater than 2 so as to obtain N*Wt measurement values; and determining R property values using Q equations and the N*Wt measurement values, where R
US10474040B2
An overlay metrology system may measure a first-layer pattern placement distance between a pattern of device features and a pattern of reference features on a first layer of an overlay target on a sample. The system may further measure, subsequent to fabricating a second layer including at least the pattern of device features and the pattern of reference features, a second-layer pattern placement distance between the pattern of device features and the pattern of reference features on the second layer. The system may further measure a reference overlay based on relative positions of the pattern of reference features on the first layer and the second layer. The system may further determine a device-relevant overlay for the pattern of device-scale features by adjusting the reference overlay with a difference between the first-layer pattern placement distance and the second-layer pattern placement distance.
US10474033B2
Embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for performing immersion field guided post exposure bake processes. Embodiments of apparatus described herein include a chamber body defining a processing volume. A pedestal may be disposed within the processing volume and a first electrode may be coupled to the pedestal. A moveable stem may extend through the chamber body opposite the pedestal and a second electrode may be coupled to the moveable stem. In certain embodiments, a fluid containment ring may be coupled to the pedestal and a dielectric containment ring may be coupled to the second electrode.
US10474032B2
In one aspect, coating compositions are provided that comprise a component a component that comprises one or more silicon, antimony, aluminum, yttrium, cerium, lanthanum, tin, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, indium or zinc compounds. In another aspect, coating compositions are provided that comprise a plurality of discrete particles. Preferred coating compositions of the invention are useful for antireflective purposes, particularly with an underlaying photoresist coating layer, as well as for a barrier layer in immersion lithography.
US10474031B2
A photosensitive resin composition contains (a) a polyimide which has, at a terminal of the main chain, at least one group selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group, a phenolic hydroxyl group, a sulfonic acid group and a thiol group, (b) a monomer, (c) a thermally crosslinkable compound, (d) a photopolymerization initiator and (e) a polymerization inhibitor, wherein the polymerization inhibitor (e) is a compound obtained by adding at least one hydroxyl group, alkoxy group, aryloxy group or aralkyloxy group to a naphthalene skeleton or an anthracene skeleton of a compound having a naphthalene skeleton or an anthracene skeleton.
US10474022B2
An illuminator includes a light source apparatus that outputs first light containing a first polarized light component, an afocal system that includes a first lens and a second lens so arranged that optical axis directions thereof coincide with each other and reduces the light flux diameter of the first light, a polarization adjusting element that converts the first light, while transmitting the first light, into second light containing the first polarized light component and a second polarized light component the polarization direction of which is perpendicular to the polarization direction of the first polarized light component, and a polarization separation element that separates the second light into light formed of the first polarized light component and light formed of the second polarized light component. The polarization adjusting element is located between the first lens and the second lens.
US10474015B1
A structure of projection light string is disclosed, comprising a power plug body, a light string power line, an electronic device and multiple projection devices installed in suspension over the light string power line, wherein the electronic circuit device is electrically connected to the power plug body and the light string power line, and further electrically connected to the projection devices by way of the power circuit within the light string power line; in addition, the inside of the projection device includes a projector capable of projecting images toward outside and a controller electrically connected to the projector, so that, after the electronic circuit device having transferred at least a projection time parameter and at least a projection mode parameter to the controller of each projection device, the controller can control the projection operations of the projector in accordance with the received projection time parameter and projection mode parameter.
US10473999B2
In an optical modulator including an FPC for performing electrical connection with an external circuit substrate, to maintain high light transmission quality by appropriately driving the optical modulator even when the reflection of a radio frequency signal occurs in a connection portion between the FPC and the main body of the optical modulator. Provided is an optical modulator including a flexible printed circuit for performing electrical connection with a circuit substrate, in which the flexible printed circuit includes at least one wire pattern for propagating a radio frequency signal, and the wire pattern includes at least one radio frequency attenuation portion for attenuating power of the radio frequency signal by a predetermined amount.
US10473994B2
A pixel unit includes a gate line, a first data line, a second data line, a first active device, and a pixel electrode. The first active device is electrically connected to the gate line and the first or second data line. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the first active device. The pixel electrode includes a first sub-pixel electrode, a second sub-pixel electrode, and a first connecting electrode. Each of the first sub-pixel electrode and the second sub-pixel electrode includes a trunk electrode, a traverse trunk electrode, and branch electrodes. The first connecting electrode connects the first sub-pixel electrode to the second sub-pixel electrode.
US10473985B2
A display apparatus includes a first substrate, a color filter, a gap maintaining pattern, a column spacer, and a blocking dam. The first substrate includes a display area and a peripheral area surrounding the display area. The color filter is disposed in the display area. The gap maintaining pattern is disposed in the peripheral area in a same layer as the color filter. The column spacer is disposed on the color filter. The blocking dam is disposed in a same layer as the column spacer and overlaps the gap maintaining pattern. The difference between the gap of the first and second substrates in the display area and the gap of the first and second substrates in the peripheral area may be decreased.
US10473978B2
A light guide assembly for a backlight module is disclosed, comprising a metal element and a light guide element which are integrated together. At least a portion of at least a side surface of the light guide element is used to receive light emitted from a light source to generate backlight, and the metal element surrounds a side surface of the light guide element that is not used to receive light from the light source. In this way, the backlight module can omit the structures such as rubber frame, backplate, and the like, while the overall mechanical strength of the backlight module can be ensured, the thickness of the backlight module can be decreased to meet the requirement on thinning of the display device, and the production and maintenance costs can be reduced.
US10473975B2
An adhesive tape, a backlight unit and a display device are provided. The adhesive tape (1) includes a plurality of nonlinear gaps (100) that separate the adhesive tape (1) into a plurality of adhesive tape bodies (11, 12, 2, 3, 2′, 3′, 31′, 33′). The backlight unit includes the adhesive tape for blocking light.
US10473974B2
Disclosed are a backlight module and a display device having the same. The backlight module includes an optical assembly including a light guide plate, a plastic frame and an optical film disposed on a light-emitting side of the light guide plate. The plastic frame includes a side wall and a bearing portion formed on the top of the side wall of plastic frame and located on the light-emitting side of the light guide plate, the side wall of plastic frame is arranged to surround the light guide plate, the bearing portion extends from the top of the side wall of plastic frame to the light guide plate, and a side surface of the bearing portion faces a side surface of the optical film. The backlight module according to the disclosure can reduce the optical retardation of the display device, thereby reducing the dark-state light leakage of the display device.
US10473970B2
In a liquid crystal display, a liquid crystal cell and a polarizing plate respectively have a planar, non-rectangular shape. The polarizing plate has an axis that is either an absorption axis or a slow axis. The planar shape of the polarizing plate includes first and second sides respectively extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis and a direction tilted from the axis. The polarizing plate includes first and second peripheral portions respectively lying along the first and second sides, and includes a corner portion lying at a portion where the first and second peripheral portions overlap each other. The polarizing plate is applied by a bonding agent onto a main surface of the liquid crystal cell so that the corner portion is not coupled to the main surface. A contour portion extending in a direction tilted from the axis may not be coupled to the main surface.
US10473960B2
The present invention relates to a display apparatus that does not include a middle mold and a rear chassis, and is capable of supporting an internal configuration of a display apparatus such as a display panel and a light guide plate with only a front chassis and a rear cover. It is possible to effectively dissipate heat by including a separate heat sink. In addition, heat generated from the electrical component substrate can be dissipated through the plate coupled to the electrical component substrate, the electromagnetic wave can be shielded, and the heat sink and the plate can be connected to improve the heat dissipation and electromagnetic wave shielding efficiency.
US10473954B2
Methods and apparatus to enhance levels of oxygen in tear fluid under a worn advanced contact lens are described. The advanced contact lens may include an insert which is impermeable to fluid flow across its body. The method of enhancement may include creating pores through the insert, creating channels in portions of the contact lens body, including layers of absorptive material, including devices to generate or release oxygen or means of moving tear fluid under the contact lens.
US10473948B2
An optical hybrid lens comprises a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. A sub-wavelength grating lens is disposed on the first surface and comprises a plurality of posts. The plurality of posts is arranged on the first surface and the posts extend from the first surface. A refractive lens is arranged on the sub-wavelength grating lens at least partly enclosing the plurality of posts. Alternatively, the refractive lens is arranged on the second surface.
US10473943B1
Beamformers are formed (e.g., carved) from a stack of transparent sheets. A rear face of each sheet has a reflective coating. The reflectivities of the coatings vary monotonically with sheet position within the stack. The sheets are tilted relative to the intended direction of an input beam and then bonded to form the stack. The carving can include dicing the stack to yield stacklets, and polishing the stacklets to form beamformers. Each beamformer is thus a stack of beamsplitters, including a front beamsplitter in the form of a triangular or trapezoidal prism, and one or more beamsplitters in the form of rhomboid prisms. In use, a beamformer forms an output beam from an input beam. More specifically, the beamformer splits an input beam into plural output beam components that collectively constitute an output beam that differs in cross section from the input beam.
US10473929B2
A head-up display includes a display device and a projection optical system. The projection optical system has a lens group including at least one lens element and projects onto a reflecting member an image displayed on the display device. The lens group includes a drive lens that shifts along an optical path to change its distance from the display device.
US10473917B2
A mirror with a reflective layer formed thereon is supported within a frame-shaped support by two U-shaped arms. A plate-like arm connects fixation points (Q1, Q2), and a plate-like arm connects fixation points (Q3, Q4). A pair of piezoelectric elements (E11, E12) disposed along a longitudinal axis (L1) on an upper surface of an outside bridge of the arm, and a single piezoelectric element (E20) disposed along the longitudinal axis (L2) on the upper surface of an inside bridge. Similarly, a pair of piezoelectric elements (E31, E32) disposed on an upper surface of an outside bridge of the arm, and a single piezoelectric element (E40) disposed on the upper surface of an inside bridge. When a positive drive signal is applied to the piezoelectric elements (E11, E20, E31, E40) and a negative drive signal is applied to the piezoelectric elements (E12, E32), the mirror is displaced efficiently.
US10473914B2
A method for manufacturing a freestanding film having at least one population of through holes cumulatively totaling at least 1% of the film area, wherein the standard deviation of hole diameters is less than 25% and a thickness less than 25 micrometers, The film provides a carrier substrate, a photo-curable material, a release agent and deposits a photo-curable material on the substrate, selectively curing the material and leaving uncured material in the pattern of holes, dissolving away the uncured material and removing the cured material from the carrier substrate. Methods and apparatus are described.
US10473913B2
An etalon includes a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a fixed mirror provided on a surface of the first substrate that faces the second substrate, a movable mirror provided on the second substrate and facing the fixed mirror via an inter-mirror gap, and a first electrode provided on the surface of the first substrate that faces the second substrate. A first multilayer stopper portion is provided by a portion of the first electrode being stacked with at least a portion of an outer circumferential edge of the fixed mirror.
US10473912B2
An optical module includes: a wavelength variable interference filter that includes two reflection films facing each other via an inter-reflection-film gap and an electrostatic actuator changing a gap amount of the inter-reflection-film gap; and a voltage controller that is driven in accordance with a plurality of supply voltages from a power supplier and applies a driving voltage to the electrostatic actuator. The voltage controller reduces the driving voltage when one of the plurality of supply voltages is less than a predetermined threshold.
US10473910B2
In an observation device including a display device, paired ocular optical systems each include a resin lens having a shape defined by an arch and a chord, and provided with a molding gate in an outer peripheral portion of the arc shape, and is appropriately set in: a difference RC between the radius of the resin lens and the length of a line connecting the midpoint of the chord and the point on the optical axis; the diameter D of the resin lens; an angle θ between a direction connecting a midpoint of a long side of the display surface and the point on the optical axis and a direction connecting the molding gate and the point on the optical axis; and an acute angle α between directions connecting the point on the optical axis and the respective molding gates of the resin lenses in the paired ocular optical systems.
US10473909B2
A microscope system includes: an microscope provided with electronic units; a display configured to display operation information; a touch panel configured to detect a position of contact of an object from outside; a setting unit configured to set areas corresponding respectively to multiple operation functions in a detection area of the touch panel; a pressure detector configured to detect a value of a pressure applied in the position of contact; and a drive controller configured to generate, based on the position of contact that is detected by the touch panel, the number of positions of contact, a change of the position of contact over time, and the value of the pressure detected by the pressure detector, an instruction signal of an instruction to change an observation status in which the specimen is observed with the electronic unit corresponding to operation function that is set by the setting unit.
US10473902B2
A projection system that can be incorporated in a projector includes a first lens unit that makes a screen (enlargement-side image formation plane), which is located on the enlargement-side, conjugate with an intermediate image and a second lens unit that makes the intermediate image conjugate with a reduction-side image formation plane, which is located on the reduction side. The first lens unit has positive power, and the second lens unit has negative power. A second-lens-unit intermediate-image-side first lens, which is provided in the second lens unit and closest to the intermediate image, has positive power. The following expression is satisfied: −0.3≤fU1/fU2<0 where fU1 denotes the focal length of the first lens unit, and fU2 denotes the focal length of the second lens unit.
US10473895B2
There are provided a subminiature optical system having a miniature size and capable of obtaining a narrow view angle using only five sheets of lenses, and a portable device having the same. The subminiature optical system includes a first lens convex toward the object side and having positive refractive power, a second lens concave toward an image side and having negative refractive power, a third lens convex toward the object side and having positive refractive power, a fourth lens concave toward the image plane and having negative refractive power, and a fifth lens convex toward the image plane and having negative or positive refractive power, sequentially from an object side.
US10473893B2
The present disclosure discloses a camera optical lens. The camera optical lens including, in an order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens having a negative refractive power, a third lens having a positive refractive power, a fourth lens, a fifth lens and a sixth lens. The first lens is made of plastic material, the second lens is made of plastic material, the third lens is made of glass material, the fourth lens is made of glass material, the fifth lens is made of plastic material, and the sixth lens is made of plastic material. The camera optical lens further satisfies specific conditions.
US10473891B2
An imaging lens includes a first lens group; a second lens group; and a third lens group, arranged in this order from an object side. The first lens group includes a first lens having positive refractive power, a second lens, and a third lens with a space in between. The second lens group includes a fourth lens having negative refractive power and a fifth lens with a space in between. The third lens group includes a sixth lens having negative refractive power and a seventh lens with a space in between. A surface of the second lens on the object side has a positive curvature radius. A surface of each of the third lens and the sixth lens on the image plane side has a positive curvature radius. A surface of the fourth lens on the object side has a negative curvature radius. The first lens has a specific Abbe's number.
US10473889B2
An experimental system for laser beam measurement and steering control, and relates to the technical field of optical, mechanical and electronic integration experimental systems. It includes: a high-precision optical mirror, a piezoelectric micro-actuator, a vibration exciter, a signal collection subsystem, a laser emitter, a beam splitter mirror, a fast steering mirror, a mechanical vibration isolation air bearing table, an optical vibration isolation air bearing table, a data processing and analyzing subsystem, and data transmission lines and power supply lines between subsystems and components. It uses a deflection angle of the laser beam as a control variation, can not only precisely measure the deflection angle of the laser beam, but also inhibit vibration of the high-precision optical mirror by using the piezoelectric micro-actuator and directly adjust the steering of the emitted laser beam by using the fast steering mirror, thereby improving precision of beam steering control.
US10473888B2
The present invention relates to a cycloolefin resin composition, a molded article of the cycloolefin resin composition, and an optical element, and in particular, to a resin composition containing inorganic particles in a resin, a molded article of the resin composition, and an optical element formed of the molded article.
US10473884B2
A drive circuit, which is mounted on an electronic apparatus having a voice coil motor and drives the voice coil motor, includes: an interface circuit configured to receive a first signal indicating a target position of the voice coil motor and a second signal related to a posture of the electronic apparatus; a control circuit configured to generate a current command value of a drive current in response to the first signal and the second signal; and a current driver configured to generate the drive current in response to the current command value and supply the drive current to the voice coil motor.
US10473879B2
A lens module includes a lens and a lens barrel accommodating the lens. A distance between an internal surface of the lens barrel and an optical axis varies in a circumferential direction of the lens barrel.
US10473877B2
A telecommunications assembly includes a chassis and a plurality of modules removably mounted within the chassis. The modules include one or more fiber optic signal input locations. The modules include optical equipment for splitting the input signals into customer output signals.
US10473876B2
A telecommunications assembly includes a chassis and a plurality of fiber optic splitter modules mounted within the chassis. Each splitter module includes at least one fiber optic connector. Within an interior of the chassis are positioned at least one fiber optic adapter. Inserting the splitter module through a front opening of the chassis at a mounting location positions the connector of the splitter module for insertion into and mating with the adapter of the chassis. The adapters mounted within the interior of the chassis are integrally formed as part of a removable adapter assembly. A method of mounting a fiber optic splitter module within a telecommunications chassis is also disclosed.
US10473874B2
An adapter panel arrangement including a chassis and a panel of adapters. The adapters defining rearward cable connections and forward cable connections of the panel arrangement. Openings permitting access to the rearward and forward cable connections of the adapters are provided. The chassis further including a removable rear chassis portion to provide access to cable routing areas within the chassis interior.
US10473872B2
A large and small diameter optical fiber carrying cable is provided. The cable includes a cable body including an inner surface defining a channel within the cable body, a first group of optical fibers comprising a plurality of first optical fibers located within the channel and a second group of optical fibers comprising a plurality of second optical fibers located within the channel. The optical core diameter of the first optical fibers is larger than the optical core diameter of the second optical fibers.
US10473869B2
To increase the reliability of an LD module without decreasing the efficiency of coupling between the laser diode and the optical fiber, an LD module (1) includes a light-guiding device mounted therein that includes (i) a dividing optical system (DM) configured to divide a laser beam so as to generate a partial beam group and (ii) a compositing optical system (RM1, RM2, PRE, PBC) configured to composite the partial beam group so as to generate a partial beam bundle including a plurality of partial beams each having an S axis parallel to a particular spatial axis.
US10473860B1
Disclosed is a compact device for wavelength-division multiplexing applications. In particular, disclosed is a device that includes a housing and a core at least partially positioned within the housing. The core includes a first single fiber stub, a second single fiber stub, and at least one functional layer positioned between a first fiber of the first single fiber stub and a second fiber of the second single fiber stub. The at least one functional layer is configured to: (i) permit routing of a transmission signal of a multiplexed signal along an optical path from the first fiber stub to the second fiber stub, and (ii) prevent routing of a non-transmission signal of the multiplexed signal along the optical path from the first fiber stub to the second fiber stub. A distance between a first ferrule of the first fiber stub and a second ferrule of the second fiber stub is less than about 0.05 mm.
US10473853B2
Various embodiments of a fully integrated avalanche photodiode receiver and manufacturing method thereof are described herein. A photonic device includes a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate with a buried oxide (BOX) layer therein, an avalanche photodiode integrated with the SOI substrate, a capacitor integrated with the SOI substrate, a resistor integrated with the SOI substrate, and silicon passive waveguides as well as bonding pads integrated with the SOI substrate.
US10473852B2
A light guide apparatus that can redirect light impinging on the apparatus over a wide range of incident angles and can concentrate light without using a tracking system and methods for fabrication.
US10473848B2
Provided is a display apparatus including a display panel including a display area, a first non-display area surrounding the display area, and a second non-display area surrounding the first non-display area. The display panel includes an upper substrate overlapping the display area, the first non-display area, and the second non-display area. The display panel includes a lower substrate positioned below the upper substrate and overlapping the display area and the first non-display area. The display panel includes a light shielding member positioned below the upper substrate and overlapping the second non-display area. An inner surface of the light shielding member faces a side surface of the lower substrate.
US10473844B2
A backlight unit, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, and an electronic device including the same are provided. The backlight unit includes a light guide member having a light receiving edge provided on an outer wall, and a hole spaced apart from light receiving edge; a light source configured to provide light to the light receiving edge; and a reflective member on an inner wall of the hole of the light guide member.
US10473842B2
A lighting system uses optics to redirect stray light from unlensed LEDs toward a desired region while avoiding hot spots. The optics involve essentially planar surfaces with both reflective and light transmissive characteristics. The lighting system may be used in display cases.
US10473839B2
A sub-wavelength thin-film metal grating is placed inside a liquid crystal variable optical retarder at a selected distance from a reflective electrode to form a reflective half wave plate, thereby reducing polarization dependence of the optical retardation generated by the variable optical retarder. The approach enables to form within the device the reflective half wave plate that is suitably thin without modifying the reflective electrode of the device.
US10473838B2
A color filter substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device are disclosed. The color filter substrate includes: a base substrate, a plurality of color filter units of different colors arranged on a side of the base substrate, and a light anti-reflection layer arranged on the base substrate and on a light emergent side of the color filter units. The light anti-reflection layer is capable of increasing a light transmission rate of at least one color filter unit. The effect of improving the light transmission rate can be realized.
US10473837B2
An optical interference coating with reduced back reflectance for 3D glasses based on colour separation has a substantial transmittance at one or more passbands over the visible spectral range in order to view the desired left (right) eye image and a substantial reflectance and absorption at one or more different blocking bands over the visible spectral range in order to block the undesired right (left) eye image while simultaneously reducing the back reflectance of visible light towards the viewer's eye. The thicknesses and materials are chosen such that the left eye reduced back reflectance 3D coated lens transmits the desired left eye image and blocks the right eye image while the right eye reduced back reflectance 3D coated lens transmits the desired right eye image and blocks the left eye image so that a 3D image can be viewed whilst substantially reducing distracting back reflections from the coated lenses.
US10473836B2
An optical filter including a base member having a layer containing near-infrared absorbing fine particles and a dielectric multilayer film, the optical filter satisfying a requirement that, in a wavelength range of 400 nm to 650 nm, an average of transmittance of any of light incident from a direction perpendicular to the optical filter, light obliquely incident at an angle of 30 degrees, and light obliquely incident at an angle of 60 degrees is 45% or higher and lower than 85%; and a requirement that, in a wavelength range of 800 nm to 1,200 nm, an average of optical density (OD value) of any of light incident from the direction perpendicular to the optical filter, light obliquely incident at an angle of 30 degrees with respect to the perpendicular direction, and light obliquely incident at an angle of 60 degrees with respect to the perpendicular direction is 1.7 or higher.
US10473831B2
A display includes light-scattering regions. Each of the light-scattering regions is provided with linear protrusions and/or recesses having the same longitudinal direction. The light-scattering regions are different from each other in the longitudinal direction.
US10473830B2
The present invention provides a display device including a display panel and a haze layer. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels and a color determining surface. The orthogonal projection of each of the plurality of pixels onto the color determining surface forms a plurality of adjacent pixel ranges. The haze layer is disposed on a side of the color determining surface and has a haze surface facing away from the color determining surface. The haze layer has a scattering coefficient ranging from −1.4 to 0. The haze surface includes a first location corresponding to the center of the first pixel range, and a second location corresponding to a location away from the first edge towards the second pixel range wherein the distance therebetween ranges from 87 μm to 174 μm.
US10473825B2
The present invention relates to a resin composition for a polarizer protective film, a polarizer protective film, a polarizing plate including the same, and a preparation method of a polarizing plate, and, more specifically, to a resin composition for a polarizer protective film and a polarizer protective film exhibiting high hardness and excellent properties, a polarizing plate including the same, and a preparation method of a polarizing plate. According to the polarizing plate of the present invention, it can be usefully utilized in various fields because of its excellent hardness, flexibility, and optical properties.
US10473823B2
Provided are an antireflection film having a high antireflection effect and a production process therefor, an optical member excellent in antireflection effect, a water-repellent film having excellent water repellency, a substrate for mass spectrometry having high detection sensitivity, a high-accuracy phase plate, and a fine structure that can be used in the foregoing and a production process therefor. The fine structure is a structure, including multiple conical portions on a surface thereof, in which the conical portions have a mesostructure; and the mesostructure includes a structure having mesopores.
US10473820B2
There is provided a compound containing a mesogenic group, which includes a silicon compound at a low concentration, a polymerizable compound containing the mesogenic group, a mixture and a composition using these compounds, a polymerizable mixture having the polymerizable compound, and a polymer, an optically anisotropic body, and a phase difference film using the polymerizable composition. It is possible to obtain the optically anisotropic body and the phase difference film having satisfactory scratch resistance and adhesion, by using the polymerizable composition composed of the compound containing a mesogenic group, which includes a silicon compound at a low concentration.
US10473811B1
Multi-modal scanner with metal detector for defining an X-ray scan region of a human body with a metal object includes an X-ray source; adjustable collimator outputting a fan-shaped X-ray beam from the X-ray source; an X-ray detector detecting the X-ray beam after passing through a human body; a metal detector adapted to identify an area with the metallic object; and a processor controlling the X-ray source, the adjustable collimator and the metal detector, and changing an aperture of the collimator to limit the fan-shaped X-ray beam to the identified area of the human body. Visual indicators (LEDs) are on a frame of the scanner for indicating the area of the human body with the metallic object. The collimator includes two lead plates that are moved vertically automatically upon detection of the metallic object to direct the fan-shaped X-ray beam to only the area of the human body with the metal.
US10473803B2
Embodiments relate to marine seismic vibrators for use in seismic surveying and associated methods of use. An embodiment provides a marine seismic vibrator comprising: a shell having a spring constant selected to provide a first resonance frequency within an operational frequency range of about 1 Hz and about 300 Hz; a driver disposed within the shell and having a first end and a second end; and a spring element coupled to the shell between the first end and the second end of the driver, wherein the spring element has a second mode of oscillation that provides a second resonance frequency within the operational frequency range.
US10473769B2
According to an embodiment, a distance measuring apparatus includes an irradiator that emits an irradiation wave to a measuring target, a first detector that directly detects the irradiation wave, a second detector that detects a reflection wave, a simulation signal generator that generates a simulation signal, a first meter that measures a first time and an emission time of the irradiation wave, a second meter that measures a second time and an incidence time of the reflection wave, a first subtractor that subtracts the emission time from the incidence time to obtain a measurement time period, and that subtracts the first time from the second time to obtain an error time period and a second subtractor that subtracts the error time period from the measurement time period to obtain an offset measurement time period.
US10473768B2
Embodiments may include methods and systems for obtaining location information regarding an object. In one example, a laser pulse may be generated. The laser pulse may be divided into a plurality of laser pulse signals. Each of the laser pulse signals may be provided to a corresponding delay path, each delay path having a different length. An output of each delay path may be directed to the object. A plurality of reflected time-separated laser pulse signals from the object may be detected. The plurality of time-separated laser pulse signals may be combined to provide a recombined laser pulse signal. The recombined laser pulse signal may be resolved to generate object location information regarding the object.
US10473754B2
A radar device for a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a case; a first printed circuit board (PCB) that is accommodated in the case and has a plurality of antenna arrays and an integrated circuit (IC) chip that are formed thereon, wherein the IC chip is connected to the plurality of antenna arrays; and a radome that is coupled to the case and covers the first printed circuit board, wherein the radome includes: a cover facing the first printed circuit board; a first wall connected to the cover surface; and a second wall connected to the cover and facing the first wall, wherein the internal angle between the cover and the first wall and the internal angle between the cover and the second wall are formed to be greater than 90° and less than 180°.
US10473753B2
A fill level measurement device is provided, including a transmission branch configured to generate and emit a transmission signal towards a filling material surface; and a receiving branch configured to receive and evaluate a received signal, wherein the fill level measurement device is configured to selectively assume an interfering signal detection mode for detecting whether the received signal comprises an interfering signal, and a fill level measurement mode for measuring the fill level, and wherein the transmission signal has a lower intensity in the interfering signal detection mode than in the fill level measurement mode.
US10473748B2
A laser beam is transmitted from a laser system to a shelving system by pointing the laser beam towards at least one label attached to the shelving system, by a computer system, using angular information of the laser beam relative to a reference frame. An angle between the laser system on the ceiling of the store to the position of the shelving system is determined by the computer system using the position of the laser system and the position of the shelving system. The laser beam is then transmitted from the laser system to the shelving system and pointed using the determined angle between the laser system on the ceiling of the store to the position of the shelving system. The laser is aimed at the x, y location where a label should be displayed, for example, according to the planogram for the store layout. If the label is not detected at the specified location, the discrepancy may be noted, for example, with a visual or other notification.
US10473744B2
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes: a radio frequency (RF) controller configured to control a period of an RF pulse to be applied to an object for a time period that includes a first obtaining time, during which a first inversion RF pulse is applied, and a second obtaining time; and a signal transceiver configured to sequentially receive, during the first obtaining time, a first RF signal for generating a first fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) image regarding a first slice of the object and a second RF signal for generating at least one magnetic resonance (MR) image regarding a second slice of the object.
US10473743B2
In a magnetic resonance installation and a corresponding method, a scan sequence is determined based on a representation in k-space of a pulse response of a gradient system of the magnetic resonance installation.
US10473738B2
A system for controlling a wireless-type radio frequency (RF) coil apparatus (102, 202, 302, 500) for a magnetic resonance (MR) system including a processor for acquiring emitted radio frequency (RF) signals from a plurality of coils of an RF transducer array including an indication of a local clock signal indicating a time of (RF) signal acquisition; acquiring magnetic field strength information from a plurality of field probes of a magnetic field probe array including an indication of the local clock signal indicating a time of magnetic field strength information acquisition, and forming k-space information based upon the acquired emitted RF signals from the plurality of coils of the RF transducer array and the acquired magnetic field strength information including the indications of the local clock signal.
US10473736B2
Example devices and methods of MRI scanning are disclosed herein. In an example, an MRI scanning system may include a structure defining a bore within which a subject is to be positioned for scanning. The system may also include a magnet to generate a primary magnetic field within the bore parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bore, and a helical-antenna radio-frequency (RF) coil oriented along the longitudinal axis to surround the subject. In addition, the system may include an RF signal generator to drive the helical-antenna RF coil to generate a circularly polarized (CP) RF magnetic field perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, as well as an RF detector to detect a response signal generated by tissues of the subject in response to the CP RF magnetic field. Also included may be a computing system to create an image of the tissues of the subject based on the detected response signal.
US10473734B2
The present invention provides a radio frequency (RF) receive coil device (110) for use in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system (100), comprising a RF receive coil (114), a plug (112) for connecting the RF receive coil (114) to the MR imaging system (100), sensing means (118) for sensing the presence of a magnetic field of the MR imaging system (100), detecting means (119) for detecting if the plug (112) is connected to the MR imaging system (100), and a warning means (120, 122) for generating a warning when the sensing means (118) sense the presence of a magnetic field of the MR imaging system (100) and the detecting means (119) detect that the plug (112) is not connected to the MR imaging system (100).
US10473730B2
A defect detection device enables easy removal of magnetic impurities. The defect detection device has a structure capable of effectively removing magnetic impurities adhered to a magnetic flux leakage detection device for nondestructive inspection of a small-diameter heat transfer tube or a partially saturated eddy current detection system. With the defect detection device, it is possible to minimize adhesion of magnetic impurities that deteriorate the performance of a leakage magnetic flux detection device for nondestructive inspection of a small-diameter tube of ferromagnetic metal material or a partially saturated eddy current detection system. Further, there is an advantage in that it is possible to remove the adhered magnetic impurities from the defect detection device easily.
US10473717B2
Described examples include a method of providing K bits of test data to a combinatorial circuit. The method further includes generating N bits of test data using the combinatorial circuit, where N is greater than K. The method further includes providing the N bits of test data to a module under test.
US10473708B2
The invention provides methods and systems for real-time monitoring of the insulation state of wind-powered generator windings comprising the following steps: a) capturing in real-time, during a predetermined time period (in situations where the generator is synchronized to the electrical network but is not yet couplet thereto as well as in situations where the generator is producing energy) the values of one or more electrical and vibration variables of the generator; b) obtaining in real-time, the temporal evolution of the vibration and of the inverse components of electrical variables at one or more predetermined frequencies; c) identifying a possible generator insulation fault when the inverse component of at least one electrical variable and/or one vibration at a predetermined frequency exceeds an absolute threshold or a temporal increase threshold pre-sets.
US10473701B2
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for utilizing two or more magnetometers for current measurements. The systems and methods may include two or more multi-axis magnetometer sensors to monitor a high-voltage three-phase alternating current (AC) transmission line carrying a current, I. The magnetometers may be positioned at varying distances from the transmission line. The systems and methods may isolate or otherwise account for external magnetic fields, such as the earth's magnetic field, to generate accurate current measurements in a conductor.
US10473699B1
An electronic device is described. The electronic device includes line voltage measuring circuitry configured to measure a line voltage to produce a line voltage measurement. The electronic device also includes load voltage measuring circuitry configured to measure a load voltage to produce a load voltage measurement. The electronic device further includes a processor coupled to the line voltage measuring circuitry and the load voltage measuring circuitry. The processor is configured to adjust a voltage ramp waveform for a transition of a first metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) and a second MOSFET based on the line voltage measurement and the load voltage measurement to minimize heat generation and electromagnetic interference creation by the MOSFETs. The first MOSFET and the second MOSFET control a current to a load in an alternating current configuration.
US10473689B2
Methods and systems for determining a user's steps in portable device include deriving amplitudes from raw sensor data; comparing the amplitudes to an amplitude threshold, and counting a step when one of the amplitudes exceeds the amplitude threshold to obtain a step count; determining a current gait type based on the step count; dynamically adjusting the amplitude threshold in order to reduce effects of swinging movements and false steps; and applying a post filter to the step count based on time between steps and a minimum number of prior consecutive steps to derive a filtered step count that reduces false readings due to short bursts of rapid movement by the user.
US10473671B2
The present invention relates to methods and compositions for monitoring, diagnosis, prognosis, and determination of treatment regimens in subjects suffering from or suspected of having a renal injury. In particular, the invention relates to using assays that detect Chitinase-3-like protein 1 as diagnostic and prognostic biomarker assays in renal injuries.
US10473670B2
The presently disclosed subject matter relates to a method for predicting increased risk of obesity on a non-obese subject. More particularly, the presently disclosed subject matter relates to a method of predicting increased risk of obesity in a non-obese subject by determining a level of neurotensin expression in a biological sample from the subject and comparing the level of neurotensin expression in the sample with a control level. The presently disclosed subject matter further relates to a method of preventing and/or treating obesity in a subject in need thereof by administering to the subject an effective amount of an agent that inhibits neurotensin.
US10473661B2
The present invention relates to biomarkers associated with CTCL, including TOX, PLS3, KIR3DL2, GATA3 and RUNX3, where increased expression, relative to normal control, of one or more of TOX, PLS3, KIR3DL2, and/or GATA3 is associated with CTCL and decreased expression of RUNX3, relative to normal control, is associated with CTCL. One or more of these biomarkers may be used to diagnose CTCL and/or design and monitor treatment.
US10473654B1
Methods and systems for identifying a protein within a sample are provided herein. A panel of antibodies are acquired, none of which are specific for a single protein or family of proteins. Additionally, the binding properties of the antibodies in the panel are determined. Further, the protein is iteratively exposed to a panel of antibodies. Additionally, a set of antibodies which bind the protein are determined. The identity of the protein is determined using one or more deconvolution methods based on the known binding properties of the antibodies to match the set of antibodies to a sequence of a protein.
US10473652B2
In a method of detecting a test substance, a test substance is detected using a sample analysis cartridge supplied with a sample. The sample analysis cartridge includes: a passage part having a gas-phase space; and liquid containers communicating with the passage part through openings. The liquid containers include: a first liquid container containing a first liquid containing magnetic particles; and a second liquid container containing a second liquid containing a labeled substance. The magnetic particles are sequentially transported to the liquid containers through the gas-phase space in the passage part. Thus, the magnetic particles carry a complex of the test substance and the labeled substance. The test substance is detected based on the labeled substance in the complex.
US10473649B2
Provided is a fluidic device, including: a porous flow path member; an absorbent member contacting the flow path member and configured to absorb a liquid; and a barrier member covering at least a portion of the absorbent member, wherein the absorbent member contains a liquid-absorbent polymer that absorbs the liquid, and a lyophilic polymer having lyophilicity to the liquid.
US10473638B2
There is described a process for improving precision in an analytical test for a target analyte in a sample. The process includes prior to analyzing the sample for a target analyte via a biosensor, introducing to an analytical zone defined by the biosensor a fluid comprising an effective amount of the target analyte.
US10473631B2
A sampler for liquid chromatography is described. The sampler includes an injection valve and a sample loop. The injection valve includes one waste port, two sample loop ports, and two high-pressure ports. The sample loop port includes a first loop part and a second loop part. The injection valve can be configured to have LOAD position and INJECT position. The injection valve can also be configured to have one or more additional positions such as a FULL PURGE position, a PUMP PURGE position, and a NEGATIVE PRESSURE position.
US10473628B2
In environments (such as acoustic and bioelectrical environments) characterized by multiple simultaneous sources, effective blind source separation from sensor response mixtures becomes difficult as the number of sources increases—especially when the true number of sources is both unknown and changing over time. However, in some environments, non-sensor information can provide useful hypotheses for some sources. Embodiments of the present invention provide an adaptive filtering architecture for validating such source hypotheses, extracting an estimated representation of source signals corresponding to valid hypotheses, and improving the separation of the remaining “hidden” source signals from the sensor response mixtures.
US10473626B2
A system and method directed to displaying images and presenting the data from the phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) inspection of a plurality of welded joints within a welded object. The system includes an engine comprising memory, a graphical user interface (GUI), an export module, a transformation module, and a merger module each operably coupled to one another. The export module is used to extract images and data from the PAUT inspection of the welded joints. The exported information is used by the transformation module to create a multi-dimensional representation of the PAUT inspected welded joint for each joint. The merger module combines the information from the export module and the transformation module into an evaluation report for each PAUT inspected welded joint and assembles the evaluation report into a master report for analysis. The system may be communicatively coupled over a network using a network interface.
US10473622B2
Provided is a method for flaw inspection of a stem joint of a valve including: an internal flaw inspection step including causing a flaw detection probe to be disposed so as to face upward in water in a tank in an ultrasonic inspection chamber, holding a valve in such fashion as to cause the tip to face the flaw detection probe, and inspecting for a flaw at the interior of the stem joint; and a surface flaw inspection step including causing a flaw detection probe to be disposed horizontally in an eddy-current inspection chamber, holding a valve in such fashion as to cause the side face of a stem of the valve to be close to and facing the flaw detection probe, inspecting for a flaw on the surface of the stem joint while the flaw detection probe and the valve are made to engage in mutual rotation. The valves are transferred from a valve loading position to the ultrasonic inspection chamber, from the ultrasonic inspection chamber to the eddy-current inspection chamber, and from the eddy-current inspection chamber to a valve unloading position in substantially simultaneous, continuous, synchronous, and/or coordinated fashion.
US10473620B2
The invention relates to methods for the detailed analysis of ion mixtures from complex mixtures of organic substances in time-of-flight mass spectrometers which are equipped with a trapped ion mobility spectrometer, a quadrupole mass selector and a fragmentation cell. The invention proposes to analyze ion signals of a first mass mobility map, fragment ion spectra and the identifications of the associated substances as to whether ion mixtures not resolved according to mass and mobility, for example from isomers or isobars, are possibly present, and to subsequently measure the ion signals of interest with method parameters which allow the ion species to be measured separately by means of high mobility resolution.
US10473613B2
Light-addressable potentiometric sensing units are provided. A light-addressable potentiometric sensing unit comprises a conductive substrate, a metal oxide semiconductor layer, and a sensing layer. The metal oxide semiconductor layer is made of indium gallium zinc oxide, indium gallium oxide, indium zinc oxide, indium oxide co-doped with tin and zinc, tin oxide, or zinc oxide. The wide-band gap characteristic of the metal oxide semiconductor layer enables the light-addressable potentiometric sensing unit to resist the interference from visible light. The light-addressable potentiometric sensing unit therefore exhibits a more stable performance.
US10473603B2
A system and method for inspecting a surface of a structure for defects includes an inspection apparatus having a heating device for heating a section of the surface of the structure, an infrared camera for receiving infrared radiation from the surface in response to heating, a controller configured to generate thermographs from the received infrared radiation, and a communication device. A training system includes an expert system module configured to determine correlations between a set of thermographs generated by a thermal simulation of modeled structural elements with defects, and parameters of the modeled structural elements. A computer system communicatively coupled to the training system and the inspection apparatus, is adapted to receive thermographs received from the inspection apparatus and to detect quantitative parameters of defects in the structure using the correlations obtained from the training system.
US10473601B1
A method and system for generating a magnetic resonance pulse sequence for the investigation of a sample by magnetic resonance, including generating a selective scan comprising an adiabatic inversion magnetic resonance pulse sequence wherein the magnetization is inverted from z to −z inside a frequency band, following the selective scan with a non-selective scan comprising a CPMG magnetic resonance pulse sequence wherein the magnetization is maintained along z, obtaining a first signal from the selective scan, obtaining a second signal from the non-selective scan, and subtracting the first and second signals to obtain a resulting signal with only selected frequency components for slice selective investigation of the sample.
US10473599B2
An X-ray source uses excitation of a liquid metal beam of ions or ionized droplets to produce an X-ray output with higher brightness than conventional sources. The beam may be accelerated from a liquid metal source using an extraction electrode. The source may have an emitter tip, and the acceleration of the liquid metal may include field emission from a Taylor cone. An electrostatic or electromagnetic focusing electrode may be used to reduce a cross-sectional diameter of the beam. The liquid metal beam has a relatively high velocity as it does not suffer from flow turbulence, thus allowing for a more energetic excitation and a correspondingly higher brightness. A beam dump may also be used to collect the liquid metal beam after excitation, and may be concave with no direct sight lines to either an electron beam cathode or to X-ray windows of an enclosure for the source.
US10473598B2
An X-ray thin film inspection device of the present invention includes an X-ray irradiation unit 40 installed on a first rotation arm 32, an X-ray detector 50 installed on a second rotation arm 33, and a fluorescence X-ray detector 60 for detecting fluorescence X-rays generated from an inspection target upon irradiation of X-rays. The X-ray irradiation unit 40 includes an X-ray optical element 43 comprising a confocal mirror for receiving X-rays radiated from an X-ray tube 42, reflects plural focused X-ray beams monochromatized at a specific wavelength and focuses the plural focused X-ray beams to a preset focal point, and a slit mechanism 46 for passing therethrough any number of focused X-ray beams out of the plural focused X-ray beams reflected from the X-ray optical element 43.
US10473587B2
Terahertz (THz) or millimeter wave (mmW) band characterization of a differential-mode device under test (DUT) is performed using a non-contact probing setup based on an integrated circuit that includes the on-chip DUT and an on-chip test fixture as follows. A differential transmission line pair is operatively coupled with the DUT. A first differential antenna pair at a first end of the transmission line pair has a first antenna connected only with the first transmission line and a second antenna connected only with the second transmission line. A second differential antenna pair is likewise connected with a second end of the differential transmission line pair. A THz or mmW transmitter radiates a probe THz or mmW beam to the first differential antenna pair, and an electronic analyzer receives a THz or mmW signal radiated by the second differential antenna pair responsive to the radiation of the probe THz or mmW beam to the first differential antenna pair, thus enabling no-contact S-parameter measurements for characterizing differential-mode, on-wafer, active or passive devices and integrated circuits.
US10473580B2
Apparatus for measuring spectral reflectance of a surface, the apparatus comprising: a chamber comprising a wall formed having an aperture defined by an aperture boundary; a light source mounted to the chamber and having a field of illumination (FOI) configured to intersect the aperture at an illumination intersection; and an optical fiber mounted to the chamber and having a field of view (FOV) configured to intersect the aperture at an imaging intersection; wherein the chamber is configured so that when the aperture is positioned on a surface the chamber substantially prevents light from entering a volume of the chamber.
US10473578B2
The present set of embodiments relate to a system, method, and apparatus for an optical configuration in a flow cytometer that allows for independent adjustment of focusing for each light source. Such systems, methods, and apparatuses require a final focusing element to be moved near the beginning of the optical train and for each optical element coming after the final focusing element to be configured to accommodate converging light beams while minimizing the introduction of aberrations into those beams.
US10473575B2
The invention relates to a nozzle for flow cytometry, the housing of which is tapering towards an outlet and in which a feed tube is arranged for a core flow liquid, the outlet opening of which is arranged at a distance from the outlet of the housing. The outlet of the housing forms the outlet of the nozzle. The housing of the nozzle extends from its outlet, which is arranged at its first end to its opposite second end, and has an inlet for a sheath flow liquid connected with the internal volume. The nozzle is characterized in that in the housing a leading element that promotes the alignment of particles extends from both sides of the feed tube.
US10473573B2
A particulate matter sensor and an exhaust gas purification system using the same are provided. A particular matter sensor according to some embodiments of the present invention includes a first insulation layer including a first electrode unit exposed on a first side thereof, which includes a plurality of first electrodes not electrically connected to each other, a second insulation layer arranged in parallel to the first insulation layer with a space therebetween, including a second electrode unit on a first side thereof, which includes a plurality of second electrodes electrically connected to each other, a temperature sensing unit formed on a first side of a third insulation layer located on a second side of the second insulation layer, and a heater unit formed on a first side of a fourth insulation layer located on a second side of the third insulation layer, the heater unit configured to heat the first and second electrode units. One of the first electrodes is configured to be electrically connected to a first electrical contact terminal. The second electrodes are electrically connected to a second electrical contact terminal. The first electrodes and the second electrodes are arranged respectively corresponding to each other. The first electrodes are configured to be electrically connected to each other by particulates deposited therebetween to allow capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode to be changed.
US10473571B2
A test piece includes a tensile testing part and load applying pieces that are respectively connected to sides of the tensile testing part. Grooves are formed on bottom surfaces of the load applying pieces. Grooves are formed on upper surfaces of the load applying pieces. These grooves respectively partition the upper and lower surfaces of the tensile testing part and the load applying pieces.
US10473570B2
A method for controlling a repair of at least one non-autonomic extrinsic self-healing material in an object, the method including: triggering, by a server, at least one sensor element embedded in the at least one non-autonomic extrinsic self-healing material to initiate a testing procedure, receiving a result of the testing procedure, analyzing the result, determining capability information of the sensor element with an inquiry, receiving the capability information, determining a triggering instruction to the sensor element on the basis of the capability information, delivering the triggering instruction to utilize an applicable capability of the sensor element to the sensor element. A server implementing the method and a system are also described.
US10473563B2
The present invention refers to a method for the isokinetic sampling of liquids and gases present in streams having many fluid phases, and to an apparatus suitable for achieving it. The method and apparatus have application in particular in the field of oil extraction, wherein, after the extraction of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons possibly accompanied by water and suspended solids, it is necessary to know the composition of the mixture extracted and also the flow rate of the single phases.
US10473561B2
One embodiment of the method includes: closing both the inlet valve and the outlet valve, connecting a cryogenic liquid source to the cryogenic liquid inlet conduit, and introducing cryogenic liquid into the cryogenic liquid inlet conduit; opening both the inlet valve and outlet valve, thereby introducing cryogenic liquid into the sampler vessel inner volume, the cryogenic liquid has a free surface; closing both the inlet valve and the outlet valve after cryogenic liquid flows from the purge tube; disconnecting the cryogenic liquid source from the cryogenic liquid inlet conduit; opening the inlet valve, thereby allowing cryogenic liquid to flow from the cryogenic liquid inlet conduit; and closing the inlet valve after the free surface in the sampler vessel inner volume drops below the top of the first cryogenic liquid level, and the cryogenic liquid flow stops.
US10473553B2
A method for performing modal analysis on a structure includes the steps of dividing the structure into a plurality of layers each having an individual centroid; determining a movement of a testing point on each layer with respect to the individual centroid of the plurality of layers, wherein the testing point is at a predetermined distance from the individual centroid along a testing plane; and processing the movement of the testing point on each layer to determine a modal response of the structure. A system for performing modal analysis on a structure includes a movement detection module and a processing module for carrying out the method.
US10473552B1
The present invention relates to an additively manufactured (AM), monolithic, multi-axis linear flexural cantilever test artifact. The artifact is monolithic in that is it one continuous part with no assembly. The artifact can be non-destructively evaluated and includes a support frame, cantilevers, and a mount.
US10473544B2
A device for measuring a fluid pressure and for verifying the fluid pressure that has been measured comprises a sensor element having a fluid chamber and an element that adjoins said fluid chamber and can be deformed under fluid pressure, a resistance bridge being arranged on the deformable element side that faces away from said fluid chamber, for the purpose of generating a transverse bridge voltage dependent on said fluid pressure. The device also comprises a voltage divider which is connected in parallel to said resistance bridge for generating a differential voltage.
US10473542B2
A transmission includes an input shaft and an output shaft, the input shaft selectively accepting a torque input from a prime mover, and the output shaft selectively providing torque output to a driveline. A controller determines a shaft displacement angle representing an angle value of rotational displacement difference between at least two shafts of the transmission, and performs a transmission operation responsive to the shaft displacement angle.
US10473537B2
A load sensor disposed between a first member and a second member to detect a load applied to the first member in an up-down direction, the load sensor includes a strain body including a strain gauge, a first fixation member fixing the strain body and the first member to each other, a second fixation member fixing the strain body and the second member to each other, and a restriction portion restricting a displacement of the strain body in a state where the first member is displaced upward by a predetermined distance relative to the second member based on the upward load applied to the first member.
US10473536B2
A gap compensated torque sensing system and methods for using the same are provided. The system can include a sensor head in communication with a controller. The sensor head can contain a torque sensor and a proximity sensor coupled to the sensor head. The torque and proximity sensors can each sense magnetic fluxes passing through the target and a gap between the sensor head and the target. The controller can estimate torque applied to the target from magnetic fluxes sensed by the torque sensor. The controller can determine an improved gap measurement that is independent of electromagnetic properties of the target from magnetic fluxes sensed by the torque and proximity sensors. The estimated torque can be modified by the improved gap measurement to compensate for changes in magnetic properties of the target due to variations in the gap. In this manner, the accuracy of the torque measurements can be increased.
US10473527B2
A measuring device is a measuring device that performs colorimetry of an evaluation patch formed on a medium and a paper white patch that is a portion exposed by the medium. The measuring device has a light source portion that irradiates the medium with an illumination light, a measurement portion that acquires an amount of light from the medium as a measurement value, a memory that holds a paper white standard value that is a reference measurement value of the paper white patch, and a colorimetry unit that corrects a measurement value of the evaluation patch based on the measurement value of the paper white patch and the paper white standard value. Even in a case where a measurement position is changed, a reflectance of the evaluation patch is accurately calculated and a chromaticity of the evaluation patch can be accurately acquired.
US10473521B2
A photon counting system is provided. The photon counting system comprises an analog domain and a digital domain in communication with the analog domain. A detector is configured to detect photons. An analog digital converter is provided in the digital domain, while an amplifier circuit is provided in the analog domain that is configured to receive the detector's output, wherein the amplifier circuit's output is in communication with the analog digital converter. The output of the analog digital converter is in communication with a signal processing system that may perform accumulation of signals and store them in memory.
US10473518B2
A sensing apparatus includes a sensor and a processor. The sensor includes at least one light sensitive detector. The processor determines a first control value to control a voltage differential across the at least one light sensitive detector, and compares the first control value with a reference value associated with a reference temperature. Based on the comparison, the processor provides adjustment information for adjusting at least one output of the sensing apparatus, and an operating parameter of the sensing apparatus other than the voltage differential.
US10473513B2
The present invention concerns a method and an apparatus for gravimetric metering of a powdery bulk material, said system comprising a storage container accommodating the bulk material, a feeding pipe for feeding bulk material from the storage container to a dosing container, a dosing discharge device for continuously discharging bulk material from the dosing container to a discharge pipe and on to a discharge line, wherein said dosing container is mounted on at least one weighing cell, and wherein the feeding pipe is provided with a first flexible tube member and the discharge pipe is provided with a second flexible tube member, and wherein the first flexible tube member comprises a first compensator and a second compensator with a tubular member there between.
US10473503B2
A positive linear displacement flow rate meter includes a first chamber for receiving a substance such as diesel from a fuel injector and applying a substance force to one end of a piston, wherein an opposing force is applied, such as by air pressure, in a second chamber, to the other piston end, and a comparator, for indicating to a control unit to discard invalid piston displacement measurements, until the substance force is substantially equal to the opposing force, allowing accurate flow rate measurement independent of variation in conditions between uses of the meter.
US10473501B2
A multiphase flowmeter for detection of fluid flow by monitoring of vortex frequency or perturbation time of flight. The flowmeter includes a bluff body to facilitate formation of vortices during a consistent phase of a flowing fluid. Thus, monitoring frequency of the vortices may be employed to ascertain flowrate. Further, the bluff body may also facilitate formation of perturbations during transitioning phase of the fluid and include perturbation sensors at multiple known locations along the flow-path. Thus, analysis of perturbation detection times at the different locations may be used to ascertain flowrate even in the absence of vortices.
US10473483B2
Smart shoes including a sensor unit including at least one sensor of a pressure sensor to sense a pressure in the smart shoes, a temperature sensor to sense a temperature in the smart shoes, an acceleration sensor to sense a movement of the smart shoes and an altitude sensor to sense an altitude, a controller to collect sensor information output by the at least one sensor and process the collected sensor information according to a request from a user device, and a providing unit to provide the processed sensor information to the user device.
US10473480B2
A virtual image display 2 can display a display object being a virtual image which can be visually recognized from a driver's seat of a vehicle through a windshield in a virtual image position defined by a virtual image direction which is a direction of the virtual image on a basis of a specific position of the vehicle and a virtual image distance which is a distance to the virtual image on a basis of the specific position. A display control device 1 includes a relative position acquisition part 11 obtaining a relative position of an information-to-be-provided object which is a point or a feature associated with information with which a driver of the vehicle is provided, using the display object, and the vehicle and a controller 13 controlling a display of the virtual image display 2. The controller 13 changes a virtual image distance of the display object in accordance with the relative position of the information-to-be-provided object corresponding to the display object and the vehicle.
US10473472B2
Disclosed are method and apparatus for processing of highway toll payments by a mobile telecommunications service provider. A mobile telecommunications device communicates with a mobile telecommunications service provider. The mobile telecommunications service provider receives a request to calculate a route to a destination. The mobile telecommunications service provider determines the location of the mobile telecommunications device from a global navigation satellite system or from a mobile telecommunications network and calculates a route. The mobile telecommunications service provider then identifies toll booths along the calculated route. The mobile telecommunications service provider pre-pays the tolls. The mobile telecommunications service provider sends turn-by-turn instructions to the mobile telecommunications device and tracks the location of the mobile telecommunications device and records the date and time at which the mobile telecommunications device passes through a toll booth.
US10473456B2
A driving control system includes: an imaging device that is installed on a moving body and that images a target object in a first frame period a plurality of times to generate a multiple-exposure image data including a first image data and a second image data; and a processor that detects a relative motion state of the moving body with respect to the target object, based on the first image data and the second image data. The imaging device images the target object with a first sensitivity in a first exposure period in the first frame period to generate the first image data and images the target object with a second sensitivity in a second exposure period in the first frame period to generate the second image data, the second exposure period being different from the first exposure period, the second sensitivity being different from the first sensitivity.
US10473446B2
A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, detecting a position, including a polarity, of a rotor to detect incorrect rotor position offset of an electric machine without generating torque or motion within the electric machine.
US10473441B2
A dissolvable glass projectile for a firearm is molded from dissolvable glass for the ammunitions and firearms industry. The dissolvable glass projectile may be molded into different sizes or geometry based on firearm and user preference. A mixture of chemicals components are heated and melted and then poured into a mold and is allowed to cool to a solid that can be handled.
US10473440B1
A personalized modular backstop capable of suiting an individuals' needs. The modular backstop has blocks with a front and back wall of modified expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam connected by interior webbing. Top, bottom, and side panels work with the blocks to define an interior space having a composite material which works to trap projectiles and create a safe environment for firearms training.
US10473432B2
A firearm accessory connecting device to be mounted on a rail interface system has two locking mechanism and alignment relief lugs by which the device can be aligned and secured onto either a KeyMod rail interface or an M-LOK rail interface. The two locking mechanisms situated at a first front-end and a second rear-end of the connecting device and defined by a screw hole whereby a screw will engage the top surface of the connecting device and extend through the screw hole to the interior surface of the rail interface wherein a nut will be used to secure the screw in position and hence the mount onto the rail. The alignment lugs located at specific distances along the bottom surface of the connecting device will be slidably attached and aligned onto the rail interface.
US10473429B1
A projectile detection technique is disclosed. The technique helps improve the self-defense capabilities of strategic platforms such as naval ships against asymmetric threats such as anti-ship missiles (ASMs). These threats can be particularly challenging in a highly cluttered maritime environment, where the threats can be too close for radar to accurately detect. In one example, the projectile detection technique automatically detects ASMs flying above the horizon by using mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) and visible/near-infrared (VNIR) camera systems, and locating the horizon line and segmenting the imagery into different regions. Projectiles are detected in the near-horizon segment using a Fourier phase-only transform and convolution matched filters to enhance exceedances, then applying multi-frame processing to measure persistence and scintillation (e.g., flicker from missile exhaust) to help filter out background clutter objects. The use of the phase-only transform, matched filters, and multi-frame processing helps detect single-point anomalies and distinguish ASMs from background clutter.
US10473420B1
An archery release including a release head, a wrist strap, a flexible connector between the head and strap, and a mounting base including a fastener that at least partially pierces the flexible connector and/or compresses the flexible connector against the mounting base to secure the flexible connector in a fixed position relative to the wrist strap. The mounting base and fastener facilitate secure adjustment of the length of the flexible connector between the wrist strap and the release head to thereby fit the stature of the archer. An archery release also is provided including a release head having a trigger stop post disposed in a trigger well and configured to impair or arrest movement of the trigger without the trigger engaging the material of the head.
US10473419B1
An archery release including a release body, a wrist strap and a rigid length adjuster which enables multiple levels of adjustment to the distance between the wrist strap and the release body. The adjuster can be rotatable about two axes perpendicular to one another. The adjuster can include a connector that fixes the rotational orientation or the adjuster about the first axis. The adjuster can be rotated from an extended mode to a storage mode about the second axis. The adjuster can be further rotated about the first axis to engage an exterior contour of the adjuster against a ring associate with the wrist strap. This in turn arrests movement of the adjuster relative to the ring and strap, so the release body is in a stowed position proximate the wrist strap when the archery release is not in use. A method also is provided for operating an archery release.
US10473402B2
A heat exchanger module may include a heat exchanger device arranged on a base plate and configured to control the temperature of a fluid via a heat transfer medium. The module may also include at least one additional unit arranged on the base plate and structured as at least one of a pump and a filter device. Further, the module may include a fluid inflow duct, a fluid outflow duct, a medium inflow duct, and a medium outflow duct disposed in the base plate. The at least one additional unit may include at least one inflow line and at least one outflow line disposed in the base plate and fluidically separated from the other ducts disposed in the base plate. The at least one inflow line and the at least one outflow line may be arranged outside as well as below the heat exchanger device.
US10473401B2
Problem to be SolvedTo provide a heat exchanger that can increase the performance by setting an optimal number of tube groups in a configuration where each of the tube groups is provided with headers.SolutionThe number of arrays of tube groups of a core section 2 is set to three rows. The number N of heating medium flow holes 21 per tube is set for each width dimension Tw of tubes 20, and the tubes 20 are formed such that the width dimension Tw of the tubes and a flow channel cross-sectional area S satisfy a relationship of S1≤S≤S2. Therefore, the number of arrays of the tube groups in the core section 2 can be set to an optimal number of arrays for improving the endothermic capacity and reducing the weight, and sufficient refrigerant flow rate and pressure resistance can be secured. As a result, even when there is a restriction on the size of the entire heat exchanger, a light high-performance heat exchanger can be configured. This is significantly advantageous when the heat exchanger is used as an evaporator of a vehicle air conditioning apparatus for which a reduction in the weight of the components and an increase in the performance are demanded.
US10473399B2
Disclosed is a connection structure that connects a housing to a magnetic annealing furnace that is provided with a fixedly arranged magnet and includes a first drum flange having a cylindrical flange portion. The connection structure includes: a second drum flange that is attached and fixed to the housing and includes a flange portion configured to externally or internally fit the flange portion of the first drum flange thereto; a first sealant that is installed between facing surfaces of the housing and the second drum flange; and a second sealant that is installed between facing surfaces of the first and second drum flanges.
US10473392B2
The invention relates to a column for separating air by means of cryogenic distillation, said column comprising a shell and at least four distillation segments, including at least a first intermediate distillation segment of the low-pressure column, which is surrounded by an auxiliary shell around which a space is defined that is divided into a lower section and an upper section along the radius of the column, the intermediate segment(s) being located in an intermediate part of the low-pressure column, the capacity of the first intermediate segment being greater than that of at least one adjacent segment, and an opening being disposed in the shell between two adjacent segments, which opening can be sealed if the column is to form part of an argon production device.
US10473387B2
In order to provide a generic apparatus with improved properties with regard to an advantageous design, a refrigeration appliance apparatus, in particular a domestic refrigeration appliance apparatus has at least one water-dispensing unit with at least one guiding unit for guiding water and with at least one actuating unit having at least one switch element for starting a water removal. At least one actuating element is provided for actuating the switch element. An inner liner has a side wall, on which the water-dispensing unit is arranged. The actuating unit and the guiding unit are part of a mounting assembly.
US10473368B2
A heat pump includes a first portion for evaporating a working fluid at a first pressure, for compressing the evaporated working fluid to a second, higher pressure, and for liquefying the compressed working fluid within a liquefier, and a second portion for compressing liquid working fluid to a third pressure, which is higher than the second pressure, for evaporating the working fluid compressed to the third pressure, for relaxing the evaporated working fluid to a pressure, which is lower than the third pressure, so as to generate electrical current, and for liquefying relaxed evaporated working fluid within the liquefier.
US10473366B2
A heat transfer system is disclosed that includes a heat exchanger comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path through the heat exchanger between the inlet and the outlet. The system also includes a fluid circulation loop external to the heat exchanger connecting the outlet to the inlet. A phase change composition is disposed in the system flowing through the fluid circulation loop and the flow path through the heat exchanger. This the phase change composition includes a first PCM that is a plant or animal or paraffinic oil having a first melting point and a second PCM that is a plant or animal or paraffinic oil having a second melting point lower than the first melting point.
US10473360B2
A fan includes: an impeller including a main plate having a first plane, a plurality of first blades each formed the first plane, and a shroud formed integrally with the plurality of first blades; a fan case; a drive source; and a rotation shaft. The first blades each include a linearly protruding region that is linearly increased in height from an outer circumferential side to an inner circumferential side, and a curvedly protruding region that is curvedly increased in height from the outer circumferential side to the inner circumferential side, the height extending in a direction in which each first blade protrudes. The linearly protruding region is welded to the main plate. Accordingly, a highly durable fan can be implemented that allows sufficient durability to be maintained even under a high temperature environment or an acid environment.
US10473358B2
The present invention discloses removable air duct sealing systems for obstructing and directing airflow through portions of an air duct system. Such air duct sealing systems may include a support plate having opening extending through the support plate from a first side to a second side. Such systems may also include a flange with an interior surface along the opening extending away from one side. Such systems may also include a sawtooth connector operatively coupled to the interior surface of the flange. An exemplary sawtooth connector may include detents configured to catch a backside of a louver of the air vent grill to hold the removable air duct sealing system in place covering the air vent grill.
US10473357B2
A flow-straightening device at a coupling portion between: an air supply chamber adjacent to a coating chamber and supplying air to the coating chamber via a filter provided at a boundary wall between the air supply chamber and the coating chamber; and an air supply duct supplying air to the air supply chamber in a direction along the boundary wall. When a direction parallel to the boundary wall and perpendicular to the air supply chamber width direction is an air supply chamber depth direction; and a direction perpendicular to the boundary wall is an air supply chamber thickness direction, the device includes a plurality of fins arranged in the air supply chamber width direction and the air supply chamber depth direction and juxtaposed to each other to be spaced apart from each other in the chamber thickness direction.
US10473347B2
On the screen of a display unit, period border lines are displayed. The period border lines divide hours (for example 24 hours) for a user's desired one day into a plurality of periods and present line segments movable on the screen in a predetermined direction. Each of the line segments acts as a border lien between mutually adjacent periods. On the screen, target temperatures which are set for the respective periods are also displayed. Dragging the period border liens (K1 to K4) so as to move on the screen makes it possible to move a start time and a stop time of mutually adjacent periods are changed simultaneously. In addition to this change, target temperatures which were set before the change are reset for changed periods.
US10473343B2
An apparatus that includes a supply duct and a return duct fluidly coupled to the supply duct. A first evaporator is disposed between the supply duct and the return duct. A second evaporator is disposed between the supply duct and the return duct. A fresh-air intake is disposed between the supply duct and the return duct upstream of the first evaporator and the second evaporator. A first plurality of dampers are disposed upstream of the first evaporator. A second plurality of dampers are disposed upstream of the second evaporator. A divider panel is disposed between the first evaporator and the second evaporator. The divider panel directs air egressing the first plurality of dampers across the first evaporator and air egressing the second plurality of dampers across the second evaporator.
US10473340B2
The present invention provides an indoor unit for an air-conditioning apparatus which can separately control separate air-sending devices according to an operation state of two outdoor units connected with the indoor unit, and can pass winds generated by the separate air-sending devices to separate heat exchangers without any waste. This indoor unit for an air-conditioning apparatus includes; one box-shaped casing having an air inlet and an air outlet; a partition plate part partitioning the inside of the box-shaped casing to form two wind passages; separate air-sending devices provided respectively in the wind passages to suction air through the air inlet into the wind passage and blow out the air through the air outlet; and separate heat exchangers provided respectively in the wind passages between the separate air-sending device and the air outlet, connected respectively with independent outdoor units to configure separate refrigerant circuits, and air-conditioning the air suctioned.
US10473332B2
A combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine includes an inner liner, an outer liner, and a combustor dome. The inner liner, outer liner, and combustor dome together define at least in part a combustion chamber having an annulus height. Additionally, the combustor assembly includes a fuel-air injector hardware assembly positioned at least partially within an opening of the combustor dome. The fuel-air injector hardware assembly includes a heat shield located at least partially within the combustion chamber, the heat shield defining an outer diameter. A ratio of the annulus height of the combustion chamber to the outer diameter of the heat shield may be at least about 1.5:1.
US10473331B2
A combustor of a gas turbine engine may include a combustor shell, a first combustor panel coupled to the combustor shell, and a second combustor panel coupled to the combustor shell. The first combustor panel may have a first endrail and the second combustor panel may have a second endrail. An annular cooling cavity may be defined between the combustor shell and the first and second combustor panels and a channel may be defined between the first endrail and the second endrail, wherein direct line-of-sight through the channel from the annular cooling cavity to a combustor chamber is obstructed. Said differently, the interface between the adjacent endrails may be non-linear, in a direction from the annular cooling cavity to the combustor chamber.
US10473330B2
A liner panel is provided for use in a combustor of a gas turbine engine. The liner panel includes a first liner panel side edge between a liner panel aft edge and a liner panel forward edge. The liner panel also includes a second liner panel side edge between the liner panel aft edge and the liner panel forward edge. The first and the second liner panel side edges are non-perpendicular to the liner panel forward and aft edge edges.
US10473329B2
A system for changing a bias level of a flame sensing circuit to identify leakage in the flame sensing circuit. The bias level may be varied in the positive or negative axis and the flame current may be noted to identify leakage. The bias level may be changed by a microcontroller. The bias level may be changed using an operational amplifier configuration which is used as a signal conditioner for interfacing the flame signal to the microcontroller.
US10473326B2
In a method and a plant for chemical looping oxidation-reduction combustion (CLC) of a gaseous hydrocarbon feed, for example natural gas essentially containing methane, catalytic reforming of the feed is performed within the reduction zone where combustion of the feed is conducted on contact with an oxidation-reduction active mass in form of particles. The reforming catalyst comes in form of untransported fluidized particles within the reduction zone. The catalyst thus confined in the reduction zone does not circulate in the CLC loop.
US10473321B2
A treatment luminaire includes: a first light source; a second light source; a hinge for adjusting a crossing angle between the light distribution axis of the first light source and the light distribution axis of the second light source; and a controller which switches, according to the crossing angle, operation modes of the first light source and the second light source between a normal mode for emitting illumination light for illuminating a surrounding area and a treatment mode for emitting treatment light for therapeutic use.
US10473314B1
A wireless headlight assembly for attachment to an eyewear frame is disclosed. The wireless headlight assembly comprises a battery pod containing a battery connected to a lower housing element, which controls the application of power from the battery to an attached headlight assembly containing a headlight.
US10473312B2
The present application relates to a handle device for a surgical light. The handle device may include a grip element which is prepared for being arranged on a lamp holding body of the surgical light and which forms a grip surface at an outer area. A sensor module is detachably connected to the grip element, with the sensor module including at least one distance sensor which is designed for detecting a position of an object. The present application further includes a surgical light including such a handle device.
US10473308B2
Tenon-mounted lighting fixtures with high structural integrity are provided. In one embodiment, the lighting fixture has a housing that has an integrally formed tenon cradle, which is configured to receive a tenon of a light pole. A light source is also mounted on a bottom side of the housing. The tenon cradle is between a first bolt boss and a second bolt boss, and is in communication with a rear opening of the housing. The first and second bolt bosses may be integrally formed in the housing. The tenon cradle includes multiple ribs. An arcuate cross rib resides in a first plane in which a first bolt shaft of the first bolt boss and a second bolt shaft of the second bolt shaft reside. An axial rib intersects the arcuate cross rib and runs perpendicular to the first plane.
US10473300B2
A light source assembly comprises a base body and at least one light source module. The base body comprises a first and a second bearing base connected to each other. The first bearing base is configured for an image capture module to be disposed thereon. The second bearing base is located on the periphery of the first bearing base. The at least one light source module is slidably disposed on the second bearing base, and movable toward and away from the first bearing base. The at least one light source module forms an adjustable space. The adjustable space is configured for receiving the image capture module. The first bearing base has a first bearing surface configured for the image capture module to be disposed thereon. A sliding direction of the at least one light source module is not parallel to a normal direction of the first bearing surface.
US10473286B2
The present invention is characterized by a lens body in which a first lens unit configured to form a first light distribution pattern which includes a first cut-off line; and a second lens unit configured to form a second light distribution pattern which includes a second cut-off line, wherein the first lens unit forms the first light distribution pattern when light from a first light source which entered the first lens unit is emitted from the first lens unit, the second lens unit forms the second light distribution pattern when light from a second light source which entered the second lens unit is emitted from the second lens unit, and the first lens unit and the second lens unit are integrally molded.
US10473279B2
A wide-angle linear LED lighting device includes a polygonal lampshade, a base and at least two LED modules. The polygonal lampshade includes at least two lateral parts and an installation part. The base is disposed within the polygonal lampshade and disposed on an inner surface of the installation part. There is an included angle between the base and the inner surface of the installation part. The at least two LED modules are disposed on the base. The light beams emitted by the at least two LED modules are outputted from different lateral parts of the polygonal lampshade. The light-outputting characteristics of the wide-angle linear LED lighting device are correlated with the included angle and the at least two LED modules.
US10473259B1
The present disclosure relates to an installation assembly configured to mount an extension module on a supporting frame. The installation assembly includes a main body, a supporting mechanism, and an upper engaging component. The supporting mechanism is disposed on a rear side of the main body away from the supporting frame and configured to mount the extension module. The upper engaging component is connected to a top portion of the main body and configured to engage with a top portion of the supporting frame. In such a way, the extension module can be mounted on the supporting frame easily by the installation assembly of the present disclosure. The present disclosure can effectively simplify assembly and disassembly processes and save time of assembly and disassembly.
US10473258B2
A locking stand for use with a boom associated with an agricultural machine. The locking stand includes a stand base and a locking arm that is movably attached to the stand base. The stand base may include a stand body with a stand base lower section and a stand base upper section. The lower section is configured to engage a support surface and the upper section supports the sprayer boom arm. The locking arm is movable between an open position for locking the sprayer boom in the locking boom stand. A hook arrangement associated with both the locking arm and the stand base upper section may be used to lock the boom stand relative to the boom. More specifically, the hook arrangement may include a stand base hook associated with the stand base upper section and a locking arm hook associated with the locking arm.
US10473257B2
An electronic device support stand is a support stand for electronic devices that enables rotating the supported electronic device in a confined space with substantially no force while holding the electronic device securely. The electronic device support stand has a holding unit configured to hold an electronic device; and a base unit that supports the holding unit. The holding unit includes a pivot mechanism enabling rotating the supported electronic device with substantially no load around an axis parallel to the surface on which the base unit is placed.
US10473249B1
A method and apparatus for an improved safety cam lock fitting having double cam levers having outer and inner portions so that when the outer cam levers are opened and the inner cam lever remain closed, the male and female portions of the cam lock fitting only slightly separate from each other allowing the operator to quickly reclose the cam lock fitting if the operator observes that the cam lock fitting still contains pressurized material. This is accomplished by providing a larger cam lobe on the outer cam lever and a smaller cam lobe on the inner cam lever so that when the smaller cam lobe is in a closed position and protrudes into a peripheral groove on the male portion the male and female ends have a small space therein between. Various configurations of the cam portions relative to each other are provided. Various lever locking assemblies may be used to prevent the cam levers from being inadvertently opened.
US10473247B2
A method of forming a pipe joint includes: preparing a first pipe member, a second pipe member, a casing, and a pressing member to be arranged in the casing to press a second flange portion of the second pipe member against a first flange portion of the first pipe member, the casing having a first opening, a second opening, a third opening, a flange receiving space, and a receiving space in communication with the flange receiving space and adapted to receive the pressing member; inserting the first pipe member from the second opening toward the first opening until the first flange portion comes to rest within the flange receiving space; inserting the second pipe member into the second opening with the second flange portion ahead until the second flange portion comes into contact with the first flange portion.
US10473244B2
The present invention relates to a tube connector assembly which may comprise a body provided with a through cavity extending in an axial direction, a ring adapted to be mounted at the periphery of a useful portion of the tube and provided, at one of its ends, with a support surface adapted to receive a curved end portion of the tube, a nut adapted to be screwed onto the body so as to compress the curved end portion of the tube against a receiving surface in the axial direction via said ring, and an annular receiving part forming the receiving surface and removably mounted on the body.
US10473242B2
A coupler for use in a liquid heater includes a male connector and a female socket connector. The male connector includes a connecting wall and an annular cylindrical wall formed around the connecting wall. The female socket connector comprises an end wall joined with the connecting wall of the male connector and a peripheral wall formed around the end wall and arranged perpendicularly to the end wall. The surface of the end wall joined with the connecting wall is gradually lowered from the center towards the periphery and is convex-hull shaped. The peripheral wall includes arced sections and gapped sections connected between two arced sections. When the male connector is coupled with the female socket connector, this allows the arced sections to be coupled with the annular cylindrical wall and forms no coupling between the gapped sections and the annular cylindrical wall.
US10473239B2
A device for holding a line on a structure of a beverage filing system is described. The device includes a clamp having two legs shaped complementary to each other for holding the line between the legs in a clamping manner. The clamp includes a holder, which supports the legs and is provided for attaching the clamp to the structure of the beverage filling system, wherein the legs and the holder are bent from round wire as a single piece.
US10473232B2
A linkage mechanism for a valve assembly includes one of a slot and an engagement component operably coupled to at least one drive component and located eccentrically from a rotational axis of the at least one drive component, a link operably coupled to one end of a valve stem of a valve member and being moveable with the valve stem, the link having another one of a slot and an engagement component, and a rotatable lever coupled to at least one housing, the lever including one of a first slot and a first engagement component operably engaged with the one of the slot and the engagement component of the at least one drive component and one of a second slot and a second engagement component operably engaged with the one of the slot and the engagement component of the link, wherein rotation of the at least one drive component causes the lever to rotate to convert a rotational movement of the at least one drive component to a linear movement of the link such that the link, the valve stem, and the valve member are moved axially in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the valve stem.
US10473229B2
A diaphragm valve includes a solenoid body having a coil and a pole piece. An armature is configured to slide in the solenoid body along a longitudinal axis between energized and de-energized positions. A valve body cartridge is connected to the solenoid body. A valve member, connected to the armature, is configured to slide within the valve body cartridge when the armature moves. A biasing member acts to normally bias the armature toward the de-energized position. A diaphragm, extending inwardly from the valve body cartridge towards the valve body, is received between the armature and the valve member. A diaphragm support sleeve includes a support sleeve wall defining a sleeve cavity that receives the armature and a support sleeve flange that extends inwardly from the support sleeve wall to abut and support at least part of the diaphragm.
US10473212B2
An automatic transmission includes a mechanical oil pump, an electric oil pump, and a controller. The controller calculates a flow rate of oil necessary for the automatic transmission during the vehicle travels, and drives the electric oil pump when the calculated flow rate of the oil necessary for the automatic transmission is higher than a margin flow rate of the mechanical oil pump generated in a state where a hydraulic pressure necessary for the automatic transmission is ensured.
US10473210B2
A transmission sealed low leak controls system includes a controls system having a first fluid for operation of the controls system provided by a first pump at a first pressure. A transmission input shaft is provided. A planetary gear set is connected to the transmission input shaft by a clutch assembly. A second pump provides a second fluid different from the first fluid for cooling and lubrication of the at least one clutch assembly at a second pressure lower than the first pressure. A torque converter is connected to the transmission input shaft. The second pump further provides the second fluid to the torque converter.
US10473208B2
An engine includes a cylinder portion under which a crankshaft portion is arranged. A transmission box is arranged at one side of the crankshaft portion and includes a continuously variable transmission system arranged therein. The transmission box includes a cooling air inlet opening and a cooling air outlet opening. A cooling air intake tube is arranged on the cooling air inlet opening. The cooling air intake tube includes a cooling air ingress port. An air collection box is arranged on the cooling air ingress port. The cooling air intake tube includes a curved section posterior to the cooling air ingress port and the curved section includes a riser section. This helps ensure cleanliness of the external fresh cold air entering the air collection box and guided into the cooling air intake tube to prevent external water and dust from entering the transmission box to cause damage to the continuously variable transmission system.
US10473206B2
In accordance with an example embodiment, a transmission may include a housing, a plurality of gears, and an input shaft having a vent with a first opening at a first end of the input shaft and a second opening at an outside diameter of the input shaft. The vent allows air flow between the interior and the exterior of the transmission. A breather tube may have a first opening positioned within the vent and a second opening positioned outside the vent. The first opening of the breather tube can be smaller than the first opening of the vent. A vent cover may be positioned over the second opening of the vent. The vent cover may have a first opening offset from the second opening of the vent.
US10473205B2
An example shaft assembly includes a metal shaft and a plastic ring element interference-fitted to the metal shaft. The plastic ring element includes a footing proximate to an outer diameter of the metal shaft. The shaft assembly also includes a metal compression ring interference-fitted to the footing of the plastic ring element to apply a radial locking force between the footing and the metal shaft.
US10473195B2
A continuously-variable transmission (CVT) assembly is employed for transmitting a torque from an external power-source. The CVT includes a variable-diameter input pulley and a variable-diameter output pulley, each having a respective range of adjustment. The CVT also includes a continuous torque-transmitting element extending between the variable-diameter input pulley and the variable-diameter output pulley, and thereby operatively connecting the input pulley to the output pulley. The CVT additionally includes a first elastic element having a first zero stiffness over the range of adjustment of the variable-diameter input pulley and configured to apply a first constant spring clamping force via the input pulley to the continuous torque-transmitting element. Furthermore, the CVT includes a second elastic element having a second zero stiffness over the range of adjustment of the variable-diameter input pulley and configured to apply a second constant spring clamping force via the output pulley to the continuous torque-transmitting element.
US10473194B2
The disclosure relates to a sliding system for a wraparound transmission for reducing vibrations and undulations of a wraparound means, the sliding system comprising a wraparound means for connecting a transmission input shaft to a transmission output shaft in a torque-transmitting manner. The wraparound means has a plurality of deflecting axes and a height oriented transversely with respect to the deflecting axes. The sliding system also includes a sliding rail which comprises a sliding channel with an inner sliding face and an outer sliding face, wherein the sliding channel defines a running direction for the wraparound means, and the sliding channel being divided in the running direction into an entry section, a main section and an exit section. The sliding channel has a setpoint height adapted to the height of the wraparound means.
US10473192B2
In an automatic transmission, an engagement oil chamber and a centrifugal oil pressure cancel chamber of a clutch corresponding to a third ring gear of a Ravigneaux type planetary gear mechanism are defined by a drum member, a piston, and a cancel plate that rotate integrally with the third ring gear. An engagement oil chamber and a centrifugal oil pressure cancel chamber of a clutch corresponding to a third sun gear of the Ravigneaux type planetary gear mechanism are defined by a shaft portion, a piston, and an oil-chamber defining member that rotate integrally with the third sun gear.
US10473186B2
The present invention aims to provide a coupling structure which facilitates work of coupling an end portion of a cable to an object to be coupled. The present invention relates to a coupling structure that couples one end of a first cable and another member. The coupling structure includes a coupling portion that couples the one end of the first cable and the other member, and a protection member that slidably houses the coupling portion. The protection member has a first opening portion which is provided at one end portion of the protection member and through which the first cable is inserted such that the first cable and the protection member are relatively movable, and a second opening portion provided at the other end portion of the protection member and from which the first cable is extendable. The coupling portion has an inclined surface that is inclined from the other member side toward the first cable side so as to abut on the second opening portion and guide the coupling portion inside the protection member in a state where the coupling portion is positioned on a radially outer side of the second opening portion when the coupling portion is relatively moved with respect to and housed into the protection member. Thus, the present invention has good coupling workability.
US10473184B2
A dynamic vibration absorbing device includes a tubular member having an annular shape. The dynamic vibration absorbing device also includes at least one elastic member disposed inside the tubular member so as to be non-rotatable relatively to the tubular member. The dynamic vibration absorbing device further includes at least one mass body disposed inside the tubular member so as to be rotatable relatively to the tubular member.
US10473179B2
A movement stage for a hydraulic shock absorber has a damping volume and a stage throttle with a valve disk, an analogue piston, and an elastic biasing means supported on the analogue piston and on the valve disk. The valve disk has a pressure surface defining a portion of the surface of a disk valve arranged upstream of an entry edge of a disk valve seat. The analogue piston has a pressure surface facing away from the biasing means. The valve disk pressure surface and the analogue piston pressure surface are impinged by damping fluid flowing out of the damping volume as the shock absorber moves in a movement direction. The analogue piston pressure surface is larger than the valve disk pressure surface when projected in the closing direction of the disk valve so that the analogue piston is displaced and the bias of the valve disk increases.
US10473177B2
A cellular structure may include a plurality of cells each cell of the plurality of cells having a sixteen-cornered cross section. The sixteen-cornered cross section may include sixteen sides and sixteen corners. Each cell may include a plurality of longitudinal walls extending between a top and a bottom of the cell, the longitudinal walls intersecting to create corners of the cell.
US10473174B2
There is provided an apparatus for applying a braking force to a brake disc using a brake pad. The apparatus comprises a lever configured to rotate about a first fulcrum, and a pressing member attached to said lever and for urging a brake pad against a brake disc. A component is arranged and configured to ensure that said pressing member has a circular translational movement upon rotation of said lever, and a rotatable input member is configured to rotate a first member. In use, rotation of said first member causes movement of an actuating member along an first axis (A), and said axial movement of said actuating member causes said lever to rotate about said first fulcrum for applying a braking force to said brake disc.
US10473172B2
A brake screw for use with a surgical lighting system. The brake screw includes a screw member retained within a threaded aperture of a mounting hub of a spindle of an arm used with the lighting system. The screw member is rotationally adjusted to enable displacement in an axial direction. A brake member is in axial alignment with the screw member and disposed for movement in the axial direction against a mounting tube retained within the mounting hub upon rotational adjustment of the screw member. A rivet section is integrally formed with the brake member and has a distal end retained within an axial recess formed within the screw member, allowing movement of the brake member in the axial direction within the screw member. A bias member is disposed between the screw member and the brake member to create a biasing force that urges apart the screw member and the brake member along the axial direction.
US10473168B2
A ball and ramp assembly including a first plate, a second plate and one or more rolling elements between the first and second plates. The first plate includes a shoulder portion that extends from a first side of the first plate. Additionally, the first plate includes an increased diameter portion that extends from an outer surface of the first plate. Extending inward from a second side of the first plate is a receiving portion with a substantially vertical wall portion having one or more non-circular first plate grooves. The second plate has one or more non-circular second plate grooves that extend along a first side of the second plate. The second plate grooves are a reverse mirror image of the first plate grooves. Radially outboard from the shoulder portion is a thrust bearing and integrally connected to the outer surface of the first plate is a first plate gear portion.
US10473166B2
Provided is a frictional engagement element including: a plurality of friction plates; a piston movable between a releasing position and an engaging position; and a first urging mechanism and a second urging mechanism configured to urge the piston in an engaging direction from the releasing position toward the engaging position. Urging forces of both of the first urging mechanism and the second urging mechanism act on the piston from the releasing position to a first position in the engaging direction. The urging force of the first urging mechanism acts on the piston from the first position to a second position closer to the engaging position than the first position. The first position is a predetermined position where the piston does not abut against the friction plates, and the second position is a position where the piston abuts against the friction plates and the clearances are reduced.
US10473165B2
A self-adjusting clutch mechanism has a pressure plate, a wear compensation plate, a wear sensor adjusting plate, a wear sensor, a clutch cover, a first screw thread, and a second screw thread. The mechanism on the clutch pressure plate can keep clutch pedal load and clutch clamp load constant.
US10473163B2
A predictive system is provided and include a torque-limiter, a sensor disposed to sense a condition of the torque-limiter and a processing system. The processing system is coupled to the sensor and configured to process readings of the sensor, to calculate whether the condition of the torque-limiter is indicative of degradation or failure incidents based on the readings being processed and to determine whether an action should be taken based on a calculation result.
US10473162B1
A constant velocity (CV) joint system include a CV joint assembly with a first elongated ring pivotally attached to a second elongated ring via a first rotating housing and a second rotating housing, the first rotating housing and the second rotating housing being configured to rotate along a first axis; a third elongated ring pivotally attached to a fourth elongated ring via a third rotating housing and a fourth rotating housing, the third rotating housing and the fourth rotating housing being configured to rotate along a second axis; a first sliding support; and a second sliding support. The first sliding support includes a first elongated opening; and a second elongated opening, the first elongated opening extending in a direction relatively perpendicular to the second elongated opening. The second sliding support includes a third elongated opening and a fourth elongated opening, the third elongated opening extending in a direction relatively perpendicular to the fourth elongated opening.
US10473158B2
An integrated system for precision actuation and support for large mobile structures, such as large telescopes, wherein an actuation is integrated on the basis of linear motors located in each of the frames that support the mobile structure on another fixed structure, the support of said frames on the fixed structure being carried out by means of hydrostatic feet. The connection between this frame and the driving structure is made via a flexible kinematic connection that permits relative movements between both (frame and structure), such that the mechanism is only affected in its operation through the small-scale deformations of the track via which it circulates, and not through the large-scale deformations of the structure.
US10473156B2
The disclosure relates to a sleeve-like bearing receiving member for a plastics material sleeve, wherein the sleeve-like bearing receiving member may include a cylindrical sleeve wall that delimits the inner side of the sleeve-like bearing receiving member, wherein a plurality of apertures are formed in the cylindrical sleeve wall, wherein each aperture of the plurality of apertures is at least partially bordered by a collar that protrudes into the inner side of the sleeve-like bearing receiving member, and wherein the collar is configured to engage in the plastics material sleeve to retain the plastics material sleeve in the sleeve-like bearing receiving member.
US10473153B2
An air foil bearing assembly is provided. The air foil bearing assembly includes a bearing housing that has a hollow into which a rotary shaft is fitted and a slot of which both ends are open toward front and rear sides formed on an inner circumference surface of the hollow. A bump foil is provided to have a combining portion inserted to the slot and disposed in the inner circumference surface of the hollow. A top foil having a combining portion is inserted to the slot and is disposed in an inner side of the bump foil. A stopper is disposed on one of the combining portions of the bump foil or the top foil to prevent the combining portion of the bump foil or the top foil from being displaced from the slot toward the front and rear sides.
US10473151B2
An adjustable mount for holding equipment or an equipment-holding arm at, for example, a hunting location such as a deer blind or a tree stand includes a base mounting bracket and an adjustable ball joint removably secured to the mounting bracket. The base mounting bracket is secured to something and can be left in place during the hunting season. The ball joint can be removed and taken with the user. In some configurations, the ball joint can be locked in a desired orientation which is maintained when the ball joint is removed from the base mounting bracket so that the desired orientation is reestablished when the user replaces the ball joint in the base mounting bracket. One version of the ball joint includes a bearing block assembly that supports a down post. A configuration of the base mounting bracket can be readily assembled from a collapsed flat configuration. An articulating equipment holding arm with first and second arms provides an adjustable mount for holding equipment.
US10473148B2
The moveable socket assembly which includes a housing that has an inner bore. A stud projects out of the inner bore of the housing, and the stud has a shank portion which is at least partially disposed outside of the inner bore. A boot with a flexible body and an adapter is also provided to seal the housing with the stud. The flexible body and the adapter of the boot are made as separate pieces from one another, and the flexible body extends from a first end portion that is sealed with the housing to a second end portion. The adapter is interposed between the second end portion of the flexible body and the shank portion of the stud, and the adapter holds the second end portion in a predetermined location relative to the shank portion.
US10473146B2
The ball socket assembly includes a housing with an open interior which extends along an axis. A bearing is disposed in the open interior of the housing and has a curved primary contact surface which surrounds the axis and surrounds a stud ball opening. A stud ball is disposed in the opening and is in sliding contact with the primary contact surface for allowing rotation of the stud ball relative to the bearing. The stud ball has an equator and is in sliding contact with the bearing on both sides of the equator. A stud is operably connected with the stud ball. A shoe is further provided and has a pair of supplemental contact surfaces that are biased against the stud ball. The shoe provides the stud with a predetermined rotational torque and also adjusts for wear in the assembly to maintain the performance of the socket assembly.
US10473145B2
A length-adjustable control rod includes a first part including a cylindrical peripheral face which has a succession of peripheral grooves separated from one another and positioned in transverse planes. A second part includes a barrel configured to at least partially receive the first part and which has several cutouts configured to divide up the barrel into several cylinder sectors and at least one inner rib, protruding from the inner lateral face of the barrel, which has a section configured to be housed in one of the peripheral grooves.
US10473142B2
The invention relates to an apparatus for the compensation of tolerances between components to be screwed to one another, comprising a hollow-cylindrical base element and a hollow-cylindrical compensation element which is in threaded engagement with the base element and which can be moved from a starting position into a compensation position by rotation relative to the base element. The apparatus is characterized in that a fixing means is provided by which the compensation element can be fixed in the compensation position relative to the base element.
US10473133B2
A connecting device is provided including one or more connecting elements arranged on at least one connectable part. At least one connecting element includes non-self-cutting retaining projections having a curved supporting surface in the form of an arc of a circle in longitudinal section. A groove is provided in one of the connectable parts, the groove having a curved undercut surface in the form of an arc of a circle in longitudinal section and including a base section and two undercut sections which extend away from the base section in a thickness direction. The retaining projections are engageable with the undercut sections of the groove. One or more connecting elements include or are in the form of one or more screw elements, and one or more connecting elements include one or more moveable retaining elements by means of which the parts can be drawn towards and/or pressed against each other.
US10473129B2
An energy-saving hydraulic system includes an exerting hydraulic device, a buffering receptacle arranged at one side of the exerting hydraulic device, an impetus hydraulic device connecting to the exerting hydraulic device, and a recovering hydraulic device. The exerting hydraulic device has a loading receptacle selectively disposed at a first high position and a first low position. The impetus hydraulic device has a transferring receptacle selectively disposed at a second high position, a recovering position, and a second low position. The second low position is lower than the buffering receptacle. The recovering hydraulic device connects the exerting hydraulic device and the impetus hydraulic device, and includes a sustaining portion. When the impetus hydraulic device is lowering to the second low position, it contacts the sustaining portion of the recovering hydraulic device to push working liquid to flow back the exerting hydraulic device from the recovering hydraulic device.
US10473123B2
The invention provides a metal bellows type accumulator having an outer shell provided in its one end with a pressure introducing passage in an opening manner, an axially expandable metal bellows including peak portions directed to an outer side in a radial direction and trough portions directed to an inner side alternately in an axial direction, having an axially fixed end to the outer shell and separating an inner chamber of the outer shell into a pressure introducing chamber and a gas chamber charged with cushion gas, and a support member arranged in an inner periphery of the metal bellows, fixed to the outer shell and constructed by a cushioning member. A clearance in a radial direction between the trough portions of the metal bellows and the support member is smaller than a clearance in a radial direction between the peak portions of the metal bellows and the outer shell.
US10473113B2
A centrifugal blower includes a rotation shaft, an impeller, a casing. The impeller includes a plurality of blades and a side panel. The casing accommodates the impeller and includes an air intake portion positioned adjacent to the side panel. The air intake portion includes a downstream end portion and an inner wall surface. The side panel includes an upstream end portion and an inner panel surface that is an inner surface of the side panel. The downstream end portion and the upstream end portion face each other across a space in an angular range. A difference between a smallest inner radius of the inner wall surface of the air intake portion and a smallest inner radius of the inner panel surface is smaller than or equal to a thickness of the side panel in the angular range.
US10473109B2
The compressor system comprises a compressor having first compressor stage and a second compressor stage in a back-to-back arrangement. A first gas flow is provided at the suction side of the compressor. A seal arrangement is provided between the first compressor stage and the second compressor stage. A side stream line is in fluid communication with the suction side of the second compressor stage. A side stream valve on the side stream line and a side stream controller are provided, for adjusting the flow of the second gas. An antisurge arrangement comprised of a bypass line and an antisurge valve is arranged at the first compressor stage for preventing surge of the first compressor stage. The side stream controller is configured for reducing the flow of the second gas when an alteration of the pressure ratio across the first compress stag is detected.
US10473108B2
A blower assembly includes a centrifugal fan and a motor assembly. The centrifugal fan has a plurality of axially extending impeller blades, a first axial end, and an air inlet. The air inlet is at the first axial end of the centrifugal fan. The motor assembly comprises a stator, a rotor, and an air directing surface. The air directing surface is shaped and configured to direct air drawn into the air inlet radially outwardly toward the impeller blades. The air directing surface extends generally along the rotor axis from its first end to its second end. At least a surface region of the air directing surface generally circumscribes the rotor axis and diverges radially outwardly as such surface region of the air directing surface extends away from the first end toward the second end.
US10473107B1
The ideal design for a fan with variable performance that can replace a family of current axial flow ducted, un-ducted, and centrifugal fan designs by meeting air flow and pressure requirements while drawing less electric current to rotate and thus produce the required flow not only would reduce cost of operation over the life of the fan but opens new possibilities for direct connection to solar collection systems by greatly extending the life of the battery charge employed by the designer of the collection system. In addition the entry of flying machines using pairs of lifting fans such as hover bikes and quadcopters, manned or unmanned is driving a need to re-examine the application of force applied to rotate these fans to achieve a reduction in aircraft weight and increase flying time for a given battery charge or load of fuel.
US10473106B2
An apparatus and system for sealing an electrical submersible pump (ESP) assembly are described. An ESP system includes a top portion of a seal section including a sand barrier portion defined by a sand barrier stop secured between the ESP intake and an adapter portion, the sand barrier portion including a sand barrier wedged between the sand barrier stop and the adapter portion, the adapter portion encasing a mechanical seal and secured between the sand barrier portion and a head portion, the head portion secured between the adapter portion and a seal section housing, the head portion including a thrust bearing and a thrust runner, wherein each of the thrust bearing and the thrust runner includes at least one pad having a diamond-like carbon (DLC) layer on an outer surface.
US10473102B2
A compressor is provided in which an outer circumferential side cross-sectional area of a vane slot is formed smaller than an inner circumferential side cross-sectional area thereof to decrease an area receiving a force in a roller direction by a vane to reduce a contact force between the roller and the vane, and a gas accommodation portion selectively forming a suction pressure and an intermediate pressure is formed between the vane and the vane slot to control the contact force. A contact surface of the vane facing the roller is formed at a side of a compression chamber to reduce the contact force, and a space forming a discharge pressure is formed at at least either one side of a side surface of the vane and a cylinder to decrease a side directional reaction force applied to the vane, thereby reducing a friction between the vane and the cylinder.
US10473096B2
A modular pump platform includes a pump head module, a pump motor module, an electronics module and a separable tray. The pump motor module includes a pump motor having a rotary output removably coupled to a crank shaft of the pump head, the pump motor being one of multiple types of pump motors, and the pump motor module being detachably connected to the pump head module. The electronics module includes an electronic control circuit configured to control operation of the pump motor, the electronic control circuit being one of multiple types of electronic control circuits corresponding to the types of pump motors. Each of the pump head module, the pump motor module and the electronics module is detachably connected to the separable tray. At least the pump motor module is interchangeable with another pump motor module comprising a pump motor of another type.
US10473090B2
A drive assembly for providing a driving force includes: a first track declined in a first direction through a first declination; a second track, extending in a second direction and arranged to pivot with respect to the first track between a first position in which the track is substantially horizontal and a second position in which the second track is declined in the second direction through a second declination; and a shaft connected to a flywheel and. A first vehicle is arranged to travel along the first track between a first drive location and a first idle location to drive the shaft in a first direction and to cause a second vehicle to travel along the second track between a second idle location and a second drive location; and, the second vehicle is arranged to travel along the second track from the second drive location to the second idle location to cause the shaft to rotate in a second direction and to cause the first vehicle to travel from the first idle location to the first drive location. The shaft is coupled to the first and second vehicles and arranged to rotate in dependence of the travel of the first and second vehicles.
US10473089B2
A vertical axis turbine is disclosed, having a vertically oriented rotor shaft, a plurality of radially extended arms rotatably mounted on the rotor shaft, and a chassis at the distal end of each. For each chassis, an upper blade set is on an upper portion, having upper blade panels interconnected pivotally by upper guide links, and a lower blade set is on a lower portion, having lower blade panels interconnected pivotally by lower guide links. Each chassis has an upper shaft with an upper gear, coupled to the upper guide links, and a lower shaft with a lower gear coupled to the lower guide links. The upper gear and the lower gear mesh, limiting rotation of the upper shaft and lower shaft to opposite directions with similar rotational speeds.
US10473083B2
A wave energy converter generates power from a wave-induced separation of a positively buoyant flotation module and a submerged negatively buoyant mass, using a rotating pulley to drive a power-take-off system.
US10473082B2
A motorcycle includes a first gear provided on a crankshaft, a second gear provided on a second clutch member of a clutch that meshes with the first gear, a starter motor located above the crankcase and rearward of the cylinder body, and a link gear that links together the second gear and the starter motor. The starter motor is located above a transmission. The starter motor includes an overlapping portion that overlaps with the clutch, as the vehicle is seen from the side, and a front portion located forward of a center axis of a main shaft, as the vehicle is seen from the side.
US10473080B2
A functional module includes: a mounting plate (2) for fluid tight attachment to the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine, incorporating portions (3) of air tract, and an injection set provided with support and attachment legs (6′) intended to rest directly on the cylinder head (7) notably at a first group of points of attachment (8) thereof. The mounting plate (2) is provided with primary attachment sites (9) intended to collaborate with a second group of points of attachment (8′) of the cylinder head (7), and with secondary attachment sites (9′) corresponding to at least some of the points of attachment (8) of the first group belonging to the cylinder head (7), the secondary attachment sites (9′) of the mounting plate (2) being intended to be positioned over the top of at least some of the legs (6′).
US10473078B2
Methods and systems are provided for mounting a fuel pump to a cylinder head of an engine. In one example, a mounting system may comprise: an engine fuel pump mounted directly to a cylinder head cap positioned underneath a cam cover, the cap including a raised portion having a first and a second cap mounting boss, and a main opening for directly receiving the fuel pump, wherein each of the first and second cap mounting bosses couple to a flange formed on a bottom portion of the fuel pump. In this way, the fuel pump may be directly mounted to the cylinder head cap to simplify assembly, minimize fuel leakage and reduce pump vibration.
US10473076B2
A high pressure fuel pump has a piston extending outside a pump head toward an end provided with a spring seat cooperating with a cam follower. A pump spring compressed between the pump head and the cam follower maintains the follower in contact with a revolving cam. The pump is further provided with a flexible tubular sealing sleeve engaged around the piston and extending between the pump head and the cam follower so that the internal space of the sleeve is sealingly isolated from the outer space.
US10473075B2
An objective of the present invention is to provide a fuel rail that can be used at a high fuel pressure of 50 MPa or more, for example, has good engine mountability, and has improved material yield. The present invention is regarding a fuel rail including a main pipe portion 10 extending in a longitudinal direction and a plurality of distribution pipe portions 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d branching from the main pipe portion in a cross direction, in a fuel supply system in which a fuel compressed by a fuel pump passes through a fuel passage hole of the fuel rail fixed to an engine trough a bracket or a stay, the fuel is supplied to injectors, and the fuel is injected into the engine, the present invention is to cut and form the main pipe portion 10 and the plurality of distribution pipe portions 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d from a same single-sheet plate 100, the single-sheet plate being a plane plate or a flat plate having an irregular shape in cross section, and to seamlessly configure a main pipe hole 11, distribution pipe holes 21a, 21b, 21c, and 21d, and injector attaching holes 22a, 22b, 22c, and 22d, without joints.
US10473070B2
A fuel tank system is provided. In the main tank of the system, the end of a communication pipe is located above the end of a fuel introduction pipe inserted into the main tank. The end of a first pressure relief pipe at which a first cut-off valve is provided is located above the end of the communication pipe. In the auxiliary tank, the end of the communication pipe is located above the end of the fuel introduction pipe inserted into the auxiliary tank. In the auxiliary tank, the end of a second pressure relief pipe at which a second cut-off valve is provided is located above an end of a scavenging pipe.
US10473069B2
A protective structure includes: a base including a base main wall attached to a vehicle body wall defining a part of an engine room and extends vertically, a stay fixed to the base main wall to hold a fuel line, and a base extension wall extending from an upper part of the base main wall in a direction away from the vehicle body wall; a cover including a cover main wall disposed to oppose the base main wall and to be located in front of the stay and the fuel line, a cover extension wall extending from the cover main wall along the base extension wall, and a leg extending from the cover main wall toward the base main wall below the cover extension wall; and a fastening member extending vertically through overlapping parts of the base extension wall and the cover extension wall to fasten the base and cover.
US10473065B2
A fuel return device includes a fuel collector and a return system. The fuel collector is located in a passage between a fuel tank and a vapor fuel processing device that processes vapor fuel discharged from the fuel tank. The fuel collector collects the fuel and stores the collected fuel as a storage fuel. The return system extends from the fuel collector, and is connected to a low-pressure generation part that generates a low pressure by a flow of fuel refueled through a filler pipe into the fuel tank, to return the storage fuel to the fuel tank.
US10473062B2
A fuel vapor processing device includes a three-way valve having a common valve chamber in which a first valve body, a second valve body, and a third valve body are housed. A single pressure sensor is provided in the common valve chamber. The first valve body enables communication between the common valve chamber and a first valve chamber. The second valve body enables communication between the common valve chamber and a second valve chamber communicating with an inside of the canister. The third valve body enables communication between the common valve chamber and a third valve chamber communicating with an inside of a fuel tank. An ECU controls the three-way valve and a switching valve, and controls driving of a pump to perform fuel vapor leak diagnosis for the fuel tank and the canister, based on a detection value detected by the pressure sensor.
US10473061B2
Methods and systems are provided for injecting water stored in a water reservoir at a plurality of locations in an engine system, including directly into engine cylinders, upstream of a turbocharger turbine, and at an exhaust manifold, and controlling a water level of the water reservoir. In one example, a method may include supplying the water stored in the water reservoir to one or more of a water injection system, a windshield wiper system, an engine coolant system, and a drinking water system based on water supply conditions and responsive to engine operating conditions. When the water level is low (e.g., below a threshold), supply to the water injection system may be prioritized.
US10473060B2
A method and fuel supply system for supply of a combustion chamber with at least one combustible fluid are provided. The fuel supply system includes a combustion chamber, at least one supply circuit, and at least one purge circuit, the purge circuit coupled to the at least one supply circuit, the purge circuit including at least two isolation valves defining a cavity between, a source of relatively high temperature purge air coupled in flow communication to the cavity through one of the at least two isolation valves, a source of relatively low temperature ventilation air coupled in flow communication to the cavity, and a vent coupled in flow communication to the cavity, the at least one purge circuit configured to channel a flow of relatively low temperature ventilation air from the source relatively low temperature ventilation air through the cavity to the vent during operation of the combustion chamber.
US10473049B2
This control device for an internal combustion engine is equipped with: an air/fuel ratio sensor; and an engine control device that controls the internal combustion engine according to the output of the air/fuel ratio sensor. The air/fuel ratio sensor is configured so that the applied voltage at which the output current reaches zero varies according to the exhaust air/fuel ratio, and the output current increases if the applied voltage is increased at the air/fuel ratio sensor when the exhaust air/fuel ratio is the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio. When the air/fuel ratio of exhaust gas is to be detected by the air/fuel ratio sensor, the applied voltage at the air/fuel ratio sensor is fixed at a constant voltage, said constant voltage being different to the voltage at which the output current reaches zero when the exhaust air/fuel ratio is the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio, and being the voltage at which the output current reaches zero when the exhaust air/fuel ratio is different to the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio. Thus provided is a control device for an internal combustion engine that uses an air/fuel ratio sensor capable of detecting an absolute value for the air/fuel ratio of exhaust gas even if the air/fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is not the stoichiometric air/fuel ratio.
US10473045B2
A control apparatus is applied to an internal combustion engine that is capable of implementing reduced-cylinder operation and all-cylinder operation. When the internal combustion engine is stopped during implementation of reduced-cylinder operation, and then the internal combustion engine is restarted in reduced-cylinder operation with the same cylinders as idling cylinders, the initial crank angle when cranking starts is controlled so that the position of the piston of at least one among the idling cylinders is in the vicinity of its top dead center.
US10473044B2
Provided is a control device for an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine includes cylinders, intake ports, exhaust ports, intake values, exhaust valves, fuel injection valves, and an exhaust valve stop mechanism. The control device includes an electronic control unit configured to control the fuel injection valves so as to inject the feel into the some cylinders at least during a period of time of a compression stroke or an expansion stroke of the some cylinders, control the exhaust valve stop mechanism so as to stop the exhaust valves of the exhaust ports of the some cylinders in a valve-closed state, and control the intake valves so as to open the intake valves at least during a period of time of an intake stroke of the some cylinders such that exhaust gas is recirculated to each of the cylinders via the intake ports of the some cylinders.
US10473042B2
At least some implementations of a method of distinguishing between two loads being driven by an engine, includes the steps of determining engine speed at defined intervals, comparing a second engine speed against a previously determined first engine speed, determining if the second engine speed fits an expected pattern of engine speeds, and counting either the number of incidents where the second engine speed does not fit the expected pattern, or the number of incidents where the second engine speed does fit the expected pattern, or some combination of these two. A method of determining if an engine is operating at least near a lean limit of its air to fuel ratio is also disclosed.
US10473040B2
A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes an electronic control unit that is configured to perform an operation of making a lift amount of a specific valve corresponding to one of either intake ports or exhaust ports for a specific cylinder in which an amount of condensate water produced in the port or flowing into the port is larger than in the other cylinders when the engine is stopped, in a case where production of condensate water in the ports or inflow of condensate water into the ports is predicted.
US10473035B2
The present invention relates to an engine (1) with a modular structure comprising a plurality of coaxial modules (A, B, C) with, at one end, a first module (A) comprising a power transmission shaft (3) and a speed reduction gear (7), said power transmission shaft being driven via the speed reduction gear (7) by a turbine shaft (2) secured to one (C) of said coaxial modules that is separate from the first module, the speed reduction gear comprising a drive means (8 and 9) fixed to the turbine shaft (2) and to a journal (13) of a shaft of a low-pressure compressor rotor (1 a), characterized in that it comprises a first nut (16) for fastening the drive means to the journal and a second nut (14) for fastening the drive means to the turbine shaft.
US10473021B2
A vortex generator for an exhaust system includes an annular bearing for mounting on an interior surface of an exhaust line. The vortex generator further includes a flow splitter mounted on the annular bearing. The flow splitter includes a leading face with an upstream opening. The flow splitter further includes a trailing face with a downstream opening, wherein the upstream opening and the downstream opening are centered around a longitudinal axis of the exhaust line. The flow splitter further includes a side extending from the leading face to the trailing face, wherein the side has a plurality of openings, each opening of the plurality of openings containing a blade, and wherein a trailing side of each blade faces the longitudinal axis.
US10473020B2
Methods and systems are provided for reducing engine emissions using a branched exhaust system. In one example, a branched exhaust system may include a plurality of sub-branches each housing a distinct exhaust component, and an order of exhaust flow through each of the exhaust components may be adjusted based on engine operating conditions and temperature demand of the distinct components.
US10473019B2
An exhaust gas sensor mounting structure includes: an exhaust pipe attached to a vehicle engine; a catalyst unit which cleans exhaust gas of the engine; a silencer connected to a downstream portion of the exhaust pipe; and an exhaust gas sensor which detects a prescribed component of the exhaust gas; at least part of the catalyst unit is located in the silencer; at least part of a pipe that is connected to a downstream end portion of the catalyst unit extends alongside an outer surface of the silencer; and the exhaust gas sensor is attached so as to penetrate through an outer wall of the silencer and a wall of the pipe.
US10473011B2
Methods and systems are provided for regenerating a particulate filter of a vehicle. In one example, a method may include, during a non-engine operating condition, regenerating a particulate filter coupled in an exhaust system downstream of an engine by activating an electric heater of the particulate filter and directing intake air through the particulate filter, the intake air bypassing the engine, and adjusting an electrical load of the electric heater responsive to one or more of exhaust temperature and intake airflow.
US10473009B2
Systems and methods are described for predicting a remaining oil life in an engine of a vehicle. One or more parameters of the engine can be monitored over a period of time. A hot compartment temperature can be determined from the parameter. A condition of the oil can be determined based on the hot compartment temperature, and the condition of the oil can be displayed.
US10472995B2
A free piston device, comprises a housing with a cylindrical inner wall having a first wall opening and a second wall opening; a cylindrical piston movable in axial direction and rotatable around its longitudinal axis; the piston comprising a first skirt forming a first chamber, said first skirt having at least a first opening in the form of a hole through the wall of the skirt for allowing passage of a fluid directly into or out of said chamber; control means for controlling axial and angular movement of said piston; sensing means for providing signals related to the axial position and/or the angular position of the piston; a digital control unit for rotating the piston around its longitudinal axis in synchronism with its axial movement.
US10472990B2
Various embodiments include apparatuses for performing maintenance on a gas turbine (GT) nozzle, along with related methods. One apparatus can include: a nozzle engagement sled for releasably engaging the nozzle, the nozzle engagement sled including: a sled body; a locking member coupled with the sled body, the locking member sized to complement a slot in the nozzle; a sled slot within a side of the sled body, the sled slot for engaging a rail within the GT; and at least one wheel for transporting the sled body within the GT.
US10472984B2
Apparatus for insertion into a cavity of an object, the apparatus comprising: a first tube comprising a first end, a second end and a first cavity extending between the first end and the second; a member positioned within the first cavity of the first tube and configured to enable an action to be performed; a heat pipe including a first end, a second end, and a second cavity extending between the first end and the second end, the first tube being positioned within the second cavity of the heat pipe; and an actuator configured to move the first tube relative to the heat pipe.
US10472983B2
A turbocharger is provided with a valve body which is disposed in a suction flow path (Cb) leading from an inflow port of a housing covering a turbine rotor blade to a scroll flow path (Ca) and composed of a single piece or multiple divided pieces to supply a fluid (G) to the turbine rotor blade with the inner surface thereof formed using a first wall surface and a second wall surface facing the first wall surface as part thereof, extends from the upstream side to the downstream side of the flow of the fluid (G), is rotatably provided in the housing in a direction toward and away from the first wall surface and the second wall surface, forms an upstream-side narrowed flow path (F1) with the first wall surface therebetween at an end on the upstream side, and forms a downstream-side narrowed flow path (F2) with the second wall surface therebetween at an end on the downstream side. The valve body has a first surface at the end on the upstream side, which faces the first wall surface, gradually approaches the first wall surface from the upstream side to the downstream side and thereafter gradually goes away therefrom, and a second surface which faces the second wall surface.
US10472980B2
A seal in a gas turbine for sealing a radial gap defined between rotating and stationary structure. The rotating structure may include a row of rotor blades. The seal may include a pad attached to the stationary structure. The pad may include an abradable structure. The pad may further include a liner attached to and covering an outer surface of the abradable structure. The stationary structure to which the pad is attached may define an axial section of the outer radial boundary of the annular flowpath, the axial section coinciding axially with an axial position of the row of rotor blades.
US10472977B2
An erosion shield assembly includes an erosion shield, a carbon allotrope heater attached to an inner surface of the erosion shield, and an adhesive layer between the carbon allotrope heater and the erosion shield. The carbon allotrope heater includes at least one layer of a carbon allotrope material.
US10472971B2
A method for manufacturing a component having a defined geometry includes: a) defining a pre-component geometry including interim shape elements and additional, sacrificial elements for supporting interim elements; b) on a base plate, depositing multiple layers of a powder including a material from which the pre-component will be manufactured; c) sintering the powder to form the pre-component to the defined geometry; d) removing at least some of the sacrificial elements from the pre-component; e) subjecting the remaining pre-component from step d) to a HIP step; and f) removing remaining sacrificial elements from the pre-component product of step e) to provide a component to the defined component geometry. In the definition of the pre-component geometry, the interim elements differ from the corresponding final shape elements in the defined component geometry such that during the HIP step, the interim shape elements adjust to form final shape elements in the defined component geometry.
US10472962B2
The invention relates to a device for the automated picking up and placing of a segment forming the lining of a tunnel, intended to be coupled to a tunnel-boring machine (1) provided with a segment erector (2), comprising:—a controller designed to communicate with an automated system of the tunnel boring machine, suitable for controlling the actuation of the erector; and—a three-dimensional vision system comprising at least four laser profilometers; the controller is designed to receive a segment positioning plan and to determine, from the analysis data of the three-dimensional vision system, the measurement data of the erector sensors and the segment positioning plan, an erector trajectory for positioning the segment (V) to be placed in alignment with a segment and/or ring (A) of segments already placed, and to communicate movement commands to the automated system of the tunnel boring machine, for actuating the erector to pick up the segment to be placed and move it according to the above trajectory.
US10472959B2
A method of testing mechanical properties of an earth formation can include disposing a probe in a wellbore, impacting the probe against a wall of the wellbore, and measuring a parameter related to at least one of a displacement, displacement rate, strain, and strain rate, of at least one of the probe and the formation. Another method can include disposing a probe and a known material in a wellbore, and after the disposing, penetrating the known material with the probe. Another method can include disposing a probe in a wellbore, measuring a displacement of the probe into a wall of the wellbore while measuring a load applied to the probe, and applying fluid pressure to the formation via the probe.
US10472953B2
An apparatus having a skid, a boom having a first end attached to the skid and pivotable around an axis proximate the first end such that a second end of the boom raises and lowers relative to the skid, and a room mounted on the skid. The apparatus may further include a raisable apparatus supported by the second end of the boom and having one or more plug panels configured to connect to one or more first cables. The apparatus may also include second cables routed from the raisable apparatus and attached to and supported at least in part by the boom, wherein the second cables may be configured to provide electrical power to the raisable apparatus.
US10472941B2
Methods, systems and apparatus for enhanced oil recovery utilizing enhanced sensitizers with chemical blowing agents (CBAs) includes irradiation of electromagnetically activated sensitizers with electromagnetic (EM) waves. The injected enhanced sensitizers absorb the energy from EM waves which increases the temperature. The elevated temperature then activates chemical blowing agents to aid in fluidity of heavy oil or bitumen extractions. The released gases from CBAs also aid in upgrading by releasing desired gases which in turn reduces long hydrocarbon chains at elevated temperature along with catalysts.
US10472936B2
A mineralogy composition of a formation of interest is determined using core samples or downhole measurements. A dry permittivity is determined for each identified mineral. A volumetric mixing law is employed using the determined mineralogy composition and the determined dry permitivities. An effective matrix permittivity is determined using results from the volumetric mixing law. Dielectric dispersion measurements of the subject formation are acquired using the core samples or the downhole measurements. A dielectric petrophysical model is produced using the dielectric dispersion measurements and the effective matrix permittivity. A water saturation is estimated based on the dielectric petrophysical model. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) T2 measurements having short echo spacings are acquired. A NMR petrophysical model is generated based on the NMR T2 measurements. A total porosity is determined based on the generated NMR petrophysical model. A total gas-in-place estimate is made using the determined total porosity and the estimated water saturation.
US10472919B2
A resettable elastomeric packer element of a packer, compressed for sealing in a wellbore, is released from sealing engagement in the wellbore by applying tension to an end of the packer element. The elastomeric packer element stretches and releases from the wellbore forming an annular passageway between the packer element and the wellbore. In the absence of a pressure equalization valve or flow passages through the packer, the annular passageway equalizes pressure differentials across the packer element allowing a tool, in which the packer is incorporated, to be moved in the wellbore with little or no damage to the packer element and further, allows debris to flow from above the packer to below the packer.
US10472907B2
A walled work platform or man basket configured for positioning near a surface to be drilled, the platform comprising at least one drill assembly mounting point on a leading edge of the platform wall and a tension member connected to the platform wall adjacent the drill assembly mounting point and extending rearwardly for connection at a rear portion of the platform wall.
US10472906B2
A tong includes a frame having jaws configured to engage a tubular and a tong control assembly disposed on the frame. The tong control assembly includes a housing connected to the frame, a shutoff switch, and a toggle lever located at a suitable position on the housing, whereby the toggle lever is configured to be operated while the shutoff switch is depressed, and wherein the toggle lever is configured to control at least one of: a rotational speed of the jaws and a rotational direction of the jaws. A method of operating a tong includes clamping a first tubular using first jaws of a tong, clamping a second tubular using second jaws of the tong, rotating the first tubular relative to the second tubular, and controlling a rotational speed of the first tubular using a toggle lever disposed on a frame of the tong.
US10472901B2
An electrical instrument swivel connector has a first housing part and a second housing part rotatably connected to each other. The connection enabling transfer of axial loading between the housing parts. A first insulator body is rotatably engaged with a second insulator body and respectively sealingly engageable with an interior surface of the first housing part and the second housing part. Electrical contact pins are formed into the first insulator body and the second insulator body. The electrical contact pins each terminate in a separate electrical contact wherein the first insulator body rotatably engages the second insulator body. A biased electrical contact is disposed between each respective separate electrical contact in the first insulator body and the second insulator body.
US10472894B2
A downhole drilling system is disclosed. The downhole drilling system may include a pulse-generating circuit electrically coupled to a power source to provide power at a frequency, the pulse-generating circuit comprising an input stage tank circuit electrically coupled to the power source, the input stage tank circuit configured to have a resonant frequency approximately equal to the frequency; a series tank circuit electromagnetically coupled to the input stage tank circuit, the series tank circuit configured to have a resonant frequency approximately equal to the frequency; and an output stage tank circuit electromagnetically coupled to the series tank circuit, the output stage tank circuit configured to have a resonant frequency approximately equal to the frequency; and a drill bit including a first electrode and a second electrode electrically coupled to the output stage tank circuit to receive an electric pulse from the pulse-generating circuit.
US10472893B2
A surface steerable system coupled to a drilling rig receives BHA information from a bottom hole assembly (BHA) located in a borehole. The BHA information corresponds to a first location of the BHA with respect to a target drilling path and geological formation drift information. The surface steerable system calculates a toolface vector to create a convergence path from the first location of the BHA to the target drilling path that accounts for geological formation drift defined by the geological formation drift information such that the BHA will converge with the target drilling path by drilling in accordance with the toolface vector. The surface steerable system causes at least one control parameter to be modified in order to alter a drilling direction of the BHA based on the calculated toolface vector and transmits the at least one control parameter to the drilling rig to target the BHA in accordance with the calculated toolface vector.
US10472892B1
A drilling rig mobility system moves a drilling rig or similar structure in an oilfield or similar environment and includes independently controllable positioning shoes attaching to the drilling rig and controllable through separate and coordinated position control commands. Each positioning shoe may be individually addressed to reposition the drilling rig. Each positioning shoe includes a hydraulic actuator and wireless control circuitry. The hydraulic actuator provides vertical, horizontal and rotational force in response to wireless control signals for wireless position and control data and instructions with a remote wireless communications device. A cylinder stomper vertically elevates the hydraulic actuator and receives and transfers the vertical and rotational force. A foot assembly transfers the horizontal force from the hydraulic actuator. A positioning shoe cylinder stomper and positioning shoe traverse cylinder provide infinitely variable position control.
US10472888B2
A stepladder includes a front section having a first :front leg and a second front leg and a step attached to the first front leg and the second front leg and a latch engaged with the step. The stepladder includes a rear section having a first rear leg and a second rear leg and a cross bar attached to the first rear leg and the second rear leg. The rear section has a first stud which extends from the first rear leg toward the second rear leg and separate and apart and not in contact with the second rear leg and not in contact with the cross bar. The latch is engaged with and latched to the first stud to define an engaged position where the first front leg and the first rear leg are in an open position and form an inverted v shape and are prevented from folding together.
US10472886B2
The invention is a roller shade tube assembly with a main housing having a lumen divided into two sections by an internal spring stop. The distal end of the main housing has a recessed mounting cavity coupleable to a motor. The proximal end of the main housing has one or more interlocking fingers. A spring inside the proximal lumen abuts the spring stop. An inner guide cylinder is coupled to slide inside the main housing against the spring and coupled to a lumen of an auxiliary housing that is movably coupled to the main housing. The distal end of the auxiliary housing includes one or more complementary interlocking fingers and a second recessed mounting cavity at its proximal end. Wall mounting brackets on each side of the tube assembly are configured to fit into the recessed mounting cavities. A shade fabric is coupled to the roller shade tube assembly.
US10472885B2
A daylighting film (1) according to an aspect of the present invention includes a first base (2) that has optical transparency, multiple daylighting units (3) which are formed on at least a first surface (2a) of the first base (2) and each of which has the optical transparency, an opening space (9) which is provided between each of the multiple daylighting units (3), and a mark (5) which is provided on at least any one of the first surface (2a) side of the first base (2) and the second surface (2b) side that is opposite in direction to the first surface (2a), and which indicates information relating a daylighting film (1).
US10472877B2
An engine coolant temperature at an expected time of activation of a vehicle is predicted. Upon determining that the predicted engine coolant temperature is greater than an ambient air temperature by a temperature threshold, a vehicle component is actuated at a time determined based on the expected time of activation.
US10472870B2
A device for automatic closing of a door, to be applied to a hidden hinge having two bodies articulated with each other by a pair of arms and adapted to be constrained to one of the two bodies and to be inserted, together with the body, into a cavity obtained in the leaf, includes a translating element to be engaged with an articulation arm of the hinge; an elastic member interposed between a first element associated with the translating element and a second element associated with the body of the hinge, and configured to be loaded during the opening of the leaf and to cause the automatic closing of the leaf by releasing the stored energy; and a system that varies the preloading of the elastic member and is configured to modify the distance between the first and the second elements, between which the elastic member is interposed.
US10472869B2
A powered latch includes a forkbolt pivotable about a first axis between a latched position for retaining a striker and an unlatched position for releasing the striker. A detent lever is pivotable about a second axis and engageable with the forkbolt to secure the forkbolt in the latched position. The latch further includes a powered actuator and a power release lever rotatable about a third axis by the powered actuator to release the detent lever from the forkbolt. The power release lever is manually movable along the third axis from a first position to a second position. Movement of the power release lever from the first position to the second position is operable to release the detent lever.
US10472866B2
An opening and closing body control apparatus for a vehicle includes: a lock device that has a latch mechanism; and a control device that controls an operation of the lock device. The lock device has a rotation member rotating in first and second directions, and the latch mechanism performs close and release operations according to a rotating direction of the rotation member. The control device executes a close control for rotating the rotation member from a neutral position to a first position in the first direction in order to cause the latch mechanism to perform the close operation. The control device includes a neutral control portion, a vehicle state detection portion, and a restart control portion.
US10472858B2
The present invention relates to a locking device of a household appliance door comprising a circuit having a first, a second and a third connecting contacts to the household appliance, the device comprising a door locking switch, a door closing switch and an actuator arranged electrically in series with said door closing switch, at least one diode and at least one control switch on said third contact and electrically in series with said actuator. By virtue of this configuration, the locking and the unlocking of the door may be controlled by specific, different predetermined electrical pulses.
US10472846B2
A weight system for supporting a free-standing object comprising a container defining an interior chamber, the container comprising at least one side wall, a lower wall, and an upper wall, where the upper wall is configured to define a fill opening and a closure system comprising first and second closure portions. The first closure portion is arranged to define a first side of the fill opening. The second closure portion is arranged to define a second side of the fill opening. The closure system is arranged to allow the container to be configured in a closed configuration in which the first closure portion engages the second closure portion substantially to prevent access to the interior chamber through the fill opening and an open configuration in which the first closure portion is disengaged from the second closure portion to allow access to the interior chamber through the fill opening.
US10472845B2
A fastener for fastening parts together. The fastener has a shaft, a head and movable members that spring outwardly from the shaft to firmly capture the parts between the members and the head upon insertion of the fastener into aligned holes in the parts. No threading step is necessary. The movable members may be retractable into the shaft to facilitate insertion into holes corresponding in size to the shaft. The members may have a contact surface sloping away from the head and forming a tapered space between the members and the head so that the outward spring bias tends to reduce the space and maintain tightness of the joint. The fastener may be operatively deployed by a single insertion step.
US10472844B2
Reinforcing bars include load transfer connectors. A link plate includes openings that mate with the load transfer connectors to overlie the splice between reinforcing bars being spliced. A cover plate may be fastened over the link plate.
US10472843B2
Systems, methods, non-transitory processor-readable storage media, and devices of the various embodiments enable a vehicle vending machine to retrieve a vehicle from a storage location and deliver the vehicle to a delivery bay for delivery to a customer. Various embodiments may include a vehicle vending machine including a tower, a robotic carrier, a corridor extending from the tower, a plurality of delivery bays positioned along the corridor, a customer interaction kiosk, and a video system.
US10472838B1
Seating terraces constructed from SPS materials are used to provide integrated HVAC to the seating areas of stadia, arena bowls and similar structures. Portions of the terraces are enclosed from their backsides to provide large ducts or plenums that run beneath the seating terraces where openings into the plenum located between the seats at regular intervals deliver conditioned air to the seating areas. A large header duct runs around the stadium bowl above the top row of seats and delivers air to plenums that run beneath and are integral with the stadium stairways. The seating terrace ducts receive their air supply from the stairway plenums.
US10472835B2
A construction anchor apparatus has utility as a safety grip for engagement by construction personnel, and, in addition, a support apparatus for supporting and/or holding construction equipment including ductwork, electrical cables, plumbing, etc. The anchor apparatus is used in conjunction with rebar applied in concrete support walls, floors, ceilings, or other structural elements at a construction site.
US10472833B2
A floor panel has a substrate and a decorative layer of wood veneer having a thickness of 1 millimeter or less provided on the substrate. The substrate has an average density of more than 750 kilograms per cubic meter. The decorative layer is provided on the substrate by means of a layer on the basis of thermosetting resin situated between the substrate and the decorative layer. A method for manufacturing such floor panels including a structured veneer surface that can be obtained according to the arrangement of the aforementioned floor panel.
US10472823B2
Various implementations described herein are directed to a formwork system. In one implementation, the formwork system includes aluminum extrusions and aluminum castings. The aluminum castings and the aluminum extrusions can be assembled by being pressed and riveted together.
US10472821B2
Disclosed is an economical and effective way of producing a double sided wall using facing panels having a face surface and a back surface with a retaining structure. The facing panels are stacked in a back-to-back arrangement into a pair of first and second wall components connected by separate articulated connectors. The articulated connectors each have a first base connector that fits into a respective retaining groove in the first wall component and a second base connector that fits into a respective retaining groove of the second wall component. The first and second base connectors are connected to each other by a link that forms a first pivot joint at the first base connector and a second pivot joint at the second base connector.
US10472820B2
Some embodiments include an exterior insulated finish wall assembly including an exterior panel member and an insert member. The exterior panel member includes a rigid insulative substrate and a base coat selectively disposed on the rigid insulative substrate. The rigid insulative substrate includes a body portion and a tail portion extending from the body portion. The body portion has a first thickness and the tail portion having a second thickness less than the first thickness. The tail portion defines a recessed portion extending along a length of a lower edge. The insert member is configured to be disposed in the recessed portion. The insert member is sized and shaped to correspond to the recessed portion. The insert member includes the rigid insulative substrate and the base coat selectively disposed on the rigid insulative substrate. A drainage channel is defined between the tail portion and the insert member when assembled.
US10472817B2
A building panel system is provided that includes a perimeter frame; a main beam attached to the perimeter frame; a carrier attached to the main beam, the carrier having a plurality of identical hook members, each of the hook members having a protruding hooking portion on only a first side of the hook member, and a non-hooking portion on a second side of the hook member, the second side being opposite the first side; and a plurality of panels removably attached to the carrier, each of the panels being attached to the carrier by engaging one of the hooking portions.
US10472812B2
Disclosed are various embodiments for an apparatus that comprises a water closet assembly having a cylindrical body and a water closet flange. The apparatus also includes an annular shear wall that extends from the water closet assembly in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body. The water closet assembly can also include an annular recess. In addition, the apparatus has a wall of the annular recess that includes an outer surface of the annular shear wall and a removable cap extending from the annular shear wall.
US10472811B2
Disclosed is an in-the-bowl dispensing device designed to dispense two liquid compositions into a toilet bowl at two separate time intervals. One dispensing action takes place during the flush of the toilet bowl and a second separate dispensing action takes place after the flush of the toilet bowl is complete. In this manner the second liquid composition is retained in the toilet bowl until the toilet bowl is flushed by the next user.
US10472804B2
A hydraulic control system achieves a reduction in meter-out pressure loss in accordance with variation of a negative load acting on a hydraulic actuator. A hydraulic fluid discharged from the actuator flows through meter-out flow lines having variable restrictors. A load sensor detects the magnitude of a negative load applied to the actuator by an external force in the same direction as the operating direction of the actuator. A control device reduces the sum total of the opening areas of the variable restrictors in accordance with an increase in the magnitude of the negative load detected by the load sensor and the operation amount detected by the operation amount sensor when the load abnormality sensor does not detect any abnormality. When an abnormality is detected, it reduces the sum total of the opening areas to a predetermined value in accordance with the operation amount detected by the operation amount sensor.
US10472803B2
A control system for determining a stale terrain value for use by an autonomous machine is provided. The control system includes a controller associated with the autonomous machine operating on a work surface. The controller is configured to receive position data associated with the autonomous machine from a position sensing system. The controller is configured to receive data related to a dump operation to be performed by the autonomous machine. The data includes a distance between a start location and an end location, a distance between two adjacent piles of material, and an average speed of travel of the autonomous machine. The controller is configured to determine the stale terrain value associated with the work surface. The controller is configured to trigger a control signal for shutting down the dump operation of the autonomous machine on approaching the stale terrain value based on receiving an operator input.
US10472799B2
An attachment assembly configured to be removably coupled between a first jaw and a second jaw of a clamping bucket. The attachment assembly includes a pair of sidewalls spaced from each other in a first direction and at least two structural beams spaced from each other in a second direction. Each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall includes a first connection interface configured to be removably coupled between the front jaw and the rear jaw, a retention arm configured to interconnect to a back surface of the rear jaw, and a second connection interface configured to interface with a working tool. The attachment assembly can also include a reaction arm configured to be arranged adjacent a bottom surface of the front jaw of the clamping bucket.
US10472796B2
A movable blade assembly which can be attached to the front or rear of a vehicle and the height of the blade can be adjusted with respect to a roadway such that the blade only comes into contact with relatively large debris and moves them from the roadway.
US10472788B2
A laboratory device to measure horizontal displacement of soil around a region treated by vacuum preloading includes a box injected with dredger fill. A vertical drainage board and a vacuum pumping tube are buried within soil in the treatment region in connection with a vacuum degree detector and a vacuum pump. A seal membrane covers soil in the treatment region. A loading device is above the seal membrane. Transverse tubes are inserted into a side of the box and in surrounding soil of the treatment region. An annular sensing source, which moves together with the soil and which is movable along the transverse tubes, sleeved on the transverse tubes. Each transverse tube is provided with a sensing instrument, and the sensing instrument is connected with a sensor is inserted into the transverse tube. The different positions of the sensing source at different moments of time are determined.
US10472786B2
Flexible containment tubes form sections of a dike for fluid containment. Structural supports are inserted into the flexible contain tubes and the tube sealed to form structure supported dike sections. For example, a supporting structure may be configured with a given length and cross sectional diameter to provide structural support to a vinyl-coated polyester tube with a 12-36 inch diameter. The structure is sealed within the tube and, in turn, the tube may be filled with a fluid such as water to create structure supported containment dike. The length of the supporting structure may be selected based on the width of an entryway to create structure supported dike section of a give length that provide a seal across the entryways against floodwaters.
US10472783B2
A snow plow is pivotally mounted to a tractor by a compound mount allowing for multiple blade positions. The mount has an inner portion pivotally mounted about a first horizontal axis to the front of the tractor and an outer portion pivotally mounted about a vertical axis to the inner portion. The plow blade is pivotally mounted about a second horizontal axis to the outer portion. Deicer nozzles spray liquid and a spreader distributes salt and other materials in front of the front wheels of the tractor.
US10472769B2
In various aspects, the present disclosure provides porous materials having extreme wettability to polar or non-polar fluids, such as water and oil. The porous material has a coated surface comprising a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane that is treated to exhibit at least one type of extreme wettability. In certain aspects, the disclosure provides a porous material comprising a coated surface that is both superhydrophobic and oleophilic, or superhydrophobic and superoleophobic, or superhydrophilic and oleophobic, by way of example. Methods of forming a porous surface having a predetermined wettability are also provided. Other embodiments include fluidic devices that incorporate porous materials having extreme wettabilities, such as microfluidic devices and separators.
US10472767B2
A method to treat fibrous materials for use in the formation of a biocomposite material that significantly reduces or eliminates the odors emitted from the fibrous materials is provided. In the method, the fibers or fibrous materials are initially treated to extract the raw fiber from the source plant material and the remove unwanted fractions of the fiber, such as the hemicellulose, lignin, and pectin, among others, leaving only the intact cellulose fibers. These cellulose fibers are then further processed in a second step to remove the odor from the cellulose fibers. The second step includes a combination of a second chemical treatment, dehumidification, and/or a cold plasma modification to render the cellulosic fibers odorless.
US10472755B2
A sewing machine includes an embroidery data memory unit, a suspension timing selecting unit, and a suspension control unit. The embroidery data memory unit stores embroidery data, and accepts a planned suspension timing, a sewing suspending instruction, and a sewing resuming instruction. The suspension timing selecting unit selects a discontinuous operation that breaks the continuity of seams within the predetermined range before and after the planned suspension timing from the embroidery data. The suspension control unit maintains the deactivation of a sewing-machine motor until the suspending instruction or the resuming instruction is input when the selected discontinuous operation by the suspension timing selecting unit comes during the sewing of embroidery pattern.
US10472754B2
A sewing machine threading device includes: hermetic lips capable of making hermetic contact with a peripheral band-ring-shaped region of needles surrounding thread exits of needle eye, and which further includes a peripheral band-ring-shaped pad which surrounds suction port holes which draw in air from the thread exits of the needle eyes; a needle thread suction conduit pipe connected to the suction port holes; a position switching mechanism which moves the hermetic lips to a threading position such that the hermetic lips are in contact with the needle with the suction port holes being aligned with the thread exits, and, when forming a stitch, retracts the hermetic lips from the needle and moves said hermetic lips to a standby position; and a pump which takes in one end of the thread to be inserted into thread entrances of the needle eyes.
US10472748B2
A multi-ply knit fabric containing a first knit ply and a second knit ply. The first knit ply contains a plurality of first yarns and forms the upper surface of the fabric. The second knit ply forms the lower surface of the fabric and contains a plurality of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) yarns having a density of about 2 to 2.25 g/cm3, a transmission in the IR region of 8-10 μm at least about 60%, and a thermal conductivity of at least about 0.2 W/(m·K). The plies are integrated through combined portions formed by at least one of the following methods: interlacing first yarns among the PTFE yarns of the second knit ply, interlacing PTFE yarns among the first yarns of the first knit ply, and interlacing a plurality of third yarns among the first yarns of the first knit ply and the PTFE yarns of the second knit ply.
US10472746B2
A light-weight high-strength fabric for fencing protective clothing uses UHMWPE fibers with fiber number of 360-420 D and high-strength terylene silks with fiber number of 460-540 D as raw materials. The fabric is prepared through the steps of batching, twisting, weaving, and after-treatment. The resulting fabric has less defects due to improvements in fabric formula and weaving techniques, etc. The puncture strength of the fabric can reach 3300 N, and the mass per unit area can be reduced to 600 g/m2.
US10472741B2
A garment article is made of a fabric including a plurality of warp and weft yarns woven together in a pattern; at least the weft yarns include elastomeric yarns, to provide an elasticity of the fabric in warp direction that is at least 7% and elasticity of the fabric in weft direction that is at least 15%; the fabric of the garment is bias cut so that the weft yarns in the garment are angled with respect to the widthwise direction (WD) of the article.
US10472740B2
A method and associated textile machine are provided to produce a roving having a protective twist from a fiber bundle fed to a consolidating means. The produced roving is wound with a winding device onto a tube arranged at a winding position. After the wound tube has been fully or partially wound with the roving, a tube change is initiated. During the tube change, the wound tube is removed from the winding position and an empty tube is moved into the winding position. During the tube change, the roving is wound onto the wound tube at least until the roving comes into contact with the empty tube as a result of the tube change such that the production of the roving is not interrupted during the tube change. During the tube change, the roving is wound onto the wound tube in a region that lies outside a region last wound prior to the tube change.