US08242943B2
The present invention relates to a digital-to-analog converter comprising a differentiation circuit, a conversion circuit, and an integration circuit. The differentiation circuit receives and differentiates a digital signal for producing a differentiation signal. The conversion circuit is coupled to the differentiation circuit. It receives the differentiation signal and produces a conversion signal according to a clock signal and the differentiation signal. The integration circuit is coupled to the conversion circuit. It receives and integrates the conversion signal for producing an analog signal. Thereby, the purpose of reducing distortion noises can be achieved.
US08242936B2
A control method of a control panel is disclosed. First, a first display plate having at least one first pattern is provided, and the first display plate is in an on-state, so that the first pattern is shown. Then, a touch region of a touch panel disposed on the first display plate is touched, and a second display plate having at least one second pattern and disposed under the first display plate is turned on, so that the second pattern is displayed. Accordingly, changes of different patterns respectively in different layers can be displayed.
US08242923B2
An electronic device with an alert system is disclosed. The electronic device includes a global positioning system (GPS) module and a central processing unit (CPU). The GPS module is capable of determining two velocities on two locations. The CPU is capable of computing a rate of change in velocity derived by dividing a change in velocity between the two locations into the time elapsed between the two locations. The CPU sends an alert message when the rate of change in velocity is beyond a preset value.
US08242918B2
Monitoring apparatus (100, 200, 300) for registration and warning of overtemperature, particularly in connection with harmful heat development in electric installations, as for example outlets, switches and fuse equipment. The apparatus provides for timely warning of heat development, so that overheating and damage is avoided, whereby the operation of electric installation equipment for mounting in electric installations, will have a significantly improved safety. The temperature registration is performed in a unit (100) by means of a sensor (1) which provides an electrical magnitude that is influenced by the temperature, for example a thermistor, which is a temperature-dependent resistor. When a low current is applied to such a component, it will result in a temperature-dependent voltage drop that is measured and gives a direct measure of the temperature. If the temperature exceeds a given value, an alarm unit (200) is activated, and this is turn can provide for remote warning of a central block or plant (300).
US08242905B2
A system including at least one sensor capable of indicating the physiological presence an individual proximate thereto, an access control unit associated with the sensor that provides physiological access to a secure area and control circuits coupled to the at least one sensor, and the unit and responsive thereto to adjust a security level and alarm state in a selected region of the secure area.
US08242903B2
A wireless sensor device capable of constant operation without replacement of batteries. The wireless sensor device is equipped with a rechargeable battery and the battery is recharged wirelessly. Radio waves received at an antenna circuit are converted into electrical energy and stored in the battery. A sensor circuit operates with the electrical energy stored in the battery, and acquires information. Then, a signal containing the information acquired is converted into radio waves at the antenna circuit, whereby the information can be read out wirelessly.
US08242898B2
A turn signal illumination controller monitors the lateral movement distance of a vehicle from when a turn switch lever is operated so as to illuminate a turn signal indicator. When the lateral movement distance is greater than or equal to a threshold value indicating completion of lane changing, the turn signal illumination controller cancels the turn signal indicator.
US08242883B2
An electronic lock system including an electronic lock disposed in a door and a device external to the door disposed for wirelessly providing power to the electronic lock.
US08242870B1
A magnetic component having a magnetic core structure includes a core body with a notched region for reducing non-essential core material. The notched region has the cross-sectional shape of a trapezoid and includes two notch walls separated by a middle wall. The notch walls are each oriented at an obtuse angle relative to the middle notch wall. The core structure reduces the cost of manufacture and the size of the magnetic component by eliminating non-essential core material from regions of the core that have little or no impact on the magnetic performance of the component. The desired magnetic flux path in the component remains substantially unaffected by the removal of the non-essential core material. The body of the core may also include one or more angled shoulders positioned at the corners of the core body to further eliminate non-essential core material.
US08242864B2
Disclosed is a trip mechanism for a circuit breaker, capable of maintaining a constant characteristic of a normal trip operation in spite of changes in installation angles of the circuit breaker including a horizontal installation, a perpendicular installation and an inclination installation, the trip mechanism including, a coil configured to generate a magnetic absorption force due to a fault current on a circuit, a stationary core fixed to a lower portion of the coil within the coil, a movable core movable down to the stationary core within the coil by the magnetic absorption force generated from the coil, and a trip lever rotatably to connected to the movable core so as to be pulled by the movable core when the movable core is downwardly moved and configured to trigger the switching mechanism such that the movable contactor is moved to an open circuit position.
US08242863B2
The present disclosure relates to techniques for simulating electrical inductance.
US08242857B2
A single side band (SSB) mixer includes an in-phase SSB mixer unit and a quadrature-phase SSB mixer unit. The in-phase SSB mixer unit generates an in-phase output current, and includes a first transformer load in which a portion of a quadrature-phase output current flows. The quadrature-phase SSB mixer unit generates the quadrature-phase output current, and includes a second transformer load in which a portion of the in-phase output current flows. The SSB mixer may be used in a wide frequency band without degrading frequency selectivity.
US08242853B2
A low headroom oscillator operates at low supply voltages without the use of monostable circuits or flip flops. The oscillator operates in multiple states which allow for the charging and discharging of the capacitors alternately to enable the proper operating of the oscillator at low supply voltages without locking up.
US08242852B2
An oscillator arrangement is specified, in which a relaxation oscillator is refined to the extent that the comparator (2) to be used for comparing the voltage across a charge storage device (1) with a switching threshold (VTH) is a current comparator with two current branches (5, 6). One of these two current branches is used in the present case for guiding a charging or discharging current of the charge storage device (1). In this way, a current branch is eliminated, so that the proposed principle is preferably suitable for so-called ultra low power applications.
US08242842B2
A circuit provides a first current corresponding to the differential input Inn and Inp, and a second current corresponding to the common mode input Vcm. The circuit then mirrors the differential current and the common mode current to a third current and a fourth current. Based on the difference between the mirrored differential current and the mirrored common mode current, the circuit pulls up or pulls down these currents to balance the corresponding difference between the differential input and the common mode input. In effect, the circuit adjusts the input common mode voltage to a desired level, without providing an opportunity for it to rise to an unwanted level.
US08242827B2
A differential latch comprising a data holding transistor, the differential latch comprising: a resetting transistor that is connected to a gate electrode of the data holding transistor and is controlled by a reset signal; and a switching transistor that is connected to the gate electrode of the data holding transistor and is controlled by a switch signal, being an inverted version of the reset signal.
US08242825B2
An integrated control circuit according to aspects of the present invention includes a capacitor to develop a first current during a first time duration in response to a charge current and to develop a second voltage during a second time duration in response to a discharge current. A comparator is also included and is coupled to the capacitor to indicate when the voltage on the capacitor reaches the second voltage. A control logic sets a duty ratio of a periodic output signal in response to the time it takes the capacitor to discharge from the first voltage to the second voltage. An oscillator is coupled to provide a timing signal to the control logic. In one aspect, the control logic includes an output that is coupled to the oscillator to change a frequency of the oscillator.
US08242823B2
A delay chain initialization circuit that converts a singled-sided signal to a dual sided-signal. The dual-sided delay chain including a data rail and a complement rail. Each of the data rail and data complement rail include inverter chains that are interconnected through cross-coupled inverter pairs. The delay chain initialization circuit being adapted to produce, at an output, a data signal and a data complement signal that are substantially simultaneous.
US08242820B2
A phase locked loop includes a phase lock unit configured to compare a phase of a reference clock with a phase of a feedback clock and to generate an internal clock based on the comparison; a delay lock unit configured to compare the reference clock with the internal clock, and to generate the feedback clock which is delayed in response to a control voltage based on the comparison; and a start voltage enable unit configured to receive an enable signal and to apply a start voltage as the control voltage in response to the enable signal.
US08242818B2
Described is a frequency synthesizer having a wide output frequency range and small frequency tuning steps. In-band spurious components are maintained at low levels and phase noise is significantly reduced. The frequency synthesizer can be fabricated as an integrated circuit device having a small area and low power dissipation. The frequency synthesizer can be used in wideband frequency systems to reduce cost and size by replacing multiple frequency synthesizers each devoted to a portion of the overall system frequency range.
US08242816B2
A restart circuit includes a voltage input terminal, a diode, an electronic switch, a restart signal output terminal, and a timing chip. The voltage input terminal is connected to an anode of the diode. A cathode of the diode is connected to a power pin and a reset pin of the chip and connected to a trigger pin of the chip through a resistor. A trigger pin of the chip is grounded through a capacitor. A count pin of the chip is grounded through a capacitor. A discharge pin and a threshold pin of the chip are connected and grounded through a resistor and a capacitor in that order. An output pin of the chip is connected to a control terminal of the switch. A first terminal of the switch is grounded. A second terminal of the switch is connected to the restart signal output terminal.
US08242812B2
A buffer circuit in accordance with an embodiment comprises output transistors connected between a first fixed voltage terminal and an output terminal, and gate control transistors connected between a second fixed voltage terminal and a gate of one of the output transistors or between two of gates of the output transistors. The output transistors are configured to turn on to change a voltage of the output terminal. The gate control transistors are configured to apply a gate voltage to the gates of the output transistors. A gate of each of the gate control transistors is applied with a certain voltage, such that when a source of each of the gate control transistors changes from a first potential to a second potential, a potential difference between the gate and the source attains a threshold voltage or greater, whereby each of the gate control transistors is turned on.
US08242806B1
Systems and methods for managing a write operation are described. The systems include a logic element (LE) including an N-input look-up table (LUT) having a configurable random access memory (CRAM) including 2N memory cells. The systems further include a write address decoder coupled to the LE and a write address hard logic register that stores an address of one of the memory cells. N is an integer. The hard logic register removes a dependency of a timing relationship between a write address launch and a write to the CRAM on a design of an integrated circuit.
US08242805B1
In one embodiment, a method for restricting use of an integrated circuit (IC) is provided. A write-once memory of a programmable IC contains a first die-specific performance grade indicator. In response to receiving an input code having a second die-specific performance grade indicator with a value indicating a level of performance greater than or equal to a level of performance indicated by the first die-specific performance grade indicator, enabling operation of the IC. In response to receiving a configuration bitstream having the second die-specific performance grade indicator with a value indicating a level of performance less than a level of performance indicated by the first die-specific performance grade indicator, preventing operation of the IC.
US08242801B2
An input circuit arrangement comprises an input, a comparator, and an evaluation circuit. The input is designed for coupling to a first terminal of an impedance and for feeding an input signal. The comparator is connected to the input of the input circuit arrangement and is designed for delivering an activation signal to an output as a function of a comparison of the input signal with an adjustable threshold. Furthermore, the evaluation circuit is connected to the input of the input circuit arrangement and for its activation to the output of the comparator and is designed for evaluating the value of the impedance that can be connected.
US08242798B2
A signal testing method of a printed circuit board (PCB) applies a robot arm and an oscilloscope to test the PCB. The method controls the robot arm to move to test points of electronic signals of the PCB. The method further controls the oscilloscope connected to the robot arm to measure the electronic signals.
US08242790B2
A sensor system for protecting products and technology from reverse engineering by detecting attempts to probe electronic circuitry includes a sensor electrically linked to electronic circuitry. The sensor detects interaction of probe devices with the electronic circuitry for the purpose of reverse engineering the electronic circuitry. The sensor includes an exciter and an impedance counter linked to the exciter. A count rate of the impedance counter is a function of the impedance of the electronic circuitry due to the fact that oscillation frequency generated by the exciter is also a function of the impedance of the electronic circuitry. The sensor also includes an impedance register storing the binary count value from the impedance counter, wherein after the impedance counter data is transferred into the impedance register, the data is referred to as impedance data. The sensor also includes a reference oscillator monitoring count rate of the impedance counter and a sensor evaluation system comparing the impedance value to threshold values to determine if a significant change has occurred. When changes have occurred this is indicative of abnormal behavior and may be indicative of tampering relating to the evaluation of the electronic circuit for the purpose of reverse engineering.
US08242789B2
A plasma system (1) has a circuit including a DC source (6), a power supply line (9), an electrodes (2, 3), and a return line (18). A perturbation signal source (8) delivers a perturbation signal into the circuit in addition to DC voltage from the DC source (6). Acquisition (10) and analysis (11) systems measure response to the perturbation. The analysis system (11) measures variation in impedance of the circuit and phase between voltage and current in the circuit. It also uses a frequency domain reflectrometry technique to measure signal reflection modulus of a supply line of the circuit over a defined frequency range.
US08242779B2
A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method for detecting hydrogen peroxide includes stimulating a spin signal in a liquid sample in a static magnetic field by exciting the sample with a first electromagnetic pulse having a frequency corresponding to a hydrogen NMR frequency; after a first time period, refocusing the spin signal by a series of second electromagnetic pulses also having the NMR-corresponding frequency and separated by a first echo time, while sampling a first train of spin signals; and refocusing the spin signal by a series of third electromagnetic pulses having the NMR-corresponding frequency and separated by a second echo time while sampling a second train of spin signals, the second echo time different from the first echo time. First and second spin-spin relaxation times are derived from the trains of spin signals, and a quotient of the spin-spin relaxation times indicates the presence of hydrogen peroxide.
US08242778B2
An electron paramagnetic resonance imaging system that includes means for continuously irradiating a sample with RF irradiation; means for imposing on the sample a sinusoidally varying magnetic field along with rotating gradients for spatial encoding; means for directly detecting signal data from the sample, without using field modulation, while irradiating the sample with RF radiation continuously, the means for directly detecting having means for sweeping the sinusoidally varying magnetic field; and means for transmitting, receiving and processing the signal data, using means including a digital signal processor.
US08242767B2
A method is disclosed for detecting changes in an interval of time (ΔT) between an optical or electrical signal and an optical or electrical reference signal using a photodetector. The method may be used to synchronize an optical or electrical signal with an optical or electrical reference signal. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: receiving the optical signal and the optical reference signal by means of the photodetector, outputting an electrical response signal at an output of the photodetector, the electrical response signal having a frequency spectrum which depends on the interval of time (ΔT), filtering a selected harmonic from the frequency spectrum of the electrical response signal which has been output, and detecting changes in the interval of time (ΔT) from changes in the amplitude of the selected harmonic.
US08242740B2
The battery charger has a case 1 that has a battery compartment 2 to load a plurality of rechargeable circular cylindrical batteries 3 arranged in parallel orientation in a detachable manner, a charging circuit 10 housed in the case 1 to charge the batteries loaded in the battery compartment 2, and a charging status indicator 4 that detects the charging status of batteries loaded in the battery compartment 2 and indicates the battery charging status by light illumination conditions. The indicator 4 is provided with light sources 6 disposed at the end of the battery compartment 2 that shine light from between adjacent parallel circular cylindrical batteries 3 in the lengthwise direction onto the battery surfaces. These battery charger light sources 6 shine light on the surfaces of adjacent circular cylindrical batteries 3 to indicate the charging status of the circular cylindrical batteries 3 loaded in the battery compartment 2.
US08242731B2
Embodiments of the present method and system permit an effective method for determining the optimum selection of pulse width modulation polarity and type including determining machine parameters, inputting the machine parameters into a predicted duty cycle module, determining the optimum polarity of the pulse width modulation for a predicted duty cycle based on a pulse width modulation generation algorithm, and determining the optimum type of the pulse width modulation for a predicted duty cycle based on the pulse width modulation generation algorithm.
US08242727B2
An information handling system includes a three phase brushless direct current motor and a motherboard which in turn includes a drive circuit. The three phase brushless direct current motor is configured to rotate a cooling fan in the information handling system based on a control signal. The drive circuit is connected to the three phase brushless direct current motor, and the drive circuit is configured to adjust the control signal sent to the three phase brushless direct current motor based on a back electromagnetic flux signal.
US08242721B2
This invention provides an advanced position and velocity estimation scheme used in a position-sensorless control system for synchronous operation of an electric motor. The system includes an electric motor having a stator and a rotor; an inverter for powering the electric motor; and a controller for controlling the inverter. The controller utilizes a control system comprising a rotor angle and angular velocity estimation block; an estimated angle error detector block; a field-weakening block; and a torque-to-current converter block, all of which operate to generate control commands for operation of the motor.
US08242712B2
A power supply apparatus includes an open loop power switcher, a power isolation transformer, a backlight driving circuit, and a power circuit. The open loop power switcher converts a direct current (DC) power into an alternating current (AC) input voltage. The power isolation transformer is coupled to the open loop power switcher and includes a primary-side winding, a first winding, and a second winding, wherein the first and second windings are disposed at the secondary-side of the power isolation transformer, and the first winding is employed for generating a first voltage signal according to the AC input voltage. The backlight driving circuit is employed for driving a backlight module according to the first voltage signal. The power circuit is employed for receiving a second voltage signal generated from the second winding according to the AC input voltage, in order to generate an output power signal.
US08242708B2
A multiple location load control system comprises a main device and remote devices, which do not require neutral connections, but allow for visual and audible feedback at the main device and the remote devices. The main device and the remote devices are adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between an AC power source and an electrical load, and to be further coupled together via an accessory wiring. The remote devices can be wired on the line side and the load side of the load control system, such that the main device is wired “in the middle” of the load control system. The main device is operable to enable a charging path to allow the remote devices to charge power supplies through the accessory wiring during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source. The main device and the remote devices are operable to communicate with each other via the accessory wiring during a second time period of the half-cycle.
US08242699B2
To provide a light emitting device without nonuniformity of luminance, a correcting circuit for correcting a video signal supplied to each pixel to a light emitting device. The correcting circuit is stored with data of a dispersion of a characteristic of a driving TFT among pixels and data of a change over time of luminance of a light emitting element. Further, by correcting a video signal inputted to the light emitting device in conformity with a characteristic of the driving TFT of each pixel and a degree of a deterioration of the light emitting element based on the over-described two data, nonuniformity of luminance caused by a deterioration of an electroluminescent layer and nonuniformity of luminance caused by dispersion of a characteristic of the driving TFT are restrained.
US08242694B2
The present invention relates to a photomultiplier having a structure for making it possible to easily realize high detection accuracy and fine processing, and a method of manufacturing the same. The photomultiplier comprises an enclosure having an inside kept in a vacuum state, whereas a photocathode emitting electrons in response to incident light, an electron multiplier section multiplying in a cascading manner the electron emitted from the photocathode, and an anode for taking out a secondary electron generated in the electron multiplier section are arranged in the enclosure. A part of the enclosure is constructed by a glass substrate having a flat part, whereas each of the electron multiplier section and anode is two-dimensionally arranged on the flat part in the glass substrate.
US08242686B2
An organic light emitting display is formed with a plurality of display panels that are cut and separated from a mother substrate to form a unit display panel. Here, the substrate has a groove on its outer surface to improve the deformation strength of the cutting surface and to protect the strength of the panel from being degraded by improving the quality of the cutting cross-section. The organic light emitting display includes: a first substrate formed with a plurality of display panels partitioned by a cutting line and having a first groove on its outer surface corresponding to the cutting line; and a second substrate overlapped with an upper part of the first substrate and having a second groove on its outer surface corresponding to the cutting line, wherein the first and second grooves are formed with cutting positions lower than that of the outer surfaces of the respective substrates.
US08242669B2
A LED light device includes a light-emitting diode assembly including a light body and one or more LEDs supporting thereat, and a heat dissipating arrangement including a plurality of heat dissipating fins radially and outwardly extended from the light body to define a heat dissipating channel between every two of the heat dissipating fins, and an air guiding member coupled at the front side of the light body. Each of the heat dissipating channels has a front opening extended at the front side of the light body and an elongated side opening for dissipating heat generated from the LED assembly. An air guiding member has a plurality of guiding inlets aligning with the front openings of the heat dissipating channels respectively for guiding air flowing to the heat dissipating channels so as to effectively dissipating the heat from the LED assembly through the heat dissipating fins.
US08242667B2
Screw-on or slip-on covers, in the form of transparent or translucent plastic sleeves for CFLs functioning as diffusers and cups for handling bulbs during installation, removal and as a safety receptacle for mercury-contaminated broken bulbs. The covers have interior surfaces contoured to the various sizes of CFL tube configurations, spiral or axially folded tubes, so that they are securely retained when screwed or slipped onto the tubes. The inventive covers may be used in any orientation, open end up, down or horizontal, so that they are equally useful for upright CFLs in lamps, horizontally oriented CFLs screwed into wall sockets, or downwardly oriented or angled CFLs screwed into horizontal or sloped ceiling fixtures. The inventive covers function as light diffusers and hide the tubes in more pleasing external shapes. Attractive sleeve colors, designs and surface textures are disclosed. Shades and shade frames may be secured to the inventive CFL covers.
US08242664B2
To provide an elastic wave device that is small sized and in which a frequency fluctuation due to a change with time hardly occurs, and an electronic component using the above elastic wave device. A trapping energy mode portion 2 provided in an elastic wave waveguide 10 made of an elastic body material excites a second elastic wave being an elastic wave in an energy trapping mode by a specific frequency component included in a first elastic wave being an elastic wave in a zero-order propagation mode propagated from a first propagation mode portion 4, and a cutoff portion 3 provided in a peripheral region of the trapping energy mode portion 2 has a cutoff frequency being a frequency higher than that of the second elastic wave. A second propagation mode portion mode-converts the second elastic wave leaked through the cutoff portion to a third elastic wave being the elastic wave in the zero-order propagation mode to propagate the third elastic wave.
US08242663B2
A micro-electromechanical resonator self-compensates for process-induced dimensional variations by using a resonator body having a plurality of perforations therein. These perforations may be spaced along a longitudinal axis of the resonator body, which extends orthogonal to a nodal line of the resonator body. These perforations, which may be square or similarly-shaped polygonal slots, may extend partially or entirely though the resonator body and may be defined by the same processes that are used to define the outer dimensions (e.g., length, width) of the resonator body.
US08242661B2
An axial gap rotary electric machine includes a rotor, an armature and a stator. The rotor is a magnetic body, which is capable of rotating in a circumferential direction about a rotation axis. The armature includes an armature coil opposed to the rotor from one side in a rotation axis direction parallel to the rotation axis. The stator causes the armature coil to interlink with a magnetic field flux from the other side in the rotation axis direction via the rotor.
US08242660B2
AC generators are disclosed. Example generators may include a tubular air core, with high magnetic permeability and with a first and second end, the air core having a plurality of eddy current reducing slits passing from a radially outer surface of the air core to a radially inner surface of the air core; and a continuous coil made of conducting wire having a plurality of loops wrapped around the air core, the coil positioned between the first end and the second end of the air core.
US08242654B2
A motor is disclosed that includes a rotor having a consequent-pole structure. The rotor core of the rotor includes a magnetic flux dividing portion at each position that faces one of the magnets. Each magnetic flux dividing portion forcibly divides magnetic flux in the vicinity of the backside of the corresponding magnet to both sides in the circumferential direction.
US08242649B2
A low-cost minimal-loss zero-maintenance flywheel battery, to store electric power from a DC power source by conversion to kinetic energy, and regenerate electric power as needed. Its vertical spin-axis rotor assembly is supported axially by repelling annular permanent magnets, and is centered by ceramic ball bearings which have axial preload that prevents vibration and augments axial rotor support. A regenerative multi-pole permanent-magnet motor, controlled by its 2-phase stator current, and connected by power and signal conductors to power interface electronics, is integrated within the flywheel assembly, in a vacuum enclosure supported by a self-leveling structure. Sinusoidal 2-phase stator currents are controlled by high-frequency pulse-width-modulated H-bridge power electronics that draw and regenerate controlled DC current with minimal ripple, responsive to respective 2-phase rotation angle sensors, the DC power voltage, and other settings. The electronics includes logic and over-voltage protection to prevent otherwise possible damaging current and voltage.
US08242644B2
In one aspect, an arrangement for cooling of an electrical machine is provided. The arrangement includes a rotor and a stator of the electrical machine, while an air-gap is between the rotor and the stator. The electrical machine includes an air-cooling-arrangement, which circulates air inside the electrical machine. The electrical machine includes a liquid-cooling-arrangement, which circulates cooling-liquid inside the electrical machine. The air-cooling arrangement and the liquid-cooling-arrangement are connected by an air-to-liquid heat-exchanger, which is applied to transport heat out from the electrical machine by the cooling-liquid.
US08242634B2
A solar energy system (55) has aspects that can allow individualized control and analysis for overall field power control that can be used while harvesting maximum power from a solar energy source (1) and a string of solar panels (11) for a power grid (10). The invention provides control of power at high efficiency with aspects that can exist independently including: 1) power management with switch disconnect control (64), 2) sequenced start of a solar power system, 3) providing a safety output system that can be handled by installers and maintenance and advantageously controlled, 4) providing programmable power functionality controller (86) either on site or remotely from an administrative facility by radio transmission individual solar panel disconnect control (85), 5) a system with pattern analyzer (87) for operational, installation, and maintenance indications, and 6) systems with individual solar panel string power simulator (89) for disparate components.
US08242626B1
A remote power delivery system includes an electrically-conductive plate disposed adjacent to a sensor system of an underwater vehicle's hull. At least one toroidal coil is disposed between the plate and the face of the sensor system exposed to water. An AC voltage is applied to the plate so that a time-harmonic voltage is induced in each toroidal coil.
US08242623B2
Structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly for a ducted fan unmanned aerial vehicle
A structural ring interconnect printed circuit board assembly for a ducted fan unmanned aerial vehicle that comprises a printed circuit board attached to a core vehicle body, wherein the printed circuit board conforms to the shape of the core vehicle body's airframe skirt, and wherein the printed circuit board provides structural integrity to the core vehicle body.
US08242621B1
An energy-harvesting, self-propelled buoy includes a housing, an inertial power pump for converting wave motion to electrical energy, an electrical energy storage pod operably associated with the inertial power pump, and a propulsion unit for propelling the buoy. The inertial power pump is extensible from the housing.
US08242614B2
A semiconductor device without cantilevered leads uses conductive wires (120) to connect the chip terminals to the leads (110), and a package compound (140) to encapsulate the chip surface (101a) with the terminals, the wires, and the lead surfaces with the attached wires. The chip surface (101b) opposite the terminals together with portions (103) of the chip sidewalls protrude from the package, allowing an unimpeded thermal contact of the protruding chip surface to a substrate (201) to optimize the thermal flux from the chip to the substrate. Solder bodies (250) attached to the compound-free lead surfaces (113b) can be connected to the substrate so that the solder bodies are as elongated as the protruding chip height, facilitating the void-free distribution of an underfill compound into the space between chip and substrate, and improving the absorption of thermomechanical stresses during device operation.
US08242597B2
A semiconductor device, includes a semiconductor substrate; and a solder bump part, which is formed on the semiconductor substrate and in which no grain boundary extends equal to or over ⅓ of a diameter dimension of said solder bump part from an outer circumferential surface between an end of a connection part with the semiconductor substrate and a lateral portion.
US08242588B2
A ceramic semiconductor package provides for being surface mounted on a printed circuit board or other mounting surface. A ceramic frame is directly attached to a lead frame to define a cavity in which the base of a semiconductor device is mounted to the portion of the lead frame exposed at the bottom of the cavity. Interface terminals of the semiconductor device are attached to electrical contacts on the ceramic frame inside the cavity. The ceramic package provides a hermetic insulated path through which the signals can be routed from the device to the external leads. Additionally, because the semiconductor device is directly attached to the lead frame, power dissipation, i.e., heat dissipation, is more effectively provided by this direct connection without intervening layers of ceramic or conductor.
US08242587B2
An electronic device requires an electronic component to be mounted for the purpose of static shielding. The mounting of such an electronic component raises a problem of avoiding thermal stresses and cracks generated due to the difference between the coefficients of linear expansion of component materials. A positioning recess, a joining-substance thickness ensuring recess, a joining-substance thickness ensuring projection, etc. are formed in a combined manner in an electronic component mount portion of each of leads, whereby spreading of cracks generated in the joining substance can be suppressed and reliability can be improved. Filling a sealing material so as to seal and restrain the electronic component mounted in the electronic component mount portion without leaving voids contributes to further suppressing spreading of cracks generated in the joining substance and ensuring more improved reliability of the joining substance.
US08242579B2
One or more embodiments are related to a semiconductor chip comprising a capacitor, the capacitor comprising: a plurality of conductive plates, each of the plates including a first conductive strip and a second conductive strip disposed over or under the first conductive strip, the second conductive strip of each plate being substantially parallel to the first conductive strip of the same plate, the second conductive strip of each plate electrically coupled to the first conductive strip of the plate through at least one conductive via, the second conductive strips of each group of at least two consecutive plates being spaced apart from each other in a direction along the length of the plates.
US08242577B2
A fuse of a semiconductor device comprises: a first insulating film formed over a semiconductor substrate; a conductive pattern formed over the first insulating film; a fuse metal formed over the conductive pattern; a contact plug electrically coupling the conductive pattern and the fuse metal; and an energy absorbent pattern formed in the first insulating film and located below an area where the contact plug and the conductive pattern are interconnected. The fuse of the semiconductor device includes a void and a step difference in the lower portion of the contact connected to the fuse pattern. As a result, an energy of a laser applied in the blowing process is absorbed in the void or the step difference, which does not affect peripheral patterns, thereby preventing defects.
US08242568B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device having a Ge- or SiGe-fin structure includes a convex-shaped active area formed along one direction on the surface region of a Si substrate, a buffer layer of Si1-xGex (0
US08242557B2
The invention provides a trench gate type transistor in which the gate capacitance is reduced, the crystal defect is prevented and the gate breakdown voltage is enhanced. Trenches are formed in an N− type semiconductor layer. A uniformly thick silicon oxide film is formed on the bottom of each of the trenches and near the bottom, being round at corner portions. A silicon oxide film is formed on the upper portion of the sidewall of each of the trenches, which is thinner than the silicon oxide film and round at corner portions. Gate electrodes are formed from inside the trenches onto the outside thereof. The thick silicon oxide film reduces the gate capacitance, and the thin silicon oxide film on the upper portion provides good transistor characteristics. Furthermore, with the round corner portions, the crystal defect does not easily occur, and the gate electric field is dispersed to enhance the gate breakdown voltage.
US08242556B2
A vertical and trench type insulated gate MOS semiconductor device is provided in which the surfaces of p-type channel regions and the surfaces of portions of an n-type semiconductor substrate alternate in the longitudinal direction of the trench between the trenches arranged in parallel, and an n+-type emitter region selectively formed on the surface of the p-type channel region is wide by the side of the trench and becomes narrow toward the center point between the trenches. This enables the device to achieve low on-resistance and enhanced turn-off capability.
US08242555B2
Methods, devices and systems for a FinFET are provided. One method embodiment includes forming a FinFET by forming a relaxed silicon germanium (Si1-XGeX) body region for a fully depleted Fin field effect transistor (FinFET) having a body thickness of at least 10 nanometers (nm) for a process design rule of less than 25 nm. The method also includes forming a source and a drain on opposing ends of the body region, wherein the source and the drain are formed with halo ion implantation and forming a gate opposing the body region and separated therefrom by a gate dielectric.
US08242549B2
A semiconductor fin having a doping of the first conductivity type and a semiconductor column are formed on a substrate. The semiconductor column and an adjoined end portion of the semiconductor fin are doped with dopants of a second conductivity type, which is the opposite of the first conductivity type. The doped semiconductor column constitutes an inner electrode of a capacitor. A dielectric layer and a conductive material layer are formed on the semiconductor fin and the semiconductor column. The conductive material layer is patterned to form an outer electrode for the capacitor and a gate electrode. A single-sided halo implantation may be performed. Source and drain regions are formed in the semiconductor fin to form an access transistor. The source region is electrically connected to the inner electrode of the capacitor. The access transistor and the capacitor collectively constitute a DRAM cell.
US08242548B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel section including, in a semiconductor substrate, plural photoelectric conversion sections that photoelectrically convert incident light to generate signal charges; metal wirings formed, on a first insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, above regions among the photoelectric conversion sections and above the periphery of the pixel section; a second insulating film formed on the first insulating film to cover the metal wirings; a first light shielding film formed on the second insulating film and having an opening above the pixel section; and a second light shielding film formed above the metal wirings above the pixel section and having thickness smaller than that of the first light shielding film.
US08242540B2
A device includes a silicon substrate, and a III-V compound semiconductor region over and contacting the silicon substrate. The III-V compound semiconductor region has a U shaped interface with the silicon substrate, with radii of the U shaped interface being smaller than about 1,000 nm.
US08242539B2
A field effect transistor comprises a carrier transit layer in a stacked layer structure provided with a plurality of nitride semiconductor layers, a gate electrode provided on the stacked layer structure and a source electrode and a drain electrode placing the gate electrode in between. The stacked layer structure has a step portion having a side surface exposing an end portion of the carrier transit layer at each side of the gate electrode, the source electrode and drain electrode, which are at least connected to the end portion of the carrier transit layer, are provided respectively on the side surface of the step portion, a part of the source electrode and drain electrode are provided respectively on a surface of an upper step of the step portion, a part of source electrode and drain electrode provided on the upper step of the step portion have, in carrier transit direction, a distance L of L≦10 μm from the side surface to each end portion of the electrodes at the gate electrode side, and in a range of the distance L [μm] from 1 to 10, a contact resistance Rc [Ωmm] of the source and drain electrodes at the distance L determined by TLM method is smaller than a line segment represented by (L, Rc)=(1,2) and (10, 5).
US08242535B2
A collector region is not formed in at least a portion of an ineffective region where an insulating film is formed on a front face of an IGBT. In this portion in which the collector region is not formed, a collector electrode and a buffer layer contact each other. Since the buffer layer and the collector region differ from each other in conductivity type, no electric charge is introduced from the collector electrode into the buffer layer. Thus, introduction of electric charges into a drift region at a portion in the ineffective region is suppressed, which alleviates electric field concentration in a semiconductor substrate. Further, in the IGBT, the semiconductor substrate and the collector electrode contact each other and heat transfer to the collector electrode is not hindered even in the range where the collector region is not formed. Thus, concentration of heat generation in the semiconductor substrate is alleviated.
US08242529B2
A light emitting chip includes a substrate, an epitaxial structure comprising a first semiconductor layer, a light emitting layer and a second semiconductor layer, a current conducting structure formed on a bottom side of the first semiconductor layer of the epitaxial structure, and heat conducting protrusions formed on a top side of the substrate. Each of the heat conducting protrusions includes a carbon nanotube layer vertically grown thereon. The heat conducting protrusions are embedded into the current conducting structure to thermally connect with the first semiconductor layer. A method for manufacturing the light emitting chip is also disclosed.
US08242524B2
A light emitting device includes a light emitting element, a sealing material for sealing the light emitting element, a first filler included in the sealing material, and a second filler included in the sealing material. The second filler includes a particle diameter smaller than that of the first filler.
US08242523B2
Embodiments of the present invention provides III-nitride light-emitting diodes, which primarily include a first electrode, a n-type gallium nitride (GaN) nanorod array consisted of one or more n-type GaN nanorods ohmic contacting with the first electrode, one or more indium gallium nitride (InGaN) nanodisks disposed on each of the n-type GaN nanorods, a p-type GaN nanorod array consisted of one or more p-type GaN nanorods, where one p-type GaN nanorod is disposed on top of the one ore more InGaN nanodisks disposed on each of the n-type GaN nanorods, and a second electrode ohmic contacts with the p-type GaN nanorod array.
US08242521B2
Structures are incorporated into a semiconductor light emitting device which may increase the extraction of light emitted at glancing incidence angles. In some embodiments, the device includes a low index material that directs light away from the metal contacts by total internal reflection. In some embodiments, the device includes extraction features such as cavities in the semiconductor structure which may extract glancing angle light directly, or direct the glancing angle light into smaller incidence angles which are more easily extracted from the device.
US08242511B2
In a conventional diamond semiconductor element, because of high density of crystal defects, it is impossible to reflect the natural physical properties peculiar to a diamond, such as high thermal conductivity, high breakdown field strength, high-frequency characteristics and the like, in the transistor characteristics. By slightly shifting surface orientation of a diamond substrate in a [001] direction, a significant reduction in crystal defects peculiar to a diamond is possible. The equivalent effects are also provided by shifting surface orientation of a single-crystal diamond thin-film or channel slightly from a [001] direction. It is possible to obtain a significantly high transconductance gm as compared with that in a transistor produced using conventional surface orientation.
US08242508B2
A semiconductor device includes a thin film transistor. The thin film transistor includes a semiconductor film over a substrate, in which the semiconductor film includes a pair of first regions, a pair of second regions interposed between the pair of first regions, and a channel formation region interposed between the pair of second regions. A concentration of an impurity in the pair of second regions is smaller than a concentration of the impurity in the pair of first regions. The thin film transistor includes an insulating film, in which a portion of the insulating film is provided over the semiconductor film. The thin film transistor includes a conductive film over the portion, and the conductive film includes a taper shape.
US08242506B2
An array substrate includes a base substrate, a gate line, a gate insulation layer, a data line, a thin-film transistor (“TFT”) and a pixel electrode. The gate line includes a gate covering line formed in a first direction on the base substrate and a gate main line protruded from the gate covering line. The gate insulation layer is formed on the base substrate to cover the gate line. The data line is formed on the gate insulation layer in a second direction crossing the first direction. The TFT is electrically connected to the gate line and the data line. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the TFT. Therefore, a gate line is thicker than a gate covering line and a gate main line having a low resistance is further formed, so that a gate signal may be quickly transferred along the gate line without a signal delay.
US08242502B2
A TFT array substrate includes a substrate, at least one gate line and gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, and at least one channel component, source electrode, drain electrode and data line. The gate line and gate electrode are disposed on the substrate, wherein both of the gate line and gate electrode have first and second conductive layers, the first conductive layer is formed on the substrate, the first conductive layer contains molybdenum nitride, the second conductive layer is formed on the first conductive layer, and the second conductive layer contains copper. The gate insulating layer is disposed on the gate line, gate electrode and the substrate. The channel component is disposed on the gate insulating layer. The source electrode and drain electrode are disposed on the channel component, and data line is disposed on the gate insulating layer.
US08242500B2
Disclosed is a method of forming a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT), comprising depositing a first stack comprising an polysilicon layer (16) and a sacrificial layer (18) on a mono-crystalline silicon substrate surface (10); patterning the first stack to form a trench (22) extending to the substrate; depositing a silicon layer (24) over the resultant structure; depositing a silicon-germanium-carbon layer (26) over the resultant structure; selectively removing the silicon-germanium-carbon layer (26) from the sidewalls of the trench (22); depositing a boron-doped silicon-germanium-carbon layer (28) over the resultant structure; depositing a further silicon-germanium-carbon layer (30) over the resultant structure; depositing a boron-doped further silicon layer (32) over the resultant structure; forming dielectric spacers (34) on the sidewalls of the trench (22); filling the trench (22) with an emitter material (36); exposing polysilicon regions (16) outside the side walls of the trench by selectively removing the sacrificial layer (18) of the first stack; implanting boron impurities into the exposed polysilicon regions (16) to define base implants; and exposing the resultant structure to a thermal budget for annealing the boron impurities. A HBT formed by this method is also disclosed.
US08242499B2
A method of producing a semiconductor device includes the steps of preparing an SOQ (Silicon On Quartz) substrate in which a semiconductor layer is formed on a quartz substrate; forming a plurality of semiconductor device forming regions in the SOQ substrate; forming a crack inspection pattern in the SOQ substrate; inspecting the crack inspection pattern to detect a crack in the crack inspection pattern in a first inspection step; and inspecting the semiconductor device forming regions to detect a crack in the semiconductor device forming regions in a second inspection step when the crack is detected in the crack inspection pattern in the first inspection step.
US08242498B2
A compound semiconductor substrate 10 according to the present invention is comprised of a Group III nitride and has a surface layer 12 containing a chloride of not less than 200×1010 atoms/cm2 and not more than 12000×1010 atoms/cm2 in terms of Cl and an oxide of not less than 3.0 at % and not more than 15.0 at % in terms of O, at a surface. The inventors conducted elaborate research and newly discovered that when the surface layer 12 at the surface of the compound semiconductor substrate 10 contained the chloride of not less than 200×1010 atoms/cm2 and not more than 12000×1010 atoms/cm2 in terms of Cl and the oxide of not less than 3.0 at % and not more than 15.0 at % in terms of O, Si was reduced at an interface between the compound semiconductor substrate 10 and an epitaxial layer 14 formed thereon and, as a result, the electric resistance at the interface was reduced.
US08242485B2
Electronic devices having carbon-based materials and techniques for making contact to carbon-based materials in electronic devices are provided. In one aspect, a device is provided having a carbon-based material; and at least one electrical contact to the carbon-based material comprising a metal silicide, germanide or germanosilicide. The carbon-based material can include graphene or carbon nano-tubes. The device can further include a segregation region, having an impurity, separating the carbon-based material from the metal silicide, germanide or germanosilicide, wherein the impurity has a work function that is different from a work function of the metal silicide, germanide or germanosilicide. A method for fabricating the device is also provided.
US08242484B2
The invention is a vertical geometry light emitting diode capable of emitting light in the electromagnetic spectrum having a substrate, a lift-off layer, a strain relieved superlattice layer, a first doped layer, a multilayer quantum wells comprising alternating layers quantum wells and barrier layers, a second doped layer, a third doped layer and a metallic contact that is in a vertical geometry orientation. The different layers consist of a compound with the formula AlxlnyGa(1-x-y)N, wherein x is more than 0 and less than or equal to 1, y is from 0 to 1 and x+y is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1. The barrier layer on each surface of the quantum well has a band gap larger than a quantum well bandgap. The first and second doped layers have different conductivities. The contact layer has a different conductivity than the third doped layer.
US08242483B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device, which is capable of providing high characteristic homogeneity and reproducibility, is disclosed. The disclosed method includes forming a buffer layer over a substrate, selectively growing a nitride crystal layer on the buffer layer, forming a nitride semiconductor layer having a multilayer structure over the nitride crystal layer, forming a first electrode on the nitride semiconductor layer, attaching an auxiliary substrate to the first electrode, separating the substrate from the nitride crystal layer, forming a second electrode on the nitride crystal layer exposed in accordance with the separation of the substrate, and removing the auxiliary substrate from the first electrode.
US08242482B2
An electroluminescence (EL) device and a method are provided for fabricating said device with a nanotip electrode. The method comprises: forming a bottom electrode with nanotips; forming a Si phosphor layer adjacent the nanotips; and, forming a transparent top electrode. The Si phosphor layer is interposed between the bottom and top electrodes. The nanotips may have a tip base size of about 50 nanometers, or less, a tip height in the range of 5 to 50 nm, and a nanotip density of greater than 100 nanotips per square micrometer. Typically, the nanotips are formed from iridium oxide (IrOx) nanotips. A MOCVD process forms the Ir bottom electrode. The IrOx nanotips are grown from the Ir. In one aspect, the Si phosphor layer is a SRSO layer. In response to an SRSO annealing step, nanocrystalline SRSO is formed with nanocrystals having a size in the range of 1 to 10 nm.
US08242474B2
An extreme ultraviolet light generation apparatus used in combination with a laser system, the apparatus may include: a chamber provided with at least one inlet port for introducing a laser beam outputted from the laser system into the chamber; a target supply unit provided to the chamber for supplying a target material to a predetermined region inside the chamber, where the target material is irradiated with the laser beam; at least one optical element disposed inside the chamber; a magnetic field generation unit for generating a magnetic field around the predetermined region; an ion collection unit disposed in a direction of a line of magnetic force of the magnetic field for collection an ion which is generated when the target material is irradiated with the laser beam and is flowing along the line of magnetic force; and a gas introduction unit for introducing an etching gas into the chamber.
US08242472B2
[Problem]An extreme ultraviolet light source device in accordance with the present invention corrects an optical performance of a laser beam in an appropriate manner.[Means for Resolution]A guide laser beam that has an optical axis and a beam diameter substantially equivalent to those of a driver pulsed laser beam is introduced into an amplification system 30 that amplifies a laser beam that is output from a driver laser oscillator 20. The guide laser beam is output from a laser device 50 as a continuous light, and is introduced into a light path of the driver pulsed laser beam via a guide laser beam introduction mirror 52. A sensor 44 detects an angle (a direction) of a laser beam and a variation of a curvature of a wave front. A wave front correction controller 60 outputs a signal to a wave front correction part 34 based on a measured result of a sensor 36. The wave front correction part 34 corrects a wave front of a laser beam to be a predetermined wave front according to an instruction from the wave front correction controller 60.
US08242470B2
A maskless lithography system for transferring a pattern onto the surface of a target. At least one beam generator for generating a plurality of beamlets. A plurality of modulators modulate the magnitude of a beamlet, and a control unit controls of the modulators. The control unit generates and delivers pattern data to the modulators for controlling the magnitude of each individual beamlet. The control unit includes at least one data storage for storing the pattern data, at least one readout unit for reading out the data from the data storage, at least one data converter for converting the data that is read out from the data storage into at least one modulated light beam, and at least one optical transmitter for transmitting the at least one modulated light beam to the modulation modulators.
US08242467B2
The inventions relates to a lithography system in which an electronic image pattern is delivered to a exposure tool for projecting an image to a target surface, said exposure tool comprising a control unit for controlling exposure projections, said control unit at least partly being included in the projection space of the said exposure tool, and being provided with control data by means of light signals, said light signals being coupled in to said control unit by using a free space optical interconnect comprising modulated light beams that are emitted to a light sensitive part of said control unit, wherein the modulated light beams are coupled in to said light sensitive part using a holed mirror for on axis incidence of said light beams on said light sensitive part, the hole or, alternatively, holes of said mirror being provided for passage of said exposure projections.
US08242466B2
The invention relates to an activation device for temperature-sensitive and/or time-sensitive indicators for product labeling, said indicators being activated by UV light and said device comprising a UV light source. The device is equipped with a controller/regulator, which can be used to control and/or regulate the irradiation period and/or the irradiation intensity of the UV light source.
US08242456B1
Various embodiments provide a non-collimated 3D localization technique to detect an unknown radioactive source in a medium material using a plurality of detectors. 3D position information (x, y, z), and strength of the unknown radioactive source(s) can be determined by a comparison or a data fit between the measured detector responses with a mapping of detector responses performed with known calibration radioactive source(s). The non-collimated 3D localization technique can be used to extract lateral and depth position of contaminations in soil, concrete, or metal, to aid in monitoring and localizing radiation for nonproliferation and prevent smuggling of nuclear materials, and/or to detect and localize radioactive source(s) in medical or non-medical purposes.
US08242448B2
Dynamic IR radiation power control, beam steering and focus adjustment for use in a nanoscale IR spectroscopy system based on an Atomic Force Microscope. During illumination with a beam from an IR source, an AFM probe tip interaction with a sample due to local IR sample absorption is monitored. The power of the illumination at the sample is dynamically decreased to minimize sample overheating in locations/wavelengths where absorption is high and increased in locations/wavelengths where absorption is low to maintain signal to noise. Beam alignment and focus optimization as a function of wavelength are automatically performed.
US08242444B2
An optical device for viewing an image is provided. The optical device includes two optical channels, each optical channel including an image detector assembly and a complimentary objective lens assembly spaced by a respective distance from the image detector assembly. A focus mechanism is either directly or indirectly coupled to both image detector assemblies. The focus mechanism includes two threaded segments having an unequal thread pitch. Each image detector assembly includes a mating threaded segment that is threadedly coupled to a respective threaded segment of the focus mechanism such that rotation of the focus mechanism causes translation of both image detector assemblies at unequal rates by virtue of the unequal thread pitch of the threaded segments of the focus mechanism.
US08242438B2
The present invention pertains to a method and apparatus which increases the efficiency with which ions are transported from a first ion trap to a second ion trap, and subsequently trapped in the second ion trap. In one aspect the invention, increased efficiency takes the form or enabling ions of both high and low mass to charge ratios to be trapped in the second ion trap at substantially the same time, or at least within a relatively small window of time. This can be achieved by minimizing the undesirable time-of-flight separation by the high and low mass to charge ratio ions as they are transported from a first ion trap to the second ion trap. This minimization can be realized by adjusting the potential energy applied to ion transfer optics disposed between the two ion traps.
US08242434B2
The invention relates to an optoelectronic angle sensor for determining a rotational angle about an axis, comprising a code carrier (2) provided with a flat coding (3) and a photosensitive detector. The code carrier (2) and the detector can be displaced about the axis in relation to each other. Said angle sensor also comprises a device for producing an evaluable image of at least one part of the coding on the detector such that the image contains information relating to a rotational position of the code carrier (2) in relation to the detector, in addition to an evaluation unit for determining the rotational angle from the image. The coding (3) is self-luminous and it also comprises at least part of the device for producing an evaluable image.
US08242422B2
There is disclosed a vehicle and methods for maneuvering the vehicle. The vehicle may include a plurality of multiple-impulse rocket motors, each of which comprises a plurality of independently ignitable solid fuel propellant charges, and a processor that generates at least one command to ignite at least one solid fuel propellant charge of at least one of the plurality of multiple-impulse rocket motors.
US08242403B2
A method for controlling a wire electric discharge machine comprising the steps of: determining of at least one predefined contour deviation (Esmax) of a predefined contour to be cut into the workpiece; determining a curvature of at least one geometry element defining at least one section of the contour to be cut into the workpiece; calculating a displacement (s) of an upper guide (WGU) and a lower wire guide (WGL) based on the predefined contour deviation (Esmax) and on the curvature of the at least one predefined geometry element; and setting the displacement (s) by moving the upper guide (WGU) relative to the lower wire guide (WGL) such that the wire electrode guided by the upper (WGU) and lower wire guides (WGL) is inclined in a current cutting direction of the workpiece during cutting of the geometry element into the workpiece.
US08242395B2
The present invention relates generally to a switchgear apparatus. More particularly, the invention encompasses a circuit breaker compartment arc flash venting system for a switchgear apparatus. The present invention also relates to enclosures for switchgear, panel boards, circuit breakers, and more particularly to an enclosure for low voltage switchgear and switchboard assemblies. The enclosure can be a walk-in type enclosure or a non-walk-in type enclosure. This invention further provides a method and apparatus for channeling plasma (hot arc gasses) that are generated from an arc. The circuit breaker compartment arc flash venting system is an integral part of an arc resistant switchgear assembly. The arc flash venting system works in conjunction with the bus insulation and ventilation systems in the switchgear apparatus to channel hot arc gasses (plasma) from a breaker compartment in the event of an internal arcing fault in the breaker compartment. The gasses are channeled to exit the upper rear of the breaker compartment and into the insulated section bus compartment. The hot arc gasses and other particulates then travel upward through the section bus compartment where they are routed to and safely discharged from the vent structure on the roof of the switchgear apparatus.
US08242391B2
The present invention provides a switch that is equipped with a driving device for establishing electrical connection and adapted to a power supplying apparatus, and a power supplying apparatus provided with the same. The power supplying apparatus has a main body, an output port, a voltage-selecting circuit and a switch for commanding the voltage selecting circuit to select the output voltage that is to be output via the output port. The switch has a plurality of resilient conductive terminals and at least one driving device. The insertion of a driving device will selectively establish electrical connection among some of the resilient conductive terminals, enabling the switch to form a circuit for adjusting the output voltage of the power supplying apparatus.
US08242390B2
An array of domes is constructed from a single sheet of conductive material. For example, several domes can be stamped at a preset distribution within a sheet of metal. The domes can be placed at any suitable position along the surface of the material, including for example at positions defined by the locations of contact pads on a circuit board. The conductive material can be electrically coupled to the circuit board at any suitable location, including for example along an edge of the piece of material. In some embodiments, the sheet of material can extend around the side walls of the circuit board, for example bent around the periphery of the circuit board. The sheet of material can be electrically coupled to the bottom of the circuit board, for example by soldering. This approach may provide a water resistant dome switch, whereby water can be prevented from leaking between the dome and the circuit board.
US08242375B2
According to one non-limiting embodiment, a low conductive emission substrate includes a plurality of thin high dielectric strength insulating layers separated by a corresponding plurality of conductive layers, wherein one of the plurality of conductive layers is shorted to another one of the plurality of conductive layers.
US08242371B2
Disclosed is a heat dissipating circuit board, which includes a metal core including an insulating layer formed on the surface thereof, a circuit layer formed on the insulating layer and including a seed layer and a first circuit pattern, and a heat dissipating frame layer bonded onto the circuit layer using solder and having a second circuit pattern, and in which the heat dissipating frame layer is bonded onto the circuit layer not by a plating process but by using solder, thus reducing the cost and time of the plating process and relieving stress applied to the heat dissipating circuit board due to the plating process. A method of manufacturing the heat dissipating circuit board is also provided.
US08242370B2
A device-cable assembly integrally molded with a resin according to the present invention comprises: the electric/electronic device; the cable including: a cable sheath which is the outermost layer of the cable, the cable sheath being made of a mixture of a fluorocarbon-based polymer and a polyolefin-based copolymer, and fine silica particles that are deposited on the surface of the cable sheath by CCVD (combustion chemical vapor deposition); and the molded resin which integrally covers the electric/electronic device and the cable together, the molded resin being made of a polyamide-based resin.
US08242359B2
A power device for an electronic device, such as a charger for a portable rechargeable device and/or an AC adapter. The power device includes switching circuitry for de-powering at least a portion of the power device.
US08242355B2
A photoelectric conversion element having a pair of electrodes, and a semiconductor layer comprising a semiconductor carrying a dye and an electrolyte layer is disclosed. The dye is represented by Formulas 1 or 2; in Formula 1, Ar1 and Ar2 are each an arylene or heterocyclic group, or a composite group of an arylene group and a heterocyclic group, each of which may have a substituent, Ar3 is an aryl or heterocyclic group or a composite group of an arylene group and a heterocyclic group, each of which may have a substituent, Ar1, Ar2 and Ar3 may form a ring by bonding with each other, X1 and X2 are each a straight chain residue having an acidic group which may have a mono-valent substituent, and one to eight saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 5 to 30 carbon atoms are bonded to Ar1, Ar2 and Ar3; in the formula, Ar11, Ar12, Ar13, Ar14 and Ar15 are each an arylene or heterocyclic group, or a composite group of an arylene group and a heterocyclic group, each of which may have a substituent, Ar11, Ar12, Ar13, Ar14 and Ar15 may form a ring by bonding with together, at least two of X11, X12, X13 and X14 are each an alkyl or alkenyl group having an acidic group which may have a mono-valent substituent and the remainders are each a hydrogen atom, and one to eight saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 5 to 30 carbon atoms are bonded to Ar11, Ar12, Ar13, Ar14 and Ar15.
US08242352B1
The invention provides a solar concentrator structure including a first concentrating element. The first concentrating element includes a first aperture region, a first exit region, a first side and a second side. The solar concentrator structure further includes a second or more concentrating elements integrally coupled with the first concentrating element in a parallel manner. The second concentrating element includes a second aperture region, a second exit region, the third side, and a fourth side. The third side joins with the second side to form an apex notch structure characterized by a radius of curvature. Additionally, the solar concentrator structure includes a separation region by a width separating the first exit region from the second exit region and a triangular region including the apex notch structure and a base defined by the separation region and a refractive index of about 1 characterizing the triangular region.
US08242349B2
A solar concentrator includes a plurality of separate panels positioned between opposed support rods. Tension elements extend between the support rods and mount the plurality of panels.
US08242347B2
Detection outputs value based on outputs of a sensor for detecting a depressed position of a pedal are input via the input section; meanwhile, a detection output value corresponding to a non-depressed state of the pedal is set as an offset value. The detection output value, input via the input section, is adjusted with the offset value, so as to provide an adjusted detection output value corresponding to an actual depressed amount of the pedal. The adjusted detection output value is converted into a control value corresponding to the depressed amount of the pedal. Thus, the offset value is variably set in accordance with an individual difference, aging, etc. of the pedal, so that the detection output value adjusted with such an offset value can be a value having unevenness in the sensor outputs, which may have occurred due to an individual difference, aging, etc. of the pedal, automatically compensated.
US08242346B2
An optoelectronic pickup for a musical instrument includes at least one light source which directs light to impinge a string of the musical instrument in at least one photoreceiver located to detect the reflected light, so as to generate an electrical signal that is responsive to string vibrations. A number of different filter approaches are disclosed that can control undesired effects of spurious light. The filter approaches may be structure-based, signal processing-based, and/or optics-based.
US08242337B1
A novel maize variety designated 10124870 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing maize variety 10124870 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into 10124870 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety 10124870, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety 10124870. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety 10124870.
US08242327B2
A method for efficiently producing homozygous organisms from a heterozygous non-human starting organism, comprising providing of a heterozygous starting organism; allowing the starting organism to produce haploid cells; creating homozygous organisms from the haploid cells thus obtained; and selecting the organisms having the desired set of chromosomes, wherein during production of the haploid cells no recombination occurs in order to obtain a limited number of genetically different haploid cells. Recombination can also be prevented or suppressed.
US08242325B2
The invention relates to a production method for a foam wound dressing with an outer germ barrier, in particular a film layer, and to a wound dressing obtained by such a method. In the method according to the invention, the germ barrier is generated by means of extrusion directly on the foam support. This results in a more reliable union between foam layer and germ barrier, without thereby compromising the absorbency of the foam in respect of wound exudate. The proposed method is simple and inexpensive and is able to satisfy all the requirements of the medical sector (e.g. freedom from solvents).
US08242322B2
A process for transalkylating aromatic hydrocarbon compounds, the process comprising introducing an aromatic hydrocarbon feed stream and a sulfur source to a transalkylation zone. The feed stream contacts a catalyst in the transalkylation zone in the presence of sulfur, and produces a reaction product stream comprising benzene and xylene. The invention includes methods to control the transalkylation process.
US08242321B2
A process for transalkylating aromatic hydrocarbon compounds, the process comprising introducing an aromatic hydrocarbon feed stream and a water source to a transalkylation zone. The feed stream contacts a catalyst in the transalkylation zone in the presence of water, and produces a reaction product stream comprising benzene and xylene. The invention includes methods to control the transalkylation process.
US08242318B2
Catalytic hydrogenation of a double bond, notably a C═C or C═N double bond, is carried out using a homogenous catalyst which is a complex of rhodium or other transition metal containing at least one ligand which is a nitrogenous organic base. Preferably the complex is phosphorus-free and the ligand is a bicyclic base having formula where R1 and R4 are hydrocarbon chains. R1 preferably is a saturated chain of two carbon atoms and R4 preferably is a saturated chain of three to five carbon atoms.
US08242315B2
A (+)-stereoisomer of formula (I): wherein X is H or F; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or prodrug thereof, useful as an anesthetic.
US08242313B2
The present invention relates to novel alkoxy enones and enamino ketones, and to a novel process for preparation thereof. Alkoxy enones and enamino ketones are valuable intermediates for preparation of pyrazoles and anthranilamides, which can be used as insecticides.
US08242308B2
The process for the distillation of a gas mixture comprising (meth)acrylic acid obtained from the gas-phase oxidation of at least one (meth)acrylic acid precursors is improved through the use of coupled distillation columns. In a first column, the gaseous mixture is dehydrated while in a second column, the dehydrated gaseous mixture is distilled into product, overhead and bottoms streams.
US08242301B2
A surfactant of formula 1 (Rf-A)a-Q-([B]k—R)b Formula 1 wherein a and b are each independently 1 or 2; Rf is a linear or branched perfluoroalkyl radical having from 2 to about 20 carbon atoms, optionally interrupted with at least one oxygen; R is a C1 to C20 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl, or a C6 to C10 aryl; B is —(CH2CHR1O)X—, k is 0 or 1, x is 1 to about 20, A is —(CH2)m[(CHR1CH2O)]S—[(CH2)m(CH)tCHOH(CH2)m]e—, wherein each m is independently 0 to 3, s is 0 to about 30, t is 0 or 1, and e is 0 or 1, R1 is H or CH3, Q is: —OP(O)(O−M+)(O)—, —O—, —S—(CH2)m—C(O)—O—, —SO2—O— —CH2CH2O—C(O)CH2C(OH)(V)CH2C(O)O—; —(CH2CH2O)XCH2CH(OH)—(CH2CH2O)X—(CH2)m—Si[OSi(R2)3]2—, —SO2NR2—, —(CH2CH2O)ZC(O)CH(SO3−M+)CH2C(O)(OCH2CH2)Z— wherein z is 1 to about 15, or a bond when s is a positive integer, V is —C(O)OR3 and R3 is H, CH3 or Rf; R2 is C1 to C4 alkyl, and M+ is a Group 1 metal or an ammonium (NHXR2y)+ cation wherein x+y=4, and R2 is C1 to C4 alkyl, provided that when Q is —OP(O)(O−M+)(O)— or when Q is —(CH2CH2O)Z—C(O)CH(SO3−M+)CH2C(O)(OCH2CH2)Z—, then at least one of s or e is a positive integer.
US08242294B2
Bile acids and related compositions and methods of synthesis and use. More specifically, deoxycholic acid and related compositions, said compositions being free of all moieties of animal origin and free of pyrogenic moieties.
US08242290B2
Disclosed is a process for the preparation of a tetrahydropyran-di-amine represented by Structural Formula (I): wherein R1 is H or alkyl and E is H or an amine protecting group.
US08242288B2
Provided is a method of preparing a (6R)-3-hexyl-4-hydroxy-6-undecyl-5,6-dihydropyran-2-one, and a (5R)-2-hexyl-5-hydroxy-3-iminohexadecanoate derivative used in said method as an intermediate.
US08242277B2
The present invention is directed to processes for the synthesis of morphinans. In particular, a process for the asymmetric reduction of an imine moiety in a 3,4-dihydroisoquinoline to produce a tetrahydroisoquinoline, followed by a Birch reduction to produce a hexahydroisoquinoline. In various embodiments, the 3,4-dihydroisoquinoline contains a phenol moiety protected with a labile protecting group. In other embodiments, the imine reduction reaction mixture contains silver tetrafluoroborate.
US08242275B2
Antibacterial compounds, compositions containing them, and methods of use for the inhibition of bacterial activity and the treatment, prevention or inhibition of bacterial infection.
US08242267B2
The present invention relates to novel amorphous and crystalline forms of efavirenz, processes for their preparation and pharmaceutical compositions containing them. In accordance with the present invention efavirenz crude is dissolved in acetone at 25° C.-30° C., the solution is slowly added to water for 30 minutes at 0° C.-5° C., stirred for 1 hour at the same temperature, the separated solid is filtered, washed with water and dried at 55° C.-60° C. for 5 hours to give amorphous efavirenz.
US08242264B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing 4-acetyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-benzo[1,4]diazepine and the intermediates thereof. The present invention provides a compound represented by formula I and a compound represented by formula II, and processes for preparing 4-acetyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-benzo[1,4]diazepine by using the compound represented by formula I, the compound represented by formula II and o-nitrobenzaldehyde. The invention has the advantages of the shorter synthesis steps, easily available raw materials and simple operation. Moreover, the process is economic and safe by avoiding the use of expensive and dangerous lithium aluminum hydride.
US08242260B2
The present invention provides compounds of Formula I or II: wherein R1, R1b, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 are defined herein. The compounds of Formula (I) or (II) and pharmaceutical compositions thereof are useful for the treatment of B-Raf-associated diseases.
US08242259B2
A method for producing bacterial cellulose, said method comprising culturing a biologically pure culture of a cellulose-producing Proteus strain in a liquid medium suitable for culturing facultatively anaerobic microorganisms, separating bacterial cellulose produced in said liquid medium from said liquid medium, washing said separated bacterial cellulose and drying said bacterial cellulose. The cellulose-producing Proteus strain is preferably a Proteus myxofaciens strain, preferably strain IDAC 071005-01 or strain ATCC 19692. The liquid medium is provided with a carbohydrate substrate containing at least one sugar selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, fructose, lactose, xylose, and rhamnose. A bacterial cellulose product produced by culturing a biologically pure culture of a cellulose-producing Proteus strain in a liquid medium suitable for culturing facultatively anaerobic microorganisms.
US08242252B2
This invention relates to CD 19 binding agents and methods of using such CD 19 binding agents for treating disease.
US08242249B2
The present invention discloses an oligonucleotide which comprises a part or the entire sequence of the nucleotide sequence depicted in SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 3 or 4, or a part or the entire sequence of a nucleotide sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence, wherein the oligonucleotide is capable of hybridizing with the nucleotide sequence of Mycobacterium kansasii; a primer and a probe for use in the detection of Mycobacterium kansasii comprising the oligonucleotide; and a method for detecting Mycobacterium kansasii using the primer and/or probe.The method for detecting Mycobacterium kansasii enables the detection of M. kansasii more rapidly and with higher accuracy compared with a conventional bacterium identification method performed by culture examination on a bacterium. Further, the method can exclude any false positive result for the diagnosis and can also detect and diagnose M. kansasii with higher accuracy compared with a diagnosis method performed by PCR using a conventional primer and/or probe. Still further, the method can quantify a M. kansasii cell.
US08242247B2
The present invention relates to novel domain exchanged, bivalent, bispecific antibodies, their manufacture and use.
US08242245B2
Novel fetal genes (fls353 and fls485) have been successfully isolated from human fetal liver-derived cDNAs. These genes were specifically expressed in tissues including fetal tissues which are thought to contain a large number of undifferentiated cells and actively differentiating/proliferating cells. High levels of expression of these genes were observed also in a variety of cancer cells. The proteins and genes encoding the proteins can be used as the tool for developing drugs for the treatment of tumors.
US08242237B2
A process for polymerizing olefins, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting in a dense-fluid-homogeneous-polymerization system (“PS”), >30 wt % C3+ olefins with: catalyst, activator, 0-50 mol % comonomer, and 0-40 wt % diluent/solvent, at a temperature > PS Tc and a pressure no lower than 1 MPa below the PS cloud point pressure and <200 MPa; (b) forming a reactor effluent comprising polymer-monomer mixture; (c) optionally heating the mixture (b); (d) collecting the mixture (b) in a separation vessel; (e) reducing the pressure to form a two-phase mixture where the pressure in the reactor is 7-100 MPa higher than the pressure in the separation vessel and the temperature in the separation vessel is > the polymer or above 80° C., whichever is higher; (f) separating the monomer-rich phase from the polymer-rich phase; (g) recycling the separated monomer-rich phase and recovering polymer from the polymer-rich phase.
US08242230B2
Sterically hindered phenol and phosphite based compounds, represented by formula I: and their use as antioxidants in a wide range of materials including, but not limited to, food, plastics, elastomers, composites and petroleum based products is disclosed herein.
US08242227B2
Doped polysilanes, inks containing the same, and methods for their preparation and use are disclosed. The doped polysilane generally has the formula H-[AaHb(DRx)m]q-[(AcHdR1e)n]p—H, where each instance of A is independently Si or Ge, and D is B, P, As or Sb. In preferred embodiments, R is H, -AfHf+1R2f, alkyl, aryl or substituted aryl, and R1 is independently H, halogen, aryl or substituted aryl. In one aspect, the method of making a doped poly(aryl)silane generally includes the steps of combining a doped silane of the formula AaHb+2(DRx)m (optionally further including a silane of the formula AcHd+2R1e) with a catalyst of the formula R4wR5yMXz (or an immobilized derivative thereof) to form a doped poly(aryl)silane, then removing the metal M. In another aspect, the method of making a doped polysilane includes the steps of halogenating a doped polyarylsilane, and reducing the doped halopolysilane with a metal hydride to form the doped polysilane. The synthesis of semiconductor inks via dehydrocoupling of doped silanes and/or germanes allows for tuning of the ink properties (e.g., viscosity, boiling point, surface tension and dopant level or concentration) and for deposition of doped silicon films or islands by spincoating, inkjetting, dropcasting, etc., with or without the use of UV irradiation.
US08242225B2
The present invention provides an optical film including a copolymer that includes (a) an alkene monomer, (b) an acrylate monomer, and (c) at least one of an unsaturated organic acid monomer and an unsaturated acid anhydride monomer having one or more double bonds, a protective film for a polarizer film, and a polarizer plate and an image display device using the same.
US08242218B2
Preparing a non-ionic copolymer having a hydrolysable monomer residue and a polyether macromonomer residue in a semicontinuous mode in a polymerization reactor associated with a metering device, including introducing polyether macromonomer and water into the reactor, wherein hydrolysable monomer which is added thereto forms a polymerization reaction mixture; introducing hydrolysable monomer into the metering device; adding hydrolysable monomer into the reactor from the metering device; passing a free radical polymerization initiator into the reactor before and/or during the addition of the hydrolysable monomer, the hydrolysable monomer and the polyether macromonomer reacting by free radical polymerization to form the non-ionic copolymer; and, subjecting the reaction mixture to polymerization while an addition rate of the hydrolysable monomer and/or at least a component of the polymerization initiator is varied stepwise or continuously. No monomer is introduced to incorporate ionic cement binding sites into the non-ionic copolymer.
US08242211B2
The present invention is directed to a method for producing a dispersion comprising: (a) forming a first reaction product by reacting: (a1) at least one monomer comprising an ethylenically unsaturated double bond; (a2) at least one carboxylic acid group-containing monomer; and (a3) at least one glycidyl ester compound; wherein the molar ratio of (a2) to (a3) is substantially 1:1; (b) forming a second reaction product in the presence of the first reaction product by reacting: (b1) at least one monomer comprising an ethylenically unsaturated double bond; and (b2) at least one carboxylic acid group-containing monomer; and (c) reacting an amine compound with the second reaction product; and wherein steps (a), (b), and (c) are conducted in a substantially solvent free environment.
US08242194B2
The invention relates to preparation of a high silica reinforcement-containing rubber composition by a method which involves a delayed and divided inclusion of greater than 50 percent of fatty acid salt processing aid to a rubber composition in an internal rubber mixer following completion of addition of precipitated silica and silica coupling agent in a preceding rubber mixing step in an internal rubber mixer. The invention further relates to a resulting rubber composition and to tires having a component thereof such as, for example, a tire tread.
US08242193B2
Rubber mixtures containing at least one rubber and an organosilicon compound of the general formula (I) (Q-)kG-Si(—O—CX1X2—CX1X3—)3N. The rubber mixture is prepared by mixing at least one rubber and an organosilicon compound of the formula (I). The rubber mixtures can be used for the production of moldings.
US08242191B2
A process for producing odor-inhibiting water-absorbing polymer particles based on ethylenically unsaturated monomers bearing acid groups, wherein the acid groups have been neutralized to an extent of from 40 to 70 mol % and the polymer particles are coated with a condensed tannin and/or a hydrolyzable tannin.
US08242189B2
The invention relates to silicone-urethane copolymers and methods for making the copolymers. The silicone-urethane copolymers can have many physical properties usually associated with polyurethanes but also the feel and characteristics of silicones.
US08242174B2
Compounds having the formula wherein the symbols have the meaning described in the specification are hydroxamic acid derivatives of aniline and capable of inhibiting the lethal effects of infection by anthrax bacteria and are useful in the treatment of poisoning by anthrax.
US08242168B2
The present invention relates to the use of a compound as effective agent for the prevention or treatment of diabetes mellitus in a mammal. Said compounds being selected from the group of phthalide derivatives and exhibit excellent blood glucose lowering effects and thus are effective agents in the prevention or treatment of diabetes mellitus in mammals.
US08242167B2
A method for treating cancer by killing selected tumor cells such as human breast, non-small cell lung cancer cells, pancreatic cancer cells, osteosarcoma cancer cells, and glioblastoma cells, includes administering to a patient in need of treatment, an effective amount of at least one mannose analog such as 2-DG or 2-FM or 2-CM. The killing is believed to be due to an interference with glycosylation. A theranostic method includes determining whether a patient. cancer tumor sample comprises cells sensitive to killing to at least one mannose analog due to an interference with glycosylation.
US08242157B2
Disclosed are compounds, compositions and methods for treating various diseases, syndromes, conditions and disorders, including pain. Such compounds are represented by Formula I as follows: wherein R0, R1, R2, R3, R4 and a are defined herein.
US08242149B2
The present invention relates to modulators of ATP-Binding Cassette (“ABC”) transporters or fragments thereof, including Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (“CFTR”), compositions thereof, and methods therewith. The present invention also relates to methods of treating ABC transporter mediated diseases using such modulators.
US08242140B2
Compounds of formula I: wherein X, R2, R3, R5 and R6 are defined herein, are useful as inhibitors of the hepatitis C virus NS5B polymerase.
US08242136B2
A treatment of cystic fibrosis by administration of a pharmaceutically acceptable amount of the glucosidase inhibitor NB-DMJ (N-butyldeoxy-mannojirimycin).
US08242126B2
The invention relates to quinazolinedione derivatives of the general formula (I): wherein A, R1, R2, R3, R4, m, n, p, p′, and r are as defined herein, processes for the preparation thereof and their therapeutic applications.
US08242125B2
The invention relates to novel organic compounds of formula (I) and their use in the treatment of the animal or human body, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of formula I and to the use of a compound of formula I for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions for use in the treatment of protein kinase dependent diseases, especially of proliferative diseases, such as in the treatment of tumor diseases and ocular neovascular diseases.
US08242124B2
Compounds having drug and bio-affecting properties, their pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use are set forth. In particular, diketopiperidine derivatives that possess unique antiviral activity are provided. These compounds are useful for the treatment of HIV and AIDS.
US08242123B2
The present invention relates to new insecticidal methods of using 4-Amino-5-chloro-thieno[2,3-d]-pyrimidine compounds of formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3 and A are defined as in the description. The present invention relates to insecticidal methods of applying such compounds of formula (I), and to new derivatives of compounds of formula (I).
US08242120B2
The present invention relates to the use of carbodine and 5-F carbodine and analogs thereof for use in the treatment or prophylaxis of influenza, in particular the H5N1 strain of Avian Influenza A virus or “bird flu” strain of influenza as well as the treatment or prophylaxis of Venezuela equine encephalitis virus or VEE.
US08242117B2
Provided are 5-membered heterocycle-based p38 kinase inhibitors. Further provided are pyrazole and imidazole-based p38 kinase, including p38α and p38β kinase, inhibitors. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds are also provided. Methods of use of the compounds and compositions are also provided, including methods of treatment, prevention, or amelioration of one or more symptoms of p38 kinase mediated diseases and disorders, including, but not limited to, inflammatory diseases and disorders.
US08242115B2
Compounds that inhibit DNA-dependent protein kinase, compositions comprising the compounds, methods to inhibit the DNA-PK biological activity, methods to sensitize cells the agents that cause DNA lesions, and methods to potentiate cancer treatment are disclosed.
US08242114B2
Naphthalimide compounds are used in tissue bonding and protein cross-linking applications. When activated by an activating agent, such as light in the 400-500 nm absorption range, the naphthalimide compounds form chemically-reactive species that cross-link proteins, bond connective tissues together, and bond tissues and other biomaterials together. A naphthalimide-labeled biomolecule, such as a naphthalimide-labeled chitosan, is also capable of bonding tissues without subsequent direct illumination of the contacted tissue area. The naphthalimide compounds may be used in tissue or arterial repair, stabilization of an expanded arterial wall after angioplasty, tethering pharmaceutical agents to tissue surfaces to provide local drug delivery, and for chemically bonding skin care products, sunscreens, and cosmetics to the skin.
US08242111B2
This invention relates to novel compounds of a structural formula selected from: pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof, which are useful for the therapeutic treatment of diseases associated with the modulation or inhibition of 11β-HSD1 in mammals, e.g., diabetes mellitus and obesity. Values for the variables in the structural formulas are provided herein. The invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions of the novel compounds and methods for their use in the reduction or control of the production of cortisol in a cell or the inhibition of the conversion of cortisone to cortisol in a cell.
US08242108B2
The described invention relates to compounds which modulate cell migration, and find use in, for example, wound healing, cancer progression and angiogenesis.
US08242103B2
Bridged bicyclic sulphamides of formula (I) are disclosed for treatment of cancer.
US08242096B2
Ascorbic acid compositions in the form of a powder and/or granules contain as principle components L-ascorbic acid and/or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a high molecular (300 kDalton or higher) pectin. The compositions are compressible into tablets with improved mechanical strength and hardness.
US08242094B2
The present invention relates to a siRNA which targets mRNA of the NF-Kappa B p105 gene to cause its degradation by RNAi induction. In addition, the present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of diseases associated with aberrant cell proliferation and migration, comprising the siRNA and delivery vehicle capable of intracellular delivery of the same.
US08242092B2
The present invention provides compositions and methods for binding and/or modulating enzymatic activity of human protein tyrosine phosphatases such as PTP1B. Additionally, the invention provides methods of identifying and using such nucleic acid ligands.
US08242085B2
The invention provides compounds of formula (I), as described herein, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds, and synthetic methods and intermediates that are useful for preparing the compounds. The compounds of formula (I) are useful as anti-viral agents and/or as anti-cancer agents.
US08242079B2
The present invention relates to methods of treating a hyperproliferative disease by administering a composition of lactoferrin alone or in combination with standard anti-cancer therapies.
US08242069B2
A liquid substantially non-aqueous cleaning or conditioning composition containing a surfactant or a conditioning active ingredient, a content in water which is not above 10% by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition, and a fragrance encapsulated in aminoplast type microcapsules. The compositions of the invention, in the form of fabric detergents or softeners, are particularly stable during storage and have an improved olfactive impact on fabrics.
US08242068B2
Phosphate-free automatic dishwashing agents are disclosed that comprise (a) builder; (b) bleaching agent; (c) hydrophobically modified copolymer comprising at least one of mono- and polyunsaturated sulfonic acid monomers; (d) non-hydrophobically modified copolymer comprising at least one of mono- and polyunsaturated sulfonic acids; and (e) nonionic surfactant. The agents in accordance with the present invention are distinguished by excellent film deposition inhibition along with good washing and rinsing performance.
US08242057B2
Provided herein is a method for screening a modulator of apoptosis by contacting a cell comprising a FAS mediated apoptosis system, major vault protein and cytochrome b, with a candidate modulator, and measuring the level of apoptosis of the cell. The modulator of apoptosis is identified by a change in apoptosis in comparison to a control.
US08242055B2
The invention describes phenyl-substituted pyridazinones of the formula (I) as herbicides and insecticides. In this formula (I), A, B, G, X, Y and Z are radicals such as hydrogen, organic radicals such as alkyl, and other radicals such as halogen, nitro and cyano.
US08242052B2
A method for controlling noxious organisms in a field of soybean or corn, comprising the steps of: treating soybean or corn seeds with at least one neonicotinoid compound selected from the group consisting of clothianidin, thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, dinotefuran, nitenpyram, acetamiprid, and thiacloprid, and treating the field with at least one PPO inhibitor compound selected from the group consisting of flumioxazin, sulfentrazone, saflufenacil, oxyfluorfen, and 3-(4-chloro-6-fluoro-2-trifluoromethylbenzimidazol-7-yl)-1-methyl-6-trifluoromethyl-2,4-(1H,3H)pyrimidinedione before or after the soybean or corn seeds treated with the neonicotinoid compound are sown in the field.
US08242050B2
Filter-aid materials are disclosed herein, as well as processes, systems, and methods using such filter-aid materials for filtering and removing particles and/or constituents from a fluid. Further disclosed herein are filter-aid materials and processes, systems, and methods using such filter-aid materials for filtering and removing particles and/or constituents from a fluid, wherein the filter-aid material comprises at least one composite filter-aid having novel pore size distribution and comprising at least one adsorbent component formed in-situ on at least one filtration component.
US08242044B2
Aromatic or heteroaromatic nitro compounds are catalytically hydrogenated to the corresponding amines in the presence of a platinum catalyst comprising elemental platinum on a support; the platinum catalyst is modified with a molybdenum compound and a phosphorus compound wherein the phosphorus has an oxidation state of less than +5, e.g. hypophosphorous acid; the catalyst is particularly useful in the hydrogenation of nitro compounds with halogen and/or sulfur-containing substituents.
US08242043B2
A process for production of a supported catalyst that, when used for production of lower aliphatic carboxylic acids from oxygen and lower olefins, improves yields of the lower aliphatic carboxylic acids and minimizes production of carbon dioxide gas (CO2) by-product compared to the prior art. A compound comprising at least one element selected from elements of Groups 8, 9 and 10 of the Periodic Table, at least one chloride of an element selected from copper, silver and zinc, and a chloroauric acid salt, are loaded on a carrier, after which there are further loaded a compound comprising at least one element selected from gallium, indium, thallium, germanium, tin, lead, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, sulfur, selenium, tellurium and polonium, and a heteropoly acid.
US08242041B2
The invention includes a method for impregnating a molecular sieve primary catalyst with an aromatic co-catalyst, the method comprising contacting the small pore molecular sieve primary catalyst having a porous framework structure with a combination of from at least 50 wt % to about 99.9 wt % of an aromatic co-catalyst and from about 0.1 wt % to less than 50 wt % of a polar impregnation agent containing one or more heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, phosphorus, and boron, under conditions sufficient to impregnate the porous framework structure of the primary catalyst with the aromatic co-catalyst (and optionally also with the polar impregnation agent), thus forming an integrated catalyst system. Methods for converting oxygenates to olefins using said integrated catalyst system are also described herein.
US08242039B2
The present invention is intended to drastically improve a precision polishing characteristic of a cordierite-based sintered body which has low thermal expansibility, high dimensional long-term stability and high rigidity (high elastic modulus). The cordierite-based sintered body comprises cordierite as primary components, and one or more selected from the group consisting of La, Ce, Sm, Gd, Dy, Er, Yb and Y in an oxide-equivalent amount of 1 to 8 mass %, without any crystal phase other than a cordierite crystal phase. A mass ratio of primary components of the cordierite satisfies the following relations: 3.85≦SiO2/MgO≦4.60, and 2.50≦Al2O3/MgO≦2.70, and the cordierite-based sintered body after being subjected to precision polishing has a precisely polished surface with an average surface roughness (Ra) of 1 nm or less.
US08242028B1
A method for the ultraviolet (UV) treatment of etch stop and hard mask film increases etch selectivity and hermeticity by removing hydrogen, cross-linking, and increasing density. The method is particularly applicable in the context of damascene processing. A method provides for forming a semiconductor device by depositing an etch stop film or a hard mask film on a substrate and exposing the film to UV radiation and optionally thermal energy. The UV exposure may be direct or through another dielectric layer.
US08242023B2
A method of producing a device includes embedding trenches with an epitaxial layer having high crystallinity while a mask oxide film remains unremoved. An n-type semiconductor is formed on the surface of a silicon substrate, and a mask oxide film and a mask nitride film are formed on the surface of the n-type semiconductor. The mask laminated film is opened by photolithography and etching, and trenches are formed in the silicon substrate. The width of the remaining mask laminated film is narrowed and portions of the n-type semiconductor close to the opening ends of the trenches are exposed. The trenches are embedded with a p-type semiconductor and the surface of the mask laminated film is prevented from being covered with the p-type semiconductor. The p-type semiconductor is grown from the second exposed portions of the n-type semiconductor. V-shaped grooves are prevented from forming on the surface of the p-type semiconductor.
US08242007B2
Provided are a semiconductor device including a source/drain and a gate formed using a doped polysilicon process, and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device. The method comprises: forming a gate insulating layer on a part of an active region on a first conductivity type epitaxial layer; forming a conductive layer on the epitaxial layer; implanting high concentration impurities of a second conductivity type a first portion of the conductive layer on the gate insulating layer and second portions of the conductive layer on both sides of the first insulating layer; patterning the conductive layer; forming a second insulating layer on the epitaxial layer and high concentration impurity regions of the second conductivity type below the second conductive pattern; and implanting low-concentration impurities of the second conductivity type into the epitaxial layer between a gate structure and the high concentration impurity regions.
US08242004B2
A method of forming a semiconductor device includes the following processes. A groove is formed in a semiconductor substrate. A first spin-on-dielectric layer is formed over a semiconductor substrate. An abnormal oxidation of the first spin-on-dielectric layer is carried out. A surface of the first spin-on-dielectric layer is removed. A second spin-on-dielectric layer is formed over the first spin-on-dielectric layer. A non-abnormal oxidation of the first and second spin-on-dielectric layers is carried out to modify the second spin-on-dielectric layer without modifying the first spin-on-dielectric layer.
US08242000B2
A method for making a nanowire element includes: providing an imprint mold including a first substrate and a conductive pattern-transferring layer, the pattern-transferring layer includes first conductive strips; electrifying the pattern-transferring layer with an alternating current; applying a nanowire-containing suspension on the pattern-transferring layer; reorienting the nanowires in the nanowire-containing suspension using a dielectrophoresis method, thereby the nanowires connected between two adjacent first conductive strips; providing a pattern-receiving body, the pattern-receiving body including a second substrate and a pattern-receiving layer; pressing the imprint mold onto the pattern-receiving body with the conductive pattern-transferring layer facing the pattern-receiving layer, thereby defining a patterned recess in the pattern-receiving layer and transferring the nanowires to the second substrate; forming a first conductive layer on the second substrate to obtain a conductive pattern layer, the conductive pattern layer including second conductive strips, the nanowires connecting two adjacent second conductive strips; and removing the pattern-receiving layer.
US08241997B2
There is provided a method of removing trap levels and defects, which are caused by stress, from a single crystal silicon thin film formed by an SOI technique. First, a single crystal silicon film is formed by using a typical bonding SOI technique such as Smart-Cut or ELTRAN. Next, the single crystal silicon thin film is patterned to form an island-like silicon layer, and then, a thermal oxidation treatment is carried out in an oxidizing atmosphere containing a halogen element, so that an island-like silicon layer in which the trap levels and the defects are removed is obtained.
US08241996B2
A method and structures for manufacturing multi-layered substrates. The method includes providing a donor substrate, which has a first deflection characteristic. The donor substrate has a backside, a face, a cleave region, and a thickness of material defined between the cleave region and the face. The method includes bonding the face of the donor substrate to a face of the handle substrate. The method includes coupling a backing substrate to the backside of the donor substrate to form a multilayered structure. The backing substrate is adequate to cause the first deflection characteristic of the donor substrate to be reduced to a predetermined level. The predetermined level is a suitable deflection characteristic for the thickness of material to be transferred onto the face of a handle substrate. The method includes initiating a controlled cleaving process within a portion of the cleave region of the donor substrate to begin removal of the thickness of material from the donor substrate at a portion of the cleave region, while the backing substrate remains attached to the donor substrate to maintain at least the suitable deflection characteristic.
US08241995B2
Bonding of substrates including metal-dielectric patterns on a surface with the metal raised above the dielectric is disclosed. One method includes providing a first substrate having a metal-dielectric pattern on a surface thereof; providing a second substrate having a metal-dielectric pattern on a surface thereof; performing a process resulting in the metal being raised above the dielectric; cleaning the metal; and bonding the first substrate to the second substrate. A related structure is also disclosed. The bonding of raised metal provides a strong bonding medium, and good electrical and thermal connections enabling creation of three dimensional integrated structures with enhanced functionality.
US08241968B2
A printed circuit board (PCB) includes a wire pattern that has a low processing cost and a high yield by simplifying the structure of the PCB and can increase the joining characteristics and reliability of minute bumps when a flip-chip bonding process is performed. The PCB includes a body resin layer having lower and upper surfaces, a wire pattern on or in one of the upper and lower surfaces of the body resin layer, at least one through-hole contact extending from the wire pattern through the body resin layer, and a solder resist on the upper and lower surfaces of the body resin layer, openings of the solder resist corresponding to at least one of a solder ball land and a bump land, the solder ball land and the bump land being configured to couple the PCB to a semiconductor chip. If the solder ball land is on the one-layer wire pattern, the bump land is on the through-hole contact, and if the bump land is on the wire pattern, the solder ball land is on the through-hole contact.
US08241965B2
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a package paddle; forming a pad extension having a spacing to the package paddle; forming a lead adjacent the pad extension, the pad extension between the package paddle and the lead; forming a conductive layer directly on and between the package paddle and the pad extension; and connecting an integrated circuit to the pad extension and the lead, the integrated circuit over the package paddle.
US08241963B2
A bump structure that may be used to interconnect one substrate to another substrate is provided. A recessed conductive pillar is formed on a first substrate such that the recessed conductive pillar has a recess formed therein. The recess may be filled with a solder material. A conductive pillar on a second substrate may be formed having a contact surface with a width less than or equal to a width of the recess. The first substrate may be attached to the second substrate such that the conductive pillar on the second substrate is positioned over or in the recess of the first substrate. The substrates may each be an integrated circuit die, an interposer, a printed circuit board, a high-density interconnect, or the like.
US08241962B2
A method of making a semiconductor chip assembly includes providing a thermal post, a signal post and a base, mounting an adhesive on the base including inserting the thermal post into a first opening in the adhesive and the signal post into a second opening in the adhesive, mounting a conductive layer on the adhesive including aligning the thermal post with a first aperture in the conductive layer and the signal post with a second aperture in the conductive layer, then flowing the adhesive upward between the thermal post and the conductive layer and between the signal post and the conductive layer, solidifying the adhesive, providing a conductive trace that includes a pad, a terminal and the signal post, wherein the pad includes a selected portion of the conductive layer, mounting a semiconductor device on the thermal post, wherein a heat spreader includes the thermal post and the base and the semiconductor device extends into a cavity in the thermal post, electrically connecting the semiconductor device to the conductive trace and thermally connecting the semiconductor device to the heat spreader.
US08241959B2
A method of making microelectronic packages includes making a subassembly by providing a plate having a top surface, a bottom surface and openings extending between the top and bottom surfaces, attaching a compliant layer to the top surface of the plate, the compliant layer having openings that are aligned with the openings extending through the plate, and providing electrically conductive features on the compliant layer. After making the subassembly, the bottom surface of the plate is attached with the top surface of a semiconductor wafer so that the openings extending through the plate are aligned with contacts on the wafer. At least some of the electrically conductive features on the compliant layer are electrically interconnected with the contacts on the semiconductor wafer.
US08241958B2
To provide a semiconductor device and a semiconductor module in which breakage of a semiconductor element due to a pressing force given from the outside is prevented. A semiconductor device according to the present invention has a configuration mainly including an island, a semiconductor element mounted on a front surface of the island, a lead that functions as an external connection terminal, and a sealing resin that covers these components in an integrated manner and mechanically supports them. Further, a through-hole is provided so as to penetrate the sealing resin. A front surface of the sealing resin around the through-hole forms a flat part. The front surface of the sealing resin that overlaps the semiconductor element is depressed inward with respect to the flat part to form a depressed part.
US08241955B2
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a base circuit assembly having an integrated circuit device; mounting a pre-formed conductive frame having an outer interconnect and an inner interconnect over the base circuit assembly, the inner interconnect on the integrated circuit device and the outer interconnect around the integrated circuit device; applying an encapsulant over the inner interconnect and the outer interconnect; and removing a portion of the pre-formed conductive frame exposing an end of the inner interconnect and the outer interconnect.
US08241951B2
A method includes preparing a cover member; preparing an image pickup element including a substrate including a pixel region including a plurality of photo detectors on a principal surface, a first concavo-convex portion including a plurality of first convex portions configured to concentrate light on the plurality of photo detectors, the first convex portions each having a lens shape, and a second concavo-convex portion surrounding the first concavo-convex portion, the second concavo-convex portion including a plurality of second convex portions; and fixing the cover member to a region of the image pickup element using a fixing member, the region being between the first concavo-convex portion and the second concavo-convex portion.
US08241946B2
The present invention provides a method of forming a semiconducting device comprising an organic semiconducting material, which method comprises: heating a composition comprising the organic semiconducting material to a temperature at or above the melting point or glass transition temperature of the composition to form a melt; cooling the melt to a temperature below the melting point or glass transition temperature of the composition; and wherein a first substance or object capable of inhibiting and/or preventing dewetting is adjacent the composition before or during heating, or the composition further comprises an agent capable of inhibiting and/or preventing dewetting.
US08241944B2
The present disclosure includes a high density resistive random access memory (RRAM) device, as well as methods of fabricating a high density RRAM device. One method of forming an RRAM device includes forming a resistive element having a metal-metal oxide interface. Forming the resistive element includes forming an insulative material over the first electrode, and forming a via in the insulative material. The via is conformally filled with a metal material, and the metal material is planarized to within the via. A portion of the metal material within the via is selectively treated to create a metal-metal oxide interface within the via. A second electrode is formed over the resistive element.
US08241929B2
A contactor and an associated contact structure, probe card and test apparatus are provided. The contact may include a base part having three or more steps in a stairway state, a support part with a rear end side provided at the base part and a front end side sticking out from the base part, and a conductive part formed on a surface of the support part and electrically contacting a contact of a device under test.
US08241925B2
One or more heating elements are disposed on a semiconductor substrate proximate a temperature sensitive circuit disposed on the substrate (e.g., bandgap circuit, oscillator). The heater element(s) can be controlled to heat the substrate and elevate the temperature of the circuit to one or more temperature points. One or more temperature measurements can be made at each of the one or more temperature points for calibrating one or more reference values of the circuit (e.g., bandgap voltage).
US08241924B2
A method for implant uniformity is provided that includes determining a variation of critical dimensions (CD) of a semiconductor wafer, moving the semiconductor wafer in a two-dimensional mode during an implantation process, and controlling a velocity of the movement of the semiconductor wafer so that an implant dose to the semiconductor wafer is varied based on the variation of CD.
US08241923B2
A method for correcting a mask pattern used for dry-etching an object with higher accuracy, and for manufacturing an acceleration sensor and an angular velocity sensor. The object is first etched by a dry-etching process using an uncorrected reference mask pattern. Then, distribution of the size of expansion of a tapered portion formed in a surface of the object is measured. Thereafter, the measured distribution is approximated by using a quadratic curve (Y=AX2+B) so as to determine A and B. Consequently, an amount t of correction for the tapered portion, which is expressed by the following equation (1) and related to a width of an opening of the mask pattern in a position at a distance r from a center of the object to be etched, can be set. In this way, the correction for the tapered portion can be carried out. t=(Ar2+B)/2 (1)
US08241919B2
A method includes acquiring a chemical sample and modulating the chemical sample at a frequency greater than a drift frequency of a sensor. The method also includes determining at least one of a presence and a concentration of the analyte within the modulated chemical sample using the sensor. Modulating the chemical sample could include alternately absorbing at least some of the analyte into a sorbent material and releasing at least some of the analyte from the sorbent material. Modulating the chemical sample could also include heating the sorbent material, absorbing part of the analyte into the sorbent material, and passing a remaining portion of the analyte into the sensor. Modulating the chemical sample could further include stopping the heating of the sorbent material, releasing the part of the analyte from the sorbent material, and passing the sample with the released part of the analyte into the sensor.
US08241917B2
An isotope-doped nano-structure of an element is provided. The isotope-doped nano-structure includes at least one isotope-doped nano-structure segment having at least two isotopes of the element, and the at least two isotopes of the element are mixed uniformly in a certain proportion. The present disclosure also provides a method for making the isotope-doped nano-structures, and a labeling method using the isotope-doped nano-structures.
US08241906B2
The invention relates to a cell carrier (10) for receiving a biological sample. The carrier comprises a magnetic element (20) and a floor element (30) that forms a stable support (31) that can be displaced on a solid base surface in at least one direction. The invention also relates to a manipulation device for biological samples and to a method for manipulating biological samples.
US08241905B2
A composition comprising a plurality of cell aggregates for use in the production of engineered organotypic tissue by organ printing. A method of making a plurality of cell aggregates comprises centrifuging a cell suspension to form a pellet, extruding the pellet through an orifice, and cutting the extruded pellet into pieces. Apparatus for making cell aggregates comprises an extrusion system and a cutting system. In a method of organ printing, a plurality of cell aggregates are embedded in a polymeric or gel matrix and allowed to fuse to form a desired three-dimensional tissue structure. An intermediate product comprises at least one layer of matrix and a plurality of cell aggregates embedded therein in a predetermined pattern. Modeling methods predict the structural evolution of fusing cell aggregates for combinations of cell type, matrix, and embedding patterns to enable selection of organ printing processes parameters for use in producing an engineered tissue having a desired three-dimensional structure.
US08241904B2
A system and method for controlling a mammalian cell culture process are provided. Such control of the cell culture process involves control of the level of dissolved carbon dioxide in the cell culture media and the resulting ability to prevent increases in the osmolality level is achieved by enhanced stripping of carbon dioxide with little or no damage to the mammalian cells. The disclosed methods and systems of dissolved carbon dioxide stripping include enhanced surface gas exchange mechanisms within the bioreactor vessel through the use of an upward flow impeller combined with vertical baffles to convert swirling motions of the liquid into a largely vertical flow.
US08241901B2
A method of secretory expression of lysostaphin in Escherichia coli at high level, which comprises constructing a expression vector by cloning a sequence encoding a signal peptide which is suitable for secretory expression in Escherichia coli before part or whole gene sequence which encodes mature lysostaphin, and ligating the cloned sequence with a promoter; and transforming Escherichia coli with the expression vector, culturing and fermenting, and then isolating lysostaphin from the supernatant of the fermentation broth. The advantage of secretory expression is that the expression product can exist in the medium in an active form, and thus does not need the process for renaturation of the inclusion body; it is more easily to purify from the supernatant of the fermentation broth with high rate of recovery; and there is less contamination from the host's proteins.
US08241896B2
The present invention relates generally to compositions and methods for use in recombinational cloning of nucleic acid molecules. In particular, the invention relates to nucleic acid molecules encoding one or more recombination sites or portions thereof, to nucleic acid molecules comprising one or more of these recombination site nucleotide sequences and optionally comprising one or more additional physical or functional nucleotide sequences. The invention also relates to vectors comprising the nucleic acid molecules of the invention, to host cells comprising the vectors or nucleic acid molecules of the invention, to methods of producing polypeptides using the nucleic acid molecules of the invention, and to polypeptides encoded by these nucleic acid molecules or produced by the methods of the invention. The invention also relates to antibodies that bind to one or more polypeptides of the invention or epitopes thereof. The invention also relates to the use of these compositions in methods for recombinational cloning of nucleic acids, in vitro and in vivo, to provide chimeric DNA molecules that have particular characteristics and/or DNA segments.
US08241882B2
The present invention aims to provide a hydrogen-producing bacterium, which excels in hydrogen yield and hydrogen production rate, and is usable for industrial hydrogen production from biomass as a production source. That is, it is intended to provide a bacterium belonging to the genus Clostridium which has a property of producing hydrogen at a rate of 60 mmol or more per hour per liter of a culture liquid which contains glucose as a substrate, by batch cultivation in a YNU anaerobic culture medium at 47° C. and pH 6.0, and a hydrogen production method comprising the use of the bacterium belonging to the genus Clostridium.
US08241881B2
Compositions and methods for forming hexane, and, optionally, gasoline and/or components of a gasoline composition, from fermentable sugars are disclosed. The sugars are fermented using a bacteria or yeast that predominantly forms butyric acid. The butyric acid is subjected to Kolbe or photo-Kolbe electrolysis to form hexane. The hexane can be subjected to catalytic, reforming and/or isomerization steps to form higher octane products, which are or can be included in gasoline compositions. In one aspect, the fermentable sugars are derived from lignocellulosic materials such as wood products, switchgrass, or agricultural wastes. These materials are delignified to form lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose. The cellulose and hemicellulose are depolymerized to form glycose and xylose, either or both of which can be fermented by the bacteria. The lignin can be used to generate heat energy and/or electric energy for use in one or more process steps, such as the fermentation, product isolation, Kolbe electrolysis, catalytic reforming and/or isomerization steps. Alternatively, the lignin can be converted to synthesis gas, which can then be subjected to Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, or converted to methanol and/or ethanol. Thus, the methods described herein can convert biomass to a fuel composition or fuel additive, which can be used in a conventional gasoline engine, unlike traditional fuels such as ethanol or biodiesel.
US08241879B2
The technology relates in part to biological methods for producing adipic acid and engineered microorganisms capable of such production.
US08241875B2
A process for producing fatty acids, which comprises supplying an oil phase substrate and a water phase substrate to an enzyme column packed with an immobilized enzyme, concurrently flowing them in the same direction, and hydrolyzing a fat and/or oil, wherein the oil phase substrate and the water phase substrate are alternately supplied to the enzyme column.
US08241871B2
Cloning and expression of genes encoding C. parvum antigenic polypeptides are described as are antibodies that recognize epitopes on these polypeptides. The antigenic polypeptides and antibodies thereto can be used in therapeutic compositions for the prevention and treatment of C. parvum infections, as well as in diagnostic methods for determining the presence of C. parvum infections.
US08241870B2
The present invention relates to a mammalian cell based expression and secretion system and the expression and secretion of recombinant proteins by using secretory signal peptides. The present invention also relates to an expression cassette useful for the secretion of a heterologous gene from a mammalian cell, in particular a CHO cell. The present invention is also directed to a method of secreting a heterologous protein from mammalian cells such as CHO cells.
US08241858B2
Methods, systems and kits are provided for detecting and quantifying multiple immunogens in a sample via consecutive addition of quantifiable extenders to immunogen bound complexes of immunogen binding agent attached to a DNA containing an RNA polymerase promoter.
US08241851B2
A method for replicating and amplifying a target nucleic acid sequence is described. A method of the invention involves the formation of a recombination intermediate without the prior denaturing of a nucleic acid duplex through the use of a recombination factor. The recombination intermediate is treated with a high fidelity polymerase to permit the replication and amplification of the target nucleic acid sequence. In preferred embodiments, the polymerase comprises a polymerase holoenzyme. In further preferred embodiments, the recombination factor is bacteriophage T4 UvsX protein or homologs from other species, and the polymerase holoenzyme comprises a polymerase enzyme, a clamp protein and a clamp loader protein, derived from viral, bacteriophage, prokaryotic, archaebacterial, or eukaryotic systems.
US08241846B1
Methods, uses, agents and compositions useful for the diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment of invasive diseases such as cancer based on the modulation of the expression and/or activity of brother of CDON (BOC) are disclosed.
US08241838B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the following processes. A first resist layer covering an etching object is patterned to form a first resist pattern. Then, a filling layer that covers the first resist pattern and has a flat upper surface is formed. Then, a second resist layer covering the flat upper surface is patterned to from a second resist pattern.
US08241837B2
Provided are a mask pattern including a silicon-containing self-assembled molecular layer, a method of forming the same, and a method of fabricating a semiconductor device. The mask pattern includes a resist pattern formed on a semiconductor substrate and the self-assembled molecular layer formed on the resist pattern. The self-assembled molecular layer has a silica network formed by a sol-gel reaction. To form the mask pattern, first, the resist pattern is formed with openings on an underlayer covering the substrate to expose the underlayer to a first width. Then, the self-assembled molecular layer is selectively formed only on a surface of the resist pattern to expose the underlayer to a second width smaller than the first width. The underlayer is etched by using the resist pattern and the self-assembled molecular layer as an etching mask to obtain a fine pattern.
US08241835B2
A relief printing form is prepared from a photosensitive element in an environment having controlled oxygen concentration during exposure to actinic radiation. An in situ mask is formed on a photosensitive element, the element is exposed to actinic radiation through the in-situ mask in an environment having an inert gas and a concentration of oxygen between 190,000 and 100 ppm, and the exposed element is treated to form the relief printing form having a pattern of raised surface areas.
US08241830B2
A positive resist composition comprises (A) a compound capable of generating sulfonic acid, bis(alkylsulfonyl)amide, or tris(alkylsulfonyl)methine upon irradiation with actinic ray or radiation, and (B) a resin capable of increasing the solubility in an alkali developer by action of an acid having specific repeating units, and a pattern forming method using the same.
US08241829B2
To provide a resist polymer comprising, as a structural unit, an acid-decomposable unit having a structure represented by formula (1) or (2) which exhibits a small line edge roughness and produces little defects in DUV excimer laser lithography or the like. In formulas (1) and (2), n represents an integer of 2 to 24; J represents a single bond or a divalent hydrocarbon group which may have a substituent/heteroatom when n=2, or represents an n-valent hydrocarbon group which may have a substituent/heteroatom when n≧3; E represents a residue of a polymerization terminator, a chain transfer agent or a polymerization initiator; K1 and K2 each represent at least one selected from alkylene, cycloalkylene, oxyalkylene, arylene, a divalent thiazoline ring, a divalent oxazoline ring and a divalent imidazoline ring; L1 and L2 each represent at least one selected from —C(O)O—, —C(O)— and —OC(O)—; M1, M2 and M3 each represent at least one selected from alkylene, cycloalkylene, oxyalkylene and arylene; Y, Y1 and Y2 each represent an acid-decomposable linkage; k1, k2, l1, l2, m1, m2, m3 and n1 each represent 0 or 1; and R1 represents H or a methyl group.
US08241827B2
An electrostatic image developing toner which is capable of obtaining highly chromatic full-color images of bright color without causing perceived color contamination and exhibits superior lightfastness is disclosed, wherein the toner comprises a binding resin and a colorant, and the colorant is tetraazaporphyrin or phthalocyanine compounds such as a compound represented by the following formula:
US08241823B2
Provided is a photolithography apparatus including a photomask. The photomask includes a pattern having a plurality of features, in an example, dummy line features. The pattern includes a first region being in the form of a localized on-grid array and a second region where at least one of the features has an increased width. The apparatus may include a second photomask which may define an active region. The feature with an increased width may be adjacent, and outside, the defined active region.
US08241822B2
Compounds of the formula I or II wherein R1 is C1-C10haloalkylsulfonyl, halobenzenesulfonyl, C2-C10haloalkanoyl, halobenzoyl; R2 is halogen or C1-C10haloalkyl; Ar1 is phenyl, biphenylyl, fluorenyl, naphthyl, anthracyl, phenanthryl, or heteroaryl, all of which are optionally substituted; Ar′1 is for example phenylene, naphthylene, diphenylene, heteroarylene, oxydiphenylene, phenylene-D-D1-D-phenylene or —Ar″1-A1-Y1-A1-Ar″1—; wherein these radicals optionally are substituted; Ar″1 is phenylene, naphthylene, anthracylene, phenanthrylene, or heteroarylene, all optionally substituted; A1 is for example a direct bond, —O—, —S—, or —NR6—; Y1 inter alia is C1-C18alkylene; X is halogen; D is for example —O—, —S— or —NR6—; D1 inter alia is C1-C18alkylene; are particularly suitable as photolatent acids in ArF resist technology.
US08241821B2
Provision of an EUV mask whereby influence of EUV reflected light from an absorber film surface in the peripheral portion of a mask pattern region is suppressed at a time of carrying out EUV lithography; an EUV mask blank to be employed for producing the above EUV mask; and a process for producing the EUV mask blank. A process for producing a reflective mask blank for EUV lithography (EUVL), comprising alternately laminating a high refractive index film and a low refractive index film on a substrate to form a multilayer reflective film for reflecting EUV light and forming an absorber layer for absorbing EUV light on the multilayer reflective film, wherein the process further comprises after formation of the above multilayer reflective film, heating a portion of a surface of the multilayer reflective film outside a portion to be a mask pattern region in a reflective mask for EUV lithography produced by employing the reflective mask blank for EUV, to reduce the reflectivity of the heated portion of the surface of the multilayer reflective film for EUV light.
US08241816B2
A separator of a fuel cell stack, which has flat surfaces that face MEAs, includes a cathode-side plate, an anode-side plate and an intermediate plate. The intermediate plate has a plurality of oxidant gas supply channel openings that communicate with an oxidant gas supply manifold and oxidant gas supply holes of the cathode-side plate, and a plurality of oxidant gas exhaust channel openings that communicate with an oxidant gas exhaust manifold and oxidant gas exhaust holes of the anode-side plate. The width and spacing of the oxidant gas exhaust channel openings are set to be larger than those of the oxidant gas supply channel openings.
US08241811B2
A flow channel plate adapted to a fuel cell apparatus is provided. The flow channel plate includes a separating film and a plurality of bar supporting members. The separating film is disposed between two components of the fuel cell apparatus, and the bar supporting members lean against the separating film and the two components to maintain a distance between the two components. The flow channel plate has low flow resistance.
US08241806B2
A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a fluid passage for warming, a gas-liquid separator, a supply passage and a recirculating module. The fuel cell generates power with supply of a reaction gas. The gas-liquid separator separates moisture contained in an anode exhaust gas which is discharged from the fuel cell. The supply passage returns the anode exhaust gas, from which the moisture has been separated by the gas-liquid separator, to an inlet side of the reaction gas. The recirculating module mixes the anode exhaust gas, which is returned via the supply passage, with the reaction gas. The gas-liquid separator lies adjacent to the recirculating module, and the fluid passage for warming is disposed between the gas-liquid separator and the recirculating module.
US08241800B2
A fuel cell system includes: a polymer electrolyte fuel cell; a resistance sensor that detects the internal resistance of the fuel cell; a dew point sensor that detects the dew point of anode off gas from the fuel cell; and a controller that executes an electrolyte membrane hydration control according to the relationship between the internal resistance and the dew point. According to this configuration, it is possible to define, based on the relationship between the internal resistance and the dew point, the conditions under which the decreased power generation performance of the cell may be quickly recovered.
US08241792B2
A crystal structure is provided to improve a characteristic of an electrode material, such as vanadium oxide. In the crystal structure, an amorphous state and a layered crystal state coexist at a predetermined ratio in a layered crystalline material such as vanadium oxide. In the layered crystalline material having such a layered crystal structure, layered crystal particles having a layer length L1 of 30 nm or shorter are formed. Ions are easily intercalated to and deintercalated from between the layers. When such a material is used for the positive electrode active material, a nonaqueous lithium secondary battery of which the discharge capacity and the cycle characteristic are good is manufactured.
US08241785B2
In an alkaline dry battery, an opening portion of a positive electrode case is sealed by a terminal plate serving as a negative electrode terminal via an insulating sealing body, and a sealant layer is provided between the positive electrode case and the sealing body. The sealant layer is made of a material having a tensile strength of 0.02 N/mm2 or more with respect to a tensile distortion of 5 mm. For example, the sealant layer is made of a material containing, as a major component, polyamide resin having an amine number in a range of 50-200.
US08241783B2
A battery lid structure for an electronic device is provided which has a battery lid allowing a battery case to be opened when a battery lid body slides. A long engagement hole L-shaped in plan view is formed on a pressing plate to which the battery lid body is slidably attached. A lock lever section and a lock lever receiving section where an engagement section is formed are attached to the battery lid body so as to slide perpendicularly to the sliding direction. The engagement of the engagement section with a second long hole of the long engagement hole prevents the sliding motion of the battery lid body. During the sliding motion of the battery lid body, the engagement section engages with a first long hole of the long engagement hole. The wall surface of the long engagement hole is covered with a part of a plate spring body.
US08241780B2
A positive electrode 2 and a negative electrode 3 are placed in a battery case 1 with a separator 4 interposed therebetween and the negative electrode 3 is smaller in height than the positive electrode 2 in the battery case 1. The positive electrode 2 contains electrolytic manganese dioxide and graphite and a potential of electrolytic manganese dioxide is in a range of 220 to 290 mV with respect to a reference electrode made of mercury oxide (Hg/HgO).
US08241769B2
A glass substrate for a magnetic disk, wherein, in regions with respect to two places arbitrarily selected on a surface of the glass substrate on its central portion side relative to its outer peripheral end, a surface shape with a shape wavelength in a band of 60 to 500 μm is extracted from surface shapes in each of the regions and, assuming that a root mean square roughness Rq of the surface shape is given as a microwaviness Rq, the difference between the microwavinesses Rq of the regions is 0.02 nm or less or the difference between standard deviations of the microwavinesses Rq of the regions is 0.04 nm or less.
US08241762B2
There is provided a charge transport compound having the formula T-LG-T, where T is a charge transport moiety having the formula —Ar1-An-Ar2 and LG is a linking group. In the compound, An is a divalent anthracene moiety; Ar1 is a single bond or an aromatic group which can be naphthyl, binaphthyl, naphthylphenylene, naphthylbiphenylene, or naphthylbinaphthylene; Ar2 is an aromatic group which can be naphthyl, binaphthyl, naphthylphenylene, naphthylbiphenylene, or naphthylbinaphthylene; and LG can be biphenylene, binaphthylene, or Formula I In Formula I, Q1 and Q2 are the same or different can be alkyl and aryl, or Q1 and Q2 taken together can be alkylene; and Ar3 and Ar4 are the same or different and can be phenylene or naphthylene.
US08241760B2
A joint structure of the present invention includes a conductive member containing copper as a major component thereof, an electrode member containing copper as a major component thereof, and a joint portion formed by fusion welding the conductive member and the electrode member with a brazing material containing tin as a major component thereof and containing substantially no copper, wherein the amount of copper atoms contained in the alloy in the central part of the joint portion is higher than that in the outer circumference part.
US08241757B2
A multilayer substrate includes a base layer, a coating layer and an intermediate layer positioned between the base layer and the coating layer. The intermediate layer contains chromium and nitrogen. A content of the chromium in the intermediate layer gradually decreases from the base layer to the coating layer.
US08241750B2
A functional multilayer anisotropic conductive adhesive film, capable of bonding and package 0.18-0.13 micron IC chips and high density COF, includes a monomer layer, a reinforcing layer, a low-temperature, hot-melt resin layer, and a conductive particle layer, successively bonded by coating and drying processes. The monomer layer comprises a copolymer of butyl acrylate, methyl acrylate, glycol acrylate, and tetramethyl butyl peroxy-2-ethyl hexanoate. The reinforcing layer comprises long chain imidazole derivatives. The hot-melt resin layer comprises polymer of tocopheroxyl, novolac epoxy, acrylic rubbers and elastic mixture of acrylic rubbers and styrene-butadiene rubbers. The conductive particle layer comprises conductive particles and micro-encapsulating resin for receiving the conductive particles. Diameter of the conductive particles is selected from the group consisting of 3.00 μm±0.05, 3.25 μm±0.05, 3.50 μm±0.05, 3.75 μm±0.05 and 4.00 μm±0.05.
US08241749B2
Disclosed is a barrier laminate comprising at least one organic layer and at least one inorganic layer on a surface of the organic layer, wherein the organic layer is formed by curing a polymerizable composition comprising a compound having a triphenylene skeleton and a polymerizable group.
US08241740B2
An antireflective film comprising: a support; and at least one layer including an antireflective layer, wherein at least one of said at least one layer laminated on the support is a layer formed by ionizing radiation curing of a composition containing a combination of a radical polymerization initiator with at least one compound selected from two or more kinds of initiator assistants and further containing an ionizing radiation curable compound.
US08241737B2
An optical laminate is provided which has anti-dazzling properties and can realize excellent glare preventive properties and black reproducibility (gradation rendering of black at low brightness). The optical laminate includes a light transparent base material and an anti-dazzling layer or a light diffusion layer provided on the light transparent base material, wherein the outermost surface of the anti-dazzling layer or light diffusion layer has a concavoconvex surface. The anti-dazzling layer satisfies the requirements that Sm is not less than 100 μm and not more than 600 μm, θa is not less than 0.1 degree and not more than 1.2 degrees, and Rz is more than 0.2 μm and not more than 1 μm, wherein Sm represents the average spacing of concavoconvexes in the anti-dazzling layer, θa represents the average inclination angle of the concavoconvexes, and Rz represents the average roughness of the concavoconvexes.
US08241736B2
A multilayer, heat-shrinkable film generally includes at least one bulk layer and a microlayer section comprising a plurality of microlayers. The ratio of the thickness of any of the microlayers to the thickness of the bulk layer ranges from about 1:2 to about 1:40.
US08241734B2
This invention comprises a self-supporting, temperature-stable, indicia-bearing laminate of at least one layer of a non-oriented polyolefin film having an indicia array and a layer of a non-oriented polyolefin support film. The indicia layer laminate is formed by printing a carrier sheet with at least one layer of a printing ink comprising a mixture of particulate polyolefin, indicia material and a polyolefin-compatible resin. The polyolefin support film is printed as a layer over the indicia layer with a mixture of a polyolefin and a polyolefin-compatible resin. The printed layers are cured into non-oriented films, forming an indicia transfer. The transfer is used by removing the indicia-bearing laminate from the carrier sheet and applying the laminate to the inside surface of a rotational mold where it melts and fuses into the outer wall of a polyolefin product during the formation of the product in the rotational molding cycle.
US08241727B2
Decorated three-dimensional articles (64, 78, 82, 86) may be produced having wall structure (66-72) with distortion-free images (40a, 40b) appearing through the inner and outer surfaces of the wall structure (66-72). Preferably, a sheet of paper stock (38) is imprinted on both faces with mirror images (40a, 40b), and the stock (38) is applied to a light-transmitting substrate (44) so that the image (40b) appears through the substrate (44), thereby yielding a blank (50). A plurality of lines of weakness (54) are formed in the blank (50) by laser ablation extending through the image (40a) and stock (38), but not through the image (40b), in order to define spaced apart bend areas (56). The substrate (44) is then heated along the bend areas (56), and the blank (50) is formed about a mandrel (62). If desired, the formed blank (50) may be completed by addition of a base (74). The invention can be used for the economical production of a virtually limitless number of three-dimensional articles, even with one-off unique articles or short runs of articles.
US08241726B2
A resilient mat system where a mat has overall mat thickness T, and the mat has an upper layer with an upper layer thickness t, and a plurality of supporting resilient substructure columns, each column having a relatively uniform height h, such that T=t+h, wherein the ratio of h:t>3.5 for values of T>about 0.9 inch (about 2.3 cm). Each column has a frusto-conical column wall, a central void, and a column bottom. The frusto-conical column has its smaller diameter end at the column bottom, a plurality of the columns optionally further have a vertical stiffening rib along a portion of the upper zone of the column wall.
US08241721B2
The elastically re-expandable sealing tape for sealing a joint includes an elastically expanding foam strip of rectangular cross-section which is held in a compressed state. This is accomplished by means of at least one releasable seam, which extends across the sealing tape and consists of at least one thread, which passes through the foam strip.
US08241717B1
A carbon-based biofilm carrier is formed of saturated fatty acids and saturated fatty alcohols. The carriers are shaped with a hollow center and have a length that ranges from bout 0.3 to about 1.5 times its outer diameter. The shape provides both maximum surface area and maximum protection during aerobic and anaerobic biological treatment of wastewater.
US08241714B2
A decorative architectural glass panel comprises a two or more glass sheets separated by a resin in which one or more decorative objects are suspended. A method of making the glass panel comprises positioning one or more spacers and one or more decorative objects on a first glass sheet, placing a second glass sheet about the first glass sheet, sealing the edges of the first glass sheet and second glass sheet, and filling the space between the first and second glass sheets with a curable liquid resin. The resin can be poured using a substantially horizontal pour in order to keep the decorative objects from substantially shifting when pouring the liquid resin. The resin can also be poured in combination with a vacuum force. In some implementations, the glass panel may also be substituted with a resin panel using polymeric resin sheets.
US08241700B2
An object is to provide a deposition method in which an organic material layer which is a material of a common layer is evenly formed over an entire surface of a donor substrate (a first substrate) and can be transferred to an element formation substrate (a second substrate) as transfer layers which are common layers for red (R), green (G), and blue (B) with different thicknesses. An organic material layer over a first absorption layer and a second absorption layer is deposited to a second substrate as a first transfer layer and a second transfer layer by sublimating the organic material layer over the first substrate. The thicknesses of the first and second transfer layers differ in accordance with the ratio of the area of the first absorption layer to the area of the second absorption layer.
US08241695B2
Disclosed is a process for producing a fat and oil composition for deep-frying, which has superior flavor and is suppressed, for a long time, in color development and unfavorable odor during heating. Specifically disclosed is a process for producing a fat and oil composition for deep-frying, which is characterized in that at least one phosphorus-derived component selected from a crude oil or a partially refined fat and oil, is added into a refined edible fat and oil in such an amount that the phosphorus content is within the range of 0.1 to 5.0 ppm.
US08241690B2
Described herein is a high moisture, preserved cheese product having enhanced microbial food safety and methods of making the high moisture, preserved cheese product. Enhanced microbial food safety is achieved by using a combination of organic food preserving acids, a nisin component and an enzyme.
US08241688B2
A tripe cutting board and method of making menudo is provided. The tripe cutting board includes a base plate and opposed sidewalls so as to form an elongate structure having a central trough. These sidewalls have opposed slots formed equal distance along the length of the sidewalls for introduction of a knife blade.The method of cutting tripe includes rolling a flat sheet of tripe into a tripe roll. The rolled tripe is then cut by slicing a knife downward between each of the opposed slots. The rolled tripe is cut into smaller rolls of tripe which are removed to form tripe strips. The tripe strips are positioned longitudinally into the cutting board trough and then cut once again to form substantially square pieces of tripe suitable for introduction into menudo soup.
US08241677B2
A foodstuff of a tablet or capsule, includes: an extract of a plant of genus Salacia; and at least one of calcium carbonate and silicon dioxide in an amount of 1% by mass or more based on the total mass of the tablet or capsule, wherein 50% inhibition concentration (IC50 value) of sucrase is 10 μg/ml or more and 300 μg/ml or less.
US08241674B2
Compositions and methods for enhancing heavy metal detoxification are described. The compositions and methods described provide enhanced activity of key detoxification systems including that the induction of phase II detoxification enzymes, such as glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), and NADPH quinone reductase (NQO1) activity.
US08241673B2
A method for obtaining of biomaterials for osteoplasty and tissue engineering cleans a bone of natural origin, which is sawn to plates with a thickness of 0.2 to 2.0 cm, washed twice in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at 65° C., pH 5.8-6.0, calculated as two volumetric parts of the buffer solution per one part of bone, digested in a solution of activated 0.1-0.4% papain at 65° C. for 24 hours. The plates are washed with 5 volumes of water at the temperature 40-80° C., treated with 0.4 N alkali solution at room temperature for 10-24 hours, washed with flowing water, dried, defatted in ethanol/chloroform mixtures in proportion of 1:2 and then in proportion of 2:1, decalcified in 0.4-1 N hydrochloric acid, treated with 1.5-3% hydrogen peroxide for 4 hours, washed with treated water, then washed with ethanol, dried at room temperature, packed and sterilized.
US08241669B2
A homogenous, clear, veterinary gel composition which has a broad spectrum of efficacy against endoparasites over a prolonged period of time and which allows for higher concentrations of a mixture of parasiticidal agents in a single application. This composition is useful for treating and controlling endoparasiticidal infection and infestation in a homeothermic animal.
US08241658B2
The present invention concerns nutritional compositions comprising oligosaccharides for controlling inflammatory bowel disease and related disorders, such as diarrhea and constipation.
US08241654B2
Biocompatible implants including a polymer substrate and a reactive component for implant fixation in situ. The reactive component in combination with the substrate creates a reactive implant which bonds to a tissue surface in situ.
US08241653B1
Provided herein is a method of controlling release rate of a bioactive agent from an implantable medical device comprising a coating, a coating on the implantable device and a method of making the coating.
US08241652B2
The present invention relates to a porous gelatin material in the form of spherical particles with a continuous pore structure and cast, three-dimensional, porous gelatin structures. The invention also comprises methods for preparation of the porous gelatin materials and structures. The method for preparing the porous gelatin material in the form of spheres with a continuous pore structure comprises the steps of preparing a homogenous water-based gelatin solution, adding an emulsifier with an HLB value >9, adding a first composition comprising an organic solvent and an emulsifier with an HLB value >9, adding a second composition comprising an organic solvent and an emulsifier with an HLB value <8 and allowing the gelatin material to solidify. Uses of the materials according to the invention are also included.
US08241650B2
A device is provided that allows for target treatment of neuropathy, such as diabetic peripheral neuropathy, or neuropathy and ulcers resulting from said neuropathy. The device comprises a nitric oxide (NO) eluting polymer arranged to contact a treatment area, such that a therapeutic dose of nitric oxide is eluted from said nitric oxide eluting polymer to said area. The nitric oxide (NO) eluting polymer is integrated with a carrier material, such that the carrier material, in use, regulates and controls the elution of the therapeutic dosage of nitric oxide (NO). Furthermore, a corresponding manufacturing method for the device is disclosed.
US08241628B2
The present invention relates to antibodies targeting complement protein C5 and compositions and methods of use thereof.
US08241622B2
The invention provides recombinant AAV vectors, at least one of which has heterologous terminal palindromic sequences, and methods of using those vectors.
US08241608B2
A method for treating allergy with a pharmaceutical composition containing a detoxified E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin, and, optionally, an allergen.
US08241605B2
Continuous processing of wet biomass feedstock by catalytic hydrothermal gasification must address catalyst fouling and poisoning. One solution can involve heating the wet biomass with a heating unit to a temperature sufficient for organic constituents in the feedstock to decompose, for precipitates of inorganic wastes to form, for preheating the wet feedstock in preparation for subsequent separation of sulfur contaminants, or combinations thereof. Treatment further includes separating the precipitates out of the wet feedstock, removing sulfur contaminants, or both using a solids separation unit and a sulfur separation unit, respectively. Having removed much of the inorganic wastes and the sulfur that can cause poisoning and fouling, the wet biomass feedstock can be exposed to the heterogeneous catalyst for gasification.
US08241602B2
Method for the manufacture of carbon nanotubes by thermal decomposition of at least one gaseous hydrocarbon (14) in the presence of a solid catalyst in a reactor (4) into which the catalyst is introduced via an inlet lock chamber (17) flushed by an inert gas (21, 22, 25, 26) and from which the carbon nanotubes are withdrawn via an outlet lock chamber (37) which is flushed with a flow of inert gas (39, 40).
US08241599B2
The present invention relates to a method for improving biomass gasification. By the present invention, volatile organometallics are contacted with a biomass before or during gasification. By this method, the biomass improves gas yields while reducing solid (tar) and liquid yields. In addition, the volatile organometallics interact with lignin in the biomass to produce methanol, which, in turn, results in a stable liquid or oil by-product or otherwise stabilizes the gasification process of the biomass. The presently disclosed method can also lead to increased syngas production and is potentially CO2 neutral. The energy input to the gasification is correspondingly reduced to reduce costs and the environmental impact associated with the gasification process.
US08241598B2
A system may include a urea injection device, first, second and third conduits and a valve. The first conduit may contain a fluid and may be in heat transfer relation with the urea injection device. The second conduit may be in selective fluid communication with the first conduit. The third conduit may be in selective fluid communication with the first conduit and in heat transfer relation with a heat source. The valve may be connected to the first, second and third conduits and may be movable between first and second positions. The first position may allow fluid communication between the first and third conduits and restrict communication between the first and second conduits. The second position may allow fluid communication between the first and second conduits and restrict fluid communication between the first and third conduits.
US08241592B2
Disclosed herein are apparatus and methods for isolating a fraction of interest from a physiological fluid sample. A sample holder for isolating a fraction of interest from a physiological fluid sample includes a flexible compartment and a rigid exoskeleton that supports the flexible compartment. The flexible compartment may have at least one reservoir with a height to volume ratio of about 0.1 cm/mL to about 5 cm/mL. An automated device for extracting a fraction of interest from the sample includes a sample holder with a flexible compartment supported by a rigid exoskeleton, a support for the sample holder connected to one or more fluid extraction devices, and a motor for moving the extraction device relative to the sample holder. The automated device may include an optical sensor and may include a clamp for clamping the flexible compartment.
US08241590B2
A second valve is opened to combine an injection-pressure generating pressure with a maintaining pressure into an injection pressure. After the injection pressure is applied to a capillary to cause discharge of an object therefrom, an output pressure of a regulator is set to the injection pressure. Then, a first valve is opened to reapply the injection pressure to the capillary. The second valve is opened to combine a maintaining-pressure generating pressure with the injection pressure into the maintaining pressure. After the maintaining pressure is applied to the capillary to terminate the discharge of the object, the output pressure of the regulator is set to the maintaining pressure. Then, the first valve is opened to reapply the maintaining pressure to the capillary.
US08241577B2
Process for storing an additive and injecting it into the exhaust gases of an engine and comprising two tanks for storing the additive and one pump for supplying the additive from these tanks to an injection line, these two tanks being in parallel and each being connected to the pump by a branch of the supply line, each of these branches being equipped with a non-return valve and these two valves being calibrated so that the valve located in the branch coming from the first tank (1) is normally open but closes when this tank is empty, and so that the valve located in the branch coming from the other tank (2) is normally closed but opens when the valve from tank (1) is closed or when the branch coming from this tank (1) is blocked.
US08241575B2
A molecularly imprinted polymer sensor device for detecting the presence of a taggant molecular structure in a fluid is disclosed. The molecularly imprinted polymer sensor device comprises a molecularly imprinted crosslinked polymer having a crosslinked core and a plurality of polymer arms attached to the core, wherein the core has molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind displacement molecules having the taggant molecular structure and a colorimetric indicator, said displacement molecule being selectively removed from the molecularly imprinted crosslinked polymer and replaced with the taggant molecular structure upon exposure to the fluid containing the taggant molecular structure therein, thereby indicating the presence of the taggant molecular structure in the fluid.
US08241570B1
A flow cell device is formed with: a plurality of cell recess portions adapted to cooperate with a plurality of sensor devices to confine a plurality of sample receiving space for receiving a liquid sample, respectively; a plurality of pairs of first and second guiding channels, each pair being in fluid communication with a respective one of the cell recess portions; a number of connecting recess portions each fluidly communicating the first and second guiding channels that respectively extend to a corresponding pair of the cell recess portions such that the liquid sample is able to flow through the sample receiving spaces sequentially; and inlet and outlet channels in fluid communication with the first and second guiding channels that respectively extend to a first one and a last one of the cell recess portions for introducing and discharging the liquid sample into and from the flow cell device, respectively.
US08241563B2
An air sanitization system including a housing having an inlet and an outlet, an ozone generator disposed in the housing and positioned between the inlet and outlet, at least one fiber optic cable positioned in visible proximity to the ozone generator, a visible light detector, and a controller. The housing is configured to receive a flow of an oxygen-containing gas through the inlet, and the ozone generator generates ozone from the flow of oxygen-containing gas. The at least one fiber optic cable is configured to receive and transmit visible light from the ozone generator. The visible light detector detects an amount of visible light transmitted by the at least one fiber optic cable. The controller is in communication with the visible light detector for determining whether the amount of visible light transmitted by the at least one fiber optic cable corresponds to a failure of the ozone generator.
US08241560B2
A single crystal nickel base superalloy consists essentially of, in weight %, about 6.4% to about 6.8% Cr, about 9.3% to about 10.0% Co, above 6.7% to about 8.5% Ta, about 5.45% to about 5.75% Al, about 6.2% to about 6.6% W, about 0.5% to about 0.7% Mo, about 0.8% to about 1.2% Ti, about 2.8% to about 3.2% Re, up to about 0.12% Hf, about 0.01% to about 0.08% by weight C, up to about 0.10% B, and balance Ni and incidental impurities. The superalloy provides improved alloy cleanliness and castability while providing improved high temperature mechanical properties such as stress rupture life.
US08241557B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a dust core wherein generation of iron oxide at grain boundaries in the dust core is unlikely to take place upon annealing of the dust core subjected to compaction, thus allowing excellent electromagnetic characteristics to be realized. Also, the following is provided: a method for producing a dust core, which comprises: a step of molding a magnetic powder comprising a powder for a dust core formed with an iron-based magnetic powder coated with a silicone resin into a dust core via compaction; and a step of annealing the dust core via heating so as to cause the silicone resin contained in the dust core to be partially formed into a silicate compound, wherein annealing of the dust core is carried out at a dew point of an inert gas of −40° C. or lower in an inert gas atmosphere in the annealing step.
US08241555B2
A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure 130 includes: subjecting a forming raw material to extrusion forming to obtain a segment-joined type honeycomb formed article 100 provided with honeycomb segments 1 and an outer peripheral portion 2 surrounding a whole outermost periphery of the honeycomb segments, wherein a slit-shaped gap 8 extending from one end face 11 to the other end face 12 is formed between adjacent segments, the adjacent honeycomb segments are joined by a belt-like joining rib 4 extending from the face 11 to the face 12 and having a thickness of 0.1 to 1.5 mm, and the honeycomb segments 1 have partition walls separating and forming cells; firing the honeycomb formed article 100 to form a honeycomb fired article 110; destroying the joining rib 4 in the honeycomb fired article 110; and forming a buffer portion 7 by filling a bonding material in the gap 3.
US08241551B2
A method of stretch-blow-molding a beverage container for containing a carbonized beverage which method comprises providing a preform (11) having a neck part and a body part. The preform includes an inner layer (24) of a first polymeric composition, an outer layer (12) of a second polymeric composition, and an intermediate layer (22) of a third polymeric composition. The third polymeric composition has adhesive surface properties relative to the first and second polymeric compositions, and the adhesive surface properties are permanently degraded by exposure to irradiation of a certain wavelength or certain wavelengths and intensity. The method further comprises mounting the preform onto a stretch-blow-molding device and blow molding the preform into the beverage container by irradiating the body part with radiation at least including the certain wavelength or certain wavelengths and intensity while protecting the neck part from any substantial radiation.
US08241550B2
An imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed that has a template holder configured to hold an imprint template, a substrate table, and an optical encoder, the optical encoder having a radiation output, a first diffraction grating, and a detector, the radiation output arranged to illuminate a second diffraction grating and the detector positioned to detect radiation diffracted by the first and second diffraction gratings to provide an alignment signal.
US08241549B2
The present invention relates generally to a structure for a diffused aeration system. More particularly, the invention encompasses a diffuser membrane where at least a portion of the surface has been treated with at least one layer of fluorine, to form a fluorinated elastomeric gas diffuser membrane. The invention also includes the deposition of fluorine atoms on the surface of a non-fluorine containing membrane to create a permanent fluoro-elastomeric surface layer. Tubular and disc diffuser members are also disclosed that have at least a portion of them treated with at least one layer of fluorine. A process of making the inventive diffuser membrane is also disclosed.
US08241546B2
The invention relates to a continuous method for the direct production of multilayer mold bodies from a highly condensed polyester melt.
US08241536B2
The invention concerns a process for making a coated optical lens blank free of visible fining lines which comprises: (ix) providing an optical article having at least one fined but unpolished geometrically defined main face; (x) providing a mold part having an internal and external surface; (xi) depositing on said main face of said optical article or on the internal surface of the mold part a requisit amount of a liquid curable coating composition; (xii) moving relatively to each other the optical article and the mold part to either bring the coating composition into contact with the main face of the optical article or into contact with the internal face of the mold part; (xiii) applying pressure to the mold part to spread the liquid curable coating composition on said main face and form a uniform liquid coating composition layer onto the main face; (xiv) curing the liquid coating composition layer; (xv) withdrawing the mold part; and recovering the free of visible fining lines coated optical article.
US08241535B2
The present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a planar optical waveguide and a micro-lens using a transcribed resin formed by the optical nano-imprint technique. The method includes a step for forming a resin contained with ultraviolet curable materials on the substrate. The mold is pressed against the resin. This step forms a patterned resin that reflects the pattern formed in the mold. After hardening the resin by irradiating the ultraviolet rays, the resin is cooled down as the mold is pressed against the resin from the temperature T1, where the mold is pressed, to T2 below T1. After cooling down the temperature of the resin, the mold is detached to complete the resin with the pattern transcribed from the mold.
US08241533B2
This invention publishes new usages of kinds of carbonic ester compounds. The new usage described in this invention is related to the application of carbonic ester compounds in the preparation of solvents for chemiluminescent systems. This invention also provides luminescent compositions, luminescent liquids and oxidized liquids that contain carbonic ester compounds. Chemiluminescent compositions containing carbonic ester compounds can decrease reaction pressure effectively, facilitate reaction balance heading to luminescence reaction, generate larger luminescent output without adding catalyst, decrease the dosage of catalyst or not need adding catalyst, decrease influences of over-high output at the reaction start caused by catalyst on whole luminescent time, and ensure stable light output from luminescent compositions. Carbonic ester compounds, especially long carbon chain carbonic ester, have the characters of non-toxic and high flash point, and have suitable solubility on ordinary bis oxalate ester. Carbonic ester compounds are environment-friendly solvents, which can be widely accepted and recognized no matter in industrial synthesization or in applications.
US08241528B2
The present invention provides a conductive ink for forming a fine conductive pattern on a substrate by letterpress reverse printing. In particular, the conductive ink enables the pattern to be formed stably without the occurrence of transfer failures and is able to impart superior conductivity by low-temperature baking. The conductive ink, which contains substantially no binder component, comprises as essential components thereof conductive particles having a volume average particle diameter (Mv) of 10 to 700 nm, a release agent, a surface energy regulator and a solvent component, the solvent component being a mixture of a solvent having a surface energy at 25° C. of 27 mN/m or more (high surface energy solvent) and a volatile solvent having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of 120° C. or lower (low boiling point solvent), and the surface energy of the ink at 25° C. is 10 to 21 mN/m.
US08241525B2
The present invention provides a method for producing a composite material for positive electrodes of lithium batteries which is particularly excellent in high-rate discharge characteristics. The method for producing a composite material for positive electrodes of lithium batteries, contains: a dispersing step of dispersing at least the positive electrode active material and the conductive material 1 in a solvent to be in a forcibly dispersed state; and a composite particle-forming step of obtaining composite particles containing the positive electrode active material and the conductive material 1 by a process for agglutinating the conductive material 1 together with the positive electrode active material in the solvent or by a process for removing the solvent.
US08241518B2
A soft magnetic material includes a plurality of composite magnetic particles including a metal magnetic particle and an insulating film surrounding a surface of the metal magnetic particle. The insulating film also contains a phosphate. The soft magnetic material further includes an aromatic polyetherketone resin and a metallic soap and/or an inorganic lubricant having a hexagonal crystal structure. The metallic soap and the inorganic lubricant are particles with an average particle size of not more than 2.0 μm.
US08241517B2
Magnetorheological materials having a supramolecular polymer gel as a component of the carrier are disclosed. Useful supramolecular polymers for gels include those having bipyridine or terpyridine ligands which can participate in metal coordination bonding. The magnetizable particles of magnetorheological materials can have supramolecular surfactant-polymer coatings.
US08241507B2
A method and a device for separation of a fluid in the liquid state comprising two liquids that are not mutually miscible, with different densities, wherein a first liquid is to be cleansed from a second liquid, whereby the fluid in the liquid state is conducted through a rotor where centrifugal separation of the second liquid from the first liquid takes place, and is then conducted into a tank, with the proportion of the second liquid being reduced to less than 5%, and by conducting the fluid, after centrifugal separation, through a restriction, whereby the pressure of the fluid in the liquid state is reduced, which causes portions of the fluid in the liquid state to evaporate so that further portions of the second liquid escape in the form of a gas which is conducted away, thereby further reducing the proportion of the second liquid in the outgoing fluid in the liquid state.
US08241502B2
A hollow fiber membrane module, a hollow fiber membrane module unit using the hollow fiber membrane module, and a water treatment method using the module or the module unit enable the efficient contact of microorganisms on the surface of a membrane with a gas, the module and the unit having excellent durability. The hollow fiber membrane module is formed in such a manner that the end parts of sheet-form hollow fiber membranes are formed in a substantially rectangular shape and the end face of the anchoring member on a side where the hollow fiber membranes open is formed in a substantially circular shape. The hollow fiber membrane module unit is formed in such a manner that a plurality of modules is disposed. The water treatment method is used to purify treated water with the microorganisms adhered onto the outer surfaces of the hollow fiber membranes by using the module or the unit.
US08241500B2
A biomethod using a consortium of Pseudomonas sp. to reduce contaminants such as 1,4-dioxane in groundwater.
US08241473B2
A sputter-coating apparatus for coating a plurality of workpieces includes a deposition case defining a cavity, a supporting assembly received in the cavity, and a target assembly received in the cavity and extending through the supporting assembly to face the workpieces. The supporting assembly includes a plurality of supporting members. Each supporting member includes a body and a plurality of adjusting units extending through the body. Each adjusting unit includes a supporting pole fixed to the body, a first fixing pole and a second fixing pole fixedly connected to the supporting pole and radially extending from the supporting pole, a first threaded pole and a second threaded pole retractably connected to the supporting pole and radially extending from the supporting pole, and a driving member received in the supporting pole for driving the first threaded pole and the second threaded pole to retract relative to the supporting pole.
US08241472B2
A continuous electro-cleaning, pickling and electroplating apparatus and method using a plurality of elongate tubes that are electrically conductive.
US08241465B2
A press felt for use in a paper, cardboard or tissue machine, with an open, load-carrying base structure which, viewed in longitudinal direction of the press felt, includes seam loops on one end, as well as seam loops at the other end, whereby the seam loops on the one end and the ones on the other end can be brought together for the purpose of producing the endless press felt and can be intermeshed with each other, so that a pass through opening is created through which a pintle can be guided, and comprising a machine side fibrous nonwoven structure which is located on the base structure and which provides the machine side of the press felt and which, viewed in longitudinal direction of the press felt, has one end section and one other end section, whereby when viewed in longitudinal direction of the press felt, the seam loops respectively extend at least partially over the end sections of the machine side fibrous nonwoven structure. In at least one end section of the machine side fibrous nonwoven structure an elastomeric polymer material is provided which is formed from a polymer or pre-polymer which was added in liquid form into the press felt and subsequently solidified or cured and which extends in the at least one end section from the machine side fibrous nonwoven structure into the base structure.
US08241457B2
A microwave plasma processing system 10 includes: a processing chamber 100 in which a desired process is applied to a target object using a plasma; a susceptor 106 (stage) in the processing chamber 100 to support the target object; a high-frequency power supply 112 supplying high-frequency electric power to the susceptor 106; a capacitor 108a provided to the susceptor 106; and a measurement device 20 measuring voltages at the pair of plates of the capacitor 108a when high-frequency electric power is supplied from the high-frequency power supply 112 to the susceptor 106.
US08241450B2
A method of manufacturing a fluid-filled chamber may include utilizing one of a blowmolding and a thermoforming process to define a first surface, a second surface, and a sidewall surface of the chamber. An aperture is defined through the first surface in a location where the first surface is spaced from the second surface. A pressurization apparatus is located adjacent to the first surface and around the aperture, and the pressurization apparatus is utilized to inject a fluid into the chamber through the aperture, compress the first surface against the second surface, and form a bond around the aperture and between the first surface and the second surface.
US08241446B2
Methods of making a single ply protective covering and of installing such a covering are disclosed. The method of making includes (a) providing a single ply thermoplastic roofing membrane, and (b) coating the single ply thermoplastic roofing membrane on its bottom surface with a 1-50 mil layer of a pressure sensitive adhesive mixture consisting essentially of polyisobutylene and at least one polymer comprising conjugated diene monomers. The method of installing includes (a) providing a single ply thermoplastic roofing membrane, (b) cutting the single ply thermoplastic roofing membrane to a selected size, (c) positioning the single ply thermoplastic roofing membrane on a portion of a roof, and (d) bonding the membrane to the roof.
US08241439B2
A Ni—Cr alloy tube demonstrating an excellent corrosion resistance in a high temperature water environment can be provided, wherein the difference between uniform lattice strains of the surface layer thereof satisfies the following formulas (1) and (2). S≦0.002 (1) S=D500−D≦200 (2) wherein the meanings of the individual symbols in the above described formulas are as follows: S: The difference between uniform lattice strains (Å) of the surface layer D500: The {111} interplanar spacing (Å) at a depth of 500 nm from the material surface D≦200: The average value of the {111} interplanar spacings (Å) at the depth of 200 nm or less from the material surface.
US08241426B2
When the remaining slurry and polishing residue are removed by cleaning with a cleaning liquid (preferably a cleaning liquid containing a surfactant), organic matter in the cleaning liquid containing a surfactant seeps into the interlayer insulating film 3. Therefore, the substrate is subsequently washed with an organic solvent or a solution containing an organic solvent, thus washing away the organic matter that has seeped into the interlayer insulating film 3. Although the interlayer insulating film 3 is subjected to a hydrophobic treatment, since the solvent used is an organic solvent, this solvent is able to seep into the interlayer insulating film 3, dissolve the organic matter, and wash the organic matter away without being affected by this hydrophobic treatment. Afterward, the substrate 1 is dried, and the organic solvent or solution containing an organic solvent that is adhering to the surface is removed.
US08241423B2
A semiconductor wafer for an epitaxial growth is disclosed comprising: a main face on which a vapor phase epitaxial layer grows; a back face provided on an opposite side of the wafer; a main chamfered part along a circumferential edge where the main face and a side face of the wafer meet; and a back chamfered part along a circumferential edge where the back face and the side face meet is provided. After a CVD layer formation process is conducted to form a layer at least on the back face and the back chamfered part, a machining process is conducted on the main face to remove a CVD layer at least partially formed thereon so as to polish the main face to a mirror finished surface with a maximum height of profile (Rz) not exceeding 0.3 μm.
US08241422B2
It is provided a method of growing gallium nitride single crystal of good quality with a high productivity, in the growth of gallium nitride single crystal by Na-flux method. Gallium nitride single crystal is grown using flux 8 containing at least sodium metal. Gallium nitride single crystal is grown in atmosphere composed of gases mixture “B” containing nitrogen gas at a pressure of 300 atms or higher and 2000 atms or lower. Preferably, the nitrogen partial pressure in the atmosphere is 100 atms or higher and 2000 atms or lower. Preferably, the growth temperature is 1000° C. or higher and 1500° C. or lower.
US08241410B1
Ancillary embodiments and modifications to a homogenizer unit that increases its applicability to a wide spectrum of chemical or physical-chemical reactions and properties. Methods of introducing reactants and devices that present a tortuous pathway to reactants are placed at a strategic locus (or loci) that delay or modify flow pathways to gases, liquids, aerosols, particulates, or any combination thereof. Reactions of a chemical, physical-chemical, and thermo-chemical nature between a wide variety of matter are possible and readily achieved with the correct solvent(s), reactant(s), or pressure under controlled conditions of pressure, temperature, chemical concentrations, and other impingements. Various well-recognized or established principles are used to expedite reactions. These include ‘Boyle's Gas Law’, surface-to-volume relationships, anion and cation substitutions, heat absorption by water, gas solubility factors, stoichiometric chemistries, surface tension reactions, dissolution constants, and others.
US08241407B2
An electrostatically atomizing kit for use in a vehicle has an atomizing unit in combination with a plurality of differently shaped deflector guides. The atomizing unit is supplied with water and electrostatically atomizing the water into charged minute water particles in the form of a mist to be carried on a conditioned air blowing into a passenger's room through a blow port. The deflector ducts are selectively detachable to the blow port, and are differently shaped to each other to deflect the conditioned air carrying the mist in different directions in order to effectively concentrate the mist carried air to a particular object or item in the passenger's room.
US08241401B2
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing purified hydrogen gas by a pressure swing adsorption process. Further the invention relates to detecting an operating life of adsorbents in a adsorption tower. The method and the apparatus have a gas supply unit for adding an inert gas to an unpurified hydrogen gas and a detector for measuring an inert gas in a purified hydrogen gas discharged from the adsorption tower.
US08241398B2
The invention provides methods and apparatuses for removing aerosols and, in some cases, vapor phase contaminants, such as mercury, from a gas stream. One method is directed to the removal of additional aerosols from a gas stream from which aerosols have previously been removed by using a screen in combination with a primary aerosol collection device. Another method is directed to the removal of both aerosols and vapor phase contaminants by using a sorbent in combination with a screen. Another method is directed to the removal of vapor phase contaminants by using a catalyst to convert the contaminant to a form that is more easily removed from the gas stream and optionally injecting a chemical to increase the rate of conversion. The invention also provides various apparatuses for use in performing the various methods of the invention.
US08241394B2
A system and method for supercritical fluid enrichment of radioactive isotope/s are disclosed. The method involves pressurizing an outer chamber and an inner centrifugal chamber of a stage to supercritical pressure; supplying material including target isotope/s at supercritical pressure to the inner chamber; spinning the inner chamber to centrifuge the material including target isotope/s; providing a differential pressure between the inner chamber and the outer chamber; wherein windows in the inner chamber enable passage of the target isotope from the inner chamber to the outer chamber in response to the differential pressure.
US08241393B2
An example embodiment of a method for making gold nanoparticles includes steps of reacting a gold salt with a phosphino amino acid. Example phosphino amino acids include trimers, with a particular example being a trimeric amino acid conjugate containing one phosphino group. In an example method of the invention, the gold nanoparticles may be produced in timer periods of less than about 3 minutes, and at temperatures of less than about 30° C. Other methods of the invention are directed to methods for stabilizing gold nanoparticles, and to methods for making gold nanochains.
US08241392B2
The invention relates to a gas phase method for producing nanometric particles in a reactor for producing particles in a gas phase, in which there is an interaction between a reaction flow and an energy flow. This method comprises the following steps: a step for coupling a device for producing gaseous chlorides with this reactor, a step for producing gaseous chlorides from a base precursor in the form of powders, and a step for injecting such a reaction flow into the reactor.
US08241385B2
An air cleaner unit includes a casing and a filter element disposed in the casing for filtering air to be introduced into an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. The casing includes a first case member and a second case member that are coupled to each other such that the filter element is housed in an element housing portion of the casing. The first case member has a hinge receiving portion, and the second case member has a hinge inserting portion. The hinge receiving portion and the hinge inserting portion are disposed under the element housing portion. The hinge receiving portion includes an engagement opening in which the hinge inserting portion is received such that the hinge receiving portion and the hinge inserting portion are connected in a hinge manner. The hinge receiving portion further includes a hinge receiving surface that extends from a vicinity of the engagement opening.
US08241378B2
An apparatus and method utilize a fan to direct air through a screen to cool an engine. A cyclonic air cleaner assembly receives air from the blower fan and directs the air towards an air-fuel mixing device of the engine.
US08241374B2
The present invention discloses a fluidized bed system for the single step reforming technology for the production of hydrogen. Single step reforming combines the steam methane reforming, water gas shift, and carbon dioxide removal in a single step process of hydrogen generation. In the present invention, to address the heat transfer and the replenishment issues associated with single step reforming, the sorbent particles are fluidized. This fluidization allows the sorbent particles to be regenerated and consequently allows the optimal operating conditions for single step reforming to be maintained.
US08241365B2
A shoulder prosthesis includes a vault-filling component defining a bearing-facing surface and having a first coupling component, the vault-filling component including (i) a vault-filling first portion defining a first part of the bearing-facing surface, and (ii) a projecting second portion projecting from the vault-filling first portion so as to define a second part of the bearing-facing surface. The vault-filling first portion and the projecting second portion define a bone space therebetween. The shoulder prosthesis further includes a bearing component defining a bearing surface and having a second coupling component configured to cooperate with the first coupling component to couple the bearing component to the vault-filling component. At least one bone attachment member positioned in the bone space. The projecting second portion of the vault-filling component further defines a scapula-facing surface.
US08241362B2
The invention consists of disc replacement implant for the lumbar spine designed for insertion into the disc space via a posterior approach. The implant can be stabilized in the disc space by connection to the vertebra or can be connected to dynamic spinal stabilization device consisting of interconnected bullets nested in a spring nested in a woven sleeve. By controlling the limits of elongation and compression the device prevents movement beyond normal physiological limits. In the midrange of movement flexibility is allowed. A method for using the dynamic spinal stabilization device is also provided.
US08241357B2
An implantable prosthesis system including a selectively applied bone growth promoting agent is disclosed. The types of prostheses which may include a selectively applied bone growth promoting agent include rods, fracture plates, screws, as well as other types of prostheses. Additionally, the structural composition of many types of prostheses may be modified to help induce bone ingrowth and allow for fusion with the implantable prosthesis.
US08241352B2
Provided herein are embodiments of a weighted eyelid closure device for use in treating lagophthalmos. In accordance with an embodiment, the device can be implanted by an oculoplastic surgeon into a patient's eyelid, to treat lagophthalmos. The device's weight can then be adjusted later by the surgeon, if necessary, without requiring removal of the entire device. For example, if it is discovered that an implanted device is too heavy or too light after it has been implanted within the patient's eyelid, the load of the device can be adjusted by modifying the previous load. Alternatively, a new load having the desired weight can be implanted.
US08241343B2
A lighting device for use as a visual indicator in a medical probe is provided. The lighting device includes one or more light emitting elements that are used as a visual status indicator for the medical probe, and a driver circuit that receives current from a power source and drives the light emitting elements. The driver circuit includes a current sensor to sense a current flowing through the light emitting elements, and a shut off switch. The shut off switch shuts off the power source current from the light emitting elements based on the sensed current from the current sensor.
US08241336B2
Craniotomy closure systems comprising surgical fasteners and a protective covering over the dura are described for use in reattaching a skull flap removed from the skull of a patient during brain surgery. Methods of using the same are also described. Surgical strips optionally used in combination with the craniotomy closure systems are shaped to follow the perimeter contour of the skull flap. The craniotomy closure systems are designed to encourage bone growth and healing of the skull flap and they can be used to deliver medication and bone growth enhancement materials to the surgical site.
US08241330B2
The present invention provides spinous process implant and associated methods. In one aspect of the invention the implant limits the maximum spacing between the spinous processes. In another aspect of the invention, a spacer has at least one transverse opening to facilitate tissue in-growth. In another aspect of the invention, an implant includes a spacer and separate extensions engageable with the spacer. The spacer is provided in a variety of lengths and superior to inferior surface spacings. In another aspect of the invention, an implant includes a spacer and a cerclage element offset from the midline of the spacer in use so that the spacer defines a fulcrum and the cerclage element is operative to impart a moment to the vertebrae about the spacer. In another aspect of the invention, instrumentation for inserting the implant is provided. In other aspects of the invention, methods for treating spine disease are provided.
US08241329B2
Methods and devices are adapted to limit the extent of vertebral extension between an upper-most vertebral bone and a lower-most vertebral bone wherein a least one additional vertebral bone resides between them. In an embodiment, the limitation of extension occurs while flexion is at least partially maintained within at least one FSU. In other embodiments, flexion may be abolished.
US08241324B2
The present invention relates to the use of a low frequency ultrasonic device for the delivery and activation of collagen based foam sealants to a human and/or animal patient for sealing puncture wounds in vascular tissues. The ultrasonic vascular closure device comprises an ultrasonic generator, an ultrasound transducer, a chamber containing a foam sealant, a transducer tip, a radiation surface, an orifice located at the distal end of the chamber. The foam sealant is ejected into a puncture wound and activated with ultrasonic waves emitting from the radiation surface. The ultrasonic waves induce vibrations within the foam sealant, slightly warming the foam sealants to assist the rapid sealing the puncture. The ultrasonic waves also provide and anesthetic effect for the pain and discomfort from the puncture site.
US08241322B2
A surgical device is provided that includes a jaw portion with a first jaw and a second jaw moveable relative to the first jaw. The surgical device also includes a shaft portion coupled to a proximal end of the jaw portion. A driver is configured to cause relative movement of the jaw portion and the shaft portion. The driver may be configured to cause the jaw portion to pivot relative to the shaft portion about a pivot axis that is perpendicular to first and second longitudinal axes defined by the jaw portion and the shaft portion, respectively. The driver may also be configured to cause at least a portion of the jaw portion to rotate relative to the shaft portion about the first longitudinal axis. Advantageously, the surgical device includes a surgical member, e.g., a cutting element and/or a stapling element, disposed within the first jaw.
US08241314B2
A system and method for implanting follicular units (FUs) into a body surface while suppressing expulsion of previously-implanted FUs. The system is particularly useful to facilitate hair transplant procedures. FUs are implanted in a body surface from an implant tool or needle that may be incorporated within an automated or robotic system, or may form part of a semi-automated or even manual apparatus. An anti-popping member prevents expulsion of the FUs adjacent to the location at which an FU is being implanted. The anti-popping member may be carried on the implant device, or may be a flexible membrane applied to the body surface. If on the device, the anti-popping member may be arranged near the distal tip thereof and may be shaped and mounted so as to conform to uneven body surfaces.
US08241312B2
Disclosed is an ultrasonic surgical instrument that combines end-effector geometry to best affect the multiple functions of a shears-type configuration. The shape of the blade is characterized by a radiused cut offset by some distance to form a curved geometry. The cut creates a curved surface with multiple asymmetries causing multiple imbalances within the blade. Imbalance due to the curve of the instrument is corrected by a non-functional asymmetry proximal to the functional asymmetry. Imbalance due to the asymmetric cross-section of the blade is corrected by the appropriate selection of the volume and location of material removed from a functional asymmetry. The shape of the blade in one embodiment of the present invention is characterized by two radiused cuts offset by some distance to form a curved and potentially tapered geometry. These two cuts create curved surfaces including a concave surface and a convex surface. The length of the radiused cuts affects, in part, the acoustic balancing of the transverse motion induced by the curved shape.
US08241304B2
A single catheter mitral valve repair device for stabilizing a tissue portion and selectively applying a tissue fastener thereto. The single catheter mitral valve repair device of the present invention includes an extendable engagement tip having at least one vacuum port formed thereon, at least one deployable fastener in communication with the engagement tip, and at least one actuator member in communication with the port. The deployable fastener is capable of controllably engaging and fastening a tissue segment located proximal to the engagement tip.
US08241294B2
An instrument set for an intervertebral expandable spacer having a pair of co-axial annuluses locked together by an engagement member, the set including an inserter/expander having both a rapid expansion mechanism and a fine tuning expansion mechanism.
US08241290B2
An improved rongeur for cutting bone or cartilage comprising two shaft members capable of reciprocating motion relative to each other wherein one shaft member terminates in a foot plate and the other shaft member comprises a combined cutting element and storage member is disclosed. The combined cutting element and storage member has a cutting edge at its distal end and a storage chamber proximate the cutting edge for collecting and storing cut pieces of bone or cartilage in an amount greater than the maximum bone or cartilage capable of being cut in a single full cut. The combined cutting element and storage member is truly disposable, rather than merely replaceable and requires the use of no tools or special assembly. The rongeur may be manually activated or activated by a solenoid and powered by a battery.
US08241287B2
An implant for osteosynthesis, for example a bone nail, has an implant body which has at least one bore with a threaded portion and a bone screw which engages the thread when it is threaded into a bone for the fixation of the implant body. The threaded bore has an annular groove the diameter of which is larger than the thread outer diameter, and which receives a ring of a deformable material with an inner diameter which is smaller than the outer diameter of the thread of the bone screw so that the ring extends partially into the bore.
US08241286B2
An instrument system is provided for positioning an internal fixation prosthesis and guiding a cannulated bone drill during a surgical, radioscopic procedure for the repair of a fractured bone of a patient. The instrument system includes a target wire, a handle formed from a radio translucent material having a target hole for guided passage of the target wire along a target axis. The target axis coincides with the intersection of a first plane and a second plane orthogonal to the first plane. The instrument system also includes a nose component attached to an end of the handle and removably connectable to the prosthesis. The nose component includes an alignment sight formed from a radio-opaque material. When the prosthesis is connected to the nose component and the target wire is positioned through the target hole along the target axis, the image of the guide wire may be radioscopically viewed along a first line of sight contained in the first plane to bisect the image of the alignment device, thereby providing a first visual reference to the user for directing the first guide wire into the desired portion of the bone while holding the prosthesis in a desired position relative to the bone.
US08241284B2
An endoscopic bipolar forceps includes an elongated shaft having opposing jaw members at a distal end thereof. The jaw members are movable relative to one another from a first position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another to a second position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. The jaws members are connected to a source of electrical energy such that the jaw members are capable of conducting energy through tissue held therebetween to effect a tissue seal. At least one non-conductive and spaced-apart stop member is disposed on an inner-facing surface of the jaw members to regulate the gap distance between the jaw members when tissue is held therebetween. The forceps also includes a longitudinally reciprocating knife which severs the tissue after sealing at a location which is proximate the sealing site.
US08241283B2
An electrosurgical forceps includes a shaft having a pair of jaw members at a distal end and movable about a pivot from a first position and disposed in spaced relation relative to one another to a second position wherein the jaw members are closer to one another for grasping tissue, a movable handle that actuates a drive assembly to move the jaw members relative to one another. At least one jaw member conducts electrical energy to tissue held therebetween. A flexible insulating boot is disposed on an exterior surface of at least one jaw member and about the pivot, and includes a first longitudinal portion made from a high durometer material and a second longitudinal portion made from a low durometer material. The high durometer material may operably retain the flexible insulating boot atop the proximal ends of the jaw members.
US08241275B2
A method of applying ablation energy to achieve transmurality including applying ablation energy at a starting power to a tissue site and monitoring the impedance of the tissue site. A power applied to the tissue site can be reduced as a function of a rate of an increase in impedance according to some embodiments.
US08241270B2
Drug infusion system capable of delivering a fluid medication to a patient and method for doing same. An implantable drug delivery device is capable of delivering the fluid medication at a programmable rate to the patient under control of an original programming cycle having a plurality of steps in a plurality of time slots beginning at a starting time. The programming cycle specifies the programmable rate for each of the plurality of steps. An external controller is capable of storing a program representative of the original programming cycle in the implantable drug delivery device at a programming time. The drug infusion system adjusts the implantable drug delivery device so that the original programming cycle will begin at a time during the original programming cycle adjusted for the programming time.
US08241264B2
An apparatus for collecting and salvaging blood includes: a first chamber with a below atmosphere internal pressure for continuous collection of blood through an inlet port; a second chamber for receiving blood from the first chamber through a connection channel; a channel valve manually controllable to close the connection channel; and a control for simultaneously controlling the channel valve and the internal pressure of the second chamber between an internal pressure corresponding to the internal pressure of the first chamber and ambient air pressure, wherein the control is arranged to provide an internal pressure corresponding to the internal pressure of the first chamber to the second chamber through a passageway separated from the connection channel for providing blood from the first chamber to the second chamber.
US08241254B2
A medical needle shield system is provided that includes a medical needle shield apparatus and a reset device. The reset device resets a safety housing on the medical needle. The reset device has alignment features which guide the safety housing towards reset features. The reset features pass through access features in the safety housing to reset the reset geometry so that the safety housing no longer sheathes a tip of the medical needle.
US08241251B2
A seal assembly for use with an access device during a surgical procedure includes a housing having a passageway therethrough dimensioned to permit passage of a surgical instrument and being adapted for mounting to a trocar device, and a seal comprising a gel material and being mounted to the housing across the passageway. The seal includes inner seal portions defining an access channel dimensioned to form a substantial sealing relation with an object therethrough and substantially close in the absence of the surgical instrument. The seal preferably comprises a second material having a hardness greater than a hardness of the gel material. The gel material may be selected from the group consisting of urethane gel, silicone gel.
US08241249B2
The invention relates to a medical device for delivering a therapeutic agent to a tissue. The medical device has a layer overlying the exterior surface of the medical device. The layer contains a therapeutic agent and an additive. In certain embodiments, the additive has a hydrophilic part and a drug affinity part, wherein the drug affinity part is at least one of a hydrophobic part, a part that has an affinity to the therapeutic agent by hydrogen bonding, and a part that has an affinity to the therapeutic agent by van der Waals interactions. In embodiments, the additive is water-soluble. In further embodiments, the additive is at least one of a surfactant and a chemical compound, and the chemical compound has a molecular weight of from 80 to 750 or has more than four hydroxyl groups.
US08241247B2
A drainage catheter including a body, a drainage lumen extending between the body proximal end and the body distal end, the drainage lumen including a distal fluid inflow port and a proximal fluid drain coupling, and an inflation lumen extending between the body proximal end and the body distal end, conveying inflating fluid from a proximal fluid supply element to a distal fluid acceptor balloon, the proximal fluid supply element adjacent the proximal fluid drain coupling. A sleeve may be secured about the proximal fluid supply element and the proximal fluid drain coupling to provide a fluid impervious coating.
US08241246B2
The present invention provides a dual lumen catheter shaft having a first dual lumen section and a second dual lumen section with a transition section therebetween. The present invention further provides a method of forming a dual lumen catheter shaft.
US08241239B2
An ultrafiltration device and method for the removal of excess fluid in hypervolemic patients and/or removal of toxins in the blood including for patients suffering from either renal or cardiovascular disease is disclosed. An embodiment of the device includes a housing containing multiple large bore hollow fiber membranes which are connected to the patient's vascular system via a connecting element comprising bifurcated fluid pathway elements to physiologically channel the blood flow either to or from each hollow fiber membrane of the device, a channel to direct the fluid removed by the device to a suitable collection container or the patient's bladder, and controls that control excessive removal of the water from the patient. Devices can be either worn extracorporeally or surgically implanted in order to allow for continuous fluid removal with ambulatory freedom.
US08241225B2
A biopsy device is disclosed. The biopsy device includes a chamber having a body having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end includes an inlet. The biopsy device further includes a vacuum generator for generating negative and positive pressure and at least one first recessed area and at least one second recessed area. The first recessed area extends along an inner wall of the body, proximate the proximal end of the body of the chamber. The first recessed area is configured to release pressure within the chamber. The second recessed area extends along the inner wall of the body, proximate the distal end of the body of the chamber. The second recessed area is configured to release pressure within the chamber.
US08241214B2
A ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprises an ultrasonic probe including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers which perform ultrasonic transmission and reception to an object, a transceiver unit configured to obtain an ultrasonic signal from the object by driving the plurality of ultrasonic transducers, an ultrasonic data generation unit configured to generate ultrasonic data based on the ultrasonic signal, a time information generation unit configured to generate time information related to the ultrasonic transmission or reception and a time information addition unit configured to add the time information in a part of pixel data of the ultrasonic data in order to synchronize the Image data with biomedical signal, such as ECG.
US08241205B2
An electronic endoscope apparatus has a distal part, an imaging unit, a light emitting unit, and a transmitting unit. The imaging unit converts light applied to the distal part, into an electrical signal. The light emitting unit converts the electrical signal supplied from the imaging unit, into an optical signal. The transmitting unit, which is attached to the distal part, guides the optical signal supplied from the light emitting unit. The electrical signal output from the imaging unit is converted into an optical signal. This optical signal is transmitted from the distal part through the transmitting unit.
US08241201B2
A method and device for connecting a bone conductor transducer contained in a housing to the skull bone for the transmission of vibrations characterized by, that the housing has at least one surface, which is placed against the bottom plane of a recess shaped in the temporal bone with a static force exceeding the dynamic signal forces.
US08241198B2
A biologic ventricular assist device that also has the capability to capture, grow, and administer stem cells to regenerate and restore damaged myocardium in the heart. The device works in conjunction with a traditional ventricular assist device and possesses an additional external path or tube that is in-line with the path of the ventricular assist device. The external path allows for the administration of stem cells, genes, genetically modified cells or other therapeutic biologic or pharmacologic agents, as well as leading to a stem cell collecting accessory (14) that captures circulating stem cells. The stem cell collecting accessory is also associated with a chamber (39) for culturing the captured stem cells. The cultured stem cells can be delivered back to the heart by an electro-mechanical or ultrasound/echocardiographic delivery system that runs through the external path back into the ventricular assist device and allows for the delivery of the stem cells, or other therapeutic biologic or pharmacologic agents, directly into the internal chambers of the heart. Administering the stem cells, genes, genetically modified cells or other therapeutic biologic or pharmacologic agents, either alone or in combination, to the heart allows the myocardium to regenerate and repair itself even while the heart is attached to the ventricular assist device, ultimately allowing the heart to regenerate, recover and allow the VAD to be removed.
US08241186B2
An interactive exercise device includes a stationary base to which a first exercise implement is movably connected. A first resistance element is operably connected to the first exercise implement to provide resistance against at least some movements of the first exercise implement relative to the stationary base. An interactive motion guide that directs a user of the interactive exercise device to move the first exercise implement relative to the stationary base in an indicated manner is operably connected to the interactive exercise device. The interactive motion guide includes first and second electronic indicators to which a processor is operably connected. A non-transitory and tangible computer readable medium is operably connected to the processor and includes instructions to manipulate output of the first and second electronic indicators in response to movement of the first exercise implement relative to the stationary base.
US08241182B2
A playground system includes a playground appliance and a processing unit. The processing unit is adapted to receive a sensor signal from the sensor indicative of the detected movement, and to control the display to indicate a user-selection responsive to the received sensor signal.
US08241175B2
Switching conditions are defined by a threshold α1 for switching from “power OFF control” to “power ON control”, and a threshold α2 for switching from the “power ON control” to the “power OFF control”. During a period of a shift operation, the thresholds are changed toward thresholds β1 and β2 smaller than α1 and α2 depending on a shift progress degree PRG, respectively.
US08241169B2
An automatic transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices may be either clutches or brakes.
US08241164B2
A joint driving apparatus for a robot comprises an oscillating internally meshing reduction mechanism, a center shaft member, a ring portion, and an oil seal disposed between the ring portion and the center shaft member. The oscillating internally meshing reduction mechanism is fixed to a first member and rotates the second member relatively with respect to the first member. An output member is arranged at the side of an external gear in an axial direction so as to output a relative rotation of an internal gear with the external gear. The center shaft member is fixed to the output member, and has a shaft portion extending up to the side opposite to the external gear in the axial direction of the output member. The ring portion is integrally formed with the first member and faces to the shaft portion of the center shaft member. The oil seal is disposed between the ring portion and the shaft portion.
US08241150B2
The present invention is to a golf ball having an equator at latitude 0° and two poles; and an equator region defined by latitudes 0 to 25°, a shoulder region defined by latitudes from more than 25° to less than 65°, and a pole region defined by latitudes 65° to 90°; and a dimple pattern on the surface of the golf ball having an average dimple volume of the equator region Ve, an average dimple volume of the shoulder region, Vs, and an average dimple volume of the pole region, Vp such that the ratio Vs/Ve is less than 0.97 and the ratio Vp/Vs is less than 0.97.
US08241141B2
A golf club head (1) comprises a head main body (10) having a concave portion (11) formed in the face side and a face plate (20) fixed to the head main body (10). The face plate (20) is mounted on the head main body (10) such that a concave step portion (21) engages with a convex step portion (16a) of the head main body (10), and the upper edge portion, lower edge portion, and toe-side edge portion of the face plate (20) abut against edge portions (13), (14), and (15) of the head main body, respectively. The face plate (20) is laser-welded along its perimeter and fixed to the head main body (10).
US08241129B2
A service that provides for setting up game sessions for a plurality of game players. A number of game players that each have a computing device capable of playing a computer game are linked together by the service. The service allows a player to set up a common game session so that a subset of the players can simultaneously start playing the game at the same level. Additionally, the service allows game competitions to be structured and played among a subset of the game players.
US08241127B2
A gaming device which can be operated by wireless signals provided by a remote control unit or device after an initialization process. The initialization process insures that the initialized gaming device accepts signals solely from the initialized remote control unit and that other players are prevented from operating the gaming device using a different remote control unit. The wireless signals contain gaming commands for play of a primary wagering game as well as player identification and/or player tracking information.
US08241122B2
For an input interface apparatus for recognizing the motion of an object, there may be cases where the brightness of the object to be captured is insufficient, and thus, a camera takes an image of the object operated by the object, a depth position detector detects the position of the object based on captured frames, an action identifying unit identifies an action of the player based on a result on the detection of the object, an input receiving unit receives the action as an instruction to an input-receiving image displayed on a display, and in response to the action, an illumination control unit raises the brightness of the image projected on the display higher than that before the action is detected.
US08241118B2
A system for promoting physical activity of a participant includes a plurality of stations. The stations are discrete from one another and each includes a display surface, a station processor, and an input sensor, the input sensor generating sensor signals indicative of interaction of the participant with the station. The station processor generates feedback signals based upon the sensor signals, at least some of the feedback signals being visual signals. Each of the stations also includes a display device displaying visual feedback to the participant, the visual feedback being based upon the visual signals, and being displayed on the display surface. The system also includes a central processor in communication with the station processors, the central processor controlling the stations and coordinating operation of the stations with one another such that the participant interacts with the system using multiple of the stations.
US08241108B2
Gaming device having sequential activations of a game and replay of previous activations of the game
A gaming device including a plurality of reels with a plurality of symbols on each of the reels. At least one and preferably a plurality of the symbols on the primary reels are designated as tracking or back symbols. A tracking symbol is a symbol that, when generated on a reel, causes the gaming device to flag the outcome of the current and all tracking spins in a memory storage device. A back symbol is a symbol that, when generated on a reel, causes the gaming device to retrieve the flagged outcomes of each flagged spin and to re-display the outcomes in a sequential manner and to provide the awards associated with the outcomes to the player. An additional embodiment of the invention automatically flags all spins of the gaming device for retrieval and display upon the generation of a back or bonus symbol. The gaming device determines if an award is associated with one or more of the symbols generated on the reels and provides any determined award to the player.
US08241103B2
A method of playing a bingo-type game includes the steps of generating a result of the game and displaying a representation of the result. More specifically, the representation of the result of the game is displayed through a mechanical technological aid at an electronic play station. An apparatus for playing the game includes a server and the electronic play station in operative communication with the server. The server generates the called numbers, which correlate to the result of the game, and the electronic play station includes the mechanical technological aid for displaying the representation of the result of the game. A program product for playing the game is stored on computer readable media and includes a result program code for generating the result of the game and a display program code for displaying the representation of the result through the mechanical technological aid.
US08241101B2
The present invention relates to a symbol recognition arrangement for recognizing a symbol of a gambling device, comprising an image capturing device, and a control unit connected to the image capturing device. The control unit may be configured for arranging the image capturing device in a non-capture mode, acquiring a signal from an external gaming control system, evaluating the acquired signal, arranging the image capturing device in a capture mode if successfully evaluating the acquired signal and subsequently capturing an image of the gambling device, recognizing a symbol of the gambling device, and providing a result relating to the recognized symbol to a user.Advantages with the invention include for example increased security in relation to manual operation of a dice game.
US08241099B2
A computer-implemented method of growing and incubating custom creatures in a computer game, including: obtaining genetic properties; combining the genetic properties in combinations of attributes, skills, and appearances; incubating a creature with role-specific properties using the combined genetic properties; and displaying an egg object of the incubated creature on a display for transaction. Keywords include MMO, incubation, genetic properties, and egg object.
US08241098B1
An adjustable conveyor assembly attachable to a harvesting combine includes a pair of telescoping conveyor sections providing a length adjustable conveyor for the conveyance of harvested materials being unloaded from a combine bin. The conveyors include a hydraulically motorized extension and conveyor belt drive as well as associated user controls. The conveyor is controlled by a control module located within the combine cab which provides user interface and programmable functions.
US08241085B2
A motorized doll includes an upper body portion and a lower body portion. The upper body portion may include a torso and a pair of arms. The lower body portion may include a pelvis connected to the torso at a universal joint, a pair of legs, and a pair of feet rotatable with respect to the legs. The doll is actuated to walk by a torso motor which drives the torso to tilt and rotate about the universal joint, which causes the doll to shift from foot to foot and repeatedly rotate forwards in a realistic walking motion. The doll includes a shoulder motor for rotating the pair of arms and a pelvis motor for driving the legs between a standing position and one of a crawling position or sitting position depending on the position of the pair of arms when the doll is tipped forward.
US08241083B2
An toy return glider having a first sheet member with a head cover section, a wing section and a tail section disposed along a longitudinal axis, and a rear air intake duct disposed within a connecting area between the wing section and the tail section. The toy glider also has a second sheet member with a body and rudders disposed along the longitudinal axis. The body has two longitudinal fold lines parallel to the longitudinal axis, and when the second sheet member is folded upward, two first slots extend obliquely rearward and downward with the rear air intake duct cover coupled with the two first slots, and the head cover section bonds a front section of the body to form a front air intake duct. The toy glider enhances the structural strength, overall stability and life time of the glider.
US08241079B2
A pump jet assembly includes universal components, such as a rotor, shroud and stator, that can accommodate all marine drives within a given range and adapter components, that accommodate the difference between the universal components and a particular marine drive within the range. A pump jet adapter system includes both the universal components and a plurality of adapter components, and is made by assessing a variation in parameters for the range of marine drives and determining rotor parameters to allow use of a universal rotor for all the range of marine drives. Parameters for adapter components are determined to correspond to different marine drives within the range.
US08241077B2
A terminal fitting includes: a body portion having a space for inserting a tab of a mating terminal therein; an elastic contact piece provided to face the space, having a configuration as to be extended like a cantilever in a direction of an insertion and pull-out of the tab with respect to the space through a wall-shaped portion constituting the body portion, and having a contact portion to come in contact with the tab; and an elastic reinforcing piece provided on an opposite side to the space with the elastic contact piece interposed therebetween, having a configuration as to be extended like a cantilever in the direction of the insertion and pull-out of the tab from the wall-shaped portion constituting the body portion, and causing an extended end to correspond to a displaced region in an elastic flexure in the elastic contact piece.
US08241071B1
An electric cable connecting device includes a base member having a terminal post for engaging with an electric cable, a housing having a chamber for receiving a torque limiting mechanism which includes a follower engaged in the housing and having an inner thread for engaging with the terminal post and having a number of ratchet teeth, and a release member engaged in the housing and having a number of ratchet teeth biased to engage with the ratchet teeth of the follower, the release member is limited to slide relative to the housing only, and the release member is released when a torque applied to the housing and onto the terminal post is greater than a predetermined torque value of the spring biasing member.
US08241049B2
An adapter apparatus includes a main body, two conductive head portions, and two covers. The main body includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The conductive head portions are electrically connected to each other, and pivotably mounted to the first and second ends, respectively, to pivot between first positions where the covers cover the corresponding head portions, and second positions where the covers are latched to the main body to expose the corresponding head portions.
US08241047B2
A swivel-type computer peripheral device includes a housing and a swivel rack assembly that swivels relative to the housing between a retracted position, in which a PCBA having a plug connector mounted on the swivel rack assembly is disposed inside the housing, and a deployed position, in which the swivel rack assembly is rotated outside of the housing such that the plug connector is positioned for insertion into a host computer socket. A torsion spring is connected between the housing and the swivel rack assembly and arranged to bias the swivel rack assembly either into the deployed position or into the retracted position. A locking mechanism controlled by a push button or another actuating mechanism is used to selectively lock the swinging rack in a retracted position and a deployed position.
US08241046B2
A connector shell to be mounted on a board includes a shell body and a mounting piece. In the shell body, a plug inserting space is defined. The mounting piece is integral with the shell body, and is extended from the shell body through the board to be fixed to the board by soldering. A sectional area reducing part is provided in the mounting piece between the shell body and a distal end part of the mounting piece. The sectional area reducing part has a sectional area smaller than a sectional area at the distal end part, and is disposed so as to face the plug inserting space.
US08241045B2
A connector of horizontal construction includes at least a pair of first and second halves that are mated together along a common mating line. A plurality of mating blades are supported in a vertical arrangement within a mating portion of the connector. The connector includes two distinct fastenings means for holding the housing halves together. A first fastening means is provided as a horizontal attachment member that extends widthwise in the mating portion in a space between the circuit cards. A second fastening means is provided as an exterior retainer that engages at least part of the outer circumference, or perimeter of the connector.
US08241016B2
An arrangement for conveying fluids has a fluid pump (91) implemented in the manner of a centrifugal pump, having a pump wheel (90) that is connected to a first permanent magnet (92). The arrangement further has an electronically commutated internal-rotor motor (70) having a stator (68), inside which stator is rotatably arranged a rotor (60) that is in turn connected to a second permanent magnet (76; 140) that coacts with the first permanent magnet (92) in the manner of a magnetic coupling (93). The arrangement also has a partitioning can (52) that separates the first permanent magnet (92) of the magnetic coupling (93), which magnet is arranged inside said partitioning can (52), in fluid-tight fashion from the second permanent magnet (76; 140) arranged outside the partitioning can (52), the stator (68) of the internal-rotor motor (70) being arranged substantially in the same drive plane as the magnetic coupling (93) and radially outside the latter.
US08240998B2
A rotatable impeller is a hollow conical/cylindrical stack, with at least one slanted/vertical side portion and at least one level of stack portions. Each impeller comprises at least one shape of airfoil/hydrofoil for thrust to propel, or pull, i.e., to draw in, vapor or fluid; plus a dynamic application utilizes a reverse operation to generate electricity from the kinetic energy of the flow of vapor or fluid. One airfoil/hydrofoil configuration of a stack impeller comprises serpentine rectangular segments positioned by internal rib members. Considered additional levels are enlarged copies of the first level of the stack impeller, positioned at an engineered distance from each level, and are considered to amplify propulsive or vacuum force; or for energy recovery to operate a dynamo generator.
US08240994B2
An aerofoil for a gas turbine engine comprising a pressure wall and a suction wall and defining leading and trailing edges, the walls define a passage into which is supplied a cooling fluid, an array of cooling holes is provided through at least one of the walls to allow the cooling fluid to flow from an interior surface to an exterior surface. The array of holes comprise two groups, the holes of each group are angled to intersect the holes of the other group and are characterized in that the holes of at least one of the groups comprises two or more holes at different angles to one another to vary the porosity of the wall to account for otherwise varying wall temperatures. This arrangement also allows either less coolant mass flow to maintain a constant metal temperature, or a lower metal temperature for a given coolant mass flow.
US08240991B2
A method, system and computer program product for operating a wind turbine is disclosed. For operating the wind turbine a set of operational data points are sensed via a sensing module. The set of operational data points may include bending stress values. Based on the bending stress values, a load scenario indicator value may be computed. Further, based on the set of operational data points a loading threshold value may be obtained. At least one operating parameter of the wind turbine is changed if the load scenario indicator value exceeds the loading threshold.
US08240985B2
The gas turbine engine shroud comprises a plurality of circumferentially-disposed and concentric shroud segments. Each shroud segment has an arc-shaped platform with opposite ends, each end comprising an inter-segment seal slot, at least one slot extending substantially across each corresponding end and having a lengthwise-variable depth.
US08240983B2
Gas turbine engine systems involving gear-driven variable vanes are provided. In this regard, a representative gas turbine engine system includes: a ring gear assembly operative to be mounted within an engine casing; and a vane module having a first vane airfoil and a first gear, the first gear being operative to engage the ring gear assembly such that movement of the ring gear alters a position of the first vane airfoil.
US08240981B2
Convective cooling of gas turbine engine airfoil platforms is enhanced by grooving the interface of the platforms with corresponding platform-to-platform seals, thereby accelerating cooling airflow over the platform surfaces.
US08240980B1
An industrial gas turbine engine having a first stage rotor blade with a outer segmented shroud forming a blade outer air seal with the blade tips and a second stage stator vane assembly which forms an axial inter-stage gap between an isolation ring that supports the outer shroud segment and the outer endwall of the vane. The isolation ring and the outer endwall both include a circumferential rail extending into the gap to form a serpentine flow passage in the gap. The outer shroud segment includes an aft edge extending outward to form the serpentine flow passage within the gap. Cooling air holes in the aft edge of the outer shroud segment discharge cooling air from the impingement cavity located above the shroud segment into a continuous slot opening into the inner end of the serpentine flow passage in the gap.
US08240975B1
A high compression ratio compressor having multiple stages of airfoils to produce the high pressure rations, where the last stage airfoils are cooled by passing cooling air through the airfoils without discharging film cooling air. The cooling air for the airfoils is bled off from an upstream stage of the compressor, passed through the airfoil to provide for the cooling, and then discharged back into the compressor at a stage upstream of where the bleed off air was extracted and where the pressure is lower. Because of the high pressure rations, the air temperature in the compressor is at such a high temperature that the last stage airfoils must be cooled to prevent thermal damage.
US08240974B2
A cold air buffer supply tube for a gas turbine engine includes a tube body having a first tube end and a second tube end. A fitting is secured to the first tube end, and a metering cap is secured to the tube second end. The metering cap includes a cap body having a peripheral wall with a plurality of holes to direct flow from an air supply into a bearing compartment for the gas turbine engine.
US08240967B2
A self-feeding apparatus for the disabled and elderly, which comprises: a support base; a holder for an open food container, pivotally connected to the base; an article for scooping food from the container; a system for moving the scooping article from a food scooping position from the container and a food dispensing position at a selected height from the base corresponding to the user's mouth. The system includes a first arm slantingly extending from the base and a second arm, arranged in a substantially horizontal position and slidably mounted on the first arm, the food scooping article being slidably mounted on the second arm. A motor is further provided for sliding the second arm along the first arm and the food scooping article along the second arm and for rotating the food container holder. At least one tank for liquid or semi liquid food and for beverages is placed on the base and a conveyor is provided for transporting the food from the tank to the user's mouth. The apparatus also has a programming and control system that includes a mouth operable control at the outlet end of the conveyor.
US08240959B1
A geosynthetic tufted drain barrier (GTDB) for preventing vertical migration of fluids. On a substantially impermeable woven or non-woven continuous layer is disposed a membrane. The tensile strength of the impermeable layer is at least 5 lbs/lineal ft (3.0 kg/lineal m). The permeability of the membrane is no greater than 10−4 cm/sec. Tufted tensile elements are attached to the membrane, each one being attached to the membrane at a density of at least 25 tufted tensile elements per square foot (30 square cm). The tufted tensile elements are formed in rows and are disposed at a density of at least four rows per square foot (30 square cm). Infill material can be introduced to the tufted tensile elements. The drain barrier may be constructed with integrated letters, logos, and signage and one or more colors.
US08240957B1
Piling, apparatus and methods for pouring a concrete piling in situ around pre-positioned reinforcing rods inside removable hollow pipe sections that have been screwed into the ground. A final coupler pipe section including a removable coupler device is releasably attached to a reducer section and helical screw anchor that are left in the ground. The pipe sections are connected end to end by helical flanges and are screwed into the ground using the helical screw anchor. Once the pipe sections are screwed into the ground to a desired depth, the coupler device is operated to release the coupler section from the reducer section and the coupler device is extracted from the pipe sections. Reinforcing rods are disposed inside the pipe sections and reducer section. Concrete is poured into the pipe sections and reducer section to encase the reinforcing rods. The pipe sections including the coupler section are then removed from the ground and reused.
US08240949B2
A hand-controlled, curb forming machine that is transformable between different widths and geometries, and between different wheel configurations, to accommodate different concrete curbing. A downwardly projecting, rotating head that rotates about an axis perpendicular to the slab shapes raw concrete into appropriately styled and contoured curbs. A machine frame slidably receives an adjustable, wheeled subframe. A roller on the opposite frame side rides on an opposite curb form. A pivoted handle is reversible. The electric motor is adjustably secured to the frame by a mounting plate movable within follower slots in the frame. A removable adaptor plate disposed on an opposite frame end supports the machine when not in use, but can be removed for normal curb work exposing a form riding roller. When the machine is deployed with monolithic curbs without rebar, the adaptor plate can mount to the subframe to raise the machine by lowering the wheels.
US08240946B2
A water drainage system having an elongated housing constructed from a plurality of identical subhousings which are aligned end to end. The housing is constructed of a flexible material and includes an elongated longitudinally extending interior chamber and at least one inlet open to a top of the housing and the chamber. A drainage pipe is attached to the housing and has one end open to the chamber and its other end at a location which dissipates water collected within the housing chamber.
US08240937B2
An oral care toothbrush includes a head mounted to one end of the handle containing a plurality of oral care elements. An oral care accessory is mounted to the opposite end of the handle. An oral care dispenser is mounted in the head within the cleaning field defined by the oral care elements. The oral care dispenser may be held in place by a plurality of prongs located in the field defined by the oral care elements. The toothbrush may be made of small size and of lightweight so as to be readily portable for use away from the home.
US08240936B2
An oral care implement includes a head and a plurality of cleaning elements for enhanced cleaning of the teeth and soft tissue of the oral cavity. One tooth cleaning element has a plurality of bristles adapted to clean teeth. Another cleaning element is connected to the head and has structure defining a channel. The channel is configured to direct fluid in contact with the head toward an edge of the head when the implement is moved. The head also defines a reservoir that is configured to receive a dentifrice therein.
US08240929B2
A printer (1) comprises a printing section (2) and paper roll holder (3) located beside or under the printing section. The paper roll holder (3) has a receiving portion (7) supporting a paper roll (10) from below and a drawer portion (8). A guide member (12) that acts on a paper sheet is located between the receiving portion (7) and the drawer portion (8). The paper sheet between the receiving portion (7) and the drawer portion (8) is inclined to a horizontal side by the guide member (12).
US08240916B2
A linear guidance system having a guide rail and a carriage. The carriage is guided displaceably on the guide rail by way of at least two ball bearings, wherein the ball bearings respectively comprise a plurality of balls and a strip-shaped ball cage. The guide rail has running surfaces and the carriage has running surfaces for the rolling movement of the balls of the ball bearings. The ball cage has a plurality of substantially circular through openings which are arranged in succession in a row and into which the balls are inserted, wherein the inside diameter of the through openings tapers conically in the direction from a running surface of the guide rail to the associated running surface of the carriage to an inside diameter or is constricted by limiting means to an inside diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the balls so that the balls are secured in the through openings to prevent them from falling out of the through openings in the direction of the running surface of the carriage.
US08240913B2
A device includes a stationary, rotary component, and a fiber optic sensing system. The fiber optic sensing system includes a cable having one or more fiber optic sensors disposed on the stationary component, the rotary component, or combinations thereof. The fiber optic sensing system is configured to detect one or more first parameters including temperature, strain, pressure, vibration, torque; or combinations thereof related to the stationary component, the rotary component, or combinations thereof. The one or more first parameters is used to determine one or more second parameters including thermal expansion, clearance, fluid flow rate variation, condensation, fluid leakage, thermal loss, life, thermal stress, or combinations thereof related to the stationary component, the rotary component, or combinations thereof.
US08240912B2
A non-contact measurement device includes two or more detectors for sensing scene data from corresponding measurement zones within a target scene. Devices further include an optical system for imaging scene data from the target scene onto the detectors. The optical system is configured to provide a different optical profile for each detector, such that the device can be used to provide a best-fit optical profile for a variety of non-contact applications.
US08240906B2
Provided is a backlight unit of a liquid crystal display (LCD). The backlight unit includes: a plurality of light guide plates (LGPs) arranged in M layers and separated from each other by a predetermined gap, wherein M is a natural number equal to or greater than two, a light source unit disposed on at least one side surface of each of the LGPs and including N light source blocks whose brightnesses are controlled individually, and wherein N is a natural number equal to or greater than two. The backlight unit further includes a plurality of light output regions defined by each of the LGPs being divided into a plurality of regions according to a distance from the light source unit and by a plurality of light output patterns being formed in some of the regions, and wherein the light output regions do not overlap each other in a stacking direction of the LGPs and are arranged to correspond to a whole surface of the LGPs.
US08240905B2
An exemplary light source assembly includes a light guide plate, a printed circuit board and light emitting elements. Each of the light emitting elements includes a cuneiform base and a light emitting diode. The cuneiform base includes an inclined surface sloped relative to an outer surface of the printed circuit board. The corresponding light emitting diode is placed on the inclined surface of the cuneiform base such that the light emitting diode is angled on the printed circuit board. Thereby, light is obliquely emitted from the light emitting elements onto the light guide plate.
US08240902B2
A linear light source device includes a light guiding member formed of a transparent body and an LED element arranged to face an end of the light guiding member. A plurality of recesses or projections are formed in a circumferential direction on the transparent body. Light from the LED element incident on the recesses or projections is reflected by the recesses or projections and travels toward the side of the light guiding member opposite to the recesses or projections to be emitted to the outside.
US08240898B2
On the surface of Fresnel lens part which is formed on the back face of the lens in a door mirror, grain is provided. This grain includes the first grain formed in the first area positioned in the outside of the boundary extending in the front and rear direction of a vehicle, and the second grain formed in the second area positioned in the door panel side of the boundary, and the concavity depth of the second grain is deeper than that of the first grain. Consequently, illumination intensity of the light irradiated toward the face of the door panel from the deeper grain side of the second area can be reduced compared with the illumination intensity of the light toward the footstep from the shallower grain side of the first area. Adoption of such lens makes possible to apply in the various vehicle models through changing only the boundary position and concavity depth of the grain on the face of the Fresnel lens part.
US08240895B2
An LED light fixture includes a post having a fixing bar at a top end thereof, a first lamp mounted on the fixing bar, and a second lamp rotatably mounted on the fixing bar. The first and second lamps are capable of rotating with respect to the fixing bar to change an angle between the first and second lamps, to thereby change an illumination area and intensity distribution of the LED light fixture. In one position, the second lamp overlaps the first lamp, and LED light sources in the first lamp are alternate with those of the second lamp.
US08240887B2
A light module includes a light engine having a printed circuit board and an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) coupled to the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board has a power connector interface defining a separable interface for coupling with a power connector of the light module. A base ring holds the light engine and has side walls defining a cavity. The side walls have a securing feature. An optical component is received in the cavity and is positioned to receive light from the LEDs. The optical component has a predetermined lighting characteristic and emits the light generated by the LEDs in accordance with the predetermined lighting characteristic. A top cover is coupled to the base ring and has a securing feature engaging the securing feature of the base ring to couple the top cover to the base ring. A compression ring is positioned between the base ring and the optical component. The compression ring is compressed between the base ring and the optical component when the top cover is coupled to the base ring.
US08240885B2
Embodiments of the invention provide thermal management systems for LED light fixtures. In one embodiment, an LED track light fixture includes a lighting assembly, a fixture housing mounted to the lighting assembly and having a plurality of apertures, and a mounting structure that affixes the fixture housing to a track. In this embodiment, the lighting assembly includes a heat sink, a reflector, at least one light emitting diode, and a synthetic jet actuator. In a second exemplary embodiment, a sealed, enclosed LED light fixture includes a lighting assembly, along with an enclosure and a fixture housing surrounding the lighting assembly. In this embodiment, the lighting assembly includes at least one light emitting diode, a thermoelectric cooler, and at least one heat sink. In some embodiments, a forced air cooling device may be located between the printed circuit board and the thermoelectric cooler.
US08240884B2
The module structure of the LED light and radiator comprises a cover and a light module. The penetrating holes and retaining holes are set at the bottom of the container in the inner side of the bottom cover. The screw holes are set around the fitting holes. The light module comprises an aluminum base set with many screw holes corresponding with the screw holes on the bottom cover, a radiator, LED lights which are on the circuit board and a lamp mask. A circuit board thereon set a lamp mask with screws is below the aluminum base, and the radiator is set on the aluminum base.
US08240883B2
A lighting system includes a plurality of circular or disk-shaped lighting rings suitable for installation on a Christmas tree. The lighting rings include lights affixed to a webbing or net, and slits and trunk apertures to facilitate their placement around the Christmas tree trunk. For connection to an electrical power source, the lighting rings include electrical connectors including female electrical and male electrical connectors.
US08240880B2
An LED illumination module includes a base, a plurality of first LEDs disposed on a top side of the base and a reflecting barrel disposed on the top side of the base. The first LEDs are disposed outside of the reflecting barrel, whereby light generated by the first LEDs is reflected by the reflecting barrel to illuminate a space below a bottom side of the base.
US08240878B2
An LED waterproof diffuser has an LED substrate housing, a diffusing portion and an embedded locating portion. The housing is of a 3D holding space formed by an end wall and a periphery. An LED inlet is formed at the other end of the periphery. The hollow diffusing portion is protruded from the center of the end wall of the LED substrate housing in a reducing pattern. The embedded locating portion is formed externally onto the diffusing portion, and can also be embedded securely into the hole of an existing shell plate. The diffuser allows one to assemble a single or several LED units, thus reducing the manufacturing cost and realizing excellent waterproofing effects, while enabling partial replacement or maintenance of LED elements. Moreover, since the outer diameter of the diffusing portion is smaller than that of the LED substrate housing, a smaller hole area for assembly can be obtained.
US08240874B2
A multi-mode portable illumination device includes a switch structure featuring a substantially planar member and a mechanical switch which requires a relatively small amount of force and a short stroke distance to actuate. The mechanical switch is attached to a member which contains circuit(s) adding additional functionality to the multi-mode portable illumination device. The member has conductive springs attached to either end that are used to complete the electrical circuit with the battery and the lamp, while their compressive force is absorbed by a housing protecting the switch structure. A conductive strip is used to improve the conductivity of the circuit in a metal multi-mode portable illumination device which has been provided with an electrically resistive protective coating.
US08240860B2
An indicating instrument, such as for an instrument cluster, may employ a dial with numerous lighted indicia and numerous lighted graduations, to individually demark the indicia. The indicia and graduations may be viewable on a first side of the dial, while on a second side of the dial, a frustum of a rectangular pyramid may be located immediately behind, relative to a viewer, each graduation. A light emitting diode may provide light into and through the protruding frustum, and a reflector case mounted to the dial may direct light from the light emitting diode into the frustum. Light directed into the frustum may pass through the frustum, through the graduation, and out of the graduation to the first side of the dial. Instead of a frustum, a recessed portion with four sloping and converging sides into the dial may be utilized to produce an illuminated graduation with a three-dimensional appearance.
US08240849B2
This invention provides for an ophthalmic lens with at least one portion of the lens including multiple voxels of polymerized crosslinkable material. In addition, the present invention provides for apparatus for generating an ophthalmic lens with one or more areas of different refractive indexes and a surface with one or both of a raised area and a depressed area.
US08240845B2
A pair of eyeglasses includes a pair of lenses, an outer border, and a pair of temple arms. The outer border includes two symmetrical mounting portions and a bridging portion linking up the two mounting portions. Each of the mounting portions defines a first through-hole. The outer border further includes a pair of alignment recesses respectively encircling each of the first through-hole and a pair of fixing portions, wherein each of the fixing portions is next to one of the alignment recesses, and the lenses are anchored at the alignment recesses. The eyeglasses further include a pair of inner borders respectively anchored at each of the fixing portions. When the lenses are installed in the alignment recesses, each of the inner borders is anchored at each of the fixing portions and exerted to the edge of the lenses.
US08240834B2
An ink for ink-jet recording may contain a coloring agent and a marker. The coloring agent may contain a pigment. The marker may have a detector absorption peak for detecting the marker at a wavelength that is different from a wavelength of the maximum absorption peak of the coloring agent. The coloring agent and the marker may be contained in the ink in amounts that satisfy the following conditions (I) to (III): (I) about 1.2≦A2/A3; (II) color difference (ΔE)≦about 3; and (III) about 1≦A2≦about 10 in terms of a measurement optical path length of 1 mm, where A2 denotes an absorbance at the wavelength of the detector absorption peak of the marker, A3 denotes a baseline absorbance at the wavelength of the detector absorption peak of the marker.
US08240825B2
A printing fluid refill cartridge for a printing unit comprising an outlet arranged to be engageable with a refill port of the printing unit through which printing fluid contained in the refill cartridge is dispensable; a first engagement member arranged in the vicinity of the outlet and a second engagement member arranged in the vicinity of the refill port and configured to be removably securable with the first engagement member so as to engage and hold the refill port and the outlet together.
US08240821B2
Apparatus for refilling and subsequently sealing an ink jet cartridge. The apparatus including a body with a pointed distal end which can be pushed through a tape covering the fill hole for the cartridge. A recess is provided in the proximal end of the apparatus for connection to a syringe or a feed pipe. A passage connects with the recess and also a radial passage adjacent the distal end of the apparatus. A resilient sleeve locates in a circumferential recess extending around the apparatus and covering the end of the passage in a rest condition to provide a one way valve.
US08240814B2
A printing head, which can suppress the occurrence of cracks in a printing element substrate, even if accidentally dropped, includes the printing element substrate, an ink flow passage and a sheet-shaped portion comprising a rectangular major surface. A rear surface side of the major surface of the sheet-shaped portion is provided with a space formed separately from the ink flow passage. A surface adjacent to the major surface is provided with an opening of the space formed therein, and the sheet-shaped portion is provided with a concave portion formed on the rear surface side of two regions between the printing element substrate and two corner portions arranged proximate to the opening.
US08240809B2
An ink-jet recording apparatus includes: an ink-jet head including a plurality of nozzle openings from which ink is ejected and an ink ejection surface in which the plurality of nozzle openings are formed; a waste-ink receiving mechanism which receives the ink ejected from the plurality of nozzle openings; a set of (a) a wiper configured to wipe the ink adhering to the ink ejection surface and (b) an absorbing member configured to absorb the ink received by the waste-ink receiving mechanism and to be brought into contact with the ink ejection surface such that the absorbing member adheres the ink thereto; and a driving mechanism configured to drive at least one of the ink-jet head and the set of the wiper and the absorbing member, such that the wiper and the absorbing member are, one of together and independently, moved relative to the ink ejection surface while being opposed thereto, and such that the absorbing member adheres the ink to the ink ejection surface and the wiper wipes the ink adhered by the absorbing member from the ink ejection surface.
US08240805B2
The invention concerns a detection system (7) for measuring at least one characteristic of an inked zone (5) comprising at least one sensor adapted to sense a light radiation reflected by said inked zone (5) and to generate a measurement signal representing at least the characteristic of the inked zone (5). Such a system further comprises at least one first optic fiber (10), adapted to convey up to the neighborhood of the inked zone (5), a light radiation emitted by a light source (11).
US08240800B2
There is provided a droplet ejection device including: a droplet ejection unit that successively ejects plural droplets within a pre-specified driving cycle and is capable of causing the plural droplets to aggregate and impact; and a control section that controls application to the droplet ejection unit of driving waveforms among plural driving waveforms that are each capable of ejecting a droplet from the droplet ejection unit, which are generated within the pre-specified driving cycle, such that the driving waveforms that are applied include at least one driving waveform generated at a pre-specified later period in the driving cycle.
US08240799B2
A control signal is generated to control ink discharge from a printhead. Urgency of A/D conversion of a detection signal is generated in accordance with a position represented by a signal output from an encoder. Upon determining based on the urgency to perform A/D conversion, control signal generation stops. Upon determining that a printing operation is not being performed, control is executed to A/D convert the detection signal. However, upon determining that the printing operation is being performed, control is executed to perform A/D conversion after the end of the printing operation. The stopped control signal generation is immediately resumed if it is determined that the A/D conversion has ended. Upon determining that the A/D conversion has not ended, however, control signal generation is resumed after the end of the A/D conversion.
US08240797B2
A method of printing an image having a graphic security element included therein includes receiving main image data representing a main image, receiving graphic security element data representing a graphic security element to be included in the main image, receiving a request to print the main image, responsive to receiving the request to print the main image, determining particular pixels of the main image data that are to be shifted based on the graphic security element data, and causing a plurality of ink deposits to be deposited on the print medium based on the main image data including causing the position of each of the ink deposits on the print medium that is determined to correspond to shifted pixels to be shifted relative to a normal position that would normally result from the main image data. Also, system that implements the method is provided.
US08240796B2
A fluid ejector includes a fluid ejection assembly, a housing, and an insert. The fluid ejection assembly includes one or more silicon bodies and a plurality of actuators. The one or more silicon bodies includes a silicon body having a plurality of fluid passages for fluid flow and a plurality of nozzles fluidically connected to the plurality of fluid passages. The plurality of actuators cause fluid in the plurality of fluid passages to be ejected from the plurality of nozzles. The housing assembly includes one or more plastic bodies, at least one plastic body attached to at least one silicon body to form a sealed volume on a side of the fluid ejection assembly opposite the nozzles. The insert is embedded in the at least one plastic body in proximity to the at least one silicon body, the insert having a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than 9 ppm/° C.
US08240781B2
The invention relates to a method for operating a braking system for motor vehicles with electrically actuated hydraulic valves, the coils of which are powered up, at least in phases, with currents which modify the currentless state of the hydraulic valves, in order to heat the hydraulic fluid present in the system. The hydraulic fluid is heated via a heating profile which, in accordance with the hydraulic fluid temperature, activates the heating phase of the hydraulic fluid. The heating profile consists of a first heating phase and, subsequent thereto, a second heating phase. During the first heating phase, the coils are powered up in such a way that the coil temperature at the end of the first heating phase corresponds to a pre-defined temperature value of the coil which is at least approximately maintained during the second heating phase when powering up the coils.
US08240779B2
A control for use in a hydraulic circuit where the control can act as a valve and an auxiliary pressure source for the hydraulic circuit.
US08240774B2
A method for treating a nahcolite containing subsurface formation includes solution mining a first nahcolite bed above a hydrocarbon containing layer using a plurality of first solution mining wells. A second nahcolite bed is solution mined below the hydrocarbon containing layer using a plurality of second solution mining wells. At least one of the first solution mining wells is converted into a production well. The hydrocarbon containing layer is heated using a plurality of heaters. Formation fluid is produced from at least one converted first solution mining well.
US08240773B2
A method and apparatus is provided for determining structural change in a mining operation. A first scan of gateroad surfaces is obtained and information of the scan profile is stored. At a later time a second scan of the gateroad surfaces is then obtained. Information of the scans can be registered and any difference noted. If the difference exceeds a threshold a warning can be provided indicating a gateroad structural change that may be hazardous. The scans can be made from a single sensor, or from multiple sensors (301, 303). In the case where the sensors (301, 303) are mounted on a gateroad traversing structure (109), the distance of spacing of the sensors (301, 303) can be used to determine when the sensor (303) has reached a position of movement or travel of the gateroad traversing structure (109) where the scan from sensor (301) was made. A distance sensor (309) can be provided to determine the distance of movement and where the scans coincide.
US08240763B2
A lumbar support mechanism includes a damper having one end supported by the inside of a seat back and the other end capable of extension and contraction. Seesaw links are provided with each having one end connected to the other end and capable of extension and contraction. An intermediate portion is supported at a swing fulcrum by the seat back with the other end extending in the width direction of the seat back, and swung around the swing fulcrum. Pantograph links are connected to the respective seesaw links and are movable up and down in the back and forth direction in conjunction with the swing of the corresponding seesaw links. The lock-release lever is operated to release the lock mechanism of the damper. The extension and contraction force of the damper is transmitted to the pantograph links via the corresponding seesaw links with the pantograph links shifting the pad provided in the seat back.
US08240743B2
An apparatus and method for reducing noise in a vehicle having a soft top roof. The apparatus includes a main extension bar having a first end and an opposing second end. A first coupling mechanism is affixed to the first end and a second coupling mechanism is affixed to the second end. The first and second coupling mechanisms are attached to roll bars located on a top portion of the vehicle. With the apparatus in place upon the roll bars, the main extension bar exerts upward force against the soft top roof of the vehicle, thereby reducing movement of the soft top roof and noise within the interior of the vehicle.
US08240729B2
The disclosure relates to a gripper finger including a surface area for clamping. This area this area is covered with a membrane including at least one section, which is substantially made of a shape memory polymer (SMP). The disclosure relates also to a gripper tool including such gripper finger and a method for adjusting such a gripper tool.
US08240727B2
The invention relates to a hook (10), which may for example be used with a crane to lift heavy loads. In one embodiment, the hook may have a load-bearing portion (12) and an arm portion (14) where the arm portion can pivot relative to the load-bearing portion between open and closed configurations and may have a locking mechanism (20, 21, 29, 30, 32) that can lock the arm portion with respect to the load-bearing portion in the open configuration of the hook, in which configuration the arm portion and the load-bearing portion together define a discontinuous boundary. The hook may also be provided with a suspension portion (74), and the suspension portion, the load-bearing portion and the arm portion may be pivotally coupled with respect to each other.
US08240724B2
An over-center latch assembly has a base for attaching the over-center latch assembly to a first part of a unit. The first part of the unit is moveable to a second part of the unit. A handle is rotatably coupled to the base by a hinge. A pivot is coupled to the handle such that the pivot traverses about the hinge. The pivot is configured to receive a hasp. A stop surface is coupled to the base whereby rotation of the handle about the hinge is limited by the stop surface. A hinge bearing is coupled to the hinge. The hinge bearing enables an increased quantity of latch/unlatch cycles of the over-center latch assembly before failure of the over-center latch assembly.
US08240714B2
A skateboard with sail assembly, comprising a skateboard having first and second ends and a through hole. The through hole is positioned in between the first and second ends. A removable post assembly projects from the through hole. A pedal clamp assembly is mounted onto the removable post assembly. A handle bar assembly is also mounted onto the removable post assembly. The skateboard with sail assembly may be utilized with its sail in a deployed configuration or a retracted configuration. In addition, the post assembly may be completely removed so that the skateboard may be utilized on its own.
US08240710B1
A removable handrail system for recreational vehicles and similar vehicles is herein disclosed, located and installed along side steps of said vehicles and used to access the door or other similar location. It is intended for use on motor homes, fifth wheels, travel trailers, truck campers and virtually any vehicle which utilizes one (1) or more steps for access and comprises a hitch-like receiver assembly that mounts on the side of the step assembly directly underneath the door or upper platform. The handrail slides into the receiver and is secured via a locking bolt. The handrail is adjustable to compensate for varying grades. When fully installed, the device is supported at two (2) points and forms a very stable handrail for entering and exiting the vehicle. It is quickly installed and removed with a minimum of tools and can be stored in a narrow storage compartment when not in use.
US08240702B2
A fastening device for the airbag, in particular a window airbag, is provided, having a retainer to which the airbag can be fastened and that has an opening through which a mounting stud can be passed. Fastened to the retainer is a slide element that can be slid from an open position into a fastened position and the stud is captured in the opening by the slide in the fastened position.
US08240698B2
A collapsible structure for baby strollers includes a main frame including two first support rods, each first support rod having an engaging member which includes a protrusion, and a connection part which includes a first hook. Two handles are pivotally connected to the two engaging members respectively, and the two handles are provided with two locking units. Each locking unit includes a first connection member extending through a pull member, a second connection member extending through a restriction member and a third connection member extending through a positioning hole of each handle to be contacted with a resilient member located in a space in each locking unit. The restriction member includes a recess operatively engaged with the protrusion when unfolding the stroller, and a second hook securely engaged with the first hook when the stroller is folded.
US08240695B1
A baby trailer towing connector formed of a first connector, a second connector, a buffer bar and a spring member for the connection of a baby trailer to a baby bicycle is disclosed. The second connector has a connection frame attached to the top wall and opposing sidewalls of the holder block of the first connector and secured thereto by a pin, assuring connection stability and avoiding breaking of the pin during a towing operation.
US08240679B2
A suspension system for a vehicle, including: (a) a suspension spring; (b) a hydraulic damper; (c) a displacement force generator disposed in parallel with the suspension spring and the damper; and (d) a controller including a damping-force controlling portion for controlling a damping force of the damper and a displacement-force controlling portion for controlling a displacement force of the displacement force generator. The displacement-force controlling portion is configured to execute a sprung-portion vibration damping control for controlling the displacement force, such that the generated displacement force acts as a damping force against sprung-portion vibration. The damping-force controlling portion is configured, upon execution of the sprung-portion vibration damping control, to execute a damping force reducing control for reducing the damping force that is to be generated by the damper, depending on an intensity of unsprung-portion resonance frequency vibration which occurs in the vehicle and which has a resonance frequency of the unsprung portion.
US08240673B2
The present invention relates to a new kind of a mechanical seal, a so called slide ring seal, which is used, for example, for sealing a shaft space of a centrifugal pump in relation to a pumping space thereof. The present invention especially relates both to centering said mechanical seal and/or fastening said mechanical seal to the casing of said centrifugal pump and a body part used for the attachment. A characterizing feature of a mechanical seal in accordance with the present invention, comprising at least one rotary slide ring unit (24, 24′, 24″), a body part by means of which said seal is attached to said casing (16), and at least one either separate counter ring unit (42, 42′) or a counter ring unit (42, 42′) stationarily attached to said body part, is that said body part (40, 40′) is provided with inclined fastening means (52), by means of which the body part (40, 40′) is tightened to the casing both axially and radially.
US08240664B2
A sheet processing apparatus according to the invention includes a conveying portion that conveys a sheet; and an abutment member against which an end of the sheet in a conveying direction abuts, the sheet being conveyed by the conveying portion. Herein, the abutment member is movable so as to change a distance between the abutment member and the conveying portion adjacent to the abutment member based on sheet information about the stiffness of a sheet, when an end of the sheet in the conveying direction is abutted against the abutment member.
US08240662B2
A sheet finishing apparatus includes a conveyance section which is disposed in a space section which is surrounded by peripheral walls of an image forming apparatus main body and conveys a recording medium discharged from the image forming apparatus in a paper discharge direction, a frame which is positioned in the space section and contains the conveyance section, and a removal mechanism to bring the conveyance section into a removal mode in synchronization with an operation of extracting the frame from the space section.
US08240656B2
To provide a paper feeding device that can switch setting information only with an easy action of sheet removal and setting in a predetermined position. The paper feeding device includes a first detecting unit that detects whether a sheet is set in a predetermined position, a second detecting unit that detects whether the sheet removal and setting is performed in the predetermined position after the setting of the sheet is detected by the first detecting unit, and a switching unit that switches setting information concerning the sheet when the sheet removal and setting is detected by the second detecting unit.
US08240652B2
A method for separating two consecutive interfolded sheets, during the production of packages of paper products, even if there is present at least one tear-off line or “tab bond”. The sheets are fed in an interfolded way from interfolding rollers on a table by means of suitable folding arms. At a predetermined height of the stack a first plurality of separators, arranged along the length of the stack and at opposite sides with respect to it, are inserted in the same stack. This introduction divides the formed stack from the growing stack. Between the separators and the table a side of a sheet stretching board is introduced. The formed stack is then arranged between the table and the sheet stretching board. These are lowered vertically and move away from each other autonomously from the separators up to cause the disengagement of the growing stack from the formed stack.
US08240647B2
A clamping and/or spreading tool comprises a drive for displacement of a push or pull rod to which a movable jaw is fixed with respect to a support carrying a stationary jaw in longitudinal direction of the push and pull rod, the drive comprising a torsion spring and being adapted to enter torque transmitting engagement with the push or pull rod for displacement of the same.
US08240646B2
A damping system, in particular in the form of a hydraulic cabin spring system, has at least one hydraulically triggerable actuating part (20) and has at least one hydraulic accumulator (26) connected to the actuating part (20). By a proportional throttle valve (10), proportional damping for the actuating part (20) is achieved. Variable proportional damping which can react to events in a manner specific to the user can be implemented.
US08240645B2
The invention relates to a bearing, in particular a chassis bearing for the rear axle of a motor vehicle, with an outer bearing sleeve, an inner bearing sleeve, at least one elastomer body arranged between the outer and inner bearing sleeves and two chambers which are arranged laterally opposite each other on the outer bearing sleeve. The chambers each have an adjusting element. The adjusting elements are displaceable. When subjected to pressure, the adjusting elements are displaced inwardly against the inner bearing sleeve. The adjusting elements can be clamped in their axial position by clamping rings which can be reduced in size radially, for example by means of air pressure. The inner bearing sleeve is thereby fixed and the rigidity of the bearing increased.
US08240644B2
A hydraulic anti-vibration mount having two damping modes, is disclosed comprising two support members, an elastomer body that connects the two support members to each other, a working chamber, a first structural plate with a check valve, a calibrated hole, a first restricted passage linking the working chamber to an intermediate chamber, a second structural plate having a main port, a second restricted passage, linking the intermediate chamber to a compensation chamber, an auxiliary chamber supplied by the check valve and emptied by the calibrated hole, and equipped with a flexible membrane arranged for deforming and closing the main port, to switch between the two damping modes.
US08240638B2
A rod assembly driver which is alternately acting in two opposing directions includes two opposing grip jaws for a rod assembly, which grip jaws are hingedly connected to one another in the form of a parallelogram by pairs of plates.
US08240637B2
The device includes a spindle rotatably supported perpendicular to a value displacement direction and is made of a first spindle part and a second spindle part. The two parts are provided with outside threads configured in opposite directions to each other. On the first spindle part, a first nut having a complementary inside thread is applied. On the second spindle part, a second nut having a complementary inside thread is applied. The first nut includes a first bearing for the rotatable support of one end of a first connecting rib. The second nut comprises a second bearing for the rotatable support of one end of a second connecting rib. The other end of the first connecting rib and the other end of the second connecting rib are rotatably supported on a third bearing. Parallel to the spindle, on the side thereof facing away from the valve member, a stop is provided for the first nut and for the second nut, the stop surface extends perpendicular to the displacement direction of the valve member.
US08240619B2
A cable bracket may be stamped from sheet material and folded to form a generally rectangular cable bracket suitable for attachment to, or within a wall or other construction space. The cable bracket may releasable secure multiple cables and or conduits. Two or more spring elements may be formed in the bracket to control and secure the cables within the bracket. A cable bracket may be secured to a metal, wood or concrete building element using any suitable fastener such as screws, nails, rivets and or bolts.
US08240617B2
The present invention relates to haptic feedback for operating at least one manual flight control device (21) for controlling the cyclic pitch of the blades (5) of a rotary wing (4) of a hybrid helicopter (1) via power assistance (27). Said operations of said control device (21) are defined according to a predetermined damping force relationship (A) that is a function of an instantaneous load factor of the hybrid helicopter (1) in such a manner that the instantaneous load factor is maintained between its minimum and maximum limit values in proportion to a position of a thrust control member (20) between its minimum and maximum thrust values (23, 22).
US08240612B2
A device for controlling heat flow in a spacecraft which always has the same face facing towards the earth, a pair of mutually parallel opposed North and South faces perpendicular to the North-South axis of the earth and two pairs of mutually parallel opposed East/West and Earth/Anti-earth faces, heat-dissipating or -transmitting equipment being provided on the internal walls of the North and South faces, this device comprising a plurality of heat pipes connecting the North and South faces of said craft to another pair of opposed faces of said craft and forming a heat-pipe loop in thermal-conduction contact with one another.
US08240594B2
A towel dispenser includes a housing for receiving toweling. The housing includes a main body; a loading door that is configured to rotate relative to the main body between a closed position and an open position; and a guide system that includes a first roller attached to the main body and a second roller attached to the loading door. The towel dispenser may include a motor for driving dispensing of the toweling from the housing and an associated sensor. The towel dispenser can be mounted to an underside of a cabinet. In an aspect, the front wall of the main body and a lip of the loading door collectively define a gap to which the guiding system guides the toweling and through which towels are dispensed when the loading door is in the closed position.
US08240588B2
A star feeder for conveying all types of bulk materials having a comminuting insert for crushing bulk material agglomerates (29). Bulk material agglomerates are conveyed into the inlet of the star feeder (1) and there pass through the comminuting insert (10), which comprises at least one shearing wall (20), which includes at least two mutually angled shearing surfaces (21, 22), which widen upward, toward the inlet direction (11) and meet centrally in the region of at least one feed edge (23).
US08240582B2
A stacked piezoelectric device 1 including a ceramic laminate formed by laminating piezoelectric ceramic layers and inner electrode layers alternately and a pair of side electrodes. The inner electrode layers 13 and 14 have inner electrode portions 131 and 141 and the recessed portions 132 and 142. The ceramic laminate 15 has the stress absorbing portions 11 and 12. A recessed distance of one of two of the recessed portions 132 and 142 which interleave the stress absorbing portions 11 and 12 therebetween which is located on the same side surface as the stress absorbing portion 11 or 12 is greater than the depth of the stress absorbing portion 11 and 12.
US08240580B2
A ballast retaining structure includes a first layered body constituted by a plurality of bag-like objects, each being formed in a bag shape and containing the ballast, stacked from a toe of slope to a top of slope of the track bed and disposed in the extending direction of the roadbed. The bag-like object has communication holes for communicating an inside and an outside of the bag-like object formed in at least upper and lower surfaces of the bag-like object.
US08240578B2
The described embodiments relate generally to devices, methods and systems for managing access to a memory card, such as a smart card, by a plurality of accessing devices. Certain embodiments relate to a smart card reader for managing concurrent access to a smart card, wherein when a channel manager receives a close session request from a first accessing device, and a first session is open on a first channel for the first accessing device and a second session is open on a second channel for a second accessing device, the channel manager is configured to: issue a close channel command to the smart card to close the second channel; issue the close session request from the first accessing device to the smart card; and issue a further session request to the smart card to re-open the first channel, and continue the second session on the re-opened first channel.
US08240576B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to for a card that includes a detachable wireless antenna-based payment device, such as a contactless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) payment device or the like. The card is configured so as to alleviate or eliminate production problems associated with the adhesive-protecting backing being lifted or otherwise removed during handling of the card by the embossing equipment. In specific embodiments, the detachable wireless communication device is formed vertically along the width of the card, such that the detachment line extends along the width of the card. In such embodiments, by limiting the width of the wireless communication payment device to about one-third of the length of the card, the detachable wireless communication payment device is formed outside of the center region of the card, which is the region handled during the embossing procedure.
US08240567B2
To authenticate etc. an IC card upon execution of an IC locking function by utilizing a privacy function. A communication management device has an IC, an IC card lock setting part, and a main control part. The IC includes an IC card function part for providing various kinds of services and a privacy function setting part for storing information for controlling the services provided by the IC card function part. The IC card lock setting part manages setting for locking the operation of the IC card function part. When locking managed by the IC card lock setting part is unlocked, the main control part forcibly stops the services provided by the IC card function part according to privacy information set by the privacy function setting part.
US08240563B2
A self-check-out stand has a flat belt on which items that have been scanned can be placed. This belt abuts a declining belt, with both belts preferably having abutting ends with upper corners in which a fixed non-rotating nose rod is located with the rod extending across the width of the belt, the rods hold the abutting ends tightly together with only a small crack between the belts. The check-out stand has two sets of unpowered transition rollers to turn the items at an obtuse angle to the conveyer belts. The stand has a declining set of rollers to bring the items to the proper height for the customer to bag. The accumulation area rises from front to back to slow the items being conveyed. A scanner module with a monitor and pay station can be placed at the front end of the stand.
US08240561B2
Techniques for authenticating a contactless smartcard in a card processing system are disclosed. A card reader measures an impulse response associated with the contactless smartcard during outbound modulation of an RF carrier and compares measured impulse data to reference impulse data. The reference impulse data can be stored at the card reader or obtained from the contactless smartcard in an encrypted form. Optionally, the card reader issues one or more challenges to the contactless smartcard in connection with a card transaction and verifies a response to the one or more challenges using calibration data. The card reader can determine the card's authenticity based on the impulse data, the response to one or more challenges, or a combination thereof.
US08240547B2
Octagonal container assemblies to package and display of products, particularly toys with moving wheels, appendages or the like to demonstrate movement of the same in the container, include a tubular body and at least two octagonal end covers removable or at least pivotal away from opposing ends of the tubular body. The container assemblies include a beam extended between the end covers and a rigid support member extended transversely from the beam so as to support the toy for at least limited operation or the wheels or the like within the container. The beam may be inserted in the container or extend along its exterior.
US08240546B2
Flow-wrap packaging having a longitudinal sealed seam and two transverse sealed seams, at least the longitudinal sealed seam being spaced apart from the associated longitudinal edge of the packaging, wherein a device for indicating whether the packaging has already been opened (seal guarantee) is arranged at at least one point between the longitudinal sealed seam and the longitudinal edge ,that is to say at at least one point on the longitudinal edge strips of the packaging defined by the longitudinal sealed seam and the longitudinal edge.
US08240543B2
Regarding electronic component mounting in which an electronic component having plural solder bumps for external connection on its lower surface is mounted on a board, in an electronic component mounting operation of previously measuring the height position of solder paste on the board on which the solder paste has been printed, and mounting the electronic component on the board on which the solder paste has been printed by a loading head, whether the transfer of the solder paste to the solder bumps is necessary or not is judged on the basis of the measurement result of the height of the solder paste. In case that it is judged that the transfer is necessary, the transfer of the solder paste is executed, and thereafter the electronic component is mounted on the board. Hereby, it is possible to prevent the poor joint in case that a thin-sized semiconductor package which causes easily warp deformation is mounted on the board by soldering.
US08240535B2
A staple gun tacker includes a wire guide mechanism in its forward end which includes a wire guide plate having a recessed lower end for engaging a wire when the plate is in an extended position and a rotatable cam for moving the plate between extended and retracted positions which includes a circular slot formed therein having one end thereof located closer to the axis of rotation of the cam then the other receiving and engaged with a projection on the cam plate so that rotation of the cam is translated into linear movement of the wire guide plate.
US08240533B2
A transfer and dispensing apparatus is disclosed for the conveying and separation of packaging material, cushions or pillows when needed by the operator. When a packer working over a conveyor receives a box that requires void fill, an operating switch such as a foot pedal is depressed to dispense pillows from the apparatus and into the box in a connected strip. When the operating switch is released, the apparatus stops dispensing pillows, separates the continuous strip of pillows along a transverse perforation in the strip, and ejects the end of the separated segment. The packer can then complete packing the box by placing the severed end of the pillows into the box, advance to the next box, and repeat the process. The transfer and dispensing apparatus may be positioned in any convenient location including adjacent to, above or attached to the inflation device.
US08240526B2
A roof side bar is configured for prevention of noise for an automobile. The roof side bar includes a cross bar mounting hole to which a cross bar may be mounted, and/or an interior space having a specific volume located behind the cross bar mounting hole, wherein a partitioning wall may be provided to divide the interior space into a plurality of subspaces so as to vary a resonant frequency in the interior space.
US08240525B2
There is disclosed a device (1) to carry a bottle (5) including an attachment portion (10) to be secured to a user (15). A clip (20) has an aperture (25) through which a part (30) of the bottle (5) to be secured by the user may pass. A connecting means (35) extends between the attachment portion (10) and clip (20) and is operable to permit the bottle (15) in use to assume a substantially vertical orientation.
US08240523B2
A cap for an aerosol can is provided comprising a recessed portion configured to retain a sprayer for the can wherein the sprayer is contained in the recessed portion when stored in the cap. The sprayer comprises a button actuator to attach to the valve of the can and a spray nozzle extension for the button to provide additional control. The button includes a sleeve for fitting over a protruding post in the recessed portion to align the sprayer in the recessed portion. The recessed portion may also include a support with a notch for aligning the nozzle in the channel provided by the recessed portion.
US08240518B2
The invention relates to a dispensing device for dispensing a cosmetic liquid, the device having an elastic or flexible pump section. A dispensing device is provided having a compact and simple structure that is easy to use and operate such that the dispensing direction is generally different from the direction of actuation. A widening receiving area may be provided for the dispensed liquid that adjoins the outlet such that the liquid can be removed or extracted manually. The receiving area is preferably shell-shaped and open towards the top.
US08240517B1
A elongated rectangular kiosk with a floor-engaging portion is equipped with a handle and wheels adjacent a rear surface to facilitate is mobility. A sink-like region has a faucet-like dispenser from which waterless sanitizer is dispensed in response to a motion sensor. Electrical power is provided by a lithium storage battery which is recharged by a solar panel. A wireless receiver/transmitter communicates with a remote base computer to control and monitor the operation of the kiosk. Informational displays, both video and placard, can be accommodated and a business card dispenser provided.
US08240516B2
A device for dispensing a liquid to a pasty product is placed at the open end of a rigid container and includes a manual dosing pump for dosing a predetermined amount of product to be dispensed. The device has a base member to be placed on the container, a push button with a dispensing spout capable of a pumping action against a bellow including an opening-closing system formed at the upper end of the bellow. The opening-closing system includes a first inner peripheral collar formed at the upper end of the bellow and associated with a second collar of the bellow that is concentrically arranged relative to the first one and inserted in the same groove of the push button, wherein a locking tab capable of blocking the opening protrudes from the collar.
US08240498B2
A plastic resealable closure includes a base plate affixed to a can, a middle plate having a plug, and a top plate having a support ring. The support ring expands or supports the plug to enhance sealing. The top plate includes prongs that are insertable into recesses on the base plate to enhance closing. The closure is applied without heating of the tool or the closure.
US08240489B2
The invention relates to a traverse rod assembly for supporting a window covering. The traverse rod assembly includes a decorative arcuate member defining a channel at one end. A carrier tab is affixed within the channel, thereby maintaining the substantially vertical alignment of the decorative arcuate member even when the window covering is manipulated. By retaining a substantially vertical alignment, the decorative arcuate members more closely resemble the appearance of a traditional curtain rod, and they avoid potentially damaging contact with other decorative features of the traverse rod assembly.
US08240485B2
Chassis and module for data storage device enclosure and methods of reconfiguring chassis and module
A chassis for a data storage device enclosure is disclosed. The chassis comprises a bay arranged to receive a module and a key in the bay. The bay key is constructed and arranged such that a module can be received in the bay only when said module has a corresponding module key. The bay key is manually reconfigurable by a user without use of a tool from a first configuration in which only a module having a corresponding first key can be received in the bay to a second configuration in which only a module having a corresponding second key, which is different from the first key, can be received in the bay.
US08240482B2
The present invention relates to a device for tangential filtration of a fluid to be treated and to be separated into a filtrate and a retentate, comprising at least one filtration element which comprises at least one inlet for a fluid to be filtered and at least one outlet for the retentate having circulated the filtration element, wherein said element is incorporated in a circulation loop so that at least a part of the retentate is reinjected into the fluid to be treated before being introduced into the filtration element. a module of filtration into which the circulation loop is integrated and realized by a series of filtration elements in forward direction and a series of filtration elements in backward direction, forming forward and backward circuits. At least one probe for detecting information which is characteristic for the fluid to be filtered and representative for the risks of gelification of the fluid to be filtered in the filtration element(s) and/or for the risks of total obstruction of the filtration element(s).
US08240480B2
A method of sorting mined material for subsequent processing to recover valuable material, such as valuable metals, from the mined material is disclosed. The method includes a combination of selective breakage of mined material, for example, by using microwaves and/or high pressure grinding rolls, subsequent size separation, and then particle sorting of a coarse fraction of the separated material based on differential heating and thermal imaging.
US08240475B2
Systems and methods are described that facilitate generating a color interference effect during opening and closing of a package for a product. The package includes first and second portions, each having printed thereon a color interference pattern. All or part of the second package portion is transparent, permitting the color interference pattern on the first package portion to be seen through the second package portion. The package portions are mated together (e.g., in a tube and sleeve arrangement or the like), such that the color interference patterns are aligned and overlap each other completely when the package is closed. As the package is opened (or closed), the interference patterns move or slide past each other, creating the visible color interference effect.
US08240473B2
A headliner packaging may be configured to package a headliner having a surface and a width. The system may include one or more elongated clamps. Each elongated clamp may be configured to releasable secure the headliner by applying clamping force to an area on the surface of the headliner. Each elongated clamp may have a length that exceeds the width of the headliner. Each elongated clamp may have a hinge on one end of the elongated clamp which is configured to allow the elongated clamp to rotatably swing into an open position to receive the headliner and to rotatably swing into a closed position to lock the headliner securely within the elongated clamp. The packaging system may be configured to package an article other than a headliner.
US08240471B2
The present disclosure relates to medical packaging for the accommodation of medical supplies. The medical packaging discussed herein has a plurality of panels, including a first panel, a second panel, and a third panel, that are releasably secured together to establish a first sterile environment between the first panel and the second panel for the retention of a first medical supply, and a second sterile environment between the second panel and the third panel for the retention of a second medical supply. The panels are configured for relative movement such that movement of the first panel relative to the second panel reveals the first medical supply without compromising the second sterile environment, and movement of the second panel relative to the third panel reveals the second medical supply. The panels are arranged for sequential separation in accordance with the steps of the procedure in which the medical supplies are employed.
US08240464B2
A hanging garment storage unit includes a hanger, a frame, and a drawer. The hanger is arranged to removably couple the frame to an external support. The frame has a broad side and a top. A track is coupled to the broad side of the frame, and the drawer is slidably coupled to the frame. The frame has a broad side and a narrow side, and the drawer is arranged to slide along the track with the broad side of the drawer facing the broad side of the frame. The drawer is further arranged to pivot about an end of the frame to allow movement of the drawer from a storage position to an access position.
US08240463B2
A conveyor belt having a width and a length, and a longitudinal centerline, also has a first longitudinal edge, and an opposing second longitudinal edge and a load bearing region. The load bearing region is located evenly about the belt longitudinal centerline, throughout the length of the belt. The conveyor belt also has a first flexibility region and a second flexibility region, wherein the first flexibility region is located between the first longitudinal edge and the load bearing region, and the second flexibility region is located between the second longitudinal edge and the load bearing region. The conveyor belt further comprises at least one fabric layer, having a width corresponding to the conveyor belt width, and having a length corresponding to the conveyor belt length, wherein the fabric layer has a density which varies over the fabric layer width; and wherein the fabric layer density is higher in the first and second longitudinal edges and the load bearing region than the fabric layer density in the first and second flexibility region.
US08240455B2
The invention relates to a device for transporting food products (20), particularly product slices produced by means of a slicer (26, 28, 30), comprising at least one transfer station (10) for receiving food products from an incoming product stream flowing in from at least one incoming conveyor (12) and for transferring the food products to an outgoing conveyor (14), wherein the transfer station comprises a transfer unit that is configured to simultaneously transfer a group of successively received food products to the outgoing conveyor.
US08240454B2
Provided is a flexible machining facility using a sub-pallet, which can quickly satisfy the increasing or decreasing of units or other required specifications. It The machining facility includes a machine tool (1) having a pallet changer (47) for changing main pallets (39), a plurality of sub-pallets (3) for a workpiece to be mounted thereon, a setup station (5) for carrying the sub-pallet (3) and mounting and dismounting a workpiece on and from the sub-pallet (3), a sub-pallet stocker (7) for carrying the sub-pallet (3) thereon, and a sub-pallet conveyor system (9) for conveying the sub-pallet (3) and configured to include sub-pallet carrying parts of the machine tool (1), setup station (5), and sub-pallet stocker (7) in a workable area thereof. The sub-pallet (3) can be used to convey and machine a workpiece.
US08240452B2
A tread element for a conveyor such as an escalator or moving sidewalk has a tread plate and at least one border strip. First and second abutment arrangement for the strip are provided, and include a first groove element and a tongue element on mating portions of the tread plate and strip. Interacting stop surfaces of the abutment arrangements on the plate and strip prevent relative movement in the direction of mounting, while one of the abutment arrangements provides a locking arrangement between the tread element and strip.
US08240444B2
A control device for and a method of controlling a gearbox having a pressure-limiting device connected to a pressure medium source. A first controllable valve device is connected downstream of the pressure-limiting device and an actuating device is connected further downstream and adjusts the gearbox. A second controllable valve device is connected directly to the pressure medium source, via a supply line, and another actuating device is connected downstream of the second controllable valve device. An electric control device is provided for actuating the controllable valve devices and a sensor is connected to the electric control device for measuring pressure of the pressure medium in the supply line. The electric control device is connected to the second controllable valve device such that the second controllable valve device and the further actuating device are controlled by the pressure of the pressure medium in the supply line.
US08240442B2
The lock-up device includes a piston, an output rotary member, a plurality of elastic members, a support member, and a retaining plate. The piston is supported rotatably with respect to the input rotary member and movably in the axial direction. The elastic members elastically link the piston and the output rotary member in the rotational direction. The support member has an outer peripheral support component to support the outer peripheral side of the elastic members. The retaining plate has a fixed component that is fixed to the piston, and a radial support component that supports the outer peripheral support component in the radial direction.
US08240433B2
A pump providing oil suction and oil drain functions includes a barrel and a lid; a first passage is disposed on a bottom of the barrel; the lid contains a second passage, a third passage, and a fourth passage; a regulating member is disposed on the lid to connect the third passage through the second passage and to allow air to flow in sequence from an oil storage space, the third passage, the second passage, a pipe, the first passage, a ventilation pipe, and the fourth passage into the ambient air for producing suction in oil suction operation; and to connect the fourth passage through the third passage for the ambient air to flow in sequence through the second passage, the pipe, the first passage, the ventilation pipe, the fourth passage, and the third passage to enter into the oil storage space for producing pressure during the oil drain operation.
US08240432B2
A tree stand is provided, the tree stand including a platform support, first and second clamps rotatably attached to the platform support, and a platform attached to an upper portion of the platform support. Also provided is a climbing portion adapted to allow a user to enter and leave the tree stand. In some aspects of the invention, the various components of the tree stand can be easily assembled and disassembled for transporting and setting up the tree stand. The first and second clamps include openings for fasteners, which are used to secure the clamps to a tree.
US08240430B2
A noise and vibration mitigating mat having top and bottom surfaces comprises a first layer formed of recycled bound rubber product, the first layer having a contoured bottom surface and a generally flat top surface, a second layer on the top surface of the first layer, the second layer being formed of a fabric and a third layer on the second layer and being formed of recycled rubber product.
US08240426B2
A three dimensional acoustic passive radiator diaphragm. A diaphragm a three dimensional volume. An acoustic driver radiates pressure waves into the three dimensional volume to cause the diaphragm to expand and contract. The three dimensional passive radiator may include a core of a porous, compressible material.
US08240412B2
A method of operating a hybrid vehicle propulsion system includes selectively operating the engine to consume fuel stored on-board the vehicle based on a residence time of the fuel stored on-board the vehicle and further based on a profile of ambient conditions over the residence time.
US08240401B2
A system for damping vibration in a drill string can include a valve assembly having a supply of a fluid, a first member, and a second member capable of moving in relation to first member in response to vibration of the drill bit. The first and second members define a first and a second chamber for holding the fluid. Fluid can flow between the first and second chambers in response to the movement of the second member in relation to the first member. The valve assembly can also include a coil or a valve for varying a resistance of the fluid to flow between the first and second chambers.
US08240398B2
A method of controlling pressure in a wellbore can include determining a real time wellbore pressure PwbRT1 at a pressure sensor in the wellbore, calculating hydrostatic pressure Ph1 at the pressure sensor, determining a real time annulus pressure PaRT, calculating friction pressure Pf due at least to circulation of the fluid through the wellbore and depth in the wellbore, calculating a friction pressure correction factor CFPf1 equal to (PwbRT1−Ph1−PaRT)/Pf, and controlling operation of a pressure control device, based on the friction pressure correction factor CFPf1. The method can further include determining a desired wellbore pressure PwbD1 at the pressure sensor, calculating an annulus pressure setpoint PaSP1 equal to PwbD1−Ph1−(Pf*CFPf1), and adjusting the pressure control device as needed to maintain PaRT equal to PaSP1.
US08240393B2
An electric power tool has an electric drive motor whose speed is adjusted by means of an adjusting device. The adjusting device includes an adjusting element movably supported on the housing of the power tool. The adjusting element is associated with a strain measuring device that produces a measurement signal that is used to adjust the drive motor in response to a movement of the adjusting element.
US08240388B2
An oil well sealing device that is submergible for sealing under water oil wells and a method for sealing underwater oil wells are described. The device comprises a housing having at least one lower opening at a lower end of the housing and at least one upper opening at an upper end of the housing; a pump sucking oil through the lower opening into the housing and pushing the oil through the upper opening out of the housing; and a closing element movable to close or open the upper opening.
US08240386B2
A method comprising providing a composition with at least one isocyanate including a blocking group able to be unblocked at or above a deblocking temperature, contacting the composition with an inactivated catalyst and at least one active hydrogen compound, exposing the composition to a trigger to activate the catalyst, creating an elastomeric gel composition, and exposing the composition to a temperature above the deblocking temperature with a second downhole tool, wherein the second downhole tool is able to generate microwaves is provided.
US08240375B2
A field joint for connecting a plurality of downhole tool modules is disclosed. The modules include a housing and an electrical line. A bulkhead is coupled to a first module that includes a first conduit aperture for receiving an electrical connector assembly. The first electrical connector assembly is releasably coupled to the exterior portion of the first module and includes a first connector having a first end adapted for electrical coupling to an electrical line. A connector block is coupled to the second module that includes a second conduit aperture positioned to substantially face the first conduit aperture when the first and second modules are joined. A second electrical connector is disposed in the second conduit aperture and is electrically coupled to an electrical line such that an electrical contact is established with a second end of the first connector when the first and second modules are joined.
US08240374B2
In some embodiments, apparatus for assisting in reducing flowback of debris from an earthen formation into an underground fluid injection system includes a screen member disposed around and longitudinally moveable relative to a base pipe and shielded from direct contact with fluid as it is ejected from the base pipe.
US08240371B2
A multi-function sub is connected between a top drive of a drilling rig and a casing gripper. The sub has telescoping upper and lower members that rotate with each other. A sleeve is mounted to one of the members. That sleeve is prevented from rotation with the upper and lower members by an anti-rotation device. A piston is located on the other member and reciprocally carried within the sleeve. An external pump is connected to the sleeve for supplying pressurized fluid into the sleeve to act against the piston. This fluid provides compensation for thread makeup when a new joint of casing is being secured to a string of casing.
US08240369B1
A slot-perforating system for an abrasive-hydro-slotting of a near well-bore zone for establishing an inflow path between a borehole and a formation has an adaptor connectable to a tubing; a hydraulic block connected to the adaptor for regulating a speed of operation; a perforator providing a hydro-slotting, and a return block located between the hydraulic block and the perforator and returning the perforator an initial upper position.
US08240368B2
What is disclosed herein deals with low to medium pressure, high temperature, all ceramic, air-to-air, indirect heat exchangers, novel ball joints, high load-bearing ceramic tube sheets, and tube seal extenders for ceramic tubes that are useful in such heat exchangers. Also disclosed are new and novel systems used in new and novel industrial processes such as chemical processing, sludge destruction and the production of particulates such as, for example, carbon black. Systems utilizing several heat exchangers are also disclosed.
US08240362B2
The invention relates to a cooling system for a computer system, said computer system comprising at least one unit such as a central processing unit (CPU) generating thermal energy and said cooling system intended for cooling the at least one processing unit and comprising a reservoir having an amount of cooling liquid, said cooling liquid intended for accumulating and transferring of thermal energy dissipated from the processing unit to the cooling liquid. The cooling system has a heat exchanging interface for providing thermal contact between the processing unit and the cooling liquid for dissipating heat from the processing unit to the cooling liquid. Different embodiments of the heat exchanging system as well as means for establishing and controlling a flow of cooling liquid and a cooling strategy constitutes the invention of the cooling system.
US08240358B2
A heat exchange apparatus includes first and second sections, and further includes a first cross-flow fluid passageway disposed at least partially within the first section, defined by an internal surface of the first section, and including an inlet and outlet. The apparatus also includes a second cross-flow fluid passageway disposed at least partially within the second section and including an inlet and an outlet. The apparatus includes an interior fluid passageway with at least one tube disposed at least partially within the first section and at least partially within the second section, extending at least partially through the first passageway and at least partially through the second passageway, and including at least an inlet and an outlet. A sealing zone is disposed between the first section and the second section. The sealing zone isolates the first section from the second section either or both mechanically and in fluid communication.
US08240346B2
A purge apparatus is provided which can purge with clean gas even in a case where an in-use state is selected after a long period of a non-use state. The purge apparatus includes a nozzle which is connectable to a container and through which gas passes, a detection unit which detects a connection state between the container and the nozzle, and a flow rate adjustment unit which allows the gas to flow at a first flow rate when the container and the nozzle are in a connected state, and allows the gas to flow at a second flow rate, which is lower than the first flow rate, when the container and the nozzle are in a disconnected state.
US08240342B2
A papermaker's press felt includes: a base fabric comprising: a set of top machine direction (MD) yarns; a set of bottom MD yarns; and a set of cross machine direction (CMD) yarns interwoven with the top MD yarns and the bottom MD yarns. The top MD yarns, bottom MD yarns, and CMD yarns are interwoven in a series of repeat units in which each top MD yarn forms a long MD paper side float above certain consecutive ones of the set of CMD yarns. The press felt further comprises at least one batt layer attached to the base fabric. In this configuration, the long paper side floats of the base fabric can provide a desirable balance of properties.
US08240341B2
A kit, apparatus, and method for sealing a junction between a manhole and a pipe within a sewer system are provided. In a first embodiment, the end of a pipe adjacent a manhole is sealed by the use of a pipe liner and a tubular sleeve made of a hydrophilic material. The tubular sleeve is held in place by a mechanical fastener and a pipe liner is installed or otherwise placed through the tubular sleeve and against the wall of the pipe. In a second embodiment, a majority of the area surrounding a junction of a pipe and a manhole is sealed by the use of a tubular sleeve made of a hydrophilic material including a flange portion, a mechanical fastener, a pipe liner, and a manhole liner.
US08240339B2
Segments are linked in the circumferential and pipe length directions to assemble a rehabilitating pipe inside an existing pipe in order to rehabilitate the existing pipe. A plurality of nuts are secured to the segments along the circumferential direction thereof. A fastening member having a screw part is provided which is screwed into the nut to fasten a first segment to a second segment to which the nut is secured, thereby linking the first and second segments in the pipe length direction thereof. The position of the nut in the first segment is offset as viewed in the circumferential direction from the nut position of the second segment. The arrangement of the fastening members and the nuts is staggered as viewed in its entirety. This allows the connection strength of the segments in the pipe length direction to be made uniform.
US08240333B2
An improvement for a backflow release valve of the type used for a backflow event in a supply line is provided. The improvement includes an air-liquid separator in fluid communication with the release valve and the supply line for reducing the amount of air entrained within a liquid solution entering the release valve, thereby reducing the total volume of liquid solution entering the release valve and minimizing the entrainment of water into air breaking a vacuum condition in the supply line.
US08240327B2
A gas regulator includes an actuator, a regulator valve, and pressure loading device. The pressure loading device provides a pressure load to a surface of a diaphragm of the actuator to act against a downstream pressure being applied to the opposite surface of the diaphragm and being controlled by the regulator. As the downstream pressure varies and the diaphragm displaces to move a control element to regulate the downstream pressure, the pressure loading device maintains a specified load pressure. The regulator may further include a balanced trim applying a balancing force to offset a force of an upstream pressure on the control element.
US08240326B2
The present invention provides a faucet including structure to ensure components of the faucet are properly and securely assembled together. In one embodiment, the faucet includes a valve body, a mounting tube, and a hose retainer. The valve body is operable to receive at least a portion of a cartridge assembly and to connect to at least two hoses. The mounting tube is operable to mount the faucet to a surface, to receive at least a portion of the valve body, and to connect to at least two hoses. The hose retainer is operable to interface between the valve body and the mounting tube and to connect to at least two hoses. The valve body, the mounting tube, the hose retainer, and the hoses include structure to ensure that the valve body, the mounting tube, the hose retainer, and the hoses are properly and securely assembled together.
US08240324B2
Methods and apparatus utilize a rate of drop in pressure upstream of a gas flow controller (GFC) to accurately measure a rate of flow through the GFC. Measurement of the gas flow through the many gas flow controllers in production use today is enabled, without requiring any special or sophisticated pressure regulators or other special components. Various provisions ensure that none of the changes in pressure that occur during or after the measurement perturb the constant flow of gas through the GFC under test. A pressure regulator is coupled to a gas source. The GFC is positioned downstream of the pressure regulator. A pressure transducer is measuring pressure in a volume between the pressure regulator and the GFC, wherein means are provided for increasing the pressure in the volume.
US08240322B2
A splash-proof umbrella structure comprises a rod passing through a slide sleeve sliding up and down along the rod. The slide sleeve is coupled to support sticks. A piece of umbrella cloth is arranged on the support sticks. The upper side of the rod has a first rod sleeve and a second rod sleeve. The first rod sleeve has first link rods coupled to the support sticks. The second rod sleeve has second link rods coupled to the first link rods. The bottom of the rod has a handle. When getting off a vehicle in rain, the user can open the umbrella in a confined space to prevent from being wetted by rainwater via sliding the slide sleeve upward to stretch the umbrella cloth bottom-up. When not in use, the umbrella cloth can be collapsed via sliding the slide sleeve toward the handle. Further, the handle can collect rainwater.
